South Africa: Parliamentary committee to conduct oversight visit to initiation schools The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) will this week conduct an oversight visit to various initiation schools in the Eastern Cape Province. The Eastern Cape winter customary initiation season started on 17 June 2022, when approximately 40 000 initiates were expected to undergo the ritual. Over the years, the customary initiation practice in the province has become synonymous with the deaths of young boys. During the December 2021 summer initiation season, 40 young boys died. Possible deaths during the current winter season are therefore of concern and, consequently, there is a need for the Portfolio Committee to assess the measures put in place to prevent these deaths. Government has recently passed the Customary Initiation Act (2021), which became effective on 1 September 2021. The Act provides for the establishment of a National Initiation Oversight Committee, which the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs gazetted on 22 October 2021. This is an eleven-member committee that expected to, among other things, monitor the implementation of the Act and promote compliance with its provisions by all role players involved in initiation practices and initiation schools. The Customary Initiation Act also provides for the establishment of Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committees (PICC). The Eastern Cape province is also expected to establish a committee, which the Premier must publish by notice in the Provincial Gazette. The indication, as specified in the presentation by the National Initiation Oversight Committee, is that the Eastern Capes PICC was established before the enactment of the Customary Initiation Act, in terms of a provincial ordinance. As the custodian of the Customary Initiation Act, the Portfolio Committee has a duty to conduct oversight over its implementation, and hold to account all the role-players involved for their respective responsibilities, duties, roles and functions. During the oversight, the committee will hold meetings with the relevant provincial and national government structures to establish the extent to which the initiation oversight structures provided in the Customary Initiation Act are established and functional. The committee will also assess the practical measures in place to prevent the death of initiates, including undertaking a physical verification of these measures. The committee will also convene meetings with the traditional leaders who have overall responsibility for initiation practices taking place within their areas of jurisdiction, to establish the measures they have undertaken to promote good and safe practices, with specific emphasis on the protection of the lives, health and safety of initiates. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-07-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. China, Cambodia to further enhance ties, cooperation in various fields Xinhua) 09:33, July 04, 2022 BAGAN, Myanmar, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn met here on Sunday, and both sides pledged to further enhance relations and cooperation in building the Belt and Road and other fields. They met on the sidelines of the seventh Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting to be held on July 4 in Bagan, Myanmar. While praising the all-around cooperation between China and Cambodia is at the forefront of China's relations with other regional countries, Wang said that under new circumstances, China is willing to work with Cambodia to further implement the strategic consensuses reached between their leaderships, strengthen communication, and deepen cooperation, so as to do a good job in solidifying the China-Cambodia community with a shared future, and to celebrate the 65th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2023 with more visible results. China, as a close strategic partner, will continue to stand firmly with Cambodia and support its political stability and economic development, Wang said. For his part, Sokhonn said Cambodia speaks highly of the China-proposed Global Development Initiative (GDI) and Global Security Initiative (GSI), believing they will make significant contribution to global peace and development. Sokhonn described the bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership as strong, and said Cambodia will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China policy, and support China's stance on issues concerning Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet, and Xinjiang. He said Cambodia hopes to maintain high-level exchanges and strengthen strategic communication with China, and celebrate the 65th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2023 with more cooperation achievements. During the meeting, both sides pledged to continuously advance the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Cambodia's development strategy, and achieve progress in related economic and infrastructure projects. They also agreed to continue cooperation in fields including anti-pandemic, agriculture, environmental protection, technology, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges. Wang said China will deliver the remaining 15 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in time according to the need of the Cambodian side, provide other anti-epidemic supplies at an early time, expand the export of Cambodian rice to China, and increase direct flights between the two countries. The two sides also held an in-depth discussion on China's relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Wang said China fully supports the important role of Cambodia as the 2022 ASEAN Chair and is ready to work with ASEAN to adhere to the following "three upholdings": -- Upholding ASEAN centrality to preserve strategic independence, maintain multilateralism and take hold of the leading power over regional security. -- Upholding the orientation of win-win cooperation to fully implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and launch the building of Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area at an early date, so as to add more certainty and positive energy to regional peace, stability and development. -- Upholding the principle of properly handling sensitive issues to maintain the key note of mutually beneficial cooperation, oppose initiating antagonism of camps and division in this region, and resist any attempt to turn the East Asia cooperation platform into a "wrestling ground" for major-country rivals. Sokhonn said Cambodia opposes any external forces compelling regional countries to take sides and pushing for zero-sum mentality and geopolitical rivalry. Cambodia is willing to work with China to safeguard peace, stability and prosperity of this region, Sokhonn said. The two sides also exchanged views on issues related to Myanmar, the South China Sea and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun) Flash Israel's interim Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Sunday pledged to run a functional government despite another round of political instability that triggered new elections. In the first cabinet meeting since Lapid took office as interim prime minister on Friday, he sat next to his predecessor Naftali Bennett. The two rotated on Friday under a power-sharing deal they agreed upon in June 2021, after their ideologically diverse eight-party coalition government collapsed only a year after it took office. "Our goal in the coming months will be to manage the government as if there were no elections ... This is what I expect from my fellow ministers," Lapid told the ministers at the beginning of the meeting. "This government will continue to act for the good of the citizens," he said, adding "we will make decisions, we will take actions, and we will continue to increase the economic, diplomatic and security strength of Israel." Lapid encountered his first security challenge as prime minister on Saturday. Three drones, identified by the Israeli military as belonging to the Lebanon-based armed group Hezbollah, approached the airspace over Israel's territorial waters, near the recently built Karish natural gas platform. An Israeli fighter jet and a Navy missile cruiser intercepted the drones, the Israeli military said in a statement. Lapid said Israel would take the necessary measures to thwart threats and defend itself, its people and its assets. Lapid also noted that Hezbollah is still pursuing terrorism, which makes it more difficult for Lebanon to settle an agreement on a maritime border (with Israel). Lapid will serve as the country's interim prime minister until a new government is formed after the elections scheduled on Nov. 1. The parliament, or Knesset, voted to dissolve itself last week after the coalition lost its majority in the parliament, sending Israelis to the ballots for the fifth time in less than four years. Lapid is expected to embark on his first diplomatic journey as prime minister on Tuesday, traveling to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron. In mid-July, he will host United States President Joe Biden, whose Middle East trip includes stops in Israel and Saudi Arabia. 6 dead, 30 hurt in shooting at Chicago-area July 4 parade HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) Police say a gunman on a rooftop opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago, killing at least six people, wounding at least 30 and sending hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror. Authorities said 21-year-old Robert E. Crimo III was named as a person of interest in the shooting and was taken into police custody Monday evening after an hourslong manhunt. The July 4 shooting was just the latest to shatter the rituals of American life. Schools, churches, grocery stores and now community parades have all become killing grounds in recent months. Motive likely not terror-related in brutal Danish shooting COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Police say a gunman who killed three people when he opened fire in a crowded shopping mall acted alone and apparently selected his victims at random. They all but ruled out that Sunday's attack was related to terrorism. Authorities on Monday filed preliminary charges of murder and attempted murder against a 22-year-old Danish man. Prosecutor Sren Harbo told reporters that the man will be held for 24 days in a secure mental health facility while authorities investigate the crime. After the custody hearing, defense lawyer Luise Hj said she agreed to have her client undergo a mental exam. She did not comment on the charges. In rural West, more worries about access to abortion clinics PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Across the U.S. West, rural residents have historically faced barriers in accessing abortion, such as long travel distances and lack of transportation. Now, abortion providers serving rural areas are concerned those pre-existing challenges could be further compounded by the overturning of Roe v. Wade, as more patients travel to their clinics from states where the procedure is now banned or greatly restricted. In Oregon, the sole Planned Parenthood clinic serving the eastern half of the state is hiring more staff in expectation of an influx of patients from neighboring Idaho, where a trigger law banning most abortions is expected to take effect this summer. Uneasy US tries to fete a July 4 marred by parade shooting Independence Day celebrations in the United States have been rattled by a shooting that left at least six people dead at a parade in Illinois. The shooting further rocked a nation already awash in turmoil over high court rulings on abortion and guns as well as hearings on the Jan. 6 insurrection. Police say at least 30 other people were wounded in the attack in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park. Authorities brought a person of interest into custody Monday evening. The latest mass shooting came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together. Flight cancellations ease slightly as July 4 weekend ends DALLAS (AP) The number of U.S. flights being canceled is slowing down, but plenty of travelers are facing long delays as they try to get home from trips over the July Fourth holiday weekend. By late Monday afternoon on the East Coast, more than 2,200 U.S. flights had been delayed and more than 200 were canceled, according to FlightAware. The good news is, that's fewer delays and cancellations than we've seen in recent days. Industry experts say airlines are struggling because demand for travel has recovered from the bottom of the pandemic faster than anyone expected. That's causing airports to be almost as crowded as they were in 2019, before the pandemic. Griner sends letter to President Biden pleading for his help Brittney Griner made an appeal to President Joe Biden in a letter passed on to the White House through her representatives saying she feared she may never return home and asking that he not forget about me and the other American Detainees. Griner's agent says the letter was delivered on Monday. The Phoenix Mercury All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist is in the midst of a trial in Russia that began last week after she was arrested on Feb. 17 on charges of possessing cannabis oil while returning to play for her Russian team. The trial will resume Thursday. Sydney floods impact 50,000 around Australia's largest city SYDNEY (AP) Hundreds of homes have been inundated in and around Australia's largest city in a flood emergency impacting 50,000 people. Officials said Tuesday emergency response teams made 100 rescues overnight of people trapped in cars on flooded roads or in inundated homes. New South Wales state Premier Dominic Perrottet said evacuation orders and warnings to prepare to abandon homes impacted 50,000 people in and around Sydney. That's up from 32,000 on Monday. Days of torrential rain have caused dams to overflow and waterways to break their banks, bringing a fourth flood emergency in 16 months to parts of the city of 5 million people. Video shows Akron police kill Black man in hail of gunfire AKRON, Ohio (AP) Authorities say a Black man was unarmed when Akron police chased him on foot and killed him in a hail of gunfire, but officers believed he had shot at them earlier from a vehicle and feared he was preparing to fire again. Akron police released video Sunday of the pursuit and killing of 25-year-old Jayland Walker. The mayor called the June 27 shooting heartbreaking while asking for patience from the community. It isn't yet clear how many shots were fired by the eight officers who were involved, but Walker sustained more than 60 wounds. US: Israeli fire likely killed reporter; no final conclusion WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. officials have concluded that the bullet that killed veteran Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was likely fired from an Israeli position. But they say it is too badly damaged to reach an absolute determination, and that there is no reason to believe she was deliberately targeted. State Department spokesman Ned Price, announcing the results of the probe on Monday, said independent, third-party examiners had undertaken an extremely detailed forensic analysis of the bullet that killed her. Abu Akleh was shot dead during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank in May. The Palestinian Authority handed over the bullet to U.S. investigators but is opposed to any Israeli role in the investigation. 'Hell on earth': Ukrainian soldiers describe eastern front BAKHMUT, Ukraine (AP) Cities burned to the ground and colleagues with severed limbs. Bombardments so relentless the only option is to lie in a trench, wait and pray. Ukrainian soldiers returning from the front lines in eastern Ukraines Donbas region where Russia is waging a fierce offensive - describe life during what has turned into a grueling war of attrition as apocalyptic. In interviews with The Associated Press, some complained of chaotic organization, desertions and mental health problems caused by relentless shelling. Others spoke of high morale, their colleagues heroism, and a commitment to keep fighting, even as the better-equipped Russians control more of the combat zone. As workers at major companies increasingly move to unionize, the political environment for labor couldnt be more ripe. Perhaps nowhere is that more accurate than at the National Labor Relations Board, the agency that enforces the countrys labor laws and oversees union elections. In the past year, the Biden-appointed top prosecutor Jennifer Abruzzo has been seeking to overturn precedent and revive decades-old labor policies that supporters say would make it easier for workers to form a union. To get her wish, Abruzzo must have buy-in from the five-member board, whose Democratic majority is expected to be sympathetic to her proposed changes. As for President Joe Biden, he has vowed to be the most pro-union president in American history. In the past, there has been a focus on employer rights or employer interests. And I do not believe that comports with our congressional mandate, Abruzzo said in an interview with The Associated Press. The changes Abruzzo seeks come as workers at major companies, including Starbucks, Amazon and most recently, Apple, clinch union victories. But any shifts in the agencys enforcement of labor law are likely to be reversed under a Republican administration and met with fierce resistance from employers in the federal courts. Currently, the agency is in the crosshairs of Amazon, which has been arguing in an NLRB hearing that began earlier this month that the union victory at one of its warehouses on Staten Island, New York, should be tossed out. The e-commerce giant claims labor organizers and the agency acted in a way that tainted the vote. In one of its 25 objections, the company zeros in on a lawsuit filed in March by the NLRB's Brooklyn office seeking to reinstate a fired Amazon worker who was involved in the union drive. Abruzzo has said she would aggressively seek such remedies during her tenure, and could even pursue cases when an employer has only levied threats against workers. The agency has repeatedly taken Starbucks to federal court since December, most recently on Tuesday when it asked a court to reinstate seven employees in Buffalo, New York that it says were illegally fired for trying to form a union. Abruzzo says shes also been asking field offices to be on the lookout for other threats to workers. John Logan, the director of labor and employment studies at San Francisco State University, said some of the changes Abruzzo is seeking include policy shifts labor scholars have wanted for years. We have a general counsel prepared to do things that have not been done in the past, Logan said. And also doing it in the context of a period of labor organizing that we havent seen for decades and decades. A career NLRB attorney for more than two decades, Abruzzo rose through the ranks of the agency to serve as deputy general counsel under former President Barack Obama. She briefly served as the acting general counsel and left the agency during the Trump administration for a stint at Communications Workers of America, one of the largest labor unions in the U.S. Last year, she was confirmed to her current role in the U.S. Senate along party lines. Arguably, her most significant move since then has come in an NLRB case filed in April, where she asked the labor board to reinstate Joy Silk, an arcane legal doctrine that could dramatically change how unions typically form in the U.S. Joy Silk, which was abandoned about 50 years ago, would compel companies to bargain with a union that secures majority support from workers through authorization cards rather than going through a protracted election process. Logan noted that Joy Silk essentially curtails an employers' ability to wage long anti-union campaigns in the leadup to an election, when unions tend to lose support from workers. A formal move towards Joy Silk is expected to be hotly contested by businesses and right-to-work groups who want private-ballot elections. Some experts say elections better capture how workers feel about a union. And the leadup to a vote typically gives companies time to make their case to workers as to why they should reject unionization, which is legal as long as employers follow labor law. However, labor activists and pro-union experts argue some employers use the time to fend off organizing by any means necessary, including mandatory meetings in which they lay out all the reasons why workers should reject unionization. Though the labor board has allowed employers to mandate such meetings for decades, Abruzzo argued in an April memo that it was based on a misunderstanding of employers speech rights and should be outlawed. She's seeking to make the meetings voluntary for workers. Rep. Virginia Foxx, the Republican leader of the House Committee on Education and Labor, slammed Abruzzo's memo soon after it was released, calling it a hyper-partisan love letter to unions. Should the NLRB choose to overturn decades of precedent and silence job creators, the consequences will be disastrous, Foxx said in a statement at the time. But field offices are following suit. About a month after Abruzzos memo was issued, the NLRB office in Brooklyn said it found merit in a charge filed by the Amazon Labor Union that accused Amazon of violating labor law at one of its warehouses on Staten Island, New York, by holding mandatory meetings to persuade workers to reject the union, adding further bad blood between the company and the agency. Mark Mix, the president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, said its difficult to take Abruzzos quest for more workers' rights seriously because she's attempting to overturn a Trump labor board decision that made it easier for employers to suspend bargaining on a future contract when they know a union no longer has majority support. Abruzzo has signaled its one of the many decisions she intends to undo from the Trump era, when cases were spearheaded by her predecessor Peter Robb, who was widely seen by organized labor and Democrats as favoring employers. Biden later fired Robb. The hypocrisy is off the charts when you think about the employee rights, Mix said. When she gets done with the job, she ought to apply for the lobbyist job at the AFL-CIO, because shes going even farther than union officials have even imagined. Experts say its too early to know how successful Abruzzo might be in her efforts because the changes shes seeking are still winding their way through the NLRBs process. Logan, the labor expert, said she's has been more aggressive than her Democrat-appointed predecessors, but still faces a steep challenge since changes shes seeking are likely to be heavily litigated. Unfortunately, its not going to help workers right now," he said. This story was first published on June 27, 2022. It was updated on July 4, 2022, to correct the last name of the president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. Danish police believe a shopping mall shooting that left three people dead and four others seriously wounded was not terror-related, and said Monday that the gunman acted alone and appears to have selected his victims at random. Copenhagen chief police inspector Sren Thomassen said the victims a 17-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl, both Danes, and a 47-year-old Russian man were killed when the gunman opened fire on Sunday afternoon in the Field's shopping mall, one of Scandinavia's biggest. Four other people were treated for gunshot wounds two Danish and two Swedish citizens and were in critical but stable condition, Thomassen said. Several other people received minor injuries as they fled the shopping mall, he added. Thomassen said police had no indication that anyone helped the gunman, identified as a 22-year-old Dane, during the attack. He said while the motive was unclear, there was nothing suggesting terrorism, and that the suspect would be arraigned later Monday on preliminary charges of murder. Danish broadcaster TV2 published a grainy photo of the alleged gunman, a man wearing knee-length shorts, a vest or sleeveless shirt, and holding what appeared to be a rifle in his right hand. He seemed very violent and angry, eyewitness Mahdi Al-Wazni told TV2. He spoke to me and said it (the rifle) isnt real as I was filming him. He seemed very proud of what he was doing. Images from the scene showed people running out of the mall in panic. After the shooting, a big contingent of heavily armed police officers patrolled the area, with several fire department vehicles also parked outside the mall. The July 4 shooting was just the latest to shatter the rituals of American life. Schools, churches, grocery stores and now community parades have all become killing grounds in recent months. This time, the bloodshed came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together. Flash Chinese organizations have distributed much-needed clean and sanitary water facilities to selected primary schools in southern Ethiopia. The five air-water generators were jointly donated by Tsinghua University China-Africa Leadership Development Institute (CALDI), HurRain NanoTech team and China Foundation for Rural Development (CFRD), the former China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, according to a joint statement by the Chinese organizations sent to Xinhua. The facilities, which were distributed across selected primary schools in Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's (SNNP) Region of Ethiopia, namely the Key-Afer, Tulungo, Sitimba, Turmi and Demeka primary schools, will provide some 2,106 young Ethiopian students with clean and sanitary water. The facilities were officially distributed in the presence of the former Ethiopian first lady Roman Tesfaye, local Ethiopian government officials including South Omo Zone Education Department Head Weli Haile, as well as senior representatives from the Chinese side. As Ethiopia and countries in the Horn of Africa are facing the worst drought in decades, where the consequences of lack of rain in many rainy seasons are exacerbated by conflicts, climate change, locust infestations and the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, many experts emphasize that urgent humanitarian assistance are needed. Initiated by CALDI and supported by CFRD, the initiative conducted by a team of concerned experts has modified the innovative water purification solution with graphene-enabling filters, and designed a specific energy-efficient type of air-water generator effective with Ethiopian local weather. The team worked overtime for the prototype and made the equipment ready far in advance of the schedule, according to the statement. Despite the difficulties caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the donated facilities arrived in Ethiopia and passed several rounds of quality tests by the Ethiopian Food and Drug Administration under the Ministry of Health. The air-water generator, which absorbs moisture from the air and produces sanitary water by simply plugging in, is introduced firstly in Ethiopia. The technology brings tangible benefits to local people, according to the statement. Such equipment "is very suitable for the climatic conditions in SNNP region, and children can drink safely," said Roman Tesfaye, the former first lady of Ethiopia, during a ceremony held to mark the distribution of the latest technology. "Ethiopia is suffering from drought and water shortage, this high-tech, zero waste, no-plastic-bottle-waste water purification solution, will directly help schools and communities." Muda Wacho, the Key Afer District administrator, called on the students to protect the water source, as he emphasized the crucial importance of the new functional facilities in addressing students' clean water needs. HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) A gunman on a rooftop opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago on Monday, killing at least six people, wounding at least 30 and sending hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror, police said. Authorities said a man named as a person of interest in the shooting was taken into police custody Monday evening after an hourslong manhunt in and around Highland Park, an affluent community of about 30,000 on Chicagos north shore. The July 4 shooting was just the latest to shatter the rituals of American life. Schools, churches, grocery stores and now community parades have all become killing grounds in recent months. This time, the bloodshed came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together. It definitely hits a lot harder when its not only your hometown but its also right in front of you, resident Ron Tuazon said as he and a friend returned to the parade route Monday evening to retrieve chairs, blankets and a childs bike that he and his family abandoned when the shooting began. Its commonplace now, Tuazon said of what he called yet another American atrocity. We dont blink anymore. Until laws change, its going to be more of the same. The shooting occurred at a spot on the parade route where many residents had staked out prime viewing points early in the day for the annual celebration. Dozens of fired bullets sent hundreds of parade-goers some visibly bloodied fleeing. They left a trail of abandoned items that showed everyday life suddenly, violently disrupted: A half-eaten bag of potato chips; a box of chocolate cookies spilled onto the grass; a childs Chicago Cubs cap. Theres no safe place, said Highland Park resident Barbara Harte, 73, who had stayed away from the parade fearing a mass shooting, but later ventured from her home. Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen said a police officer pulled over Robert E. Crimo III about five miles north of the shooting scene, several hours after police released the man's photo and an image of his silver Honda Fit, and warned the public that he was likely armed and dangerous. Authorities initially said he was 22, but an FBI bulletin and Crimo's social media said he was 21. Police declined to immediately identify Crimo as a suspect but said identifying him as a person of interest, sharing his name and other information publicly was a serious step. Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli said at a news conference several of the deceased victims died at the scene and one was taken to a hospital and died there. Police have not released details about the victims or wounded. Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said the five people killed at the parade were adults, but didnt have information on the sixth victim who was taken to a hospital and died there. One of those killed was a Mexican national, Roberto Velasco, Mexicos director for North American affairs, said on Twitter Monday. He said two other Mexicans were wounded. NorthShore University Health Center received 26 patients after the attack. All but one had gunshot wounds, said Dr. Brigham Temple, medical director of emergency preparedness. Their ages ranged from 8 to 85, and Temple estimated that four or five patients were children. Temple said 19 of them were treated and discharged. Others were transferred to other hospitals, while two patients, in stable condition, remained at the Highland Park hospital. It is devastating that a celebration of America was ripped apart by our uniquely American plague, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at a news conference. Im furious because it does not have to be this way... while we celebrate the Fourth of July just once a year, mass shootings have become a weekly yes, weekly American tradition. The shooter opened fire around 10:15 a.m., when the parade was about three-quarters through, authorities said. Highland Park Police Commander Chris ONeill, the incident commander on scene, said the gunman apparently used a high-powered rifle to fire from a spot atop a commercial building where he was very difficult to see. He said the rifle was recovered at the scene. Police also found a ladder attached to the building. Very random, very intentional and a very sad day, Covelli said. President Joe Biden on Monday said he and first lady Jill Biden were shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day. Biden signed the widest-ranging gun violence bill passed by Congress in decades, a compromise that showed at once both progress on a long-intractable issue and the deep-seated partisan divide that persists. As a word of an arrest spread, residents who had hunkered in homes began venturing outside, some walking toward where the shooting occurred. Several people stood and stared at the scene, with abandoned picnic blankets, hundreds of lawn chairs and backpacks still where they were when the shooting began. Police believe there was only one shooter but warned that he should still be considered armed and dangerous. Several nearby cities canceled events including parades and fireworks, some of them noting that the Highland Park shooter was still at large. The Chicago White Sox also announced on Twitter that a planned post-game fireworks show is canceled due to the shooting. More than 100 law enforcement officers were called to the parade scene or dispatched to find the suspected shooter. More than a dozen police officers on Monday surrounded a home listed as an address for Crimo in Highland Park. Some officers held rifles as they fixed their eyes on the home. Police blockaded roads leading to the home in a tree-lined neighborhood near a golf course, allowing only select law enforcement cars through a tight outer perimeter. Crimo, who goes by the name Bobby, was an aspiring rapper with the stage name Awake the Rapper, posting on social media dozens videos and songs, some ominous and violent. In one animated video since taken down by YouTube, Crimo raps about armies walking in darkness as a drawing appears of a man pointing a rifle, a body on the ground and another figure with hands up in the distance. A later frame shows a close-up of a chest with blood pouring out and another of police cars arriving as the shooter holds his hands up. In another video, in which Crimo appears in a classroom wearing a black bicycle helmet, he says he is like a sleepwalker I know what I have to do, then adds, Everything has led up to this. Nothing can stop me, even myself. Crimos father, Bob, a longtime deli owner, ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Highland Park in 2019, calling himself a person for the people. Highland Park is a close-knit community of about 30,000 people located on the shores of Lake Michigan just north of Chicago, with mansions and sprawling lakeside estates that have long drawn the rich and sometimes famous, including NBA legend Michael Jordan, who lived in the city for years when he played for the Chicago Bulls. John Hughes filmed parts of several movies in the city, including Ferris Buellers Day Off, Sixteen Candles and Weird Science. Ominous signs of a joyous event suddenly turned to horror filled both sides of Central Avenue where the shooting occurred. Dozens of baby strollers some bearing American flags, abandoned childrens bikes and a helmet bedecked with images of Cinderella were left behind. Blankets, lawn chairs, coffees and water bottles were knocked over as people fled. Gina Troiani and her son were lined up with his daycare class ready to walk onto the parade route when she heard a loud sound that she believed was fireworks until she heard people yell about a shooter. In a video that Troiani shot on her phone, some of the kids are visibly startled at the loud noise, and they scramble to the side of the road as a siren wails nearby. We just start running in the opposite direction, she told The Associated Press. Her 5-year-old son was riding his bike decorated with red and blue curled ribbons. He and other children in the group held small American flags. The city said on its website that the festivities were to include a childrens bike and pet parade. Troiani said she pushed her sons bike, running through the neighborhood to get back to their car. "It was just sort of chaos, she said. There were people that got separated from their families, looking for them. Others just dropped their wagons, grabbed their kids and started running. Debbie Glickman, a Highland Park resident, said she was on a parade float with coworkers and the group was preparing to turn onto the main route when she saw people running from the area. People started saying: Theres a shooter, theres a shooter, there's a shooter, Glickman told the AP. So we just ran. We just ran. Its like mass chaos down there. She didnt hear any noises or see anyone who appeared to be injured. Im so freaked out, she said. Its just so sad. Foody contributed from Chicago. Associated Press writers Mike Balsamo in New York, David Koenig in Dallas, Jeff Martin in Woodstock, Georgia, Fabiola Sanchez in Monterrey, Mexico, Jim Mustian in New Orleans, Bernard Condon in New York, and Martha Irvine and Mike Householder in Highland Park contributed reporting. Dubuque Telegraph Herald. July 2, 2022. Editorial: Midwest must welcome, assist refugees Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door! These words of American poet Emma Lazarus, emblazoned at the base of the Statue of Liberty, reflect a promise at the cornerstone of America. When the words were inscribed at the nations most recognizable landmark in 1903, the poem aptly described the welcoming melting pot that America had become, as well as the promise of possibilities in the land of the free. A strong, vibrant and innovative country was built on the backs of people who had come from all corners of the world some by choice, some by force. For those who sought refuge or simply a better life here, the land of opportunity opened its doors. Being open to immigrants has become more complicated in the decades since. Addressing the crisis at Americas southern border has become a political morass. But we cannot lose sight of the fact that welcoming immigrant populations is part of who we are as a country, and its an influx of people we need. For decades, about 90,000 refugees per year had been resettled in the U.S., though that number dropped precipitously during the Trump administration when some ethnic groups were prohibited from entry and many resettlement agencies closed. Last year, when more than 75,000 Afghans found their way to the U.S., agencies scrambled to help with resettlement. In Iowa, the effort was poorly executed. The Des Moines Register reported stories of more than 600 Afghan refugees stuck in long-stay hotels with little food or connection to resources. Gov. Kim Reynolds said at the start of the war in Ukraine that Iowa stands ready to help receive Ukrainian refugees. But the way that Iowa struggled to help the Afghan people doesnt bode well for standing ready for another wave. Because of the circumstances of exiting a war-torn country, refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine often arrive with little notice nor documentation needed for employment and housing. We must do more and do better to help immigrants find a home in Iowa. The facts are simple: The tri-state area needs the people. Across Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois, most counties that have seen population growth in the past two decades have seen that growth because of an increase in immigrants. As we face a devastating worker shortage, more people willing to work would be a significant advantage for any area. Iowa has led in this area before. In the mid-1970s, Gov. Robert Ray called on citizens to open their communities and their hearts to refugees from the Vietnam War. Iowa led the nation in Americas response to this relief effort. Ray personally directed the effort, and thousands of Iowans made financial contributions and welcomed refugees. In Dubuque, we celebrate the work of Presentation Lantern Center, which this past week marked 20 years of helping refugees. Founded by the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in November 2002, the center was, in part, a response to a call from Pope John Paul II for Catholics to welcome the stranger in the face of conflicts, natural disasters and humanitarian crises that created waves of refugees in the 1990s. This past week, the Lantern Center also celebrated its 100th student who passed the U.S. citizenship test. More than 1,000 individuals have served as tutors over the past two decades. Meanwhile, a group of local organizations has banded together to help resettle Afghan refugee families in southwest Wisconsin. Southwest Wisconsin Community Action Program and its partners helped resettle two Afghan families in Platteville earlier this year. Its great to see local people playing a role in helping welcome new members of our community who need assistance. Making those connections resonates particularly in Dubuque, where our roots are as a community of immigrants. Many (if not most) of our citizens are descendants of Irish and German immigrants (and many others). And we are the better for it. Further, our nation and our area desperately need immigrants, as our population shrinks, our national birth rate shrinks and our employment needs growth. Its simple math. This Independence Day weekend, as we reflect on the freedoms we enjoy as Americans, let us also remember the generations of immigrants and refugees who helped make this country great. We must seek to dismantle the obstacles and pave an easier path for those who wish to settle in our area. Its time to see legal immigration not as a problem but as a solution. END On this day in 1946, the Philippines was officially recognized as an independent nation by the United States, which had been the most recent in a line of colonial governing states. The Philippines doesnt celebrate its independence on July 4, instead recognizing July 12, when revolutionary Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence from Spain in 1898. You may use this page to discuss revolutions, mutinies, and maggoty meat, or pursue your own areas of freewheeling, off-topic discourse. Find previous discussions in the Open Thread archive. Excepting the entreaty that you remain on topic, all of Slates usual commenting policies apply. If you depend on this community and Slates journalism, please consider joining Slate Plus. We appreciate your support. HIGHLAND PARK, IllinoisAt 10:14 Monday morning, an as-yet-unidentified gunman shot and killed six people at an Independence Day parade in this bucolic North Shore suburb of Chicago. [Update, July 5, 2022, at 10:30 a.m.: A 21-year-old person of interest in the shooting has been taken into custody.] Almost five hours later, the streets are cordoned off and empty except for police officers, media members, and a few oblivious cyclists who, one by one, slow to a halt at the corner of St Johns Avenue and Central Avenue, gaze at the taped-off downtown area, and ask what happened here. Abandoned parade chairs and baby strollers line the sidewalks, a short walk from where the shooting happened. As 3 p.m. approaches, the previously sunny skies are darkened by storm clouds. A police officer says investigators are scrambling to secure evidence before the rain washes it away. A short time later, a light drizzle starts to fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Below, photos from the scene in Highland Park on Monday, in the interim period after the shooting and before the suspect was captured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This Fourth of July, in parades across the country, youll likely see Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty together, smiling, waving, maybe holding hands. Their jaunty appearance as Americas Odd Couple is as predictable as the parades antique cars and marching bands. In fact, the idea of them as a twosome dates back more than a century to when Uncle Sam and (a fairly fierce looking) Lady Liberty first teamed up to sell war bonds and boost enlistment in World War I, and later World War II. Advertisement But dont believe their cheery handholding. Though Uncle Sam was officially recognized as a national symbol in 1950, and Liberty as a national monument in 1924, the truth is that they have always been on opposite sides of the most contentious issues in America, beginning even before the Statue of Libertys inauguration in 1886. The job of personified national symbols is to promote a unified citizenry, a task cartoonist Thomas Nast attempted to accomplish in his very first drawing of Uncle Sam in 1869, a sentimental multicultural fantasy he called Uncle Sams Thanksgiving Dinner. Instead, Sam and Liberty routinely mirror our divisions. The United States is the only country that has two such diametrically opposed personified national symbols. In 2022, this looks like a warning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Sam and Liberty are oldshell turn 136 this year, and hes 210and most people in the US dont know their full histories, but they each have a coherent biography, initiated by editorial cartoonists like Nast and carried forward by their successors, as well as advertisers, illustrators and photographers. Though there are outlier characterizations of both Sam and Liberty, media has generally depicted their incompatiblity in our countrys areas of deepest conflictimmigration, race and religion. Advertisement Advertisement Samsaid to be named after Sam Wilson, a merchant from Troy, New York who supplied the troops with meat during the War of 1812has long been represented as a militaristic religious bigot, a nativist, a racist, and an imperialist. In the period between the end of the Civil War and the start of World War I, the consensus among the most well-known editorial cartoonists was that Sam was a nativist who opposed entry for all immigrants who were not Northern Europeansnamely, the Chinese, Japanese, Italians and other southern European immigrants, Eastern European Jews, particularly those fleeing the pogroms of Russia, and Roman Catholics, especially the Irish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sam is our second male national symbol. For the first half of the 19th century, he was overshadowed by Brother Jonathan, a carryover from the original colonies. Some say Jonathans namesake was Connecticut Gov. John Trumbull, who supported the Revolution and was supposedly called Brother Jonathan by George Washington. Alternately, Brother Jonathan was a derogatory name for Puritans dating back to the English Civil War (1642-1651), which was later extended to colonial Puritans by the British. As a figure, Brother Jonathan was an enterprising, if crafty, businessman. During the 1840s, however he became increasingly associated with the Know-Nothing Party, made up of native-born Protestants who felt threatened by the waves of German and Irish immigrants arriving. These immigrants growing presence ignited nativist bigotry in general, and antipathy to Roman Catholics in particular, as you can see in a political cartoon by Nathaniel Currier (of Currier and Ives) that also shows how much Brother Jonathan sometimes resembled Uncle Sam. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the late 1850s, because he had been claimed by the Know-Nothings for their own, Brother Jonathan was no longer a viable national symbol. As Jonathan gradually receded, Sam became more prominent, mostly acting as his brothers surrogate in opposing immigration, starting with the Chinese. Advertisement Meanwhile, after the Civil War, Lady Liberty was first conceived of as a celebratory symbol of slaverys end, by Frenchman Edouard De Laboulaye, an expert on the US Constitution and an abolitionist. Some years later, Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to design her statue. By 1886, with Jim Crow laws in place, Libertys original commitments were less popular. Instead, she was introduced to the American public as a gift from France and a symbol of Franco-American friendship. What remained of the original conception by the time she was installed in New York harbor was a broken shackle at her feeta symbol of emancipation, mostly hidden by her gown. By 1901, Liberty was little more than a green elephant, a failed lighthouse in disrepair. Advertisement The Statue of Liberty had her own female predecessor in Columbia, said to have first been personified as a symbol of America at the start of the American Revolution by the Black American poet Phillis Wheatley, in To His Excellency, General Washington. Sometimes Columbia is depicted as a maternal figure with long flowing hair, as protective of immigrants as Sam was abusive, and explicitly sympathetic to Black Americans during the Civil War. Alternately, Columbia is depicted as a symbol of liberty, identifiable by her red, white and blue garments and her headgear, known as a Phrygian cap, a symbol of liberty worn by freed slaves in the Roman Empire and carried forward to the French Revolution. Either way, Columbia as a symbol lasted into the 20th century, but faded away as the Statue of Liberty gained symbolic power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the 20th century, both Sam and Liberty acquired language. For Sam, it was the famous I Want You World War I recruitment poster. As for Liberty, she got a voice of her own in 1903 when Georgina Schuyler, a politically progressive descendant of Alexander Hamilton, had a bronze plaque hung in Libertys pedestal inscribed with The New Colossus, the now-famous sonnet written by her late friend, Emma Lazarus. This was a massive rebranding, countering Sams nativism, and naming her The Mother of Exiles, speaking up to defend huddled masses yearning to breathe free. It took Liberty a few decades to fully consolidate her new identity as a protector of immigrants, initially reinforced via illustration or photograph. However, according to historian Roger A. Fischer, Libertys new identity solidified fairly quickly. Rarely was she treated irreverently and rarely (but not never) positioned on the wrong side of an issue like immigration. In 1924, Columbia Pictures presented Columbia as its logo. In 1926, she was provided with a torch in her raised right hand, explicitly merging her with Lady Liberty, and establishing her once and for all as a pop culture icon. Advertisement As we become more polarized, Liberty and Samour archetypal mother and fatherdo, too. These days, Sam has been explicitly embraced by 21st century Know-Nothings, most notably the Proud Boys, five of whose leaders have now been indicted for seditious conspiracy in relationship to the events of January 6. Other right-wing fans of Uncle Sams include state and local Republicans, for instance, Arizona Republicans who recently used his iconic I Want You poster with Donald Trumps face insertedto recruit poll watchers. Advertisement Advertisement Happily, whether by design or zeitgeist, the evidence seems to be that within the federal government, Uncle Sam is currently under-employed. Since the end of World War II, he hasnt been given much of anything to do in the way of official business. The last postage stamp to show his face was issued in 1998. Since then, all weve seen of him is his hat. In 2017, in a promising impulse, the government issued a postage stamp, Uncle Sams Hat, that attempted to merge the symbol of Sam with the idea of ethnic diversity. Sams hat also appears at the website, Sam.gov, where those doing business with the federal government can register. Advertisement Advertisement As a representation of most of us, Lady Liberty has fared much better, in recent years, than Uncle Sam. As the symbol for a racially diverse nation, Liberty has the advantage of being just slightly ambiguousnot identifiable by her ethnicity, or time or place of birth. Even the circulating rumors about her origins enhance her multicultural popularity, one being that the original model for the Statue was Black. (A 2000 report neither confirms nor denies this assertion about the model, while finding no existing evidence that Bartholdi intended the Statue to be a black woman.) Libertys explicit or implicit association with certain political groupslike NARAL or New York State (which used her image in PSAs advocating vaccines and mask wearing)will taint her as a symbol in some parts of the country, but the values shes associated withnot only the right to abortion and the use of Covid vaccines and masking, but also gun controlhave wider public support than those of Uncle Sam. The death of George Floyd prompted a few dozen editorial cartoonists to connect his dying wordsI cant breatheto Liberty, most keeping her in charactermaternal and protective. Advertisement Advertisement National symbols arent something we can formally retire; theyre deep in the culture, and can only fade away, like Brother Jonathan or Columbia, as peoples values change. But this Fourth of July, if Sam and Liberty march by, hand-in-hand, at my parade, I know who Im rooting for. Hey hey. Ho ho. Uncle Sam has got to go. Spain on alert for storms and high temperatures: weather outlook July 4-7 Spain is in for several muggy days with heavy rain forecast in many areas Sunday July 3 across the country with the exception of some regions along the Mediterranean coast such as Murcia and Valencia, where the thermometers scarcely dipped below 35C. July has begun with a bang in Spain and many areas experienced scorching temperatures in excess of 37C over the weekend. The mercury dropped somewhat onacross the country with the exception of some regions along the Mediterranean coast such as Murcia and Valencia, where the thermometers scarcely dipped below 35C. The weather will be a little more mixed this week with cool air pockets combining with warmer surface masses to create scattered storms in the northern part of Spain, particularly in Navarra, on Monday July 4. Elsewhere, a rise in temperatures is expected for the most part with the mercury topping out at 37C in areas of the Tagus Valley and in most southern areas, while the Balearic Islands should see highs of 35C. Its likely to be a muggy day in the Valencian Community and the Region of Murcia , where locally strong storms are forecast with the mercury remaining high. Maximum temperatures on Monday: Alicante: 31C Almeria: 31C Malaga: 29C Murcia: 37C Tuesday July 5 promises to be another mixed day with storms forecast in the east and north of Spain while Madrid, the Balearic Islands and Castilla-La Mancha are all on yellow alert for extremely high temperatures. The day will begin with cloudy skies, clearing in the afternoon with little change in temperature for the rest of the country. Maximum temperatures on Tuesday: Alicante: 32C Almeria: 30C Malaga: 29C Murcia: 35C Heavy rains and storms are forecast in Aragon, Castilla y Leon and Galicia on Wednesday July 6, where yellow weather alerts are in place. Both the Balearic and Canary Islands will be cloudy with the possibility of blustery weather while it will be a hazy start to the day along the Mediterranean coast. Temperatures are on the rise in the southwest and Galicia, with the mercury easily exceeding 35C in western Andalucia and the Guadalquivir valley. Maximum temperatures on Wednesday: Alicante: 32C Almeria: 27C Malaga: 27C Murcia: 32C The weather will stabilise considerably on Thursday July 7, although cloudy skies will prevail in the early morning with storms likely in eastern Catalonia. These will clear as the day moves on and most of the country can look forward to clear skies and dry weather in the afternoon. High haze is expected in the eastern Canary Islands, the southeast of the peninsula and the Balearic Islands. Temperatures will tend to drop in the east and the Balearic Islands but the mercury will continue to climb in the west of the country. The maximum will remain above 35C in western Andalucia and the Guadalquivir valley and wont dip below 30C in the Canary Islands. Maximum temperatures on Thursday: Alicante: 31C Almeria: 31C Malaga: 27C Murcia: 34C Image: Aemet Cover Story The frantic developments in India have put the country on a rolling wheel of prosperity. We have come a long way from just mud and clay to safety regulations to mobile devices and motorized vehicles. The innovations in the engineering industry have made a world of difference; setting new milestones and continuing to progress remarkably. Certainly, even today, every aspect of construction demands the highest levels of standards, safety, and reliability, and the Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing services remain the crux of well-built structures and complexes. But who puts together unique MEP blueprints with a simplified approach and cost effective solution to a flawless project? Indeed, the credit goes to the engineering contractors and consultants who showcase state-of-the-art... Swedish carmaker will bring a huge investment. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Welcome to your weekly overview of news from Slovakia. This is the special summer edition of Last Week in Slovakia. We will be back to regular operation in mid-July, with the full commentary and news overview by Editor-in-Chief Michaela Terenzani. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Heres what you need to know about the last week: Slovakia will be home to a fifth carmaker, Volvo, that will bring an investment worth more than a billion euros. After the turbulent term of Jaroslav Reznik, the public broadcaster gain a new head. The bear hunting business dates back to socialism. Volvo coming to Slovakia The Volvo Cars automotive group has announced that it will build a production plant in Slovakia, near Kosice, bringing the total number of its plants in Europe to three, after Ghent in Belgium and Torsland in Sweden. The investment will amount to 1.2 billion. The plant will specialise in the production of electric vehicles. Kosice offers good logistical and transport links to the rest of Europe and access to a good supplier base. According to Economy Minister Richard Sulik, the investment "will provide development and many jobs in the eastern part of Slovakia, with many direct and indirect job opportunities." For daily updates on news from Slovakia, check out our Today in Slovakia newsletter, which we send directly to your inbox at the end of every workday. Public broadcaster gains new head The turbulent term of Jaroslav Reznik at the helm of the public broadcaster RTVS is over. While Reznik was the director, several reporters quit, the TV station faced criticism over disinformation and coverage of the war in Ukraine, among other things. Lubos Machaj was elected to the position, after securing the backing of 89 of 122 MPs present for a parliamentary vote on Thursday. Machaj, whose career in the media stretches over more than 40 years, will take up the post on August 1. Among the issues Machaj has said he wants to address are some viewers' concerns about an incomplete archive at the broadcaster and a lack of original content in podcasts. All this while trust in media is at an all time low in Slovakia. The business of hunting bears In recent months, reports of bear encounters and attack have come from various places in Slovakia, often ending in injury. Just last week a biker reported such an event near the city of Kosice. The incidents even prompted protests. There was a time when bears could be hunted for a fee. Between 2015 and 2018, up to 57 percent of animals were shot in Polana. Isolated bear attacks on humans have occurred recently in this area. According to conservationist Juraj Lukac, conflicts with bears occur where they were hunted the most in the past. The hunting business started with the Libyan army during socialism. Bears and even other animals were valuable prey for soldiers. Expected this week Tuesday, July 5, is a national holiday in Slovakia, marking Ss. Cyril and Methodius as well as the Day of Slovaks Living Abroad. Please note that most shops will remain closed by law. On Wednesday, July 6, coalition party SaS will decide on its approach to the current coalition crisis. The party has not ruled out leaving the coalition, nor responded to Matovics belated call for peace. The multigenre Pohoda festival opens gates on Thursday, July 7. Must-read stories for this week SWIMMING WITH SHARKS: Do you know the difference between an apartment and a flat? In the weird world of Slovak residential property, these are very different beasts and the difference can, in theory, cost you a lot of money. James Thomson recently went through the process of buying a flat (not an apartment!) in Slovakia. GERMAN-SLOVAK COOPERATION: The reinforcement of NATO presence in Slovakia became the topic of the day immediately after Russia invaded Ukraine, Slovakias direct neighbour, on February 24. In an interview with The Slovak Spectator, Ambassador Barbara Wolf unveils the concerns attached to the arrival of the troops, shares her opinion on what Germany and Slovakia can do to limit their dependence on Russian raw materials, and more. SWIMMING IN SUMMER: The last few weeks have seen temperatures rising well above 30 degrees Celsius. The Slovak Spectator is compiling and updating a list of places all over Slovakia where people can cool off. Here is an overview of swimming pools in Bratislava. SLOVAK PARADOX: A Sme daily reporter spent several days in Poloniny - a place where people go to find wilderness - to learn how the region is ready to give up logging and reorient itself towards soft tourism, per the wishes of the state. The Poloniny and Muranska planina National Parks will undergo the change first. CURE FOR DOGS: In Slovakia, people call the disease "bloody peeing" as one of its symptoms is dark red urine. This severe disease called Babesiosis can potentially be fatal. Slovak scientists have developed a cure for its chronic version, which has been on the rise recently due to being spread by parasites previously not found in the country. Moreover, the new treatment eliminates all parasites from the blood. If you have a suggestion on how to make this overview better, let us know at editorial@spectator.sk. River was natural barrier between West and East. News: Receive notifications about new articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. The Fluid Territories, Maps of the Danube Region, 1650 1800 runs on the Bratislava castle. (Source: Courtesy of SNG ) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled While today the Danube river flows peacefully through Bratislava, its role in history, even relatively recently, has sometimes been anything but that, a new exhibition reveals. In the past, the river used to spill into an inner delta in the area around the Slovak capital, and it formed a border between two worlds the West and the East. It was also the scene of bloody fighting for control over the heart of Europe. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Treaties Signed on January 26, 1699, the Treaty of Karlowitz marked the end of Ottoman control in Central Europe and established the Habsburg Monarchy as the dominant power in the region On July 21, 1718, the Treaty of Passarowitz was signed at Pozerevac in Serbia, concluding the Austro-Turkish (171618) and Venetian-Turkish (171618) wars. Under its terms the Ottoman Empire lost substantial territories in the Balkans to Austria, marking the end of its westward expansion. During the Ottoman wars, the Danube became a bloodily disputed border area, dotted with important fortifications. From 1699/1718 there was a Christian and Islamic Danube, a river of Habsburgs and Ottomans. This created a lasting political and cultural rift, which, however, always remained permeable, Denis Haberland, curator of the Collections of Architecture, Applied Arts and Design at the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) and co-organiser of the exhibition Fluid Territories, Maps of the Danube Region, 1650 1800, which is currently running in Bratislava, explained to The Slovak Spectator. The exhibition, which has already been shown in Germany, Romania, and Hungary and which will later move to Austria, shows maps of the Danube region of the 17th and 18th century, when the border between the Habsburg and Ottoman empires was more or less stable. Using both detailed and contextual maps of the territories around the Danube, from its source to its mouth, and of its tributaries, ground plans of towns or fortresses, and plans of battles, the exhibition shows how the two great powers clashed, giving an insight into the Ottoman-Habsburg conflict and how the politics behind it influenced smaller territories. They detail the world at the time, how goods and ideas were exchanged, claims to power, military conflicts, and the religious divide between the two worlds. Even now, the maps create a powerful picture of a Christian Europe and a menacing image of a Muslim enemy, the Slovak National Gallery, which has contributed works to the exhibition, wrote in a press release. Art of maps The Supreme Court criticises judges who dealt with the case of Martin Macko, an alleged faeces attacker, in the past. News: Receive notifications about new articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Martin Macko is the son of retired general Pavel Macko. (Source: TASR) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Martin Macko, the son of retired general Pavel Macko, may not be the man who attacked women with faeces in 2015, the Supreme Court suggests in its recent decision. Furthermore, it cites the ignorance of judges dealing with the case in the past. The country marks a public holiday and a memorial day on July 5. Shops will be closed. News: Receive notifications about new articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled People in Slovakia can enjoy a day off on Tuesday, as the country marks another public holiday, the arrival of Ss Cyril and Methodius, on July 5. Little do they know, however, that the country also celebrates Slovaks living abroad on this day; the Day of Slovaks Living Abroad has been a memorial day since 1993. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Several events will take place in Bratislava on this occasion. Slovaks from Europe On Tuesday morning, a wreath will be laid at the Memorial of Slovak Emigration in Janko Kral Park in Bratislava. In the evening, Hviezdoslavovo Square will host cultural events. Slovaks living in Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, and Great Britain will perform on the square. The World Association of Slovaks Living Abroad, which was founded 20 years ago and brings together 114 different organisations run by Slovaks in 24 countries, will also hold celebrations this year, but in the autumn. New documentation centre With regard to Slovaks living abroad, the Slovak National Museum has announced that the new Documentation Centre of Slovak Emigration was established at its History Museum in Bratislava. The centre will assist in opening the Museum of Slovak Emigration, which should be built by 2028. It is expected to be located in Petrzalka, a Bratislava borough on the right bank of the Danube. The national museum has been collecting items tied to the life of Slovaks living abroad for several decades, the museums director Branislav Panis said, adding that the museum cooperates with the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA. Almost 1,350,000 Slovaks live abroad, according to the data by the Office for Slovaks Living Abroad. Most of them reside in the USA, the Czech Republic, Canada, Austria, Germany and Serbia. Closed shops As July 5 is a public holiday, shops will be shut across Slovakia. However, petrol stations, shops at the airport and stations, pharmacies and souvenir shops will remain open. Cafes and restaurants will be open as well. Slovakia will mark another public holiday on August 29 to celebrate the 1944 Slovak National Uprising. Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner sent a handwritten letter to U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday asking for her release from Russia. Her agency released excerpts from the letter to the public: as I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, Im terrified I might be here forever," Griner wrote. On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a Vietnam War Veteran. It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year. I realize you are dealing with so much, but please dont forget about me and the other American Detainees. Please do all you can to bring us home. I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore. I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home. Griner, 31, has been detained in a Moscow jail since being arrested on February 17, 2022, after officials found cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage. She will be detained for at least six more months while her trial resumes and faces up to 10 years in a Russian prison if convicted of drug smuggling charges. While she did not enter a plea on the first day of her trial July 1 her trial will resume on Thursday. In another letter to her wife, Cherelle, Griner admitted she's trying to stay strong mentally throughout her detainment until she returns to home. Shes like, Im okay, babe. Im hardened. Im not me right now. When I come home, its going to take a minute to get back to myself, but Im holding on,' Cherelle said on Al Sharptons Keepin It Real. I wont break until I come home. I wont let them break me. I know they are trying to, but Im going to do my best to just hold on until I can come home.' Story continues After the U.S. declared her "wrongfully detained" by the Russian government and has reportedly been seeking her released. Though, the means by which that release could occur have not been disclosed. Russian state-run media once thought Griner could be released if the U.S. released convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout. Others believe Griner former Marine Paul Whelan, who was sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison on espionage charges in 2018, could be exchanged together for Bout. U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Elizabeth Rood, who attended Griner's trial on July 1, said Griner told her to tell the American public she is "in good spirits and is keeping up the faith." Statement by US Deputy Chief of Mission Elizabeth Rood following Day 1 of #BrittneyGriner trial outside Moscow. Today, the Kremlin again insisted the case was not politically motivated. pic.twitter.com/EPb1UnO4oj Charles Maynes (@cwmiii3) July 1, 2022 Many have called for Griner's release recently. Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson and Phoenix Mercury head coach Vanessa Nygaard spoke passionately about their friend and teammate after the first photos of Griner were released last week, and players around the WNBA and NBA have been adamant about getting Griner safely back to the U.S. Virginia State Police is seeking help from the public in identifying a man, possibly from Honduras, who died Sunday in a fatal pedestrian crash on I-66 in Warren County. The crash occurred at 3 a.m. on July 3, near the 14 mile marker on the interstate, approximately a mile east of Exit 13 for Route 79/Linden/Front Royal. An adult male pedestrian had been struck in the eastbound travel lane, according to a release Sunday from state police spokeswoman Corrine Geller. The striking vehicle immediately pulled over and remained at the scene, she said, and another vehicle was already on the shoulder with two Hispanic males standing outside of it. When the other driver from the striking vehicle approached the men, they got into their vehicle, a four-door sedan, and drove off. The male pedestrian died at the scene. It is possible that the pedestrian had been in the sedan prior to being struck, Geller said. The deceased is a Hispanic male believed to be in his mid-20s and possibly Honduran, based on information found on his person at the scene, Geller said. The man was transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner for positive identification, examination and autopsy. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has any information related to this incident and/or the deceased male is encouraged to call Virginia State Police by contacting #77, 540/829-7766 or questions@vsp.virginia.gov. No parent wants the words in memory of listed in front of their childs name, but Angela Pope hopes a vehicle dedicated to her daughter will save other families from the pain hers experienced. Lauren Pope was 26 when she died after snorting heroin laced with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid and powerful painkiller. Police told her parents, Angela and Jake Pope of Spotsylvania County, that it looked like someone left her in a bathroom by the way the young woman was positioned. Had she received Narcan, a nasal spray to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses, Angela Pope wonders if her firstborn would still be alive. She often thinks about the way her daughters life ended, as well as how things changed dramatically in her mid-teens. The once-bubbly and busy runner and cheerleader was about 15 when her mother said she fell into the wrong crowd and started using drugs. An unwanted pregnancy and abortion followed, and her mother suspects possible sex trafficking or gang violence. But she just doesnt know because months would pass without a word from her child. I sit and dwell on it, she said, and theres nothing thats going to change the situation so I have to try to do something positive with it. The Popes said they were honored when Zoe Freedom Center, a faith-based recovery program in Spotsylvania, recently launched a Mobile Harm Reduction Unit, or Narcan van, in memory of Lauren Pope. Lauren was the first client at Zoe, and co-founder Dana Brown helped get her into a recovery program. After Brown spoke at her funeral, she and her husband, Mark, the centers co-founder, talked about a mobile unit that would regularly dispense boxes of Narcan to individuals and businesses. The Browns promised the Popes it would bear Laurens name. The Narcan van made its debut on a recent Saturday as Zoe Freedom Center volunteers met in Fredericksburg and canvassed the downtown area, passing out goodie bags and materials about the centers free services, including counseling and peer support groups. They also asked people if they would put Narcan in their first-aid kits. Some businesses wanted a box for each kit in the building, others declined the offer. The center plans to return to downtown, visit hotels along U.S. 1 and set up regular routes and distribution times when it has enough volunteers. Based on past experience, Dana Brown believes the same divine guidance that helped Zoe get off the grounda month before the pandemic startedwill get their mobile unit out on a regular course. I feel like were gonna have enough volunteers to do at least a once-a-week route, probably within a month, she said. Were excited about being able to meet the needs on a routed, time-based schedule so people in the community who need our help know when were coming. And theres plenty of need, said Sherry NortonWilliams, a prevention specialist with the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board. For five years, shes led REVIVE! training on how to recognize and respond to an opioid emergency using Narcan, the brand name for the chemical naloxone. RACSB offers regular virtual trainings and twice-a-month distributions when people whove completed the class can pick up free Narcan. More than 2,000 people have been through the program since 2017including many who then trained othersand NortonWilliams has noticed an increase this year in the demand for Narcan. In the past, maybe half of those trained picked up their Narcan at a separate distribution site. This year, more than 8 of every 10 people trained have gotten it. We are seeing more lives being lost, NortonWilliams said, not because there are necessarily more drugs on the street but because of what they contain. Its about fentanyl being in everything or possibly being in everything. People are realizing the medicine cabinet is not necessarily the problem. Its the illicit substance people are getting their hands on. Last year, 81% of the fatal overdoses in the Fredericksburg region, from Culpeper to the Northern Neck, involved fentanyl, according to the Virginia Department of Health website. The state hasnt reported any 2022 statistics yet, but Dana Brown said shes hearing about increasing numbers of overdoses from local police officers. While in her office off Bragg Road, Brown showed a graphic from the Journal of American Medical Association, showing the number of fatalities involving fentanyl among adolescents. Nationwide, 253 young people between the ages of 10 and 19 died in 2019 from overdoses involving fentanyl. The death toll climbed to 680 in 2020 and shot up to 884 in 2021. Brown believes many of those who overdosed probably thought they were getting something else from a friend, maybe Adderall or Percocet. Adderall is used to treat hyperactivity but has become widely misused by high school and college students who want to pull all-nighters and cram for exams or write lengthy term papers, according to American Addiction Centers. Likewise, Percocet is a common pain pill, but can become lethal when laced with fentanyl. Thats starting to happen more and more, Dana Brown said. This is why (Narcan) is so important. Having this in your first-aid kit will give you the only tool that you can possibly have to save your childs life. NortonWilliams hopes people who receive Narcan will never need to use the treatment on loved ones but she often finds the opposite is true. I cant tell you how many times Ive had a person walk up to a table at an event or pick up a second dose because they already used the first one or it had expired, she said. I had one gentleman in a training program whos overdosed seven times. Shes trained workers in local shelters, convenience stores and national parks on how to administer Narcan. The free online class, REVIVE!, takes about 60 minutes, and NortonWilliams and others at RACSB will offer training to businesses and organizations. Those interested can contact her at 540/940-2325 or snorton@rappahannockareacsb.org. Once celebrated as a movie palace, Marions Lincoln Theatre is one step closer to being able to claim that moniker once again. The news announcement that shared that good news also brought word that the Saltville Library is getting the funds to help it find a new home. On Thursday, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced 18 projects that he is recommending the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) fund. The two Smyth County projects were among the 18. Youngkin has recommended that Smyth County be awarded $80,000 to analyze spatial needs for a new and expanded Saltville Library, including cost estimates and a recommended location for the improved facility design. Thursday, Rose Likins, the Smyth County Public Librarys director, said, I am beyond thrilled that this project was approved! The countys board of supervisors has already agreed to provide $15,000 to help it meet the required match for this planning grant. The library is expected to raise $5,000. Likins said, The project will be to assess the current building for possible renovation or expansion or identify alternative solutions. She explained, We wont be doing actual construction with this money, but it is the important first step toward a better facility for Saltville. However, with this money for study and analysis, County Administrator Shawn Utt said enough preparatory work will be done to help the library get even more funding should it later apply for a construction grant. He believes this award will be just the tip of the iceberg. Youngkin is also recommending an award of $69,025 for The Lincoln Theatre Technology and Film Project. According to the governors office news release, This project will digitally expand the Lincoln Theater by providing digital shows, and screening films and movies. This project will create 3.5 full-time equivalent positions, as well as include additional training opportunities for part-time staff and regional students to obtain full-time employment in technology, digital media and/or film. In January, Tracy Thompson, the Lincolns executive director, told the countys board of supervisors that, if awarded, the grant would allow the theatre to install a large retractable screen, surround-sound speakers and digital projection. As well, she said, the application seeks the funds to add an outdoor screen, exterior speakers, and a portable projector so that the Lincoln can use Hurricane Alley for open-air events or show an activity taking place on the stage to people outside. The capability for livestreaming events would be included. The proposal also features an upgrade for the theatres Main Street marquee. Earlier this year, Thompson said the Lincoln administration wants to preserve much of the marquee, which is not original but possesses historical value. Where now the theatre can manually change messages, an LED screen would be inserted. Thompson said the screen would not only be used to promote events at the Lincoln but could also serve as community billboard. At the time, Thompson said she would be seeking $200,000. The supervisors unanimously agreed to back the application with a letter of support. A draft letter said that the addition of film to the Lincoln is sorely needed in a county that currently has no indoor movie venues. The letter continued saying, This will bring jobs and boost local businesses by drawing a more diverse audience to our region. We anticipate a film component will expand opportunities, such as local dinner and movie nights with a rotating case of local restaurants and The Lincoln. To succeed as a movie house, the letter of support said, The Lincoln must invest in specialized equipment. To help strengthen The Lincoln, Utt noted that the supervisors upped its funding by $5,000 for the fiscal year that began Friday. On behalf of The Lincoln Theatre's Board of Directors, I am thrilled that our Technology and Film Project has been recommended for funding . The Lincoln Theatre began as a movie palace and we are now beginning the process of returning to our roots. For historic venues with a strong performing arts program, special film events and film series play an important supporting role. Being able to offer films again on a big screen with surround sound will be a wonderful cultural asset for Marion and our community, said Thompson Thursday evening. Utt was equally happy about the federal investment, noting his love of the arts and their value to community life. The 18 recommended projects totaled $8.6 million in grants. Virginias Appalachian region encompasses 25 counties and eight independent cities. ARC is expected to finalize approval of these project awards later this year. "These 18 projects represent the innovation and strong entrepreneurial spirit of the Appalachian region, and I am excited to see these projects succeed in helping these communities thrive," said Youngkin in the release. "With this investment through the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Appalachia communities will not only gain vital quality-of-life improvements but economic opportunities that will help bring better jobs and stronger economies to the region." "Appalachian economies have been hit hard, both by the COVID-19 pandemic and the downturn of the coal industry, and it is crucial to invest in our Appalachian region," said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick. "Many of these projects will provide critical, targeted assistance in community-identified areas, from improved water systems and workforce development to creating entrepreneurial ecosystems and improving broadband access, giving Appalachia communities the tools they need to flourish." Established in 1965, ARC is a federal agency focused on economic development throughout the Appalachian region. Youngkin gave a nod for $1,000,000 each to neighboring Wythe and Tazewell counties. In Tazewell County, the project would provide adequate water and sewer service to a new aquaculture business, Pure Salmon Virginia LLC, support a total of 218 new jobs and leverage a $358.8 million private investment through the construction of off-site water system and sewer system improvements. In Wythe County, the money would be used to expand wastewater service capacity at the construction site of a nitrile manufacturing facility in Progress Park. This facility will employ approximately 2,500 persons (200 in the first 18 months), and this expanded wastewater service capacity will alleviate the need for a new sewer treatment plant in the county. The Southwest Regional Recreation Authority (SRRA) was given the nod for $100,000 to create a long-term vision for the organization, including an economic impact study, a business plan, a marketing plan and a strategic plan. SRRA will use the products from this project to drive future ARC implementation projects. Longviews four-day Go 4th Festival ends not with a bang, but with a laser light show for throngs of holiday visitors. More than a hundred vehicles filled up the streets and alleys in the staging area along 14th Avenue for the Fourth of July parade early Monday morning. Blue stretches of sky began appearing right around the time the first group made the loop through Civic Circle Park at 10 a.m. and grew brighter throughout the morning. The theme for this years parade was Longviews Moment in History. Regular parade participants such as the Longview 23 Club and JH Kelly brought in restored antique cars for the event. Other groups of car collectors dotted the parade lineup. They do such a good job planning and letting us know where to go, said Ralph Lessante, who is part of a group of classic Volkswagen owners that participate in the parade every year. You see everyone out, everyone smiling, the excitement on the kids faces. Jessica Sayward, Miss Thunder Mountain Pro Rodeo, was getting her horses ready and talking to visitors before the parade started. Sayward rode in the parade last year as the rodeo queen-in-waiting and led the rodeos segment this year. As the rodeo queen, Sayward has been traveling through Oregon and Washington this summer to promote the Thunder Mountain Rodeo at the end of July and rodeo riding more broadly. Sayward said she was excited to be in Longview for the Go 4th parade. It blows me away whenever I see the amount of spirit this area shows for one another, Sayward said. After the parade, the focus of the days events shifted back to the lines of vendors and events around Lake Sacajawea Park. A roster of musical acts played at the stage by Martins Dock through the afternoon. Bringing the log arch back to Longview In the midst of the food tents that filled the center of the park is the log arch, a recently restored piece of Longviews scenery. The log arch was installed in the park by the Longview 23 Club as part of the citys 50th anniversary celebrations in 1973. Club president Abe Ott said the arch was a tribute to log arches the city had during special events in the 1920s, which were large enough for cars to drive under. It was a landmark that we certainly were all aware of. We used it to coordinate meetings, lets meet at the log arch by the lake, Ott said. The arch was taken down in 2019 after the wood around the base began rotting. The 23 Club started planning to bring the monument back soon after but were delayed by the onset of COVID-19. The new arch has the exact same dimensions as the original log arch and is located within a few feet of the original spot in Hemlock Plaza. The structure was completed in June but the 23 Club held off on the official ribbon cutting and dedication until Sunday afternoon to make it part of the larger celebration. Ott said the arch could not have been built back without the support of several local businesses. The logs were donated by the Port Blakely timber company and several other companies provided either funding or in-kind services to prepare the logs and the small metal sign hanging from the arch. The fact that everyone was willing to contribute is a testament to how much they care about the community, Ott said. Temperature and pressure conditions on Uranus and Neptune are so high that they harden carbon, making it heavy like diamonds. Our Milky Way Galaxy and the solar system are full of mysteries and interesting facts. Scientists and researchers are keen on solving these mysteries and share the same with us. While we are unaware of so many things, have you ever heard of diamond rain? On Earth, rains water droplets are made up of (hydrogen and oxygen), however, there are some planets where these droplets are made up of carbon and are much heavier and thicker than anything imaginable. Neptune and Uranus are two planets that have diamond rain due to extreme temperature and pressure conditions. Though these planets are not very far from Earth, they are the farthest planets from the Sun as they form the outer layer of our solar system. These two planets are identical due to their blue-hazed appearance as both of them are partially made of methane. Though they look soothing, the temperature and pressure conditions there can harden carbon atoms to such high extremes that they turn into diamonds. During a recent conversation with NASAs Gravity Assist, astrophysicist Naomi Rowe-Gurney explained the diamond rain on Uranus and Neptune and what causes it. She shared that both of these planets are partially made up of methane and carbon. The carbon can occur by itself and also be crushed by the immense pressures. Along with methane, Uranus and Neptune both have atmospheres made up of molecular hydrogen and atomic helium and when it gets really hot and dense, these diamonds can form and accumulate, shared Rowe-Gurney. She added that these diamonds then rain down from the atmosphere. She emphasized that even if diamonds exist, we humans cant get there and grab them. She added, Its not the rain that we see here because these pressures are extreme, and youll never be able to get there as a human. So even if these diamonds do exist, we would never be able to go and grab them. Incentives like negative electricity rates and subsidies for energy efficient appliances can help Europe store up gas for the winter. Negative oil prices were one of the craziest moments ever in the energy market. At one point in April 2020, a seller paid a buyer $40 for a barrel of West Texas Intermediate. Were going to need another crazy moment if Europe is going to make it through the winter. How about this: Pay consumers not to consume electricity. A year on into the energy crisis, policy makers have only tried supply measures in their attempt to address the problem. Their own words highlight the approach: supply and production were got 28 mentions in last weeks communique of the Group of Seven summit; demand and consumption just five. This is about to change: The best energy is that which we dont consume. In Europe, officials are now working on a plan to fight the crisis, likely to be published in a couple of weeks, thats going to focus on consumption measures. I expect to see a big emphasis on so-called demand response. That involves consumers, mostly large companies, reducing or shifting their energy usage during peak periods in response to time-based rates or other financial incentives. The typical demand response measure is cheaper energy prices during low-demand periods say, at night or weekends. But what I hear out of Brussels is an extreme form: Paying some companies to slow down their plants significantly, or even halt them, so they dont consume electricity, and therefore help to keep the lights on for everyone else. Saving electricity equals saving natural gas because a large chunk of power in Europe is generated by burning gas imported from Vladimir Putin led Russia. The UK is also exploring the idea. National Grid Plc is asking companies how many megawatts of power demand they would be able to cut next winter and how big a payment they would ask for. It floated a price range for potential payments, ranging from 100 ($122) to 6,000 a megawatt hour. Current day-ahead power prices in the UK hover around 200 per mega-watt hour. Germany is mulling a similar system, based on an auction: The government may allow companies to bid negative prices for megawatt hour saved. Paying companies not to consume electricity is easier than doing so with families. First, industrial plants have sophisticated metering systems that allow time-based tariffs. Second, companies can more easily switch off consumption completely. Households can benefit from demand response policies via smart digital meters, which allow for the introduction of time-based tariffs. European policy makers can still implement negative prices for electricity for families via a different route: a kind of cash-for-clunkers program for appliances, modeled on the original 2009 American version for cars. The US program saw 677,000 old cars scrapped, shifting consumer demand to more fuel-efficient vehicles. Next to heating, appliances are at the center of energy demand in most households: washing machines, ovens, dry tumblers, fridges and freezers. Improving their efficiency can save a lot of megawatt hours of power. European governments should use tax breaks reduced VAT or even direct subsidies to encourage families to scrap their energy-intensive appliances for less power-hungry ones. In southern Europe, the scheme should involve air conditioning units, a huge source of power demand nowadays in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. The Greek government is already offering a subsidy of between 30% and 50% of the cost of some new, energy saving appliances. Others should follow. Ironically, Europe could copy-and-paste some policies from an unlikely champion of energy efficiency: Saudi Arabia. The kingdom has run a program to replace old, inefficient air conditioning units with newer, energy-saving ones for several years already, offering subsidies to families. A cash-for-clunkers program for air conditioning and other household appliances will not only reduce energy demand, but also support the retail industry and some European manufacturers. It wont be cheap. But neither are blackouts. And it achieves many policy objectives at a time many families are tightening their belts and the economy is slowing down. With most of the attention focused on oil and natural gas, people overlook the fact that European electricity markets are already blowing up and showing the dangers ahead for this winter. French electricity prices for December have surged to nearly 1,000 euros ($1,046) per megawatt hour, up from 50 euros two years ago. The benchmark German one-year forward is up to 300 euros per megawatt hour excluding two days in December 2021, when prices spiked only to fall back again. Thats a record high. Demand response measures like negative prices and incentives for industrial slowdowns can help right now. Reducing electricity consumption is key to cutting gas consumption and dependence on Russia. On Friday morning, the UK was generating nearly 65% of its electricity on gas-fired power stations. Thats gas better saved for the winter, when well need it to heat our homes. Apple Maps' new feature will bring navigation for ebikes. Heres how it will be different from Google Maps. Apple Maps was released back in 2012 and since then iPhone users have come to depend on it in a major way even though there is the option of Google Maps available at all times. Apple Maps comes as a default option for iPhone users, but then there are many Google Maps fans who just can't do without it. The competition is intense as both are humongous corporate behemoths and neither wants to be left behind. However, both maps serve their purpose with some minor changes that make these navigation apps slightly different from each other. To match what the competition offers and perhaps, even steal a march on it, Apple Maps is now coming up with a new feature and no, it does not deal with cars. We are talking about e-bikes whose popularity has exploded in recent years. Google Maps offers several bike-friendly routes as well as support for e-bikes. But now, iPhone users will soon be able to have navigation for e-bikes too! iOS developer and journalist Steve Moser has revealed that he had found some references in the Apple Maps code, which suggests that it might offer navigation for e-bikes soon. He spotted a bunch of coding lines suggesting the phrase 'e-Bike' as well as a feature that may optimise routes and Estimated Time of Arrival (ETAs) for users. However, when this feature will go live on Apple Maps has not been revealed. Also, exactly what the difference between the navigation of the route for regular bicycles and e-bikes will be is not clear. A Tom's Guide report suggests that e-bike directions may avoid the unpaved paths. If this e-bike feature makes its way into Apple Maps, then Apple may get an edge over Google Maps which lacks the routes optimization for e-bikes in comparison to regular bicycles. However, Google does help users to show the places from where they can rent an E-Bike, offering price and range estimates, in addition to the information on journey time and even the ETA. We have always known this but OPPO Malaysia has finally confirmed that the OPPO Reno8 series 5G will be arriving here soon. It was initially launched in China first (as usual) towards the end of May and took the company long enough to import the latest mid-range series. While there's no date for the launch yet, one of the highlights that we can look forward to is that the Reno8 series 5G will have the MariSilicon X NPU. It's OPPO's first-ever Imaging NPU that first made its debut on the OPPO Find X5 Pro 5G that enhances low-light portrait photography which impressed us a lot. You can check out our review of the photo quality here. Besides the MariSilicon X NPU, the Reno8 series should have the same tech specs as the China set. In the Chinese market, the Reno8 and Reno 8 Pro features a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 and Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset respectively. There's also a Pro+ variant with a Dimensity 8100-Max chipset and all three devices support up to 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a 4500mAh supporting 80W fast charging technology. On the other hand, both the Reno8 and Reno8 Pro have the same 6.43-inch display but the Reno8 Pro+ has the privilege of a 6.7-inch AMOLED display. In addition, all three smartphones have the same 32MP selfie snapper, 50MP primary + 2MP + 2MP triple rear camera whereas the pro variants have an 8MP ultrawide lens. There's no telling which model is OPPO Malaysia planning to import so until then, we will just have to wait and see. If you're interested in the phone, you can register your interest right over here. Or simply stay tuned to our news coverage only at TechNave.com. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Six people have been indicted in four separate cryptocurrency fraud cases involving more than $130 million in losses, including the single largest NFT scheme charged to date, federal prosecutors said this week. That scheme, prosecutors said, involved a group called the Baller Ape Club that claimed to sell NFTs, or nonfungible tokens, in the form of cartoon images of apes. A group with a similar theme, the Bored Ape Yacht Club, is one of the world's most popular NFT distributors, with endorsements from Snoop Dogg, Tom Brady and other celebrities. Its NFTs have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars, though prices have dropped sharply in recent weeks. Le Anh Tuan, 26, of Vietnam was charged in California with one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit international money laundering in connection with the Baller Ape Club scheme. Shortly after Baller Ape Club's public sales began, Tuan and unnamed co-conspirators "rug-pulled" investors, deleting the group's website and taking $2.6 million in investments, according to the U.S. attorney's office for the Central District of California. Tuan and the others laundered the money, prosecutors said, by moving it through cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency services. If convicted, Tuan faces up to 40 years in prison. In a separate case, the founder and former chief executive of Titanium Blockchain Infrastructure Services was charged with one count of securities fraud in connection with the company's initial coin offering. New cryptocurrency projects use ICOs to raise funds, similar to an initial public offering of a company's stock. Federal prosecutors in California said CEO Michael Alan Stollery, 54, of Reseda falsified paperwork sent to prospective investors testifying to the project's purpose and falsely claimed that his business had relationships with the U.S. Federal Reserve Board and companies such as Apple, Disney and Pfizer. The ICO raised about $21 million from investors. Stollery faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. In a third case, a Las Vegas man was charged in California with four counts of wire fraud and one count each of obstruction of justice, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit commodities fraud. David Saffron, 49, used his cryptocurrency investment platform Circle Society to raise about $12 million from investors to a fraudulent crypto fund that purported to trade on the futures and commodity markets, prosecutors said. Saffron allegedly told investors he used a "trading bot" to generate returns up to 600%. He held investor meetings at homes in the Hollywood Hills and traveled with armed security guards to "create the false appearance of wealth and success," prosecutors said. "In reality, Mr. Saffron was operating an illegal Ponzi scheme to defraud victim investors and used the funds for his own personal benefit," said Ryan L. Korner, special agent in charge of the IRS' Los Angeles criminal investigation field office. Saffron faces up to 115 years in prison if convicted. The fourth case announced by prosecutors this week was charged in the Southern District of Florida. Emerson Pires and Flavio Goncalves, both of Brazil, and Joshua David Nicholas of Stuart, Fla., were charged with one count each of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a crypto-Ponzi scheme that prosecutors said defrauded about $100 million from investors. Pires and Goncalves, both 33, were also charged with conspiracy to commit international money laundering. Pires and Goncalves, founders of crypto investment platform EmpiresX, worked with "head trader" Nicholas, 28, to promote the platform using false guarantees of returns for investors, prosecutors said. "Blockchain analytics shows that Pires and Goncalves then laundered investors' funds through a foreign-based cryptocurrency exchange and operated a Ponzi scheme by paying earlier investors with money obtained from later EmpiresX investors," the U.S. attorney's office said. If convicted, Nicholas faces up to 25 years in prison; Pires and Goncalves each face up to 45 years. Explore further US arrests three in alleged $722 mn cryptocurrency fraud More information: 2022 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The researchers' method: introducing ripples in 2D material, molybdenum disulfide to achieve two orders of magnitude enhancement in carrier mobility at room temperature, allowing electrons to move faster through the material. Credit: Dr. Wu Jing, A*STAR, Institute of Materials Research and Engineering. Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are semiconducting materials with thicknesses on the atomic scale, which have exceptional electronic properties. In the future, these materials could have the potential to replace silicon in the development of numerous electronic and optoelectronic devices. Despite their advantages, the use of 2D semiconductors has so far been limited, partially due to their low carrier mobility at room temperature. This is caused by a strong scattering of phonons (i.e., quasiparticles associated with collective atomic vibrations) in the materials' lattices. Researchers at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hong Kong, China have recently devised a design strategy that could help to overcome this limitation, improving the carrier mobility of 2D materials. Their proposed approach, outlined in a paper published in Nature Electronics, entails the introduction of lattice distortions in a 2D material, using bulged substrates. "Our paper was inspired by the high carrier mobility observed in 2D TMDs on substrates with high surface roughness by Tao Liu et al. back in 2019," Dr. Ming Yang and Dr. Jing Wu. Two of the researchers who carried out the study, told TechXplore. "However, the observed mobility enhancement was simply attributed to strain effects and the fundamental mechanism remains unclear. To this end, we dug deeper to unravel the underlying physics responsible for such a significant enhancement in mobility and demonstrate lattice engineering as an effective strategy to create high-performance electronic devices at room-temperature." Most conventional strategies for improving the carrier mobility of 2D semiconductors rely on attaining ideal lattice structures. The strategy proposed by Yang, Wu and their colleagues, on the other hand, merely entails the introduction of bulged substrates, which create ripples in a 2D semiconductor and suppress the scattering of phonons. "We simply placed 2D materials on substrates with bulged morphologies, creating ripples in the material that leads to lattice distortion," Yang and Wu explained. "Typically, lattice distortions are slated to adversely affect carrier mobility. However, we show that such lattice distortions create a larger electric polarization, which can not only renormalize the frequency of phonons to effectively suppress scattering between electrons and phonons, but also enhance the intrinsic dielectric constant to further screen the polar phonon scattering." Compared to other existing approaches for increasing carrier mobility in 2D semiconductors, the strategy proposed by these researchers is both simple and cost-effective. As part of their study, the team tested it on 2D molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) and found that it resulted in room temperature carrier mobility of approximately 900 cm2 V1 s1, which exceeds the predicted phonon-limited mobility of flat MoS 2 (ranging between 200 and 410 cm2 V1 s1). "The observed mobility enhancement and the underlying mechanism of such high carrier mobility in rippled-MoS 2 , which exceeds the predicted phonon-limited mobility in flat-MoS 2 , is particularly noteworthy," Yang and Wu said. "Such high carrier mobility can pave the way for low-powered electronics and is an important parameter for most applications ranging from field-effect transistors to photodetectors and more." The study carried out by this team of researchers highlights the huge potential of lattice engineering strategies to enhancing the performance of electronics and thermoelectric devices at room temperature. In the future, their method could be used to create more efficient devices based on 2D semiconductors. In addition, it could potentially inspire the development of other design strategies based on lattice engineering. "In our next studies, we plan to systematically create rippled/bulged substrates to minimize variability, as well as to study the correlations between bulges," Yang and Wu added. Explore further A strategy to remotely modulate the doping of 2D transistors More information: Hong Kuan Ng et al, Improving carrier mobility in two-dimensional semiconductors with rippled materials, Nature Electronics (2022). Journal information: Nature Electronics Hong Kuan Ng et al, Improving carrier mobility in two-dimensional semiconductors with rippled materials,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41928-022-00777-z 2022 Science X Network A person walks past a notice for customers posted on the entrance of an "au" mobile brand operator shop, of KDDI Corp., Monday, July 4, 2022, in Tokyo. Many users of Japans No. 2 mobile carrier KDDI Corp. were still having trouble making calls Monday after a massive outage throughout the weekend that affected nearly 40 million people, disrupting deliveries, weather reports and other services across the country. Credit: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko Many users of Japan's No. 2 mobile carrier KDDI Corp. were still having trouble making calls Monday after a massive outage throughout the weekend that affected nearly 40 million people, disrupting deliveries, weather reports and other services across the country. The company said data transmission had largely been restored by Monday morning, but service restrictions were still causing many users to have trouble with making phone calls and sending short messages. The outage started in the early hours of Saturday during a scheduled maintenance work at a facility in western Tokyo. It disabled text messaging, phone calls and other services for more than 39 million users of KDDI's mobile services. Parcel deliveries also were disrupted. Over the weekend, the Meteorological Agency was unable to send weather data at hundreds of stations, dozens of cash machines were disabled in central Japan, and Tokyo and other municipalities had trouble reaching COVID-19 patients subject to health monitoring at home. The major outage came just ahead of a July 10 parliamentary election and was seen as embarrassment for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government, which has been promoting digitization of the world's No. 3 economy. The government was quick to address public concern over the problem. A person walks past an "au" mobile brand operator shop, of KDDI Corp., Monday, July 4, 2022, in Tokyo. Many users of Japans No. 2 mobile carrier KDDI Corp. were still having trouble making calls Monday after a massive outage throughout the weekend that affected nearly 40 million people, disrupting deliveries, weather reports and other services across the country. Credit: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko KDDI Corp. President Makoto Takahashi, right, bows at the end of a press conference in Tokyo Sunday, July 3, 2022. A weekend outage at Japans No. 2 mobile carrier KDDI Corp. was still preventing many of its customers from making calls Monday. The massive outage that began early Saturday affected nearly 40 million people and the delivery of weather reports and other services across the country. Credit: Kyodo News via AP KDDI Corp. President Makoto Takahashi speaks during a press conference in Tokyo Sunday, July 3, 2022. Many users of Japans No. 2 mobile carrier KDDI Corp. were still having trouble making calls Monday after a massive outage throughout the weekend that affected nearly 40 million people, disrupting deliveries, weather reports and other services across the country. Credit: Kyodo News via AP "It is extremely regrettable that mobile phone service, which is a crucial infrastructure for social and economic activity, has been unusable for such a long time," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara told reporters on Monday. He said the government was taking the situation "seriously" and urged KDDI to provide a thorough explanation. Kihara said he expected KDDI to "sincerely" consider compensation for possible damage claims from users. On Sunday, KDDI President Makoto Takahashi apologized and provided an initial explanation about what happened and the outlook for resumption of disrupted services. "We consider this a severe incident," Internal affairs and communications minister Yasushi Kaneko said on Sunday. The outage was especially unfortunate because it disrupted emergency calls at a time when people were facing increased risks of COVID-19 and heat strokes and potential emergencies due to an approaching typhoon. An outage last year by rival NTT DoCoMo affected nearly 13 million people. Explore further Microsoft resolves major Monday outage after five hours 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: CC0 Public Domain British military authorities are trying to find out who hacked the army's social media accounts over the weekend, flooding them with cryptocurrency videos and posts related to collectible electronic art. The investigation was launched after authorized content on the army's YouTube account was replaced with a video feed promoting cryptocurrencies that included images of billionaire Elon Musk. The Army's Twitter account retweeted a number of posts about non-fungible tokens, unique digital images that can be bought and sold but have no physical counterpart. "Apologies for the temporary interruption to our feed,'' the army said in a tweet posted after the Twitter account was restored on Sunday. "We will conduct a full investigation and learn from this incident. Thanks for following us, and normal service will now resume." The Ministry of Defense said late Sunday that both breaches had been "resolved." While internet users were unable to access the Army's YouTube site on Monday, a spokesperson said the site was down for standard maintenance. The Twitter feed was operating normally. Although U.K. officials have previously raised concerns about state-sponsored Russian hacking, the military did not speculate on who was responsible for Sunday's breaches. "The army takes information security extremely seriously, and until their investigation is complete it would be inappropriate to comment further," the Ministry of Defense said. Explore further Musk suggests Twitter changes, including accepting Dogecoin 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. For Tyler Reddick, 92nd one was the charm. The 26-year-old finally has his first victory in the NASCAR Cup Series after holding off Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson to win the KwikTrip 250 on Sunday in Wisconsin. Reddick had two second-place finishes this season and also garnered a third and fifth-place finish in other events, but this time, he took the lead with 17 laps to go and never looked back for the first win of his Cup Series career. TYLER REDDICK! The @RCRracing driver gets by Chase Elliott as he searches for his first @NASCAR Cup Series win. Less than 16 laps remaining on @USA_Network! #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/lLJZL08gaL NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 3, 2022 Reddick joins Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, and Daniel Suarez on the list of first-time winners this season, tying the modern-era record for the most first-time winners in a Cup season (2001, 2002, and 2011). We had to. And what better place than Road America? Reddick told NBC Sports. I love the fans, I love this racetrack. Being here on Fourth of July weekend is just so special We got it done. We won the race. Meanwhile, Elliott was left to wonder what could have been and lamented the ways he let Reddick get ahead of him and stay there. I didnt do a very good job there, Elliott told NBC Sports. I just let him stay close enough to pressure me there while we had decent tires. I was gaining a gap there a couple times and made a couple mistakes and let him get back close enough to get me out of sync. And then after that, just started struggling. Obviously it was super difficult to get to somebody to pass them. I mean, it was impressive that he was able to get up there and capitalize on my mistake. So happy for those guys, I appreciate the effort out of our team. Wish I could have done a better job there. The NASCAR world was pretty happy for Reddick and shared that sentiment across social media after the race on Sunday. We've long talked about Tyler Reddick's potential. He's come close to winning multiple times. Today he finally puts it all together and earns his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory! NASCAR now has five first-time race winners at the halfway point of the 2022 season. Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) July 3, 2022 Three years of trying Three years of frustration Tyler Reddick has finished 1st in the Kwik Trip 250 at Road America. pic.twitter.com/dnwrITWnm1 Where Did Tyler Reddick Finish? (@reddickresults8) July 3, 2022 This is what winning feels like in the #NASCAR Cup Series. @AustinCindric lifts @roadamerica winner @TylerReddick up in Victory Lane pic.twitter.com/Sf7WeuxSiY Dustin Long (@dustinlong) July 3, 2022 Finally Finally FINALLY @TylerReddick is a winner!!!!! Ken Carman (@KenCarman) July 3, 2022 CHECKERED FLAG: REDDICK CONQUERS ROAD AMERICA!@TylerReddick captures his first career win in the NASCAR Cup Series! pic.twitter.com/GmWGz0MCYQ NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 3, 2022 [NASCAR on NBC] Growing up in West Texas, Ron Gill saw plenty of people who were good at handling livestock. Now a Texas A&M extension livestock specialist, Gill says he learned not everyone has those skills. I grew up around some really good stockmen, he says, and when I left, I saw how it was not that way everywhere. Gill says it had not historically been a large part of the livestock business to teach people how to handle and move animals. Weve never trained anybody how to work with livestock, he says. As a young person he said he tried to figure out what made for good handling why certain approaches worked better. He remembers going to hear one of the early advocates for proper handling of cattle, Bud Williams, speak. I went to several Bud Williams talks and tried to figure it out, Gill says. Today, Gill gives talks on low-stress livestock handling across the country, including regular appearances at the Western Farm Show in Kansas City, Missouri. He says low-stress livestock handling has benefits for producers and their animals. Stress is one of those areas that is a cost to the immune system, its a cost to gain, its a cost to reproductive performance, he says. Anything we do to reduce stress in cattle, they perform better. Gill says the low-stress approach leads to fewer injuries and a safer experience for cattle, but also for people working with cattle. It can also help manage shrink when marketing cattle. He saw the improvements in death loss in calves when he first implemented the low-stress handling strategies on his cattle operation in Texas. A lot of his demonstrations are available on Texas A&Ms RanchTV YouTube channel. He says this type of stockmanship involves understanding the animals. A cow is a cow, and were not really going to change her, he says. Weve got to help them understand what we want them to do. They are visual. They can interpret our position and the amount of pressure on them, how we approach an animal, and how much pressure we put on at any time. If we are precise in when we put pressure, its a fairly predictable response out of the animal. Gill says it is not a totally passive approach, but rather knowing when to apply pressure and when to be patient, and above all remaining calm. The calm approach allows for the animals to move naturally and not as an overreaction. He says observational skills develop over time, studying cattle and then practicing how best to work with them. He adds that weaned calves are looking for something to replace the guidance of their mothers. Keeping animals moving naturally also helps. Our biggest objective is to create flow and movement with cattle, and then use our position and pressure to direct them, Gill says. He works with cattle during his live demonstrations, but Gill says the approach works with other animals. Its the same across all species, he says. In West Texas, Gill had a job rounding up feral goats. We had good success, he says. He says sheep are so pattern-based that if a person is handling them wrong, they just amplify how wrong you are. On a trip overseas, Gill got to try his hand at directing another type of animal. I was over in Australia once and herded up a bunch of kangaroos for people to take pictures of, he says. Gill says the idea of stockmanship and animal handling was not as widely studied and discussed once as it is today. At one time, if you brought up even the topic of improved stockmanship, it was kind of heresy in the industry, he says. He says producers can take a more forceful approach and get things done, but it may cause greater stress loss. You can force cattle to do stuff and get your job done, but what is the cost? Gill says. He says the work of Bud Williams and Temple Grandin went a long way to make talk about improved animal handling more mainstream. Dr. Grandin has a great line: Were in trouble when bad becomes normal, Gill says. He says the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association began having livestock handling demonstrations in the mid-2000s, including Gill and other livestock specialists in Texas, and that led to a program on the topic in Denver at the National Cattlemens Beef Association. It is encouraging when producers who attended demonstrations call up and talk about how the plan worked like it was supposed to work on their farm or ranch, he says. Its amazing to me how many people truly are interested in figuring this out, he says. The ones that come are really trying to get better. Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Two Grand Island men and a Hastings resident were sentenced in federal court in Lincoln over the past couple of weeks. On June 22, Robbie Rodriguez of Grand Island was sentenced to 72 months in prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. U.S. District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Rodriguez, 36. Following his release from prison, Rodriguez will serve four years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Law enforcement officers were alerted to Rodriguezs residence after they received information of possible child abuse. Officers obtained a search warrant for the home and found evidence of drug distribution including nine grams of pure methamphetamine, marijuana, a scale, packaging material and other items of drug paraphernalia. Officers also found a 25-caliber pistol. The case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force, which is made up of officers from the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On June 24, Jorge Sardinas, a 49-year-old Hastings man, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine. Following his release from prison, Sardinas will serve eight years on supervised release. In 2021, Sardinas sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Hastings on two occasions and was arrested with meth in his truck several months after these sales. On March 8, 2021, he sold 22.9 grams of methamphetamine and three days later, he sold 3.5 ounces of meth. During a July 13, 2021, traffic stop in Hastings, investigators found two small vials of meth weighing a total of 11.54 grams. At the time he committed these offenses, Sardinas had a prior conviction out of the U.S. District Court of Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The case was investigated by the Hastings Police Department and the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force. On June 29, Derek Hartford, a 33-year-old Grand Island man, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession of methamphetamine and marijuana with intent to distribute. Following his release from prison, Hartford will serve eight years on supervised release. On Aug. 7, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant on Hartfords Grand Island residence. Investigators found drug packaging paraphernalia, marijuana and at least 13 grams of actual methamphetamine. Hartford was arrested later that same day, and had more marijuana, cash, and methamphetamine paraphernalia in his car. Hartford admitted he had been selling methamphetamine. At the time of his offense, he had a prior conviction for possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force. Sardinas and Hartford were also sentenced by Gerrard. Grand Island voters will have the chance to renew the citys LB840 program in Novembers general election. Dave Taylor, Grand Island Area Economic Development Corporation president, explained to the Citizens Advisory Review Committee on Thursday that the programs 10-year term is coming to an end. It is set to expire in September 2023. The Local Option Municipal Economic Development Act is the primary incentive offered by GIAEDC, and provides direct cash payments to local companies. LB840 funds can be used for three different paths: job creation, job training and infrastructure funds for that business. Housing is now an eligible activity for the LB840 funds, as well. LB840 is not unique to Grand Island, explained Taylor. Theres 75 other cities in Nebraska that actually have LB840 programs in place. They vary in size and scope, but 10 years is what we decided to run ours as, and were going to continue that in the future. Grand Island City Council approved a resolution in May to put the issue on Novembers ballot. If approved by voters in November, the program would renew in October 2023. The city of Grand Island has invested $6.7 million in job creation for the area, which has created 1,114 jobs, reported Taylor. The annual wages from those jobs is in excess of $36 million. This amount is just from primary jobs, noted Taylor, and does not include the ancillary jobs that are created as a result. The average hourly wage for these jobs, from 2015 to 2021, was $19.88. Many local companies using LB840 funds actually go beyond what they agree to produce in their contracts with the city to receive the funds, according to EDCs annual workforce audits, Taylor said. On average, each contract is hiring 10 more employees than their contract requires, and are paying over $9.60 more per hour. Active LB840 projects include Zabuni Coffee, which will create 10 new jobs, Amur Equipment Finance (15 new jobs), GIX Logistics, on its third application (15 new jobs), and Hornady (50 new jobs). A key effort for GIAEDC is to renew, recruit and retain, Taylor said. Grand Island, with its Highway 281 corridor, provides an ideal location for logistics, which is a great tool for drawing industry to the area. Were at the center of North America, Taylor saud. Imagine if youre a semi driver and youre getting off Interstate 80 and youre going down 281. You can turn right, onto Schimmer Drive, to any property out there, and take that same road onto Locust, and get back onto Interstate 80, only taking right-hand turns. He added, From a logistics standpoint, thats a very big thing for them to look at. Taylor also touted Build Grand Island, EDCs housing effort using rural workforce dollars made available, via matching fund. The city applied and received $1 million, the maximum amount, which was matched by EDC and its partners. Those funds now are working in our community, said Taylor. Already underway is the Hedde Building restoration project on Third Street in downtown Grand Island. Its a great project, Taylor said. Those apartments are sought after. They look cool. Thats where the younger folks want to live. Thats what they want to be a part of. Other developers will use the funds to focus on single-family homes and owner-occupied homes, noted Taylor. Call Grand Island Home is EDCs online and social media effort to attract or bring back people to Grand Island, at www.movetograndisland.com. The site targets people who have some connection to Grand Island and Nebraska. In the last 30 days, Taylor said, they targeted people in Minnesota, Colorado, Michigan and Ohio, and reached 68,736 people. From those, the site received 3,598 clicks, with an average cost of 40 cents per click. The site is also used for recruitment by other entities, such as City of Grand Island and Grand Island Police Department, which continues to face a staffing shortage. For more information about GIAEDC services and programs, visit www.grandisland.org. SHELTON - A man has been placed into emergency protective custody following a report that he shot two people Sunday night. Around 9 p.m. the Buffalo County Sheriff's Office received a report that two people had been shot in rural northeast Buffalo County, and the suspect was near Sodtown and 190th Roads. Deputies went to the area to investigate, along with paramedics from CHI Health Good Samaritan. According the the BCSO Facebook page, deputies searched the area and contacted a 27 year-old male who was taken into custody. After no evidence of a shooting was located, and the named victims had been contacted, the man was placed into emergency protective custody. Law enforcement can place a person into emergency protective custody if they are a threat to themselves or others. The man was cited for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, trespassing and false reporting. YORK One person was killed as a result of a hotel roof collapse in York shortly before 9 p.m., Sunday, July 3. According to the York Fire Department, they were dispatched to the Hampton Inn at 309 West David Drive on a report that the roof fell into the pool area. The fire department dispatched ambulances as well as heavy equipment rigs. When they arrived, they found the roof had collapsed into the pool and around the walk-way in the pool area. When firefighters, EMTs and local law enforcement arrived, the pool area had already been evacuated however, one victim was found deceased at the scene. The identity of the deceased has not yet been released. There has also not been further information disclosed, as of yet, regarding whether others were injured. Fire department officials said they were assisted by Moguls Towing and Hitz Towing in stabilizing the collapsed area, as all three entities used heavy equipment to do so. The entire hotel was evacuated and lodging had to be found for the 40 guests who had to be relocated. Fire department personnel said they want to thank the York Police Department, the York County Sheriffs Department, the York County Emergency Communications Center, Hitz Towing, Moguls Towing, the Nebraska Public Power District and Black Hills Energy for their assistance in this situation. Monday morning, despite it being the Fourth of July holiday, two fire trucks, an ambulance and a slew of firefighters both paid and volunteer returned to the scene to provide what was dispatched as special duty. They assisted with the removal of debris and entry through the south side of the facility. They were also accompanied by officers with the York Police Department. More information will be published as it becomes available. The matter remains under investigation by the Nebraska State Fire Marshals office and other entities. Paris, TX (75460) Today Becoming partly cloudy after some morning rain. High 107F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Clear skies. Low near 80F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. An agreement signed last week should help the Southern Illinois University School of Law attract a greater diversity of students while giving undergraduates at Governors State University a way to earn both a bachelors degree and a law degree in just six years. Students at the university in the Chicago suburbs who are majoring in anthropology and sociology, English and political science with aspirations of a juris doctor (law) degree will be able to fulfill their GSU senior year while enrolled in the first year of law school at SIU. The pact uses a mapped curriculum to make certain work at SIU covers requirements for the bachelors degree at GSU. Called a 3 + 3 program, the partnership will shave up to a year off of the tradition route to a law degree and also will allow both schools to look at other concurrent degree programs in law and business, law and social work or law and public administration. GSU President Cheryl Green, who earned masters and doctoral degrees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, said the joint program has been a goal of hers for some time. I am excited about the opportunity for us to remove barriers and to expand diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in the field of law. I am also excited about creating opportunities for GSU students that dont currently exist on our campus. This is an innovative partnership that we can all be proud of and that I look forward to advancing on our campus, Dr. Green said in a media release from SIU. Camille M. Davidson, dean of the SIU School of Law, told The Southern the program aligns with the Carbondale campus strategic plan. The Chancellors Imagine 2030 plan has it in initiatives of diversity and inclusion as well as branding and partnerships. So, as a School of Law, when we looked how we could align with the plan and we looked at how we might build a pipeline of students, this came about, she explained. Davidson, said the school has 3 + 3 agreements in place with departments on campus, but the GSU pact is the first with an off-campus institution. We were attracted to Governors State primarily because of its diversity, as a minority-serving institution with a health mix of all types of people, she said. She added that SIU is exploring similar programs with other colleges and universities. Davidson noted the lack of diversity in the legal profession, citing statistics show that the field has approximately 4.5% African Americans and 4% Latino. In seeking a partner that offered academic excellence and diversity, GSU was a perfect fit, she said. Governors State is both an MSI, minority serving institution, and emerging HSI, Hispanic serving institution. The end-all, be-all goal is to try to create pathways for students who may not even know that they are interested in law school and to make law school affordable," she said. Now it will only take them six years instead of seven to complete their bachelors degree and their juris doctorate. Candace Berry-Vaughn is a caring person with a commitment to youth and community development that she hopes to demonstrate in her new position as executive director of the Orangeburg County Community of Character initiative. Berry-Vaughn is replacing Evelyn Disher, who has joined the OCCOC board of directors. A Leesburg, Florida, native, Berry-Vaughn says she will work to engage more businesses and youth in the initiative, which is based on a similar program developed in the City of Aiken. Orangeburg County took the program county-wide with a focus on developing positive character traits in citizens. She said her goal is to continue the work the program has been doing for more than a decade. I think weve made great strides towards making Orangeburg County known for character. For me, I think theres a little more we can do with engaging businesses. Id like to do more work with youth development, Berry-Vaughn said. Theres 17 municipalities that make up Orangeburg County. I think we can do a better job of reaching out and expanding and being more inclusive of all of the cities. So thats one of my top priorities and goals -- to learn and understand and get to know the other cities see how we can all bring this into one unified operation, she said. I think theres a lot of opportunity there to do that. The initiative, with family at its core, brings together people from the fields of education, business, industry, faith, government and media to help develop ways to strengthen character. OCCOCs fifth-grade essay program and monthly highlight of individuals who display good character within the community are initiatives she plans to continue. Youth development is something Ive been doing for the last 20-plus years in other communities that Ive lived in. Ive been heavily and actively involved in Jack and Jill, which is about developing youth. I was a national officer for the organization. I planned a lot of their national and local programming for the organization, Berry-Vaughn said. She said her experience in organizational leadership, youth development, event planning and fundraising will come in handy in her new role. She worked in retail for several years, including as a buyer for Macys Inc., but has also devoted much of her time to community outreach and charitable giving. She has served on the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and currently serves as vice president of the Orangeburg County School District Foundation Board. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.; the Orangeburg Chapter of The Links Inc.; Jack and Jill of America Inc.; and the Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. I think youth are our future, they are out stewards of tomorrow. So I enjoy helping them develop leadership skills, helping them understand self and helping them to understand to love yourself. Ive done that 20-plus years, Berry-Vaughn said. A graduate of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, she is married Reginald Vaughn, and they are the parents of one son, Nygel. Before we moved here, Ive also been heavily and actively involved in the Junior League, which was about developing leaders and volunteerism amongst community and women. That probably motivated me and taught me a lot on how you look at things and not be afraid to step out and try to make a change, she said. Berry-Vaughn continued, That organization taught me a lot, gave me a lot of my foundational skills. It only takes a little bit to do (something). Weve taken ideas and made them into massive projects that were just a huge success in the community. Its all about just where you live and how you make a difference in it. She recalled her parents impact on her and her three siblings lives, including teaching them how to make positive impacts in society through hard work and discipline. I watched my parents do that for years. My mom is 96, and shes still an actively involved citizen in the community I grew up in, which is very much like Orangeburg. Its very similar to Orangeburg in many ways, Berry-Vaughn said. In watching my parents, they got us involved and showed us how you have to be a part of where you live. You cant just sit back and complain. You have to try to make a difference. If you see something you can do to make a difference, then you have a responsibility to do that, she said. She continued, My parents were educators. So they instilled in us giving back, thinking of others first. Sometimes I question and go, Wow, that could be to a detriment, and here I am still doing it, still putting others first. So its really not. She said she enjoys being able to volunteer and give back to the communities in which she's lived, including Orangeburg, where she has been a resident for more than a decade. Her background in retail helped to drive her creative juices, giving her the freedom and flexibility she needed to complete volunteer and other charitable work. Thats when I realized I dont like being pigeon-holed into one thing. I like flexibility to use my skills and talents to learn and grow in lots of different areas, she said. Berry-Vaughn, for example, had spent a lot of time assisting her husband, the former owner of the local Toyota dealership in Orangeburg, with marketing, community development and outreach activities. We had different projects I kind of spearheaded. I oversaw the Community of Caring that the dealership did. It takes a village for everything. ... Its important to me to, where I can, try to give back and help make a difference, she said. She continued, Thats the only way communities are going to survive. Theres this book that Ive been reading called, Vanishing Neighbors. Its just so true. Now we live in a world where we just dont want to care about each other. We dont want to know our neighbors, we dont want to reach out and help and move people along. I just think thats critical and crucial. If youre going to live in a community, you need to engage and figure out how to help and give back." Volunteering, she said, is one way. Thats another one of the areas I really want to try to boost through this organization. I want to help everyone understand: Use your presence. We need a body to give. That helps make a difference. Moneys tight everywhere, and it looks like were going to be heading into a recession. So we have to be creative in how we do things, Berry-Vaughn said. She would like to put together an event bringing together the communitys nonprofit organizations. Everybodys struggling, especially coming out of COVID. It just depleted so much funding and everything else. So everybodys really scrambling trying to figure out how to stay afloat. So thats still a big challenge, but I think theres still a way we can come together and help each other out because were all trying to do something to make our community better. Every nonprofit exists because theres a need thats been identified that theyre trying to address. Sometimes we tend to think we have to do it by ourselves, but I think more is better, Berry-Vaughn said. AIKEN Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC), the liquid waste contractor at Savannah River Site (SRS), signed a memorandum of understanding with Denmark Technical College with the goal of helping prepare students for their future careers at SRS. DTC is the only historically Black technical college in South Carolina, focusing on technical career training, associates degrees, and a four-year college transfer program. The new agreement enables SRMC to provide guidance to DTC students on careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) mostly by providing more opportunities for work on degrees with experience through the apprenticeship programs for nuclear operators, mechanics, and radiological inspectors. In addition, students will receive information about possible internship and job opportunities with SRMC. SRMC is pledging to donate to the college for scholarships and other critical STEM-related needs, as identified. SRMC President and Program Manager Dave Olson believes the MOU offers a winning opportunity for both Denmark Tech students and SRMC. DTC students who are preparing themselves for STEM-based jobs could qualify to work in positions or internships being offered by our company, Olson said. We believe this collaboration makes a strong investment in education, giving these students an additional step up in their careers. DTC President and CEO Dr. Willie L. Todd Jr. said the arrangement will be mutually beneficial for both organizations. We are grateful for SRMCs support and the opportunities provided to our students, Todd said. SRMC is making a difference. With this agreement in place, we can identify those students who potentially fit SRMCs current and future employment needs. The MOU between SRMC and DTC is effective from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, and can be renewed. SRMC comprises parent company BWX Technologies, Inc. with partners Amentum and Fluor. Its team brings the capabilities necessary to accelerate cleanup at the U.S. Department of Energys Savannah River Site through safe nuclear operations, optimized and integrated mission execution, and strong corporate governance. Ralph Baxter knows it was the prayers of his mother and church family that covered him during a bloody Vietnam battle that forced the United States Army veteran to look death in the face during the three times that a helicopter he was riding in was shot down. The 75-year-old North resident recalls the dangers he faced during the war which pitted communist North Vietnam and the Viet Cong against South Vietnam and the United States. The war ended when U.S. forces withdrew in 1973 and Vietnam unified under Communist control two years later. By the time he left Vietnam in 1970, he said there were some memories that would always stay with him. Ive seen so much death The smell of blood. Ill never forget the smell of blood. Death is just a part of it. We had to do it. There was always thousands of people with my same dilemma, Baxter said. Ive seen so much death. Ive seen so many situations where people were supposed to die even one of my situations. It just wasnt my time, he said. Baxter continued, "My thing was, Well, Im going to make it back. I came to the conclusion that when its time to die, youll die. Youre not going to die before then because Id had close calls. Ive seen mortar rounds come in and wipe out six people and two people just got a little ear damage. He graduated from Dover High School in 1965 before attending then South Carolina State College with a major in biology. He didnt enroll for a second semester and was soon drafted in 1968. When you dont enroll for second semester, your draft notice comes in about three weeks. Thats that. Any time after 68, if youre 19 years old and you dont have a school deferment or some physical deferment, youll get a draft notice within 90 days. Thats how it was in the '60s, Baxter said. The son of the late James and Bertha Baxter wasnt hesitant or afraid about military service when he received his draft notice and had even volunteered to serve in the Vietnam War. He said he came from a military family on his mothers side. Most everybody got drafted even from World War I, World War II. We got drafted. My brother, Frankie, he went in 1960. I always had intentions of going into the military after college. I actually volunteered for Vietnam. I wanted to see a war because I heard my uncles and different people talk about it. [I said], If they made it, I think I could do it, too, Baxter said. He received his basic training at Fort Jackson. I enjoyed basic training. That eight weeks was a lot of fun. I was in top shape, maxed out on the PT test and stuff, Baxter said. I applied for the U.S. Army aviation technician program, which is down at Fort Rucker, but what had happened is they had a surplus of people. They said, Well, we just cant put you there. After basic training, they said, Youre going to the Army maintenance school. Im going, It wasnt aviation. Naturally I was all upset, but I went on to the maintenance school after basic training, he said. Baxter would soon find himself in Germany after Czechoslovakia was jointly invaded by four Warsaw Pact countries: the Soviet Union, Poland, Bulgaria and Hungary. I made E-5 after AIT (advanced individual training). I got to Germany September 1. I stayed in Germany from September 1 to January 1, of 1969. I came home for a 30-day leave, and then I went to Vietnam, said Baxter, who, by then, was a Specialist 4th Class in his transportation unit. He had also undergone RVN training at Fort Lewis, Washington to prepare him for his new mission in Vietnam. When I got to Vietnam, I was in the transportation maintenance company, which was maintenance on trucks, not helicopters. I had a guarantee it was supposed to be an aviation technician, Baxter said, noting that he was with his transportation unit for 91 days. It wasn't long before Baxter was given the option to join the maintenance unit of the 1st Aviation Brigade. Thats what I really wanted originally. Of course, I was so excited. I was around helicopters. Thats what I wanted to do After I had been there 48 days, they said, Well, your position requires being Spec/5. So I was made Spec/5. It was the same as an E-5 rank as far as promotion, but a specialist is a specialist. You dont have no rank over a hard stripe, he said. While he enjoyed working on the hydraulic systems of UH-1 helicopters and Cobras, he would find there was more to his job than that. He would also have to go out on medevac operations which sometimes resulted in his helicopter being shot down. I had developed a courage What I didnt realize was helicopters was used for support, medevac, and, of course, we had our Cobras, he said, referring to the world's first attack helicopter. They said, Well, OK, you seem to be intelligent, were going to bring you on an OJT (On-The-Job Training) program. So I got in and got to know the people and what not After a while, I really enjoyed it, Baxter said. It was during one mid-morning medevac operation, however, that the helicopter he was riding in was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade. We were descending into the area. This was about 20 minutes after 9, and we got shot down. We crashed into a rice paddy. I got a few little shrapnel wounds and what not. The pilot, he got his neck snapped," Baxter said, but survived. I was holding the strap. It almost pulled my arm off. I had a few little shrapnel. I didnt realize shrapnel came up through that floor and kind of penetrated some part of my skin, which was no big deal. They came in with a Cobra to escort us and brought another medevac and got me and him out. They took me back to USARV (United States Army Republic of Vietnam). I got me about two weeks off of duty, he said. Baxter did not let his brush with death deter him from his duties and stayed clear of the alcohol and drugs which he said were prevalent. I was always clean. I knew what my duties were, he said, noting that he would soon learn how to run the gun turret of the Cobra helicopter. [They were like], Baxter, you want to learn the gun turret? The Cobra is a narrow machine. Its only 34 inches wide. The pilot sits up above you, and theres a gun turret. They gave you about four days training on firing the mini-guns and all that stuff. I was excited, he said. His excitement would soon turn to another brush with death. He continued, We did about 19 operations with the Cobras. On my 19th operation with the Cobras, we took another rocket. It tore the tail end off the Cobra. It went down. I was just lucky. I got a concussion and what not. It was enough people around that got us out, Baxter said, but this time the pilot was killed. I didnt know what this white matter was. I didnt know the brain had white matter. That stuff that was down on me, that was his brain matter down my neck. That rocket took his skull cap off. I was in the gun turret. When we went down, we just kind of crash landed, but it took his skull cap and his skull material fell back. It blew off the top of his helmet, but his skull material came down on my neck. I was down below him, he said. Baxter said his harrowing war-time experiences forced him to ask his mother and others to pray for him. He knew he could not make it without prayer. I had a bunch of people praying for me I had developed a courage through prayer. You took it day by day you went into an operation. Then they transferred me and two pilots up to a place called Quan Loi, which was bad, he said. Quan Loi was the rugged area northeast of Saigon which saw intense fighting during the war. Baxter said, They just stuck me to a Cobra unit. The Cobra was used for one thing: combat. You dont fire a Cobra unless youre going to engage something. It was a high-tech piece of equipment. I really learned a lot. We lost Cobras, we lost people and stuff, but I was pretty fortunate. We got shot down three times, but the last one was a mechanical failure. A rocket hit part of our hydraulic system. We was able to bring it down kind of out of the way, though. He continued, We always stayed in communication. When you went down, other Cobras and everybody was right there around you because they had to surround you, or you could get captured. It was a learning experience Baxter did not have the comforts of home while in the military and endured everything from mosquitoes and monsoons to open toilets and jungle rot, which he described as an extreme case of athletes foot, during his service. You learned how to live with the diversities of being in the war. Some guys are strong, some guys are weak You did your job to the best of your ability. I got promoted real fast. I made Spec/5 in about the 21st month of being in the military, he said. I met four or five guys from Orangeburg. You met some crazy people. We met the Chicago crowd, the New York crowd, the Italians and this and that. We had some racial problems, but my thing was people are different, and you just deal with whatever it was you had. You dealt with it. You didnt get embellished in it, you just kind of dealt with it, Baxter said. I will admit, if I had to do it again, Id do the same thing. Of course, I probably would have been a helicopter pilot, he said, noting that as a technician, he occasionally got a chance to fly them, too. It was a learning experience. I always wanted to be a pilot. I found a helicopter fascinating. I enjoyed a challenge. I always enjoyed challenges. I never did like just like the mediocre type thing. I always liked challenges. Ive learned when your time comes to die, youll die, but youre not going to die before then. That helps a lot, and I still believe that, Baxter said. He said he kept a level head while in the military, something which served him well. Number one, Bertha Baxter and everybody was praying for me. St. Dorcas (Baptist Church) people always recognized Vietnam veterans back then. They were praying for me. I didnt do nothing foolish. I stayed straight. I didnt mess with drugs or nothing like that. I had my first drink of whiskey after I got back from Vietnam, Baxter said He continued, My thing was some people are strong, some are weak. I was a strong person. When I realized what we had gone through with, I said, Wow, but you were young then and you had a life ahead of you. I was never a scary person anyway. So my thing was death was just a normal thing. Some died, some didnt. Your number may come up, it may not, but you didnt do nothing foolish. During his last two weeks of Vietnam, he was preparing to return to America. Your last two weeks of Vietnam, you dont go any kind of dangerous operation. You kind of stay around the post. I just didnt worry. You fear, but some things you just couldnt afford to (fear) because we were a shortage of people. I always had to sit in for people who didnt do or couldnt do because of intoxicants, Baxter said. He arrived in Oakland, California from Vietnam in 1970, but was not warmly received. Baxter said he and other service members were called pigs. It was terrible. The thing is, [I said], Im going back to the world. Ill deal with it. Just let me get out of this place. One thing I told myself was that for the rest of my life Im going to have cold water, Im not going to sleep among the mosquitos, and Im not going to use a (open) toilet where 10 men sit side each other, Baxter said. Youre different when you come back I never thought Id die over there, but I just saw so much death. I kind of enjoyed certain aspects of it. I would love to go back to Vietnam. Some guys still talk about it, but most of us are dead now. Id like to see it from a peaceful aspect, Baxter said. He said he never understood why so many lives had to be lost in a war which he felt was largely about making money. After the French left, Firestone owned those rubber plantations, miles and miles. Firestone, Goodyear, they owned those plantations. Synthetic rubber really hadnt gotten that big yet. So that latex from those trees, that was part of the Vietnam thing. You had all these people building aircraft. That was a political war. There was money to be made. If you were to cure cancer, what would happen to all these people who are into cancer research? he said. It was so much money being made, and a lot of people didnt want it stopped. He continued, We did a lot of things in Vietnam. So many lives could have been saved had they done it just the practical way. But we have military protocol, we do it like this. Thats why after my time was up, I had no intentions of being in the military, reserve or nothing. "I had had enough. I had too many people who werent as smart as me, too many people smarter than me, but with bad attitudes. There were a lot of people making decisions that didnt make sense. Human lives mean a lot to me. He said there are residual effects of war which will linger for a lifetime. Youre different when you come back from Vietnam. Everybody knows it except you. Youre different. Psychologically, youre different. Its an adjustment period I always wanted to be that straight guy, but I had certain little minor issues, Baxter said. Thank God I was physically and mentally strong. I didnt get involved in all the drugs and drinking. I was just blessed to that point. I was just blessed because most people drank, they smoked a lot of marijuana. Thats where the drug thing started, he said. Baxter, who still works part-time as a diesel mechanic, now enjoys the simple things in life, including playing music hes a musician a St. Dorcas Baptist Church in North and making honey. My greatest joy now is playing and my bees. Ive got about 35 strong hives, and most of my honey is already promised out, he said. Every April, members of the Salvation Army wait anxiously to see if they will be reassigned to a new location. This year, it was Capt. Kellie Cantrells phone that rang. Cantrell left the Salvation Army in Orangeburg after four years to serve the community of Madison County, N.C. Every year when those telephone calls come out, I'm stressing because I'm like, Oh phone, please dont ring, Cantrell said. But it's all good because there's always a new adventure that awaits. And it's God's plan and that can't be bad. Cantrell has been with the Salvation Army for twelve years. The Salvation Army assists members of the community by providing help with rent and utility costs, food, clothing and hotel vouchers, hygiene kits, medication needs and spiritual help. Cantrells new community is smaller and will come with less of a workload, but Cantrell said she will miss the connections she has made in the Orangeburg community. I have to look at it in the mindset of if I would have never came here, I would have never had the opportunity to build the relationships and meet the people that I have met, Cantrell said. And so my life would not be as full and rich as it is because I've been here. Cantrell said she is grateful technology will allow her to keep in touch after she leaves. Rebecca Wolf has volunteered with the Salvation Army for many years and is currently the manager of the Orangeburg Salvation Armys thrift store. She said volunteers have to understand that officers with the Army can and do get reassigned every few years. She's going to a new place to take fresh ideas there, Wolf said. And we have a couple coming with children. Theyll bring in fresh ideas to help build the community. So we deal with it. It hurts a little bit but we deal with it. Cantrells replacements are Captains Nic and Emily Arroqui. Emily is originally from Gastonia, N.C., and is excited to be back in the Carolinas. The family was previously stationed in Oklahoma. I can't totally describe how it feels to come home, other than my heart feels like it's going to a place where it belongs, Arroqui said. I can't wait to share my roots and the rich culture of the Carolinas with our kids. The current condition of the economy means that the services of the Salvation Army are especially needed in communities across the country. Cantrell said it is difficult to leave during a difficult time. I just have to trust God that with the people coming that he's going to work through them just like he did with me, Cantrell said. That they will be able to come in and make a difference in this situation. And then I'll have another situation that I get to make a difference in. The Arroquis said they knew there would be a lot of need upon their arrival. During a time when many are struggling, we know that the need will be great and there will be a lot of people who just need a hand-up so that they're able to provide for their families, Emily Arroqui said. We know we can't do it alone. It will take the efforts of the entire community looking out for one another to be able to do so. According to Cantrell, theyre coming to the right place. I can't stress how amazing the community is here, how supportive, Cantrell said. We have been able to do great things here because of the support of the community. So I just want to stress that immensely, that everybody here is amazing. Orangeburg County Council unanimously gave third and final reading to its approximately $52 million budget during a special called meeting last week. County officials say property taxes could increase next year, but theyre hoping other revenues will help offset the tax hit. It would be a three-mill increase if the revenue does not come in to support that, but we feel like it should, Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said. When we get to October, that will tell the story of how many mills it would be, but council has committed to no more than three mills, he said. The county is anticipating revenue from a number of sources that could help offset the need for any tax increase, Young said. The revenue could come from the countys new residential developments, the state budget and federal funds earmarked by Congressman James Clyburn and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham. Young said the county is also going to receive tobacco settlement money. South Carolina received an $86.5 million payment from a settlement with four major U.S. cigarette manufacturers. Since 1998, the state has received a total of $1.8 billion in its share of tobacco settlement money. The county's 2022-23 fiscal year began July 1. Young said the primary reason the county will need additional money is to provide more for the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office, which says it needs more equipment and employees. Members of Luxembourg's Jewish community gathered in Cinqfontaines on Sunday to commemorate the deportation of the Grand Duchy's Jews during the Second World War. Since 1969, the first Sunday in July has marked a day of commemoration for the country's Jewish community. The annual ceremony took place in Cinqfontaines, where 300 men and women lived between 1941 and 1943 before being deported to a Nazi concentration camp. Luxembourg's history: The deportation of Luxembourg's Jewish community during WWII The site of remembrance is also to become a place of learning: one year ago, the Luxembourg government purchased the site to help provide insight into issues of genocide, human rights, prejudice and stereotypes. According to the RIAL report, which investigates antisemitism in the Grand Duchy, the number of antisemitic attacks doubled in Luxembourg between 2019 and 2021. Marc Schoentgen from the Auschwitz Committee Luxembourg expressed concerns over this development and criticised the insensitive comparisons that opponents of coronavirus measures made during anti-lockdown protests. The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question. Minister for Family Affairs and Integration Corinne Cahen was also present at the ceremony and reminded people that some of the country's politicians were even forced to evacuate their homes during coronavirus protests. The politician from the Democratic Party (DP) thus underlined the importance of teaching history and showing that antisemitic tendencies still exist in today's Luxembourg. Video report in Luxembourgish Our colleagues from RTL spoke to Ministers Turmes and Bausch about the European infrastructure for charging electric vehicles, which they believe will significantly improve by 2023. On Monday morning, the first six 'SuperChargy' charging stations at the Aire de Capellen were officially presented, now offering ultra-fast charging for electric vehicles. According to a recent Ernst & Young poll, more than half of potential buyers world-wide consider switching to hybrid or fully electric cars for a first time in history. For many people living in the European Union, electric vehicles will become mandatory as of 2035 when it is no longer permitted to sell petrol or diesel-fuelled cars. People who tend to rely on their cars for holidays are concerned about the upcoming mandate. According to the Electric Vehicle Database, the current models average 326 kilometres when fully charged. This means that several breaks have to be taken in case of farther travel destinations, which raises the question if the wider network of charging stations is already sufficiently developed. Situation to improve by 2025, says Minister Turmes Minister for Energy Claude Turmes acknowledges that the "situation is not yet ideal". However, an EU regulation mandates that member states increase their investments into electric transportation and infrastructure by 2025. "Unfortunately, countries such as France and Italy are not yet where we are. But over the course of the next two to three years, these countries will be forced to upgrade their infrastructure", explained Minister Turmes. The EU regulation further mandates that the network of charging stations needs to be visible online. Furthermore, live updates about availability are to be provided. The six new 'SuperChargy' stations at the Aire de Capellen promise to charge cars in transit by up to 80% in 20 minutes. Minister for Mobility and Public Works Francois Bausch was also present at the opening ceremony: "This is an important step towards the goal that we set ourselves." By 2030, 50% of newly registered cars are to be emission-free, the Greens Minister further noted. "It is therefore important to develop a network of regular and fast charging stations, which are to be used for long transits." 88 new SuperChargy stations by 2023 88 new super-charging stations will be installed by Creos at 19 different locations in the period of 2021 to 2023. The locations include car parks on Luxembourg's six motorways as well as spots near main roads across the country. Asked about Luxembourg's potential to maintain its international appeal for recharging cars, Minister Bausch responded: "Why should we not benefit? At the moment, we are number two in Europe when it comes to infrastructure. The Netherlands are still ahead of us, but we will close in on them. We are well-underway in our preparations of offering the best infrastructure to international traffic. And paired with green electricity, we will also have fewer problems with CO2 emissions." Future aspirations The new electric installations at the Aire de Capellen suffice to quadruple the number of charging stations in the future. First Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans was also present at the inauguration. He currently leads the implementation of the European Green Deal as well as the first European Climate Law. Before the end of the week, the Chamber of Deputies will vote on a draft law proposing financial support worth 40 million to companies that install private charging stations. In doing so, the Ministry for Energy hopes to offer incentives for the installation of hundreds of charging stations in the coming years. As of this year, the American Association of Retired Persons has awarded $3.4 million through 260 different Community Challenge Grants. Four Wyoming projects are included in the grants, according to the Wyoming AARP. Within the state, the Casper Legion, Childrens Museum of Cheyenne, Powder River Basin Resource Council and Veterans Rock were all named in the AARP press release last week. Since 2017, the AARP Community Challenge Grants annually chooses projects and efforts around the country to aid through the grants. With the money awarded, organizations are given the opportunity to fund projects meant to improve livability in communities. Some of the efforts include improving housing, spaces open to the public, forms of transportation, civic engagement, COVID-19 recovery, diversity and inclusion and other projects. This is really one of our favorite times of the year as we are able to support projects submitted by communities and organizations who are working hard to improve livability for all, said Sam Shumway, the AARP director for the state of Wyoming. This year we were able to fund two veterans-focused projects, which made the Community Challenge Awards process feel extra special. The Casper Legion received $30,000 for its Wyoming Fallen Memorial, a memorial which features the name of every citizen in the state who has given their lives in combat. Since the area was given statehood, the list of names has reached more than 1,290 according to Dean Welch, the Post 2 Adjutant for the Casper Legion. Located at Patterson-Zonta Park, the memorial in an effort with the Disabled American Veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars will be accessible by foot, wheelchair or car. The monument includes a bent pipe and a large memorial arch. The construction for the memorial will begin towards the middle of July, and the organization currently plans to host the opening ceremony on Sept. 25. One of our focuses in this project is to help the elderly and disabled get to the memorial and honor those who gave their lives, Welch added. I thought that kind of touches on AARP, having accessibility and having our citizens be able to show their respects. Of the other Wyoming organizations, the Childrens Museum of Cheyenne was granted $2,645 to install five ADA-compliant benches for pedestrians and bicyclists on the Greater Cheyenne Greenway. Veterans Rock in Cheyenne amassed a grant of $4,000 in an effort to supply diverse forms of transportation to all veterans and their families. And the fourth organization in Sheridan, the Powder River Basin Resource Council, was given $3,712 toward their project in providing safe lighting and accessible seating throughout a community established food forest. LARAMIE (WNE) After nine years of planning, a construction date is in sight for the new University of Wyoming residence hall project. The $250 million project promises to bring a new level of competitiveness and quality to the UW campus initiatives that Wyoming legislators supported to revamp the states only university. It has a big impact on how the campus is organized; how transportation works, how parking works, UW architect Matthew Newman said during a meeting with Laramie City Council. Theres things an actual housing project can do to make our students successful and we wanted to integrate that. The project is meant to replace the outdated residential facilities currently available on campus. The last time the university built a new residence hall was in 1967, Newman said. The UW team developed the new plan using studies of residence halls at other universities and worked to incorporate architecture that will be conducive to creating living-learning communities and higher retention and graduation rates. It will center around the construction of two residence halls located on the UW campus west of 15th Street. The south hall will sit at the intersection with Willet Drive, and the north hall at the intersection with Lewis Street. The dorms are strategically placed to bring students closer to on-campus resources that can improve their experience, like Half Acre Recreation and Wellness Center, the student union and Coe Library, Newman said. BILLINGS In early April, NorthWestern Energy announced it was cutting flows from Montanas Hebgen Dam to conserve water for release during the summer to cool the Madison River, an internationally renowned fly-fishing stream. The forecast was for a dry spring and summer, coming off a drought in 2021, so water conservation was top of mind. The Butte, Montana-based energy company cut releases into the Madison to 350 cubic feet per second (cfs) in an attempt to raise the lake level. Under its federal operating license, NorthWestern is required to maintain minimal flows in the Madison River while also raising Hebgen high enough for lake concessionaires to operate docks and boat launches that supplement lodging and camping vendors. Then everything changed. Stormy weather During four days, June 11-15, warm weather and almost 3 inches of rain boosted spring runoff from 2,020 cfs on June 10 to 5,360 cfs on June 13, according to documents NorthWestern Energy provided to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversees its license. This is the same storm that struck Yellowstone National Park, Red Lodge, Montana, and communities along the Beartooth Front, causing damaging floods and record-high river levels. That was quite the change this year, said Clayton Jordan of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the agency that oversees management of Canyon Ferry and Bighorn reservoirs, to name a few. Due to the unpredicted increase in moisture, Hebgen Reservoir is now only a half-a-foot from being full. The Madison River, just downstream from the dam, spiked to a flow of 4,000 cfs as dam releases were increased to keep Hebgen from overflowing. NorthWesterns management of the significant increased flows into Hebgen Reservoir helped to alleviate the magnitude of flood flows downstream in the Madison River Valley during the onset of this event, the company said in its explanation to FERC. Calculations after this event show that Hebgen Reservoir helped to reduce Madison River flows at Madison Dam by approximately 3,000 cfs on June 13, 2022. Potential impacts to Project resources including river habitats, infrastructure, and private property were minimized during this event from the flood control capacity at Hebgen Reservoir. In comparison At the end of last year, Hebgen Reservoir concessionaires filed a complaint with FERC regarding the management of the reservoir by NorthWestern Energy for letting the lake get so low. Yvonne Douglas, manager at Kirkwood Marina at Hebgens northwest end, said her company lost water-based business by August 15 last year, whereas it typically runs until the end of September. So before the lake started filling up, the marina was dredged along with a route out to the lake. When Douglas arrived on May 1, the lake was 12 feet down, below where docks could be floated. By June 1, the water rose enough to float Kirkwoods docks, but the forecast was still for below-average runoff. Then the storm hit and the lake was rising an inch to 2 inches every day, Douglas said. Were in much better shape than we were, she said, and the concessionaires hope the lake levels can be maintained through the summer. Reservations are looking good, Douglas added. The flooding in Yellowstone is confusing some people who think it affected us too. Benefits Hebgen isnt the only reservoir to benefit. Canyon Ferry Reservoir, outside Helena, also saw a sharp rise following the unprecedented wet spring rains that fell on snow. The lake is now almost 97% full, with its water level climbing about 17 feet in less than a month. In April, things looked pretty poor, Jordan said. Canyon Ferry was projected to be 7 feet from full after runoff. Even by the June plan we werent projecting it to fill. To the south, Bighorn Reservoir along the Montana-Wyoming border is 99% full, with releases into the famous stretch of Bighorn River fly-fishing fame rising to 7,260 cfs. Thanks to the fuller reservoirs, water releases into the rivers downstream should be maintained at higher levels than what was predicted. Last year, Canyon Ferry was releasing around 3,000 cfs, whereas this year it should be able to maintain 4,100 cfs, Jorda said. Likewise, the Bighorn River should see releases around 2,500 cfs to 3,000 cfs, compared to about 1,750 cfs last summer, he added. A historic high flow down the upper Yellowstone River peaked far below the record near Sidney at about 75,000 cfs. Yet that was enough water to boost the level at Lake Sakakawea, just over the Montana border in North Dakota. The popular walleye fishery is now 100% full, as are three reservoirs downstream from it along the Missouri River. Meanwhile, Fort Peck Reservoir saw little gain from runoff since the water flowing down the Missouri was backed up by other dams. As a result, Fort Pecks dropping water level has slowed only slightly as its elevation hovers around 2,222 feet, about 10 feet lower than it was at this time last year. Inflows to the large Eastern Montana reservoir at 11,000 cfs are barely keeping pace with releases of 7,500 cfs. The local arm of the Barbados-based Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has been accused of being unprofessional and inefficient. Nursing student Shevern Harry told the Express that, as a result of being given the runaround over the correction of an error on her certificate, she has not been able to receive her Nursing Council number and has lost some 80 hours of clinical work, and her GATE (Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses) funding is under threat. In 1978, calypsonian Edwin Ayoung, aka Crazy, burst onto the Carnival scene at the Dimanche Gras show when he exited a giant dustbin to perform his hit, Dustbin Cover. In 1979, Llewellyn McIntosh, or Short Pants, delivered his classic calypso, The Law is an Ass. After Fridays Law Association vote on Attorney General Reginald Armours matter, these two calypsoes appear strangely intertwined. We might as well throw the symbolic scales of justice into the nearest dustbin and then firmly apply Crazys cover. The vote of confidence in the Attorney General was a pyrrhic victory. The latest mass shooting came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together. It was supposed to be a day for taking off work, flocking to parades, devouring hot dogs and burgers at backyard barbecues and gathering under a canopy of stars and exploding fireworks. On a day that we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we are instead mourning the tragic loss of life and struggling with the terror that was brought upon us, Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering said. The Highland Park parade began around 10 a.m. but was suddenly halted 10 minutes later after shots were fired. Hundreds of parade-goers some visibly bloodied fled the area, leaving behind chairs, baby strollers and blankets. Authorities brought a person of interest into custody Monday evening. As the Highland Park community mourned, fireworks began thundering in neighboring towns and across the country. Pyrotechnics bloomed shortly after nightfall in Boston and New York City, where a kaleidoscope of color exploded over the Hudson River and illuminated skyscrapers. President Joe Biden, in remarks Monday celebrating 246 years of Americas independence, sought to reassure a nation both exhausted and unsettled by recent events. In recent days, theres been reason to think this country is moving backwards, that freedom is being reduced, that rights we assumed were protected are no longer, Biden said in remarks to military families and administration officials enjoying a picnic on the South Lawn of the White House. I know it can be exhausting and unsettling, but tonight I want you to know were going to get through all of this. Biden said many people see a divided country, but I believe we are more united than we are divided. He tweeted earlier in the day about the shooting, calling it senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community this Independence Day. "I will not give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence," the president tweeted. These are precarious times: An economic recession lurks, and the Highland Park shooting will weigh on a national psyche already raw from mass shootings like those seen recently at a Texas elementary school and a New York supermarket. Sharp social and political divisions have also been laid bare by recent Supreme Court decisions overturning the constitutional right to abortion and striking down a New York law limiting who may carry a gun in public. Nevertheless, many had reason to gather and celebrate for the first time in three years amid easing coronavirus precautions. Nathans Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest returned to its traditional location in Brooklyns Coney Island neighborhood after two years elsewhere thanks to the pandemic. Its beautiful to be back here," Joey Jaws Chestnut told ESPN after winning the men's competition by downing 63 hot dogs and buns even as he momentarily put a protester who rushed the stage in a chokehold. Miki Sudo chomped 40 franks to win the women's event. Colorful displays were scheduled to light up the night sky from coast to coast. However, others, particularly in drought-stricken and wildfire-prone regions of the West, would forgo them. Fireworks were the suspected cause behind a fire in Centerville, Utah, that led to the evacuation of dozens of homes and the cancellation of some of its Independence Day events, officials said. It was a different matter in Phoenix, which is again going without fireworks not because of the pandemic or fire concerns but supply-chain issues. In emotional ceremonies across the country, some swore oaths of citizenship, qualifying them to vote in the upcoming midterm elections. During a ceremony for naturalized citizens held at Mount Vernon, the Virginia home of George Washington, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told 52 people originally from 42 different countries that they were essential to building a strong labor force. Immigrants strengthen our workforce, and, in the process, help drive the resiliency and vitality of our economy, Yellen said in remarks prepared for the Monday event. For many, July 4 was also a chance to set aside political differences and to celebrate unity, reflecting on the revolution that gave rise to historys longest-living democracy. Theres always something to divide or unite us," says Eli Merritt, a political historian at Vanderbilt University whose upcoming book traces the fraught founding of the United States. But he sees the Jan. 6 hearings probing last year's storming of the U.S. Capitol as a reason for hope, an opportunity to rally behind democratic institutions. Even though not all Americans or their elected representatives agree with the committee's work, Merritt is heartened by the fact that it's at least somewhat bipartisan. Moral courage as a locus for Americans to place hope, the willingness to stand up for what is right and true in spite of negative consequences to oneself," he said. "That is an essential glue of constitutional democracy. A new anthology of essays, poetry and art created and compiled by undocumented or formerly undocumented migrants includes a Tucson author and is a first of its kind, say the books editors, who are also formerly undocumented. Its a crucial collection of stories that havent been told from us, by us, in this completely undocumented-driven vision, says Sonia Guinansaca, one of the books editors. Somewhere We Are Human: Authentic Voices on Migration, Survival, and New Beginnings is a collection of 41 works by migrants, refugees and Dreamers, published by HarperVia, that illuminate what it is like living undocumented today and seeks to shift the immigration debate toward one rooted in humanity and justice, a press release about the book said. While there have been many zines, journals and other small independent projects in this vein, to have a book where the editors and decision makers are also undocumented and formerly undocumented migrants while also being published by a large publishing press is a critical step forward, says Guinansaca, an internationally acclaimed poet, cultural organizer and activist. When putting together the proposal, Guinansaca and co-editor Reyna Grande, who are both acclaimed writers, reached out to some award-winning artists to ask for contributions to the book. Then they put out a call for contributors, during the first year of the pandemic and not knowing what the response would be, and got more than 150 submissions. It was important for them to bring in acclaimed writers but also movement leaders, organizers and cultural workers, Guinansaca said. This all came together because this was a perfect cultural moment, Guinansaca said. When American Dirt came out, the bestselling 2020 novel by Jeanine Cummins about an immigrant mother and son, it became clear there was a hunger for immigrant stories and voices, Grande says. With her own memoirs, The Distance Between Us and A Dream Called Home, Grande has found a community of other immigrants who were inspired by her work. She is also the author of the novels Across a Hundred Mountains and Dancing with Butterflies. Its been many years now that Ive been fantasizing and dreaming of having a collection of immigrant voices, but in particular, undocumented immigrant voices, she says. I wanted to create opportunities for other immigrants to tell their own stories because we do have a lot of similarities in our experiences, but then everybody has a unique voice and every immigrant story is singular in its own way. Javier Zamora, author of the poetry collection full-length poetry collection Unaccompanied and an upcoming memoir Solito, is a Tucson-based writer who has three poems in the anthology. Zamora, who is 32, came to the U.S. as an unaccompanied minor to reunite with his parents when he was 9. He only moved to Tucson in 2020, two years after receiving his green card. It was only after receiving his green card that Zamora felt comfortable living as close to the border as Tucson, and the poems in the anthology come from that place of having the freedom or the privilege to live or even be that near the border for the first time, he said. Before being asked to contribute to this anthology, Zamora had stepped away from poetry because he had felt drained and used by the publishing community that didnt really understand or respect his experience, he says. Being a part of this anthology was a completely different experience. I feel seen and not really used, he says. I felt freer, and I think free in the way that a human should feel. I think that is why I went to poetry first. The opportunity to be part of this anthology reminded me of that freedom. It was important to Grande and Guinansaca to include diverse voices in the anthology. There are a number of Latino artists in the book from all parts of Latin America, but there are also Asian voices and Black voices, Grande says. We were very deliberate in terms of selecting our contributors, and we wish we had gotten more people from other countries, she said. Sometimes we think of undocumented immigrants as being Black or brown, but there are a lot of also white undocumented immigrants, too. So to me its important to try to include as many voices as possible from different parts of the world. As well, the two editors wanted to include issues besides immigration. A lot of the contributors are LGBTQ artists, whose works touch on issues that include body dysphoria and trans-rights, Guinansaca says. So not just thinking of migration through this one singular lens of border immigration but thinking through a reproductive-justice lens, to parenting to mental health to LGBTQI issues, Guinansaca says. As well, some of the works are about DACA, which just had its 10th anniversary on June 15. They offer an interesting perspective on the policy that has allowed some undocumented migrants who came here as children to legally remain in the country, Grande says. People have been talking about how much this collection means to them, how they were looking for something like this in their lives, and just seeing themselves reflected in these pieces, Grande says. And for people who dont know a whole lot about the immigrant experience, it gives you a very nice insight into it, a very personal insight into what its like. Book Soup, the iconic book store in West Hollywood, recently held a reading of the anthology, and someone asked if there would be another edition to include submissions that didnt make it into the book. I think that was a really important note, a flag, that shows us theres a hunger there for these kinds of works, and were barely meeting it, Guinansaca said. Im excited that hopefully this seeds more opportunities and other publishers see the importance of publishing these kinds of writers. Order Somewhere We Are Human through Tucsons independent Antigone Books or anywhere books are sold. The joint eviction assistance program between Pima County and the city of Tucson has been lauded for its success in adeptly distributing millions of dollars worth of federal rent and utility aid to constituents. But an apparent slowdown in the programs process caused county supervisors to question Community and Workforce Development, the county department in charge of eviction aid, about its progress in providing assistance to constituents at risk of losing their housing. Although the program has been a joint city-county effort, Tucsons portion of federal eviction funding has run dry, causing it to leave the program in the countys hands. We seem to be much slower in providing that rental assistance we have received numerous calls about how long it was taking to get that assistance, Supervisor Sharon Bronson said at the boards June 21 meeting. Dan Sullivan, the director of Community and Workforce Development, told the board his staff is handling a larger number of applications after the city left the eviction program. We thought it was the right thing to do to transition those (city) cases over to us, Sullivan told the board. Right now were working through that. Some of the cases that weve seen that were transferred over to us from (the city) date back to January. Bronson was quick to express her dismay at the citys withdraw and said, Im a little appalled that the city is not a partner. Both the city and county received Emergency Rental Assistance, or ERA funds, as part of a federal program to provide about $25 billion to state and local governments for those financially impacted by COVID-19. The city received $61.5 million of those funds, while the county received about $44.2 million. The county anticipates receiving more ERA funds, but the city quickly ran out of money as the vast majority of applicants seeking aid were Tucson residents. While the county processed some city cases, most were for residents outside of Tucson. We knew that we had to transition out because we were going to run out of funds, Tucson Housing and Community Development Director Liz Morales said. We went through lots of conversations, both the city and the county, about what this transition would look like. And the county opted to take it all and use their staff to get through the remainder of those applications. Funding troubles Pima County has historically provided rent and utility assistance through the Community Assistance Division, a sub-department of Community and Workforce Development that connects low-income residents to a variety of social support services. The city originally started its eviction assistance program on its own, Morales said, contracting with nonprofit agencies to disperse CARES Act funds. With the receipt of ERA funds, the city combined eviction aid efforts with the county in early 2021. Tucson contracted with the nonprofit Community Investment Corporation to handle its portion of the work, which provided more than $54 million to about 10,000 households in partnership with 10 sub-contracted nonprofits, according to CIC Executive Director Danny Knee. But when Tucson, and subsequently CIC, foresaw its funding coming to an end, the county was left on its own to run the eviction assistance program. We knew about those transition issues, and how those issues were slowing down payments to landlords and tenants, Supervisor Rex Scott said. What we didnt know, until (the June 21 meeting) was that the city either already has or intends to just completely pull out of the program. Although supervisors were not alerted to the citys intent to withdraw, Sullivan said the decision was part of an ongoing collective dialogue. Its not like it was a sudden thing. Without the context of everything, it may seem sudden, but weve been sort of in talks about who is going to continue this on, Sullivan said. In May, CIC handed over about 3,500 remaining cases to the county. The city will issue its last eviction assistance payments July 15, but the website administering the program has been transferred to the county. Throughout its time dispersing eviction assistance funds, CIC had to work with unclear amounts of funding as different tranches of ERA money came in, according to Knee. We were running through funding at a pace such that we had spent the money before the next reallocation had come in, he said. We had 10 organizations that had hired staff to work on this program we at one point were having to actually front some of the money to pay them, and also front some of the assistance money that was going to the landlords and tenants. Sullivan admits there were some instances where communications have broken down, but says the county-run eviction assistance program is on track to continue and plans to subcontract with other agencies to get funds out. Morales said the conversation about the city discontinuing its participation in the program should be discussed in the context of its overall success. What might have gotten lost in this conversation that I think is important is this started as a partnership, and it was super strong, she said. We did a lot of really important work for people who were in serious distress through the pandemic, people being unemployed and being in a position of being at risk of becoming evicted or getting their utility shut off. The partnership we did, Im super proud of, and I would do it all over again with the county. No formal application process The pot of ERA funds grew for both governments when the Arizona Department of Economic Security failed to meet the spending threshold of the program that required recipients to use at least 65% of its ERA funds by September 2021. Some of those unused funds were rerouted to the county and city, which have received about $17 million and $24 million in reallocations, respectively. Whereas the city ran out of eviction funding, the county still has $11.1 million left to spend and is anticipating receipt of $15 million more ERA funds from DES. At the boards meeting, supervisors questioned why the city did not apply for more funding. However, there is no defined application process to receive reallocated funds from the state. Its not a formal application process, its sort of like a partnership we have with DES. Its been a continuing dialogue with the DES to share some of their excess funds, Sullivan said. Furthermore, Morales said it didnt make sense for the city to appeal to DES for more funding. CIC had given us a notice per their contract that they were ready to exit. So if we apply for more funds, we dont have the infrastructure or the program here to carry on additional eviction prevention, she said. We did what we needed to do, and were going to move on to the work that we do well, which is housing and working with our nonprofits. The eviction prevention work is best left in the hands of the county. A county-only program Pima County has provided assistance to nearly 16,000 households and dispersed more than $36 million in federal emergency funding, according to the Community and Workforce Development department. Although the county is taking on an increasingly larger number of eviction assistance cases, Sullivan emphasizes the success of eviction prevention efforts beyond direct monetary aid. Community and Workforce Development has a block of hotel rooms dedicated to high-risk individuals who lose their homes, as well as an Emergency Eviction Legal Services, or EELS, program that provides free legal help to those facing evictions. To date, the program has provided legal assistance in 729 eviction cases from August 2021 to May 2022. While the county uses its American Rescue Plan dollars to pay lawyers, ERA funds are often distributed in cases where tenants owe rent and can pay landlords to settle their cases. EELSs role in that is really just to be the doorway into the program and to help prioritize payment to keep the eviction from getting served, said Andy Flagg, the deputy director of Community and Workforce Development who oversees the EELS program. We have had some real success in getting people in places using ERA funding for rehousing. Flagg said eviction cases are now plateauing at about 90% of pre-pandemic levels. However, other socioeconomic factors such as skyrocketing rents and Tucsons volatile housing market are still creating the need for assistance. There is a real challenge for folks who are going to need to find another place to find something that they can afford, Flagg said. Its unclear when Pima County will receive the $15 million disbursement from DES. But as was the case with the city, that funding wont last forever. The stark reality is there is going to be a funding clip in the community one day, Sullivan said. The $15 million gives us more time to plan out what it looks like for our community when we dont have these federal funds to keep people in a house and keep people in their homes. But even without the citys help, Sullivan believes the countys multi-faceted eviction prevention services will provide a comprehensive program for all county residents. Were able to stack the other services that we have within the department, like people who are at our shelter or are facing eviction, that we can intentionally case manage them and co-enroll them into our workforce programs to get them into better jobs, he said. So it really is a whole continuum. I would say were just scratching the surface of innovation when it comes to the potential of this program. Applying for assistance To apply for eviction prevention or rental assistance, visit: tucsonpimaep.com WASHINGTON A divided Supreme Court ruled last week that states can prosecute non-Natives for crimes against Native people on tribal lands, a ruling that critics called a disaster for tribal sovereignty and an act of conquest. The courts 5-4 ruling reverses 200 years of well-settled law during which only tribal and federal courts had authority to prosecute crimes committed against Indigenous people on tribal lands. But Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that states do not need a permission slip from Congress to try non-Natives for crimes committed within their borders, even if they were committed on tribal lands. The Courts precedents establish that Indian country is part of a states territory and that, unless preempted, states have jurisdiction over crimes committed in Indian country, Kavanaugh wrote for the majority. In a biting dissent, Justice Neil Gorsuch called the ruling an unlawful power grab that gives free rein to states that have historically been the deadliest enemies of tribes within their borders. Tribes are not private organizations within state boundaries. Their reservations are not glorified private campgrounds, Gorsuch wrote. Tribes are sovereigns. Tribal sovereignty means that the criminal laws of the states can have no force on tribal members within tribal bounds unless and until Congress clearly ordains otherwise, he wrote. That position was echoed by scholars of Indian tribal law, who called the courts ruling antithetical to tribal sovereignty and tribal treaty rights. The right and power of tribes to rule themselves is being dismissed in favor of state power, said Elizabeth Hidalgo Reese, an assistant professor of law at Stanford Law School in a tweet Wednesday. The ruling was the latest in Oklahomas fight to reverse a 2020 Supreme Court decision that said a 19th century treaty establishing the Muscogee (Creek) Nation reservation had never been disestablished. Because of that, Seminole tribe member Jimcy McGirts state court conviction for raping an Indigenous child on tribal land needed to be overturned. McGirt was quickly retried in federal court, convicted in November 2020 and sentenced to life in August 2021. But his case sparked a torrent of appeals in state courts, which determined that much of the eastern half of the state including Tulsa was still tribal land, and state court convictions of tribal members there also had to be overturned. The state pressed dozens of appeals with the Supreme Court, which agreed to take the case of Victor Manuel Castro-Huerta, a non-Native, who was convicted of child neglect for the malnourishment of his 5-year-old stepdaughter, a Cherokee. Although both McGirt and Castro-Huerta involved crimes against Native Americans on tribal land, Castro-Huerta is not a member of any tribe. Kavanaugh said that Castro-Huertas claim that he is not subject to state prosecution makes Indigenous victims second-class citizens. He said the state has concurrent jurisdiction with the federal government to prosecute such cases. Gorsuch said the majority opinion comes as if by oracle, without any sense of the history of tribes maltreatment by state government. Truly, a more ahistorical and mistaken statement of Indian law would be hard to fathom, he wrote. Hidalgo Reese said that deep historical conflicts between tribal nations and states over land, over territory, over power, were part of the reason the federal government reserved the authority to prosecute many crimes committed on tribal lands. The assumption that states are a neutral party to step in and adjudicate these cases in some way, or in a more neutral way than tribes would beis deeply bothersome, she said. Rebecca Tsosie, a Regents professor at University of Arizona School of Law, worried about the precedent that could be set with case. She said the rationale thats used in the majority opinion to get to its conclusion repeatedly makes the assertion that tribal lands are part of a state. This was the courts attempt to create concurrence, state and federal jurisdictions, which has never existed over Indian Country crimes, Tsosie said. She pointed to the poorly-drafted opinions claim that the law since the late 1800s has held that Indian reservations are part of the surrounding State and subject to the States jurisdiction, except as forbidden by federal law. Tsosie said a future court could use any of those statements to challenge anything in Indian Country. The decision comes at a time when tribes are complaining that states have failed to prosecute criminal cases against non-Indians that are already within their jurisdiction, creating a backlog of cases with Native American victims. We have not had effective prosecution by state authorities when non-Indians have committed crime against Indians where they have a delegated authority, said Angelique EagleWoman, a professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. She said the Castro-Huerta ruling is ahistorical and completely disregards the Supremacy Clause that the treaties of the United States are the law of the land. The National Congress of American Indians, in a joint statement with the Native American Rights Fund, said the decision has not only weakened the McGirt case, but has fundamentally altered the long-established understanding of how jurisdiction over non-Indians functions with respect to the federal government, state governments, and Tribal Nation governments. Hidalgo Reese said she worries that concurrent jurisdiction will merely allow the federal and state governments to shift responsibility for failure to prosecute cases on tribal lands. She also worries that states will use their newfound jurisdiction to argue for more funding, taking funding from tribes that might put it to better use. EagleWoman said that while some states have been granted authority to prosecute non-Indians for certain crimes committed in Indian Country, their history of prosecutions does not inspire confidence. The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer: It was in the wee hours of a brittle winter morning in 1969, during the first year of my four-year residency in OB/GYN at a large and respected East Coast hospital. I distinctly remember standing beside the bed of a desperately ill 15- or 16-year-old girl. Ill call her Mary. She had come into our emergency room in septic shock an overwhelming systemic infection that was frequently fatal. In spite of all we did to reverse the massive bacterial infection surging through her body, she slipped away. I felt that we had failed her, that I had failed her. Septic shock follows an ominous pattern: an infection that progresses to sepsis or system-wide disease. In overwhelming cases, this may happen in a few hours. An unnerving characteristic of septic shock is that the patient can be wide awake and aware of what is happening right up to her final breath, unlike other illnesses where the patient lapses into a coma before death. I vividly remember holding this young womans hand as she died of septic shock with her eyes wide open. There were many women who lived, but lost their ability to bear children. And there were too many like Mary who lost their lives. This tragedy and dozens like it have played over and over in my mind throughout my life, even now, retired at the age of 80. It is time to tell their stories. Our society must not lose sight of what women, doctors, and lawmakers faced before Roe v. Wade. During my residency, we rotated through Philadelphia General Hospital. When we were on call, wed be summoned to the emergency department an average of one to three times every night to attend to young women who were in the throes of abortion. Some of these were spontaneous (miscarriages). Most were induced abortions, where some device (hanger, knitting needle, slippery elm bark, etc.) had been inserted into the womans uterus to start the process of aborting. Wed start intravenous fluids, administer IV antibiotics, and surgically complete the removal of any tissue remaining in the uterus. This was a surgery called Dilation and Curettage or D&C. One teenager told me she was trying to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. Once she was stable and on the ward, I called the Philadelphia police and told them I had a patient who had just had an induced abortion. Officers came to interview the teenager while I waited outside the ward feeling uneasy about my action, but I was convinced if they could arrest the person who had violated this woman, at least some of the backstreet abortions in the city would be stopped. When the detectives came out of the room I said, I guess we caught one of the abortionists tonight. The detective shook his head and said that the patient would not press charges. I was stunned. That was when I began to realize that the issue was more complex than I had understood. These women were desperate to terminate their unwanted pregnancies and, given that the law offered them no recourse, they were forced to turn to the underground. As the years passed, those of us who took care of patients with complications from induced abortions became all too aware of this situation. It was well known in Philadelphia that there was a woman in Baltimore who provided abortions. Some backstreet abortionists used slippery elm slivers of bark of a tree that were inserted into the cervix to open the uterus and begin the process. (Slippery elm, so-called because it becomes slippery when wet.) It was not sterile and was often contaminated with the clostridium perfringens bacteria, which causes gas gangrene, a common and ominous surgical finding. The woman in Baltimore told her patients that if they ran into difficulty (fever, heavy bleeding, severe pain, etc.) they should go to the emergency department at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where they would receive excellent care. That was my hospital. A ruse used by some women was to insert potassium permanganate in tablet form high in the vagina, where its caustic properties would cause bloody erosion of tissue. The examining doctor would get the impression that the woman was spontaneously miscarrying and perform a D&C to stop the bleeding, thereby terminating the pregnancy. I cant tell you how many young women I operated on, either alone (D&C) or as the primary or assistant surgeon, to remove their infected reproductive organs (hysterectomy/oophorectomy.) In the early 1970s, a group from the Clergy Council of Philadelphia banded together to transport women wanting to terminate their pregnancy across the state line into New York, where abortion had been legalized. They hoped to decrease the number of abortion complications and deaths. During that time, I became more and more distressed that those of us in health care, especially womens care, were turning our backs on women who needed to abort a pregnancy, forcing them to backstreet abortions that all too often resulted in bodily harm or death. Thats when I made the decision to learn how to safely perform termination of pregnancy. I was committed to providing access to safe abortion for women who wanted it. In the spring of 1972, Gov. Milton Shapp of Pennsylvania formed the Pennsylvania Abortion Law Commission, a 23-woman commission that held public hearings in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia. Three of us from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania testified: Dr. Robert Preucel, a brilliant surgeon and teacher; Dr. Luigi Mastroianni, the Chairman of the Department of OB/GYN at Penn and a world recognized expert in infertility care; and me. I testified that there was rank discrimination going on based on a womans ability to afford legal vs. backstreet abortions: Any women with $1,000 can afford a safe abortion. Dr. Mastroianni, a devout Catholic, was keenly aware of the difficulties patients were facing and the number of women rendered infertile by unsafe abortions. To paraphrase his final remarks to the Commission: If women are going to have these procedures performed, please let it be done in the proper hands in the appropriate place. As he and I walked back to the hospital, dissenters approached us, calling Dr. Mastroianni a traitor. He walked with his head held high, and I did too. I was never more proud to be seen beside him, standing up for the women of our country. Given the current anti-abortion movement in our country, I believe we must tell the story of the reality before Roe v. Wade. We cannot let the painful lessons of that time slip through our hands. It was a discouraging and difficult time for all who lived through it. Social change back then was difficult, but I am honored to have been a part of that change. Today, I feel obliged to tell the stories of the women who lost their lives and of those who lost their ability to have children. I mourn for their loss and sacrifice. I also admire and thank the courageous activists who assured that the voices of those women were heard. In todays climate, we cannot sit back silently. We need to remember these women and the harsh realities of pre-Roe times. We must work toward the permanent provision of access to safe abortion services. Studies and real-use evidence show that when taken together, the pills are safe and up to 99% effective. Side effects may include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Bleeding is normal. Very heavy bleeding soaking more than two pads an hour for more than two hours is uncommon but requires medical attention. Dr. Stephanie Rand, a New York ob-gyn and abortion specialist with the advocacy group Physicians for Reproductive Health, says pregnancy tests should not be used right away to determine if a medication abortion was successful because the pregnancy hormone may linger in the body for several weeks. Bleeding, with blood clots that include lighter colored tissue, are signs of success, she said. Serious complications are very rare. The Food and Drug Administration says more than 3.7 million U.S. women have used mifepristone since it was approved more than 20 years ago. The agency has received 26 reports of deaths in women using the medication, including two involving ectopic pregnancies, which grow outside the womb. The medications are not recommended for certain patients, including those with suspected ectopic pregnancies or with implanted IUD birth control devices. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy A man was found killed in his northern Tulsa County home Sunday night, the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post, and a man who turned himself in has been arrested on a murder complaint. Just after 11 p.m. on Sunday, deputies were called to a report of a man found dead in his home in the 5600 block of North Gillette Avenue. They found Tyler Lane Kirk, 23, dead. Deputies said Tyler James Lewis, also 23, of Coweta, turned himself in on Monday evening and will be booked into Tulsa County jail on a murder complaint in Kirk's death. Deputies said both Kirk and Lewis are tribal citizens, so they are assisting in an FBI investigation. Anyone who has information about this homicide is asked to call TCSO at 918-596-5600. Chinese organizations donate clean water facilities to schools in southern Ethiopia Xinhua) 09:45, July 04, 2022 ADDIS ABABA, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese organizations have distributed much-needed clean and sanitary water facilities to selected primary schools in southern Ethiopia. The five air-water generators were jointly donated by Tsinghua University China-Africa Leadership Development Institute (CALDI), HurRain NanoTech team and China Foundation for Rural Development (CFRD), the former China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, according to a joint statement by the Chinese organizations sent to Xinhua. The facilities, which were distributed across selected primary schools in Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's (SNNP) Region of Ethiopia, namely the Key-Afer, Tulungo, Sitimba, Turmi and Demeka primary schools, will provide some 2,106 young Ethiopian students with clean and sanitary water. The facilities were officially distributed in the presence of the former Ethiopian first lady Roman Tesfaye, local Ethiopian government officials including South Omo Zone Education Department Head Weli Haile, as well as senior representatives from the Chinese side. As Ethiopia and countries in the Horn of Africa are facing the worst drought in decades, where the consequences of lack of rain in many rainy seasons are exacerbated by conflicts, climate change, locust infestations and the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, many experts emphasize that urgent humanitarian assistance are needed. Initiated by CALDI and supported by CFRD, the initiative conducted by a team of concerned experts has modified the innovative water purification solution with graphene-enabling filters, and designed a specific energy-efficient type of air-water generator effective with Ethiopian local weather. The team worked overtime for the prototype and made the equipment ready far in advance of the schedule, according to the statement. Despite the difficulties caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the donated facilities arrived in Ethiopia and passed several rounds of quality tests by the Ethiopian Food and Drug Administration under the Ministry of Health. The air-water generator, which absorbs moisture from the air and produces sanitary water by simply plugging in, is introduced firstly in Ethiopia. The technology brings tangible benefits to local people, according to the statement. Such equipment "is very suitable for the climatic conditions in SNNP region, and children can drink safely," said Roman Tesfaye, the former first lady of Ethiopia, during a ceremony held to mark the distribution of the latest technology. "Ethiopia is suffering from drought and water shortage, this high-tech, zero waste, no-plastic-bottle-waste water purification solution, will directly help schools and communities." Muda Wacho, the Key Afer District administrator, called on the students to protect the water source, as he emphasized the crucial importance of the new functional facilities in addressing students' clean water needs. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun) The body of a male drowning victim was recovered in Grand Lake on Saturday evening, authorities said. The Grand River Dam Authority Police Department recovered the body after receiving a call at 6:32 p.m. about a male who had jumped into the water from cliffs in the Dripping Springs area of the lake and did not resurface. GRDA Police responded to the scene and made recovery of the body at about 7 p.m. in 31 feet of water. The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Authorities did not release the victim's name on Sunday and were trying to verify his age. Vietnamese Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son has proposed that education fees be waived for all public middle schools across the country. The education minister put forward the proposal during an online conference with central- and local-level leaders on Monday morning. Son expects that his proposal will benefit students from grade sixth to ninth starting the 2022-23 school year, which is set to begin in less than two months. He requested the education ministrys sub-units to work with the Ministry of Finance on evaluating the impacts of the proposed tuition exemption and calculating the state budget needed for this plan. Such tuition exemption is not a new proposition of the Ministry of Education and Training. In 2016, the government assigned the ministry to coordinate with the finance ministry in drawing up a similar scheme with a specific timeline while prioritizing investments for kindergarten and elementary education. Vietnam has made elementary school compulsory and tuition-free for all children aged six to 11. Hai Phong City is the first locality in the country to have provided free education for children from kindergarten to middle school levels from the 2020-21 school year and those in high school starting the 2021-22 school year. At Monday's meeting, Son also reported on the education ministrys preparations for the national high school graduation examination, to be organized for 12th graders and independent candidates on July 7 and 8. Considered as one of the most important events in the life of every school student, the exam results are used for both high school graduation and enrollment in universities and junior colleges. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! There is a special Vietnamese woman in Japan. She has worked for a company for 16 years, where she is affectionately and respectfully called 'mother' not only by younger Vietnamese colleagues and students but also by her Japanese colleagues. At nearly 70 years old, the woman, whose name is Le Thi Minh Nguyet, is probably the oldest Vietnamese woman still working full-time in Japan. In fact, her age makes her as old as the grandmothers of the Vietnamese interns studying and working in the East Asian country. She is not called a mother because of her age, but because of her responsibility and commitment in her role as an interpreter and trainer at the Kantojoho Sangyo Kyodo Kumiai, also known as Kantojoho, union, which specializes in training and placing technical trainees for Japanese companies. Motherhood abroad One Sunday, Nguyet's only day off of the week, she spent the entire day leading some technical trainees to their third vaccination against COVID-19. Although she is not responsible for it, she always makes it her priority. Nguyet has become accustomed to taking care of Vietnamese interns over the past 20 years. Since the maximum length of stay for each intern is three years, she is familiar with many new Vietnamese interns experiencing culture shock in the first few days after arriving in Japan. "I consider them as my children," Nguyet said. She also treats them very seriously as she loves them so much. The woman can use her own money to help some disadvantaged technical trainees, while never ignoring or compromising with anyone who violates local government and company rules. Nguyet cannot forget the times when she helped some female trainees get abortions, which is a difficult time for any woman. "Some of them hugged me at the time and said, 'How compassionate you are, you resemble my grandmother,'" Nguyet recalled. "I understand that they might be too ashamed to ask for help in such situations." Over the years, the experienced instructor has come across so many memorable stories about young Vietnamese trainees. She was particularly impressed by the life story of Hanh, a young male trainee from the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. Nguyet learned from Hanh's roommates that he ate only eggs every day for meals. She thought this was strange and wanted to know the reason. After talking to Hanh, she knew that he came from an extremely poor family in Vinh Long. He wanted to save as much money as possible while working in Japan so that he could build a house for his parents when he returned to his hometown a few years later. Eggs are cheaper in Japan than in Vietnam and have fetched a fixed price for years. Nguyet remembers well the day Hanh came to say goodbye to her before returning to Vietnam after completing his internship. He told her about his plan to use some of his savings to open a business renting equipment out for wedding events. "Now he's settled down," the friendly woman laughed cheerfully. The years she has spent working in Japan have been made even more meaningful by such happy moments. Le Thi Minh Nguyet (R, 2nd) sits in a provided photo with Vietnamese trainees who worked in electronics assembly in Japan in 2007. A special connection to Japan Nguyet is a former student of the first class of Japanese interpreter training at Hanoi Foreign Trade College in 1972-77 and has worked for Japanese companies since her graduation. After having worked in Vietnam for more than a decade, she went to Japan when her daughter decided to study there. She accompanied her daughter to Japan primarily for her personal needs, but deep down she also wanted to do something useful to help her compatriots. Nguyet then joined Kantojoho, which is the leader among 3,535 unions in Japan in terms of the number of Vietnamese trainees working under its leadership. The Kantojoho Sangyo Kyodo Kumiai has more than 30 years of experience in recruiting and managing Vietnamese technical trainees in Japan. What sets the union apart is that it focuses exclusively on working with the Vietnamese labor market, particularly the southern provinces and cities, which account for 90-95 percent of the trainees it recruits. It is not easy to say in detail what kind of work Nguyet has done for the Kantojoho Sangyo Kyodo Kumiai. She is involved in almost everything related to Vietnamese trainees, even some activities that sometimes do not fall within her scope of duties. In tragic cases where the union has to cope with the death of a trainee due to an illness or accident, 'mother' Nguyet is even asked to handle the challenging situation with the relatives of the deceased. She took such responsibility twice and tried to help the family members of the deceased trainees out of her kindness and compassion to overcome the tragedy. Help for more than 1,000 Vietnamese workers Nguyet has been living in a small room in Tochigi Prefecture as a permanent employee of the Kantojoho Sangyo Kyodo Kumiai Union for more than 16 years. She rides her bicycle every day to visit the Vietnamese trainees who live and work in the neighborhood. She has mentored more than 1,000 young Vietnamese, and counting. There are about 450,000 Vietnamese interns throughout Japan, including 1,600 in Kantojoho. She works with an average of 400 trainees per year. "I would not stop while the union still needs me," said the 69-year-old trainer, showing her pride in making a small contribution to the education of young people in Japan and Vietnam. According to Le Tran Hung, one of Nguyet's younger colleagues at the Kantojoho Sangyo Kyodo Kumiai, openness is her strength, but also her weakness. "She always tries to approach problems in the right way, but she never compromises on the wrong thing," Hung said. Nguyet has made an important contribution to Vietnam-Japan friendship through her unsung work and dedication, he added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnamese leaders have sent congratulatory messages to leaders of the U.S. government and Congress on the occasion of the countrys 246th Independence Day. State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent their congratulations to U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue also extended greetings to President of the Senate Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. On the same day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son sent a congratulatory message to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Vietnam and the U.S. established bilateral relations in 1995, paving the way for a partnership of trust, friendship, and mutual respect. The bilateral relationship is guided by the comprehensive partnership signed in 2013 and joint statements issued by the leaders of the two countries in 2015, 2016, and May and November 2017, according to the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi. After lifting the ban on the sale of lethal weapons to Vietnam in May 2016, the U.S. continued to support the Southeast Asian country in maritime security, including handing over Hamilton-class coast guard ships to Vietnam in 2017 and 2020. The people-to-people relations between the two countries have also developed rapidly, with tens of thousands of Vietnamese students having come to the U.S. to study, contributing nearly US$1 billion to the local economy. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Police in Da Lat, a popular tourist city in Vietnams Central Highlands, confirmed on Sunday that they had busted a pickpocket gang that stole from dozens of tourists. The gang includes six members who all hail from southern Dong Nai Province, the Department of Public Security in Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province stated. Officers previously launched an investigation into the case after receiving multiple reports from the victims, who said they lost their phones and wallets while visiting the city. Police then reviewed CCTV footage and went undercover as tourists at famous and crowded destinations to look for suspicious signs. From left: Hoang Anh Duy, Le Thanh Hai, Thai Van Hiep, and Phan Van Lam. Photo: Pham Ngan / Tuoi Tre On Saturday evening, several teams of officers managed to capture all six members of the pickpocket gang, namely Le Thi Bach Tuyet, 44, Le Thi Thu Ba, 50, Thai Van Hiep, 48, Phan Van Lam, 48, Hoang Anh Duy, 59, and Le Thanh Hai, 39. They also confiscated a car, 26 phones, a handbag, and about VND50 million (US$2,140) in cash. Tuyet, Ba, and Hiep were identified as the leaders of the group. The gang members traveled from Thong Nhat District, Dong Nai Province to Da Lat City in an automobile on Friday with a scheme to pickpocket tourists at crowded places. Mobile phones are confiscated from the pickpocket gang in Da Lat City, Vietnam. Photo: Pham Ngan / Tuoi Tre Ba and Tuyet pretended to be visitors so that they could easily approach their prey and steal from them, while Hiep stayed nearby to monitor the situation and offer assistance. Duy was in charge of taking the stolen items from Ba and Tuyet to Lam, while Hai was the car driver. The gang managed to pickpocket dozens of victims within only two days. Most of the members were previously convicted of theft and drug-related offenses, according to officers. Police in Da Lat have called on all victims to come to their station to make reports and facilitate further investigation into the case. The automobile belonging to the pickpocket gang is seen in Da Lat City, Vietnam. Photo: Pham Ngan / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! In this NAIDOC Week as ABC looks back on Indigenous storytelling tonight in Looking Black I thought it might be timely to suggest some former titles that could be ripe for a revisit. No Walkabout, Wake in Fright or Bony remakes here, instead here are 5 boldly distinctive pieces that could explore new ways to speak to modern audiences. Redfern Now Across two seasons in 2012 and 2013, ABCs ground-breaking anthology series tackled contemporary issues facing Aboriginal Australians, including poverty, lack of employment, mental illness, domestic violence, often as direct ramifications of colonialisation and the Stolen Generations. But some stories were far more optimistic, suchas one in which Aaron McGrath as a student was forced to take a stand for what he believed in. The real achievement was in First Nations actors, writers, directors showcasing absolute talent including Deborah Mailman, Leah Purcell, Kelton Pell, Ursula Yovich, Wayne Blair, Ernie Dingo, Miranda Tapsell, Rarriwuy Hick, Trisha Morton-Thomas, and Meyne Wyatt. A decade later there are new names who have made their mark and others who would benefit from new work. But there are also new stories to address. Women of the Sun 1981s period drama on SBS portrayed the the colonisation of Australia told through the eyes of four Indigenous women from the 1820s to the 1980s. While many of the cast members were non-professional actors, it included Justine Saunders, Jack Charles, Julia Blake, Max Phipps, William Zappa, Fiona Spence. The first time colonisation was seen through the eyes of Indigenous women, it went on to win two AWGIEs, five Penguin Awards, a United Nations Media Peace Prize and the Banff Grand Prix. My Place Based on the award-winning picture book of the same name by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlin, this 2009 ABC3 series told the story of one house as told by the generations of children who had lived there over 220 years. A multiple award winner it featured Leah Purcell, Madeleine Madden, Aaron McGrath, Kris McQuade, Susie Porter, Emma Lung, Sacha Horler, Russell Dykstra, Dan Wyllie. RAN: Remote Area Nurse 2006 SBS drama followed the life of Helen Tremain, played by Susie Porter, charged with providing medical services to the remote Torres Strait Islanders community. Just six episodes spanned topics such as: whites fitting into an Islander culture, alcohol misuse, smuggling, family hostility and love, outsider influence on island life and family. Filmed entirely on Masig Island (Yorke Island) north of the Cape York Peninsula, the cast also included Luke Carroll, Charles Passi, Billy Mitchell, and Aaron Faaoso in his first role. An underrated series that was pivotal to Susie Porters career, as it could be to a new star. Robbie Hood The best digital series SBS has produced. This 2019 red centre comedy was funny, unique and at times moving. Not so much a reboot as a return, it would be amazing if Dylan Rivers short series about a 13 year old could land a second season, but maybe the ages of the key cast means it would be a much different show. Looking Black airs 8:30pm tonight on ABC. The Australian Writers Guild and Screenwest have announced First Break in Western Australia a unique professional development program for aspiring WA screenwriters. The programme which facilitates participants working as a note-taker or script coordinator in a writers room, has already been held in NSW and Victoria. We are so pleased to be supporting the inaugural First Break in Western Australia, following its successful outcomes in other Australian states in the last year. Its a fantastic and timely professional development opportunity for WA screenwriters to get their foot in the door of television development, said Martha Coleman, Screenwest Head of Creative: Content and Industry Development. Working as a note-taker or script coordinator in a writers room has always been a great entry point for writers seeking their first television credit. The trouble is, how do you gain the necessary skills to apply for these types of coveted roles? And once you have the skills, how do you break in? First Break is designed to provide participants with the knowledge, training and understanding to obtain work as a note-taker or script coordinator in a writers room, get their start in the industry and build vital networks as they do. At the conclusion of First Break, participants will be showcased to the screen industry via the AWG Pathways website. The Pathways First Break tab will be a permanent resource for industry looking for talented new writers who have valuable skills to offer in writers rooms. Workshop One Note-taking Saturday 22 October 2022 from 10am to 4pm (AWST) The role of the note-taker in a writers room is a crucial one detailed and accurate notes can either make or break a room. Creating a perfect set of notes isnt easy, and nailing it requires a different skillset to screenwriting. In this workshop, participants will learn the art of skilful note-taking how to take notes, how to present them and how to make the most of the opportunity. Conducted via Zoom. Workshop Two Script Coordinating Saturday 29 October 2022 from 10am to 4pm (AWST) During the filming of a television show or movie, the script is constantly evolving. A script coordinator monitors these changes and makes the appropriate revisions for each version of the script. In this workshop, participants will learn what a script coordinator does, how a production office works and how a script coordinator operates within it. The workshop will also cover the basics of Final Draft. Conducted via Zoom. Workshop Three In the Writers Room Saturday 5 November 2022 from 10am to 4pm (AWST) The writers room is where writers pitch ideas, brainstorm, break down the scenes, create characters and write first drafts. In order to succeed, its crucial to understand how a writers room works who does what and when. This workshop will cover character development, plotting, dialogue and the all-important social etiquette of a writers room. Conducted via Zoom. Link to enter for AWG members or non-AWG members ($10 application fee). Cartoon Network is launching a new preschool brand, Cartoonito in Australia and New Zealand today, July 4. The dedicated morning programming block offers a modern approach to preschool programming, built to support each childs unique potential. Glen Kyne, SVP and Head of Networks for Warner Bros. Discovery Australia, New Zealand and Japan, said: With the launch of Cartoonito we are now broadening our appeal to an even wider audience, offering a fun and safe environment for preschool kids to enjoy every morning with their family. Applying the humancentric learning pillars to all new and acquired content, Cartoonito supports the development of life skills in this very important period in kids lives which we know parents will appreciate. Between July 7-9, Cartoonito has partnered with Federation Square in Melbourne with fun activities for the whole family at the Cartoonito Play Zone. Young builders can work together in the Bugs Bunny Builders construction zone, get creative with arts and crafts or enjoy the brand-new shows on Cartoonito on the big screen. Tentpole shows in Australia and New Zealand include Bugs Bunny Builders (from July 30), Lucas the Spider, Mush-Mush and the Mushables, Ranger Rob, Alice & Lewis, Brave Bunnies, Mumfie, and Monchhichi Tribe. These sit alongside a growing slate of new and library series in a line-up that celebrates individuality and originality, while championing creativity, compassion and inclusion. All Cartoonito shows follow a curriculum designed by early childhood education expert Dr Laura Brown to support the four pillars of Humancentric Learning: Creativity, Caring, Curiosity and Courage. The brand aims to inspire kids to use their imagination, to learn from their mistakes and to treat others with empathy and respect. For instance, Bugs Bunny Builders explores creativity through imagination, and Monchhichi teaches us about caring through teamwork. During the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, Switzerland, the European Investment Bank (EIB) has proposed to extend assistance to Ukraine by a new EU-Ukraine Gateway Trust Fund. EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwinska said at the conference on Monday it is an additional instrument for the restoration of critical infrastructure. The mechanism of functioning of this fund has been developed, she said, adding that it would play an important part for attracting investment. Czerwinska recalled that the EIB investment portfolio in Ukraine was EUR 7 billion, and it has allocated around EUR 700 million since the beginning of the war. Earlier on Monday, Reuters reported, referring to an EIB document, that the EIB proposed a funding structure previously used during the COVID-19 pandemic to help rebuild Ukraine with up to EUR 100 billion ($104.3 billion) of investment. The EU-Ukraine Gateway Trust Fund (E-U GTF) would seek to have an initial EUR 20 billion in contributions from EU countries and the EU budget in the form of grants, loans and guarantees, the agency said. The guarantees in particular would have a multiplier effect, leading to infrastructure projects totaling some EUR 100 billion, the document said, about half of Ukraine's more immediate needs. The European Commission must first give its assent, with a majority of EU countries then having to approve the plan. Jake McLean and Yazmin Oukhellou were in an on-off relationship (Instagram) Jake McLean, the former boyfriend ofThe Only Way is Essex star Lauren Goodger, has died after a car crash in Turkey. McLean, who was with Goodger from 2012 to 2016, was in Bodrum with Towie cast member Yazmin Oukhellou. Oukhellou had been in an on-off relationship with McLean for at least a year, but the status of their connection at the time of the trip is unknown. According to reports from the site, McLean was driving a car with Oukhellou as a passenger and lost control of the vehicle. The car then fell off a cliff, a source told The Sun Online. Locals at the scene said that although emergency services tried to attend to McLean, they were unable to save him. Oukhellou is being treated for her injuries in a hospital in Turkey. Fans have paid tribute to McLean, as well as sharing messages of support to Oukhellou on her social media accounts. Thinking of u, praying for you, worried sick, you are so precious, former Big Brother star Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace wrote underneath Oukhellous latest post. One fan left a comment that reads: Praying for you at this sad time, while another said: Hope youre okay, you can pull through this. Oukhellou and McLean had previously lived together in Dubai, after the end of her relationship with fellow cast member James Lock. In January, she announced that they had ended their romance via a post on Instagram. The national flag of the Republic of Ireland flies in the Bogside area of Londonderry in Northern Ireland By Padraic Halpin DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's reliance on just 10 multinational firms to pay over half of the country's soaring corporate tax receipts represents an "incredible level of vulnerability" for the economy, the finance ministry's chief economist warned on Monday. Corporate receipts, mostly generated from big multinationals attracted to Ireland by its low corporate tax rate, have surged in recent years and made up almost a quarter of all tax revenues in the first half of 2022 after a 53% year-on-year jump. The finance ministry said this meant that 1 in every 8 euros collected by the state comes from "an exceptionally small number of firms" and that a shock which impacted on the multinational sector would have severe fiscal implications for Ireland. "That's an incredible level of vulnerability," the finance ministry's chief economist John McCarthy told reporters, saying the level of concentration in such a small number of firms is something he has never seen in any other economy. "This is something we're very concerned about." The concentration level is even larger including the income tax paid by multinationals such as Facebook, Google and Pfizer, which employ around one in nine Irish workers in often highly paid jobs, McCarthy added. McCarthy said he was more worried about overreliance on these types of firms than the impact a global overhaul of corporate tax regimes could have on Ireland's position as a hub for multinational investment. He also said the treasury would likely take in 18 to 19 billion euros in corporate tax this year, up from 16.9 billion forecast just three months ago and a near five-fold increase in the last decade. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said he has long shared the concerns McCarthy outlined, and said the best way to manage the risk was to return to the pre-pandemic position where corporate tax receipts are not used to fund permanent spending. Story continues His department forecast on Monday that the exchequer would likely post a modest surplus this year but that this was only due to the exceptionally high corporate tax receipts and that if receipts had remained at pre-pandemic levels, a deficit of 1.5% of GDP would have been in prospect for this year. Ireland on Monday increased its planned budget package for 2023 as a result of the expected return to surplus. (Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by David Gregorio) A Romanian and an Austrian have been killed in shark attacks within three days off the Red Sea coast of Egypt. Romanias Foreign Ministry confirmed that a female tourist from the country was killed while vacationing on Sunday. A 68-year-old Austrian woman died on Friday in another attack while swimming near the resort town of Hurghada. It is still unclear whether the attacks were caused by the same shark. On Saturday, Egyptian authorities closed off a stretch of the countrys Red Sea coastline after the first death. Water activities -- including diving, snorkelling, windsurfing and kite sailing -- were banned, while fishing boats were prohibited from the area. "Two women were attacked by a shark while swimming in the Sahel Hachich area, south of Hurghada," Egypt's environment ministry said on Sunday, adding that an investigation had been launched. The ministry announced a task force is working on identifying "the scientific causes" and "the reasons behind the shark's behaviour" that led to the incidents. Although sharks are common in the Red Sea, attacks on tourists swimming in authorised areas are rare. In 2020, a young Ukrainian boy and an Egyptian tour guide were both seriously injured in a shark attack. A tourist from the Czech Republic died off the Egyptian coast in 2018, three years after a German national was also killed in the Red Sea. In 2010, a spate of shark attacks killed one German tourist and maimed several others off Sharm el-Sheikh on the Sinai Peninsula, across the Red Sea from Hurghada. Egypts Red Sea resorts, including Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, are some of the countrys major beach destinations and are popular with European tourists due to the rich and colourful local sea life. Phil Hellmuth Denied 17th WSOP Bracelet as David Jackson Wins $3K Freezeout ($598,173) July 04 2022 Calum Grant After three full days of play, David Jackson was crowned the winner of the 2022 World Series of Poker Event #65: $3,000 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em inside Ballys and Paris, Las Vegas. The now two-time WSOP bracelet winner beat Phil Hellmuth in heads-up play to secure the $598,173 first-place prize. Hellmuth, who was closing to extending his bracelet collection to 17, walked away with a $369,698 payday. Jackson earned his first WSOP bracelet after taking down Event #25: $777 LUCKY SEVENS as part of the 2021 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events. Jackson made it through a field of 2,014 entries to win the bracelet and $194,178. The $3,000 Freezeout attracted 1,359 entries which generated a $3,628,530 prize pool. The likes of Daniel Negreanu, Maria Ho and Justin Bonomo all contributed to the prize kitty but found themselves on the wrong side of the rail after being despatched on Day 1. Notables who fell on Day 2 included reigning WSOP Main Event champion Koray Aldemir and 2019 Main Event winner Hossein Ensan. The polarising Martin Kabrhel also bowed out at this stage. Day 3 began with 26 players remaining, and that rapidly became ten. Julien Martini aces were cracked by Hellmuth in the early goings, which helped propel Hellmuth into a deeper run. Event #65: $3,000 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results Place Player Country Prize 1 David Jackson United States $598,173 2 Phil Hellmuth United States $369,698 3 Jeffrey Lo Hong Kong $266,559 4 Justin Saliba United States $194,525 5 Timothy Sullivan United States $143,699 6 Renan Bruschi Brazil $107,472 7 Onur Unsal Turkey $81,390 8 Richard Scardina United States $62,423 9 Anton Wigg Sweden $48,494 Winners Reaction "I was just in my zone, honestly. I felt like I was going to win. I knew I was going to win. I felt like it was meant for me," said the newly crowned champion minutes after his tremendous victory. "I'm just in awe. I'm just happy. I'm happy, but it's just hard to process right now," Jackson told PokerNews. "This one [second bracelet] the feeling, it definitely feels much better. The online one was like a 700 or 777 event. So there were a lot of people, but it was an easier field. This one was a tougher field." he added. Jackson started with a healthy chip lead but soon made it level, but Jackson wasn't concerned about any resurgence from the Poker Brat. "I just played my game. I stayed calm and just continued on." Final Table Recap The unofficial final table of ten quickly became the official table of nine. Day 2 chip leader Keiji Ito moved all-in with Jackson and Anton Wigg calling. Jackson folded out Wigg and despatched Ito with his rivered set of sevens. Wigg then followed Ito out of the door soon after. He ended up being on the wrong end of a classic race against Justin Saliba. Wiggs ace-king could not leapfrog his opponents pocket queens, and he became the first official final table casualty. The next departure would come from Richard Scardina. His four-bet jam was snap-called by Jeffrey Los pocket aces, and they managed to hold to bring the tournament to seven-handed play. Onur Unsal finished the event in seventh place. He emptied the clip on the river, but ran into Jacksons flush. Unsal just had queen-high but netted $62,423. Renan Bruschi suffered the baddest beat of the final table. He called Jacksons four-bet shove with pocket aces while his opponent had pocket kings. Jackson found a king on the flop to sail into the lead, and the turn or river was kind to Jackson. The final five players then moved onto the feature table inside Ballys Event Centre and it didnt take long for Timothy Sullivan to leave it. Saliba had left Sullivan short the hand before with Lo finishing the job off with his superior ace. Hellmuth was the next player all in and at risk, he got it in with a pair of nines and held versus the suited ace-five of Jackson just before the break. When the players returned, Saliba got his stack into the middle on the flop after committing most of his chips preflop. He was called by Jackson, who secured another elimination after his top pair remained best. Three-handed play lasted for around 45 minutes. Lo moved all in on the turn and found himself up against the trip sevens held by Jackson. Heads-up play began with Jackson having a four-to-one chip lead against Hellmuth and they were level soon after with Hellmuth raking in a sizeable pot with pocket aces. Jackson widened the gap yet again and eventually sealed the victory after he rivered Broadway to beat Hellmuths ace-high. 2022 World Series of Poker Hub Bookmark this page! All you need to know about the 2022 WSOP is here. Click here The final table of Event #66: $1,000 Mini-Main No-Limit Holdem at Bally's and Paris in Las Vegas Nevada came to a close after 60 minutes Monday afternoon. Out of 5,833 entrants, which created a prize pool of $5,190,480, only five returned to Day 3. Just weeks ago, Young Sik came in second place for his career best score of $203,949. Now, weeks later, he stands as the winner of the Mini Main event for $594,189 and his first WSOP bracelet. I came into today with a 10 big blind stack, the new champion said. I wasnt expecting too much out of it, but it turned out great. The California resident prior to this victory, possessed $716,460 in career tournament earnings. He will now see his earnings climb to over $1,000,000 on Hendon Mob, cracking the top 200 on the California all time money list. I liked it better being on the short stack, he said about his play. When there is a shorter stack, you feel more ICM pressure, but when you are the shortest, you can just play. Sik ended by saying he will play the main event this year. Final Table Results Place Player Country Payout 1st Young Sik United States $594,189 2nd Cosmin Joldis Romania $367,233 3rd Kartik Ved India $275,593 4th Phillip Lee United States $208,275 5th Kei Nitta Japan $158,515 6th Theodore Lee United States $121,504 7th Adam Velez United States $93,803 8th Keith Littlewood United Kingdom $72,941 9th Sergio Ochoa United States $57,133 Final Day Action Out of the gate, chip leader Cosmin Joldis raised in the cutoff and Kei Nitta moved his final 31 million in chips over the raise and Joldis called. Nittas pocket fours looked to be in good shape against Joldis king-nine, but a rivered ten-high straight for Joldis saw the pot go to the overwhelming chip leader and Nitta ended his run in fifth place for $158,515. Phillip Lee was next to go when he got in his remaining chips against Young Sik with ace-nine versus Siks ace-eight. The flop flipped the script though as it came with an eight. The flopped flush draw of Lee did not improve and the start of day short stack found his run coming to an end in fourth place for $208,275. The last remaining bracelet winner was Kartik Ved and he found his stack dwindling down as time went on, until he was a clear short stack. In his final hand, he saw his pocket fours up against Siks ace-three offsuit. The flop did not change the strength of either hand, but the turn ace gave Sik the winning pair after the river did nothing to help the fours and Ved ended his run in third place for $275,593. Joldis came into the day as the overwhelming chip leader, having a three to one chip lead on the next closest stack. Sik, however, doubled up through him multiple times throughout the day, and by the time they got heads up, Sik held an over three to one lead over Joldis. One double up for Joldis brought them closer together, but the final hand saw Sik four-bet shove with king nine and Joldis called with pocket tens. The turn brought a black king to put Sik way in the lead and the river changed nothing, leaving Joldis eliminated in the tournament in second place for $367,233. Congratulations to Young Sik for winning his first bracelet in Event #66: The $1,000 Mini-Main Event No-Limit Holdem for $594,189. Thank you to all who played and thank you for reading along on PokerNews. Stay tuned for all updates regarding the World Series Of Poker Johan Schumacher opened from under the gun, the cutoff three-bet to 4,000, and Schumacher called. The dealer fanned the flop and Schumacher check-called for 8,000. The landed on the turn, Schumacher checked, and his opponent moved all in. Schumacher quickly called for his 16,700 chips. Johan Schumacher: Cutoff: Schumacher had ran ladies into rockets, but fortunately flopped top set to vault ahead. Needing to fade an ace or king to survive, the completed the board, and the Belgian secured the double. A few minutes before 11 a.m local time, the doors to the Ballys ballroom swung open, the throng poured in, and it seemed like Christmas morning for every poker player. The start of the $10,000 Main Event is the biggest day on the poker calendar as defending champion Koray Aldemir did the ceremonial Shuffle Up and Deal. Aldemirs run at a repeat performance will have to wait as he did not enter this flight, but 900 players did take to the felt today on Day 1a to chase their dreams of World Series of Poker glory and the title of world champion. Leading the way after five two-hour levels is Cedrric Trevino. The man behind the vlog Poker Traveler hit a set of kings on the river to crack pocket aces and knock out a player on his way to bagging 317,800. Right behind him is Wesley Fei. The cryptocurrency investor and Hustler Live cash game regular only started playing poker six months ago. The Main Event is his first-ever tournament. He won a big pot with kings against ace-queen to approach 200,000 chips, finishing the night with 300,000. I feel good. First time playing a tournament, Fei said at the end of the night. This tournament is almost like a cash game. Im happy with deep stacks. 2022 WSOP Main Event Day 1a Top 10 Chip Counts RANK PLAYER Country CHIP COUNT Big Blinds 1 Cedrric Trevino United States 317,800 397 2 Wesley Fei China 300,000 375 3 Suhaag Gandikota United States 269,700 337 4 Chanracy Khun Canada 267,800 335 5 Thomas Eychenne France 255,800 320 6 Andrew Moreno United States 238,200 298 7 Yusef Yusufov United States 230,000 288 8 Wendy Bowers United States 219,400 274 9 Kenneth O'Donnell United States 217,600 272 10 Jimmy D'Ambrosio United States 213,500 267 A total of 631 players made it through the day. Ryan Depaulo knocked out two players, one with a set of sixes against pocket kings and the other by rivering a straight with jack-ten to crack a set of nines. The bracelet winner finished the night with 188,800. Others who made it through to Day 2 include past Main Event champions Ryan Riess (139,900), Qui Nguyen (74,000), John Cynn (65,000), and Martin Jacobson (64,300), in addition to Thomas Eychenne (255,800), Andrew Moreno (238,200), Jimmy DAmbrosio (213,000), two-time Last Woman Standing Kelly Minkin (204,700), and Kevin Gerhart (149,900). Joshua Remitio at the 2021 WSOP Main Event final table One player who is no stranger to Main Event success is Josh Remitio, who rode the strength of his boisterous rail a year ago all the way to a fourth-place finish. Remitio took to the felt today for another run and ended up with 145,500. It feels good. I've bricked every tournament so far this series. This just kinda feels like my event though, Remitio said about being back on the Main Event stage. Following (last years) Main Event I studied a lot more but yeah, pretty much taking the same approach. The Main Event dream ended early for others. Reigning Player of the Year Josh Arieh ran into a cooler with a rivered flush against DAmbrosios full house and busted shortly after. Johnnie Vibes Moreno, Ana Marquez, $100,000 High Roller champion Aleksejs Ponakovs, and Japanese vlogging superstar Masato Yokosawa also hit the rail on Day 1a. The players who survived the day will return on July 7 for Day 2ab. Stay tuned to PokerNews as another group of Main Event hopefuls gets their turn on July 4 on Day 1b at 11 a.m. West African leaders have lifted sanctions on Mali's military regime, accepting a deadline for a return to civilian rule by March 2024 and agreed to allow Burkina Faso two years for its transition back to democracy. Heads of the Economic Community of West African States were meeting in the Ghanaian capital, Accra on Sunday to assess efforts to secure guarantees for restoring civilian rule in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso. Mali underwent coups in August 2020 and May 2021, followed by Guinea in September last year and Burkina Faso this January. Fearing contagion in a region known for military takeovers, Ecowas imposed a swathe of trade and economic sanctions against Mali, but lesser punishments against Guinea and Burkina. According to Ecowas Commission President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou: "After discussion, the heads of state took a firm first decision to lift the economic and financial sanctions." Brou said Ecowas would continue to monitor the situation and also maintain Mali's suspension from the bloc for now. Progress made with Mali The decision to lift the sanctions, however, stipulates that no junta member can run as a candidate in Mali's future presidential election. In January, Ecowas imposed a trade and financial embargo on Mali after its military government unveiled a scheme to rule for five years. The sanctions against Bamako have has a severe impact on a country whose economy is already under extreme pressure from a decade-long jihadist insurgency. Following months of talks, the Malian authorities approved on Wednesday a plan to hold presidential elections in February 2024. The vote will be preceded by a referendum on a revised constitution in March 2023 and legislative elections in late 2023. Ecowas mediator former Nigerian leader Goodluck Jonathan visited the country last week and reportedly made "enormous progress" while dealing with the military leadership. Burkina gets green light for two year transition Meanwhile, Burkina Faso and Guinea have so far only been suspended from the 15-nation Ecowas. Story continues Burkina's junta has proposed a constitutional referendum in December 2024 and legislative and presidential elections in February 2025. The regional heads of state have reportedly agreed to the two-year transition timeline. Visiting Ouagadougou for the second time in a month on Saturday, Ecowas mediator Mahamadou Issoufou had praised junta leader Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba and his government for their "openness to dialogue". According to the former president of Niger, the timetable for a return to civilian rule and the situation of deposed leader Roch Marc Christian Kabore were also discussed. Political parties allied to Kabore denounced the junta's plans on Friday, saying they had not been consulted in advance. Guinea's transition 'complicated' However, the situation is more complex in Guinea, whose junta has refused an Ecowas mediator and announced a 36-month transition, a period that African Union chairman and Senegalese President Macky Sall has described as "unthinkable". Guinea has of late led a diplomatic offensive to assuage the concerns of regional leaders. The country's post-coup prime minister Mohamed Beavogui met the United Nations' special representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Mahamat Saleh Annadif on Saturday. The administration in Conakry said it wanted to reassure its Ecowas "brothers" of its commitment to undertaking a peaceful and inclusive democratic transition. Guinea's military regime met with main political parties on Monday, but their participation in dialogue is conditional on the nomination of an Ecowas mediator. Nguyen Vinh Phuong, the owner of a 150-hectare rubber plantation area in the south-eastern province of Tay Ninh has recently spent more time studying the process of obtaining the FSC certification. Although he is interested in cultivating sustainable rubber, he remains hesitant to implement this process. Phuong pointed out that the rule of a 10-per-cent conservation area seems to be an infeasible requirement for small operators of plantation areas. The rule would mean that Phuong would lose $1,500 over 10 days of rubber tapping if he saved 10 per cent of his 150-ha plantation area for conservation. Besides state-owned companies like Tan Bien Rubber and Tay Ninh Rubber, there are 12 private firms competing to source rubber. Phuong was certain that he would not lose VND105 million ($4,520) per month during the tough market caused by rising production expenses, the shortage of rubber tappers and the intensifying competition in prices. Lien Anh Rubber Co., Ltd. in Tay Ninh missed the chance to obtain FSC certification given the 10 per cent conservation area requirement. Phan Do Trong Nhan, the companys purchasing manager, said, We have so far completed eight out of 10 principles set by FSC. However, we face challenges in conserving 10 per cent of rubber space for conservation. Many smallholders do not agree to fulfil this requirement, Nhan said. It is difficult to talk to smallholders to meet this requirement although Lien Anh has offered supporting policies as well as rubber care and exploitation techniques. Foreign buyers from the United States and Europe are willing to pay a higher price for FSC-certified rubber but this is a long-term matter, added Nhan. Currently, the purchasing price of rubber between companies with FSC-PM and without FSC-PM is almost equal because people know too little about FSC. Lien Anh is exporting 60 per cent of rubber to the Chinese market, 20 per cent to the EU and US markets and the rest for domestic consumption. Many Chinese buyers offer a new price as soon as our rubber is certified with FSC, Nhan said. At this time, many Chinese buyers still buy uncertified rubber, because its government has not tightened its grip on sustainability regulations. According to Nhan, Lien Anh has considered sustainable development but the initial investment for FSC certification is very large, accounting for about 35 per cent of the expenses. In the near future, Lien Anh will try to comply with the conservation area regulation on an area of 123ha. He calls it the flexibility of the company to achieve FSC certification in August this year. However, the company still finds it difficult to implement this regulation in its plan to develop 7,000ha in 2027. Due to increasing pressure, some Vietnamese firms have invested in sustainable development to improve environmental and social conditions in rubber plantation areas. Bui Quang Ninh, CEO of Daklak Rubber JSC (Dakruco), expected that the company would soon acquire FSC certification to sell rubber at a higher price. Dakruco faces three difficulties to meet FSC criteria including initial investment capital, the conservation area requirement and the possibility of changing the living habits of rubber growers. Dakruco is managing 11,300ha of rubber land, including 1,670ha in Cambodia. There is a small number of FSC-certified rubber plantation areas in Vietnam, but obtaining the certification is not an easy feat. Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG) perfectly exemplifies this challenge. In 2017, after 18 months of trials, VRG has achieved FSC for two rubber plantations in Vietnam with a total area of 11,700ha. This was quite small compared to its total rubber space of 550,000ha at that time. Besides FSC, there are many independent non-governmental organisations overseeing the activities of its members. As a rule, FSC certification is valid for five years. During this time, FSC will make four visits to certified holders to assess their compliance with the requirements set forth by this organisation. Issued certificates will be suspended or revoked for unsatisfactory cases. Phan Tran Hong Van-Deputy secretary general Vietnam Rubber Association There is mounting pressure to promote the sustainable development of Vietnams rubber industry by improving the environment and social conditions in rubber plantation areas. There are 256,000 rubber smallholders owning 479,600ha or just over half of the total plantation area in Vietnam. Among them, 426,000ha are in the process of rubber tapping. It is expected to supply 732,000 tonnes of dried latex per year, accounting for 62 per cent of total latex exploited in the entire rubber area of the country. Vu Thi Que Anh - Project coordinator, FSC Vietnam Vietnamese businesses have paid more attention to applying FSC forest management standards. However, they have been struggling to meet the criteria. FSC Vietnam is actively working with rubber companies to handle issues. Developing FSC-certified rubber plantation areas will open up new opportunities for businesses to improve competitiveness, increase yield and penetrate deeper into the global supply chain. According to statistics by FSC, FSC-certified products have higher economic value than the same types of products by some 20-30 per cent. This helps protect natural resources from improper use. Nguyen Vinh Quang - Specialist, Forest Trends Vietnam is the worlds third-largest supplier of natural rubber. As the majority of rubber is not accredited with sustainable certification, the selling prices of Vietnamese rubber remain low. The fragmented and small-scale production affects the quality of rubber input, making it hard to obtain sustainable certifications. It is vital to connect foreign buyers with smallholder communities and rubber firms to build a sustainable supply chain. As a result, Vietnam can gradually produce FSC-certified rubber. HCM CITY True Italian Taste 2022, a project aiming to promote authentic Italian cuisine to the world, has kicked off in Viet Nam. The project is promoted and financed by the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to promote and safeguard authentic and quality Italian products. It is coordinated by Assocamerestero (Association of Italian Chambers of Commerce Abroad) in collaboration with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nam (ICHAM), with the patronage of the Embassy of Italy in Viet Nam. The theme of this years project is Authentic Italian Table - Italian Breakfast & Aperitivo which introduces an overview of Italian breakfast its practice, special features and local staples of the Tuscany region. At the opening event of True Italian Taste 2022 in Ha Noi last Wednesday, Italian Ambassador to Viet Nam Antonio Alessandro highlighted the importance of Italian food, along with fashion and furniture in Italy's economy and culture. He also emphasised the role of Viet Nam in supplying agricultural products, particularly coffee beans, to Italy, and hoped to continue to maintain and promote relations between the two countries. Le Thi Quynh Trang, President of Vietnam International Fashion Week, was appointed as the Brand Ambassador for True Italian Taste 2022. Trang said, I am very honoured and proud to be trusted and invited to continue to be Ambassador of Italian Cuisine in Viet Nam. The role will bring me more opportunities to connect and promote cultural development between the two countries, as well as promote Italian culture, fashion and cuisine to more Vietnamese people, she said. Trang was founder and chairwoman of VIFW in 2014. The leading fashion event in the country has attracted numerous local and international designers and brands, especially Italian brands like Elisabetta Franchi, Maison Gattinoni, Retano Balestra, and Antonio Grimaldi. In 2021, she was awarded the Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy in recognition of her contribution to promoting and consolidating the reputation of Italy in Viet Nam in the fields of creativity, training, marketing, craftsmanship, fashion, and culture. Trang has returned from Italy after participating in the Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags, an international trade fair for footwear, leather goods and accessories, and Pitti Immagine Uomo, a renowned international trade fair for men's clothing and accessories to enhance trade and business cooperation between the two countries. True Italian Taste is part of The Extraordinary Italian Taste programme, which promotes conscious consumption of 100 per cent-made-in-Italy agri-food products by spreading knowledge of the origin, nutritional aspects, and PDO (protected designation of origin) and PGI (protected geographical indication) certifications. To date, the project has been implemented in 40 countries and territories. It began in Viet Nam in 2018. VNS BAGAN The 7th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Foreign Ministers Meeting took place in Bagan, Myanmar on Monday with the participation of diplomats from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, China and Viet Nam. The delegates all expressed appreciation of MLC's positive contributions to cooperation and development in the region, especially during the pandemic. Two-way trade between the Mekong countries and China in 2021 reached nearly US$400 billion, up 23 per cent compared to 2020. Many large infrastructure works have been completed and hundreds of technical assistance projects implemented. Member countries also established specialised cooperation centres, organised policy dialogue forums attracting the participation of a large number of ministries, branches, and localities of member countries. The foreign ministers welcomed the achievements in cooperation in water management of the Mekong River and strive to achieve substantive results at the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of Mekong-Lancang Water Resources scheduled to be held in Viet Nam in 2022. The Conference emphasised the principles of consensual cooperation, equality, mutual consultation, benefit-sharing, respect for the United Nations Charter and international law, as well as compliance with the regulations and laws of each country. At the same time, the participating countries also agreed to boost MLC cooperation in the direction of consolidating friendly neighbourly relationships, making positive contributions to the member countries' socio-economic development, building the ASEAN Community, and realising the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The conference adopted a joint press release and four joint statements on strengthening agricultural cooperation, disaster prevention, customs and trade facilitation, and exchanges between MLC civilisations. Accordingly, MLC cooperation in the near future will focus on the four major aspects: economic recovery and development through enhanced connectivity, trade, digital economy, production capacity, resilient supply chains, trade facilitation and customs clearance; disaster management, environmental protection, climate change adaptation, sustainable use of water resources, green energy transition, and sustainable infrastructure development; strengthening health security, promoting cooperation in traditional medicine; and people-to-people exchanges through cultural activities, tourism, media, sports, education and human resource development. Addressing the conference, Vietnamese foreign minister Bui Thanh Son stressed that Viet Nam highly valued the MLC cooperation and that the country has made effective contributions in this regard. He noted that in the post-pandemic era, MLC member countries need to prioritise effective cooperation for economic growth and sustainable development to bring practical benefits to the people. He proposed four solutions to realise these objectives. Firstly, focusing on cooperation in economic recovery and improving the economys resilience, strengthening customs cooperation and trade facilitation in order to solve goods congestion and ensure the free flow of goods and services. Second, supporting member countries in climate change adaptation and transition to a green economic model, including improving production and storage capacity of clean energy and application of high technology to head towards climate-smart agriculture. Third, promoting cooperation in the management and sustainable use of water resources, especially speeding up the development of the Five-Year Action Plan on Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation for the 2023-27 period, encouraging the expansion of consultation and dialogue among member countries on water resource development plans, increasing sharing of hydrological and meteorological data and hydroelectric dam operations; and strengthening coordination between the Mekong-Lancang and the Mekong River Commission. Fourth, strengthening people-to-people connections through the resumption and expansion of tourism activities, cooperation between local governments alongside cultural, sports, media, women's and youth empowerment programmes. VNS HA NOI The Kingdom of Oman donated ambulances and medical equipment to support the Viet Nam Red Cross Society in COVID-19 prevention and humanitarian activities at a ceremony on Monday in Ha Noi. The donation includes two ambulances, two ventilators, 20,000 N95 masks, 8,000 fingertip pulse oximeters, 8,000 sets of epidemic prevention clothes, 8,000 electronic personal thermometers and 2,000 latex gloves. I am honoured to be here today to present the medical equipment and supplies provided by the Government and the people of Oman to support the Government and people of Viet Nam in responding to the COVID-19 epidemic, and it is also a way to express the friendly and cooperative relationship between the two countries, said Executive Director of Oman Charity Mohammed Hamoud Said Al-Zahli. On behalf of the Viet Nam Red Cross, President Bui Thi Hoa also expressed her thanks to the leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government and people of Oman, and the Embassy of Oman in Viet Nam and pledged to use the medical equipment for a good purpose so that needy and disadvantaged people can access and benefit from it. VNS Downtown Design Walk Waco Walks will conduct a Downtown Design Walk at 8 a.m. Saturday starting from Waco City Hall, 300 Austin Ave. Participants will learn about urban design elements that help create a more comfortable and enjoyable space, and give the city of Waco feedback on observations. Elements to be discussed include downtown landscaping, lighting, crosswalks, street furniture, walkability, accessibility and parking. Texas Ranger Talks Texas Ranger Talks at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, 100 Texas Ranger Trail, are planned at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. An active or retired Texas Ranger will speak about their service. The event will last about 30 minutes followed by 15 minutes for questions and answers. Presentations are included with regular admission to the museum, which is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and military, and $4 for children 6-12. Food giveaway Saturday St. John Catholic Church, 1312 Dallas St., will host a giveaway of nonperishable food from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. For more information, call 254-495-5292. Waco Calligraphy Guild The Waco Calligraphy Guild will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 800 N. New Road. Jennifer Maurico will teach the skill of pointed pen lettering. Homebuyer education class NeighborWorks Waco will host a free Homebuyer Education Workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 13 at 922 Franklin Ave. Attendees will learn about the homebuying process from industry professionals covering mortgages, home inspections, homeowners insurance and shopping for a home. To register, go to www.nw-waco.org/event-registration. ASHLAND The Ashland City Council brought the hammer down on a nuisance issue that has been going on for many years. At the councils June 16 meeting, the council chose not to extend a deadline for Lowell Krueger to abate the nuisance at a home he owns at 106 South 16th Street. Krueger has owned the property for decades, and has been before the council on nuisance complaints multiple times in the past two decades. This time around, the complaint process began in 2020, when council members expressed concerns that there was a large opening in the foundation of the vacant house. Since then, Krueger has been given multiple extensions to get the basement walls finished, let alone to make the structure habitable. Krueger told the council on Thursday that he was almost done with the foundation, with just a few blocks left to finish the south wall. City Building and Zoning Official Bill Krejci told the council that Krueger still needs to pour a concrete basement floor. Krueger said he also wants to add a French drain system in the basement. Council Member Jake Crnkovich asked Krueger if he would be done with the drain in a month. Krueger said no. Crnkovich noted that Krueger is making progress. But Council Member Bruce Wischmann was more critical of Kruegers failure to finish the project. Youre not getting it done, Wischmann said. Wischmann noted that the council had given Krueger several extensions since 2020, but he was not willing to do so again. Crnkovich made a motion to give Krueger an extension until July 7 to complete the floor and drain. The motion died for lack of a second. City Attorney Mark Fahleson explained that because the motion to extend the deadline died, the council would move forward with the abatement process. The city could either demolish the house, or bring it up to code and assess the cost to Krueger. City Administrator Jessica Quady said the city has not in the past repaired nuisance properties. Instead, when the city abates a property, they generally tear it down. Krueger argued that the house is a landmark, and should not be destroyed. Crnkovich said its not the citys fault the house may be demolished. Im on your side, said Crnkovich. But youve destroyed an old house by not getting it done in 22 years. The council discussed whether or not Krueger could sell the property. Wischmann noted that a previous nuisance complaint had been handled in that way, with the owner selling the house before it could be demolished. The new owner fixed up the home and turned it until a rental, Quady said. We have done one like this before, said Wischmann. Quady said if the property was sold, potential owners would need to be made aware of the situation and work with the city to fix the nuisance immediately. Wischmann told Krueger he had gone against the mayor and other council members by granting extensions for the past 16 months. But enough was enough. I dont want to see this house go away, but its got to get done, its got to go away, Wischmann said. Council Member Jim Anderson kept quiet during the discussion, but his feelings on the matter were made apparent in previous meetings. Several times since the current nuisance process was started, Anderson said he was not in favor of granting extensions to Krueger and voted no each time. Council Member Chuck Niemeyer, who has also been vocal in the past regarding the Krueger nuisance, was not present for the meeting. The council asked Quady to get bids for demolition, rehabilitation or sale of the property by the July 7 meeting. Suzi Nelson is the managing editor of The Ashland Gazette. Reach her via email at suzi.nelson@ashland-gazette.com. WATERLOO Three laureates will be inducted into Junior Achievement's Cedar Valley Business Hall of Fame Oct. 20 at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. The 2022 honorees are Stacey Bentley, Community Bank & Trust; Kris Hansen, Western Home Communities; and Mike Mallaro, VGM. The business leaders were nominated by community members and then selected by an independent committee. A news release said the laureates have influenced much of the communitys economic development and social welfare through leadership, vision, and innovation. This year marks Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa's 28th anniversary of celebrating distinguished business leaders who have established a legacy within their industries and the community. The black-tie gala is presented by First Interstate Bank, previously Great Western Bank. The evening will include video biographies of each laureate. Students from local schools will serve as hosts and escorts to reinforce the purpose of the event to inspire children to visualize success. We are proud to once again sponsor the Junior Achievement Cedar Valley Business Hall of Fame and are excited to gather in-person to celebrate this years honorees, said Gary Lorenz, Cedar Valley market president of First Interstate Bank. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. For tickets or additional details, contact Junior Achievement at (319) 862-1100 or email Emma Disterhoft at edisterhoft@jaeasterniowa.org. PARKERSBURG Three people were taken to an area hospital following a collision between a pickup truck and a train in Parkersburg on Sunday. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the pickup driver, 29-year-old Aleshia Meeks of Parkerburg, was flown by AirCare helicopter to MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center. Two passengers in the truck, children ages 1 and 4 years, also were taken to MercyOne by crews with Parkersburg EMS and Aplington EMS, according to the state patrol. Their conditions werent available. According to the Iowa State Patrol, Meeks was driving a Chevrolet Silverado north on Second Street and allegedly failed to yield for a westbound Canadian National train at the crossing on the north end of town around 3:55 p.m. Sunday. The Butler County Sheriffs Office and the CN railroad police assisted the state patrol at the scene. Ivana Trump, the first wife of former President Donald Trump and mother to his oldest children, has died in New York City. She was 73. People familiar with the matter tell The Associated Press that police are investigating whether she fell accidentally down the stairs at her home. The people spoke Thursday on the condition of anonymity. Ivana Trump was a Czech-born ski racer and businesswoman who with Donald Trump formed half of a publicity power couple in the 1980s. They had a messy, public divorce after he met his next wife, Marla Maples. But Ivana had recently been on good terms with her former husband. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form 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. Cobre Executive Chairman and Managing Director, Martin Holland (Centre left) with new KML CEO, Adam Wooldridge (2nd from right) together with the RES operation team in Cape Town May 2022. Sydney, July 4, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Cobre Limited ( ASX:CBE ) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Adam Wooldridge as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kalahari Metals Ltd (KML). This appointment is an exciting step for both Cobre and KML after Cobre's recent announcement relating to the acquisition of the remaining 49% interest in KML (refer ASX announcement of 16 June 2022).Adam is a founding partner of KML and has played an active role in developing the Company's exploration projects over the last five years. An experienced geophysicist and geologist with over 25 years' experience in Africa, the Middle East and Europe, he has worked in exploration management and consulting positions across a variety of deposit types including base and precious metals.In addition to Adam's appointment as CEO, KML's exploration programmes will be supported by a discovery focussed team with extensive experience in Africa, which includes:- David Caterall, a geologist with over 30 years' experience including a long history of exploration in the Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) where he has been involved in the discovery of several of the known economic deposits in the area;- Thomas Rogers, a geologist with 25 years' experience throughout Africa including significant experience in sedimentary copper systems. Thomas was a co-recipient of the 2015 PDAC Thayer Lindsley Award for his role in the discovery of the Kamoa Copper Deposit (DRC), as was Dr Ross McGowan, who was recently appointed to the Cobre Board as a non-executive director (refer ASX announcement of 22 June 2022); and- Thomas Krebs, a geologist with 15 years' experience in exploration and consulting in Africa with a focus on copper and gold related projects. Thomas played an important role in securing KML's original tenement holding.In addition, KML is pleased to continue its working relationship with Remote Exploration Services (RES) who will provide ongoing field and project management services. RES is a long-standing independent geological contractor providing services to major and junior explorers in Africa. RES will supervise field operations on KML's forthcoming exploration programmes.Commenting on Adam Wooldridge's appointment as CEO, Cobre's Executive Chairman and Managing Director Martin Holland, said:"We are delighted with Adam's appointment as CEO of KML. Adam brings a wealth of exploration experience in the region of Botswana and his history with KML provides Cobre with the continuity needed to start its new exploration programmes in earnest. Along with Adam, also having in place a strong regional copper-focussed technical team with operational support from RES, gives us the confidence we can explore and continue to identify prospective areas across KML's significant license tenure."Commenting on his appointment as CEO of KML, Adam said:"This is an exciting opportunity to take on a new CEO position in KML with such an experienced technical team. We're looking forward to starting off a new phase of exploration across all of the KML tenements with a fresh look at target areas. The focus going forward will be developing multiple targets which have the potential to create new copper districts."Background on KMLKML is a private UK company, incorporated in England and Wales on 3 May 2017, and holds interests in 12 highly prospective exploration licences covering a total area of approximately 8,595 km2 in the Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) in Botswana (with 6,650 km2 100%, owned and 1,945 km2 in JVs), comprising two 100% owned exploration licences, five exploration licences subject to a binding earnIn agreement with Triprop Holdings (Pty) Limited (KML currently owns a 51% interest in Triprop Holdings (Pty) Limited which includes the Ngami Copper Project), and five exploration licences held by 100% owned subsidiary, Kitlanya Limited.Metal Tiger holds a 2% net smelter royalty over all KML's wholly owned licences, being seven licences covering, in aggregate, 6,650km2 (the "Royalties") and the main areas. The five exploration licences owned by Triprop Holdings (Pty) Limited (in which KML has a 51% interest) do not form part of the Royalties.KML owns the second largest tenure holding in the Botswana portion of the KCB Belt after ASX-listed company, Sandfire Resources Limited ( ASX:SFR ) (Sandfire). The KCB is regarded as one of the most prospective areas globally for copper exploration by the US Geological Survey (USGS), with a number of copper-silver deposits currently under development by both Sandfire and Cupric Canyon Capital.Update on EGM to Approve KML AcquisitionFurther to the announcement of 16 June 2022, Cobre advises that it is progressing the work required in conjunction with consultants, BDO Australia and CSA Global, in relation to the Independent Expert's Report by BDO opining on the fairness and reasonableness of the KML acquisition for Cobre shareholders not associated with Metal Tiger. The Notice of Meeting will be sent to Cobre shareholders containing further details in the near future, and the Company recommends shareholders read the Notice of Meeting and accompanying documents in full once received.About Cobre Limited Cobre Limited (ASX:CBE) is a copper and base-metals explorer with projects in Western Australia and Botswana. The Company recently discovered a new high-grade VMS deposit enriched in Copper, Gold, Zinc and Silver in Western Australia, and is currently exploring approximately 8,100 km2 of tenements within the Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) in Botswana. Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer Contract Renewal Brisbane, July 4, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Central Petroleum Limited ( ASX:CTP ) ( FRA:C9J ) ( OTCMKTS:CNPTF ) announces that the Board of Directors has agreed for Leon Devaney to continue as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer from the expiry of the current contract on 1 July 2022.Central's Chair, Mick McCormack said, "Leon has been integral in realising the company's growth opportunities and has been a steady hand through challenging business conditions over the past couple of years. Since joining Central in 2012, Leon has been a very capable leader and problem solver and the Board looks forward to future success under Leon's leadership".*To view the employment contract, please visit:About Central Petroleum Limited Central Petroleum Limited ( ASX:CTP) is a well-established, and emerging ASX-listed Australian oil and gas producer. In our short history, Central has grown to become the largest onshore gas producer in the Northern Territory (NT), supplying industrial customers and senior gas distributors in NT and the wider Australian east coast market. Central is positioned to become a significant domestic energy supplier, with exploration and development plans across 180,000 km2 of tenements in Queensland and the Northern Territory, including some of Australia's largest known onshore conventional gas prospects. Central has also completed an MoU with Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) to progress the proposed Amadeus to Moomba Gas Pipeline to a Final Investment Decision. We are also seeking to develop the Range gas project, a new gas field located among proven CSG fields in the Surat Basin, Queensland with 135 PJ (net to Central) of development-pending 2C contingent resource. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal More than $2 million has been awarded to the University of New Mexico as part of a massive Department of Energy program that is pouring funding into nuclear power research. The DOE announced last month that UNM had received several awards as part of $61 million the department provided for 74 nuclear energy projects. UNM was awarded funding for three projects that will cost an estimated $2.2 million over the course of several years. Researchers at UNM will also collaborate on another project that will cost an estimated $4 million, in which work is spread across several universities. Overall, the DOE recently announced funding for projects at more than 40 U.S. universities as part of the departments Nuclear Energy University Program. The agency said the goal of the program is to move the nation closer to a goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. The United Nations defines net-zero emissions as cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, and that remaining emissions are reabsorbed from the atmosphere by forests, oceans or other means, according to its website. Most of UNMs funded projects relate to developing next-generation nuclear reactors that are safer and more efficient, according to nuclear engineering scientists who are part of the projects. This is actually very important in terms of the recognition in the nation for our department and for our school, said Osman Anderoglu, a nuclear engineering professor at UNM, who received one of the DOE awards. UNM has several unique technologies on campus that allow researchers to do the projects, including a small nuclear reactor, Anderoglu said. The grant projects include trying to improve technologies for micro-reactors, said Minghui Chen, a UNM nuclear engineering professor who received DOE funding. Thats a goal of the nuclear power industry because such reactors, Chen said, which produce between one and 20 megawatts of power, would be more economically feasible than large-scale nuclear power plants and allow the energy to be transportable. The DOE awards are primarily research and development projects, but there is also money being spent on infrastructure and career development at the universities. These awards are an investment in both the next generation of nuclear technology and the next generation of scientists and engineers, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in a statement. Anderoglu said it will take a variety of clean-energy sources to achieve a net-zero emissions goal. Nuclear energy accounted for about 8% of U.S. primary energy consumption in 2021, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. You dont want to depend on one source, like 100%, nuclear, we are not advocating for that, Anderoglu said. We are advocating getting variety in your clean energy source. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal University of New Mexico engineering students splashed down in third place at this years national solar-powered boat competition in Ohio. The annual Solar Splash event pits student teams from universities across the U.S. against each other in a series of challenges that measure the capabilities of solar boats designed and built by engineering students. Teams compete on everything from speed and endurance to maneuverability and design innovation. For the second year in a row, the UNM team placed third overall behind Cedarville University and the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez during the June 7-11 competition in Springfield, Ohio. It took second place in the zigzagging slalom event, which demonstrates boat maneuverability, and it won Outstanding Electrical System Design and Most Improved Team awards. UNMs LOBOmotorsports team also debuted a newly built electric race car for the first time at the June 15-18 Formula SAE international competition, an annual event held this year at the Michigan International Speedway. The Society of Automotive Engineers organizes the competition, where student teams design and build Formula One/Indy style race cars that are judged on everything from design, cost and acceleration to autocross and endurance. UNM has competed every year since 1998. But this year, the team entered a newly created electric vehicle competition that launched in 2017, after converting UNMs former internal combustion vehicle to a battery-powered race car, said mechanical engineering professor John Russell, who leads UNMs Formula SAE program. We finished 16th among 65 competing university teams, Russell told the Journal. We beat top universities like MIT and Cal State Berkeley. Both the solar boat and the electric race car were on display at this years Solar Fiesta, an annual event organized by the New Mexico Solar Energy Association for the local community to learn about renewable energy. Student engineering teams and their faculty advisers provided show-and-tell about the boat and race car at the Fiesta, which took place on June 24 at UNMs Cornell Mall. Mechanical engineering masters degree student Brandon Kirkpatrick said the solar boat project offered him a real-world opportunity to apply and broaden the knowledge and skills hes learned at UNM, while also exposing him to career possibilities and the potential of solar power. It opened my eyes to clean energy, Kirkpatrick told the Journal. I hadnt thought much about it before, but solar is a growing field where people are developing many new capabilities to modernize technology. Engineering student Steven Lindsley said he benefited from the teamwork involved in the solar boat project, which strengthens communication, design and management skills that are critical in the workplace. It also offered him direct field experience. A lot of engineering students dont even touch hardware in their coursework, but this was all hands-on, Lindsley told the Journal. It was my first time using some power tools. Team faculty adviser and mechanical engineering professor Peter Vorobieff said experiential learning is central to the boat program, which is one of three capstone projects for engineering students alongside the UNM race car and a rocket-building program. The solar boat raises awareness of what we can do with solar power, and it involves real engineering, Vorobieff told the Journal. Students gain experience thats directly transferable to their professional pursuits. UNM joined the Solar Splash competition in 2016, although the annual event originally launched in 1994. To date, about 60 students have participated, including 15 this year. Some have gone on to jobs in the solar industry, Vorobieff said. The solar boat development could also potentially contribute to industry efforts to decarbonize container shipping, which is very difficult to covert to solar energy because of the immense power generation needed for maritime operations, Vorobieff said. There are no easy ways to convert modern container ships to electric power, Vorobieff said. We cant retrofit existing fleets, so industry would have to build new ships. Thats why these skills will be important for engineering challenges over the next 10-20 years. Each year, student teams work to modify and improve the solar boat. There is only enough space to seat a single person in the craft, allowing navigation via a steering wheel mounted in the center of the vehicle. The drivers seat is surrounded by solar panels that cover the entire top of the boat, with each panel capable of generating 60 watts of electricity, or 480 watts all together. This year, students focused on reducing the boats weight. They redesigned the drivetrain, made the boat a few inches shorter, and drilled holes on the inside supports in the hull. The boat can now go up to 23 miles per hour. Making it lighter means it can go faster, Lindsley said. That helped a lot in the competition, especially in the sprint challenge. Like the solar boat, UNMs race car project offers hands-on experience every year. But for this years 25 participating students, the project was particularly challenging. The team had to swap out the old internal combustion engine with an electric motor, then add a motor controller, a 720-pack battery system, and equipment for real-time battery monitoring to avoid overheating. Of the 65 university teams competing in Michigan, only 12 progressed from vehicle qualifying rounds to actually race in the competition. UNM nearly made the cut, but a small glitch in the battery recharge system blocked the teams advance. If theres a fault during recharge, all the electronics must shut down, said faculty adviser Russell. It did that, but then they automatically came back on. Thats supposed to be done manually. Still, students said they loved the project. You get to design, build and assemble a product that you actually use, engineering student Addison Portman told the Journal. It was fantastic. Solar Innovation Advancements in renewable energy take New Mexico by storm. Business Outlook Editors note: An earlier version of story misspelled the name of engineering student Steven Lindsley. The story has been updated. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal A district judge sentenced an Albuquerque man Friday to 18 years in prison for the 2019 beating death of 49-year-old Manuel Barraza in a vacant lot in the South Valley. Anthony Lee Aragon, 35, pleaded guilty in April to charges of second-degree murder and robbery in the April 4, 2019, killing. Prosecutor Mia Rubin said during Aragons sentencing hearing Friday that at the time of the killing, Aragon had recently been released from custody on an unrelated charge to complete an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment program. But Aragon had failed to complete the program, Rubin said. Aragon and Barraza had been drinking together at the time of the killing, she said. Aragon told 2nd Judicial District Judge Clara Moran that he had completed a GED while awaiting trial in Barrazas death. Bernalillo County deputies found Barrazas body under a tarp and vehicle tires and surrounded by fresh beer cans in the 1700 block of Bridge SW, according to a criminal complaint. Security video showed Barraza and Aragon walk into the vacant lot near Bridge and Goff SW, the complaint said. Aragon was later seen leaving the lot and stopping nearby to change clothes and wipe his hands. Aragon told detectives he was drinking beers with a man near Bridge and Goff when the man tried to attack him, but deputies found no injuries to Aragon or evidence of defensive wounds, the complaint said. State legislatures will be in the spotlight as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling giving the power to regulate abortion to the states. While overturning Roe v. Wade, the high courts majority said it was time to return the issue of abortion to the peoples elected representatives. But some question whether gerrymandering has diminished the ability of state legislatures to truly represent the peoples will. Analyses of election data show that some state legislatures are skewed to the right or left because of the way districts have been drawn to favor Republicans or Democrats. In overturning a half-century of nationwide legal protection for abortion, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Roe v. Wade had been wrongly decided and that it was time to return the issue of abortion to the peoples elected representatives in the states. Whether those elected officials are truly representative of the people is a matter of debate, thanks to another high court decision that has enabled control of state legislatures to be skewed to the right or left. In June 2019, three years before its momentous abortion ruling, the Supreme Court decided that it has no role in restraining partisan gerrymandering, in which Republicans or Democrats manipulate the boundaries of voting districts to give their candidates an edge. The result is that many legislatures are more heavily partisan than the states population as a whole. Gerrymandering again flourished as politicians used the 2020 census data to redraw districts that could benefit their party both for this years elections and the next decade. In some swing states with Republican-led legislatures, such as Michigan and Wisconsin, arguably gerrymandering really is the primary reason that abortion is likely to be illegal, said Chris Warshaw, a political scientist at George Washington University who analyzes redistricting data. Meanwhile, in states where Democrats have gerrymandered, its going to help probably make abortion laws more liberal than people would like, he added. A majority of Americans support abortion access in general, though many say there should be some restrictions, according to public opinion polls. States have sometimes been viewed as laboratories for democracy institutions most closely connected to the people where public policies are tested, take root and potentially spread. Writing for the Supreme Courts majority in its June 24 abortion decision, Justice Samuel Alito noted that 30 states had prohibited abortion when the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling short-circuited the democratic process, usurped lawmakers and imposed abortion rights nationwide. Our decision returns the issue of abortion to those legislative bodies, and it allows women on both sides of the abortion issue to seek to affect the legislative process by influencing public opinion, lobbying legislators, voting, and running for office, Alito wrote. Abortion already is an issue in Wisconsins gubernatorial and legislative elections. A recent Wisconsin poll showed a majority supported legal abortion in most or all cases. But a fight is brewing over an 1849 state law which had been unenforceable until Roe v. Wade was overruled that bans abortion except to save the life of the woman. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is backing a court challenge to overturn the law, enacted just a year after Wisconsin gained statehood. He also called a special legislative session in June to repeal it. But the Republican-led Assembly and Senate adjourned in a matter of seconds without taking action. Wisconsins legislative chambers had one of the nations strongest Republican advantages during the past decade and are projected to continue to do so under new districts in place for the 2022 elections, according to an analysis by PlanScore, a nonprofit that uses election data to rate the partisan tilt of legislative districts. Democracy is distorted in Wisconsin because of these maps, Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer said. In 2018, Democrats won every major statewide office, including governor and attorney general, races where gerrymandering isnt in play. But they have not been able to overcome heavily gerrymandered state legislative districts since Republicans won control of the statehouse during the midterm elections in 2010. If we had a truly democratic system in Wisconsin, we would be in a different situation, she said. We would be overturning this criminal abortion ban right now Republican state Rep. Donna Rozar, a former cardiac nurse who backs abortion restrictions, said gerrymandering shouldnt stop political parties from running good candidates to represent their districts. She expects a robust abortion debate during the campaign to carry into the 2023 legislative session. This is an issue that is so critical to come back to the states, because each state then can elect people that will represent their values. Rozar said. The 2010 midterms, two years after former President Barack Obama was elected, were a pivot point for control of statehouses across the country. Coming into that election, Democrats fully controlled 27 state legislatures and Republicans 14, with the rest split. But sweeping GOP victories put the party in charge of redistricting in many states. By 2015, after two elections under the new maps, Republicans fully controlled 30 legislatures and Democrats just 11. That Republican legislative advantage largely persisted through the 2020 elections, including in states that otherwise are narrowly divided between Democrats and Republicans, such as Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. In New Mexico, its Republicans who contend the Democratic-led Legislature has pushed beyond the will of many voters on abortion policies. The New Mexico House and Senate districts had a sizable pro-Democratic edge during the past decade that got even more pronounced after districts were redrawn based on the 2020 census, according to the PlanScore data. Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed legislation last year repealing a dormant 1969 law that banned most abortions. After Roe v. Wade was overruled, she signed an executive order making New Mexico a safe harbor for people seeking abortions. Unlike most states, New Mexico has no restrictions on late-term abortions. I dont think that the majority of New Mexicans support New Mexicos abortion policy at this time, Republican state Sen. Gay Kernan said. New Mexico is the late-term abortion capital of the United States, basically. The Republican nominee for governor, Mark Ronchetti, has proposed to ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest and when a womans life is at risk. But the legislative proposal has been described as dead on arrival by Democratic state Senate Whip Linda Lopez. Michigan could provide one of the biggest tests of representative government in the nations new abortion battle. Republicans drew Michigan legislative districts after the 2010 census and created such a sizable advantage for their party that it may have helped the GOP maintain control of the closely divided House, according to an Associated Press analysis. As in Wisconsin, Democrats in Michigan won the governors race and every other major statewide office in 2018 but could not overcome legislative districts tilted toward Republicans. The dynamics have changed for this years elections. The GOPs edge was cut in half under new legislative districts drawn by a voter-approved citizens redistricting commission, according to the PlanScore data. That could improve Democrats chances of winning a chamber and influencing abortion policy. Michigans Republican gubernatorial challengers generally support a 1931 state law temporarily placed on hold by a judge that bans abortions unless a womans health is at risk. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is running for reelection, wants to repeal that law. Republican state Rep. Steve Carra said lawmakers are looking to replace it with something that would be enforceable in the 21st century. Its more important to protect life than it is a womans right to choose to take that life, said Carra, who leads a coalition of 321 lawmakers from 35 states that had urged the Supreme Court to return abortion policy to the states. Unsure about their legislative prospects, abortion rights advocates are gathering signatures for a November ballot initiative that would create a state constitutional right to abortion, allowing its regulation only after fetal viability. Its the best shot that we have at securing abortion access, Democratic state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky said. I think if this is put in voters hands, they will want to see this ballot measure succeed. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 COPENHAGEN, Denmark A gunman who killed three people when he opened fire in a crowded shopping mall acted alone and apparently selected his victims at random, Danish police said Monday, all but ruling out that the attack was related to terrorism. Authorities filed preliminary charges of murder and attempted murder against a 22-year-old Danish man, who will be held for 24 days in a secure mental health facility while authorities investigate the crime, prosecutor Sren Harbo told reporters. After the custody hearing, defense lawyer Luise Hj said she agreed to have her client undergo a mental exam. She did not comment on the charges. Police have said the man was known to mental health service without elaborating. Police have not identified a motive for Sundays attack inside one of Scandinavias biggest shopping centers. The suspect, carrying a rifle and knife, was quickly arrested, and Copenhagen chief police inspector Sren Thomassen said the man also had access to another gun. He said the firearms were obtained illegally but gave no further details. It was the worst possible nightmare, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Monday, calling the attack unusually brutal. The three killed were a 17-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl, both Danes, and a 47-year-old Russian man, according to Thomassen. Four more people were hospitalized with gunshot wounds and were in critical but stable condition. In all, around two dozen people were hurt, most in the panicked stampede after the shots rang out at the Fields shopping center, on the outskirts of the Danish capital. Gun violence is relatively rare in Denmark. The last shooting on this scale was in February 2015, when a 22-year-old man was killed in a shootout with police after an attack in the capital that left two people dead and five police officers wounded. The suspect, who cannot be named by court order, was brought before a judge Monday in a packed courtroom to face three preliminary charges of murder and four of attempted murder. Thats a step short of formal charges but allow authorities to keep a person in custody during an investigation. When the court ruled that the hearing should be held behind close doors, the media were sent out. It wasnt immediately clear how the suspect pleaded. He will remain in custody until July 28, police said. While authorities have said there is no indication that anyone helped the man, Copenhagen police inspector Dannie Rise said the investigation would be complicated. We need to put together this jigsaw puzzle, Rise said. And it is huge. Earlier, Thomassen said police had discovered nothing so far that can substantiate that this is an act of terrorism. He has identified the man as an ethnic Dane, a phrase typically used to mean someone is white. Danish broadcaster TV2 published a grainy photo of the alleged gunman, a man wearing knee-length shorts, a vest or sleeveless shirt, and holding what appeared to be a rifle in his right hand. He seemed very violent and angry, eyewitness Mahdi Al-Wazni told TV2. He spoke to me and said it (the rifle) isnt real as I was filming him. He seemed very proud of what he was doing. Images from the scene showed people running out of the mall, where people laid flowers on Monday. Chassandra Stoltz, an 18-year-old student who was on her way to a Harry Styles concert that was scheduled for Sunday night nearby, described a stampede as the shots rang out. At first, she and her sister and father thought it was because someone had spotted Styles but she soon realized the panic, including a man who grabbed his child from a stroller in the chaos. People were guiding us towards the exit sign, and we ran up the roof and we were stuck there for a while and then people were panicking all over the place and people were crying, Stoltz said. The Styles concert was canceled due to the shooting. Sundays attack came about a week after a shooting in neighboring Norway, where police said a Norwegian man of Iranian origin opened fire during a LGBTQ festival, killing two and wounding more than 20. ___ This story has been updated to correct that there are fewer than 30 injured. ___ Ritter reported from Unterseen, Switzerland. POKROVSK, Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, one day after Ukrainian forces withdrew from their last remaining bulwark of resistance in the province. Russias Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in a televised meeting Monday that Russian forces had taken control of Luhansk, which together with the neighboring Donetsk province makes up Ukraines industrial heartland of Donbas. Shoigu told Putin that the operation was completed on Sunday after Russian troops overran the city of Lysychansk, the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in Luhansk. Putin, in turn, said that the military units that took part in active hostilities and achieved success, victory in Luhansk, should rest, increase their combat capabilities. Putins declaration came as Russian forces tried to press their offensive deeper into eastern Ukraine after the Ukrainian military confirmed that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk on Sunday. Luhansk governor Serhii Haidai said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had retreated from the city to avoid being surrounded. There was a risk of Lysychansk encirclement, Haidai told the Associated Press, adding that Ukrainian troops could have held on for a few more weeks but would have potentially paid too high a price. We managed to do centralized withdrawal and evacuate all injured, Haidai said. We took back all the equipment, so from this point withdrawal was organized well. The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian forces were now focusing their efforts on pushing toward the line of Siversk, Fedorivka and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, about half of which is controlled by Russia. The Russian army has also intensified its shelling of the key Ukrainian strongholds of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, deeper in Donetsk. On Sunday, six people, including a 9-year-old girl, were killed in the Russian shelling of Sloviansk and another 19 people were wounded, according to local authorities. Kramatorsk also came under fire on Sunday. An intelligence briefing Monday from the British Defense Ministry supported the Ukrainian militarys assessment, noting that Russian forces will now almost certainly switch to capturing Donetsk. The briefing said the conflict in Donbas has been grinding and attritional, and is unlikely to change in the coming weeks. While the Russian army has a massive advantage in firepower, military analysts say that it doesnt have any significant superiority in the number of troops. That means Moscow lacks resources for quick land gains and can only advance slowly, relying on heavy artillery and rocket barrages to soften Ukrainian defenses. Putin has made capturing the entire Donbas a key goal in his war in Ukraine, now in its fifth month. Moscow-backed separatists in Donbas have battled Ukrainian forces since 2014 when they declared independence from Kyiv after the Russian annexation of Ukraines Crimea. Russia formally recognized the self-proclaimed republics days before its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. Since failing to take Kyiv and other areas in Ukraines northeast early in the war, Russia has focused on Donbas, unleashing fierce shelling and engaging in house-to-house combat that devastated cities in the region. Russias invasion has also devastated Ukraines agricultural sector, disrupting supply chains of seed and fertilizer needed by Ukrainian farmers and blocking the export of grain, a key source of revenue for the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address, called for immediate economic aid to help the country rebuild even as fighting continues. The restoration of Ukraine is not only about what needs to be done later after our victory, but also about what needs to be done right now. And we must do this together with our partners, with the entire democratic world, he said. A significant part of the economy has been destroyed by hostilities and Russian strikes. Thousands of enterprises do not work. And this means a high need for jobs, to provide social benefits, despite the decrease in tax revenues, Zelenskyy said. In its Monday intelligence report, Britains defense ministry pointed to the Russian blockade of the key Ukrainian port of Odesa, which has severely restricted grain exports. They predicted that Ukraines agricultural exports would reach only 35% of the 2021 total this year as a result. As Moscow pushed its offensive across Ukraines east, areas in western Russia came under attack Sunday in a revival of sporadic apparent Ukrainian strikes across the border. The governor of the Belgorod region in Western Russia said fragments of an intercepted Ukrainian missile killed four people Sunday. In the Russian city of Kursk, two Ukrainian drones were shot down, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. In other developments: Ukrainian soldiers returning from the front lines in eastern Ukraines Donbas region where Russia is waging a fierce offensive describe life during what has turned into a grueling war of attrition as apocalyptic. Two Russian airplanes departed Bulgaria on Sunday with scores of Russian diplomatic staff and their families amid a mass expulsion that has sent tensions soaring between the historically close nations, a Russian diplomat said. ___ Associated Press journalists Inna Varenytsia, Maria Grazia Murru and Oleksandr Stashevskyi contributed to this report from Kyiv. ___ Follow APs coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. A gunman on a rooftop opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago on Monday, killing at least six people, wounding at least 30 and sending hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror, police said. Authorities said a man named as a person of interest in the shooting was taken into police custody Monday evening after an hourslong manhunt in and around Highland Park, an affluent community of about 30,000 on Chicagos north shore. The July 4 shooting was just the latest to shatter the rituals of American life. Schools, churches, grocery stores and now community parades have all become killing grounds in recent months. This time, the bloodshed came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together. It definitely hits a lot harder when its not only your hometown but its also right in front of you, resident Ron Tuazon said as he and a friend returned to the parade route Monday evening to retrieve chairs, blankets and a childs bike that he and his family abandoned when the shooting began. Its commonplace now, Tuazon said of what he called yet another American atrocity. We dont blink anymore. Until laws change, its going to be more of the same. The shooting occurred at a spot on the parade route where many residents had staked out prime viewing points early in the day for the annual celebration. Dozens of fired bullets sent hundreds of parade-goers some visibly bloodied fleeing. They left a trail of abandoned items that showed everyday life suddenly, violently disrupted: A half-eaten bag of potato chips; a box of chocolate cookies spilled onto the grass; a childs Chicago Cubs cap. Theres no safe place, said Highland Park resident Barbara Harte, 73, who had stayed away from the parade fearing a mass shooting, but later ventured from her home. Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen said a police officer pulled over Robert E. Crimo III about five miles north of the shooting scene, several hours after police released the mans photo and an image of his silver Honda Fit, and warned the public that he was likely armed and dangerous. Authorities initially said he was 22, but an FBI bulletin and Crimos social media said he was 21. Police declined to immediately identify Crimo as a suspect but said identifying him as a person of interest, sharing his name and other information publicly was a serious step. Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli said at a news conference several of the deceased victims died at the scene and one was taken to a hospital and died there. Police have not released details about the victims or wounded. Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said the five people killed at the parade were adults, but didnt have information on the sixth victim who was taken to a hospital and died there. One of those killed was a Mexican national, Roberto Velasco, Mexicos director for North American affairs, said on Twitter Monday. He said two other Mexicans were wounded. NorthShore University Health Center received 26 patients after the attack. All but one had gunshot wounds, said Dr. Brigham Temple, medical director of emergency preparedness. Their ages ranged from 8 to 85, and Temple estimated that four or five patients were children. Temple said 19 of them were treated and discharged. Others were transferred to other hospitals, while two patients, in stable condition, remained at the Highland Park hospital. It is devastating that a celebration of America was ripped apart by our uniquely American plague, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at a news conference. Im furious because it does not have to be this way while we celebrate the Fourth of July just once a year, mass shootings have become a weekly yes, weekly American tradition. The shooter opened fire around 10:15 a.m., when the parade was about three-quarters through, authorities said. Highland Park Police Commander Chris ONeill, the incident commander on scene, said the gunman apparently used a high-powered rifle to fire from a spot atop a commercial building where he was very difficult to see. He said the rifle was recovered at the scene. Police also found a ladder attached to the building. Very random, very intentional and a very sad day, Covelli said. President Joe Biden on Monday said he and first lady Jill Biden were shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day. Biden signed the widest-ranging gun violence bill passed by Congress in decades, a compromise that showed at once both progress on a long-intractable issue and the deep-seated partisan divide that persists. As a word of an arrest spread, residents who had hunkered in homes began venturing outside, some walking toward where the shooting occurred. Several people stood and stared at the scene, with abandoned picnic blankets, hundreds of lawn chairs and backpacks still where they were when the shooting began. Police believe there was only one shooter but warned that he should still be considered armed and dangerous. Several nearby cities canceled events including parades and fireworks, some of them noting that the Highland Park shooter was still at large. The Chicago White Sox also announced on Twitter that a planned post-game fireworks show is canceled due to the shooting. More than 100 law enforcement officers were called to the parade scene or dispatched to find the suspected shooter. More than a dozen police officers on Monday surrounded a home listed as an address for Crimo in Highland Park. Some officers held rifles as they fixed their eyes on the home. Police blockaded roads leading to the home in a tree-lined neighborhood near a golf course, allowing only select law enforcement cars through a tight outer perimeter. Crimo, who goes by the name Bobby, was an aspiring rapper with the stage name Awake the Rapper, posting on social media dozens videos and songs, some ominous and violent. In one animated video since taken down by YouTube, Crimo raps about armies walking in darkness as a drawing appears of a man pointing a rifle, a body on the ground and another figure with hands up in the distance. A later frame shows a close-up of a chest with blood pouring out and another of police cars arriving as the shooter holds his hands up. In another video, in which Crimo appears in a classroom wearing a black bicycle helmet, he says he is like a sleepwalker I know what I have to do, then adds, Everything has led up to this. Nothing can stop me, even myself. Crimos father, Bob, a longtime deli owner, ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Highland Park in 2019, calling himself a person for the people. Highland Park is a close-knit community of about 30,000 people located on the shores of Lake Michigan just north of Chicago, with mansions and sprawling lakeside estates that have long drawn the rich and sometimes famous, including NBA legend Michael Jordan, who lived in the city for years when he played for the Chicago Bulls. John Hughes filmed parts of several movies in the city, including Ferris Buellers Day Off, Sixteen Candles and Weird Science. Ominous signs of a joyous event suddenly turned to horror filled both sides of Central Avenue where the shooting occurred. Dozens of baby strollers some bearing American flags, abandoned childrens bikes and a helmet bedecked with images of Cinderella were left behind. Blankets, lawn chairs, coffees and water bottles were knocked over as people fled. Gina Troiani and her son were lined up with his daycare class ready to walk onto the parade route when she heard a loud sound that she believed was fireworks until she heard people yell about a shooter. In a video that Troiani shot on her phone, some of the kids are visibly startled at the loud noise, and they scramble to the side of the road as a siren wails nearby. We just start running in the opposite direction, she told The Associated Press. Her 5-year-old son was riding his bike decorated with red and blue curled ribbons. He and other children in the group held small American flags. The city said on its website that the festivities were to include a childrens bike and pet parade. Troiani said she pushed her sons bike, running through the neighborhood to get back to their car. It was just sort of chaos, she said. There were people that got separated from their families, looking for them. Others just dropped their wagons, grabbed their kids and started running. Debbie Glickman, a Highland Park resident, said she was on a parade float with coworkers and the group was preparing to turn onto the main route when she saw people running from the area. People started saying: Theres a shooter, theres a shooter, theres a shooter,' Glickman told the AP. So we just ran. We just ran. Its like mass chaos down there. She didnt hear any noises or see anyone who appeared to be injured. Im so freaked out, she said. Its just so sad. ___ Foody contributed from Chicago. Associated Press writers Mike Balsamo in New York, David Koenig in Dallas, Jeff Martin in Woodstock, Georgia, Fabiola Sanchez in Monterrey, Mexico, Jim Mustian in New Orleans, Bernard Condon in New York, and Martha Irvine and Mike Householder in Highland Park contributed reporting. Ahead of 75th year of Independence Day celebrations, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, one of Indias leading private life insurers, has rolled out #PlankToThank, the latest edition of its widely popular and participated, health initiative. For every #PlankToThank video or picture uploaded by participants on social media, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance will contribute towards a program aimed at facilitating entrepreneurship amongst ex-servicemen. The re-skilling program addresses the challenges of technical skills, access to capital and mentoring, when the ex-armed personnel initiate entrepreneurship post-retirement. The company would be monetarily contributing to the re-skilling program designed and implemented by iCreate India. Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Chandramohan Mehra, Chief Marketing Officer, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, said, The Plank initiative, now in its third edition, has now become a driver of Indias purposeful fitness movement. Coinciding the momentous occasion of Indias 75 Years of Independence, the initiative is an ultimate celebration through expression of gratitude for the real heroes of India. We are confident of a wide enthusiastic participation that captures the enormous respect and love Indian Armed Forces have amongst 1.4 Billion Indians. To promote good health and fitness, the company has been conducting the unique high-engaging Plank initiative since 2018, also contributing towards societal causes in association with relevant partners. The first edition, #36SecPlankChallenge, was linked to curing heart disorders amongst economically disadvantaged kids in collaboration with Hrudaya Foundation. The second edition, #PlankForIndia, supported the young Indian Olympians in association with OGQ. Below Deck Mediterranean season seven is available to stream and download on Hayu from July 12. Returning this season are Captain Sandy Yawn and season sixs fan favourite Mzi Zee Dempers (Deckhand). New crew members include Chief Stew Natasha Webb, Chef Dave White, Bosun Raygan Tyler, Stews Natalya Scudder and Kyle Viljoen and Deckhands Storm Smith and Jason Gaskell. This season, Captain Sandy brings 163-foot motor yacht Home to the pristine waters of Malta, one of the smallest and most historic archipelagos in the world. Different than previous charter seasons, Sandy is working with a complex hybrid vessel making it more unpredictable to navigate. To ensure smooth sailing this year, Sandy brings on a trio of new department heads, but when surprising friction in the galley intensifies between the Chief Stew and Chef, who came onto the boat as colleagues and friends, tension permeates through the entire boat. Meanwhile, the deck team faces an uphill battle when one crew member is unable to adapt to the high demands of Mediterranean superyachting, forcing others to pick up the slack. From difficult charter guests to roller-coaster boatmances and challenges with hierarchy on board, these yachties go to unthinkable lengths to survive the charter season. Meet the crew: As a renowned superyacht captain and mentor in the yachting industry, Captain Sandy is always looking to support crew members to reach their full potential. Returning to the Mediterranean, Captain Sandy is thrilled to start fresh with a new group of skilled yachties. Ambitious Chief Stew Natasha Webb is always ready to welcome charter guests with a charming smile and a craft cocktail. After serving as a Chief Stew on bigger vessels with more interior support, she must quickly acclimate to a smaller team. This season, she grapples with setting work-life boundaries, and after personal issues spill out in the department, she sees a lack of respect while others see chaos, bringing her to a decision point about the best path forward to be a strong leader. Born in the UK and with over seven years of experience as a Head Chef, Dave White prides himself on plating, flavour and presentation. He immediately impresses Captain Sandy and sets high expectations to serve food nothing short of exemplary the entire season. As he struggles to hold on to a shocking secret from his past, emotions bottle up putting his job on thin ice. Essex-born Raygan Tyler heads the deck team and excitedly joins as Captain Sandys second-ever female Bosun. She is over the moon to work with a female Captain after facing frustrations with gender equality in the yachting industry. As the first few charters get off to a rocky start, Raygan quickly finds that leading this deck crew on this type of unfamiliar superyacht is more challenging than anticipated. Born in Western Australia, Natalya Scudder has always been drawn to the water and brings her outgoing and can-do personality to the interior team. Whether she is entertaining the guests or setting stunning tablescapes, Natalya is dedicated to the job, but a steamy new romance proves to be a big distraction. Looking for perfection in every aspect of her life, she gets into conflict when she sees things falling apart around her. Originally from South Africa but currently residing in Miami, Kyle Viljoen is the life of any party and is ready to spice up the charter season. Previously serving as a Chief Stew on other yachts, Kyle brings a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry and has no problem confronting anyone if he is challenged. His innate savviness and determination to deliver excellent service has helped him handle the most difficult guests, but things become even more surprising when certain boundaries are crossed. While he hopes that working hard will lead to the perfect charter season, an astonishing twist threatens to derail everything. Returning to the Mediterranean with even more experience, Mzi Zee Dempers is happy to be out of quarantine and back on deck under Captain Sandys wing. Eager to develop further in his role as a deckhand, Zee quickly realizes working with this group of yachties may be harder than he thought and must decide what is most important: old friend allegiances or his career growth. Born and raised in South Africa, where he developed a childhood friendship with Mzi, Storm Smith spent most of his time outdoors at the beach either surfing or fishing. With an abundance of knowledge from his time on a handful of different boats, he must navigate the exceptionally high standards and demands of the yachting industry. When he finds himself in the middle of a new romance with a fellow yachtie, he struggles to figure out how to juggle work and play. Having left a career in commodity to become his own skipper on a sailboat, Jason Gaskell joins Home as his first experience working on a superyacht and finds that working with a supervisor and peers may be his biggest battle yet. Below Deck Mediterranean is produced by 51 Minds with Nadine Rajabi, Jill Goslicky, Mark Cronin, Wes Denton, Shane Maroufkhani, Tania Hamidi, Christian Sarabia and Zachary Klein serving as executive producers. Blink Digital, an award-winning digital agency, collaborated with Hyderabad-based Yashoda Hospitals Group to acquire a parcel of land and set up an experience zone in Decentraland a metaverse platform. Known for enabling brands to venture into the metaverse ecosystem, Blink Digital has enabled Yashoda Hospital to become the first-ever healthcare player to leverage the metaverse to allow users to interact with doctors. The campaign takes place as the Yashoda Group marks 30 years of service in the hospitality sector. Yashoda Hospitals has always been prompt in adapting to advanced technology and intends to offer healthcare services to people in the metaverse in the future. Blink Digital has created each component of the structure, allowing users to virtually experience and learn more about the hospital network and the services it offers. Amer Ahmad, Director of Technology at Blink Digital, said We are overjoyed to be associated with Yashoda hospitals in being India's first healthcare group in the Metaverse and look forward to working with them in their future campaigns. Looking at the growing demand for medical facilities, Blink Digital wanted to dive in and come up with an idea that would be comfortable for both doctors and patients. While the Yashoda team had a clear vision, we assisted them in bringing it into reality by giving it our personal touch. Dr. Abhinav Gorukanti, Director of Yashoda Hospitals Group said It has been a great journey with Blink Digital in setting up Yashoda in Decentraland, this is going to be our first step in creating our presence there. We have been the early adopters of digital everything from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0, the progress from centralized to decentralized is aligned with this vision. We plan to continue to expand and finance more in building our digital infrastructure to be future-ready. We believe the future will be driven by numerous technologies like the blockchain and Web 3.0, moving towards a decentralized ecosystem from centralized. Setting up our presence on decentraland will be our first step towards our efforts and acceptance of decentralized technology, which we plan to continue to upgrade and invest in making our digital infrastructure future-ready. Dr. Abhinav Gorukanti added. In a first for Indian gaming, DDB Mudras Game Responsibly campaign for BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA (BGMI) bagged the Bronze Lion at the Cannes Lions Awards 2022. Conceptualized by DDB Mudra, the first-of-its-kind campaign from KRAFTON, Inc. addressed issues of continuous gaming, while reinstating in-game safeguards introduced by BGMI. Widely recognized as the global benchmark for creative excellence, the Cannes Lions Awards celebrate creativity across disciplines with specialist awards. As a crowd-favourite game with over a 100 million registered users, DDB Mudra and KRAFTON, Inc.s campaign focused on building awareness amongst players to cultivate healthy gaming habits while promoting responsible gameplay. The slew of awards for this campaign began with a Grand Prix at Spikes Asia Awards, supported by two golds, a silver, and three bronzes. The film then went on to win a Gold and a Bronze Lotus at Adfest 2022, three golds and a silver at the ABBYs, a Graphite Pencil and three Wood Pencils at D&AD, seven Blue Elephants and ten Baby Elephants at Kyoorius. The icing on the cake came at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, wherein the film garnered four shortlists and bagged a Bronze Lion in the Film category. The campaign film employs the iconic gameplay sounds of BGMI as a metaphor for excessive gaming wherein the protagonist is shown mimicking the sounds incessantly. Humour is employed to drive home the features introduced by BGMI to combat continuous gaming, including OTP authentication for minors and limits on daily in-game spending. The film organically embeds the problem of over-gaming and its subsequent solution of parental control features into a relatable narrative that appeals to multiple audiences. Speaking on the films stellar performance at awards shows, Rahul Mathew, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Mudra Group said, Film isnt usually the medium that were known for as a country. So, to have a film that has been celebrated on every stage globally is quite an honor for all of us. This is a historic moment for us, and we are incredibly proud that our collaborative work with DDB Mudra has been so highly awarded. The campaign had a plethora of challenges to creatively spreading awareness about in-game safeguards, and bringing gamers, families, and friends on the same page. Here at KRAFTON, Inc., our efforts are focused on ensuring safe, and responsible gaming while prioritizing our gamers mental and physical wellbeing. The campaign was successful in reiterating BGMIs responsible gaming measure in a manner that resonates with multiple audiences. said, Minu Lee, Head of India Publishing, KRAFTON, Inc. The Game Responsibly campaign not only speaks to gamers but also brings their friends and parents into the conversation. By educating all three audiences, the campaign shows that there are simple solutions for an obsession that may otherwise have serious long-term effects. BGMI surpassed a 100M registrations recently as it celebrated its first anniversary One Day For Change is a key component of dentsu internationals social commitment. Stakeholders across geographies are all encouraged to step forward and commit their time and energy to effect the change, all on the same day. Fulfilling its commitment, dentsu India has celebrated the sixth edition of its annual volunteer initiative, One Day for Change (ODfC), across offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Pune, on July 1st. The day was themed around Zero Waste in a Sustainable World and aimed to build a better environment for the young and underprivileged children, including those with special needs. The event witnessed massive participation from over 250 employees who collectively contributed over 1000 hours to their local communities. Dentsu Indias Mumbai office, in association with NGO, Giftabled (an NGO working to build an inclusive society), created tactical and sensory games for visually impaired children. Whereas Gurugram & Pune offices visited NGOs to meet and educate our future generation about garbage segregation and repurposing plastic. And, dentsu Indias Bangalore office visited Devanahalli kere and conducted a cleaning drive. Commenting on the initiative, Divya Karani, Media CEO South Asia, dentsu said, Our superpower as dentsu is the ability to alter attitudes, shape behaviors, and motivate constructive actions. If we are to succeed in creating a net-zero, restorative, and inclusive world, it begins with us, today. All of us have the chance to make a difference, to rally together as a team on One Day for Change. In doing so, we are all giving a part of ourselves and that is simply invaluable! Duroflex has seen rapid growth in two years from Rs 500 crore in 2020, the company is today a Rs 1,000+ crore company. With this milestone, the company is now moving towards a Rs 2,000 crore sales plan by March 2025. In order to meet this demand, they have invested heavily in expanding the capacity of their mega foam and mattress manufacturing plant in Indore, which alone has exceeded Rs 500 crore exports this financial year. As a result, they are now the only company to have a fully owned export subsidiary manufacturing of latex and a full range of latex sleep solutions. Click here to attend DATAMATIXX 2022 Duroflex had set a goal of becoming a Rs 1,000 crore company by FY23, but crossed their target a year ahead of schedule. The company developed an aggressive multi-pronged growth strategy that doubled its turnover in just two years. This includes diversification into new business verticals, new product launches, venturing into e-commerce, and expanding their retail presence. In conversation with Adgully, Smita Murarka, Chief Marketing Officer, Duroflex, speaks at length about the performance of Duroflex company, how has consumer behaviour has changed during the pandemic, post-pandemic expansion plans, and much more. How has the sleep solutions industry performed in the past few years, and especially during the pandemic period? On a large scale, we were the ones who started calling it a sleep solution post-pandemic, because the knowledge around the importance of sleep has improved and a lot of our efforts went into that. Even through the pandemic, we spoke about how sleep builds immunity, and what is the way to analyse your sleep and look at the right products around it. So, Duroflex brand is one of the leading brands nationally. What we do is we make mattresses, but we dont make them based only on materials, we make them more based on consumer needs. Thats a solution, a foundation for somebodys good sleep and we have a wide range for that. In terms of the content, in terms of the kind of conversations we are making, it's more about understanding sleep, How it impacts your health, how it impacts your wellbeing, and therefore how you can invest your time, money and efforts to improve that, because ultimately it impacts your life. We are trying to put out a lot of information around that. We are also working on tech-enabled innovations and thinking in our products and services, on how we make sure that we understand the consumer a lot better and offer the right products. In terms of industry, more than 50% of this industry is unorganised, which is the sad part that till today, consumers are not aware of what is the reason for going in for a better branded product, what is the difference. More than 50% is unbranded and thats something that's reducing, with brands like us talking about the difference and the innovations we have in our products. Consumer awareness is something that is helping the divide between unbranded and branded reduce, however, it's still over 50%. So, we have a large role to play in converting that into a fully branded industry. In terms of our growth, we have grown over 70% last year and more than doubled our business in very difficult times. Our growth has been much above category and industry average as a brand. We have been one of the fastest-growing brands in the sleep solution industry. How do you put technology into sleep solutions? We have our entire innovation design centre, new product development centre, we have a lot of consumer data that comes in, where we analyse what is the kind of pleasure points, what is the kind of weight, what is the kind of needs that the consumers have and then we develop our products. Post developing our products, we get it tested by applying pressures on the products, by going through a lot of tests, so that we ensure that the product has life, and we also have a lot of automated manufacturing processes. All this is through technology, even the way we supply and sell to our consumers is through technology. So, we can reach out to our consumers in a much more advanced way vis-a-vis probably a lot of other players. We have also started researching and working on tech-enabled products, which will have tech within the product. So, thats something that we will launch soon. Technology, for us, is much beyond just product offering. It is across what we do and, therefore, we can make better products. The pandemic has brought in a shift in consumer behaviour and preferences. Have you noticed that in this category? Please share some of the trends that you have noticed. Pre-pandemic, the occasions to purchase were very limited it was either marriage or buying a new house, it was very much like a must-do kind of an activity. Post pandemic, our research shows that replacement is the biggest reason why somebody changes the mattress, where they actually want to replace the mattress because it's so bad. Beyond these four occasions, they want to replace it because they think their current mattress is not innovative enough, it does not have much thinking gone behind it, and it is something that does not relate to them anymore. Hence, there is awareness about what they are sleeping on, because eight hours is one-third of the time of your life, and also because work from home happened. Even in the post-pandemic period, most will try to do more work from home, which was not the trend earlier. Working from home has made people aware of what they are sitting on, what they are spending time on, and then they realise how bad their product actually is. That has really helped brands like ours, where it has been organic realisation. Then people start searching where we are giving all information, our social media is very active, our website is also very active, where we are giving meaningful information on why this is important. We also have our experience centres, which are very well designed, very well laid out, and where you can come and spend more than an hour in really understanding what's right for you versus going and buying a mattress in not such a great environment. Thus, we have really invested in experience centres across India. We are going to be more than a hundred stores by the end of this year and thats something post-pandemic. We were really the first brand to set up centres like these. How has the journey been from Rs 500 crore in 2020 to Rs 1,000+ crore in 2022, and you are now planning to reach Rs 2,000 crore by 2025? What are the factors driving this growth? It has been overwhelming and encouraging. We are taking in a bulk of the opportunity of consumers awareness about the right place and right time. It comes from having an extensive product range for really catering to different kinds of consumer needs vis-a-vis selling just one type of product. So, we were able to understand consumers and have a wider offering beyond mattresses. Product portfolio is one thing, we have gone beyond sleep and sleep accessories. We have also gone into comfort furniture offering as an extension, which include sofas, recliners, and beds. With this product expansion, we really own the sleep space as well as the comfort space. Along with product expansion, there is also national geographical expansion we were primarily a regional south brand, but today we are a leading online + offline, real omni brand in the category nationally. The whole geographical online expansion happened post-2020. We are also selling through D2C, which includes out website and our experience centres, which accounts for almost 30% of our business. All these avenues have been really what we have been able to scale and establish post-2020 and our efforts are only going to increase in that. We have already grown our exports and we are growing our exports much more. Today, we are exporting to the US and Europe, and have started to export to the Middle East. Exports also form a large part of our business. Most of the leading brands, in some way or the other, source from us. Thus, we are the OEM partners for a lot of brands as well in India and internationally. As a group, we have multiple divisions: there is Duroflex, the main brand and we have a B2B division that exports all these supplies to the rest of the country. We have an online brand, which is Sleepyhead, which is our Internet-first young brand. Thus, as a group we have been able to take the whole opportunity and scale it. With its values of Do More, Be More design at Lenskart has always been central to the way the brand is experienced. With its purpose to transform the way consumers see and experience their lives, the much-loved eyewear brand is consistently fusing design and functionality to create innovative products with a wide variety of choices for every consumer. Given its strong lifestyle position, Lenskart makes its debut at Paris Haute Couture Week in association with Rahul Mishra - one of Indias most celebrated fashion designers. Rahul will be showcasing his Couture Fall 2022 collection called Tree of Life on the 4th of July, 2022 in Paris. Over the years Lenskart has garnered recognition as one of the fastest-growing eyewear brands. In keeping with its inclusive vision to have eyewear for everybody, Lenskart aims to tap into an in-vogue audience to reframe eyewear from a functional product into one that is a form of personal expression. Lenskart aims to exhibit its versatile eyewear collection that is just as en-vogue as it is functional. Being an accessory suited for all occasions, Lenskart seamlessly transforms eyewear into an essential element of ones wardrobe. The association with one of the stalwarts of the Indian fashion industry, Rahul Mishra, takes the brands vision to a global platform. Being one of the first Indian designers to showcase at the Paris Fashion Week/Haute Couture Week, Mishra champions slow, state-of-the-art fashion with traditional Indian crafts and Lenskarts Do More, Be More spirit. Speaking on the collaboration, Sasha Chhetri, AVP, Marketing at Lenskart said, Were building Lenskart as the ultimate fashion destination for eyewear and are passionate about introducing design-led concepts and innovation that can deliver breakthrough products and experiences. Our collaboration with Rahul is strategized with this unified vision to be a one-of brand that bridges the world of eyewear, expression, and lifestyle. Rahul Mishra adds, Our the Tree of Life collection celebrates opulence with a strong palette of gold and black and focuses on high precision craftsmanship and construction has revolutionized and disrupted the eyewear market in India and gained a commendable footprint in the global landscape. They indeed make a great partner for collaboration. The Paris Haute Couture Show will be held on 4th July 2022. The audience will witness the coming together of two of Asias most distinguished names in fashion and accessories. Lenskart is ready to dive deeper into the fashion landscape through this significant collaboration. From bolder fashion statements as eyewear evolves from being a utilitarian product to one of self-expression. With truth, awareness and growth being their watchwords, News18 Gujarati believes in bringing to light stories and accomplishments that have the ability to script a bright future. Putting people and initiatives that are helping towards the development of the state on the pedestal for years, their latest Shreshtio Nu Sanman and Shaurya Sanman event was no different. The award ceremonies were held on June 18 at Gandhidham. Shreshtio Nu Sanman-Kutch praised those, who, by perseverance, enthusiasm, and hard work, have succeeded in their fields and have consistently worked towards improving society. These noteworthy personalities, from various social backgrounds which included businessmen, social activists, philanthropists, and so on, were honoured for their contributions. A total of 23 such great souls were honoured by Shri Harsh Sanghavi, State Home Minister of Gujarat, Dr. Nimaben Acharya, Speaker of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, and Shri Vinod Chawda, MP and General Secretary of the BJP-Gujarat, in the illustrious presence of over 200 audiences, present on the occasion. Followed by this felicitation, News18 Gujarati also expressed their gratitude and salute towards the heroes of our society, the brave policemen of Kutch by honouring and celebrating them with Shaurya Sanman. The three distinguished guests presented these awards to 18 policemen and policewomen. Eminent citizens of Gandhidham attended News18 Gujarati's Shaurya Sanman, which was sponsored by Salamati Security and Personnel Force Pvt. Ltd. While addressing the audience present at the event, Shri Harsh Sanghavi, State Home Minister of Gujarat, appreciated News18s efforts to celebrate the goodness in people and bravery of policemen. He also highlighted the significance role media plays in inspiring the society by introducing them to the real-life heroes. Ogilvy India has announced that effective July 1, 2022, Hirol Gandhi has taken over as President and Head of Office Mumbai and Kolkata. A postgraduate from NMIMS, Gandhi has been an Ogilvy ambassador for 22 years. He has championed many success stories across clients and in varied leadership roles in Ogilvy. A natural brand steward, Gandhi has championed stellar work across brands like Vodafone Idea, Cadbury, Parle, Bajaj Pulsar, Brook Bond Red Label and SBI Life Insurance, among others. A veteran of transformation, he drove new age work in Vodafone before any of us had started understanding the digital landscape. In the last 8 years, under his leadership, he transformed Vodafone Idea into one of the most mature integrated brands in the country. In his 18 months stint as the Managing Partner of Ogilvy Mumbai, Gandhi steered the Mumbai office through the challenging Covid times. As a man of action, he drove, both employee care and business growth in equal measure. VR Rajesh, Group President, Ogilvy India, commented, The next 3 years are the years of transformation for Ogilvy in India. Hirol is an extraordinary future focused leader who also has an astute sense of business. We need a champion like him to accelerate our journey into modernising our largest office. On his new role, Hirol Gandhi, President and Head of Office Mumbai and Kolkata, said, After having successfully partnered brands in their growth and transformation journey, this is an equally exciting and challenging opportunity chart the next chapter for Mumbai and Kolkata offices, and further accelerate the transformation agenda. I am really looking forward to my next phase at Ogilvy. Trinity Gaming India, an exclusive creator service provider for Facebook Gaming, aims to legitimise gaming and promote the interests of the Indian gamer ecosystem. Recently, the company organised a meet with the West Bengal Government in Kolkata and now the second leg of the event was carried out along with Elets as their Knowledge partner in Hyderabad with the Government of Telangana along, to discuss gaming careers and opportunities for the youth at the 2nd Partners Fan Meet & Greet Hyderabad 2022. A panel discussion was carried out between the government dignitaries, Trinity Gaming India, Facebook Gaming, and the fans. A closed-door conversation was held with the aim to assist aspiring gaming content creators on monetising their content through mentorship, enabling gamers and creators to build full-time careers in the field. The company has plans to approach other critical states across the country going forward so as to create a healthy and more engaging gaming ecosystem and community in conjunction with the states. The Hyderabad event saw chief guests and special government dignitaries, including Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary of Industries & Commerce (I&C) and Information Technology (IT), Government of Telangana, and Navin Mittal, Commissioner of Technical and Collegiate Education, Government of Telangana, as a part of the event. The event also witnessed gamers and fans engaging with the Facebook gaming partner sharing industry opportunities in the field. Gaming creators like Super Tuxon, Munna Bhai Gaming, Oi Gaming were also present at the event to share their journey with their fans and motivate gaming aspirants. Activities like mini-challenges and games, and fan meet and greet sessions among others, were also carried out. Naveen Mittal, Commissioner of Technical and Collegiate Education, Govt of Telangana, said, Gaming can be a big source of employment generation as well as economic generation in the state of Telangana. We believe that Hyderabad is the best place to hold a conclave like this. Through this national conclave, we can mutually discuss partnerships in terms of how we can encourage more manpower to go into the field of gaming and excite more students to be a part of the gaming industry to build their careers. I believe gaming can be a huge source of education, right from school to higher education there is no better way to learn than through gaming and this has been proved correct in numerous ways. Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary of Industries & Commerce (I&C) and Information Technology (IT), Govt of Telangana, said, Gaming has grown a lot in the last two years. We have always encouraged the gaming community to design new games and grow the industry. The roll-out of 5G gaming will be exciting and an entirely new experience for everyone. He further added, Hyderabad was one of the first cities in India to adapt to the metaverse and we see great benefit for the gaming community going ahead. Abhishek Aggarwal, Co-founder of Trinity Gaming, said, Trinity Gaming is keen to participate in the intensive growth of the gaming industry nationally. We hope that our meeting with the state dignitaries is successful and culminates positively for the future community of gamers. Shivam Rao, Co-founder of Trinity Gaming, added here, We believe that the success of this event will lead to a positive outcome that will encourage the gaming community. It will open doors for more opportunities for the youth to take up gaming as full-time careers and enable income streams for them going forward. Trinity Gaming India organised the first leg of this initiative in Kolkata recently, which saw government officials from West Bengal, Manoj Tiwary, Minister of State Department of Youth Services & Sports, and Randhir Kumar, IAS Secretary, Department of Information Technology & Electronics. Trinity Gaming India has been carrying out these activities with an aim to support and nurture the Indian gamer ecosystem, the enormous pool of gaming creators and works closely with the dignitaries with a keen interest to promote the future of gaming pan India. The company looks forward to guiding Indian gaming audiences to be a part of a healthy and competitive gaming community. Students of Whistling Woods International (WWI) are set to receive increased international exposure and academic opportunities as the institute announced its collaboration with yet another international academic partner, the University of Colorado Denvers (CU Denver) College of Arts and Media (CAM) in the USA. The filmmaking departments at both universities will work together to facilitate staff development, knowledge exchange, joint research, co-production, and cultural dialogues for their faculty and students. Speaking about the partnership, Rahul Puri, Head of Academics, WWI said, Since our inception, we have consciously instituted academic affiliations with centers of excellence across the world. This ensures that students have access to opportunities that will augment their careers. We are very happy to partner with CU Denvers College of Arts and Media (CAM) and believe the association will fuel intellectual discussions at an international level. Roma Sur, Faculty Lead, Bollywood Connections, CU Denver, said, "I am truly excited about this partnership between the film programme at CU Denver's College of Arts and Media (CAM) and Whistling Woods International (WWI), Mumbai. The two schools collaborated for the first time in 2019 when CAM students flew out to produce a short bilingual film in collaboration with their cohorts at WWI. This partnership will open up unlimited learning opportunities for students from both institutes and many cross-cultural narratives will be born in fiction and non-fiction cinema." This partnership is an addition to WWIs global expansion roster. The institute has previously collaborated with several international educational institutes across Australia, Europe, the UK, and the US such as Academia Costume & Moda, University of Bradford, University of the Arts London, DePaul University, Metfilm, Syracuse University, University of Greenwich, University of Melbourne (Victoria College of the Arts) to name a few. These alliances have resulted in international degree qualifications, student and faculty exchanges, short-term courses, workshops, joint film projects, and active study groups. Note: Below is a tragic American story of gun violence at the hands of a young male. Of interest to us is that the teen has been said to have autism by a neighbor, and one article in the Press Democrat has the following quote: Jalen Walls, 18, a neighbor who went to school with Brittany Kologi, told NJ.com that he frequently went to the Kologis house. He said their 16-year-old son required special assistance and was cared for by his mother. The teen did not attend the same public schools as his siblings, he said. But he was fully functional and comprehended what we were saying, Walls said. Many of us are intimately aware of the family violence that can take place when a loved one with autism rages. But shootings are in their own category of planning and a huge difference from punching walls or even people. I think the majority of us would argue that our kids with autism are kind hearted and not prone to vindictive rages. If medications were in use, could they have caused violent behavior? If medications had been stopped suddenly, could that have been a factor? Pharma must be held accountable for the "side effects" that wreak havoc on our society. Medtal illness is a scourge. This is as sad story no matter the circumstances. We're sorry. LONG BRANCH, N.J. A 16-year-old New Jersey boy armed with a semi-automatic rifle shot and killed his parents, sister and a family friend inside the home where they lived, authorities said Monday. Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni said the teen will be charged with four counts of murder and a weapons offense stemming from the shooting that occurred late Sunday night, less than 20 minutes before midnight on New Years Eve in the shore town of Long Branch. A possible motive for the shooting has not been disclosed. The rifle used in the shooting was legally registered to a resident of the house, Gramiccioni said. The teens name has not been disclosed, and it wasnt known Monday if hes retained an attorney. The victims were identified as the boys parents, Steven Kologi, 44, and Linda Kologi, 42; his 18-year-old sister, Brittany, and 70-year-old Mary Schultz, who lived with the family. Police responded to a 911 call of shots fired at the home just after 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Gramiccioni said. He described the shooting as an isolated domestic incident and said the teen was taken into custody without issue. The teens grandfather and brother were not targeted and left the home unharmed. Its a terribly tragic incident, Gramiccioni said. Read more here. Charges were expected to be filed later Monday, he said. The teen is expected to make an initial court appearance Tuesday, and prosecutors were considering whether they would seek to move the case to adult court. On July 4, 1776, newly minted Americans rejected tyranny, elevating liberty and individual freedom as the new nation's overarching principles. Current Democrat leaders whether you call them leftists, progressives, socialists, radicals, or Marxists are intent on undoing what happened 246 years ago. They know that the key to establishing and maintaining tyranny is control of information. Words such as "disinformation" and "misinformation" are powerful weapons, mightier than tanks, rockets, or nuclear bombs. The COVID pandemic, a fabricated existential threat, provides a recent demonstration of how information control can be used to reassert tyranny. Misinformation The epithet "misinformation" is defined as "false, inaccurate, or misleading information." Democrats use the word to indicate any information that questions or contradicts what we say. As progressive Democrats used the false COVID threat to take emergency powers and subvert the Bill of Rights, they deployed the designation "misinformation" to quash any suggestion that their COVID mandates were unscientific, destructive, and unconstitutional. Robert Malone, one of the architects of mRNA technology, tried to warn the public against mandating 330 million Americans to accept an experimental therapy the mRNA "jab" when there were no moderate- or long-term outcome data. When he disputed Washington mandates, his concerns were labeled misinformation, he was canceled, his writings were censored, and he was banned from Twitter. Jessica Rose, Ph.D., analyzed VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Effects Reporting System) data. She found undercounting and under-reporting of adverse side-effects from mRNA vaccination. After submitting for publication, the journal publisher, not peer reviewers, refused to publish her work. Democrats do not allow free speech. In October 2020, three eminent physicians, faculty members at Harvard, Stanford, and Oxford, published the Great Barrington Declaration, which proposed a public health approach to COVID that avoided lockdowns and universal vaccine mandates. In response, thenNIH director Francis Collins sent a tweet to Anthony Fauci calling the authors "fringe epidemiologists" and demanding "a quick and devastating public take-down of its premises." Washington could not tolerate such misinformation. To assure that the public was not exposed to dangerous, psychologically damaging reports, federal agencies such as the CDC and HHS (Health and Human Services) as well as the WHO (World Health Organization) issued formal rules against spreading so-called COVID misinformation. Disinformation Though the phrase "COVID disinformation" is never spoken aloud, Democrats emulate Soviets in Pravda ("Truth") and extensively deploy progressive disinformation: "false information deliberately and often covertly." Complicit mainstream media release Democrat truth without objective investigation or factual confirmation. Fauci's face mask disinformation quickly became an absolute requirement. Masking was required to go anywhere or do anything, even riding a bicycle! Yet study after study, even from the CDC, showed that masks do not protect against COVID infection. One report suggested that masks could actually promote infection with pathogens more dangerous than COVID. Washington implemented an unprecedented lockdown of the entire country, preventing Americans from going to work, attending school or church, or gathering in groups. Biden suppressed the Bill of Rights. With absolutely no medical or scientific evidence that quarantining healthy people would stop the pandemic, tyrant Biden imposed a complete lockdown: national solitary confinement. Biden and Fauci assured that the public lockdowns would save lives. This was disinformation they simply made it up. A 2022 study compared the effects of Democrat COVID mandates on mortality, economic consequences, and youth education. States like California and New York, which maintained masking, social distancing, and lockdowns, did much worse than states like Florida and West Virginia in all three categories. Following the mandates cost lives, money, and education of the children. This hard evidence strongly suggests that the Democrat COVID narrative was disinformation used to justify political tyranny. No accountability When individuals are free, they make choices. They are responsible as well as accountable. When tyrants rule, people are neither free nor responsible. Government makes choices and is responsible. More accurately, government bureaucracies make choices, and, theoretically, they are responsible. Since the responsibility is widely diffused in any bureaucracy, no one is accountable. The CDC imposed lockdowns. The FDA stopped physicians from using ivernectin. These decisions harmed the public. The CDC and FDA are huge bureaucracies where no one is considered responsible, and no one is held accountable. When Democrat narratives and mandates are shown to be disinformation, Democrats accept no responsibility, exhibit no contrition, and suffer no consequences. Actually, the last is not true. There is a consequence. The public no longer trusts them. Both the WHO and the medical journal Lancet recently announced that COVID originated as an accidental leak from the virology lab in Wuhan, China. Yet, in February 2020, WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spearheaded efforts to "combat the spread of rumors and misinformation" that suggested that China was complicit in the spread of COVID. In March 2020, the Lancet attacked anyone who raised the possibility that COVID came from the Chinese lab. Their recent announcement (admission) made no reference to their previous, false statements. They behave as though they are not accountable for their earlier disinformation. American tyranny? The spirit of 1776 gave every American freedom, the right to choose. "With freedom comes responsibility" (Eleanor Roosevelt), and with personal responsibility comes accountability. In the Marxist utopia of BLM and radical socialist progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, government chooses, not the individual. Washington decides where you live, what you eat, whether you travel, if you gather with others, money you have, what your child is taught in school, and your medical care. Most important, government chooses what you are allowed to see, hear, or read, and what is forbidden to you. Progressives used information control misinformation, disinformation, censorship, and canceling to acquire powers prohibited to them by the Constitution. The Bill of Rights, separation of powers, and checks and balances were woven into the fabric of the USA specifically to prevent government overreach and a restoration of tyranny such as Democrats are attempting. They used a false public health crisis as the excuse to suspend constitutional protections. Because their information control allowed the public to see and hear only what Democrats wanted us to see, Americans acceded to their quasi-martial law. But gradually, piece by piece, the truth of COVID came out. It was not a grave danger to the vast majority of Americans. Lockdowns were incorrect public health policy. mRNA vaccines were not safe, effective, or protective. Knowing that Democrat information control was used to reassert tyranny in the U.S., how should patriots respond? Re-establish the principles of the U.S. Constitution, using the two great powers that Americans possess: the ballot box and the wallet. Remove from office those who seek to tyrannize us. Ignore their words. Focus on what they actually did or are doing. Replace tyrants with individuals who have track records proving their support for our personal freedom and our Constitution. If you do not want CRT indoctrination and transgender sex education in kindergarten, replace your local school board officials. Just as Americans can direct their votes, they can direct spending. Expend dollars only with companies that share Americans values. Withdraw support from censors like Twitter, YouTube, Amazon, and Google. Unless you are woke, avoid Disney. Polls suggest that Americans no longer trust Democrats and will repudiate their tyranny in November 2022. However, Americans must be clear what they vote for, not merely what they vote against. Deane Waldman, M.D., MBA is professor emeritus of pediatrics, pathology, and decision science; former director of the Center for Healthcare Policy at Texas Public Policy Foundation; and author of the multi-award-winning book Curing the Cancer in U.S. Healthcare: StatesCare and Market-Based Medicine. Image: qimono via Pixabay, Pixabay License. JUBA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations humanitarian agency on Monday appealed for 400 million U.S. dollars to provide minimum humanitarian services to ease South Sudanese immediate needs amid multiple interconnected shocks. "We need urgent funds and are appealing to the world to remember the most vulnerable in South Sudan," Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan Sara Beysolow Nyanti said in a statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, stressing the humanitarian context in the country is daunting and is the worst that it has ever been. The UN official warned that if humanitarian needs are not addressed, these funding gaps will leave millions of the most vulnerable people at risk of losing access to vital humanitarian assistance and protection. Nyanti said protection of women and girls, food, nutrition, and shelter is needed, warning that the lack of safety and security will further deepen these risks. "The resources have dwindled, but lives should not," Nyanti said, noting that there are more than 2 million people displaced in South Sudan, and the absence of funding puts those in camps at risk to be left in critical need of water, sanitation and hygiene, and health services. The UN official says some 8.9 million people in South Sudan are estimated to need significant humanitarian assistance and protection in 2022. The humanitarian response plan requests 1.7 billion dollars to target 6.8 million people with life-saving assistance and protection services. The humanitarian response plan, however, is currently funded only at 27 percent. Nyanti said the funding gaps are across all humanitarian interventions in the country and severe consequences are likely if urgent financing is not secured. The UN agency warned that a lack of funding for nutrition support will immediately leave 127,000 children, and 115,000 pregnant or lactating women without vital treatment services. And an estimated 1.9 million people will not have access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene services without more funds. Question: Before Donald Trump, who was the last Republican president who didn't appoint at least one pro-choice Supreme Court justice? Answer: Herbert Hoover. This article will mainly be about how Donald Trump broke an almost-50-year trend of Republican leaders using and discarding their pro-life base. But first, let me briefly comment on a different issue that came to the fore early in Trump's presidency. Back in December of 2017, Donald Trump announced that the U.S. embassy in Israel would be moving to Jerusalem. This made a lot of people angry. The press and the political establishment condemned it as a hostile gesture that would make diplomacy with "Palestine" harder. The U.N. Security Council voted to denounce it. The Palestinians rioted. Trump went through with the move anyway, because to him, the thing that mattered most was that, during the 2016 election, he had promised that he would do it. Curiously enough, several previous presidents had all made the same promise during their presidential campaigns. But once in office, they never followed through. In the eyes of the establishment, this was a sign of caution, prudence, and maturity by not acting on their promise, these presidents were showing themselves to be above politics and all that. But I see things a bit differently. As I see it, if those men had told their voters that they were against moving the embassy to Jerusalem, and explained why, then they could have made a plausible claim to be motivated by caution, prudence, etc. But in my book, what they actually did fooling their base into thinking that they planned on doing something they did not really want to do isn't called "being prudent." It's just called "lying." Before Trump, most Republican politicians saw lying to their base or at least to a certain part of their base as a necessary and proper part of their job. Consider, for instance, this representative quote from Mac Stipanovich, chief of staff to Bob Martinez, the moderate Florida governor who later served in the first Bush administration: There was always an element of the Republican Party that was bats--- crazy. They had lots of different names they were John Birchers, they were 'movement conservatives,' they were the religious right. And we did what every other Republican candidate did: we exploited them. We got them to the polls. We talked about abortion. We promised and we did nothing. They could grumble, but their choices were limited. The tawdry history of how the pre-Trump Republican Party has used and discarded the religious right especially the pro-life movement is rather long. Even so, I think it's important for conservatives to know it, so I will do my best to summarize it. Prior to Trump, the last Republican president who did not appoint at least one pro-choice Supreme Court justice was Herbert Hoover, who left office in 1933. Hoover appointed three justices to the Supreme Court, but they had all retired or died by the time the next Republican president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, was elected in 1952. Eisenhower appointed five justices, two of whom William J. Brennan and Potter Stewart were still on the Court when it decided Roe v. Wade in 1973. Both voted with the liberals to create a constitutional right to abortion. Eisenhower, a general with no former political experience, was notoriously bad at choosing judges. He even admitted, in private, that some of his Supreme Court nominations were the worst mistakes he had ever made. Perhaps he can be forgiven for picking the justices that he did...but the rest of the country would still have to suffer for it. The next Republican president after Eisenhower was Richard Nixon, who took office in 1969. Nixon had run on a promise to appoint conservatives to the Supreme Court, and at first, he tried to do so. But after two of his nominees Clement Hainsworth and Harold Carswell were rejected by the Democratic Party-led Senate, Nixon gave up and started appointing judges of unknown character. Out of Nixon's four appointees to the Supreme Court, three of them voted with the majority in Roe v. Wade, including Harry Blackmun, who wrote the decision. Only one Nixon appointee, William Rehnquist, turned out to believe in interpreting the Constitution literally. After Nixon's resignation in 1974, Gerald Ford became president. Ford gave his one Supreme Court seat to John Paul Stevens, a liberal, as a gesture of goodwill toward the Democrats after the Watergate scandal. It had been a bad few decades for conservatives, and for everybody who believed in limited government and the rule of law. But a lot of conservatives thought their fortunes would soon improve, because in 1980, Ronald Reagan won the White House atop a large, vibrant coalition of conservative voters, many of whom were pro-lifers motivated chiefly by Reagan's promises to appoint originalist justices who were against Roe v. Wade. Nevertheless, within a year of his inauguration, Reagan chose Sandra Day O'Connor to fill his first Supreme Court vacancy. Many conservative leaders, like Jesse Helms and Phyllis Schlafly, had tried to warn Reagan against picking O'Connor, because several years earlier, when O'Connor was a member of the Arizona State Legislature, she had tried to get abortion decriminalized. Reagan insisted that this didn't matter, saying he knew that as a justice, O'Connor would be pro-life. The Republican Party, despite some initial grumbling, fell into line. O'Connor was confirmed without a dissenting vote, and once on the Court, she became a reliable supporter of abortion. A lot of moderate Republicans still thought Reagan had made a good choice. These were the people who believed that their party needed to "get with the times" on abortion and concentrate on things like tax cuts instead of wasting effort trying to protect unborn lives. Since nominating a liberal to the Court made it easier for Reagan to win Democrat support for the rest of his agenda, these people cheered him on. Reagan later tried to make up for what he had done by appointing two originalists, Antonin Scalia and Robert Bork, to the next two open court seats. But it was too little, too late. By the time Bork's nomination came around, the Democrats had retaken the Senate; they rejected Bork and forced Reagan to appoint a centrist, Anthony Kennedy, instead. Reagan's successor, George H.W. Bush, ran on the same promises that Reagan had. Then, once in office, he did pretty much the same thing. To avoid a confirmation fight, he gave his first Supreme Court appointment to David Souter, a man whose judicial philosophy was completely unknown. Even though Bush loudly proclaimed that Souter would be a conservative and even though the Republican Party fell into line behind this claim Souter ended up voting with the liberals nearly 100% of the time. Bush appointed an actual conservative, Clarence Thomas, to his second vacancy, but the damage was already done. Out of the six justices appointed by Republicans since Roe v. Wade was decided, only two Scalia and Thomas were pro-life, and the constitutional right to abortion remained in place. The next Republican president was George W. Bush. Like his father, he ran on a promise to appoint pro-life justices, and like his father, he wasted his first appointment, this time on John Roberts, whose liberal leanings were easily knowable from the fact that he had done pro bono work for the gay rights movement in the 1990s. (The problem here is that the gay movement's methods which involved undermining democracy by asking judges to create imaginary constitutional rights were unprincipled.) By the time that Donald Trump took office, only two pro-life justices remained: Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. Because Trump got only three vacancies, he needed to fill all of them with men and women of principle in order for his side to come out on top. This was a tall order, since no other Republican president had appointed more than one pro-life justice. And yet Trump pulled it off. The people in the donor class, and in the press, continued to look down on the pro-life movement, and to insist that it was irresponsible for Republicans to advance that movement's goals when they were in power. But unlike presidents Ford, Reagan, Bush Sr., and Bush Jr., Trump didn't listen to those people. He had made promises to his base, and he intended to keep them. Trump kept his promise to move the embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, even though the RINOs wailed and screeched. Trump also tried to keep his promise to build the border wall, but on that issue, his efforts sadly came up short, because he needed Congress to pass legislation that even most Republicans really, really didn't want passed. Fortunately, on judicial nominations, Trump had more freedom of action, and with the help of Mitch McConnell and the Federalist Society, he chose three pro-life judges in a row Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. So remember that the next time you hear anybody talking about how they wish we could all return to a time before Trumpistry made its mark on America. Remember that it is because of Donald Trump, and his unique level of respect for his base, that each state now has the right, if it so chooses, to enact laws protecting a baby's right to life. Twilight Patriot blogs at twilightpatriot.substack.com. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. There is a great deal of consternation in liberal precincts regarding the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. This is good. It is the right of every American to voice their grievances. Abortion is a contentious issue and worthy of debate. There are reasonable positions both sides may debate which will likely reverberate for years to come. Unfortunately, most of the noise from liberals isn't discussion the issue deserves, but a whirring, whining cacophony reminiscent of a fit a child might throw if told he can't do something he really...really...really wants to do. Jill Filipovic joined the cacophony, writing in the Guardian, "[T]he US Supreme Court should officially be understood a tool of minority rule over the majority, and as part of a far-right ideological and authoritarian takeover that must be snuffed out if we want American democracy to survive." Consider Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer's diatribe: "I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions." On June 22, a deranged man considered snuffing out Justice Kavanaugh and is awaiting trial for attempted murder. A near universal outcry from liberals contends that abortion is a "constitutional right." It is hard to see how the republic overcomes such radical mindsets and notions. Constitutional rights are not discovered in a judge's chamber in an epiphany of constitutional oversight. Rights are documented in the Constitution and its 27 amendments. Rights are conferred by convention and legislators, not in judgments or executive orders. There is no legal means for any court or judge of the United States to amend the Constitution to deliver rights to the American people. Many liberals were appalled when the Supreme Court ruled that gun-owners have a right to carry weapons in New York. State law required people applying for a license to provide "proper cause" to carry a gun. The majority, in a 6-3 opinion, ruled that the New York law "prevents law-abiding citizens with ordinary self-defense needs from exercising their right to keep and bear arms," a right granted by the Constitution. There is no mention of abortion in the Constitution. This doesn't mean that abortion is legal or illegal. Most legalities are not mentioned in the Constitution. Per the 10th Amendment, "the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved by it to the States, or to the people." The majority decision in Dobbs v. Jackson doesn't make abortion illegal; it sends the matter back to the states, where legislatures will write laws as the Constitution directs. If citizens are unhappy with state laws, they are welcome to elect legislators who will change them. This is democracy in action. Senator Elizabeth Warren echoes liberal elitists, saying, "This court has lost its legitimacy ... that means we need to add more Justices to the United States Supreme Court. ... We've done it before, we need to do it again." There is nothing illegitimate about the justices on the Supreme Court of the United States. Republicans and Democrats followed constitutional and legislative processes in selecting current Supreme Court justices. If Democrats believe that Republicans violated federal law in selecting judges, they should file suit in federal court and prove their case. Liberals have convinced themselves that Republican presidents who win the electoral vote while losing the popular vote are illegitimate. Ms. Filipovic notes in her article that five of the conservative judges sitting on the Supreme Court were "appointed by Presidents who lost the popular vote." America is a constitutional republic. Presidential elections are decided by the Electoral College. This is the only legal method of electing the president. A presidential election decided any other way would be illegitimate. What liberals are really saying is that conservatism is illegitimate. Liberals consider conservatism a bastard ideology, conceived illegitimately, existing to unravel democratic institutions so conservatives may invoke a fascist state. Conservatism must be "snuffed out" so democracy survives. Any strategy or tactic that avails liberals the slightest advantage or damages conservatives is endorsed. Ethics, morality, and the well-being of the American people are irrelevant. The ends justify the means. This is the pathetic ethos of liberalism today. Subscription to this ethos isn't enough; the body politic must be purged of conservatism. Schumer's threat is real. Conservatives have "released the whirlwind and ... will pay the price." To be "snuffed out" and "pay the price" is language of trepidation and violence. Biden's Department of Justice (DOJ) has determined that parents displaying raucous behavior at school board meetings are enemies of the state while senators and citizens that threaten and intimidate Supreme Court justices are patriotic Americans participating in democracy. Looting, arson, and anarchy are to liberal protesters what nirvana is to Buddhist monks. Liberals dominate the Executive and Legislative Branches of the federal government and many states. The federal bureaucracy is a cudgel used to benefit the liberal elite. Liberals dominate popular and news media. Corporations, increasingly leery of the bureaucratic cudgel, toe the line for liberals. Educators propagandize the country's youth with twisted liberal dogma. Conservatives are swimming upstream against a powerful liberal current to maintain their political, cultural, and commercial identity. The Constitution is an island rising above this powerful stream. Americans must embrace the Constitution and the laws that underlie it because liberals won't be bothered by the rule of law. When liberal elites consider judicial decisions illegitimate and remedy the undesirable decision by packing the court with friendly judges, the rule of law is meaningless. Conservatives are the bulwark of the republic, the last line of defense against a treacherous liberal ideology that seeks to dominate the body politic while destroying anyone that resists. The American people must elect politicians that will compete with this dangerous ideology, returning government to the people before the nation is swept away in a current of chaotic liberalism. Image via Pixy. What is one thing all around us that few see? Our history. Every street name, neighborhood plat, and winding trail is steeped with choices from the past whose meanings time has rendered invisible. Our towns and cities are carved with roads named after prominent historical figures now forgotten. Our hills, parks, and cemeteries honor many now unknown. It is a peculiar fact of life that we at once stand on the shoulders of our ancestors and often don't look down to honor those whose choices lift us up. G.K. Chesterton once remarked: "Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about." A modern Democrat might not take much from that wisdom other than the idea that more votes from dead Americans should be included in the next election. For American conservatives, however, Chesterton's words are a welcome reminder never to take for granted what may have been won at dear cost in the not-so-distant past. It is also true that, whereas a conservative in Britain may have a vested interest in protecting the traditions and institutions of aristocracy and monarchy, a conservative in America has a vested interest in the town hall, free speech, limited government, private property, and expansive personal liberty. When we look back at the figures from our past whose names still linger on our maps, freedom-minded Americans know that heroes came before us to remake the world these last two and a half centuries. With blood and courage and perseverance, America's ancestors sank deep into the rock of the new world a flag of stars and stripes attesting to their commitment to advance human liberty and promising their lives in the bargain for its preservation. What is this America of ours? It is a place soaked in the sacrifice of those yearning to be free. To...be...free. Just saying those words out loud connects us to our past. Think of all the Europeans fleeing religious persecution at home who ventured out into the open sea to reach an unknown land fraught with danger and uncertainty. Why did they put their lives in such peril if not to be free? Think of all the poor colonists and indentured servants who arrived on these shores with nothing of value to sustain them. Why did they take such huge leaps of faith if not to one day be free? Think of how daunting it would have been to stand up to a sea of redcoats from the finest army ever marshaled in defense of the most powerful empire the world had ever seen. Why did fourteen-year-old boys stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their fathers on open fields facing overwhelming odds if not for the ethereal yet intoxicating dream to be free? There are those in America who work to bring her down by tarnishing her past. In private committee meetings that have superseded democracy's town hall, they slyly erase the historical names from our maps, often replacing them with symbols of division or spite. They mock those who love freedom because freedom has been given to them cheaply. They twist the sacrifices of the past with endless lists of new grievances. They choose to see only the sins of slavery rather than the virtues of a Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution that laid the groundwork for slavery's eventual and glorious annihilation. They demean words such as "patriot" and "duty" and "conscience." And they stare at the past in judgment without ever taking the time to comprehend. Without any understanding of what came before them and without any acknowledgment of the profound struggles that made their lives possible today, they offend anyone who has ever lost another fighting the enduring fight just to be free. I will tell you now that these people will not last, because they are not made from hearty stock. Their blandness makes them suited for tranquil times, when the tepid find themselves "in charge." Though they be in charge, they do not lead. The courageous lead by taking charge, and when they do, the tepid retreat in wait for tranquility once again. Because freedom is never free, only the brave ante up when life and lives are on the line. That's the way it's always been. It is easy to get lost in the world today because so many Americans have stopped learning why the names on our maps were recorded for us to find. We are drowned, instead, with endless commentary promising the "end of America" or a "new world order" or the "Chinese century" or some such rubbish. Do not let your mind be fooled by the words of the weak and wicked. America can't end until freedom ends, and freedom won't end until the people first have their say. So many look around at the chaos today and assume all is lost. Allow me to repeat a secret once told to me: feeling afraid and unmoored means that the battle is beginning, not ending. If the war for freedom had already come and gone, you would know it because you would either be filled with elation or consumed with defeat. It is only in our dread that we realize the rumblings of conflict still lay ahead, when we feel the misery of uncertainty hollowing out what normally keeps us sturdy. Embrace that uneasiness; it means you know what's at stake is nothing less than the struggle to remain free. Whenever I overhear someone saying, "America is over," I am reminded of a story I once came across (whose source I can't now find, as it is buried in some stack of papers). The story goes that after America's War for Independence, a Philadelphia merchant was so certain that the new nation would eventually crumble that he forestalled any improvements on his business, not wanting to sink costs into anything that might lose value once the British returned. He was persistent in his belief for years, telling others they were crazy to risk their saved capital in any new ventures when everything was destined to be lost. During the immediate post-war years, the American economy was in shambles, and the pessimistic merchant felt very confident in his assertions. Then America's fortunes began to pick up, and still his once thriving business sat empty. Finally, when the War of 1812 had begun, he grabbed anybody who would listen and screamed, "I told you this new nation would never last." He died a pauper. To those who believe freedom will not last, have a little faith. Free America is not just some description from the past. It's a rallying cry. It's a promise passed down from one generation to the next. It's why so many Americans today have that queasy feeling in the pits of their stomachs. It's because the land of the free only survives as a home for the brave. And America is home to an embarrassingly large number of brave people. Should you need any reminders, take a hard look at all the names on your map. Happy Independence Day! Image: Pashi via Pixabay, Pixabay License. It is obvious to the meanest, but still honest, intelligence that Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Org., which returns the question of abortion to the states, in lieu of an imaginary constitutional right, is correctly decided. However, because people were focused on the opinion Justice Alito drafted, too few noticed that the Supreme Court's leftist justices (Breyer, Kagan, and Sotomayor) explicitly voided the entire Constitution, stating that it is an invalid document that cannot control either the federal government's structure or the American people's rights. In 1788, Congress ratified the Constitution; in 1791, it ratified the first ten amendments, which we now know as the Bill of Rights; and in 1868, it ratified the 14th Amendment, from which the leftist Supreme Court justices teased out the oxymoronic concept of "substantive due process." (The very nature of "process" is that it's not substantive.) In 1788 and 1791, democracy (either direct or via a republican process) was unknown in most of the world. To the extent that it existed in the West, it was confined to White men. The Founders, who thought long and hard about tyranny and individual liberty, came up with the best system they could think of to fight the former and protect the latter. In the modern era, we all benefit from this optimal system. The 14th Amendment moved the needle a bit by granting suffrage to Black men, but women remained outside the political system. What's important to remember when thinking about the Constitution is that its principles exist irrespective of specific rules. Think of it as the difference between navigating by instructions that tell you to "turn left" or "turn right" at specific intersections versus instructions that tell you to "head north" or "head south" at the same intersections. Under the first system, if you're facing the wrong way, you're lost. Under the second system, you will always know in which direction to travel. The same is true of constitutional principles. They don't spell out that this rule applies to men and this one does not apply to women or Asians. Instead, like the compass points, they are overarching ideas that always apply. But that's not how leftists see the Constitution. Rather than seeing those optimal, overarching principles of liberty, they see rules that must be folded, spindled, and mutilated to dole out the benefits of liberty to some while denying them to others. And that gets us to the Dobbs decision. As you already know, Alito said that, because a "right to abortion" was not "deeply rooted in [our] history and tradition," and is not essential to America's "scheme of ordered liberty," it does not fall within the Constitution's parameters of limited federal government. Therefore, it belongs to the states. The concept of "substantive due process" cannot override the Constitution as written. Image by Andrea Widburg by editing a photo of Gazans burning Mohammed bin Salman's image, by Tasnim News. CC BY 4.0. The dissenting justices (Breyer, Kagan, and Sotomayor), faced with the dismissal of the magic phrase that allowed them to "interpret" the Constitution in alignment with Democrat demands, were outraged. (These demands, incidentally, were usually the same ones that the people's voice, whether via the ballot box, Congress, or state legislatures, had already rejected.) Therefore, in a fit of pique, they wrote that the entire Constitution is invalid. Don't believe me? Read this, from the dissent: If the ratifiers did not understand something as central to freedom, then neither can we. Or said more particularly: If those people did not understand reproductive rights as part of the guarantee of liberty conferred in the Fourteenth Amendment, then those rights do not exist. As an initial matter, note a mistake in the just preceding sentence. We referred there to the "people" who ratified the Fourteenth Amendment: What rights did those "people" have in their heads at the time? But, of course, "people" did not ratify the Fourteenth Amendment. Men did. So it is perhaps not so surprising that the ratifiers were not perfectly attuned to the importance of reproductive rights for women's liberty, or for their capacity to participate as equal members of our Nation. Indeed, the ratifiers both in 1868 and when the original Constitution was approved in 1788 did not understand women as full members of the community embraced by the phrase "We the People." In other words, say the leftist justices, because only White men ratified the Constitution, which they view as a document of mere rules (and one can always cheat when rules are involved) rather than of universal principles, the Constitution is inapplicable to any people who are not White men. And once you say that, you have effectively voided the Constitution because a national document cannot be valid if, as the dissent says, its ratification was dishonest and incomplete. The same justices who swore to uphold the Constitution and whose job is to interpret it invalidated it. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently granted emergency authorization for the use of the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech shots in children under the age of five and as young as six months old. And it didn't take long for Sesame Street to begin helping the giant pharmaceutical companies and the government promote the problematic COVID-19 vaccines. Elmo the children show's beloved three-year-old red Muppet character "receives" a COVID-19 vaccine in a new public service announcement recently released by Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street. (No needles were shown, of course.) In the brief video, Elmo's Muppet dad Louie says, "I had a lot of questions about Elmo getting the COVID vaccine. Was it safe? Was it the right decision? I learned that Elmo getting vaccinated is the best way to keep himself, our friends, neighbors and everyone else healthy and enjoying the things they love." All right, Louie, now tell us the one about the three bears. Indoctrination is never pretty even less so when being attempted by Muppets. And I'm sure Louie didn't learn about the vaccine manufacturers' record profits, their staggering donations to congressmen and influencers, or the astounding number of adverse reactions and deaths that the vaccines have allegedly caused. So, what's next? Is Big Bird going to protest the SCOTUS decision to reverse Roe v. Wade? Will Bert and Ernie be Queen and Queen of next year's New York City Gay Pride Parade? Will Kermit and Miss Piggy come out in favor of polyamory? Are Micky and Goofy going to lobby for the "clear constitutional right" to engage in bestiality? Are Barbie and Ken going to boldly come out in favor of the "basic human right" to have sex with children? Or perhaps Micky and Goofy will come out in favor of the "basic human right" to have sex with children, and Barbie and Ken will lobby for the "clear constitutional right" to engage in bestiality. In truth, this is more than Mickey Mouse. It is worse than Goofy. It is part and parcel of an immensely broad and deep attempt to brainwash and pacify the American people into accepting whatever their rulers and experts tell them to accept. Would there were a vaccine that could protect us against groupthink, newspeak, temerity...and tyranny. Image: Screen shot from Sesame Street video posted on YouTube. As Colombia prepares to inaugurate a communist leader who's "worse than Chavez," as former president Alvaro Uribe put it, things aren't exactly tranquil in next-door socialist hellhole Venezuela. Here's the news from that dump: Colombia's President Ivan Duque suggested on Saturday that FARC dissident leader "Ivan Marquez" was killed in Venezuela. In a tweet, Duque said that military intelligence was "verifying" whether the former political chief of the now-defunct guerrilla group FARC was killed in the neighboring country. Marquez founded the "Segunda Marquetalia" group in 2019 after abandoning the ongoing peace process with two dozen of his former subordinates. The group previously confirmed that three other founding members of the guerrilla group were killed in Venezuela. Who was Marquez? Why should we care? Well, he was one of the media darlings who negotiated the FARC peace treaty with post-Uribe Colombia through the good offices of Fidel Castro, the treaty that was resolutely rejected by the Colombian voters in a referendum shortly before election of President Trump and ignored by authorities. After that, Marquez, a hard-faced thug who was a top FARC leader, got himself a congressional seat, free press, and other unearned goodies in exchange for "peace," which was horrible stuff, given his record of terrorism and crime against the country over the course of decades. It would be like giving Osama bin Laden a congressional seat here in exchange for an agreement from him to be nice to us. Marquez whooped it up with Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez; Gustavo Petro, the newly elected communist president of Colombia, who himself was a former narco-terrorist; and the mainstream media as the new face of "peace." Of course it didn't work. Marquez soon returned to terrorism and drug-dealing as a leader of FARC dissidents, taking haven in FARC's favorite safe-haven hideout, Chavista Venezuela. It didn't work out very well for him. The thug was apparently rubbed out by other drug dealers. Seems that's the kind of place Venezuela has become a narco-state so revolting that the drug-dealers are in open war with one other because the spoils are so big. Many of these drug-dealers are either allied or actually in Venezuela's military, and some of the Venezuelan generals have been identified as actual cartel leaders. Venezuela experts Pedro M. Burelli and Ambassador Michael Skol had some stellar insights on what a sump of drug corruption a veritable narco-state Venezuela has descended into. I wrote about their presentation here. One of them noted, "The more (the U.S. foreign policy establishment) learned about Venezuela and its impossible ingrained drugs-and-oil-and-gangs-and-tainted-military corruption situation, the more people wanted 'to run away from it.'" Well, what a lovely place. The kindest thing that can be said about Marquez is that he won't be missed. Why should we care? Because it demonstrates the extent to which Venezuela has become a violent narco-state now that Joe Biden is irrelevant and crazed leftists are being elected across the region. Venezuela is a top exporter of illegal aliens through the region and now into the U.S., and drugs are significantly interwoven with this dynamic. As migrants surge across the border, you can bet that some among them are drug-dealers setting up shop here. There might be stepped up drug-dealer warfare in Venezuela now that Colombia's still-there FARC terrorists and the Venezuelan military duke it out in a quest for absolute power. It goes to show that peace treaties with FARC are all garbage, and the only solution for people of this kind is total military defeat. Marquez should not have been blown away by fellow drug-dealers, but by the Colombian military acting in concert with its allies in Latin America. Nobody wanted to do anything like that, though. That FARC peace treaty brought no peace in either Colombia or Venezuela; it just brought new rounds of thuggery. Now we see a big rubout. There will be plenty more violence and migrant exoduses to come from it. Image: Wikipedia, public domain. Last Thursday, the Supreme Court announced that it would not be hearing a case challenging New York's vaccine mandate. The petition was filed by health care workers in 2021. Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Samuel Alito released a dissenting opinion. Thomas wrote the following: Petitioners are 16 healthcare workers who served New York communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They object on religious grounds to all available COVID19 vaccines because they were developed using cell lines derived from aborted children. It is obvious that Thomas was referring to the perspective of the objecting health care workers and not his own. Thomas could have been more explicit about referring to the beliefs of the health care workers and could have worded his statement as follows: "They object on religious grounds to all available COVID-19 vaccines because of their belief that they were developed using cell lines derived from aborted children." News outlets such as Axios, NBC News, MSNBC, and Politico deceptively attributed the beliefs to Thomas instead of the health care workers. Clarence Thomas suggests COVID vaccines are made with "aborted children" https://t.co/hHHG33qtQb Axios (@axios) June 30, 2022 Axios provocatively headlined its piece "Clarence Thomas suggests COVID vaccines are made with 'aborted children.'" The headline was amended to "Clarence Thomas suggests COVID vaccines are created with cells from 'aborted children." The Axios piece added an editor's note: "The headline and lead of this story have been updated to note Thomas was referencing cells of 'aborted children' in his dissent." The article began with a lie: "Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas wrote Thursday in a dissenting opinion that coronavirus vaccines were developed using cells from 'aborted children.'" The article proceeds to provide the details about the petition. However, there was no unambiguous mention that the religious beliefs were that of the health care workers and not Justice Thomas. Clarence is such a theocrat. It's the basis of his profound "Own the Libs" judicial philosophy. https://t.co/xoA1udcdwv Christopher Knight (@KnightLAT) July 1, 2022 The next was NBC News. NBC's headline was "Justice Thomas cites debunked claim that Covid vaccines are made with cells from 'aborted children.'" The word "debunked" was eventually removed from the headline, with no editors providing their reasoning. Justice Thomas cites debunked claim that Covid vaccines are made with cells from 'aborted children' https://t.co/o4lB6oRioa via @nbcnews Adam Edelman (@abedelman) June 30, 2022 Their article began with the claim that Thomas supported a misleading claim that all COVID-19 vaccines were made with cells from "aborted children." The third paragraph clarified that "Thomas, citing the plaintiffs, wrote that the healthcare workers 'object' to the state's vaccine mandate "on religious grounds to all available COVID-19 vaccines because they were developed using cell lines derived from aborted children." Social media, of course, were glad to parrot and spread the lie: Several GOP members of the Supreme Court have gone full MAGA. They are detached from truth and reality. Clarence Thomas just wrote that Covid vaccines are developed from aborted children.https://t.co/Oh64L9lcMg Michael J. Stern (@MichaelJStern1) June 30, 2022 This week, Clarence Thomas expressed support for a debunked claim that all COVID vaccines are made with cells from "aborted children." https://t.co/euL5J3HMfZ Benji, Virgos Finest. (@gntlmnking) July 3, 2022 The next was MSNBC. MSNBC's Steve Benen based his column on the NBC report. "Clarence Thomas cites misleading claim about Covid vaccines" stated the following: The Supreme Court's standing as a credible and respected institution has already suffered greatly. The more justices cite misleading claims, the more it further tarnishes the court's reputation. ...and... Pfizer and Moderna used fetal cell lines early in their Covid vaccine development to test the efficacy of their formulas, as other vaccines have in the past. The fetal tissue used in these processes came from elective abortions that happened decades ago. But the cells have since replicated many times, so none of the original tissue is involved in the making of modern vaccines. The MSNBC piece issued an update: "This post has been edited for clarity and accuracy." Finally, there was Politico. Politico's article was headlined "Clarence Thomas suggests Covid vaccines are developed using cells of 'aborted children.'" The headline was amended to "Clarence Thomas cites claim that Covid vaccines are 'developed using cell lines derived from aborted children.'" Politico was the only among the outlets to issue an explicit correction that reads as follows: An earlier version of this report misattributed the claim that Covid-19 vaccines were 'developed using cell lines derived from aborted children' to Thomas. The headline and article have been updated to directly state that Thomas was referencing petitioners' claims. For the record: This corrects an earlier deleted tweet that misattributed the claim that Covid vaccines were developed using cell lines derived from aborted children to Thomas. The story and this post were updated to directly state that he was referencing petitioners claims. POLITICO (@politico) July 1, 2022 So did these edits and corrections help? The amendments to the headlines and the texts of the articles were meaningless because the articles were rooted in falsehoods. The only apt remedial action was for the headline and body to be replaced by a plainly worded correction reflecting the facts. But that didn't happen. The amended article still leads readers to believe a total untruth. Also, social media posts continue to reflect the earlier incorrect version of the articles. The lie traveled around the world and back again while the truth was lacing up its boots, as the saying goes. Perhaps that was the goal to begin with. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the conservative Supreme Court justices have become targets of the left. The "protester" wing has been deployed to "demonstrate" and shout threatening obscenities before the homes of the conservative justices. The media assassins have been tasked with smearing conservative justices and undermining the credibility of the Supreme Court. Caricature by DonkeyHotey via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. Google has agreed to pay $90 million to settle a class action lawsuit against its Play Store policies. The lawsuit alleged that the company stifled competition by forcing Android developers to use its billing system. On top of that, it charged exorbitant fees for transactions. These policies helped the Android maker strengthen its monopoly, while simultaneously impacting developers revenue. A group of Android developers in the US legally challenged these Play Store policies citing violation of federal antitrust laws. They will now receive compensation from Google. Until July last year, Google took a 30 percent cut from every dollar Android developers made from apps distributed through Play Store. Worse yet, developers couldnt opt for a third-party billing system. They must use the Android makers billing system and pay it a hefty chunk of their revenue. For small developers, this money could be critical for their growth. To that end, Google last year revamped its commission structure to half the revenue cut to 15 percent for the first $1 million revenue a developer generates in a year. This applies to every developer regardless of their size or how much money they make from Android apps. The 30 percent revenue cut will only apply after they have crossed $1 million in revenue for the year. The new policy will remain effective until at least May 25, 2025. Advertisement However, the change came too late as a lawsuit was already filed against it. Perhaps Google has conceded that it made the change in response to this suit. Nonetheless, the case was pending in the US District Court for the Northern District of California but the company has decided to settle it out of court. It will pay a total of $90 million as compensation to developers. This settlement will allow both parties to move forward and avoid years of uncertain and distracting litigation, Google said in a blog post. 48,000 Android developers will receive this compensation from Google Law firm Hagens Berman had filed this class action lawsuit against Google on behalf of 48,000 US Android developers. According to the firms press release, almost every (99 percent) US-based Android developer fits the definition of this class action Google Play earnings of $2 million or less from August 17, 2016, to December 31, 2021. The compensation each developer would receive varies depending on multiple factors. Some developers would receive more than $200,000 while others may have to settle for $250. Advertisement As part of this settlement, Google will also create a separate section on the US homepage of the Play Store to highlight apps from independent and small startup developers. This section is called the Indie Apps Corner. The company will further allow developers to use contact information obtained from within the app to communicate with users out-of-app. Moreover, Google has committed to allowing auto updates from third-party Android app stores for at least three more years. The company first rolled out this change on Android 12 last year, possibly in response to this lawsuit. Last but not least, Google will publish an annual report containing meaningful data regarding the operation of the Play Store. The report will include stats and information on app removals, account terminations, user interactions, and more to help developers make strategic decisions for their products. Advertisement We are excited to see the effects of this settlement, said Steve W. Berman, co-founder of Hagens Berman and the attorney representing Android developers. With this settlement, developers will have more room to grow and more money in their pockets to promote their hard efforts. Hagens Berman had secured a $100 million settlement from Apple on similar claims last year. The iPhone maker is also known for identical monopolistic App Store policies. TikTok finally confirmed that it has allowed some of its China-based employees to access the US user data, Bloomberg reports. TikTok is again at the top of the news for its data practices. A few weeks ago, some US senators accused TikTok of sending US user data abroad and allowing China-based employees to access the data from American users. The parent company ByteDance first denied the news, saying theyre not sending any data abroad. However, now the company has officially confirmed a backdoor to the US user data. Besides clarifying the level of access, US senators wanted to know the role of these employees in shaping TikToks algorithm and whether any data of US users is shared with the Chinese government. Following the raising concerns, FTC asked Google and Apple to remove TikTok from their app stores. Advertisement TikTok confirmed it allowed China-based employees to access US user data On June 30, TikTok Chief Executive Officer Shou Zi Chew wrote a letter to concerned senators to clarify the companys data-sharing practices. In that letter, he confirmed that some China-based employees could access certain information on TikToks US users. The information includes public videos and comments. Also, Chew said the company is not sharing the data with the Chinese government and is subject to robust cybersecurity controls. The Chinese video-sharing app said its collaborating with the US government to enhance the data security around that information. Protecting the data defined as protected by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) is also a priority for the company. Advertisement TikToks response confirms our fears about the CCPs influence in the company were well-founded, Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn told Bloomberg. The Chinese-run company should have come clean from the start, but it attempted to shroud its work in secrecy. Americans need to know if they are on TikTok, Communist China has their information. TikTok has launched a new plan called Project Texas to address the security concerns of US officials. As a part of this project, TikTok forms a partnership with Oracle to store the US users data within the country. This means the app will use domestic data centers for deploying the app and the algorithm. As some of you already know, Xiaomi will announce its new flagship smartphones today. The Xiaomi 12S series is coming, and you can watch the launch event live, if you want. Xiaomi will livestream the event, even though this is a China launch. You can watch the Xiaomi 12S launch event live, via YouTube The event will kick off at 7 PM Beijing time (GMT+8), which translates to 1 PM CET, Noon BST, 7 AM EST, and 4 AM PST. Xiaomi will livestream the event globally via its official YouTube channel, we expect this event to be in Chinese, with included subtitles. Three smartphones are expected to make an appearance, the Xiaomi 12S, 12S Pro, and 12S Ultra. All three phones will include Leica branding and the companys lenses, as Xiaomi partnered up with Leica a while back. Advertisement Leica will not only provide its lenses for the phones, but the company also did some camera tuning, of course. Whats also interesting is the fact that the Xiaomi 12S Ultra will include a beasty main camera sensor. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra will include a beastly Sony IMX989 camera sensor The phone is coming with the Sony IMX989 camera sensor. That is the first 1-inch camera sensor made specifically for phones, and on paper, it looks excellent, to say the least. It comes with huge pixels, and a lot more. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is said to fuel all three phones, thus providing better performance, power consumption, and thermals than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. This chip is made by TSMC, and was announced quite recently. Advertisement All three phones will be quite compelling, but the Xiaomi 12S Ultra will stand out both by its cameras, and the overall design. That phone will be huge, and have a huge circular camera island on the back. The Xiaomi 12S will be the most compact among these phones, as its expected to include a 6.28-inch display. Well know a lot more later today, when the phones get announced. You can watch the press event via the link below. 27 missing after floating crane sinks in south China Xinhua) 10:10, July 04, 2022 GUANGZHOU, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-seven people were missing after a floating crane sank in waters off the coast of south China's Guangdong Province on Saturday morning, according to the provincial maritime search and rescue center Sunday. As of 12 p.m. Sunday, 38 rescue vessels had been dispatched and rescue aircraft made 14 trips to search for the missing people, covering an area of 700 square nautical miles where waves were three to four meters high. At 3:50 a.m. Saturday, the floating crane of an offshore wind farm project was found via monitoring system to be in danger after its mooring chain broke while it was taking shelter from typhoon Chaba in waters near the city of Yangjiang. The floating crane sank later. Three people were rescued at about 12 p.m. Saturday and 27 others fell into water and were missing, according to the provincial maritime search and rescue center. Chaba, the third typhoon of the year, made landfall in the coastal area of Maoming City, Guangdong, at around 3 p.m. Saturday. Search and rescue efforts are still underway. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji) Photo taken on July 3, 2022 shows light rail transit (LRT) trains at a depot in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) CAIRO, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi took the first ride of the LRT at its inauguration ceremony, which was also attended by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang. The LRT project is the fruit of a 1.24-billion-U.S. dollar contract signed in August 2017 between Egypt's National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) and the consortium of China Railway Engineering Corporation and AVIC International Holding Corporation (CREC-AVIC INTL Consortium). The rail project connects the New Administrative Capital (NAC) being constructed east of Cairo with surrounding distant new cities and districts including El-Salam City, 10th of Ramadan City, El-Obour City, Badr City and El-Shorouk City. Egyptian Transport Minister Kamel el-Wazir said the first phase of the LRT contains 22 trains and will serve 360,000 passengers daily. The 12-station alignment of the LRT starts from the huge Adly Mansour central station, a transportation hub east of Cairo, and ends at the NAC, including seven bridges, three tunnels, two substations and one depot. The LRT project is divided into several phases, covering a total distance of about 103 kilometers with 19 stations. The current phase that is being inaugurated today covers a distance of about 70 kilometers with 12 stations. The future phases would include a south extension that covers a distance of around 18.5 kilometers with four stations and a north extension that covers about 16 kilometers with three stations, the transport minister pointed out. Around 20 Egyptian and 15 Chinese companies took part in the execution of the project, according to the minister. "The project was financed by China, adopted Chinese technology and equipment, and was jointly implemented by Chinese and Egyptian enterprises," Liao said, adding that all participants worked hard to keep the progress of construction while fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chinese enterprises also provided training for young Egyptian technicians to support the construction and maintenance of the project, Liao added. Mohamed Nosir, who was behind the wheel in the trial run, used to train at Nanjing Vocational Institute of Railway Technology in 2018. "Many friends always asked me when they could take this rail to work. They are looking forward to its opening," Nosir told Xinhua. "The light rail is very comfortable and stable, and the speed is faster than the subway." Hassan Mahdy, professor of transport and roads at Cairo-based Ain Shams University, said that the LRT is very important as it links the new cities east of Cairo, including the NAC, with all districts of Greater Cairo. He added that "the project is also a nucleus for further Egyptian-Chinese projects in the transportation industry and the localization of transportation technology in Egypt. "It is positive for both sides, as it's a required service in Egypt and I believe the Chinese side is keen to transfer its relevant technologies and to expand the market for its transportation products. So, it's a win-win project," the Egyptian professor told Xinhua. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi (R) takes a ride of the light rail transit (LRT) train in Cairo, Egypt, on July 3, 2022. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi took the first ride of the LRT at its inauguration ceremony, which was also attended by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang. (Egyptian Presidency/Handout via Xinhua) Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi (1st R) and Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly (2nd R) take a ride of the light rail transit (LRT) train in Cairo, Egypt, on July 3, 2022. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi took the first ride of the LRT at its inauguration ceremony, which was also attended by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang. (Egyptian Presidency/Handout via Xinhua) Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi (R, Front) tours the light rail transit (LRT) train in Cairo, Egypt, on July 3, 2022. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi took the first ride of the LRT at its inauguration ceremony, which was also attended by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang. (Egyptian Presidency/Handout via Xinhua) Photo taken on July 3, 2022 shows an entrance of the Adly Mansour station, a starting station of the light rail transit (LRT), in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) Photo taken on July 3, 2022 shows the interior of a light rail transit (LRT) train during a trial running in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Photo taken on July 3, 2022 shows the interior of the Adly Mansour station, a starting station of the light rail transit (LRT), in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) A light rail transit (LRT) train is seen during a trial running in east of Cairo, Egypt, on July 3, 2022. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) A light rail transit (LRT) train is seen during a trial running in east of Cairo, Egypt, on July 3, 2022. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Photo taken on July 3, 2022 shows the interior of the Adly Mansour station, a starting station of the light rail transit (LRT), in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) A light rail transit (LRT) train is seen during a trial running in east of Cairo, Egypt, on July 3, 2022. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) An Egyptian train driver operates a light rail transit (LRT) train during a trial running in Cairo, Egypt, on July 3, 2022. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Egyptian train drivers pose for photos inside a light rail transit (LRT) train during a trial running in Cairo, Egypt, on July 3, 2022. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) (ANSA) - ROME, JUL 4 - Six people are dead and eight are injured after a massive chunk of the Marmolada glacier in northern Italy broke away on Sunday, causing a deadly avalanche of snow, ice and rock, sources said on Monday. The number of people to have been reported as missing by relatives, meanwhile, dropped from 19 to 15 after four people were tracked down safe and well. Two of the deceased have not yet been identified. Three of the victims are Italian and one is Czech, sources said. Rescuers worked throughout the night looking for survivors with the help of drones. Experts have linked the current heat wave that has hit Italy to the disaster, saying it has made the glacier unstable, with temperatures reaching 10C at 3,000m above sea level, something that was unthinkable only a few years ago so early in summer. Scientists say more frequent and intense heat waves are a result of climate change caused by human activity. "Temperatures have been well above normal levels for days and last winter there as not much snow, which basically no longer protects the glacier," said Renato Colucci of the National Research Council's Polar Science Institute (Cnr-Isp). "This probably produced a large quantity of melted water at the base of that piece of glacier". Pope Francis directly linked the disaster to the climate crisis. "#Letspraytogehther for the victims of the collapse on the #Marmolada glacier and for their families," the pontiff said on his Italian-language Twitter account. "The tragedies that we are experiencing with climate change must push us to urgently seek new paths that are respectful of people and of nature". Premier Mario Draghi on Monday is visiting Canazei, in the northern province of Trento, where rescue operations are being coordinated from, along with Civil Protection Department Head Fabrizio Curcio. Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Monday called Province of Trento President Maurizio Fugatti and Veneto Governor Luca Zaia to express his sympathy to the victims' families and support for the communities affected, the head of State's office said. (ANSA). (ANSA) - ROME, JUL 4 - Six people are dead, eight are injured and 17 people are missing after a massive chunk of the Marmolada glacier in northern Italy broke away on Sunday, causing a deadly avalanche of snow, ice and rock, investigative sources said on Monday. Two of the deceased have not yet been identified. Three of the victims are Italian and one is Czech, sources said. Rescuers worked throughout the night looking for survivors with the help of drones. Experts have linked the current heat wave that has hit Italy to the disaster, saying it has made the glacier unstable, with temperatures reaching 10C at 3,000m above sea level, something that was unthinkable only a few years ago. Scientists say more frequent and intense heat waves are a result of climate change caused by human activity. "Temperatures have been well above normal levels for days and last winter there as not much snow, which basically no longer protects the glacier," said Renato Colucci of the National Research Council's Polar Science Institute (Cnr-Isp). "This probably produced a large quantity of melted water at the base of that piece of glacier". Premier Mario Draghi on Monday is visiting Canazei, in the northern province of Trento, where rescue operations are being coordinated from, along with Civil Protection Department Head Fabrizio Curcio. Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Monday called Province of Trento President Maurizio Fugatti and Veneto Governor Luca Zaia to express his sympathy to the victims' families and support for the communities affected, the head of State's office said. (ANSA). Ukraine retreats from key city in major Russian gain After weeks of fierce fighting (ANSA-AFP) - SIVERSK, JUL 4 - The Ukrainian army retreated from the strategic city of Lysychansk over the weekend, as Russia claimed a major victory by seizing control of the entire eastern Lugansk region. The Ukrainian withdrawal followed weeks of fierce fighting and marked a decisive breakthrough for Moscow's forces more than four months after their invasion and after turning their focus away from the capital Kyiv. Leaders from dozens of countries and international organisations will meet Monday in Switzerland to map out a "Marshall Plan" to rebuild Ukraine -- aimed to begin even as Russia's war efforts continue to rage. A major flashpoint in the conflict, Lysychansk had been the final holdout in the Lugansk area of the eastern Donbas region and Moscow's capture of it frees up Russian forces to advance on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in neighbouring Donetsk. "The continuation of the defence of the city would lead to fatal consequences" in the face of Russia's superiority in numbers and equipment, the Ukrainian army said in a statement announcing its retreat Sunday evening. (ANSA-AFP). Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved LVMH to showcase 55 fashion houses in autumn, 19 in Italy Les Journees Particulieres back, to include new Fendi factory (ANSAmed) - FLORENCE, JULY 4 - Guided visits, demonstrations, conferences and interactive routes will be offered through about 55 fashion houses and businesses including hotels that belong to the luxury group LVMH and which are normally closed to the public. This is the focus of the project Les Journees Particulieres, which will be back in the autumn in its fifth edition from Oct. 14 to 16 and which will involve fashion houses owned by the group in 15 countries including 19 in Italy across seven different regions. Among the new entries for visits are the Belmond hotels in Venice, Florence, and Taormina, shoe production facilities for Christian Dior in Fosso in the Veneto region, the new Fendi factory in Tuscany, Fendi shoe production in Porto San Giorgio in the Marche region, and the Conceria Masoni of Santa Croce in the Tuscany region. In Milan in Italy's northern region of Lombardy, taking part will be the Pasticceria Cova, the Acqua di Parma boutique and the headquarters of Loro Piana, which will host some of the craftsman of the fashion house. In other parts of the world the new entries will instead be the Tiffany design studio in New York and two wine cellars in France's Provence region: Chateau Galoupet and Chateau d'Esclans. The idea is to open the doors of places that are normally closed to the public and showcase the mastery of craftsmen: watchmakers, dressmakers, shoemakers, jewellers, chefs, and others. The events will be free of charge but reservations are necessary. In 2018, they drew 180,000 visitors. This year, LVMH image and environment director Antoine Arnault, who came up with the idea, took part in a video inviting the public to discover what happens behind closed doors at the fashion houses. Shot inside the Dior atelier, the video was directed by Antoine de Bary. (ANSAmed). Portugal's Almada theatre festival kicks off Ascanio Celestini and 'Sardinian masks' in line-up (ANSAmed) - LISBON, 04 LUG - The 39th edition of Portugal's Festival de Almada was set to begin on Monday. The festival is the largest one focusing on theatre in Portugal. It will open in the evening with a concert of young pupils from the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, which was founded in 2010 by Ahmad Sarmast to enable young boys and girls to study music. After fleeing Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover of the country in August 2021, about a hundred students were welcomed to Portugal in December and integrated into the courses of the Lisbon Conservatory. In recent days, a government plan to redistribute the students to other regions of the country pushed them to protest. The Almada performances will continue until July 18 and will include the participation of many Portuguese and international performers - especially from Europe but also from Africa and America,. Italy - in part thanks to official support from the Italian Institute of Culture in Lisbon - will be represented by Ascanio Celestini with his monologue 'Museo Pasolini' in honor of the birth of the poet and filmmaker, which will be staged July 7, 8 and 9. There will however also be other Italian contributions to the festival, from Selvagem ('wild') - a piece by Portugal's Marco Martins and Patricia Portela on the ritual use of masks inspired by an idea by Italy's Renzo Barsotti, who is co-producing it with the Teatro di Sardegna. There will also be other forms of participation in events held in parallel, such as by the musician Donatello Brida and the director Giacomo Scalisi, who will be staging a musical fable of African inspiration, Milho por Peixe ('Corn for Fish'). The closing event of the festival will be Hokuspocus, a show by the Berlin-based theatre company Familie Floz. (ANSAmed). Origin of bullet that killed journalist unclear, Israel Al Jazeera reporter 'probably killed by Israeli soldiers', US (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, JULY 4 - The Israeli army said Monday that the "physical conditions" of the bullet that killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh make it impossible to establish the origin of the bullet. "After an extremely detailed forensic analysis, independent, third-party examiners, as part of a process overseen by the U.S. Security Coordinator (USSC), could not reach a definitive conclusion regarding the origin of the bullet that killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Ballistic experts determined the bullet was badly damaged, which prevented a clear conclusion," a statement issued on Monday by the US State Department said. Abu Akleh was killed May 11 while she was documenting an operation by the Israeli army at a Palestinian refugee camp in Jenin in the West Bank. The US State Department said that Abu Akleh was most likely killed by shots fired from Israeli positions but that there is no reason to believe that this was intentional. The Palestinian Authority had given the bullet to the US for testing.(ANSAmed). Ex-regime supporters set Libyan parliament on fire, Saleh 'It was a premeditated act to overthrow legislative authority' (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, JULY 4 - The speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh, has accused the supporters of the former regime under Muammar Ghaddafi of deliberately setting fire on Friday to the parliament buildings in Tobruk in the eastern part of the country, reported Libya Review on Monday. The outlet included quotes from Saleh to Al-Arabiya in which the speaker of the parliament in the eastern region said that setting fire to the buildings was a premeditated act to overthrow legislative authority. "The supporters of the former regime have stormed the seat of parliament and we hold them responsible for this. We will look after those who burned the seat of parliament under the law and no one will be spared," Saleh writes, stating that the protesters marched to the seat of Parliament "without specific requests". However, the protesters called for elections to be held as soon as possible and also called for a solution to the frequent power outages, Libya Review noted. Saleh also accused the outgoing government of national unity (GNU) led by Abdelhamid Al-Dbeibha of not holding the elections. "I know the extent of the suffering of the Libyans. The Libyan Central Bank (Cbl) has not liquidated funds to the government of Fathi Bashagha as soon as it has been approved and moreover the salaries have not been paid," Libya Review quoted him as saying. "Libyans suffer from poor services, including electricity, and have the right to demonstrate. I will meet young people from the eastern region on Sunday to clear things up." Saleh was also reported as saying that the controversy over the constitutional path with the High Council of State (HCS) is related to the candidacy of dual citizenship and military personnel. "We will not prevent any Libyan from running for election. More than 20 people with dual nationalities have applied for the presidential elections. No one is excluded and we must allow everyone to run for office, and the Libyans will decide who they will vote for," Saleh said. He affirmed the rejection of the United States (US) Ambassador's interference in the Libyan affairs, explaining that his proposal regarding the elections is a call for the "continuation of the division", according to the Libya Review. Saleh said a senior Turkish official would visit Libya after Eid Al-Adha to meet with Prime Minister Bashagha. "My personal assessment is that Turkey no longer supports the Al-Dbaiba government," he said.(ANSAmed). PARIS - The French president's office on Monday officially announced a government reshuffle that had been reported in advance for months by French media. Olivier Veran, former health minister who gained popularity during the COVID pandemic, has been named government spokesman. Damien Abad, Minister for Solidarity who has been placed under investigation for alleged rape attempts, has been removed from office. Health Minister Brigitte Bourguignon, who did not get enough support during the June parliamentary elections, has been replaced by Francois Braun, an emergency room doctor. This choice seems to have come in response to protests within the hospital sector over a lack of personnel. The naming of French Red Cross director Jean-Christophe Combe as Minister for Solidarity in the place of Abad seems to be for similar reasons. The senior economist of the Organisation for Cooperation and Economic Development (OECD) Laurence Boone has been named Undersecretary for Europe in the place of Clement Beaune, a close supporter of President Emmanuel Macron. Beaune has been given the role of Minister of Transportation. On the basis of a rule backed by Macron that ministers that lost in elections must leave their government positions, Minister for Ecological Transition Amelie de Montchalin has left her position and will be replaced by Anger mayor Christophe Bechu. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin will take on a broader portfolio and will from now on be tasked with overseas territories as well. Former member of France's communist and socialist parties Olivier Klein will also enter the government as minister in charge of housing and city affairs. TEL AVIV - Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) secretary general Hussein al-Sheikh wrote on Twitter on Monday that: "The #occupation government bears responsibility for the assassination of #ShireenAbuAkleh, and we will continue our procedures at the international courts. We will not allow attempts to conceal the truth or to have shy references in pointing the finger of accusation to #Israel." His comments came after a US-Israel investigation into the bullet that killed Palestinian-American Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Origin of bullet that killed Al Jazeera journalist unclear, Israel The Israeli army said Monday that the "physical conditions" of the bullet that killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh make it impossible to establish the origin of the bullet. "After an extremely detailed forensic analysis, independent, third-party examiners, as part of a process overseen by the U.S. Security Coordinator (USSC), could not reach a definitive conclusion regarding the origin of the bullet that killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Ballistic experts determined the bullet was badly damaged, which prevented a clear conclusion," a statement issued on Monday by the US State Department said. Abu Akleh was killed May 11 while she was documenting an operation by the Israeli army at a Palestinian refugee camp in Jenin in the West Bank. The US State Department said that Abu Akleh was most likely killed by shots fired from Israeli positions but that there is no reason to believe that this was intentional. The Palestinian Authority had given the bullet to the US for testing. ISTANBUL - Turkey has said that it is necessary to update an agreement on migration signed in 2016 with the European Union, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said during a joint press conference with his Austrian counterpart Gerhard Karner on his visit to Ankara. The press conference was broadcast on state-run TRT. "We need to update the agreements on migration. The March 18 Memorandum of Understanding clearly does not work and it is clear that the burden of that agreement is entirely on the shoulders of Turkey," Soylu said, citing a 2016 agreement according to which the EU gives funds to Turkey for migrant management in exchange for efforts by Ankara to keep its borders closed to those trying to enter Europe illegally. "The updating of this agreement will be an inevitable reality in the upcoming period, since over the past five years the Republic of Turkey has prevented the entrance into the country of 2.7 million irregular migrants and we also captured 1.3 million irregular migrants inside our own territory. We are hosting 3.7 million Syrians and about 300,000 migrants of other ethnicities," the Turkish minister added. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Lao Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith on the sidelines of the seventh Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Bagan, Myanmar, on July 3, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Dongqiang) BAGAN, Myanmar, July 3 (Xinhua) -- China and Laos expressed here Sunday the willingness to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and actively promote the building of the China-Laos community with a shared future. While meeting with Lao Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith on the sidelines of the seventh Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Myanmar, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the building of the China-Laos community with a shared future has been making significant progress, with bilateral trade climbing against the odds, and the China-Laos Railway running efficiently. China and Laos should further strengthen strategic communication, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly face challenges, and safeguard international equity and justice, so as to promote further development of the building of the China-Laos community with a shared future, he said. For his part, Saleumxay said currently the Laos-China relationship enjoys strong momentum, with the construction of the Laos-China Railway completed on time, and its successful running has fully demonstrated the great value and achievement of the Belt and Road Initiative, helping Laos to transform from a land-locked country to a land-linked one and bringing real benefits to the Lao people. Laos holds high expectations for the future of the Laos-China community with a shared future, and hopes to make strategic alignment of development plans with the Chinese side and speed up the implementation of a series of bilateral cooperative agreements, he noted. The two sides agreed to give full play to the radiation effect of the China-Laos Railway, explore connection among the logistics chain, value chain and production chain along the railway, achieve high quality connectivity and push for third-party market cooperation. The two sides agreed to work together to resist cold war mentality and zero-sum game, oppose double standard wantonly pursued by some countries, and reject interference in and sabotage of exchanges and cooperation among countries. Wang noted that China is ready to join hands with all countries to staunchly pursue the true security which is common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable, consistently seek the true development which is balanced, coordinated, beneficial and win-win, and firmly safeguard the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and the true order which is based on international law. Harry Styles said he was heartbroken and devastated after his concert in Copenhagen was cancelled following a fatal shooting at a nearby shopping centre. The former One Direction star, 28, was due to take to the stage at the Royal Arena venue on Sunday night as part of his highly anticipated Love On Tour shows. However, on Sunday afternoon Danish police responded to a shooting at the Fields shopping centre less than a mile from the arena, which is situated on the southern outskirts of the city. People react outside Fields shopping centre in Copenhagen (Olafur Steinar Gestsson/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) In a tweet, Styles said he was heartbroken and devastated for the victims. Im heartbroken along with the people of Copenhagen, he said. I adore this city. The people are so warm and full of love. Im devastated for the victims, their families, and everyone hurting. Im sorry we couldnt be together. Please look after each other. H. Police in Denmark say three people were killed and three are in a critical condition, the Associated Press reported, while a 22-year-old Danish man has been arrested after being detained near the site. A statement from concert promoter Live Nation said: Tonights concert with Harry Styles has been cancelled by direction of the Danish Police. We are all truly devastated by the events of today and our thoughts are with the victims and their families. We are looking into future possibilities for the show, and hope to be able to give ticket buyers direct information as soon as possible. Im heartbroken along with the people of Copenhagen. I adore this city. The people are so warm and full of love. Im devastated for the victims, their families, and everyone hurting. Im sorry we couldnt be together. Please look after each other. H Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) July 3, 2022 Large crowds had already gathered inside the arena when the shows cancellation was announced and they were asked to leave. Acts such as Pearl Jam and Queen + Adam Lambert are also due to perform at the venue in the coming weeks. Following the shooting, the Danish royal palace announced it had cancelled a reception with Crown Prince Frederik connected to the Tour de France. The reception was due to be held on the royal yacht that is moored in Sonderborg, the town where the third stage of the race ended this year. Styles was due to take his Love On Tour show around the world in 2020 before the pandemic brought the live music industry to a standstill. The rescheduled tour began in September 2021 in Las Vegas before heading across the US, with the European tour leg kicking off in Glasgow last month. Styles most recent album, Harrys House, was warmly received by critics and lead single As It Was recently claimed its 10th week at number one in the UK. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of employees have never discussed their financial wellbeing with their boss, a report has found. Younger employees aged 25 to 34 are most likely to be willing to open up to their employer or line manager about their financial concerns, the working lives research from insurer Aviva found. The next most likely age group are 18 to 24-year-olds. Employees in midlife, aged 45 to 54, are the least likely to speak to their employers about financial concerns, the research indicated. The next most reluctant age group are 55 to 64-year-olds, many of whom will be approaching retirement. Emma Douglas, Avivas director of workplace savings and retirement, said: Talking money with an employer appears to be one of the last workplace taboos. Young workers are clearly breaking down the stigma associated with talking to the boss about the m word, but it is important that all generations of workers feel they can talk about their financial wellbeing with their employer. One of the areas that employers can offer important support is retirement savings. Pensions are designed to be a long-term investment and any decisions made today will echo throughout a persons retirement. Employees are particularly likely to trust their own research (26%) to guide them on pensions and long-term savings, the report found. This is followed by their pension scheme provider (19%) and then their employer, human resources (HR) or line manager (15%). Of those employees eligible to join a workplace pension scheme provided by their employer, nearly a fifth (17%) said they do not know what proportion of their salary is paid into their pension. There is also concern among employees that their pension will not provide them with the lifestyle they would like in retirement. Less than a fifth (19%) of employees feel they will be able to retire comfortably on their workplace pension. More than a third (34%) feel their workplace pension will simply not be enough. As a result of automatic enrolment into workplace pensions, which started to be rolled out across the UK in 2012, employers must provide a pension to employees who meet the criteria to be eligible. The minimum auto-enrolment contribution including employee and employer contributions and tax relief, is 8% of eligible earnings. However, some employers offer higher matching contributions. Aviva said it is important that employees understand the advantages and benefits of their workplace pension. Ms Douglas said: It is a shame that so many people who have a workplace pension and are worried about not being able to retire comfortably have never spoken to their manager about their concerns. This is an unusually tough time for people and the extent of financial hardship will be unique for everyone. It is more important than ever that employers encourage their people to talk to them about money worries, and employees take up any financial education or guidance their employer is able to offer. More than 1,000 employees and more than 200 employers were surveyed across Britain in April. One in three businesses are planning to invest in automation as a priority in the face of staffing shortages, according to new research. A survey of 670 UK firms by banking giant HSBC found that 33% of businesses are planning to focus capital expenditure on automation, with those most concerned over recruitment likely to have it high up on their agenda. The report showed that 40% of companies are feeling negatively about their staffing levels and availability. The findings will add to fears over the rise of automation and its impact on demand for workers. Nearly a third of jobs in the UK could become redundant due to automation and changing workforces by 2030, according to a study last week from Arden University. Its research found that over half (56%) of jobs are set to become extinct in the transport and storage industry, followed by 45% of roles in manufacturing, 44% across wholesale, retail, and repair of motor vehicles, 37% in administration and support services, and 32% in public administration and defence, social security/financial and insurance services. Carl Lygo, chief executive and vice chancellor at Arden University said: The transportation and storage, manufacturing and wholesale and retail sectors account for 28% of the UK workforce meaning 4.2 million jobs are now at risk of becoming outdated and eradicated in the hands of automation. But HSBC said the push towards automation to offset skills shortages will see firms adapt to survive. James Cundy, HSBC UKs managing director and head of mid-market corporate banking and structured finance, said: Corporates that have shown great agility in recent years have not just survived the multitude of growth challenges in recent years but have also thrived. The research shows that infamous entrepreneurial spirit of UK businesses continues to lead them to invest, innovate and re-define their growth ambitions. Its survey also suggested that many UK businesses will increase spending and investment despite current cost pressures, with 45% of those polled reporting that they expect to increase capital expenditure by 9% in 2022. Liz Truss has said it is Britain and the free worlds duty to do whatever it takes to support Ukraine in rebuilding its economy as quickly as possible. The Foreign Secretary told a recovery conference in Switzerland on Monday that the UK will remain at Ukraines side as the war-torn nation emerges stronger and more successful after the conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told leaders gathered at the event that rebuilding Ukraine is the common task of the whole democratic world. Ms Truss said the UK will champion the recovery of the capital of Kyiv and the surrounding region at Mr Zelenskys request. But attempts to recover and rebuild are made more challenging by Russian President Vladimir Putins ability to strike the capital with missiles as his forces make creeping advances in the east. Ms Truss emphasised the need to help Ukraine recover its economy in the shortest possible time frame as she set out a vision to give immediate support and long-term commitments to work alongside the Ukrainians. Ukraines recovery from Russias war of aggression will be a symbol of the power of freedom and democracy over autocracy. It will show Putin that his attempts to destroy Ukraine have only produced a stronger, more prosperous and more united nation, she said. The United Kingdom is resolute in its support for Ukraines territorial integrity and we will remain at Ukraines side as it emerges a strong and thriving democracy. Weve led on support for Ukraine during the war and we will continue to lead in supporting the Ukrainian governments reconstruction and development plan. The UK is committed to Ukraines recovery and long-term prosperity. Today Foreign Secretary @TrussLiz has set out our support for the recovery and reconstruction of the country. Ukraine will emerge stronger than ever as the victor in Putins war of aggression.#URC2022 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) July 4, 2022 She said that this needs to be a new Marshall Plan, echoing the one used to rebuild Europe after the Second World War. We need to be able to support returning Ukrainians to Ukraine, we need to give people hope about the future, and need to give them the means to be able to support themselves. Ms Truss also said the Government is mulling seizing the assets of Russians in the UK in order to give them to Ukraine. As the Prime Minister mentioned, the United Kingdom is actively looking at how we legislate to seize assets from those who have contributed to this appalling war its vitally important that we acquire those funds for the reconstruction of Ukraine, she said. Ms Truss announced plans to host next years recovery conference, as well as the UKs involvement in a supervisory board to coordinate the international recovery process. It must involve all of those who have been active in helping Ukraine defend itself and who back Ukraine for the long term, through thick and thin, whatever it takes, she said. Liz Truss said the UK will champion the recovery of Ukraine (Kirsty OConnor/PA) The Russian president has focused his assault on the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk after withdrawing from the offensive in Kyiv as his troops faced fierce resistance. Moscow claims that Russian forces have taken control of Lysychansk, the last major Ukrainian-held city in Luhansk. Russia hit Kyiv with missile strikes last week in what Ukrainians called an intimidation attempt as they seek a return to normal life while still under siege. Authorities said at least 19 people including two children were killed in a separate missile attack in the town of Serhiivka near Odesa on Friday. A further 19 were killed and 62 injured in a missile strike on a shopping centre in the central city of Kremenchuk on Monday, Ukrainian authorities said. Two soldiers serving in a regiment responsible for protecting the Queen sold hundreds of rounds of live and deadly ammunition to an undercover police officer posing as a criminal, a court has heard. Coldstream Guards Kirtland Gill, 41, and Rajon Graham, 33, had access to the bullets, issued for firing practice, through their roles in the British Army, a jury was told. Technical Quartermaster Sergeant Kirtland Gill, 41, was responsible for supplies for the regiment recognisable for their red jackets and black bearskin hats at the Victoria Barracks, near Windsor Castle. Serving soldier Kirtland Gill arrives at Southwark Crown Court, south London, where he is charged with firearms offences (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Graham is not standing trial, having previously pleaded guilty to four counts of selling ammunition between December 7, 2020 and January 28, 2021. Lance Sergeant Rajon Graham, 33, met a man he believed to be involved in criminal activity, including drugs, who wanted to buy guns and ammunition for cash. Rajon Graham leaving Westminster Magistrates Court last week (Yui Mok/PA) Graham sold a total of 300 9mm bullets, which he called sweets, wrapped in Bacofoil bags, for 5,800 in cash during four meetings with the buyer, who was actually an undercover police officer, referred to as D. The soldiers, from Windsor, Berkshire, were arrested on January 28 last year. Gill was the first black Regimental Sergeant Major in the Household Division, which guards Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. He is on trial at Southwark Crown Court, where he denies conspiracy to sell or transfer ammunition between December 2, 2020 and January 30, 2021 and possession of a prohibited weapon. Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson told jurors: The Coldstream Guards have a particular responsibility for the protection of Her Majesty the Queen, but they are also an integral part of the British Army more generally. In that regard, they of course have a need for large quantities of ammunition both for combat and for training for combat. Mr Atkinson said Gill, who joined the Army in 2001, was responsible for the allocation and management of ammunition issued to the regiment for firing practice. Gill, who grew up in Jamaica, was in regular telephone and WhatsApp contact with Graham, who met with D, telling the undercover officer he was acting with a friend who had access to the rounds, said the prosecutor. Ahead of one deal, Graham told D his friend was being interviewed by the Sun newspaper and the court heard an article was published featuring Gill as the first black man to attain the rank of Warrant Officer. Bacofoil bags, along with a Turkish self-loading pistol Gill was not licensed to have, were found at his home, as well as cash, including notes handed to Graham by D for 100 rounds of ammunition. WhatsApp messages, mobile phone location data and police surveillance also linked Gill to the plot, the jury was told. Between the beginning of December 2020 and the end of January 2021, this defendant was part of a plan, with others, to sell ammunition to which they had access through their roles in the Army, said Mr Atkinson. It is an offence to sell a firearm or ammunition unless you are licensed to do so, and thus comply with the rigorous legal requirements for that sensitive trade. Graham was not so licensed, and thus his supplies of ammunition were unlawful. He is not now in the dock because he has admitted that he did make this series of unauthorised and unlawful supplies of live and therefore deadly ammunition to undercover officer D. From his communications and other evidence, it is clear that Graham had involved others than this defendant, Gill, in the process of supplying ammunition. Judge David Tomlinson said potential jurors who had served in the Army would be excluded from service and those selected were shown a picture of the undercover officer, who will give evidence from behind a screen. Gill, who arrived at court wearing a dark pinstriped suit, white shirt and green tie, is on bail and the trial continues. Joe Turkel, who played 'The Shining' bartender Lloyd and starred in 'Blade Runner,' dies at 94 Prolific character actor Joe Turkel, best known for playing creepy bartender Lloyd in "The Shining" and the eccentric replicant creator in "Blade Runner," has died,his publicist Diane Thibert said. Turkel, 94, died Monday at Providence St. Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, Califorina, with his sons Craig and Robert by his side, Thibert said. A Stanley Kubrick favorite, Turkel starred in three of the director's films, starting with his 1956 classic "The Killing." He appeared as Pvt. Pierre Arnaud, a soldier headed to the firing squad, in the 1957 film "Paths of Glory." James Rado obituary: Grammy winner and co-creator of 'Hair' musical, dies at 90 Playing the deserted Overlook Hotel's ghostly bartender Lloyd in 1980's "The Shining," Turkel gave a chilling, iconic performance while serving Jack Nicholson's unraveling author drinks from behind the haunted bar. Turkel starred as Dr. Eldon Tyrell, the eccentric creator of replicants in Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi classic "Blade Runner," who comforted doomed replicant Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) by saying, "The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long." Batty responded by crushing his skull with his hands. From 'Top Gun: Maverick' to 'RRR': The 10 best movies of 2022 so far, definitively ranked Born in Brooklyn on July 15, 1927, Turkel joined the army at age 17, serving in Europe during World War II. After the war, he moved to California to pursue an acting career that would last through four decades. Turkel worked in over 100 projects, including films such as "King Rat," "The Sand Pebbles," "The St. Valentines Day Massacre" and his final film, "The Dark Side of the Moon." On TV, he appeared in episodes of popular shows such as "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp," "The Lone Ranger," "S.W.A.T," "Adam-12," "Ironside" "The Andy Griffith Show," "Ben Casey," "The Untouchables," "Dragnet" "Miami Vice" and "Bonanza." Martin Scorsese mourns Ray Liotta: 'Wish I'd had the chance to see him just once more' In Turkel's obituary, his family describes him as "a gifted teller of tales from his long and colorful life; from boyhood in the Great Depression, to wartime experiences as a teenage soldier, to his long and productive career onscreen and those he worked with." "Friends and neighbors knew Joe as fun and easy to get along with. He loved laughter and never shied away from signing autographs for fans," the obituary says. "He had a knack for running into people he knew, no matter where he traveled. His warmth and magnetic personality made him a beloved, familiar figure in Santa Monica where he made his home since the early 90s." The actor's family said Turkel completed a memoir titled "The Misery of Success" just before his death. They plan to release it later this year. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Turkel, 'The Shining' and 'Blade Runner' star, dies at 94 FILE - California Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses the recent mass shooting in Texas during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Newsom is facing largely unknown opposition in the June 7, 2022, primary election. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Gov. Gavin Newsom is running for reelection in California, but his latest television ad is airing in Florida. The 30-second spot scheduled to air on Fox News starting Monday takes shots at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his policies, while drawing a contrast with California. Freedom, its under attack in your state. Republican leaders, theyre banning books, making it harder to vote, restricting speech in classrooms, even criminalizing women and doctors, Newsom says while images of DeSantis and former President Donald Trump flash on screen. I urge all of you living in Florida to join the fight. Or join us in California, where we still believe in freedom freedom of speech, freedom to choose, freedom from hate and the freedom to love," Newsom says. Newsom has said he has no interest in running for president, but the ad is sure to stoke speculation that the 54-year-old Democrat is eyeing national office. DeSantis is a potential 2024 GOP candidate for the White House. Newsom handily beat back a recall attempt last year and is expected to cruise to reelection in November. Terrorists granted immunity under controversial Troubles legacy and reconciliation legislation should be blocked from profiting from their actions, Labour said. Peter Kyle warned the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill would allow perpetrators to live in freedom and empower them to release books which seek to justify the mayhem and senseless killings they carried out. The shadow Northern Ireland secretary spoke in support of amendment 114, which seeks to prevent a person who is granted immunity under the legislation from profiting from the conduct which they received immunity for. Proposals before MPs seek to establish a new information retrieval body to review deaths and other harmful conduct within the Troubles defined as the period from January 1 1966 to April 10 1998. The Bill will offer immunity to people who are deemed to have co-operated with the information retrieval body, although criminal prosecutions could still take place. Mr Kyle said the legislation must offer greater benefits to the victims than it does to perpetrators of terror, telling the Commons: There is nothing stopping people from then using their immunity to write down their own history of their crimes and then profiting from them. Once a perpetrator has been granted immunity, I cant see any limits on what they can do with it. Nothing to stop terrorists writing books and seeking to justify the mayhem and senseless killings they have carried out. Undoubtedly, this would retraumatise victims. This is not idle speculation but a concern victims have raised with me directly. Not only would this Bill allow perpetrators to live in freedom, it will empower them to tell their own version of events, in their own names, without the fear of prosecution. Former Conservative minister Johnny Mercer (PA) Conservative former minister Johnny Mercer said he understood the Government is involved in talks to ensure those who receive immunity under the Bill cannot glorify terrorism. He said: We need to be very, very careful that these cowards who like Ive said before got up in the morning to murder women and children for their political aims, that they are given absolutely no opportunity to glorify what they did, and just really double down and make sure there is no gap in the legislation to make sure these people cant take advantage of their crimes. Asked if he would support the DUPs amendments linked to preventing glorification, Mr Mercer said: As I understand it there are conversations going on around how that objective can be achieved. He added: It has to be crafted in the correct way and as I understand it the Government ministers are doing that with the benches opposite and will make sure there is no gap in that legislation. The DUPs new clause four makes having received immunity under this Bill an aggravating factor in sentencing for the offence of glorifying terrorism. Northern Ireland minister Conor Burns earlier said the Government wants to deliver a system that focuses on effective information recovery and reconciliation measures, getting as much information to as many families as possible. Speaking on day two of committee stage, Mr Burns said: Clause 33 of the Bill prevents criminal investigations into any Troubles-related offence to be initiated or continued on or after the day on which this clause enters into force. The prohibition does not apply to the ICRIR (Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery). This clause ensures that the commission becomes the sole body able and responsible for conducting criminal investigations into Troubles-related deaths and serious injuries. Future prosecutions will remain a possibility for those involved in offences connected to a death or a serious injury if they do not actively come forward to seek immunity, or do not co-operate sufficiently with the information recovery process. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said at every single turn the UK Government has tried to stop information going into the hands of those people who tried to find out the truth and that includes victims, who were told are at the very centre of this. BEIJING, July 4 (Xinhua) -- China firmly opposes irresponsible remarks made by an official of the NASA on China's space program, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday. It was reported that NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that China's space program is a "military" space program. In response, spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a daily news briefing that it is not the first time that NASA has disregarded the facts and smeared China. Some U.S. officials have continuously framed and slandered the normal and reasonable outer space cause of other countries, and China firmly opposes such irresponsible remarks. Zhao said Nelson, as the director of the U.S. aerospace department, should be very aware of the dark history of the U.S. space program, the negative role the United States has played in creating space junk, provoking arms races in outer space, and undermining global strategic stability, and the huge threat that the United States has posed to the peaceful use of outer space. In recent years, the United States has openly defined outer space as a combat domain, accelerated the formation of the outer space force, developed and deployed offensive outer space weapons, and has long passively resisted the negotiation of legal documents on outer space control, and continuously strengthened the outer space military cooperation with its allies, he said. The United States has set up obstacles in space cooperation, arbitrarily sanctioned the space agencies of other countries, and introduced laws to restrict space cooperation and exchanges with China, the spokesperson said. China advocates the peaceful use of outer space, opposes the weaponization of an arms race in outer space, and calls for the building of a community with a shared future in outer space, Zhao said. He stressed that China's exploration of outer space is to meet the legitimate needs of the country's economy, society, science and technology, and security. The development of China's aerospace industry is achieved independently, and its rights and achievements cannot be questioned or smeared. "We urge the U.S. official to earnestly shoulder the responsibilities of a major country, seriously review and correct the negative words and deeds of the U.S. side in outer space, and make due contributions to safeguarding sustained peace and security in outer space," Zhao said. A young girl was carried to safety by a member of the armed forces as more migrants arrived on the Kent coast. Crossings resumed after a three-day hiatus, with a woman also seen being helped ashore and then pushed away in a wheelchair in Dover. So far this year, around 12,700 people have made the crossing after navigating busy shipping lanes from France in small boats such as dinghies. A young girl is carried by a member of the military in Dover, Kent, on Monday (Gareth Fuller/PA) Some 3,136 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK in June, the highest monthly total this year, PA news agency analysis of Government figures showed. But Monday was the first day of crossings in July, with none recorded by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) between Friday and Sunday. It comes as the National Crime Agency vowed to continue trying to tackle people smuggling after a series of arrests were made over the deaths of 27 people trying to cross the Channel last year. Trainer Bob Baffert watches a morning workout at Santa Anita Park on Sunday. (John Cherwa / Los Angeles Times) Trainer Bob Baffert woke up at 5 a.m. Sunday, much earlier than he has been getting up the last 90 days. He wanted to go back to a job he has enjoyed and excelled at for more than four decades. He considered getting up earlier but passed on the idea. I thought about getting there at 12:01 a.m. and go to the barn and start hammering the signs back up, he said with a laugh while sitting in box 227 in the Santa Anita grandstand watching his horses train for the first time after a three-month suspension following a positive medication test on Medina Spirit at last years Kentucky Derby. A handful of people were there to see the familiar head of white hair. Trainers John Sadler and Tim Yakteen were there as usual as was jockey Mike Smith and a revolving contingent of well-wishers. Yakteen even brought a box of donuts, which were sitting there when Baffert arrived around 6:30. Bafferts wife, Jill, came along for his first day back at work. It feels like the first day of school, Baffert said. When he arrived at his barn, the first person he saw was his longtime assistant Jimmy Barnes. He came over and gave me a big ole hug, Baffert, 69, said. He said, Thank goodness, youre back. I havent talked to Jimmy since I left. Our whole barn is like a family, Ive known them all for so long. Depending on who you talk to, Baffert is either beloved or reviled, with more in the former than latter category. He has been a particular target of animal rights activists with PETA calling for his removal from the Hall of Fame. Its because of his celebrity that he is a particularly valuable target. He is the one name non-racing people know. It will take a few days for the Baffert barn to return to normal. When he was handed a 90-day suspension by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, which is honored in all states, the signage on his barn had to come down, plus his office had to be cleaned out of personal items. There was supposed to be no sign of Bob Baffert, the trainer said. Trainer Bob Baffert uses binoculars to watch horses work out at Santa Anita Park on Sunday. (John Cherwa / Los Angeles Times) It wasnt as difficult on the horses as Baffert transferred most of them to Sean McCarthy, who just moved into the same space and kept most of Bafferts employees. McCarthys wife, Kim, is Bafferts office manager, so everyone knew all the players. Four of Bafferts better horses were moved to Yakteen, his former assistant, who qualified two of them for the Kentucky Derby and another for the Preakness. They did a great job, Baffert said of his relief trainers. They came in there and took over. It was tough. I was proud of them how they kept it together. And most of my clients, they stuck with me. I lost some horses. Some owners are still waiting [to see what happens]. I lost [2-year-old Eclipse winner] Corniche," who moved to the barn of Todd Pletcher. "That hurt. All in all, Ive got great group of owners. They hung there in there with me, they know the truth and the facts. The truth and the facts will ultimately be decided through litigation. Baffert is currently banned from Churchill Downs until after next years Kentucky Derby. He also has been excluded from racing in New York until January, even though he has had no violations in the state for the almost three decades he has raced there. Pending court cases and hearings are aplenty, including restoring Medina Spirit as winner of the Kentucky Derby. The colt was stripped of the title by the KHRC. He died in December of what was thought to be a cardiac event. The necropsy could not definitively determine the cause of death. The problems started when Baffert was dealing with a stretch of four medication violations in a little more than a year. Two were in Arkansas, the result of contamination, something a trainer has no control over. One was in California and the other in Kentucky. Baffert had explanations for all of them, but the totality of them painted a troublesome picture. Then came the Kentucky Derby, which Baffert won with longshot Medina Spirit. A week later, word was spreading that the colt had tested positive for a legal medication that is not allowed on race day. When they hit me with it, I knew my life would change, Baffert said. We knew it that day. I was at a point in my life where I had just won my seventh Derby and I was just cruising. And then that happened. Baffert went on the offensive, vigorously denying there could be a failed test. Its a move he now questions. If I had to do anything different, I wouldnt have had a press conference, Baffert said. But it was out there and [the media] was waiting. I was trying to get ahead of it. I was convinced after talking to my veterinarians, that [the positive] was impossible. Then it dawned on them 48 hours later, be careful with the [ointment] Otomax. John Velazquez rides Medina Spirit across the finish line to win the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby in 2021. The horse would later have a positive test for a legal medication not allowed on race days. (Associated Press) Bafferts legal team has contended that Medina Spirit was treated with an ointment that contained betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory, to control a rash on the horses hind quarter. It's the team's belief that the rule prohibiting a positive betamethasone test on race day applies only when the medication is injected, the usual application, not applied in an ointment. When they came into the barn to shake it down [as part of the investigation], it was right there in the kids brush bucket, but they didnt see it because they werent looking for it," Baffert said. "I wish they would have found it, because it was right there. Bafferts next miscalculation was going on Fox News and saying he was the victim of cancel culture, a politically charged phrase. I was talking to someone at Churchill Downs and I said they canceled me out, Baffert said. Thats really what I meant to say. I should have said it that way. Someone very important, and Im not going to say who, told me, You can think it, but you cant say it. Baffert was eventually handed a 90-day suspension. Normally a stay of the suspension is granted if a trainer seeks an appeal, which Baffert did. Yet the KHRC denied the stay and Baffert had no choice but to accept the suspension. I thought he would get through the first half of it, with the Derby and other big races, Jill Baffert said. But I thought midway through it he would get antsy, and he did. Forty-five days is a long time to be away from work, and then you realize you have another 45 to go. The trainer said he didnt watch a lot of racing when he was away, in part because he didnt know when his horses were running. My phone was quiet, nobody called me, Bob Baffert said. It was all up to Sean, Jimmy and Tim. Once in a while we would watch a race, but usually not too much. I just didnt let the situation get me upset. It was best for me to just check out. His wife took over the role of what she calls Bobby-sitting. He is a glass half full kind of guy, Jill Baffert said. And that has helped his success in racing. Hes a very optimistic person. There were times [these past months] where I was frustrated, and irritated and hurt. He kept me lifted up in so many ways. Jockey Mike Smith speaks to Bob and Jill Baffert after guiding Justify to victory in the 143rd Preakness Stakes in 2018. (Steve Helber / Associated Press) Bob Baffert did make the most of his time away. He spent the time around the running of the Kentucky Derby in Arizona visiting his brother and some owners. He watched the Belmont Stakes at Chileno Bay at Cabo San Lucas, where he took his entire family for six days. We were in a club [at the resort] and nobody knew who I was, Baffert said. And then my picture comes on the television and people looked around and said, 'Is that you? Yeah, thats me.' He also attended some sales in Florida and spent his time before the suspension ended in Tennessee visiting his wife's family. He tied in a trip to Kentucky, where he thought an appeal hearing on Medina Spirit would be held. But it was postponed until Aug. 22. With the hearing postponed, we went and saw [Triple Crown winners] American Pharoah and Justify, Baffert said. We went to Old Friends [retirement farm] and saw Silver Charm and Game on Dude. It was really nice. They do a fantastic job. We even saw Pharoahs mother. He also visited the grave of Medina Spirit, where his wife placed a wreath of flowers. Baffert probably will return to racing next week at Los Alamitos. He keeps about 40 horses at Santa Anita and another 45 or so at Los Alamitos, mostly younger horses. Then hell move down to Del Mar for the summer meeting. Baffert says he is looking forward, not backward. This game will make you bitter if you let it, he said. You get beat, you take the loss and just move on. Its water under the bridge and you cant let it bother you. We fought the good fight, but we didnt win. Well be back." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. While some were donned in red, white and blue in downtown Lexington for the celebration of Independence Day, others wore black and marched in opposition of the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Music played for the citys Fourth of July festivities, but chants could be overheard from the Kentucky for Reproductive Freedom group Abort the Court, Our bodies our choice and This is what democracy looks like. The event began at 9 a.m. Monday outside of the Fayette County Courthouse on North Limestone and continued throughout the day. Protesters held signs and led chants outside of the Fayette County Courthouse on July 4, 2022, to protest the reversal of Roe vs. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court. Hundreds of protesters pointed to Fourth of July party-goers and shouted, This is what hypocrisy looks like. Many felt the Fourth of July was not something to celebrate after women in America lost their rights to bodily autonomy. Aly Whitman, the protest event organizer, said she created the event because she never really felt free in the country. Growing up in Dayton, Ohio, Whitman moved to Lexington three years ago. As long as I can remember and ever since I was a youngin I have never felt free, she said. I grew up in a low-income community with a lot of poverty, and a lot of communities of color who were struggling from drugs and police brutality and my Black friends have not felt free their entire lives. She said it felt like a slap in the face for people to be out celebrating the holiday at the courthouse. Its hypocrisy. You want to say you are pro-choice and you support us all, then you are out here giving them exactly what they want, and they are capitalizing on that, Whitman said. That is not what we are here to do. We dont feel free and we dont want to celebrate a country that is taking away rights. Womens rights supporters rally in downtown Lexington amid the citys Independence Day celebrations, on Monday, July 4, 2022. The protest was formed after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade. For now, abortions are allowed to continue in the state of Kentucky after a Louisville judge granted a restraining order on June 30 which blocked Kentuckys trigger law banning the procedure. The restraining order will be in place until at least July 6, when Planned Parenthood and EMW are scheduled to appear again to make a case for why the law should be more permanently blocked. One protester, who declined to be named and called herself a concerned health care provider, of Lexington, said she heard of the event via a Facebook post. A nurse for 41 years and nurse practitioner for 24 of those, she said her entire career has been in womens health, sexual health, and reproductive health and gender health care. She felt the ban was a way for legislators to have a hot topic to secure reelection. In regards to the juxtaposition of the protest taking place simultaneously to the Fourth of July festival, she said it was poignant. If all people are created equal and have their rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, then they are disenfranchising a whole group of people, she said. It is alright for them to say, We can do whatever we want and have guns and shoot up everyone we want to but I cant decide what to do with my body? They have taken away our rights. They have taken away the rights of my daughter, my granddaughters and the rights of my patients. Ryann Akolkar, of Lexington, brought her husband, two daughters and son to protest for womens rights. Ryann Alkokar and her daughter, Rena, protest at the Rally for Kentucky Reproductive Rights event on July 4, 2022. Alkokar said it was a no-brainer to be there. It was a no-brainer (to come out), Akolkar said. We want a place in the world where everyone has a choice for their own body and their reproductive rights. But I feel a special hold to this for my own daughters and to show my son how men need to be respecting women and people who have uteruses, and respect others and our choice. That is why we felt it was so important for us to be here. Authorities lifted all evacuations and road closures at the Rices Fire Monday morning, as crews moved toward full containment. The wildfire, which is burning in northwest Nevada County, has remained at 904 acres since Thursday morning. In that time, crews have raised the containment level to 65% from 12%. In a Monday morning incident report, Cal Fire officials said that crews were able to take advantage of favorable weather conditions through the weekend to mop up the fire and strengthen containment lines. The fire prompted evacuation orders last week in the Buttermilk, Bridgeport and French Corral areas. All lingering orders, warnings and closures were lifted with a Cal Fire report indicating that crews expect full containment of the blaze by Tuesday. The blaze injured 15 firefighters and one civilian. Last week, Cal Fire Nevada-Yuba-Placer spokeswoman Mary Eldridge said nearly all of the firefighter injuries were related to dehydration or heat illness. Thirteen structures were destroyed in the fire and one was damaged. The blaze no longer threatens any structures, Cal Fire said. The fire first ignited June 28 after an uninhabited building caught fire and spread to surrounding vegetation. The cause of the structure fire remains under investigation. Sandra Fire The Sandra Fire, which flared east of Oroville Thursday afternoon, is 100% contained, Cal Fire reported Sunday. The fire grew to 34 acres in just over an hour Thursday afternoon, prompting Butte County officials to issue a series of urgent evacuation orders near Robinson Mill and Forbestown. But firefighters gained control of the blaze Thursday evening, stopping forward progress. All evacuation orders and warning were lifted by Friday morning. No injuries or structure damage were reported. BAKHMUT, Ukraine (AP) Torched forests and cities burned to the ground. Colleagues with severed limbs. Bombardments so relentless the only option is to lie in a trench, wait and pray. Ukrainian soldiers returning from the front lines in eastern Ukraines Donbas region where Russia is waging a fierce offensive describe life during what has turned into a grueling war of attrition as apocalyptic. In interviews with The Associated Press, some complained of chaotic organization, desertions and mental health problems caused by relentless shelling. Others spoke of high morale, their colleagues heroism, and a commitment to keep fighting, even as the better-equipped Russians control more of the combat zone. Lt. Volodymyr Nazarenko, 30, second-in-command of the Ukrainian National Guards Svoboda Battalion, was with troops who retreated from Sievierodonetsk under orders from military leaders. During a month-long battle, Russian tanks obliterated any potential defensive positions and turned a city with a prewar population of 101,000 into a burnt-down desert, he said. They shelled us every day. I do not want to lie about it. But these were barrages of ammunition at every building," Nazarenko said. The city was methodically leveled out. At the time, Sievierodonetsk was one of two major cities under Ukrainian control in Luhansk province, where pro-Russia separatists declared an unrecognized republic eight years ago. By the time the order to withdraw came on June 24, the Ukrainians were surrounded on three sides and mounting a defense from a chemical plant also sheltering civilians. Ukrainian platoon commander Mariia talks to her soldiers in their position in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, July 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) If there was a hell on Earth somewhere, it was in Sievierodonetsk, Artem Ruban, a soldier in Nazarenko's battalion, said from the comparative safety of Bakhmut, 64 kilometers (40 miles) to the southwest of the since-captured city. The inner strength of our boys allowed them to hold the city until the last moment. Those were not human conditions they had to fight in. It is difficult to explain this to you here, what they feel like now or what it was like there," Ruban said, blinking in the sunlight. "They were fighting until the end there. The task was to destroy the enemy, no matter what. Nazarenko, who also fought in Kyiv and elsewhere in the east after Russia invaded Ukraine, considers the Ukrainian operation in Sievierodonetsk a victory despite the outcome. He said the defenders managed to limit casualties while stalling the Russian advance for much longer than expected, depleting Russias resources. Their army incurred huge losses, and their attack potential was obliterated, he said. Both the lieutenant and the soldier under his command expressed confidence that Ukraine would take back all occupied territories and defeat Russia. They insisted morale remained high. Other soldiers, most with no combat experience before the invasion, shared more pessimistic accounts while insisting on anonymity or using only their first names to discuss their experiences. Oleksiy, a member of the Ukrainian army who started fighting against the Moscow-backed separatists in 2016, had just returned from the front with a heavy limp. He said he was wounded on the battlefield in Zolote, a town the Russians also have since occupied. On the TV, they are showing beautiful pictures of the front lines, the solidarity, the army, but the reality is very different he said, adding he does not think the delivery of more Western weapons would change the course of the war. His battalion started running out of ammunition within a few weeks, Oleksiy said. At one point, the relentless shelling kept the soldiers from standing up in the trenches, he said, exhaustion visible on his lined face. A senior presidential aide reported last month that 100 to 200 Ukrainian troops were dying every day, but the country has not provided the total number killed in action. Oleksiy claimed his unit lost 150 men during its first three days of fighting, many from a loss of blood. Ukrainian platoon commander Mariia rests in a trench in a position in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, July 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Due to the relentless bombardments, wounded soldiers were only evacuated at night, and sometimes they had to wait up to two days, he said. The commanders dont care if you are psychologically broken. If you have a working heart, if you have arms and legs, you have to go back in, he added. Mariia, a 41-year-old platoon commander who joined the Ukrainian army in 2018 after working as a lawyer and giving birth to a daughter, explained that the level of danger and discomfort can vary greatly depending on a unit's location and access to supply lines. Front lines that have existed since the conflict with pro-Russia separatists began in 2014 are more static and predictable, whereas places that became battlegrounds since Russia sent its troops in to invade are a different world, she said. Mariia, who refused to share her surname for security reasons, said her husband is currently fighting in such a hot spot. Everyone misses and worries about their loved ones, and though this causes distress, her subordinates have kept their spirits high, she said. We are the descendants of Cossacks, we are free and brave. It is in our blood," she said. "We are going to fight to the end. Two other soldiers the AP interviewed former office-workers in Kyiv with no prior battle experience said they were sent to the front lines in the east as soon as they completed their initial training. They said they observed terrible organization and illogical decision-making, and many people in their battalion refused to fight. One of the soldiers said he smokes marijuana daily. Otherwise, I would lose my mind, I would desert. Its the only way I can cope he said. A 28-year-old former teacher in Sloviansk who never imagined he would fight for his country described Ukraine's battlefields as a completely different life, with a different value system and emotional highs as well as lows. There is joy, there is sorrow. Everything is intertwined, he said. Friendship with his colleagues provide the bright spots. But he also saw fellow soldiers succumbing to extreme fatigue, both physical and mental, and displaying symptoms of PTSD. Its hard to live under constant stress, sleep-deprived and malnourished. To see all those horrors with your own eyes the dead, the torn-off limbs. It is unlikely that someones psyche can withstand that, he said. Yet he, too, insisted that the motivation to defend their country remains. Ukrainian platoon commander Mariia talks on the phone in a position in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, July 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) We are ready to endure and fight with clenched teeth. No matter how hard and difficult it is, the teacher said, speaking from a fishing store that was converted into a military distribution hub. Who will defend my home and my family, if it is not me? The center in the city of Sloviansk provides local military units with equipment and provisions, and gives soldiers a place to go during brief respites from the physical grind and horrors of battle. Tetiana Khimion, a 43-year-old dance choreographer, set up the center when the war started. All kinds of soldiers pass through, she says, from skilled special forces and war-hardened veterans to civilians-turned-fighters who signed up only recently. It can be like this: For the first time he comes, smiles widely, he can even be shy. The next time he comes, and there is emptiness in his eyes," Khimion said. "He has been through something, and he is different. Behind her, a group of young Ukrainian soldiers on rotation from the front lines sit sharing jokes and a pizza. The thud of artillery can be heard a few miles away. Mostly they hope for the better. Yes, sometimes they come in a little sad, but we hope to raise their spirits here, too," Khimion said. "We hug, we smile at each other and then they go back into the fields. On Sunday, Russian forces occupied the last Ukrainian stronghold in Luhansk province and stepped up rocket strikes on Donetsk, the Donbas province where the center is located. By Daniel Trotta (Reuters) - The Ohio city of Akron declared a state of emergency on Monday, setting a curfew and canceling Independence Day fireworks, after protests over the police killing of an unarmed Black man turned unruly on Sunday night. The protests broke out after police released body camera video that showed eight officers shooting at Jayland Walker, 25, as he fled a traffic stop last week. Walker's body was found to have some 60 gunshot wounds. Daytime protests on Sunday were peaceful but, despite pleas from the Walker family that demonstrations remain peaceful, Akron police declared an unlawful assembly once property was damaged. Officers in riot gear fired about a dozen canisters of tear gas to scatter protesters, WKYC-TV said. Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan said a curfew for downtown Akron was in effect from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. until further notice, and a pair of Fourth of July fireworks displays also were canceled. "There was significant property damage done to downtown Akron. Small businesses up and down Main Street have had their windows broken. We cannot and will not tolerate the destruction of property or violence," Horrigan said in a statement. The Jayland Walker shooting marks the latest in a series of police killings of unarmed Black men, raising questions about police use of force and equal justice for African Americans, and contributing to increased polarization in the United States. Police said Walker had a gun in his car but left it on the front seat as he fled on foot. Officers believed he fired a round from inside the car before fleeing, police said, and that Walker was "moving into firing position" when he got out of his car, prompting them to react to him as a potential threat, Akron Police Chief Stephen Mylett said. VOW OF 'FAIR' INVESTIGATION The mayor praised the peaceful protests, which were led by the Akron chapter of the NAACP. Hundreds of demonstrators marched in the streets of the city of about 200,000 people, waving "Black Lives Matter" flags and chanting, "We are done dying," and "Justice for Jayland." Horrigan said the trouble began after nightfall, a pattern that was seen in the turbulent summer of 2020 when protests spread across the United States over the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died when a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes. Officers were later convicted of various charges including murder and civil rights violations in the Floyd case. On Sunday, the attorney for the Walker family, Bobby DiCello, told reporters he was "very concerned" about the police accusation that Walker had fired at officers from his car, adding that there was no justification for his violent death. "I ask you, as he's running away, what is reasonable? To gun him down? No, that's not reasonable," DiCello said. The Ohio attorney general and Ohio's Bureau of Criminal Investigation are investigating, and the file will be made public at the conclusion of the case, Attorney General Dave Yost said on Sunday. "People want and deserve answers, and they shall have them. BCI will conduct a complete, fair and expert investigation," Yost said in a statement The eight officers directly involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave, the Akron police chief said. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Mary Milliken and Bill Berkrot) Chari Baker, front, gestures as she confronts Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin at a restaurant Wednesday June 22, 2022, in Woodbridge, Va. Virginia lawmakers approved a budget amendment from Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin that excluded thousands of inmates with violent offenses from receiving the expanded earned sentence credits, meaning they would have to serve more time. ( AP Photo/Steve Helber) RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Christopher Ford was a baby when his father was sentenced to 28 years in prison for participating in a murder-for-hire scheme that led to the killings of two people at a car dealership. After serving 25 years, prison officials told Robert Glenn Ford he would be released in July under a 2020 Virginia law that allowed inmates to shave more time off their sentences for good behavior, his son said. But just before he was expecting to go home, Virginia lawmakers approved a budget amendment from Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin that excluded Ford and thousands of other inmates with violent offenses from receiving the expanded earned sentence credits, meaning they would have to serve more time. Using this back-door method days before they were supposed to get out was, to me, hugely wrong, Christopher Ford said in an interview. As lawmakers debated the amendment, they discussed the approximately 560 inmates who, like Robert Ford, were set to be released in the first 60 days of the program. But the impact is far larger. A spokesman for the Department of Corrections confirmed that about 8,000 inmates will now be ineligible for the expanded credits. Relatives and other advocates for the affected inmates said the reversal cruelly upended reunion and homecoming plans, devastating families and the inmates themselves. Republicans, who were joined by a few Senate Democrats in approving the amendment, made the case that offenders who were convicted of violent crimes shouldn't get a shot at reducing their time behind bars. The law, passed in 2020 when Democrats were in full control of state government, created a tiered system that allowed inmates with good behavior and participation in rehabilitation programs to earn expanded credits for up to 15 days per month to be taken off their sentences for nonviolent offenses. Before the law was approved, inmates could earn up to 4.5 days per month. Very few inmates qualify for parole in Virginia. The 2020 law had a delayed effective date of July 1, 2022, so prison officials would have time to calculate new release dates. And the change in credits applied retroactively, meaning the Department of Corrections was preparing for an initial surge of releases when it took effect. Under the 2020 law, violent offenses were not eligible for the expanded credit. But if inmates had a combined sentence with both a violent conviction and a lower-tier one, they could potentially shave some time off the sentence they were given for the nonviolent offense. Multiple attempts to repeal the law failed, but the last-minute budget amendment from Youngkin was approved by the General Assembly on June 17. He signed the budget bill days later. During a debate in the state Senate over the amendment, Republicans suggested the law went further than initially intended in allowing inmates with violent convictions to reduce any portion of their sentence, even for the separate, lesser convictions. Because of the way this was drafted, this is a loophole we should close, said Republican Sen. Mark Obenshain. He read from a list of the most serious offenses committed by the inmates among the first batch of early releases, and insisted that some of those people would go on to offend again. Were going to hear about it when one of these 41 rapists commits another rape, he said. Democratic Sen. Joe Morrissey said everyone knew how the changes would work when the law was passed and accused Republicans of playing politics with the issue. I know what's coming in November and October, that Democrats let all these people out of prison. Its a great soundbite and a great commercial, but thats not what were doing, he said. Youngkin also characterized the amendment as a simple fix when a group of women with affected relatives confronted him last week at a campaign-style event in Woodbridge, where he was touting the recently signed budget. His aides whisked him away after the women began to shout questions. They dangled this hope in their faces and then they snatched it up from under their feet 10 days before they were supposed to be released. Thats ridiculous," said Chari Baker, whose husband was among those affected. Baker, who said she runs a prison reform advocacy group, said the change upended plans ranging from weddings to employment opportunities. In one instance, a father close to death was hoping to see his son before he died, she said. Christopher Ford said his father, now 62, became a Jehovahs Witness in 2006 and volunteers as a group leader in religious studies in prison. Hes also taken agriculture courses and has held a job in the prison kitchen for years. I understand the fears some people have (about releasing him from prison), but there are people who have changed during their time. My father is not the same person he was in 1997 when he committed these crimes," he said. Christopher Ford said because his fathers release has been put off until February, his family has delayed homecoming celebrations, like a planned camping trip and trip to a New York Giants game. Paulettra James will be waiting even longer. She expected her husbands release date to be moved up by up to 10 years, thanks to the expanded credits. Jerry James is serving a 38-year term for a series of bank robberies and has worked hard to turn his life around, his wife said. To get this news was beyond devastating. It was heartbreaking, she said. Londons West End theatres will dim their lights in memory of British theatre and film director Peter Brook who has died aged 97. Brook, who had lived in France since the early 1970s, won many awards including Tonys, Emmys and an Olivier across his seven-decade career in the arts, and directed famous names including Sir Laurence Olivier, Sir John Gielgud and Adrian Lester. As a tribute to him, West End theatres will dim their lights before performances for two minutes at 7pm on Monday, the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) has said. Peter Brook outside Buckingham Palace after receiving the Insignia of a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour from the Queen (PA) According to the French newspaper Le Monde, Brook died in Paris at the weekend. His publisher, Nick Hern Books, also paid tribute, saying he leaves behind an incredible artistic legacy. All of us at NHB are very sad to hear of the death of legendary director Peter Brook, at the age of 97. We're honoured to have been Peter's publisher for the past twenty years, sharing his wisdom and insights with the world. He leaves behind an incredible artistic legacy. RIP. pic.twitter.com/a5D35cULI1 Nick Hern Books (@NickHernBooks) July 3, 2022 Born in Chiswick, west London, on March 21 1925 to Lithuanian Jewish parents, Brook attended Westminster School, followed by Oxford University. His first production was of Dr Faustus in 1943 at the Torch Theatre in London. Between 1947 and 1950, he served as director of productions at the Royal Opera House, where he staged an experimental and headline-making version of Richard Strausss Salome with sets by Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali. He directed Sir Lawrence as Titus Andronicus in Stratford for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1955 and was subsequently invited to assist artistic director Sir Peter Hall on further works. These included a 1962 production of King Lear starring Paul Scofield. In 1970, Brook moved to Paris, where he set up the International Centre For Theatre Research, which travelled widely in the Middle East and Africa as part of a three-year pilgrimage. His troupe would perform for rural communities, often with only a carpet for a stage. Four years later he reopened a partially derelict theatre, Bouffes du Nord, close to the French capitals central Gare du Nord station and transformed it into the new home of the ICTR. Although the theatre was renovated, Brook decided not to redecorate the interior so it retained a distressed look that would become its hallmark. Brook was also among the first in theatre to focus on increasing the diversity of his productions and in an interview with the Evening Standard in 2019, he described his method of casting as colour-rich as opposed to colour-blind. He continued to direct and write into his later years and had recently stage directed The Tempest Project with his long-time collaborator, French playwright and screenwriter Marie-Helene Estienne. The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) described Brook, who was a RSC honorary associate artist, as a visionary director and a giant of European theatre. Erica Whyman, acting artistic director of the RSC, said: I was privileged to get to know Peter in the 1990s at the National Theatre Studio where he generously shared his practice with younger theatre-makers, and later when I presented his work at Northern Stage. He was a mesmerising person, fascinated by the potential of human beings to communicate the most delicate feelings and thoughts to one another, by respecting the commanding simplicity of an empty space. "Peter Brook was the singular theatre practitioner of the last century, both fearless and peerless in his enquiry into the breadth and depth of the form. It is with great sorrow that we mourn his passing, and celebrate his extraordinary life in art." Rufus Norris pic.twitter.com/OuOeNGiR2O National Theatre (@NationalTheatre) July 3, 2022 Rufus Norris, director of the National Theatre, said: Peter Brook was the singular theatre practitioner of the last century, both fearless and peerless in his inquiry into the breadth and depth of the form. It is with great sorrow that we mourn his passing, and celebrate his extraordinary life in art. RIP Peter Brook. The titan has passed, but his influence will live on forever. A visionary theatre maker always pushing boundaries. He said we must swim against the tide and achieve whatever we can in our chosen field Sonia Friedman Productions (@SFP_London) July 3, 2022 Brook was awarded both the Praemium Imperiale and the Prix Italia, and he was made a CBE in 1965 and a Companion of Honour in 1998. In 1951, he married actress Natasha Parry and they have two children Irina, an actress and director, and Simon, a director. Parry died of a stroke in July 2015 aged 84. Controversial Troubles legacy and reconciliation legislation was branded a whitewash as it cleared the House of Commons despite strong opposition from Northern Ireland MPs and victims groups. MPs voted 282 votes to 217, majority 65, to give the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill a third reading. Labour expects the House of Lords to start considering the proposals before the summer recess and it is likely to receive a thorough grilling by peers. The Bill seeks to establish a new information retrieval body to review deaths and other harmful conduct within the Troubles defined as the period from January 1 1966 to April 10 1998. It proposes an effective amnesty for Troubles crimes for those who co-operate with a new information body. The Bill also seeks to bring to an end inquests which have not reached an advanced stage and prevent future inquests into Troubles-related deaths. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood (Foyle) told the Commons: What we are doing today is utterly shameful. It is a whitewash on a grand scale. It is an opportunity for impunity and it would not be allowed to stand in any other part of the United Kingdom. This says an awful lot that we are quietly and coldly walking through lobbies to bring this about today. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (Lagan Valley) said the legislation falls down when it comes to justice, adding: We want to see an outcome on legacy, we recognise the Governments desire to move this process forward but we disagree with the method and the process that is being proposed. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood (Brian Lawless/PA) Alliance MP Stephen Farry (North Down) said the Bill does not have the support of the entire community in our region, adding: I do fear this will be a very expensive white elephant that wont be used by both victims or perpetrators, but it will make the process of reconciliation in Northern Ireland that much harder. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis earlier said the Government will remain open to constructive dialogue with all stakeholders on legacy issues. He added: We are also resolute in our commitment to delivering legislation that does all it can to deliver for those impacted by the Troubles. The reality is the Troubles are a painful period of our history and are still painful for so many in Northern Ireland. This Bill delivers a way forward and delivers on our manifesto pledge. But shadow Northern Ireland secretary Peter Kyle said: With the passage of this Bill through second reading, through hours of committee, the Bill as it stands today still has no support of any Northern Ireland parties, it still has no support of any victims group in Northern Ireland. He added that amnesty was too easy to earn, telling MPs: This Bill gives more rights to people who committed crimes during the Troubles than it does to their victims and for those reasons we will be opposing at third reading. At committee stage, MPs voted 282 to 209, majority 73, to defeat Labours amendment designed to prevent a person who is granted immunity under the legislation from profiting from the conduct which they received immunity for. Mr Kyle had warned the Bill would allow perpetrators to live in freedom and empower them to release books which seek to justify the mayhem and senseless killings they carried out. MPs also voted 283 to 220, majority 63, to reject DUP new clause 4, which aimed to make having received immunity under the Bill an aggravating factor in sentencing for the offence of glorifying terrorism. Former Conservative minister Johnny Mercer (House of Commons/PA) During committee stage, Conservative former minister Johnny Mercer said he understood the Government is involved in talks to ensure those who receive immunity under the Bill cannot glorify terrorism. He said: We need to be very, very careful that these cowards who like Ive said before got up in the morning to murder women and children for their political aims, that they are given absolutely no opportunity to glorify what they did, and just really double down and make sure there is no gap in the legislation to make sure these people cant take advantage of their crimes. Northern Ireland minister Conor Burns said: It is our view that the Terrorism Act 2006 already makes it illegal for the encouragement or glorification of terrorism, whether this is in the past, the future or generally. Nothing in this Bill would prevent the prosecution of individuals who were deemed to have committed an offence under the Terrorism Act 2006. A DUP amendment designed to revoke immunity for people later found to have lied was rejected by 282 votes to 218, majority 64. Egypt's first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on Sunday. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi took the first ride of the LRT at its inauguration ceremony, which was also attended by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang. The LRT project is the fruit of a 1.24-billion-U.S. dollar contract signed in August 2017 between Egypt's National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) and the consortium of China Railway Engineering Corporation and AVIC International Holding Corporation (CREC-AVIC INTL Consortium). The rail project connects the New Administrative Capital (NAC) being constructed east of Cairo with surrounding distant new cities and districts including El-Salam City, 10th of Ramadan City, El-Obour City, Badr City and El-Shorouk City. Egyptian Transport Minister Kamel el-Wazir said the first phase of the LRT contains 22 trains and will serve 360,000 passengers daily. The 12-station alignment of the LRT starts from the huge Adly Mansour central station, a transportation hub east of Cairo, and ends at the NAC, including seven bridges, three tunnels, two substations and one depot. The LRT project is divided into several phases, covering a total distance of about 103 kilometers with 19 stations. The current phase that is being inaugurated today covers a distance of about 70 kilometers with 12 stations. The future phases would include a south extension that covers a distance of around 18.5 kilometers with four stations and a north extension that covers about 16 kilometers with three stations, the transport minister pointed out. Around 20 Egyptian and 15 Chinese companies took part in the execution of the project, according to the minister. Produced by Xinhua Global Service YEREVAN, JULY 4, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan sent a congratulatory letter to President of the United States Joe Biden on the occasion of the US Independence Day, the Presidential Officec said. The letter reads: The Declaration of Independence signed years ago in Philadelphia has became the most important milestone in establishing democracy, human and peoples rights and dignity, having a turning effect on the further course of the world history. The United States of America is one of the most important partners of Armenia. Armenia attaches great importance to the friendship, as well as multi-sectoral close cooperation existing between our countries. I am confident that with joint efforts we will strengthen the existing mutual partnership, enriching the bilateral agenda and expanding the partnering relations within the frames of strategic dialogue. We highly value the US constant support and efforts aimed at the preservation of peace and stability in our region, as well as the democratic and economic reforms. YEREVAN, JULY 4, 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 July 3-4 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, JULY 4, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory letter to US President Joe Biden on Independence Day, the PMs Office said. The letter reads: Dear Mr. President, I warmly congratulate you and the good people of the United States on the US Independence Day. Every year on July 4th, millions of Americans, including many of our American-Armenian compatriots are celebrating the most important day of the United States the Independence Day. Since the declaration of Independence the people and all governments of the United States have consistently moved on the path of establishing and strengthening freedom, human rights, rule of law and democracy. The role of the United States in democracy plays a significant role in the establishment of human rights and rule of law not only in different parts of the world, but also in terms of creating a predictable and peaceful development environment for nations of regions. The friendship and partnership between our countries and peoples are based on common values, mutual trust and friendship. I am happy to record that the cooperation between our governments in strengthening democracy and the commitment of both sides give tangible results. Once again congratulating you on Independence Day, I wish you and the people of the United States welfare and peace. Please, accept, respectful President, the assurances of my highest respect. YEREVAN, 4 JULY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 4 July, USD exchange rate down by 0.43 drams to 407.52 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.45 drams to 425.90 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.05 drams to 7.41 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 2.91 drams to 494.73 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price down by 281.26 drams to 23550.32 drams. Silver price down by 9.32 drams to 258.44 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams. Narvekar also recognised the appointment of Bharat Gogawale from the Shinde camp as the chief whip of the Sena, removing Sunil Prabhu Newly-elected Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar being presented a bouquet by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis after the special session of Maharashtra Assembly, at Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai. (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil) Mumbai: In a jolt to Uddhav Thackeray ahead of the Eknath Shinde-led government's floor test, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar has reinstated Shinde as Shiv Sena legislature party leader, removing Ajay Chaudhary. Narvekar also recognised the appointment of Bharat Gogawale from the Shinde camp as the chief whip of the Sena, removing Sunil Prabhu, who belongs to the Thackeray faction. The trust vote will be held in the Assembly on Monday, the last day of the special two-day session of the House. In a statement late Sunday night, Narvekar said the Maharashtra Legislature secretariat had received a letter from the Shinde-led group on June 22 objecting to his removal by Thackeray as the group leader of the Shiv Sena legislature party. After discussing the legalities of the matter, the Speaker has rejected the appointment of Sena MLA Ajay Chaudhary as the group leader of the legislative unit of the party, a letter by Narvekar said. The development comes as a major setback to the Thackeray faction comprising 16 MLAs who will be bound by the whip to be issued by Gogawale for the trust vote. If these 16 MLAs refuse to follow the whip, they face disqualification. Reacting to the development, Shiv Sena chief MP Arvind Sawant said his party will challenge this "unconstitutional" decision in court. Former Secretary General of Lok Sabha P D T Acharya has given directives that the party leader (chief) has the right to appoint the group leader of the legislative unit of that party. How can you say that (Eknath Shinde) is the (legislative) party leader?" We will challenge this decision in court. This is highly unfortunate. The decision is taken on Sunday late night which speaks volumes about how it must have been taken, said Sawant. He alleged that the decision amounts to trampling the Constitution and democratic norms. "The BJP is marching towards autocracy, Sawant added. Ousted Shiv Sena group leader Ajay Chaudhary said the new Speaker did not even conduct any hearing over the objections of both sides. "When my name was proposed for the Shiv Sena group leader's post, it was signed by Shiv Sena MLAs Dada Bhuse and Sanjay Rathod. They both later joined the Shinde camp. How can the Speaker ignore these facts? When my appointment was recognised by acting speaker Narhari Zirwal, how come the newly-appointed Speaker Rahul Narvekar can intervene?" he asked. Modi moots Sneha Yatra, seeks 'double - engine' government in Telangana Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the BJP was growing rapidly and continuously in Telangana since the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, which is reflective of the strong desire of the people of Telangana to install a "double engine sarkar (BJP government at the Centre and state)" soon. Mr Modi also mooted a "Sneha Yatra", a massive public outreach programme, to reach out to minority communities, especially Muslims and Christians, to win their confidence. Addressing a mammoth public meeting titled "Vijay Sankalp Sabha" at the Parade Grounds on Sunday to mark the conclusion of the BJP's two-day national executive meeting in the city, the PM stated that the double-engine sarkar in Telangana would ensure faster development and prosperity of the state. "People of Telangana gave a good mandate for the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha (polls). Their support for BJP increased further in GHMC elections and Assembly by-polls later. This shows that the people of Telangana yearn for 'double engine growth'. In other states too, we have seen that the double-engine government of the BJP has led to an increasing trust of the people in it. By extending continuous support to the BJP, the people of Telangana are paving the way for the BJP's double-engine government in the state," Mr Modi said. Though the PM did not name the ruling TRS or chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao in his 25-minute speech, all the other top BJP brass on the dais slammed KCR's "dynastic politics" and "corrupt rule". In an apparent attempt to remove insecurity among the minorities, the Prime Minister directed party leaders from northeastern states to showcase to the rest of the country how the BJP government there had not only safeguarded the Christian communitys interests, but also worked for their prosperity. The Prime Minister also asked BJP chief ministers to stay put in Kerala and Goa, and interact with Christian groups regularly. Sources told this newspaper that the Prime Minister wanted the party to take a cue from its recent victories in Rampur and Azamgarh Lok Sabha by-polls, which are Muslim-dominated regions. Mr Modi reportedly highlighted misconceptions about the partys approach towards minorities, mainly due to Opposition propaganda, and is seeking to reach out to all communities to convey that the party was not against any religion. The Prime Minister, according to sources, said all states should emulate the "UP Model" in which most backward sections among the Muslim community were identified and brought into the partys fold. They extended full support to the party in the recent by-polls, he pointed out. Highlighting that the party had nominated a tribal woman for the presidential election, Mr Modi asked the party cadre to put up Droupadi Murmus photo in all the panchayat offices, especially in tribal hamlets. He suggested the party celebrate occasions like Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Police Commemoration Day, and Army Day with the public. Explaining the spirit of the initiative, a former Union minister said the party would also acknowledge the contributions of officials and staff working in government offices. "After all, if staff at a police station, or a primary health centre, or other government offices are delivering good services to citizens, what is wrong in acknowledging such work and letting them know that the party values their contributions to the country?" the minister said. Mr Modi said that in the past eight years of his government at the Centre, several policies have been launched for the welfare of the poor, Dalits, backward classes, and tribal people. "That's why people from all sections of society have increased trust in our government and its policies," the PM said. Meanwhile, the PM also announced the setting up of a mega textile park in Telangana as part of the Centre's decision to set up seven such parks across the country to increase textile exports from India and generate employment. He said Telangana was a beneficiary of various central welfare schemes and development programmes in the past eight years. Mr Modi also listed out the benefits accrued to Telangana in eight years of the NDA regime, in terms of new road networks, national highways, railway lines, Mudra loans, PM Ujjwala Yojana, paddy procurement etc. The PM lavished praise on Telangana, its history and its culture. "People of Telangana are known for their hard work. They are highly talented. Telangana is known for its rich history and culture, and its art and architecture are a matter of pride for all of us," Mr Modi said. Mr Modi also heaped praise on Hyderabad city. He said, "Hyderabad is the symbol and centre of self-reliance and self-confidence in the country. There is similar potential for several other towns and cities in Telangana. When the BJP's double-engine government is formed in Telangana, it will put the development of these cities and towns on "fast track mode." A vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and JK Maheshwari said that petitions will be listed next week before an appropriate bench New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said that it would hear next week pleas challenging the Centre's 'Agnipath' scheme for recruitment in the armed forces. A vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and JK Maheshwari said that petitions will be listed next week before an appropriate bench upon reopening of the apex court after summer vacation. A counsel, who filed a plea against the scheme, said Indian Air Force aspirants have undergone training and were waiting for appointment letters but now their career will be cut short from 20 years to four years. This is an urgent matter, kindly list it. The careers of several aspirants are at stake, the counsel said. Advocate ML Sharma, who has also filed a PIL challenging the scheme, said he seeks cancellation of the government's notification pertaining to the scheme as more than 70,000 aspirants who have undergone training were waiting for their appointment letters before the pandemic and now their career has been shortened by scheme. The bench said that when you (Sharma) have waited for more than two years then why you are coming before the vacation bench. It listed Sharma's plea before the appropriate bench along with other matters. In the PIL, Sharma has alleged that the government has quashed the century-old selection process for the Armed forces which is contrary to the constitutional provisions. The Agnipath scheme, announced on June 14, provides for the recruitment of youths between the age of 17-and-a-half and 21 for only four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years. Protests have erupted in several states against the scheme. Later, the government extended the upper age limit to 23 years for recruitment in 2022. The plea also referred to protest all over the country against the scheme. Earlier, several petitions have been filed in the top court seeking a direction to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the damage to public properties, including that of Railways, during violent protests against the scheme. The plea has also sought directions to the Centre and Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Haryana, and Rajasthan governments to submit a status report on the violent protests. It has sought a direction to set up an expert committee under the chairmanship of a retired apex court judge to examine the scheme and its impact on national security and the Army. It is the Union govts agencies under home minister Amit Shah that have been misusing their vast powers to destroy the lives of citizens Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair (in white cap) is escorted by policemen at the Patiala House Court in a case related to an allegedly objectionable tweet he had posted in 2018, in New Delhi on July 2, 2022. (Photo: AFP) The jailing of Mohammed Zubair is the latest in a line of miscarriages of justice that Indias government is inflicting on its citizens. I say Indias government because though law and order is a state subject, it is the Union governments agencies under home minister Amit Shah that have been misusing their vast powers to destroy the lives of citizens without trial and without conviction. Its the Delhi police, National Investigation Agency, Narcotics Control Bureau and other agencies under the BJP like the Enforcement Directorate that have gone after journalists, actors and Opposition legislators nationwide. Zubair, the brilliant fact-checker and founder of Alt News, an alternative news organ that has roiled the pliant media space, is now in jail on such a ludicrous charge that its not worth reproducing. The arguments made against him would not hold in another democracy but this is New India. There is no real complainant against Zubair except an anonymous individual who has forwarded a tweet, and the BJP has jailed Zubair and wants to keep him in custody though the tweet he has been jailed for is visible. The government has sent the police to his house and seized his property for no reason. Why is it doing all this? Of course, the intent is to harass, humiliate and terrorise individuals. Zubair is the person who dug out the BJP spokeswomans abuse of a religious figure, which led to the government having to eat its words. This current spell of action is retribution and vengeance by our government against a fellow citizen. Legal scholar Faizan Mustafa has noted since the promise of criminal law as an instrument of safety is matched only by its power to destroy, guarantees of due process were accordingly incorporated in the criminal procedure so that every accused person gets a fair trial. In India the presumption of innocence has been tossed out and replaced with the assumption of guilt. This is why jail is first and everything else later, if at all. There was no reason to jail Zubair, just as there was no reason to jail Aryan Khan, on whom no drug or evidence was found. There was no reason to jail Teesta Setalvad, Rhea Chakraborty or Nawab Malik either, other than to make a circus out of the arrests and to punish people using the enormous and disproportionate power that the State holds over individuals. In the criminal justice system, the State holds all the cards. The prosecution, the police, the courtroom and even the judge come from the State. The accused is alone. This is why justice systems have safeguards in favour of the accused and against the State. That is why we say innocent until proven guilty, and that is why the burden of proving criminal activity is on the State. India has reversed that principle in several laws and this isnt just under the BJP. The laws of UAPA (on terrorism), NDPS (for narcotics), PMLA (for money-laundering) and even on citizenship (NRC of Assam) push the burden of proof on the individual. Many harsh state laws, such as Gujarats GUJCOCA (on organised crime) also make the condition of getting bail so difficult as to be near impossible. But even without these laws, India is piling the burden onto the individual as we can see in the case of Zubair, and the State is enthusiastic about using its destructive power. This is dangerous and the reckless State which the judiciary cant contain is doing great damage. It is not a healthy democracy where the government is intent on jailing people before their convictions. The interest of the State is not in prosecuting, as we can see in the cases of the celebrities who were jailed and denied bail for weeks. Once they secure bail, the government usually loses interest and the case drifts. See what has happened in the cases referred to above. This is not about the rule of law or the upholding of the Constitution. This is about how to harass someone and keep them in jail in the first instance. There are many who are enjoying the fact that activists like Teesta Setalvad and journalists like Zubair are in jail without being convicted. These people should realise that there is no benefit to India as a constitutional democracy or modern state from such actions. The world sees this angry state in India wreaking vengeance on individuals with a negative view. Indias diplomats will verify this. Our journey towards becoming a developed, prosperous nation becomes even more difficult when the destructive power of the law is misused in the way that it is being done now. When we set off in 1947, we did not want to come to a place where the negative energies of the government were focused on its own people. I notice that I have not even once here referred to the positive qualities that Mohammed Zubair and his work have brought to our nation. He is a genuine hero who in another country would be honoured for doing the sort of work he has done along with his partner Pratik Sinha. It is a sad reflection of our times that such a contribution is not only disregarded by the State and large parts of society, but held in contempt and with hatred. This is New India, where our heroes and heroines are vilified and jailed by a State that is intent on damaging its citizens. TEHRAN, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The United States failed to be constructive in the latest round of the talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday. According to the statement, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a phone conversation with his French counterpart, Catherine Colonna. Though describing the Tuesday and Wednesday talks in Doha as positive, Amir-Abdollahian said, "we should wait and see how the American side would seek to use the opportunity of diplomacy." "We maintain that reiterating previous positions should not replace a political initiative," he said. Amir-Abdollahian added that Iran is serious about reaching a "good and lasting" agreement and has always presented its proposals and ideas in the negotiations. The two-day indirect talks between Iran and the United States in the Qatari capital last week failed to result in any agreement to settle remaining differences amid international efforts to restore the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Iran signed the JCPOA with the world's major countries in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in return for removing sanctions on the country. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the JCPOA in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its commitments under the pact. Talks to revive the deal began in April 2021 in Vienna but were suspended in March this year because of political differences between Tehran and Washington. India has no option but to join the West in ganging up on both China and Russia, and that this alone shapes Indian foreign policy When Vladimir Putin first became Russian President in 2000 he said that he cannot imagine my own country in isolation from Europe and what we often call the civilised world. Had the West responded to him then, Ukraine might have been spared the horrors of a brutal invasion and India denied the pleasure of being courted by the European Union as well as the United States. However, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit, that was held in Madrid following the G-7 meeting in the Bavarian Alps in Germany, underlined that despite this courtship, India can never be a full-fledged member of the Western alliance. Natos Madrid decision to identify Russia as Enemy Number One means that as under Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, Narendra Modis India is again destined to plough a lonely furrow. Although trade talks with the European Union have been resumed after an eight-year break, the G-7s resounding commitment to open public debate, independent and pluralistic media, freedom of expression and opinion online and offline and a free and independent media landscape in the 2022 Resilient Democracies Statement issued by members and their five special invitees (including India) seem irreconcilable with a chain of recent controversies culminating in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Kashmiri photojournalist, Sana Irshad Mattoo, being prevented from travelling to France. Meanwhile, New Delhis official spokesman accused the US state department of practising vote bank politics in international relations by criticising the alleged lack of religious freedom in this country. These contradictions arise because of the Wests obsession with confronting Russia, containing China and retaining its global leadership without firing a shot or running out of oil. Driven by those aims, the EU and the US make as little effort as the late John Foster Dulles who thought non-alignment immoral to understand the powerful strategic, military, economic and diplomatic elements of the India-Russia relationship. The assumption is that smarting from humiliating reverses on the border, India has no option but to join the West in ganging up on both China and Russia, and that this alone shapes Indian foreign policy. This simplistic view also overlooks that at one level and despite the lure of the Green Card, Indians find it difficult to exorcize the lingering bogey of the big bad imperialist West. Russia with its skill in courting Third World nations, its technological expertise and ability to play Father Christmas is a beneficiary of that ingrained anti-Western legacy. As Chester Bowles, twice US ambassador to India, reported back many decades before any touch of saffron influenced national perceptions, Indians were hugely impressed by an East bloc nation that rivalled the West. Even if memories of the US denial to Mr Modi of a diplomatic visa when he was chief minister of Gujarat, and the comments of various US officials on what the state department called sectarian violence on a really massive scale, plays no part in current thinking, guaranteed oil at a privileged price during a global shortage and assurances of continuing supplies of weapons and spares add to the attractiveness of a connection based on certain fundamental similarities. When Mr Putin annexed Crimea in March 2014, articles in Rossiyskaya Gazeta and The Diplomat drew attention to the similarity with Indias absorption of the Himalayan kingdom of Sikkim. I wonder how Owen Dixon, the Australian jurist and United Nations mediator in Jammu and Kashmir who called Maharaja Hari Singhs disputed kingdom a miniature Austro-Hungarian empire, would have described India. India and Russia are both pluralist states that defy the Westphalian concepts of the nation-state with its exclusive sovereignty over its territory. Both can claim that for reasons of history and culture, their influence and even identity extends beyond their borders. To continue the parallel, Russia has the largest Muslim population in Europe: American sources claimed in 2017 that 14 million Russian Muslims constituted roughly 10 per cent of the total population. Islamist insurrections are not confined to the Chechen region. Moreover, not all the countries that were part of the old Soviet Union are today self-contained units that have made a smooth transition from dependence to independence. Most hosted and some still do so Russian military units that are regarded as crucial to the Russian Federations security. Given this context, students of history might see the Nato strategic concept document highlighted in Madrid claiming that the Russian Federations war of aggression against Ukraine has shattered peace and gravely altered our security environment as a return to the Cold War rhetoric. Russias brutal and unlawful invasion, repeated violations of international humanitarian law and heinous attacks and atrocities may well have caused unspeakable suffering and destruction, but Moscows term for the invasion special military operation invites comparison with Indias own 1948 Operation Polo or Operation Vijay in 1961. Ranjit Gupta, Kolkatas police commissioner in the 1970s, who was credited with suppressing the Naxalite movement, held that as an imperial creation, modern India could be held together only through imperial means. It was said in the early 1990s that Mikhail Gorbachev was a better democrat than Abraham Lincoln since he allowed 14 Soviet republics to go their own way while Lincoln had fought a bitter and bloody civil war to prevent the 11 Confederate states from seceding from the Union. Times change, boundaries shift, yesterdays enemies like France and Germany are todays EU partners. The current joke doing the rounds concerns Mr Putin returning to earth from the special paradise for ex-Communists and ordering a vodka in a bar with a chatty barman. Is the Crimea Russian, he asked, and was assured that it was. The Donbas? Also Russian. And the Ukraine operation? The Russians invaded, said the barman. Thousands of people were killed. The burials went on day and night. Mr Putin wanted to know if the war continued. No, the barman replied. Its over. Theres complete peace now! Delighted that his conquest was complete, Mr Putin asked for his bill. Five euros, replied the barman. Lord Robertson, Natos secretary-general, recalls the newly-elected Mr Putin asking: When are you going to invite us to join Nato? The secretary-general replied that countries were not invited, they applied to join. Well, were not standing in line with a lot of countries that dont matter, Russias President retorted. As noted already, some concession to his sensibilities might have saved Ukraine. It would also have avoided the quandary that Prime Minister Narendra Modi finds himself in today. More than 200 bishops, priests and lay people gathered in Tagaytay City for the last phase of the National Synodal Consultation called for by Pope Francis. Meanwhile, the Bishops' Conference plans to discuss a proposal to ask the Vatican to set up a "personal prelature for 10 million Filipinos who work outside the country. Manila (AsiaNews) The synodal journey Pope Francis called for has reached its final phase in the Philippines. Starting today until Thursday, some 200 bishops, priests and lay delegates from all the dioceses will meet in Tagaytay City, south of Manila, for the last phase of the National Synodal Comsultation to collect all the reflections made locally and elaborate a synthesis to be sent to Rome for the Synodal Assembly of October 2023, which will bring together the bishops of the whole world. In his opening address, Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, who is president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, called on the Philippine Church to take the opportunity of the Synod to leave the Upper Room and "open its doors", especially to the poor and the marginalised. Our method for this assembly is drawn from this Gospel text: look, listen and love (a more evangelical way of saying see, judge and act), Bishop David said. Throughout this synod, we will take time to look closely and acknowledge our fears, our wounds and our blinders, to listen attentively, to sort out the many discordant voices that we hear, and to discern those that lead us to peace, joy, and healing. In doing so, We will identify the doors that need to be opened so that we can go forward together on the way, the way of Love, the way of Jesus, the way of the cross and resurrection. This synod has allowed us to name the many chasms or gaps that have kept us apart in the very unequal societies that we have built in this modern world. The good news is [that] the gaps that Abraham described as unbridgeable can now be crossed over by our greatest bridge-builder. For through his cross, through his passion and death, he has allowed himself to become like a bridge over troubled waters. This is how the Church, both local and universal, is invited to participate in the mission. Following the Synodal Assembly, Philippine bishops will also discuss how to build bridges to shorten distances at their plenary assembly next Saturday. This will include presenting the Vatican with a proposal, two years in the making, to set up a personal prelature for Philippine migrants in the world. The Philippine Church would like to see the pastoral care of the Filipinos who left the country to work abroad some 10 million or almost 10 per cent of the population entrusted to a Philippine bishop. This special borderless diocese would have its own properly trained clergy and would follow Philippine migrants wherever they are in the world. If the bishops approve such proposal and the Vatican agrees to it, it would be the first institution of its kind in the Catholic Church. The prelate took over the vicariate, concelebrating his first Mass in St Joseph's Cathedral in Abu Dhabi. He thanked his predecessor, Bishop Hinder, for his great work. He also stressed the role Catholic parishes and schools play and noted that the document signed by Pope Francis and Grand Imam el-Tayeb should not be forgotten. Abu Dhabi (AsiaNews) With a call for cultural pluralism and tolerance, Bishop Paolo Martinelli made his official entry into St Joseph's Cathedral in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), as the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia. In his address, he expressed deep admiration" for Arabia, a land with numerous traditions" and a crossroads where "people from many nations meet, interact and work together on a daily basis. Bishop Paul Hinder welcomed the new apostolic vicar of southern Arabia last Saturday in the land where Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb of al-Azhar signed the Document on Human Fraternity. The 80-year-old Hinder resigned due to age after leading the vicariate for more 18 years starting in 2003. As a final act, he concelebrated a solemn Mass with his successor, Bishop Martinelli. The 64-year-old Martinelli is a member of the Capuchin Friars Minor of the province of San Carlo in Lombardy. For the past eight years, he served as auxiliary bishop of Milan (Italy). The rulers, authorities, and dignitaries of these nations have my full respect for promoting the spirit of respectful coexistence and tolerance, the new vicar said. God has called all human beings to live together as brothers and sisters, even if they belong to different cultures, peoples and religions, he added. At the very beginning of my office as the shepherd in this Vicariate, I express a great desire to elevate interreligious dialogue and the promotion of universal brotherhood according to the spirit of the document on Human Fraternity. In his view, different religions can greatly contribute to societies throughout the world by promoting peace and love. Speaking about his predecessor, Bishop Hinder, he thanked him for his whole-hearted welcome. [. . .] I take this opportunity to express my deep admiration for the great work and wise counsel, that he demonstrated during his 18 years of service. The Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia has two million members, mostly migrants from India, the Philippines and other Asian countries. Martinelli expressed special appreciation for the important pastoral work done by parishes, as well as the precious contributions of Catholic schools" and churches that represent "a central meeting point for everyone, especially believers and families. In a land full of riches but also tragic situations, like Yemen, the Document on Human Fraternity becomes fundamental and whose memory we are duty-bound to preserve while furthering its cultural, social and religious implications. by Mathias Hariyadi Abortion is a crime under Indonesian law. In recent days, the Communication Forum of Life Protectors held a two-day seminar to train volunteer counsellors. Fr Aristanto of the Commission for the Family of the Indonesian Bishops' Conference: "Jesus would have done anything to save the lives of others". Jakarta (AsiaNews) - An online seminar on abortion organised by the Communication Forum of Life Protectors (Fkpk) has been held in recent days. Dozens of professionals who want to become voluntary counsellors for women wishing to abort a pregnancy took part. Under Indonesia's penal code, abortion is still considered a serious crime punishable by the charge of murder. However, this does not prevent 'clandestine' abortion practices, explained Angela Abidin, physician and pro-life activist. "With the many problems and challenges that women with unwanted pregnancies face," commented Professor Elisabeth Kristi Poerwandari, "the presence of trained counsellors is extremely necessary." "There is no need for judgement: our presence should help the woman to find the best solution and save the life of the foetus," added Theresia Indira Shanti, professor of psychology at the University of Indonesia. "The two-day workshop is important to train all potential volunteers who will have to take care of women who want an abortion," commented Felix Gunawan, head of Fkpk. The organisation consists of lay activists, mostly Catholics, who are committed to saving the lives of unwanted children. Founded in Jakarta in 1998, the group has over the years intensified coordination between 200 orphanages throughout Indonesia and encouraged nuns and activists to take in mothers and children. Ekarini Aryasatini, a gynaecologist, and Theresia Indira Shanti explained to the participants the basics of approaching pregnant women who ask for counselling or 'intervention' with regard to an unwanted pregnancy. Dr Shanti, for example, used a role play to provide interview techniques to be used with patients. The seminar is also 'part of the Indonesian Catholic Church's commitment to trying to imitate the lifestyle of Jesus, who would do anything to save the lives of others,' commented Fr Aristanto of the Indonesian Bishops' Conference's Family Commission. "Not only with teachings, but also with physical and emotional approaches to interact with people through his sincerity of heart," the priest said. For the past two years, the global pandemic had limited the number of pilgrims and blocked entry. For the first time, women will be able to participate without the presence of a male 'guardian'. In the past, the major pilgrimage has been the scene of incidents, attacks and used by Riyadh as a political weapon. Riyadh (AsiaNews) - Saudi Arabia has welcomed around a million Muslim faithful from different parts of the world over the weekend, who from 6 to 12 July will take part in the Hajj, the major pilgrimage to Mecca, the first major gathering since the start of the pandemic. The Covid-19, in fact, in the last two years has greatly reduced the participation of Muslims, to the point of being a largely symbolic event in 2020 with only a few tens of thousands of people, citizens or residents of the Wahhabi kingdom. This year, however, the event is returning - at least in part - to its former glory and, for the first time, women will not need a male 'guardian'. Banners and placards welcomed worshippers to Mecca, including the first international visitors since 2019 who packed the squares and alleys, while security forces patrolled the birthplace city of the Prophet Mohammed. "This is pure joy," Abdel Qader Kheder, a pilgrim from Sudan, told Afp. "I can hardly believe I am here. I am enjoying,' the man added, 'every moment. One million pilgrims will take part in the event, of whom 850,000 will come from abroad. This is lower than past pre-pandemic records (up to 2.5 million in 2019), but certainly a good number when compared to more recent events. Strict health safety measures are planned for this year as well: participation allowed only for people under 65 years of age, specific protocols and the large mosque cleaned and sanitised at least 10 times a day. The Hajj, which costs a little less than 5,000 per person, is one of the main drivers of the tourism-related economy, pouring more than 11 billion a year into the State's coffers, as well as guaranteeing a privileged status among Islamic nations. It is also an opportunity to showcase a nation in rapid transformation, while still attracting criticism for violations of human rights and personal freedoms, including religious freedoms for non-Muslims. Saudi Arabia - which under recent reforms has allowed raves in Riyadh and mixed beaches in Jeddah - now allows women to participate in the pilgrimage without a male guardian. The major pilgrimage (Hajj) is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith, and every Muslim is obliged to perform it at least once in his or her lifetime. In the past it has been used by Riyadh as a political weapon, denying entry visas and participation to Iranian (Shia) or Syrian worshippers because of the war. It has also been the scene of incidents or attacks, resulting in thousands of deaths: in 2015 a stampede through the crowd claimed at least 2,300 lives; in 2006 more than 360 pilgrims died during the stoning ritual, in which pilgrims throw stones and pebbles at three tombstones symbolising the rejection of Satan; in 1989 a double attack outside the great mosque resulted in one fatality and 16 wounded, and 16 Kuwaiti nationals were executed for the attack. by Vladimir Rozanskij Prime Minister Garibasvili says Georgia is loyal to the values of the Atlantic Alliance and Europe. Members of his party, however, attack the West. Expert: Georgian Dream trying to juggle pro-Russian and pro-European sentiments in Georgian society to stay in power. Moscow (AsiaNews) - At the recent NATO summit in Madrid, Georgian Prime Minister Iraklij Garibasvili assured Western leaders that Tbilisi is loyal to the values of the Atlantic Alliance and Europe. At home, however, members and supporters of his Georgian Dream party are hurling accusations at the West, guilty of wanting to involve Georgia in the war with Russia at all costs. The chargs were so grave that they provoked a reaction from the US ambassador in Tbilisi, Kelly Degnan, who officially denied Washington's pressure on Georgian politicians, reminding them of their country's real friend and enemy. Garibasvili's press office released an endless series of photographs of the premier with US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other leaders of Western countries, as well as senior NATO and EU officials. The Georgian Prime Minister then posted a photograph on his Twitter channel together with NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg, writing that 'Georgia is one of the most reliable and effective partners of the Alliance, and intends to cooperate in the defence of peace, stability and the development of common values in our region and beyond'. Such statements also accompany the handshake exhibited with Charles Michel, head of the Council of the European Union, assuring him that Georgia is ready to meet the demands that the Europeans made on 17 June for the granting of EU candidate status. Garibasvili's such ostentatious readiness has caused dismay at home, after days of the premier's violent verbal clashes with the opposition precisely on European issues. Many recall his recent statements against the West 'which has failed to honour the blood shed by Georgians in the wars against Russia'. Garibasvili had harsh words for the EU itself, which rejected Georgia, while coming to Ukraine and Moldova. He also complained that 'only when Georgia has restored its territorial integrity with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, then it can join NATO'. Some MPs who are particularly critical of the West have formally left the Georgian Dream, but remain supporters of the government, what is described by the opposition as a 'typical Ivanisvili trick', recalling the past manoeuvres of the party founder and former prime minister, who used to move MPs from one group to another according to convenience. Ivanisvili himself recently used this expression, celebrating his victory 10 years ago against President Saakasvili: 'I had to use a little trick, but not everyone understood it', alluding precisely to rather daring parliamentary games. As constitutionalist Vakhusti Menabde put it, the change in the PM's rhetoric and the Georgian Dream's palace manoeuvres have the sole purpose of preserving power for the current majority: 'They try to juggle with the pro-Russian and pro-European sentiments of our society, trying to catch two chickens with one fox, but they will end up not catching any... they are only interested in power, whatever the cost, allying with the Europeans or the Russians. To counter the ambiguous strategies of the Georgian Dream, the oppositions took to the streets in front of the parliament in Tbilisi with a rally rally under the slogan 'At home, in Europe', which started on the morning of 3 July and continued all night until the next morning, on the day the US celebrated its independence. Throughout the country, not only in the capital, supporters of a change of government to appoint a 'technical' one, adapted to European requirements, received strong pressure from the local authorities to prevent the demonstrations. The diatribes have led to clashes, even violent ones, at the expense of several journalists, including the owner of the opposition TV station Pirveli, Vato Tsereteli, who was assaulted by three deputies on the territory of the US embassy in Tbilisi, during the reception organised to mark Independence Day. Glycolic Acid Skincare for Men: Benefits, Side Effects, and Products This One Skincare Ingredient Is the Secret to a Younger Looking Face The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. Aging is inevitable and those lines settling in on your forehead are the only proof you need. But in case you werent aware, you do have some control over how youthful your skin looks. And if your goal is a clearer, brighter, smoother-looking mug, the first skincare ingredient you should be looking out for is glycolic acid. By sloughing off dead skin cells, this particular acid can help you avoid breakouts, ingrown hairs, and unsightly dry patches. Glycolic acid is a type of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), a group of naturally occurring acids that exfoliate the skin and encourage cell turnover. But glycolic acid, specifically, has an advantage: it has the smallest molecules, meaning it can slip inside your pores with ease, where it can then boost the production of collagen and elastin two proteins that give your skin firmness and structure. RELATED: A Guide to Getting Healthy Glowing Skin for Men Heres what to know about adding glycolic acid to your skincare routine whether youre aiming to fight off acne or signs of aging, or youre just looking to give your dull complexion a little TLC. Benefits of Glycolic Acid According to Jessica Houston, a double-licensed lead esthetician at BEAUTYBEEZ, these are just some of the benefits of glycolic acid: Exfoliates the skin Speeds up cell turnover Boosts collagen production Helps to clear pores Reduces fine lines Improves skin tone and texture Fades dark patches and sun damage Hydrates skin Since glycolic acid helps the skin shed dead skin cells and oil that clog the pores, youll likely experience fewer breakouts. In fact, a 2019 study found that subjects who used a 35% glycolic acid treatment six times over 12 weeks experienced a 71% reduction in their acne. Not only that, but a 2018 study revealed that glycolic acid has antibacterial properties, making it even more effective for this skin concern since bacteria plays a role in breakouts. In an older study of people with sun-damaged skin, participants applied 8% glycolic acid creams to their face and forearms twice daily. After 22 weeks, a significant percentage of patients experienced an improvement in the severity of sun damage on their face and forearms including decreased roughness, sallowness, and hyperpigmentation. How to Use It Almost anyone can use and benefit from glycolic acid, says Houston, and it can be added at almost any stage of your regimen since this ingredient can be found in cleansers, toners, serums, and moisturizers alike. Make sure to check the specific instructions for the product youre using, as they can vary a lot depending on the concentration of glycolic acid. As with any new skincare ingredient, its always best to start slow. Houston advises using glycolic acid twice to three times a week when youre trying it for the first time. Ideally, youll want to incorporate it into your nighttime skincare regimen, as Houston notes that this acid can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. If your skin feels a little rough the first few times you use it, thats OK. Allow your skin some time to get used to the glycolic acid before using it more often. And if at any point your skin becomes irritated, stop using the product and either consult a dermatologist or give it a break before trying it once a week. Make sure to use a heavier moisturizer or cream after applying the glycolic treatment as your skin may seem dry or begin peeling, adds Houston. While you may have the urge to pick at or peel off that dead skin thats loosened by the glycolic acid, she advises against it so you dont irritate the new, healthy skin underneath. RELATED: Best Ways to Exfoliate by Skin Type If you use products with glycolic acid in the morning, remember to apply SPF after to avoid sun damage. Side Effects to Know About According to Dr. Michael Jacobs Medical Technology Director at Cortina and Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College glycolic acid is best suited to people with normal, combination, or oily skin. I would not recommend glycolic acid for men with dry and sensitive skin as the chemical exfoliant can further dry it out or irritate it, he tells AskMen. Studies have shown that side effects are very rare with glycolic acid, and when they do occur, theyre usually pretty mild. That said, if you have super sensitive or dry skin, youll want to start with a lower strength product (3-8%) and to reduce the chances that it irritates your skin. Its normal for glycolic acid to cause a tingling or slight stinging sensation. If you experience any itching, swelling, or severe burning sensations, however, you should stop using the product and get some guidance from a dermatologist. Also worth noting is the fact that glycolic acid (especially at higher potencies) may cause irritation or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation in darker skin tones so check with your dermatologist before using it if you have dark skin. Recommended Products Glycolic acid can be found in a wide range of over-the-counter (OTC) products online or at your local drug store or skin spa. Typically, these OTC products come in strengths up to 10%. The strength will make a big difference in how dramatic the effects are. For example, a 2018 study found that whereas a 1% glycolic acid solution affected the top three layers of skin, a 10% solution can penetrate as deeply as 10 to 20 layers. If the percentage of glycolic acid is not specified, or its not one of the first ingredients, its probably a milder strength. A licensed esthetician can perform glycolic acid peels up to 30% strength, and a board-certified dermatologist can apply peels up to 70% strength. While you may be able to find products with higher percentages of glycolic acid (up to 40%) over the counter, these medical-grade peels shouldnt be done without a professionals supervision, particularly if youve never used AHAs before. With all that in mind, here are some glycolic acid skin care products to consider adding to your regimen. The Ordinary 7% Toning Solution The Ordinary This product offers mild exfoliation and helps with dullness and uneven texture, according to Houston. $10 at TheOrdinary.com Glytone Mild Cream Cleanser Glytone This entire brand is focused primarily around glycolic acid, and this particular cleanser features a mild concentration and creamy texture thats ideal for dry and sensitive skin. $33 at Amazon.com IMAGE Skincare CLEAR CELL Salicylic Clarifying Pads IMAGE Skincare According to Dr. Reid Maclellan, founder and CEO of Cortina Health and director of Proactive Dermatology Group, these convenient pads boast a powerful combination of salicylic and glycolic acid to exfoliate any buildup of dead skin, oil, dirt, and impurities from the day. $32 at IMAGESkincare.com Neutrogena Bright Boost Resurfacing Micro Face Polish with Glycolic and Mandelic AHAs Neutrogena This is an affordable daily cleanser that exfoliates and brightens the skin, resurfacing new skin cells, says Maclellan. The unique formulation not only contains glycolic acid but also mandelic acid for extra exfoliation power. When used nightly, it promises to reduce the appearance of dark spots and large pores. $8.77 at Amazon.com Malin + Goetz 10% Glycolic Acid Pads Malin + Goetz These alcohol- and fragrance-free peel pads offer easy exfoliation just swipe one over your face and leave the solution on for 10-20 minutes or so before rinsing it off. $52 at Amazon.com You Might Also Dig: AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Police say a gunman who killed three people when he opened fire in a crowded shopping mall acted alone and apparently selected his victims at random Photo taken on July 3, 2022 shows trucks carrying earthquake relief supplies donated by the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) at a handover ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) has received earthquake relief supplies donated by the RCSC. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) KABUL, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) has received earthquake relief supplies donated by the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC). A handover ceremony was held on Sunday at the ARCS complex in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, attended by Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu and Mawlavi Matiul Haq Khalis, president of the ARCS. Wang said that the Chinese side has paid close attention to the disaster situation in Afghanistan and responded quickly, stressing that China has done its best to provide a large amount of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in a timely manner. China is willing to cooperate with Afghanistan and contribute to Afghanistan's development, Wang said. While expressing gratitude for the supplies, Khalis said that Afghanistan and China have long-standing friendly relations, and hoped that China could continue to provide support to Afghanistan in economic, scientific and medical fields. China has pledged 50 million yuan (7.5 million U.S. dollars) in emergency humanitarian aid for quake victims in war-torn Afghanistan. The first batch of relief supplies arrived at Afghanistan's Kabul International Airport on June 27. A strong earthquake rocked southeastern Afghanistan days ago, killing more than 1,000 people and injuring nearly 2,000 others while destroying tens of thousands of houses. Photo taken on July 3, 2022 shows trucks carrying earthquake relief supplies donated by the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) at a handover ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) has received earthquake relief supplies donated by the RCSC. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) Photo taken on July 3, 2022 shows trucks carrying earthquake relief supplies donated by the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) at a handover ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) has received earthquake relief supplies donated by the RCSC. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) The 1969-built NASCAR homologation special was ordered in a special red paint and is powered by a top-spec 426 HEMI engine. A total of 1,900 Superbirds were ever produced, but only 135 had 425 hp from the HEMI beast.This HEMI beast kept a lot of important original components, and it is as authentic as possible. Behind the engine, we can find a column-shifted 727 TorqueFlite, matched to a Chrysler 8.75-inch differential. The interior of this piece of art features a TX9 black trim, with matching black vinyl bench seating, a push-button AM radio, and other elements from that time. Besides, the Superbird has Rally wheels with Goodyear Polyglas tires."Our Las Vegas Auction provided our guests an amazing, unparalleled experience over the Independence Day holiday weekend," said Craig Jackson, chairman, and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. "The Las Vegas Auction also demonstrated the demand for blue-chip HEMI cars that brought in strong hammer prices."American HEMI muscle appropriately led the charge this holiday weekend," added the auction house's president, Steve Davis. "The collector car hobby is enjoying a banner year and I look forward to riding the momentum into our Houston Auction this October.A total of 663 vehicles were sold in Vegas, where Barrett-Jackson raised over $49.1 million. Other cars sold for a considerable amount of money were a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette 327/360 Z06 Split-Window Coupe, going for $566,500, and a 1971 HEMI Cuda sold for a little over half a million dollars.According to Barrett-Jackson , Superbird is the most expensive sold at auction. Another HEMI with 6,000 miles (9,656 kilometers) was sold for $990,000 a little while ago. CVT That someone is Kolesa , and their take on the 2023 Toyota Crown looks very realistic. As a matter of fact, besides coloring the pics in blue and black, and adding a fake background, they havent done anything else to the alleged patent drawings. Thus, if they are indeed real, then the upcoming crossover will look very much like this.Rumor has it that the all-new Toyota Crown will be built around the TNGA-K platform, otherwise shared with models such as the RAV4, Sienna, Avalon, Camry, Venza, and Highlander. The Lexus NX, RX, and ES have similar underpinnings too.It has been reported by the Japanese media that the crossover will use a 2.5-liter hybrid, with four cylinders, connected to a, and a 2.4-liter turbo-four, working in concert with a six-speed automatic transmission. The all-wheel drive system might be reserved for the upper specs, whereas lower grades should launch with two-wheel drive.Size-wise, it appears that the 2023 Crown will be about as long as the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, yet its more mainstream approach wont put it in the same zone as the German executive crossover. But why do we keep referring to it as being a 2023 model? Well, it has been suggested that it could launch sooner than expected, likely this fall. The first units should start arriving at dealers in North America before the end of the year, and unsurprisingly, the model will also be sold in China. We dont know yet if it will make its way to Europe, but theyll probably keep it away from the Old Continent. The Citation Longitude was built to beat all other super-midsize business jets in terms of range, payload, and cruising speed, all of that at the lowest direct operating costs in its class. It boasts a maximum cruise speed of 483 knots (555.8 mph/894.5 kph) and a range of 3,500 nautical miles (4,027 miles/6,482 km) in the 4-passenger configuration.Its powered by Honeywell HTF7700L turbofan engines with fully-integrated auto-throttles, and its comfortable cockpit with an ergonomic design makes longer flights much more pleasant. The Citation Longitudes cabin claims to also be the quietest in its category, thanks to unique soundproofing techniques, plus best-in-class legroom.In addition to these features, the special mission Cessna Citation Longitude that will be operating with JCAB is equipped with something called flight inspection calibration equipment. As its name suggests, this will help conduct critical inspections of various navigation aids, including Ground-Based Augmentation System (GBAS), Very High-Frequency Omni-Directional Range (VOR), Tactical Air Navigation System (TACAN), and Instrument Landing System (ILS).Basically, the future job of this special mission jet is to make sure that Japans national airspace is safe in terms of its airways, airports, and integrity. Another major advantage of the Citation Longitude is that it ensures the longest maintenance intervals in the super-midsize jet segment, up to 800 hours or 18 months. This is particularly important for government customers, where costs are one of the main selection criteria.While the Citation Longitude will be the star of JCAB, the department also operates five other Textron Aviation jets, which are Citation CJ4 models sporting similar flight inspection equipment. Red, white, and bold. We celebrate today and the future to come. #DeLorean pic.twitter.com/jmbELQW59X DeLorean Motor Company (@deloreanmotorco) July 4, 2022 The picture from above shows the Alpha5 in the three colors of the American flag in a way that reminds us of the previous France flag, used until 1794. The tribute shows that the front seat is almost in the middle of the gullwing doors. Earlier pictures of the Alpha5 already showed that was the case.The fact that two new electric cars present the same idea suggests a trend. While the DeLorean Alpha5 was designed by Italdesign, the Drako Dragon came from Lowie Vermeersch and GranStudio. In other words, the only intersection point between the two design houses is that their headquarters are in Italy.If we are indeed witnessing a new design direction, it is worth asking why. From a manufacturing point of view, the fewer parts a vehicle has, the better. On the other hand, heavy components offer a significant challenge for workers and also for the company. The risk of work injuries is higher, and automakers know they have to avoid them at all costs.Although the vehicles get a more elegant style, having a massive gullwing door may be an issue in more than one sense. First, it will have to be as light as possible not to sacrifice the hinges and gas struts that will lift it. Another concern is giving access to both rows when you only need to enter one.Suppose you have small kids in the back seats on a cold or rainy day, and the driver must leave the vehicle. You may also be in a dangerous neighborhood, rushing to enter your car and just leave as quickly as possible. Exposing the rear seats may be a bad idea.A door for each row may not be as stylish, but it makes much more sense. In the end, DeLorean reminded us that access to the front and rear seats is not independent while celebrating Independence Day . Ironic, isnt it? Back in late April, when the pixel master provided the first sharp renderings with the seventh generation Charger Ute, we thought a Hellcat-powered pickup truck based on the long-running modern Charger iteration would be awesome but also entirely wishful thinking. And then, when said Charger Ute naturally got a custom digital trailer to haul a virtual C3 Chevy Corvette Speedster, maybe we should have thought never say never again.Well, the third time is the charm, and we can finally rectify our misjudgment and break the good news: LD Dodge Charger pickup truck Utes including in Widebody form might actually become reality. Not by way of the CGI expert , of course, who instead just provided the visualization ideas for the upcoming Charger UTE conversion kits. Instead, Mark Smith (founder of Factory Five Racing, Local Motors, and Smyth Performance) and his team could take care of the CGI-to-reality transformation.Many Charger Ute fans have probably heard about Smiths DIY truck kits for Audis, VWs, Subarus, Jeep WJs, and Hemi Chargers. Now, as proudly showcased by the virtual artist in front of his newly envisioned digital showroom, they will also have access to LD variants. Hold your horses, though, as the aftermarket outlet has not advanced any timeframe for the availability of these kits. Right now, all Vargas could do was to be the lucky guy to help them visualize what they want it to look like.Hopefully, the vision of what could be will be soon sorted out in the real world and these fresh Smyth Utes will be headed to a dealer near you complete with Widebody and roaring SRT Hellcat supercharged options! Sure, the long-named 2022 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Jailbreak would easily constitute the glamour girl of their latest feature (uploaded on July 3rd, 2022) if not for the rest of the select presence. And even though it is presented right around Independence Day, this is not exactly dedicated to Americas National holiday, given that on this occasion it is not just two cars battling for supremacy So, although we also have the marvelous Caddy CT5-V Blackwing in attendance, the two presenters have also brought forth yet another fellow representative of the high-performance sedan endangered species to keep them snarling naturally aspirated V8 company, the Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance . But enough with the teasing! The Jailbreak which according to the description is the most expensive member of the premium pack! it is being championed by none other than Chris Harris!Thus, with a trio like Holland, Engelsman, and now also Harris, one can easily expect all sorts of shenanigans including a drag race, track tests, getting a little sideways, and all sorts of tomfoolery. Well, no one is going to be disappointed, with this being a very special episode taking place on the channels traditional, unprepped windy track surface. Oh, sorry, scratch that I was laughing aloud at the newly formed bromance triangle and forgot to tell you they unleashed (from the six-minute mark) all three cars on a freshly resurfaced stripAnd then, afterward, it is around 14 minutes of pure adrenaline spikes and naturally-aspirated plus supercharged moments of ( Harris ) automotive joy! Yeah, who even cares if they pitted a 472-hp NA Japanese sedan against a supercharged, 668-hp manual-transmission American luxury four-door and an 807-hp muscle car disguised as a family/work passenger car? Be serious, cause they sure arent! (And we love that). The goal of this recent test flight, a culmination of two days of ground tests, was to confirm that both Embraer s E-Jets E2 family of aircraft and Pratt & Whitneys GTF engines are compatible with 100% SAF, which means that they can run on this alternative fuel with the same levels of performance and safety as they would on kerosene.A GTF-powered E195-E2 completed a 70-minute flight at the Vero Beach Regional Airport in Florida with 100% SAF in one of its engines. This confirms that Embraers single-aisle aircraft is ready to operate with unblended SAF once the official standards are finalized by the industry. At the moment, both the GTF engines and the Embraer jets are certified to run on a blend of 50% SAF and 50% standard Jet A/A1 kerosene.Once the industry regulations for the use of 100% SAF are set, the Embraer aircraft will run entirely on this green fuel jet. The particular one used by the two partners was acquired from World Energy and was deemed one of the best by the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), thanks to the sustainability of its feedstock.Even without running on alternative fuel, the Embraer E195-E2 powered by GTF engines can be considered one of the most environmentally-friendly commercial aircraft today. Claiming the title of the worlds most efficient single-aisle aircraft in operation, the E195-E2 decreases CO2 emission levels by 25%. By switching to SAF, those levels rise to 85%. On the other hand, Pratt & Whitney s GTF engines are also designed to reduce CO2 emissions and lower noise levels.So, the E195-E2 was already the result of a winning combination, ready to reach unprecedented levels of eco-friendly performance with the help of SAF. BEIRUT, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese government has drafted a plan to ensure the repatriation of 15,000 Syrian refugees per month to their homeland, the Lebanese Minister of the Displaced Issam Charafeddine said on Monday. Two committees will be formed to carry out the plan: one will include Lebanon, Syria, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), while the other will include Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, and Iraq, according to the minister. "It is totally unacceptable that Syrian refugees do not return to their country as the war has ended and Syria has become safe," a statement released by Lebanon's Presidency quoted Charaffedine as saying during his meeting at Baabda Palace with Lebanese President Michel Aoun. According to the minister, the Syrian government has shown great support in this regard. Syria plans to build roads, schools, hospitals, and proper infrastructure to receive its citizens in areas that have become ready to host them. According to the Lebanese government, about 1.5 million Syrian refugees are living in the country. Lebanon has been suffering from an unprecedented financial crisis and a large number of refugees weigh heavily on the country's economy and infrastructure. Sir Peter Harrison was much more than a millionaire. He is considered the man who introduced the internet to the UK, he scooped several regatta awards, and he was a philanthropist all of this indicates a life that was richer and fuller than most.Harrison had told Boat International that he started to design Sojana in 1999, together with Bruce Far, a designer from New Zealand. The 114-foot (35 meters) sailing ketch would go on to win at the Antigua Megayacht Challenge in 2005, at the 2017 Antigua Sailing Week, and at the 2018 St Barths Bucket Regatta.The all-carbon cruiser racer with a hull built by Green Marine was delivered in 2003, and 12 years later, it was completely refurbished, including its sails, its mechanical equipment, and its interior. Even though this sleek beast was meant to cut through the waves at prestigious regattas, dont be fooled its just as luxurious as the motor yachts that were only meant for lazy vacations.Truly fit for its former British owner, Sojana boasts a sumptuous classic interior with extensive use of mahogany and marble, highlighted by precious gold-plated details throughout. It can comfortably accommodate six guests across three elegant staterooms, each one flaunting a sophisticated cream-and-gold palette and en-suite bathrooms. An adventure beast itself, Sojana also reveals plenty of water toys, including equipment for snorkeling and fishing. Its new engine allows it to hit up to 12 knots (13.8 mph/22.2kph).After being lovingly owned by Sir Peter Harrison for almost two decades, the Sojana was recently sold and is gearing up for a new chapter. The iconic racers last known asking price was 4.4 million ($4.6 million). EV kWh WLTP The announcement was followed by some new images of the MG4, the first ones of the right-hand drive (RHD) version. This car may also be sold in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand if it makes it to all of them. SAIC seems to have pretty ambitious plans for its electric hatchback.Unfortunately, the Chinese carmaker did not disclose how much it will charge for the MG4 EV in the UK. SAIC will likely adopt an aggressive strategy to attract customers, just like it has done with the MG5 EV and MG ZS EV. Considering its main competitor there will be the Volkswagen ID.3 (which starts from 35,835, or $43,470 at the current exchange rate), expect it to cost less than that. Remember that the MG5 EV starts at 30,995 ($37,598).The entry-level battery pack option offers 51and 350 kilometers (218 miles) of range under thecycle. SAIC will also sell a bigger one, with 64 kWh, that promises to drive the MG4 EV through 450 km (280 mi). Built over the Modular Scalable Platform (MSP) , it is 4.29 meters (168.9 inches) long, 1.84 m (72.4 in) wide, and 1.50 m (59.1 in) tall. SAIC only said that the new platform could offer wheelbases ranging from 2.65 m (104.3 in) to 3.10 m (122.1 in).The MG4 EV has very short overhangs, which suggests it has a longer wheelbase than the lowest one offered by the MSP. Wed bet on something close to what the ID.3 offers: 2.77 m (109.1 in). That also implies that MG will have a smaller vehicle than the MG4 EV. While in China SAIC may call it Mushu or Cri-Kee to remain on the Mulan theme European buyers may wait for an MG3 EV in a few years to replace or live with the combustion-engined MG3 currently for sale. At 20:39:13 on July 4, 2022, at the Weilai Swap Power Station | Shanghai Hongqiao VEG Creative Park, with the completion of an ES8 battery swap, NIO users accumulated 10 million battery swaps.$NIO pic.twitter.com/NdhX6KjpKt NIO ?? (@NIOGlobaI) July 4, 2022 The company shared that the 10 millionth battery swap took place at 20:39:13 (local time) on July 4. A NIO ES8 received it at the Power Swap Station located at the Shanghai Hongqiao VEG Creative Park. Honestly, we thought the number of battery swap stations would reach 1,000 earlier than the company could get to 10 million swaps.The explanation for that is almost obvious, but it is worth explaining the practical effects of the multiplication of cars and stations. According to Sina Finance , reaching 1 million battery swaps took NIO around 29 months. With more cars and stations around, going from 1 million to 9 million demanded approximately 20 months. From 9 million to 10 million, NIO spent only one month.Considering that NIOs battery swapping celebrated four years on June 28, the numbers do not match: NIO would have a bit more than 48 months, not 50 months (29+20+1), as the Sina Finance numbers suggest. Perhaps the real numbers are 28, 19, and 1, but only NIO could tell us more about that.If we stick to the last number one month to reach 1 million swaps that means NIOs 997 Power Swap stations perform around 33,333 swaps per day. Thats one swap every 2.8 seconds, which is an impressive number for a car company that still did not sell more than 300,000 so far.With its European expansion, the battery swap station factory in Hungary, and new products for sale, these numbers should soon look humble. While its cars are naturally quick being electric NIO is speeding up in more than one aspect. For those who think battery swapping can help EVs, NIO is giving that capability a ride shotgun while it gains speed. Thats true; these cars werent exactly capable of providing a spine-tingling experience, or at least not as exciting as the one you could get when jumping behind the wheel of an Impala SS. But given their focus on economic driving, they still managed to build a solid customer base in the United States.Unfortunately, 1964 wasnt exactly the best year of the Corvair. Despite the introduction of a series of engine updates, including a power increase of the base unit from 80 to 95 horsepower, the sales of the Corvair still went down significantly, with the GM brand selling no less than 73,000 units fewer than in the previous year.But as said, the Corvair continued to be a very intriguing purchase for many Americans, and this rust-free example is here to show precisely why.Theres a reason why we mentioned the rust-free thing from the very beginning. The car has spent no less than 40 years off the road, so its quite impressive that it doesnt exhibit any metal problems.The car still comes with the original black paint, and while its being sold without an engine, the original unit is still available if the buyer is aiming for the original setup. The car comes with lots of parts that can be used for the restoration, including new door panels, the trunk seal, a front grill bar, and so on.Finding an all-original Corvair in such good shape isnt something that happens very often, and this is why the car has already received 10 bids as part of the auction started by eBay seller thatboss429 . The top $1,800 offer, however, isnt high enough to unlock the reserve. kW The Trenton facility is responsible for manufacturing the 3.6-liter naturally aspirated Pentastar V6 motor, which is capable of producing as much as 305 horsepower (227) and 269 pound-feet (365 N.m) of torque; at least this is its top performance in the Ram 1500.This particular engine, which is said to get an upgrade next year, has been a hit for Stellantis . It has been used as a standard engine across multiple brands under the Stellantis Group umbrella, including Ram, Jeep, Dodge , and Chrysler, and production hit the 10 million units milestone in February 2019.As it turns out, changes to the assembly factory include retooling of the Southern part to produce both the old Pentastar V6 motor and an upgraded engine variant, while the North production line will be decommissioned by the end of 2022 and the wing repurposed as a storage warehouse and other non-production activities.Though shutting a production line down could mean job cuts, Stellantis has not mentioned how many people could lose their jobs. The union is reportedly in talks with Stellantis regarding the transition of workers to other positions.The upgraded Pentastar V6 is scheduled to be introduced by the end of the first quarter in 2023, but Stellantis says the current version will still be produced until the end of 2023.Judging by this considerable investment, the motor will stick around for at least a few more years, despite the bosses of Stellantis committing to a Dare Forward 2030 plan.According to this electrification plan, which was announced by Stellantis last March, fully electric vehicles should represent 100% of sales in Europe and 50 percent of sales in the US by 2030. EV First look at RADAR pickup truck pic.twitter.com/LGLd2S06lC Geely Group (@GeelyGroup) July 1, 2022 The people and bikes the images bring show that the Radar pickup truck is about the same size as the Ford Maverick , perhaps even a bit smaller. In our previous article about it, we said the vehicle would be a Toyota Hilux competitor, which is 5.30 meters (208.7 inches) long, but it does not seem that long and does not seem to have a body-on-frame structure. The Maverick is 199.7-in (5.07-m) long.Leaked images of the production Radar pickup truck show that it has six power outlets on the right side of the beds wall. That speaks about vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities. We would not be surprised if the left side of the beds wall also had six other power outlets. That will make it a helpful tool for people that have to work in remote areas. It will also be useful for camping fans.Pickup trucks are starting to pick up in China due to a pursuit of a healthier and more adventurous lifestyle. The images Geely shared of the disguised Radar electric pickup truck show it wants to promote it as a leisure vehicle more than as a handy work tool. Having a brand solely for these pickup trucks is another strong sign of that trend. Rivian follows a similar marketing strategy with its vehicles. The R2 platform should offer smaller vehicles, possibly the same size as the Toyota Hilux. The Americanmaker would need an R3 platform to compete with Radars first product. Luckily for Rivian, Geely has no production facility in the U.S. to avoid the Chicken Tax . The bad news is that the Chinese titan can sell the Radar everywhere else, which will make things harder for Rivian in a predictable international expansion. Utopia of the Seas will be the sixth vessel in Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class and the first in its category to be powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas). The ship will be built in Saint-Nazaire, France, with the steel-cutting ceremony taking place back in April in the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard, one of the largest in the world.A few days ago, Royal Caribbean celebrated the official start of Utopia's physical construction, a lengthy process that's going to last 30 months and involve hundreds of designers, engineers, and workers. Honoring tradition, newly minted coins were placed on the first 948-ton steel block of the vessel to bring luck both during the construction process, and every time the Utopia of the Seas will be on the water.While the ship will be the first LNG-powered one in Royal Caribbeans Oasis-class, it will be the second one in the cruise line operators lineup to use liquefied gas, next to the Icon of the Seas , which is set to debut in the fall of 2023. Back in October, Royal Caribbean announced its Destination Net Zero plan, which is the companys goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. To that end, Royal Caribbean is working on modernizing its fleet by building more environmentally friendly ships, investing in energy-efficient programs, and developing alternative fuel and power solutions.We know little about Utopia of the Seas so far, but with this being an Oasis-class ship, we can expect it to be a mammoth of a watercraft, as Royal Caribbean boasts of the vessels in this class being the worlds largest cruise ships . They span over 16 decks and have their own distinct neighborhoods, offering 20 restaurants and a huge variety of attractions for guests of all ages. The Oasis class ships can accommodate more than 5,400 passengers. Utopia of the Seas is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2024. EV 1) Since there are apparently at least two different production sites for the Model Y Performance Drive Unit and the ones produced in China have a problem, we could have the first case of incorrect component purchases in the chip crisis: DU Build Site Code: TG3=China,TG4=Germany pic.twitter.com/jQmB16JaE7 mcontrol (@mcontrol11) June 28, 2022 According to the German media outlet, Tesla will stop Giga Grunheide for two weeks. That should help the company improve its production processes. Currently, a car body spends around three minutes in each production station. Tesla wants to reduce that time to 30 seconds, or one-sixth of the time it now spends. For a factory that only started its activities three months ago, that screams planning issues either that or the "deliver now, fix later" motto also applies to factories.That is far from being Teslas only concern with its German money furnace. Bild learned that many cars have to be reworked before delivery due to defects. The Twitter user jaberwock photographs and shares dozens of bodies scrapped every week, most of them painted and with doors installed. That suggests that Tesla discovered they were not good enough for production shortly before the assembly process started.Even if they were ok, Tesla would still have a production issue. Bild states that it is producing only 1,000 bodies per week. The plan was to manufacture 10,000 bodies with 9,000 employees. Tesla has only managed to hire 4,500 workers so far.Brandenburg's Finance minister, Jorg Steinbach , said that themaker is hiring around 500 new workers per month. At that pace, it would only reach 9,000 employees in nine months or in March 2023. Bild said it needs 9,000 workers by December. After the two-week interruption, the company wants to produce cars in three shifts, which makes getting more blue-collars on board a must. Adequately training them is also mandatory.Tesla is currently making the Model Y in Grunheide with Chinese motors. On June 26, it started postponing deliveries because these motors were failing . One of the affected owners shared that the issue was a MOSFET Inverter Issue in the repair invoice. According to the Twitter user mcontrol, Tesla may have replaced the chips in the motor with the wrong components. They could be the cause of the failures. Bild said that Tesla intends to produce these motors at Giga Grunheide. The company also wants to make batteries there, which will require an expansion. Grunheides mayor, Arne Christiani, has removed this request from the city halls discussions because the representatives would probably vote against it. As you can see, it seems Teslas problems with its German money furnace are only beginning. EV Tesla is the pioneer of the OTA updates, a function that allows the carmaker to bring new features to the fleet or correct existing problems. The latter is crucial because it enables themaker to avoid a costly recall where the defective vehicles must be brought to a service facility. Instead, Tesla can push a software update in the background before owners even notice it. Well, most of the time.Even though the owners might have missed it, many Tesla Model 3 and Model Y sold in Germany suffer from a technical problem in the cars emergency system. Specifically, the part that would automatically call emergency services in the case of a severe accident was not functioning correctly. The German authorities published a notice on June 29 stating that around 60,000 Tesla vehicles were affected globally.The German authority KBA only recalled vehicles sold in Germany, as it has not the power to recall vehicles sold in other states. Nevertheless, this problem also affects Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles sold in other parts of the world, including an unspecified number of Model Y vehicles built at Giga Berlin. German authorities advise affected owners to contact Tesla about a solution to this problem. As this is a software issue, it needs to be corrected in software, and an OTA update should provide the necessary relief.This is not the best moment for Tesla, as the EV maker announced not-so-stellar results for the second quarter due to production glitches at Giga Shanghai. Giga Berlin is also under pressure to ramp up production, considering that Elon Musk sees it as a money furnace . To do that, the Giga Berlin gigafactory needs to be reconfigured. This prompts Tesla to temporarily halt production at Giga Berlin, which will further cause delivery delays and sales to drop. Thats also the case for Jen Gressett, who decided to move into a tiny house out of financial necessity after a failed marriage. The road to becoming a tiny house owner was not one without bumps for the Boulder, California mother-of-two, but all the efforts paid off in the end. She now lives in a gorgeous tiny home on wheels that looks like a modern farmhouse, offers storage galore, and gives her the chance to roam freely.Designed and built with help from professional builder MitchCraft Tiny Homes , after a disastrous collaboration with a Craiglist builder, the trailhead tiny home is a unique structure built on a 34-foot by 10-foot (10.3 by 3 meters) footprint.One of its unique traits is the two pop-out lofts on each side that extend the length of the upper portion of the house to 36 feet (11 meters), creating more room inside.On the outside, the tiny home adopts a farmhouse style with classic white board and batten walls, along with cedar chevron accents that complete the modern look With a total of 18 windows if you count the French doors and four skylights across the ceiling, two of which open all the way to provide access to the roof, you can imagine all of the natural light that floods the inside of the house.Talking of the inside, there are no less than 480 square feet of functional space that are divided between the kitchen, living area, bathroom, and two loft bedrooms.If I could only write one word about the kitchen, that would be huge. Just as a printable on the wall in Jens tiny house states, this build is less house, more kitchen. It actually looks like a stylish full-size kitchen in a regular house. It features light grey counters coupled with Nustone Quartz countertops in a Mammoth white shade and includes all the necessary appliances, like a small white fridge, a white 24-inch off-grid propane oven, and a 30-inch sink with contrasting matte black faucet.Completing the kitchen layout is a circle dining space with three chairs where Jen can enjoy meals, work on her laptop, or play games with friends. Open shelves above the dining space offer additional space for storage.Another clever element in this houses design is represented by the two slide-out drawers incorporated into the end of the kitchen cabinetry. These are used by the owner to store her printer and other stuff without clutter.Moving on to the living space, the area is quite small, but the way furniture has been arranged makes it functional and spacious. It includes a comfortable sofa with pull-out footrest, a hanging chair, an electric fireplace, and a swivel stand with a big TV above it. White walls and a mirror add to the sensation of space.The two loft bedrooms are differently styled to suit the needs of mother and daughter, but they include all the essentials: comfortable beds, shelves, and windows.The bathroom, positioned at the far end of the Trailhead tiny home, perfectly ties in with the rest of the house. It is light, bright, and spacious, and features a horse trough tub, a compost toilet, a washer-dryer combo, white vanity, and a generous medicine cabinet. Storage drawers are also included in the mix. Everything is washed in white to make the space look luminous and large.Though the owner was expecting to spend about $150,000 (143,700 Euro) on the build, the final cost went up to $174,000 (166,700 Euro), but its all justified and well worth it. The result is a stunning tiny mansion that is certainly able to cater to the owners every need. BEIRUT, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati said on Monday he opposes taking unofficial actions to deal with the maritime border demarcation issue with Israel. "Lebanon considers that any action outside the diplomatic context pursued by the government to settle maritime border demarcation with Israel is unacceptable and exposes the country to unnecessary risks," a statement issued by Lebanon's Council of Ministers quoted Mikati as saying during a meeting with Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. Mikati made the remarks after Hezbollah launched three unarmed drones on Saturday on a reconnaissance mission toward the Karish gas field in the eastern Mediterranean, which Israel claims is within its economic zone while Lebanon claims it is located in disputed waters. Hezbollah said it sent the drones to convey a message that the Shiite group has the "military and logistical capacity" to prevent Israel from extracting gas from the Karish gas field. Mikati called on all parties to "show a spirit of great national responsibility and abide by the state's negotiation procedure." He also reaffirmed Lebanon's support for U.S. Energy Envoy Amos Hochstein's efforts to reach a solution on maritime border demarcation with Israel that protects his nation's full rights. Lebanon and Israel are embroiled in a maritime border dispute that has lately intensified after Israel sent a vessel operated by Energean, a London-based oil and gas production company, to the Karish field on June 5. Lebanese authorities are currently seeking to revive indirect talks with Israel on maritime border demarcation, which were halted after Lebanon expanded its claim in territorial waters to include at least a part of the Karish oil field. Trout, approximately 12 months old, are checked of size at a trout farm in Seymour, Ind. White Creek Farms of Indiana produces about 18,000 pounds of trout annually. Palmdale, CA (93550) Today A mix of clouds and sun, with gusty winds developing this afternoon. High 104F. SW winds at 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 78F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Sanjay Verma, a secretary at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, arrived in Armenia to co-chair with Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan a session of an Indian-Armenian intergovernmental commission tasked with facilitating closer ties between the two countries sharing common geopolitical interests. On the defense side, we have begun looking at concrete cooperation, Verma said at the start of the meeting. We are looking at a long-term relationship in that area. In his opening remarks, Mirzoyan likewise listed defense and military-technical cooperation among the areas that are very promising for our countries. The ongoing discussions in these directions will turn into practical agreements and into new opportunities for our governments and businesspeople, he said. It was not clear whether the commission discussed any defense-related issues and reached understandings on them. Mirzoyan and Verma met separately before the session. According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Mirzoyan again praised the Indian governments position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and reaffirmed Armenias support for India in its long-running dispute with Pakistan. Pakistan staunchly supports Azerbaijan, refusing to not only establish diplomatic relations with Armenia but also formally recognize it. Islamabad underscored that support during the 2020 Armenian-Azerbaijani war over Karabakh. But it denied claims that Pakistani soldiers participated in the six-week war on the Azerbaijani side. By contrast, India has backed international efforts to settle the Karabakh conflict spearheaded by the United States, Russia and France. It has also effectively sided with Armenia in an Armenian-Azerbaijani border dispute that broke out in May 2021. In a statement issued at the time, the Indian foreign ministry called on Baku to pull back forces immediately and cease any further provocation. Mirzoyan held talks Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in April this year on the sidelines of an international conference held in India. It was their third face-to-face meeting in eight months. Jaishankar visited Armenia last October. He and Mirzoyan approved a roadmap for future cooperation and mutual visits at different levels. The top Indian diplomat singled out closer economic ties between the two nations. According to Armenian government data, Indian-Armenian trade soared by over 40 percent but still stood at a modest $181 million last year. These figures do not reflect the full potential of our bilateral trade and economic cooperation, and we expect a drastic increase in trade turnover volumes in the coming years, Mirzoyan said on Monday. Verma said, for his part, that New Delhi is encouraging Indian entrepreneurs to look at investing in Armenia because the possibilities and potentials are immense. They singled out the EUs failure to publicly react to a scandal that led to the resignation late last week of Gagik Jahangirian, a controversial former prosecutor who had headed Armenias judicial watchdog since April 2021. Jahangirian stepped down following the release of secretly recorded audio in which he appeared to blackmail Ruben Vartazarian, the previous chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) who fell out with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. Critics of Pashinians administration have portrayed the recording as further proof that Jahangirian was installed as acting head of the SJC to increase government influence on courts. They say his leadership of the powerful state body made mockery of judicial reforms declared by the Armenian government and backed by the EU. Some of the protesters who marched to the EU Delegation building held a big photograph of the delegation head, Andrea Wiktorin, sitting next to Jahangirian at a an international conference on those reforms held in Yerevan last month. For almost one and a half years, that man [Jahangirian] carried out all judicial reforms and was behind all arrests [of opposition members and supporters,] said Aram Vartevanian, one of the opposition figures leading the crowd. Doesnt the EU ambassador have anything to say? Doesnt the EU ambassador want to say whether this was the kind of reform that she imagined? If not, she shares responsibility for all of Gagik Jahangirians deeds. They are turning a blind eye to all illegal practices, political persecutions and attacks on courts, charged Gegham Manukian, another lawmaker representing the main opposition Hayastan alliance. The EU mission did not immediately react to what was the second opposition demonstration held outside its offices in a month. The opposition staged the previous protest on June 7 to deplore the EUs failure to condemn Armenian security forces for using what it regards as excessive force against protesters demanding Pashinians resignation. Wiktorin said in May that riot police should not be allowed to operate with impunity. She also stressed: There can be different perceptions of what peaceful gatherings are, and if there are provocations I would personally ask myself where does it end. The U.S. ambassador to Armenia, Lynne Tracy, also expressed concern over the use of force against protesters in Yerevan. Still, Tracy angered the opposition when she effectively welcomed on May 18 the outcome of last years parliamentary elections won by Pashinians party. Vartevanian was asked by journalists on June 7 why the opposition does not voice similar criticism of Russia, which has not publicly commented on the Armenian authorities response to the protests. He argued that unlike the Western powers, Moscow does not portray Armenia as a democracy or claim to promote democratic reforms in the country. Both Tracy and Wiktorin addressed on May 20 a forum for democracy in Yerevan attended by Pashinian and other senior government officials. Opposition representatives were not allowed to participate in the event. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. A Yemeni farmer locks the door of a goat pen in the Midi District of Hajjah Province, northern Yemen, July 3, 2022. In Midi, a coastal district in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah, local sheep or cattle farmers are preparing for the upcoming Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice. The livestock farmers, who already have to deal with soaring prices of fodders and a severe fuel shortage, are under additional strains as a result of the shrinking demand brought on by widespread poverty. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) HAJJAH, Yemen, July 4 (Xinhua) -- In Midi, a coastal district in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah, local sheep or cattle farmers are preparing for the upcoming Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice. After months of feeding, shepherding, and taking care of their livestock, the farmers discovered that selling their herds was the biggest challenge in the war-ravaged country. "Our primary source of income during this season is selling the animals. But there aren't many buyers here because of the war. This is a tragedy for us," livestock breeder Abdo Youssef said, adding that civilians are the ones bearing the brunt of the country's protracted war. For Yemenis, securing a feast on Eid al-Adha is getting increasingly difficult, if not impossible, given that the majority of the people are living in deep poverty and are only a few steps away from famine. Fayed Ali, another farmer in Midi, said he had to sell some of his livestock at lower prices this week because he needed the money to feed his family. "I raised livestock for more than a year and a half, but I had to sell some of them for half the price, or even less, to buy food, medicine, and clothes for my family. I also need to pay off my accumulated debts for months," said Ali. In Midi, one sheep or goat is sold between 170,000 to 200,000 Yemeni riyals (around 170 to 200 U.S. dollars), which is quite expensive given the annual per capita income in Yemeni is about 2,100 U.S. dollars. The livestock farmers, who already have to deal with soaring prices of fodders and a severe fuel shortage, are under additional strains as a result of the shrinking demand brought on by widespread poverty. Moreover, the civil war and the chaos and division it causes have made it difficult for livestock or grain to circulate in the poor Arab country. "This war stops us from going to the markets in the other cities to sell our livestock. It makes us poorer and deepens our sufferings," Ahmed Saghir, a farmer who owns over 200 sheep and goats, told Xinhua at his farm in Midi. Yemen's civil war erupted in late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa. The war has devastated the country's economy, killed tens of thousands of people, and displaced 4 million people, resulting in what the United Nations has said is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Ahmed Othman, who owns more than 300 goats and sheep, hopes that the ongoing UN-brokered truce between the government and the Houthi group would pave the way for permanent peace. "I hope that the truce could put an end to more than eight years of war, clear the roads between the cities and remove landmines. This is the only way to end our tragedy," he said. A Yemeni farmer grazes a flock of goats in the Midi District of Hajjah Province, northern Yemen, July 3, 2022. In Midi, a coastal district in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah, local sheep or cattle farmers are preparing for the upcoming Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice. The livestock farmers, who already have to deal with soaring prices of fodders and a severe fuel shortage, are under additional strains as a result of the shrinking demand brought on by widespread poverty. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) A Yemeni farmer holds a goat in his arms in the Midi District of Hajjah Province, northern Yemen, July 3, 2022. In Midi, a coastal district in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah, local sheep or cattle farmers are preparing for the upcoming Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice. The livestock farmers, who already have to deal with soaring prices of fodders and a severe fuel shortage, are under additional strains as a result of the shrinking demand brought on by widespread poverty. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) A Yemeni farmer grazes a flock of goats in the Midi District of Hajjah Province, northern Yemen, July 3, 2022. In Midi, a coastal district in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah, local sheep or cattle farmers are preparing for the upcoming Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice. The livestock farmers, who already have to deal with soaring prices of fodders and a severe fuel shortage, are under additional strains as a result of the shrinking demand brought on by widespread poverty. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) Kooky Tales, Impressions and Confessions from the 4th on Oregon Coast Published 07/04/22 at 5:05 AM PST Photos and Article By Andre' GW Hagestedt (Oregon Coast) Fourth of July on the Oregon coast is an interesting mixed bag. There's a wild and engaging energy to it, at least there was always for me. For a long time I found all the crowds both an annoyance and a kick in the pants, especially after the fireworks shows were over and we'd hit the bars. That's where tons of people made it interesting. And during the fireworks shows on the beaches, being part of those throngs was a bit like a rock concert. Yet there was that claustrophobic overcrowding and horrific traffic to deal with, and frankly I eventually gave up on the Fourth on the beach. (Above: Yachats. All photos Andre' GW Hagestedt) However, there are some kooky tales to tell, including what those shows were like. First off, I'll have admit it and come clean: I was one of those fireworks maniacs that people hate this time of year. And Oregon State Parks would've despised me. I loved the mortars and crazy stuff from Washington. That, admittedly, was much of the adventure. Watching some of my favorite dogs freak out over fireworks has cured me of that need for what goes boom, however. Waldport The wild times we had tilting mortars at an angle over Siletz Bay so they'd fire out at a low arc: well, it's still kind of hilarious to remember these ill-advised experiments in bad rocketry. Being in the midst of hundreds of others doing the same thing was a riot and part of that energy. This last decade or so, every year I'd have to write something warning visitors about the pitfalls of doing this on the beach. I can say State Parks' warnings are true: bad stuff can happen. I can attest to this personally, though I'm not going to go into details (it wasn't too serious, however). Seaside For a long time, you could do Depoe Bay's fireworks on the third, Lincoln City or others on the fourth, and Pacific City held theirs on the fifth. Depoe Bay eventually stopped their show because of bird conservation concerns, which is commendable. Yet it's one of my best memories: hunkering down at North Point, away from the crowds, and watching the smallish but entertaining kabooms to the south. One year, we grabbed glow sticks and 3D glasses. That was a trip. Pacific City's fireworks I've only seen once, but it was remarkable. The giant bursts of light and the explosive flashes that propelled them created stark, weird and gigantic shadows and colors on Cape Kiwanda. It was like something out of sci-fi. Rockaway Beach Manzanita's show was always a hoot, but half of that was the drinking before and after. A wacky bar named Gale's back then was our haunt of choice, a glorious dive if there ever was one. In the early 2000s, Oregon coast bars were at the fore of being really laidback about bringing in your dogs. It was like a petting zoo but with liquor. Fun-o-rama. Rockaway Beach's fireworks shows have always been respectable for such a small town. The great aspect here was you could be pretty far north or south on the beach and you could still see everything just fine. Rockaway Beach Plus, there was less traffic and less of that segment of visitors that were annoying and entitled. Most visitors are lovely, but there's almost always some amount of the archetypal ugly American tourist out there. The bars in Rockaway Beach would simply explode with activity. One standout moment is the enormous conga line of sauced booty-shakers that formed inside one tiny bar. Impressive. Seaside's display is massive, and always seemed to me not far behind Vancouver's monster shows. Here, the Prom was often frighteningly packed, yet you had to walk through this gauntlet no matter your chosen spot. So many illegal fireworks were going off it was sometimes difficult to tell when the real ones started. This was awe-inspiring but also not cool. I know of at least one biz on the Prom where someone had to hang out on the roof to make sure private explosives didn't catch the building on fire. Still, shooting the show from the Prom made for interesting visuals with its lamps. The tiny town of Waldport has always shot theirs off on the third, and one year I finally made it. Hiding just next to the bridge, I found a killer vantage point to photograph what is a pretty decent show. The colors reflected on the bay made truly vibrant effects. Down south in Yachats, this one is also considerable for its size. I had initially set up my gear within a block or two of the launch point at the big wayside. It turns out that was too close: those bursts in mid-air were too high from here. Scooting back a couple blocks, the view improved. Like this shot of the central Oregon coast town's waters turning funky shades of green, red, orange and others. Look closely: the sea resembles salt water taffy. Traffic getting back to my room in Newport was a nightmare, so I pulled over at one wayside and took freaky experimental night photos on the beach. Nice serendipity there. And I think I actually got home sooner by waiting for traffic to thin out than by being in it. Just a word of advise for your next Fourth experience on the coast. Oregon Coast Hotels in this area - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CHICAGO (AP) R. Kelly could be in his 80s before the singer is free again, based on a 30-year prison term imposed this week by a New York federal judge for parlaying his fame to sexually abuse young fans, including some who were children. And if the 55-year-old loses at three related trials in coming months, he could be staring at decades more behind bars. That prospect, said one of his lawyers not involved in the New York trial, could lead Kelly to pursue a plea deal. Here's a look at the potential impact of Kellys lengthy prison term in New York on those other cases: WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE CASES? A federal trial in Chicago is slated to begin next, on Aug. 15. Chicago is Kellys hometown and where many of his accusers live, so interest is expected to be especially intense. Kelly faces charges that he and two co-defendants fixed his state child pornography trial in 2008, when he was acquitted. The two other cases are state cases: a multiple count sex-abuse case in Cook County, Illinois, where Chicago is located, and a solicitation case in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Both have been on back burners while the federal cases play out. No trial dates are set for either. WHAT ARE THE CHANCES KELLY PURSUES A PLEA DEAL? The chances are greater after the sentence handed down in New York, said Steve Greenberg, a longtime Kelly lawyer who represents Kelly in the Cook County case. I suspect there have been discussions between Kellys federal trial-team lawyers and prosecutors, Greenberg said. A message seeking comment from Kellys lead attorney in his federal cases, Jennifer Bonjean, was not immediately returned. She said earlier that Kelly would appeal his New York convictions. Kelly must weigh the likelihood of winning the Chicago federal case against agreeing to a deal that includes more prison time, Greenberg said. But Greenberg believes the cases against Kelly in Cook County and in Minnesota are far weaker and that Kelly could secure acquittals in those state courts. WOULD ANOTHER SENTENCE BE ADDED TO THE NEW YORK SENTENCE? If Kelly is convicted in U.S. District Court in Chicago, his judge could order that Kelly serve that sentence after his New York sentence is complete, said Phil Turner, a former federal prosecutor in Chicago with no tie to Kellys cases. Turner said he expected prosecutors would ask for such a consecutive sentence but that a judge would most likely impose a concurrent sentence meaning they would be served simultaneously. WOULD PROSECUTORS BE OPEN TO A PLEA DEAL? They could be, if Kelly agrees to take responsibility for the crimes charged. Kellys attorneys likely would not agree to anything that involves the possibility of extending the 30-year sentence and would only sign a deal that foresees sentences lower than 30 years. They would also want assurances prosecutors wont press for consecutive sentences. Turner said the advantage to Kelly of a deal ending the prospect of more trials is that his attorneys would be able to turn their full attention to the New York appeal. Greenberg said there was reason to think Kelly could prevail with that appeal. Turner said it was a long shot. But if that sentence is thrown out, Turner said Kelly would be looking at completing what his lawyers would hope are lower sentences in the other districts. COULD PROSECUTORS DECIDE TO SIMPLY DROP THE OTHERS CASES? Chances of that seem slim. Turner said the typical mindset in U.S. attorneys offices is to remain persistent and aggressive. That attitude has been particularly pronounced when it comes to Kelly. They want this guy badly, Turner said. U.S. attorneys offices also effectively have unlimited resources, so the costs and time needed for a trial wont dissuade them, he added. Turner thought it was more likely that the state cases could be dropped, especially if Kelly is convicted in federal court in Chicago and receives additional prison time. Their resources are much more limited. They would be spending money they dont have, he said. They have murders and serious crimes to prosecute. They may ask, Why spend (money and time) on Kelly when he is already facing decades behind bars. WHAT ELSE COULD DRIVE DECISIONS TO PUSH AHEAD WITH OTHER TRIALS? The possibility that the New York convictions could be overturned is one factor. Kelly could go free immediately if state prosecutors and federal prosecutors in Chicago chose to drop their cases and the New York convictions were overturned. Prosecutors in the different districts may all see winning convictions and sentences as insurance that Kelly would stay behind bars even if an appeals court ends up tossing some convictions. IS THERE ANY REASON FOR KELLY TO PLEAD GUILTY WITH NO DEAL? Pleading guilty to the remaining charges would mean no more trials. It would lower Kelly's legal bills, which at times he has struggled to pay. But Kelly would have no assurance that prosecutors wouldnt seek the toughest possible sentences. Still, he could hold out hope that, by pleading guilty and accepting responsibility, judges would be more inclined to hand him sentences on the lower end of the guidelines. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Virginia state police are asking for the public's help as they investigate a shooting on Interstate 95 that left a man hospitalized and his car riddled with bullets. State police said they were notified just after 2:40 a.m. Monday about a single-vehicle crash along the southbound lanes of I-95 near the 71-mile marker in Richmond. The Honda Civic was eventually located at a gas station. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) A gunman on a rooftop opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago on Monday, killing at least six people, wounding at least 30 and sending hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror, police said. Authorities said a man named as a person of interest in the shooting was taken into police custody Monday evening after an hourslong manhunt in and around Highland Park, an affluent community of about 30,000 on Chicagos north shore. The July 4 shooting was just the latest to shatter the rituals of American life. Schools, churches, grocery stores and now community parades have all become killing grounds in recent months. This time, the bloodshed came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together. It definitely hits a lot harder when its not only your hometown but its also right in front of you, resident Ron Tuazon said as he and a friend returned to the parade route Monday evening to retrieve chairs, blankets and a childs bike that he and his family abandoned when the shooting began. Its commonplace now, Tuazon said of what he called yet another American atrocity. We dont blink anymore. Until laws change, its going to be more of the same. The shooting occurred at a spot on the parade route where many residents had staked out prime viewing points early in the day for the annual celebration. Dozens of fired bullets sent hundreds of parade-goers some visibly bloodied fleeing. They left a trail of abandoned items that showed everyday life suddenly, violently disrupted: A half-eaten bag of potato chips; a box of chocolate cookies spilled onto the grass; a childs Chicago Cubs cap. Theres no safe place, said Highland Park resident Barbara Harte, 73, who had stayed away from the parade fearing a mass shooting, but later ventured from her home. Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen said a police officer pulled over Robert E. Crimo III about five miles north of the shooting scene, several hours after police released the man's photo and an image of his silver Honda Fit, and warned the public that he was likely armed and dangerous. Authorities initially said he was 22, but an FBI bulletin and Crimo's social media said he was 21. Police declined to immediately identify Crimo as a suspect but said identifying him as a person of interest, sharing his name and other information publicly was a serious step. Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli said at a news conference several of the deceased victims died at the scene and one was taken to a hospital and died there. Police have not released details about the victims or wounded. Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said the five people killed at the parade were adults, but didnt have information on the sixth victim who was taken to a hospital and died there. One of those killed was a Mexican national, Roberto Velasco, Mexicos director for North American affairs, said on Twitter Monday. He said two other Mexicans were wounded. NorthShore University Health Center received 26 patients after the attack. All but one had gunshot wounds, said Dr. Brigham Temple, medical director of emergency preparedness. Their ages ranged from 8 to 85, and Temple estimated that four or five patients were children. Temple said 19 of them were treated and discharged. Others were transferred to other hospitals, while two patients, in stable condition, remained at the Highland Park hospital. It is devastating that a celebration of America was ripped apart by our uniquely American plague, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at a news conference. Im furious because it does not have to be this way... while we celebrate the Fourth of July just once a year, mass shootings have become a weekly yes, weekly American tradition. The shooter opened fire around 10:15 a.m., when the parade was about three-quarters through, authorities said. Highland Park Police Commander Chris ONeill, the incident commander on scene, said the gunman apparently used a high-powered rifle to fire from a spot atop a commercial building where he was very difficult to see. He said the rifle was recovered at the scene. Police also found a ladder attached to the building. Very random, very intentional and a very sad day, Covelli said. President Joe Biden on Monday said he and first lady Jill Biden were shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day. Biden signed the widest-ranging gun violence bill passed by Congress in decades, a compromise that showed at once both progress on a long-intractable issue and the deep-seated partisan divide that persists. As a word of an arrest spread, residents who had hunkered in homes began venturing outside, some walking toward where the shooting occurred. Several people stood and stared at the scene, with abandoned picnic blankets, hundreds of lawn chairs and backpacks still where they were when the shooting began. Police believe there was only one shooter but warned that he should still be considered armed and dangerous. Several nearby cities canceled events including parades and fireworks, some of them noting that the Highland Park shooter was still at large. The Chicago White Sox also announced on Twitter that a planned post-game fireworks show is canceled due to the shooting. More than 100 law enforcement officers were called to the parade scene or dispatched to find the suspected shooter. More than a dozen police officers on Monday surrounded a home listed as an address for Crimo in Highland Park. Some officers held rifles as they fixed their eyes on the home. Police blockaded roads leading to the home in a tree-lined neighborhood near a golf course, allowing only select law enforcement cars through a tight outer perimeter. Crimo, who goes by the name Bobby, was an aspiring rapper with the stage name Awake the Rapper, posting on social media dozens videos and songs, some ominous and violent. In one animated video since taken down by YouTube, Crimo raps about armies walking in darkness as a drawing appears of a man pointing a rifle, a body on the ground and another figure with hands up in the distance. A later frame shows a close-up of a chest with blood pouring out and another of police cars arriving as the shooter holds his hands up. In another video, in which Crimo appears in a classroom wearing a black bicycle helmet, he says he is like a sleepwalker I know what I have to do, then adds, "Everything has led up to this. Nothing can stop me, even myself. Crimos father, Bob, a longtime deli owner, ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Highland Park in 2019, calling himself a person for the people. Highland Park is a close-knit community of about 30,000 people located on the shores of Lake Michigan just north of Chicago, with mansions and sprawling lakeside estates that have long drawn the rich and sometimes famous, including NBA legend Michael Jordan, who lived in the city for years when he played for the Chicago Bulls. John Hughes filmed parts of several movies in the city, including Ferris Buellers Day Off, Sixteen Candles and Weird Science. Ominous signs of a joyous event suddenly turned to horror filled both sides of Central Avenue where the shooting occurred. Dozens of baby strollers some bearing American flags, abandoned childrens bikes and a helmet bedecked with images of Cinderella were left behind. Blankets, lawn chairs, coffees and water bottles were knocked over as people fled. Gina Troiani and her son were lined up with his daycare class ready to walk onto the parade route when she heard a loud sound that she believed was fireworks until she heard people yell about a shooter. In a video that Troiani shot on her phone, some of the kids are visibly startled at the loud noise, and they scramble to the side of the road as a siren wails nearby. We just start running in the opposite direction, she told The Associated Press. Her 5-year-old son was riding his bike decorated with red and blue curled ribbons. He and other children in the group held small American flags. The city said on its website that the festivities were to include a childrens bike and pet parade. Troiani said she pushed her sons bike, running through the neighborhood to get back to their car. "It was just sort of chaos, she said. There were people that got separated from their families, looking for them. Others just dropped their wagons, grabbed their kids and started running. Debbie Glickman, a Highland Park resident, said she was on a parade float with coworkers and the group was preparing to turn onto the main route when she saw people running from the area. People started saying: Theres a shooter, theres a shooter, there's a shooter, Glickman told the AP. So we just ran. We just ran. Its like mass chaos down there. She didnt hear any noises or see anyone who appeared to be injured. Im so freaked out, she said. Its just so sad. ___ Foody contributed from Chicago. Associated Press writers Mike Balsamo in New York, David Koenig in Dallas, Jeff Martin in Woodstock, Georgia, Fabiola Sanchez in Monterrey, Mexico, Jim Mustian in New Orleans, Bernard Condon in New York, and Martha Irvine and Mike Householder in Highland Park contributed reporting. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) In a city boasting champagne brunches with views of the sea, Michelin star restaurants, and endless high-end Asian food options, a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant with plastic chairs and metal tables is one of Dubais go-to spots. Ravi restaurant, a small, family-owned Pakistani place, is rooted in the community of South Asian workers who helped build Dubai. Yet over the decades, it has become a staple of the food culture in a city that usually gravitates to everything glitzy and over-the-top. The restaurant opened its doors in the United Arab Emirates in 1978 in the Dubai neighborhood of Satwa, at a time when it was a sandy area full of big lorries and small construction shops. The emirate was mostly a desert land in the 1970s with a meager, low-built skyline overlooking the Gulf. Ravi served home-style dishes, mainly to South Asian construction workers. Its founder, Chaudary Abdul Hameed, wanted to find a way to serve better food to the working class, said his son Waseem Abdul Hameed, who is also the restaurants operations manager. That meant keeping prices affordable, with meals costing an average of $7. Over the years as Dubai boomed, it became a hit among Emiratis and the Western and Asian expats who flooded the emirate. Famed food critic Anthony Bourdain helped put Ravi on the map when he visited it for one of his TV series in 2010. A few years later, rapper Snoop Dogg dropped in as well, and Ravi was elevated to a must-see attraction. Besides its portions, prices and flavors, its ironically Ravis lack of pretentiousness that gives it cache. Customers wearing everything from business suits to traditional saris or sneakers crowd the restaurant for big meals or late-night snacks. Its common to see lines of people at the door, or people taking their food and eating it at the curb. Inside, customers sit at tables with plastic covers underneath flickering neon lights. Chatter downs out the sound of ceiling fans. Chicken biryani, chicken tikka, daal and naan are slung out of the kitchen over the service counter, and as waiters rush the plates to the table, the smell of curry and grilled meat wafts through the air. Last week, the low-key eatery was scene to a very Dubai-style splash: A gathering of social media influencers to promote the launch of shoemaker Adidas brand collaboration with Ravi. Adidas produced a specially designed limited-edition Superstar Ravi sneaker green and white, emblazoned with the restaurants name and the year it opened, and a list of the six most famous dishes from its menu on the inside of the shoes tongue. Both Ravi and Adidas declined to disclose the terms of the deal to The Associated Press, or to answer questions about whether the restaurant will be making any money from the sale of the shoes. Waseem Abdul Hameed said it reflects how the restaurant is part of Dubais cultural fabric. You have to go to Ravi restaurant for a meal, so thats why they chose us. Its a stark contrast with other recent lines released by Adidas, like one with Gucci that includes sneakers selling for $899 in Dubai and other cities. But the collaboration speaks to how brands like Adidas are looking for new ways to connect to consumers searching for uniqueness. On a recent hot summer day after the shoe launch, customers lined up outside Ravi. Its authentic, thats what it is, thats why I like it, said 32-year-old Dubai resident Dana, whos been coming to Ravi for years with her friends. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son on the sidelines of the seventh Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Bagan, Myanmar, on July 4, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Dongqiang) BAGAN, Myanmar, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son met here Monday, with both sides agreeing to maintain strategic communication and advance cooperation. The two foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the seventh Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting held on Monday. Wang said that China and Vietnam should maintain strategic communication, deepen strategic coordination and make efforts towards building a community with shared future as they share highly alike common strategic interests due to being friendly neighboring socialist countries and important forces among emerging market economies and developing countries. Wang called on the two countries to join hands to forge ahead in developing socialism in line with their respective national conditions, and make greater contributions to regional and global peace and prosperity. During the meeting, Son said that Vietnam and China enjoy high-level mutual political trust as well as smooth progress in pragmatic cooperation. Noting that Vietnam has always prioritized relations with China in its strategies for external affairs, Son said that Vietnam is willing to maintain high-level exchanges and strategic communication with China, and push for new breakthroughs in cooperation in various fields. Wang said that China is currently working to achieve a new development pattern and higher-quality opening-up, which will bring more benefits to Vietnam and create more favorable conditions for bilateral cooperation, and called on both sides to share the opportunities and jointly seek development, safeguard stability and create prosperity. The two sides agreed that they will work to coordinate efforts to push forward cooperation in various fields at the 14th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation to be held in China. Both sides also pledged efforts to accelerate implementation of the viable livelihood projects with remarkable social benefits so as to bring the two peoples closer to each other and strengthen popular support for bilateral friendship. During the meeting, the two foreign ministers also exchanged views on the South China Sea issue, agreeing to take the opportunity of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea this year to move forward the process of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, adhere to the consensus reached between the leaderships, handle differences properly and boost maritime cooperation. Under 2021 by Thai artist Korakot Sangno was part of an exhibition by seven Deep South artists at VS Gallery in Bangkok, June 15, 2022. Contemporary art from Thailands violence-wracked Deep South can open conversations and battle stereotypes about the impoverished region, practitioners say. That was a motivation for a recent show at a Bangkok gallery featuring seven artists from the southern border region: to help people in the nations capital see how life is different in the mainly Muslim and Malay-speaking border region, which is home to an ongoing insurgency. The idea is to showcase the works of the marginalized and increase the understanding of issues affecting residents of the restive Deep South, said Thai art collector Voravuj Sujjaporamest, owner of the VS Gallery. Bangkok people harbor a negative bias against southern Thailand, even though most have not visited the place or met the people. Jehabdulloh Jehsorhoh, one of the artists showing his work, was an art student at Prince of Songkla University in January 2004 when the insurgency reignited as separatist outfit Barisan Revolusi Nasional launched an attack on security installations and seized weapons. Three months later, the military killed more than 30 militants holed up inside a historic mosque in Pattani, while in October that year, a demonstration in neighboring Narathiwat turned violent and dozens of detained protesters died of suffocation while being transported to a military camp. Since then, more than 7,300 people have been killed and 13,500 injured, according to Deep South Watch, a local think-tank. In 2012, spurred by those events, Jehabdulloh created Patani Artspace, a 10-member gallery in the Deep South. I founded it because of the 2004 incidents. I saw the need to create a space for conversations between local people and visitors using contemporary art, he said, adding that most people think art in the Deep South is purely functional, such as batik cloth or Kolae traditional boat painting. Today, Jehabdulloh is an associate professor at his alma mater and regularly travels across the country to explain what its like to be from the Deep South to help people better understand the region. In August, Patani Artspace is organizing the regions first contemporary art exhibition in several cities where more than 50 Southeast Asia artists will showcase their work. The Deep South encompasses Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala provinces along with four districts of Songkhla province. Pattani and Narathiwat are the poorest provinces in the country, with poverty rates of 34.2 percent and 34.17 percent, respectively, according to a 2019 World Bank report, compared to the nationwide rate of 6 percent. Most Thais never dare visit these areas, not only because of the distance but because of the rumors about the incidents of violence, as well as the cultural and religious difference from the rest of the country, Voravuj told BenarNews. These reasons make them politically and culturally marginalized. Meanwhile, the Deep South people have had to learn to heal themselves with a strong sense of cultural identity to fight alienation. Jehabdulloh said Deep South artists face two main challenges. The first is economic, as the power in the arts industry is centralized in Bangkok. The second relates to content, as much of the Deep South art does not please the government because we present the truth, especially human rights issues, injustice stories that happened in the areas, and the violence. He said security forces have frequently visited Artspace and though they never stopped an exhibition, exchanges have been mostly negative. We were not threatened, but the authorities would apply psychological tactics with us asking why we are working on certain issues why dont we draw beautiful flowers? Jehabdulloh said. Below is a selection of Deep South art displayed at the VS Gallery in June: Jehabdullohs seven life-size shooting targets made of rusted zinc plate on wood with a silhouette of a man standing with boots, tanks and weapons next to his head showcase the injustice and oppression due to pervasive power in a security state. Galvanized sheets, commonly used to build homes and sheds, represent grassroots people and their values. The artworks messages were inspired by the Bahasa Melayu Patani language. Unreal Peace Artist Pichet Piaklin stuck .45-caliber and 9mm brass shells on wooden flagpoles to showcase that peace can exist only because there are wars. Peace in human imagination is only a dream, like a mere temporary truce. Conversely, wars exist incessantly in every corner of the world, he said. Suffering in Patani Muhammadsuriyee Mosu created a series of patterned prints of Java doves with a red string clipped to parts of their bodies to reflect the feeling of citizens in the areas under emergency acts and martial law. The special laws never make the situation better or more peaceful for the people but allow many to be arrested and tortured to confess, Mosu said. Under 2021 Korakot Sangnoy used Chinese ink, acrylic and gold leaf on a giant canvas to create an image of hundreds of kneeling people carrying a giant foot. The artist said it portrays oppression caused by people in power manipulating, monitoring and getting rid of anyone who stands up and asks questions. Many people have surrendered to the power that dominates their thoughts and beliefs, he said. This thing exists by strict enforcement of rules and corrupt trickery to control their lives and minds. Tadika As a child, Wanmuhaimin E-taela attended Tadika, a religious primary school that receives no government support. His exhibit featured torn textbooks, a blackboard, a dilapidated desk and a bench to showcase the role of Thai nationalism in creating a single national identity at the expense of other ethnic-religious-cultural ones including Malay-speaking Muslims from the Deep South. Melayu Unpopular Muhammadtoha Hajiyugots print shows Michelangelos David and Venus de Milo wearing sarong and batik fabrics to portray the impact of technology changing society, especially the influence of social media and pop culture dominating the world. With freehand sketching and the use of geometric lines that penetrate the statues, Muhammadtoha said he is asking the Thai-Malay people about the impact of pop culture in daily lives, faith, and society. Sandals Esuwan Chali engraves shapes of reptiles, a symbol of bad luck in Thailand, on the insoles of everyday wear in a video installation behind rubber sandals that visitors are asked to wear. The artist said it shows the trauma of oppressed and exploited people being trampled by the authorities. Nontarat Phaicharoen and Pimuk Rakkanam in Bangkok contributed to this report. All photos by BenarNews. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. "He's going to be indoors. We'll try to keep him somewhere well-protected," Kiaran responds, when asked about how her dog, Tanga, will react to the Fourth of July fireworks. "He's usually a very mellow guy, but something like that would really spook him." PITTSFIELD It was an event over two years in the making. A spirited crowd lined the streets for a parade that ran nearly two hours Monday up North Street. Parade-goers were treated to a procession of elaborate floats, music ranging from fife and drum to Dont Stop Believin and revelry celebrating American history. The parade comes after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For some, it was a return to a decades-long tradition. For others, it was a first. But for nearly all, the Pittsfield Fourth of July Parade offered a welcome return to form for Pittsfield, bringing smiling faces together on a nearly flawless morning. Here are some of the people we met: Something personal Phil Shallies has never marched in a parade before. On Monday, he was tasked with carrying a banner along the parades route. He had help from a friend, Mike Melle. Janie Ray, Shallies' girlfriend of 30 years, was with him every step of the way. But he knows the walk is about more than just himself. Shallies, a mechanic who restores vintage cars, is blind. He walked on behalf of a cause important to him and for an organization that joined the parade for the first time: the Berkshire Benevolent Association for the Blind. Shallies said the association is a support group that hosts events and provides resources for blind people in the Berkshires. The association is celebrating its 100th year and hoped to raise awareness. I think its great, Shallies said. You couldnt ask for a better advertisement than this. Some marching in the parade were there to represent culture. Andres Bermudez and Zhen-Mei Huang marched (and danced) in the parade to represent Festival Latino of the Berkshires, a celebration of Latino culture in existence for nearly 26 years. Bermudez said the opportunity for the organization to be seen and celebrated in the parade sends an important message. The group had representatives from Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia and Puerto Rico, among other places. Its extremely important, Bermudez said. Were showing people that we are established here were all Americans. Jennie Darby, leader of Scoil Rince Breifne O Ruairc, an Irish dance school in Pittsfield, hoped to share the hard work of her students with the community and show them that Irish dance isnt just for St. Patricks Day. Darby said she hopes the parade makes people learn and discover how much the troupe loves Irish dance, and might inspire some in the crowd to try it. Message of moment Alyssa Lusignan traveled the parade route holding an American flag that bore the message: Womans Rights are Human Rights. She rode astride a motorcycle with the Rumble Strip Garage contingent. In an email later, Lusignan said she wanted to raise awareness in the wake of the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. I know hundreds if not thousands of people saw the flag and cheered me on I would be remiss if I didnt try to keep advocating for our rights, she said. A kids perspective If the goal was to get people dancing, it worked for 8-year-old Aliyah Vanbramer. Her favorite part of the parade was seeing the dancing, cheerleading and gymnastics on display from different groups mostly because she does all those things, too. Amir Dissou, a child in attendance, said his favorite part of the parade was seeing floats for Elmo and a Smurf, as well as the superhero Black Panther. The interview was cut short when members of the Paw Patrol made an appearance in the procession. A first time Despite owning a house in Becket for 20 years, Manhattan native Len Margulies had never made it to see Pittsfields Fourth of July Parade before this year. When given the opportunity, he said he just couldnt miss it. Margulies spends time in the area volunteering with Jacobs Pillow and Tanglewood, among other organizations. Margulies said it was remarkable how many people came out to celebrate the holiday. Its got a charm all its own, Margulies said. It was also the first time at the parade for Priscilla Frimpong, who got to see her nephews, Elkanah and Nadab Abbey, march in the parade. Frimpong, who is originally from Ghana, said it was great to see creative arts on display in a welcoming environment for children. Back with bang When asked about the paper-stuffed cannon on the back of the Kiwanis Club of Pittsfields float, Victoria Pires Mazzer, treasurer, said they decided to take the parades Back With A Bang theme literally. The theme references the two years the parade was not able to take place. She said the club has not had a float in the parade for nearly a decade, but felt now was the perfect time to make a return. I wanted to see those little kids with those smiles, and to see the community come back together again, she said. For some in the city, the return of the parade was a celebration in itself. The thing that really impressed me was that we were back doing it again, said Peter Menatti. Menatti, who works in the Shipton Building on North Street, said the pandemics effect on the citys center was depressing. Seeing once-dormant streets lined with people again was a triumph, he said. I found it inspiring, Menatti said. It was uplifting it felt like a step forward after we had to take a step backward. Ashley and Daryl Shreve know a thing or two about taking a step forward. Both ran in the Berkshire Health Systems Independence Day 5K before the parade began. They visited the parade with their daughters, 6-year-old Cariel and 3-year-old Mara. Daryl Shreve said it was great to see faces not seen since the pandemic began. Having community members gather again was a welcome change, he said. It feels remarkably normal, Shreve said. The town hasnt missed a beat on this parade. For Ashley Shreve, who grew up in Pittsfield and always attended, the parade is a tradition she hopes to pass on to her daughters. The date carries added significance. Her fathers birthday is July 4. It feels pretty amazing to be back and to have such a great day to be back, Ashley said. China to contribute wisdom, solution, enhance unity as its diplomacy enters Asian moment in second half of 2022 By Yang Sheng and Wan Hengyi (Global Times) 10:24, July 04, 2022 A series of major regional or global events are scheduled to be held in Asian countries starting this month through to the end of the year, ushering in an Asian moment for their role in global governance, with the upcoming Lancang-Mekong regional meeting in Myanmar and the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Indonesia in the coming week as well as G20 Summit in Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Thailand in November. Experts said China will be prepared to send strong signals of confidence to its key neighbors and partners in the region to further boost economic recovery as well as safeguard unity, peace and security for Asia in a world that faces turbulence and challenges. China also has its own significant political event in the second half of this year, as the Communist Party of China (CPC) is to convene its 20th National Congress to draw China's development blueprint for the next stage, with analysts believing that the top Chinese leader, at the G20 Summit and the APEC meeting later this year, will also introduce China's plan and proposals for the future to contribute wisdom, solutions, hope and certainty to not only Asia but also the world. From July 3 to 14, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will chair the seventh Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Myanmar and attend the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Indonesia, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian announced on Friday. On Sunday, visiting Foreign Minister Wang and Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin agreed to speed up the construction of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), implement well the cross-border power grids agreement, guarantee the operation of China-Myanmar oil and gas pipelines, explore the "CMEC plus" cooperation at a proper time, and elevate the level of bilateral trade and commercial cooperation. The two officials also exchanged views on Lancang-Mekong cooperation and China-ASEAN cooperation. China firmly supports the ASEAN centrality in the regional architecture, and is ready to work with ASEAN to steer East Asia cooperation in the right direction, Wang said. According to Zhao, Wang will also pay official visits to Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia and host the second Meeting of China-Indonesia High-level Dialogue Cooperation Mechanism. In addition, Wang will chair the 14th Meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation and the sixth Meeting of China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Coordination Committee in Nanning, Guangxi, the spokesperson said. China has frequent high-level diplomatic exchanges and communications with members of ASEAN due to the traditional friendship and the close ties of win-win cooperation. In 2022, from the China-Singapore foreign ministers meeting in February, to the visit to China of the foreign ministers of four ASEAN members(Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar) in late March and April, and the latest visit by Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe to Singapore and his attendance at the Shangri-La Dialoguein June, China has always attached great importance to ties with ASEAN members. Zhao said China and Southeast Asian countries are friendly neighbors. We are linked by mountains and rivers and share our future together. We are also important partners that share vast common interests and seek common development. At present, mankind's pursuit of peace and development is confronted with strong headwinds in the face of the combined impact of major changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century, he added. "In a world fraught with turbulence and changes, China and Southeast Asian nations have worked hand in hand to address the challenges, safeguarded peace and stability in our region, and cultivated this region into a most dynamic and promising hub for development," Zhao remarked on Friday. Asian moment Asia, including China and ASEAN members, are facing multiple challenges that require joint efforts. Apart from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the US-led Western anti-Russia sanctions have deeply interrupted the global supply chains, market and economic order. The US is trying to further its influence in the region by hyping conflicts and tensions, as Washington wants to engage in a great power competition against China for the region, and has attempted to instigate bloc-to-bloc confrontation in Asia by using its regional allies, experts said. So the ASEAN which prioritizes economic development is now facing serious challenges and desperately needs the certainty, confidence and protection for the members' economies. This will ensure that China-ASEAN ties are even closer because both parties share a consensus over development and multilateralism, and the region has strong confidence in China's development and clear understanding of China's national strength, analysts said. Chen Xiangmiao, an assistant research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said that the US will not stand any chance of interrupting the neutral and independent decision-making of ASEAN. Spokesperson Zhao said "Through the visit, China hopes to deepen strategic communication with the four Southeast Asian countries, work for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, strive to build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home, inject new impetus into and foster new highlights in bilateral relations, and get the China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership off to a good start." Analysts said the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting is for the preparation and preliminary communication for the G20 Summit in November in Bali. The summit this year will attract high attention from around the globe as it will be the first major meeting of global leaders since the Ukraine crisis started. It is also the first major international event to invite Western leaders, the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, as well as leaders of other non-Western major economies with a neutral stance. Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Sunday that "A key mission of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting is to prepare for the leaders' attendance at the summit. By the end of 2022, the G20 and the APEC meeting are scheduled to be held in Asia, and ASEAN will hold its summit as well. China will also have the 20th CPC National Congress. This will definitely make the world focus its attention on Asia, so it's important for China to make the best use of the opportunity to introduce its plans and initiatives for global recovery and world peace and security." The Chinese foreign minister will also have discussions and dialogues with ASEAN members on the issues that share the concerns of both sides. A key principle for China-ASEAN ties is to focus on economic development, another is the principle of non-interference, so on many sensitive topics including the Myanmar issue, China will not be directly involved. On global hot spot issues that share the concerns of both sides, like the South China Sea issue and the Ukraine crisis, China and ASEAN need to deal with the matters via dialogue and coordination, Chen noted. "So there will be at least two key signals released by China to ASEAN via the foreign minister's visit. First, China's policy toward ASEAN will keep focusing on economic cooperation to realize joint development of the region, especially in handling the impact of the pandemic; second, to reaffirm China's principle of peaceful development and that it doesn't intend to solve problems and disputes by force," Chen said, adding that the US and some of its allies are trying to spread groundless concerns and anxiety among the ASEAN members that had disputes with China on sovereignty, Chen said. Especially on the Ukraine crisis, both China and the ASEAN do not want to see interventions from non-regional powers to make regional problems a global crisis; whether in economic or military terms this would be harmful to the global economic recovery, said a Beijing-based expert on international relations who asked for anonymity. The expert noted that "China's diplomacy in the second half of this year will enter the Asian moment. Asian countries will show the world that they have their own plan and wisdom to address their own development and security issues." Chen echoed and said that the reason why Indonesia, as the host of G20 summit this year and a key power in the region and ASEAN, has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin under heavy pressure from the West is that ASEAN and China share values in upholding multilateralism and solving conflicts and disputes via peaceful dialogue and the non-interference principle. (Web editor: Liang Jun, Bianji) COPENHAGEN, July 3 (Xinhua) -- As several riders crossed the finish line at the same time on Sunday, Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen of Team BikeExchange was declared the winner of a photo finish in the third stage of the Tour de France in Denmark. Jumbo's Wout Van Aert finished second but retains the yellow jersey with a seven-second advantage in the overall standings. Jasper Philipsen was in third place at this stage. The competitive 182 kilometers flat course between Vejle and Sonderborg in south Denmark, close to the German border, was always going to be conducive to an extremely exciting high-speed race where the possibility of an accident among the pack of riders in the field was always going to be highly likely. For a while, it seemed only Maxime Bouet from the Arkea team would be the only crash of the day until the real drama of the race unfolded during the last 13 minutes. At the end of the race, teams began to react by increasing their speed and jockeying for positions near the front of the field to keep their captains ahead. This new dynamic resulted in the expected big crash, as the middle of the pack effectively went down, taking out half of the field of riders. However, at the front of the field this went unnoticed as all eyes were focused on the beckoning finish line where everyone of the front riders had a chance of victory as the leading position kept changing amongst them. The Tour leaves Denmark later Sunday and returns to France on next Tuesday with the fourth stage, a 171.5 km run in the hills between Dunkirk and Calais. First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain. Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that. And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details. If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices To provide end-to-end high-quality innovative products to accelerate drug discovery programmes in the China market Eurofins DiscoverX Products LLC, a global industry leader in products for small and large molecule drug discovery and QC lot release, has announced the official opening of its new China biotechnology office in Shanghai. The launch of Eurofins DiscoverX (Shanghai) Ltd. broadens its Asia-Pacific (APAC) operations directly into the China market. This expansion establishes an operational base positioned to effectively serve China's growing biopharmaceutical sector with high-quality innovative products that accelerate drug discovery programmes. With this fully operational Shanghai office, Eurofins DiscoverX can more readily provide its product menu cell lines, assay reagents, enzymes, and bioassay kits to the China market. The new operation will also provide an efficient supply chain, local technical support, and the convenience for clients to pay in the Chinese Yuan (RMB) currency. The recent Cannes Lions has highlighted the shifts from brands, and the industry, globally. But as much as things change, they stay the same, and when it comes to winning at Cannes, Concept is still queen and every idea needs Craft. Supplied. Mpume Ngobese, Joe Public's co-MD examines the shifts we are seeing from brands globally following the recent Cannes Lions "Cannes-winning work is not work driven by gimmicks or short-term sales and instant gratification rewards,It is work that creates brand love, which is far more meaningful for brands than short-term results-driven work that relies on incentivisation strategies," says Mpume Ngobese, Joe Public's co-MD and author of Is the advertising industry lost? Ngobeses Cannes 2022 observations Concept. "It is not about tactics. Every category winner had a concept, an idea. All the work that had a strong concept featured in more than one category because, as we know, a strong concept can beautifully translate across different channels and categories. "Boldness, risk-taking and taking a stand are the themes that I came across when looking at the work that performed well. "Beyond the remarkable work that is seen in the classic categories of film, outdoor, print and audio, we saw influencer marketing being turned on its head, the art of storytelling using digital innovation, the use of real everyday people in a non-artificial manner to sell a product. Retail can be sexy. Beautiful, crafted work," says Ngobese. "It is not about tactics. Every category winner had a concept, an idea. All the work that had a strong concept featured in more than one category because, as we know, a strong concept can beautifully translate across different channels and categories. "Boldness, risk-taking and taking a stand are the themes that I came across when looking at the work that performed well. "Beyond the remarkable work that is seen in the classic categories of film, outdoor, print and audio, we saw influencer marketing being turned on its head, the art of storytelling using digital innovation, the use of real everyday people in a non-artificial manner to sell a product. Retail can be sexy. Beautiful, crafted work," says Ngobese. Craft. "To produce a beautifully crafted idea, agencies need time, and if there is no time, lots of money is required. Ideally, agencies should be given both. "Well-thought-out and crafted executions, simple innovations and true integration between a creative idea and media are some of the ingredients needed to deliver a Cannes-winning piece of work," she explains. Cannes Lions 2022 Grand Prix winners round up 30 Jun 2022 election ballots to save democracy, and an iconic FMCG brand reinventing itself through an effective (global) integrated campaign that went from a social experiment to OOH, packaging, social media, digital and e-commerce," says Ngobese. "A deeply emotive piece of film that speaks to time and experiences lost during the pandemic is the kind of film work that requires time to find the best director in the specific genre, a thorough casting process, a perfect location scouting process, a great wardrobe and styling process, a thorough post-production process that involves a thorough editing process, a thorough picture grading process, a thorough music selection process and a thorough voice recording process, all sealed with beautiful and powerful titles in the end," she says. "It doesnt just happen in a few days," she adds. "To produce a beautifully crafted idea, agencies need time, and if there is no time, lots of money is required. Ideally, agencies should be given both. "Well-thought-out and crafted executions, simple innovations and true integration between a creative idea and media are some of the ingredients needed to deliver a Cannes-winning piece of work," she explains. election ballots to save democracy, and an iconic FMCG brand reinventing itself through an effective (global) integrated campaign that went from a social experiment to OOH, packaging, social media, digital and e-commerce," says Ngobese. "A deeply emotive piece of film that speaks to time and experiences lost during the pandemic is the kind of film work that requires time to find the best director in the specific genre, a thorough casting process, a perfect location scouting process, a great wardrobe and styling process, a thorough post-production process that involves a thorough editing process, a thorough picture grading process, a thorough music selection process and a thorough voice recording process, all sealed with beautiful and powerful titles in the end," she says. "It doesnt just happen in a few days," she adds. Creativity that addresses socio-political, health, identity, and gender issues; creativity that advocates for heritage and culture preservation. Ngobese says it was beautiful to see work that delivered on the perfect intersection of product + brand purpose + cultural tension. "The work that was rooted in insight and culture continued to come out on top." It is evident, she says, that brands are beginning to take the humanised approach of listening to communities. "And then creating meaningful connections, which include taking part in conversations and creating real value exchange by supporting social causes; an important aspect of advertising which was achieved by a lot of the winning brands through the various advertising campaigns," she says. "We saw the unfiltered history tour of the British Museums stolen colonial artefacts, a poetry book about freedom and love which turned a symbol of repression into an art manifesto celebrating freedom, the first swimmable billboard (liquid billboard) done by a brand that is on the mission to strive for inclusivity and closing the gender gap in sports, a design piece that addresses children malnutrition, and an art exhibition that highlights the importance of early detection of breast cancer, to mention but a few," she says. "The respective brands used their power and influence to authentically make a positive impact on society," she states. A great performance but South Africa features at number 13 in the Top 15 Countries at 2022 Cannes Lions list is a remarkable recognition for the country. This is especially given the context of where we are as a country, the challenges we are navigating, the creative opportunities that SA agencies are given by the clients and of course the effects of the pandemic to our economy and our clients budgets. Creative opportunities are few and far between, so it is great to see that despite all of this, we, as a country, have managed to get this far, says Ngobese. She says that the SA work that performed well at Cannes is absolutely interesting, delightful and meaningful conceptual work that is also tonally uniquely South African, yet globally relevant. So, we all have to congratulate everyone who entered, everyone who made the shortlists and everyone who won a Lion, including the Young Lions Film competition! However, she warns that, despite the performance at this years Cannes Festival, we cannot ignore the ongoing business and creative pressure that agencies continue to face, multiplied by the multiple reverts and churn on left-brain work, which leaves us with a deep yearning for pure creativity. Future-fit agencies For agencies to move forward and ensure they are future fit, Ngobese says, that while it sounds like a cliche, it is true, people are a companys biggest asset. She says: Agencies should prioritise the growth of people first before anything else. As agencies, we must do more in this area. It is simply not enough to ignore. We must grow our people and ensure representation across all levels and put targets to ensure we are tracking progress in this regard. We need to find unconventional ways to get the talent if we cant find it, because if we do well in this area, we will then get to grow our clients through the work we produce, and by growing our clients, we will ultimately be able to grow our country. Fastjet Zimbabwe has launched its inaugural flight from Zimbabwe's tourism capital Victoria Falls to Maun in Botswana. The new service route will operate four times a week on a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Source: Fastjet Zimbabwe The new flight arrangement will provide the much-needed scheduled connectivity between Victoria Falls and Maun allowing visitors the ease of travel when exploring the regions top attractions. "We are thrilled to launch a scheduled service to Maun in Botswana from our evergrowing Victoria Falls tourism hub," says Nunurai Ndawana, fastjet Zimbabwe spokesperson. "We continue to strengthen Victoria Falls as a regional tourism hub and the introduction of this new flight service four times a week will connect two of Southern Africas most sought-after destinations, the Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta with a reliable scheduled air service" Fastjet Zimbabwe's chief commercial officer, Vivian Ruwuya comments: "Victoria Falls remains one of our strategic destinations and this route adds to fastjets international presence in the region. "To ensure the sustainable development of this route, we are going to adjust our size and operate the Maun flights using a dual fleet model of our Embraer ERJ145 aircraft and our partners Cessna Grand Caravan 208B. Both aircraft are known for their ability to provide the versatility to build a sustainable regional network with their right-size capacity." Minister of Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, has encouraged small businesses in townships and rural areas to apply for support through the Township and Rural Entrepreneurship Programme (Trep). We are deliberate in addressing unemployment and poverty but we also have a responsibility to grow the economy, Ndabeni-Abrahams said. Addressing the SheTradesZA Youth Seminar on Wednesday in Pretoria, the Minister said the maximum value of TREP stands at R1m, with one component being a grant and the other a loan. The Trep is a dedicated programme to transform and integrate opportunities in townships and rural areas into productive business ventures. The focus is to create platforms that provide business support infrastructure and a regulatory environment that enables entrepreneurs to thrive, Ndabeni-Abrahams said. Township or rural-based entrepreneurs can apply for support, including funding, through the common application template from the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda ), the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (Sefa), National Empowerment Fund (Nef) and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA). Owners of the business must be South African nationals. The following schemes are available for qualifying entrepreneurs: Small-Scale Bakeries and confectioneries support programme Autobody repairers and mechanics support programme (as well as small and independent auto-spares shops and informal automotive entrepreneurs) Butcheries support programme Clothing, leather and textiles support programme Personal care support programme Spaza-shop support programme Tshisanyama and cooked food support programme Registration can be done here and complete the information required. Building timeless and timely brands that people love. Connect with us - www.fcb.co.za SEO Specialist Remuneration: cost-to-company Location: Woodstock, Cape Town Education level: Diploma Job level: Mid/Senior Own transport required: Yes Job policy: Employment Equity position Type: Permanent Reference: #SEOSpecialist Company: King James Job description Develop SEO strategies and optimise sites to drive growth for a range of well-known clients Perform keyword research in coordination with client business objectives to optimise existing content and uncover new opportunities for paid media Run with content auditing and provide content and keyword strategies Provide recommendations and execute strategies for content development in coordination with SEO goals general and keyword specific (content strategy for client, optimising and uploading content) Assist with development and execution of communication/content strategies via social communities in coordination with SEO goals Research and implement search engine optimisation audits Administer search engine programmes (XML sitemaps, webmaster tools) for purposes of diagnostic reporting on client projects Conduct Technical Site Audit (SEO) and recommendations to identify, plan, and implement technical SEO recommendations for websites including: Site architecture, page load speed and content optimization Site migrations, Conversion optimization and redesigns Off-site SEO Recommend changes to website architecture, content, linking and other factors to improve SEO positions for target keywords and organic traffic Implement link building campaigns in coordination with client SEO goals Monitor and evaluate search results and search performance across the major search channels for monthly reporting and recommendations Assist on client pitch/proposal creation Explain technical terminology and processes Competitor analysis and research Keep abreast of industry changes within industry best practice Relevant tertiary qualification Proficient in MS Office (i.e. Word / Excel / PowerPoint / Keynote etc.) Minimum three years experience as an SEO Specialist Advertising Agency experience will be advantageous Experience with UX best practices, strategy, and research Sound technical SEO background and thorough understanding of its place in the digital marketing portfolio Understand the fundamentals of web analytics Google Analytics/AdWords Certified Knowledge of Google Search Console and Google Tag Manager Knowledge of SEO Tools: Ahrefs, SEMrush, Screaming Frog and Bright Local Good to have - HTML background Good to have - Proficiency in Data Studio Good command of the English language (both verbal and written) Strong organisational and planning skills Strong time management skills Strong project management skills with the ability to prioritise and make progress on multiple concurrent projects as well as share progress with your team Team player with the ability to work independently Ability to remain calm in a fast-paced environment Proactive Out of the box creative thinker Resilient Confident Accountable Solution driven / problem solver Deadline driven Meticulous with attention to detail Other: Comfortable to work on-site (King James office) and comfortable to work on alcohol brands King James Part of Accenture Song, is currently looking for an SEO Specialist to work on a portfolio of various clients and brands. The successful candidate must have a good background in the digital space and up to date knowledge in the SEO/Optimisation/UX field of digital marketing. It is imperative that the successful candidate keeps abreast with all changes and growth in the industry by doing constant reading and upskilling, as well as keeping all necessary qualifications/certifications up to date.Interested in joining the purple blood team? Please submit a concise CV to az.oc.semajgnik@jksreerac . Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Should you not hear from us within 1 week after submitting your application, kindly consider your application as unsuccessful. Posted on 04 Jul 11:49, Closing date 31 Jul Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin, Lao Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son attend the seventh Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Bagan, Myanmar, July 4, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Dongqiang) BAGAN, Myanmar, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Monday that the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) has achieved fruitful results in promoting regional stability and prosperity. When chairing the seventh LMC foreign ministers' meeting, Wang said that since last year the six LMC countries have earnestly implemented consensuses reached at the third LMC leaders' meeting in 2020. First, the countries have joined hands to combat COVID-19 and build an immune shield. China provided over 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines and dispatched medical expert teams to the Mekong countries, and helped the countries establish COVID-19 nucleic acid testing labs and mobile cabin hospitals, he said. China also helped train some 1,300 Traditional Chinese Medicine personnel for the Mekong countries. Second, they have promoted high-quality connectivity and jointly created a "development engine," Wang said. Since the operation of the China-Laos Railway in early December last year, nearly 800,000 tons of freight have been transported cross-border, covering more than 100 kinds of goods. Chinese-built projects which have been completed include the rehabilitation and expansion of Cambodia's National Road No. 11, the new terminal at Thailand's Suvarnabhumi International Airport and the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi. The Kyaukpyu deep-sea port project in Myanmar has started its environmental assessment, social assessment, and geological survey and feasibility study. In 2021, trade between China and the Mekong countries reached 398 billion U.S. dollars, up 23 percent year-on-year. In the first five months of this year, trade between the two sides witnessed a 16-percent growth. Third, the countries have rolled out sub-national cooperation to build a "bridge of friendship," Wang said. The first forum on Lancang-Mekong local government cooperation was successfully held, creating a new platform for local level cooperation. Fourth, the countries have been jointly pushing cooperation on people's well-being to build a happy home, Wang said. China has expanded imports of agricultural products from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. In 2021, China's imports from the Mekong countries reached 17.4 billion dollars, up nearly 33 percent year-on-year. Moreover, the China-aided national stadium project in Cambodia has been inaugurated; the lighting project supported by China in the Lao capital Vientiane has been completed; the China-sponsored maintenance and renovation project of the national stadium in Myanmar has also been handed over; and notable progress has been made in the China-built rural water supply project in Vietnam. The LMC consists of six countries -- China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The Lancang River originates from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in southwestern China. It is called the Mekong River as it flows through the other five countries before emptying into the sea. Multiple people are feared dead after a reported shooting at a 4th of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, on Monday. Witnesses say crowds fled the sound of gunfire, and others saw at least five bloodied people lying on the ground and another under a blanket, according to the Chicago Sun Times. The number of victims remains unclear. Police have reportedly requested a canine unit to assist in finding the suspect. The suspect remains at large. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker stated to WGN that he believes there are at least nine shooting victims. The outlet reported that at least two were killed. The Lake County Sheriff's Office, where Highland Park is located, confirmed that a shooting had occurred and urged people to stay out of the area. The sheriff's office did not confirm the number of victims, however. The Highland Park Police Department confirmed they are responding to an "active situation" and will soon release a statement to Fox News Digitial. The sheriff's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox. The Lugansk People's Republic has declared their independence from the Zelensky regime. Russia has captured 100% of Luhansk oblast, the first Ukrainian oblast now completely out of Kievs control. The Lugansk Peoples Republic is now complete. Dark green: LPR 2014-2022 Green: LPR gains in 2022 Light green: The last sliver Ukraine lost today (Bilohorivka salient) pic.twitter.com/tQgSrKHo72 Serge (@Zinvor) July 3, 2022 Russian advances in the Lisichansk area between June 25th & July 3rd pic.twitter.com/axuPzvJvzC Russians With Attitude (@RWApodcast) July 3, 2022 NEWS: Ukraine, Russia, Donbass, [Jul 3, 2022] The Russian military installed the Victory Banner in Belogorovka. It was the last settlement of the LPR, which remained under the control of the Kiev regime. Now the republic is completely liberated. Video of the TV channel "Zvezda". pic.twitter.com/9d8QDJRfwq THAMIR Al-Salihy (@talsalihy3) July 4, 2022 From RT, "Donbass republic fully liberated Russian defense minister": The last remnants of Ukrainian forces have been driven out of the Lugansk Peoples Republic (LPR), Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu announced on Sunday. He reported the news to President Vladimir Putin, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. Shoigu said Russian troops and Donbass forces had completely seized Lisichansk, the last major city which had remained under Ukrainian control since 2014, when the LPR declared its independence shortly after a coup in Kiev. Russia and Ukraine reported heavy fighting around Lisichansk earlier this week, with the most fierce combat occurring at the citys oil refinery. News of the capture of Lisichansk comes after Ukrainian troops retreated from Severodonetsk, a nearby city on the opposite side of the Seversky Donets River, last week. The fighting for Severodonetsk had lasted for several months. Russia sent troops into Ukraine on February 24, citing Kievs failure to implement the Minsk agreements, designed to give the regions of Donetsk and Lugansk special status within the Ukrainian state. The protocols, brokered by Germany and France, were first signed in 2014. Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has since admitted that Kievs main goal was to use the ceasefire to buy time and create powerful armed forces. In February 2022, the Kremlin recognized the Donbass republics as independent states and demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join any Western military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked. The Washington Post on Saturday ran an article stating that among "analysts and U.S. lawmakers" some are "questioning whether American officials have portrayed the crisis in overly rosy terms." "U.S. officials acknowledge that as Russian forces have massed firepower, they have gradually seized territory in eastern Ukraine," the Post reported. "That includes capturing the strategically important city of Severodonetsk in June and pressing to do the same in its nearby sister city of Lysychansk. Russia claimed control of the latter city on Sunday, while Ukrainian officials acknowledged their military had withdrawn." Remember how the media refused to acknowledge Azov surrendered in Azovstal back in May? We're seeing similar now with their refusal to acknowledge Russia's victory over the Donbass. Taking control of the Donbass has been Putin's stated goal for months (after it became clear Kiev wasn't going to fall in a week). Yesterday at Lysychansk, with subtitles. Sure, you can claim that this video is Russian propaganda. But the reaction of these ladies is absolutely genuine, you cant deny that. Which would imply . . . [please respond below]pic.twitter.com/jysnbUwHZk Gonzalo Lira (@GonzaloLira1968) July 3, 2022 Syria became one of the first nations to acknowledge the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics, trigging whining from Antony Blinken's State Department. The Assad regimes recognition of the so-called Luhansk and Donetsk Peoples Republics reveals the regimes isolation. It also shows the regimes disdain for international norms of behavior and hypocrisy regarding claims of sovereignty. U.S. State Dept - Near Eastern Affairs (@StateDept_NEA) June 30, 2022 The Zelensky regime meanwhile might be using the long-range missile systems America sent them to carry out strikes in Russia -- which is exactly what they "promised" the US they wouldn't do so as to avoid triggering World War III. AFU fired at Belgorod, five civilians were killed. pic.twitter.com/xrQOcl2Vlh Russians With Attitude (@RWApodcast) July 3, 2022 They're most certainly using U.S. intelligence to conduct the strikes. Federation Council member Vladimir Dzhabarov says Russia may sanction Maxar Technologies, as the GeoEye-1, Worldview-2 & Worldview-3 satellites were observing Belgorod in the days before a Ukrainian missile barrage hit the city, damaged 10s of buildings & killed several civilians Russians With Attitude (@RWApodcast) July 4, 2022 From the BBC, "Ukraine blamed by Russia for deadly blast in border city of Belgorod": Russia has accused Ukraine over explosions which reportedly killed three people in the city of Belgorod, near the border with Ukraine. The regional governor said the blasts hit dozens of residential buildings and air defences had been activated. The Kremlin said that Sunday's attack had been a deliberate attempt by Ukrainian forces to target civilians. [...] Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said air defences had destroyed three Ukrainian Tochka-U ballistic missiles with cluster warheads, but fragments of one of them fell on a block of flats. "This missile attack was intentionally planned and launched at the civilian population," he added. Here's footage of the U.S. HIMARS in action: Reportedly the first footage of American HIMARS MLRS being used by Ukraine in combat.https://t.co/06Eq038LkP pic.twitter.com/lf9Lx7PiiI Rob Lee (@RALee85) June 24, 2022 Video of Ukrainian HIMARS firing on Russian targets at night. With GPS guided munitions, HIMARS can accurately engage targets at night when Russian UAVs will be less effective at locating them. https://t.co/lAa8UKq272 pic.twitter.com/3eCoz7qOTr Rob Lee (@RALee85) July 3, 2022 Ukrainian forces may have also carried out a 911-style strike on the civilian Capital Towers in the center of Moscow. NOW - Fire at the "Capital Towers" in the center of #Moscow.pic.twitter.com/vjcpPxXGea Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) July 3, 2022 Russian media reports that the roof of the Capital Towers tower near Moscow City is burning in Moscow. pic.twitter.com/g5mF3JMGRv Flash (@Flash43191300) July 3, 2022 Ukraine has been indiscriminately bombing civilians in the Donbass for nearly a decade. Some 14,000 civilians have been killed by Ukrainian forces shelling civilian areas in the Donbass since 2014 and most people there are thrilled to see a Russian victory. Follow InformationLiberation on Twitter, Facebook, Gab, Minds and Telegram. JERUSALEM, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Israel signed a cooperation agreement with the U.S. multinational aerospace corporation Boeing, the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) said in a statement on Monday. The goal of the agreement is to jointly promote cyber defense in civil aviation, it added. The cooperation includes knowledge sharing, threat detection, understanding and reducing risks, and developing solutions to defend civil aviation in collaboration with the cyber and aviation industries in Israel and the United States. The agreement is part of a strategic joint plan of the INCD and Israel's Civil Aviation Authority to advance cyber defense capabilities in civil aviation, the statement noted. The family of Jordan Ross will be holding a celebration of life in his honour at the campground he co-owned this Thursday. Advertisement Advertise With Us The family of Jordan Ross will be holding a celebration of life in his honour at the campground he co-owned this Thursday. After being missing for almost two weeks, a phone belonging to the 41-year-old man was found on a body discovered in the Assiniboine River near Dinsdale Park on Thursday. Manitoba RCMP are still planning on performing an autopsy. The event will be held at Grand Valley Campground on Thursday at 11 a.m. Guests are asked to bring their own lawn chairs. The celebration of life will be followed up by a lunch and an opportunity for fellowship. Originally planned while the search for Ross was still active, the Jam for Jordan benefit concert is still scheduled to take place at The 40 that same night from 7 p.m. to midnight. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door, with proceeds going to support Rosss family. In lieu of flowers, friends can make a donation to SKATEISTAN, a non-profit that supports children with skateboarding and education, in Rosss name. Ross is survived by his wife, Katherine Jeroski, and his daughter, Micah Ross. The Brandon Sun Residents of Melita and the Municipality of Two Borders are meeting with health officials on Tuesday to let their voices be heard over the local hospitals emergency department closing for most of the summer. Advertisement Advertise With Us Residents of Melita and the Municipality of Two Borders are meeting with health officials on Tuesday to let their voices be heard over the local hospitals emergency department closing for most of the summer. The meeting is taking place at 7 p.m. at the Legion Hall and all are invited, said Melita deputy mayor Brian Teetaert. Prairie Mountain Health CEO Brian Schoonbaert and a representative for Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk are scheduled to be there. PMH recently announced emergency department closures and reduced hours at several health centres across the regional health authority. Among them is Melita, which has had its emergency department and hospital admissions temporarily suspended. At the time, the announcement stated the changes were needed due to a number of factors, including vacancies, staff leaves and vacations, and had been discussed with physician leadership and staff at the affected sites as well as with key community stakeholders. The feedback generated during these meetings made it clear that access to consistent, reliable and known emergency department services is a priority, the notice stated. Rotating staff shortages and closures have been going on for a while, Teetaert said. There was a meeting last week with Schoonbaert, Teetaert and other town representatives over their staffing. At the time, Schoonbaert said their health centres staffing levels were among the best in the region, then informed them they were moving their staff to other facilities and closing the emergency department for two months. "We were blindsided by this news. We were not asked, we were told this was happening," Teetaert said. "It really doesnt add up. What is the problem with the staffing in the other facilities they are going to close one to cover another?" He added he understood its an essential service and staffing issues have been ongoing around the province due to the pandemic, but was confused by the reasoning. This is not the first time Melita has been hit with closures, Teetaert said. Around Christmas, town officials had a Zoom meeting with Schoonbaert regarding ongoing closures. At the time, they had been told there was a shortage of nurses and the emergency department would be closed for a few dates., which Teetaert said he understood considering it was during another wave of COVID-19 and a busy time for health care. Melita is relatively isolated, Teetaert said, and sits near Manitobas borders with Saskatchewan and North Dakota. Having their emergency department close is going to be at a minimum a serious inconvenience and at most a potential threat to the health of the region. "The next nearest emergency department is two hours away," Teebart said. "We cant go to Saskatchewan because it is a different jurisdiction, and we cant go south. These borders arent really walls, but in a case like this, they feel like it." What he is hoping to get out of the meeting is a clearer understanding of why the emergency department is being closed for so long. The town can manage with no emergency department for two months, he said, but something has to change soon in the way staffing is managed. "We cant keep closing our emergency department," he said. "We can plod along for a while, but we need health care." kmckinley@brandonsun.com, with Brandon Sun files Twitter: @karenleighmcki1 LAGOS, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Ten people were killed and seven others injured in a collision between two buses in Nigeria's northeastern state of Yobe, local authorities said. Speeding was blamed for the collision on Saturday night on a road near Gashaka, a town in the state's Fika local government area, according to a statement issued by Yobe state police. Deadly road accidents are frequently reported in Nigeria, some also blamed on bad roads and reckless driving. FREDERICTON Calls are increasing across the Maritimes for governments to tackle labour shortages in the health-care sector, as hospitals are being forced to close emergency rooms now that weary staff are taking summer vacations to recover from pandemic-related stress. Advertisement Advertise With Us FREDERICTON Calls are increasing across the Maritimes for governments to tackle labour shortages in the health-care sector, as hospitals are being forced to close emergency rooms now that weary staff are taking summer vacations to recover from pandemic-related stress. In New Brunswick, health-care workers are leaving the province because of poor working conditions, non-competitive salaries and unreasonable workloads, according to Liberal health critic Jean-Claude DAmours. In Prince Edward Island, staff shortages are so acute at the Western Hospital in Alberton that its emergency department can be forced to close if one person is off sick, says Green Party health critic Michele Beaton. Difficulties recruiting and retaining health-care staff have been growing in the province for years, she said. We need a very specific and strategic plan in order to ensure that the people working within the system are treated well, Beaton said in a recent interview. Last week, New Brunswick Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said the province was recruiting travelling nurses and encouraging retired nurses to re-enter the workforce to cover vacations. Since April 1, the Horizon Health Network operator of New Brunswicks English-language hospitals has hired 11 retirees and about 180 nursing students to work this summer. Meanwhile, the Vitalite Health Network operator of its French-language hospitals has hired 200 nursing students. We recognize the challenges in our health-care systems workforce, and there are many long-term efforts underway to improve the situation, New Brunswick Labour Minister Trevor Holder said in a statement. While we are making significant progress, it will take time to fully address these challenges. The staff shortages have prompted intermittent overnight closures of some hospital emergency departments. The Horizon network posted a tweet on June 24, saying it was experiencing critical staff shortages, and it cautioned that patients with non-urgent medical issues could face long wait times. The tweet prompted a reaction on Twitter. Its been like this for years and getting worse, one person wrote. Im scared if my illness were to worsen, I wouldnt survive. Another person said the government needs to spend some of its budget surplus on improving working conditions at health centres. Back in P.E.I., Beaton said the western part of the province has basically no walk-in clinics, so people have no other option than to visit an emergency department. When emergency rooms close, she said, people are going to be travelling over an hour to get to the next facility to get the care they need. Health PEI spokesperson Jessica Bruce said the small staff at Western Hospital is working hard to prevent unplanned interruptions in service. We continue to look at a variety of options to make sure that patients get the care that they need, she said. In Nova Scotia, the provinces nurses have been demanding action to address chronic staffing shortages that they say have been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Nova Scotia Nurses Union says there are about 1,400 vacancies for registered nurses, and 250 spots open for licenced practical nurses. Nova Scotias Progressive Conservative government made an election campaign pledge to spend heavily on the provinces ailing health system. The $13.2-billion budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year, tabled in March, contains $5.7 billion for health care an increase of $413.4 million compared to last years spending. But Premier Tim Houston has warned residents not to expect rapid change. Dr. Mark MacMillan, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, said the growing number of job vacancies in health care across Canada is concerning. Weve seen this human health resource issue coming toward us for years, he said in a recent interview. COVID-19 has certainly escalated that issue and unmasked how fragile the health-care system was overall not just New Brunswick but all across the country. MacMillan said action by governments is needed now, but it will require a long-term solution. Five, 10, 15 years from now, what are the patient demographics going to be? What are the needs in this province? How many physicians do we need in northern New Brunswick, southern New Brunswick, east and west? How many nurses do we need per unit? We need to be more proactive, he said. Staff members in the health-care sector are tired and need a break from the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. The last two and a half years have been very stressful and we really have to ensure these physicians and nurses get their time off for their own mental health, he said. The Canadian Press A Tryzub volunteer has returned home to Brandon after aiding in supply runs to help those impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertise With Us A Tryzub volunteer has returned home to Brandon after aiding in supply runs to help those impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Vartan Davtian returned to Brandon on June 22 after spending three months in Ukraine as a humanitarian aid volunteer. Davtian provided supplies to those in need with aid from the Brandon-based Canadian Ukrainian Association group Tryzub. SUBMITTED Ukrainian children create T-shirts for Davtian to bring back to Canada. Davtian left behind a decade-long career working in the Virden oil patch. He departed from Winnipeg on March 16, taking with him suitcases full of medical supplies. When he first arrived in Ukraine, the initial shock of the war was strong and people were rallying at the grassroots level to support each other. As time went on, they became more organized and were able to better target aid to those affected by the war. "Right now its more organized, people know more what they are doing," Davtian said. "They realize they have to be human beings and help each other." CHELSEA KEMP/THE BRANDON SUN Vartan Davtian recently returned to Brandon after serving as a volunteer offering humanitarian aid in Ukraine for three months. Davtian returned to Canada with a collection of Ukrainian items to sell as a Tryzub fundraiser for ongoing Ukrainian war efforts. He uses Ukrainian souvenirs as a jumping-off point to explain how donations are making an active difference on the ground in Ukraine. Davtian and Tryzub volunteers were on hand at the Brandon Farmers' Market Saturday selling souvenirs. The event came after raising more than $1,800 at the Riverbank Discovery Centre on Canada Day. Tryzub will be at Dinsdale Park on July 9 at 6 p.m. selling additional items. "You think its only $2 or $3, but those people are heroes," Davtian said. "They save lives." SUBMITTED Ukrainian children hold handmade T-shirts that Davtian brought back back to Canada. Davtian has seen the impact even the smallest act of support can have. Davtian will explain the meaning behind items one of his favourites to showcase is the yellow and blue shield "Tryzub" trident, a symbol of freedom. The Tryzub of Ukraine incorporates the word "" (volya) meaning "freedom." "In our culture, weve been always free and we will always be fighting for freedom," Davtian said. SUBMITTED A bazaar converted into refugee housing in Ukraine. Davtian hails from the Mukachevo Zakarpatska Oblast in western Ukraine. The majority of souvenirs he brought back to Canada came from this region, he said, because it is where many refugees have fled for safety. One of his most treasured items is special T-shirts hand-painted by refugee children through an initiative organized by his friend Olia Brill, who also helped create a shelter for displaced refugees in a local bazaar, a facility similar to a farmers market. Davtian has a video of the art project that shows about 30 children decorating T-shirts with yellow and blue Tryzubs, the Ukrainian flag with the word "freedom" and other designs. The goal of the T-shirt fundraiser is to help raise money for the ongoing humanitarian crisis, Davtian said, while helping the youth feel empowered after facing incredible adversity. "Its going to be a great piece of art from refugee kids who never give up," Davtian said. "They are all doing something. They are all involved every single one of them have smiles still on their face and they believe its going to end." In his experience, those he encountered while in Ukraine, no matter how much they lost, remained focused on winning the war. The majority of people Davtian met when visiting shelters had seen their homes destroyed by the war as Russian troops advanced. They were evacuated with the bare essentials and now live in converted safe havens such as gyms, bazaars or train stations. Davtian said one of the most surreal experiences he had was a bazaar with small and clear plastic storefronts converted into makeshift homes for displaced refugees. It is challenging to imagine the devastation in Ukraine because it is happening a world away, Davtian said. Even pictures do not capture the adversity Ukrainians continue to face during the conflict. "When you see it in real life, its very different," Davtian said. "It doesnt explain that feeling when you are there." One of his most haunting memories was visiting a gym filled with hundreds of people at 3 a.m. The space was packed to capacity with those seeking respite from the war, Davtian said. Even though he was surrounded by people, the room was filled with an eerie silence. "It was super quiet. You would think that many, there should be some noise," Davtian said, his voice cracking with emotion. "You see those people and children sleeping there and you imagine every single person has their own life and now theyre sleeping in this gym." He said it was a haunting experience because he knows there are countless shelters like this in Ukraine. The United Nations reported the Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered an immediate and steep rise in humanitarian needs since the war began in February. It is estimated 12 million people inside Ukraine will need relief and protection, while more than four million Ukrainian refugees may need protection and assistance in neighbouring countries. More than 8.8 million people across Ukraine have received some form of humanitarian assistance and at least 16 million still require aid. As of June 26, the UN human rights office has recorded 10,631 civilian casualties in the country 4,731 dead and 5,900 injured. These figures are based on verified incidents, said a UN report, and the actual numbers are "considerably higher." Between Jan. 1 and June 26, the federal government reported more than 55,000 Ukrainians have landed in Canada. Canada has received more than 343,000 Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel applications and more than 146,000 applications have been approved. "The war didnt end, and people still need all the supplies," Davtian said. "Its getting worse over there." ckemp@brandonsun.com, with files from The Brandon Sun Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp Yet that Tesla figure relies on a steady flow of deliveries through 2022. Already this year, harsh COVID-19 lockdown rules imposed by authorities in Shanghai have dragged the carmakers production estimates from its factory in the eastern Chinese city downwards. Conditions were reminiscent of the early days of the pandemic, with Tesla staff reduced to sleeping on the factory floor in lieu of being locked in their homes and unable to work. Nonetheless, Emmanuel Rosner, an analyst at Deutsche Bank, slashed his estimate of Tesla deliveries by 65,000 cars, saying in a research note: Elon Musk had provided directional guidance of sequentially flat deliveries for the quarter, but the situation in China worsened subsequently, only improving in early June. Teslas production woes have helped open the door for its rivals. Credit:Bloomberg Similarly, Credit Suisse estimates that the Shanghai shutdown has stalled Teslas production and delayed up to 90,000 cars. A slowdown in China would be a huge hit for Tesla: the companys Shanghai factory produced roughly half of its total cars delivered last year. Loading The Texas-based pure-play EV manufacturer has been expanding, having sent Musk himself to open the so-called gigafactory just outside Berlin in March. Yet competitors are circling. VWs Diess has converted the German carmakers Emden facility into an all-EV production line focused on its ID.4 electric model. VW sold 30,000 of the family focused vehicles in the first three months of this year, accounting for a third of its 99,000 EV deliveries of all models in the same period. That marks a 65 per cent increase over the German manufacturers EV sales during the first quarter of 2021, potentially suggesting that in a few years from now Tesla could be neck-and-neck with one of the companies it hoped to replace. VW chief Herbert Diess is looking to take advantage of Teslas woes. Credit:Bloomberg And it is not only VW. General Motors and Ford, the two kingpins of the US automotive industry, have begun looking further afield than their nations traditional petrol guzzlers. Ford has this year been marketing an electric version of its long-lived Flareside pick-up truck, dubbed the F-150 Lightning, while even the throaty roar of its famous Mustang is giving way to an electrically-powered model: the Mach-E. Yet there are doubts over whether Ford is able to overtake Tesla. Earlier this month it told dealerships to halt deliveries of the Mach-E cars, which are made in Mexico, after discovering an overheating-related flaw that makes its motors shut down. That could potentially affect up to 49,000 cars produced in the last 12 months. Still, in the first three months of the year it shipped about 30,000 electric cars in the US, putting it only second in line to Tesla. While precise like-for-like comparisons are tricky given how each carmaker publishes its statistics, Fords rise in the EV market certainly threatens Teslas dominance. Meanwhile, General Motors chief executive, Mary Barra, has hinted that the Michigan-based carmaker, and former owner of Vauxhall and Europes Opel, may return to this side of the Atlantic with an all-electric production facility. He may have much to worry about, but perhaps the main woe on his mind is the multiple carmakers clamouring to steal Teslas crown. We are looking at the growth opportunity that we have now because we can re-enter Europe as an all-EV player. Im looking forward to that, Barra told a conference in May. GM previously pledged to spend $US35 billion on EV research and development between 2020 and 2025. While the pandemic will have had an effect on that, there is no doubting the companys intended direction of travel. While it may not be good news for Musk, such competition is welcome for consumers. EV market choice has never been greater. Figures from the International Energy Agency (IEA) show that global sales of electric vehicles doubled to 6.6 million in 2021, far higher from the 120,000 sold in the year 2012, as carmakers switch tack to keep up with where demand is coming from. IEA figures suggest the market capitalisation of EV makers was 60 per cent higher than that of the worlds top ten carmakers combined. It said: Such high levels can be primarily attributed to Tesla, which accounts for 80 per cent of the total market capitalisation of the 14 pure-play EV companies. While that may hold true for now, rising competition is likely keeping Musk up at night. Normally a prolific Twitter user, Musk has not tweeted for almost a fortnight. It has sparked speculation that his focus could instead be on the $US44 billion purchase of Twitter and the hurdles that come with it. Millennials of Australia, pull up your skinny jeans and embrace your soy lattes: you and I have got cause to gloat. Weve caught up, numbers-wise, with Baby Boomers our parents, or grandparents, who for decades have been able to boast of the largest proportion of our population. In fact, given there were just under 5,700 more Boomers than Millennials when the census was conducted in August last year, theres a fair chance weve now overtaken them. Australian census data shows the population of millennials is fast overtaking boomers. But what does that mean for how the economy will look? Credit:Tanya Macheda As the countrys head statistician David Gruen said last week when launching the first release of census data, the changing age demographics has profound implications for the society we are, and also the society well become in the future. But before we get there, how did Millennials overtake Boomers, given the birth rate has dropped in Australia since the aforementioned Boomers were born? A major rescue operation is under way south of Sydney, with a 169-metre bulk carrier being pushed by wild weather towards the cliffs near Wattamolla off the Royal National Park. Rescue helicopters and aircraft have been deployed to the site and a tugboat is holding the vessel, the Portland Bay, in place about one nautical mile offshore between Wattamolla and Eagle Rock. The Portland Bay, a Hong Kong registered container ship seen in a file picture, is in danger of running aground off Wattamolla. Credit:Steven Watkins Another tugboat on the way from Botany Bay will try to bring the cargo vessel under control. The Hong Kong-registered ship, which is without power, has a crew of 21. The three-person crew of a tugboat saved the state from disaster on Monday after a stricken cargo ship carrying hundreds of tonnes of fuel oil lost its engine in a storm and drifted powerlessly towards the cliffs of the Royal National Park. The 169-metre bulk carrier Portland Bay had departed Port Kembla and sailed into dangerous seas. It comfortably withstood the eight-metre, foam-crested waves and 42-knot winds but then, at 7am, the engine blew. Three tugboats tow the MV Portland Bay to safety. Credit:James Brickwood The ship threw down anchors about 1.5 kilometres off the coast between Wattamolla and Eagle Rock, but was bucking in the huge swells. An attempt to rescue the 21-member crew by helicopter was aborted due to the wild weather. The ship had just unloaded a cargo of cement at Port Kembla, but it carried close to 1000 tonnes of fuel oil, posing a huge ecological risk to the pristine coastline of the national park. She is in her home town of Sydney for two months to complete research for a book The Feminine Frontier under a grant from the highly respected American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia. The society, one of the oldest and most prestigious in USA, was founded by Benjamin Franklin. Emily Pankhurst and her followers did a great disservice by turning female emancipation into a battle between the sexes. Credit:George Lipman Church regeneration Professor Lansbury is highly sought after by church groups as a speaker. There is an increasing belief that the regeneration of the church will come from women. The equality of women must not be seen as a sexual struggle, said Professor Lansbury who says she can speak for a whole hour on Womens Liberation without mentioning sex. Emily Pankhurst and her followers did a great disservice by turning female emancipation into a battle between the sexes. The professor sees the same tendency in the United States. If equality for women is going to be won at the expense of men, it isnt worth it. There must not be a reversal of roles. I see the popularity of the sexual feminists as counter-productive to the movement because it isolates the working-class woman and the married woman, and distracts from the wider, more important issues. Puritanism developing in the womens movement is noticeable in the growing drive among women against blue movies because they are degrading to women, said Professor Lansbury. The whole tone of advertising is changing too. If a commercial appears which makes women look like fools, or has an authoritarian male voice-over after she is shown that her washing is whiter than white, television stations are likely to get hundreds of telephone complaints. Many Sydneysiders will remember Professor Lansbury in the unlikely context of the television program Beauty and the Beast on which she made regular appearances before she left Australia permanently for the United States three-and-a-half years ago. I remember how I used to be described in promotional material as formidable and wasp-tongued. How men love to describe women in the language of exclusion! She was counting on Look!, she said, to give her more dimension. At one stage she paused amid a torrent of facts and points and said: Sorry, you mustnt let me lecture. Radical coalminers Her brilliant mind and enthusiasm do produce a rather high-powered effect. But if you roll with the punches you are likely to perceive an argument with a logic and follow-through which would be rare from Germaine Greer - who often prefers rhetoric to meaning. Professor Lansburys book, The Feminine Frontier, is a look at womens suffrage in a socio-economic, historical context. If you dont know your history, you are condemned to repeat it, she said. Female suffrage did not come about through the activities of women. Often it was quite contrary to womens interests. In Western Australia women were given the vote to counteract the votes of radical coalminers. Getting the vote was rarely a reward to women. They got the vote under three conditions. One: Where it first occurred there was a lack of competition between men and women for jobs (1868 in Wyoming, 1893 in New Zealand and 1894 in South Australia). These were pastoral economies. Two: There had to be a larger proportion of men to women, thus reducing the possibility of a threat to men. Three: The third condition was variable, but it usually meant that there was a liberal Government in power, perceptive to a need for reform. Some of the staunchest supporters of the womens movement in the United States are men, said Professor Lansbury. Democracy and the industrial society have worked against women. October 1972. Credit:George Lipman I say to men, So you enjoy working 16 hours a day to send your children to college? What do you think of a way of life which forces you to be a part-time parent? How do you like it when youre 45 and your children arestrangers and your wife a part-time friend? The idea that women should take the burden of responsibility for bringing up children didnt develop until the twentieth century. In England, for example, children except the most destitute were reared by servants. There was also the extended family - which included grandparents Democracy and the industrial society have worked against women. In a democracy there are no servants, and in an industrial society homes are not a source of industry. In an industrial society women pose a threat to men because they are always a source of cheap labour. You have to keep them at home to keep them out of the jobs. Do you know that in the eighteenth century there was a greater range of jobs available to women than there is now? The professor says there is now a sense of urgency in the United States for women to be accepted as equals with men. The economic pinch is getting worse and will become more so with the cybernetic revolution (automation). While men are moving into what were traditionally womens jobs on womens salaries there is no comparable movement of women in mens jobs, like the electrical trades and so on. The right to work as any man will tell you is essential for personal fulfilment. But the necessity to equalise work availability and salaries is pressing for several reasons. Professor Lansbury quoted Justice Roma Mitchell, the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court in Australia. In a 1971 Sir John Morris Memorial Lecture to the Adult Education Board of Tasmania, Justice Mitchell said: Unless there is an end to discrimination in wages by reason of sex, there will remain a festering sore in industry which may well erupt with the passage of time into a revolution on the part of women workers. Negroes of New Zealand Professor Lansbury also quoted Dr Frazer McDonald, the medical superintendent of Kingseat Hospital, the largest psychiatric hospital in New Zealand. He said: Women are the Negroes of New Zealand. Many women in the 30 to 40 age group suffer from depression due to an unsatisfactory home life. Our hospital admits two women to every one male and four out of five outpatients are female. The restriction on not being able to reach ones potential as a human being is responsible. The nuclear family (mother, father and children) said Professor Lansbury, is a recent phenomenon. And judging from the results in America, the nuclear family is not very good. What about the belief that women should remain at home with very young children? Far less aggressive Loading Recent research at Oxford with a preschool kindergarten of children between two and four shows that there is no ill effect. And what about the kibbutzim in Israel where the children are looked after by others from infancy? In fact, the children turn out better adjusted all round. They are far less aggressive, and far less emotional. And far less creative? The schools identified as overpaid in the report received above the state governments nominated 20 per cent share of the SRS. Of the over-funded schools, 28 received $1 million or more than their NSW SRS entitlement, while a further 43 were given between $500,000 and $1 million in extra funding. Under a new funding model introduced in 2019, over-funded independent schools will be gradually transitioned down to the SRS standard by 2029. Those which are receiving below the SRS entitlement will be brought up to standard by 2023. Eighty per cent of an independent schools SRS entitlement is funded by the Commonwealth and the remaining 20 per cent by the state government. The report found the NSW governments over-funding of private schools had gone down 5 per cent from $100 million in 2020 to $96 million in 2021. But it said if that slow rate continued, it would take 20 years for the state government to end its over-funding of private schools. Chief executive of think tank the Blueprint Institute, David Cross, said the state government must ensure it brings private school funding down to 20 per cent of SRS by 2029. It is critical that the government meets this commitment. Education is the key to ensuring equity of opportunity, it is why we spend billions of taxpayer dollars on it each year. Funding models must seek to eliminate equity gaps, not widen them, he said. Rorris said that while private schools were overpaid and running surpluses each year, public schools were understaffed with students in demountables and some classrooms without air-conditioning. Its not justifiable. We provide so much funding to private schools. Newcombe said the funding discrepancies had been caused by the recent funding model change. All school sectors accepted this change and we are now in a transition period which will bring all schools to their new funding levels by 2029, he said. Some 30 per cent of independent schools will lose significant funding each year during this transition. Newcombe said the report failed to mention that 121 independent schools received less 20 per cent of the SRS from the NSW government in 2021, and that 240 received less than their combined NSW and Commonwealth SRS funding. The claimed overspend is therefore incorrect because it does not include the shortfall of the underfunded schools, he said. It is interesting that economists working on behalf of the Teachers Federation never analyse the massive saving to taxpayers of parents funding the infrastructure needed to accommodate the significant increase in enrolments in independent schools over the past decade. NSW Teachers Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos said the report showed the profound inequity of the state governments school funding arrangements. This funding inequity is making it harder to ensure every child gets the education they need. The most overfunded schools are the ones who need the money the least. A spokesperson for the NSW Department of Education said NSW was the first jurisdiction to sign up to needs-based, sector-blind funding and remains committed to this funding model. As detailed in the current school funding agreement signed in 2018, the [state] is transitioning funding to non-government schools in NSW at 20 per cent of their SRS by 2029. In 2021, the NSW government contribution to non-government schools was 22.74 per cent, down from 25.29 per cent in 2018, the spokesperson said. There is a grave injustice in the way the funding in being direct by both the states and the Commonwealth Economist Trevor Cobbold Motorists using Sydneys Lane Cove Tunnel face years of disruption as operators allege the toll road is plagued by almost 400 defects that will cost $300 million to fix. Transurban is suing builders Thiess and John Holland over the issues with the 3.6-kilometre roadway which includes concrete lining that is bulging and cracking in parts of the tunnel roof. Sections of roof lining have also fallen, leaving water dripping onto the roadway. About 80,000 vehicles use the Lane Cove Tunnel every day. Credit:Steven Siewert Thiess and John Holland, who have made cross-claims against their design engineers, were awarded the $1.1 billion contract to build the tunnel in 2003. It opened four years later and is used by 80,000 vehicles a day. Transurban claims the extensive repairs could take decades and will cost $300 million but only if the work can be completed before the motorway is handed back to the NSW government in 2048. It was neither serendipitous nor innocent that the disappearance of Lynette Dawson from Sydneys northern beaches coincided with her husband Chris Dawson securing unfettered access to the teenage babysitter with whom he was besotted, a judge has been told. In his closing address on Monday, Crown prosecutor Craig Everson, SC, said Justice Ian Harrison should reject the proposition that the 33-year-old mother of two simply walked out on her life, alleging her husband had wanted out with the old and in with the new. Chris Dawson leaves the NSW Supreme Court on Monday, during the ninth week of his trial. Credit:Steven Siewert The evidence undoubtedly points to Christopher Michael Dawson as being her murderer, he said. Dawson, 73, has pleaded not guilty to murdering his first wife, Lynette, who vanished from Bayview in January 1982. The former teacher and rugby league players trial in the NSW Supreme Court is in its ninth week. Ethiopian primary school pupils drink clean water from an air-water generator donated by Chinese organizations in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia, on June 22, 2022. Chinese organizations have distributed much-needed clean and sanitary water facilities to selected primary schools in southern Ethiopia. (Str/Xinhua) ADDIS ABABA, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese organizations have distributed much-needed clean and sanitary water facilities to selected primary schools in southern Ethiopia. The five air-water generators were jointly donated by Tsinghua University China-Africa Leadership Development Institute (CALDI), HurRain NanoTech team and China Foundation for Rural Development (CFRD), the former China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, according to a joint statement by the Chinese organizations sent to Xinhua. The facilities, which were distributed across selected primary schools in Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's (SNNP) Region of Ethiopia, namely the Key-Afer, Tulungo, Sitimba, Turmi and Demeka primary schools, will provide some 2,106 young Ethiopian students with clean and sanitary water. The facilities were officially distributed in the presence of the former Ethiopian first lady Roman Tesfaye, local Ethiopian government officials including South Omo Zone Education Department Head Weli Haile, as well as senior representatives from the Chinese side. As Ethiopia and countries in the Horn of Africa are facing the worst drought in decades, where the consequences of lack of rain in many rainy seasons are exacerbated by conflicts, climate change, locust infestations and the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, many experts emphasize that urgent humanitarian assistance are needed. Initiated by CALDI and supported by CFRD, the initiative conducted by a team of concerned experts has modified the innovative water purification solution with graphene-enabling filters, and designed a specific energy-efficient type of air-water generator effective with Ethiopian local weather. The team worked overtime for the prototype and made the equipment ready far in advance of the schedule, according to the statement. Despite the difficulties caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the donated facilities arrived in Ethiopia and passed several rounds of quality tests by the Ethiopian Food and Drug Administration under the Ministry of Health. The air-water generator, which absorbs moisture from the air and produces sanitary water by simply plugging in, is introduced firstly in Ethiopia. The technology brings tangible benefits to local people, according to the statement. Such equipment "is very suitable for the climatic conditions in SNNP region, and children can drink safely," said Roman Tesfaye, the former first lady of Ethiopia, during a ceremony held to mark the distribution of the latest technology. "Ethiopia is suffering from drought and water shortage, this high-tech, zero waste, no-plastic-bottle-waste water purification solution, will directly help schools and communities." Muda Wacho, the Key Afer District administrator, called on the students to protect the water source, as he emphasized the crucial importance of the new functional facilities in addressing students' clean water needs. An Ethiopian primary school pupil gets clean water from an air-water generator donated by Chinese organizations in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia, on June 22, 2022. Chinese organizations have distributed much-needed clean and sanitary water facilities to selected primary schools in southern Ethiopia. (Str/Xinhua) A representative (L) shows how to use an air-water generator donated by Chinese organizations in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia, on June 22, 2022. Chinese organizations have distributed much-needed clean and sanitary water facilities to selected primary schools in southern Ethiopia. (Str/Xinhua) An eight-year-old boy was left alone at a school for up to three hours when school holiday program co-ordinators charged with his care accidentally abandoned him while taking a group of students on an excursion. The child was on a program run by Team Kids at Dingley Village Primary when he was left behind at the campus for between one and three hours on Wednesday last week. A Team Kids staff member realised a head count had not been carried out and that a child had been left behind. The staff member returned to the school, where they found him lying on the grass. The child was not distressed and did not leave the premises. Four Team Kids staff members running the program that day were stood down and the Victorian Education Department is understood to have launched an investigation. The co-ordinators include one qualified teacher and three student teachers. A greater focus should be put on inner-city train stations when it comes to meeting housing infill targets in the greater Perth region which continues to sprawl, says a crossbench MP. The greater Perth area, which includes metropolitan suburbs and the Peel region, had the lowest percentage of flats and apartments out of all Australian capital cities, according to the latest census data, at 7 per cent of 851,322 dwellings. About 52 per cent of urban infill in Perth has only resulted in one new dwelling pert lot. Credit:Erin Jonasson The government says it is making good progress towards a target of 47 per cent infill by 2050 with infill development reaching 43 per cent in 2019 and 44 per cent in 2020. But a closer look at the figures from the governments latest Urban Growth Monitor report shows about 56 per cent of infill consisted of a single dwelling to a lot of land, and a further 10 per cent was just two to five dwellings per lot. It is estimated that more than two-thirds of the new housing currently being built is on greater Perths expansive urban fringe. Housing a long way from anywhere. Bunbury will be a contender to be Perths most southern suburb at the rate were going. The latest figures suggest that the rate of inner urban infill housing is declining. The latest Urban Growth Monitor showed that infill in the central sub-region fell to only 2820 dwellings, its lowest level since 2013. Apartments have also declined and currently sit at just 2 per cent of all dwelling approvals, down from historic levels of 13 percent. All of these are contributing to Perth retaining its dubious honour as the longest city in the world. Perths sprawl now stretches almost 150 kilometres from Two Rocks to Dawesville. We all know sprawl is not healthy for the future of our city. It creates car dependency and congestion, undermines liveability and community, and destroys our regions unique biodiversity as we bulldoze our way through it. Consecutive state governments of both political persuasions talk about the need to contain this sprawl but neither has achieved the modest bipartisan infill target of 47 per cent. Despite failure to meet even this modest target, state government policies continue to prioritise sprawl. In 2020 the government devised COVID-19 recovery incentives to stimulate housing construction that according to Infrastructure WA, fuelled a spike in single house construction in greenfield residential development. Metronet projects were already heavily weighted towards pushing public transport to the urban fringe rail lines out to Ellenbrook, Byford, and Yanchep despite the business cases rarely adding up. To put it bluntly, Metronet has predominately funded projects enabling, if not encouraging, more sprawl. This has been at the expense of any investment in, or even planning for, inner urban transit. Light rail or trackless trams through inner suburbs would encourage targeted infill developments, but theres been no state government action on this for the past five years despite early promises. This is not for a lack of advocacy effort by local governments in the central sub-region. The announcement earlier this year of the two-zone price cap for public transport creates the impression that Perth is giving up on density. It now costs the same to travel from Butler or Mandurah to the Perth CBD as it does to travel from Cannington or Stirling Station. It is one more little thing to incentivise and justify sprawl. One more little thing that undermines infill and density. Some countries, such as Israel and France, have already moved to improve access to abortion after condemning the ruling. But experts warn the shift in the US could roll back the gains achieved by abortion advocates and trigger a wave of restrictions around the world as pro-life proponents rally around their win. The World Health Organisation called the courts decision a setback that will cost lives because it will drive more women and girls to the unsafe abortions that already carry a heavy toll around the world. Fifty years ago, when the landmark Roe v Wade ruling protected a womans right to abortion under the US Constitution, it heralded a new era of reproductive rights advocacy across the globe. Now that it has been struck down by Americas Supreme Court, the shockwaves are again being felt worldwide. Abortion laws vary wildly, but even some countries with bans (such as Egypt) allow exceptions when the mothers life is in danger and, sometimes, in the case of rape. According to advocacy group the Centre for Reproductive Rights, which tracks access, about 20 countries including Iraq, Malta and the Philippines still have total bans in place and often hefty jail terms for both doctors and mothers. Many countries allow abortions for broader heath and socioeconomic reasons, say, because the mother cannot care for a child or the pregnancy will have a damaging impact on her mental health. And about 70 countries, including Australia, allow abortion on request. Of course, even in countries where abortion has been decriminalised, laws differ on how far along a pregnancy can go before a termination is no longer allowed, and few have enshrined a constitutional right to abortion. Where abortion access is expanding Days after Roe v Wade fell, Israel moved to loosen its own abortion regulation. (The countrys health minister said the US Supreme Court had set back womens rights by 100 years.) Israels new policy, approved on June 27 by a large parliamentary majority, grants access to abortion pills through Israels universal healthcare system and throws out the old requirement to appear before a special committee for approval. In France, a majority of politicians now say they will back a bill enshrining the right to abortion in the Constitution, not just in law. Though some conservative politicians in New Zealand have celebrated the end of Roe v Wade, the countrys opposition has since ruled out pushing to restrict abortion access again, after it was decriminalised in 2020. New borrowers have turned their backs on fixed rate home loans, recent ABS lending indicator data has suggested. Amid fast fixed rate hikes by banks, the proportion of fixed loans funded for both new loans and refinancing in May was just 12%, in seasonally adjusted terms. At its peak in July 2021, 46% of all new loans were fixed. Sally Tindall, RateCity.com.au research director, said Australias brief love affair with fixing is over, with the ultra-low COVID rates now long gone. With the majority of big four bank fixed rates now starting with a 5 or a 6, borrowers are returning to variable home loans, Tindall said. A moderate rise in the overall value of new home loans was recorded in May, which ABS attributed to backlog. The value of new home loans will likely drop as the property market cools, with the weekends clearance rates at just 55% across the combined capitals, according to CoreLogic, Tindall said. Many Australians who were looking to buy have now pressed pause, waiting for prices to drop further before jumping in. Meanwhile, the ABS data also showed a 2.3% rise in the number of owner-occupier first-home buyer loans month-on-month in May, but a nearly 32% decline in the numbers year-on-year, with 4,708 fewer first-home buyers in May 2022 than in May 2021. With 35,000 new places in the federal governments First Home Guarantee scheme now open, we could see first-home buyer numbers increase, Tindall said. However, young Australians buying with wafer-thin deposits need to be aware of the risks and make sure they are prepared for their repayments to continue to climb as the RBA keeps hiking. The total value of refinancing increased by 3.1% in May, with owner-occupier refinancing hitting a record high. There has been a surge in borrowers refinancing their home loans, locking in a lower rate to combat the RBA rate hikes, Tindall said. While across the board variable rates are rising, many banks are offering sharper rates and big cashbacks for customers willing to refinance. While there was a slight lift in the national average of new loan size in May, it fell in five states NSW, SA, WA, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory. In NSW, the average new mortgage size was down by $5,273 in May, but was still up $68,868 than the previous year. Latest News How high will the RBA rate go? CBA delivers its prediction NAB rebuilds with Lismore Town still in turmoil after flash flooding Anthony Waldron, REA Groups CEO of financial services and Mortgage Choice, has shared the strategy behind the companys new marketing campaign. Read more: Mortgage Choice enters new era With over 25 years of experience in financial services strategy, mortgage broking, and business development, Waldron was appointed to the role in early June to lead the next phase of growth within the property giants mortgage broking and digital home lending businesses. Mortgage Choice is one of Australias most trusted and recognised broker brands, with over 95% brand confidence among consumers, Waldron said. As part of the integration project, weve developed a new brand strategy for Mortgage Choice that reflects our new, combined broker network and the value we offer. REA Group acquired 100% ownership of Smartline in July 2019 and completed its acquisition of Mortgage Choice in July 2021. This new campaign introduces that refreshed brand to the market in a high-impact way, re-energising the brand in the eyes of consumers, Waldron said. It was also important to us that our Smartline franchisees who migrated their businesses to Mortgage Choice, were buoyed by coming into a brand that was top of mind for Australians a brand that looks to the future but recognises the heritage of both Smartline and Mortgage Choice. The refreshed brand is supported by the new tagline Youre never a loan, which Waldron said is all about demonstrating that when consumers choose Mortgage Choice, theyre choosing a broker who is more invested in their success than their money. Its fantastic to see our brand in market in such a high-profile way, backed by the one-on-one support of our dedicated franchise marketing team, who are working flat out to ensure our franchises are leveraging the refreshed brand, he said. BENGALURU (Reuters) - Automaker India Ltd will phase out vehicles that run completely on petrol in seven to ten years, the Economic Times newspaper reported on Monday, citing a senior executive. The move comes as Maruti, India's biggest car manufacturer, looks to update its product offerings in line with green targets set by the Indian government, the report said. (https://bityl.co/D2vA) "In the next decade, we will convert all vehicles. There will be no pure petrol vehicles. They will either be electrified, or driven by CNG or bio-fuels," CV Raman, Maruti's chief technology officer, told the newspaper. The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the report. Maruti, which discontinued production of diesel vehicles in April 2020, has also said it will not launch an all-electric vehicle before 2025. (Reporting by Nandan Mandayam in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel) (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Screen shot taken on June 3, 2022 shows Adam Abdul-Rahaman, minister-counsellor at the Ghanaian Embassy in Burkina Faso, speaks during an interview with Xinhua. (Xinhua) ACCRA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The practical cooperation between China and Africa, which focuses on improving people's well-being on the continent, has yielded great results, a Ghanaian diplomat has said. Speaking to Xinhua in a recent interview, Adam Abdul-Rahaman, minister-counsellor at the Ghanaian Embassy in Burkina Faso, said that the Communist Party of China (CPC) has achieved tremendous success by leading China to become one of the world's largest economies, offering plenty of experience for Africa. Abdul-Rahaman, board chairman of Ghana-based think tank the Afro-Sino Centre of International Relations (ASCIR), paid his first visit to China in 2017. Apart from enjoying the skyscrapers in Shanghai and historical sites in Beijing, he said the trip gave him a deeper insight into the CPC's leadership and how it works. During that trip, Abdul-Rahaman was struck by the rapid development of China's economy and society, which bolstered his belief that a focus on "development" appropriately describes the CPC. "After China's reform and opening-up, we have seen the CPC has concentrated on developing China's economy. So if you look from 1978 up to today, China has been able to impress the world -- they feed themselves, they trade with the world, and I think it's an impressive development," he said. "I have to commend CPC's leading role in that regard," said Abdul-Rahaman, adding China's development illustrates the success of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the CPC's people-centered philosophy. The trajectory of China's development under the leadership of the CPC holds valuable lessons for Africa as the two share a similar history and vision for development, he said. Abdul-Rahaman and his colleagues at ASCIR have long focused their research on China-Africa cooperation and witnessed how the African people benefited from the Belt and Road Initiative. In March, a Chinese-built interchange project commenced operation in Tamale, the capital of Ghana's Northern Region, where Abdul-Rahaman was born and raised. Abdul-Rahaman said the project, the first of its kind in the region, has dramatically improved the traffic conditions in Tamale and beautified the city's skyline. Chinese-built projects in Ghana are "both infrastructure-wise and culture-wise," Abdul-Rahaman said. "This is where we should be happy about the cooperation. It is people-centered." Abdul-Rahaman added that ASCIR is willing to contribute more to China-Africa cooperation, which he believes is set for further expansion. "I think the CPC is at the center of all this," Abdul-Rahaman said, "with good leadership, with leadership vision." Gujarat and Karnataka emerged the best performers in the third edition of States Start-up ranking, 2021, while Meghalaya bagged the top honour among Northeastern (NE) states. In the second edition of the survey, which was conducted in 2020, Gujarat was the best performer. States and UTs with a population of more than 10 million are ranked separately from those with a lower population. UTs and states are classified into five categories based on their performance in the survey. They are best performers, top performers, leaders, aspiring leaders and emerging start-up ecosystems. Top performers among the larger states include Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana. Among smaller states and UTs, Jammu and Kashmir was adjudged the top performer. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has been conducting the States exercise since 2018 with the exception of last year due to the pandemic. This exercise facilitates states on the basis of ease of building a start-up and doing business. The consideration period for the third edition ranking exercise was October 1, 2019 to July 31, 2021. The documentary evidence submitted was evaluated over a six-month duration. The evaluation committee across 14 meetings assessed each document for fair and transparent evaluation. It was composed of representatives from 19 government departments and 29 start-up ecosystem stakeholders, a statement from said. The participants were evaluated across seven broad reform parameters. It comprised 26 action points ranging from institutional support, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, access to market, incubation support, funding support, mentorship support to capacity building of enablers. Feedback was also taken from more than 7,000 beneficiaries through surveys made in 13 different languages to grasp the real situation at the execution level. Trade minister Piyush Goyal said India now has the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world with over 71,000 recognised start-ups and more than 100 unicorns. have raised over $42 billion in funding in the 2021 calendar year. This momentum continued in 2022, with start-ups raising over $11 billion in the first quarter, he added. Goyal said the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has the power to spawn thousands of start-ups. In the next five years, we will have ONDC democratise e-commerce across India, the minister said. secretary Anurag Jain said the 2021 ranking exercise evolved to focus more on implementation and grassroots impact of policies. The initiatives undertaken and their impact reported in this exercise are testimony of the on-ground efforts being executed. Twenty-seven states and UTs have a dedicated online portal for start-up ecosystems in vernacular languages. Forty government-backed seed, venture or fund of funds have been established. Capacity building of more than 350 state-supported incubators has been undertaken, he added. The call for mentors for the Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth (MAARG) portal was also announced during the event. The portal has been developed with the idea to create a tool for start-ups in India. It can be accessed from every corner of the country for requesting and connecting with a mentor. Manoj Kohli, member of the National Start-up Advisory Council said MAARG would focus on creating profitable start-ups. It would also improve their corporate governance, scale up their operations, address funding gaps and build their brand. Ltd floated its first import tender on behalf of power companies, where came out to be the lowest bidder, a report in The Economic Times said. The company quoted Rs 4,033 crore for the supply of 2.416 million tonnes of coal on a freight-on-road (FOR) basis, the report added. Behind Adani were Mohit Minerals and Chettinad Logistics, who quoted Rs 4,182 crore, and Rs 4,222 crore, respectively, the report said. The bids opened on Friday. Between January and June, Gautam Adani-led Adani Enterprises bagged multiple contracts for . Last year in December, the group shipped first coal consignment from its Carmichael mines in Australia's Queensland. Adani Group is also eyeing two tenders totalling six MT from Coal India, industry insiders told ET, adding that the bids for these have to be submitted by Tuesday. Also read: Adani among 11 bidders in race for CIL's Rs 3,100-cr coal import tender A total of 11 importers and some overseas traders had shown interest in the tender during the pre-bid meeting, had said earlier. After the closing of bids, will execute a contract with the top bidder, entering into a back-to-back agreement with state gencos and independent power producers (IPPs), who will get the imported coal. CIL is importing coal as the central government is looking to build enough stock at power plants before monsoon season affects coal mining, leading to a decrease in supply. The nation's power demand peaks after monsoon due to an increase in requirements from the agriculture sector and warm weather conditions. The thermal power plants have 26.8 MT of coal stock, the Central Electricity Authority's latest data showed. The plants will also blend this stock with domestic coal. The power plants have been asked to import 10 per cent of their coal requirements, which will be done by CIL on their behalf. Adani Enterprises has emerged as the lowest bidder in Coal India's tender for imports of the dry fuel with quoting over Rs 4,000 crore for supply of 2.416 million tonne, even though the miner is likely to "negotiate the price", an official said on Monday. A negotiation for the quoted price may take place as the gap between the lowest bid value and the miner's own estimates of Rs 3,100 crore is in excess of around 30 per cent, he said. "Adani's bid is the lowest but it is Rs 900 crore more than the Coal India's own estimate. Officials of the miner are discussing among themselves about the price quoted by the lowest bidder. There is a high possibility that price will be further negotiated," the official told PTI. and another 10 had shown interests for the miner's maiden coal import tender for supply of the dry fuel on a freight-on-road (FOR) basis. This tender was floated for the short-term supply based on the indent received from state power generating companies, the official said. Meanwhile, the last date for submission of bids for another two tenders for supplying of six million tonne of imported coal is on Tuesday. A board meeting to finalise the tenders has not been fixed and is expected after the second tender is opened, the official said. Mohit Minerals and Chettinad Logistics and a couple of coal exporting agencies from abroad were among those who had shown interests in the CIL's tender for coal imports. The Ministry of Power has asked power producers to import 10 per cent of their coal requirements for mixing, and the job has been entrusted to Coal India on behalf of the gencos (power generating companies). (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Travel technology company will provide passenger service system to Tatas-owned as the airline works on ways to improve operational efficiency as well as customer experience. is implementing the full Alta PSS (Passenger Service System) suite, including components ranging from revenue management, revenue accounting, retailing, and merchandising, website, mobile and frequent flyer programme management, said in a statement. The carrier signed an agreement with Amadeus in this regard on Monday. "The platform delivers a modern and efficient reservations solution to customers and travel partners. The advanced system will also equip with technology that will enhance its operational efficiency," the statement said. Air India's Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal said it was adopting several cutting-edge technology solutions to transform the airline's customer experience. "Amadeus Alta PSS is the first of many such initiatives to transform Air India," he added. According to the release, the initial PSS cutover took place in late May and a mid-term roadmap was agreed upon to support the airline's transformation ahead. "India is an important market for Amadeus and we have our second largest R&D centre located there. This will enable close innovation with Air India. Our advanced technology solutions will provide the building blocks for Air India to deliver smooth experiences for its passengers," Cyril Tetaz, Executive Vice President, Alta, Amadeus, said. Air India has a fleet of 117 aircraft. The loss-making airline was acquired by Tatas in January. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bengaluru-based Kreedo Early Childhood Solutions has raised $2.3 million in pre- . The round was led by Switzerland-based UBS Optimus Foundation, Spectrum Impact, Gray Matters Capital, and 1Crowd, with participation from Innospark Ventures, IIM-CAN and The Chennai Angels. The latest round of funding will be used towards accelerating Kreedos next phase of growth and expansion. Founded in 2012 by husband-wife duo Mridula Shridhar and VK Manikandan, both alumni of IIM-Chennai, Kreedo is on a mission to change the way early learning is delivered in budget private schools and preschools, said the company. Mridula Shridhar, CEO of Kreedo, said, Our vision is to democratise quality early education. We have an overwhelming response from our partner schools who are looking for the most affordable and simplest way to improve foundational learning. The new round of funding will enable us to take Kreedo to 7000+ schools across multiple cities in India India has an estimated 350,000 budget private schools that charge less than Rs 30,000 per year and mostly cater to students from low-income families. Also read: Govt strictly warns edtech companies against unfair trade practices Dhun Davar, Head of Social Finance, UBS Optimus Foundation, said We see Kreedos business model as a unique way to create social change by making quality early education accessible to every child from lower-income communities. Girichandra, Partner at 1Crowd added, In Manikandan and Mridula, we found a team that is passionate about their cause and extremely clear on how to mitigate learning poverty in budget schools. Pranay Adhvaryu, Head of Investments, Gray Matters Capital adds, The pandemic has adversely impacted the already distressed early education sector, and now Kreedo is seeing tremendous traction as they address a massive learning gap which schools need help to fill. Mirik Gogri of Spectrum Impact said, We are excited to be a part of their growth story and support their vision of impacting more than one million children annually in India, especially from lower-income families, by 2025. at Indias Chennai unit have called off the strike that started on May 30. Following this, the company has revised its severance package from earlier 115 days to 121 days for supporting production. The company indicated it would continue 'constructive discussions' with the unions in order to sweeten the deal further, if required. A union official told Business Standard that the strike had been called off temporarily and that the union will take a final call on whether or not to continue with it after talks with the management. also said the spike rise in Covid cases in the state prompted them to change their minds. The company had announced the extension of the production schedule till the end of July. As part of the earlier package, employees were offered 115 days of gross wages for each completed year of service. The cumulative amount to be given was set at a minimum of Rs 30 lakh and capped at Rs 80 Lakh. The firm had said last September that it was shutting its factories in India. The company remains committed to achieving a fair and balanced outcome on the severance package and has requested the unions to engage in a dialogue without any preconditions. Unreasonable demands and ongoing disruptions have proved to be an impediment and not in anyones interest, said a company source. The firm has also increased the equivalent average days in the severance package offer from 115 days earlier, to 121 days for employees supporting production, he added. India had earlier said it would protect the wages and of those reporting to work or supporting production until July 2022. The company said it is looking forward to a constructive discussion with union office bearers to ensure a severance package settlement for all employees by July 31 and that it remains grateful to the Government Labour Office for its continued guidance and support. The package that the company had offered included an ex-gratia amount equivalent to 87 days of last drawn gross wages (May 2022) and a fixed amount Rs 50,000, both for every completed year of service. Besides, benefits equivalent to a lumpsum amount of Rs 2,40,000 and continuation of current medical insurance until March 2024 were offered. Gujarat and have been ranked as the best performers in developing startup ecosystem for budding entrepreneurs, according to the ranking of states and Union territories by the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT). Among smaller states having population of less than one crore, Meghalaya has been adjudged as the best performer. The rankings are based on the initiatives taken to develop the startup ecosystem for promoting budding entrepreneurs. For the third time in a row, Gujarat was ranked as the best performer. The exercise is aimed at supporting states and Union territories (UTs) in developing their startup ecosystem and learning from each other's best practices. A total of 24 states and 7 UTs participated in the exercise, which ranked them under five categories -- best performers, top performers, leaders, aspiring leaders and emerging startup ecosystems. The states and UTs were also ranked under these five categories based on the population of less than one crore. Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and Jammu and Kashmir were categorised as the top performers. Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, and Goa are in the leaders category. States and UTs in the aspiring leaders' category include Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Puducherry and Nagaland. According to the ranking, the emerging startup ecosystems category includes Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Mizoram and Ladakh. They were evaluated across seven reform areas consisting of 26 action points, ranging from institutional support, fostering innovation, access to market, incubation and funding support. DPIIT Secretary Anurag Jain said that the exercise plays a crucial role in easing the business environment for startups in the country. The states' startup ranking 2021 was released by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal here. Goyal suggested all the stakeholders to aspire for becoming the number one start-up ecosystem in the world from the third position at present. "Can we look at some district-level competition also," he asked. He also asked the states to share best practices and handhold each other in further improving the ecosystem. The government, he said, has acted as a catalyst for startups rather than a controller through initiatives like Fund of Funds, Seed Fund Scheme, income tax exemption for three years and resolving the issue of Angel Tax. On ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce), the minister said that in the next five years the initiative would democratise the e-commerce sector. "Rather than three becoming 100 billion or trillion-dollar companies, you will have a 1,000 each of a billion-dollar, that is what ONDC has the power to do," he said. ONDC will not only help domestic retailers "survive the onslaught" of big e-commerce firms but grow their businesses, improve profitability and customer service and become job creators, Goyal added. At the recently concluded ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, Goyal said the members of the multi-lateral body managed to agree on prohibiting subsidies for fishermen engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Startups can come up with solutions for Indian fishermen in areas like providing them safety or GPS systems so that they do not enter the waters of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, he said. Further, the minister announced the mentorship, advisory, assistance, resilience, and growth (MAARG) portal. It is a tool for startups that can be accessed from every corner of the country to request and connect with a mentor. Member of National Startup Advisory Council Manoj Kohli, Country Head, Softbank India, said that the portal is ready and "we will be onboarding mentors in the next few weeks". The mentorship programme would help in areas like profitability of a business model, dealing with corporate governance issues, scalability, funding gaps, branding and reputation building. "We need to have a lot of Indian funding availability along with international funding," Kohli said. Commenting on the rankings, Fintech company IOUX co-founder Vineet K Sachdev said that presently startups are subjected to a large number of regulatory compliances of various departments like Income Tax, GST, Labour, Environment, and Banks, he said. "IOUX plans to offer blockchain-based solutions to this cumbersome process to ease the compliance burden of startups. Through the blockchain based process, all concerned departments like taxation, banks, and non-banking financial will be allowed to verify documents with proper e-KYC and digital signatures for recording regulatory compliances," Sachdev added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Benefitting from the dip in worldwide, public sector lender has raised Rs 2,000 crore in capital through tier I at a fine rate of 8.75 per cent. Bond dealers said the paper from the public-sector lender was placed at a lower yield against an indicative rate of 9-9.25 per cent. The 8.75 per cent rate is seen as aggressive, coming mostly from the easing bond of yields worldwide last week, and tracking the fall in crude oil prices and US-Treasury yields. According to Clearing Corporation of India data, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Government of India bond (6.54 per cent, 2032) closed at 7.37 per cent. On Friday, the closing yield on the benchmark was 7.42 per cent. Local yields will also follow their global peers and undergo some consolidation, dealers said. yields fell on Friday as recession fears and disappointing economic data left investors looking for safety. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury Bond fell by eight basis points to trade at 2.88 per cent near its lowest level since late May, IDBI Bank said in a research note. PNBs board has approved a capital raising plan for 2022-23 aggregating to Rs 12,000 crore, via Basel III compliant instruments AT 1 (up to Rs 5,500 crore) and Tier-2 (up to Rs 6500 crore). It may raise funds in one or more tranches. The Delhi-based public sector lender raised capital aggregating to Rs 7,690 crore in FY22, as against Rs 8,277 crore the previous fiscal. Of the Rs 7,690 crore raised in FY22, Rs 3,971 crore came from AT1 bonds, Rs 1,919 crore from tier-II bonds and Rs 1,800 crore from equity shares subscribed by institutional Investors. These carry AA+ rating from Indian Ratings. The agency said in its rating commentary that is a well-capitalised bank with a common equity tier-1 (CET-1) ratio of 10.56 per cent in Q4FY22 (Q4FY21: 10.62 per cent). The total capital adequacy ratio (CAR) was 14.50 per cent in Q4FY22 (Q4FY21: 14.32 per cent). For AT1 instruments, the agency considers the discretionary component, coupon omission risk and the write-down/conversion risk as key parameters to arrive at the rating. is eyeing a 5x growth in of (EVs) from the current levels by the end of 2023-24, the automakers chairman told the shareholders at the 77th Annual General Meeting (AGM). We are determined to increase our EV at a very significant rate. Our target is to cross 50,000 cars this year and 100,000 cars next year. We are on an aggressive growth path, said Chandrasekaran, answering a shareholders question on the companys EV targets. EVs currently account for 7.5 per cent of the company's passenger vehicle . The company envisages this to go up to 50-60 per cent but it would take time, he added. expects its overall passenger vehicles sales (including EVs) to cross 500,000 units this year. It sold 370,372 units in FY22. Even as the company pursues its EV-related goals aggressively, safety is a very important element, the chairman stated. In response to the companys findings regarding the recent e-Nexon fire, he said its a one-off incident and has formed a dedicated team to look into it. The fire incident is a one-off. We have formed team to find out why it occured. We want to go to the root of the problem. Once we find out, we can communicate in a transaparent manner. We are very determined to ensure that such incidents dont happen and we are absolutely safety proof in our products, he said. The market leader in EVs in India has seen its volumes rising steadily annuallyfrom 1,000 units in FY20 to 5,000 in FY21, and over 19,500 in FY22, driving the e-mobility almost single-handedly with its e-Nexon and e-Tigor models. It has sold 18,378 EVs in the first half of 2022. This is even as other carmakers have been relatively slow in embracing the transition citing an underdeveloped charging infrastructure, high battery costs and range anxiety to name a few. The TPG Rise-backed Tata Passenger Electric Mobility (TPEM), companys subsidiary has made a commitment to invest $2 billion in the EV sector over the next few years and have ambitions to be a global player. Underlining the commitment to get to net zero emissions (Scope 1, 2 and 3) by 2039 for JLR, 2040 for passenger vehicles (PVs) and 2045 for commercial vehicles (CVs), he said a clear road map is being drawn and several actions are already underway to deliver the same. The shift to sustainable mobility is irreversible and the group will be among the leaders of green mobility globally, Chandrasekaran said in his opening address to the shareholders. He also assured an aggrieved shareholder that it will soon become a dividend-paying company. He attributed the non-payment of dividend to the accumulated losses. Tata Motors last paid dividends in FY14. The owner of Jaguar Land Rover reported a net loss of Rs 11,441 crore in the last fiscal year (FY22) as the companys UK subsidiary battled various odds, including a semiconductor shortage and a Covid-induced lockdown in China. Despite the headwinds, Chandra re-iterated that the company is on track with its target of becoming a near zero debt company by 2024. He said the move of bifurcating the companys businesses into separate entities has paid off well and made it leaner and more customer-centric. Each of these businesses are now self-sustaining which gives me greater confidence to reiterate that we will get to near zero net automotive debt by FY24, a timeline I had announced/committed in my address at the last AGM. Tata Motors Group is now operating as three independent business units, comprising commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles and Jaguar Land Rover. This has helped the units offer a distinct and differentiated value proposition to their different customer segments while leveraging backend and corporate synergies wherever possible, he said. With the gradual improvement in availability of semiconductors and the stabilising of commodity prices, Chandrasekaran said he expects the second half of the current fiscal year to be better than the first. He pointed out that Tata Motors is working on optimising the use of semiconductors in the vehicle architecture. on Monday said that it has completed the of 93.71 per cent in Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited (NINL) through its listed step-down subsidiary, Long Products (TSLP). On January 31, TSLP was declared the winning bidder for the one million tonne (mt) NINL, an asset owned by central and state public sector undertakings, in a process run by the Department of Disinvestment & Public Asset Management (DIPAM), for a consideration of Rs 12,100 crore. The transaction was completed today through a purchase of equity shares and non-convertible redeemable preference shares. The transaction entailed subscription of over 484 million equity shares aggregating to Rs 3,100 crore by TSLP; subscription of 0.01 per cent, 456 million non-convertible redeemable preference shares aggregating to approximately Rs 4,560.54 crore and purchase of 694 million equity shares by TSLP from MMTC, NMDC, MECON, Bharat Heavy Electricals, Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Ltd, and Odisha Mining Corporation Ltd, for the balance consideration. Consequently, has become a subsidiary of TSLP and an indirect subsidiary of Tata Steel, the company said. said that the plan was to not only restart the one million tonne per annum steel plant expeditiously but to also work simultaneously to expand the capacity by building a 4.5 mt state-of-the-art long products complex in the next few years, and further expand it to 10 mt per annum by 2030. Apart from a 1.1 mt plant, has with reserves of 90 mt and about 2,500 acres of land providing scope for future expansion. Tata Steel already has plans to increase capacity to 40 mt by 2030 in India. The acquisition, the company said, strengthens its growth plan over the next decade while providing the enablers to even go beyond the 40 mt target. Commenting on the completion of the acquisition, T V Narendran, CEO & managing director, Tata Steel, and chairman, TSLP said, of NINL is a historic achievement and a significant milestone towards building a dedicated long products facility for the Tata Steel Group. The completion of the transaction is a testimony to Government of Indias focus on its disinvestment programme. The also reflects Tata Steels commitment to the state of Odisha and the communities around its operations, he added. He also said that it would be Tata Steels endeavour to enable a swift transformation of NINL into a state-of-the-art, competitive and sustainable enterprise. The acquisition of NINL is in sync with Tata Steels plan to grow its long product capacity as India focuses on infrastructure spend which is expected to boost steel consumption. Tata Steel will leverage its capability in the long products business using its strong brand equity, particularly in the retail construction segment, and its extensive, pan-India retail and distribution network to drive scale in long products, the company said. ACCRA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) late Sunday announced to ease its economic and financial sanctions on Mali. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, the president of the ECOWAS Commission, announced during the closing press conference of the 61st Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in the Ghanaian capital. "The Malian authorities have taken steps in passing the electoral accord and also setting up a monitoring mechanism for the transition and also took steps to prepare a new constitution for the country," said Brou, adding that Mali's transition will end in March 2024 in the framework of a 24-month transition period. He then announced that ECOWAS decided to lift all the economic and financial sanctions imposed on January 9. "That means, essentially, the closure of the border, the freezing of financial assets. Those sanctions are lifted," he said, adding the ambassadors of ECOWAS member states to Mali will return to Mali. "However, as the process needs to be monitored, the heads of state decided to maintain the individual sanctions, and also to maintain the suspension of Mali from the organs of ECOWAS institutions," he added. on Monday said it will work "expeditiously" to restart and simultaneously draw a plan to expand its capacity to produce 4.5 MTPA long products complex in the next few years. In a statement, issued after completing the acquisition of Odisha-based one million tonne per annum (MTPA) steel mill, said it also has to increase NINL's capacity to 10 MTPA by 2030. The acquisition has been made by step-down company Long Products Ltd (TSLP) for a consideration amount of Rs 12,000 crore. "The plan is to not only restart 1 MTPA steel plant expeditiously but to also work simultaneously to expand the capacity by building a 4.5 million tonnes per annum state-of-the-art long products complex in the next few years, and further expand it to 10 MTPA by 2030," it said. In the statement, Tata Steel said that TSLP has completed the acquisition of 93.71 per cent in NINL, a joint venture of four central public sector enterprises -- MMTC, NMDC, BHEL, MECON -- and two Odisha government public sector units -- OMC and IPICOL. The acquisition has been completed as per the terms and conditions of the share sale and purchase agreement entered on March 10, 2022 and in accordance with the process carried out by the Department of Investment & Public Asset Management (DIPAM). T V Narendran, CEO & Managing Director of Tata Steel and TSLP chairman, said: "The acquisition is a historic achievement and a significant milestone towards building a dedicated long products facility for the Tata Steel Group. The completion of the transaction is a testimony to government of India's focus on its disinvestment programme. The acquisition also reflects our commitment to Odisha and the communities around its operations. We are delighted to welcome and its employees to our family." According to the statement, the long product segment in India is poised to witness significant growth as India builds its infrastructure through government's Atmanirbhar Bharat programme along with the pick up in the retail housing segment in semi-urban India. Tata Steel will leverage its capability in the long products business using its strong brand equity, particularly in the retail construction segment, and its extensive, pan-India retail and distribution network to drive scale in long products. Tata Steel had earlier announced its ambition to increase its capacity to 40 million tonnes per annum by 2030 in India, and the " acquisition strengthens this growth plan over the next decade while providing the enablers to even go beyond the 40 million tonnes target", the company said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) firm Titan said the outlook for its jewellery division in FY23 and mid-term is "positive" with "excellent" growth opportunity helped by multi-pronged efforts within the wedding market, momentum behind its gold exchange scheme and network expansion. In the jewellery division, Titan is also expanding its brand Tanishq to the global markets and opening stores in West Asia and North America markets targeting the Indian diaspora. It has plans to open a new store in the US market this fiscal, besides adding more in the domestic markets, said the latest annual report of the company. Titan operates in the jewellery segment through brands Tanishq, Mia by Tanishq and Zoya. The jewellery division accounted for over 88 per cent of its total sales of Rs 27,456 crore in the financial year ended on March 31, 2022. "The opportunity for the jewellery division during Financial Year 2022-23 as well as over the medium term is excellent. Apart from the low market share, increasing competitive advantage and brand preference, the jewellery division is continuing to push many levers for growth," said Titan. The outlook in the coming year is "positive" which shall hopefully see a disruption-free first quarter that has Akshaya Tritiya and a strong wedding season after two years of pandemic-led lockdowns, it added. "Apart from the low market share, increasing competitive advantage and brand preference, the Jewellery Division is continuing to push many levers for growth," it said. On the international business of the jewellery division, Titan said it has opened Tanishq stores in Dubai and Al Barsha, which are very successful, with discerning customers continuing to recommend the excellent products and collections, it said. "The expansion into more stores in the UAE and the GCC countries will continue. The Jewellery Division through the Company's subsidiary, is also looking forward to opening its first Tanishq store in the USA during the Financial Year 2022-23," said Titan. The Indian diaspora jewellery opportunity "is very large" to make this a meaningful part of the entire international business portfolio in the near future, Titan added. Addressing its shareholders, Titan Managing Director C K Venkataraman said:" We are also ratcheting up our thrust behind the Indian Diaspora opportunity for jewellery. The Tanishq Flag will soon fly in multiple locations in West Asia and North America." Besides jewellery, Titan operates in the segments such as watches and eyewear. It has also entered into the ethnic wear business. "We are gunning for big growth in every category we are in. And especially so in the Indian ethnic wear, fine fragrances and women's bags," said Venkataraman. As Indians inexorably march towards the USD 5000 per capita GDP, their desire for lifestyle products will explode, he said. "Our low market share in many of our categories combined with the increasing affinity for Trust will accelerate this further." Moreover, Titan's deep penetration of smaller Tier III, IV & V towns will unlock the real potential. The "breakthrough momentum" is seen in Zoya, a luxury brand offering exquisite jewellery in diamonds and precious stones and Mia by Tanishq brands, selling contemporary jewellery "also looks promising and both are expected to scale greater heights in the next few years," the annual report added. While in watches and wearables, its second large segment, Titan said it has made huge inroads in the Wearables category in the last six months under the Titan and Fastrack brands and are becoming a player to watch, said Venkataraman adding "I am sure by end FY23 we will become a prominent name in this category." "The pipeline of wearable products for the coming few quarters is packed with exciting products from both brands. The W&W Division is also planning more products in the rapidly exploding hearables or audio accessories space," it said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Monday announced that it has inked a pact with the to invest Rs 3,000 crore for setting up a new facility to manufacture solar cells and modules in Tirunelveli district of the state. "Tata Power, one of India's largest integrated power companies, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the to invest approximately Rs 3,000 crore for setting up a greenfield 4GW and 4GW solar module manufacturing plant in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu," a company statement said. According to the statement, the MoU outlines the commitment of both the parties to stimulate clean energy transition and employment generation in the state. The investment in the plant will be made over a period of 16 months and will directly or indirectly create over 2,000 employment opportunities with majority of them for women, it informed. The MoU was signed by S Krishnan, additional chief secretary to government of Tamil Nadu, Industries Department, and Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power, in the presence of state chief minister M K Stalin and senior officials of the state. said it is committed to establishing state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in the country and is a forerunner in terms of investing in green technologies. The company is one of the first to put a solar manufacturing facility in the country in 1991 and since then has regularly upgraded the facility by setting up the Mono-PERC cell line in FY21 at its existing facility in Bengaluru, Karnataka. CEO & MD Praveer Sinha said in the statement, "India has the opportunity to spearhead the usage of clean and green energy solutions to meet its energy requirements. Tata Power Solar's new production facility, being set up with the support and assistance of Tamil Nadu government, will help to meet the rising demand for clean energy solutions in the country, apart from providing huge employment opportunities." Tata Power Solar's Tamil Nadu facility will be the second manufacturing unit of the company after Bengaluru. As one of the largest solar manufacturers in India, the company operates a world-class manufacturing unit in Bengaluru, with a production capacity of 635 MW of modules and 500 MW of cells, the company said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A terrorist hideout was busted in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the recovery of six sticky along with other arms and ammunition, police said on Monday. The hideout was busted at the disclosure of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Talib Hussain Shah who along with his associate Faisal Ahmad Dar were overpowered by people and handed over to police in a remote village in Reasi district on Sunday, a police official said. He said Shah revealed the presence of a hideout in his Draj village of Rajouri during questioning and accordingly a raid was carried out and the hideout was busted. The search of the hideout led to the recovery of six sticky bombs, a pistol, three pistol magazines, 19 pistol rounds, an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), three UBGL grenades, 75 rounds of AK assault rifle and one IED remote with antenna, the official said. Shah and his Kashmiri accomplice Dar were arrested from Tuksan Dhok after they were tactifully disarmed by local residents with Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Director General of Police Dilbag Singh lauding their courage and announcing cash rewards for them. However, a political slugfest erupted between the local units of BJP and Congress after Shah was reported to be an active member of the saffron party who was recently selected as its IT and social media cell in charge of the minority morcha in Jammu province. Some pictures emerged on social media purportedly showing Shah with BJP leaders. One of the pictures shows J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina purportedly presenting him with a bouquet and a letter issued by party leader Sheikh Bashir on May 9, assigning him the responsibility of new IT and social media incharge of Minority Morcha (Jammu province). (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several Hindu organisations have announced a massive rally and given a bandh call on July 12 in support of their demand to allow Hindu festivals in the Idgah Maidan. The Hindu organisations have already held a meeting in this regard in Jangama Mutt of . The activists demand that the Idgah Maidan be designated as a playground for all. A total of 25 Hindu organisations as well as local groups have joined hands to wage a legal battle as well as challenge the claims of the Wakf Board on the Idgah Maidan. The organisations are carrying out door to door campaign in Chamarajpet to create awareness among the people for the need to retain the Idgah Maidan as a playground. They have also slammed the Bruhat Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for its dual stand over the property. Initially, the BBMP claimed that Idgah Maidan is its property, which was denied later. The Hindu organisations have slammed the BBMP and urged the ruling BJP government to intervene and resolve the matter. The activists have also stated that as per the Supreme Court order, Muslims should be allowed to conduct prayers on two occasions in a year and rest of the days the ground should be used as the playground. Chamarajpet Citizens' Federation has confirmed that bandh will be observed in Chamarajpet locality, and Hindu activists and the local organisations are taking a massive bike rally on July 12 from Sirsi Circle to Idgah Maidan. Chamarajpet locality is home to sizable number of Muslims and considered as one of the sensitive regions in . Congress MLA Zameer Ahmad Khan represents the constituency. Hindu activists have warned him that he is not MLA for one religion and asked him not to provoke Hindus. They have also maintained that he will have to face consequences if he continues backdoor game regarding Idgah Maidan. With BBMP elections around the corner and the state entering the election year the authorities are concerned about the development. --IANS mka/dpb (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Experts have backed heterologous boosting or mixing of vaccines for the booster dose in the wake of BA.2.75, a variant resulting from another major mutation in the Sars-CoV-2 virus that infects people with Covid-19. Shahid Jameel, senior research fellow at Green Templeton College in Oxford University, told Business Standard that the BA.2.75 has several mutations in the spike protein, two of which are unique to it and are not found in its parent strain, BA.2. These two mutations are G446S and R493Q. Jameel feels that G446S is one of the most potent sites of escape from antibodies made by current vaccines that still neutralise BA.2. So it increases chances of infection (even) in people so far protected, he says. The other unique mutation (R493Q) enhances virus binding to an enzyme called ACE2 receptor. The enzyme usually attached to the membrane of cells of the intestines, kidney and other organs acts as the receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, allowing it to infect the cell. Mutations often occur in pairs as the virus evolves to optimise receptor binding and antibody evasion, Jameel explains. What does it mean? Jameel says, The numbers are still low, but the rapid increase suggests a growth advantage. This may fuel fresh re-infections and keep the pandemic going. Besides advocating booster shots for the vulnerable, Jameel also says that India should use science to update its booster policy. The current policy is not making the best use of evidence and available choices, he says, adding that recent data from a Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore study on mixing Covishield and Covaxin shows that Covishield after Covaxin is a far superior combination, but India continues to use Covaxin as the third dose in those who have been jabbed twice. Also, global data shows protein vaccines are better after two doses of the AZ (AstraZeneca, marketed as Covishield in India) than a third dose, Jameel says. Samples of BA.2.75 have been found globally, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Germany. The Indian government is yet to confirm its presence in the country. According to a senior scientist from India, who does not wish to be named, the BA.2 Omicron variant is accumulating a lot of sub-lineages, and many of these lineages from India are of BA.2.75 now. Lipi Thukral, a scientist at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, says: This lineage may require urgent attention as most of the mutations are unique, and it has also changed its physicochemical character quite a lot. Most of the mutations are in the receptor-binding domain, or in domains that bind antibodies or human proteins. Thukral, however, feels that it is still early to comment on whether mixing vaccines would give a better immune response. More data is required on this lineage in terms of immune escape, she says. Experts say that this is a second-generation mutation. All variants drift with time acquiring new mutations. BA.2.75 can be called second generation because it is derived from BA.2. That is true for all BA.2. mutations, and not just this one, says Gagandeep Kang, microbiologist and professor at CMC Vellore. What needs to be kept in mind, now that BA.2.75 has been detected, is that if it expands as a percentage of all strains found, it is more capable of spread and immune escape than the current variants, she adds. Jameel observes that one cannot say if this variant originated in India or it came from elsewhere and found a niche here. We need broader genomic surveillance and availability of data in public space to better understand the epidemiology and spread. One needs to continue wearing masks in closed and crowded spaces; improve ventilation and complete vaccination schedules. Also, boosters should also be taken by people with vulnerabilities, he cautions. The on Monday passed bills pertaining to over 66 per cent hike in salaries and allowances of its members who are among the lowest-paid lawmakers in the country. Five different bills were tabled for the hike in salaries of ministers, MLAs, chief whip, Speaker and Deputy Speaker, and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, which were passed by the members. The members stressed that the salaries should commensurate with the rising prices and the work done by the legislators. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, said, "To invite talented people into politics, there has to be rewards. The corporates get talented pool of people because of the salaries." BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri also supported the pay hike. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Monday passed a Bill to increase the salary and allowances of MLAs, taking up the legislation on the first day of its two-day Monsoon session. Kailash Gahlot, Law, Justice and Legislative Affairs Minister in the (AAP) government, tabled the Bill seeking an increase of 66 per cent in the salary and allowances of ministers, MLAs, chief whip, Speaker, deputy Speaker and the Leader of Opposition. The government has increased the salary from Rs 12,000 to Rs 30,000 per month. There will also be an increase in many other allowances, which altogether will raise the salary to Rs 90,000 per month from the existing Rs 54,000. Following the change, Delhi Deputy CM said the Bill is released after a lot of deliberations in the past 7 years. "Central government had a few objections 7 years ago; after incorporating their suggestions, has once again passed this bill and hopes for the Centre to pass it," he added. A bill to increase the salaries of MLAs, ministers, Speaker & LoPs has been passed in the today. For the last 11 years, MLAs were getting a salary of Rs 12,000, which has now been increased to Rs 30,000.... total salary will be Rs 90,000: Delhi Dy CM pic.twitter.com/YbdbMwzFve ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2022 Delhi MLAs' salary was last revised in 2011. In 2015, the proposed Rs 2.10 lakh a month as salary and allowances for the MLAs, but the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) refused the proposal. According to ANI report in May, Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel requested the MHA to compare the salaries with other state MLAs as he claimed many states are getting around Rs 2 lakh as the total amount. The government had sent the proposal in August in 2021 to increase the salary which was approved by the Centre in May this year. The L-G also gave the approval for the proposal last month in May which has made the way clear for tabling the bill in the assembly. Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Monday invited suggestions from the public to make the national capital self-sufficient in meeting drinking water demand. The LG said Delhi's water demands are unsustainable and there is a shortage of around 280 million gallons a day (MGD) of drinking water in the city. "Instead of blaming others, let us together make the capital self-sufficient by conserving water and augmenting our groundwater. Your suggestions & participation only will help us achieve this," the LG tweeted. The capital depends on neighboring states for raw water: It gets 675 MGD of water from Haryana through two canals -- Carrier-Lined Channel (368 MGD) and Sub-Branch (177) -- and the Yamuna (65 MGD). Besides, 253 MGD of water is received from Uttar Pradesh through the Upper Ganga Canal, and the rest is drawn from ranney wells and tube wells installed across the city. The Jal Board supplies 990 MGD of water to city residents. Delhi faced a severe water shortage this summer season with Haryana releasing less water in the Yamuna and the two canals. Between April 30 and June 18, the DJB wrote to the Haryana Irrigation Department nine times, urging it to release additional water in the river. Earlier, Saxena had invited suggestions from the public on clearing "mountains of garbage" in Delhi, cleaning the Yamuna and improving air quality. He had said that Delhi discharges 784 MGD of sewage in the Yamuna which has been converted into a muck-filled drain, and the mountains of garbage in the capital are a "national shame". Saxena had also mentioned that "we generate most of the (air) pollutants ourselves". (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The hearing on the Gyanvapi case will resume in today. "Muslim side will continue with its arguments. According to them, the case is not maintainable, but we've said that it's maintainable...Our demand to grant worship there is legally valid," said Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, appearing for the Hindus. On May 30, the District deferred the hearing on the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee's plea challenging the maintainability of a suit filed by Hindu women till July 4, according to a lawyer representing the petitioner women. Advocate appearing for Anjuman Intezamia Masjid had cited various judgements to support his argument that the maintainability of a suit filed by Hindu women is barred by the Places of Worship Act. The arguments by the Muslim side, seeking rejection of civil suit's claims on Gyanvapi Mosque, could not be completed and it will continue today. Earlier, the of District Judge, while fixing the hearing on the maintainability of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex case, said that the matter will be heard as per directions of the Supreme Court. The Hindu side has claimed that a Shivling (a representation of Lord Shiva) was discovered inside the mosque premises and the Muslim side claimed that the structure was part of the fountain at the mosque's wuzu khana area. Meanwhile, a civil court in today asked the Muslim side to file a reply on another civil suit seeking the right to worship in the mosque premises. Civil Judge, Senior Division, (Fast Track Court) Mahendra Kumar Pandey, who hearing the matter, listed the matter for July 8. This suit was filed by Lord Aadi Vishweshar Viraajman through their next friend Kiran Singh, who had said that the main case would take a considerable amount of time to be tried and that the Hindu worshippers should be given undeterred access to the mosque premises in the meantime. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) LAGOS, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's election management body said on Monday that unidentified arsonists set ablaze a building belonging to one of its branches in Nigeria's southern state of Enugu late on Sunday. The attackers, who were on the rampage in the Igbo-Eze North local government area of Enugu attacked on Sunday the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the area, destroying 748 ballot boxes, 240 voting cubicles, and other office furniture and equipment, said Festus Okoye, the INEC's national spokesman, in a statement. "The arsonists overpowered the security guards, forced their way into the premises, and set the building ablaze," Okoye said. No casualties were reported, said Okoye, adding the commission was working to ascertain the status of voter registration machines, as well as uncollected voter cards locked up in the fireproof cabinet. He said the incident had been reported to the police for investigation and further action. The attack, coming in the middle of the voter registration exercise and other preparations for the 2023 general elections, is worrisome, the INCE spokesperson added. Prime Minister on Monday left for Andhra Pradesh's Bhimavaram to attend the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju. Prime Minister will also unveil a 30-feet tall bronze statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju on the ocassion. "Leaving for Bhimavaram to attend a very special programme- the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of the great freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju. Will also unveil a bronze statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju. This will enhance the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations," PM Modi said in a tweet. According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), at around 11 am, Prime Minister will launch the year-long 125th birth anniversary celebration of legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju in Bhimavaram. Born on July 4, 1897, Alluri Sitarama Raju is remembered for his fight against the British, in order to safeguard the interests of the tribal communities in the Eastern Ghats region. He had led the Rampa rebellion, which was launched in 1922. He is referred to as "Manyam Veerudu" (Hero of the Jungles) by the local people. The government has planned a series of initiatives as part of the year-long celebration. The birthplace of Alluri Sitarama Raju at Pandrangi in Vizianagaram district and Chintapalli Police Station (to mark 100 years of Rampa Rebellion - the attack on this police station marked the beginning of Rampa Rebellion) will be restored. The government has also approved the construction of Alluri Dhyana Mandir at Mogallu with a statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju in Dhyana Mudra, depicting the life story of the freedom fighter through mural paintings and AI-enabled interactive system. Later in the day, will also visit Gandhinagar in Gujarat where he will inaugurate the Digital India Week 2022 in Gandhinagar, whose theme is 'Catalyzing New India's Techade'. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government is soon likely to introduce in the Assembly the Right to Health Bill the first of its kind in India which aims to commit to quality and affordable health care services through government and private health care providers. In January, the government had prepared a draft bill that defines the rights of patients, their attendants and health care providers, as well as a system for addressing grievances of the stakeholders. According to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, all necessary provisions in the bill should be included in the interest of patients. The right to health was promised by the Congress in its 2018 Assembly election manifesto. Soon after coming to power, the chief minister made consultations on the proposal, but the Covid pandemic stalled the process. However, the government published the draft bill on March 8 and invited feedback from shareholders. The draft bill has been prepared and we are seeking suggestions and opinions of people, non-government organisations, and others on it, a senior medical and health department official said. The right to health bill is part of the governments bid to expand and strengthen medical services in the state. Recently, the chief minister approved Rs 117 crore towards expansion of the facilities in Mahila Chikitsalaya (women's hospital) at Sanganeri Gate in Jaipur. The state has also ensured health security of every family by providing free treatment up to Rs 10 lakh to the people through Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana. Along with this, an accident insurance of up to Rs 5 lakh is being given to the families registered in the scheme. Also, medicines and tests of the patients coming to government health facilities are being provided free of cost. The health condition of chief Lalu Prasad, who is undergoing treatment in Paras hospital here, is stated to be stable, medical superintendent of the hospital said on Monday. Dr Asif Praman, medical superintendent of Paras hospital said: "The chief was brought to the hospital with a fracture on his right shoulder after he suffered a fall. Besides, he is also suffering from other diseases. He is under observation in the ICU and his condition is stable now." Doctors have advised him proper rest for a month and to use a wheel-chair if needed. Tejashwi Yadav, the younger son of Lalu Yadav, also said that his condition is stable. Lalu Prasad fell from the staircase and sustained fractures in right shoulder on Sunday evening. The family doctors had applied a temporary plaster on his shoulder. At 4 a.m. on Monday, he complained about uneasiness and breathlessness. Tejashwi Yadav immediately rushed him to nearby Paras hospital. The doctors admitted him in the ICU and conducted an MRI scan. Lalu Prasad is convicted in fodder scam and he is currently out on bail after completing more than half of the jail term. The leader is suffering from many health diseases including kidney infection, water accumulation in lungs and blood pressure. The 75-year-old veteran socialist leader wants to go to Singapore to consult with doctors for his kidney transplant. Recently, the court has released his passport as well. --IANS ajk/shb/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday expressed its disappointment against the Union government and accused the Centre of completely reneging on the written promises made to the when the protest was lifted on December 9 last year. Three important decisions regarding the farmers' movement were taken at the national meet of representatives of all the farmers' organizations associated with the SKM, held in Ghaziabad on Sunday. In a statement issued by the SKM, the farmers' body claimed that neither the committee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) has been formed, nor the "false" cases registered against the during the agitation been withdrawn. It also accused the government of not being ready to consider the biggest demand of the -- a legal guarantee on MSP. In protest against this alleged "betrayal" by the government, "Protest Against Betrayal" public meetings will be organized at district level, from the beginning of the monsoon session of Parliament on July 18 till July 31 -- the martyrdom day of Shaheed Udham Singh -- across the country, the SKM said in its statement. The SKM has also announced that at the end of this campaign, on July 31, a chakka jam of all the major highways across the country will be organized from 11 am to 3 pm. It has also been decided in the meet that the farm organizations will mobilize unemployed youth and ex-servicemen against the Agnipath military recruitment scheme, which is "anti-national and anti-youth as well as anti-farmer". "To expose the Agnipath scheme, 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' conferences will be organized across the country from August 7 to August 14, in which ex-servicemen and unemployed youth will also be invited," the statement read. On the 75th anniversary of Independence, a 75-hour mass dharna will be held in Lakhimpur Kheri from August 18 to August 20, demanding sacking of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, it stated. Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri during the violence that erupted when farmers were protesting against Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to the area on October 3 last year. Union minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra is an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former JNU student Sharjeel Imam, an accused in a case related to the alleged conspiracy behind the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots, on Monday moved a Delhi Court claiming a threat to his life. The application, which is likely to come up for hearing before Special Judge Amitabh Rawat, alleged that the Assistant Superintendent of Jail recently had entered his cell along with eight-ten people in the garb of a search, assaulted him and called him a terrorist and anti-national. Imam is accused of making inflammatory speeches against the government on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC), particularly at Jamia Milia Islamia University in December 2019, which allegedly led to violence in the area outside the university. Imam, also facing sedition charges for his alleged inflammatory speeches, is in judicial custody since January 2020. Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet against Imam in the case, in which it alleged that he gave speeches inciting hatred, contempt, and disaffection towards the central government and instigated the people which led to the violence in December 2019. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister will on July 8 attend the first Memorial Lecture, which will also kick off the three-day Kautilya Economic Conclave organised by the . Senior Singapore minister, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, will deliver the lecture, which the government plans to hold every year, said Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth on Monday. Seth said that the government has instituted the lecture in recognition of Jaitleys contributions to the Indian economy. Jaitley was the finance minister between 2014 and 2019 as part of the first term of the Modi government. He died in August 2019. Seth cited the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and recapitalisation of banks as among Jaitley's contributions. The annual lectures will be on topical economic issues affecting India and the global economy, with a keynote address by a renowned economic thinker. Shanmugaratnam, who previously was the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, will deliver his address on growth and inclusivity. The Department of Economic Affairs, in association with the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), will alongside hold the Kautilya Economic Conclave between July 8-10. Robert Lawrence, professor of international trade and investment at Harvard Kennedy School; Martin Wolf, associate editor of the Financial Times; Shaktikanta Das, governor of Reserve Bank India, and Nicholas Stern, of the London School of Economics, are among delegates from 21 countries attending the conclave. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last week told Business Standard the government planned a lecture in Jaitleys memory since 2019 but could not because of the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the things that the Prime Minister decided was to name the National Institute of Financial Management after him. And it was decided to hold an annual Memorial Lecture. It could not happen in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic. But this year we will be holding it, Sitharaman said. As many as 472 new cases of have been detected in Maharashtra's district, taking its infection tally to 7,29,440, a health official said on Monday. With the addition of the latest cases on Sunday, the district currently has 4,724 active COVID-19 cases, he said. One death was also reported on Sunday, raising the toll to 11,909. The recovery count in has reached 7,12,716, the official added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) secured investments worth Rs 1.44 trillion on Monday by signing of memoranda of understanding (MoU) with 60 companies, laying of foundation stones and inauguration of new projects. The projects are expected to create 74,898 jobs. The major pacts include a Rs 52,000-crore green hydrogen and ammonia facility by ACME Green Hydrogen in Thoothukudi, a Rs 3,000-crore 4-giga watt (GW) cell and 4 GW solar module manufacturing unit by Tata Power, lithium ion Cell unit by Lucas TVS, and Chemicals and ceramic tile manufacturing facility by Aravind Ceramics. Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for 21 projects with an commitment of Rs 22,252 crore and potential for about 17,654 persons. This includes a Rs 3,500-crore data centre and IT unit by L&T, Rs 2,500-crore data centre by Sify Technologies, Rs 1,448-crore data centre by CtrlS and an over Rs 500-crore garment unit by Jay Jay Mills. Of the total 60 MoUs signed on Monday, 53 were facilitation agreements involving an of Rs 65,373 crore and a job creation potential for 58,478 people. Addressing the event, Stalin highlighted that semiconductors, electric vehicles and green energy are the key emerging industries in the state. Ever since the DMK government took charge in May 2021, the state has signed 192 MoUs worth around Rs 2.25 trillion. Stalin indicated that the states Dravidian model of governance with a peaceful business environment is bringing global industrialists to the state. He highlighted that the state improved its place in ease of doing business ranking from 14 to one among the top three now. He added that the states major goals include achieving the target of becoming a $1 trillion economy and expanding the presence of Made in Tamil Nadu projects across the world. When all the states recorded negative growth during the Covid era, stood out with positive growth, said state industries minister Thangam Thennarasu, adding that flow of investments into the state is proof of investors confidence. The state also entered into a tie-up with Infosys to set up a digital learning 'Springboard' for students. Tata Power said on Monday that the new plant in will be set up over a period of 16 months and will directly or indirectly create over 2,000 opportunities, mostly for women. "India has an opportunity to spearhead the use of clean and green energy solutions to meet its energy needs. Tata Power Solar's new production facility is being set up with the support and assistance of Tamil Nadu Government, will help to meet the rising demand for clean energy solutions in the country, apart from providing huge opportunities," said Praveer Sinha, chief executive officer and managing director, Tata Power. The firm's Tamil Nadu facility will be the company's second manufacturing unit, after Bengaluru. It will have a production capacity of 635 Mw of modules and 500 Mw of cells. International Aerospace Manufacturing Pvt Ltd (IAMPL), a joint venture between Rolls-Royce and Hindustan Aeronautics for the manufacture of high-precision aero engine compressors, also signed an MoU for setting up a plant in Hosur. At IAMPL, our constant focus is on delivering operational excellence and leveraging Indias supply chain advantages. We will continue to develop the capability and capacity to be the best-in-class supply chain partner to the global aerospace supply chain ecosystem, said Seenivasan Balasubramanian, CEO, IAMPL. The is working on a proposal to set up two dedicated export houses that will enable cooperatives to brand and export items, said Cooperatives Minister on Monday. Shah said the government plans to enable KRIBHCO and to go for seed improvement and Amul, one of Indias largest cooperative, will set up laboratories to certify and test organic products across India. He was speaking at a conference to commemorate the 100th International Day of Cooperatives, Shah said proposed bylaws will ensure that if a primary agriculture cooperative society (PACS) becomes defunct, states will have the power to liquidate it within 180 days and set-up a new one in its place. Shah also said that the cooperative sector can play an important role in making India self-reliant and ensure the economic prosperity of 70 crore poor people. Capitalism and communism are extreme forms of governance and the cooperative model of development is best suited for the country, he said adding that the cooperation ministry is working on various aspects to strengthen the cooperative sector by making them professional and multi-dimensional. A cooperative university will be set up to provide skills training and offer courses in subjects like accounting, marketing and management. The trained manpower can be absorbed in the cooperative societies and this will also eliminate nepotism in appointments. He also said there is a need to change laws as well but stressed self-regulation among cooperatives. There are 8.5 lakh cooperative societies in India and around 12 crore people are linked directly with this sector. While mentioning the contribution of cooperatives in many businesses like milk, fertilisers, sugar, fisheries, agri-credit and procurement of food grains, he pitched for diversification of cooperatives into other sectors. The Union has urged other ministries not to include solvency ratio criteria to government owned non-life insurers to participate in the tenders for general insurance needs. In an Office Memorandum, the Department of Financial Services under the Ministry of Finance requested other Ministries not to include solvency ratio as a criterion for participation of public sector general insurers in tenders. "This would enhance competition in the bidding process without compromising on the quality of services. It is also requested to bring this to the attention of all the procuring entities and organisations under the administrative jurisdiction of your Ministry/Department," the communication said. According to the Department of Financial Services, three government owned non-life insurers - National Insurance Company Ltd, Oriental Insurance Company Ltd and United India Insurance Company Ltd - do not have the stipulated solvency ratio of 1.5 of the liabilities. Some central public sector companies and government departments include the required solvency ratio as an eligibility condition in their tenders. Pointing out that the regulator has allowed forbearance to the three companies from maintaining the solvency ratio and allowed them to underwrite business. "It is pertinent to note that the reinsured liability is not factored into calculation of Solvency Ratio, specified by IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India), as a result of which solvency ratio of 1.5 is very high from a risk perspective," the Office Memorandum notes. Further, the government owned non-life insurers have not defaulted ever on their liabilities. The Government of India has recently infused capital in the above-mentioned companies and stands committed to provide more capital, as may be required, the Department of Financial Services told other Ministries. --IANS vj/skp/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SINGAPORE, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Singaporean President Halimah Yacob posted on Facebook on Monday evening that she was just tested positive for COVID-19 with mild flu-like symptoms. "Thankfully, I have been vaccinated and boosted," she said. "I hope to recover soon and am sorry to have to miss the events this week." Also on Monday evening, Singapore's Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin also said that he was tested positive for COVID-19. "All good things must come to an end. My COVID-free days are over," he wrote in his Facebook post. Local media reported on June 19 that Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had tested positive for COVID-19 while in Germany. The has warned e-commerce platforms against selling some telecom gears like wireless jammers and network boosters that require government permission for sale, an official statement said on Monday. The has raised the issue several times in the last 4-5 years and even conducted raids to check illegal sales of these equipment. "It has been stated that the use of cellular signal jammers, GPS blocker or other signal jamming devices is generally illegal, except specifically permitted by the government of India. Private sector organizations and/ or private individuals cannot procure or use jammers in India," said in a statement. It has also been stated that it is unlawful to advertise, sell, distribute, import or otherwise market signal jamming devices in India, except as permitted under the guidelines mentioned above, the said. "With regards to signal booster/ repeater it has been stated that it is unlawful to possess, sell, and/ or use mobile signal repeater/ booster by any individual/ entity other than the licensed Telecom Service Providers," the statement said. The department had also issued a notice on January 21 warning all e-commerce companies from selling or facilitating the sale of wireless jammers on their online platforms. A copy of the above Notice was also circulated to the Ministry of Commerce, Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of electronics and information technology, customs, for appropriate actions. Telecom industry body Cellular Operators of India said citizens are unaware that buying, selling, installation and possession of mobile signal boosters (MSBs) is an illegal and punishable offence under Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933 and India Telegraph Act, 1885. "Its unauthorised use adversely interferes with telecom services and we are glad that the government of India has recognised its significance in delivering a flawless network and telecom experience to citizens across the country. "This advisory will help spread awareness and make citizens cognizant of the debilitating effects that repeaters have on the overall network," COAI director general SP Kochhar said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Months after a spate of fires in two-wheelers put a dent in India's EV overdrive, the central government will soon take a call on whether or not to take penal action against manufacturers of faulty . In April, Union Minister for Road Transport, Nitin Gadkari, warned EV makers of strict action if they are found negligent. If any company is found negligent in their processes, a heavy penalty will be imposed and a recall of all defective vehicles will also be ordered, he had tweeted. "We havent yet decided what penal action will be taken against the companies at fault. Once we receive all responses from the companies on show-cause notice, we'll deliberate and decide what action needs to be taken. Meanwhile, they've been advised to course correct," a senior official in the know of the matter told Business Standard. The show-cause notices to companies such as Ola, Okinawa, PureEV have been sent based on the findings of a report, submitted to the ministry last month, by the Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety, a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Also read: Govt-appointed panel on EV fire cases to submit report this month The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is awaiting responses from EV makers under investigation on show-cause notices sent to them. In the notices, the government has sought detailed explanations of why penal action should not be taken against them for the fires, which caused casualties in many cases. Meanwhile, Ola, Okinawa and Pure have voluntarily recalled nearly 7,000 e-two wheelers of the models that had caught fire. Okinawa in April announced its recall of 3,215 units of its Praise Pro electric scooter to fix any issue related to batteries. According to the company, the batteries will be checked for loose connectors or any damage and be repaired free of cost at Okinawa dealerships. Following Okinawa, also said that it will recall 1,441 vehicles which will go through thorough diagnostics across all battery systems, thermal systems as well as safety systems. Simultaneously, Pure EV which has also seen incidents of fire involving its electric scooters, has recalled 2,000 units of its ETrance+ and EPluto 7G models. Market leader Hero Electric is testing a device that would send three levels of alarm for the scooter user if the battery temperature increases beyond the safety limit. The preventive device has been developed by Maker Max, a Canadian start-up, and can be easily attached to the battery box. India will only withdraw its windfall tax introduced last week for oil producers and refiners if global prices of crude fall as much as $40 a barrel from present levels, Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj told Reuters on Monday. The tax on firms that have increased product exports to gain from higher overseas margins took effect on July 1, as the government moves to boost domestic supply and revenue. The taxes, and some accompanying export curbs, will hit the earnings of companies such as Reliance Industries, Nayara Energy, which is partly owned by Russia's , the Oil and Natural Gas Corp, Oil India Ltd and Vedanta Ltd. Also Read | Decoded: What is windfall tax on oil companies and where does India stand? "The taxation would be reviewed every 15 days," Bajaj said, adding that it would depend on international crude prices. "If crude prices fall, then windfall gains will cease and windfall taxes would also be removed." The government believes such windfall gains will cease once prices fall $40 from existing levels, Bajaj said. futures slipped on Monday to about $111.27 a barrel, as fears of a global recession weighed on the market even as supply remains tight amid lower output, unrest in Libya and sanctions on Russia. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were at $108.09 a barrel. Bajaj did not provide any estimate of the revenue increase for the government from its windfall tax move. (Reporting by Aftab Ahmed; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Industry and trade chambers have voiced concern at some of last weeks decisions of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, such as taxing hospital room tariffs and bringing unbranded packaged consumer items within the tax net. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, seeking zero rate for health care services to enable service providers to claim (ITC). The industry body is of the view that enabling this will not only keep the ITC chain intact but will make compliance easier. It will also ensure that the input taxes are not loaded into the cost of health care services, the letter said. The chamber added hospitals had requested the government several times in the past for a zero-rating on health care. Raising concern over the Councils decision to impose 5 per cent on room rent (excluding ICU) if it exceeds Rs 5,000 per day and 12 per cent on bio-medical waste treatment plants, the chamber said it would increase the cost for patients. Levying 5 per cent on room rent will not just increase the cost of healthcare services to the patients but will also create confusion for hospitals, as room rent is usually the part of the package rate for the treatment. It will lead to deconstructing of the packages, which is against the current practice being encouraged by the government, said. The industry body said hospitals had their own bio-medical waste treatment plants. In case a GST of 12 per cent is levied, hospitals would be unable to claim ITC, given that hospital services were exempt from GST. Furthermore, these taxes are increasing the cost of compliance for hospitals and making the process perplexing. This will defeat the governments intention of doing business easy, the letter pointed out. The net impact of revised tax rates on inputs (goods and services) consumed by hospitals has increased, including the taxes on some of the medical equipment. As this incremental cost is ultimately borne by the patients, it will not serve the intention of the government to provide affordable healthcare to all, the letter noted. However, on industry apprehensions on taxing hospital room tariffs, Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj, in an interview to this paper, had said those were unfounded. It is only for non-ICU hospital rooms that cost more than Rs 5,000 a day. The tax rate will be 5 per cent. This is an indirect tax that will not hit the poor. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) is unhappy at the councils decision to bring unbranded packaged consumer items within the GST net. According to the CAIT, it will cause a huge loss of business to foodgrain traders. This decision will empower big brands to capture the market at the cost of small manufacturers and traders. Special food items, cereals, etc., which were not branded till now, were exempted from GST. With this decision of the council, pre-packaged and pre-labeled retail packs including pre-packaged, pre-labeled curd, lassi and buttermilk will now attract GST tax and will cause huge damage to the business of food grains traders in more than 6500 grain markets across the country, it said while protesting the move on Monday. The Consortium of Medical, Engineering, and Colleges of (COMEDK) will release the results of COMEDK Undergraduate (UGET) on July 5. The authorities will release the COMEDK UGET rank list 2022 on the official website comedk.org. Candidates will be able to check their COMEDK rank by logging in to the candidate portal. The shortlisted candidates on the basis of the rank list will be eligible to participate in the counselling process, which typically lasts for three sessions. Candidates will be able to view the COMEDK 2022 result by logging in with their COMEDK application sequence number/User ID and password. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to check COMDEK UGET result 2022: Step 1: Visit the official website-- comedk.org. Step 2: On the homepage, click on the COMEDK result link. Step 3: Enter the login credentials and click on submit. Step 4: Your COMEDK result will appear on the screen. Step 5: Download it and take a printout for future reference Candidates should know that the cut-off for the COMEDK UGET will differ for each course and college and would depend on a number of variables, including the number of seats available, the number of applicants for the exam, and others. Professional Colleges Foundation, in order to offer a fair testing procedure to determine merit of students seeking admission to the member institutions, formed COMEDK. It has been assigned the task of organising a common for the academic year 2022-2023. The UGET 2022 was held on June 19 for candidates seeking admissions to BE or BTech courses offered by the participating institutes in the state. Along with the result, the authorities will also release the candidate's rank card. The candidates should keep it safely for the counselling and admission process. Bank has received the Reserve Bank of Indias approval for the merger between the lender and Housing Development Corporation. Bank has received a letter dated July 04, 2022 from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) whereby the RBI has accorded its no objection for the Scheme, subject to certain conditions as mentioned therein, the lender said in a release. The scheme for amalgamation remains subject to various statutory and regulatory approvals including approvals from the Competition Commission of India, the National Company Law Tribunal and other applicable authorities, said Bank. Last week, the merger proposal between the two entities received approval from stock exchanges. Both HDFC and HDFC Bank have got no-objection from both stock exchanges, clearing the path for the biggest such transaction in Indian corporate history. HDFC Bank is Indias largest private sector bank. On April 4, HDFC Bank agreed to take over the biggest domestic mortgage lender in a deal valued at about USD 40 billion, creating a financial services titan. The proposed entity will have a combined asset base of around Rs 18 lakh crore. The merger is expected to be completed by the second or third quarter of FY24, subject to regulatory approvals. Once the deal is effective, HDFC Bank will be 100 per cent owned by public shareholders, and existing shareholders of HDFC will own 41 per cent of the bank. Every HDFC shareholder will get 42 shares of HDFC Bank for every 25 shares held. The BSEs observation letter said the company is advised to disclose the details of all the actions taken by Sebi or any other regulator against any of the entities, its directors/promoters and promoter group, in the petition to be filed before NCLT. The company shall ensure that no changes to the draft scheme except those mandated by the regulators or tribunals should be made without specific written consent of Sebi, it said. The statement by HDFC Bank on Monday did not mention the subject of certain relaxations that were requested by the lender from the RBI. In April, HDFC Bank had requested the RBI to provide relaxation on meeting regulatory norms on Statutory Liquidity Ratio, Cash Reserve Ratio and on priority sector lending. HDFC Bank had also requested leeway on grandfathering of some loans after the completion of the merger with HDFC. At the time, HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh said the RBI had taken the requests into consideration. A new case of monkeypox has been confirmed in Brazil, bringing the total number in the country to 76, the Ministry of Health reported on Sunday. The case, discovered in the Federal District of Brasilia, involves a man in his 30s who had recently travelled abroad. The patient is in isolation and monitored by medical professionals. The ministry added that it had requested the Center for Strategic Information in Health Surveillance to collect all data on monkeypox cases in the country. Brazil, the most populated country in Latin America, has registered the highest number of cases in the state of Sao Paulo with 52 confirmed infections, followed by Rio de Janeiro with 16. The ministry said the rest of the cases have been reported in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio Grande do Norte, and the Federal District. reported the country's first case of monkeypox in the city of Sao Paulo in early June. The virus was detected in a 41-year-old man who had travelled to Spain and Portugal. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) and have condemned the government's move towards unilaterally rewriting parts of the post- with the . German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Irish counterpart Simon Coveney said there was no legal or political justification for overriding the agreed trade rules in Northern . Writing in British newspaper The Observer on Sunday, the ministers say Britain will be breaking an agreement just two years old which it hadn't engaged in with good faith. The so-called Northern Protocol within the deal maintains an open border with EU member Ireland and free of customs posts. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's administration wants to remove the checks on goods such as meat and eggs arriving in Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK, which protect the European Union's single market. Lawmakers in London passed legislation which permits the move last week. Johnson's critics, opponents and some members of his own party, along with European observers, have said the plan breaks law. The government argues it is justified because of the genuinely exceptional situation. Baerbock and Coveney said the bill wouldn't fix the challenges around the protocol. Instead, it will create a new set of uncertainties and make it more challenging to find durable solutions, they wrote. The foreign ministers also argued the move jeopardises peace in Northern Ireland under the Good Friday Agreement, which helped end decades of sectarian violence and has stood since 1998. Johnson's government has hoped to pass the legislation, which will be debated again in Parliament on July 13 by the time its summer break begins later in the month. This could see it become law by the end of 2022. The EU has threatened to retaliate against the if it goes ahead, raising the prospect of a trade war between the two major economic partners. Separately, Irish Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar told the BBC on Sunday it wasn't appropriate or right time for a poll on Irish reunification. Varadkar said such a referendum, permitted under the Good Friday Agreement when a majority in Northern Ireland in favour of a united Ireland is considered likely, would be divisive and defeated at the moment. The Northern Ireland Assembly, its devolved legislature, has been paralysed for months over the implementation of the protocol, leaving it without a regional government. The July 4 weekend in Chicago, Illinois, witnessed a series of shooting incidents in which at least 37 people were injured and 7 killed in gun shootings, local media reported. This is a new string of horrific shootings that took place in the where the latest is the killing of a 30-year-old man who was shot dead on Saturday morning (local time) in Chicago, Illinois. The shooting incident took place in the 9000 block of Escanaba at about 12:19 a.m. when the victim was shot in the head by an unknown person, police said. The victim was taken to an area hospital however he was pronounced dead. No one was in custody as of Saturday afternoon. On the same day, a 90-year-old man was hospitalized later Saturday after suffering a gunshot wound to the abdomen, with Mount Sinai Hospital listing him in critical condition, reported Fox News. On Friday (local time) at least seven people were killed and at least 29 were injured so far in shootings across the city of Chicago, local media citing local authorities. According to the Police, a 26-year-old man was shot and killed at approximately 5:43 p.m on Friday in the 6500 block of South Wolcott during the fatal shooting over the weekend. The incident transpired when the victim was near the sidewalk when an unknown offender approached, produced a handgun and started firing shots. Following the action by the offender, the victim was struck to the arm and head, authorities said. The victim was taken to the University of Medical Center however he was later pronounced dead, reported NBC . This is not an isolated incident as another fatal shooting took place on the same day at around 10:52 p.m. In this incident, a 24-year-old woman shot in the torso, according to the police. After receiving the information the police responded and the victim was taken to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead. In the same shooting, a 42-year-old woman was injured when she was shot in the hand and taken to an area hospital, police said. A 38-year-old man, who police said was also an offender, was shot in the buttocks and taken to an area hospital in critical condition. According to the preliminary investigation into the matter, the police said the man in custody was exchanging gunfire with another man who fled the scene. A weapon was recovered and detectives are now investigating into the incident, as per the media portal. The shootings came the same day Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot held a press conference, where she expressed appreciation for the city's police officers. "We need to remember every single day on every single watch, our brave men and women of the Chicago Police Department are out there literally risking their lives for our safety," Mayor Lori Lightfoot said during a Friday press conference where she reminded residents to "say thank you" to officers. With increasing incidents of gun violence in the United States, President Joe Biden had said that the US needs to ban assault weapons for the sake of protecting children and families or raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21. In a recent incident, a minor child was killed and another was injured in a shooting in Houston when two suspects opened fire at a moving vehicle for unknown reasons, officials said. Furthermore, on June 22, a group of US lawmakers reached a much-awaited deal on a bipartisan gun safety bill after recent mass shooting incidents in Uvalde, Buffalo and Texas, that struck a nerve in the country. The new bill aims to take firearms away from dangerous people and provide billions of dollars in new mental health funding. The bill does not ban assault-style rifles or significantly expand background-check requirements for gun purchases, but it gives states more resources to take guns away from dangerous individuals. In the recent incidents, two people were killed and four including three officers were injured in a shooting in Haltom City of Texas on Saturday. Police said that one woman was found dead inside the home and a man was found fatally shot in the home's driveway. An elderly woman who called 911 was shot but expected to survive. On May 24, a mass shooting incident took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas in which several people including 19 children were killed. This was the deadliest attack since the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed, according to CNN. On June 20, a teenager was shot dead and three including a police officer were injured in a shooting in the area of 14th and U Street Northwest in Washington, DC.On June 1, at least four people were killed in a shooting incident at a hospital campus in Oklahoma's Tulsa city, CNN reported citing police. The shootout incidents in the US have been increasing. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Top European hotel chains are hiring workers without experience or even a resume as executives admit years of underpaying staff have come back to bite. Thousands of workers left the when travel shut down during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many chose not to return, finding better paid employment elsewhere. Europes largest hotelier Accor is running trial initiatives to recruit people who haven't previously worked in the industry, chief executive Sebastien Bazin said in an interview with Reuters at the Qatar Economic Forum last month. Accor, which operates in over 110 countries, needs 35,000 workers globally, he said. Were having people interviewed with no resume, no prior job experience and they are hired within 24 hours, Bazin said. In the short term, Accor is filling roles in France with young people and migrants while also limiting services. Staff shortages are particularly pressing in Spain and Portugal, where tourism accounted for 13 per cent and 15 per cent of economic output, respectively, before the pandemic. Hoteliers there are offering higher pay, free accommodation and perks like bonuses and health insurance. Gabriel Escarrer, CEO of Spanish hotel chain Melia. said to attract staff, his company recently provided accommodation due to a shortage of rental housing near its resorts. The operations director of Hotel Mundial said it was currently trying to recruit 59 workers. If we cannot recruit, we will have to cut services, he said. This is regrettable and dramatic for an industry that has had no revenue for the last two years. Jose Carlos, 52, can only open his Madrid bar, Tabanco de Jerez, during the weekend. During the week we can't open because we have no hands, they are studying, he said, gesturing to his student workforce setting up tables on a Saturday. At Madrids vibey La Latina district, the Angosta Tavern owner, Mariveni Rodriguez said, We give the opportunity to migrants who come with a desire to work as they have no family or institutional support, she said. Spains catering industry is 200,000 workers short and Portuguese hotels need at least 15,000 more people to meet growing demand, according to national hospitality associations. The solution will surely be to pay more, said Jose Luis Yzuel, from the catering services sector association. In Spain, bars and restaurants increased workers wages by nearly 60 per cent in the first quarter compared to previous year according to official data. But the industry still pays employees the least, around ^1,150 per month. In neighbouring Portugal the average wage in the sector is ^881 per month, above the minimum wage of ^705. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) HANOI, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam raked in more than 11.9 billion U.S. dollars from exporting footwear from January to June, witnessing a year-on-year increase of 14.8 percent, according to the country's Ministry of Industry and Trade on Monday. In the first half of 2022, the Southeast Asian country also earned more than 2 billion dollars from exporting handbags, wallets, suitcases, hats and umbrellas, up 20.4 percent year on year. In 2021, Vietnam reaped over 17.6 billion dollars from exporting footwear, up 4.9 percent year on year, according to the country's General Statistics Office. The toll from Bangladesh's unprecedented has risen to more than 100, the authorities said. According to a daily flood report of the Health Emergency Operation Center and Control Room on Sunday, the have killed 102 people in 27 of the 64 flood-affected districts between May 17 and June 28. Most victims died from drowning, snake bites and lightning in the flood-hit areas, showed the report. At least 7 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours as of Sunday morning, Xinhua news agency reported. With roads washed away by the triggered by heavy seasonal rains and onrush of water from hills, the authorities have still been battling to deliver supplies in many northeastern and northern districts. The floods have caused widespread damage to houses and crops across vast swathes of northern and northeastern regions. Bangladeshi State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief, Md Enamur Rahman earlier told reporters that both the government and private agencies have been working together in the greater Sylhet region worst hit by the floods. --IANS int/khz/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) has dismissed rumours he plans to resign anytime soon and that he hopes to visit and Kyiv after travelling to Canada later this month. Francis also told Reuters in an interview published on Monday that the idea "never entered my mind" to announce a planned retirement at the end of the summer, though he repeated he might step down some day as Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI did in 2013. He revealed that his knee trouble, which has caused him to use a wheelchair for over a month, was caused by a "small fracture" that occurred when he stepped awkwardly while the knee ligament was inflamed. He said it is "slowly getting better" with laser and magnet therapy. Francis was due to have visited Congo and South Sudan this week but had to cancel the trip because doctors said he needed more therapy. He said he was on board to travel to Canada July 24-30 and said he hoped to visit Russia and Ukraine sometime thereafter. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Expectations of easing trade tensions between the US and China boosted the offshore yuan and other risk currencies. American President (pictured) is expected to roll back some tariffs on Chinese imports soon, The Wall Street Journal reported. According to people familiar with the situation, the report said, what comes next has been pending with Biden in recent weeks and that he could announce his decision this week. It could include a pause on tariffs on consumer goods such as clothing and school supplies, as well as launching a broad framework to allow importers to request tariff waivers. Following the report, the Chinese strengthened as much as 0.3 per cent to 6.6807 per dollar. The Australian and New Zealand dollars climbed to session highs against the greenback. claimed control Sunday over the last Ukrainian stronghold in an eastern province that is key to achieving a major goal of Moscow's grinding war. The General Staff of Ukraine's military reported that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk in Luhansk province, but the president said the fight for the city was still raging on its outskirts. If confirmed, Russia's complete seizure of Luhansk would provide its troops with a stronger base from which to press their advance in the Donbas, a region of mines and factories that President Vladimir Putin is bent on capturing in a campaign that could determine the course of the entire war. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told Putin that Russia's troops, with a local separatist militia, have established full control over the city of Lysychansk and now hold all of Luhansk, according to a ministry statement published Sunday. As is typical with such descriptions, the Russian statement characterized the victories as the liberation of the Luhansk People's Republic. Separatists in Luhansk and neighboring Donetsk, which make up the Donbas and are home to significant Russian-speaking populations, declared independence from Kyiv in 2014 and their forces have battled Ukrainian troops there ever since. formally recognized the self-proclaimed republics days before its Feb. 24 invasion of . Ukrainian and Russian forces fought fiercely for Lysychansk in recent days after the neighboring city fell last week. On Sunday evening, the General Staff of Ukraine's military confirmed on social media that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders. Earlier, however, Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy said Kyiv's forces were still battling Russian soldiers on the city's outskirts in a very difficult and dangerous situation. We cannot give you the final judgment. Lysychansk is still being fought for, Zelenskyy told a news conference in Kyiv given alongside Australia's visiting prime minister. He noted that territory can move quickly from one side to the other. Russian forces maintain an advantage in the area, he acknowledged, calling it a Ukrainian military weak spot. The capture of Lysychansk would give the Russians more territory from which to intensify attacks on Donetsk. In recent weeks, Russian forces were thought to hold about half of Donetsk, but it's not clear where things stand now. If prevails in the Donbas, would lose not only land but perhaps the bulk of its most capable military forces, opening the way for Moscow to grab more territory and strengthen its ability to dictate terms to Kyiv. Since failing to take Kyiv and other areas in northern and central early in the war, Russia has focused on the Donbas, unleashing fierce shelling and engaging in house-to-house combat that devastated Lysychansk, neighboring Sievierodonetsk and nearby villages. Few details emerged from either city during the battles, which decimated their populations as people were killed or fled. Already Russian forces appeared to be pushing their advance in Donetsk, concentrating rocket attacks on the sizable Ukrainian-held city of Slovyansk, where at least six people were killed, regional government spokeswoman Tatyana Ignatchenko told Ukrainian TV. Kramatorsk, another major city in the Donetsk region, also came under fire, the regional administration said. Far from the fighting in the east, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday visited a town near the capital that was severely damaged early in the war. Albanese called the destruction in Irpin devastating." "These are homes and these are livelihoods and indeed lives that have been lost here in this town, he said. Meanwhile, the exiled mayor of the Russia-occupied city of Melitopol said Sunday that Ukrainian rockets destroyed one of four Russian military bases in the city. Attacks were also reported inside Russia, in a revival of sporadic apparent Ukrainian strikes across the border. The governor of the Belgorod region in Western Russia said fragments of an intercepted Ukrainian missile killed four people Sunday. In the Russian city of Kursk, two Ukrainian drones were shot down, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Kursk regional governor Roman Starovoit said the town of Tetkino, on the Ukraine border, came under mortar fire. As bad as the worlds energy crisis has been this year, it would been much worse without a wetter-than-usual start to Chinas rainy season. While heavy downpours in southern have been a public safety crisis, closing schools and causing fatalities, theyve also led to reduced air-conditioning demand and surging generation. Both have lessened the need for fossil fuels, allowing the worlds biggest coal and gas importer to cut purchases and leave more supply for other energy-starved nations. Hydro is still Chinas biggest carbon-free energy resource, accounting for about as much power as solar, wind and nuclear combined, although growth has flattened as topography limits expansion. Also Read: Nuclear power is the future. Tiger Global and Bill Gates know it generation through the end of May rose 18% from last year as rains filled reservoirs and two massive projects along tributaries of the Yangtze River ramped up output. The additional power would have consumed about 27 million tons of coal if it had come from thermal plants, based on data from the US Energy Information Administration. Regions importing from southwest are certainly able to alleviate some pressure of high thermal fuel costs, said David Fishman, a Shanghai-based analyst with The Lantau Group. At the same time, rains helped keep temperatures cool in southern China, where intense heat in May and June last year contributed to a coal shortage that forced local governments to cut off power to factories. This May, the economic powerhouse of Guangdong province saw power consumption drop 15% from the previous year, saving about 4.6 million tons of coal. Alongside stringent virus restrictions in Shanghai and northern China, the rains have helped suppress usage so that thermal power generation recorded a 3.5% annual drop through the end of May, the worst annual performance for the first five months since 2016. Thats cut imports of coal by 14% and liquefied natural gas by 20%, just as prices have soared after Russia invaded Ukraine. And theres no telling where global prices would be without that reduction. has demonstrated its willing to stump up whatever it takes for energy security, and officials are taking the same line this year with promises that factories wont face the same curtailments that struck last summer and fall. What is a large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap? According to a formula prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) for the Rs 38-trillion domestic mutual fund industry, stocks with a market capitalisation (m-cap) between $2 billion (Rs 16,443 crore) and $6 billion (Rs 47,228 crore) are classified mid-caps. Those above $6 billion are large-caps. Ones below $2 billion are small-caps. The latest stock reclassification based on the January-June 2022 data was released by the Association of in India on Monday. Under framework, the first 100 stocks by are defined large-caps; the next 150 are mid-caps; and the rest small-caps. During the previous reclassification (based on stock prices for July-December 2021), the cut-off for mid-caps came in at $6.42 billion, 7.4 per cent higher than now, while the upper threshold for small-caps was nearly 15 per cent higher at $2.4 billion. This was the highest cut-off ever since introduced the classification framework in 2018. The latest decline in upper threshold the first time since June 2020 follows a sharp fall in small- and mid-caps so far this year. The Nifty Smallcap 100 and the Nifty Midcap 100 indices are down 24 per cent and 12 per cent year-to-date. In comparison, the Nifty50 has declined 8.8 per cent. While the overall market has fallen, stocks that have underperformed have got downgraded from large-caps to mid-caps. These include IDBI Bank, HDFC Asset Management Company, Godrej Properties, Steel Authority of India, Cadila Healthcare, Jubilant FoodWorks, and PB Fintech. About a dozen stocks have been downgraded from mid-caps to small-caps. These include Sanofi India, Aptus Value Housing, Ajanta Pharma, and Happiest Minds. Life Insurance Corporation of India and Adani Wilmar which came out with their initial public offerings (IPOs) earlier this year have been directly inducted into the large-cap universe since their is among the top 100 listed firms. Similarly, Vedant Fashions and Delhivery have been added to mid-caps, following their recent IPOs. Adani Power, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company, Bank of Baroda, Hindustan Aeronautics, and Bandhan Bank, too, have got added to the large-cap ecosystem, thanks to their outperformance during the first six months of the year. Equity-oriented schemes will have to realign their portfolios within the next one month to realign with the latest reclassification. Unlike passive funds, actively-managed schemes have the legroom to hold stocks outside their investing universe. In other words, a large cap-oriented actively-managed equity scheme doesnt necessarily have to dump a stock if it is no longer part of the large-cap universe. In the past, stocks that were upgraded tended to outperform ones that were downgraded. At the end of May, the large-cap fund category had assets under management (AUM) of Rs 2.2 trillion. The mid-cap fund segment had AUM of Rs 1.55 trillion. The small-cap fund category had an AUM of Rs 1 trillion. Besides, categories such as multi-cap, flexi-cap, large-cap, mid-cap investing across three buckets had a combined AUM of over Rs 3.8 trillion. Maruti Suzuki India: The carmaker announced production of 1.44 lakh vehicles in June 2022 as against 1.65 lakh units in the previous year. The shortage of electronic components had a minor impact on the production of vehicles in June 2022. Hero MotoCorp: Total motorcycle and scooter sales in June 2022 was 4.85 lakh units, which is higher by 3.3% over 4.69 lakh units sold in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal. While domestic sales increased by 5.6% to 4.63 lakh units, exports declined by 29.3% to 0.21 lakh units in June 2022 over June 2021. Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M): M&M said that its overall auto sales for the month of June 2022 stood at 54,096 vehicles, which is higher by 64% as compared with 32,964 vehicles sold in June 2021. In the Farm Equipment Sector (FES), M&M sold 41,848 tractors in June 2022 as against sales of 48,222 tractors recorded in the same period last year, registering a degrowth of 13% YoY. Eicher Motors: Eicher Motors' total motorcycles (Royal Enfield) sales soared 43% to 61,407 units in June 2022 as against 43,048 units sold in the same period last year. TVS Motor Company: TVS Motor Company reported a growth of 22% in June 2022 with sales of 308,501 units as against 251,886 units in the month of June 2021. Avenue Supermarts (DMart): The company has reported a standalone revenue of Rs 9,806.89 crore in Q1 June 2022 (Q1FY23), up 94.90% from Rs 5,031.75 crore reported in the same quarter last year. Hindustan Zinc: The miner said its mined metal production rose 14% to 252,000 tonnes in Q1 FY23 as against 221,000 tonnes in Q1 FY22. NMDC: The state-owned miner's iron ore production skid 13.76% to 2.57 million tonnes (MT) in June 2022 as against 2.98 MT in June 2021. Muthoot Finance: The NBFC said it has received the Reserve Bank of India's permission for opening 150 new branches. In a separate announcement on Friday, the company announced that the transaction of primary issuance of 32,35,295 equity shares of the face value of Rs 10 each at a premium of Rs 330 per share in its subsidiary, Belstar Microfinance, has been completed. Glenmark Pharma: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued Form 483 with one observation after an inspection at Glenmark Pharmaceuticals' formulation manufacturing facility based out of Aurangabad between 27 June 2022 and 1 July 2022. Zee Media Corporation: Zee Media Corporation on Friday announced that Sudhir Chaudhary has tendered his resignation from the position of chief financial officer (CEO) of the company with effect from 1 July 2022. Paisalo Digital: A special committee of the company's board will meet on 6 July 2022 to consider issuing non-convertible debentures through private placement basis. Ashoka Buildcon: Ashoka Buildcon on Friday announced that its joint venture (JV) bid emerged as the lowest (L-1) for construction and maintenance of Rajiv Gandhi Fintech Digital Institute in Jodhpur. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) WTC Trades & Projects, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Brigade Enterprises, has acquired 63% stake in Tandem Allied Services for Rs 51.03 crore. Brigade Enterprises said the acquisition is aimed at consolidating the group's facility management business under one division and giving it a focused approach in taking it to the next level of growth. WTC Trades & Projects acquired 25,20,000 equity shares of Tandem Allied Services aggregating to 63% of the total share capital for cash consideration of Rs 51.03 crore on 30 June 2022. Tandem Allied Services is a company incorporated on 19 June 2000 under the companies Act, 1956 located at Bangalore, Karnataka, India with the main objects in the field of facility management and interiors business. The company reported a profit after tax of Rs 7.28 crore on a turnover of Rs 37.69 crore in the financial year ended 31 March 2022. This acquisition is a related party transaction as Brigade Enterprises holds 37% stake in Tandem Allied Services. Brigade Enterprises said that the valuation of the Tandem Allied Services has been done by a registered valuer and fairness opinion taken from a category 1 merchant banker. The necessary approvals from the audit committee and the board have been taken for the same. Tandem Allied Services has become a subsidiary of WTC Trades & Projects and a step down subsidiary of Brigade Enterprises due to the acquisition. Prior to this acquisition, Tandem Allied Services was an associate company of Brigade Enterprises. Brigade Enterprises is Brigade group's flagship company. Brigade group was established in 1986, with property development as its main focus. On a consolidated basis, Brigade Enterprises' net profit tumbled 17.9% to Rs 32.47 crore on a 19.1% rise in revenue to Rs 942.31 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21. Shares of Brigade Enterprises rose 0.19% to Rs 445.05 on the BSE. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and the European Union concluded the first round of negotiations for India-EU Trade and Investment Agreements, including the Geographical Indicators (GI). India's FTA negotiations were led by Chief Negotiator Ms. Nidhi Mani Tripathi, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce and EU was represented by its Chief Negotiator, Mr. Christophe Kiener. The week-long negotiations were held in a hybrid fashion - with some of the teams meeting in Delhi and the majority of officials joining virtually hybrid fashion. During this Round 52 technical Sessions covering 18 policy areas of FTA and 7 Sessions on Investment Protection and GIs were held. The second round of negotiations is scheduled to take place in September 2022 at Brussels. The negotiations were launched by Shri Piyush Goyal Minister for Commerce & Industry and European Commission's Executive Vice President Mr. Valdis Dombrovskis at Brussels last month. India's bilateral trade with EU amounted to USD 116.36 billion in 2021-22. Despite the global disruptions, the bilateral trade achieved an impressive annual growth of 43.5% in 2021-22. Currently EU is India's second largest trading partner after US, and the second largest destination for Indian exports. The trade agreement with EU would help India in further expanding and diversifying its exports of goods and services, including securing the value chains. Both sides are aiming for the trade negotiations to be broad-based, balanced, and comprehensive, based on the principles of fairness and reciprocity. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) National Fertilizers (NFL) advanced 3.99% to Rs 43.05 after the company's total fertilizer sales jumped 47% to 15.58 lakh MT (metric tonne) in April-June 2022 compared with 10.62 lakh MT recorded during the same period last year. The company said that it has recorded the best ever sales in its history. A major push to sale growth has been received from sale of non-urea fertilizers like DAP, Bentonite Sulphur, Bio fertilizers, PDM and micro nutrients. Further, with a product mix of varied fertilizers, the company that said it is steadily progressing towards a record sale. National Fertilizers is engaged in producing and marketing urea, neem coated urea, bio-fertilizers (solid and liquid) and other allied industrial products. As of 31 March 2022, the Government of India owned 74.71% stake in the company. On consolidated basis, the company reported a net profit of Rs 6.06 crore in Q4 FY22 compared with net loss of Rs 9.53 crore in Q4 FY21. Net sales jumped 50% to Rs 4,442.29 crore during the period under review. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two old people in Macao die after testing positive for COVID-19 Xinhua) 10:30, July 04, 2022 Medical workers from the mainland arrive in Macao, south China, July 3, 2022, to assist the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government in carrying out mass testings. A total of 90 people in Macao tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, of which 47 were confirmed cases while the others were asymptomatic. In addition, 650 medical workers from the mainland have arrived in Macao to assist the SAR government in carrying out mass testings. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) MACAO, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Two women aged 94 and 100 have died after testing positive for COVID-19 in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) , according to the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center of Macao on Sunday. They were the first deaths related to COVID-19 reported in Macao. Both of them had had chronic diseases, the center said. A total of 90 people in Macao tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, of which 47 were confirmed cases while the others were asymptomatic. As of Saturday, 784 people had tested positive in the latest outbreak in the Macao SAR since June 19, with 467 of them being asymptomatic, the center said. In addition, 650 medical workers from the mainland have arrived in Macao to assist the SAR government in carrying out mass testings. Three rounds of mass testing have been arranged for the coming week, the center added. Medical workers from the mainland arrive in Macao, south China, July 3, 2022, to assist the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government in carrying out mass testings. A total of 90 people in Macao tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, of which 47 were confirmed cases while the others were asymptomatic. In addition, 650 medical workers from the mainland have arrived in Macao to assist the SAR government in carrying out mass testings. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Medical workers from the mainland arrive in Macao, south China, July 3, 2022, to assist the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government in carrying out mass testings. A total of 90 people in Macao tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, of which 47 were confirmed cases while the others were asymptomatic. In addition, 650 medical workers from the mainland have arrived in Macao to assist the SAR government in carrying out mass testings. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Medical workers from the mainland arrive in Macao, south China, July 3, 2022, to assist the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government in carrying out mass testings. A total of 90 people in Macao tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, of which 47 were confirmed cases while the others were asymptomatic. In addition, 650 medical workers from the mainland have arrived in Macao to assist the SAR government in carrying out mass testings. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Medical workers from the mainland arrive in Macao, south China, July 3, 2022, to assist the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government in carrying out mass testings. A total of 90 people in Macao tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, of which 47 were confirmed cases while the others were asymptomatic. In addition, 650 medical workers from the mainland have arrived in Macao to assist the SAR government in carrying out mass testings. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun) ULAN BATOR, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene will pay an official visit to Singapore from Wednesday to Saturday at the invitation of his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong to boost ties, according to the Mongolian Foreign Ministry. This will be the first visit to Singapore by a Mongolian prime minister after an interval of 11 years, the ministry said in a press release on Monday. "It is believed that this visit will make a real contribution to strengthening bilateral friendly relations with Singapore, a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and an influential country in Southeast Asia, promoting political dialogue and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, investment, economy and others," it said. For setting up Rs 3000 cr 4GW solar module manufacturing plant Tata Power has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu Government to invest approx. Rs 3,000 crore for setting up a greenfield 4GW Solar Cell and 4GW Solar Module manufacturing plant in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu. The MoU outlines the commitment made by both parties to stimulate clean energy transition and employment in the state. The investment in the plant will be made over a period of 16 months and will directly or indirectly create over 2,000 employment opportunities with majority of them being women employee. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The of India has found itself repeatedly in the news in the past weeks, and not necessarily for the best of reasons. First, in its dismissal of a case related to the 2002 violence in the state of Gujarat, the court expressed itself with some strength regarding some of those involved in it particularly the activist Teesta Setalvad, who was subsequently arrested by the anti-terrorist squad. Whether or not the court intended to use its judgment as an instruction for Ms Setalvads arrest, that was apparently the consequence of its remarks on the subject. Then, in the course of firmly denying a request from the former national spokesperson that several different first information reports filed against her be clubbed together, a two-member vacation Bench of the court delivered itself of a severe reproof of Ms Sharma, holding her passing remarks on television responsible for a national violent response. Naturally, these remarks were widely scrutinised. Finally, one of the judges on that Bench, while delivering a lecture on public and the judicial process, called for more stringent regulation of digital media to prevent personalised attacks on judges. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The led by Chief Minister is going to expand its cabinet for the first time today. The oath-taking ceremony of the new Ministers will be held at Raj Bhawan at 5 pm today. Meanwhile, the discussions on the names of the new Ministers and which new faces will join the government are in full swing. Last week, CM visited Delhi to meet the party high command Arvind Kejriwal. Sources said during this meeting, there was a discussion about the of Punjab and the names of the possible ministers were also mentioned. However, on being asked by the ANI about the meeting of the two, Bhagwant Mann said that "there was no discussion about in the meeting with Arvind Kejriwal, we will decide on it in Punjab". After this meeting on Friday, news came from Punjab on Saturday that the Bhagwant Mann government is going to expand the cabinet. This is going to happen at a time when AAP has lost the Sangrur Lok Sabha by-election recently and civic elections are also to be held in Punjab in the coming times. In such a situation, it is believed that in this cabinet expansion, efforts will also be made to harmonize accordingly. According to sources, Dwaba and Majha regions can also be represented in this cabinet expansion, because most of the Ministers in the current cabinet of the Bhagwant Mann government are from the Malwa region. Sources said a total of 5 to 6 new ministers, including a woman MLA, are likely to take oath on Monday. At present, Dr Baljit Kaur is the only woman minister in the Bhagwant Mann government. Jeevanjot Kaur from Amritsar East and Sarvjit Kaur Manuke from Jagrao are among the names that are surfacing for the new female face. According to sources, the name of Aman Arora, MLA from Sunam, is in the forefront of the names that are being discussed. It is also believed that the portfolios of some ministers can also be changed. Further, the names of Amritsar South MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Fauja Singh Sarari, MLA from Guru Har Sahai, Samana MLA Chetan Singh Joramajra are also humming around. After winning the assembly elections, apart from CM Bhagwant Mann, a total of 10 ministers were made in Punjab. After the removal of Health Minister Vijay Singla in the corruption case, there are a total of 9 ministers in the cabinet. If 5 more ministers are made, then the total number of ministers including the chief minister will become 15. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharatiya Janata Party president JP Nadda on Sunday lambasted the KCR-led Telangana government and said that the southern state was in a loss of Rs 4.5 lakh crore. "People are perturbed by the corruption and injustice of the government. The state is in loss of Rs 4.5 lakh crore under him. People gave us a good response in recent elections held at different levels in the state," said Nadda on the second day of the national executive meeting in Hyderabad. He also stressed that the people of Telangana were fed up with the state government's malpractices. "I was in charge of elections here in the assembly elections, I have seen the atmosphere of that time and the environment after that. The way people are fed up with the government of and the malpractices of his government and the way they are trying to crush the opposition parties," he added. Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also gave a clarion call to the people of Telangana to uproot the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government and give a chance to the . Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao is not concerned for the unemployed youth and only wants to make his son, KT Rama Rao, the CM. Speaking on the final day of the BJP's National Executive Meeting in Hyderabad which began on Saturday, Shah said supported the demand for Telangana and accused the Congress of dividing Andhra Pradesh in a way that caused "everlasting enmity" between two states. " doesn't care about your source of livelihood. He has no concern for the unemployed youth. He just wants to make his son the CM. KCR, the next turn is neither yours nor for your son. The next turn is meant for the BJP," he said. "Since the onset of agitations for Telangana's formation, BJP supported the state's demands. Congress, instead, stood in the way of its formation for years. When they sensed PM Modi's rise in 2014, they divided Andhra Pradesh in a way that caused everlasting enmity between the two states. This enmity, which was ignited by Congress, was further strengthened when KCR got power in the state," the Home Minister said. Shah said that the BJP will fulfill all promises that the TRS did not keep while asking for a chance for the party to run the state. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hitting back at joint opposition candidate for Presidential polls for his "rubber stamp Rashtrapati" comments, BJP General Secretary C T Ravi on Monday said a feeling that an Adivasi woman is not capable for the position, itself depicts one's "nasty mindset". He was reacting to a question regarding Sinha urging BJP-led NDA's nominee for the elections, Droupadi Murmu, who belongs to a tribal community in Odisha, to make an affirmation that she will not be a "rubber stamp Rashtrapati". "Certainly the country doesn't need a rubber stamp Rashtrapati, but also, in the same way, the mindset of indulging in a false propaganda against a self-made Adivasi woman, who has proved her capability, is dangerous. The state of mind that feels oneself alone to be worthy is dangerous," Ravi said. Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Murmu, an Adivasi woman has already proved her capabilities, as the Governor of Jharkhand, as a minister and MLA in Odisha and as a lecturer in a college. A feeling that the Adivasi woman is not capable for the position itself depicts one's nasty mindset." Murmu will be visiting Karnataka on July 10 to seek votes, Ravi said, as he also stated that based on the current numbers, her victory is certain in the July 18 presidential polls. Sinha, who was in Bengaluru on Sunday as part of his poll campaign, attended the Congress Legislature Party meeting here, and accused the BJP-led central government of misusing agencies like ED, CBI, Income Tax to "fix" political opponents. Reacting to this, Ravi, MLA from Chikmagalur, said, "ED or Income Tax departments can't do anything to those who are honest, but those corrupt can't escape from them. If one is corrupt, he or she has to worry; those honest need not and will not." He also welcomed the JD(S) plans to support Murmu in the presidential polls. Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda-led regional party has already indicated support for Murmu. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Mumbai Congress on Monday said it strongly opposed the construction of the metro rail carshed in green lung Aarey, with city unit chief Bhai Jagtap urging the Union government and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister to drop their "juvenile insistence" on going ahead with the plan. One of the first decisions taken by the Eknath Shinde government was to allow construction of the carshed for Metro Line 3 at Aarey, a move that has met with opposition from environmental activists and some political parties, overturning the previous government's plan to build it at Kanjurmarg. Issuing a release during the day, Jagtap said the Congress would oppose the plan to build the carshed for Colaba-Seepz Metro Line 3 in Aarey. "The Aarey forest is the breath of Mumbai. It is the lung of Mumbai. By destroying the forest and cutting down trees, the BJP government at the Centre and are doing juvenile insistence to set up a metro carshed there," Jagtap said. "This is a project that destroys the environment. It is being opposed at all levels. Mumbaikars don't want this project in Aarey. The metro carshed should come up in Kanjurmarg," the Congress leader added. After becoming the chief minister in 2019, Uddhav Thackeray had shifted the carshed site to Kanjurmarg, though the land parcel is embroiled in a legal dispute as both the Centre and the state have claimed ownership. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday hailed the victory of his faction in the floor test of the . Speaking in the Assembly today, Shinde said, "I thank Devendra Fadnavis ji for giving me a chance to work as a minister in the previous government... I could work on Samruddhi Mahamarg project. He was to give the Deputy CM post to also in 2019." "We are Shivsainiks and we will always be Shivsainiks of Balasaheb and Anand Dighe. I want to remind you who was there and who got Balasaheb's voting banned for six years," the Maharashtra Chief Minister said. "Initially, I was supposed to be made the Chief Minister in the MVA government... But later Ajit Dada (Ajit Pawar) or someone said that I should not be made the Chief Minister. I had no problem and I told Uddhav ji to go ahead, and that I was with him. I never eyed that post," Shinde said. Shinde referred to two of his children who had died and got emotional. "They attacked my family...My father is alive, my mother died. I could not give much time to my parents. They would be asleep when I came and would go to work when I slept. I could not give much time to my son Shrikant. My two children died - at the time, Anand Dighe consoled me. I used to think, what is there to live for? I will stay with my family," the Chief Minister said. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday won the crucial floor test in the state Assembly on the last day of the two-day special session of the House. In the 288-member House, 164 MLAs voted for the motion of confidence, while 99 voted against it. Three legislators abstained from voting, while 21 legislators, including Congress's Ashok Chavan and Vijay Wadettiwar, were absent. Sanjay Raut on Monday questioned the legitimacy of the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and said the Shinde group cannot claim to be the original Sena. Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Raut said these MLAs (of the Shinde group) should ask themselves some questions. They used the party symbol and all benefits that come along with it to win elections and then broke the same party. Raut's statement comes after Speaker Rahul Narvekar reinstated Shinde as the legislature party leader, removing Ajay Chaudhary, just ahead of the Eknath Shinde-led government's floor test today. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Against the backdrop of the Eknath Shinde-led government winning the trust vote in the Assembly, Shiv Sena president and former CM on Monday alleged it was the BJP's ploy to finish his party, and challenged it to hold mid-term elections in the state. Addressing a meeting of Sena district presidents at the Shiv Sena Bhawan here, Thackeray said it was an insult of the Constitution to run the Legislative Assembly in an arbitrary manner. As per a statement issued by the Shiv Sena, Thackeray, in his speech, told the Sena district presidents to stay together if they want to put up a fight. "This is BJP's ploy to end the Shiv Sena, I dare them to hold mid-term polls in the state. Instead of playing all these games, we will go to the court of people. If we are wrong, people of the state will send us home and if you (BJP and Shinde group) are wrong, people will send you home," the statement said quoting Thackeray. He also asked experts to express their views on whether political developments in the state were in accordance with the Constitution or whether constitutional norms were violated. Last month, Eknath Shinde launched a rebellion against the Sena. Majority of MLAs sided with him, which led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by . Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister on June 30, a day after Thackeray quit the post. BJP's Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as the deputy CM. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Democratic Alliance's (NDA) presidential candidate and former Jharkhand governor will visit today. She will meet senior leaders and legislators in the state and seek support for her candidature in the presidential polls. Notably, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the ruling party in the state has not opened up yet as to whom the party going to support. UPA candidate Yashwant Sinha and the NDA's both have spoken to JMM's executive president and Chief Minister Hemant Soren for support in their favour. It is expected that JMM may announce its stand on Monday. On June 25, a meeting of JMM leaders including all MLAs and MPs was held under the leadership of its supreme Shibu Soren wherein it was decided that the party's executive president Hemant Soren will meet the Union Home Minister in Delhi and then the party will decide on extending the support for presidential candidates. On June 27, Soren called on Home Minister Amit Shah and the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi. However, even after the meetings, Soren maintained his silence. It would be interesting to know whom would the JMM support in the upcoming Presidential elections as its ally UPA has fielded Yashwant Sinha as a candidate, while the candidate hailed from the Santhal community has been nominated by the BJP-led ND. JMM has been pursuing a tribal political plank and Santhals have been the significant vote bank for the party. Shibu Soren, the party's president emerged as a Guruji by agitating against Mahajani Pratha from Santhal and he spearheaded a separate state movement with the support of Santhals. Democratic Alliance's (NDA) presidential candidate Droupadi and joint opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha are the only two contesting candidates for election to the Office of the President after the last date for the withdrawal of candidature ended on Saturday. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded the candidature of the NDA presidential candidate and called it historic on the second day of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) executive meeting in Hyderabad. Sources said the Prime Minister spoke very highly about Murmu and her life journey.PM gave special stress on her humble beginnings and her struggle throughout her life and yet she did not fail to achieve what she stood for. PM Modi also spoke about her conduct in public life, emphasizing how Murmu worked constantly for the upliftment of every stratum of society. Droupadi Murmu is the first presidential candidate from Odisha of a major political party or alliance. She continues to break barriers and was the first woman governor of Jharkhand. She served as Jharkhand Governor from 2015 to 2021. Born in a poor tribal family in a village of Mayurbhanj, a backward district in Odisha, Droupadi Murmu completed her studies despite challenging circumstances. She taught at Shri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, Rairangpur. Born on June 20, 1958, she pursued BA at Ramadevi Women's College Bhubaneswar.She started her political career as Rairangpur NAC vice-chairman. Droupadi Murmu was a member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Rairangpur between 2000 and 2004.As a minister, she held portfolios of Transport and Commerce, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. She again served as MLA in the Odisha assembly from 2004 to 2009. The elections for the President of India will take place on July 18 and the results will be out on July 21. The term of President Ram Nath Kovind concludes on July 24. The Electoral College for election to the Office of the President consists of the elected Members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected Members of the Legislative Assemblies of all states including Delhi and Puducherry. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NCP leader was on Monday named the leader of opposition in Maharashtra Assembly. He succeeds BJP's Devendra Fadnavis, who was sworn in as Deputy CM on June 30. Speaker Rahul Narvekar announced that Pawar will take over as Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, adding NCP has emerged as the single largest opposition party in the 288-member House. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde described as a mature politicians and administrator. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CANBERRA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The value of Australia's resources exports has been estimated to hit a record high despite floods and COVID-19 interrupting the industry. The federal Department of Industry, Science and Resources on Monday released Resources and Energy Quarterly (REQ) data for June 2022. It revealed that Australia's resources and energy export earnings are estimated to reach a record 405 billion Australian dollars (277.6 billion U.S. dollars) in the financial year 2021-22, up from about 320 billion Australian dollars (219.3 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020-21. The 2021-22 earnings were lower than the 425 billion Australian dollars (291.3 billion U.S. dollars) projected in the March REQ -- a drop that was attributed to flooding along much of Australia's east coast and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister for Resources Madeleine King said the data proved Australia was a stable source of resources and energy. King also said strong global demand for Australia's energy, coupled with flooding and weather events at home, contributed to the recent surge in domestic gas and coal prices. Iron ore exports are estimated to be worth 133 billion Australian dollars (91.2 billion U.S. dollars) in 2021-22 -- almost a third of the total earnings -- while liquefied natural gas (LNG) earnings are estimated to be doubled to 70 billion Australian dollars (47.9 billion U.S. dollars), according to the REQ. The value of lithium exports is projected to double by 2023-24 amid high demand from the electric vehicle (EV) and battery industries. Droupadi Murmu, Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA's Presidential candidate, is scheduled to visit and on Tuesday to garner support for her candidature. She will meet NDA lawmakers in Patna at around 10 am and then fly to Agartala in Tripura, said minister Jibesh Kumar Mishra, who also issued an "appeal to Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav and his Left allies" to support Murmu in the polls scheduled for July 18. In Tripura, the ruling has 36 MLAs while its ally, the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura, has a strength of seven legislators. Meanwhile in Bihar, Yadav's RJD and allies CPI(ML), CPI and CPI(M), which together have 96 MLAs in the 243-strong assembly, besides a few members in the Rajya Sabha, have already decided to support Opposition's joint nominee Yashwant Sinha, Murmu's principal rival. "We are taking all measures to conduct the election smoothly. A team of the Parliament Secretariat is scheduled to reach by July 16 or 17 to supervise the election process," said Assembly Speaker Ratan Chakraborty. On Monday, Murmu visited Ranchi and sought the support of ruling Mukti Morcha, a tribal party, besides legislators and parliamentarians in the state for her election to the country's topmost office. Chief Minister Hemant Soren extended a warm welcome to Murmu, who is a former governor of the state, on her arrival. She was accompanied by union ministers Arjun Munda, Annapurna Devi and Arjun Meghwal, besides state president Deepak Prakash, JMM said in a statement. Murmu and Soren are both tribal leaders and belong to the Santhal ethnic group, which has a sizeable population in as well as in Odisha, from where she hails. Murmu and Sinha are the only two left in the race for the president's office after the last day for the withdrawal of nomination ended on Saturday. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The man who sneaked past security guards and entered the premises of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence in the city has told the police that he had done so thinking it was the headquarters, a senior police official said on Monday. Hafizul Mollah, who is in his early 30s and from Hashnabad in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, could not, however, clearly state why he needed to go to the headquarters in the dead of the night, he said. The man had scaled a boundary wall of Banerjee's private residence at 34B Harish Chatterjee Street in Kalighat area of the city at around 1.20 a m on Sunday and remained there till morning. The security personnel posted there spotted him at around 8 am on Monday and handed him over to officers of Kalighat police station. "During initial grilling the man said he mistook the CM's residence to be Lalbazar headquarters and entered the premises. But he could not give any proper reply when asked about why he wanted to go to the police headquarters at that hour," the police official told PTI. Mollah during grilling had first claimed to be a fruit seller and then a "good" vehicle driver, he said. Police said that going by the man's appearance he seemed to be "somewhat mentally unstable". The investigating officers are drawing a map as per his descriptions about his activities throughout Sunday before reaching Kalighat. "We are verifying his claims. Our officers are trying to draw a picture of his activities throughout Sunday and when and how he arrived at Kalighat. Also to find out whether he was alone or was he accompanied by anyone, how he managed to go past the security personnel and enter the CM's premises without being caught," the police official said. Police have booked Mollah under IPC section 458 and sent him to police custody till July 11. The IPC 458 deals with lurking, trespass or house-breaking by night after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint. Senior administrative officers met at the state secretariat on Monday and reviewed Banerjee's security arrangements. The incident triggered a security scare and questions were raised about how the man went past the Z-Plus security cover that Banerjee gets and entered her private residence premises located in the 'high secure' neighbourhood to spend a night there without anyone noticing him. Police have taken immediate steps to enhance security in and around the CM's residence, the official said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister has ordered authorities to reopen the closed power plants to ease the electricity crisis that has resulted in upto 16 hours of outages in some parts of the country, a media report said on Monday. Chairing a meeting here on Sunday on the existing power situation in the country, Sharif also sought an explanation from the authorities for the prolonged spells of electricity outages, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. has plunged into a crippling electricity crisis that is mostly attributed to mismanagement, inefficiencies, power theft and politically-motivated appointments in the power utilities, it said. The power shortfall has reached 7,787 MW, because of which electricity outages of up to 16 hours are being carried out in different parts of the country. The report said the power generation in the country was 21,213 MW, while the total demand was 29,000 MW. A total of 5,430 MW of electricity is being generated from hydro sources and 1,705 MW from government thermal plants while the total output of private sector power plants is 10,241 MW, the report said. "During the meeting the Prime Minister asked the authorities to explain why there is a power outage of upto 16 hours in some parts of the country. He has ordered authorities to reopen the closed power plants in the country to ease the electricity crisis," the report said. In April, Sharif was informed by the authorities that 18 power plants in the country were not functioning for the last one year because of closed units or technical defaults. Some of them includes Port Qasim, Guddu, Muzaffargarh, Kot Addu Power Company and Jamshoro. The meeting was attended by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and State Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik in person while the Energy Minister Khurram Dastagir took part in the meeting through a video conferencing. Prime Minister Sharif directed the authorities to submit to him a report on power outages immediately in which the reasons for them should be clarified. Sharif had recently announced the import of coal from Afghanistan. But it would require huge funding a weekly allocation of almost USD 25 million. In addition the government requires USD 51.5 million for debt servicing of imported coal power plants. No politics: Bajwa to military officials Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has issued fresh directions to his commanders and officers, including from the ISI, to stay away from politics after leaders of ousted prime minister Imran Khan-led party alleged that some officials of the countrys intelligence agency were trying to manipulate the upcoming by-elections in Punjab, according to a media report on Monday. Pakistan Army had earlier said that it has nothing to do with politics and it would remain apolitical in the future, as well. He has also issued fresh directions to all his commanders and key officers to avoid interactions with politicians, The News newspaper reported (PTI). (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese internet and tech giants on Monday signed an initiative to ban and digital collectibles (NFTs), along with a promise not to establish secondary marketplaces. According to the South China Morning Post, Tencent and Ant Group joined a self-driven industry initiative to ban and fight speculation. Platforms that sell digital collectibles "shall require real-name authentication of those who issue, sell and buy" the assets and "only support legal tender as the denomination and settlement currency", according to the document signed by China's biggest tech firms. "Do not contain financial assets or unlicensed financial products, including securities, insurance, credit and precious metals, in blockchain-supported goods," it added. In April this year, the National Internet Finance Association of China, the China Banking Association, and the Securities Association of China issued a joint statement to prohibit the use of NFTs in the issuance of financial assets. The new initiative called on tech firms not to "set up a centralised marketplace" for bidding, matching, or anonymous NFT trading. The Chinese government banned Bitcoin mining in July last year. It has plans to launch its central bank digital currency (CBDC) called the digital Chinese yuan (e-CNY). The country banned all transactions last September and barred foreign crypto exchanges from operating within the country in 2018. --IANS na/vd (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wang Jianan beat the odds to win Chinas first gold in the event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. The 25-year-old jumpers 8.36-meter leap in his last attempt propelled him to the top of the podium. In 2015, Wang received a bronze medal at IAAF World Championships in Beijing, making him the first athlete from Asia to reach the events podium at the world championships Jul 18, 2022 05:41 PM On Business Cycle Dating from NBER: The NBER's definition emphasizes that a recession involves a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and lasts more than a few months. In our interpretation of this definition, we treat the three criteriadepth, diffusion, and durationas somewhat interchangeable. That is, while each criterion needs to be met individually to some degree, extreme conditions revealed by one criterion may partially offset weaker indications from another. For example, in the case of the February 2020 peak in economic activity, the committee concluded that the subsequent drop in activity had been so great and so widely diffused throughout the economy that, even if it proved to be quite brief, the downturn should be classified as a recession. Because a recession must influence the economy broadly and not be confined to one sector, the committee emphasizes economy-wide measures of economic activity. The determination of the months of peaks and troughs is based on a range of monthly measures of aggregate real economic activity published by the federal statistical agencies. These include real personal income less transfers, nonfarm payroll employment, employment as measured by the household survey, real personal consumption expenditures, wholesale-retail sales adjusted for price changes, and industrial production. There is no fixed rule about what measures contribute information to the process or how they are weighted in our decisions. In recent decades, the two measures we have put the most weight on are real personal income less transfers and nonfarm payroll employment. emphasis added Click on graph for larger image. The following graphs show the two key measures that NBER uses as a percent of the previous peak. (Real personal income less transfers and nonfarm payroll employment).This graph is for employment through May 2022.Employment is currently off about 0.5% from the pre-recession peak (dashed line). This is a significant improvement from off 14.4% in April 2020.Employment is still 822 thousand below pre-pandemic levels. And the second graph is for real personal income excluding transfer payments through May 2022.Real personal income less transfer payments was at an all-time peak in May 2022.These graphs are useful in trying to identify peaks and troughs in economic activity - and CEDEAO Getty ECOWAS bloc agrees on 2 years of transition for Burkina Faso KIGALI, Rwanda/ACCRA, Ghana (AA) Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc on Sunday lifted economic and financial sanctions imposed on Mali with immediate effect. ECOWAS imposed the sanctions on Mali in January for delaying to restore democratic rule. Meeting at an ordinary summit of heads of state and government in Ghanas capital, Accra, the leaders said the sanctions were lifted after the transition government put in place some essential prerequisites, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, the outgoing president of the ECOWAS Commission, told a news briefing. These included coming out with an electoral roadmap for the return to constitutional order. According to the electoral calendar unveiled by the junta last week, the presidential election will be held in February 2024. This will be preceded by a referendum on the new Constitution in March 2023, local elections in June 2023, and legislative elections between October and November 2023. But the summit maintained the suspension of Mali from ECOWAS until the return to constitutional rule as well as individual sanctions, said Kassi Brou. With the lifting of the sanctions, borders with Mali will reopen and ECOWAS diplomats are set to return to Bamako to engage with the military leaders. The leaders also urged the junta in Mali to comply with the transitional charter which prohibits transitional leaders from participating in the democratic elections. Mali was rocked by two subsequent coups, in August 2020 and in May 2021. On Burkina Faso, the leaders insisted on a 24-month transition period from July 1 instead of 36 months proposed by the junta, said Kassi Brou. On Guinea, the leaders gave the military junta until the end of July to present an acceptable transition timetable after rejecting a transition period of 36 months suggested by the junta. Thomas Boni Yaya, a former president of Benin, was appointed as the new mediator for Guinea and instructed to immediately continue discussions with Conakry. Earlier, the leaders elected Guinea-Bissaus President Umaro Sissoco Embalo as the new ECOWAS chairman, replacing Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, who had served for two terms since 2020. Akufo-Addo assumed the rotating chairmanship on Sept. 7, 2020 in Niamey, Niger after Nigers former President Mahamadou Issoufou ended his tenure. In June, 2021, Akufo-Addos mandate was renewed for another year based on what was termed as his sterling leadership and to complete institutional reforms geared towards the reduction of the number of statutory appointees of the ECOWAS Commission. Also on Sunday, Gambian ambassador Omar Aliou Toure was appointed the new president of the ECOWAS Commission to replace Kassi Brou. The summit also reduced the number of ECOWAS commissions to eight from 15 in a move aimed at cutting the regional blocs operating costs. James Tasamba and Enoch Fiifi Forson/AA MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A total of 500 graduates have been commissioned to police forces in the northern Afghan region after receiving a two-month police training, authorities said on Monday. "Up to 500 police recruits from Balkh, Jawzjan, Faryab, and Sari Pul provinces received graduation certificates from Regional Police Academy during a ceremony held in Balkh on Monday," Fazul Rahman Nasrat from the police training center told the audience during the ceremony. The cadets were trained in using light weapons and dealing with people to keep law and order, Nasrat said, adding the recruits will be deployed in northern Afghan provinces. The newly trained personnel held a parade during the graduation ceremony, demonstrating their ability to combat drug trafficking, kidnapping and other crimes. More than 5,000 police recruits have received training in the Regional Police Academy since the change of regime in August 2021, according to the source. Photo: The Canadian Press FILE - Uvalde School Police Chief Pete Arredondo, second from left, stands during a news conference outside of the Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. The Uvalde school districts police chief has stepped down from his position in the City Council just weeks after being sworn in following allegations that he erred in his response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that left 19 students and two teachers dead. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills, File) The Uvalde school districts police chief has stepped down from his position in the City Council just weeks after being sworn in following allegations that he erred in his response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that left 19 students and two teachers dead. Chief Pete Arredondo said in a letter dated Friday that he has decided to step down for the good of the city and to minimize further distractions. He was elected to the council on May 7 and was sworn in on May 31, just a week after the massacre, in a closed-door ceremony. The mayor, the city council, and the city staff must continue to move forward to unite our community once again, Arredondo said in his resignation, first reported by the Uvalde Leader-News. Arredondo, who has been on administrative leave from his school district position since June 22, has declined repeated requests for comment from The Associated Press. His attorney, George Hyde, did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment Saturday. On June 21, the City Council voted unanimously to deny Arredondo a leave of absence from appearing at public meetings. Relatives of the shooting victims had pleaded with city leaders to fire him. The Uvalde City Council released Arredondo's resignation letter Saturday, after city officials received notification of his intent to step down via email, but did not comment further. Representatives of Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin have not responded to AP's requests for comment. Col. Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, told a state Senate hearing last month that Arredondo the on-site commander made terrible decisions as the massacre unfolded on May 24 , and that the police response was an abject failure. Three minutes after 18-year-old Salvador Ramos entered the school, sufficient armed law enforcement were on scene to stop the gunman, McCraw testified. Yet police officers armed with rifles stood and waited in a school hallway for more than an hour while the gunman carried out the massacre. The classroom door could not be locked from the inside, but there is no indication officers tried to open the door while the gunman was inside, McCraw said. McCraw has said parents begged police outside the school to move in and students inside the classroom repeatedly pleaded with 911 operators for help while more than a dozen officers waited in a hallway. Officers from other agencies urged Arredondo to let them move in because children were in danger. The only thing stopping a hallway of dedicated officers from entering room 111 and 112 was the on-scene commander who decided to place the lives of officers before the lives of children, McCraw said. Arredondo has tried to defend his actions, telling the Texas Tribune that he didnt consider himself the commander in charge of operations and that he assumed someone else had taken control of the law enforcement response. He said he didnt have his police and campus radios but that he used his cellphone to call for tactical gear, a sniper and the classroom keys. Its still not clear why it took so long for police to enter the classroom, how they communicated with each other during the attack, and what their body cameras show. Officials have declined to release more details, citing the investigation. Arredondo, 50, grew up in Uvalde and has spent much of his nearly 30-year career in law enforcement in the city. Photo: RCMP The driver of the semi swerved into the eastbound ditch of Highway 1 west of Field to try to avoid the collision that killed a man from Alberta Saturday, July 2, 2022. A crash that closed the Trans-Canada Highway for five hours on Saturday claimed the life of a man from Alberta. The RCMP says the evidence at the scene suggested the passenger vehicle was heading westbound on Highway 1 when it drifted into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a tractor-trailer. It happened in Yoho National Park, approximately 17 kilometres west of Field, B.C. The driver of the semi swerved into the eastbound ditch to try to avoid the collision. The 31-year-old Alberta man who was behind the wheel of the westbound automobile was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver was not injured. Emergency responders from the Lake Louise Fire Department, Field BC Ambulance Service, Lake Louise Ambulance Service, BC Parks and the Golden Fire Department all responded to the crash, which happened around 1:00 p.m. on July 2. First and foremost, we and our partners extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased party," said Const. Kat Robinson with the Golden-Field RCMP. We would also like to thank the citizens who were first on scene, who helped those involved in the motor vehicle incident, and who stayed to help emergency crews as they arrived you were vital in todays incident." Highway 1 didnt reopen until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. "To all those affected by the extended road closure, the Golden-Field RCMP would like to thank you for your patience and understanding," Robinson said. "While they are a great inconvenience, road closures allow first responders the ability to conduct full, untainted investigations in a safe environment." Mounties remind motorists that national parks are reaching their peak season, and drivers should allow themselves extra time to get to their destinations. Photo: Contributed Your small business has done well for you over the years and produced steady income. But is it ready for a buyer? For some people it can be a struggle to sell even a successful business when theyre ready to retire. Most entrepreneurs are so focused on their customers or clients that they dont have time to think about the business side of the operation or boosting growth, which is what many buyers want to see. If youre contemplating selling your business, youll need to ensure that a future buyer can expand it or at least see an opportunity for growing its success. Knowing how to sell a business can be the difference between selling it at a great price and struggling to find a buyer. If you plan ahead and think like an entrepreneur, then selling a business youve spent your career building up should be a lot more feasible. Below are some useful tips on how to sell a business in Canada. Get help early Selling a small business in Canada takes time, so start planning for a sale up to five years in advance. Bring in professionals, including a business consultant to help make your business more profitable, and an accountant to better organize the companys finances. You should check in with your financial planner early to examine any tax-planning opportunities and appropriately structure your business for a tax-efficient sale. If you wait until youre about to sell your business, your options might be limited. Gather essential documentation Potential buyers might want to see your financial statements, profit and loss accounts and tax returns going back at least three years (so start creating these now if you dont already do so each year). If any assets are to be included in the sale of the business (such as any business equipment, computer hardware, etc.), list them, alongside approximate current values. A list of your suppliers would also be helpful, along with any contracts you may have in place with them. You should also provide details of the status of your business premises (mortgage, rental lease or ownership). Get your business valued When you first start looking at how to sell a business, one of the most important steps is to get an accurate estimate of what its worth. It could make sense to speak with a chartered business valuator (CBV) or business broker to help gain a realistic idea of its value. A CBV will generally look at all sorts of financial and growth metrics which can help you decide on a fair selling price. Having a CBV help you determine the value of your business will also give the selling price more credibility and help during negotiations. Find a buyer Having a vibrant professional network can help get the word out to prospective buyers, such as your current colleagues and competitors. Its best to nurture a wide network in advance of a sale, if possible. Know the limits of selling a business alone, though. Engaging with a business broker, who knows the ins and outs of selling a business, can make things go a lot smoother. Sort out staffing issues now Potential buyers not only want to buy a client list and future growth potential, they also want capable staff. Make sure your staff has contracts with clear job descriptions. Often, entrepreneurs dont have their team on contracts, and that can be a red flag for a buyer. Also, consider getting an audit to determine whether staff are using their time effectively. If you have the business open for 40 hours a week, but youre team is only really working 30, you need to trim that down to highlight the upside to a potential buyer. What to do with the proceeds This is where your CFP professional can be most valuable. They can help you to minimize your tax obligations from selling your business (which could be considerable if you sell it for a substantial profit). Your planner can also go over the best options available to you for using the money, whether that might be to save for retirement, pay off debts or provide retirement income. What happens if you cant sell? Its important to understand whether selling your business is even feasible. If theres a high demand for your services, such as a general medical practice, new doctors may be able to acquire clients quickly after graduation without having to buy an existing practice. If thats the case, and your business doesnt sell, you could stop operating, sell some assets, such as furniture and equipment, and if the business is incorporated, consider what to do with the corporation after retirement. Before doing anything drastic, though, its a good idea to talk to your tax advisor about the best course of action. If you wind up the corporation, there could be immediate tax consequences. If you keep the corporation, you could maintain tax deferrals and only be taxed on the money you pull out of the business, as well as on investment income earned in the corporation. Getting prepared for selling a business might take a little longer than youd hoped, but it pays to do what you can to get your business to the level that people will be clamoring to buy it. Seek advice first Now you know how to sell a business in Canada, you should talk to your professional experts before moving forward. Discuss your plans with your CFP professional now instead of waiting until youre ready to sell. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: The Canadian Press Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, one day after Ukrainian forces withdrew from their last remaining bulwark of resistance in the province. Russias Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in a televised meeting Monday that Russian forces had taken control of Luhansk, which together with the neighboring Donetsk province makes up Ukraine's industrial heartland of Donbas. Shoigu told Putin that the operation was completed on Sunday after Russian troops overran the city of Lysychansk, the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in Luhansk. Putin, in turn, said that the military units that took part in active hostilities and achieved success, victory in Luhansk, should rest, increase their combat capabilities. Putins declaration came as Russian forces tried to press their offensive deeper into eastern Ukraine after the Ukrainian military confirmed that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk on Sunday. Luhansk governor Serhii Haidai said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had retreated from the city to avoid being surrounded. There was a risk of Lysychansk encirclement, Haidai told the Associated Press, adding that Ukrainian troops could have held on for a few more weeks but would have potentially paid too high a price. We managed to do centralized withdrawal and evacuate all injured, Haidai said. We took back all the equipment, so from this point withdrawal was organized well. The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian forces were now focusing their efforts on pushing toward the line of Siversk, Fedorivka and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, about half of which is controlled by Russia. The Russian army has also intensified its shelling of the key Ukrainian strongholds of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, deeper in Donetsk. On Sunday, six people, including a 9-year-old girl, were killed in the Russian shelling of Sloviansk and another 19 people were wounded, according to local authorities. Kramatorsk also came under fire on Sunday. An intelligence briefing Monday from the British Defense Ministry supported the Ukrainian military's assessment, noting that Russian forces will now almost certainly switch to capturing Donetsk. The briefing said the conflict in Donbas has been grinding and attritional, and is unlikely to change in the coming weeks. While the Russian army has a massive advantage in firepower, military analysts say that it doesn't have any significant superiority in the number of troops. That means Moscow lacks resources for quick land gains and can only advance slowly, relying on heavy artillery and rocket barrages to soften Ukrainian defenses. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made capturing the entire Donbas a key goal in his war in Ukraine, now in its fifth month. Moscow-backed separatists in Donbas have battled Ukrainian forces since 2014 when they declared independence from Kyiv after the Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. Russia formally recognized the self-proclaimed republics days before its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged the withdrawal, but vowed that Ukrainian forces will fight their way back. If the command of our army withdraws people from certain points of the front where the enemy has the greatest fire superiority, in particular this applies to Lysychansk, it means only one thing: We will return thanks to our tactics, thanks to the increase in the supply of modern weapons, Zelenskyy said. Since failing to take Kyiv and other areas in Ukraine's northeast early in the war, Russia has focused on Donbas, unleashing fierce shelling and engaging in house-to-house combat that devastated cities in the region. Russia's invasion has also devastated Ukraine's agricultural sector, disrupting supply chains of seed and fertilizer needed by Ukrainian farmers and blocking the export of grain, a key source of revenue for the country. In its Monday intelligence report, Britain's defense ministry pointed to the Russian blockade of the key Ukrainian port of Odesa, which has severely restricted grain exports. They predicted that Ukraine's agricultural exports would reach only 35% of the 2021 total this year as a result. As Moscow pushed its offensive across Ukraine's east, areas in western Russia came under attack Sunday in a revival of sporadic apparent Ukrainian strikes across the border. The governor of the Belgorod region in Western Russia said fragments of an intercepted Ukrainian missile killed four people Sunday. In the Russian city of Kursk, two Ukrainian drones were shot down, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. PPC calls for SA government action on cement dumping ICR Newsroom By 04 July 2022 PPC has urged South Africas government to investigate cement dumping by countries such as Vietnam. It believes that the survival of the local cement industry may be under threat if the practice is left unchecked. PPC CEO Roland van Wijnen said that the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition should also consider broad import tariffs for cement to avoid new countries dumping cement and filling the void left by countries that have been subject to new dumping tariffs. There will always be a country that will have a surplus of cement available. This targeting of one country [with tariffs] does not really help. We need to come with a solution that stops this movement broadly from one country to another of surplus cheap cement, said Mr Van Wijnen. Imports account for approximately 10 per cent of cement sales in South Africa. Published under HANOI, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam recorded 685 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, up 173 from Sunday, according to the Ministry of Health. The newly reported infections brought the total tally to 10,749,324 with 43,088 deaths. Nationwide, 9,715,163 COVID-19 patients, or over 90 percent of the total infections, have so far recovered. More than 233.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the Southeast Asian country, including over 206.6 million shots on people aged 18 and above, according to the ministry. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. John P. Long, one of the pioneers from the Ross's Landing days, lived many years on the side of Cameron Hill. The Long home was at West Seventh and Cedar after the Civil War. When John and Eliza Long came into view of the Ross's Landing wilderness in 1836, they "felt we were coming out of the world to come and live among the bears and Indians, yet we were full of hope and courage.'' John Pomfret Long floated down by flatboat from Rhea County, while Mrs. Long followed on horseback with an uncle. When Mrs. Long stood on the dividing line between white man and Indian, she "looked with delight on the beautiful landscape - Lookout Mountain and Cameron Hill - their sides and the valley beneath were covered with what seemed to me a vast unbroken forest.'' The Landing then included only a muddy winding road (Market Street) with a few "straggling log cabins.'' There were three small log stores. A cabin that was a little larger than the rest was a tavern and inn kept by the widow Jane Henderson.The Longs occupied a two-room log cabin, with the front room filled with store goods. The back room was "a parlor, dining room, chamber and kitchen all in one.'' There was a big, wide chimney and board windows. In this simple residence, the Longs were "just as happy as if we had lived in a mansion.'' The Longs kept no lock on their door. Valuable goods were left lying on the wharf for weeks and "nobody touched them.''John P. Long learned to talk with the Indians, and he asked them questions about the history of the area, including the origin of the name "Chattanooga.'' Soon the decree went out that the Indians were to be deported west, away from their beloved homeland. One of the stockades was by the river near Ross's Landing. A regiment of U.S. soldiers was stationed on the hill at East Fourth Street (Brabson Hill) to aid in the roundup and to help protect the white settlers in case there should be an uprising. Mrs. Long was distressed as she saw the soldiers leading her Indian friends into the stockade. She said of the Trail of Tears - "A long and terrible journey it was, and hundreds died along the way.''John P. Long was a native of Knoxville, the son of William and Jane Bennett Long. William Long, a carpenter, also moved to Ross's Landing. William Long was born Feb. 19, 1775, at Mecklenburg County, N.C. John P. Long's grandfather, John Long, was a native of County Antrim, Ireland, who went to Mecklenburg County. He came alone to America, leaving only a maiden sister in Ireland. John P. Long was born in Knox County Nov. 25, 1807. He finished his schooling at Knoxville when he was 14, then the Longs moved to Washington at Rhea County. He worked for three years at a tannery, then clerked three years at Washington for Col. Thomas McCallie. John P. Long built a frame house there, but just after it was finished it was washed off its foundation and out into the street. Later, Long made it into a raft and floated down to Ross's Landing. He then rebuilt the house at his new home. William Long was one of the elders of the Presbyterian Church at Chattanooga. He was so uniformly upright that the saying arose "as honest as Billy Long.'' He died Nov. 1, 1844. Jane Bennett Long died at Chattanooga on Dec. 10, 1859. Their other children were Mary Long who married John A. Hooke, and James Shields Long, a physician who married Jane Caldwell of Monroe County, Ga. James Shields Long died in 1866, leaving daughters Mary and Virginia. Eliza Smith Long was born on Jan. 25, 1813, near Hiwassee Garrison at the mouth of Richland Creek in Rhea County. She was the daughter of William Smith, a schoolteacher who moved down from Massachusetts to Knox County in 1808. He later established Smith's Crossroads (Dayton) in Rhea County. The wife of William Smith was Elizabeth Cozby, daughter of the physician and Indian fighter Dr. James Cozby. Dr. Cozby was married to Isabella Woods. Eliza Smith resided on her father's farm until she was 16, then she went away to the college operated at Knoxville by Dr. Esterbrook. Her marriage to John P. Long occurred on Nov. 6, 1834, at Smith's Crossroads. It was John P. Long who suggested the name "Chattanooga'' when there was a town meeting to replace the old title of Ross's Landing. Along with Aaron M. Rawlings and George W. Williams, he was a commissioner at the time entries were made for lots at Chattanooga. He was the town's first postmaster and was city recorder for three years, until the city was evacuated by the Confederates. He joined the Presbyterian church in 1843 and was elected an elder in his father's place after his death in 1845. John P. Long cast his first vote in 1832 for General Andrew Jackson. He next supported Hugh Lawson White, then he voted the Whig ticket "from Harrison to Bell.'' Afterwards, he was a Democrat. He attended the Whig state convention at Murfreesboro in 1841. He was "always a States' Rights man as was his father before him.'' He voted against secession in February of 1861, but, after Lincoln ordered out troops, he voted for it. When the Civil War fighting began, John P. Long at first kept his family in town. In 1862, he was appointed provost-marshal of Chattanooga by Gen. John Porter McCown. With the arrival of the Yankees, John P. Long went south to Griffin, Ga., to prepare a place for his family. However, Mrs. Long and her boys, John P. Long Jr., Milo Smith Long and Marcus Bearden Long, along with their servant Aunt Clary and her daughters, were caught up in the fierce fighting in 1863. At the time they lived on South Market Street where the Chattanooga Choo Choo is now located. Early the next morning after the fighting at Chickamauga, the Longs awoke to find the house covered with soldiers pulling shingles off in preparation for the imminent battle that was expected in Chattanooga. The Longs then joined the "strange, silent motley crowd all leaving their homes.'' There was "no weeping or lamentations'' as they looked back and one of the boys said, "Look, mother, there goes our house.'' Aunt Clary jerked the family Bible away from a Union soldier who was tearing out the leaves, and it was said it was the only time in her life that Aunt Clary ever cursed. The Longs went to the home of Mrs. Long's brother, Dr. Milo Smith, at the foot of Cameron Hill. The family suffered hunger in the months the town was under Confederate siege, and Mrs. Long once made a personal appeal to Gen. James A. Garfield, a future president. He gave her part of his own food - a piece of hardtack and a piece of white meat. The Longs were finally able to join John P. Long at Griffin, Ga., where they remained for the duration of the war. John P. Long Jr., who was barely old enough to enlist, had a leg blown off at the battle of Atlanta. Rheumatism developed in his other leg so that it was useless to him. In 1879, he died at age 33 of heart disease at his parents' home. He died of heart disease after a 10-day illness and was yet another young victim of the late war. John P. Long Jr., who served with the 19th Tennessee Infantry, was born March 4, 1847. An older brother, James Cozby Long, was in a number of naval fights, serving as a crew member of the Merrimac. Born in 1844, he was educated at the Naval Academy at Annapolis. He resigned and joined the Confederate Navy in 1861 and was attached to the fleet off the coast of North Carolina. He was in a fight at Roanoke Island prior to transferring to the Merrimac. He was in the famous naval fights at Hampton Roads and remained with the ship until it burned. He then transferred to Drury's Bluff and then to Plymouth, N.C. He was on the ironclad Plymouth when it was blown up by the U.S. Navy. Later, he served on a blockade runner. After the war, he was a civil engineer, having charge of the government works at Muscle Shoals for a time. He later was a manufacturer of iron paint at Birmingham, Ala. He marred Frances Walker at Elyton, Ala., in 1872. Their children were William Walker, John Pomfret, James Cozby and Mary. Milo Smith Long graduated in medicine at Nashville and moved to Dakota. Marcus Bearden Long was a civil engineer. He was at one time an engineer on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. He was unmarried. Always a Chattanooga booster, John P. Long gave a speech in March of 1880 outlining the city's history. He gained a law license in 1868 and he practiced mainly in the realty area. John P. Long lived until 1889, and Mrs. Long survived until March 30, 1900. It was said of John P. Long that he "has desired wealth and has been sometimes up and sometimes down, but has always made it a rule to pay his debts. With one exception he has always made a profit on whatever he has sold. He never swore an oath in his life, and was brought up to regard the Sabbath. He has never been dissipated, though not always strictly temperate. He is a self-assertive man, and of quick temper.'' Of the 11 children of John P. and Eliza Long, five died in infancy. Several did not marry. William Pomfret Long, the eldest, died when he was 19. Elizabeth Jane Long died when she was 16. John Pomfret Long IV, a descendant of James Cozby Long, resided at Tullahoma. He had two sons. Since I was born on July 4th, I guess I couldnt help but grow up feeling very patriotic, thrilling to every sight of the red, white and blue. Ive always loved spotting an American flag unfurled wherever I went, even on my international travels, including Italy and Jamaica. I recall several years ago being on the picturesque island of Capri, Italy, where Old Glory was waving proudly along with the Italian flag and several others, overlooking splendid yachts anchored below near the Tyrrhenian Sea. These days being a patriot has gone out of fashion in the eyes of some. However, even though people certainly have the right to express criticism of the United States, justified or not, they should remember thats only possible because of the freedoms we enjoy in this imperfect nation. What role God has played if any in the founding and establishing of this nation has been fodder for much debate through the years. However, it has been enlightening to read The Founders Bible, which presents the Scriptures in their entirety, along with hundreds of articles and commentaries about our Founding Fathers. Based on their statements and writings, the evidence is overwhelming that they had no intention of segregating matters of faith from matters of governing our country, at least in the manner the so-called separation of church and state is typically interpreted. Heres a very small sampling, taken from The Founders Bible, of specific things the writers and signers of the United States of Americas original documents had to say regarding the Bible and its application for public laws and institutions: It has been the error of schools to teach astronomy and all the other sciences and subjects of natural philosophy as accomplishments only, whereas they should be taught theologically, or with reference to the Being who is the Author of them, for all the principles of science are of Divine origin. Thomas Paine The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. If Thou shalt not covet and Thou shalt not steal were not commandments of Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society before it can be civilized or made free. John Adams "God grant that in America true religion and civil liberty may be inseparable and that the unjust attempts to destroy the one may in the issue tend to the support and establishment of both. John Witherspoon To the kindly influence of Christianity we owe that degree of civil freedom and political and social happiness which mankind now enjoy. Whenever the pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our present republican forms of government and all the blessings which flow from them must fall with them. Jedidiah Morse Speaking at the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin recognized how divine intervention had undeniably contributed to the United States march toward freedom: All of us engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor. And now we have forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God governs in the affairs of men. Founding Father Benjamin Rush, known as The Father of Public Schools Under the Constitution, wrote A Defense for the Use of the Bible as a School Book. Among the numerous reasons he cited for including the Bible in the public school curriculum included: That Christianity is the only true and perfect religion; and that in proportion as mankind adopt its principles and obey its precepts, they are wise and happy. That the Bible contains more knowledge necessary to man in his present state than any other book in the world. Such ideas were embraced for nearly the first two centuries of our nation. In the early 1960s, the move for separating church and state as its presently understood gained great momentum. However, in 1950, the Florida Supreme Court said this: A people unschooled about the sovereignty of God, the Ten Commandments, and the ethics of Jesus could never have evolved the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution. There is not one solitary fundamental principle of our democratic policy that did not stem directly from the basic moral concepts as embodied in the Decalogue and the ethics of Jesus. Its obvious that in many ways our nation has drifted from the views cited above, as well as thousands like them. The U.S.A. might not be the new Israel, but its system of laws and form of government were rooted in Judeo-Christian principles. And for a long time, our nation stood at the forefront of the mission to take the Gospel to all nations. The fact that biblical values are now being abandoned, even ridiculed, could that be at the heart of many of our societys ills? In the Old Testament, the people of Israel enjoyed Gods blessings only to later reject Him and go their own way. The price they paid each time, individually and collectively, was severe. Consider one example of the Lords judgment: What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?... I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed; I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground (Isaiah 5:4-5). The United States, a nation founded on principles integrally intertwined with Gods revealed truth, for many years flourished and enjoyed a unique even favored position in the world. Can we still say that today? Could it be time for us to cease rebelling against the God of creation and return to our roots? * * * Robert J. Tamasy is a veteran journalist, former newspaper editor and magazine editor. Bob has written, co-authored and edited more than 15 books. These include the newly published, Marketplace Ambassadors; Business At Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Todays Workplace; Tufting Legacies, The Heart of Mentoring, and Pursuing Life With a Shepherds Heart. A weekly business meditation he edits, Monday Manna, is translated into more than 20 languages and sent via email around the world by CBMC International. The address for his blog is www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com. His email address is btamasy@comcast.net. The Signal Mountain Art Guild is a group of talented folks who have been gathering together for over three decades. All artists, they have been meeting every Thursday at the Mountain Arts Community Center to create art. Painters in this group include Barbara Voss, Coco Dauer, Robin Howe, Mark Cobb, Lynne Mayer, Richard Rice and Liz Klinefelter, and they will showcase their works at the Exum Gallery at St. Pauls Episcopal Church at 305 West 7th Street. Much of the art around Chattanooga and the surrounding areas is located in art galleries and museums. However, having art displayed in the church is not something new. A church, its interior, the liturgy, and the music are all considered art forms. Since its inception in 2008, the Exum Gallery at St. Pauls, named in memory of Franklin Exum, who made a generous contribution prior to his passing, has hosted numerous shows featuring many local artists, including Suzanne Mortimer, Jake Kelley, Lolly Durant, Bradley Wilson, John McLeod, Mary Ferris Kelly, Lolly Durant, Lee Fritch, Denton Ridge, Lee Glascock, Terry Rafferty, Durinda Cheek and many more.The year Exum Gallery opened, St. Pauls, in conjunction with Second Presbyterian, hosted an international art show, ICONS in Transformation. Over one hundred abstract expressionistic pieces were displayed by the Russian (now Swedish) artist Ludmila Pawlowska. This particular exhibition could only be viewed in churches and cathedrals around the U.S., as required by the artist herself. St. Pauls sold over $40,000 in works from the show. Part of that revenue benefitted orphanages in Russia while another part went to St. Catherines Shelter for Women and Children in Chattanooga.The show featuring artists from the Signal Mountain Art Guild opens on Friday, July 8, at 5 p.m. at the Exum Gallery, and all are invited to meet the artists and enjoy wine and refreshments on opening night. This special show will hang from July 5 to Aug. 10. ---- Ferris Robinson is the author of three childrens books, The Queen Who Banished Bugs, The Queen Who Accidentally Banished Birds, and Call Me Arthropod in her pollinator series. Making Arrangements is her first novel. Dogs and Love - Stories of Fidelity is a collection of true tales about mans best friend. Her website is ferrisrobinson.com and you can download a FREE pollinator poster there. She is the editor of The Lookout Mountain Mirror and The Signal Mountain Mirror. Geraldine Edna Billingsley Martin, Billie, 93, of Chattanooga, passed away on Sunday, July 3, 2022, at her residence. She was the oldest of three children born to her parents Eddie and Mary Billingsley. She was a 1949 graduate of Howard High School. Geraldine was saved as a teenager and united with Thankful Missionary Baptist Church. TaShe later joined Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church where she was a leader of the Red Circle Girls and the Sunshine Band. She also served as a Deaconess and Choir Member. She reestablished her membership at Thankful Missionary Baptist Church and continued singing in the choir and served on the Mother Board. Geraldine was employed by the Board of Education for over 30 years. She began working at Chattanooga Avenue Elementary and finished at Alton Park Jr. High School. She married her husband, Artonia Tony Martin, Sr. on June 30, 1950, and they enjoyed 53 years of marriage at the time of his passing. She was also preceded in death by her parents; two sons-in-law, Tony Hale and Alfred Blue Griffin, Sr. Survivors include her six children, April Antionette (David) Werkema, Artonia Martin, Sr., Angela Faye Martin-Hale, Gerald (Shuntika) Martin, Sr., Gail A. Griffin, and Glenn (Vanessa) Martin, Sr.; 32 grandchildren; 59 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; two aunts, Sallie Kate Williams of Crawfordville, GA and Josephine Billingsley; one nephew, Michael (Audrey) Billingsley; two nieces, Merryl Billingsley of Chicago, IL and Renee Billingsley of Chattanooga; special friend, Clara Woods; bonus daughter, Joyce Stephens; devoted neighbor, Mildred Hicks; a very special cousin but more like a sister, Dorothy Toots Gardner; and a host of other relatives and friends. Geraldine will lie in state on Friday, July 15, from 1:30-5:30 p.m. at Taylor Funeral Home. Funeral services will be on Saturday, January 16, at noon in the chapel with Dr. Mack E. Page as the eulogist. Burial will be on Monday, July 18, at 11 a.m. in Forest Hills Cemetery. Bekita Heath, 58, of Chattanooga, Tennessee met Jesus face to face on July 3, 2022. She was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and was raised in Chattanooga. She was preceded in death by her father, Don E. Morgan and her mother Bobbie Jo Morgan. She is survived by her husband of 37 years, Bo Heath. Her children: Caleb Heath (Sophia), Alex Hydas (Hunter), Colby Heath (Kristen), Clayton Heath (Sophie), Sydney Barker (Drake). She is lovingly known as Honey by her 11 grandchildren: Bo, Grace, Brooks, Baker, Ty, Luke, Xavier, Miles, Hampton, Sarah Mae, and Henry. She faithfully served in her church for over 30 years. Most recently, she served as the Director of Womens Ministry at Silverdale Baptist. Under her leadership and direction, the Ladies Christmas Tea reached thousands of women with the truth of the gospel for over 25 years. Bekita lived her life deeply rooted in the gospel. She leveraged her time, resources, and efforts to introduce people to Jesus Christ. She taught others to not only know the Word, but to love it. She was gifted in delivering truth with humor and humility. Her passion for others to know the gospel was a result of her own life being changed by it. Chief among her endeavors was cultivating a family that loves to be together and serve the Lord together. She was always the first to help, the biggest encourager, and hostess of Sunday lunch. The family would like to thank the SICU staff and doctors at Erlanger Hospital. Namely, Destiny and Dr. Jean for taking such exemplary care of her and exceeding the call to service. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, July 6, from 2-8 p.m. The funeral will be held on Thursday, July 7 at 2 p.m. Both will be held at Silverdale Baptist Church, 7236 Bonny Oaks Drive, Chattanooga. A private burial will be held for the family after the service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Gideons International or the Missions Fund of Silverdale Baptist Church. Please share your thoughts and memories online at www. ChattanoogaValleyViewChapel. com Arrangements are by Chattanooga Funeral Home, Valley View Chapel, 7414 Old Lee Highway, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421. George Harrison on How the Press Covered His Part in The Rolling Stones Drug Bust: They Werent Ready to Bust a Beatle George Harrison was hanging out with The Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Keith Richards the night of their notorious 1967 drug bust. Although, George left the place right before police raided Richards home, Redlands. That didnt stop the newspapers from adding him to their story. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards | Powell/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images The News of the World and Sgt. Pilcher had a vendetta against pop stars The Rolling Stones had many run-ins with the law. However, their 1967 drug bust is the most infamous incident. Mick Jagger sued the English publication The News of the World for libel. He didnt like that the newspaper published sensational stories and him and his then-girlfriend, Marianne Faithfull. However, the publication didnt want to be sued. So, they teamed up with Sgt. Pilcher and his police force and organized the drug bust for Jagger and his bandmates. Police officers raided Redlands after Richards chauffeur tipped them off that a party had commenced. In an excerpt of his book, Allen Klein: The Man Who Bailed Out the Beatles, Made the Stones and Transformed Rock & Roll (per Rolling Stone), Fred Goodman wrote, The raid came just as Richards and several others were coming down from an LSD trip. The contraband recovered was modest: there were a couple of roaches around the house; Jagger had a few amphetamines purchased from a druggist in Italy; and a friend, Robert Fraser, had heroin. But it was enough to get them hauled off to jail, and the tabloid News of the World made a meal of the bust, reporting with particular gusto that Marianne Faithfull, fresh out of the shower, had greeted the police clad only in a fur rug. Though the men were released on bail, it immediately became apparent that the government was serious about bringing a case for jail time against Jagger and Richards. Tabloids had a field day. One publication wrote that police had caught Jagger and Faithfull in a compromising position with a Mars bar. Jagger and Richards stood trial and faced hefty sentences. However, some of The Rolling Stones fellow pop stars, including The Who, started a campaign encouraging fans support (per NME). Traditionally conservative newspaper, The Times, published an op-ed by William Rees-Mogg asking Who Breaks a Butterfly on a Wheel? The article discussed unfair sentencing. Authorities released Jagger and Richards after they spent a night in jail. RELATED: How The Rolling Stones Keith Richards Feels About Quitting Smoking George Harrison on his part in The Rolling Stones drug bust In a 1988 interview with MTV, George touched on his involvement in The Rolling Stones 1967 drug bust. Its a long time ago now, he said. I think the story, how I heard it, was that theres a newspaper in England called The News of the World. They printed a story about-it was really supposed to be Brian Jones, but they made a mistake and said it was Mick Jagger. So, Mick sued the newspaper so the newspaper decided that they werent going to be sued, they were going to get him or all The Rolling Stones, or whatever. So, they set up with the local police to bust his house and that night I happened to be there. I was there very late, three or four in the morning, and then when I left, they were all busted and put in jail. The newspaper had said another internationally famous pop star escaped moments before they closed in, which just goes to show they werent really ready to bust a Beatle at that point in time. They worked their way up, from Donovan up through The Rolling Stones and they waited to get The Beatles later. RELATED: The Rolling Stones: Mick Jagger Doesnt Know What He Was Thinking When He Wrote Brown Sugar George said Sgt. Pilcher framed The Beatles and The Rolling Stones Eventually, the police busted The Beatles. George was the second Beatle that Pilcher busted following The Rolling Stones drug bust. Pilcher first busted John Lennon and Yoko Ono at their London flat in 1968. He then raided George and his then-wife Pattie Boyds home, Kinfauns, in Esher in 1969, on Paul McCartney and Linda Eastmans wedding day. He came out to my house with about eight other policemen, a policewoman and a police dog, who happened to be called Yogi because, I suppose, of the Beatle connection with Maharishi, George explained in Anthology. They thought theyd have a bit of fun. They took us off, fingerprinted us and we were busted. It was written in the papers like a fashion show: George was wearing a yellow suit and his wife Pattie had on' Pilcher and his squad claimed theyd found a large piece of hashish in Georges shoe and took it with them to make sure prosecutors charged George. According to Beatles Bible, George said, Im a tidy man. I keep my socks in the sock drawer and stash in the stash box. Its not mine. However, later, some celebrities started calling Pilcher out for framing them just to please the newspapers. Incidentally, the guy who did the busts in England in those times was later jailed for about eight years for planting dope on people, George told MTV. Many people believed that Pilcher planted drugs at celebritys homes, but that has never been proven. Pilcher did go to prison, though. However, a judge sentenced him to four years for perjury in 1973. George and The Rolling Stones drug bust might have been a pain in the neck, but theyve become an interesting part of pop culture history. How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357. RELATED: Tom Petty Said George Harrison Invented the Idea of Rock N Roll Giving Back to the People MOSCOW, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his visiting Venezuelan counterpart, Carlos Faria, on Monday voiced readiness to step up cooperation between the two countries in a wide range of fields. "We agreed to promote work on mutually beneficial projects in a number of areas, including energy, pharmaceuticals, industry, transport and military technology," Lavrov said during a briefing with Faria held here. Some Western countries' actions to block assets of sovereign states are a gross violation of the socio-economic rights of citizens, they said. Venezuelan and Russian companies are working on specific projects in the energy sector, and both sides are exploring ways to bypass existing obstacles created by Western sanctions, Faria told reporters. BASF and MAN Energy Solutions have entered into a strategic partnership to pursue the construction of an industrial-scale heat pump at the BASF site in Ludwigshafen. This project is intended to make an important contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, establishing the use of low-CO 2 technologies in chemical production and reducing the sites natural gas consumption. As a first step, the project partners are conducting a feasibility study that is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. The planned large-scale heat pump will enable production of steam using electricity from renewable energy, tapping waste heat from the cooling water system at BASF as a source of thermal energy. The residual heat in the water will be processed using compression to produce steam that will be fed into the sites steam network. By integrating the planned heat pump into the sites production infrastructure, up to 150 metric tons of steam can be produced per hour, equivalent to a thermal output of 120 megawatts. The project could reduce CO 2 emissions at the site by up to 390,000 metric tons per year. At the same time, it would make the cooling water system more efficient and less dependent on climate and weather conditions. Steam is the most important source of energy in the chemical industry. In Ludwigshafen, BASF requires around 20 million metric tons of steam per year. The plants at the site use much of this as process steam in production, for example, to dry products, heat up reactors or for distilling. Around half of the steam required at the Ludwigshafen site is already produced by recovering heat from production facilities using a low-CO 2 process. The remaining steam demand, approximately 50 percent, is met by gas and steam power plants, which emit CO 2 during generation. Dr. Martin Brudermuller, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE: In the medium term, we want to reduce our CO 2 emissions by 25 percent by 2030. The use of technologies such as large heat pumps, which already exist and can be scaled up to industrial size, brings us a lot closer to this goal. In our cooperation with MAN Energy Solutions, we combine the expertise of a chemical Verbund site with the know-how required for the technological implementation of a project like this. This technology also has the potential to pave the way for projects at other BASF sites. Dr. Uwe Lauber, CEO of MAN Energy Solutions SE, commented: We are really looking forward to the close collaboration with BASF. Space heating and process heat account for around one-third of German greenhouse gas emissions. Together with BASF, we want to address this significant lever with an innovative solution. We are convinced that our heat pump solution can make a decisive contribution to a climate-friendly supply of steam at the Ludwigshafen site. BASF is a global pioneer in the energy transformation in the chemical industry, a role model for the deployment of innovative technologies to protect the planet, and a great project partner. Industry and climate protection both rely on the innovations that arise from such strong partnerships. Dr. Uwe Liebelt, President European Verbund Sites, BASF SE: The transformation that lies ahead of us requires, above all, openness to new technologies. In Ludwigshafen, we are testing and developing several technologies and alternative processes to replace fossil fuels this includes the electrical production of steam. Protecting the climate means not only avoiding greenhouse gas emissions but also using energy sustainably industrial heat pumps enable both. In the future, they will be an essential part of the sustainable energy infrastructure at the Ludwigshafen site. With this project, the two partners want to gain experience in the integration and operation of industrial-scale heat pumps and pave the way for the standardization and deployment of the technology at other sites. The feasibility studys findings with regard to the economic viability, efficiency and competitiveness of the technology will form the basis for the subsequent decision-making process for the construction of the heat pump. BASF has set itself the goal of achieving net zero CO 2 emissions by 2050. In addition to the use of renewable energies and increasing energy efficiency in production, new technologies such as the electrification of steam production will contribute to meeting this target. Scaling up such climate-friendly processes to an industrial level will decisively influence the transformation to low-CO 2 chemical production. MAN Energy Solutions has put technical solutions to lower greenhouse gas emissions from industry, energy production and shipping at the heart of its future strategy. In addition to technologies to avoid harmful emissions, the company focuses in particular on the reduction or compensation of unavoidable residual emissions from industry. Chelle Wyatt uses her cell phone with the Otter app Friday, April 15, 2022, in Salt Lake City. People with hearing loss have adopted technology to navigate the world, especially as hearing aids are expensive and inaccessible to many. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Erin Griffiths and Dawn Demeo are veteran teachers at Cheshire High School who know their way around a classroom and a curriculum. Yet, as the two navigated the new Black and Latino Studies course, offered as an elective to CHS students for the first time this past school year, the educators admitted that the instruction and the way they approached their lessons grew organically over time. The result, they believe, was a success. The (first year) really went well, said Demeo, an English teacher at the high school. It was a challenging curriculum, so we have to find ways in, and I believe we did a good job of meeting the kids where they are. The kids were so invested, added Griffiths, a history teacher. They really gave us a lot of feedback. The Black and Latino Studies class was implemented this year in response to the statewide mandate by Gov. Ned Lamont who, in July of 2020, issued an order stating that, by 2022, all districts in Connecticut must offer such a course. Cheshire wasted no time, adding it at the beginning of this past school year and naming Demeo and Griffiths as the two teachers to lead it. The course was conducted over both semesters and included a wide variety of topics that touched on the history of Black and Latino culture in America, how they have been represented in literature, and issues pertaining to the Black and Latino communities that continue to impact current events. Griffiths, who teaches American history, explained that the idea was to give students a more robust understanding of the past. The history of (Black and Latino communities) is not given enough attention (in the standard curriculum) for a variety of reasons, explained Griffth. This class gives us a chance to talk about that history and the contributions of those (communities). I think there is a dominant narrative in history and in literature, added Demeo, and this course offers up a counter-narrative. Griffiths and Demeo taught the class together, with the two focused on their particular areas of expertise. Throughout the year, the students would be assigned a book by Demeo that tied in with the subject matter being taught, and Demeo would often refer the students to something more modern, whether a movie or Podcast, that touched on the themes related to them by Griffiths. She also served as a valuable questioner throughout the duration of the course. (Dawn) was a great student, said Griffiths, laughing. She would ask great questions. Erin is such a great teacher, it was pretty genuine when I was asking questions, Demeo responded. But for the most part, the students helped drive the direction of the course, Demeo and Griffiths insisted. The two educators, for instance, solicited feedback from the students after the first semester, and found that they wanted to discuss more current events as part of the class, and students were encouraged to participate as much as possible. Every other day, we would have a block (of time) where we would work on the course, where we would tweak it, said Griffiths. A lot of the kids would pop in during those periods and talk. We told the kids, Youre part of this with us, said Demeo. That also meant cultivating an environment where students felt comfortable talking about difficult topics in an open format, even if they ended up disagreeing on the issue at hand. Not everyone in the class subscribed to the same ideology, said Griffiths, but everyone felt comfortable in the class. We consciously created space where all viewpoints were welcomed, said Demeo. We did have some tough conversations, and the students didnt always agree. We didnt assume everyone had the same perspective on what we were learning. But those open conversations, Demeo stated, led to some deeper understanding amongst the students. I think, especially when we had a discussion on identity, said Demeo, I think the students were surprised. They may not think often what it may be like to be African American and living in Cheshire, Latino and living in Cheshire, so to hear (classmates) walking through their identities, I think it was a real learning experience. As part of the course, Demeo and Griffiths were able to lean on some expert lecturers. Some came to answer questions raised during the course, as when Demeo invited a friend who specializes in art history to discuss with the class how Africans are depicted in certain paintings, after the students had brought up the issue during a class discussion. Another came as the result of initiative by one student who reached out to Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D-5) to come and speak with the class. You could see the passion she has for politics but also the passion she has for teaching, said Demeo, referencing the fact that Hayes had been a teacher before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She was really in her element. The group also went on a trip to Puerto Rico this past semester, visiting sites and taking in the culture. That was really eye-opening, said Demeo. Demeo and Griffiths will be back teaching the class next semester, and they hope to begin incorporating more local history into the curriculum, to give students a better understanding of the African American and Latino experience closer to home. They will also be looking for ways to expand the reading selections offered students. We have learned so much this year, said Griffiths. Now that we have this framework, we can really tweak the course we can tighten everything up. Just over half of US pastors plan to honor America in Fourth of July weekend services Survey sees slight drop from 2016 Fewer pastors say they will incorporate patriotic displays and messages into their Sunday services this Fourth of July weekend, but overall a slight majority still plan on honoring both God and America at church. A Lifeway Research study found just over half (56%) of Protestant pastors support showing patriotism at church during Independence Day weekend. Of those, 27% strongly support such displays. Roughly two in five pastors (42%) disagree, and a small fraction 2% say they arent sure. That marks a slight decline from a similar study conducted by Lifeway Research in 2016, which found 61% of pastors supported using patriotic displays in their worship services. The study, released June 28, surveyed 1,000 U.S. Protestant pastors in September 2021. Each interview was completed by the senior or sole pastor or minister at a church, and responses were weighted by region and church size to more accurately reflect the population. Pastors with graduate degrees were less likely to use patriotic elements in their services compared with pastors who either had no degree (70%) or a bachelors degree (67%) Denominational pastors, meanwhile, were also less likely (48%) to incorporate patriotism into their worship services compared with 64% of Evangelical pastors, according to the survey. Among the denominations, Pentecostal (77%) and nondenominational (70%) churches were more likely to display some form of patriotism in their Sunday services, compared with Methodist (52%), Lutheran (48%), and Presbyterian/Reformed (44%). But the younger pastors aged 18-44 were the most likely (65%) to avoid the use of patriotic additions to their worship services. When it comes to how churches honor America, there is far greater diversity in pastors responses, with a majority (58%) taking the time to recognize all who served in the U.S. military or families who have lost a loved one in service (54%). About 30% say they use other means to show their patriotism. While not a date on the Christian calendar, most Protestant churches adjust their worship services to acknowledge the birth of the United States each July, said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. For most churches, it isnt just tradition. The majority of pastors agree its important to incorporate it into the worship experience. In addition to the Fourth of July weekend, roughly 67% of all Protestant pastors in the U.S. support displaying the American flag in their churches year-round, while another 28% disagree. Five percent of all pastors arent sure whether they support flying the American flag year-round. Similar to the slight drop in pastors planning to incorporate patriotism into their church services, the overall number of pastors supporting year-round flag displays dropped about 7% from Lifeways 2016 study. Some denominations offer specific guidance regarding displaying the American flag, but most congregations decide on their own whether its present, McConnell said. Because a national flag is a symbol, it often means many different things to different people. So discussions around the reason for its presence in many churches can be just as diverse. How the church reacted when I got my teen girlfriend pregnant A common argument made by proponents of pro-choice against pro-life advocates is, You only care about children when they are in the womb. Now, before we start getting defensive and quoting stats showing the huge impacts Christians have had on adoptions, food banks, pregnancy centers, and other charitable organizations, lets take a step back and evaluate this statement. Yes, the Church has done a lot but we can do more and in the aftershock of this monumental decision, we should commit to do even more to support life not only in the womb but outside the womb as well. Church discipline done right leads to restoration At the age of 17, my then-girlfriend and I had the unnerving experience of telling our parents that we were pregnant. We were both raised in the church; in-fact, her dad worked full-time at our local church and I was a part-time janitor. We were so scared to tell anyone that we didn't tell anyone until we were 6-months pregnant. Not only did we manage to hide the pregnancy for so long but we had devised multiple plans to run-away to another state after we broke the news. Praise God we chickened out! The next few months were filled with tears, frustration, shame, and hopelessness. It was chaosbut God through the Body of Christ intervened. Our pastor, in obedience to Matthew 18, enacted the biblical process of church discipline by calling us to repentance. We submitted to the process and publicly repented before the congregation on a Sunday morning. The response? They embraced us. The church literally became the arms of Christ and we experienced His presence in a tangible, physical way. The avalanche of donations, the organizing of a last-minute baby shower, and the overall emotional and spiritual support turned a moment of crisis into an opportunity to live out the Gospel of reconciliation! The struggle is real but God is bigger I would love to tell you that everything was perfect and we lived happily ever after from this moment forward but I would be lying. The struggle was real but the reality of His sovereign hand in providing for our little family became an even bigger reality in our life. Aliesha and I both graduated high school, we got married, and our baby boy, Isaiah, was raised in a church of people who loved him dearly. To be honest, the early years of our marriage are still a blur for me. I had to work multiple jobs at the time along with attending trade school, medical training, or college. However, this still wasnt enough to make ends meet so Aliesha would earn extra income with various online businesses to help. We often reminisce of the times when we would park our car in a McDonalds parking lot to use the WIFI or when we would drive through neighborhoods and pick up furniture that people put by the side of the road. There was a point in our life where I could walk you through our apartment or rental house and could tell you how each and every item in a given room was a testimony of Gods abundant provision for us either directly through the church or pure divine intervention! We have now been together for 15 years, married for 11, and have been blessed with 8 children. Even as I write this, I can hear the bickering of sibling rivalries and can't help but think about the long list of repairs that need to be made. However, I would not trade this experience for anything! A heavenly perspective on life While the circumstances and the timing of Isaiahs (our first child) entrance into this world were not in alignment with Gods perfect will for us, His Sovereign hand could not be forced to recoil from the work he is accomplishing, not only in my life or Alieshas life but the life of Isaiah and now the lives of Mercy, Gideon, Harmony, Moses, Ezekiel, Gabriel and baby Melody. It is in this context that I am given a completely new appreciation for Genesis 25:21-23. Isaac pleaded with the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The LORD answered Isaacs prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the LORD about it. Why is this happening to me? she asked. And the LORD told her, The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son. In this story, Rebekah is finally able to get pregnant but something strange was going on in her womb. In the absence of ultrasound machines, Rebekah asks God, What in the world is going on in there? God graciously reveals that everything is fine, the twins are just fighting with each other. However, dont miss the glimpse we are given into a heavenly perspective. God did not say that there are 2 babies in your womb but there are 2 nations. In my narrow, time-bound, teenager understanding, my world was being turned completely upside down because my girlfriend had a singular baby in her womb. What I could not see then was the seven other blessings that God had purposed and intended for us before time began, that would not have come into existence if we had done the convenient thing of aborting our son. And yet, what I also cannot see, even today, is the impact that this small army of Gods children, or their children, or their childrens children will have on this world for the Kingdom of God. As the church, we are called, rather commanded, to care for the widow and the orphan. This command far surpasses just meeting temporal, physical needs but to help the people of this world look beyond the temporal by giving them an eternal perspective. Abortion does not just take a single life; it is the destruction of untold generations upon generations. It is this heavenly perspective on life that should invigorate the Church to double down in its efforts not just to save life but to restore, redeem, and reconcile those who find themselves in a crisis pregnancy situation. I am who I am today because Christs Church truly became the hands and feet of Jesus for us. I cannot imagine what would have happened if the Church was not there. Unfortunately, there are those who do not have to imagine crisis without support because they have lived it. Others observe the agony of that situation and are easily persuaded to do the convenient thing, yet still live in agony because of that decision. In all of this, the restorative, reconciling forgiveness and love of Christ is the answer! The Church of Christ has been given the privilege, the honor, and the responsibility to be his literal hands and feet in this broken world in crisis. How a clean water program is furthering the Gospel in remote regions of Asia, Africa A global Bible translation organization is giving new meaning to "washing with water through the word." The Orlando-based Wycliffe Associates, best known for its partner mother-tongue Bible translators and its partnership with local churches worldwide in the advancement of Bible translation, is helping Christians in Asia and Africa build bridges for sharing Scripture in Asia and Africa by providing clean water systems in remote communities. Through its Operation Clean Water initiative, Wycliffe Associates supplies tools and training for local Christians to dig water wells and build clean water systems for their villages. To date, the program has built nearly 40 water systems in two countries in Asia, Guinea, Togo, Niger and South Sudan in Africa, according to Bart Maley, Wycliffe Associates community development program manager. Maley told CP the work in Asia where 14 water systems were built or are being built in countries where the work is so sensitive they cannot be publicly identified involves training local pastors and staff to build water catchment systems. Those systems capture water from a spring in the mountains and gravity feeds to a tank and distribution system in the village. Members of the Wycliffe language community build the systems themselves and are then encouraged to guide neighboring language communities to build their own water system, Maley said. "We have referred to this as 'clean water outreach' because it allows new and existing believers the chance to reach out and meet a felt need, which in turn allows them to share God's love even in places that are hostile to the Gospel," he added. In Africa, where seven water systems have been built or are in the process of being built, communities pay part of the cost of the water system construction due to the technical and equipment requirements of water well drilling, according to Maley. All of the water wells or boreholes as they're known in Africa have hand pumps and have been constructed in areas where a Wycliffe Bible translation team is working. Founded in 1967, Wycliffe Associates supports native speakers under the authority of the local church to translate Scripture into their heart language using resources and tools provided through Bible translation workshops. Maley said part of the ministry's strategy is to have leaders of the translation team read the most recently translated Scripture at the well site as community members come to collect water. "Most often, this is the first time they have heard the Bible read in their language and often the first time they have heard the message of God's love," he said. "Many of the testimonies have included people of different faiths having an encounter with Jesus as a result of the message they have heard or the relationship that was built through coming to collect clean water." It's a scene that is reminiscent of Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well in the Gospel of John. "The story of the woman at the well is the [epitome] of showing how Christ met and had relationships with the people He gave his life for," said Maley. "Clean water is opening the door for these kind of relationships around the globe and it will only have a higher impact as the quest for clean water grows." Approximately one in three people globally do not have access to safe drinking water, and roughly 3 billion people lack basic handwashing facilities, according to the World Health Organization. Anyone wishing to partner with language communities that are sharing the love of God for the first time can do so by signing up to pray for Operation Clean Water. WASHINGTON, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Police of Akron in the U.S. state of Ohio released on Sunday body-camera footage of the fatal shooting of African American Jayland Walker by multiple officers last week. The shooting happened shortly after midnight on Monday as officers attempted to pull over Walker on unspecified traffic violations, according to the Akron Police Department. The officers were said to have chased Walker's vehicle on the expressway for several minutes. Walker then allegedly jumped out of his car while the footage showed officers pursuing him on foot before opening fire. The police department said officers "reported a firearm being discharged from the suspect vehicle" during the encounter. Walker, 25, suffered more than 60 gunshot wounds and was unarmed at the time, according to Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett. Eight officers who were directly involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave as part of the protocol in a police shooting, Mylett said. The city had contacted the Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation and requested an independent investigation into the incident. The process is underway. Walker's family has questioned the use of deadly force against him by the officers. An attorney for the family, Bobby DiCello, said that he has not seen any evidence yet regarding allegations that Walker had shot at officers and that the man was unarmed and fleeing when being shot. Protesters have taken to the street in Akron for several days in a row to oppose police brutality and racism, and demand justice for Walker. Akron canceled its Independence Day celebrations after protests broke out in the wake of Walker's death. "I completely understand that some residents and guests will be disappointed by the decision to cancel the festival this holiday weekend. Independence Day is meant to be a celebration and a time of gathering with friends and family," Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan wrote in a statement. "Unfortunately, I feel strongly that this is not the time for a city-led celebration." NAACP (The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) President Derrick Johnson said in a statement that Walker's death wasn't self-defense, but "was murder. Point blank." "This doesn't happen to white people in America," Johnson said. "We are just trying to live our lives, and we are tired of being hunted like prey. We know that pulling over for the police is often a death sentence." African Americans are nearly three times more likely to be killed by police than white people in the United States, according to data from Mapping Police Violence. Evil on the rise: Requests for exorcism reportedly booming as culture dabbles in occult Exorcism typically gets a lot of attention in pop culture, mainly due to its vivid depictions in movies, but the expulsion of evil from a person's life doesn't always look like what's observed on the big screen. Mike Signorelli, the senior pastor of V1 Church in New York City, recently appeared on"The Playing With Fire Podcast," where he explored exorcism and his views on biblical evil. READ ALSO: Shut Up, Devil: Are Too Many Churches Ignoring Evil? Meet the Bible Teacher on a Mission to Reignite the Conversation What is 'deliverance?' The preacher explained "deliverance," a term with which people might have less familiarity than the word "exorcism," though many use the words interchangeably. "Deliverance is simply when Jesus expels an unclean spirit from you," Signorelli said, noting examples in scripture of Jesus healing individuals possessed by demons. "It literally is the ministry of Jesus, and so when you see it happen today, you are seeing the ministry of Jesus extended through the lives of his followers." Listen to Signorelli discuss exorcism, deliverance and his ministry: Evil on the increase While some might express skepticism over possession in the modern era, faith leaders and individuals who deal with the issue in practice report stunning increases in those seeking healing and help. Signorelli noted the well-publicized fact the Catholic Church is inundated with requests for exorcism. The problem is so sweeping that he said Catholic leaders are "reporting a system failure within Catholicism right now," as they simply can't keep up with the demand. Signorelli, who disagrees with Catholic exorcism and discourages people from seeking it, said the increased need is notable; it's something he's seen in his own deliverance ministry, as culture increasingly dabbles in the occult. "New Age practices are becoming a normal phenomenon," he said. "Even secular companies are provoking people to step into the spiritual realm or to believe in the supernatural in a way that, it's like we're moving past atheism," he said. Signorelli pointed to the mainstreaming of burning sage to drive out evil and the obsessive reading of Horoscopes, among other actions things he believes are spiritually dangerous and can breed evil. Do Christians need deliverance? Signorelli also addressed critics who might dismiss the need for Christians to seek deliverance, with some believing Christians are protected from evil and not in need of such spiritual healings. But Signorelli said it's important to differentiate between true believers and those who attend church and haven't allowed the Gospel to permeate their hearts and minds. "Not everybody who claims to be a Christian is a Christian; there are people and I meet them by the hundreds because I travel all around the world preaching and declaring the Gospel who have never heard the Gospel," he said. "They've received Christianity, but they've never received Christ." Signorelli said it's possible for these individuals to have confessed but to never have repented and to, in turn, struggle with the demonic realm. Inside a deliverance As for what a deliverance (or exorcism) looks like, the only tangible example most have is what can be observed in films and movies. Signorelli shared what deliverance looks like in his ministry, explaining how he starts by ensuring the Holy Spirit is permeating his life. "I host the Holy Spirit, not just inside of me, but in the atmospheres of my life," he said. "I believe that one of the greatest obligations I have, not as a pastor, but as a believer, is to host the Holy Spirit I want to start with that." He said this simply involves leading a Christian life by forgiving others and living out the fruit of the spirit. Signorelli believes his focus on emphasizing Christian virtues in his own life helps fuel his ministry. "I think one of the reasons why I see as [many] deliverances as I do is not because the emphasis is on the devil but because the emphasis is on hosting the Holy Spirit," he said. "It's like when you open up the door to your room, and you have the light on in the hallway ... the room is immediately overcome by the light in the hallway, and so ... I'm constantly opening up the door to the Holy Spirit." It is this presence of the Holy Spirit that Signorelli believes "agitates" evil and brings it out of hiding. The problem Signorelli sees with some of today's pastors He believes too many preachers focus on their sermons and not on compellingly living biblical truth. "So many ministers have gotten so good at preaching sermons, but they've spent more time honing the craft of preaching than they have hosting the Holy Spirit," he said. Beyond that, Signorelli said repentance is critical, pointing to the Old Testament examples of David and Saul. While both sinned and made errors, only Saul was "vexed by demons." READ ALSO: Transferred From the Kingdom of Darkness Into Light: Real-Life Teen Witch Who Should Be Dead Went From Casting Spells to Worshipping Jesus "We know that David sinned, and we know that Saul had sinned," Signorelli said. "David was quick to repent. ... We have the recorded prayers of David closing those doors. I would argue that Saul was unrepentant. He left that door wide open for long durations of time." The pastor said he believes a refusal to close doors to sin in Christians' lives today can prove similarly problematic and lead to a need for deliverance. "Maybe you have a repeated sin in your life that becomes the equivalency of leaving that door open, and now you've moved out of the David category," he said. Signorelli said one might discover he or she is struggling with the "flesh" and needs more discipline rather than deliverance. However, some issues can be demonic strongholds or a mixture of the two. He said he's seen his ministry explode recently and shared some of the deliverance stories he has witnessed. In one case, a woman felt hopeless after having ringing in her ear for years. "After she received deliverance, the ringing completely stopped," he said. "She was weeping. I have it on video. She was just weeping, couldn't hardly believe [it]." Signorelli shared other similar stories as well. Listen to the full episode formore. This story originally appeared on Faithwire.com. 4 Myths About the Fourth of July Across the United States, Americans of all races, colors, politics, and creeds will be celebrating Independence Day. Parades, BBQs, and parties abound from coastal metropolises littered with skyscrapers to humble Midwest towns where the number of street lights can be counted on one hand. Amidst the history and the celebration, the observance and the fireworks, several popular myths exist for Fourth of July. Below, in no particular order, are four myths surrounding Independence Day, the first of which being the actual day it is celebrated on. I. The Fourth of July was When Independence was Declared Possibly the most pervasive and officially ingrained myth about Independence Day is the date attributed to the historic event. In actuality, it was two days earlier on July 2, 1776, that the Continental Congress declared independence from the British Empire. As John Adams wrote, "the Second of July, 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival." While Adams did go on to become President of the United States and had his share of accomplishments, prophecy was clearly not one of them. It is believed that the Fourth got all the honors that the Second deserved, and was due to the process of adoption, according to Valerie Strauss of The Answer Sheet Blog. "The document justifying the act of Congress you know it as Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence was adopted on the Fourth, as is indicated on the document itself, which is, one supposes, the cause for all the confusion," wrote Strauss. "As one scholar has observed, what has happened is that the document announcing the event has overshadowed the event itself." II. King George III wrote on July 4 That 'Nothing Happened Today' Meant for ironic amusement, it has long been claimed online and offline that on July 4, 1776, King George III wrote in his diary "nothing of importance happened today." Arnold Hunt, curator of historical manuscripts at the British Library, told National Public Radio that the quip was never written by the British monarch who fought against the American Founding Fathers. "King George III never kept a diary. The quote is a variation of another well-known story from the French Revolution," said Hunt to NPR back in 2007. Regarding the French Revolution story, it was said that on the day the French Revolution King Louis XVI wrote in a diary the phrase "nothing," regarding a hunt where no game was killed. Nevertheless, the false quote continues to be cited in books and blogs alike as an example of downplaying significant events. III. Declaration of Independence was Signed on July 4 Thanks to a mixture of famous artwork and popular misconception, it is widely believed that the Declaration of Independence was signed on the Fourth of July. The image of John Trumball's famous painting, itself laden with historical inaccuracies, with its key founding fathers presenting the document before the Continental Congress comes to mind. However the delegates for the Continental Congress did not as a group sign the document on July 4, which was the date it was officially adopted. "Nearly a month would go by, however, before the actual signing of the document took place," noted history.com. "Most of the delegates signed on August 2, but several Elbridge Gerry, Oliver Wolcott, Lewis Morris, Thomas McKean and Matthew Thornton signed on a later date. (Two others, John Dickinson and Robert R. Livingston, never signed at all.)" IV. The Declaration of Independence was the Last Word on the Debate Adopted on the Fourth, within a year copies of the Declaration of Independence spread throughout the world and were translated into several languages. In popular historical memory, it is believed that the Declaration was a sort of last word on the debate, with Great Britain responding to the document solely with military force. However historian David Armitage noted in his 2007 book The Declaration of Independence: A Global History that rebuttals were written in response. One response, titled Answer to the Declaration of the American Congress and authored by a lawyer named John Lind, had 500 copies sent to the American colonies by the British government. "The Answer to the Declaration was mostly a point-by-point examination and refutation of the charges against the king," wrote Armitage on page 76. "Lind [also] mocked the colonists for their hypocrisy in announcing the natural equality of all mankind while failing to free their slaves " Former Massachusetts Governor and Boston native Thomas Hutchinson also penned a response, saying the Declaration held "absurd notions of government." "The Colonies, politically considered, never were a distinct people from the kingdom," argued Hutchinson. "There never has been but one political band, and that was just the same before the first colonists emigrated as it has been ever since " Despite these words, American colonists eventually won their struggle for independence and the celebration of that victory continues to the present day. Denzel Washington honors Pastor A.R. Bernard at Museum of the Bible 'Blessing of the Elders' ceremony Pastor A.R. Bernard was honored by Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington at the Museum of the Bible's Blessing of the Elders ceremony that paid tribute to the faith-filled legacy of leaders in the black Church. Bernard, the senior pastor of the Christian Cultural Center in New York City, who was honored by Washington and his wife, Pauletta, was among several other Christian leaders recognized for their contribution to the nation and Americans' spiritual health. Other honorees included: Bishop Charles E. Blake of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ; Pastor Shirley Caesar of Mount Calvary Word of Faith Church in Raleigh, North Carolina; Pastor Tony Evans of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas; Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas; Bishop Vashti McKenzie of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and evangelical civil rights leader John Perkins. Bernard, whose Brooklyn-based megachurch has 40,000 members, and has served as an adviser to mayors and presidents, told The Christian Post that "it was extra special to have Denzel and Pauletta Washington present my award. The famous actor and producer has publicly called Bernard his pastor and spiritual mentor in recent years and has been vocal about his faith in God. I am blessed to be a part in their spiritual journey," Bernard added. At the ceremony, Washington revealed that Bishop Blake has also shaped his faith. Its been an amazing 40-year journey from Bishop Blakes church, where I first was filled with the Holy Spirit, to tonight, Washington said, according to Religion News Service. Washington further described Bernard as a man of God with a mind of God, who had asked the actor to speak during his tribute. It has been a blessing for all of us to be students of Pastor A.R. Bernard. Its been a blessing for me, personally, to have someone that I can talk to, ask questions, Washington said. While being honored at the event, Bernard said: Embracing Christianity, blacks didnt seek to imitate white Christianity oh no, instead we created a parallel religious culture, our own brand of Christianity with our own hymns, music, style of worship, much influenced by the challenge of slavery. Bernard, who served as chairman of the Blessing of the Elders Steering Committee, said he was elated that black people of the cloth were finally being acknowledged for leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of American society. Christianity gave blacks hope in the midst of a hopeless situation, and were not done yet. I believe the 21st century will see the black church lead the way to hope and healing in a deeply divided nation, he said at the event. In its many distinctive expressions, the black Church has played a significant role in the American experience," Bernard told CP. "It has impacted the spiritual, social, economic, educational and political life of our nation. The event also featured appearances by co-hosts Erica Campbell and Bebe Winans, along with Ambassador Andrew Young, Pastor Marvin L. Winans, Tramaine Hawkins, The Clark Sisters, Fred Hammond, Wintley Phipps and Lecrae. Blessing of the Elders is guided by a steering committee whose vision statement reads: We seek to honor Black pastors across the United States who have been committed to their call of preaching the Gospel and caring for the souls of humankind. We acknowledge and appreciate their exceptional contribution as vitally important to the development of Americas biblical values. In a statement shared with CP, Steve Green, Museum of the Bible co-founder and chairman of the board said, The black Church has a unique and rich history in our country, leaning on the Bible for strength, courage and perseverance, and this powerful story of faith needs to be told. Shooting at 4th of July parade leaves at least 6 dead, 24 seriously injured Police identify 21-year-old suspect Correction Appended UPDATED at 7:55 p.m. ET: Police have arrested 21-year-old Robert "Bobby" E. Crimo III as a "person of interest" in a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois. Crimo was apprehended in Lake Forest after an attempted traffic stop led to a brief chase. He was taken into custody and transported to the Highland Park Police Department. Authorities are continuing their investigation and said Crimo is considered a "person of interest" and won't be named as a suspect until they can positively connect him to the scene. At a press briefing just after 5:30 p.m. Eastern time, officials identified Crimo, who's from the Chicago area, as the suspected shooter and said he was driving a 2010 silver Honda Fit with the Illinois license plate DM-80653. City officials also spoke at a press briefing at 3:30 p.m. local time, where Jennifer Banek provided an update on the coroner's investigation and confirmed that five of the shooting victims who died at the scene were adults. The age of the spectator who was pronounced dead at an area hospital was not released. Fire Chief Joe Schrage said the fire department transported 23 victims to area hospitals. One of the victims transported by the fire department was a "critically injured" child. Injuries "were gunshot wounds, and that varied from [the] abdomen to limbs," Schrage said. "The crews were on scene very quickly. There were bystanders as well who rendered aid ... they were quick to tie tourniquets and do bleeding control which definitely assisted the fire department on scene." Other injured spectators drove themselves to area hospitals for treatment or were transported by other parade attendees. Highland Park Police Commander Chris ONeill asked residents with any information about the suspect or photos and video footage from the scene to call investigators at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Original report: At least six people were killed in a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, and as many as 24 other spectators who sustained serious and critical injuries are being treated at area hospitals. The city of Highland Park is now on lockdown after law enforcement agencies ordered residents and workers at nearby businesses to shelter in place as swat teams go door-to-door to search for the suspect who might be armed. At a press conference, Highland Park Police Commander Chris ONeill, the incident commander on scene, said the suspect is believed to be a white man, who is approximately 18- to 20-years-old, with long black hair, a small build and wearing a white or blue T-shirt. Police believe the suspect carried out the mass shooting from a rooftop where they recovered a high-powered rifle. At a subsequent press conference at 2 p.m. local time, Chris Covelli with the Lake County Sheriff's Office confirmed that "firearm evidence was located on a rooftop of a nearby business that was secured." Covelli said more than 100 law enforcement officers were called to the parade scene or dispatched to find the suspected shooter. Investigators are also scouring social media to find clues as to why the suspect committed the mass shooting. He said it appears that the shooter targeted spectators at random. He added that the information is preliminary, but it's believed five people died at the scene and one victim was pronounced dead at an area hospital. The wounded were transported to various hospitals in Lake and Cook Counties where their injuries are being treated. Covelli added that the parade was "three-quarters of the way through" when the suspect began shooting. "Very random, very intentional, and a very sad day." There are reportedly multiple fatalities following a shooting at an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois. Warning: Gunshots heard in below video.pic.twitter.com/F0BrsEXIS8 Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 4, 2022 Multiple agencies are working with local authorities and state police on the investigation. Highland Park police are leading the initial investigation and the Lake County Major Crime Task Force is working in conjunction with the FBI to process the scene. State police have asked anyone with photos or video footage from the parade to share it with the Highland Park Police Department, particularly footage near 2nd Street and Central Avenue. Police are also asking local businesses in the area to share their security footage. "As far as the investigative aspect goes, and this is two-pronged at this time, number one, we are aggressively looking for the individual who is responsible for this shooting," Covelli said. "Number two, we have a criminal investigation that is occurring simultaneously. We are asking anybody with any video surveillance that they may have, please review your cell phones if you were snapping pictures ... that could help investigators." Mayor Nancy Rotering spoke at the first news conference Monday afternoon, expressing her grief that around 10:14 a.m. local time, "our community was terrorized by an act of violence that has shaken us to our core." "Our hearts go out to the families of the victims at this devastating time. On a day that we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we are instead mourning the tragic loss of life and struggling with the terror that was brought upon us," she added. This is a developing story and will be updated. -- Correction: An earlier version of this article misidentified Robert E. Crimo III's age as 22 based on initial reports. He is 21. Celebrating July 4th, Importance Of Self-Care For Pastors, Quest For Revival During The Pandemic link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 06:59 06:59 Author Douglas MacKinnon, a former White House and Pentagon official, is on a mission to stop culture from canceling the Founding Fathers. In his new book, "The 56: Liberty Lessons From Those Who Risked All to Sign The Declaration of Independence," he explores why the stories of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence are so essential and why we shouldn't cancel the Founders. As an increasing number of pastors are now reporting they have considered quitting their jobs due to stress, loneliness, political divisions and worries like their church being in decline among other things, a new report from Barna shows that pastors who prioritize self-care are less likely to feel this way. Hollywood actress and staunch pro-life advocate Patricia Heaton took to social media with choice words for U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren after her crisis pregnancy center had to hire armed security. The House Speaker, who supports policies geared toward expanding abortion rights, reportedly received communion after a Wednesday meeting with Pope Francis. Worship artist Sean Feucht is gearing up for the release of a new documentary following his controversial crusade across America during the COVID-19 lockdown. President Joe Biden is calling on the U.S. Senate to "make an exception to" the filibuster rule to ensure the passage of a bill codifying the right to abortion into federal law. Finnish MP Paivi Rasanen decries 'heavy hatred for Christian values' in Western society Finnish lawmaker Paivi Rasanen, prosecuted for voicing her traditional Christian beliefs about marriage and sexuality, believes that a "heavy hatred for Christian values" in Western society will cause many Christians to censor themselves for social acceptance. The former interior minister who has served in Finnish Parliament for nearly three decades was one of several global political figures to speak at the annual International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C., this week. The event aims to increase "the public awareness and political strength for the international religious freedom movement. The summit is led by former Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, who led similar events at the State Department headquarters during the Trump administration. In March, Rasanen was cleared of hate speech charges for repeatedly asserting her belief that marriage should be between a man and a woman. But her legal battle continues as the prosecution has appealed the ruling to a higher court. She spoke with The Christian Post ahead of her participation in a panel discussion at the summit focused on religious freedom in the Western Hemisphere Thursday. As she faced a possibility of up to two years in prison, the 62-year-old politician attributed her prosecution to Finland becoming a "post-Christian world" where "Christian values are, in fact, a minority." "The change has been so fast that it is difficult to understand what is happening," She said. As the wife of a Lutheran pastor and former chair of Finnish Christian Democrats, Rasanen believes Christian values are "targeted" in criminal court as part of the "breaking of the virtue and the challenging of Christian values" that is now "very visible in our societies." In Rasanen's case, she faced hate speech charges over a book she wrote 18 years ago titled Male and Female He Created Them: Homosexual relationships challenge the Christian concept of humanity and a 2019 tweet taking issue with the Finnish Lutheran Church's promotion of LGBT "pride month." She faced a third charge for comments she made on a radio show about homosexuality. Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland was charged with hate speech for publishing Rasanen's book. Rasanen insists that she has no ill will toward homosexuals and suggested that those accusing her of practicing hate speech are the ones dabbling in hatred. "We all are sinners and we need Jesus. But now, I think there is a heavy hatred against Christian values in our society," Rasanen said. "If you speak about gender issues that there are two genders or that marriage belongs to one woman and one man it arouses hatred against you in our society." Rasanen told CP that she "never thought" she would face prosecution for expressing support for "classical Christian doctrines about marriage and sexuality" as she openly discussed her "Christian values" and beliefs about "marriage and sanctity of human life" throughout her time in Parliament. "Nothing has changed in my faith and in my conviction, but suddenly I was like a criminal because of this hate," she said. "The world has changed," she concluded. "I think that my conviction has not changed but the world has changed very [quickly] in Finland and I think that also in other Western countries, post-Christian countries." Describing the cultural shift as "very alarming," Rasanen believes Christians must "wake up to see what is going on" because her experience proves that "it is more and more difficult" for Christians to express their faith publicly. "I'm afraid that this leads to some kind of self-censorship. If you are labeled a conservative Christian, it would hinder your career or your social acceptance," she stated. "So, these kinds of problems are very topical in Finnish society." Although she "hoped that the prosecutor would have been satisfied with the acquittal," she sees her case moving to a higher court as an opportunity "to get a precedent and to get a more heavy guideline for possible further similar cases in Finland and also in Europe." She praised her acquittal of hate crime charges by a Helsinki District Court as "a victory for me." Still, She said a "possible victory from Appeal Court and especially from Supreme Court" is an "even bigger victory for freedom of speech ... and freedom of religion" because it would create "legal guidance for other cases." "I think that this is all in God's hands, and I believe in His guidance that there is some meaning that this process continues," she added. Rasanen said the ordeal and her platform with the Finnish media provided an opportunity to "hold up the biblical values in public and also testify about Jesus" and give people "the answer to the problem of sin that Jesus has died for all people and that this is the way to salvation." Although Finland has a Constitution that "guarantees the freedom of speech and freedom of religion," Rasanen is concerned that "the influence of LGBT ideology is very strong in Finnish society and some kind of woke culture is creating cancel culture in our society and it is narrowing those freedoms." Rasanen lamented, "we have now some kind of totalitarian, ideological totalitarianism." She cited efforts to convince social media companies to censor "hate speech" in the Finnish Parliament and the European Union as examples of this ideology's emergence. Rasanen hopes that her remarks at the IRF Summit will "encourage people to use their rights and speak openly," "At first, when the trial in January started, [the] prosecutor said that this will not be about [the] Bible," Rasanen recalled. "She started to ask questions about [the] Bible, about theological issues, she even cited some verses from the Old Testament, and she wanted to show that there is a lot of hate speech in [the] Bible." Rasanen maintained that the prosecutor classified the Christian doctrine of "love the sinner, hate the sin" as "insulting and defaming" because "according to her, you cannot make a distinction between the person's identity and his actions, so if you condemn the act, you also condemn the human being and regard him inferior." She pushed back on this analysis, classifying the idea of "loving the sinner" and "hating the sin" as "the core of Christianity and the message of the Bible." "If this is denied, if this kind of speech and teaching is denied, then also the core of Christianity is dead," she contended. Ohio Supreme Court lets Ohio's 6-week abortion ban go into effect The Ohio Supreme Court has refused a request from Planned Parenthood and abortion providers to block the state's law banning abortions after about six weeks of gestation, which went into effect after the U.S. Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade last Friday. The abortion organizations sought an emergency order to prevent the state from enforcing a law passed by Republicans in 2019 now that the nation's high court ruled the Constitution doesn't confer a right to an abortion. Following the ruling, a federal judge dissolved the injunction against the Ohio law. The petitioners argue the legislation "has now decimated abortion access in Ohio" because the law effectively bans abortions "before many women even know they are pregnant." "This is an incredibly horrible situation and we are deeply disturbed by the Ohio Supreme Court's decision to allow the draconian six-week ban to remain in effect as it considers the merits of our case," the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the abortion providers, said in a tweet. Aaron Baer, the president of the Ohio-based Center for Christian Virtue, praised the Ohio Supreme Court's decision. "Their lawsuit reflected the delusional and dangerous world they live in. But thankfully, our State Supreme Court is operating in reality and has rejected Planned Parenthood's frivolous lawsuit," Baer said. "CCV is grateful for Attorney General Dave Yost and Solicitor General Ben Flowers' quick and incredible response to the abortion industry's desperate attempt to create a right to abortion out of thin air in the state Constitution." The ACLU and Center for Reproductive Rights have taken action in attempts to block abortion bans in 11 states Arizona, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, Utah and West Virginia. According to the Guttmacher Institute, more than 20 states have "trigger laws" on the books which can go into effect and ban abortion in the absence of Roe. Missouri was the first one to ban abortion following the court's decision in the Dobbs ruling. Across the country, corporations and entities have announced that their health plans will cover the cost of travel for their employees in states that restrict abortion to travel out of state to seek an abortion. In Ohio, Cincinnati's City Council approved Mayor Aftab Pureval's plans for the city to cover the abortion travel costs for government employees. Cincinnati's City Council voted to approve Pureval's legislation that repeals a 2001 city ordinance barring the city from covering elective abortions in its health plan. "Our Supreme Court, Congress and state legislature have failed us," Pureval said Monday when announcing the policy, according to WLWT. "Local officials must do whatever we can to protect the women of our communities." "It is not my job to make it easier for the state legislature and governor to drag women back to the 50's and strip their rights, it's my job to make that harder," he continued. "And with today's announcements, we are fighting back." The policy compensates workers seeking abortions or other procedures they cannot obtain within a 150-mile radius and is not covered by the city's health plan. "The city's travel reimbursement policy will not only cover travel for abortion-related services," the mayor said. "This is about making sure our city employees have access to any eligible medical care that isn't available here, regardless of future statewide laws." Pureval also called for reports to be provided on opportunities to decriminalize abortion and for law enforcement to direct resources toward protecting women and "medical care providers." Dozens of major corporations like Nike, Apple, Amazon and Disney have stated their intentions to reimburse employees who need to travel for an abortion if they live in states that have restricted access, according to a list compiled by Reuters. Its a great day to be black in America Why are woke white people always trying to convince blacks and other minorities that the American system is rigged against us and forces driven by white privilege will never let us excel? In a recent commencement address, Carol Strohecker, dean of the University of Minnesotas College of Design, perpetuated that narrative by saying anti-black racism killed Minnesotans like George Floyd and Amir Locke and countless other black Americans across our nation. Strohecker is another liberal in the woke mob, trying to convince black people, like me, that America is racist, and we are oppressed. No matter how hard white liberals try to convince me I am a victim, Im not buying it. Its a great day to be black in America. Black Americans and other people of color have more opportunities than ever before in the history of our country. Contrary to what we hear, I am less likely to be prosecuted for crime. My kids can get into college with about 200 fewer points on their SAT than their white counterparts and 500 fewer points than Asians. In some schools, black students are graded on a race curve. The race curve exempts black students from penalty if assignments are late, they misbehave, or skip class. A survey by Intelligent.com found that 34% of white students applying to college lied on their applications claiming minority status to either improve their chances of acceptance or to get minority-designated financial aid. Theres a reason Elizabeth Warren wants to be Native American. With the media and white liberals constantly trying to convince me America is racist at its core, how can I audaciously claim its a great day to be black in America? Heres why: I was raised by a black man who was born in the Jim Crow South. He never used race as an excuse not to excel in academics, work ethic, or job performance. He grew up drinking out of colored water fountains and using colored restrooms. He was forced to sit in the back of the bus or not sit at all if seats were unavailable in the colored section even if there were empty seats in the white section. He was in one of the last all-black Buffalo Soldier units before President Truman desegregated the Army in 1948. He wouldve loved to have grown up in the America I grew up in. Let me say right up front: Im not denying our past or saying racism doesnt exist in our country today. But to say the American systems are rigged against blacks, all white people are racist, or the promise of America is a lie or was only intended for a select few is at first glance an exaggeration and upon closer examination a complete deception. Americas not perfect by any means. Show me a country that is. But when she sees wrongs, she rights them. No other country has gone to war to free its slaves. Black people are being duped and well-meaning, well-intentioned white people are perpetuating a victimhood narrative in the black community. We live in the least racist time in our countrys history but are more racially divided than ever before. Why do I say its a great day to be black in America while others weave tales of systemically-racist woes? The progressive-promoted narrative works. Progressives focus on the tragedy of slavery instead of the triumphs of the present day. The media highlight a history of oppression and continually point to race as the reason for economic, social and education disparities between blacks and whites. Race works. Blaming the problems in the black community on anything other than race might call attention to failed policies or politicians who have gotten wealthy at the expense of those they serve. Black Americans might start reconsidering detrimental behaviors, starting with fatherless homes. If we shift the focus from race, we are in danger of black communities placing an emphasis on rebuilding institutions like churches, families, and schools that provide a safety net for our children and place a priority on getting fathers back in the homes. Black people might realize the devastation caused by the introduction of social welfare programs to our communities in the 1960s. They might uncover the statistics highlighting the decline of two-parent families in the black community and understand that almost 80% of our children today are born into fatherless homes. If we stop believing all disparities are due to racism, people might weigh choices instead of believing group dynamics are inescapable as we are taught by CRT. If we reinforce marriage, little black girls might believe they are valued and invert the unwed birthrate from 80% to less than 20%. Black Americans might realize that true African Americans Nigerians, Liberians immigrate to America because they see opportunity, not oppression. Nigerian immigrants have a higher average household income than white Americans. If we take the focus off race, black people might be able to comprehend why I say its a great day to be black in America. Our issues can only be solved by the hands and hearts of our people. Are the disparities because of race or choices? One we can change; the other we cannot. Despite the constant drone of racism, Id rather be black in America today than at any other time in history. This article first appeared in Alpha News. Why woke 'Christians' support abortion If youre surprised that the most outspoken Christians on social media for justice are not rejoicing over the most important Supreme Court ruling in our lifetime you shouldnt be. If youre surprised that many woke Christians are angry that the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade you shouldnt be. You shouldnt be surprised many woke Christians support abortion. As a pro-life advocate and a critic of woke ideology within the Church Ive been warning about Woke Christians implicit support for abortion for many years. Three years ago, I said: One of the biggest indictments against the social justice movement within evangelicalism today is that it hasnt produced a greater passion against the biggest human rights violation of our time abortion. In fact, its producing more apathy and support for abortion. Woke Christians were implicitly supporting abortion years before they revealed their explicit support recently. For years they claimed they were holistically pro-life to conceal their pro-abortion views. In fact, I know woke Christians who say theyre holistically pro-life on social media, but privately theyve told me theyre pro-abortion. For that reason, one of the best things about Roe v. Wade being overturned other than hundreds of thousands of babies being rescued from murder is that its exposing what many woke Christians really think about abortion and justice. As the Bible says, When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers (Proverbs 21:15). With that in mind, some of the woke Christians whove revealed some level of support for abortion are people like Dante Stewart (a regular writer at Christianity Today), The Truths Table podcast hosts (Ekemini Uwan, Christina Edmondson, Michelle Higgins), and Mika Edmondson (a pastor and a regular contributor at The Gospel Coalition). In reaction to Roe v. Wade being overturned, Dante Stewart said: What makes me most sick is that Christians will celebrate and believe that God made it so. No, this is not God. It is years of Christians waging religious war. It is not about protection, love, or morality. All of this is about one thing only: power. White power. Ekemini Uwan said: America is a failed state. Michelle Higgins said: Dear Black Christians who support reproductive justice and believe that abortion is healthcare, it is time to be more vocal in the places where we have been shamed, even if those places are the ones we call home. And Mika Edmondson said: May the Lord give grace to victims of rape whose pregnancies are daily reminders of the worst violation. May the Lord give grace to women whose lives are at risk in their pregnancies & to medical providers wondering if they can intervene to save their lives. Lord, have mercy May the Lord give grace and strength to struggling families and especially to those who cannot see a way forward. Lord have mercy on every bruised reed of a person. Lord, have mercy. Others shared similar explicit or implicit support for abortion, including many more who liked pro-abortion posts on social media. So why is it that woke Christians support abortion? Why is it that the most outspoken professing Christians on injustice support the most unjust practice in our culture? There are two simple answers. The first is that the argument for feminist theory is the same argument for critical race theory. More specifically, the argument for pro-abortion is the same argument for anti-racism. The concept of intersectionality makes feminist theory an indispensable part of critical race theory. Intersectionality, therefore, compels critical race theorists to support not just racial equity at all costs but also gender equity or reproductive equity at all costs. As Kimberle Crenshaw, the founder of intersectionality, once said: Anything thats meant to address gender inequality has to include a racial lens, and anything thats meant to address racial inequality has to include a gender lens. Therefore just as critical race theory demands discrimination against white people in order to achieve racial equity it also demands discrimination against pre-born babies in order to achieve gender equity. For instance, once intersectional feminist organization said: Women of color, trans women and non-binary people continue to face pervasive gender inequities, harassment and abuse, and barriers that limit their autonomy, dignity and advancement. For all people to be fully free to shape their own lives and futures, they must be able to make choices about their careers, their family and their financial security. That means having equal opportunities to advance professionally and economically. It means living free from gender-based harassment, discrimination and violence. It means having access to a full range of reproductive healthcare services. This intersectional argument for equity is one of the reasons why woke Christians support abortion. Naturally, its also one of the reasons why woke Christians are increasingly affirming LGBTQ ideology. Their alliance with critical race theorists has inevitably created an intersectional alliance with feminists and other anti-Christ groups. As the Bible says, Bad company ruins good morals (1 Corinthians 15:33). But woke Christians who support abortion havent merely deviated from good morals. Theyve deviated from the Gospel. Theyve become enemies with vulnerable pre-born babies, enemies with the pro-life movement, enemies with real Christians and especially, enemies with Christ. Therefore what woke Christians who support abortion need isnt pro-life arguments. What they need most is the Gospel. Originally published in Slow to Write. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SYDNEY (AP) More than 30,000 residents of Sydney and its surrounds were told to evacuate or prepare to abandon their homes Monday as Australias largest city faces its fourth, and possibly worst, round of flooding in less than a year and a half. Days of torrential rain caused dams to overflow and waterways to break their banks, bringing a new flood emergency to parts of the city of 5 million people. The latest information we have is that theres a very good chance that the flooding will be worse than any of the other three floods that those areas had in the last 18 months, Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said. The current flooding might affect areas that were spared during the previous floods in March last year, March this year and April, Watt added. New South Wales state Premier Dominic Perrottet said 32,000 people were impacted by evacuation orders and warnings. Youd probably expect to see that number increase over the course of the week, Perrottet said. Emergency services made numerous flood rescues Sunday and early Monday and were getting hundreds more calls for help. Australias Bureau of Meteorology manager, Jane Golding, said some areas between Newcastle, north of Sydney, and Wollongong, south of Sydney had received more than a meter (39 inches) of rain in the previous 24 hours. Some has received more than 1.5 meters (59 inches). Those totals are near the average annual rainfall for coastal areas of New South Wales. The system that has been generating this weather does show signs that it will ease tomorrow, but throughout today, expect more rain, Golding said. Rain was forecast across New South Waless coast, including Sydney, all week, she said. The Bureau of Meteorology says up to 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) of rain could fall in Sydney on Monday. The flooding danger was highest along the Hawkesbury River, in northwest Sydney, and the Nepean River in Sydneys west. The bureau Monday afternoon reported major flooding at the Nepean communities of Menangle and Wallacia on Sydneys southwest fringe. Major flooding also occurred on the Hawkesbury at North Richmond on Sydneys northwest edge. The Hawkesbury communities of Windsor and Lower Portland were expected to be flooded Monday afternoon and Wisemans Ferry on Tuesday, a bureau statement said. State Emergency Services Commissioner Carlene York said strong winds had toppled trees, damaging rooves and blocking roads. She advised against unnecessary travel. Off the New South Wales coast, a cargo ship with 21 crew members lost power after leaving port in Wollongong on Monday morning. It was anchored near the coast and tugboats were preparing to tug it into safer, open waters. The ship has engineers on board capable of repairing the engine, port official John Finch told reporters. Unfortunately, we just happen to be in some atrocious conditions at the moment, he said, describing 8-meter (26-foot) swells and winds blowing at 30 knots (34 mph). An earlier plan to airlift the ships crew to safety was abandoned because of bad weather. Repeated flooding was taking a toll on members of a riverside community southwest of Sydney, said Mayor Theresa Fedeli of the Camden municipality where homes and businesses were inundated by the Nepean River over Sunday night. Its just devastating. They just keep on saying devastating, not again, Fedeli said. I just keep on saying ... Weve got to be strong, we will get through this. But you know deep down its really hitting home hard to a lot of people, she added. Perrottet said government and communities needed to adapt to major flooding becoming more common across Australias most populous state. To see what were seeing right across Sydney, theres no doubt these events are becoming more common. And governments need to adjust and make sure that we respond to the changing environment that we find ourselves in, Perrottet said. The 'most affordable' Texas roadtrip An online travel site recently outlined the 'most affordable' Lone Star road trip. These are the health benefits of ginger, according to a dietitian Heres why two dietitians say you should actively seek out ginger for its health benefits. OTTAWA (AP) The Canadian government said Monday it has signed a $20 billion (US$15.55 billion) agreement to compensate First Nations children and families harmed by chronic underfunding of child welfare. The Assembly of First Nations and plaintiffs in two class action lawsuits agreed to the deal. Indigenous Services Canada, a government agency, said the settlement is the largest in Canadian history. ``The parties have agreed on a plan for settling compensation claims to recognize the families and people who have suffered tremendously through discriminatory and systemically racist child-welfare practices, said Patty Hajdu, the Indigenous services minister. The settlement accounts for half of an overall $40 billion (US$31.1 billion) deal that aims to reform Canada's child welfare system, including five-year funding for the First Nations Child and Family Services program. The settlement must still be approved by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and the Federal Court. Cindy Woodhouse, the Manitoba regional chief at the Assembly of First Nations, praised the deal. ``And after three decades of advocacy and months of negotiations, Im proud to say on behalf the AFN that we have reached another historic milestone for our children and their families, she said in a statement. The First Nations Children and Family Caring Society and the Assembly of First Nations filed a complaint under the Canadian Human Rights Act in 2007, arguing that Indigenous child welfare services were chronically underfunded compared to services provided to children in other communities. Data from the 2016 census shows that less thn 8% of Canadian children underage 15 are Indigenous, but Indigenous youths make up more than half the children under 15 in foster care. The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled in 2016 that the federal government had discriminated against First Nations children. The government appealed the ruling, but the court upheld the decision. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) A gunman who killed three people when he opened fire in a crowded shopping mall acted alone and apparently selected his victims at random, Danish police said Monday, all but ruling out that the attack was related to terrorism. Authorities filed preliminary charges of murder and attempted murder against a 22-year-old Danish man, who will be held for 24 days in a secure mental health facility while authorities investigate the crime, prosecutor Sren Harbo told reporters. After the custody hearing, defense lawyer Luise Hj said she agreed to have her client undergo a mental exam. She did not comment on the charges. Police have said the man was known to mental health service without elaborating. Police have not identified a motive for Sundays attack inside one of Scandinavias biggest shopping centers. The suspect, carrying a rifle and knife, was quickly arrested, and Copenhagen chief police inspector Sren Thomassen said the man also had access to another gun. He said the firearms were obtained illegally but gave no further details. It was the worst possible nightmare, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Monday, calling the attack "unusually brutal. The three killed were a 17-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl, both Danes, and a 47-year-old Russian man, according to Thomassen. Four more people were hospitalized with gunshot wounds and were in critical but stable condition. In all, around two dozen people were hurt, most in the panicked stampede after the shots rang out at the Field's shopping center, on the outskirts of the Danish capital. Gun violence is relatively rare in Denmark. The last shooting on this scale was in February 2015, when a 22-year-old man was killed in a shootout with police after an attack in the capital that left two people dead and five police officers wounded. The suspect, who cannot be named by court order, was brought before a judge Monday in a packed courtroom to face three preliminary charges of murder and four of attempted murder. That's a step short of formal charges but allow authorities to keep a person in custody during an investigation. When the court ruled that the hearing should be held behind close doors, the media were sent out. It wasn't immediately clear how the suspect pleaded. He will remain in custody until July 28, police said. While authorities have said there is no indication that anyone helped the man, Copenhagen police inspector Dannie Rise said the investigation would be complicated. We need to put together this jigsaw puzzle, Rise said. And it is huge. Earlier, Thomassen said police had discovered nothing so far "that can substantiate that this is an act of terrorism." He has identified the man as an ethnic Dane, a phrase typically used to mean someone is white. Danish broadcaster TV2 published a grainy photo of the alleged gunman, a man wearing knee-length shorts, a vest or sleeveless shirt, and holding what appeared to be a rifle in his right hand. He seemed very violent and angry, eyewitness Mahdi Al-Wazni told TV2. He spoke to me and said it (the rifle) isnt real as I was filming him. He seemed very proud of what he was doing. Images from the scene showed people running out of the mall, where people laid flowers on Monday. Chassandra Stoltz, an 18-year-old student who was on her way to a Harry Styles concert that was scheduled for Sunday night nearby, described a stampede as the shots rang out. At first, she and her sister and father thought it was because someone had spotted Styles but she soon realized the panic, including a man who grabbed his child from a stroller in the chaos. People were guiding us towards the exit sign, and we ran up the roof and we were stuck there for a while and then people were panicking all over the place and people were crying, Stoltz said. The Styles concert was canceled due to the shooting. Sunday's attack came about a week after a shooting in neighboring Norway, where police said a Norwegian man of Iranian origin opened fire during a LGBTQ festival, killing two and wounding more than 20. ___ This story has been updated to correct that there are fewer than 30 injured. ___ Ritter reported from Unterseen, Switzerland. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) More than halfway through a tumultuous primary season, voters have rendered verdicts in a number of contests, many of which featured candidates arguing they best represented a continuation of policies favored by former President Donald Trump. While not on the ballot himself, Trump has played a role in several races, with candidates bearing his endorsement meeting a variety of electoral outcomes. There have also been tumbles by several incumbents, some taken out by Trump-backed challengers and others bested by fellow representatives in faceoffs forced by redistricting. Here's what's happened so far in primary races across the country: FALLEN INCUMBENTS Eight incumbents three Democrats and five Republicans lost their U.S. House seats already this year after being defeated in their primary elections. Four of those losses came in incumbent-on-incumbent races, a result of the once-a-decade redistricting process. But the other four were defeated by insurgent challengers after finding themselves vulnerable as a result of scandal, investigation, irritating progressives or crossing Trump. Seven-term centrist Democratic U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon fell to progressive challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner in his May 17 primary. Schrader had angered many Democrats by opposing some of President Joe Bidens priorities, including a $1.9 trillion coronavirus pandemic relief bill because he didn't support a minimum wage increase. Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina was defeated by state Sen. Chuck Edwards after a whirlwind of scandals that included Cawthorn saying he'd been invited to orgies and had seen opponents of drug addiction use cocaine, getting caught twice with guns at airports and appearing in videos showing him in sexually suggestive poses. On June 14, five-term GOP Rep. Tom Rice of South Carolina lost his reelection bid to state Rep. Russell Fry after voting to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. And on June 28, six-term Mississippi Republican Rep. Steven Palazzo lost a runoff to Sheriff Mike Ezell after being accused in a congressional ethics report of misspending campaign funds. MEMBER-ON-MEMBER FACEOFFS Redistricting guaranteed that some U.S. House incumbents would be ousted. The first to fall was Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia, who voted with Democrats in support of Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, betting that West Virginians would reward him for prioritizing such funding in one of the nation's poorest states. Instead, they dumped him for Rep. Alex Mooney, who opposed the infrastructure bill. Mooney won Trump's endorsement the day Biden signed the measure into law. In Georgia, Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath, a gun safety advocate, went district shopping after a GOP-dominated Legislature turned her home area into a Republican stronghold. She defeated fellow Democratic Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux, who said she'd considered McBath like a sister. Two Illinois incumbents lost their seats this past week when Republican Rep. Mary Miller defeated five-term Republican Rep. Rodney Davis, and Democratic Rep. Sean Casten beat one-term Democratic Rep. Marie Newman. Miller won days after she called the Supreme Courts decision overturning Roe v. Wade a historic victory for white life during a rally with Trump. Calling it a mix-up of words," Miller's spokesman told The Associated Press that she had intended to say the decision was a victory for a right to life. TRUMP'S TARGETS Still stinging from his 2020 presidential election loss to Biden, Trump vowed revenge on Republicans who defied him. He zeroed in on Georgia, recruiting challengers to Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who had rebuffed his efforts to overturn his narrow defeat in the state. But he fell short, with Kemp easily turning back former Sen. David Perdue, and Raffensperger defeating Rep. Jody Hice. Trump also directed his rage toward the 10 House Republicans who voted with Democrats to impeach him for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Four decided against seeking reelection. But of those who stayed to fight, Rice became first to lose, a result he acknowledged was possible over a vote he said his conscience forced him to take. Another, Rep. David Valadao of California, finished second in his primary, meaning he advanced to the November general election as one of the top two finishers. Four of the House Republicans still await their primaries. In South Carolina, Trump targeted another GOP incumbent, Rep. Nancy Mace, following her criticism of his role in the Jan. 6 attack and her vote to certify Biden's win. Mace withstood her challenge from Katie Arrington, a Trump-backed opponent. TRUMP: KEEPING SCORE Trump helped lift some U.S. Senate candidates to victory. In Ohio, he backed Hillbilly Elegy" author JD Vance after a furious push by Vance's opponents to win Trump's favor. The endorsement just three weeks before the election propelled Vance to a win. Dr. Mehmet Oz got Trump's seal of approval about five weeks before Pennsylvania's primary, a blow to former hedge fund CEO David McCormick, whose wife, Dina Powell, served in Trumps administration. Oz eked out a slim victory over McCormick after a recount. In North Carolina, Trump endorsed Rep. Ted Budd a year before his primary, elevating the little-known congressman from a 14-candidate field to win the GOP Senate nomination. Trump also waded into statewide races, backing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against primary challenger George P. Bush. Trump was rewarding Paxton for petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 2020 election an effort the state bar termed dishonest" as it sought to punish him for it. Katie Britt nearly won a GOP primary outright to replace her boss, retiring Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, but ended up in a runoff with longtime Rep. Mo Brooks, whom Trump initially supported before pulling his endorsement as Brooks' polling languished. Trump endorsed Britt only after she finished first in the primary. Republican voters in Nebraska rejected Trump's gubernatorial pick, businessman Charles Herbster, who was accused late in the campaign of having groped multiple women, going instead with University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen as their nominee. In a U.S. House race in Georgia, GOP voters picked trucking company owner Mike Collins over Vernon Jones, a Trump-backed Democrat-turned-Republican. ELECTION DENIERS Voters handed primary wins to some candidates who supported Trump's assertions that Biden's election victory was illegitimate. Those false claims have been roundly rejected by elections officials, Trump's own attorney general and the courts, including by judges he appointed. Nonetheless, state Sen. Doug Mastriano won Pennsylvania's crowded Republican gubernatorial primary. He has been subpoenaed by the House committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol for his role in a plan to arrange for an alternate slate of electors from Pennsylvania for Trump after the 2020 election. Trump's pick for Nevada secretary of state, former state lawmaker Jim Marchant, won his primary after spending months arguing that there hadnt been a legitimate Nevada election for years and that Trump's victory had been stolen. In Idaho, Trump's insurgent candidate Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin lost her bid to oust Gov. Brad Little. McGeachin had said she would bring integrity to Idahos elections, without citing any inconsistencies. She also said shed push for a 50-state forensic audit of the 2020 election. In Colorado, GOP voters chose Pam Anderson as their nominee for secretary of state over Tina Peters, an indicted county clerk who gained national prominence by promoting conspiracy theories about voting machines. Anderson had pledged to keep politics out of running elections, while Peters was indicted on seven felony counts accusing her of taking part in a deceptive scheme to breach voting system technology. LOOK AHEAD Primary season resumes in earnest in August, with a number of high-profile races still to be decided. Rep. Liz Cheney faces a stiff primary challenge in Wyoming on Aug. 16 after voting to impeach Trump and becoming vice chair of the House committee investigating the Capitol insurrection. Trump has endorsed Harriet Hageman in the race. In Arizona, one of five battleground states Biden flipped, the former president endorsed a slate of loyalists who promote his false election claims. In the governor's race, he backed former TV news anchor Kari Lake over developer Karrin Taylor Robson for the GOP nomination to replace Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who resisted Trumps election year pressure and is barred from another term. In Arizona's U.S. Senate race, Trump supports investor Blake Masters for the GOP nomination to face Democratic incumbent Mark Kelly in November. Masters has said I think Trump won in 2020" and espoused the baseless great replacement conspiracy theory, a racist ideology that says white people and their influence are being replaced by people of color. And in Arizona's secretary of state race, Trump backed state Rep. Mark Finchem, who was photographed outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and worked to overturn Trump's 2020 loss. In Michigan, one of the country's top battleground states, Republicans have faced setbacks in their bid to defeat Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November. Five GOP candidates failed to qualify for the Aug. 2 primary after submitting fake signatures collected by paid petition circulators. Another candidate, Republican Ryan Kelley, was charged last month with misdemeanors related to the Jan. 6 attack. Establishment Republicans are worried about the Aug. 2 GOP primary for U.S. Senate in Missouri, where former Gov. Eric Greitens is trying to make a political comeback, following his resignation four years ago amid investigations into possible campaign finance issues and into whether he blackmailed a woman against speaking about their extramarital affair. Some Republicans fear Greitens would be a weak general election candidate who could cede a safe seat to Democrats. ___ Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP. ___ Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics. JACINTO, Miss (AP) Speaking at an event Monday, Mississippi Republican state lawmakers were divided in their support of new policies to improve health care outcomes for children and new parents. At a 4th of July Festival in northeast Mississippi, some lawmakers remained unsupportive of extending postpartum Medicaid coverage for mothers, The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported. Rep. Bubba Carpenter, a Republican from Burnsville, said that expanding Medicaid coverage for new mothers would be a slippery slope because it is one step closer to a broader expansion of the program. With the Childrens Health Insurance Program and two months of Medicaid coverage for mothers, lawmakers are doing enough, Carpenter said. Medicaid, which provides health care coverage to low-income people, is funded through a mix of federal and state dollars. The states current Medicaid policy allows eligible mothers who have given birth coverage for 60 days. Mississippi State Department of Health data found that 136 Mississippi mothers died either during pregnancy or within one year of their pregnancys end between 2013 and 2016. Of those deaths, 86% of them occurred postpartum. Recent legislative efforts to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage failed in Mississippi, a state with high infant and maternal mortality rates. Republicans hold majorities in both chambers of the legislature. Rep. Nick Bain, a Republican of Corinth, said the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion legal in the United States would be a test for anti-abortion lawmakers. By promoting life, we have to sustain life, said Bain. Its up to us now to put our money where our mouth is. In a statement responding to the Supreme Courts decision, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch wrote that lawmakers should weave a safety net that helps women in challenging circumstances. When asked about the attorney general's statement, Rep. Steve Hopkins, a Republican from Southaven, remained unswayed. I would not support any government intervention or policies, Hopkins told The Associated Press in an email. This is an area for the community and the Church to step up and develop programs to help these women. We are called as Christians to help each other and thats what we should do, but we should do it in the private sector alone. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee's unemployment benefits and workforce development website has resumed operating after a cyberattack on a software company disrupted service for thousands of people for several days, officials said Monday. The website, Jobs4TN.gov, appeared to be up and running Monday afternoon. The states vendor, Geographic Solutions Inc., had completed testing and restoration of the computer system on Sunday, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development said in a news release. WFO DALLAS / FT. WORTH Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, July 3, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Fort Worth has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Northeastern Denton County in north central Texas... Southeastern Cooke County in north central Texas... Southwestern Grayson County in north central Texas... * Until 615 PM CDT. * At 520 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Pilot Point, or 14 miles south of Whitesboro, moving northeast at 10 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Sherman, Whitesboro, Pilot Point, Howe, Collinsville, Gunter, Dorchester, Ray Roberts Park Isle Du Bois, Ray Roberts Park Johnson Branch, Lake Kiowa, Southmayd, Tioga and Sadler. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection get inside a sturdy structure and stay away from windows. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, July 3, 2022 _____ FLASH FLOOD WARNING The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... Southeastern Chelan County in north central Washington... Southwestern Douglas County in north central Washington... West Central Grant County in north central Washington... * Until 630 PM PDT. * At 326 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 0.5 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...Radar. IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Route 28 south of Rock Island and adjacent roads in hilly terrain. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded roads. Find an alternate route. * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... West central Grant County in north central Washington... * Until 415 PM PDT. * At 329 PM PDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Quincy, or 19 miles southeast of Wenatchee, moving east at 20 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... Quincy, Winchester and Palisades. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather Country singer Dallas Smith returned to the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, Thursday night, for a night of high energy entertainment. The Canadian performer had a banner year in 2021 winning the Country Music Awards entertainer of the year, as well as the single of the year. The band is cu Which Express Entry program is best for me? Which Express Entry program is best for me? A summary of the Express Entry system for future Canadian immigrants. Which Express Entry program is best for me? A summary of the Express Entry system for future Canadian immigrants. Which Express Entry program is best for me? A summary of the Express Entry system for future Canadian immigrants. Julia Hornstein Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Express Entry is the main way the Canadian government welcomes economic-class immigrants. Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses the Express Entry system to manage applicants for three distinct programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Each of the three programs have minimum eligibility criteria that a candidate must meet before hey can upload an Express Entry profile onto IRCCs website. A candidate must express their interest in becoming a permanent resident of Canada and will receive a score by the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Get a Free Express Entry Assessment The CRS is used to identify skilled worker candidates who will be the most successful in Canadas job market. It evaluates each candidate and provides a score based on their human capital: assessing age, education, language skills, work experience, among other criteria. Usually every two weeks, the Canadian government holds Express Entry draws inviting those with the highest CRS scores to become permanent residents. The Federal Skilled Worker Program The FSWP is designed for foreign skilled workers who have foreign work experience. The minimum requirements are: One year of continuous full time or equivalent paid work experience in the past 10 years in a skilled occupation classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level 0, A or B; Language ability that is equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or French; Canadian educational credential (certificate, diploma, or degree) or foreign credential and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report; Meet the settlement funds criteria meaning that the candidate has enough savings to support themselves in Canada; and Obtain at least 67 out of 100 points on the FWSP grid which is based on factors such as age, education, work experience and so on. The Federal Skilled Trades Program The FSTP is an immigration pathway similar to the FSWP but dedicated to skilled trades workers. The FSTP is a good option for some candidates because there is no requirement to prove levels of education. In order to gain permanent residence through this option, you must have two years of work experience in a skilled trade, have a full-time job offer from a Canadian employer, or a certificate of qualification from a Canadian authority. The eligibility requirements are: Valid job offers of continuous, paid, full-time employment from up to two employers in Canada for at least one year or a certificate of qualification proving that a foreign national is qualified to work in a skilled trade occupation in Canada; Proof of basic language proficiency that demonstrates that the candidate meets the minimum threshold set by IRCC (CLB 5 for speaking and listening, CLB 4 and reading and writing); Two years of full-time work experience (or equivalent amount in part time work) in the skilled trade in the five years before applying; and Able to demonstrate the skills and experience and have performed the essential duties of the occupation. Canadian Experience Class The CEC was launched by IRCC in 2008 to encourage temporary foreign workers and international students to remain in Canada as permanent residents. In order for an individual to be an eligible candidate for the CEC, candidates must meet the following requirements: One year doing skilled, professional or technical work in Canada within the last three years; A score of 7 or higher on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) for jobs that fall under NOC A category, or a CLB 5 for jobs in skilled trades; and A plan to live and work outside of Quebec. An international student who wishes to stay in Canada after graduating may do so by completing an extra step: applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). A PGWP is an open work permit allowing you to work for a Canadian employer for up to three years and no requirement to have a job offer to apply for it. Graduates can use this permit to get the required skilled work experience before applying for the CEC. Which option is best for me? The best Express Entry program for you ultimately depends on individual circumstances. The best thing to do is research thoroughly and speak with a lawyer to identify the most appropriate path for your situation, budget and timeframe. Express Entry is a highly attractive option to candidates since draws occur regularly and it will return to its pre-pandemic service standard of six months in the second half of 2022. This means that Express Entry will once again become the quickest way for economic class candidates to gain Canadian permanent residence. Get a Free Express Entry Assessment CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. Primeste notificari pe email Contractare si Achizitie Bunuri Anunturi de Angajare Granturi - Finantari Burse de studiu Stagii Profesionale Oportunitati de voluntariat Toate Articolele Relocation creates happy new life for rural residents in NW Chinas Xinjiang People's Daily Online) 11:01, July 04, 2022 Aerial photo shows Kunlun Jiayuan residential community in Akto county, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture, northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo/ts.cn) Beside a pavilion at a leisure square in a residential community in Akto county, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture, northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, people of the Kirgiz ethnic group were dancing to the music played with a traditional Kirgiz stringed instrument. The residential community, which has neatly arranged residential buildings, wide and flat roads, exuberant trees and blooming flowers, is named the Kunlun Jiayuan residential community. It is the largest relocation site built for poverty alleviation in Akto county, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture. Between 2017 and 2019, 6,880 people from 1,660 households in five administrative villages of Qarlung township, Akto county, as well as some residents from the surrounding villages, moved into the community and started a new life there. Many of my fellow villagers havent been to the county seat their whole life, said Ghopur Seyit, a 78-year-old resident of the community. He used to live in a village situated 150 kilometers from the office building of the Qarlung township government, which was located more than 200 kilometers from the county seat of Akto county, according to the elderly villager. In the past, he needed to prepare solid food for at least 10 days for a journey from his home to the county seat, while now he can reach the county seat in about 20 minutes by bus, he noted, adding that he has found that the community where he lives now is just as good as the residential communities in the county seat. Located on Chinas western border and the eastern foot of the Pamir Plateau, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture has been called a prefecture with over 10,000 mountains. More than 90 percent of the areas in the prefecture are mountainous areas, and 93 percent of the population living in the prefecture are people of ethnic minority groups, including the Kirgiz ethnic group and the Uygur ethnic group. It was once also the main battlefield for Xinjiangs poverty alleviation efforts. Over the past years, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture has spent 820 million yuan (about $122.26 million) building nine centralized relocation sites for 13,855 people from 3,168 families living in deep mountains and desert areas, achieving a historic leap in the productive efforts and lives of these people who have suffered from harsh natural conditions while being plagued by poverty. Villagers say that the relocation has brought improvements in their life that could have otherwise taken them several decades to achieve, said Meryemgul, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Qarlung township committee. Before the relocation, villagers lived in houses made of stones and mud in a place surrounded by mountains, where there was no sufficient arable land, grassland, or decent roads, Meryemgul said. They drank water from the river and walked on rugged mountain roads, while nowadays every family lives in a brand new building with a stable supply of water, electricity, natural gas, and broadband Internet services, she said, noting that a school, health service center and activity center are located right near their homes. In addition to creating a better living environment for the villagers, the local governments have also taken multiple measures to help the relocated people secure a stable source of income for their livelihoods, turning them from herdspeople into new-type professional farmers. In 2017, the Qarlung township government provided a vegetable greenhouse for each of the relocated households, offered growers free seedlings, seeds, fertilizers, and invited experts to provide guidance and training as well as professional growers from other places to demonstrate relevant procedures for the benefit of local people. People in my hometown have raised livestock for a living for generations. We had never heard of a greenhouse before moving here, let alone growing vegetables with it, said Sulayman Ismayil, a 39-year-old resident of the Kunlun Jiayuan residential community, who was one of the first relocated villagers in Qarlung township to grow greenhouse vegetables. Sulayman Ismayil earned a net profit of 15,000 yuan from the greenhouse run by his family in the first year. After getting a taste for the sweetness of the business, he and his wife started to rent greenhouses from other families. Now the couple have five greenhouses. They have used three of them to grow melons, cucumbers, and tomatoes, respectively, and the remaining two for cowpeas. Last year, the greenhouses brought them an annual net income of more than 50,000 yuan. More and more relocated residents in the locality have become professional greenhouse vegetable growers like Sulayman Ismayil. At present, there are 2,012 vegetable greenhouses located near the Kunlun Jiayuan residential community, with each of them covering an area of 0.7 mu (one mu equals about 666.67 square meters) and each being able to generate an annual income of more than 10,000 yuan. Akto county has also established a company to help sell the vegetables grown by local residents. The company has forged a stable cooperative relationship with local vegetable growers, saving them from worrying about the sale of their vegetables. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. "A lot of people want the circus to stop and want their member of Congress to focus on district needs, not be judged by how many cable news appearance they can book," Democrat Adam Frisch said. Would you like to receive our news updates? Signup today! Sign up to receive notifications when a new Columbia Gorge News e-Edition is published. Error! There was an error processing your request. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. News and Info from our Community Partners Information from the News and our advertisers (Want to add your business to this to this feed?) Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Add CoolSocial badge. Show it by adding this HTML code on your site: Kidskat.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 3 Apr 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. Add a widget like this on your site: click here The total number of people who shared the kidskat homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the kidskat homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the kidskat homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the kidskat homepage on Twitter + the total number of kidskat followers (if kidskat has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the kidskat homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if kidskat has a Facebook fan page). Basic Information PAGE TITLE 10000+ Coloring Pages to Print & Color Online @Kidskat.com DESCRIPTION 10000+ printable pictures of coloring pages, ready to color online and share. KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS coloring, coloring pages, pages, coloring pages of, contact sitemap, pages of, browser The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. Domain and Server DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English (United States) UTF-8English (United States) DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache (PHP/5.3.17) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux Type of server and offered services. The language of kidskat.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for kidskat.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The type of Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Add CoolSocial badge. Show it by adding this HTML code on your site: Subtitledownload.ir scored 51 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2.5/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 16 Dec 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. Add a widget like this on your site: click here The total number of people who shared the subtitledownload homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the subtitledownload homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if subtitledownload has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the subtitledownload homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the subtitledownload homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the subtitledownload homepage on Twitter + the total number of subtitledownload followers (if subtitledownload has a Twitter account). Basic Information PAGE TITLE | DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS 15 dec, the, the, the, riddick 2013, riddick, riddick 2013 The title found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English UTF-8English DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux Character set and language of the site. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Type of server and offered services. The language of subtitledownload.ir as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Operative System running on the server. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for subtitledownload.ir by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND WEST HARTFORD A local middle school teacher is making a 180-mile trek along the Camino de Santiago for a very special reason: his son. Jameth Mikan, a longtime West Hartford resident who teaches world languages at Sedgwick Middle School, embarks on his journey across the ancient pilgrimage route on July 6 in honor of his son, who in 2019 was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at the age of 3. After many treatments and procedures including extended hotel stays in New York City at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic his sons most recent scans came back clean, clearing the way for Mikan to make his trip. So now, Mikan said, its time to give back to the organizations that helped his family. Hes raising money for Band of Parents, a charity started by families that has developed immunotherapy treatments for neuroblastoma and helped subsidize the cost of their hotel stays while seeing doctors in New York City. With my son going through it and what I've seen, I want to get out of my comfort zone, Mikan said. Here in West Hartford, being in a comfortable house, its complacency and way too comfortable. Part of the Camino is, youve got to suffer. Youre going to suffer. Its a representation of the kids suffering. This isnt the first time Mikan has walked the route, which goes from western France, through the Pyrenees Mountains, and into northern France. He first conquered the stretch in 2014. Its true freedom too, Mikan said about the weeks he will spend on the trek. Theres nothing more eye-opening or feeling free than just having a bag on your back. Neuroblastoma, Mikan said, is one of the most common childhood cancers in children ages five and under. Treatment has gotten better, but the diagnosis still carries a 50 percent mortality rate, he said. Im getting emotional thinking about it, Mikan said ahead of his trip. Its not only for him, its for all the kids and parents and families Ive met. You feel its a band of brothers. You understand that these guys go to battle and try to go back to civilian society and they cant. Its very hard to go back to your job and take everything seriously and to get back into the flow. One thing Ive taken out of this, you see how much a human body can stand. Mikan, who teaches French and Spanish, also wants to bring this experience back to his classroom this fall. Ive been reflecting on why Im doing it. Theres a lot of reasons, Mikan said. Its a goal and its a challenge and it keeps me motivated. Youre always improving the language and youre learning so much. You can bring that back. Its my job to teach world languages and theres no better development than putting yourself out there. And maybe it can inspire the kids to leave their comfort zone and leave their West Hartford bubble. Its not dangerous. Mikan hopes people will support his efforts by donating to Band of Parents, which he holds in high regard. Its personalized. This charity, I know whos running it. I know whos controlling it, Mikan said. It goes directly to people. When we needed housingduring the height of the pandemicBand of Parents subsidized the Marriott Residence Inn right in midtown. We paid $35 a night. Donations to Band of Parents can be made online at p2p.onecause.com/caminodesantiago. Mikan will also track his travels on his blog, which can be followed at pilgrimsforcures.wordpress.com. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A shooting that left at least six people dead at an Independence Day parade in a Chicago suburb rattled Monday's celebrations across the U.S. and further rocked a country already awash in turmoil over high court rulings on abortion and guns as well as hearings on the Jan. 6 insurrection. The latest mass shooting came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together. It was supposed to be a day for taking off work, flocking to parades, devouring hot dogs and burgers at backyard barbecues and gathering under a canopy of stars and exploding fireworks. On a day that we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we are instead mourning the tragic loss of life and struggling with the terror that was brought upon us, Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering said. The Highland Park parade began around 10 a.m. but was suddenly halted 10 minutes later after shots were fired. Hundreds of parade-goers some visibly bloodied fled the area, leaving behind chairs, baby strollers and blankets. Authorities brought a person of interest into custody Monday evening. As the Highland Park community mourned, fireworks began thundering in neighboring towns and across the country. Pyrotechnics bloomed shortly after nightfall in Boston and New York City, where a kaleidoscope of color exploded over the Hudson River and illuminated skyscrapers. President Joe Biden, in remarks Monday celebrating 246 years of Americas independence, sought to reassure a nation both exhausted and unsettled by recent events. In recent days, theres been reason to think this country is moving backwards, that freedom is being reduced, that rights we assumed were protected are no longer, Biden said in remarks to military families and administration officials enjoying a picnic on the South Lawn of the White House. I know it can be exhausting and unsettling, but tonight I want you to know were going to get through all of this. Biden said many people see a divided country, but I believe we are more united than we are divided. He tweeted earlier in the day about the shooting, calling it senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community this Independence Day. "I will not give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence," the president tweeted. These are precarious times: An economic recession lurks, and the Highland Park shooting will weigh on a national psyche already raw from mass shootings like those seen recently at a Texas elementary school and a New York supermarket. Sharp social and political divisions have also been laid bare by recent Supreme Court decisions overturning the constitutional right to abortion and striking down a New York law limiting who may carry a gun in public. Nevertheless, many had reason to gather and celebrate for the first time in three years amid easing coronavirus precautions. Nathans Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest returned to its traditional location in Brooklyns Coney Island neighborhood after two years elsewhere thanks to the pandemic. Its beautiful to be back here," Joey Jaws Chestnut told ESPN after winning the men's competition by downing 63 hot dogs and buns even as he momentarily put a protester who rushed the stage in a chokehold. Miki Sudo chomped 40 franks to win the women's event. Colorful displays were scheduled to light up the night sky from coast to coast. However, others, particularly in drought-stricken and wildfire-prone regions of the West, would forgo them. Fireworks were the suspected cause behind a fire in Centerville, Utah, that led to the evacuation of dozens of homes and the cancellation of some of its Independence Day events, officials said. It was a different matter in Phoenix, which is again going without fireworks not because of the pandemic or fire concerns but supply-chain issues. In emotional ceremonies across the country, some swore oaths of citizenship, qualifying them to vote in the upcoming midterm elections. During a ceremony for naturalized citizens held at Mount Vernon, the Virginia home of George Washington, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told 52 people originally from 42 different countries that they were essential to building a strong labor force. Immigrants strengthen our workforce, and, in the process, help drive the resiliency and vitality of our economy, Yellen said in remarks prepared for the Monday event. For many, July 4 was also a chance to set aside political differences and to celebrate unity, reflecting on the revolution that gave rise to historys longest-living democracy. Theres always something to divide or unite us," says Eli Merritt, a political historian at Vanderbilt University whose upcoming book traces the fraught founding of the United States. But he sees the Jan. 6 hearings probing last year's storming of the U.S. Capitol as a reason for hope, an opportunity to rally behind democratic institutions. Even though not all Americans or their elected representatives agree with the committee's work, Merritt is heartened by the fact that it's at least somewhat bipartisan. Moral courage as a locus for Americans to place hope, the willingness to stand up for what is right and true in spite of negative consequences to oneself," he said. "That is an essential glue of constitutional democracy. ___ Calvan reported from New York, and Foody from Chicago. Associated Press reporters Michael Tarm and Roger Schneider in Highland Park, Illinois; Darlene Superville and Fatima Hussein in Washington; Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Amy Beth Hanson in Helena, Montana; and Jennifer Peltz in New York contributed to this story. U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D- Conn., began his annual Walk Across Connecticut on Monday afternoon with a trip on the Housatonic River. Unlike previous years, the junior senator started the first leg of the five-day journey in a kayak in the southwestern corner of Massachusetts. I know it sounds like cheating. If Im walking across the state, I shouldnt be in a kayak, Murphy said in a video he tweeted shortly after crossing into Connecticut. But I just couldnt help it to take advantage of a couple of friends who know this river very well to be out here for a couple of hours to start the day. Murphy, a two-term senator who is not up for reelection until 2024, generally spends the trips speaking with constituents and visiting towns. He plans to walk about 15 to 20 miles each day. This year, which marks the sixth time Murphy has embarked on the trip, the senator is traveling north to south and plans to conclude the journey in New Haven. This is really my favorite week of the year, he said in a video. I get to talk to hundreds of people all across the state, most of which sort of have no daily interest in politics. Theyre just folks that have opinions about what can make their life better. After spending a couple of hours on the river, Murphy began walking in Falls Village. During the walk, he tweeted that he met a Guatemalan immigrant celebrating Independence Day and spoke with a man about high gas prices. At Falls Village Cafe, Murphy met Falls Village First Selectman Henry Todd and Salisbury First Selectman Curtis Rand. Murphy was also joined on the walk, a portion of which passed through the Appalachian Trail, by state Rep. Maria Horn. He said he plans to finish the first day of the trip in Cornwall. richard.chumney@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) A federal judge on Monday ruled in favor of three major U.S. drug distributors in a landmark lawsuit that accused them of causing a health crisis by distributing 81 million pills over eight years in one West Virginia county ravaged by opioid addiction. The verdict came nearly a year after closing arguments in a bench trial in the lawsuit filed by Cabell County and the city of Huntington against AmerisourceBergen Drug Co., Cardinal Health Inc. and McKesson Corp. "The opioid crisis has taken a considerable toll on the citizens of Cabell County and the City of Huntington. And while there is a natural tendency to assign blame in such cases, they must be decided not based on sympathy, but on the facts and the law," U.S. District Judge David Faber wrote in the 184-page ruling. In view of the courts findings and conclusions, the court finds that judgment should be entered in defendants favor. Cabell County attorney Paul Farrell had argued the distributors should be held responsible for sending a tsunami of prescription pain pills into the community and that the defendants conduct was unreasonable, reckless and disregarded the publics health and safety in an area ravaged by opioid addiction. The companies blamed an increase in prescriptions written by doctors along with poor communication and pill quotas set by federal agents. While the lawsuit alleged the distributors created a public nuisance, Faber said West Virginias Supreme Court has only applied public nuisance law in the context of conduct that interferes with public property or resources. He said to extend the law to cover the marketing and sale of opioids is inconsistent with the history and traditional notions of nuisance. Faber noted that the plaintiffs offered no evidence that the defendants distributed controlled substances to any entity that didnt hold a proper registration from the Drug Enforcement Agency or the state Board of Pharmacy. The defendants also had suspicious monitoring systems in place as required by the Controlled Substances Act, he said. Plaintiffs failed to show that the volume of prescription opioids distributed in Cabell/Huntington was because of unreasonable conduct on the part of defendants, Faber wrote. In a statement, Cardinal Health said the judge's ruling "recognizes what we demonstrated in court, which is that we do not manufacture, market, or prescribe prescription medications but instead only provide a secure channel to deliver medications of all kinds from manufacturers to our thousands of hospital and pharmacy customers that dispense them to their patients based on doctor-ordered prescriptions. As we continue to fulfill our limited role in the pharmaceutical supply chain, we operate a constantly adaptive and rigorous system to combat controlled substance diversion and remain committed to being part of the solution to the opioid crisis. Attorneys for the plaintiffs said they were deeply disappointed in the ruling. We felt the evidence that emerged from witness statements, company documents, and extensive datasets showed these defendants were responsible for creating and overseeing the infrastructure that flooded West Virginia with opioids. Outcome aside, our appreciation goes out to the first responders, public officials, treatment professionals, researchers, and many others who gave their testimony to bring the truth to light. Huntington Mayor Steve Williams said the ruling was a blow to our city and community, but we remain resilient even in the face of adversity. The citizens of our city and county should not have to bear the principal responsibility of ensuring that an epidemic of this magnitude never occurs again. The plaintiffs had sought more than $2.5 billion that would have gone toward abatement efforts. The goal of the 15-year abatement plan would have been to reduce overdoses, overdose deaths and the number of people with opioid use disorder. Last year in Cabell County, an Ohio River county of 93,000 residents, there were 1,067 emergency responses to suspected overdoses significantly higher than each of the previous three years with at least 158 deaths. So far this year, suspected overdoses have prompted at least 358 responses and 465 emergency room visits, according to preliminary data from the state Department of Health and Human Resources Office of Drug Control Policy. The U.S. addiction crisis was inflamed by the COVID-19 pandemic with drug overdose deaths surpassing 100,000 in the 12-month period ending in April 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thats the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a year. The Cabell-Huntington lawsuit was the first time allegations involving opioid distribution ended up at federal trial. The result could have huge effects on similar lawsuits. Some have resulted in multimillion-dollar settlements, including a tentative $161.5 million settlement reached in May by the state of West Virginia with Teva Pharmaceuticals Inc., AbbVies Allergan and their family of companies. In all, more than 3,000 lawsuits have been filed by state and local governments, Native American tribes, unions, hospitals and other entities in state and federal courts over the toll of opioids. Most allege that either drug makers, distribution companies or pharmacies created a public nuisance in a crisis thats been linked to the deaths of 500,000 Americans over the past two decades. In separate, similar lawsuits, the state of West Virginia reached a $37 million settlement with McKesson in 2019, and $20 million with Cardinal Health and $16 million with AmerisourceBergen in 2017. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (AP) Police are investigating after more than 30 bodies, some decomposing, were found inside a southern Indiana funeral home. Police in the Louisville suburb of Jeffersonville responded to Lankford Funeral Home and Family Center on Friday evening and found 31 bodies, including some "in the advanced stages of decomposition, Maj. Isaac Parker said. He said the county coroners office had reported a strong odor emanating from the building. Inside, officers wearing hazmat gear found bodies in different places around the building. Some of the bodies had been at the funeral home since March, Parker said. Police also found the cremated remains of 16 people. It was a very unpleasant scene, Parker said. The conditions were not good. The owner of the funeral home has been speaking with police since Friday, Parker said, and an investigation is ongoing. The owner did not immediately respond to an email from the Associated Press seeking comment Sunday. The remains were taken to the Clark County Coroner's Office for identification, and police asked anyone who may have information to contact the coroner's office. A woman who sent her brother's body to the funeral home for cremation after he died in April told WHAS-TV that she is still waiting for his remains. Tara Owen said when she reached out to the funeral director, he responded that he was dealing with a lot at the moment." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Ronan Delancy was born on May 21. He died 34 days later. His mother, Katherine Delancy, wants her sons death to mean something. Ronan was born healthy, but 10 days later his mother noticed some strange symptoms. The newborn had a rash on his cheeks and a redness on his chest. He wasnt as active as he had been. His doctor thought it might be colic, but when he stopped crying, Delancy, from Hamden, became even more concerned. I just had a bad feeling, she said. He just seemed different to me. He seemed more tired. Not that he was feeling better, just that he was sick of crying or tired from crying versus feeling like something wasnt bothering him anymore. Out of an abundance of caution, Delancy took the newborn back to Yale New Haven Hospital. In that span of 20 days, they did every possible test, she said. They did genetic testing, looking if it was an inborn error of metabolism. They checked him for epilepsy and certain seizure disorders. They also were looking to see if he maybe had a head injury of some sort. Seizures in babies, Delancy explained, dont present like they do in older people. After he was admitted to the hospital, she watched as Ronans tongue flicked repeatedly toward the side of his mouth, his eyes moving erratically. During that entire hospitalization, we tried everything, Delancy said. They tried different seizure medications, and none of them were controlling the seizures, and they were getting worse. Eventually doctors put the baby into a medically induced coma. They did a battery of tests, on his cerebral spinal fluid, MRIs and more. Doctors learned that the infant was suffering from a variant of human parechovirus, and though they held out hope that he would survive, Ronan Delancy died at 34 days old, in his mothers arms. Testing There is a PCR test for human parechovirus, which is how Ronans diagnosis was ultimately determined. But its most deadly variant is thought of as a rare virus, so its not tested for very often. Its not a new virus it was first identified in 1956 but it may be underdiagnosed. The typical clinical presentation includes fever, severe irritability, and rash, often leading to descriptions of hot, red, angry babies, according to a 2018 study from researchers in New Zealand and published online by the National Institutes of Health. Delancys doctor shared with her an internal newsletter sent in June after her sons death to clinicians and infectious disease specialists at Yale New Haven Health intended to serve as a reminder of the clinical presentations in young infants and test availability. Parechovirus can cause neurologic disease in young infants, which can be severe, and may be underdiagnosed due to lack of awareness, the newsletter said. Human parechoviruses are not common. A1, the less deadly variant, most often occurs in children less than 1 year old, and almost all children are infected by age 5, the newsletter says, though severe disease is rare from that strain. By contrast, the A3 variant is far more virulent. It has been reported as the leading cause of central nervous infection in children, the newsletter says. It is a virus that has been more routinely recognized in the last couple years as a cause of infection in young children, said Dr. Eric Hoppa, clinical director of the pediatric emergency Department at Connecticut Childrens Hospital. Its classically not something we would have thought about or tested for, he said. Rick Martinello, director of infection prevention at Yale New Haven Health, said that like flu, the different strains of parechovirus come in waves. One year we may have one type, another year we have A3, he said. It does seem like there are two- to three-year cycles. Most of the time, Martinello said the disease is self-limiting. Patients will have a cold, maybe some gastrointestinal issues and then get better. But when A3 circulates, as the Delancy family learned, it can be much worse. On occasion, we see severe infections in this neonatal population and as we unfortunately know it can be just devastating, Martinello said. Transmission Human parechoviruses are so common that its difficult to tell how they spread. The Delancys have been extremely worried about spreading disease in light of the COVID pandemic. My family had been isolating, I had been neurotic about COVID, she said. I work in the hospital. I didnt eat lunch with any of my co-workers. For the past two years I have only seen my family with masks on for short periods of time, usually outside. If it happened to us, it really could happen to anybody, she said. Ronan had only been home for eight days before he went back to the hospital. He met his grandparents outside, while they wore masks. Its possible that Ronan caught the virus from his mother or father, or perhaps in the hospital. The only other person that he met was my daughter whos in daycare, and that, unfortunately, is the common link that Ive seen with the other families, Delancy said. They all have a child whos under the age of three. Its horrible. Its horrible to know. I beat myself up and say, we should have kept them further apart, she said. Delancy believes that severe disease caused by the virus that killed her son is more prevalent than doctors know, and shes hoping they start testing for it more often. Theres a good chance its more prevalent, or its going to be more prevalent soon, she said. Moms compare notes Delancy herself works in health care and after her sons diagnosis she started doing her own research, including turning to social media. She found an online support group of parents around the world whose children had either died from human parechovirus or had been severely impacted by it. A lot of the mothers shes connected to had similar stories, she said: Went into the doctors office, told my baby was colicky, sent home, went to the emergency department, was nearly sent home, and then my baby stopped breathing while I was in there. Death from human parechoviruses is most common in children younger than 90 days, but it may also cause long-term health issues. After an outbreak in Australia, researchers found that five out of eight surviving patients developed neurodevelopmental problems. Two were diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Delancy said moms in her Facebook support group reported similar issues with their surviving children. All of them left the hospital with what they thought was a healthy baby, she said. And then years later, they realized, oh, hes not meeting his milestone, or shes not meeting her milestones, oh, she needs to be on a feeding tube for life. Its not just a virus that someone has, and then its gone, she said. The babies that survived did so, Delancy said, because it was the moms pushing, pushing, pushing, saying somethings wrong. While she said that speaks a lot toward a mothers intuition and knowing your child, Delancy also believes it suggests that there needs to be a change in policy. It also says that some sort of standard of practice has to change where there is a PCR test for this virus. That, she said, is what is keeping her going. She has a two-year-old daughter who needs care and attention, but she wants more than anything for her sons death to matter. The only thing that gets me out of bed in the morning is thinking that maybe I can prevent this for another family, she said. Because its horrible. More than anything, I want my child back, and I cant do that. But if something can change, and some other family doesnt have to go through the same thing, then at least Ronan has made an impact. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Karl Mondon/AP Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Rich Pedroncelli/AP Show More Show Less 3 of 3 SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Gov. Gavin Newsom is running for reelection in California, but his latest television ad is airing in Florida. The 30-second spot scheduled to air on Fox News starting Monday takes shots at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his policies, while drawing a contrast with California. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) Hershel W. Woody Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, will lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday. A date and other details will be announced later, Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement. Woody Williams embodied the best of America: living a life of duty, honor and courage, Pelosi said. Schumer said: Woody Williams was an American hero who embodied the best of our country and the greatest generation. Williams, who died on Wednesday at 98, was a legend in his native West Virginia for his heroics under fire over several crucial hours at the battle for Iwo Jima. As a young Marine corporal, Williams went ahead of his unit in February 1945 and eliminated a series of Japanese machine gun positions. Facing small-arms fire, Williams fought for four hours, repeatedly returning to prepare demolition charges and obtain flamethrowers. Later that year, the 22-year-old Williams received the Medal of Honor from President Harry Truman. The Medal of Honor is the nations highest award for military valor. In remarks at a memorial Sunday in Charleston, West Virginia, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin said Williams never quit giving back. That included raising money for gold star families immediate family members of fallen service members with an annual motorcycle ride. Its raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, Manchin said. He joked that its not going to be stopping, because Woody would come after me in a heartbeat. Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, said he will miss Williams phone calls, noting how Williams would always give him directions and to-do lists. Ill miss him telling me how Im supposed to vote. And when I didnt, how I made a mistake, Manchin said. Gen. David H. Berger, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, said at the memorial that Williams always took exception to the notion that he accomplished that feat alone. He always acknowledged the other men on his team, some of whom never returned home. Woody may be the most genuine person I ever met, Berger said, noting his unique combination of humility and humor. He could make you laugh. He could make you care. That was his gift. Williams remained in the Marines after the war, serving a total of 20 years, before working for the Veterans Administration for 33 years as a veterans service representative. In 2018, the Huntington VA medical center was renamed in his honor, and the Navy commissioned a mobile base sea vessel in his name in 2020. He left an indelible mark on our Marine Corps, Berger said. As long as there are Marines, his legacy will live on. Manchin announced during his remarks that Williams would lie in state at the Rotunda, but Pelosi and Schumer said he would lie in honor. The distinction, according to the Architect of the Capitol, which oversees the building, is that government officials and military officers lie in state while private citizens lie in honor. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT - In her time as director, Robbin Zella helped add more the 4,000 pieces to the Housatonic Museum of Arts collection. Now she hopes to help the museum with one more addition a new director. Zella, who has been at the museum since 1998, recently announced her retirement. She said it was time for the museum, located on the campus of Housatonic Community College, to start fresh. It is a good time now to hand it off to a new person who can bring their own vision to the museum and look at it through a different lens, Zella said. She said her decision to retire is also driven in part by family obligations. I am caring for helping my parents now, she said. I felt that my attention was divided, that it was really best to leave the museum now with so many things in place. Zellas successor will have big shoes to fill. Under her watch, the museum has grown its art collection from 3,000 to 7,000 pieces, digitized its catalog for greater accessibility, and obtained numerous endowments, some of which didnt exist when she started. Her tenure at Housatonic began after she headed an exhibit at Eastern Connecticut State University. She soon started curating exhibitions at Housatonics museum, including one on Ansel Adams, a photographer known for his landscape photography detailing the American West. She also made sure to include Bridgeport artists, allowing them an opportunity to break into the mainstream art world. We would do open curated shows that would give local and regional artists an opportunity to have their work seen by high profile curators, she said. Not only did Zella bring in high profile curators and expand the collection, she was also responsible for the nuts and bolts aspects of the museum. In addition to landing a $500,000 endowment, she also was responsible for digitizing the museums archives and even updating the racks and shelving to better protect the art and instituting a restoration program to return damaged pieces to display. Kristy Jelenik, executive director of the colleges foundation, said Zella was able to get high profile curators to the museum through her personal relationships with them. Other museums trust Housatonic with their own collections, knowing she will take care of them, Jelenik said. That trust will be hard to replace, she said. Zella also had pieces of the collection displayed throughout the facility meaning it could be enjoyed by the public outside of a traditional museum setting, she said. Ill miss her passion for the museum, and for bringing everything that the museum has to offer to the students at HCC, to the faculty, and to the greater community, Jelenik said. Zella said she saw the museums mission as having the work available for students to see the collection in their daily activities, whether theyre on their way to the cafeteria or classroom or the offices. As a result, Housatonic CEO Dwayne Smith said, Zella had completely remade the museum. The museum, its collections, and its programs will forever bear the impact of Robbins unwavering dedication, he said. She has enriched the lives of our students, faculty and the greater community, and Housatonic is grateful for her stewardship all these many years. Despite her retirement, Zellas legacy will continue to live on outside of the museum in the form of the Robbin A. Zella Scholarship Fund. The museum has already raised $16,000 toward the scholarship, which will go to students wishing to enter careers in art history or museum studies. Jelenik said the scholarship will award anywhere from $500 to $1,000 per recipient. Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media BRIDGEPORT A Waterbury man riding a scooter along Stratford Avenue was struck by gunfire late Sunday after shooters fired off more than a dozen rounds in the area, according to the Bridgeport Police Department. A resident called police at around 11:50 p.m. reporting gunfire in the area. Responding officers determined that multiple shooters fired more than 25 rounds along Stratford Avenue near Union Avenue, Capt. Kevin Gilleran said in an email Monday. Another Fourth of July is upon us. Once again we are preparing to celebrate our Independence Day with parades, ball games, cookouts and community gatherings. Loudspeakers will resound with My Country Tis of Thee and America the Beautiful. Our hearts will swell at the familiar words, From every mountainside, let freedom ring and Brotherhood from sea to shining sea. Come night, loud explosions will fill the air. Will they accompany the bursting sprays of multicolored stars and spiraling rockets as the skies light up with spectacular displays? Or, while we ooh and aah at the glorious show, will other fireworks be taking place in our country, sowing death and destruction? Americas 100 senators are on summer recess, thrilled with the compromise they have reached with their House colleagues. The just passed bipartisan Safer Communities Act will supposedly save countless lives with strengthened background checks of gun buyers, increased penalties for gun traffickers, protection of domestic violence victims and improved mental health services. All good ideas, but will they be effective as long as semiautomatic guns remain legally available? The National Rifle Association lost no time registering its opposition to the act by trotting out its tired canard of the Second Amendment. That amendment is surprisingly short and reads: A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Thats all it says, and one cant help but wonder what kind of arms our Founding Fathers were referring to in 1791. Revolutionary guns of that era included mostly muskets and flintlock pistols. A typical musket had a one-round magazine capacity and could fire about three effective rounds per minute in the hands of the most skilled wielder. The Uvalde gunman used an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle with a magazine that carries 30 rounds. Among all the capable legal minds in our government, has anyone seriously argued the legal applicability of the Second Amendment when it comes to todays weapons? The semi-automatic and other assault guns did not exist in 1791. The authors of the amendment obviously referred to muskets and pistols. They could have, but did not specify any arms that may be invented in the future. It is useful to compare the Second Amendment history and meaning with that of the First Amendment the right of free speech. Its meaning has been the subject of continuing interpretation and dispute over the years. Landmark Supreme Court cases have dealt with the right of citizens to protest U.S. involvement in foreign wars, flag burning and the publication of classified government documents. In Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire (1942) the U.S. Supreme Court established the fighting words doctrine that spells out certain limits to the freedom of speech as protected by the First Amendment. Our current Supreme Court has just ruled against the legitimacy of Roe v. Wade. A landmark constitutional right to abortion, established almost 50 years ago, is declared no longer valid. Those in favor of this far-reaching decision claim to be led by a pro-life philosophy. Is it not more than high time to also consider the right to life of Americas children who are already born and who are afraid to go to school? Today, in America, can we really joyfully celebrate our independence and call ourselves free, until we have rid ourselves of these military-style weapons that have nothing to do with prudent self-defense or fair hunting practices but are used on an almost daily basis to murder innocent people? Elisabeth Breslav is a regular essay writer for the Oronoque, Stratford, Villager magazine. Her memoir Blackouts, Bombs and Sugar Beets is currently being agented in the U.S, Canada and Europe. Opinion: The first-year on-campus living requirement creates a stigma around living on campus past that first year, even if that is a more sustainable option. - - - - - - - - - - Toward the end of the winter term of my first year at the University of Oregon, I was sitting in Riley Hall one day pretending to myself that I was getting Spanish homework done when my roommate walked in. He said that we and two of our friends were going to look at apartments for next year in a half-hour and to throw some shoes on. I just agreed to tag along. Until then, my roommate and I hadnt once discussed where or with whom wed be living after our first year. Whether or not wed stay in the dorms was never a question before. Though as soon as he mentioned looking for a place to live off-campus, I immediately accepted that as the next step. After all, the requirement to live on campus is only for students first year. When that first year ends, you get an apartment or a houseThats the plan, right? Id never considered staying in campus housing more than that first year. I dont regret my decision at all; It was the most sensible decision for my living situation financially, socially and ergonomically. However, I continue to ponder why I had never even considered staying in the dorms for another year or so. The most concerning reason to me is that said rule of on-campus housing expires after that first year. I would assume most people's thoughts after hearing they dont have to do something they were required to do for an extended amount of time is to stop doing that thing. For some, the instinct doesnt arrive instantly (see: graduate students), but for the most part, the dorms are by association a freshman thing: land of the green lanyard and 8 a.m. J201. This stereotype is unfortunate to me because it deters students from staying in the dorms past their first year even if they are a more sustainable housing option for them. Most of the dorms are directly on campus, allowing students without means of long-distance transportation to get to their classes conveniently. Cooked food prepared for students could be a realistic option for those not used to shopping on their own or some that get distracted by school and forget to eat. With how fast housing moves in Eugene, upperclassmen shouldnt feel boxed in to get an apartment or rush into leases not compatible with their living needs. Yet the one-year requirement makes it feel like a deal you need to get out of. The university should drop the rule if it actually wants to house those who need and want it. The one-year requirement feels like a housing hustle from the university, anyway. Is it not enough that they need to dictate our learning curve and career path but also our living arrangements, too? The housing website states that the requirement is based on studies showing on-campus students yield higher GPAs and faster graduation tracks. They also cite that one-year will allow students to create connections and networks between themselves and campus. Do you know what would help bolster the dorm life networks? If that network wasnt full of people that just got to college and dont know what to do yet; if there was a natural mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen. The upperclassmen dont know what theyre doing either, but at least they have experience in being lost. Moreover, the data on students academic success on campus comes with many external factors. Some specific dorm arrangements would be cheaper than the average cost of renting and living in Eugene apartments or houses, but others (like Unthank or Kalapuya Ilihi) can be much more expensive. There has been a gap in education quality wedged open by wealth for some time now in this country, and that affects the data much more than proximity to campus. The other argument for the first-year requirement is building community on campus and feeling connected with the goings-on of college, which is fair. Thats something many people look forward to with their time here, and their choice of where to stay should accommodate that. Upperclassmen shouldnt feel outcasted after their first year, though. If the rule were to be dropped as I think it should the university should focus on neighborhood events and community outreach off-campus. This could be as simple as planning get-togethers for student-dense areas like the Courtside and Skybox apartments or along Patterson Street. In my mind, the university could also designate student advisors to live in each of these areas, and their student neighbors could reach out to them for information on campus and events. In short: try harder to make students feel a part of campus than chaining them to it for a year. The first-year living requirement should be dropped to avoid the brand of it being a freshman jail and allow those of all grade levels to experience the dorm life. The CCTV system that did for Health Secretary Matt Hancock is still whirring away at his old department, despite mandarins running up a 10,000 bill for legal advice on the rights and wrongs of having it removed. Hancock, 43, was forced to quit a year ago last week after his passionate clinch with a colleague, Gina Coladangelo, also 43, was caught on a camera mounted in his ministerial office. When the footage was leaked to a newspaper, it triggered the end of both parties' marriages. In the aftermath, international law firm Pinsent Masons was hired to examine the implications of 'Hikvision CCTV equipment removal' across the DoH estate. Hancock, who is keen to restart his ministerial career, has declared in the Commons Register of Members' Interests 11,000 of hospitality in New York and Miami from Hawksmoor Technology Advisors. They hosted his visit to a crypto-currency conference called the Permissionless Experience. Some might say it's not the first time that he's had a permissionless experience. Hancock, 43, was forced to quit a year ago last week after his passionate clinch with a colleague, Gina Coladangelo, also 43, was caught on a camera mounted in his ministerial office Strictly for Portillo? The defeat of Michael Portillo was a defining moment of the 1997 general election rout of John Major's Tory Party. But his TV career notably presenting railway shows has brought Portillo popularity. Asked on GB News if he was now a national treasure, an ever-modest Portillo said: 'I'm actually merely on the ladder to becoming a national treasure. I'm not an Ed Balls figure at this stage but I'm working towards it.' Does Strictly Come Dancing beckon? Labour's Stella Creasy is put firmly in her place after failing to gain permission for MPs to bring babies to the Commons chamber. Tory MP and father Tim Loughton, says: 'Babies are not being banned from Parliament, only coming into the debating chamber. You would not take a young child on a factory floor. Why should we be different?' Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy is suffering less than many of his colleagues from the cost-of-living crisis. In the past year, he earned nearly 90,000 from speeches and media work, in addition to his 84,144 MP's salary. Labour members used to frown on those (often Tories) with second jobs. Now many are found in their own ranks. Chancellor Rishi Sunak, speaking at the Policy Exchange think tank summer do, mocked ex-Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt's bid for the Tory leadership. 'This is a very exclusive party,' he said. 'Rumour has it my colleague and friend Jeremy Hunt got turned away last year. But knowing Jeremy, it will not deter him from having another go.' It was standing-room only for Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner's speech at the Unison trade union conference last month. As for leader Sir Keir Starmer, if he had addressed it, one wag observes, the union would have been able to fit his audience into a telephone box. Tory toffs resent grammar-educated ex-minister David Davis, according to colleague Andrew Mitchell. Davis told the The Political Party podcast that Mitchell, an alumnus of 38,450-a-year Rugby School, told him: 'Old Etonians hate you because you're just as cocky as they are but you didn't pay for it.' On the second anniversary of her breast cancer diagnosis Tory MP Tracey Crouch, now clear, says: 'I've spent ages trying to think of something profound to say . . . But can't quite nail it, so instead I'll just say take a mo and check your bits and bobbins . . . it could save your life.' Wise words. Carlton Club snubs Mordaunt The bookies may have to think again about making Penny Mordaunt, the trade minister, a favourite as next Tory leader. Three days before a dinner she was addressing at Tory bastion the Carlton Club, an email went out: 'Members 95, Guests 100. Tickets remaining.' A flyer for another event in the email stated. 'Alsatian Wine & Seafood Evening. Members 85, Guests, 90. SOLD OUT.' A woman who was given up for adoption was reduced to tears as she learned she had a brother and a sister on ITV's Long Lost Family. Sian Jones, 57, was raised by her adoptive parents on the island of Guernsey, and had been trying to find her mother for 20 years when she appeared on the show. Her mother, Sylvia Humphreys, gave Sian up for adoption in Clynnog-Fawr, when she was 16. Because she was so young, her family did not think Sylvia could cope with raising a child, and pressured her to give her baby away. Three years later, aged 18, Sylvia had Sian's sister, Sharon, and 'fought tooth and nail to keep her', which she did. She had a third child a few years later, a boy named Stewart, and again her parents pressured her to give the baby up, because they didn't think she could cope with being a single mother-of-two. Sylvia died of an undisclosed illness in 2007, but on tonight's Long Lost Family at 9pm, the team were able to find Sian's brother Stewart and her sister Sharon. Sian told FEMAIL it has been 'amazing' to get to know her brother and sister and revealed she has also met her mother's siblings. Sian as a young girl with her adoptive mother, who raised her. As an adult, Sian felt a need to know where she came from Sian and Stuart Jones photographed after meeting for the first time on the show. The two siblings didn't know the other existed until they found their sister Sharon while looking for their mother She said meeting her siblings - with whom she is regularly in contact - helped her with 'everything in [her] life'. She admitted that up until that point, she 'didn't have anybody' for support, adding she has two step-brothers through her late adoptive parents who she doesn't speak to. 'It's funny because Sharon and Stuart are the complete opposite,' she said, 'but I'm like both of them. She said that Sharon is the 'sensible' and 'refined' one, while Stuart is quite 'rogue' and can be a 'naughty boy.' 'I can be naughty, but I can be sensible when I need to,' Sian said. The 57-year-old admitted she had been 'very sad' to hear her birth mother had died before she could meet her. Sian's mother Sylvia Humphreys was pressured by her parents to give her up after giving birth to her when she was 16 'She was the age that I am now when she passed. She wasn't even that old.' 'She did want to find me,' Sian added. The identity of Sian's father is still a mystery to this day. Her mother never revealed who he was to her family, even after giving up her daughter for adoption. Sian said her mother's sister, who she's met since being on the show, said that while Sylvia spoke about giving up Sian, she never revealed who her father was. Sian revealed it took two months for Long Lost Family to find her siblings after she contacted the show in 2021. 'This is the best thing I have ever done,' she said. Stuart King, Sian's brother, was also given up for adoption by their mother after she was pressured by her parents, who didn't think she could raise two children as a single mother She said on the show she always felt a part of her life was missing, especially because her adoptive mother 'found it hard to show affection'. 'I would have liked more cuddles, but my mum was quite reserved that way,' she added. 'I found out that my mum had lost a child, a stillborn baby before she adopted me. So maybe that's what was missing,' she went on. Sian revealed losing her daughter Louise during pregnancy had made her understand what her adoptive mother had gone through. 'One day, she just wasn't moving anymore. It took me a long time to get over that. A long time to even get out of the house, to be honest,' she said. Sian never tried to have more children or to adopt, and explained she would have felt 'guilty loving another child'. 'So I could see why my adoptive mum was the way she was,' she said. But the ordeal made her think about her birth mother and whether there was someone out there who could give her the love she needed. She found out Sylvia's name thanks to her adoption paperwork, and tracked her down to the place her mother gave birth. It was a 'bleak' and 'cold' workhouse on the edge of Clynnog-Fawr in Wales, which in the 60s offered accommodation to unmarried pregnant mothers, and where many children where given up for adoption. 'I suppose for a young mum it would have been frightening,' she said. 'It's quite strange to think that this is the only place that she ever knew me or saw me or held me or was close to me and come out as if nothing's happened,' she reflected. Sian visited the address that was listed on her adoption paperwork as Sylvia's home, but found she had moved houses since then. At this time she also learned that her mother had another daughter. 'I just couldn't believe that I've got family, that I've got a sister,' she said, 'that I've got a sibling that I never had. It's bizarre.' She was unable to pursue her research by her own means, and reached out to Long Lost Family for help. 'A part of my life has been missing, I need to know where I come from and what could have been,' she explained. The team found out that Sylvia had moved to Shropshire, but also discovered she had died in 2007. They also found her Will, which revealed she did have a daughter named Sharon, however, the address on the Will was outdated. The Long Lost Family team then contacted the people who bought Sylvia's house, who had a link to Sharon. Sian's sister agreed to talk to the show and to meet the 57-year-old, however, she asked that her face wouldn't be shown. She met Nicky Campbell on the show with Stuart, who had also been given up by their mother as a child and found his sister Sharon four years ago. She explained the reason behind their mother's heart-breaking decision. 'My mum would have been 16 when she had Sian, and the authorities and the family didn't think that Mum would be able to cope with a child at that age, so Sian was taken away,' she said. 'At 18 she got pregnant with me, and because she didn't want the same thing to happen, she fought tooth and nail to keep me. 'And then when I was three, she fell pregnant again. Mum was a single parent and was looking after me. [It was] more my grandparents felt she wouldn't be able to cope with two children. Stuart, who has a sister through his adoptive parents, said he was motivated to meet his birth mother to let her know he had a good life. 'I think I had two good parents that brought me up right. I obviously knew I was adopted but basically I just wanted to meet Sylvia, put my arms around her and basically say, "You have nothing to worry about, because I've had a good life",' he said. 'Unfortunately, I didn't get the opportunity.' Sylvia tried to find the two children she gave up for adoption before she died, but her search led nowhere. 'We didn't talk about it very much because she was heartbroken and it was hard for me to see that,' Sharon said. She showed photos of her mother aged 14 to 15, before she got pregnant with Sian. 'She looks so happy,' Nicky said of Sylvia. 'The flip side of the coin is that it's unbelievably sad, because that little baby could be Sian, it could be Stuart,' he told the pair. 'She would have been so pleased and so proud to see them together,' Sharon agreed. 'It would have absolutely made her life.' Sharon and Stuart were lost for words when they were given a photo of Sian. 'That's amazing to think that she's our sister,' Stuart said. 'I just can't wait to meet her,' Sharon exulted. Davina McCall travelled to tell Sian the news, and revealed to her that Sylvia had died off camera. 'I'm really sorry that I couldn't bring better news about your mum,' the presenter said. 'It's a bit of a shock really, a lot of questions that I feel won't be answered, or asked,' Sian said. But the 57-year-old was reduced to tears when Davina revealed she had two siblings. 'Does she want to see me,' she said, adding: 'I have a sister, something I always wanted.' 'She told us lots of about your birth mother,' Davina said, before explaining Sylvia was pressured by her parents to give Sian up. 'When your mum was 16, she had you and her parents just said, "You have to put this child up for adoption", but she really, really found it very hard. 'Three years later she got pregnant again, this time it was with Sharon, and she said "I'm not giving this baby up",' the presenter recounted. 'I'm glad they got to stay together,' Sian, before crying further as Davina revealed Sylvia and Sharon tried to find her before she passed away. She was floored when Davina also revealed she had a brother, and chuckled as she cried. 'No way,' she exclaimed, covering her mouth. 'When Stuart was born, she found the same situation she did when she had you,' Davina explained. 'He didn't get a chance to meet your birth mother either,' the presenter said. The siblings agreed to meet in a cafe near Sian's farm. 'My mum is hugely in my thoughts, I couldn't sleep last night as I was thinking about it,' Sharon said. 'She would have absolutely loved today if only she could have been here,' she added. When they laid eyes on each other, Sian, Sharon and Stuart were overcome by emotion. 'It's lovely to meet you. It was just amazing to find out about both of you,' Sian said. 'I knew a little bit that I might have a sister, but you were a total surprise,' she told Stuart. Stuart replied: 'It was a total surprise for me as well. A double surprise. Sharon and Stuart gifted Sian with a beautiful silver necklace. 'I am devastated you don't get to meet Mum and spend time with her. But she would have been absolutely ecstatic about today,' Sharon told her. 'When I heard that you had tried to find us, it really meant the world to me,' Sian said. 'Because the fear of rejection, I suppose, or not being a part of anything was just lifted,' she admitted. 'You were always loved and wanted,' Sharon reassured her. 'It means the world to me that I have a family and they want to know me and they want me to be part of their lives as well. And my birth mother did want me and she was thinking of us,' Sian said. Sharon revealed more details about Sylvia. 'In a very loving way we used to call her a Welsh dragon. She was very passionate, very loving, very protective, very outspoken. I think her having to do what she had to do formed her as a person, after that nobody ever messed with her,' she said. 'Today's very important because we've come together as a family,' Stuart said. 'Having met Stewart and Sian, first it was one, then it was two, and now there are three, it's absolutely fantastic. It's not sure me anymore,' Sharon said. 'It is massive for me it's just like I've always known them. I couldn't stop staring at them really, 'Sian admitted. 'It's been one of the best days of my life, in fact, possibly the best,' she said. Long Lost Family airs tonight at 9pm on ITV. Peta Todd, 35, has revealed that she is pregnant with her fifth child. The former glamour model who is married to Olympic cyclist Mark Cavendish, 37, believed that she was beginning with menopause and had prepared herself for bad news. She told The Sun that after several months of missed periods, doctors were investigating the possibility of her being in early menopause mid-thirties. However, in January 2022, the mum-of-four was told that she was pregnant with baby number five and almost through the first trimester. Peta Todd, 35, (pictured) has revealed that she is pregnant with her fifth child after thinking that she was going through early menopause Peta has revealed that the new arrival is due at the end of summer and has been a joy for the whole family. Peta who is already mum to Delilah, 10, Frey, six, and four-year-old Casper with husband Mark, and Finnbar, 16, from a previous relationship says the scan brought on a wave of emotions. She said you cannot get over the wonder of hearing your child's heartbeat for the first time, no matter how many babies you have. And all of those emotions mixed with the relief that she wasn't going through menopause and the shock were overwhelming. The former glamour model (second from right) is married to Mark Cavendish, 37. (third from left) She is mum to Delilah, 10, (left) Frey, six, (middle) and four-year-old Casper (second left) with husband Mark, and Finnbar, 16, (right) from a previous relationship The former glamour model added that she hadn't any other tell-tale signs of pregnancy and had with her four other pregnancies had been very unwell. The news comes off the heels of the family home being raided by armed robbers before Christmas. Mark Cavendish reported that he and Peta were threatened and assaulted as their home in Ongar, Essex was raided in front of their young children. None of the family sustained serious injuries but the burglars made off with a Louis Vuitton suitcase and two high-value watches in the early hours on November 27. Peta and Mark with a young Finnbar and baby Delilah. The new baby is due at the end of summer and all the children are excited to meet them The couple were set upon by four armed thugs in a planned raid at their house. Their children watched in terror as their parents were attacked and threatened and were left 'incredibly shaken' by the incident. After several months of missed periods, doctors were investigating the possibility of Peta being in early menopause mid-thirties. However, in January 2022, the mum-of-four was told that she was pregnant with baby number five and almost through the first trimester The attack came just six days after Cavendish suffered two broken ribs and a collapsed lung in a horrific crash in Belgium. Three men are due to stand trial later this year, having pleaded not guilty to the robbery. Peta revealed that when there's trauma it's not uncommon for your body to go into protective mode, to ensure that the pregnancy is safe, which is how she explains not having any early symptoms. Mark was training in Spain when Peta discovered that she was pregnant with baby number five. Peta pictured with Finnbar has described how she is currently supporting her children after the family home was raided by armed robbers in November 2021 She said that she doesn't like to deliver big news whilst he is away and so waited four or five days to tell him the huge news. She said: 'I'm never someone who's going to make a cute announcement video - I'd be more likely to frisbee a positive test across the room, so I said: "I'm about to turn your world upside down," and straight away he said: "You're pregnant?" I said: Yep, and he said: Im never going to be able to retire, am I?!"' Peta, with Frey and Casper, describes how her and Mark and working together to navigate the aftermath, especially with the children in different age groups Peta touched upon the robbery saying that it's not something that they will completely get over, especially because the children were there. She is focusing on getting them the support they need and is aware that they are looking towards her and Mark to guide them through this. She said: 'We're getting support with the kids and we've all worked together on it. I'd been a strange one to navigate, especially with children in different age groups. 'They all have very different needs and that's probably been the biggest challenge.' Mark was training in Spain when Peta discovered that she was pregnant with baby number five and so she waited four or five days before she could tell him the news Peta reveals that her surprise pregnancy has forced them to look forward and not back, treating it like a fresh start. The pregnancy has brought the family together and are excited to share their good news together. Cavendish suffered a collapsed lung and two broken ribs in his crash during the Ghent Six Day track event on November 21 2021 Cavendish suffered a collapsed lung and two broken ribs in his crash during the Ghent Six Day track event on November 21 2021. The Manxman, who was racing in the Madison with Deceuninck Quick-Step team-mate Iljo Keisse, saw world champion Lasse Norman Hansen crash in front of him. But he could not react in time, rode into the Dane's bike and was sent flying. He stood and waved to spectators, but was put on a stretcher and taken to Ghent University Hospital, where he spent a night in intensive care. In a separate statement on Twitter, Cavendish wrote: 'In the early hours of November 27, while recovering at our Essex family home shortly after leaving intensive care, four masked and armed men forced their way in to our home as we slept, threatened my wife and children and violently attacked me. At knifepoint, they proceeded to ransack our belongings. 'Amongst what was taken were two watches of great sentiment and value. But far, far worse to be taken was the sense of security, safety, privacy and dignity that my young family and everybody else is entitled to in their own home. 'The effect that this nightmare has had on my family is already heart-breakingly evident, so I beg anybody who may be able to help us with information to call 101, quoting reference 42/275184/21. Thank you.' Peta said she and husband Mark Cavendish were sleeping when the burglars entered their home during the 'nightmare' incident. She wrote on Twitter: 'In the early hours of November 27, at our Essex family home where my husband Mark was recovering shortly after leaving intensive care, four masked and armed men forced their way into our home as we slept. 'They threatened myself and our children and violently attacked Mark. At knifepoint, they proceeded to ransack our belongings. 'Amongst what was taken were two watches of great sentiment and value. But far, far worse to be taken was the sense of security, safety, privacy and dignity that our young family and everybody else is entitled to in their own home. 'The effect that this nightmare has had on our family is already heart-breakingly evident, so we beg anybody who may be able to help us with information to call 101, quoting reference 42/275184/21. Thank you.' How much food have you thrown away this week? Go on, be honest. A recent study by Tesco found that the average British family wastes 800 worth of food a year, with half a million people binning perfectly edible produce on a daily basis. Potatoes are the most wasted food in this country, closely followed by bread and milk. But what if we could change this, by returning to the old-fashioned way of working out whether food has gone bad: the sniff test? In January, Morrisons announced plans to remove use-by dates from its own-brand milk, and last month the Co-op followed suit by scrapping use-by dates on its yoghurts. Both are asking shoppers to use their noses to tell whether food is good to eat a move they say could save more than 370 million in wasted dairy. A century ago, this was how everyone did it; expiration dates didn't appear until the 1930s. Dr Laura Brown, senior lecturer in nutrition, food and health sciences at Teesside University, says the sniff test can still work today but advises caution. The difference, she explains, is between use-by dates which concern food safety and best-before dates, about quality. 'For foods with a best-before date, you can use sight, taste or smell to see if the products have gone off,' she says. However, when it comes to use-by dates: 'We cannot always smell the bugs that can cause food poisoning.' Here, SARAH RAINEY investigates how long it takes our favourite foods to fail the sniff test after their expiry date. Sarah Rainey tries out the 'sniff test' on a number of popular foods and drinks and documents how long they last until they have gone off THE EXPERIMENT I stocked up on everyday essentials, including dairy, meat, fruit and veg. I bought two of each item, both with identical use-by or best-before dates, and unless directed otherwise stored them in the fridge. The day after its expiration date passed, I opened one of each item and sniffed it. My husband, neighbour and (brutally honest) toddler acted as 'independent sniffers', to make the test objective. I repeated the test daily, carefully re-sealing each item in cling film. When the smell turned bad, I opened the second item, to check if it had lasted longer if the packaging had remained sealed. In every case, by the time the open item had gone off, the sealed one had turned just as bad, too. Here are the rest of the eye-opening results . . . VANILLA YOGHURT STORED: In the fridge. SAFE TO SNIFF? Yes I've selected a Co-op yoghurt, the very product on which use-by dates will be scrapped. DAY 1 AFTER USE-BY DATE: Looks and smells delicious. 'Yoghurt usually lasts for at least a few days after its expiration date and up to a week after opening the container if it is sealed tightly,' says Dr Brown. DAY 7: There's a thin, watery layer on top but the yoghurt underneath I brave a small spoonful smells of vanilla and tastes creamy. DAY 9: The sweet smell is fading. I think it's on the turn but it tastes fine, if a little less sweet. DAY 10: There's a tangy, sour smell the moment I lift the lid and the yoghurt looks curdled. 'Yoghurt should smell fresh and pleasant,' says Dr Brown. 'If you detect a smell like sour cream, discard it.' LASTED: 9 DAYS BEEF MINCE STORED: In the fridge. SAFE TO SNIFF? Yes, says Dr Brown, but with great care. 'Beef that has gone bad will develop a slimy or sticky texture and will have off or foul odours. Ground beef should be used within one to two days of purchase.' DAY 1: The mince looks pink and smells normal. DAY 2: It's turning greyish-brown but smells fine. Dr Brown says: 'Beef can sometimes develop a brown colour owing to metmyoglobin, a chemical reaction that occurs when the myoglobin in meat is exposed to oxygen. As long as the change in colour isn't accompanied by other signs of spoilage, it should be fine.' DAY 3: There's a strange, sweet smell and the brown colour is spreading. I wouldn't want to handle this, let alone eat it it's gone off. LASTED: 2 DAYS GRANARY LOAF Granary loaf: Bread is one of the most commonly wasted items, but are known to go mouldy after a few days SAFE TO SNIFF? Yes. Bread has a best-before not a use-by date, so there are no immediate safety issues. I store it in the bread bin. 'Putting sealed bread in the fridge will make it go stale quicker,' says Dr Brown. DAY 1: The bread is as fresh as the day I bought it. DAY 3: No change. It smells fine and is perfectly good for sandwiches. DAY 5: The bread still smells sweet and nutty, but the ends are going stale. It has lost its freshness but works well as toast. DAY 6: The whole loaf is drying out and I spot a few spots of green mould time to bin it. Dr Brown says she would expect bread to last five to seven days beyond its best-before date. 'If your bread develops a little blue mould, remove it along with a few centimetres around the mould,' she adds. 'Dispose of any that's developed black mould.' LASTED: 5 DAYS TENDERSTEM BROCCOLI SAFE TO SNIFF? Yes. 'Broccoli cut into florets like this one releases sulforaphane, a compound found in cruciferous vegetables that can give a strong odour,' says Dr Brown. 'Any odours that smell especially strong are a sign that the broccoli may be past its best.' DAY 1: The tenderstem smells fresh and looks bright green. DAY 3: The stalks are starting to dry out and the colour is fading but it still smells normal. I stir-fry a few stems and they taste delicious. DAY 5: The remaining broccoli is softening. 'The stem should be firm as a soft stem is an indicator of spoilage,' says Dr Brown. You can cut away the 'bad' part and use the rest. DAY 7: The broccoli has almost completely lost its fresh, earthy smell, and the stems look withered and faded. There are some yellowy-brown spots on one floret; a sure sign, says Dr Brown, that it is starting to spoil. While I could technically still cook it, the change in colour tells me it would taste sour and bitter, and the yellow hue is the precursor to white mould, which could cause food poisoning. LASTED: 6 DAYS CHICKEN BREASTS Chicken Breasts: Raw chicken that is past its sell-by date can be a health hazard as not all harmful bacteria will give off a smell SAFE TO SNIFF? No. 'Raw chicken can harbour bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter, which is generally odourless and cannot be seen,' warns Dr Brown. 'So there is no way to tell by looking or sniffing that it may be off.' DAY 1: With no intention of eating the chicken after its use-by date, I'm curious to see what happens to the food once it is out of date. The answer? Not much. The chicken breasts look normal and smell, well, like raw chicken. DAY 2: Already, there's a sticky, slimy film developing on the meat and, although the smell hasn't changed, I don't want to keep it in my fridge any longer. LASTED: 0 DAYS EGGS Eggs: You are likely to smell very quickly when an egg has gone rotten, but it can take some time SAFE TO SNIFF? Yes. These have both a 'display-until' date after which they can still be eaten but no longer sold and a 'best-before' date. 'The Food Standards Agency says eggs can be safely eaten up to two days past the date shown, as long as they are cooked to the point where the yolk and white are solid,' says Dr Brown. 'But this is a cautious estimate. The sniff test will soon determine whether an egg has gone off.' If you don't want to crack the egg, you can put it into a bowl of water. If it sinks, it's fresh; if it floats, it's full of air and probably off. Eggs can stay fresh for months at room temperature, but I stored mine in the fridge to keep them at a consistent temperature. DAY 1: I decide to crack open an egg a day to test its freshness. 'Eggs that have gone off will give off an unmistakable smell, raw or cooked,' Dr Brown says. There's no aroma at all. DAY 5: Still no distinctive smell and both parts of the egg look healthy. DAY 12: I'm now on to my second box of a dozen eggs that's a lot of omelettes. They still look, taste and, crucially, smell fine. DAY 19: This is getting repetitive . . . will they ever go off? DAY 23: Finally, there's a pongy, sulphurous smell from the egg. I try another and it's the same they've turned. LASTED: 22 DAYS POTATOES SAFE TO SNIFF: Yes. 'Potatoes can be perfectly edible three weeks after their best-before date,' says Dr Brown. I stored them in a cool, dark cupboard, not the fridge, because the cold can increase their sugar levels, which leads to higher levels of a harmful chemical called acrylamide when cooked. DAY 1: There's a strong, earthy smell coming from the bag of potatoes and they look healthy. DAY 5: No change. DAY 10: White and purple sprouts have started appearing, but if I remove them, the spuds are fine to eat, says Dr Brown. 'You can also cut away any mouldy parts and consume the potato as long as it's still firm and a normal colour.' DAY 15: More sprouts, some with black tips, but I cut away the bad bits and boil some for dinner: they taste fine. DAY 20: The potatoes are soft to the touch, with dark spots on their skins, and there's an unpleasant, rotting smell. Time to get rid of them. LASTED: 19 DAYS COD FILLETS Cod fillets: Many eat fish raw regularly, but old or rotten fish will put you off for a while SAFE TO SNIFF? No. As cod comes from cold water, lots of microbes can grow in the fridge environment, leading to food poisoning. You can't detect these by smelling the fish. However, Dr Brown says: 'Raw fish will develop a shiny, milky colour when it is going off and should be disposed of.' DAY 1: There is already a very pungent, fishy smell coming from the cod. DAY 2: There's a slimy layer on the surface of the fish and the smell is becoming too much to bear. The packet goes straight in the bin. LASTED: 0 DAYS WHOLE MILK Whole milk: Likely the most common item to receive the sniff test SAFE TO SNIFF? Yes this was the first product singled out to have use-by dates removed. 'Because all milk in supermarkets has to be pasteurised that is, have 99.9 per cent of its bacteria removed milk that has gone off does not pose an immediate risk to health,' says Dr Brown. DAY 1: The milk smells and tastes fresh. DAY 2: There's a slightly citrussy smell coming from the milk, but I taste it and it's still fine. DAY 3: The smell is much stronger and tangier, and when I pour the milk into my tea it floats to the surface in chunks. LASTED: 2 DAYS HUMMUS Hummus: A popular item often kept in the fridge and dipped back into when needed SAFE TO SNIFF? Yes. 'Hummus that has gone off has a distinct sour smell,' says Dr Brown. DAY 1: Creamy, smooth and with its usual mouthwatering whiff of garlic and chickpeas, the hummus is perfectly fine to eat. DAY 3: The smell is still appetising. No change in texture or taste. DAY 6: It is starting to look a bit bubbly on top but the smell hasn't altered. 'Hummus that has gone off changes to a darker colour and gets a yellowish layer on the surface,' says Dr Brown. DAY 9: The yellowish layer is much more apparent now and there's a strong, sour smell of lemon coming from the pot. 'The hummus is ready to be disposed of,' Dr Brown says. LASTED: 8 DAYS CAMEMBERT CHEESE Camembert Cheese: Another popular dairy product which will let you know when it's time to put it in the bin SAFE TO SNIFF? Yes but because there's such a strong smell to begin with, it can be tricky to tell when the cheese has gone off. 'Properly-stored Camembert cheese can last one to two weeks in the fridge,' says Dr Brown. 'When it has gone off, it will smell terrible.' DAY 1: I'm not one for pongy cheeses, so this is tough: the Camembert looks normal and smells, well, like reeky cheese. DAY 5: The smell has not changed at all and it is still soft and creamy inside. DAY 10: It's getting smellier, but my husband insists it's not too bad yet. He tries a wedge and declares it delicious. DAY 14: The stench is now awful, and I spot green spores of mould growing on it. 'With hard cheeses, you can cut away any visible mould,' says Dr Brown. 'With the softer cheeses, you cannot eat them if there is any mould, as this can grow alongside nasty bacteria such as listeria and E.coli.' LASTED: 13 DAYS Social media users have taken to Twitter to compliment a farmer who appeared on last night's Countryfile - with one branding her 'stunning'. Becky Houze, a dairy farmer from Jersey, appeared on the agricultural programme during a segment about the area. Countryfile presenter Charlotte Smith described Becky as an 'internet sensation', revealing that the farmer has a following on Instagram as well as an OnlyFans account. The posts she has shared on OnlyFans include images of agricultural life on the farm, including pictures of herself using equipment and sitting on hay bales. She has also shared clips from Model Farmers, an OnlyFans show which sees its creators try their hand at working on Becky's farm for a week. Becky Houze, a dairy farmer from Jersey, appeared on Countryfile last night, described as an 'internet sensation' The 29-year-old has 67.5k Instagram followers. She shares images of herself, as well as snapshots of rural life on the platform Other photographs show the 29-year-old straddling a motorbike, enjoying a night out with friends, and on holiday. Becky, who is known online as the 'Jersey Cow Girl', also has 67,5000 followers on Instagram. Introducing the 29-year-old, presenter Charlotte said: 'When someone says Jersey to me, the first thing I think of is cattle. 'Famous for their long eyelashes and creamy milk, they go back centuries here on the island, but not every dairy farmer is taking a traditional approach.' She then described Becky as a 'bit of an internet sensation'. Speaking on the programme, Becky said that while her 'real name' is Becky, most people know her as 'Jersey Cow Girl'. She added: 'I'm one of the youngest dairy farmers here in Jersey.' She added: 'When I was younger, I did every single type of dancing known to man and I would have loved to have been a ballerina. 'But then I realised that I've got a beautiful farm here - why not give it a shot at becoming a dairy farmer? 'And I've been slowly taking over the family business.' During the programme, Becky (pictured) said that most people know her by her online persona 'Jersey Cow Girl' Several male viewers took to Twitter after the programme was broadcast to compliment Becky on her looks After she appeared on the programme, some viewers took to Twitter to compliment Becky on her appearance. One tweeter wrote: 'Blimey dont see many farmers like that #countryfile.' Another added: 'Of course Becky is an internet sensation, she's stunning! #countryfile.' And a third simply said: 'Becky was nice! #countryfile.' Countryfile airs on Sundays at 7pm on BBC One. It is available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Lady Amelia Spencer cut a casual chic figure as she browsed the shops in Chelsea before heading to Neville hairdressers on Sunday. Amelia, 29, whow is Princess Diana's niece, looked effortlessly stylish in a black coat which she paired with gym leggings. The beauty completed her laid back look with black trainers and a beige sweatshirt underneath her coat. Lady Amelia Spencer cut a casual chic figure as she browsed the shops in Chelsea before heading to Neville hairdressers on Sunday Her blonde locks were styled in a loose ponytail and her neutral makeup enhanced her natural beauty. She carried her essentials in a black leather bag and she accessorised with stylish Gucci cat eye sunglasses. She oozed confidence are she browses the shops and strolled into Neville where her sister Lady Kitty also gets her hair done. It comes after she was snapped looking stylish as she attended the second day of Royal Ascot. Amelia, 29, who is 43rd in the line of succession to the British throne, looked effortlessly stylish in a black coat which she paired with gym leggings The beauty completed her laid back look with black trainers and a beige sweatshirt underneath her coat The 29-year-old was joined by her twin sister Lady Eliza and the pair coordinated their outfits, both integrating black and cream into their ensembles from designer Michael Kors. Amelia and Eliza, who recently moved from Cape Town to London, are the daughters of Princess Diana's brother Charles Spence and his first wife Victoria Aitken. Lady Amelia looked elegant in a long-sleeved organic silk crepe de chine midi dress featuring a black and black print from the Spring Summer 2022 Michael Kors Collection. Her blonde locks were styled in a loose ponytail and her neutral makeup enhanced her natural beauty She carried her essentials in a black leather bag and she accessorised with stylish Gucci cat eye sunglasses She oozed confidence are she browses the shops and strolled into Neville where her sister Lady Kitty also gets her hair done Amelia let her dress form the focal point of her look, and kept her accessories minimal. She opted for a small black Gramercy minaudiere bag and pointed kitten heel shoes. She swept her blonde tresses into a neat chignon, leaving some tendrils free to frame her face. Keeping in style with the event, she donned a cream hat, with black feather and net detail. Her makeup was simple but elegant, opting for a dewy base with some light blush and bronze, black eyeliner, and a pink lip. Royal Ascot, which has largely returned to its pre-pandemic format without any guest restrictions, is a favourite event among socialites and the royals. Stunning: It comes after she was snapped looking stylish as she attended the second day of Royal Ascot Their mother is known for her stylish prowess, and Queen Letizia of Spain's daughters proved they were just as fashionable during a family appearance today. Princesses Leonor, 16, and Sofia, 15, looked effortlessly elegant in patterned dresses as they joined their parents King Felipe and Letizia to meet former winners of the Princess Girona Foundation Awards in Barcelona. Leonor donned a black and white floral frock, while her younger sister opted for a polka dot dress in matching colours. Their mother Letizia put her best fashion foot forward in a cream midi dress, featuring mid-length sleeves and a billowing skirt. Their mother is known for her stylish prowess, and Queen Letizia of Spain 's daughters proved they were just as fashionable during a family appearance today Princesses Leonor (centre right), 16, and Sofia (centre left), 15, looked effortlessly elegant in patterned dresses as they joined their parents King Felipe and Letizia to meet former winners of the Princess Girona Foundation Awards in Barcelona She completed her look with a smattering of glamorous makeup and kept her locks down for the occasion. Her husband Felipe appeared dashing in blue trousers and a grey blazer combo, teamed with a striped shirt. Future Queen of Spain, Leonor, is the Foundation's honorary president and has previously presented prizes to winners during the award ceremony. The Foundations main objective is to work for young people in all areas that are critical for their future. Leonor donned a black and white floral frock, while her younger sister opted for a polka dot dress in matching colours Their mother Letizia put her best fashion foot forward in a cream midi dress, featuring mid-length sleeves and a billowing skirt Letizia completed her look with a smattering of glamorous makeup and kept her locks down for the occasion Her husband Felipe appeared dashing in blue trousers and a grey blazer combo, teamed with a striped shirt It is a private foundation set up in 2009 and backed by 88 trustees, with the honorary chairman being King Felipe VI, on behalf of his daughter Princess Leonor. It seeks to become a benchmark at national level in supporting young people in their professional and personal development. It also hopes to identify young people with talent who can act as role models for other young people and launching programmes to improve employability. Meanwhile, princesses Leonor and Sofia looked the epitome of chic as they made a visit to Figueras without their parents this weekend. Future Queen of Spain, Leonor, is the Foundation's honorary president and has previously presented prizes to winners during the award ceremony The Foundations main objective is to work for young people in all areas that are critical for their future Leonor and Sofia stepped out at a museum for Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali yesterday. They were taken on a tour of the facilities at the Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueres in the province of Girona, Catalonia, ahead of the Princess of Girona Awards today. Heir to the throne Leonor donned a red and white 69.99 dress from Mango for the outing, while her younger sister wore a 299 cream frock from Claudie Pierlot. This was the siblings second joint outing without their parents; in July 2021, the princesses planted trees in the protected forest area of Hayedo de Montejo in Madrid, along with a group of other teenagers. Princesses Leonor and Sofia of Spain looked the epitome of chic as they made a visit to Figueras without their parents Leonor, 16, and Sofia, 15, the daughters of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, stepped out at a museum for Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali yesterday The trip marked Leonors first visit to the province of Girona. One of her historic titles is Princess of Girona. During their visit to the museum, the sisters attended a meeting with eight young people linked to the Princess of Girona Foundation. The glamorous royals both teamed their summer dresses with espadrilles and kept their hair down for yesterdays event. Leonor has been studying at UWC Atlantic College in South Wales - based at a 12th-century castle and dubbed the 'Hippie Hogwarts' - since September 2021. They were taken on a tour of the facilities at the Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueres in the province of Girona, Catalonia, ahead of the Princess of Girona Awards today Heir to the throne Leonor donned a red and white 69.99 dress from Mango for the outing, while her younger sister wore a 299 cream frock from Claudie Pierlot The trip marked Leonors first visit to the province of Girona. One of her historic titles is Princess of Girona She has enrolled on a 67,000, two-year course to study for her International Baccalaureate diploma at the school. Situated in a 12th century castle in the Vale of Glamorgan, the school offers activities and subjects like Tai Chi and Tibetan literature, leading it to be nicknamed 'Hippie Hogwarts'. UWC Atlantic College has a proven track record educating royalty. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands studied there in the Eighties and Belgian heir to the throne Princess Elisabeth graduated last year. During their visit to the museum, the sisters attended a meeting with eight young people linked to the Princess of Girona Foundation The glamorous royals both teamed their summer dresses with espadrilles and kept their hair down for yesterdays event A Shiba Inu who was horrifically burned in a house fire has made a miracle recovery, despite vets saying he would have to be put down. Taka, now 13, was trapped on a back porch in a blaze in a house fire in Georgia in 2019, and only managed to escape after the flames burned through the floor. Terrified Taka suffered excruciating burns all over his body, especially to his back and face. Veterinary technician Crystal Lesley, 50, from Martinez, Georgia, was the first to come to Taka's aid after someone tagged her on a social media post about his injuries. He was 'still smoking' when he arrived at the Care More Animal Hospital where she works alongside vet Dr Martin, and from the moment they met, Crystal said she knew it would be a battle for the dog to survive his dreadful injuries let alone make a recovery. Taka was so badly burned vets said there wasn't much choice but to have him euthanized, but Crystal Lesley was determined to save him. The family home in Georgia was in complete ruins, and Taka fell through when the floor collapsed before running to the neighbors'. The family were too devastated to continue to care for Taka after the fire and signed his care over to the vets. Crystal said: 'When I saw the photo I was tagged in on social media my heart dropped. 'There was a dog who had obviously been severely burned. 'I immediately made some calls to reach out to the person who tagged me. I told them to get that dog to me asap. 'He was still smoking when they found him. We had never encountered a burn victim as severe as Taka before and we were terrified that he wouldn't make it. Because they couldn't touch Taka without him screaming in pain, vets sedated him to assess his injuries. They realized this would be a lot of work, but Crystal was determined to help the dog. Taka undergoing surgery after suffering horrific burns that stripped off most of his fur. Taka pictured after the fire, after he took a turn for the worse at the center in Georgia Taka's owners signed the care of Taka over to the vet, because they claimed they were 'dealing with the tragedy of the fire' that destroyed their home, and didn't have the resources to care for him at that moment. The entire community came together to help raise thousands of dollars to send Taka to a specialist. After two days, Taka took a turn for the worse and his pain seemed unbearable. That's when Crystal left work and drove him to the South Carolina Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Care in Columbia. Crystal said 'After two days we took him to a veterinary school at a university which might have been able to offer emergency care. 'But within 48 hours of us being there they decided the best course of action was to euthanize Taka but we knew there was no way we could do that. 'He had too much life and fight in his eyes so Dr Martin and I picked him up, he was in rough shape, but he was so brave. He had a look in his eyes that told us he wanted to live. 'If we thought he was ready to give up or it wasn't fair to keep him around then we were prepared to humanely euthanize him but so far that was not the case. 'Taka came home with me that night so I could watch him and care of his burns and give him meds as needed.' But after a few days, Taka was in so much pain he was screaming and Crystal could no longer touch him or comfort him. 'I put him in carrier and drove him to another emergency hospital an hour away in Columbia, South Carolina,' she said. 'We waited in the lobby with Taka in the carrier and crying out in pain and I was laying on the floor of the hospital next to him sobbing. 'I will never forget how scared I was and the sound of his screams still haunts me years later. ' Taka stayed in the specialist center for a month and a half, so on weekends, Crystal would make the drive to visit him, as by this point the pair had formed a special bond. Once he was done at the specialist, Crystal took him home. When Taka was ready to leave the hospital his injuries had healed significantly but the skin around his eyes had undergone something called 'drawback' meaning he could no longer blink She said 'After weeks of daily bandage changes and wound care we quickly realized Taka couldn't blink.' Taka's story spread and a nurse from the Joseph M. Still Burn Center saw his ordeal and soon after, the center called offering skin grafts and reconstructive surgery on him to allow him to blink. Taka now. Crystal said in 2018 'We waited in the lobby with Taka in the carrier and crying out in pain and I was laying on the floor of the hospital next to him sobbing. I will never forget how scared I was and the sound of his screams still haunts me years later.' The adorable Shiba Inu, Taka. The Shiba Inu is a breed of hunting dog from Japan. AIt is regarded as a small-to-medium breed. Taka's skin grafts have given him a unique look, and a lot of his fur has now grown back. Taka in the bath, having a wash from his loving owner Crystal. Crystal Lesley,50, with Taka now and his GCG award. He is now a therapy animal for children and is said to 'love kids'. Crystal now has full ownership of the dog. Crystal, a vert from Georgia, 'lovd Taka' too much to let him die. Even though specialists said there was no choice but to euthanize, she took him home and nursed him back to health after treatment at several centres. Crystal said 'We were incredibly humbled and awestruck at the magnitude of service they provided for this amazing dog now he can blink again.' In 2019, the family, who signed over Taka's care to the vet, allowed Crystal to become his official owner. Now Taka works with children who are burn victims, as a therapy animal. After his story spread through the community, he found a new role as a therapy dog. Crystal said 'I was approached by a nurse at the burn center about Taka coming in to visit burned children, in hopes of giving them something to relate to. 'He loves kids and people. He is the perfect mixture of silly and sweet. I thought about it and decided that he was too special not to share him with the world.' In order to work in the burn unit, Taka would need his Therapy Dog certification. This is what started Crystal on a journey of training. The first step to therapy dog training is the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test. The most difficult part of CGC training was teaching Taka to stay. 'He took a little while to do that out in public,' Crystal said. 'But honestly, he has flown right through it. He is so smart!' Taka took the CGC test on July 26 2019 and passed. Crystal was beyond happy. She said: 'I am so incredibly proud of him.Just thinking back to how far he has come and where he is now, is just so emotional. The amount of love and respect I have for him is profound.' An officer has described how the father of killer James Watson told search teams his son was a 'wrong-un' on Channel 4's 24 Hours in Police Custody: The Murder of Rikki Neave. The six-year-old, who had been strangled, was found naked and arranged in a 'star pose' in woods near his home in Peterborough, the day after he was reported missing by his mother on November 28, 1994. In June, 40-year-old James Watson, who was 13 when Rikki disappeared, was convicted at the Old Bailey of the child's murder seven years after new evidence was found in a 'cold case review'. Watson, who had pleaded not guilty to murder, was arrested after sophisticated technology that was not available in the original investigation found a 'definitive match' between his DNA profile and samples taken from Rikki's clothing. In the Channel 4 documentary, which airs tonight, DC Jon Foreman, who was part of the reinvestigation team, said: 'When Rikki's body was found, [his father] approached the cordon and told officers, "My son was with Rikki, you need to speak to him. Hes a wrong-un and he might be involved.' An officer has described how the father of killer James Watson told search teams his son was a 'wrong-un' on Channel 4's 24 Hours in Police Custody: The Murder of Rikki Neave (pictured, Rikki, who was murdered by James Watson) Speaking in the documentary, DCI Jerry White, part of the team, said: 'We want to try to investigate this as if it happened yesterday. Blank canvas, start from scratch.' Back in 1994, it was thought that Rikki could have been killed in a similar case to that of tragic James Bulger, who was abducted, tortured and murdered, aged 2, by 10-year-old boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, in Kirkby, Merseyside, in 1993. Rikki had been heading to his school, Welland Primary School, that morning, alone, having had a bowl of Weetabix earlier this morning. Watson, who was living at Woodgate's Children's Home at the time of the killing, was likely to be bunking off from Walton School in Peterborough on the same day. In June, 40-year-old James Watson, who was 13 when Rikki disappeared, was convicted at the Old Bailey of the child's murder seven years after new evidence was found in a 'cold case review' It was later heard in court that Watson knew the Walton estate well as he had spent time there as a young child and his father still lived there. It is believed he and Watson met on that day, with witnesses telling the jury they saw the pair walking in the direction of the woods, where Rikki would later be murdered. Watson then returned to Woodgates Children's Home that afternoon. He was reported missing by his mother Ruth when he didn't return home from school, with her worried phone call played in full during the programme. The 'fantasist' and 'compulsive liar' who evaded justice for Rikki Neave's murder for nearly 30 years: Who is James Watson? James Watson is 'a fantasist, a dangerous individual, and a compulsive liar', according to police. Watson came from a broken home in Peterborough and was treated by social services as a 'vulnerable child' from March 1993. That year, he was interviewed about a complaint that he had sexually assaulted a five-year-old boy. Then aged 12, Watson denied it and no further action was taken, although years later he admitted it was 'just two boys playing with each other's penises'. In April 1994, Watson told a family member he was physically assaulted by his father, James Watson senior, who he lived with on the Welland Estate. On being taken into care, he stayed with foster mother Molly Donald, who he formed an attachment to. She found him with a shotgun and felt she could not cope so Watson was sent away again, this time to Woodgate's children's home in March, some 20 miles from Peterborough. Watson frequently played truant from school and would change into civilian clothes, jurors heard. From enrolling at Walton School in Peterborough to the day of the murder, Watson was marked present on the register 18 times out of a possible 38 school days. At the age of 13, he became obsessed with the fantasy of strangling a little boy, even telling his mother he had heard a news report about it on the radio. Three days later, the fantasy came true when he murdered six-year-old Rikki Neave at around midday on November 28 1994, the prosecution said. He stripped him naked for his own sexual gratification, 'exhibiting' the posed body to be found near a children's den in the woods, prosecutor John Price QC said. Afterwards, Watson became 'fascinated' by his own actions and made copious copies of newspaper stories, jurors were told. He even told teachers that he knew Rikki as the brother of a friend, one of a multitude of lies. Watson 'cursed' the fact he been seen with Rikki by an elderly lady, leaving him no option but to admit an encounter when police called on December 5 1994. Watson's account was peppered with lies but went unchallenged for more than 20 years as police wrongly pursued Rikki's mother Ruth. Meanwhile, care workers noted his bizarre behaviour, masturbating over a children's clothes catalogue, keeping a dead pheasant in his room, and once allegedly throttling a member of staff with a stocking. He moved to another care home, and despite knowing he was gay from an early age, formed a relationship with a girl, aged 15. In 2016, she told police Watson once killed and posed a bird and would strangle her when they had sex in woods. Watson clocked up a long list of convictions for petty crimes, including setting fire to a British Transport Police station in Peterborough. In his evidence, Watson said he would steal cars for 'fun' and claimed he felt aggrieved at police because of their role in taking him away from his family. He also claimed his late father had been a police officer, although Cambridgeshire Police say there is no record of it. Mr Price told jurors that in the years before his arrest for Rikki's murder, Watson became forensically aware and adept at dealing with police. So even before police confirmed his DNA had been identified on Rikki's clothes, Watson was prepared with another lie, which was to prove his undoing. Watson, who maintained his connection with Peterborough through his sister Clair and mother Shirley, concocted a fictitious story about lifting Rikki up to look through a hole in a fence to watch diggers. He did not factor in the determination of police, who established the fence was not there in 1994. When Watson fled the country, his sister Clair Perna tried to get him travel documents but insisted they were only to help him return to Britain. Ms Perna told jurors their late father had been a lorry driver, but quickly added that she thought he was a police officer before she was born. She said her brother would never hurt a child, but was in the dark about his admitted sexual activity with a five-year-old. Unbeknownst to her, for 27 years Watson had also lived with the biggest secret of all - Rikki's murder. Advertisement Meanwhile DCI White, a member of the reinvestigation team, said: 'A six year old has gone missing - you're going to get an immediate response looking for options of where could this six year old be. 'Why hasn't he come home? Is there something going on in the house? Is it a case of someone taking him?' But he added: 'At six o'clock, I wouldn't have thought anyone would have thought, Rikki's dead. DCI White said: 'There probably would have been a general feel that he was on the estate somewhere.' DC Kevin Hills, another member of the team, said: 'Rikki was allowed to hang round the estate. Often, he went off on his own.' As night drew in, a team of officers searched the estate and surrounding area. The team said as 'many officers as good be deployed' were sent out to search for Rikki. DCI White said: 'There probably would have been a general feel that he was on the estate somewhere.' It was later established that he never went to school that day - and nobody had seen him since 9am. DC Jon Foreman, another member of the team, said: 'The next morning, still no Rikki. Enquiries continue. By this point, it's made the news.' A neighbour, Shelley Dickson, recalled how she had to walk past Ruth's house on the way to school, but said she was reassured by her mother that Rikki 'would be found' by the time she got home. PC Malcolm Graham, from the original investigation, said: 'We walked through the trees as best we could. 'It was tangled woodland with little paths running through it. Five minutes into those woods, I stopped.' He had found Rikki's body, who was stripped naked and deliberately posed in a star shape. Dr Nat Carey, a forensic pathologist, described it as 'an unusual scene by any standard', saying: 'Firstly he was naked out of doors and then he was posed in this star shape. 'The stripping and posing was telling you something about the perpetrator. What, I have no idea.' Keith Chamberlain was put in charge of the case and within an hour of the body being found, officers started house to house inquiries. Shelley said: 'it was a close community - everyone knew everyone. We all played out, we used to play down the woods, making dens - loved it. It wasn't the best estate. There was a lot of people on drugs, cars getting nicked.' The police were filmed visiting the spot where his body was found, with DCI White saying: 'They did do a thorough investigation of the clothing. Taping for hair samples, fibre samples. It was the best they could do at that time. 'The fact of the matter is, he knew his killer. There was no urination or defecation - if he didn't know him, he would have been scared.' Two days after his body was found, officers conducted a thorough search of the family home and found a number of books about murder. Suspicion began to grow over Rikki's mother Ruth, who neighbours said was neglectful and sometimes abusive towards her son. DCI White said: 'They clearly started to look at.....if she's capable of [abuse], then what else was she capable of?' He added: 'The inquiry identified particularly that Rikki bore the brunt of her poor parenting.' DC Hills said: 'I've been interviewing for 18 years. Ruth was interviewed over the same things. I think that was a strategic effort o get her to admit to the offence. That borders on oppression. That was excessive. 'Clearly she was never going to break, because she wasn't responsible.' DC Hills described how the team spoke to one woman, Sylvia Clarry, a neighbour who described seeing James Watson with Rikki. DCI White added: 'She is able to name James Watson because she knows his dad. It makes for a really positive identification of who was with Rikki...' Rikki's mother Ms Neave was charged with her son's murder in 1996. The trial hinged on the evidence of a policeman who searched the woods where Rikki would later be found. At the time he found nothing, with prosecutors claiming the officer had initially missed the body because it was dark. It was claimed the body had been washed of vital evidence in the time it took to find it. A judge ordered a jury to acquit Ms Neave if they believed his testimony, because it meant she would not have time to have moved the body after that point because the police were already with her. After being found not guilty of murder at trial, she later admitted cruelty towards her son. Watson was interviewed during the original investigation into the murder but 'did not mention' to police that he had physically 'picked up' Rikki on the day he died. At the time the cold case inquiry was opened, prosecutors initially felt there was still insufficient evidence to prosecute, but reversed their decision after Ms Neave and Rikki's sisters called for a victims' right to review. Key evidence included Rikki's last meal, of Weetabix, which fixed his time of death at about noon. It meant Rikki was killed shortly after being seen with Watson heading to the woods where he used to play. Rikki's muddy Clarks shoes also indicated his walk into the woods was a one-way trip. Officers told how a neighbour identified then 13-year-old James as being with Rikki on the day he died (pictured) When Neave (pictured left with her son in the late 1980s and right at his funeral) was found not guilty of her son's murder in 1996, the question of who did kill Rikki would remain unanswered for more than 25 years Watson's sexual interest in younger boys was known to police, who interviewed him over an allegation that he molested a five-year-old in 1993. At the age of 13, he became obsessed with the fantasy of strangling a little boy, even telling his mother he had heard a news report about it on the radio. But his web of lies and constantly changing alibis which helped him evade justice for 28 years mean much about the murder still remains unclear - including whether he knew Rikki prior to the killing. An ex-girlfriend later said he had strangled her during sex in woods and killed a bird and spread its wings, in a sinister reconstruction of Rikki's murder. In a police interview in 2016, Watson attempted to explain his DNA's presence on Rikki's clothes by claiming he picked him up to look at diggers through a hole in a fence. Rikki is pictured left with his father Trevor Harvey. Harvey ended his relationship with Rikki's mother when his son was aged three. Right: A beaming Rikki during his short life Watson, who has a long criminal record for convictions including stealing cars, fled to Portugal while on bail on suspicion of murder, but was extradited back to Britain. Watson, now 41, was found guilty of murder in April by a jury who deliberated for 36 hours and 31 minutes to reach a majority verdict after an 11-week trial. The judge, Mrs Justice McGowan, said: 'Rikki was a child too willing to trust and engage with strangers. 'He never had the chance to be happy and lead a normal and fulfilling life. That opportunity was denied to him by his murder.' Watson showed no emotion as he was sentenced. The judge said he would only ever be released after serving the minimum term of 15 years - minus two years and four months already spent on remand - and once the Parole Board was satisfied he would no longer present a risk to the public. He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 15 years for the murder of six-year-old Rikki in June. A father from Washington has claimed his son's high school prescribed the teen anti-depressants without telling him, sparking a major debate between people on the internet. The man, named Eli Holt, from Snohomish, recently revealed on TikTok that his 15-year-old son started taking the medication after a psychiatrist visited the local high school and decided he needed them, without his parents' consent or knowledge. He claimed that his son 'thought he knew' about the prescription since he usually has a 'good line of communication' with the school. Eli slammed the school for allegedly giving his son the pills without knowing his 'medical history,' pointing out some of the dangers it posed. A father from Washington has claimed his son's high school prescribed the teen anti-depressants without telling him, sparking a major debate between people on the internet Eli Holt, from Snohomish, said his 15-year-old son started taking the medication after a psychiatrist visited the school and decided he needed them, without his consent or knowledge He claimed that his son 'thought he knew' about the prescription since he usually has a 'good line of communication' with the school His video quickly went viral, gaining more than 266,000 views in a matter of days, and it launched an argument between viewers over whether or not the school's actions were justified. 'I get a call today from the counselor at the high school, they proceed to say, "Your child, 15 years old, did not pick up his anti depressants at the end of the school year,"' Eli stated in the clip. 'I said, "He's not on antidepressants, what are you talking about? My kid is not depressed." 'They proceed to tell me that they had a psychiatrist come to the school and give my kid antidepressants. He's been on them for several months and I had no knowledge. 'I knew nothing about it. Come to find out, it's 100 per cent legal. They can do whatever they want with our kids in Washington State within the school program.' Many states, including Washington, allow schools to give out prescriptions to any minor over age 13 without getting permission from a parent if they are seeking treatment for mental health services. According to the law, students 'may initiate an evaluation and treatment for outpatient and/or inpatient mental health services, substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, or withdrawal management without parental consent.' 'The minor has the right to receive services in the least restrictive setting. A youth is admitted for inpatient treatment only if the professional in charge of the facility concurs with the need for treatment and the youth meets criteria for this level of care,' the law reads. In a follow-up video, Eli explained that him not knowing that his son was taking the medication was dangerous because he could of accidentally mixed it with something unsafe. 'What if I was allowing him to have a glass of wine at home at dinner? Not that I am, but what if I was?' he said. Eli slammed the school for giving his son the pills without knowing his 'medical history,' pointing out some of the dangers it posed His video quickly went viral, gaining more than 266,000 views, and it launched an argument between viewers over whether or not the school's actions were justified 'What if he had a heart murmur, what if he was allergic to medications like that? The kid can barely fill out a job application, how is he going to know all his medical history? How is he going to know all these things?' He added that the only reason he could understand them keeping that information from a parent was if they suspected there was 'abuse in the home' or if that child was 'in danger.' 'If they're giving a child a prescription, you should know. Period,' he concluded. 'It's not their kid to give a prescription to. I wholeheartedly believe that they should have told me.' Many people were divided in the comment section, with some calling it 'not OK' and bashing the school for 'overstepping,' and others siding with the institution and explaining that the law has helped them or people that they know in the past. 'That program helped me so much, it's not a bad thing,' one person wrote, while another shared, 'This law helped my niece. She suffers from depression and couldn't get help because her mom didn't want her to.' 'A lot of children need these services,' someone else said. A fourth person agreed, 'Good job Washington. I wish more states would adopt this. I love my child, and if I can't help him I'm glad other adults in his life could.' Many people were divided in the comment section, with some calling it 'not OK' and bashing the school for 'overstepping' Others sided with the institution and explaining that the law has helped them or people that they know in the past 'It's legal and has helped other students whose families deny care,' read a fifth comment. 'I wish my school did that,' said another person. 'Often teenagers don't want to tell their parents about mental health or birth control. I see this as a good thing.' 'If he's willing to take them by himself then he might need them, we never understand what's going on in someone else's head,' added a different user. 'Shouldn't you be happy that he's getting help if he needed it?' quipped someone else. However, others were not happy with the school's decision and made it known. 'What if he was on medication at home they didn't know about?' asked one user. 'Mixing prescriptions is dangerous.' 'If you gave him another medication that would interact with what the school gave him it could have become lethal,' pointed out another person. 'The schools should not be allowed.' 'I would be livid,' read another comment. 'They have no right to just prescribe medication to children. If they thought there was an issue and he needed them, they should have scheduled a meeting.' 'How was he taking his prescription on weekends or school breaks? Antidepressants should be taken consistently,' wrote a different person. 'How can you get refills over the summer?' Princess Leonor, 16, and Sofia, 15, followed in their mother's elegant footsteps as they stepped out alongside her in Barcelona this evening. The Royal siblings attended the annual Princess of Girona Foundation Awards ceremony with Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI of Spain. Leonor, Princess of Asturias, wore a stunning powder-blue ballerina-length gown with a bardot neckline to mark the ceremony. She wore her hair pinned back in a bun and opted for simple teardrop earrings. Queen Letizia (far left), Princess Leonor (second from left) Princess Sofia (second from right) and King Felipe attended the awards ceremony in Barcelona The family looked stylish as ever as they walked alongside each other at the Princess of Girona Foundation Award ceremony Meanwhile younger sibling Sofia wore a stylish white jumpsuit layered with a flowing cape-style top. Wearing her golden locks down, she opted for boho waves. The girls' mother Queen Letizia, 49, looked chic in a navy blue off-shoulder dress with a pearled collar. She paired the gown with a pair of navy slingback stilettos and wore her hair in a ponytail. Future Queen of Spain Princess Leonor wore a stunning blue ballerina-length dress with a bardot neckline and simple teardrop pearl earrings The teenage princesses posed on either side of their parents, King Felipe and Queen Letizia, before the ceremony began The young princesses sat either side of their parents in front row seats as they waited for the awards ceremony to begin Letizia matched the dress with a simple pair of pearls in her ears to complement the collar. Joining his girls, King Felipe looked dapper as ever in a black suit with a white shirt and blue tie. The stylish family stepped out to attend the Princess of Girona Foundation Award ceremony. The Foundation, which is currently chaired by the King on behalf of Princess Leonor, works for young people in all areas that are critical for their future. It seeks to become a benchmark at national level in supporting young people in their professional and personal development. In particular, the awards ceremony recognises talented young people who are held up as role models for their good work. Their mother is known for her stylish prowess, and Queen Letizia of Spain 's daughters proved they were just as fashionable during a family appearance today Princesses Leonor (centre right), 16, and Sofia (centre left), 15, looked effortlessly elegant in patterned dresses as they joined their parents King Felipe and Letizia to meet former winners of the Princess Girona Foundation Awards in Barcelona Earlier today the Spanish Royals stepped out in bold prints, with Leonor opting for florals while Sofia chose polka-dots. Their mother walked proudly alongside her daughters in a billowing white midi dress paired with black espadrilles. The trip to Barcelona marked Leonors first visit to the province of Girona. One of her historic titles is Princess of Girona. Leonor has been studying at UWC Atlantic College in South Wales - based at a 12th-century castle and dubbed the 'Hippie Hogwarts' - since September 2021. Leonor donned a black and white floral frock, while her younger sister opted for a polka dot dress in matching colours She has enrolled on a 67,000, two-year course to study for her International Baccalaureate diploma at the school. UWC Atlantic College has a proven track record educating royalty. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands studied there in the Eighties and Belgian heir to the throne Princess Elisabeth graduated last year. The stylish sisters also stole the show yesterday as they enjoyed a trip to the Salvador Dali Theatre-Museum. Appearing in public without their parents, the girls proved they are more than ready to take the royal spotlight as they smiled and waved for the cameras. Princesses Leonor and Sofia of Spain looked the epitome of chic as they made a visit to Figueras without their parents Leonor, 16, and Sofia, 15, the daughters of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, stepped out at a museum for Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali yesterday They were taken on a tour of the facilities at the Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueres in the province of Girona, Catalonia. Heir to the throne Leonor donned a red and white 69.99 dress from Mango for the outing, while her younger sister wore a 299 cream frock from Claudie Pierlot. This was the siblings second joint outing without their parents; in July 2021, the princesses planted trees in the protected forest area of Hayedo de Montejo in Madrid, along with a group of other teenagers. Heir to the throne Leonor donned a red and white 69.99 dress from Mango for the outing, while her younger sister wore a 299 cream frock from Claudie Pierlot During their visit to the museum, the sisters attended a meeting with eight young people linked to the Princess of Girona Foundation Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana of Thailand stunned in a 4,800 little black dress as she stepped out in Paris this evening. The princess, who is the only daughter of Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn, wore the bodycon Schiaparelli dress at Paris Fashion Week. The 35-year-old royal attended Shocking! The Surrealist Worlds Of Elsa Schiaparelli at the Musee Des Arts Decoratifs. The nipple-jewelled tank top dress is draped at the waist with brass chain shoulder straps and two brass 'nipples' on the chest. Princess of Thailand Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, 35, stunned in the draped black dress with brass nipples and brass chains at the Schiaparelli exhibition in Paris The Thai Princess paired her outfit with a statement gold chain necklace featuring an 'M' and gold earrings. She wore a pink metallic lip and smoky black eyeshadow, with her hair pulled back. The Princess also wore strappy gold sandals and accessorised with a black patent bag. Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana is regularly snapped at fashion week looking more like an on-trend blogger than a member of the royal family thanks to her trademark clashing patterns and statement pieces. The royal, who made her debut as a fashion designer at Milan Fashion week in 2004, has a degree in fashion In 2018 she was featured in Tatler magazine in a piece that celebrated her work in the fashion industry. Way back in 2004 the princess entered the international fashion stage, showcasing a collection from her label Sirivannavari as a guest designer in Milan Fashion Week. The royal first attended Paris Fashion Week in 2007 when she was a 20-year-old undergraduate - and was invited by none other than Pierre Balmain. Two years later Princess Sirivannavari received a bachelor's degree from Bangkok's esteemed Chulalongkorn University, graduating with a major in fashion design. The Thai princess is known for her bold fashion choices and has paid tribute in the past to her grandmother, Queen Skirit, as a 'true icon' of fashion In 2010 the princess left her beloved home to spend the year studying in Paris. In an interview with Tatler, the princess named her grandmother HM Queen Skirit as a 'true icon' of fashion. Other stars to attend the event included Rita Ora, who wore a flowing navy blue satin Schiaparelli dress with a low cut neckline and thin shoulder straps in the French capital, her fourth outfit of the day. She carried a mirrored silver clutch bag and added a few inches to her stature by opting for a pair of black platform heels. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. An Australian MAFS star has shared the five affordable beauty products she has been using on a high rotation while holidaying in Europe this summer. Makeup artist Martha Kalifatidis, 33, left her Bondi Beach digs in May to set sail for Italy, where she is currently spending time with her fiance Michael Brunelli. As a beauty aficionado she brought plenty of skincare and makeup products but has found herself turning to the same five products in the humid weather. On Sunday evening she shared these prized possessions on her Instagram Story, starting with Avene's Thermal Spring Water ($22.99). Makeup artist Martha Kalifatidis, 33, left her Bondi Beach digs in May to set sail for Italy, where she is currently spending time with her fiance Michael Brunelli 'This will save your skin on your flight and while you travel. European water is so hard it will destroy your skin and hair. I spray my face and body with this after a shower. It's a saviour. Also nice if you keep it in the mini bar fridge,' she explained. Martha also said it can be used as a facial spritz before applying serums and moisturiser. Next on her list is L'Oreal's Elvive Dream Lengths Mask ($9.49), which she describes as one you can easily 'churn through' because of the price. 'I put this in before I swim. Also perfect for a slick bun, plus it smells divine. The L'Oreal Elvive range is actually elite, there are a few things in the range worth trying,' she said. On Sunday evening she shared these prized possessions on her Instagram Story, starting with Avene's Thermal Spring Water ($22.99) Next on her list is L'Oreal's Elvive Dream Lengths Mask ($9.49), which she describes as one you can easily 'churn through' because of the price For those still struggling with their hair while on vacation Martha recommends Akin's Scalp Scrub ($10.97), which rivals one produced by French brand Christophe Robin. 'If you haven't used a scalp scrub yet you don't know what clean hair is, there I said it,' she explained. 'It leaves you with the perfect amount of volume, your hair is so clean it feels like a baby's. Great for super active people who sweat a lot and don't wash their hair all that much. Also if you have an oily scalp or flaky scalp get this yesterday.' For her face Martha has been loving the La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 ($14.96), which she described as 'magic in a bottle'. For those still struggling with their hair while on vacation Martha recommends Akin's Scalp Scrub ($10.97), which rivals one produced by French brand Christophe Robin For her face Martha has been loving the La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 ($14.96), which she described as 'magic in a bottle' 'Everyone, every skin type, any age and skin concern will benefit from this cream. I use it daily on everything. Definitely wear this on your flight,' she said. Her final tip was to 'not leave Australia without sunscreen' because the protective creams overseas are just 'not the same'. Martha uses Naked Sundays Mineral Sunscreen ($39.95) during the warmer months and the collagen SPF version, which is super lightweight, in winter. 'I made the mistake of using a sunscreen I bought over here one day,' she said, before showcasing a shocking sunburn she had developed. She pulled down the bottoms of her bikini to show just how bad the burn was, before warning her followers She pulled down the bottoms of her bikini to show just how bad the burn was, before warning her followers. 'I mean the pose is a bit Brittney (sic) but the burn is probably the worst sunburn I've ever had,' she wrote. 'So bring a sunscreen from home!' In her next Instagram slide, Martha shared a photo showing the difference between using Aussie and European sunscreen. A Woolworths shopper has raved about his local Woolworths after entering to aisles upon aisles of perfectly stacked, 'satisfying' shelves. The customer who goes by the name 'mcticktock' online shared a now-viral video of each aisle filled with neatly arranged products at Woolworths Redbank Plains, Mountview in Queensland. 'Is this the most tidiest Woolworths you've ever seen? Look at it, everything is perfect,' he said in the short clip which has now exceeded 200,000 views. Scroll down for video A Woolworths customer who goes by the name 'mcticktock' online shared a now-viral video of each aisle filled with neatly arranged products (pictured) It's believed the Woolworths store is located in Redbank Plains, Mountview in Queensland after another person commented saying the store is 'brand new' In the video, the shelves were stacked to the brim and no product was out of place. 'I've never seen anything like it!' the man continued and started to head towards the lolly aisle that's always usually messy. 'This is a rare sight, the lolly aisle. Look at it! Every Woolworths worker's dream. It's crazy - how does this happen?!' More than 1000 people commented on the video, many speculating that 'regional managers were in town' to check on the quality of the store. 'For sure they had a massive visit,' one person wrote, another joked: 'Because people can't afford to shop anymore.' Another person said it will look neat 'until the customers walk in'. A fourth wrote: 'If only my Kmart store was like this.' A woman who has moved to Australia from South Africa has shared her confusion over the ' mysterious VIP Lounges' at hundreds of pubs and bars. After arriving in Sydney less than two months ago, Mahle Majola started documenting the everything she loved and struggled to understand about her new home country in a series of TikTok videos. The 28-year-old said she was baffled by the amount of 'VIP lounges' she saw around Sydney's bars and pubs and decided to investigate what was inside. As it is illegal to advertise pokie machines/slot machines at Australian pubs, most use VIP Lounge as a 'code word' to attract those who wish to gamble. 'They're in hotels, in restaurants, they are in bars so I decided to actually go inside one to see what is actually going on because it seems like it's different from what we have back home,' she said. Scroll down for video Mahle Majola (pictured), 28, moved from South Africa to Sydney in May and has shared her confusion over the city's VIP Lounges in a viral TikTok clip 'It's not like a section in a club where the celebs sit, it's actually a gambling place,' she joked once inside and confronted by a room full of pokie machines. Mahle's video racked up more than 75,000 views in just a day since it was posted and drew in dozens of comments from Australians clearing up her confusion. 'It's illegal to advertise pokie machines are inside, so they call it the 'VIP lounge',' one viewer explained. 'You will see these at pretty much every pub/club. It's a section for pokey machines. FYI some pubs also have 'hotel' in their name but no rooms,' a second replied. Mahle decided to investigate a VIP Lounge finding a room full of pokie machines rather than 'a section in a club where the celebs sit' Other Aussie viewers reassured Mahle saying they have been as confused by the gambling rooms which are governed by varying laws across each state and territory. 'I grew up in Canberra where pubs aren't allowed to have them, so I was equally confused until I asked somebody what it meant,' one man admitted. 'Haha same...when I moved to NSW I saw them everywhere and imagined they were a fancy room for special people,' laughed another. 'It's the strangest thing, in Sydney every pub has pokies/slot machines,' a third agreed. 'Some clubs still have an actual VIP area. The name is terrible!' a fourth said. Other ideas to make practices more inclusive were rainbow badges and flag The advice was issued at a RCGP annual conference in London today EXCLUSIVE: GPs should avoid saying 'Mr' or 'Mrs' in the waiting room GP practices shouldn't call patients Mr or Mrs in waiting rooms in order to be more inclusive to the LGBT community, it has been suggested. As well as ditching gender titles, another recommendation was getting staff to wear pronoun badges such as 'they', 'she' or 'he' so patients feel at ease. The suggestions were made at a Royal College of GPs conference in London, during a discussion on how to make surgeries more inclusive to the LGBT+ community. It was described as a 'safe space', with GPs able to put forward ideas anonymously. Other suggestions included putting up LGBT+ flags in practices and making more bathrooms gender-neutral. It comes amid the Health Secretary's crackdown on gender-neutral language in key health advice for women, following a string of MailOnline revelations. At an event called 'how to be an ally for LGBTQIA+ patients', GPs were shown a diagram called the 'genderbread person' to illustrate the difference between gender identity, expression, sex and sexual orientation NHS hospitals have spent more than 800,000 on gender-neutral toilets over the past four years, MailOnline can reveal. Map shows: The 16 hospitals in Britain that have built new gender-neutral toilets or converted old gender-specific ones from 2018 to 2022 Here are some examples of the woke language changes that have engulfed NHS communications. Some of these examples have been taken from national NHS communications while others are used by individual hospitals Say women not people with ovaries, Sajid Javid orders NHS Sajid Javid said he is prepared to wage war against gender-free language after he demanded the NHS stop dropping the word 'women' from its online health advice. The minister has repeatedly said he does not agree with the health service removing the word from its ovarian cancer guidance webpage. 'Women' does not appear in the overview of the disease on the NHS.uk website, instead being replaced with the ambiguous and gender-neutral term 'anyone'. The word first appears on the third page of the ovarian cancer section of the website. 'Anyone with ovaries can get ovarian cancer. This includes women, trans men, non-binary people and intersex people with ovaries,' it states. NHS Digital bosses have been warned future changes to gendered language must be rubber-stamped by officials at Mr Javid's Department of Health, reports The Sun. The Health Secretary previously told Sky News 'common sense and the right language' should be used to 'give people the best possible patient care'. Advertisement At an event called 'how to be an ally for LGBTQIA+ patients', GPs were shown a diagram called the 'genderbread person' to illustrate the difference between gender identity, expression, sex and sexual orientation. Dozens of GPs brainstormed ways to 'be an ally' to patients within the community. One suggestion included 'don't call out in the waiting room "Mr or Mrs somebody"' and for GPs to educate themselves and their teams about pronouns. GPs said they could wear rainbow lanyards or pins on their uniform and put up flags in their office to indicate that their practice is inclusive. Doctors said these steps were 'subtle and don't cost you anything' but those within the LGBT+ community see it and 'know they're not going to face hostility'. Family doctors also suggested including pronouns in their email signature and name tags on their uniform to 'make people feel at ease' to then share their pronoun. Making bathrooms gender-neutral is another 'big thing' that can make patients more comfortable, medics said. MailOnline last month revealed that NHS hospitals spent more than 800,000 over the last four years to make bathrooms gender neutral. Figures show nearly 740 new unisex toilets were either built or converted since 2018 including during the Covid pandemic. GPs today also suggested that all staff working at practices could have regular meetings to ensure 'biases aren't creeping in'. One family doctor called for LGBT+ practices to be taught during their training. It comes after Sajid Javid this week promised to reverse gender-neutral language in NHS advice after MailOnline revealed the term 'women' was being quietly erased by health chiefs. NHS England data shows 64 per cent of total GP appointments were face-to-face in May. The figure is the second-highest since the height of the first Covid wave forced the majority of appointments to be held virtually. But it is still well below pre-pandemic levels, when eight in 10 appointments took place in-person This website exposed how 'women' and 'woman' had been scrubbed from online guidance about the menopause, which is unique to biological females. Health chiefs said the move was to be 'inclusive' and had not been a mistake. In a tweet on Wednesday referencing MailOnline's story, Mr Javid said 'language matters'. The Health Secretary added: 'I have made clear that the word "woman" should not be removed from key womens health pages. 'I have been assured that the changes highlighted below, as well as others, are being reversed.' MailOnline previously revealed that advice for womb cancer had been de-gendered, and terms like breastfeeding were being pulled from guidance for new mothers. Experts have warned de-gendering medical advice could be dangerous for women by over-complicating vital health messaging. Some experts are warning that gaps in testing and vaccine coverage for monkeypox will leave the United States vulnerable to losing control of its tropical virus outbreak. Public health leaders from the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) and George Washington University (GW) warn that a fractured and lacking response to the outbreak so far can have severe consequences. Previous experts have warned that the virus has likely been spreading undetected in the U.S. for some time, and fear it could become endemic in the nation is not curbed soon. As if Friday - the most recently available data - the U.S. has logged 460 cases across 31 states and the District of Columbia. Iowa is believed to have recorded its first case over the weekend as well, though Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) figures have not yet reflected it. 'Where we have lagged is streamlining testing, making vaccines available, streamlining access to the best therapeutics,' David Harvey, executive director of the NCSD told The Hill. 'All three areas have been bureaucratic and slow, and that means we haven't contained this outbreak.' Testing for the virus has been a slow and arduous process so far. When a patient begins exhibiting symptoms of the virus they are first examined for the orthopox family of viruses. The lineage includes monkeypox - along with the extinct smallpox virus - and it is likely that anyone who tests positive for it does have the tropical infection. First American to go public with monkeypox infection is a gay actor in Los Angeles The first American monkeypox patient to go public with his battle against the tropical virus has slammed health officials for a 'lackluster' job of testing for the virus, which has left many cases undiagnosed. Matt Ford, a self-employed actor who splits his time between Los Angeles and New York City, has spoken out to warn people that the disease 'sucks' and they should take it 'seriously.' He blasted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for their poor testing efforts, saying it took officials three days to diagnose his illness by which point he 'already knew' what they would say. Revealing his diagnosis to Buzzfeed, Ford said he caught the virus after having 'skin-to-skin contact' with another patient. The actor and writer, who describes himself as a 'proud openly gay man,' revealed he initially noticed spots in and around his 'underwear zone,' which indicated to him he had caught the virus. Over the next few days they spread across the rest of his body, including his face, arms, hands and abdomen. In total, he has counted 25 spots and said after appearing they began to 'fill with puss' and became itchy. Several especially in the 'sensitive area' became so painful they left him unable to sleep at night without taking painkillers. Advertisement In order to confirm a monkeypox case, samples must be sent to the CDC for testing, where it is then confirmed. Testing is slow, though. Access to these test is limited as well. This makes many experts fear that cases are going undetected. The federal government has taken steps to expand capacity but access to tests is still relatively limited. There have also been cases detected so far with no links to international travel or to another case of the virus - meaning there is some undetected circulation of the virus ongoing. 'We've been sort of screaming for a month about how bad the diagnostic situation is for monkeypox,' James Krellenstein, cofounder of Prep4All, told The Hill. 'And that really was a clear error, preventable, and it's very clear that this administration has not learned lessons from early Covid.' The nation's vaccine rollout has been under intense scrutiny as well. American officials have ordered around 4.4 million doses of the Jynneos vaccine - including an additional 2.5 million last week. Getting the shots into arms has been a challenge, though. New York City had its first public vaccine event two weeks ago - ahead of Pride festivities in the Big Apple - but demand for the jabs was so high officials had to cut off walk-in appointments in a matter of hours. People waiting at the clinic for the shot told DailyMail.com that the barely a thousand doses available as 'ridiculous' in a city of nearly eight million. Other eager recipients accused officials of giving 'contradictory' information on how to get jabbed. Some experts are comparing the currently broken response to monkeypox to that of COVID-19 when it first erupted in March 2020. 'I think we'll continue to repeat these mistakes because that's been our track record. That's been our track record,' Jon Andrus, a global health professor at GW, said. 'We've had, what, more than five or six waves of Covid, and we seem every time to be a little bit caught off guard,... stopping transmission requires that we're all reading from the same page. We all have the same road map.' Covid leaked out of a laboratory in America rather than China, it has been sensationally claimed. Famous US economist Jeffrey Sachs, who led a two-year probe into the pandemic's origins, said he was 'pretty convinced' the virus was the result of 'US lab biotechnology'. The claim, made at a global conference last month, has been seized upon by Chinese Government officials who said it warranted a 'thorough investigation'. Professor Sachs, who was twice named one of Time magazines 100 most influential people in the world, admitted 'we don't know for sure'. 'But there's enough evidence that it should be looked into and it's not being investigated not in the US, not anywhere.' He added: 'I think for real reasons, they [US officials] don't want to look under the rug too much.' Critics have previously described Professor Sachs as a President Xi 'propagandist', dismissing China's genocide of Uighurs and publicly calling for US cooperation. Covid was manufactured in an American not Chinese laboratory according to celebrity economist Jeffrey Sachs It is unclear if Professor Sachs believes Covid originated in the US or was borne out of a collaboration between American and Chinese scientists in Wuhan. MailOnline has approached Professor Sachs for comment. China has faced its own accusations of covering up the origins of Covid. Scientists were found to have wiped crucial databases and stifled independent investigations into a lab just miles away from the pandemic's ground zero. The virus first began spreading from a wet market in Wuhan, about eight miles from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) which worked with dangerous coronaviruses. Researchers who fell ill with a mysterious flu-like virus months before the official Covid timeline were silenced or disappeared. Professor Sachs is the chairman of the Lancet Covid-19 Commission, set up at the start of the pandemic to assist governments and scrutinise responses. He oversaw a 12-man taskforce investigating Covid's origins that was shut down in September 2021 when it emerged the team had financial links to the WIV. The celebrity economist has said previously he believes the pandemic was the result of experiments done between Chinese and American scientists. But until now, claims the virus was created in the US were confined to Chinese disinformation campaigns. China has faced its own accusations of a cover up after wiping crucial databases at a lab just miles away from the pandemic's ground zero. The virus first began spreading from a wet market in Wuhan, about eight miles from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) which worked with dangerous coronaviruses Virologist Shi Zheng-li works with her colleague in the P4 lab of the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Hubei province - which is at the heart of the lab-leak theory. Nicknamed the 'Bat Lady', Zheng-li hunted down dozens of deadly Covid-like viruses in bat caves and studied them at the WIV Pictured: The Wuhan Institute of Virology, where crucial data was wiped by Chinese scientists Speaking at a conference on June 15, Professor Sachs said: 'I'll add one provocative statement, it may shock you or not shock you, you may say "I already know that Professor Sachs". 'But I chaired a commission for the lancet for two years on Covid. 'I'm pretty convinced it came out of US lab biotechnology not out of nature just to mention after two years of intensive work on this. 'So it's a blunder in my view of biotech not an accident or natural spillover.' A video of the full conference, organised by Spanish globalisation think-tank Gate Centre, was posted on YouTube last month. But his comments have been clipped and shared on Twitter by at least two Chinese diplomats in recent days. Hua Chunying, the country's assistant minister of foreign affairs, tweeted: 'Given the heavy human and economic toll taken by the virus, don't we owe it to the millions of lives lost to have a thorough investigation into US labs?' A disinformation campaign launched by the Chinese Government last year claimed Covid originated from an American military base in Maryland. It gained significant traction in China but was widely seen as an outlandish counter-claim by the rest of the world. Serious questions have, however, been raised about the Wuhan facility's links to Covid. The lab was known to be conducting experiments on bat coronavirus strains similar to the one responsible for the pandemic in the months before the pandemic. In public, mainstream media and academics in the West called the lab leak theory an unhinged conspiracy theory. But leaked emails showed top scientists advising the UK and US Governments were expressing concerns about the official narrative privately. Sir Jeremy Farrar, an eminent British expert who publicly denounced the theory as a 'conspiracy', admitted in a private email in February 2020 that a 'likely explanation' was that the virus was man-made. The then-UK Government adviser said at the time he was '70:30 or 60:40' in favour of an accidental release versus natural origin. In the email, sent to American health chiefs Dr Anthony Fauci and Dr Francis Collins, Sir Jeremy said it was possible Covid had been evolved from a Sars-like virus in the lab. He went on that this seemingly benign process may have 'accidentally created a virus primed for rapid transmission between humans'. But the British scientist was shut down by his counterparts in the US who warned further debate about the origins of the virus could damage 'international harmony'. Last month Government sources claimed the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) privately believes the Covid pandemic started following a leak in China. While publicly the group maintains that all hypotheses remain on the table about the origins of Covid, the source said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), had recently confided to a senior European politician that the most likely explanation was a catastrophic accident at a laboratory in Wuhan, where infections first spread during late 2019. Artificial intelligence (AI) trained to judge the flow of a man's urine could be able to detect prostate problems at home, scientists say. Audioflow which currently only works in a soundproof environment performed almost as well as specialist machines and human urologists. The Singapore General Hospital experts hope to create an app that patients can use to monitor themselves at home. If proven to be successful, it would be the equivalent to having 'a consultant in the bathroom with you, every time you go'. As it stands, patients have to urinate into a funnel linked with a uroflowmetre during a hospital visit (shown in graphic). The machine records the flow and volume or urine released. Once a patient is finished urinating, the machine automatically creates a report for a consultant to read WHAT IS UROFLOWMETRY? Uroflowmetry measures the flow of urine. It tracks how fast urine flows, how much flows out, and how long it takes. Its a diagnostic test to assess how well the urinary tract functions. Doctors may suggest uroflowmetry if a patient has trouble urinating or a slow stream. By measuring the average and top rates of urine flow, the test can show an obstruction in your urinary tract such as an enlarged prostate. When combined with a scan, it can help find problems like a weak bladder. Patients are asked to urinate into a funnel connected to the electronic uroflowmeter. This records information about their urine flow on a flow chart. The flow rate is calculated as millilitres of urine passed per second. Both average and top flow rates are measured. Source: American Urological Association Advertisement Lower urinary tract symptoms problems related to the working of the bladder and the urethra affect 60 per cent of men and 57 per cent of women. Uroflowmetry which measures the flow rate, speed and duration it takes for urine to be released from the body is a tool used to assess patients with urinary problems, such as an enlarged prostate in men. As it stands, patients have to urinate into a funnel linked with a uroflowmetre during a hospital visit. The machine then records the flow and volume or urine released. Once a patient is finished urinating, the machine automatically creates a report for a consultant to review. The team of medics warned that access to the test was restricted during the pandemic. And even pre-Covid, the test can take a long time due to queues. Led by urologist Dr Lee Han Jie, doctors collaborated with hospital engineers to develop an algorithm that could detect urology abnormalities. The team recruited 534 male participants between December 2017 and July 2019 to train and validate the algorithm. They focused on male urinary flow as it is different to that of women, which would require a separate group of volunteers. Participants used the uroflowmetry machine in a soundproof room and recorded their urination using a smartphone. Using 220 of the recordings, the AI learned to calculate flow rate, volume and time. These measurements can indicate if there is an obstruction or if the bladder isn't working well. Results were compared to a conventional uroflowmetry machine as well as against six urology trainee doctors, who individually graded the dataset. The findings, which were presented at the European Association of Urology annual congress, AI's results matched the machine's findings 80 per cent of the time and the doctors' 84 per cent of the time. Dr Lee said: 'There is a trend towards using machine learning in many fields, because clinicians do not have a lot of time. 'At the same time, particularly since the pandemic there is a shift towards telemedicine and less hospital-based care. 'We were keen to develop a way to monitor our patients to see how they are doing between hospital visits.' He added: 'Our AI can outperform some non-experts and comes close to senior consultants. 'But the real benefit is having the equivalent of a consultant in the bathroom with you, every time you go. 'We are now working towards the algorithm being able to work when there is background noise in the normal home environment and this will make the true difference for patients.' The news that uptake of the MMR vaccine in England is now at its lowest level for nearly a decade filled Jasmine Chamberlain with rage. Her son Elias caught measles just before he was due for his first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab triple vaccine when he was 12 months old. 'People think measles either doesn't exist any more or that it's just 'one of those childhood illnesses', but it is a terrible illness and can kill,' says the mother of three from Bedford. The MMR is offered to all children, with a first dose at 12 months and a second at the age of three or four. Jasmine's two older children, now aged eight and ten, had all their childhood jabs including MMR so it was natural Elias would, too. But just a month before his MMR was due, Jasmine noticed a rash popping up on his neck, chest and arms. She took her son to an emergency clinic where a health visitor examined Elias and said she should take him straight to see a doctor. 'The GP took one look and said, 'That's measles'.' I was so shocked. The news that uptake of the MMR vaccine in England is now at its lowest level for nearly a decade filled Jasmine Chamberlain with rage. Her son Elias caught measles just before he was due for his first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab triple vaccine when he was 12 months old 'Even though I knew children still needed to be vaccinated against it, I didn't really think people got measles any more.' Under guidelines, the GP had to alert the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) which sent a swab to the family's house by courier. They were given the results a few days later and the whole family Jasmine's partner Lukas, 31, a chief projects engineer, and their other children Levayha and Aria were told to isolate at home for 21 days. When Sophie Dale's son Levi also caught measles just before his first birthday, he had to be rushed to hospital in an ambulance after suffering seizures and sepsis related to the infection. Sophie, 25, a mother of one from Chesham, Buckinghamshire, had taken him to A&E ten days earlier with a red-raw rash over his body. He was diagnosed and sent home to isolate. Levi recovered, only to collapse suddenly 12 days after first going to hospital. 'I sat by his side, numb,' Sophie recalls. 'The doctors kept saying how very ill Levi was.' Indeed so ill, he had to be transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford for specialist care. Finally, after six days his condition turned around. But even so Sophie says she had to help her son learn to walk again. Even after his recovery, the family had to live with the anxiety of regular tests for two years of his motor skills and hearing. Levi, now four, is 'doing well', says his mother. 'But I am so lucky I still have him.' Measles was once one of Britain's biggest child killers. In the early 1940s it claimed around 1,100 lives a year. And while vaccines, introduced in the 1960s, have slashed that grim annual total to single figures, more than 2,000 caught the infection in 2018. It may not be the deadly infection it once was. But it is still a nasty disease and can lead to pneumonia and inflammation of the brain, which can cause deafness and intellectual disability. The proportion of children vaccinated with MMR peaked in 2014, at almost 93 per cent, leading the World Health Organisation to declare in 2017 the UK was 'measles free'. Yet within a couple of years that status was withdrawn as uptake fell to just 85 per cent in England. Rates of infection are rising. According to the Government, there were 308 measles cases between January to March 2022. Under guidelines, the GP had to alert the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) which sent a swab to the family's house by courier. They were given the results a few days later and the whole family Jasmine's partner Lukas, 31, a chief projects engineer, and their other children Levayha and Aria were told to isolate at home for 21 days And it's not just children who are at risk. The majority of cases are in teenagers and young adults who missed their MMR vaccine when younger, says Dr Camilla Kingdon, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and a consultant neonatologist at the Evelina Children's Hospital in London. In 2019, four of the five measles-related deaths in England and Wales were adults. 'Measles can infect nine out of ten non-immune people and can have very serious complications,' says Dr Kingdon. 'This is not a benign viral infection. It needs to be taken seriously. We are really concerned about the low uptake of the MMR. 'Figures from the UKHSA says that one in ten children aged five are not up to date with their MMR vaccine.' Now a new campaign by the UKHSA and NHS England is urging parents to ensure their children have their full MMR. While it is a very effective vaccine (one dose is 93 per cent effective against measles, 78 per cent against mumps and 97 per cent against rubella) the two doses are needed for complete protection. While the Covid pandemic has made it harder to ensure all children who need the vaccine get it, it's not to blame for the decline. 'This is not something we can simply say is a consequence of the pandemic, although there's no doubt the pandemic has made it far more challenging,' says Dr Kingdon. She believes complacency is a bigger factor. 'When as a nation we're not exposed to diseases such as measles people forget that these are potentially very serious infections that can cause death,' she says. And 'vaccine fatigue' might be at play people so exhausted by arranging three Covid vaccinations they forget about booking general jabs. Dr Kingdon explains: 'I think a lot of parents essentially thought the MMR immunisation is not a serious emergency and decided, 'I'm not going to bother my GP' so things like routine immunisations took a bit of a back seat in their minds. 'The other thing is a lot of health visitors, who are key to ongoing relationships with parents and have an important role in reminding people about immunisations, were moved to other activities during the pandemic.' There is also greater awareness of potential side-effects. As Winston Morgan, a professor of toxicology, equity and inclusive practice at the University of East London, explains: 'We are now seeing the impact of this new awareness, with fewer people allowing their children to be vaccinated and those who decide to accept a vaccine reporting roughly three times more adverse or side-effects for the MMR vaccine in 2021 compared to 2018. 'The MMR vaccines have not suddenly become more dangerous, we are just more aware of the side-effects and adverse effects.' He adds: 'Generally the risks of the vaccine are rare but well known, and can be mitigated without long-term consequences. 'That cannot be said about leaving your child unvaccinated.' Sophie says: 'I admit that I was in two minds about the vaccination before my son got measles. 'So I understand mums who are on the fence. But having seen what conditions such as measles can do, I know the other side of the story. I almost lost my son to measles.' And two years after Elias's illness, Jasmine recalls: 'The night after he was diagnosed, Elias's worsening symptoms soon became alarming. The rash spread everywhere over his eyes which were swollen shut, in his mouth, under his tongue he was in agony, crying constantly. He had a fever of almost 40 degrees one night, it was terrifying.' It took ten days for Elias, now three, to feel well enough to start smiling again and fortunately he's had no long-term effects. Dr Kingdon urges parents to contact their GP if unsure of their child's vaccination status, adding: 'It is never too late to have the first dose or the second dose even as a teenager or into adulthood but the two injections are important.' Jasmine says: 'When I heard that uptake of the MMR is at its lowest in ten years, I felt so upset. 'People don't realise how dangerous measles is. It can kill. Even if it doesn't, it's a very nasty disease. Why would you want to put your child through that?' With the price of bitcoin falling heavily since the end of 2021, crypto enthusiasts might be after an asset they can physically hold. Enter the '1 BTC' number plate, which is now up for grabs for 325,000 from website Regtransfers. If sold at that price, it would make it the 15th most expensive private registration plate sold in Britain, according to the DVLA registered supplier of personal car registrations and number plates. In Britain, personalised number plates are now a 2billion industry with many motorists attracted by investment potential, as well as vanity. The private car registration plate '1 BTC' would become the 15th most expensive number plate in the UK if it is sold - as motorists turn to new crypto-themed investment opportunities Motorists or investors could splash out on the ultimate crypto-aesthetic - and if history is anything to go by, it might not be the daftest investment opportunity. For example, registration plate 'F 1' was sold in January 2008 to Afzal Kahn for 440,000. He is now believed to have put a 10million price tag on it. Elsewhere, number plates 'X 1' and 'G 1' were sold for around 500,000 in 2011. According to Regtransfers, these could now be worth the region of 1million if sold. There is no guarantee of course that they'd sell at that price, or that 1 BTC would grow in value. If you are still looking to get into the crypto number plate game, you could splurge around 60,000 instead and opt for a traditional style number plate, such as 'MR11 BTC'. And, for those on a budget, you can still get your own crypto, BTC number plates from as little as 150. Last year the number plate 'BTC 500X' sold for 51,510, or the equivalent of 1.6 bitcoin at the time, or 3.2 BTC today. The most expensive car registration plate in the UK is '25 0', which was bought for 518,480 bought by Ferrari dealer John Collins in 2014. The reg plate now sits on a Ferrari 250 SWB once owned by rock star Eric Clapton, and is now estimated to be worth up to 750,000. Most expensive private car registration plates in the UK Registration Price Date 1 25 0 518,480 NOV 2014 2 X 1 502,676 FEB 2021 3 G 1 500,126 SEP 2011 4 RR 1 472,000 SEP 2018 5 F 1 440,625 JAN 2008 Source: Regtransfers.co.uk Unusual themes for private car registration plates are not uncommon. Last year the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency moved to ban Covid-19-related personalised number plates over fears they could be deemed offensive. But, the industry is seeing more evidence of motorists using private number plates as investment opportunities. While the vast majority of number plates purchases are for fun: including popular words or numbers such as 'boss', or '007', or combining numbers and letters, such as 'P3 7ER', 'D4 VID', 'B35T' or 'FA57'. But, a number of buyers have started purchasing their private registrations with the intention of selling later at a profit, taking the investment as seriously as stocks and shares. Currently, 1 bitcoin is worth just under $20,000. In November 2021 it reached $63,000 a coin. Quentin Willson, a former Top Gear presenter, is famously quoted as saying that a good personal registration could be 'better than money in the bank'. It's not clear whether it is better than crypto in the wallet. The Government has denied it is reviewing recent state pension rejections, despite an official telling our columnist Steve Webb that it was implementing checks on 'all disallowances' of claims. Webb and This is Money have pressured the Government to investigate a string of potential blunders, after he raised the alarm over women receiving zero or low payouts since 2016 and called for systematic checks. Errors included a retired pub worker told she would receive nothing whatsoever when she claimed in April, but who was owed around 4,400 a year. Today Webb was informed by an official that checks would now be implemented, after an investigation identified a 'training issue' with the processing of state pension claims. However, the DWP later said it was incorrect that a review was taking place and that it was not rechecking recent state pension rejections. Errors involve those who paid 'married women's stamp' for at least one year during the 35 years before they reached state pension age Since publishing our original story, Webb and This is Money have bombarded the DWP with cases of further possible errors involving women who have qualified for their pension since 2016. Webb said: 'We have drawn a whole series of cases to the attention of DWP which revealed that some women were being underpaid to the tune of thousands of pounds a year. 'If DWP are now denying what I was told in writing, this adds insult to injury. I was delighted to be told that they had recognised the problem and would be addressing it. 'If they have now changed their minds, this would be a disgrace. It is quite clear that time and again women are being denied the pension that is rightfully theirs, and a systematic process of checking for errors is vital.' He said of the errors discovered: 'Once again, DWPs procedures for checking the accuracy of state pension awards have been found wanting. Once more, action has only been taken in response to media pressure and persistent campaigning. 'This is no way to run a Government department.' Were you refused a state pension? A little-known rule means women who paid the 'married women's stamp' towards the state pension can still benefit from it now. Women retiring from April 2016 onwards get state pension payments based on their own National Insurance record not their husband's. But there is a special concession for those who paid the stamp for at least one year during the 35 years before they reached state pension age. You can claim 85.00 a week if still married or 141.85 if you are widowed or divorced, based on this year's rates. If this applies to you, and you were refused a state pension or are receiving less than that, email us at pensionquestions@thisismoney.co.uk and put DWP CLAIMS in the subject line. Please tell us your date of birth and current state pension, if any. Women who reached state pension age before April 2016 who are on a zero pension or think they are underpaid can find out what to do here. The errors involve those who paid 'married women's stamp' for at least one year during the 35 years before they reached state pension age. They should receive around 4,400 a year if they are married, or around 7,400 a year if they are divorced or widowed. Webb and This is Money previously discovered tens of thousands of elderly women were underpaid 1billion in a state pension scandal affecting those who reached state pension before 2016. However, this is a separate error involving women who have qualified for their pension since 2016. Webb, who is now a partner at pension consultancy LCP and writes a weekly column for This is Money, first discovered the DWP was making mistakes in such cases in a response to a Freedom of Information request in 2019. He assumed it had sorted out the problem until he uncovered four fresh mistakes earlier this year. A DWP official told him in writing that checks would be made on all 'disallowances' of state pension claims. He has asked whether the exercise will also cover people who have incorrectly been awarded an amount less than the minimum sums above, but has not yet received a response. 'It is shocking that they seem to have known about this potential error back in 2019 and failed to fix it properly,' says Webb. In one blunder which Webb flagged to the DWP, Angela Dunn (not her real name), was told she would receive around 168 a week, but she had previously received a higher forecast. Is my state pension too low because the DWP missed the final year off my NI record? Steve Webb has just highlighted a separate state pension error. He won a 79-year-old pensioner 1,600 - could this blunder affect YOU? Follow the link and find out how to contact us. Ms Dunn, who is divorced and turned 66 this month, raised this discrepancy during repeated calls to the DWP recently, but despite staff saying her case would be investigated she got no response. She intended to make a formal complaint, but at this point she also contacted Webb who agreed to help. He has now established she will receive 188 a week, so she could have missed out on around 1,000 per year or 20,000 over a 20-year retirement. Ms Dunn, a retired product manager from Norfolk, says: 'If I hadn't got a forecast previously I would have thought that was right and accepted it, without realising it was wrong. 'They sent me a letter with the wrong amount on it. I rang them up and I explained what I thought was wrong. It was like I was speaking a foreign language.' The DWP has apologised to Ms Dunn for the error in her initial award calculation. A spokesperson said: 'This year we will spend over 110billion on the state pension and support over 12.5million pensioners. 'Our priority is ensuring everyone receives the financial support to which they are entitled and, where errors do occur, we are committed to fixing them.' Somali army kills at least 40 al-Shabab terrorists in central region Xinhua) 11:14, July 04, 2022 MOGADISHU, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Somali National Army (SNA) said Sunday its elite forces Danab killed at least 40 al-Shabab militants during security operations carried out in the Middle Shabelle region, the central part of the country, Saturday. "During the operation, about 40 militants, including leaders, were killed and several vehicles were set on fire," SNA radio reported. The militants still hold swathes of rural areas in central and southern regions conducting ambushes and planting landmines. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun) Three teenagers were miraculously rescued from a burning apartment after cleverly barricading themselves inside a bedroom with the door shut, something which firefighters say saved their lives. Fire crews were called to a flat in Lidcombe just after 1am on Sunday morning after plumes of smoke were seen rising from a building on John Street. Dramatic footage from the operation shows firefighters walking through the smokey apartment calling out to see if anyone was still inside, before finding three girls flashing their phone torches inside a bedroom. Incident Controller Tim Horder said the decision to close the door and hide inside 'is thought to have saved their lives'. Three teenagers were rescued from an apartment in Sydney after an electric bike sparked the blaze on Sunday morning Video from last Sunday's rescue shows firefighter Cem Dincer walking through the dark flat, calling out to see if anyone is still inside. 'There's a door here, I'm going to open it,' he says to his team in the footage, before walking into another room and calling out to the girls. 'Where are you?,' he asks, before the girls call out: 'I'm here' and start waving their phone torches. The girls hid inside a bedroom with the door shut - a move that saved their lives according to firefighters at the scene The teens rush to Mr Dincer, with one collapsing into his arms exhausted from breathing in the fumes. 'Alright come with me, come with me,' he says as the firefighter marches the girls safely out the window and onto the roof of the shop below, with a team waiting to escort them down the ladder. He told Nine News he was 'so happy' when he found the girls and paid credit to the actions they took to remain alive. 'They were scared, they were quite smart using their phone lights. I could see that straight away and just grabbed them,' Mr Dincer said. The charging e-bike started the fire in a shop in Lidcombe with smoke filling the apartment above After putting out the fire, Mr Dincer and his team re-entered the flat to ensure no one else was left inside, before finding the cause of the fire - a charging electric bike in the kitchen downstairs. Incident Controller Horder said the girls had decided to shut the door after learning about fire safety in school. 'That did buy them time and stop smoke from filling the room,' he said. Another man, 31, who was in the shop downstairs managed to escape before the fire got out of control. Advertisement NHS hospitals are bracing themselves for a 'bumpy ride' over the coming weeks, with Covid cases and hospital admissions set to keep rising. Trust bosses fear Britain's uptick, which shows no signs of slowing yet, will jeapordise efforts to tackle the record backlogs that built-up during the pandemic. Government advisers also fear the resurgence will eclipse April's wave, when virus admissions spiralled to above 2,500-a-day. If that does happen, it means hospitalisations will hit an 18-month high. Roughly 2.3million Britons had Covid in the week ending June 24 up by a third on the previous seven-day spell. Even though rates are climbing quickly, they remain a fraction of levels seen in past peaks. There are about 1,500 admissions for the virus a day, however NHS data suggests only a fraction of these patients are primarily ill with Covid. Left-leaning scientists have already demanded a return of mask-wearing and urged Brits to meet outside because of the new wave, driven by Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5. Some hospitals have reimposed their own rules on face coverings. Ministers have no plans to bring back any curbs yet, although the Prime Minister has left the door open to future measures. Infectious disease specialists, including members of the Government's notorious SAGE panel, are confident that the darkest days of the UK's Covid battle are over. Sky-high immunity rates, achieved from vaccines and repeated waves, have drastically blunted the virus's threat. It comes after one of the country's top Covid chiefs urged Britons to wear face coverings, in a noticeable ramping up of public health messaging. Dame Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said she personally would wear one on the Tube. Trust bosses fear Britain's Covid uptick will jeapordise efforts to tackle the record backlog that built-up during the pandemic. Government advisers also fear the resurgence will eclipse April's wave, when virus admissions spiralled to above 2,500-a-day. If that does happen, it means hospitalisations (shown in the graph) will hit an 18-month high The number of patients in hospital with Covid is also rising, eclipsing 10,000 for the first time in months. Crucially, however, NHS data suggests only a third of these are primarily ill with the virus The number of Covid patients in ICU is continuing to fall in a promising sign, but it can take several weeks for upticks in infections to translate to serious illness Total deaths involving Covid are hovering at around 60 per day in England, shown Covid infections have shot up in England to just over 1.8million according to the latest Office of National Statistics data BA.4 and BA.5 are thought to be even more infectious than their ancestral versions. However, they are just as mild. Celebrations for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, half-term holidays and warm weather are also thought to be fuelling the latest surge. Some have also pointed to Britons mistaking Covid symptoms for hay fever. The UKHSA's Dame Jenny Harries said it does not look as though the current wave has peaked and urged people to 'go about their normal lives' but in a 'precautionary way'. She told the BBC's Sunday Morning programme: 'It doesn't look as though that wave has finished yet, so we would anticipate that hospital cases will rise. And it's possible, quite likely, that they will actually peak over the previous BA.2 wave. 'But I think the overall impact, we won't know. It's easy to say in retrospect, it's not so easy to model forward.' She said the majority of cases in the UK now are BA.4 and BA.5 and that the latter is 'really pushing and driving this current wave'. She added people should 'go about their normal lives but in that precautionary way' highlighting handwashing, keeping distance where possible and wearing a face covering in enclosed, poorly ventilated places. How dominant Covid variants in England have changed over time: The BA.4 and BA.5 (shown far right in pale pink and red) are have outstripped the formerly dominant BA.2 variant (sky blue). BA.5 is growing at a faster rate and will become the dominant strain, experts predict. The original Wuhan virus is shown in green (far left) which was replaced by the Alpha strain (purple) and Delta (pale turquoise). The original Omicron is shown in yellow and a very similar subvariant in pink from December The soon-to-be dominant BA.5 variant has grown rapidly in the past two months. It accounted for just 3 per cent of overall cases in early May (shown left) but now makes up almost half (47 per cent) shown right The ONS figures show one in 30 people in England about 3.35 per cent had Covid last week, with a similar percentage of Wales (3.49 per cent) also estimated to have the virus Infections were highest in Scotland with one in 18 people (288,200) estimated to have the virus followed by Northern Ireland where one in 25 (71,000) were carrying the virus The ONS figures show Covid across all of England's regions. Infections were highest in London at 3.7 per cent, followed by by the East of England, the North West, and the North East which recorded 3.6 per cent. This was followed by the South West with 3.5 per cent. The West Midlands (3.2 per cent) the South East (3.1 per cent) and Yorkshire The Humber (3 per cent) all had Covid rates below the national average for England. The East Midlands recorded the lowest Covid infection rate in England of 2.8 per cent In England Covid infections were most likely in people aged 50 to 69 (4.2 per cent), followed by 25-to-34-year-olds (4 per cent), and 16 to 24-year-olds (3.6 per cent). Infections were slightly lower in those aged 35 to 49 (3.5 per cent) and in the over-70s (3.1 per cent), 11 to 15-year-olds (2.3 per cent) and lowest in two to 10-year-olds (1.3 per cent). Covid booster jabs 'in Autumn': Health officials back Omicron-specific jab Health officials have given their first public backing for an Omicron-specific booster jab this Autumn that is set to 'increase and extend' protection. GPs in Britain have been told that the NHS is preparing to start its booster campaign on September 1, with officials expressing a 'definite interest' in Moderna's new vaccine. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is recommending people over the age of 65 get a booster jab, but the chief medical officer of Moderna has suggested they are given to everyone, including children. The company says it has already produced millions of doses of a new jab which it claims is five times better than the original vaccine, and is specifically tailored to counter the Omicron variant of the disease. However, this new jab still needs to be given the green light by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) before it can be rolled out, with officials prepared to use already approved vaccines if it isn't. It comes as case numbers have soared in recent weeks, with the more contagious variant sweeping through the UK. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates around 2.3 million people currently have the disease, with infections jumping by a third in just one week. Hospital admissions have also trebled in the last month, piling pressure on an already overwhelmed NHS, although only a fraction of patients are primarily ill with the disease. Advertisement She said she has not been routinely wearing a face mask, but she does routinely carry one and would wear it on the Tube and if she was with someone who was 'quite anxious' about Covid. Speaking about masks, she said: 'If I've got any respiratory infection it's a good thing to do and I think it's a new lesson for the country.' Asked if it matters that a lot of people are getting infected, she said aside from the effect on individuals, it also 'matters on a national basis'. 'Whilst we have an armament now of vaccines and antiviral treatments, we do have, as you've just highlighted, a rise in hospital admissions and occupancy,' she said. 'And that means it's not just Covid that we're concerned about, but it's actually our ability to treat other illnesses as well.' A total of 2.3million people in private households are estimated to have had the virus last week, up 32 per cent on a week earlier, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is the highest estimate for total infections since late April, but is still some way below the record of 4.9million at the peak of the Omicron BA.2 wave at the end of March. Hospital admissions are rising, piling pressure on an already overwhelmed NHS. Up to 1,500 infected patients are being placed on wards every day currently, compared to around 450 at the end of May. But the admission figures do not tell the full story as analysis suggests only a third (37.7 per cent) are primarily ill with Covid. The rest are known as 'incidental' cases, patients who went to hospital for a different reason but happened to test positive. Incidentals have become increasingly common because the extremely infectious but milder Omicron subvariants are so prevalent in the wider community. Covid deaths another crucial metric ministers watch have plateaued at around 20 per day in England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics. Dame Jenny appealed to the 'nearly 20 per cent of the 75-plus year-old group' who have not yet had their spring booster to come forward. Meanwhile, the interim chief executive of NHS Providers, the membership organisation for NHS hospital, mental health, community and ambulance services, said there is no room for complacency. Saffron Cordery said: 'Trust leaders know they are in for a bumpy ride over the coming months as they tackle new and unpredictable variants of Covid alongside grappling with seasonal flu pressures which may hit us earlier than usual this year. 'The policy of living with Covid does not mean Covid has gone away. 'The latest data shows we cannot afford to be complacent with currently small but concerning increases over the past week in the number of patients both being admitted to hospital with Covid-19 and those needing a ventilator. 'Warnings from Dr Jenny Harries today that community infection rates and hospital admissions are expected to rise further is concerning. 'Waves of Covid and flu will put additional pressure on stretched NHS staff and services and their efforts to tackle waiting lists, deliver efficiencies and transform the NHS, as well as on our hard-pressed colleagues in social care.' Advertisement The funeral for Hershel W. 'Woody' Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, was held in Charleston, West Virginia, on Sunday. Williams, who died on Wednesday at 98, was a legend in his native West Virginia for his heroics under fire over several crucial hours at the battle for Iwo Jima on the Japanese Island between February and March 1945. As a young Marine corporal, Williams went ahead of his unit in February 1945 and eliminated a series of Japanese machine gun positions. Facing small-arms fire, Williams fought for four hours, repeatedly returning to prepare demolition charges and obtain flamethrowers. Later that year, the 22-year-old Williams received the Medal of Honor from President Harry Truman. The Medal of Honor is the nations highest award for military valor. Following the memorial service, it was confirmed that Williams will lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer confirmed Sunday. A date and other details will be announced later, Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement. Prior to Sunday's funeral, Williams had been lying in state in the West Virginia Capitol, from there he was brought to West Virginia's Culture Center in Charleston for his memorial service. He will be brought from there to the US Capitol. Following his lying in honor, Williams will be interred in a private family burial. West Virginia Democrat Senator Joe Manchin said at the memorial held for Williams in Charleston that the Medal of Honor recipient will lie 'in state.' The distinction, according to the Architect of the Capitol, which oversees the building, is that government officials and military officers lie in state while private citizens lie in honor. While lying in state, public officials are watched over by five members of the five branches of the military. Those who lie in honor are watched over by members of the United States Capitol Police. Examples of those who have previously been lain in honor include Rosa Parks in 2005 and Evangelist Rev. Billy Graham in 2018. Prior to the memorial service, Williams' casket laid in state inside of the West Virginia Capitol building The casket remained open for public visitation up until 2:00 pm when it was brought to the memorial service Hershel Williams, pictured, left in 2018 and right, in 1945, was widely-known as a hero of the Battle of Iwo Jima, and even used a flamethrower (right) against his enemies while fighting on the Japanese island between February and March 1945 Williams is only the third person to be afforded the honor of lying in state at West Virginia's Capitol. The others were late senators Robert C. Bird and John E. Kenna Williams' family members mourn over his casket prior to the memorial service, among those who spoke at the funeral were his daughter Tracie Ross and his grandson, Todd Graham Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said of Williams on the day of his funeral: 'Woody Williams embodied the best of America: living a life of duty, honor and courage' 'Woody Williams embodied the best of America: living a life of duty, honor and courage,' Pelosi said. Schumer said: 'Woody Williams was an American hero who embodied the best of our country and the greatest generation.' While Pelosi said: 'When Woody lies in honor under the Capitol Dome, it will be with immense gratitude for his service that the Congress will pay tribute to this legendary hero and all of the patriots who fought for our nation in World War II.' Williams was lying in state at West Virginia's Capitol before being moved to the Culture Center for Sunday's service. He is only the third person to be afforded the honor. The others were late senators Robert C. Bird and John E. Kenna. Among those who spoke at the memorial service was Williams' daughter Tracie Ross who paid tribute to him saying: 'He lived a life of truth, service, love and compassion. He spent much of his life finding ways to help others. I pray that each of us follows in his example and continue to make the world a better place because that's what he did.' Williams' grandson Todd Graham, said in remarks: 'He lived what he believed. He strived to do what was right and the will of God, no matter what. He loved people and believed that all people basically were good; probably to a fault. He believed in everybody and would always try to help anyone that was in need.' In his remarks at the memorial Sunday, Sen. Manchin said Williams 'never quit giving back.' That included raising money for gold star families - immediate family members of fallen service members - with an annual motorcycle ride. 'Its raised hundreds of thousands of dollars,' Manchin said. He joked that 'its not going to be stopping, because Woody would come after me in a heartbeat.' Manchin said he will miss Williams phone calls, noting how Williams would always give him directions and to-do lists. 'Ill miss him telling me how Im supposed to vote. And when I didnt, how I made a mistake,' Manchin said. Senator Joe Manchin spoke at the funeral and confirmed that Williams would be honored at the US Capitol following the memorial service Manchin joked during his remarks at the funerals that he will miss the constant contact he had with Williams that included the late Medal of Honor recipient telling the senator how to vote The short casket march from the capital to the culture center took around 20 minutes Gen. David H. Berger, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, said that the funeral that Williams was one of the most genuine people that he has ever met In his remarks at the memorial Sunday, Sen. Manchin said Williams 'never quit giving bac Following the memorial service, the United States Marine Band's trumpet player performed 'Taps.' Then, the Marines honored Williams with a 21-gun salute A wreath laying at the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument outside of the culture center was held after the service Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Troy E. Black speaking to family members and guests at the memorial The Marines performed a flyover following the funeral proceedings Williams' daughter, Tracie Ross, pictured here said of her father: 'He lived a life of truth, service, love and compassion. He spent much of his life finding ways to help others' Williams daughter also said: 'I pray that each of us follows in his example and continue to make the world a better place because that's what he did' Another of those who paid tribute to Williams at Sunday's service was his long time traveling companion Kim Wolfe. Wolfe said that he and Williams would regularly travel to events together. He said: 'His energy was remarkable. My wife always said ' anytime woody needs you to travel, you go with Woody, that's where you need to be. He added: 'He never knew a stranger, whether it was a child or an older veteran. He always took time, he was very kind to people and very accommodating.' Gen. David H. Berger, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, said at the memorial that Williams always took exception to the notion that he accomplished that feat alone. He always acknowledged the other men on his team, some of whom never returned home. 'Woody may be the most genuine person I ever met,' Berger said, noting his unique combination of humility and humor. 'He could make you laugh. He could make you care. That was his gift.' Williams remained in the Marines after the war, serving a total of 20 years, before working for the Veterans Administration for 33 years as a veterans service representative. In 2018, the Huntington VA medical center was renamed in his honor, and the Navy commissioned a mobile base sea vessel in his name in 2020. 'He left an indelible mark on our Marine Corps,' Berger said. 'As long as there are Marines, his legacy will live on.' Williams receives the Medal of Honor from President Harry S Truman in October 1945 Medal Of Honor Recipients Matthew Williams, David Bellavia, and Williams with host Jimmy Fallon during the Cold Open on November 11, 2019 Williams rides on a float during the New York City Veterans Day parade on 5th Avenue in New York, November 11, 2013 Williams was born in 1923 in Quiet Dell, West Virginia, the youngest of 11 children. By the time he was born, many of his siblings had already died in the flu pandemic of 1918-19, and when Williams was 11, his father died of a heart attack. As World War 2 approached, Williams told the Washington Post he was only interested in joining the Marine Corps because of their stylish blue uniforms. The Army's 'old brown wool uniform was the ugliest thing in town,' he said. 'I do not want to be in that thing. I want to be in those dress blues.' Aside from the uniforms, Williams says he knew 'nothing' about the Marine Corps. Standing at 5 foot 6 inches, Williams was first turned away from the armed forces for being too short. But requirements became less stringent as the war went on, and eventually he was allowed to join. Those paying tribute to Williams as his funeral procession passed by in Teays Valley, West Virginia, on July 2 Marine Corps League veterans wave as Williams' funeral procession prepares to pass by The memorial service honoring the life of Herschel 'Woody' Williams was held at the West Virginia Culture Center in Charleston on July 3 While he thought he'd be defending his homeland from invaders, Williams was soon sent to the grisly Pacific Theater to fight Japanese forces. On the island of Guadalcanal, Williams was first introduced to the weapon that would make him a hero - the flamethrower. Williams became proficient with the weapon and a year later led a team of flame thrower and demolition men at the infamous Battle of Iwo Jima, which saw the largest single deployment of US Marines attempt to wrest the island from the Japanese army. The island, five miles long and around two miles wide, held one of the bloodiest battles of World War Two. Japanese forces, who treated the battle like a last stand, threw everything they had at the Americans, but were eventually defeated. It was during this chaotic battle that Williams made a name for himself. American forces had trouble advancing due to Japanese 'pillboxes,' a type of fortified concrete bunker with small slits for the occupants to shoot out from. The Americans found them difficult to fight against until Williams came along. He almost single-handedly used his flamethrower to clear out seven pillboxes, returning to his lines for fresh weapons and heading back out into battle five separate times. Despite engaging in battle for over five hours that day, Williams has said he remembers little of his heroic actions. He said his memory of the day 'is just a blank. I have no memory.' A notorious money lender who was once dubbed Australia's toughest gangster has been spotted looking unrecognisable in Queensland. Former millionaire Tim 'Sharky' Ward, fled from the Gold Coast to the streets of Thailand in 2009 after finding himself in the crosshairs of the Australian police. The heavily tattooed Kiwi expatriate quickly forged a reputation in the Asian nation as the 'Shark of Pattaya', known for his intimidating bodybuilder physique and tough stance towards indebted borrowers. But after stepping out of the spotlight four years ago, the former nightclub owner quietly returned to the Gold Coast during the Covid pandemic - where he has undergone a drastic transformation. Tim 'Sharky' Ward (pictured left) became an icon in the streets of Thailand after fleeing Australia in 2009 after getting into trouble with police The former millionaire is an ex Gold Coast nightclub owner who has a penchant for luxury cars Footage posted on TikTok by a fan shows the once burly Ferrari fanatic - who built a cult following in the body building community - has lost much of his muscle mass and grown out his formerly close-shaved head and facial hair. 'Sharky lost his size,' the follower lamented, alongside a crying emoji. Since moving back to Australia, Ward has relaxed into a laidback lifestyle on the Gold Coast, frequently sharing photos of his countryside motorbike rides with his more than 66,000 Facebook followers. Other images show sunsets and sunrises over the picturesque water cannels that branch throughout the city. 'I been flat broke and I been a multi-millionaire. The happy place is definitely somewhere in between,' his Facebook bio reads. Despite leaning down, the fitness enthusiast still appears to be hitting the gym, posting pictures of his post-work out physique online and last month giving fans tips on how to save big on protein bars by buying in bulk when they are on sale. Footage posted online by a fan has revealed Sharky has leaned down his muscle mass in recent years Ward told fans in a video (pictured) he plans to head to Thailand when the nation drops its permit requiring travellers to show their vaccination status The bodybuilder has been spending his time going on motorbike jaunts around Queensland In June, he revealed he plans to return to Thailand once the country drops its Covid entry permit, which is required to show vaccination status. 'Everyone keeps asking me "are you going to go back to Thailand",' he said in a video. 'Yeah, I am going to go back to Thailand when they drop the Thailand Pass. I can't be bothered applying for stupid passes at the moment. 'But I will miss Australia. Australia is the most beautiful place in the world. I have been to a lot of places, but no where as beautiful as this.' Ward's colourful life began on the streets of New Zealand where he grew up without parents and quickly became a social pariah; and his early reputation has followed him to adulthood. 'You have to make it when no-one is going to give it to you. No mummy and daddy to run to so you gotta do what you gotta do. I was given up for adoption at birth. No mummy and daddy,' Ward told the blog Stickman Bangkok in 2017. The former nightclub owner once possessed a number of luxury cars and motorbikes He developed a legion of fans online for his devotion to helping stray animals and abandoned children in Thailand 'I was picked on when I was a kid. A boy brought me home with him and his parents pulled him inside and slammed the door. I was that kid.' He began an obsession with earning quick money by playing pool for cash while still living across the Tasman and he first stepped into a gym at age 16. Ward left his hometown of Waitara, Taranaki on New Zealand's North Island in 1990 to pursue his dreams on the Gold Coast in Australia. He was a well-known nightclub owner and millionaire personal lender who, at his peak, owned three Lamborghini cars in three different colours - a luxurious life he earned by charging up to 200 per cent interest on his loans. Ward was banned from loaning funds in Queensland in the mid 2000s, and was made to pay $270,000 in fines and $100,000 in court costs, after he was prosecuted by the Department of Fair Trading. The muscle bound man helped abandoned children and dogs on the streets of Thailand After finding himself in trouble with Australian police in 2009, Ward moved to Thailand where he could finally be 'free'. There, he lived a thrill-seeking lifestyle, previously admitting to sleeping with Thai sex workers and buying his way out of trouble. 'I don't have to wear a shirt. I don't have to abide by the rules and if I do break the rules I just pay,' Ward said previously. 'It is one of the only places in the world where I really do feel free. I f*** up all the time but I pay. It beats going to jail. In Australia I would be in jail.' The luxury car enthusiast - who at one stage owned three Lamborhhini's - would also spend four hours every night handing out meat to dozens of stray dogs and cats on the streets of 'sin city'. His benevolence - which extended to went defending the animals when the drunk tourists take aim at the defenseless creatures and looking out for abandoned kids roaming the dangerous streets - earned him a legion of fans online. A 17 year-old orphan was shot and killed by a 19-year-old who allegedly targeted her for hurling water over staff at a Chicago McDonald's. Tierra Franklin was gunned down outside the fast food joint in the Little Village area of the Windy City Friday. Suspect Anthony Heredia, 19, says he'd been summoned there by an unidentified friend, who asked him to take revenge on Franklin for hurling water. It's unclear who asked Heredia to get back at Franklin, and what prompted the alleged water-throwing incident. It took place at a drive-thru window during what cops say was an 'ongoing dispute.' Heredia allegedly shot at Franklin twice while passing on a bike, striking her once in the back. The teenager, who wanted to be a lawyer when she grew up, was rushed to St Anthony's Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Tierra Franklin, 17, was shot in the back around 3 p.m. on Friday outside the fast food joint in the Chicago neighborhood of Little Village Tierra was an aspiring lawyer, who would have started her senior year of high school this fall Anthony Heredia, 19, allegedly shot and killed Tierra Franklin,17, after the girl reportedly hurled a cup of water at an employee during an ongoing dispute, authorities said Franklin, who was in the care of DCFS, had just lost her mother to cancer in April and her father to gun violence when she was a child. Pictured: A quilt made in honor of Franklin's mother Keeyana Sanderson is pictured above, with Sanderson seen center Sanderson died of cancer in April, around 12 years after Tierra's father was shot dead in a gun murder Friday's shooting came as 35 were shot and five - including Franklin - died across the city during the initial part of the July 4 holiday weekend. And the schoolgirl's brutal killing marks the latest tragedy for her family, which has been blighted by a series of dreadful tragedies. In April this year, Tierra's mother Keeyana Sanderson died of cancer. Her father - who has not been named - was shot and killed around 12 years ago, when Tierra was just five. Further details on the circumstances surrounding that murder have not been disclosed, but DailyMail.com has contacted a relative for comment. A Chicago man charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old orphan allegedly told investigators that he shot the girl because he saw her throw water at a McDonald's employee in an incident at the start of the holiday weekend. Anthony Heredia, 19, allegedly shot and killed Tierra Franklin around 3 p.m. on Friday outside the fast food joint in the Chicago neighborhood of Little Village. At Heredia's bond hearing on Sunday, Cook County prosecutors said Franklin, of the 3700 block of West Cermak Road, had allegedly thrown a cup of water at an employee through the drive-thru window during an ongoing dispute. Heredia was arrested on Friday following the shooting after multiple employees at the McDonald's identified him as being at the restaurant immediately before the shooting. He also could allegedly be seen on surveillance video retrieving a spent casing from the scene, prosecutors said. When Heredia was arrested a short time later at his home, the spent casing was found in his pocket, prosecutors said. Heredia allegedly told investigators that some of the McDonald's employees called him to come to the restaurant after they recognized Franklin and members of her family from an altercation that happened the prior week. Prosecutors said that when Heredia arrived at the McDonald's on Friday, employees told him everything was fine so he waited in the parking lot. The shooting happened around 3 p.m. on Friday outside a McDonald's in the 4300 block of West 26th Street, in Little Village, a neighborhood in Chicago He then spotted Franklin walking up to the drive-thru window and watched as she allegedly threw a cup of water at an employee. Heredia then pulled out a gun and fired two shots at Franklin, killing her, prosecutors said. Family members told ABC7 that Franklin was headed into her senior year at Curie High School and dreamed of becoming a lawyer. Franklin, who was in the care of DCFS, had just lost her mother to cancer in April and her father to gun violence when she was a child. The relationship between Franklin and Heredia is not known. Heredia had been living with foster parents under the supervision of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, his attorney, Assistant Public Defender Courtney Smallwood, said during the hearing on Sunday. He was supposed to begin his senior year at private school Country Club Hills Tech and Trade in the fall. Heredia pleaded guilty in January to reckless discharge of a firearm in connection to a 2021 incident. He was sentenced to two years in prison, but was released in March with credit for time served. Heredia told the court Sunday, 'I just want to apologize to the victim's family.' Circuit Judge Susana Ortiz noted at the hearing that Heredia was able to acquire a gun at the age of 19. 'I will note here that we have a 19-year-old who can obtain firearms more readily that he can obtain a pack of cigarettes,' Ortiz said. 'That's something we may want to look at.' Heredia was ordered to be held without bond. A mother and her six-week-old baby have been rescued from the latest floods to hit Sydney. The mum and her new six-week-old baby Havana on Sunday were brought to high ground over fears they were becoming isolated at Gronos Point, Wilberforce, in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley. It came after evacuation orders were issued, with the SES doorknocking residents of the region. SES were required to execute doorknocks to residents of the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley, including this mother and her baby, as evacuation orders and warnings were issued The mother and new six-week-old baby Havana (pictured), who were rescued by Hawkesbury SES on Sunday, were brought to high ground following concerns they could be isolated at Gronos Point, Wilberforce, lifting them through 400mm of water to be reunited with friends Wild weather has battered most parts of Sydney over the past few days, with flooding cutting off communities. The heavy downpours resulted in Warragamba Dam spilling over at unprecedented levels and caused havoc for surrounding areas. The dam is currently spilling at 500 gigalitres, which exceeds levels seen in recent months. Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke issued warnings that many communities that had never flooded before could potentially now be inundated. There were more than 80 flood rescues over the past 24 hours. Ms Cooke said in the press conference on Sunday night: 'If you were safe in 2021, do not assume you will be safe tonight. This is a rapidly evolving situation. And we could very well see areas impacted that have never experienced flooding before.' 'We know that many properties along Hawkesbury-Nepean valley do become isolated in the event of major flooding,' she added. Ms Cooke informed residents to monitor for the latest weather and evacuation advice before going to bed on Sunday night. Pictured, flooding over Newbridge Road in Chipping Norton Pictured, the Hawkesbury-Nepean river at Windsor The surrounding area is swallowed by the Hawkesbury-Nepean river The NSW Police Force Aviation Command shared aerial vision of the swollen Hawkesbury-Nepean River and Georges River around Chipping Norton. Early on Sunday morning, you could see the rapid rise of the rivers that had consumed roads and surrounding fields. There have been emergency evacuation centres set up for those fleeing rising floodwaters across Sydney's southwest. These include Cabra-Vale Diggers Club in Canley Vale, the Narellan Family and Community Centre, Gymea Tradies Club, Richmond Club and North Richmond Community Centre. Road closures and flood-affected public transport from 7AM Sydney: Bilpin - Bells Line of Road is closed in both directions due to a fallen tree near Powells Road. Windsor - Windsor Bridge is closed between Wilberforce Road and George Street. Sections of Wilberforce and Pitt Town roads are also closed. North Richmond - Richmond Bridge is closed in both directions. Yarramundi - Yarramundi Bridge is closed in both directions. Milperra - Newbridge Road/Milperra Road is closed between Ashford Avenue and Governor Macquarie Drive. Wallacia to Glenmore Park - Mulgoa Road is closed in both directions between Park Road/Silverdale Road and Glenmore Parkway Georges Hall - Henry Lawson Drive is closed between Milperra Road and the Hume Highway. East Hills - Henry Lawson Drive is closed between Wester Street and Cheatle Street. Between Narrabeen and Oxford Falls - Wakehurst Parkway is closed in both directions. Oxford Falls Road is also closed. In the Royal National Park, Audley Weir is closed in both directions. T1 Western Line - Limited buses replace trains between Emu Plains and Penrith due to an issue with a train at Penrith. F1 Manly ferries - Buses are replacing ferries between Circular Quay and Manly due to large swell F3 Parramatta River ferries - Alternative transport is running between Parramatta and Rydalmere due to the weir overflowing. Many bus services are affected by flooding across Sydney and may divert at short notice or terminate early. Illawarra and Southern Highlands: Beamont- Moss Vale Road is closed in both directions due to a fallen tree at Green Valley Road. Southern Highlands Line - Trains are not running between Campbelltown and Moss Vale due to flooding. Hunter: Whittingham - Golden Highway closed in both directions between New England Highway and Putty Road. Hunter Line - trains are not running between Newcastle Interchange, Scone and Dungog in both directions due to flooding on the tracks at Sandgate. Advertisement Ms Cooke urged residents in these impacted areas to strongly reconsider their travel plans for these school holidays. SES Commissioner Carlene York said the Australian Defence Force was assisting the state emergency services with sandbagging operations across the state. Pictured, SES rescuing a man from floodwaters in Liverpool Ms York expressed her disappointed that SES were required to conduct 29 flood rescues despite warning residents not to drive through flood waters. 'We had one example where a person was walking through floodwaters and got swept away and had to be rescued and were unable to be rescued for an hour and was hanging onto a pole,' she said. Two ADF helicopters and 100 troops have been provided by the federal government for possible rescues, with the strong possibility of another major flood. For warnings head to the SES NSW website. Labor's skills minister Brendan O'Connor has expressed his support in bringing in more foreign workers to fill job vacancies as a temporary solution to the jobs crisis. Critical shortages have been reported in industries across the country from hospitality to construction to manufacturing. Mr O'Connor cited a 'skills deficit' in industries as a major economic issue facing Australia and the biggest hurdle to filling vacancies. The government, unions and employers will be meeting at prime minister Anthony Albanese's jobs summit in September to work on a plan to upskill Australian workers, while employer groups will be arguing for a higher skilled migrant intake. Australia faces job shortages in key industries across the country with Anthony Albanese's government hoping to address the issue Skills minister Brendan O'Connor (pictured) has backed increasing the intake of skilled foreign workers as an immediate response to significant job shortages across the country Mr O'Connor claimed that resetting the skilled migration stream would work as an immediate response, with a longer term goal of upskilling Aussies. 'I believe that there's a combination of investing in skills in the labour market, and also relying on the restoration of the skilled migration streams,' he told The Australian. But the skills minister stressed that increasing the skilled migrant intake should only be a temporary solution to shortages and not at the 'expense of investing in skills in our existing labour market'. Mr O'Connor asserted that the previous government got 'too lazy' and tended to rely on temporary skilled visas to fill vacancies. The skills minister echoed the same sentiments when he appeared on the ABC's Q and A program last month. 'We do need to invest more in the skill shortage areas and the areas of emerging demand in our labour market,' he said. 'We want to work with industry, work with unions and training providers to really properly match up the investment of tax payer's dollars in the training sector with those areas that are in demand.' He, again, flagged a restoration of the skilled migration stream as an immediate response, but said his 'priority' as skills minister was the domestic labour market and Australian workers. Chief executive of the Business Council of Australia, Jennifer Westacott, said that both solutions - increasing migrant intake and upskilling Australian workers - should be done concurrently. 'We have to do both.' 'Realistically, there aren't enough workers here today to fill the critical worker shortfall hamstringing businesses across the economy, from the local cafe to global investors employing thousands of Australians,' she said. The skills minister said the government's long term goal is to invest in upskilling Australian workers to fill vacancies. (pictured, contruction workers at a site in Darling Harbour, Sydney) There are more than 480,000 jobs unfilled across Australia, with more than 548,000 Aussies reportedly jobless. (pictured, Hospitality workers in Sydney's CBD) There are now nearly as many job vacancies as there are unemployed Australians, as industries suffer the fallout from the Covid pandemic. There are more than 480,000 roles unfilled, while the number of Aussies who classify themselves as jobless stands at 548,100, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The record number of available employment opportunities is up 14 per cent from February, and more than double the number of jobs going in February 2020. Bjorn Jarvis, head of Labour Statistics at the ABS, said the number of businesses looking to hire at least one more staff member has also boomed. 'A quarter of businesses reported having at least one vacancy in May this year,' he said. 'This rate was more than double the pre-pandemic level in February 2020 (11 per cent), which highlights the extent to which businesses are finding it more difficult to find staff.' Victoria saw job vacancies jump by 18 per cent in just three months, while positions available in NSW increased by 12 per cent. Advertisement Newly-unearthed footage shows the moment a MV-22 Osprey helicopter crashed over the side of a US warship in 2017, killing three Marines who were on board. The clip, first posted online Saturday, shows the sophisticated helicopter - which can fly like a plane and hover like a chopper - trying to land on the deck of the US Green Bay of the coast of Queensland, Australia, on August 5, 2017. But the chopper - which has been plagued by fatal accidents that have killed 51 service personnel since its first flight in 1989 - suddenly drops unexpectedly. It strikes its left engine compartment off the deck while pitching dramatically, with the sailor who was filming running to safety just as the chopper begins to disappear from view. Moments later, the Bell-Boeing chopper, - which was carrying 26 members of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 - plunged 30 feet and slammed into the Pacific Ocean. This is the disturbing moment an MV-22 Osprey helicopter carrying 22 US Marines crashes into the deck of the USS Green Bay, before plunging 30 feet into the Pacific, killing three. The accident happened in August 2017, with footage of the horror emerging over the weekend Killed in the crash was 1st Lt Benjamin Cross, 26, who was co-piloting the chopper. His co-pilot - a Marine Major - has never been named, but an investigation found neither pilot was at fault Also killed in the crash where Pfc. Ruben Velasco (left), who turned 19 days before his death, and Cpl Nathaniel Ordway (right) who was 26 A hole in the cockpit of the damaged aircraft quickly saw it flood with water, causing it to sink. All but three of those service personnel were rescued, with the bodies of three others recovered following a 12 hour search. Those killed were 1st Lt. Benjamin Cross, 26, of Oxford, Maine, Cpl. Nathaniel Ordway, 21, of Sedgwick, Kansas and Pfc. Ruben Velasco, 19, of Los Angeles. They were unable to escape the cockpit as it sank. Cross was co-piloting the aircraft at the time of the crash. According to Military.com, Cross and Ordway were both assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 out of the Futenma base in Japan. Velasco - who turned 19 days before his death - served with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, and was based in Camp Pendleton in California. The final moments of the doomed Osprey were captured by a sailor on the deck of the USS Green Bay. That sailor ran for cover as the chopper began to crash, and the full tragedy was not captured on camera The Osprey crashed while trying to land on the USS Green Bay (pictured in 2018) during a day of training exercises off the Australian coast It was based off the USS Bonhomme Richard and had successfully completed multiple flights on the day it crashed The Osprey had been operating from the USS Bonhomme Richard at the time of the smash, as part of a three-chopper squadron practicing embassy reinforcement, evacuation and casualty drills. It had successfully completed multiple flights between the Bonhomme, Raspberry Creek base and a third ship called the USS Ashland prior to the fatal crash on the Green Bay. A Pentagon investigation later concluded that the Osprey had crashed because it faced too much 'downwash' - air deflected around its rotors. That report, seen by The Drive, further revealed that the aircraft had insufficient thrust to hold a hover pattern, and that the Osprey may have been carrying too much weight. Military officials said that no-one was at fault over the crash, and that the three young Marines killed all died in the line of duty, and not as the result of misconduct. According to the crash report, the aircraft's pilot - a Marine Major who has not been named - 'recognized and attempted to correct a 200-300 foot per minute rate of descent with an application of power using the Thrust Control Lever.' But their attempt to save the chopper failed. It ended up striking the deck of the Green Bay, damaging a nearby chopper and striking a steel staircase before plunging into the Pacific. After the crash, Lt. Cross's father Robert Cross told CBS News that his son had great faith in the safety of the controversial aircraft, even after a 2000 crash in Arizona that killed 19 Marines. Cross said: 'He told me that they had so many redundant safety systems in the plane that if one failed there was always a backup.' Last month, five Marines were killed when another Osprey crashed in the California desert, prompting yet more safety fears over the scandal-hit helicopter series That helicopter crashed in Imperial County near Highway 78 and the town of Glamis, which is 30 miles north of the Mexican border, and 150 miles east of San Diego. An investigation into what caused it to go down is ongoing. Capt. Nicholas P. Losapio, 31, of Rockingham, New Hampshire, a pilot; Cpl. Seth D. Rasmuson, 21, of Johnson, Wyoming, a crew chief; Capt. John J. Sax, 33, of Placer, a pilot; and Lance Cpl. Evan A. Strickland, 19, of Valencia, New Mexico, a crew chief,, were confirmed as dead by U.S. Marine Corps on Friday. Nathan Carlson, a crew chief, was previously confirmed to be among the dead by family on Thursday. The 21-year-old's girlfriend Emily Baxter posted a tribute to the Marine on Facebook, writing: 'My heart is absolutely shattered...I don't have words to explain what I feel or how badly this is tearing me apart already...he had the biggest heart and was always willing to help somebody if they needed.' Cpl. Nathan E. Carlson, 21, of Winnebago, Illinois was one of the first identified as a victim of the crash Capt. John J. Sax, 33, of Placer, California, a pilot, had been with the corps for nearly six years and was also decorated with several medals, including the National Defense Service Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; and a Letter of Appreciation. A helicopter is seen on Wednesday taking off near Glamis, to aid the rescue effort 'It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of five Marines from the Purple Fox family,' the squadron's commanding officer, Lt. Col. John C. Miller, said. 'It is hard to express the impact that this loss has had on our squadron and its families,' Miller added. 'Our primary mission now is taking care of the family members of our fallen Marines and we respectfully request privacy for their families as they navigate this difficult time.' Rasmuson's home state of Wyoming had already paid tribute to him by flying their flags at half mast Friday. His father told The Mercury News that Rasmuson grew up hunting, fishing and camping and loving the outdoors. Capt. Nicholas P. Losapio, 31, of Rockingham, New Hampshire, a pilot, was the longest tenured Marine among the five that died, having served nearly nine years Lance Cpl. Evan A. Strickland, 19, of Valencia, New Mexico, a crew chief, was the youngest member who lost their life Cpl. Seth D. Rasmuson, 21, of Johnson, Wyoming, a crew chief, was already being mourned back home in Wyoming Friday with the lowering of flags to half mast Losapio was the longest tenured Marine among the five that died, having served nearly nine years. He had been awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal; a Navy Unit Commendation; the National Defense Service Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; the Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; and a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. Sax had been with the corps for nearly six years and was also decorated with several medals, including the National Defense Service Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; and a Letter of Appreciation. Strickland served for just over a year and a half but despite that and his young age, still came away with the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. California Governor Gavin Newsom also called for flags to be lowered at the State Capitol on Friday to honor the fallen Marines. The Marines were based at Camp Pendleton and assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 364 of Marine Aircraft Group 39, part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. The cause of the crash is under investigation. The Marines were participating in routine live-fire training over their gunnery range in the Imperial Valley desert, said Marine Maj. Mason Englehart, spokesperson for the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The Osprey, a hybrid airplane and helicopter, flew in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but has been criticized by some as unsafe. It is designed to take off like a helicopter, rotate its propellers to a horizontal position and cruise like an airplane. Versions of the aircraft are flown by the Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. Prior to Wednesdays crash, Osprey crashes had caused 46 deaths, the Los Angeles Times reported. Most recently, four Marines were killed when a Marine Corps Osprey crashed on March 18 near a Norwegian town in the Arctic Circle while participating in a NATO exercise. The military also announced equipment recovery has begun at the site and the investigation is ongoing. The crash was confirmed by Naval Air Facility in El Centro on Wednesday, who investigated the crash. The crash happened about 12.25pm local time, said 1st Lt. Duane Kampa, a 3rd MAW spokesman. Footage from News 11 Yuma showed military personnel and first responders gathering in the desert, with a helicopter flying off to the crash site. Smoke could be faintly seen on the horizon. There were rumors the plane had been carrying nuclear material when it crashed, but that has since been debunked. 'Contrary to initial reports, there was no nuclear material on board the aircraft.' The MV-22B Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft, built by Boeing, which can carry 24 Marine combat troops, according to Military.com. Boeing says it is 'a joint service multirole combat aircraft' which has both the vertical performance of a helicopter and the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft. 'With its rotors in vertical position, it can take off, land and hover like a helicopter,' Boeing explain. 'Once airborne, it can convert to a turboprop airplane capable of high-speed, high-altitude flight. A mother has issued a desperate appeal for information after her 19-year-old daughter vanished without a trace three days ago. Melanie Harvey, 19, went missing at around 1pm on Thursday, June 30, in Preston, Lancashire, but it is thought she travelled to Blackpool. Since then, she has not been seen and her family are growing increasingly worried about her wellbeing. Her mother Katie Harvey posted online: 'Im going out of my mind! Shes not with anybody she knows, [she] has no money and no phone! Melanie Harvey, 19, from Preston, Lancashire, has not been seen since Thursday when she is thought to have visited Blackpool 'Melanie knows that Id pay for a taxi for her to come back to Preston and if she was with someone she would have contacted me or Jessica on their phone. 'She has only one other friend in Blackpool and she isnt with her either. 'She has no reason to not come home! Imagine if this was your daughter, I cant begin to explain the hell I'm in right now.' Miss Harvey is described as 5ft 3ins tall, is petite with jet black hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing black leggings, a white top and white and orange Nike Air Force trainers. Anyone with information is asked to contact Lancashire Police online or by phoning 101, quoting reference 1164 of July 1. Families could save 40 a week under government plans to relax rules around how many youngsters can be looked after by individual childcare providers. The proposals involve changing staff-to-child ratios from 1:4 to 1:5 for two-year-olds. Ministers say that this will give providers more flexibility in how they run their businesses while maintaining safety and quality of care. The Government said this could potentially eventually reduce the cost of this form of childcare by up to 15 per cent or up to 40 per week for a family paying 265 per week for care if providers adopt the changes and pass all the savings on to parents. Families could save 40 a week under government plans to relax rules around how many youngsters can be looked after by individual childcare providers. The proposals involve changing staff-to-child ratios from 1:4 to 1:5 for two-year-olds But a charity which is Englands largest early years organisation has criticised the plan. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said: The Government is wasting its time consulting on relaxing ratios. It will not only fail to lower the cost of early years places, but... will drive down quality and worsen the sectors already catastrophic recruitment and retention crisis. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: Childcare is an integral part of our economy, and these reforms prove again that this Government is on the side of working families. A Victorian senator has written to social networking giant TikTok over fears key data of Australian users could be in the hands of the Chinese government. Reports last month indicated ByteDance, the company that owns the platform, had non-public access to its American customers' usage - which lawmakers fear could be a threat to national security. TikTok confirmed Chinese workers 'can have access to US data', but insisted only authorised employees could view it. On Monday, Liberal Senator James Paterson posted a letter he has written to the tech giant on Twitter, asking for the same clarity on Australian customers. 'I've written to TikTok Australia following revelations in the US that user data is accessible in mainland China, putting it within reach of the Chinese government,' Mr Paterson wrote. 'Australian TikTok users deserve to know whether their private information is equally exposed.' Senator James Paterson has written to TikTok asking if employees have access to the data of Australian users after reports emerged they could view American customers' information Senator Paterson told Daily Mail Australia he is 'very concerned' about Chinese-owned social media apps and their potential for spreading misinformation. 'I'm concerned because I suspect a lot of the users aren't aware of the ownership of these companies,' he said. 'Bytedancer are beholden to the Chinese Community Party. If asked by the CCP they'd almost certainly hand data over, they're compelled to.' Senator Paterson said there are question marks over the algorithm used by TikTok which sees them have the power over which trends to promote and suppress. 'Potentially millions of oung Australians don't realise how vulnerable they are,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'They aren't transparent about the algorithm... which means they can distribute misinformation or suppress information about their human rights record.' Senator Paterson (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia he is 'very concerned' about Chinese-owned social media apps and their potential for spreading misinformation Senator Paterson's letter is addressed to Lee Hunter, the General Manager of TikTok Australia, and the company's Director of Public Policy Brent Thomas. He pointed to comments from TikTok's CEO Shou Zi Chew, who admitted the data of its US users was able to be viewed by authorised personnel and asked for the same information on Aussie subscribers. 'Could you please confirm is Australian user data also accessible by TikTok or ByteDance employees in mainland China? Has that data been previousky accessed?' Senator Paterson asked. 'If so, on what basis could they refuse a request from the Chinese government under the National Security Law for access to that Australian user data?' He then acknowledged comments to Australian Parliament in July, 2020 where TikTok said the data was stored in Singapore and the United States, and data from Australian users would never be provided to the Chinese government. Senator Paterson said the new information about viewing users' data shows that assurance was 'meaningless'. 'We now know it's irrelevant where it's stored. We have to treat all claims with skepticism,' he said. Senator Paterson is Peter Dutton's new Shadow Minister for Cyber Security and Countering Foreign Interference, and will be tasked with managing the growing presence of China in the region. Senator Paterson posted the letter he wrote to TikTok Australia's General Manager and Director of Public Policy TikTok said in June they were working with US cloud company Oracle to establish 'new advanced data security controls that we hope to finalize in the near future'. Mr Zi Chew said while employees had access to US data, the workers were subject to 'robust cybersecurity controls and authorization approval protocols overseen by our US-based security team'. TikTok has more than a billion active daily users, with the USA providing its largest market. In 2020 the platform's chief information security officer Roland Clountier said: 'Our goal is to minimize data access across regions so that, for example, employees in the APAC region, including China, would have very minimal access to user data from the EU and US.' The moment two brazen arsonists set fire to a police car in a suburban car park has been captured on video, as cops offer $25,000 to anyone who can help find them. The marked patrol car was parked in the driveway of a car dealership in Mandurah, south of Perth, on Friday when two people were seen on camera approaching the car on foot, just after 4.30am. The pair then poured accelerant from a jerry can over the hood of the car before setting it alight with a blowtorch - with the flames exploding in a fireball and setting alight the shirt of one of the pair as they both flee. The police car was 'extensively' damaged by the fire and is understood to have been written off as beyond repair. The two arsonists can be seen walking to the police car holding a jerry can and then one light a blowtorch after pouring the liquid over the bonnet (pictured) Arson squad detectives also believe at least one of the offenders would be suffering severe burn injuries to their face and hands. A manhunt is underway for the pair responsible and police are asking for the public's help. Detectives are urging anyone who might have phone or dashcam footage of the area on Anstruther Road near the intersection of Pinjarra Road between 4am and 5am to contact them. Police added that rewards of up to $25,000 are available for information that leads to the conviction of an arsonist. A Florida pediatrician has been removed from a state health board for pushing for under-5s to receive COVID vaccines - and accusing her colleagues of 'obstructing' access to the shots. Dr. Lisa Gwynn, who works as a pediatrician in the University of Miami Health System, revealed she'd been ousted from her role on the Florida Healthy Kids Board June 29, and took to Twitter to share her outrage. 'On the same day that we began administering COVID-19 vaccine to infants and children under 5, I was removed from the Florida Healthy Kids Board for advocating for equitable access for the underserved and for pediatricians. Disappointing.' Gwynn was told on Wednesday that she was being removed from her position on the Florida Healthy Kids Board of directors because of 'some very political statements that do not reflect the CFO's point of view.' Controversy over vaccinating under 5s has roiled much of the US, with many parents who've themselves chosen to get the shot hesitant to get their children inoculated. CDC figures showed that just 422 children aged under five have died of COVID in the US since the start of the pandemic. The shots carry a very low risk of potentially-serious complications in young people, including inflammation of the heart. That has seen many parents opt to avoid seeking vaccines for children who are unlikely to experience serious side effects, many of whom also likely have natural immunity from prior COVID infections. But experts highlight the unknowns about long-term COVID infections in children, as well as potentially deadly inflammatory conditions caused by the disease in youngsters, when explaining why under-5s should be vaccinated. Dr. Lisa Gwynn, a pediatrician with University of Miami Health System who had advocated for vaccine access for poor young kids, was removed from board Dr. Lisa Gwynn tweeted about her removal from the children's health board. She had only been on the board since March. The appointment was supposed to last three years Gywnn had held the board position, which was supposed to be for three years, since March. The email went on to suggest that Dr. Gwynn had been claiming 'the state is 'obstructing' access to vaccines' but noted that the state's Chief Financial Officer of the state of Florida, Jimmy Patronis, a Republican, disagreed with her view. 'The CFO does not share your opinion and believes that the state has gone to great lengths to protect lives in the face of the coronavirus,' the email said, as seen by Florida Politics. Gwynn said all of her decision are made with health in mind rather rather than anything political - although the words 'equity' and 'equitable' have become synonymous with hard-left policy making. Gwynn used the woke buzzword - which pushes for equality of outcome instead of equality of opportunity - again in a Miami Herald interview, saying: 'Quite frankly, we're just trying to advocate for things, for equitable access to the vaccine.' Gwynn had been critical of the state's refusal to pre-order COVID-19 shots for children from six months to five-years old - the only state in the county to do that. She is pictures receiving her shot 'I'm not a politician, I'm a pediatrician. And there's no other reason for me to do what I do other than to improve the health of children in our state.' Florida is the only state in the country that has not ordered COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5, despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsing the plan. Parents are free to seek the shots out for their under-5s in the Sunshine State, and they won't be charged for them. An email from the office of Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, pictured, told her she would be removed from her position on the Florida Healthy Kids Board Some 442 children have died from the coronavirus since April 2020. The numbers make up a tiny proportion of the just over one million deaths from the disease. By comparison, the group most affected are aged over 75, with more than half of U.S. deaths making up the set with 517,000 fatalities. Those ages between 45 and 74 make up the next largest group of those succumbing to the disease with 445,000 deaths. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 2.7 million shots have been delivered to vaccine providers around the U.S., with up to ten million doses to be delivered as part of this first batch. President Joe Biden, who has long been a proponent of expanding America's COVID-19 vaccine eligibility, remarked Tuesday that America was the only country in the world vaccinating children as young as six months. It comes as Covid cases in the U.S. remain steady at around 100,000 per day, and deaths remain in the 300 per day area. But many parents have mixed feelings about vaccinating their children. Although some are seeking it out for their kids, others are holding back, concerned over whether there has been enough research on the vaccines and their impact on young children. Florida is the only state in America that has not requested shots of the COVID-19 vaccines for children aged six months to five years old. It comes after the state recommended against healthy people 17 and younger getting jabbed in March. Pictured: Florida Gov Ron DeSantis speaks at an event in New York City in May The most concerning, and most publicized, side-effects of the COVID-19 vaccines are the heart inflammation conditions myocarditis and pericarditis. 'I encourage parents and caregivers with questions to talk to their doctor, nurse, or local pharmacist to learn more about the benefits of vaccinations and the importance of protecting their children by getting them vaccinated,' CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky said in June. Florida is the only state in America that has not pre-ordered shots of COVID-19 vaccines for children in the newly approved age groups believing the risk outweighs the benefits. The Florida Department of Health is leaving the ordering of vaccines up to individual doctors instead of placing a bulk order from the federal government. Polling for the Kaiser Family Foundation found that only about one in five parents of children under age five (18 percent) are eager to get their child vaccinated right away, while a larger share (38 percent) say they plan to wait a while to see how the vaccine is working for others. According to the CDC's own statistics, 442 children ages four and under have died in the US from Covid-19 About four in ten parents of children under five are more reluctant to get their child vaccinated, with 27 percent saying they will 'definitely not' get their child vaccinated and 11 percent saying they will only do so if they are required. There was also limited demand for the shots last time the FDA made them eligible for a younger age group, children aged five to 11. The Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, has previously said the vaccinating of young children is not 'appropriate.' 'There is not going to be any state program that are going to be trying to get COVID jabs to infants and toddlers and newborns,' he said last month. 'Although the state surgeon general is affirmatively recommending against COVID vaccines for ages 0-5, neither he nor the governor, nor any state entity, has ever 'obstructed' healthcare providers from ordering the vaccines for this age group as soon as they received emergency use authorization from the federal government,' said Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for DeSantis. 'The decision to relieve Dr. Gwynn of her duties was made by the CFO, who has full authority over this appointment. Our office did not need to give approval for this decision to be made, but the logic of the CFO's decision is clear: A board member making public, false accusations about state policies runs the risk of jeopardizing the constructive working relationship between the Florida Healthy Kids board and the state agencies they work closely with, including DOH and AHCA.' Pfizer's shot How many doses? Pfizer requires three doses. How long is it in between doses? The second is given three weeks after the first, the third is two months later. How long does it take to reach maximum protection? Maximum protection is achieved within 90 days. Why does Pfizer have three doses? Pfizer contains a lower dosage which is why it takes longer to reach maximum protection but it may work in your child's system for longer. What are the side effects? One study showed that Pfizer had less impactful side effects in babies than Moderna. Is one more effective than the other? Experts say no. Advertisement Britain is spending millions of pounds a year on the human rights body whose judges grounded Priti Patels Rwanda asylum flight. The UK Government is one of the largest financial contributors to the Council of Europe, whose 46 members include the dictatorship of Azerbaijan. The council, which has received 310million from Britain over the past decade, is aimed at promoting democracy and the rule of law. But its human rights tsar Dunja Mijatovic has criticised Home Secretary Miss Patel over her attempts to stop migrants crossing the Channel. The Council of Europe, whose 46 members include the dictatorship of Azerbaijan, judges grounded Priti Patels Rwanda asylum flight She has urged British MPs to reject proposals that enable offshoring and called for more safe and legal routes to claim asylum. Miss Mijatovic has also claimed that the Governments border policy is repressive. The council, which receives 400million in funding annually, bankrolls the European Court of Human Rights to the tune of 64million a year. Officials at the Strasbourg court have repeatedly rejected the Daily Mails requests to reveal the identity of the judge who stopped asylum seekers being sent to Africa. They have only confirmed the decision was made either by Hungarys Peter Paczolay or Carlo Ranzoni, a Swiss jurist representing Liechtenstein. The injunction, which said deportees faced real risk of irreversible harm, prevents migrants being sent to Rwanda until three weeks after British judges issue a final decision on the legality of the policy. The Council of Europe human rights tsar Dunja Mijatovic has previously criticised Home Secretary Priti Patel over her attempts to stop migrants crossing the Channel The council has received 310million from Britain over the past decade Strasbourg judges have a tax-free salary of at least 170,000 a year, while senior council officials can earn up to that sum. Their packages include perks such as a final salary pension and travel expenses. They can also claim an expat allowance of 12.5 per cent of their pay to cover the cost of living in the French city. The UKs contributions to the council this year have grown from 29.7million to 32.7million because Russia has been kicked out and no longer makes payments. Council officials said this amounts to less than 50p per Briton each year. Only France, Italy and Germany pay in more to the councils coffers, with the sums based on population size and economic output. Tory MPs say the court has become too political in its human rights rulings and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab is aiming to insulate British courts from its case law. A Council of Europe spokesman said: Every UK citizen benefits from the protections offered by the European Convention on Human Rights and the court in Strasbourg which are designed to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law. A young mother suffering severe headaches was repeatedly turned away by GPs and hospital doctors who all missed the fact she had suffered a stroke. Kerri-Ann Wool was told she was suffering from migraines, tension headaches and even postnatal depression after she experienced a sudden severe headache, distorted vision and dizziness. One GP even prescribed antidepressants and told her to go and get her nails done to cheer herself up. An MRI scan eventually revealed evidence of a stroke a blood clot in her cerebellum, the part of the brain which controls balance, but a consultant missed it. Kerri-Ann Wool was told she was suffering from migraines, tension headaches and even postnatal depression after she experienced a sudden severe headache, distorted vision and dizziness It meant Mrs Wool, 34, discovered she had had a stroke only when she requested her medical records a year later. The diagnosis was written in her MRI results. It is now too late for her to receive treatment for the stroke and she continues to suffer symptoms which prevent her from returning to work as a school kitchen assistant. She said: I felt like I was being fobbed off as a hysterical woman. I couldnt get anyone to take me seriously. The mother-of-three from Portsmouth experienced vision distortion and an intense headache at the base of her skull on September 18, 2018. Later that day, a GP suggested it might be a blood pressure problem and sent her home. As the symptoms got worse, she visited the practice over the next three days, seeing a different GP each time. On the final visit, she burst into tears and was told by a male GP she probably had postnatal depression. He gave her antidepressants and encouraged her to get a manicure. After being given paracetamol and told to go home by medics at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, she was finally referred for an MRI scan at Southampton General Hospital on September 29. But incredibly, although the scan report revealed she had suffered a stroke, a consultant at University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust overlooked the diagnosis. Mrs Wool was eventually diagnosed with a hole in her heart, which could have triggered the stroke. She underwent surgery in July 2021 to close it. University Hospital Southampton and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trusts said they were unable to comment. Mrs Wool has received support from the charity Different Strokes, which supports the one in four stroke patients who are under 65. Austin Willett, the charitys chief executive, said: 'Kerri-Ann says she was told again and again that she was "too young to have had a stroke". 'This is something we hear too often from the community of young stroke survivors we work with. 'Stories like hers show us how much work we still have to do to challenge a lack of awareness and misconceptions about strokes in younger people. 'Strokes happen commonly to people of all ages but can be missed because of a false idea that strokes only happen to older people.' Jacinda Ardern hopes to entice Australians to visit New Zealand as the country finally scraps restrictions on overseas travellers after two years of relentless Covid rules. The NZ Prime Minister is visiting Australia this week, with trade and tourism the main topics on the agenda. Her country has now relaxed its rules around international visitors and other measures taken to curb the spread of Covid, which saw several lockdowns enforced after just a handful of cases. Travellers with approved visas can enter the country without having to isolate but must take two rapid tests upon arrival and report the results. Jacinda Ardern is hoping to entice Australians to visit New Zealand as the country finally scraps restrictions on overseas travellers after two years of relentless Covid rules The Kiwi leader will meet with Anthony Albanese, take part in an Australia-NZ leadership forum along with a number of New Zealand ministers, and deliver a speech on foreign policy at the Lowy Institute during her time Down Under. 'This trade mission is one of many steps this Government is taking to reconnect New Zealand with the world while actively strengthening partnerships between government, business and industry,' she said in a statement on Monday. It's Ardern's second visit to Australia in a year, after she met with Anthony Albanese in June and called on Aussies to visit the country. 'I don't hesitate to say we missed you. And you will get a welcome like no other right now, because we're so excited to have people back,' she said. 'It's ski season in New Zealand. Look, in regular times, Australians made up of our international skiers about 71% of the market. So Aussies love to ski in New Zealand. I can see why. It's easy, it's accessible. More than 30 NZ business leaders are joining Ms Ardern across the ditch, where she will also meet with NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and Victorian leader Daniel Andrews. New Zealand Small Business and Tourism Minister Stuart Nash, who is among the Kiwi ministers accompanying their PM, said Australia is NZ's largest source of visitors. Before the pandemic, more than 1.55million Australians crossed the Tasman Sea in 2019 and contributed over $NZ2.7billion ($A2.45billion) to New Zealand's economy, he said. 'With our borders now open and the removal of pre-departure testing, we've created significant opportunities for tourism recovery as we welcome back our Australian friends,' he added. New Zealand was thrown into several lockdowns after just a handful of cases under Ms Ardern's zero-Covid authority (pictured Auckland during lockdown in August last year) Covid curbs introduced by New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern March 16, 2020: Mandatory self-isolation for all new arrivals, including New Zealanders into the country. March 19: All non-residents or citizens are banned from entering the country under an international border ban. March 25: Nationwide lockdown enforced, with only essential services allowed to open. At this stage, NZ has recorded 102 cases and 0 deaths. June 8, 2020: Ardern announces no new community transmissions within the past fortnight and says NZ has eliminated transmission of Covid. August-September 2020: Auckland's 1.7million residents endure two months of lockdown measures after 4 new cases are initially recorded. February-March 2021: Auckland re-enters lockdown as three new Covid cases are recorded in the community. August 17: All of New Zealand re-enters Level 4 lockdown measures for two weeks as one new community case is recorded. October: Traffic light system is created, barring unvaccinated residents from entering businesses, gyms and barbers in 'red' or 'amber' alert areas. December: The Government delays the planned reopening of its border in February due to the spreading Omicron variant. December 21: Length of stay for people in Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) facilities increased to 10 days. January 2022: Public backlash as major events and sporting fixtures are capped at a maximum of 100 people under Covid Red Alert measures. January 18: Government postpones managed isolation and quarantine lottery due to increase in Covid cases. January: Ardern announced she had cancelled her own wedding after nine new Omicron cases were recorded. February: Government announces plan to open up country with New Zealanders and eligible travellers from Australia allowed to skip quarantine as long as they self-isolate for 10 days. March 2: Vaccinated travellers entering the country no longer have to self-isolate on arrival. May 2: UK travellers and those from other visa waiver countries allowed to enter country without self-isolating. August 2022: New Zealand government to loosen restrictions to allow all travellers to enter the country provided they are vaccinated and take two rapid antigen tests after arrival. Advertisement New Zealand was mostly locked away from the rest of the world during Covid, due to Ms Ardern's strict zero-Covid policy which also saw its own residents struggling to get home. Ms Ardern had last week visited the UK and spruiked her country as a winter sun holiday destination. Despite fierce criticism from some in the country over the restrictions, Ms Ardern has repeatedly defended the rules, saying they saved lives. Ms Ardern, who was in the UK for talks with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, found time to appear on ITV's Lorraine where she urged UK tourists to visit the country after it loosened rules so international travellers arriving after May 1 could do so without without quarantining. Ms Ardern defended her hardline approach to the pandemic which saw even her own citizens struggling to get into NZ (pictured lockdown in Auckland in April, 2020) 'We're actually already open, anyone in the UK you can travel now. I'll put a plug in, your winter is our summer so make those plans,' she said. 'Having been to Scotland though I can say summer is a little more summery in New Zealand, as much as I love places like Scotland. 'I would like to think I can be objective, it [New Zealand] is just the most beautiful place. 'What I love as well is you can get that combination of being in cities but then being in close proximity to nature, beaches, amazing walks, nature tourism and now food and wine - it's hard to have a bad meal.' The prime minister also defended her tough Covid rules, saying they helped save lives in her country. 'We're open and I think for everyone, there was no response to the pandemic that was without cost,' she said. 'It was either an awful and horrific cost to human life, or as we predominantly felt the cost of it being hard for people to move around. 'You could come and go but we quarantined and because of quarantine it was limited space. 'It was hard for everyone, but we came through it with much fewer hospitalisations and loss of life than most.' When asked if she would have done anything different in hindsight, she said: 'Of course. If you look back on something and you can't think of something that you would have changed you're probably not looking hard enough. 'So absolutely. But the overall strategy, no, because I know it saved lives, I know it did.' According to the World Health Organisation New Zealand has seen 1.3 million cases of Covid since the beginning of the pandemic, resulting in 1,466 deaths. Nicola Sturgeons hopes of turning the next general election into a de facto independence referendum suffered a blow after a poll revealed the SNP will fall short of votes. The First Minister plans to hijack the election as a single-issue vote on breaking up Britain, saying a referendum should be held if pro-independence parties win 50 per cent of the vote. But the poll, carried out for The Sunday Times by Panelbase, revealed the SNP would win only 47 per cent of the vote in those circumstances. The Conservatives, Labour and Lib Dems are forecast to win 50 per cent of votes in Scotland, meaning the remaining 3 per cent of other parties would need to campaign explicitly for independence at the election for Miss Sturgeons plan to succeed. The Scottish Conservatives said: The SNP needs to focus on the key challenges facing the country... instead of splitting the population with a reckless push to break up the UK. Nicola Sturgeons hopes of turning the next general election into a de facto independence referendum suffered a blow after a poll revealed the SNP will fall short of votes Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack added the focus of all Scotlands politicians must be on re-building the NHS, our economy, our public services and tackling our climate crisis. However, the findings suggest support for independence has snuck ahead by 48 per cent to 47 per cent, with 5 per cent undecided - the first time since April last year a poll has put Yes ahead. The First Minister hailed the very encouraging poll on Twitter, adding: Yes ahead, surge in support for choice in 2023, and the SNP within touching distance of majority of votes in GE should it become de facto indyref (which we hope isnt necessary). Lots to do though. Bring on the debate on why now is time for Indy. Pollster Mark Diffley suggested a marginal swing for either side in Scotlands proposed independence referendum could decide the outcome because support for the two sides were absolutely in deadlock. He told BBC Scotlands The Sunday Show: Everything will come down to the campaign - how good those campaigns are, how they speak to people, their positivity or negativity, so and so forth. The First Minister plans to hijack the election as a single-issue vote on breaking up Britain, saying a referendum should be held if pro-independence parties win 50 per cent of the vote That is what will really count. Because the polls are so tight at the moment, if we get into a campaign a marginal swing in either direction will make the different. Mr Diffley added: I suspect until we have a campaign it probably wont move by a significant amount. According to the poll, only a third of Scots (33 per cent) actually believe Scotland will become independent in the next five years, although that figure has climbed 10 percentage points since November. Another 17 per cent think the country will break away from the United Kingdom within a decade, a decrease of six percentage points. Polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice suggested both sides are becoming entrenched in their views. He said: Unionists are not going to persuade Yes supporters of the merits of the Union by arguing against a referendum that nearly every Yes supporter wants. But the poll, carried out for The Sunday Times by Panelbase, revealed the SNP would win only 47 per cent of the vote in those circumstances Equally, Sturgeon is unlikely to persuade No supporters who do not want a referendum to back Yes because Boris Johnson is being undemocratic. If either side is to move the dial, they need to begin to argue the substantive case for or against the Union rather than simply pursuing arguments about process. For while the latter might comfort existing supporters, they are unlikely to change voters minds. And changing minds is what both Nicola Sturgeon and Boris Johnson badly need to do. Miss Sturgeons coalition partner Patrick Harvie, co-convener of the Scottish Greens, said: I think it is preferable Scotlands democratic mandate is respected. If repeated pro-independence majorities in both Parliaments isnt enough for a mandate what on earth is? What is the democratic legitimacy they finally would respect? With Westminster continuing to refuse a referendum, he added: We will go to court and we will seek permission to take that referendum forward. And, if the answer is no, clearly we are going to have to use the following election, that is the only ability we have then to put the question to the public. Thousands of migrants part of a caravan that started in southern Mexico ended their travels toward the U.S. border just two days after setting off when they were handed permits to stay in the country for 30 days. Mexican officials handed out 3,000 temporary residence permits on Sunday and ended the march of mostly Venezuelans and Central Americans. The move comes after a United Nations Missing Migrants Project report revealed that more migrants died in 2021 in America than in any other year since it started recording data in 2014. Authorities found a semi-truck full of around 100 migrants last Monday abandoned in sweltering conditions on the side of the road outside San Antonio, Texas. Dozens were left in critical condition and 53 died in the journey. The incident was the deadliest human smuggling tragedy in U.S. history. The recent analysis from the UN found that 1,238 migrants died or disappeared in the Americas in 2021. The project said that this is likely an undercount since there were issues with data collection last year. Mexican authorities are likely trying to combat recent tragedies at the border and the increased scrutiny by breaking up a caravan that was heading to the U.S. border from southern Mexico. Mexican authorities were able to break up a caravan of thousands of Venezuelan and Central Mexican migrants heading to the U.S. border by handing out 3,000 temporary residence permits on Sunday The migration crisis continues to surge under the current administration as CBP encountered 239,416 migrants in May the highest since Biden took office The temporary residence permits will allow these migrants to stay on Mexican territory for up to 30 days while they pursue immigration procedures, according to officials from Mexico's National Institute of Migration. This, however, only serves as a way for migrants in the caravan to expedite their trip north, claiming that the permits allow them to get off foot and continue through other modes of transportation. 'We are going to continue to the United States in buses because we already have the permit. We no longer need to walk,' a Venezuelan, William Molina, said after receiving his permit. He is traveling with 10 relatives. The thousands of migrants, which started walking from the border city of Tapachula on Friday, was the ninth migrant caravan to be formed so far this year in southern Mexico. Migration has returned to the spotlight following the discovery last week of an abandoned cargo truck in San Antonio. The tragedy coincided with a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court allowing the Biden administration to end a measure imposed by President Donald Trump that forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while U.S. officials processed their asylum petitions. The move to break up the caravan and keep migrants in Mexico from crossing into the U.S. came less than a week after an abandoned semi-truck was found on the side of the road outside San Antonio, Texas with dozens of migrants in critical condition and another 53 dead A group of around 4,000 migrants set off from Tapachula, Mexico on July 1 heading toward the northern border it shares with the U.S. The group split after just two days when 3,000 permits were handed out that allows the migrants to stay in Mexico for 30 days as they pursue immigration procedures One migrant wears a Venezuelan flag around his neck as he walks with other migrants in a caravan toward the U.S. border on Friday, July 1 While the migrant caravans have attracted news media attention, those who participate in them represent a small percentage of the migratory flow that arrives at Mexico's border with Guatemala daily, usually with the help of smugglers. Another Venezuelan in the group, Francisco Daniel Marcano, said he hoped the permit would help him reach northern Mexico and pass into U.S. territory. But, he said, if he fails to get into the U.S., he will try to find a job in northern Mexico to earn money to send to his parents and three children back in Venezuela. In the last 30 days at least three large groups totaling about 13,000 people have tried to leave the border with Guatemala on foot, according to Mexico's immigration agency. Many migrants object to the Mexican strategy of keeping them in the south, away from the U.S. border. They say the process of normalizing their status - usually through applying for asylum - takes too long and they can't provide for themselves while waiting weeks in Tapachula because jobs are scarce. But the latest caravans, made up mostly of entire families, have managed to advance only about 28 miles to Huixtla, where Mexican officials have succeeded in dispersing the groups by giving out temporary residency permits. Migration at the U.S. southern border has continued to spike into the summer months. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered 239,416 migrants in May alone, which represents an increase for the third month in a row. Figures for June have not yet been released. Girlguiding chiefs have been accused of promoting woke claptrap after advising leaders to learn almost 100 terms linked to gender and sexual identity. Sir John Hayes, of the Common Sense group of MPs, said parents dont expect (children) to be indoctrinated with a lot of woke claptrap Britains biggest girls group has advised staff to learn a glossary of words such as aromantic, demisexual and agender, saying it might be worth printing it off... so you can reference it with children. The glossary also includes pansexual attraction for members of all gender identities/expressions and constellation, the structure of polyamorous relationships. The guidance, first reported by the Sunday Express, encourages girls to learn the glossary in a task called the vocabulary extravaganza. Sir John Hayes, of the Common Sense group of MPs, said parents dont expect (children) to be indoctrinated with a lot of woke claptrap. It comes after the Daily Mail revealed the Scout Association sold a 1.50 trans fun badge for children as young as four, alongside bisexual fun, lesbian fun and pride fun options. A spokesman for Girlguiding said it believed children should know the importance of embracing different identities. The guidance says: There are so many identities and experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, the idea of talking about it... might feel overwhelming. Weve put together some simple advice, explained lots of terms and suggested activities that you can do with any section. The leaders are also advised to explore gender with girls by using a controversial genderbread person graphic, modelled on a gingerbread figure, which appears to show anatomical sex along a spectrum from zero to female-ness and male-ness at the other end. The graphic has also been used in presentations for civil servants. Stephanie Davies-Arai, founder of Transgender Trend, was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to children in the Queen's Birthday Honours list Girlguiding chiefs advised staff to learn a glossary of words such as aromantic, demisexual and agenderand to encourage girls to learn the glossary in a task called the vocabulary extravaganza Pictured: Girl Guides logo Stephanie Davies-Arai, founder of campaign group Transgender Trend, said the Genderbread graphic presents a belief, an ideology around gender that is not scientifically based, adding that it presents biological sex around the subjective qualities of male-ness and female-ness rather than the objective material reality that it is. But Professor Monica Grady, a space scientist and the chancellor of Liverpool Hope university, told BBC Radio 4s Broadcasting House programme yesterday that Guides should be encouraged to understand issues around gender identity. Diane Abbott made the unfounded claim that Boris Johnson is 'rumoured to like assaulting women' and accused him of hypocrisy while responding to a question about allegations surrounding Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher. Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House, The Labour MP made the statement about the Prime Minister while discussing reports that Mr Pincher groped two men in a London club. When asked if a man sexually assaulting a woman would have been treated differently from Mr Pincher allegedly groping two men, the former shadow home secretary said 'It might be treated differently'. However she continued on and levelled an unsubstantiated allegation at the Prime Minister. The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP said: 'But that's because Boris Johnson has been rumoured to be the one who likes assaulting women. So it's sheer hypocrisy from him.' Labour MP Diane Abbott claimed that Boris Johnson is 'rumoured to like assaulting women' on a BBC Radio 4 programme yesterday On the topic of Chris Pincher, Tory ministers have insisted that Boris Johnson didn't know about allegations against but they have made no statement about Ms Abbott's claims Host Paddy O'Connell quickly intervened, rebuking the claim he said: 'That's not been printed this morning, it's not being said by the BBC. 'Diane, you've got to answer my questions rather than raising new claims.' The BBC temporarily removed the programme from its catch-up service to edit out the segment. A spokesperson said: 'For editorial reasons, we are editing today's episode of Broadcasting House,' a spokesman said in a statement. 'We are working to make it available to listeners as soon as possible.' There have been six claims made against the Tamworth MP In the available version the majority of the interview, in which Abbott quips 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature', is still available to listen to. When asked if the sort of behaviour involved in the allegations towards Mr Pincher have always been a problem in Parliament she responded: 'I think that we probably know more about it now than we knew 30 years ago. 'When I first became an MP there was very much the sense that Westminster was a club and what happened in Westminster stayed in Westminster, but with online, twitter it's very hard to keep things a secret.' Ms Abbott also praised the increase in 'transparency' when it came to reporting sexual harassment allegations and backed the idea of an independent HR system for Parliament. She suggested the fact complaints had been made to the parliamentary authorities represented progress from a few decades ago, when she said male staffers would have been far less likely to contact the Whips' Office. Downing Street declined to comment. The Labour Party were contacted for comment. Advertisement A couple is battling to save their heritage Sydney home as it floods for the fourth time in six months since they moved in. Keith and Kerrie Levy bought the 200-year-old four-storey house in Windsor, on Sydney's northwest fringe, for $1.975 million and moved in from Dural on December 23. Since then, they have barely spent any time actually living in their new home, forced to constantly move furniture in and out as floodwaters poured into the lower levels. Days after finally settling back in after two floods in March and another in April, they have again cleared out their valuables as Sydney is drenched by yet another once-in-a-century storm. Kerrie and Keith Levy are battling to limit the damage to their heritage home in Sydney as it floods for the fourth time in six months since they moved in They bought the 200-year-old four-storey house in Windsor, on Sydney's northwest fringe, for $1.975 million and moved in from Dural on December 23 Dozens of Sydney suburbs are under threat of going underwater and 71 evacuation orders are in place as heavy rain falls and NSW faces what could be the worst flooding in 18 months. 'It's not good, but it is what it is,' Mr Levy told Daily Mail Australia as he watched floodwaters from the swollen Hawkesbury River steadily rise from his balcony, again. The lower ground floor is filling up with water, rising from about a foot early on Monday morning to double that by 11am and threatening to spill into the upper levels. Mr and Mrs Levy said after the area flooded in March 2021 they expected their home would be safe, but instead expect to spend at least $40,000 dealing with the four deluges. 'Before it flooded last year there hadn't been one since the 1990s so we thought that would be it, the flooding is done,' Mr Levy said. 'Instead we've had a bad run almost since we moved in and they're saying there will be another flood by the end of the year. We'll be glad to see the end of this weather cycle.' The view from the balcony on Sunday night after the rain thundered down and the Hawkesbury River burst its banks, flooding the bridge and rising steadily towards the house. Earlier in the day the Levys cleared out the bottom floor Floodwater submerges the backyard and rushes in to the lower ground floor of the house during the first flood in early March One of many points of entry to the bottom floor where the water rushed in, with sandbags and windows useless in keeping it out The local auctioneer said the couple were concerned about the future of their beloved home, and just hoped they could weather the storms. 'It's hard as we're new to all this unlike a lot of people here. We're hoping once we're through it (the La Nina weather cycle), it won't flood for a while,' he said. Mr Levy said the worst part was waiting for the affected parts of the house to dry out enough to be habitable, which took months after the last floods. 'We only just moved everything back in on Saturday and the next day we're moving it all back out again when the rains started again,' he said. 'Last time we lost a lot of stuff as we weren't fast enough, but this time we were ready and got a trailer and moved everything of value out yesterday.' The couple will again lose gas and power as it must be switched off to protect it from the flooding. The flooded garage where in one of the floods the door (pictured) was punched in by the raging torrent Ms Levy desperately tries to pump water out of the flooded home during the March flood after the river receded days later Mr Levy said the lower ground floor was vulnerable as the terrace filled out with water and spilled through windows straight inside How climate crusader predicted no more floods Tim Flannery, one of Australia's most eminent climate experts and former chief commissioner of the Climate Commission, in 2007 predicted there would not be enough rain for devastating floods. He in 2007, days after being named Australian of the Year, claimed to ABC's Landline that the climate had shifted so much due to global warming that rain would not even fill the dams. 'We're already seeing the initial impacts and they include a decline in the winter rainfall zone across southern Australia, which is clearly an impact of climate change, but also a decrease in run-off,' he said. 'Although we're getting say a 20 per cent decrease in rainfall in some areas of Australia, that's translating to a 60 per cent decrease in the run-off into the dams and rivers. 'That's because the soil is warmer because of global warming and the plants are under more stress and therefore using more moisture. 'So even the rain that falls isn't actually going to fill our dams and our river systems, and that's a real worry for the people in the bush. 'If that trend continues then I think we're going to have serious problems, particularly for irrigation.' Since then, Australia has endured two rounds of devastating floods that destroyed thousands of home and killed dozens of people. Advertisement Mr Levy said the lower ground floor was vulnerable as the terrace filled out with water and spilled through windows straight inside. 'We used a mountain of sandbags last time and got pumps to get the water out but it didn't go any good, even the garage door blew out, which we didn't expect,' he said. 'So this time we've just opened everything up to let it in and limit the damage and hope it doesn't rise too much.' Mr Levy said about two metres of water could flow into the lower ground floor before it threatened the rest of the house, and the front door was safe until the river reached about 15m. During the last flood, the river hit 13.7m. The couple have no flood insurance as it would cost them a 'simply unaffordable' $25,000 to $30,000 extra a year. 'Insurance is just too high, lots of people here are in the same boat and we just have to hope there's not more damage than that over the long run,' he said. 'We're not in a designated flood zone, but the dam level is not being managed appropriately. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know the dam was going to flood.' Beyond repairing the immediate damage, repeated floods meant water found its way into the 200-year-old bricks and sandstone, cracking the plaster and requiring major, expensive work to restore. Keeping the heritage home, described as a 'jewel of the Hawkesbury', in good repair is a top priority for the Levys, given its rich history. The hand-carved sandstone basement dates from 1819 as The Lord Nelson Inn, with the upper floors added in 1844 making it a classic example of an Australian colonial terrace. A succession of doctors owned the house and ran their practices in it from 1858 to 1992, earning it the nickname 'Doctors House'. After the last doctor retired, it was sold several times and more than doubled in value since its previous sale in 2011 for $850,000. The bottom level that flooded four times this year includes a wine cellar and tasting room (pictured) that was totally submerged by the floods and is now two feet underwater - and rising The flooded floor also contains this lounge area with one of the house's nine antique fireplaces - all of which will need yet another cleanout The terrace before it flooded, showing how far the water rose during previous flood, with this one expected to be just as bad The bottom level that flooded four times this year includes a wine cellar and tasting room, a poker room, and a lounge area with one of the house's nine antique fireplaces. The rest of the house includes original floorboards and a grand staircase, four bedrooms and a study, two bathrooms, and a wraparound veranda with metal ornate handrails and a view of the Hawkesbury River and Blue Mountains. Mr Levy said despite their struggles, he and Kerrie were more fortunate than many of their neighbours and thousands of others along the eastern Australian coast. 'We're just lucky we haven't lost our homes and livelihoods like a lot of people,' he said. Flooding is not a recent problem for the house, as shown in this very old photo of the river coming right up to it after bursting its banks The house is just 50m from the banks of the Hawkesbury River but still needed to rise past an embankment and a retaining wall at the bottom of the house - and did Two centuries of history they're battling to save The hand-carved sandstone basement dates from 1819 as The Lord Nelson Inn, with the upper floors added in 1844 making it a classic example of an Australian colonial terrace. A succession of doctors owned the house and ran their practices in it from 1858 to 1992, earning it the nickname 'Doctors House'. After the last doctor retired, it was sold several times and more than doubled in value since its previous sale in 2011 for $850,000. The bottom level that flooded four times this year includes a wine cellar and tasting room, a poker room, and a lounge area with one of the house's nine antique fireplaces. The rest of the house includes original floorboards and a grand staircase, four bedrooms and a study, two bathrooms, and a wraparound veranda with metal ornate handrails and a view of the Hawkesbury River and Blue Mountains. Advertisement More than 32,000 people across the state were urged to leave their homes and another 6,000 told to be on alert and ready to leave as 64 more evacuation warnings were issued. There is major flooding in North Richmond, with river levels exceeding that reached in March (15.92m), with more rises possible, and major concern of water levels at Sydney Basin, and the Hawkesbury, Nepean, and Georges Rivers. Camden is among the worst hit towns, submerged for the fourth time this year while parts of Lansvale, Chipping Norton, and Moorebank also went underwater. The State Emergency Service responded to 3,500 calls for help since the weekend, with 400 calls made overnight, and carried out about 120 flood rescues, with those numbers expected to increase. The Bureau of Meteorology warned the rainfall was expected to continue along the coast for the rest of the week and more downpours were forecast throughout winter and possibly into next summer. SES spokesman Ashely Sullivan said even if the rain eased this week, as predicted, rivers would continue to rise because the ground was already saturated from the last flood emergency. Premier Dominic Perrottet urged residents to follow SES instructions and to not attempt to drive through the floodwaters. 'People drive through flood waters because they can't see the depth of the road beneath,' he said in a press conference on Monday. 'You cannot appreciate how deep that water is. Please do not drive through flood waters and keep you and your family safe and ensure the SES and other volunteers don't have to put their life on the line.' A man is rescued from his car by State Emergency Service workers in Windsor on Monday after thousands of residents were forced to leave their homes overnight and evacuation orders are in place across Sydney Anthony Albanese has faced criticism for being overseas while NSW suffers deadly floods - but his supporters defended his absence as he made an historic visit to war-torn Ukraine. The prime minister has been away since last Sunday on official trips to a NATO leaders' summit in Spain, a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and a high-security trip to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Despite all the trips being official business and in the national interest, some Aussies took to social media to say they would have preferred him to be at home as the hashtags 'Airbus Albo' and 'Where's Albo' trended on Twitter and others labelled him 'Anthony Overseasy'. Since winning the election on May 21, Mr Albanese has travelled more than 45,000km on trips to Japan, Indonesia, the UAE, Spain, France, Poland and Ukraine where, on Sunday, he announced a further $100million in aid for the nation's defence against Russia. He has spent one third of his time in office - 14 out of 42 days - overseas. Anthony Albanese (pictured in Kyiv) has faced criticism for being overseas while NSW suffers deadly floods - but his supporters defended his absence as he visited war-torn Ukraine Since winning the election on May 21, Mr Albanese has travelled more than 45,000km overseas Poll Should Albo have come home instead of going to Ukraine? Yes No Should Albo have come home instead of going to Ukraine? Yes 709 votes No 509 votes Now share your opinion Shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan said Mr Albanese, who will travel to Fiji for a Pacific Islands forum next week, was too focussed on international issues. 'Well, it is concerning because what he seems to be doing is focusing completely on the international front and good Prime Ministers can do both,' he told Sky News. The Prime Minister's office said he was being briefed on the NSW floods and will consider a trip to flooded areas after he returns late on Tuesday night. Angry Australians compared Mr Albanese's absence during the floods to Scott Morrison's infamous holiday to Hawaii during the December 2019 bushfires. Critics dredged up a tweet Mr Albanese made in March saying: 'If I'm Prime Minister, I won't go missing when the going gets tough - or pose for photos and then disappear when there's a job to be done. 'I'll show up, I'll step up - and I'll work every day to bring our country together.' Some also criticised the PM's decision to give more of taxpayers' money to Ukraine, although the move was supported by politicians across the aisle. Mr Albanese's critics said they would have preferred him to be at home as the hashtag 'Airbus Albo' trended on Twitter - but not everyone agreed Anthony Albanese (right) and Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroschnychenko (left) take a selfie as they visit Maidan square in Kyiv on Sunday But others said the Hawaii comparison was not fair because Mr Albanese was on key foreign policy trips while Mr Morrison had been sipping cocktails by the beach. At the NATO summit in Spain, Mr Albanese said it was highly beneficial for Australia to be there to discuss China's increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. The group declared China a 'security threat' for the first time. He then had a successful meeting with President Emmanuel Macron to repair frosty relations after Mr Morrison dumped a $90billion submarine deal with a French company and then leaked private texts between him and Mr Macron. Mr Albanese was also warmly received on his high-security trip to Ukraine. He is the first Aussie Prime Minister to visit the country and his important trip showed that the western world - beyond just Europe - is united against Russia's aggression. Australia is the largest non-NATO donor to the country's war effort after Moscow invaded in February. Others said the Hawaii comparison was not fair because Mr Albanese was on key foreign policy trips while Mr Morrison had been sipping cocktails by the beach Despite Mr Tehan's criticism, some Liberals including former PM Tony Abbott and Senator James Paterson praised Mr Albanese for his trip to Ukraine Former PM Scott Morrison was roasted for going on holiday to Hawaii (pictured) during bushfires Opposition leader Peter Dutton went on leave on Sunday and will not return to work until July 19. Heavy rain over the weekend has seen more than 32,000 people across NSW - mostly in Greater Sydney - urged to leave their homes while another 6,000 are on alert on Monday. One man, a kayaker, died after being pulled from Sydney's Parramatta River. Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt has been actively responding to the floods and has sent 200 ADF troops to help out. Some 30 suburbs are under threat of going underwater while 71 evacuation orders are in place as heavy rain continues to fall with NSW possibly facing the worst flooding in the past 18 months. Wallacia Caravan Park, areas of Emu Plains, parts of Penrith, parts of Lower Portland, Pitt Town, Agnes Banks and South Maroota were the latest regions to receive orders to evacuate by Monday morning. One man has died after being pulled from Sydney's Parramatta River. Pictured: Flooding in Greater Sydney Anthony Albanese (left) met with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky (right) on Sunday There is major flooding at North Richmond, with river levels exceeding that reached in March (15.92 metres), with further rises possible, and major concern of water levels at Sydney Basin, the Hawkesbury Nepean and Georges River. Camden is among the worst places hit with the town submerged for the fourth time this year while parts of Lansvale, Chipping Norton and Moorebank have also gone under water. Two ADF night-time helicopters and an additional 100 troops were deployed on Monday to assist during the emergency, totalling 200 defence personnel. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said while he had not yet spoken to the prime minister about the unfolding crisis, the federal and state emergency ministers were coordinating their response. 'We have worked with the Commonwealth government to get ADF support on the ground immediately, providing essential support, going from door-to-door, providing instructions and advice to those people who are flood-affected,' he told reporters on Monday. 'The fact that we have had... the ADF on the ground straightaway is incredibly pleasing and you can certainly see that has improved from the last flooding events we have had earlier in the year. 'We can always learn from events of the past to make sure we do better in the future.' A man is rescued from his car by State Emergency Service workers in Windsor on Monday Mr Albanese holds a plane while visiting an airport in Kyiv on Sunday Warragamba Dam has been heavily overflowing since Sunday due to rain fall Warragamba Dam in Sydney's south west has been spilling since the early hours of Sunday morning. The dam, which was already at high levels, began heavily overflowing due to the heavy downpour that battered Sydney over the weekend. It is now spilling water around the equivalent of the volume of water in Sydney Harbour on any given day, according to Water NSW. Warragamba Dam (pictured) has been heavily overflowing since Sunday. It is spilling around the equivalent of the volume of water found in Sydney Harbour on any given day The dam had an average spill rate of 240 gigalitres before reaching a peak of 515 gigalitres on Sunday afternoon, which is more than the 500 litres in Sydney Harbour. That lowered to 380 gigalitres overnight as the dam continued to overflow on Monday. Water NSW said in a statement: 'The spill volume from Warragamba will be influenced by the rain received in the catchment today.' 'All Water NSW major dams in the Sydney network continue to spill, but the rate is also receding.' 'Downstream impacts will ultimately be a combination of the spill volume combined with downstream tributary flows.' The high volume of spillage has raised concerns of potential flooding in the region as Sydney is hammered by heavy rain fall. (pictured, a Water NSW worker monitoring the dam November last year) Flooding may become an issue for regions surrounding Warragamba Dam and areas in Western Sydney as a result of the spillage. Weatherzone meteorologist Andrew Schmidt told Daily Mail Australia: 'With all these dams at such high capacity before the rain occurred, major to moderate flooding is the obvious concern.' Forecasters claim the heaviest rain fall from the wet weather event has already fallen across Sydney, with flooding now the main concern for the next few days. Some 30 suburbs are under threat of going underwater while 71 evacuation orders have been put in place as heavy rain continues to batter NSW, which is facing the worst flooding of a sodden past 18 months. Wallacia Caravan Park, areas of Emu Plains, parts of Penrith, parts of Lower Portland, Pitt Town, Agnes Banks and South Maroota were the latest regions to receive orders to evacuate by Monday morning. More than 32,000 people across the state had already been urged to leave their homes while another 6,000 told to be on alert and ready to leave as a further 64 evacuation warnings are put in place. More evacuation orders have been issued for thousands of residents as heavy rain and floods continue to pummel NSW (pictured, NSW SES Canterbury Unit evacuating residents in Chipping Norton and Lansvale regions) Windsor Bridge is almost completely submerged as water levels continued to rise along the Hawkesbury River on Monday There was major flooding at North Richmond, with river levels exceeding that reached in March (15.92 metres), with further rises possible, and major concern of escalating water levels at Sydney Basin, the Hawkesbury Nepean and Georges River. Camden is among the worst places hit with the town submerged for the fourth time this year while parts of Lansvale, Chipping Norton and Moorebank have also gone under water. The State Emergency Service has responded to 3,500 calls for help since the weekend, with 400 calls made overnight, and performed about 120 flood rescues, with that number expected to increase. The Bureau of Meteorology is also investigating whether a tornado or waterspout damaged 40 homes in Bellambi and Corrimal, in the Illawarra region, on Sunday. A driver became stranded in flood waters before SES personnel came to the rescue at Windsor in north-west of Sydney The driver rescued from his car trapped in floodwaters was ferried to safety by SES personnel in Windsor, north-west of Sydney The latest flooding across NSW comes as some home owners are still recovering from recent inundations. 'The latest information we have is that there's a very good chance that the flooding will be worse than any of the other three floods that those areas had in the last 18 months,' federal Emergency Management minister Murray Watt told ABC Radio. 'The other worrying aspect to this is that there are areas that haven't flooded before in the region in the last 18 months or so, which could well flood this time.' The Bureau of Meteorology has warned the rainfall is expected to continue to fall along the coast for the remainder of the week with more downpours coming throughout winter and possibly the spring. BoM blamed the prolonged conditions on the combination of a possible negative Indian Ocean Dipole and positive Southern Annular Mode. The NSW State Emergency Service said 83 people - including a mother and her newborn - had already been whisked to safety in the last 24 hours to Sunday. (pictured, flooding in the Chipping Norton, Nepean and Hawkesbury areas) Federal emergency management minister Murray Watt said he expected the state government to formally declare the latest flooding a 'disaster' (pictured, graphic depicting flood warnings across NSW) SES spokesman Ashley Sullivan says even if the rain eases this week, as predicted, rivers will continue to rise because the already saturated flood plains cannot absorb any water. 'We are seeing these rivers rise much faster than what's been predicted. Much faster than what we expected,' he told the Nine Network on Monday. 'Things are happening quicker. The risk ... has increased significantly.' Mr Watt said he expected the state government to formally declare the latest flooding a 'disaster'. 'We are expecting that will happen pretty soon and that will trigger a whole range of federal and state government support,' he told ABC News Breakfast. 'Everything from disaster payments to further counselling support. But as I say, I assure people that their pain is really felt at the federal and state levels and we will be standing with people as they seek to recover going forward.' A woman tragically killed in a horrific car crash with a logging truck on a country highway has been identified as a 'bright and bubbly' human resources manager. Clare Merriam, 38, from Western Australia and her partner Michael Place, 36, had travelled to Victoria to see his three children and were driving to Mount Gambier, across the South Australian border on Friday afternoon when they were involved in the crash. Ms Merriam, who was behind the wheel, sadly died at the scene and Mr Place's eight-year-old son in the back seat suffered serious injuries and was airlifted 450km to Royal Melbourne Children's Hospital. Mr Place, who was sitting in the passenger seat, his other son, aged 6, and his daughter, aged 4, were also injured. 'Kind and energetic' mining HR worker Clare Merriam (left) was sadly killed in a collision on Friday near Mt Gambier while her partner Michael Place (right) in the passenger seat was injured An eight-year-old boy in the back seat was airlifted to hospital (left, emergency helicopter) while another boy, 6, and girl, 4, seated in the rear of the car were taken to the local hospital with minor injuries Tributes have begun to flow for Ms Merriam, who worked at WA mining company Gold Fields as a people and engagement manager. 'Oh Clare. A life taken too soon, I miss you,' one heartbroken friend wrote to social media. Pictures posted to social media show Ms Merriam at various social functions and events, including at the opening night for WA Opera's production of Carmen and a fashion launch at Perth's trendy Flour Factory. The couple's next-door-neighbour Andy Aple, who knew the couple for a few years after they moved into the Perth home, described Ms Merriam as 'kind and energetic'. 'We'd see her walking her dog. She was very bright and bubbly, always keen for a chat,' Mr Aple told The West Australian. She worked for a more than a decade at different mining companies, including at BHP and Fortescue, and briefly worked at St John of God Health Care. It's understood Mr Place is a FIFO worker, also employed in the mining industry. Ms Merriam (pictured) had more than a decade of experience with mining companies such as BHP and Fortescue Emergency services were called to the intersection at Donovans and Glenelg River roads in Wye, south of Mount Gambier in South Australia, where a car and logging truck had collided (pictured) Emergency services were called to Wye, south of Mount Gambier, on Friday at about 12.30pm after the truck and car collided. Major crash investigators were on the scene later that afternoon and the investigation is ongoing. Mr Place's eight-year-old boy is understood to be fighting for life in the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. The truck driver, 58, was not injured and is assisting police with inquiries into the collision. One heartbroken friend took to social media to pay tribute to the popular HR manager (pictured) A young driver has avoided jail after ramming a Victorian police officer and breaking his leg while under the influence of drugs. Benjamin Saurini, 22, walked away with a two-year community corrections order after a County Court jury found him guilty of a charge of negligently causing serious injury. The court heard Saurini admitted he didn't see the officer standing in front of his vehicle because his car windows were so fogged up with cannabis smoke. Benjamin Saurini (pictured), 22, walked away with a two-year community corrections order after the jury found him guilty of negligently causing serious injury The court heard that in July 2019, Saurini and two of his friends were parked on the shoulder of Reservoir Road in Melbourne's north-western suburb of Sunbury, smoking cannabis. The jury heard the road was dark because there was no street lighting, ABC News reported. Senior Constable Rohan Brown noticed the parked car and went over and stood in front of Saurini's vehicle, the court heard. However, as the officer and his partner left their car, Saurini panicked and drove off, hitting and pinning Senior Constable Brown against his vehicle. As the officer and his partner left their car, Saurini panicked and drove off, hitting and pinning Senior Constable Brown against his vehicle Senior Constable Brown (pictured) broke his leg and later got an infection in that leg which almost killed him The court heard the Senior Constable broke his leg and later got an infection in that leg which almost killed him, according to 9News Melbourne. Saurini was acquitted of the most serious charges, but was found guilty of negligently causing serious injury. He was banned from driving for the next two years. Judge Peter Wischusen ordered him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work. The judge warned Saurini that he would go to jail if he breached the terms of his community order. A fourth Covid vaccine dose should be offered to all Australians over 50 as a way to reduce the risk from rising virus infections across the country, an epidemiologist has said. As Australia's death toll from the pandemic surpassed 10,000, infectious diseases paediatrician Professor Robert Booy said lowering the age limit for a fourth vaccine dose - or second booster - should be considered. Currently, a fourth dose is only available to those over 65, those in aged or disability care, as well as people who are severely immunocompromised. 'Getting the lower limit from 65 down to 50 is a good idea,' Prof Booy told Sky News on Monday. An epidemiologist has said all Australians over 50 should be offered a fourth Covid jab 'There's a lot of people with chronic medical conditions in their 50s and early 60s, and they would really benefit.' Prof Booy said about 20 per cent of the eligible population over 65 had yet to receive their fourth dose. 'They're playing roulette ... there's an effective vaccine. If you had three doses, the fourth will dramatically increase your protection,' he said. 'Having a booster some time in the last six months is very protective against hospitalisation and death.' As Covid cases continue to rise across Australia due to more transmissible strains of the Omicron variant, experts have called for a reintroduction of mask mandates in a bid to mitigate the spread. Currently, a fourth dose is only available to those over 65, those in aged or disability care, as well as people who are severely immunocompromised Professor Adrian Esterman said caution was needed as public health restrictions were eased. 'At the moment we are getting the BA.5 and BA.4 variants taking over from BA.2,' Prof Esterman told ABC TV on Monday. 'We are seeing the effective reproduction number - which tells us how bad or good things are going - greater than one in all states and territories. 'And that tells us that case numbers will be going up, hospitalisations will invariably go up ... and deaths will go up as well.' However, epidemiology chair at Deakin University Catherine Bennett said while mask use should be increased, mandates weren't the way to do it. 'When you have rules in place they start to wear out peoples' compliance or adherence to those rules, and the enforcement of those rules. We've seen that happen,' she told Melbourne radio station 3AW. As Australia's death toll from the pandemic surpassed 10,000, infectious diseases paediatrician Professor Robert Booy said lowering the age limit for a fourth vaccine dose - or second booster - should be considered 'Helping people to understand their risks relative to where they are, I think, can also make a difference.' Health authorities have urged almost six million Australians to get vaccine boosters to ease pressure on hospitals and ensure greater personal protection from the virus. It comes as border restrictions enforced in response to the virus are due to be dropped, with arriving passengers no longer required to declare their vaccination status or obtain a travel exemption. Changes to the Biosecurity Act coming into effect on Wednesday were made following advice from the Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly that it was no longer necessary for travellers to declare their vaccination status. The Digital Passenger Declaration required people entering Australia to provide their contact details as well as declare their vaccination status, where they had been in the past 14 days, and commit to following quarantine and testing requirements. A controversial vegan activist has vowed to leave her home in Western Australia forever after she was banned for nine months from every pub and restaurant in the state. Tash Peterson, 28, claimed her 'freedom of speech' was stripped away after she received a notice barring her from licensed premises in her home state. In a video shared to Facebook on Sunday, the Perth activist said she and partner Jack Higgs were 'getting the f**k out of WA' and had booked a one-way ticket to Melbourne. In a video shared to social media, vegan activist Tash Peterson (left) and her partner Jack Higgs (right) said they were moving to the east coast of Australia after she received a barring notice banning her from pubs and restaurants in WA The pair will arrive in Melbourne on July 13 and plan to stay one week before heading to Sydney. 'Melbourne here we come and east coast of Australia, here we come,' Ms Peterson said. 'We're up for anything, we're going to disrupt and break unjust laws to bring light to the animal holocaust.' 'My freedom of speech has been taken away from me ... I'm just going to protest over there (Melbourne and Sydney).' The prolific protester is making the move after she was served a barring notice for storming a Perth restaurant on June 4. The Perth-based activist wore a red-stained outfit and demanded diners to stop eating meat while playing sounds of animals being slaughter. The barring notices come after Ms Peterson stormed into a Perth restaurant on June 4 wearing blood-stained clothes and demanded diners to stop eating meat while she played sounds of animals being slaughtered (pictured) Tash Peterson is from WA and changed her number plate to 'VGANBOOTY', the same handle as her Instagram The animal activist claims the barring notice was used to 'silence' her and plans to appeal the state-wide ban. 'I did have a meeting with my barrister the other day and I am looking into appealing the barring notice because I believe it is an unjust violation of my rights to non-violently protest for animal rights,' Peterson said. 'It's just crazy that a nonviolent protester is given a barring notice when it has nothing to do with alcohol. 'There were some angry violent people that night, yet I'm the only one that received a barring notice.' Ms Peterson's antics have led police and politicians in WA to describe her as 'Australia's biggest pest'. She has copped several fines for her semi-nude demonstrations in designer stores, restaurants and supermarkets. In May, she accused a police officer of sexism after he asked her to cover her bare chest during one of her public protests. In the video, the plant-based protester held a sign that read: 'Kangaroos shot and joeys beaten to death for Nike shoes,' while wearing a kangaroo onesie tied around her waist. In May, Ms Peterson accused a police officer of sexism after he asked her to cover her bare chest during one of her public protests Last August, Ms Peterson marched topless through a Louis Vuitton store in Perth while smeared with her own menstrual blood, which later saw her fined $3,500 by a Perth magistrate. The activist has also dressed up as a cow and demonstrated in the meat section of supermarkets, invaded the pitch at an AFLW match, and wore a blood-soaked apron while screaming at patrons in a KFC and Coles. She also faced trial for a December 2020 protest at the Boatshed Markets in Cottesloe where she also appeared shirtless, with her chest painted in a cow pattern, and yelled at shoppers that cows were being raped for meat and dairy. The Aboriginal flag will become a permanent fixture on Melbourne's West Gate Bridge, the Victorian government has announced. The flag is currently atop of the iconic landmark to commemorate NAIDOC week and will remain there, alongside the Australian flag, when the celebration ends on Sunday. Victoria become the second state to permanently fly the Aboriginal flag on its most iconic bridge following the recent decision by NSW to install it on the Sydney Harbour Bridge by the end of year at a cost of $25million. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags have flown atop the West Gate Bridge during NAIDOC and Reconciliation weeks on a rotational basis since 2019. The Victorian state flag on the West Gate Bridge will be replaced by the Aboriginal flag The Victorian government said the move is to acknowledge the flag's importance as a symbol of unity, identity, and resilience for First Peoples statewide. 'The West Gate Bridge is one of our most visible landmarks,' Minister Ben Carroll said. 'Now, the thousands of motorists who use the bridge every day can view the Aboriginal flag flying proudly above our city.' The Aboriginal flag will replace Victoria's state flag atop the bridge until a more permanent solution is devised. The state government will look at ways to fly the Torres Strait Islander and Victorian flags alongside the Aboriginal and Australian ones. Indigenous leaders welcomed the move. 'The Aboriginal flag represents inclusiveness, recognition and respect and having it flown permanently atop the West Gate Bridge demonstrates this commitment to Aboriginal communities in Victoria,' Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation chair Kelly Lehmann said. Meanwhile, the Aboriginal flag will be flying permanently on the Sydney Harbour Bridge by the end of the year following a five-year campaign by community leaders. It will fly alongside the NSW state flag. The Aboriginal flag (pictured on the West Gate Bridge) will remain erected on the landmark NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said flying the flag alongside the Australian and NSW state flags was an important gesture towards Closing the Gap and addressing inequality. 'Our Indigenous history should be celebrated and acknowledged so young Australians understand the rich and enduring culture that we have here with our past,' he said last month. 'Installing the Aboriginal flag permanently on the Sydney Harbour Bridge will do just that and is a continuation of the healing process as part of the broader move towards reconciliation.' Anthony Albanese's partner Jodie Haydon shed tears during an emotional farewell t to the Prime Minister before he travelled to Ukraine. The pair shared a final hug before he secretly set off for the war-torn country from Paris at the weekend. Ms Haydon wrapped her arms around the Prime Minister and as he left, Ms Haydon was filmed being comforted by a Labor staffer and taking a few deep breaths. Jodie Haydon and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shared a last embrace before he travelled to Ukraine Ms Haydon was seen being comforted by Labor staffers after the PM left for the war-torn country She had accompanied Mr Albanese for his trip to Paris where he tried to heal the wounds with President Emmanuel Macron after Scott Morrison dumped the $90billion contract to buy French-made submarines. Mr Albanese travelled to Ukraine in a party including three members of the media amid very tight security. At least a dozen armed Australian Special Forces soldiers were on the ground to assist. The party's vehicle convoy carried weapons, body armour and medical provisions in case of an emergency. Ukrainian special forces, in full battle kit, also shadowed the prime minister's every move. Mr Albanese travelled first to Bucha, to pay his respects at a mass grave where 416 civilians were buried by Russian forces after being executed. 'Bucha is now a notorious name,' local council head Tars Shaprovskiy told him. 'This is a very sad place. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese toured damaged residential areas on the outskirts of Kyiv during the top secret visit 'Every one of them shot. This was not collateral damage, this was intentional. 'One of the slaughterhouses was a summer camp. There were four volunteers there. They were all shot.' Mr Albanese told him: 'Australia shares your desire to seek justice for these war crimes, and we will continue to do so'. The grave, behind the town's Church of St Andrews, has become a pilgrimage site for visiting dignitaries. In a chapel underneath the church, Mr Albanese joined the congregation, lighting a candle for the victims of the massacre. Mr Albanese travelled in an armoured LandCruiser. Local traffic was blocked wherever his party went, with soldiers and police stationed along the route. Armed Ukrainian troops kept a vigilant guard as Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese toured Maidan Square in the war-torn capital of Kyiv on Sunday Central Kyiv is largely undamaged but concrete blocks and sandbags protect major buildings, and large welded steel road spikes sit at the sides of key routes into the city, ready to be deployed if the city is targeted again. Some shops and hotels have reopened. There was even a small group of tourists milling around near the Intercontinental Hotel, which Mr Albanese's team used as a base during the visit. But 30 minutes north of the city, signs of war are obvious - blown out buildings, missile craters, broken windows, piled-up wrecks of burned out cars and sandbagged foxholes under the cover of trees. Mr Albanese is seen walking through the streets of Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv Ahead of his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday afternoon, Mr Albanese visited the destroyed Hostomel Airport, the site of a failed Russian paratrooper assault in the initial days of the invasion aimed at securing the facility to surge in troops and supplies by air. He shook his head as he surveyed the wreckage of the what was once the world's largest aircraft, the Antonov Mriya, which translates to 'The Dream'. He spoke to members of the national guard unit that faced a determined attack by Russian forces to land helicopters at the airfield, which could have changed the course of the war. As he left, they gave him a model of the famous Antonov plane. Mr Albanese said as a former aviation minister, he was touched by the gesture, and the model would take 'pride of place' in his prime ministerial office. The PM has also promised an extra $100million in military aid to Ukraine and will provide 34 additional armoured vehicles. The $99.5million boost is on top of a previously announced $285million in military assistance, which included 40 Bushmasters and artillery pieces and $65million in humanitarian assistance. Australia's aid to Ukraine now totals about $390million. Mr Albanese also announced a ban on imports of Russian gold and sanctions and travel bans on 16 more Russian ministers and oligarchs, bringing the total number to 843 individuals and 62 entities targeted. Meeting with Mr Zelenskiy, the prime minister reaffirmed Australia's support for Ukraine and promised to back the nation. 'I pay tribute to the courage, resilience, bravery and determination of you as the leader of Ukraine, of your defence force, but importantly as well of your entire population who are determined to stand up to a bully which is breaching international law without any provocation or any excuse,' Mr Albanese said. 'Australia stands ready to continue to support the government and the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes for Ukraine to emerge victorious in defence of your national sovereignty and your homeland.' Australia is the largest non-NATO contributor to the effort to support Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in February. Mr Albanese is expected to arrive back in Australia on Tuesday. The PM has also promised an extra $100 million in military aid to Ukraine and will provide 34 additional armoured vehicles (pictured in Irpin, Ukraine) 'Airbus Albo' divides Aussies as critics slam him for staying overseas as NSW grapples with deadly floods - but supporters say there's NO comparison to when ScoMo went to Hawaii during bushfires Anthony Albanese has faced criticism for being overseas while NSW suffers deadly floods - but his supporters defended his absence as he made an historic visit to war-torn Ukraine. The prime minister has been away since last Sunday on official trips to a NATO leaders' summit in Spain, a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and a high-security trip to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Despite all the trips being official business and in the national interest, some Aussies took to social media to say they would have preferred him to be at home as the hashtags 'Airbus Albo' and 'Where's Albo' trended on Twitter and others labelled him 'Anthony Overseasy'. Since winning the election on May 21, Mr Albanese has travelled more than 45,000km on trips to Japan, Indonesia, the UAE, Spain, France, Poland and Ukraine where, on Sunday, he announced a further $100million in aid for the nation's defence against Russia. Anthony Albanese (pictured in Kyiv) has faced criticism for being overseas while NSW suffers deadly floods - but his supporters defended his absence as he visited war-torn Ukraine Since winning the election on May 21, Mr Albanese has travelled more than 45,000km overseas Poll Should Albo have come home instead of going to Ukraine? Yes No Should Albo have come home instead of going to Ukraine? Yes 709 votes No 509 votes Now share your opinion Shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan said Mr Albanese, who will travel to Fiji for a Pacific Islands forum later this week, was too focussed on international issues. 'Well, it is concerning because what he seems to be doing is focusing completely on the international front and good Prime Ministers can do both,' he told Sky News. The Prime Minister's office said he was being briefed on the NSW floods and will consider a trip to flooded areas after he returns late on Tuesday night. Angry Australians compared Mr Albanese's absence during the floods to Scott Morrison's infamous holiday to Hawaii during the December 2019 bushfires. Critics dredged up a tweet Mr Albanese made in March saying: 'If I'm Prime Minister, I won't go missing when the going gets tough - or pose for photos and then disappear when there's a job to be done. 'I'll show up, I'll step up - and I'll work every day to bring our country together.' Some also criticised the PM's decision to give more of taxpayers' money to Ukraine, although the move was supported by politicians across the aisle. Mr Albanese's critics said they would have preferred him to be at home as the hashtag 'Airbus Albo' trended on Twitter - but not everyone agreed Anthony Albanese (right) and Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroschnychenko (left) take a selfie as they visit Maidan square in Kyiv on Sunday But others said the Hawaii comparison was not fair because Mr Albanese was on key foreign policy trips while Mr Morrison had been sipping cocktails by the beach. At the NATO summit in Spain, Mr Albanese said it was highly beneficial for Australia to be there to discuss China's increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. The group declared China a 'security threat' for the first time. He then had a successful meeting with President Emmanuel Macron to repair frosty relations after Mr Morrison dumped a $90billion submarine deal with a French company and then leaked private texts between him and Mr Macron. Mr Albanese was also warmly received on his high-security trip to Ukraine. He is the first Aussie Prime Minister to visit the country and his important trip showed that the western world - beyond just Europe - is united against Russia's aggression. Australia is the largest non-NATO donor to the country's war effort after Moscow invaded in February. Others said the Hawaii comparison was not fair because Mr Albanese was on key foreign policy trips while Mr Morrison had been sipping cocktails by the beach Opposition leader Peter Dutton went on leave on Sunday and will not return to work until July 19. Heavy rain over the weekend has seen more than 32,000 people across NSW - mostly in Greater Sydney - urged to leave their homes while another 6,000 are on alert on Monday. One man, a kayaker, died after being pulled from Sydney's Parramatta River. Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt has been actively responding to the floods and has sent 200 ADF troops to help out. Advertisement Police in Akron, Ohio, unleashed a wave of tear gas on protesters who gathered outside of the city's main courthouse on Sunday night. Several hundred protesters marched in the city in the hours after the Akron Police Department released the bodycam footage showing the shooting death of 25-year-old Jayland Walker. Walker was killed after being shot at least 60 times by Akron cops following a traffic stop on June 27. Riot police used tear gas in response to a protester who was taking down barriers that were set up outside of the police headquarters. Authorities responded by coming out in 'full riot gear,' reports WKYC. While fleeing the tear gas, protesters began driving their cars on the sidewalk to get around snowplows parked in the road to block off the high street - and some protesters launched smoke bombs in the streets, reports the Akron Beacon Journal. One protester began breaking the windows of several snowplows whilst a row of dumpsters was also pictured on fire, although there does not appear to be any major damage to property in the city. A man gestures toward troopers in riot gear as police deployed tear gas and stun grenades to clear the area around Akron City Hall and Akron Police Station during a protest over the killing of Jayland Walker, shot by police, in Akron on Sunday Demonstrators face troopers in riot gear as police deployed tear gas to clear the crowd in Akron on Sunday Troopers in riot gear and police officers deployed tear gas and stun grenades to clear the area around Akron City Hall and Akron Police Station on Sunday One protester, who goes by the moniker Comrade Ohio on Twitter, tweeted a video showing a dumpster on fire in the city. The dumpster is located close to the police headquarters ComradeOhio also shared clips of tear gas being deployed during Sunday's disturbances Riot police are pictured gathered in Akron on Sunday evening Jayland Walker, 25, was shot dead by police in Akron, Ohio after officers tried to stop him for a traffic violation WKYC's Neil Fischer said that police used 'at least a dozen' tear gas cans on protesters which resulted in many of the gathered crowd leaving the area. Fisher said that you could smell the tear gas in the air more than 15 minutes after it was used. Fellow WKYC reporter Emma Henderson tweeted: 'Tear gas is flowing. We were well over a block away from where it was fired and it's in our noses, eyes and throats. Protesters are finding each other water and moving away.' One protester, who goes by the moniker Comrade Ohio on Twitter, tweeted a video showing a dumpster on fire in the city. The dumpster is located close to the police headquarters, reports WKYC. He tweeted: 'City gonna burn. Tear gas deployed. Justice for Jayland Walker. Abolish APD. They are flying the blue line flag. Come downtown y'all. We need more people.' Following the release of the bodycam footage showing the shooting of Walker, the Fraternal Order of Police's Akron Lodge #7 said that the car being driven by the victim was involving a 'felony fleeing police chase' the previous morning. #Akron police have shot what is believed to be tear gas towards protesters. pic.twitter.com/l0QyINy2zD Dave Bondy (@DaveBondyTV) July 4, 2022 Law enforcement has dispersed another can of tear gas after a car and motorcycle drove right up to the fully armed officers. #Akron #JaylandWalker @wkyc pic.twitter.com/Rmbq3GfDJT Neil Fischer (@NeilFischerTV) July 4, 2022 Tear gas deployed Justice For Jayland Walker #JusticeForJayland #JaylandWalker Akron Ohio. we're outside. Abolish APD. They are flying blue line flag. Come downtown yall. We need more people #Akron pic.twitter.com/fnNc58s1nF Comrade Ohio (@ComradeOhio) July 4, 2022 That chase took place just north of Akron in Franklin Township. The press release adds: 'We believe the independent investigation will justify the officers' actions, including the number of shots fired. The decision to deploy lethal force as well as the number of shots fired is consistent with use of force protocols and officers' training.' The Akron NAACP held a rally and march in downtown Sunday after police released the body camera footage. Sunday marks the fourth day of protests calling for accountability and transparency within the Akron Police Department. The protest that took place outside of the courthouse and the police headquarters was not part of the NAACP march, reports Cleveland.com. The crowd outside of the courtroom tweeted: 'Hey, hey, ho, ho, these racist cops have got to go.' According to Cleveland.com, many from the NAACP march eventually joined the protest outside of the police station. A woman stands in front of troopers in riot gear during the protests in Akron on Sunday night Troopers in riot gear watch as demonstrators gather outside Akron City Hall to protest the killing of Jayland Walker, who was shot by police, in Akron on Sunday Police officers in riot gear watch as demonstrators gather outside Akron City Hall to protest the killing of Jayland Walker in Akron Demonstrators face troopers in riot gear as police deployed tear gas and stun grenades to clear the area around Akron City Hall and Akron Police Station during a protest over the killing of Jayland Walker, shot by police, in Akron on Sunday One woman was quoted by the website as saying over a megaphone: 'I didn't know him, but I feel y'all pain. I want y'all to know, this thing is trending everywhere, Nigeria, Germany. We can't let this keep happening to us. My heart goes out to all of [those] getting killed in these streets. It ain't right, we need to stand together.' During that woman's speech, she said that she refused to buy her son a toy gun because she was afraid that police officers would mistake it for a real gun. An armed member of the Black Panthers told 19 News on Sunday: 'That was murder. They [police] lying. They shot him while he was running. He was running away from them. That was murder.' The station said that the man was with at least three other armed men in the protest. Earlier in the day, demonstrators held 'Justice for Jayland' signs as they gathered outside Akron City Hall to protest the killing of Jayland Walker in Akron on Sunday afternoon Demonstrators gather outside Akron City Hall to protest the killing of Jayland Walker, shot by police, in Akron, on Sunday People walk in an NAACP-led march and rally for Jayland Walker, on Sunday in Akron, Ohio LeBron James, who was born and grew up in Akron, asked his followers to pray for his city LeBron later released a separate statement through his foundation's Instagram page Meanwhile Los Angeles Lakers and Akron native LeBron James tweeted shortly after the bodycam footage was made public: 'I pray for my city today!' In a separate statement on his foundation's Instagram page, LeBron said: 'Akron is our home and it is our daily work to build up and bring people together in positive and peaceful ways, which is what we will support today and always.' It continued: 'This starts with justice and accountability first and continues with love, family, and coming together to create change. We are family.' Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan also commented on the footage, saying: 'The video is heartbreaking, it's hard to take in.' Jayland Walker's family have pleaded with protesters to remain peaceful in the wake of his death Attorney Bobby DiCello, who represents Walker's family, described the video as 'brutal' in comments published on Saturday by the Akron Beacon Journal. He said Walker's relatives worried that protests this weekend could turn violent. 'We're all bracing for the community's response, and the one message that we have is the family does not need any more violence,' DiCello said. Officials joined the family on Sunday, calling for peaceful demonstrations as furious residents take to the streets. Walker's aunt, Minnie, called for peace saying: 'We don't show credibility if we don't do it right.' Walker's relative Robert Dejournett, a pastor at St. Ashworth Temple Church of God in Christ in Akron, told CNN: 'We're God-fearing folk who believe in God and we want to exemplify that even in this process. We don't want any rioting or anything like that.' Dejournett said the family hopes the shooting will lead to systematic change. 'We want to take that, and we want to use it for the benefit of systemic change,' Dejournett said. 'We want to be treated like human beings, you know, black men, young men, they're afraid when it comes to police -- that shouldn't be,' he said. In May 2020, the Akron Police Department fired multiple volleys of tear gas on protesters just in the protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, reports the Akron Beacon Journal. The shocking footage showed multiple officers approach Walker's vehicle and open fire as he fled on foot. The hail of bullets sounded like 'a whole brick of fireworks going off,' the family's attorney alleged. Video from the scene also showed a gun on the front seat of Walker's car, contradicting earlier reports that the 25-year-old had been unarmed. The cameras captured what appeared to be a flash of a gun coming from Walker's car during the chase. Akron police previously claimed Walker had fired a gun at officers who were pursuing him. The medical examiner determined Walker had suffered 60 gunshot wounds during the incident, Akron Police Chief Stephen Mylett confirmed Sunday. The exact number of shots fired remains under investigation, but initial estimates suggested a hail of 90 bullets. The hail of bullets sounded like 'a whole brick of fireworks going off,' the family's attorney said Police have released heartbreaking body camera footage of the moment Jayland Walker was shot 60 times in hail of 90 bullets on June 27 Police have released heartbreaking body camera footage of the moment Jayland Walker was shot 60 times in hail of 90 bullets on June 27 Video from the scene showed a gun on the front seat of Walker's car, contradicting earlier reports that the 25-year-old had been unarmed Mylett said officers rendered aid to Walker as soon as gunfire ceased, but he still died at the scene. Eight cops were directly involved in the shooting. Mylett said they have been placed administrative leave while the Bureau of Criminal Investigation probes the incident. The shooting was the latest in a spate of killings of black men by law enforcement in the United States that critics say are unjustified, including the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis that ignited global protests against police brutality and racial injustice. Police released two police body-camera videos from the fatal shooting during Sunday's press conference. The first video showed cops pursuing Walker's silver Buick on Route 8 around 12.30am in Akron's North Hill neighborhood. They attempted to pull him over for a traffic and equipment violation. The video showed Walker's car taking an onramp and a flash of light that Mylett said appeared to be a flash of a gun coming from the driver's side of Walker's car. A second camera recorded officers saying they heard at least one shot being fired from Walker's vehicle. The cops follow Walker off Route 8 and continue the pursuit on the city streets. Walker slowed down and jumped out of the car before it came to a full stop. Video then shows the 25-year-old exiting the passenger side door in a ski mask and running off. Multiple officers run after Walker, who seemingly looked over his shoulder, while cops opened fire at him. Mylett claims he watched the video at least 40 times and stated there are still photos showing Walker apparently reach for his waistband, turn towards cops and move his arm forward. DailyMail.com cannot verify Mylett's statements as Walker's face and body were blurred out in the video at the request of his family. The city of Akron has a population of around 200,000 and is located 30 miles southeast of Cleveland. Investigators have seized crucial equipment from a popular adventure park after a young boy fell seven metres to the ground in a horror zipline accident as shocked customers rush to defend the business's safety protocols. The nine-year-old boy was visiting TreeTop Challenge in Woombye on Queensland's Sunshine Coast on Sunday when he fell from the zipline around 3.25pm on Sunday, suffering back and abdomen injuries. Emergency teams raced to the scene and found the child on the ground around 50 metres into the course. He was taken to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a stable condition where he is currently recovering. Previous park visitors have since flocked online to reveal their shock over the accident given their experiences with the 'diligent' business and its rigorous safety procedures. Now, as authorities work to piece together what went wrong, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland have revealed the boy's harness and part of the zipline have been seized. The boy had been at the TreeTop Challenge in Woombye (pictured), on Queensland 's Sunshine Coast, at around 3.25pm on Sunday when the accident occurred 'Workplace Health and Safety Queensland has commenced a comprehensive investigation into the incident with inspectors, investigators and experts from our Engineering Unit on-site today,' a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. 'Relevant equipment has been seized, including part of the zip line and harness. At this stage, zipline activity has not resumed. 'As an investigation has commenced, WHSQ will not be making any further comment.' Under national laws, inspectors have the power to seize items during investigations due to several circumstances, including to prevent the loss of the evidence or use of the thing where the inspector believes the object is evidence of an offence. Other reasons for objects to be removed include for the item to be analysed, tested or examined, if the inspector believes the thing, workplace or part of the workplace is defective, hazardous or likely to cause an injury, or if seizing the thing is consistent with the purpose of entry. The boy (not pictured) was taken to hospital where he will undergo tests to check for potential spinal cord injuries. Pictured: Two people visit TreeTop Challenges in May Emergency services are seen at the park after the accident on Sunday afternoon Daily Mail Australia does not suggest wrongdoing on behalf of TreeTop Challenge. Meanwhile, many shocked locals are struggling to come to terms with how the accident unfolded, saying the business is very safety conscious. A mother who visited with her husband, son, 14, and daughter, last Wednesday said the staff were 'great' at checking her family's equipment. 'They would check after the group returned off a challenge then checked it all again before starting a challenge,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'They [my husband and kids] weren't allowed to go on difficult challenges until they had successfully completed the beginner ones. 'I just don't understand how he could have fallen off.' The park opened in 2019, offering an adult ziplining adventure - one for those aged eight and over - before last year opening its junior course, for children between three to 9 years. Workplace Health and Safety investigators have seized some equipment. Pictured: TreeTop Challenges in Woombye The two challenges have several courses, which are each comprised of varying difficulty levels. The mother said participants must view a detailed safety explainer video prior to starting the adventure and instructors are stationed throughout to assist. 'Once you are hooked on the [zipline] course, you are on it until you finish. If you go to the bathroom, you are told to remove your harness, and once you put it back on to have an instructor check it before returning to the other courses,' she said. 'I can only think this has happened because someone with no experience has played with the harness or there has been equipment failure.' Others similarly could not fathom how the incident could have occurred. 'I don't understand how this can happen,' one woman wrote. 'I went there recently and you are clipped in before your feet leave the ground and can't unclip until you are on the ground again.' Another added: 'TreeTop Challenge do a magnificent job harnessing everyone and making sure everyone is safe.' 'I really hope the boy recovers quickly... the park itself is great safe and fun.' Treetop Challenge offers 12 ziplines ranging from three to 35 metres off the ground Police and workplace health and safety officers were at the scene late on Sunday night. The boy is understood to have been at the park with his family. Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman Lorenz Kleinberg said the nine-year-old was awake and talking throughout the ordeal. X-rays will be conducted to determine if there he suffered any spinal injuries. Treetop Challenge offers 12 ziplines ranging from three to 35 metres off the ground. It's website describes it as the 'highest, largest and most thrilling high ropes adventure park' in the country. 'Each session lasts for 2hrs which includes a 30 minute induction of equipment fitting and training, your child can then conduct as many courses as they would like!' the website reads. 'You don't need any experience as our team are there to ensure your child has an amazing time.' Vice President Kamala Harris likened the end of Roe v. Wade to slavery by saying that the Supreme Court's ruling was an example of the United States government 'trying to claim ownership over human bodies.' Harris made the comparison while speaking at the Essence Festival in New Orleans on Saturday. 'We have to recognize we're a nation that was founded on certain principles that are that are grounded in the concept of freedom and liberty,' she told the crowd. 'We also know that we've had a history in this country of government trying to claim ownership over human bodies. And we had supposedly evolved from that time and that way of thinking. So this is very problematic on so many levels.' Although she didn't explicitly reference the horrors of slavery, Harris is widely-believed to have been referring to the United States' grim past of buying and selling black people. Vice President Kamala Harris likened the end of Roe v. Wade to slavery by saying that the Court's ruling was an example of the US 'trying to claim ownership over human bodies' Her remarks were made eight days after the highest court overturned the 1973 landmark ruling, which had guaranteed nationwide abortion access for nearly 50 years. At least 26 states are now set to enact partial or total bans on abortion, with Democrat-run areas offering to act as 'sanctuaries' for women from states where bans have been imposed to come and receive free terminations. On June 24, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 striking down a historic ruling that has been upheld for nearly a half a century, permitting abortions during the first two trimesters of pregnancy in the United States. Now, states have the authority to ban or restrict abortions. Some states have already proceeded with plans to do so, including Florida, Indiana, Montana, Nebraska, Georgia, Iowa and South Carolina, while other state officials are attempting to reestablish the right to the procedure. 'This is a serious matter,' Harris told the crowd at the festival, during a fireside conversation alongside actress Keke Palmer. 'And it requires all of us to speak up, to speak out, and to be active,' she added. The VP spoke out against the court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization in a speech last Friday after the ruling was announced. Thirteen states passed trigger laws to restrict or ban abortion in the event Roe v. Wade was overturned NEW YORK: Pro-abortion protesters are pictured demonstrating in Manhattan on July 2 LOS ANGELES: In Los Angeles, one protestor covers herself in red paint expressing her outrage with the high court's abortion ban 'Millions of women in America will go to bed tonight without access to the healthcare and reproductive care that they had this morning,' Harris told the crowd. 'Without access to the same healthcare or reproductive healthcare that their mothers and grandmothers had for 50 years.' 'Today's decision on that theory, then, calls into question other rights that we thought were settled,' she added, pointing to interracial and same-sex marriage. A furious passenger has blasted Virgin Australia, claiming a crew captain on his flight complained about mask mandates despite the nation still recording thousands of Covid cases a day. Lawyer and researcher Eddie Synot said he was flying from Brisbane to Sydney on July 1 when the crew captain, not be to confused with the flight captain, joked about Covid, whinged about the mask mandate and encouraged fellow passengers to complain to the government. 'Extremely inappropriate Virgin Australia that your crew captain ... is complaining to passengers about federal government mask mandates and encouraging them to complain to the government,' Mr Synot tweeted on Friday. 'This is an enclosed space with limited circulation and Covid remains a serious threat,' he said, adding that his toddler is unvaccinated, he has a pregnant wife and many of his extended family are at increased risk. A passenger onboard a Virgin Australia flight has slammed the airline over a cabin crew captain not taking the Covid mask rules seriously (pictured) Mr Synot said he has an unvaccinated toddler, a pregnant wife, and many of his Indigenous relatives were at increased risk from Covid Mr Synot said he did not want to get anyone in trouble with his tweet but simply wanted to highlight that this is still an issue and the rules should be followed. 'I'm not calling for ppl (sic) to be punished ... My concern is to highlight and ensure messaging is enforced. Covid remains serious threat. My toddler is unvaccinated, my wife pregnant and many extended family at increased risk. It's not a joke,' he said. The airline replied to Mr Synot's comment and apologised. 'The health and safety of everyone onboard is always our number one priority, and for this reason, we strongly encourage all guests to comply with health orders and wear face masks,' a spokesperson said. 'We also require our cabin crew wear face masks while working on board an aircraft. We have sent you a DM to confirm the date of your flight so we can investigate this matter further.' The airline issued a public apology to Mr Synot and said it 'encouraged' passengers to wear the masks and 'required' crew to While mask rules have been lifted in most situations, masks are still compulsory on all domestic flights and on international flights returning to Australia. The mask mandate across Australia's airports was lifted in June. Planes have HEPA filters as part of their air-conditioning systems which can remove almost all airborne pathogens, however, this does not remove the risk from sitting near a person with Covid who could directly breath or cough the virus onto you. A March 2021 research paper published in the Journal of Travel Medicine found that in a 12-hour flight where no passengers were wearing masks and one person was infected, there was an 11 per cent risk of catching the virus. However, for someone sitting in close proximity to that person the risk rose to as much as 99.6 per cent. If everyone on board was wearing a mask, combined with the HEPA filtered air-conditioning, the infection risk dropped to 3 per cent. The mask rule is still in place in all airports, on all domestic flights and international flights into and out of Australia (pictured: Sydney airport) Australia recorded another 29,677 Covid cases in the 24 hours to Monday and 118 people are being treated in the ICU. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Virgin Australia for comment. Qantas will maintain its vaccination mandate for international flights despite Australia finally dropping the strict border requirement. From midnight on Wednesday, July 6, the country will drop the jab rule for all overseas arrivals as the country shifts back to pre-pandemic measures. However Qantas - one of the first Australian companies to introduce mandates for staff and passengers alike - will resist calls to follow the national advice and will keep the condition in place. A spokeswoman for the national carrier confirmed there were no immediate plans to overturn the decision. Qantas will maintain its vaccination mandate for international flights despite Australia dropping the border requirement on Wednesday Qantas remains locked in a legal battle with former staff who were sacked over refusing to get the jab last year. The decision to keep the vaccine mandates come despite CEO Alan Joyce publicly pushing for in-flight and airport mask mandates to be axed. The federal government is also dropping digital passenger declarations for arrivals into the country. Clare O'Neil, the Home Affairs Minister, said Labor is looking at phasing out the old paper entry form to a digital version, but admitted it needed 'a lot more work to make it user friendly'. Virgin Australia are currently reviewing its own vaccination rule, while the other major airlines don't have any rules on the jab. Despite maintaining its staunch vaccination rule, under fire CEO Alan Joyce has been vocal about easing mandates around mask use Officials were planning to speak with airlines on Monday to go over the changes to border entry. The relaxing of vaccine rules is welcome news for tourism, with Brisbane Airport's CEO telling the Telegraph it cleared another 'hurdle' for international travel. 'Australia is competing for every tourist dollar, and for thousands of potential visitors, this will make us a more attractive destination,' Gert-Jan de Graaff said. 'We know the travel industry globally is facing staffing challenges as we gear back up to pre-Covid levels, and this will certainly help.' Lynette Dawson made a deliberate decision to leave home in 1982 without taking any belongings to make it seem like her husband had killed her, a court has been told. Giving evidence in Christopher Michael Dawson's Sydney murder trial on Monday, Paul Steven Cooper said he had met a woman he was sure was Mrs Dawson early in 1982 at a pub in Warners Bay, on Lake Macquarie. Cooper claimed to have struck up a conversation with the woman who said she had left her husband and children and was working up the courage to see her sister. Telling the woman that the police might think she had been killed by her husband because she had left all her belongings, Cooper said he was shocked by the response. A witness told the court he spoke to a woman he believed to be Lynette Dawson (right) shortly after she vanished in 1982 'When I looked back at her, she had a different demeanour at that time and it shocked me because I thought that might have been the intent,' he told Justice Ian Harrison. Cooper claimed the woman was waiting for a passport and was planning to fly first to Bali and then onto another overseas country. She allegedly asked Cooper to book a motel for her because she had no identification. After seeing a report on Mrs Dawson on A Current Affair three years ago, Cooper said he contacted Dawson's lawyer Greg Walsh. He told the court he didn't contact the police, fearing they would be 'biased'. Cross-examined by crown prosecutor Craig Everson SC, Cooper admitted that he had spent time in prison for possessing cannabis and heroin, armed robbery, theft, and break and enter. The man claimed Lynette (pictured with her husband and daughter Shanelle) said she left her husband and children and was waiting for a passport so that she could travel to Bali He had also appeared before court for breaching apprehended violence orders. While Cooper could not remember details such as whether he had asked for the woman's name, he was adamant that he was telling the truth. His own father had killed his wife, and he would not be here defending Dawson if he thought the murder allegations were true, the court heard. 'I'm not here just to muck around. I'm here because I believe what I say,' he said. Despite Cooper claiming the woman said her sister lived near Warners Bay, Mr Everson pointed out that Mrs Dawson's actual sister, Pat Jenkins, lived a three-and-a-half hour drive away at Stuarts Point. Dawson, now 73, is accused of murdering his wife and disposing of her body on January 9, 1982 so he could have an unfettered relationship with his then teenage lover and former high school student, known as JC. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge. Also on Monday, Justice Harrison dismissed evidence by Robert Silkman that Dawson had approached him on a busy plane flight from the Gold Coast to Sydney in 1975 to ask if he knew someone who could get rid of Mrs Dawson. Paul Steven Cooper contacted Chris Dawson's (left) lawyers after he saw a media report of Mrs Dawson (right) three years ago Silkman's evidence was put forward to show Dawson had specific tendencies that pointed to the murder of his wife. Dawson's legal team attacked Silkman's credibility, pointing out that he had frequently lied to police and the courts, and had spent time in jail for theft and arson. His evidence was rejected alongside testimony of three other witnesses Judith Solomon, KF and Roslyn McLoughlin who claimed they saw Mrs Dawson with black eyes or bruises before she disappeared in January 1982. Closing the Crown's case, Mr Everson said Dawson had thrown up lies and smokescreens to deflect attention away from the murder. The timing of Mrs Dawson's disappearance with her husband's unopposed access to JC was neither serendipitous nor innocent, the barrister said. 'We say that an innocent explanation for Lynette Dawson's disappearance puts such an incredible strain on human experience because it is so unbelievable,' he told the court. Chris Dawson (pictured leaving the Supreme Court of New South Wales in Sydney) is accused of murdering his wife and disposing of her body on January 9, 1982 so he could have an unfettered relationship with his then teenage lover Details of Dawson's claims he had been contacted by his wife after January 9, 1982 had shifted and changed over the years, Mr Everson said. Allegations that Mrs Dawson was seen alive after that date also varied, including that she was with a religious organisation, living in a Blue Mountains commune, or residing in Queensland or New Zealand. 'Everything that he said about those destinations was vague, unverifiable and unlikely to attract suspicion in his direction,' Mr Everson said. The trial continues. The ex-boyfriend of a missing Melbourne woman will stand trial after pleading not guilty to her murder. Toby Loughnane was on Monday ordered to stand trial, accused of killing his former partner Maryam Hamka 14 months ago. Her body has never been found. 'I am not guilty,' Loughnane told the court via videolink from prison on Monday. Missing Melbourne woman Maryam Hamka (pictured) vanished without a trace 14 months ago. Her body has never been found His former girlfriend Ms Hamka, 36, was last seen leaving a Woolworths supermarket in inner-city Brunswick on April 10, 2021 after telling family she was going to visit a friend in Brighton. A significant stain with a blood-like appearance was found on a section of carpet at the bottom of the stairs in Loughnane's Brighton home, the court heard. But no DNA profile could be obtained from the sample, forensic expert Maxwell Jones told the court. That could have been because a small amount of blood was spread out, consistent with situations where a person has tried to clean up blood, he said. 'That may be one explanation as to why we got such a broad luminol reaction in that area of carpet,' he said. Maryam Hamka was captured on CCTV leaving a Woolworths supermarket in inner-city Brunswick on April 10, 2021. It was the last time she was seen alive Magistrate Johanna Metcalf found after a committal hearing that began in May that there is sufficient evidence to support a murder conviction. Another man, Oscar Newman, will also stand trial charged with assisting Loughnane to avoid apprehension between April 11 and 15. He has also pleaded not guilty. Loughnane remains behind bars in custody while Newman remains on bail. Both men are expected to appear in the Victorian Supreme Court for a directions hearing on July 19. A charity fundraiser today claimed that disgraced Tory MP Chris Pincher groped his thigh and bottom and gave him the 'come on' including suggestively praising his 'muscles' and 'stamina' while they posed for the picture below. Mark Dabbs, who is straight, claims the Conservative began making inappropriate comments and then touching him when he was trying to raise cash for their local hospice in Tamworth, Staffordshire. He said: 'When we took a photo he was touching me, then feeling my bottom. He was helping me with my charity work and I think he thought he'd get something in return.' His claims only emerged after the Tory MP was forced to quit as Boris Johnson's deputy chief whip after drunkenly groping two men in a London members-only club last week. The Prime Minister is under huge pressure to reveal what he knew about his MP's behaviour, given an allegation that Mr Johnson joked in 2020 that he was 'Pincher by name, Pincher by nature', long before he made him his deputy chief whip in February. NHS worker Mr Dabbs is now the seventh person to claim that Pincher was guilty of inappropriate behaviour, and on this occasion Pincher was 'stone-cold sober' at the meeting in 2018. He said: 'He waited until we were alone and then said some inappropriate things. He said how tall and slim I was, then wanted to know if I had a partner. I said I was a runner. And quick as a flash he replied, "Oh, that's why you're so slim". Then, with a twinkle in his eye, he said, 'I bet you've got stamina'. 'Then he said to me, "I bet you have strong legs" before starting feeling the top of my thighs. He said I was very muscly. I thought it was all very strange. He was very suggestive. It was vile. I was shocked that an MP would behave in this way.' MailOnline has asked Mr Pincher to comment. Mark Dabbs today claimed that disgraced Tory MP Chris Pincher groped him while this picture was taken The Prime Minister eventually bowed to pressure to remove the whip from his ally after an investigation was launched, meaning Mr Pincher sits as an independent MP NHS worker Mr Dabbs is now the seventh person to claim that Pincher was guilty of inappropriate behaviour, and on this occasion Pincher was 'stone-cold sober' at the meeting in 2018 Mr Dabbs told The Sun that he went to see Pincher to ask if he would be interviewed for a book he was writing to raise money for a hospice. The allegations of unwanted advances and groping by Chris Pincher dating back a DECADE 2012: A man said he received unwanted advances from Chris Pincher when he was 24, according to The Mail on Sunday. 2017: Mr Pincher quits the whips' office after it was alleged he made an unwanted pass at Olympic rower and Tory candidate Alex Story. Mr Story said that in 2001, the MP untucked the back of his shirt and massaged his neck. It was also reported that Mr Pincher allegedly made a pass at former Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop, who was said to have told him to 'f*** off'. 2017 and 2018: Mr Pincher allegedly made unwanted passes at two Conservative MPs after his first resignation as a whip, according to the Sunday Times. 2018: Mark Dabbs claims the Conservative MP began making inappropriate comments and began touching him when he was trying to raise cash for their local hospice in Tamworth, Staffordshire. Unknown: The MP allegedly threatened to report a parliamentary researcher to her boss after she tried to stop his 'lecherous' advances towards a young man at a Conservative Party conference, according to The Mail on Sunday. 2021: A young Tory activist connected to his constituency accused the MP of groping him. December 2021 and June 2022: A Tory MP told The Independent he was groped on two occasions by Mr Pincher. July 2022: Mr Pincher quits as Tory deputy chief whip after he is accused of drunkenly groping two men at a private members' club in London. The whip is later removed. Advertisement He said: 'I just let it go, but wish I hadn't. Maybe other reported incidents involving the MP wouldn't have happened if I'd spoken up'. Mark said Pincher was 'stone-cold sober' at the meeting four years ago. He said: 'He knew what he was doing. His was the opposite of normal behaviour. He was intimating. He wanted to do something with me, and see me again. He was looking at me in that sexual way, and talking at me in that way. 'I'm not naive and know when someone is interested. This was someone giving the "come on".' Last night a young Tory activist accusing Chris Pincher of groping him revealed he is planning to make a statement to police. The new alleged victim, whose accusation adds to the six fresh claims made against the Tamworth MP over the weekend, has told friends that he was 'touched up' by Mr Pincher in a car last year. The man a constituency member who was trying to get a job in politics at the time is said to have been so angered by the number of alleged victims that he plans to 'do something about it' and go to the police, friends revealed. It comes as a second alleged victim from the constituency, also not previously known about, is said to have made claims against the former deputy chief whip. Yesterday, members of Mr Pincher's Conservative association and voters in Staffordshire called for the MP to stand down. Mr Pincher, 52, quit as Tory deputy chief whip last week after he was accused of drunkenly groping two men at a private members' club in London. The Prime Minister eventually bowed to pressure to remove the whip from his ally after an investigation was launched, meaning Mr Pincher sits as an independent MP. After several accusations from other alleged victims over the weekend, the Mail has learned that there are further claims from activists in his constituency. As well as the man who claims he was groped in a car by the former senior Tory, a second alleged victim is said to have been groped by Mr Pincher some time ago. An association member said: 'One of the [alleged victims] is planning to go to the police. He was trying to get into politics and that's how they knew each other. 'He said last week that he was going to wait to see if anyone else reported similar incidents before going to the police. After seeing the multiple allegations this weekend, he said 'I'm going to do something about it'. He is very annoyed. He said he couldn't believe it was still happening.' Mr Pincher stepped down on Thursday night after a drunken evening in London's Carlton Club on Wednesday. Speaking for the first time, one of the alleged victims at the club told The Sunday Times: 'I had my drink in my hand and then he then went down and grabbed my arse and then slowly... moved his hand down the front of my groin. I froze a little bit and it ended after about two or three seconds. It was a very bizarre thing.' The alleged victim excused himself and went to the bathroom. He added: 'I texted a friend to tell them what happened because I wanted a contemporaneous record.' The man claimed he approached Sarah Dines, a junior whip, who had witnessed the alleged assault. The alleged victim added: 'My first reaction to what had happened was that I wasn't going to take it any further. I just thought this is something that happens in Westminster. It hasn't happened to me before. It can be quietly dealt with. But I am angered by the fact that I should feel like that, and even more angry by the way No 10 have dealt with it... I am furious.' One local councillor in Tamworth said: 'These stories about Chris's behaviour weren't particularly surprising to men within the constituency.' Asked if a by-election should be held, the councillor, who did not want to be named, said: 'It's up to the electorate to voice their opinions. I have a view that he is not a fit and proper person to be an MP he has admitted to some of this after all.' But David Salter, another Tory councillor in the constituency, defended Mr Pincher, saying: 'He's a brilliant MP and I've known him for a long time... I would like him to carry on.' Mr Pincher was approached for comment. PM's allies turn on Theresa May By Claire Ellicott Political Correspondent and Jason Groves Political Editor for the Daily Mail A blame game erupted over the appointment of Chris Pincher and what Boris Johnson knew about him when he asked the disgraced MP to become deputy chief whip. A Cabinet minister claimed that the Prime Minister was not aware of 'specific claims' when he gave Mr Pincher the role. A row has also erupted with allies of the Prime Minister blaming Theresa May for first bringing Mr Pincher back into the whips' office However, a series of allegations have now emerged regarding the Tamworth MP. Sources said Mr Johnson told aides in 2020, long before appointing him to the post: 'He's handsy, that's a problem. Pincher by name, pincher by nature.' But a row has also erupted with allies of the Prime Minister blaming Theresa May for first bringing Mr Pincher back into the whips' office after allegations emerged against him in 2017. The Mail on Sunday revealed in 2017 that the MP had, in 2001, made an unwanted pass at former Olympic rower and Conservative candidate Alex Story, who dubbed Mr Pincher a 'pound shop Harvey Weinstein'. But he was allowed back into the fold following an investigation that found he had not breached the code of conduct. The PM's supporters said he had no reason to second guess Mrs May's decision at the time as no further 'specific allegations' had been raised with him. During a round of interviews yesterday, Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey said: 'There'd been allegations made in the past. We went through a due process in 2017 and indeed Chris was reappointed by the then Prime Minister Theresa May, in fact promoted, at the time.' Mr Pincher has denied the claims. Anthony Albanese has fired off a series of tweets about what he is doing to address the deadly flooding in NSW after he copped criticism for continuing his tour of France and Ukraine while the crisis hit. The Prime Minister has spent one third of his time in office - 14 out of 42 days - overseas so far, sparking criticism from the Opposition on Monday that he was absent while his government faced a domestic crisis. Mr Albanese said that he was only allowed to switch his phone back on and receive briefings from his emergency management minister and the NSW Premier after returning to Poland from Ukraine. He had his phone off as a security measure while in the war-torn country visiting President Zelensky on Sunday. Anthony Albanese (pictured with President Zelensky in Ukraine) has been briefed on the deadly flooding in NSW after he copped criticism for being in France and Ukraine while the crisis hit As he crossed into Poland from Ukraine this morning, the Prime Minister was allowed to switch on his phone and receive briefings from the Emergency Management Minister and the NSW Premier The federal government has provided 200 ADF troops (pictured in north-west Sydney on Monday) Mr Albanese tweeted: 'Have crossed into Poland from Ukraine and left radio silence. My first actions were briefings by @murraywatt and @Dom_Perrottet on NSW flooding and ensuring Federal Government assistance is being provided. 'It's a constantly changing situation. Check @NSWSES and @BOM_NSW for the latest advice and please stay safe.' The heavy rain which pounded NSW has killed one man and caused thousands of home evacuations in Greater Sydney. The federal government has provided 200 ADF troops so far. The prime minister has been away since last Sunday on official trips to a NATO leaders' summit in Spain, a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and a high-security trip to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Despite all the trips being official business, some Aussies took to social media to say he should be addressing issues at home instead, as hashtags 'Airbus Albo' and 'Where's Albo' trended on Twitter and others labelled him 'Anthony Overseasy'. Since winning the election on May 21, Mr Albanese has travelled more than 45,000km on trips to Japan, Indonesia, the UAE, Spain, France, Poland and Ukraine where, on Sunday, he announced a further $100million of Australian taxpayer-funded military aid would be given to Ukraine. Anthony Albanese (pictured in Kyiv) has faced criticism for being overseas while NSW suffers deadly floods - but his supporters defended his absence as he visited war-torn Ukraine Since winning the election on May 21, Mr Albanese has travelled more than 45,000km overseas A car sits in a flooded street at Camden on the outskirts of Sydney on Monday Poll Should Albo have come home instead of going to Ukraine? Yes No Should Albo have come home instead of going to Ukraine? Yes 709 votes No 509 votes Now share your opinion Shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan said Mr Albanese, who will travel to Fiji for a Pacific Islands forum next week, was too focussed on international issues. 'It is concerning because what he seems to be doing is focusing completely on the international front adnd good Prime Ministers can do both,' he told Sky News. The Prime Minister's office said he was being briefed on the NSW floods and will consider a trip to flooded areas after he returns late on Tuesday night. Angry Australians compared Mr Albanese's absence during the floods to Scott Morrison's infamous holiday to Hawaii during the December 2019 bushfires. Critics dredged up a tweet Mr Albanese made in March saying: 'If I'm Prime Minister, I won't go missing when the going gets tough - or pose for photos and then disappear when there's a job to be done. 'I'll show up, I'll step up - and I'll work every day to bring our country together.' Some also criticised the PM's decision to give more of taxpayers' money to Ukraine when massive government spending was fuelling inflation, although the move was supported by politicians across the aisle. Mr Albanese's critics said they would have preferred him to be at home as the hashtag 'Airbus Albo' trended on Twitter - but not everyone agreed Anthony Albanese (right) and Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroschnychenko (left) take a selfie as they visit Maidan square in Kyiv on Sunday But others said the Hawaii comparison was not fair because Mr Albanese was on key foreign policy trips while Mr Morrison had been relaxing at the beach. At the NATO summit in Spain, Mr Albanese said it was highly beneficial for Australia to be there to discuss China's increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. The group declared China a 'security threat' for the first time. He then had a successful meeting with President Emmanuel Macron to repair frosty relations after Mr Morrison dumped a $90billion submarine deal with a French company and then leaked private texts between him and Mr Macron. Mr Albanese was also warmly received on his high-security trip to Ukraine. He is the first Aussie Prime Minister to visit the country for a trip which was intended to show that the west - beyond Europe and the US - is united against Russia's aggression. Australia is the largest non-NATO donor to the country's war effort after Moscow invaded in February. Others said the Hawaii comparison was not fair because Mr Albanese was on key foreign policy trips while Mr Morrison had been sipping cocktails by the beach Despite Mr Tehan's criticism, some Liberals including former PM Tony Abbott and Senator James Paterson praised Mr Albanese for his trip to Ukraine Former PM Scott Morrison was roasted for going on holiday to Hawaii (pictured) during bushfires Opposition leader Peter Dutton went on leave on Sunday and will not return to work until July 19. Heavy rain over the weekend has seen more than 32,000 people across NSW - mostly in Greater Sydney - urged to leave their homes while another 6,000 are on alert on Monday. One man, a kayaker, died after being pulled from Sydney's Parramatta River. Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt has been actively responding to the floods and has sent 200 ADF troops to help out. Some 30 suburbs are under threat of going underwater while 71 evacuation orders are in place as heavy rain continues to fall with NSW possibly facing the worst flooding in the past 18 months. Wallacia Caravan Park, areas of Emu Plains, parts of Penrith, parts of Lower Portland, Pitt Town, Agnes Banks and South Maroota were the latest regions to receive orders to evacuate by Monday morning. One man has died after being pulled from Sydney's Parramatta River. Pictured: Flooding in Greater Sydney Anthony Albanese (left) met with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky (right) on Sunday A man is rescued from his car by State Emergency Service workers in Windsor on Monday There is major flooding at North Richmond, with river levels exceeding that reached in March (15.92 metres), with further rises possible, and major concern of water levels at Sydney Basin, the Hawkesbury Nepean and Georges River. Camden is among the worst places hit with the town submerged for the fourth time this year while parts of Lansvale, Chipping Norton and Moorebank have also gone under water. Two ADF night-time helicopters and an additional 100 troops were deployed on Monday to assist during the emergency, totalling 200 defence personnel. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said while he had not yet spoken to the prime minister about the unfolding crisis, the federal and state emergency ministers were coordinating their response. 'We have worked with the Commonwealth government to get ADF support on the ground immediately, providing essential support, going from door-to-door, providing instructions and advice to those people who are flood-affected,' he told reporters on Monday. 'The fact that we have had... the ADF on the ground straightaway is incredibly pleasing and you can certainly see that has improved from the last flooding events we have had earlier in the year. 'We can always learn from events of the past to make sure we do better in the future.' Sydney's crazy weather has turned a beachside suburb into what appears to be a 'winter wonderland'. Gale force winds dumped some 70cm of sand onto Maroubra Road in the city's eastern suburbs on Sunday evening. The mountains of sand blown in from the beaches made the suburb look more like a ski field - with trucks brought in to clean it up on Monday. On Sunday, the strong wild winds dumped 70cm of sand onto Maroubra Road in Sydney (pictured) Surf Life Saving NSW posted footage on Monday morning of the clean up efforts after the winds blew mountains of sand in from the beaches (pictured) The wild scenes came as major flooding occurs along the banks of the Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers and Menangle, Wallacia and North Richmond, in the city's greater west. Further surges are expected at Windsor and Lower Portland on Monday evening and at Wisemans Ferry on Tuesday. Severe weather warnings for damaging winds and hazardous surf remain current for NSW and there remains the risk of flash flooding and landslips. More than 32,000 people across the state were today urged to leave their homes while another 6,000 told to be on alert and ready to leave. Camden, in the city's far-west, is among the worst places hit with the town submerged for the fourth time this year while parts of Lansvale, Chipping Norton and Moorebank have also gone under water. More evacuation orders have been issued for thousands of residents as heavy rain and floods continue to pummel NSW (pictured, NSW SES Canterbury Unit evacuating residents in Chipping Norton and Lansvale regions) A driver became stranded in flood waters before SES personnel came to the rescue at Windsor in north-west of Sydney The Bureau of Meteorology is also investigating whether a tornado or waterspout damaged 40 homes in Bellambi and Corrimal, in the Illawarra region, on Sunday. The rough conditions have forced rescue crews to postpone plans to transport 21 crew members trapped on a cargo ship stranded off the coast of NSW. The Portland Bay bulk carrier is about one kilometre off Garie Beach in the Royal National Park, south of Sydney, and lost power on Monday morning. Rescue efforts are underway. The driver rescued from his car trapped in floodwaters was ferried to safety by SES personnel in Windsor, north-west of Sydney Windsor Bridge is almost completely submerged as water levels continued to rise along the Hawkesbury River on Monday The Bureau of Meteorology has warned the rainfall is expected to continue to fall along the coast for the remainder of the week with more downpours coming throughout winter and possibly the spring. BoM blamed the prolonged conditions on the combination of a possible negative Indian Ocean Dipole and positive Southern Annular Mode. SES spokesman Ashley Sullivan says even if the rain eases this week, as predicted, rivers will continue to rise because the already saturated flood plains cannot absorb any water. 'We are seeing these rivers rise much faster than what's been predicted. Much faster than what we expected,' he told the Nine Network on Monday. 'Things are happening quicker. The risk ... has increased significantly.' An Aussie company has flown its entire team to Bali for a 'working holiday' complete with yoga, sunrise hikes and cocktails by the pool. Sydney-based marketing firm Soup Agency decided to take remote working to the next level by swapping the office for a luxury villa in the heart of Ubud, one hour north of Denpasar. Employees took part in team-bonding activities like swimming, snorkelling and quad-bike riding in a bid to improve team morale while also allocating time to get work done. An Aussie company has flown its entire team to Bali for a 'working holiday' complete with yoga, sunrise hikes and cocktails by the pool (pictured, colleagues pose for a selfie during a hike) Sydney-based marketing company Soup Agency decided to take remote working to the next level by swapping the office for a luxury villa in the heart of Ubud (pictured) Poll Would you go on a 'working holiday' with your colleagues? Yes No Would you go on a 'working holiday' with your colleagues? Yes 69 votes No 81 votes Now share your opinion Katya Vakulenko, Managing Director at Soup, described the 14-day work trip as the best team-building experience at the agency since its launch. 'I think it's important for workplaces to all work together as a team, both inside and outside of working hours,' she said. 'Covid-19 taught us that there are new ways of working and essentially, we can work from anywhere. 'So we decided to really take that to the next level.' In footage of the 'working holiday' the team enjoy fresh seafood, yoga classes, sunrise hikes and cocktails while also attending meetings in the villa. As a young company with several team members working remotely, the agency said it was interested in challenging the notion of a traditional corporate office. Colleagues from different departments were able to work together for the first time and bond over a shared love for the Indonesian sunshine. Colleagues from different departments worked together for the first time and were able to bond over a shared love of the Indonesian sunshine In a video of the 'working holiday' the team are seen enjoying fresh seafood, yoga classes, relaxing poolside and holding meetings inside the villa (pictured) The team even celebrated a birthday on the trip, with Michelle from digital marketing living it up for her 24th birthday with an early morning hike up a volcano. Digital Marketing Executive Kumi Ho said despite the obvious distractions, the team were able to stay productive and manage their workloads on the party island. 'Having the whole agency work, interact, and collaborate was refreshing. It was definitely an experience in life that I won't forget,' the executive said. The agency have already started planning their next 'working holiday' - this time setting their sights on Europe. Advertisement Ukraine's reserves are being sent in their civilian cars to fight against Russian tanks due to the huge shortage of equipment as Volodymyr Zelensky desperately pleads the West for more weaponry. Rick Hillier, Canada's former chief of defence staff, said civilian volunteers have been left with 'nothing', with one unit sent to the fronline in their cars to face off against tanks and armoured vehicles. The retired general, who visited Ukraine, told The Times: 'They were getting into position to be able to fight against those Russian tanks and vehicles and they were using their own civilian cars.' Despite coming up against a depleted civilian force, Vladimir Putin today ordered his defence minister Sergei Shoigu to press ahead with the offensive after seizing the entire Luhansk region with the capture of Lysychansk. He said: 'Military units, including the East group and the West group, must carry out their tasks according to previously approved plans. I hope that everything will continue in their direction as has happened in Lugansk so far.' Soldiers who took part in the Luhansk campaign have now been told by the strongman to 'rest and rebuild their combat capabilities' ahead of the next offensive. Lysychansk had been the final holdout in the Luhansk area of the eastern Donbas region before Ukraine's withdrawal and Moscow's capture frees up Russian forces to advance on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in neighbouring Donetsk. Hillier said reservists had initially been told they would only be defending their own villages but Volodymyr Zelensky has recently signed an order meaning they can be deployed throughout the country. The limit supply of equipment is being given to the professional fighters, leaving the brave volunteers short against the aggressors. In an address late Sunday, Zelensky vowed Kyiv would fight on and ensure the military had 'the most modern weapons', appealing for more long-range HIMARS rocket launchers supplied by the US. Fire burns at a shopping mall after it was struck by a missile in Sloviansk as Russia steps up its assault on the Donetsk region after seizing Luhansk In the latest series of gains, Russia has seized the Luhansk region and has now increased its bombardment of Siversk and Sloviansk. Ukraine has been accused of targeting civilians within the Russian border city of Belgorod although this has been denied by Kyiv Destruction from a missile attack is seen in Bakhmut City in the Donbas region as Volodymyr Zelensky desperately appeals for more weapons A destroyed building is seen in a residential area near Irpin, on Vokzalnaya street, which links the Ukrainian cities of Bucha and Irpin First responders work on the scene where a school was destroyed by early morning shelling in Kharkiv which has been pummelled by Putin's forces People look over the wreckage after a missile stuck a shopping mall in Sloviansk in a series of strikes on Sunday afternoon, killing civilains Vladimir Putin today ordered his defence minister Sergei Shoigu to press ahead with the offensive after seizing the entire Luhansk region with the capture of Lysychansk (pictured together today) Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov gloated over the capture of Lysychansk, showing off the city's largely deserted streets Images from the seized city in the east of Ukraine show pro-Russian flags flying from the buildings after the key Moscow victory Soldiers can be seen erecting a pontoon bridge across a river as Russia gloated over the major breakthrough Russian journalist locked up in Siberian psychiatric hospital after posting 'sane people are for peace in Ukraine' A Russian journalist who posted 'sane people are for peace' referencing the war in Ukraine has been locked in a Siberian clinical psychiatric hospital. Maria Ponomarenko, a 44-year-old mother-of-two, claims the authorities are seeking to gag her because of her opposition to the war. She is accused of spreading 'fake' news concerning Putin's 'special military operation' in Ukraine. One comment seen as against the law by prosecutors said: 'It is impossible to remain silent, knowing about the death of thousands of innocent people.' Her 'fake' Telegram posts also included critical comments about the Russian bombing of a drama theatre in Mariupol in April where hundreds of civilians were sheltering. The Russian defence ministry denied its forces were behind the bombing, which it blamed on Ukrainian nationalists. If convicted of posting her views - which are statements of the obvious in the West - she can face ten years in jail, or indefinite incarceration in a psychiatric facility. Leading Putin foe Mikhail Khodorkovsky - once Russia's richest man who was jailed for a decade for opposing the Kremlin leader - branded the case a return to Soviet methods with the state using 'punitive psychiatry to silence political dissent'. Reports say that one of the woman's daughters, aged 16, has been turned by the authorities into a prosecution witness in her case. Ponomarenko, from Barnaul in Siberia, had been detained in St Petersburg in April. She was initially held in detention under Russia's draconian laws barring criticism of the army. She was moved thousands of miles to Siberia, and has now been locked in the Soviet-era psychiatric hospital for around one month where she will undergo 'evaluation'. Advertisement Zelensky said: 'It requires many negotiations, but we will ensure such a supply. Ukraine will reach the level when the fire superiority of the occupiers will be levelled. 'The fact that we protect the lives of our soldiers, our people, plays an equally important role. We will rebuild the walls, we will win back the land, and people must be protected above all else.' Today, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov gloated over the capture of Lysychansk, showing off the city's largely deserted streets and its bombed building after its 'liberation'. Soldiers can be seen erecting a pontoon bridge across a river and flags can be seen being flown from buildings. Kadyrov said: 'For more than four months, the inhabitants of Lysychansk waited for the arrival of Russian soldiers. And now, finally, it happened. The local population shares their impressions and emotions with great pleasure. 'Seeing a Russian fighter is a great joy for them, because for a long time they were under the gun of Ukrainian nationalists. Moreover, they were used as human shields. The nationalists deliberately located near residential buildings in order to blame Russia for all the troubles that had happened. 'Retreating, the criminals caused maximum damage to the infrastructure of the city. Based on this, one can understand that the Kyiv regime cares little about the civilian population. Fortunately, we are masters not only in military affairs, but also in the restoration of urban infrastructure. We will restore everything as quickly as we took this city. These streets will soon bloom with all colours, I have no doubt about that. 'Our brave fighters are fighting this fight primarily for the sake of people who have been bullied for a long time. Lysychansk is now liberated, which means that the crimes of the Ukronazis are finished once and for all. Residents can take a deep breath of the free air of the Luhansk People's Republic.' Yuriy Sak, advisor to the defence minister, repeated Zelensky's plea to the West and said the future of the war depends on the military equipment Ukraine receives. He told the BBC's Today programme: 'It is a setback but it's a setback that we will turn back in the future, we will recover Lysychansk as well as all other Ukrainian cities 'It very much depends on how quickly Ukraine will receive all the heavy weaponry we are requesting from our international partners because in the east of Ukraine we are very significantly outnumbered and outgunned. 'Russians are using tens of thousands of artillery rounds a day to destroy Ukrainian cities so this is why we are relying on the military assistance from our international partners and we hope this will be forthcoming as soon as possible.' He added: 'During the negotiations which our minister of defence holds almost on a daily basis with our international partners, we are always reassured that all steps are taken to provide this military assistance as soon as possible.' A bombed-out car sits alone on a rubble-littered road in Lysychansk, Luhansk region yesterday as Russian forces claimed the city A Russian Ka-52 'Alligator' attack helicopter flies near a heavily damaged building over the weekend amid Russia's capture A Ukrainian army handout shows a Russia-destroyed residential building in Lysychansk yesterday The Lysychansk palace of culture is bombed out and battle-scarred after weeks of fighting The Russians now control about half of Donetsk, the second province of Donbas, and forces are focusing their efforts on pushing toward the line of Siversk, Fedorivka and Bakhmut in the region. The Ukrainian army said in a statement announcing its retreat from Lysychansk: 'The continuation of the defence of the city would lead to fatal consequences' in the face of Russia's superiority in numbers and equipment. 'In order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders, a decision was made to withdraw. 'Unfortunately, steel will and patriotism are not enough for success - material and technical resources are needed.' The fall of Lysychansk comes after Russian forces seized its twin city of Severodonetsk last week after bouts of intense fighting. On Sunday, Moscow accused Kyiv of firing three cluster missiles at the Russian city of Belgorod near the Ukrainian border, which came a day after neighbouring Belarus said it had intercepted Ukrainian missiles. In what would represent an escalation of the conflict, Russia said its anti-aircraft defences shot down three Tochka-U cluster missiles launched by 'Ukrainian nationalists' against Belgorod. Nina Zakharova, 64-years-old librarian, and her son Alexander, 26 years-old, walk nearby a university building targeted by a missile strike in Bakhmut Volunteers from Kyiv City deliver aid supplies to Ukrainian fighters in Sloviansk which has seen an increase in bombardment A hotel is reduced to rubble in Kramatorsk as Ukraine continues to be pounded by Russian artillery Rescue specialists work at the site of a destroyed residential building after the blasts in Belgorod which Russia has blamed on Ukraine Eleven residential buildings and 39 houses had been damaged, Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Russia has previously accused Kyiv of conducting strikes on Russian soil, particularly in the Belgorod region. Sak denied Ukraine had deliberately targeted civilians, saying: 'There was no official statement on the part of the general staff of the armed forces of Ukraine, but it has been very many times repeated by our military and political leadership that unlike the Russian aggressor, Ukrainian armed forces are never targeting civilian targets. 'This means that this was impossible that it was Ukrainian armed forces who attacked the city 'The reasons for those explosions could be various. In the past, we have seen that Russian armed forces are creating such provocations themselves 'We have also seen that sometimes Russian missiles misfire so it is difficult to establish exactly what has happened.' On Saturday, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko accused Kyiv of provocation and said his army intercepted missiles fired at his country by Ukrainian forces 'around three days ago'. Belarus, a Russian ally, supported the February 24 invasion and has been accused by Kyiv of launching its own attacks on Ukrainian territory. Firefighters walk past sellers collecting some goods from destroyed shops on a local market after a rocket attack in the Ukrainian town of Sloviansk Photo shows a building in the Odessa coastal area that had previously been hit by Russian forces Local residents look at destroyed shops on a local market after a rocket attack in the Ukrainian town of Sloviansk Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at a shopping mall after it was struck by a missile yesterday Lukashenko denied any involvement in a recent cross-border incident. 'We do not intend to fight in Ukraine,' he said, according to state news agency Belta on Saturday. About 45 miles west of Lysychansk, the city Sloviansk saw heavy Russian shelling which left six people dead - among them a nine-year-old girl, Zelensky said Sunday evening. About 20 others were wounded as 'the Russian army once again brutally shelled' the city, as well as Kramatorsk and Kharkiv. A strike on the town of Dobropillia - just southwest of Sloviansk - killed two people and wounded three, including two children, Donetsk authorities said. The city of Siversk, 30 kilometres west of Lysychansk, also saw overnight shelling, residents and an official told AFP. 'It was intense, and it was shooting from all sides,' said a woman sheltering in a cellar. Russian forces 'have now gathered their largest firepower in Donbas, and they can use tens of thousands of artillery shells every day on one section of the front,' Zelensky said. But Ukrainian troops had progressed in Kharkiv and Kherson regions, he added, vowing that 'there will be a day when we will say the same about Donbas.' 'We will rebuild the walls, we will win back the land, and people must be protected above all else,' Zelensky said. 'Ukraine does not give anything up.' A Ukrainian official said Sunday that Kyiv's forces had seen another success in Melitopol where they had 'put out of action' a Russian military base, while the army said the air force had destroyed around 20 Russian units and two ammunition depots. 'The town of Melitopol is covered in smoke,' said the city's exiled mayor Ivan Fedorov. Australia's east coast will continue to be hammered by relentless rain until at least the start of summer, experts have warned, as tens of thousands are evacuated with homes being lost to floodwaters. The La Nina weather event declared in November, 2021, brought record rainfall with devastating consequences for low-lying areas across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. But although meteorologists declared the wet weather system had officially ended last week, they added that easterly winds are likely to sweep torrential rain in from the ocean for several months. Large swathes of Greater Sydney, as well as other parts of NSW, are currently battling this phenomenon with an east coast low inundating rivers and swamping nearby communities. More than 30,000 residents were ordered to evacuate their homes on Monday night with the NSW State Emergency Service warning that if people ignore evacuation orders, 'it may be too dangerous to rescue you'. The NSW State Emergency Service has warned that people ignoring evacuation orders may not be rescued Anyone in low-lying parts of Woronora and Bonnet Bay on the Woronora River in the Sutherland Shire, were told to get out before 7pm and 8pm. The suburbs impacted include Harrison Avenue, McKinley Avenue, Washington Drive, Wilson Place, Johnson Close, Arthur Place and properties on Lower Washington Drive backing on to Johnson Close. 'Once floodwater reaches 2.4metres at the Woronora Bridge, the area will be isolated,' the SES said on social media. 'If you remain in the area after 7pm Monday July 4, you may be trapped without power, water and other essential services and it may be too dangerous to rescue you.' Evacuees are advised to stay with family, friends or at accommodation outside flood areas. Anybody unable to do so can go to an evacuation centre at Gymea Tradies, 57 Manchester Road, Gymea. The Bureau of Meteorology has also declared major flooding is possible at Liverpool and Milperra tonight, with resident urged to stay vigilant. Many areas on the Hawkesbury including - Windsor, Sackville and Wisemans Ferry - remain mostly underwater after a massive downpour on over the past 48 hours. The SES earlier on Monday were forced to issue evacuation orders for Cattai, Sackville North, Londonderry and Richards as the river started to rise. A man is rescued from his car by State Emergency Service workers in Windsor on July 4, 2022 in Sydney, Australia Residents look out toward flooded buildings next to the old Windsor Bridge along the overflowing Hawkesbury River in the north-western Sydney suburb of Windsor on July 4, 2022 Pictured: Bureau of Meteorology graphic highlighting how La Nina works Effects of La Nina: Increased rainfall across much of Australia Cooler daytime temperatures (south of the tropics) Warmer overnight temperatures (in the north) Shift in temperature extremes Decreased frost risk Greater tropical cyclone numbers Earlier monsoon onset Source: Bureau of Meteorology Advertisement Weatherzone meteorologist Joel Pippard told Daily Mail Australia June's weather was mainly caused by an increase in dry westerly winds which have changed direction. 'What has changed with this current system is the winds have turned easterly again, so they're coming in off the ocean once again,' he explained. 'It seems fairly likely there will be showers for at least the coming week.' He said the La Nina system which normally takes hold in spring and summer stuck around up until last week 'Usually it breaks down in March or April, so it got all the way to the end of June, which is very late,' he said. 'When you have that happening, you still have the residual effects of La Nina, which is the warm waters close to the east coast. 'That's the difference between a climate outlook and a weather event.' Many areas in NSW have been inundated with with months worth of rain in just a couple of days on Sunday and Monday. 'This is what we have to look out for, basically for the rest of the year,' he said. 'Even if the climate drivers indicate that it might be drier, there is the chance that if we get a system where winds start to come from the east again, we could get more significant falls of rain.' People view the flooded Windsor Bridge along the Hawkesbury River on July 4, 2022 in Sydney, Australia There is not much sunshine to come in the coming weeks, or possibly months. Pictured is a weather chart Woronara Dam, which supplies water to the Sutherland Shire in Sydney's south, is pictured overflowing Thirty suburbs are under threat of going underwater while 71 evacuation orders have been put in place. More than 32,000 people across the state had already been urged to leave their homes while another 6,000 were told to be on alert. There was major flooding at North Richmond, with river levels exceeding that reached in March (15.92 metres), with further rises possible, and major concern of escalating water levels at Sydney Basin, the Hawkesbury Nepean and Georges River. Camden is among the worst places hit with the town submerged for the fourth time this year while parts of Lansvale, Chipping Norton and Moorebank have also gone under water. Flood waters surround an industrial property in Londonderry on the outskirts of Sydney Torrential rain is pictured on Harris Creek Bridge in New South Wales on July 4, 2022 A family is evacuated by State Emergency Service workers due to rising floodwaters in Bligh Park on July 4, 2022 in Sydney, Australia The State Emergency Service has responded to 3,500 calls for help since the weekend, with 400 calls made overnight, and performed about 120 flood rescues, with that number expected to increase. The Bureau of Meteorology is also investigating whether a tornado or waterspout damaged 40 homes in Bellambi and Corrimal, in the Illawarra region, on Sunday. The Bureau of Meteorology has warned the rainfall is expected to continue to fall along the coast for the remainder of the week with more downpours coming throughout winter and possibly the spring. BoM blamed the prolonged conditions on the combination of a possible negative Indian Ocean Dipole and positive Southern Annular Mode. What has brought the rain and devastation back 'is the winds have turned easterly again, so they're coming in off the ocean once again'. Pictured is a weather map Police cars are pictured on Harris Creek Bridge in New South Wales July 4, 2022 Federal emergency management minister Murray Watt said he expected the state government to formally declare the latest flooding a 'disaster' (pictured, graphic depicting flood warnings across NSW) SES spokesman Ashley Sullivan says even if the rain eases this week, as predicted, rivers will continue to rise because the already saturated flood plains cannot absorb any water. 'We are seeing these rivers rise much faster than what's been predicted. Much faster than what we expected,' he told the Nine Network on Monday. 'Things are happening quicker. The risk ... has increased significantly.' Mr Watt said he expected the state government to formally declare the latest flooding a 'disaster'. 'We are expecting that will happen pretty soon and that will trigger a whole range of federal and state government support,' he told ABC News Breakfast. 'Everything from disaster payments to further counselling support. But as I say, I assure people that their pain is really felt at the federal and state levels and we will be standing with people as they seek to recover going forward.' Cars drive through flood waters in Richmond on the outskirts of Sydney, Australia, Monday, July 4, 2022 Advertisement EasyJet's chief operating officer Peter Bellew has resigned amid growing pressure on the airline to reduce flight disruption, as Britons trying to fly abroad for their summer holidays once again faced huge waits at airports today. Mr Bellew, who used to work for Ryanair, has quit the Luton-based airline - one of the worst hit by cancellations in recent months, having axed thousands of flights including many just hours before they were due to depart. It comes after trade union Unite claimed last month that there was a 'lack of leadership' within easyJet, and Mr Bellew should be 'taking control of this situation' as the aviation sector struggles to cope with the rising demand for travel amid staff shortages and difficulties obtaining security clearance for new recruits. EasyJet said that David Morgan - who has been with the airline since 2016 - has been appointed as interim chief operating officer. Mr Bellew, who also previously worked for Malaysia Airlines, made headlines at the start of the pandemic when he issued an apology after circulating a video among staff in Febraury 2020 which referred to the 'ridiculous hype' surrounding coronavirus, urged staff to 'please to show up for work' and 'focus on better on-time performance'. He also had to apologise only days earlier for plagiarising Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's St Patrick's Day message in a motivational easyJet video asking pilots and cabin crew to make financial sacrifices due to the pandemic. Mr Bellew said at the time that Mr Varadkar 'struck exactly the right note' and so he 'borrowed some of his phrases'. Mr Bellew joined easyJet from Ryanair after a High Court case in Dublin in December 2019 found his 12-month non-compete clause was unenforceable. During the case, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary denied describing Mr Bellew as 'too nice for Ryanair' and that Mr Bellew 'was a lover and not a fighter.' Ryanair had argued during two weeks of hearings that Mr Bellew possessed information of immense competitive value and was bound by a non-compete clause that the airline said should prevent him from starting work at the British low-cost rival until January 2021. But lawyers for Mr Bellew denied he was subject to the clause, saying it was attached to a share option scheme they said was effectively valueless. They also argued that the restriction against working for 'any airline that competes with Ryanair in any market,' was overly broad. The judge at the time said that while the non-compete clause was valid, it was also unjustifiably restrictive by preventing Mr Bellew from joining any airline in any market. Mr Bellew's salary at easyJet is not known, although at Ryanair he was revealed in court to have been earning 550,000 (473,000) a year as of 2019, with a bonus of up to 500,000 (430,000) as well as share options. In April, the pilots' union Balpa blamed Mr Bellew for a breakdown in relations with easyJet, and also accused the airline of 'corporate bullying' after it was suggested that disciplinary action could be taken against absent staff. That development came after more than 2,000 easyJet pilots voted in July 2020 to express no confidence in him. EasyJet said today that Mr Bellew had left to 'pursue other business opportunities'. The airline added in a statement: 'EasyJet remains absolutely focused on our daily operation and continues to monitor this very closely, having taken pre-emptive action to build further resilience for the summer due to the current operating environment. The airline continues to operate up to 1,700 flights each day and carry up to 250,000 passengers.' And easyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said today: 'I would like to thank Peter for his hard work and wish him well. Everyone at easyJet remains absolutely focused on delivering a safe and reliable operation this summer.' Speaking about Mr Morgan's appointment into the same position, Mr Lundgren continued: 'I am pleased that operations will be in the very capable hands of David Morgan who can move seamlessly into this role having previously led the operation, as interim chief operating officer, throughout 2019. David has significant experience and deep knowledge of the business and operation, and will provide strong leadership for the airline this summer.' It follows Manchester Airport's boss Karen Smart resigning in April after weeks of chaos. Reacting to Mr Bellew's departure, travel marketing expert Steve Dunne said: 'Given their performance this summer, someone had to fall on their sword. I suspect other airline or airport chiefs will be feeling uncomfortably stressed with this news.' Also today, Britons trying to leave Manchester Airport were left queuing for security in the terminal's car park - while passengers using London Heathrow also described a 'total mess' this morning as they endured long waits for security with queues for Terminal Two starting outside the building, and Terminal Three also looking busy. Those flying out of London City - which tends to run short-haul flights to European destinations and has been generally unaffected by the recent chaos - also described 'utter chaos' and an airport 'totally out of control'. Staff shortages have caused lengthy wait times at security and check-in desks in recent months with problems only set to get worse as the school holidays begin later this month when strike action is planned at Heathrow. Returning passengers have also faced waiting hours to get their luggage back after flights have landed, with bags and suitcases left abandoned on carousels with some people deciding to sleep on terminal floors. One passenger waiting at Manchester today tweeted a photograph of a long queue in the airport's car park shortly before 7am today, saying: 'If you are flying out of @manairport T3 today, get to the airport as soon as you can. This is currently the security queue - out of the terminal, across the bridge, and into the T3 multi storey car park!' EasyJet's chief operating officer Peter Bellew (file picture) has resigned amid growing anger over flight disruption LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT - Huge queues for security at Heathrow Terminal 2 are outside the terminal this morning LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT - One passenger at Heathrow this morning said the security line 'starts outside the terminal' LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT - A passenger at Heathrow Airport posted this picture of huge crowds at 4am this morning LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT: A passenger who got to Heathrow for 4.20am today posted this picture from Terminal Three Another at Manchester said it was 'carnage' amid a 'massive queue for security', while a third added: 'Well done. Today is the worst ever. Actually standing in the car park to wait for security. Good job. Utter shambles.' And a fourth passenger at Manchester tweeted: 'Travelling pre pandemic was such a comfortable experience. These days it's three hours before, on your feet and queues for hours plus the anxiety if the flight will even depart.' Unions say no to more night flights as they oppose Government's bid to solve airports crisis Union bosses have vowed to oppose using night flights to ease travel chaos, it was reported last night. In yet another blow for holidaymakers, unions said they would push back against plans to relax overnight flight rules that would see staff working 'anti-social hours'. Airlines are limited to the number of flights that can run between 11.30pm and 6am at major airports, which often leads to flights being cancelled if they are delayed. Amid mounting pressure to solve the travel chaos, the Department for Transport said it will consider suspending the rules to ease disruption. But last night unions vowed to oppose the plans over fears staff could be made to work long hours during the night. A GMB union source told the Daily Telegraph: 'It's not fair to force our members to work nights to pick up the slack for their mistakes.' It comes as holidaymakers are now facing a summer of travel chaos in Europe as countries across the continent grapple with staff shortages and strikes. Huw Merriman, chairman of the transport select committee warned that the plan could 'annoy the heck out of residents' but said he was open to finding out more about lifting the night ban. He added: 'I don't see what good that would do and can see what damage that would do. I don't know if crew will want to fly at two in the morning.' Advertisement Elsewhere travellers posted images of huge queues at Heathrow, with one saying: 'Security line at Heathrow starts outside the terminal! I'm on day two of my battle with this airport. Avoid at all costs. Total mess!' Another passenger there tweeted a picture of queue outside the entrance at 7am, saying: 'This is the security line at Heathrow Airport Terminal Two. Yes we are outside. And this is after arriving almost an hour ago.' There were also big queues at London City, where one passenger said: 'Big chaos at LCY. Three hours to get through security at 6am. Better to fly out of Stansted with a low cost carrier. Totally out of control, what a mess. This used to be a prime service. All gone wrong. Terrible.' Another described 'utter chaos at London City Airport', while a third tweeted a picture of a huge queue and said: 'Delayed. Missed connection. Stranded at Heathrow overnight. Rebooked from City. Travel to City at 6am. City' In response to the chaos, a London City spokesman told MailOnline today: 'The average journey time through the airport was 45 minutes this morning. 'This is longer than usual and was caused by staff sickness and additional passengers who were rebooked onto LCY services from other airports. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. For passengers travelling through London City in the days ahead, to help manage waiting times, we would like to remind them to turn up no more than two hours before their flight. 'Looking ahead, the airport will be fully staffed, and operationally ready, for the summer getaway.' And a Manchester Airport spokesman said: 'We apologise to any passengers whose experience at Manchester Airport this morning was not how they would like it to be. 'During our ongoing recovery from the pandemic, we continue to advise customers there may be some times when security queues are longer than usual, which is why we advise people to arrive three hours before their flights. 'This morning, while the vast majority of people passed through security in under 30 minutes, waiting times peaked at more than 60 mins in two of our terminals for a period of time, and we are sorry for any inconvenience caused.' Sources at the airport said that in addition to the longer queues in security, they were also aware of the longer queues that built up in check in with several airlines. MANCHESTER AIRPORT: At Manchester today, one passenger said they had been 'standing in car park for 30 minutes already' MANCHESTER AIRPORT: A passenger at Manchester said the security queue today is going 'into the T3 multi storey car park' MANCHESTER AIRPORT: Passengers at Manchester Airport are again facing long queues in departures this morning MANCHESTER AIRPORT: Queues in the car park at Manchester Airport this morning as people try to head abroad on holiday MANCHESTER AIRPORT: Chaotic scenes at Manchester Airport which passengers tweeted pictures of this morning And a source at Heathrow told MailOnline: 'There will be some queues during peak periods over the summer, but we are doing everything we can to ensure passengers get away on their journeys as smoothly as possible.' Ryanair records busiest month ever in June as it flies 15.9m passengers Ryanair had its busiest month ever in June as it flew 15.9million passengers, up from just 5.3million a year earlier and topping a previous high set in May. Its load factor, which measures how well an airline is filling available seats, reached 95 per cent for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. The Irish airline, Europe's largest by passenger numbers, said it operated over 88,500 flights in June as its load factor rose from 92 per cent a month earlier, when it flew 15.4 million passengers. Ryanair's load factor regularly reached at least 96 per cent a month before the pandemic and hit 97 per cent in June 2019. The low cost airline expects to fly 15 per cent more passengers this summer than in the same season of 2019, and will carry a record 165million passengers in the year to March 2023. It carried just under 100million passengers in the year to March 2022 and its pre-Covid record high was 149 million. Ryanair said last week that less than 2 per cent of its flights were affected by an initial wave of strikes by cabin crew unions in Belgium, Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. It added on Saturday that it expected 'minimal (if any) disruption' from 12 more strike days announced by some Spain-based cabin crew for later this month. Advertisement It comes after Heathrow faced another day of chaos yesterday as huge queues and lost luggage caused reported 'flare ups' between employees and holidaymakers. Similar issues were described by those departing from both Gatwick and Stansted yesterday although there were no early reports of issues at either this morning. Heathrow said it did not recognise the picture described by travellers yesterday and that the airport had been 'busy but flowing'. Triple the number of passengers are due to fly in and out of Britain's airports this summer compared with last year. But hundreds of flights are being delayed or cancelled as there are not enough staff to cope with the booming demand. British Airways flights from Heathrow are expected to bear the brunt of another round of cancellations this week. It comes as 700 of the airline's staff at the airport voted to strike later this month just as children start their school holidays. One passenger described facing 90-minute queues at Heathrow Terminal 2 yesterday between arriving and getting through security. Craig Lester, 49, claimed tensions had boiled over at times causing 'flare ups' between the public and staff. The TV engineer from Devon, who was travelling to Shannon, Ireland, said: 'There simply is not enough space to queue. At security it is lengthy wait times. I hate to see what it will look like during school holidays in August.' Heathrow said the parts of the chain it operated were working fine, claiming that it was recording security waits no more than 20 to 30 minutes. Check-in and baggage handling meanwhile are the responsibility of the airlines, it said. Another traveller arriving into Terminal 3 from the US on Saturday described baggage reclaim as a 'scene from a disaster movie' with lost luggage everywhere Adam Kent from Worcestershire described 'lost luggage everywhere' that was causing a 'serious health and safety issue'. He said: 'No one visible on the ground to explain the carnage or sort out the mess, it seems like lots of luggage has not arrived with passengers and just been dumped.' LONDON CITY AIRPORT: Those flying out of London City today described 'utter chaos' and an airport 'totally out of control' LONDON CITY AIRPORT: Huge queues for security at London City today which one passenger said were three hours long Stansted Airport reportedly saw similar issues yesterday with long queues just to get out of the train station and then again at check-in desks, where some people were spotted sleeping on the floor. And a passenger at Gatwick yesterday told how there was only one person operating check-in and the lack of buses to take passengers to the plane meant they missed their departure slot. He tweeted: 'queues, queues, queues everywhere!' Airlines have until Friday to take advantage of a government 'amnesty' to the rules on airport slots allowing them to change schedules without facing a potential penalty. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is trying to alleviate flight disruption this summer to avert the mayhem seen over the Easter and Jubilee holidays. The Government has ordered the vetting centre carrying out checks on new recruits to prioritise airport staff to help plug the gaps quicker. The Department for Transport said counter-terrorist and accreditation checks were now being completed in record times. The GMB and Unite Unions are expected to set strike dates for the BA Heathrow staff for around July 22. The dispute is over a 10 per cent pay cut that check-in and ground-handling staff took during the Covid pandemic. The unions want the full pay reinstated. Further industrial action will also take place in Spain with Easyjet workers planning two more strikes later this month following the first last week. The 72-hour strikes will involve hundreds of crew at their airline's bases in Barcelona, Malaga and Palma. A stranded cargo ship has finally been towed to safety after a daring rescue attempt was hampered by dangerous conditions. The Port Authority of NSW said the Portland Bay vessel was under tow by three Engage Marine tugboats after a 'successful extraction' of its two anchors. The Hong Kong-registered bulk carrier lost power about one kilometre off Garie Beach in the Royal National Park, south of Sydney, leaving 21 crew members stranded in massive seas on Monday morning. Incident controller John Finch reassured the public the 170m vessel was in a 'stable, anchored position'. 'We've got two tugs in attendance, two anchors deployed, we've got a third that will be arriving in the next 15 or 20 minutes,' he said. A stranded cargo ship (pictured) has finally been towed to safety after heartstopping rescue attempts were hampered by powerful surf 'There was an initial plan this morning to evacuate the non-essential staff but once the vessel deployed its anchors and it was in a stable condition it was no longer drifting towards the rocks, the master asked to keep his crew on board. 'At this point in time they're confident they can make an engine repair once they get into safe, deep water.' Earlier, a rescue helicopter and aircraft were deployed to evacuate eight non-essential crew from the ship, along with several tugboats sent from Port Botany. The rescue operation is expected to continue into the evening as the east coast is pummelled with non-stop rain, powerful surf and strong winds. The ship is expected to enter safer waters in two to three hours and will be repaired - with crew members suspecting a main turbo engine blower has failed. 'If that is the case and there's no further issues it should be a fairly straightforward repair, they're saying four to six hours,' Mr Finch said. The rescue comes after experts estimated the ship was carrying about 1000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and would trigger an 'ecological disaster' if it were to run aground. Authorities have sent two tugboats to steer the boat away from the coast after fearing it would hit the cliffs of the Royal National Park The Portland Bay cargo ship was spotted battling rough seas offshore from Royal National Park Footage from Surf Life Saving NSW showed a rescue helicopter circling the ship as it battled powerful waves off the Illawarra coast. 'It's a tricky situation, with tower cranes on the ship interfering with any winching attempts,' Surf Life Saving tweeted on Monday afternoon. There were fears the 169m bulk carrier was in danger of running aground or drifting into the Royal National Park cliffs. A second tug boat arrived on scene around 2pm in a desperate effort to bring the vessel under control and push it further out to sea. Rescue aircraft and other emergency services are monitoring the evolving situation with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority providing a communications link with the vessel via an overhead aircraft. There were grave fears the ship could drift into the cliffs of Royal National Park (pictured) Two tugboats have arrived to push the stranded Portland Bay cargo ship further out to sea as rescue efforts were put on hold due to the severe weather 'There is another tugboat which is about two-and-a-half to three hours away which will have the capacity to pull it further away from the coast,' Australian Defence Force Brigadier Robert Lording said. 'There are 21 crew members on board and there was thought of airlifting some of those crew members of the vessel. 'I have spoken to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority which has indicated they believe it is unsafe to do that at this present time and they have delayed that rescue mission.' NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet told reporters on Monday it's a very 'precarious' situation and that 'our thoughts are with those on board'. 'The NSW government is continuing to work with Commonwealth agencies to ensure that situation is rectified as quickly as possible in ensuring that all 21 crew on board are lifted to safety as quickly as possible.' The body of a 56-year-old British tourist on holiday in Italy has been discovered at the bottom of a cliff after he went missing for two days. Gerard Christopher Turner was with his family in Lezzono, Lake Como, near the Alps in northern Italy when he decided to go for a walk in the mountains behind the village where he and his family were staying. He left at approximately 2:30pm on 30 June, going alone and leaving his family in the hotel. Turner made a call to his wife a couple of hours later, warning her that he was going to be late, according to Il Giorno. But that was the last time she would ever hear from him, as hours went by without the tourist returning. File photo: The body of a 56-year-old Gerard Christopher Turner has been discovered after he went for a walk alone in the north Italian mountains A search party of over 50 men searched the mountains, including volunteers and technicians of the XIX Delegation of the Alpine Rescue, firefighters, Civil Protection and Carabinieri. They were searching in the area of Carvagnana, between Nesso and Pognana Lario, where the man's mobile phone had last been reachable. The fire brigade also brought in canine units from Piedmont to help with the search. Eventually, Italian police called in a helicopter to use a thermoscanner to try to locate Turner, without any luck. It was only when the fire brigade deployed drones around the area that they located Turney's body at the bottom of a cliff in an inaccessible area. Advertisement More than 100 migrants crossed the English Channel by small boat today after a man was rescued by the French Navy in a kayak trying to make the 21-mile journey. The first group of between 30 and 40 people was brought into Dover, Kent on board Border Force vessel Ranger shortly before 11am. UK officials could be seen waiting at the harbour to escort an older woman off the boat before helping her into a wheelchair. Among the latest arrivals, who were reportedly intercepted from two dinghies, were a small number of women and children. A female Border Force official held the hands of a toddler and primary-school aged girl as they disembarked the boat. They were closely followed by a slightly older boy before being passed into the care of soldiers dressed in camouflage fatigues and high-vis vests. After the women and children had been escorted off the vessel, the remaining men were led along the gangway for processing by UK officials. Around 3pm Border Force cutter Hurricane brought dozens more migrants into the harbour. The mostly male group were helped off the boat by UK officials dressed in white hazmat suits and masks. One woman, who was accompanied by two small children, could be seen carrying her belongings in a small clutch bag while a Border Force worker carried her toddler along the walkway. While the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is yet to confirm the official number of migrant crossings for today, at least 100 people were intercepted in around five small boats. It comes as Priti Patel's vow to hand life jail terms to people smugglers caught piloting a dinghy of migrants across the Channel was shot down. A young girl is carried by a member of the military as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover today as legal experts claimed the Home Secretary's plans for life sentences for dinghy drivers will fall short The child was then helped to remove his life jacket as he arrived in Britain after crossing the Channel as part of a group of 30 Members of Border Force escorted 30 migrants back to Dover today, including this woman in a wheelchair, after they were picked up by the English Channel Border Force. More than 3,000 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK in June - the highest monthly total this year Migrants were given blankets and supported by Border Force officials as they reached Dover this morning (pictured) A total of 12,700 people have made the treacherous journey across the 21-mile Dover Straits in 378 boats so far this year Tougher sentences under the Nationality and Borders Act increased the maximum jail term for 'assisting unlawful immigration' from 14 years to life under new measures which came into force last week. The change in the law came as more than 3,000 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK in June - the highest monthly total this year - with 100 people crossing today alone. But in another blow to the Home Secretary's vow to shut down cross-Channel trafficking - after her Rwanda plan failed to take off last month - prosecution guidelines drawn up by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that that sentences of between two or three years in prison 'will be appropriate for pilots of small boats with their "hand on the tiller"." If the sentence is two to three years, it could mean that the dinghy pilots could be out in a year to 18 months if they behave well in prison. UK has given 310m to Strasbourg body that blocked Rwanda flight... while officials repeatedly reject requests to reveal judge's identity Britain is spending millions of pounds a year on the human rights body whose judges grounded Priti Patels Rwanda asylum flight. The UK Government is one of the largest financial contributors to the Council of Europe, whose 46 members include the dictatorship of Azerbaijan. The council, which has received 310million from Britain over the past decade, is aimed at promoting democracy and the rule of law. But its human rights tsar Dunja Mijatovic has criticised Home Secretary Miss Patel over her attempts to stop migrants crossing the Channel. She has urged British MPs to reject proposals that enable offshoring and called for more safe and legal routes to claim asylum. Miss Mijatovic has also claimed that the Governments border policy is repressive. The council, which receives 400million in funding annually, bankrolls the European Court of Human Rights to the tune of 64million a year. Officials at the Strasbourg court have repeatedly rejected the Daily Mails requests to reveal the identity of the judge who stopped asylum seekers being sent to Africa. They have only confirmed the decision was made either by Hungarys Peter Paczolay or Carlo Ranzoni, a Swiss jurist representing Liechtenstein. The injunction, which said deportees faced real risk of irreversible harm, prevents migrants being sent to Rwanda until three weeks after British judges issue a final decision on the legality of the policy. Advertisement The conclusion, in a judgment from the Court of Appeal, led to one legal expert telling The Independent: 'Nobody is going to be getting anywhere near life', adding: 'The maximum sentence of life has been briefed in press releases to look like the government is being tough, in the knowledge that once these cases go before the court no one will get life'. The Home Office has insisted that the change in the law will land tougher sentences. MailOnline has asked the Government department to comment. In a statement released when the laws came into effect on Tuesday, a spokesman said: 'Anyone caught piloting a boat carrying migrants in the Channel could face life behind bars from today, as part of the biggest overhaul of the asylum system in decades.' Priti Patel added: 'These new measures will enable us to crack down on abuse of the system and the evil people smugglers, who will now be subject to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment as a result of this law coming into force.' This comes after the French regional operational surveillance and rescue centre (CROSS) in Griz-Nez identified a boat in difficulty off the coast of Dunkirk on Friday. The French Navy patrol boat Flamant rescued a stranded man in a kayak and dropped him off at the port of Dunkirk. Once back at the quay, he was taken care of by the border police. The policy will apply to migrants seen taking the tiller of dinghies and other small boats from northern France. Military and civilian drones in use over the Channel already capture high-definition video images to use as evidence in court. The Act, passed by Parliament in April, also introduces a new 'twin-track' asylum system which will grant fewer rights to those who arrive by illegal routes, even if they are eventually found to have a legitimate claim to refugee status. Under other measures the Home Office will be able to impose visa penalties on citizens of countries which refuse to take back their own nationals. Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 'This is one of the most crucial milestones in delivering on our promise to the British public to take back control of our borders. 'While there is no single solution to the global migration crisis, these reforms which come into effect today play a vital role in overhauling the broken asylum system as we put our New Plan for Immigration into action.' She added: 'We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that we offer protection and sanctuary to those in genuine need, but these new measures will enable us to crack down on abuse of the system and the evil people-smugglers, who will now be subject to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment as a result of this law coming into force.' The Act also increases the maximum penalty for illegally entering the UK or overstaying a visa from six months to four years' imprisonment. And it allows foreign national offenders who are in jail to be removed from the UK up to 12 months before the end of their sentence. Some 3,136 made the crossing on 76 boats in June , with journeys taking place on 19 of those days, according to PA news agency analysis of government figures. It comes two and a half months after Home Secretary Priti Patel announced plans to send migrants to Rwanda in a bid to deter people from making the crossing. Of the 12,690 people who made the journey in the first half of this year, the second highest month for crossings was 3,074 in March. Among the latest arrivals, who were reportedly intercepted from two dinghies, were a small number of women and children A man is helped by military personnel as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent A slightly older boy was passed into the care of soldiers dressed in camouflage fatigues and high-vis vests Priti Patel, pictured in the Commons last week, told MPs that 'these new measures will enable us to crack down on abuse of the system and the evil people-smugglers' After navigating busy shipping lanes from France in small boats such as dinghies, 2,871 made the crossing in May, 2, 143 in April, 1,322 in January and 144 in February, according to Home Office figures for the first quarter of the year and subsequent data collected by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The highest month on record since 2018 was for 6,971 crossings in November 2021. The total for 2022 so far is more than five times the amount recorded between January and June 2020 (2,493) and more than double the six-month tally for the first half of last year (5,917). Crossings continued on Thursday with 94 people arriving in Dover, Kent, in two boats. But a change in the weather saw activity slow on Friday. On April 14 Miss Patel signed what she described as a world-first agreement with Rwanda, which will see the east African nation receive asylum seekers deemed by the UK to have arrived illegally and therefore inadmissible under new immigration rules. But the first deportation flight - due to take off on June 14 - was grounded amid legal challenges. The figures indicate 51,824 people have made the crossing since 2018. A family of hoteliers to the stars have been slammed by a judge as 'completely mad' after blowing 60,000 in a court fight over a suitcase of family photos with 'no monetary value'. Judith Andersson and sister-in-law Diane Ward are part owners of iconic five-star American Colony Hotel, in Jerusalem, founded in 1902, which has played host over the years to Lawrence of Arabia, Winston Churchill and Bob Dylan among others. The sisters-in-law are currently locked into a bitter legal dispute over what should happen to a suitcase of family pictures. Ms Andersson, 76, claims that her mother, Frieda, who died aged 77 in Richmond, west London, in 1993, wanted the albums to be shared among the siblings, being passed from one to the next as each died. The suitcase of cherished photo albums and papers described as an 'archive' by Ms Andersson were taken by the eldest child, Tim, on their mother's death, and he kept them until he died in 2020. But Ms Andersson is now suing her brother's widow for the suitcase which sat on the court floor throughout a two-day hearing last week. Judith Andersson outside Central London County Court after hearing in row with Diane Ward over 'purple suitcase' full of family photos and papers She claims that his family's refusal to let her have it now was part of her brother's 'twisted retribution' after an earlier inheritance row, which had centred around allegations that she owed her mother money before she died. In a case that has already racked up 60,000 in legal costs, Ms Andersson claims that in accordance with her mother's wishes, the suitcase should now be handed over to her, since both her brothers are now dead. The court heard that the disputed photos and papers have 'no monetary value' and that in a previous hearing before another judge, the row was described as 'completely mad' by Judge Nigel Gerald. The costly battle playing out at Central London County Court over a purple suitcase containing family pictures and other memorabilia is the latest in a series of legal disputes that have bedevilled the the once close-knit family. Frieda, the matriarch, was born in Jerusalem, where her grandparents Horatio Gates Spafford and Anna Spafford formed the American Colony in the late 19th century, in a former palace which became the American Colony Hotel. Ms Andersson is now suing her brother's widow, Diane Ward (pictured), for the suitcase, claiming his family's refusal to let her have it now was part of her brother's 'twisted retribution' after an earlier inheritance row The iconic five-star American Colony Hotel, in Jerusalem, founded in 1902, has played host over the years to Lawrence of Arabia, Winston Churchill and Bob Dylan among others The 'purple suitcase' at the centre of court row between Judith Andersson and Diane Ward outside Central London County Court The 'colony' was of devout American and Swedish Christians, who were known for their charity work with local people, irrespective of their religion in the divided Middle East. The hotel became a haven for Western travellers and today is seen as an 'oasis of neutrality' in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and describes itself as one of Jerusalem's 'premier boutique hotels' and a 'home away from home for discerning travellers.' Frieda trained as a nurse and lived in Israel, Cyprus, Nigeria and New York during an interesting life, but was living in Hampton Wick, Richmond, when she died in 1993. She left her estate to her three children, Ms Andersson and her brothers John and Tim Ward. The American Colony Hotel The hotel dates back to the end of the 19th century when the Spafford family, devout Christians from America, and their friends settled in Jerusalem and bought the building. It was initially designed as a palace for a pasha and his four wives and often used as a hospital in the turbulent years that followed. The hotel is a ten minute drive from Jerusalem's Jaffa Gate, one of the main entrances to the old city, and so it is an ideal base for exploring the ancient sites that Jerusalem has to offer. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site where Jesus Christ was crucified and is supposed to have risen from the dead, is a twenty minute walk away from the palatial hotel. A suite costs 620 per night, while the hotel offers a junior suite for 500. A standard room comes in at around 250-300. Guests who have entered its calming lobby over the years have included Lawrence of Arabia, the painter Marc Chagall and Sir Winston Churchill. More recently, Robert de Niro and Bob Dylan and Tony Blair have stayed there. Advertisement But Ms Andersson - who lives in the United States - told Judge Mark Raeside that the 'archive' contained in the suitcase was a 'special' set of property, which was to be treated differently to the rest of their mother's estate. They had agreed that all three would own it, but that Tim would take possession initially, with it then passing to each sibling as the others died, ultimately remaining intact and in the family, she claimed. 'It was specifically anticipated that the last one of us remaining alive would hold the archive...that the archive would remain with one of us,' she told the judge. Her barrister, Oliver Ingham, said the suitcase is an 'invaluable repository of her family history,' stressing that it is not a 'trivial' matter despite the fact it has 'no monetary value.' He also said the archive has 'potential historic interest, given the family links to the British presence in Israel.' He argued that the siblings had agreed that, despite the archive going to Tim initially, it would be owned by all of them, and any of them could ask for it to be handed over. Despite that, Tim had refused to provide it to his sister when she asked and, following his death, his widow Mrs Ward had also refused to hand it over, he told Judge Raeside. 'It is clear that Mrs Andersson has spent the best part of 29 years taking various steps to try and obtain access to the archive,' her barrister added. 'This clear history of pursuing this aim indicates strongly that she has always considered herself to be entitled to access, that she cares very deeply about the archive.' But Mrs Ward, 77, who lives near Northampton, denied that there had been any agreement between them that the three siblings would share the contents of the case, since photos could not be physically shared. 'It is clear that personal effects such as are claimed here cannot physically be shared equally and the siblings would have had to have made decisions about the division of those items,' said her barrister, Elissa Da Costa-Waldman. 'This is why Frieda did not complete a memorandum of wishes [relating to the archive], preferring her children to choose those items for themselves.' Following Frieda's death, the siblings had discussed their mother's possessions and chosen what each would take, with Tim choosing the papers and photos held in the suitcase, she said. 'I would submit that it's clear that the Ward siblings met to choose what they wanted from their late mother's belongings,' she said. Mrs Da Costa-Waldman said the contents of the case were of 'sentimental value' to all and that Mrs Ward had tried to settle the row by offering to provide copies or originals of items. At the end of the two-day hearing, Judge Raeside said it was 'improbable and implausible' that Judith Andersson would have agreed that her brother Tim would be allowed to have it all for himself. He made a declaration that the photos and papers had been held on trust by Tim Ward for the benefit of all three siblings and that there was an agreement that the archive would not be split up. However, he adjourned the question of what specifically will now happen with the suitcase until another hearing later this month. The case has cost an estimated 60,000 in lawyers' bills, but the question of who pays will also be decided by the judge later. Boris Johnson was aware of claims about shamed MP Chris Pincher before appointing him as Tory deputy chief whip earlier this year, Downing Street admitted today. The Prime Minister is under pressure over the latest sleaze scandal to hit the Conservatives after Mr Pincher was last week suspended as a Tory MP amid claims he drunkenly groped two men. A slew of fresh allegations have since emerged against the 52-year-old. Questions are now being asked about what Mr Johnson knew of Mr Pincher's conduct prior to appointing him to the key role in charge of party discipline in February. It has even been claimed Mr Johnson referred to the Tamworth MP as being 'handsy' and joked he was 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him a senior whip. The PM's official spokesman today insisted Mr Johnson was 'not aware of any specific allegations being looked at' and pointed to how Mr Pincher had previously already served in Government under Theresa May. But the spokesman also admitted that the PM was 'aware of media reports that others had seen over the years and some allegations that were either resolved or did not progress to a formal complaint'. 'He did take advice on some of the allegations that had been made, but there was no formal complaint at that time and it was deemed not appropriate to stop an appointment simply because of unsubstantiated allegations,' they added. The spokesman did not deny the claims - made by the PM's estranged former chief adviser Dominic Cummings - that Mr Johnson had previously joked about Mr Pincher's reputation. 'Im simply not going to comment on content of what was or wasnt said in private conversations,' they said. Asked if Mr Johnson regretted appointing Mr Pincher as deputy chief whip, the PM's spokesman said: 'Clearly, we wouldnt want anyone working in the Government to behave in the manner as he is alleged to have done so. 'That is not the behaviour that youd want to see in any walk of life.' Boris Johnson is under pressure over his decision to appoint Chris Pincher as the Conservative deputy chief whip in February The fresh sleaze scandal has emboldened Tory rebels in their plot to oust the Prime Minister from 10 Downing Street Mr Pincher last week resigned as deputy chief whip after he admitted 'embarrassing himself and others' after drinking 'far too much' at the Carlton Club, a posh London watering hole popular with Conservatives Can Boris face another Tory confidence vote? Haven't we just had a Tory confidence vote? Yes. After 15 per cent of Conservative MPs wrote to backbench 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady, he triggered a vote last month. The PM won, but 148 of his 359 MPs backed kicking him out in the secret ballot. Mr Johnson and his allies hailed that as a clear victory and urged the party to unite behind him. Can MPs just call another vote? In theory, party rules mean that because Mr Johnson secured 50 per cent of the vote he cannot be challenged again for 12 months. But notably Theresa May also won a confidence battle, and was later threatened with a rule change to enable her to face another vote - forcing her to resign. Are they likely to change the rules? Some of the PM's leading critics have warned against 'tinkering' with Tory leadership rules to oust Mr Johnson. But upcoming elections to the executive of the 1922 Committee - expected next week - are becoming a key battle between Tory rebels and Johnson loyalists. If the rebels win a majority of the 18 positions up for grabs, they could push through their attempt to change party rules. And, since last month's no confidence vote, opinion against Mr Johnson has hardened among some MPs following the two bruising by-election defeats in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton. The PM is now also having to face another Tory sleaze scandal. Is there any other way for the leader to be evicted? Mr Johnson has defiantly insisted he will not entertain the 'crazy' idea of resigning. And - barring the Opposition winning a vote of no confidence in the House - there is no formal mechanism to get rid of him before the next general election. However, a withdrawal of support by the Cabinet would make his position untenable. What happens if the leader is ousted? The leader is sacked if they lose a Tory confidence vote, and a leadership contest begins in which they cannot stand. Resignation would also trigger a contest. However, the outgoing chief typically stays on as Prime Minister until a replacement is chosen. Are there any other big moments coming up that could fuel the Tory revolt? The cross-party Privileges Committee is about to kick off an inquiry into whether Mr Johnson misled the House over Partygate. It is expected to report in the Autumn, when the PM will also have to run the gauntlet of Tory conference. Advertisement The PM is facing the fresh Tory sleaze scandal - which has caused a Cabinet backlash - just ahead of what could prove to be critical internal elections within the Conservative Party. Tory MPs are next week set to decide on key positions on the powerful 1922 Committee - which are now being seen as a proxy vote on Mr Johnson's future, amid plans to change party rules to allow another no confidence ballot on the PM's leadership. But Mr Johnson, who will face the House of Commons for the first time this afternoon after his recent nine-day foreign trip, will be expected to hit back against the continued plotting by Tory rebels. The PM is due to report back this afernoon to MPs on his attendance at last week's Commonwealth, G7 and NATO summits - in which he will be keen to stress the role he is playing in international efforts to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and in support ing Ukraine against Russia's invasion. The upcoming contest for places on the 1922 Committee's executive has led to a battle between rebel MPs and those loyal to Mr Johnson to fill those 18 positions. When the PM won last month's no confidence vote over his leadership he was granted 12 months immunity from having to face another contest. But there are rebel plans to change that rule and allow Mr Johnson to face a fresh vote if they win a majority on the 1922 executive. One rebel told The Times the row over Mr Pincher had '100 per cent' strengthened the campaign to oust the PM. Another added: 'It has certainly sharpened minds to act because it all goes back to the Prime Minister.' The newspaper reported that one plan by Tory rebels was to change the party's rules to allow a new no confidence vote in Mr Johnson's leadership if 90 MPs - 25 per cent of the parliamentary party - submit letters to 1922 chair Sir Graham Brady. The plan is being portrayed as a 'compromise proposal' as it increases the threshold from 15 per cent - 54 MPs - that triggered last month's vote. Will Quince, the children and families minister, this morning dimissed the claim by Mr Cummings that Mr Johnson previously joked about Mr Pincher being 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature'. He told LBC Radio: 'I think that quote came from Dominic Cummings, whos not someone who I give a huge amount of credibility to, given past experience.' In a series of TV and radio interviews, Mr Quince said he had been given 'categorical assurance' that Mr Johnson was 'not aware of any serious specific allegation' about Mr Pincher before appointing him as deputy chief whip. He also denied claims that junior ministers such as himself were having to face media interviews about the 'indefensible' allegations about Mr Pincher, due to Cabinet ministers refusing to go on the airwaves. He told Sky News: 'Im certainly not going to defend the former deputy chief whip. 'The allegations are incredibly serious and Im appalled by them. 'But that isnt the case today, because I was booked in four days ago, in fact five days ago I think it was, to talk about a very important childcare announcement.' Mr Pincher last week resigned as deputy chief whip after he admitted 'embarrassing himself and others' after drinking 'far too much' at the Carlton Club, a posh London watering hole popular with Conservatives. He has referred himself for 'professional medical support' and vowed to 'cooperate fully' with a parliamentary investigation into his actions. But the MP, who will now sit as an independent after having the Tory whip suspended, has denied other allegations to have emerged against him. Labour Party chair Anneliese Dodds has written to the PM demanding to know what Downing Street knew of allegations about Mr Pincher before his second appointment as a Tory whip. The Tamworth MP had previously resigned from the whips' office in 2017 after being implicated in the 'Pestminster' sleaze scandal after being accused of making an unwanted pass at former Olympic rower and Conservative activist Alex Story. But Mr Pincher was later cleared by an investigation. 'Only Boris Johnson could have looked at this guys record and thought "he deserves a promotion",' Ms Dodds said. 'This PM is clearly happy to sweep sexual misconduct under the carpet in order to save his own skin.' Advertisement Egyptian lifeguards were warned about sharks being in the water near a Red Sea beach resort just minutes before an Austrian pensioner was mauled to death but laughed off the suggestion, it has been alleged today. English-speaking guests warned Egyptian guards at Sahl Hasheesh, south of tourist hub Hurghada, about sharks on Friday - 15 minutes before 68-year-old Austrian Elisabeth Sauer was attacked in front of horrified onlookers - but were mocked and told 'there are no sharks [here] and never have been', Russian tourists have claimed. A second woman - identified only as a Romanian national in her 40s - is thought to have been killed in a similar attack just 650ft away from where Sauer died, with her badly disfigured remains found on a nearby reef the same day. News of her death first emerged on Sunday. But another Russian woman - named only as Zhanna - has told reporters that the Romanian woman went missing from the five-star Premiere Le Reve hotel where she was staying two days before her body was found, suggesting she may have actually been the first victim. Ms Sauer lost an arm and a leg in an attack that was caught on film, as onlookers tried to distract the shark and get her to safety. She reached the shore with the help of a flipper, but died a short time later. Details about when the Romanian woman was killed have not been made public, with Egyptian officials now facing claims of a cover-up. Zhanna, who lives in Hurghada, told Russian outlet Gazette.ru: 'She was found on coralher body disfigured, a citizen of Romania.' She had been 'missing from her room for two days,' Zhanna said. She added: 'After the first victim, no one closed any beaches. I swam freely They, as always, wanted to hide it, but when it became known there were two victims, they finally stirred.' Elisabeth Sauer, A 68-year-old retired Austrian woman (left) was mauled to death by a shark on Friday while swimming in the sea off the coast of Hurghada, Egypt, with the attack caught on camera (right) Horrified onlookers tried to distract the shark and helped the woman get to shore but she died a short time later from shock, according to Egyptian officials It later emerged that a second woman - a Romanian nation in her 40s - also died in a suspected shark attack with her badly disfigured remains found on a reef a short distance away the same day Ms Sauer was killed Egyptian officials have now closed the waters around Hurghada, but are facing claims that lifeguards laughed off warnings from English-speaking tourists about a shark just minutes before Ms Sauer died Separately, a post on a Russian social media site for tourists added: 'English-speaking people standing at the pier saw a shark 15 minutes before the attack, and warned the lifeguards. 'But they laughed at them, saying there are no sharks in Sahl Hasheesh and never have been. To put it bluntly, everything is Egyptian style... There is no science, no proper system.' Yesterday, officials at the Red Sea Governorate said the area of the attack and Hurghada would be closed to all sea activity including fishing and diving, as the nearby beaches were left deserted in the wake of the deaths. A Russian tourist who filmed footage - which MailOnline has opted not to publish because of its graphic nature - of the first attack posted a new video showing the location of the second fatal incident. What is a Mako shark? A mako shark is a species of swift, active, and potentially dangerous sharks of the mackerel shark family. There is a shortfin and longfin species, depending on whether its open or shallow water. Adults, prized for their fighting qualities and repeated leaps out of the water, can be 4.5 metres (14.8 feet) in length and exceed 500kg (about 1,100 pounds) in weight. They prey on fishes such as herring, mackerel, and swordfish and small cetaceans. Source: Britannica Advertisement Using his finger to explain, he said: 'This is a small lagoon where we saw [the shark] for the first time. And we didn't realise it was a shark. 'The attack I filmed [earlier] was here [in the video he points towards the pier]. And the body of the second woman was pulled out approximately here.' Writing on Facebook Die Grunen Kramsach said: 'We mourn the passing of our Elisabeth Sauer (68), who died in a tragic bathing accident in Egypt. 'Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family [...]. Elisabeth was a committed Green from the first hour in Kramsach, a councillor from 1998 to 2004, and for many years a loyal substitute councillor and [Green] candidate. May she rest in peace. 'We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere condolences and compassion. She will forever be remembered for her warmth and [compassion].' Hundreds of tourists had seen the first attack on the Austrian woman who had been snorkelling, while wearing flippers, when she was attacked, and complained there were no lifeguards as swimmers fled the sea. The Russian witness said: 'I saw the shark turning and twisting the woman in the water. I didn't manage to film it, but she was twisted in the water.' Earlier he told how he saw the woman 'fighting off [the shark] with her hands at first, but apparently the shark bit off her leg with a flipper first, then her hand, which it threw it on the corals. 'She was already sitting on the corals, showing her hand [and] leg. She was in [a state of] shock. She didn't even scream, didn't cry, nothing.' After miraculously making her way back to land, the Austrian woman was given CPR by doctors at the scene but she died minutes later in an ambulance. A second woman whose identity and nationality have not been revealed is believed to have been staying at the Premiere Le Reve five star hotel (pictured). It is thought that this woman is Romania A spokeswoman for the Austrian Embassy in Cairo told the MailOnline: 'Our Embassy in Cairo is in close contact with the family, including her partner (an Austrian of Egyptian descent), who witnessed the tragic scene, and her daughter. 'The Austrian Embassy is in contact with relatives of the deceased as well as with the local authorities.' It said she was walking not far from the beach within the designated bathing when she was attacked and it was still unclear how the shark came so close to her. What is an Oceanic whitetip shark? Oceanic whitetip sharks, are large stocky sharks with a huge, rounded first dorsal fins and long, wide-tipped pectoral fins. They grow up to 4m in total length with a maximum weight of 168 kg and usually live an age of 22 years. And are also on the critically endangered list according to Fraser University. Source: Marine Bio Advertisement Video shows witnesses on a nearby jetty record the woman's survival attempt and comment on her predicament. A group of Russian tourists are heard saying: 'Where are the rescuers? 'F***, she's covered in blood. Holy s***. 'Where's the rescue team? 'For f****'s sake. 'Life guards? Where are the life guards? She's going to f***ing die!' The 68-year-old woman, who lost a leg and an arm, died shortly after being taken to the private Nile Hospital in Hurghada, an Egyptian health official said. She was barely alive when she was taken in on Friday, the official said, adding that attempts by medical staff to resuscitate her failed. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to reporters. The governor of the Red Sea province closed the area for three days, banning all 'sea activities' including diving, snorkelling, wind surfing and kite sailing. Fishing boats were also banned from the waters off Hurghada. A local report quoted by Russian news agency RIA Novosti added: 'The woman died in the ambulance from painful shock.' Reports from news agency AFP and Austrian news outlets point to the attack being committed by a Mako shark while local Egyptian newspapers have named the animal as an Oceanic whitetip shark. The same unnamed Russian tourist who filmed footage - which is too graphic to be shown - in the aftermath of the first attack posted a new video showing the location of the second fatal incident Using his finger to explain, he said: 'This is a small lagoon where we saw [the shark] for the first time' How rare are shark attacks in the Red Sea? In June 2021, a 37-year-old Jordanian man was bit in the leg by a shark and survived. In December 2020, a German woman, 42, was savaged by a shark while diving in near Marsa Alam. In October 2020 a 12-year-old Ukrainian boy on holiday in Egypt and his tour guide lost limbs after an attack by an oceanic whitetip shark. In August 2018, a 41-year-old Czech tourist died after being attacked 12 miles north of the town of Marsa Alam. In 2010, five shark attacks took place at Sharm el Sheikh in the same number of days. Advertisement The Ministry of the Environment announced today that an expert group was investigating the attacks, which are seen as rare in the area. The resort area is also popular with Russian tourists, and remains open to them in contrast to many European destinations following the war in Ukraine. 'We ask Russian citizens to remain vigilant when in the water, and strictly follow the bans imposed by the Egyptian authorities on swimming, diving and fishing on the high seas and off the coast,' tourists were told by their consulate-general in Hurghada. They were also told to 'strictly observe the signals from hotel employees and the coast guards'. Shark attacks in Egypt are rare - but the Red Sea has more than 44 species of the fish, some of which can be deadly. Most common are 6ft-long grey reef sharks, which have 13 or 14 sharp teeth. They swim in shallow waters around 60m deep or less. In June 2021, a tandem parasailer, a 37-year-old Jordanian man, was hovering above the water in Aqaba when a shark suddenly emerged and bit his leg. The man lost part of the back of his foot in the attack which also severed tendons, tore muscles and broke several bones. In December 2020, a German woman was savaged by a shark while diving in the Red Sea before instructors pulled her away to safety. The oceanic whitetip shark latched on to the woman, 42, near Marsa Alam in Egypt. The tourist was taken to hospital where she is recovering in a 'stable condition', according to the Governor for the Red Sea Amr Hanafi. In October 2020 a 12-year-old Ukrainian boy on holiday in Egypt and his tour guide lost limbs after an attack by an oceanic whitetip shark. The pair needed amputations after the vicious incident at resort Ras Muhammad in the Red Sea. And in 2010, five shark attacks took place at Sharm el Sheikh in the same number of days. Three Russians, one Ukrainian and one German tourist were injured. The German tourist, 71-year-old resort regular Renata Seifert, died of her injuries. A porn addict doctor who was jailed for secretly filming women having sex and taking showers through a tiny camera hidden in a toothbrush has been struck off the medical register. Dr Vinesh Godhania, from Norwich, accessed pornographic and other sexually explicit websites more than 19,400 times over an 11-month period between January and November 2020. Evidence also found he hacked into victims' iCloud-based accounts to steal intimate and sexual images to trade and post online. The victims included a patient filmed at Basildon Hospital and a further 17 people using bathrooms and toilets at his homes, while Dr Godhania also stole data from the iCloud accounts of more than 100 individuals - including 23 colleagues. He 'purchases technological equipment' and used a small camera hidden in an electronic toothbrush in a bathroom to film housemates and visitors to his home in Essex. The offences spanned his entire medical career from 2012, when he was still a medical student, through to 2020. Dr Godhania was arrested in November 2020 after cyber crime officers became aware he had been paying fees to use a data breach search engine. He admitted seven counts of recording a person doing a private act and eight counts of causing a computer to perform function with intent to secure/enable unauthorised access at West and Central Hertfordshire Magistrates' Court in August last year. He was subsequently sentenced to two years and eight months' imprisonment and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years at St Albans Crown Court in November 2021. The doctor has now also been struck off the medical register following a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing on June 23. Dr Vinesh Godhania (pictured) accessed pornographic and other sexually explicit websites more than 19,400 times over an 11-month period A panel heard that Dr Godhania qualified in 2012 and worked in various hospitals before leaving the profession to begin working at his parents' tobacconist shop in 2018. During his eight years as a doctor, he used a 'combination of surreptitiously placed cameras in the bathrooms and toilets of the homes he has lived in' to film women having sex, taking showers and using the bathroom. The tribunal heard that the victims included one member of the public filmed at a hospital, professional colleagues and 17 identified victims of voyeurism at Dr Godhanias homes. Meanwhile, data was also stolen from the iCloud accounts of more than 100 people and a search of his home found folders containing stolen data from 23 colleagues and credentials of 160 victims. All the victims were adults and 'almost exclusively female'. Evidence found he was still a fully qualified doctor when he had 'sustained access' to a website used by hackers to steal intimate and sexual images from iCloud accounts after leaving the profession. Prosecutors also told St Albans Crown Court that his offending involved 'potentially 2,000 victims'. The doctor was sentenced to two years and eight months' imprisonment and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years at St Albans Crown Court (pictured) in November 2021 One victim impact statement, included in the panel's report, read: 'When you go to hospital you are very vulnerable, you naturally trust the professionals dealing with you and certainly do not expect this violation. 'I feel uncomfortable and unfortunately this incident will change my view of people in a position of trust and will stay with me for a long time. 'I believe I will be more cautious and anxious in the future when dealing with people on a similar basis, especially when sharing information with others.' The tribunal heard that Dr Godhanias offending behaviour was 'ongoing for a minimum of eight years and increased in seriousness over time'. In a letter to his sentencing judge, the doctor said his 'compulsive viewing of pornography had begun over 20 years ago'. He also told probation services that he was aware he had issues since the age of 16 and described the problems as 'addiction', but had made no attempt to seek help. Passing its ruling, panel chair Melissa Coutino said Dr Godhania 'abused his position of trust' and that his actions were 'pre-planned, deliberate and sophisticated and went on for many years'. One of the victims covertly filmed by Dr Godhania was a patient at Basildon Hospital in Essex The report added: 'The Tribunal concluded that Dr Godhanias sexual misconduct was particularly serious. It took place over a prolonged period of time, was extremely serious and impacted on the privacy and dignity of patients, colleagues and members of the public. 'Dr Godhanias offending behaviour engaged all three limbs of the overarching objective and amounted to a significant breach of principles set out in GMP. 'The Tribunal concluded that given the seriousness, sophistication, scale and nature of Dr Godhanias actions, his behaviour was fundamentally incompatible with continued registration.' Tractor porn Tory Neil Parish today admitted he is 'no angel' and his long-suffering wife chases him around the kitchen with scissors threatening to 'snip' off his genitals in an excruciating TV exclusive about his demise. ITV viewers said they were put off their breakfast by the bizarre interview with Lorraine where he also laid into Boris Johnson after another 'Pestminster' sleaze scandal erupted. Mr Parish admitted that he initially lied about being the MP who was caught watching tractor porn in the Commons, having confessed after an 'embarrassing' conversation with his wife Susan and their two children. The Tory quit as the MP for Tiverton and Honiton after the scandal in April, with the Lib Dems taking the seat at a by-election last month - the first time in its history that it was not won by the Conservatives. He said: 'She [his wife] knows I'm no angel, she chases me around the kitchen with scissors saying 'snipper snap' knowing full well what part of my anatomy she is after. She knows what I'm like'. Paying tribute to his wife, he said: 'She came up with me all the 12 years I was in Parliament. Helped me in the office, helped keep me on time. She's done so much with me so naturally on the morning I decided to resign it was her advice I took. Our children, our son and our daughter, both gave very sound advice, and in the end do you twist and turn, do you tell lots of fibs, or go. And I decided to go'. Farmer Mr Parish first said he accidentally viewed one X-rated video when browsing for tractors, before later doing so deliberately in the Commons chamber. Tractor porn watching Tory Neil Parish today admitted he is 'no angel' and his long-suffering wife chases him around the kitchen with scissors threatening to 'snip' off his genitals in an excruciating TV exclusive with Lorraine about his demise Lorraine appeared shocked when she heard Mr Parish's explanation about him watching porn in the Commons Susan Parish, pictured with her husband Neil Parish, said very few men can claim to have never watched pornography, although she admitted it should not be viewed in the House of Commons Mr Parish pictured with Mr Johnson before the scandal erupted and he quit as a MP Who is Neil Parish? Somerset farmer turned politician who left school at 16 and became a 'Rottweiler' on rural issues Neil Parish - who was named as the MP accused of watching porn in the Commons - is a former Somerset farmer who spent more than two decades as a politician in Westminster and Brussels. Born in Bridgewater, a historic market town on the edge of the Somerset Levels, he became MP for Tiverton and Honiton, a picturesque constituency in the heart of south-west England, in 2010 after a decade as a Tory MEP. Before that he served as a local councillor. The 65-year-old was a member of the Environment and rural affairs committee since 2010 and was once branded a 'Rottweiler' by former farming minister David Miliband. Mr Parish left school at 16 without qualifications and began working on the family farm, where he still lives. He is married to Susan, a teacher, and they have two children and two grandchildren A biography on Politico described him as a 'devoted family man', with him and his wife considered something of a 'double act'. It continued: 'Shorter than average and slightly rotund, Parish makes up in personality what he lacks in height. He is a whirlwind of activity, giving the impression he never stays still for very long. 'One of his political opposites in the Parliament describes Parish as ''personable'' it is difficult to find anyone who dislikes him but says he suspects him of being ''shallow'', accusing him of a tendency to jump on other people's bandwagons for the sake of publicity. The same person adds with a sigh: ''He's a pretty nice guy actually''.' Mr Parish's other interests include African politics, according to an online biography. During the 2000 Presidential elections in Zimbabwe, he acted as an election monitor and criticised the conduct of Robert Mugabe's regime. Following this, Robert Mugabe banned Neil from re-entering the country, a ban that remains in place to this day. He was recently among more than 280 MPs to be sanctioned by Vladimir Putin's regime for comments he had made in Parliament in support of Ukraine. He described this as a 'badge of honour'. His most recent work in Parliament was launching an inquiry into marine mammals, which will look into their welfare in UK waters and worldwide. Advertisement Lorraine looked a mix of shocked and incredulous as he spoke, and asked if Boris Johnson is partly to blame for the crisis, because he 'doesn't lead by example'. Mr Parish replied: 'It's a bit of that yes. It's about trust and integrity. It's like Christopher Pincher. One day he says he doesn't know what he's like and the next day you have Dom Cummings saying he used to say: 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature'. I love Boris in many ways but why tell a fib when you know 24 hours later it's going to be refuted when the public are worried about the Prime Minister's integrity'. Farmer Mr Parish first said he accidentally viewed one X-rated video when browsing for tractors, before later doing so deliberately in the Commons chamber. Of the incident in parliament, he told Lorraine: 'I think there's moments of madness in your life, and this was one of them and one has plenty of time to regret it afterwards, but I did the right thing, I apologised and I left parliament. 'I should have done it even quicker than I did. I think I went into a sort of denial, really and I think I went into shock - I thought perhaps if I pretend it didn't happen, it hasn't happened. 'I also wanted to be able to apologise to the two women concerned because I never intended to flaunt it in front of anybody. I wasn't proud of what I was doing, I knew it was wrong what I was doing and it was a weakness in my character, but I promise you - and my wife will back me up on that, who' s a great support - I don't flaunt, I really don't.' On being quizzed by Lorraine for being on his phone at work when he should have been listening, he said: 'It wasn't during a debate, it was at 11:30 at night and we were voting. I wasn't in a part of the chamber you can ask a question from, waiting to go into vote, so in between votes you have about ten minutes One of the problems with parliament and the voting system is - it's no justification, but I got bored. You look at your phone. I used to look at cars and tractors during votes.' Lorraine asked, 'But how do you go from tractors to porn?' He replied; 'It was linked, the website was linked but naturally I'm not going to say how because I don't want others to go on to the horrible site. I know people make fun of me that I'm the tractor porn man but I promise you, that was the case.' Susan Parish, his wife of more than 40 years said at the time of the scandal that their marriage would survive the scandal, claiming it is 'all very embarrassing' and 'very stupid'. After hearing about the allegation, Mrs Parish said: 'My breath was taken away, frankly,' although she defended her husband. 'No. He's quite a normal guy, really. He's a lovely person. It's just so stupid.' She said: 'People shouldn't be looking at pornography. He would never just sit there with people looking. He would never just do that knowing [people were looking]. These ladies were quite right to be as cross as they were because I was cross, too.' Boris Johnson is facing demands to set out what he knew about allegations of inappropriate behaviour centring on Chris Pincher before appointing him to the Tory whips' office. The Prime Minister is alleged to have referred to the MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip in February. Under-fire Tory MP Neil Parish with his wife of 40 years Susan, who has described the allegations against him as 'very embarrassing' but is standing by him The MP for Tamworth in Staffordshire resigned from the role after being accused of drunkenly groping two men in a private members' club in London. 'Chris Pincher groped me as we posed for this picture': Fundraiser says shamed MP stroked his thigh then grabbed him as they posed for charity photo Mark Dabbs today claimed that disgraced Tory MP Chris Pincher groped him while this picture was taken A charity fundraiser today claimed that disgraced Tory MP Chris Pincher groped his thigh and bottom and gave him the 'come on' including suggestively praising his 'muscles' and 'stamina' while they posed for the picture below. Mark Dabbs, who is straight, claims the Conservative began making inappropriate comments and then touching him when he was trying to raise cash for their local hospice in Tamworth, Staffordshire. He said: 'When we took a photo he was touching me, then feeling my bottom. He was helping me with my charity work and I think he thought he'd get something in return.' His claims only emerged after the Tory MP was forced to quit as Boris Johnson's deputy chief whip after drunkenly groping two men in a London members-only club last week. The Prime Minister is under huge pressure to reveal what he knew about his MP's behaviour, given an allegation that Mr Johnson joked in 2020 that he was 'Pincher by name, Pincher by nature', long before he made him his deputy chief whip in February. NHS worker Mr Dabbs is now the seventh person to claim that Pincher was guilty of inappropriate behaviour, and on this occasion Pincher was 'stone-cold sober' at the meeting in 2018. He said: 'He waited until we were alone and then said some inappropriate things. He said how tall and slim I was, then wanted to know if I had a partner. I said I was a runner. And quick as a flash he replied, "Oh, that's why you're so slim". Then, with a twinkle in his eye, he said, 'I bet you've got stamina'. 'Then he said to me, "I bet you have strong legs" before starting feeling the top of my thighs. He said I was very muscly. I thought it was all very strange. He was very suggestive. It was vile. I was shocked that an MP would behave in this way.' MailOnline has asked Mr Pincher to comment. Advertisement It was the second time he resigned from the whips' office after Conservative candidate Alex Story accused him of making an inappropriate advance in 2017. The latest in a line of sexual misconduct allegations featuring Tory MPs was adding to Mr Johnson's struggle to regain his authority after the partygate scandal. There were suggestions his handling of Mr Pincher will embolden Conservative rebels' attempts to change the rules of the 1922 Committee of backbenchers so they can hold another no confidence vote within the next year. A stream of fresh allegations against Mr Pincher emerged over the weekend, as one Tory backbencher said claims about his behaviour had been 'swirling around Westminster for years'. Labour Party chair Anneliese Dodds has written to the Prime Minister demanding to know what Downing Street knew of the allegations about his ally before his second appointment as a whip. 'Only Boris Johnson could have looked at this guy's record and thought 'he deserves a promotion',' she added in a statement. 'This Prime Minister is clearly happy to sweep sexual misconduct under the carpet in order to save his own skin.' She also questioned why the Tory whip was not suspended, meaning the MP now sits as an independent, until Friday when the incident took place at the Carlton Club on Wednesday. A Downing Street source has argued that Mr Johnson took the move after speaking to a Tory MP who was with one of the men allegedly groped by Mr Pincher. 'The account given was sufficiently disturbing to make the PM feel more troubled by all this,' the source told the PA news agency. Dominic Cummings, the Prime Minister's former chief aide turned critic-in-chief, said Mr Johnson referred to the MP 'laughingly in No 10 as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' long before appointing him'. Downing Street has not disputed that account, but Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey argued that Mr Johnson did not know 'specific claims' about the MP. 'I don't believe he was aware, that's what I've been told today,' she told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday. Liberal Democrat chief whip Wendy Chamberlain laid the blame for the 'sleazy toxic Government' with Mr Johnson. 'He must now be forced to reveal what he knew before making the appointment,' she added. Current party rules dictate that another challenge cannot be held for a year after last month's confidence vote, which Mr Johnson won despite 148 Tory MPs voting against him. But amid renewed questions over his judgment, there are suggestions that the upcoming elections for the 1922 Committee's executive could focus on a compromise proposal to allow a vote sooner. The change would mean a second confidence vote could be held if 25% of Tories in the Commons - 90 MPs - submit letters to the 1922 leadership, double the current amount required to trigger an initial vote. Under investigation by Parliament's Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme, Mr Pincher said he is seeking 'professional medical support' and hopes to return to represent his constituents 'as soon as possible'. Meanwhile, a man told the Sun that Mr Pincher said 'inappropriate things' before touching the top of his thigh in a meeting in the MP's constituency office in 2018. The Mail on Sunday alleged Mr Pincher threatened to report a parliamentary researcher to her boss after she tried to stop his 'lecherous' advances to a young man at a Conservative Party conference. The Sunday Times alleged he made unwanted passes at two Conservative MPs in 2017 and 2018 - after his first resignation as a whip. A Tory MP told the Independent he was groped on two occasions by Mr Pincher, first in December 2021 and again last month. In 2017, at the time a young Tory activist, Mr Story described Mr Pincher untucking the back of his shirt, massaging his neck and whispering 'You'll go far in the Tory Party'. The new allegations reignited concerns about standards in Westminster after a string of Conservative MPs faced sexual misconduct claims. In May, Neil Parish quit as MP for Tiverton and Honiton after admitting viewing pornography in the Commons chamber. A month earlier, then-Wakefield MP Imran Ahmad Khan was jailed for 18 months for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy. The Conservatives lost both by-elections that followed. A third unnamed Tory MP has been told by whips to stay away from Parliament after being arrested on suspicion of rape and other offences. In a statement, Mr Pincher said he would 'co-operate fully' with the investigation. 'As I told the Prime Minister, I drank far too much on Wednesday night, embarrassing myself and others, and I am truly sorry for the upset I caused,' he continued. 'The stresses of the last few days, coming on top of those over the last several months, have made me accept that I will benefit from professional medical support. 'I am in the process of seeking that now, and I hope to be able to return to my constituency duties as soon as possible.' A shark attacked and injured a lifeguard during a training exercise over the weekend. Zachari Gallo was playing the role of a victim during a training exercise when a five-foot shark bit him in the chest and hand at 10.15am on Smith Point Beach, New York. The beach was closed after the attack, but reopened again at 10am on July 4. He received stitches in his chest and Suffolk County officials closed the Long Island beach to swimming Sunday after the unprecedented shark attack. The lifeguard said once he felt the texture of his attacker he knew it was shark. 'I felt sharp, sharp pain and once I felt the rubbery texture, I knew it was some kind of shark,' Gallo told CBS. He said: 'I hit the shark three times. I went boom, boom, boom. I guess in the third one it spun back and it's tail hit me in the chest.' Zachari Gallo describes how he fought off a shark at New York's Smith Point Beach on Sunday. He said: 'I hit the shark three times. I went boom, boom, boom. I guess in the third one it spun back and it's tail hit me in the chest' Gallo suffered a bite to his hand after punching the shark off him Gallo received stitches in his chest and Suffolk County officials closed the Long Island beach to swimming Sunday after the unprecedented shark attack Although he was happy to go home to his wife and four-month old he said he wanted to be back working as soon as possible. Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said Gallo was in 'very good spirits'. He said: 'If you're going to have an encounter with a shark this is probably the best scenario you could have. Zachari Gallo was playing the role of a victim during a training exercise when a shark bit him in the chest and hand at about 10.15am on Smith Point Beach (pictured), New York (File image) Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (pictured) said Gallo was in 'very good spirits' (File image) 'We have never had an incident like this occur. Hopefully we never will again.' Bellone said there was an additional shark sighting following the attack, though it was not clear whether it was the same shark. The beach was closed to swimming the rest of the day but expected to reopen Monday with officials monitoring the water for sharks. It came as a 17-year-old girl lost a leg after being bitten by a shark off a Florida beach - only to be saved when her EMT brother beat the creature off her thigh. Addison Bethea, 17, is pictured in hospital in Tallahassee days after a shark attacked her. Brother, Rhett Willingham, 22, left, saved her life by beating away the shark Dad, Shane Addison, 46, says he is grateful his daughter is alive following a shark attack Addison Bethea's harrowing ordeal began around 3pm Thursday when the teen and her half-brother, Rhett Willingham, 22, went out scalloping in just five feet of water near Grassy Island, off Keaton Beach in Taylor County. Her father, Shane Addison, 46, told DailyMail.com on Friday his daughter was in brother Rhett's boat about a mile-and-a-half off-shore swimming in the water when she suddenly felt something hit her in the back of the leg. 'Addison thought her brother was just playing around until a nine-foot shark latched onto her thigh and she started screaming, and there was blood everywhere,' he said. As his daughter tried to pull the shark off her leg, her brother started beating nonstop on the beast trying to pry his sister loose. Once she was free, he grabbed her and carried her to his boat. A random stranger saw that the pair were in distress. Addison said that at first she thought her brother was playing around and only when she looked down did she notice that it was a shark Rhett placed his sister on the stranger's boat and then he used a 4 foot tourniquet around her right upper leg top stop the bleeding. 'The shark got her bad,' Shane said. 'She was very pale, and nearly going into shock.' Rhett called for an ambulance and when they arrived back on land, she was airlifted to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital some 80 miles away. Addison was rushed into emergency surgery. Doctors now have to decide whether they will be able to save a portion of the leg for prosthetics. A hospital in Tasmania failed to pick up red flags about the grooming conduct of a male pediatric nurse years before he was charged with multiple child sexual abuse offences. An inquiry into state government responses to abuse allegations in the public service is examining the Launceston General Hospital and James Geoffrey Griffin. Griffin, who worked at the facility for almost two decades, took his own life in October 2019 after being charged by police. James Griffin (pictured) who worked at the Launceston General Hospital for almost two decades, took his own life in October 2019 after being charged with child sex offences An inquiry into state government responses to abuse allegations in the public service is examining the Launceston General Hospital (pictured) The state government on Sunday launched an urgent review into the hospital's governance after the inquiry was told harrowing tales of abuse by Griffin and 'catastrophic' failures to act on complaints against him. Kirsty Neilley was 16 when she was first admitted to the children's ward at the hospital in 2015. She said Griffin gave her long hugs, kisses, carried her after a shower and communicated with her via Facebook. Ms Neilley said Griffin told her a staff member had reported him for getting too close to her and he could lose his job because of it. 'I think the night nurse ... had told (Griffin) that he was to stop contacting me,' she told the inquiry. 'He gave me his phone number instead, so that it was just a random number coming up on screen instead of his Facebook name.' Ms Neilley, who said she would occasionally wake to Griffin leaning over her bed, said no one from the hospital spoke to her about his conduct. The state government on Sunday launched an urgent review into the hospital's governance after the inquiry was told harrowing tales of abuse by Griffin (stock image) Kirsty Neilley, 16, told the inquiry Griffin (pictured) gave her long hugs, kisses, carried her after a shower and communicated with her via Facebook 'There were a lot of red flags people could have picked up. Obviously something was picked up on because there was a complaint,' she said. 'I just feel really let down because nothing actually happened.' In 2000 a person found child abuse material on a computer previously belonging to then-trainee-nurse Griffin and reported it to police, the inquiry has been told, but nothing progressed. Matthew Hardy, national director of notifications at the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority, said the regulator received only one notification about Griffin, in 2019 after he had been charged. Mr Hardy said if the 2000 abuse material allegation had reached the regulator at that point, it may have precluded Griffin from being registered. 'In my experience those sorts of allegations would have been acted upon either by the notification pathway, and treated very seriously,' he said. Griffin (pictured) was given several written warnings about boundary breaches during his time at the hospital - where he worked from 2001 In 2015, Tasmania Police was provided with 'credible information' that Griffin had discussed child abuse online but 'no further action was taken' (pictured, Launceston General Hospital) In 2011, a female social worker told hospital human resources Griffin had abused her as a child. She was told nothing could be done without a conviction. In 2015, Tasmania Police was provided with 'credible information' that Griffin had discussed child abuse online but 'no further action was taken'. Griffin was also given several written warnings about boundary breaches during his time at the hospital. Health Complaints Commissioner, Richard Connock, said a review in 2005 into sexual abuse of vulnerable adults at the hospital found the response of senior management had been lacking. For confidential 24-hour support in Australia call Lifeline on 13 11 14. French president Emmanuel Macron is said to be tired and depressed following the loss of his parliamentary majority on June 20. The president has been heard sighing in front of his companions, saying 'we are all tired' after a long and bitterly-fought election campaign, according to Le Monde, with friends describing him as 'dazed', 'blocked' and 'absent'. Macron, 44, was recently re-elected president in April but faces the prospect of running an ever-more divided France. After winning the campaign, his centrist coalition ran out of steam when parliamentary elections saw votes swing towards Marine Le Pens right-wing National Rally and the left-wing Nupes alliance, losing Macron the majority he had enjoyed for the last five years. 'Jupiter is on one knee,' said left-leaning French paper L'Obs, referring to Macron's favoured pseudonym. French paper Le Point said Macron had lost his 'energy, his nerve and his lucidity' and suggested he had been hit by 'post-electoral baby-blues'. France's President Emmanuel Macron attends a round table in Lisbon on June 30. Le Point said Macron had lost his 'energy, his nerve and his lucidity' and suggested he had been hit by 'post-electoral baby-blues' Marine Le Pen said 'I got the impression he didn't know where he wanted to go', after speaking with the French president about the parliamentary deadlock, according to The Times. 'Hes struggling to define what the new adventure will be,' a minister told Le Monde, adding that Macrons 'indecision has become proverbial.' Three government ministers lost their seats in the elections and will have to be replaced in a reshuffle set to take place over the next few days. Brigitte Bourguignon, Minister of Social Affairs and Health of France, will have to be replaced a key position with a resurgent Covid-19. Macron will also need a new minister for overseas territories, after Yael Braun-Pivet, 51, was chosen as speaker of the national assembly. Macron is steering clear of poaching major figures from opposition parties, an approach he has taken previously. After the result, Macron will rely on the other parties to get bills adopted in parliament, but the reshuffle does not look like it will attempt to build a government from members outside of the centrist party. Other new appointments will include Laurence Boone, the OECD's deputy secretary general and chief economist, who will replace Clement Beaune as minister for European affairs, while Beaune is to become the new transport minister, BFM reported. Damien Abad, the minister for solidarity and the disabled, will lose his job after France 3 and BFM reported he is under investigation on suspicion of attempted rape. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne is expected to announce the composition of the new government on Monday. Sir Keir Starmer will today finally set out his stance on Brexit as the Labour leader makes a pledge not to reverse the EU referendum result from six years ago. In a speech this evening, Sir Keir will promise - if Labour wins power at the next general election - that he would not seek to return to EU free movement rules or rejoin the bloc's single market or customs union. Despite having been a key proponent of a second EU referendum when he was Labour's shadow Brexit secretary, Sir Keir will now promise not to go back on the wishes of 17.4 million Leave voters. 'There are some who say "We dont need to make Brexit work. We need to reverse it." I couldnt disagree more,' he will say. Instead, Sir Keir will promise to 'make Brexit work' with a five-point plan - in an echo of Boris Johnson's 'get Brexit done' slogan before the 2019 general election. He will pledge to 'sort out the poor deal' signed with the EU by the Prime Minister - which he will claim has created a 'hulking fatberg of red tape' - and to 'end the Brexit divisions once and for all'. The Labour leader will also lash out at the PM's failure to capitalise on 'Brexit opportunities' and promise a 'better scheme' to solve the Government's ongoing row with Brussels over trade arrangements for Northern Ireland. Sir Keir Starmer will promise - if Labour wins power at the next general election - he would not seek to return to EU free movement rules or rejoin the bloc's single market or customs union The Labour leader will pledge to 'sort out the poor deal' signed with the EU by Boris Johnson - which he will claim has created a 'hulking fatberg of red tape' Sir Keir's speech comes as the Labour leader increases his efforts to win back 'Red Wall' voters who switched to the Tories at the last general election. The Labour leader has recently been buoyed by the party's victory in last month's Wakefield by-election. His comments will also be aimed at those within his party who have recently urged Sir Keir to promise closer ties with the EU under a Labour government - including London mayor Sadiq Khan who recently said Britain should push to rejoin the single market. Sir Keir is viewed as having been a central figure in his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn's decision to back a second EU referendum ahead of the 2019 general election. He won the contest to replace Mr Corbyn as Labour leader with a campaign that included a promise to 'defend free movement'. But Sir Keir has since largely stayed quiet on what his Brexit policy would be should he become PM after the next election. In his speech at the Centre for European Reform tonight, Sir Keir will now push back against the pro-Remain voices in his party as he will claim Labour 'cannot afford to look back'. 'You cannot move forward or grow the country or deliver change or win back the trust of those who have lost faith in politics if youre constantly focused on the arguments of the past,' he will say. 'We cannot afford to look back over our shoulder. Because all the time we are doing that we are missing what is ahead of us. 'So let me be very clear: with Labour, Britain will not go back into the EU. We will not be joining the single market. We will not be joining a customs union. 'The reason I say this is simple. Nothing about revisiting those rows will help stimulate growth or bring down food prices or help British business thrive in the modern world. 'It would simply be a recipe for more division, it would distract us from taking on the challenges facing people, and it would ensure Britain remained stuck for another decade.' Sir Keir pledged to 'defend free movement as we leave the EU' when he was campaigning to be Labour leader in 2020 In his pledge to 'make Brexit work', Sir Keir will promise to end the row with the EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol to 'eliminate most border checks' between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. He will also promise to strike a new veterinary agreement with the EU to ease the export of agri-products over the Irish Sea, as well as secure 'mutual recognition of professional qualifications' between the EU and UK. In addition, Sir Keir's five-point plan includes a proposal for a new security pact with Brussels to allow the UK and EU to 'share data, intelligence, and best practice' in tackling terrorism, organised crime and people trafficking. The Labour leader will also launch an attack on what he will claim is Mr Johnson's failure to use Brexit to ease the cost-of-living crisis hammering struggling Britons. 'The Government have missed Brexit opportunities time and time again,' Sir Keir will add. 'It beggars belief that during a cost-of-living crisis that they still havent cut VAT on energy bills. 'Labour will be sharper than this. We will use our flexibility outside of the EU to ensure British regulation is adapted to suit British needs.' A leading Brexiteer said Sir Keir seemed to be 'reluctanctly accepting' elements of the UK's departure from the EU but questioned whether the Labour leader could be 'trusted'. They also wondered if Sir Keir would still be in charge of Labour policy at the next election, as he will soon face a decision by Durham Police over his Beergate row. John Longworth, the former director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce who now works for the Centre for Brexit Policy, said: 'Starmer is reluctantly accepting aspects of Brexit but seeking accord with EU rather than pursuing the benefits of Brexit. 'Can he be trusted? A leopard doesnt change his spots. And he may not even be leader - Vote Labour get rejoin.' Tory former Cabinet minister Sir John Redwood said: 'Labour's ideas to "improve" Brexit all depend on the EU offering changes they always refuse to make. 'Why do Labour think the EU will suddenly want the Protocol or food trade to work after undermining them for so long?' Pope Francis has strongly condemned abortion and compared terminating a baby to 'hiring a hitman to solve a problem' after the landmark court ruling Roe v. Wade was overturned by Supreme Court justices. Speaking from his Vatican residence, the 85-year-old pontiff said he respected the Supreme Court's decision to unravel nearly 50 years' worth of precedent by overturning the 1973 landmark decision that granted federal abortion protections under the Constitution. Francis said he said strongly condemned abortion, comparing it to 'hiring a hit man'. The Catholic Church teaches that life begins at the moment of conception. He said: 'I ask: Is it legitimate, is it right, to eliminate a human life to resolve a problem?' Pope Francis has strongly condemned abortion and compared terminating a baby to 'hiring a hitman to solve a problem' after the landmark court ruling Roe v. Wade was overturned by Supreme Court justices Francis was asked about a debate in the United States over whether a Catholic politician who is personally opposed to abortion but supports others' right to choose should be allowed to receive the sacrament of communion. House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi, for example, has been barred by the conservative archbishop of her home diocese of San Francisco from receiving it there, but is regularly given communion at a parish in Washington, D.C. Last week, she received the sacrament at a papal Mass in the Vatican. 'When the Church loses its pastoral nature, when a bishop loses his pastoral nature, it causes a political problem,' the pope said. 'That's all I can say.' Hundreds of abortion rights protesters are gathered outside of the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral to protest returning of Roe vs. Wade during a church session in Manhattan, New York City on July 2 Meanwhile, Francis dismissed reports that he plans to resign in the near future, saying he is on track to visit Canada this month and hopes to be able to go to Moscow and Kyiv as soon as possible after that. In an exclusive interview in his Vatican residence, Francis also denied rumors that he had cancer, joking that his doctors 'didn't tell me anything about it', and for the first time gave details of the knee condition that has prevented him carrying out some duties. Rumors have swirled in the media that a conjunction of events in late August, including meetings with the world's cardinals to discuss a new Vatican constitution, a ceremony to induct new cardinals, and a visit to the Italian city of L'Aquila, could foreshadow a resignation announcement. L'Aquila is associated with Pope Celestine V, who resigned the papacy in 1294. Pope Benedict XVI visited the city four years before he resigned in 2013, the first pope to do so in about 600 years. But Francis, alert and at ease throughout the interview as he discussed a wide range of international and Church issues, laughed the idea off. 'All of these coincidences made some think that the same 'liturgy' would happen,' he said. 'But it never entered my mind. For the moment no, for the moment, no. Really!' Francis did, however, repeat his often stated position that he might resign someday if failing health made it impossible for him to run the Church - something that had been almost unthinkable before Benedict XVI. Asked when he thought that might be, he said: 'We don't know. God will say.' The interview took place on the day he was to have left for Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, a trip he had to cancel because doctors said he might also have to miss a trip to Canada from July 24-30 unless he agreed to have 20 more days of therapy and rest for his right knee. He said the decision to cancel the Africa trip had caused him 'much suffering', particularly because he wanted to promote peace in both countries. Francis used a cane as he walked into a reception room on the ground floor of the Santa Marta guest house where he has lived since his election in 2013, eschewing the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors. The room has a copy of one of Francis' favourite paintings: 'Mary, Untier of Knots', created around 1700 by the German Joachim Schmidtner. Asked how he was, the pope joked: 'I'm still alive!' He gave details of his ailment for the first time in public, saying he had suffered 'a small fracture' in the knee when he took a misstep while a ligament was inflamed. 'I am well, I am slowly getting better,' he said, adding that the fracture was knitting, helped by laser and magnet therapy. Francis also dismissed rumours that a cancer had been found a year ago when he underwent a six-hour operation to remove part of his colon because of diverticulitis, a condition common in the elderly. 'It (the operation) was a great success,' he said, adding with a laugh that 'they didn't tell me anything' about the supposed cancer, which he dismissed as 'court gossip'. But he said he did not want an operation on his knee because the general anesthetic in last year's surgery had had negative side-effects. Speaking of the situation in Ukraine, Francis noted that there have been contacts between Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about a possible trip to Moscow. The initial signs were not good. No pope has ever visited Moscow, and Francis has repeatedly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine; last Thursday he implicitly accused it of waging a 'cruel and senseless war of aggression'. When the Vatican first asked about a trip several months ago, Francis said Moscow replied that it was not the right time. But he hinted that something may now have changed. 'I would like to go (to Ukraine), and I wanted to go to Moscow first. We exchanged messages about this because I thought that if the Russian president gave me a small window to serve the cause of peace... 'And now it is possible, after I come back from Canada, it is possible that I manage to go to Ukraine,' he said. 'The first thing is to go to Russia to try to help in some way, but I would like to go to both capitals.' A master tailor had to be dragged off his girlfriend as he repeatedly bashed her head on the pavement outside a luxury five-star Mayfair hotel, a court heard. Richard Benettello, 41, claims the pair were drunk after eating and drinking at a Peruvian restaurant in London and that he was guilty of nothing more than 'excessive self-defence.' Mr Benettello, who has worked with Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana and Burberry, was pulled off girlfriend Solankhe Tchikaya, 37, by a security guard outside The Athenaeum, Piccadilly on May 27, last year. He pleaded guilty at City of London Magistrates' Court to assaulting the graduate marketing and communications specialist. Mr Benettello, of Fulham Road, West Brompton was bailed to July 29 for a pre-sentence report on the condition he does not contact Ms Tchikaya or visit her address in Munster Road, Fulham. Richard Benettello, 41, admitted to assaulting his girlfriend at City of London Magistrates' Court Solankhe Tchikaya, 37, has not supported the prosecution and Mr Benettello's lawyer said she 'would have been a defence witness today if there had been a trial' Prosecutor Robert Simpson told the court the couple had just dined at the nearby COYA Mayfair restaurant, leaving at half past midnight. 'The restaurant manager Filomena Clarizio says she heard a call and thought something was happening outside the restaurant. 'She saw the defendant and his partner and he was on top of her and she describes him hitting her head against the pavement.' The manager gave a police statement explaining: 'I saw the male on top. He had hold of her hair and was smashing her head on the ground and security staff came out and separated them.' Ms Tchikaya told the witnesses: 'He gets like that when he is upset,' and Benettello said: 'I did nothing.' Mr Simpson added: 'Security staff from The Athenaeum came out and separated the couple and the defendant was overwrought at the time and there was blood on his hand.' The blood was Benettello's and Ms Tchikaya suffered no visible injuries. 'The police were called and he was arrested,' added Mr Simpson. 'When he was interviewed the defendant gave a prepared statement and made no further comment. 'The complainant has not supported the prosecution at any time and did make a statement that nothing had happened and would have been a defence witness today if there had been a trial.' However, Ms Clarizio and the security guard attended and were prepared to give evidence against Benettello. Milad Shojaei, defending, told the court: 'The complainant did not support this prosecution and never has. 'He accepts there was excessive self-defence when they were intoxicated and they had a stumble. 'He accepts he behaved excessively. The paramedics confirm there were no injuries to her head and the blood was the defendant's.' A dad-of-11 has said he's not a 'deadbeat dad' and admitted struggling to pay the thousands of dollars in child support he owes his ex-wife. Donna McBaron says Daryl Whiting owes her many years worth of payments she needs to help provide for their three teenage sons. But the 62-year-old, who lives on a Townsville property in far north Queensland in a converted bus, has explained he just doesn't have the cash after fathering children to four different woman. Daryl Whiting (pictured) says he will die having never paid the outstanding sum 'I rang them (Child Support Agency) at Christmas time and said, "do you realise I will never be able to pay this"?' Mr Whiting told A Current Affair. 'They said, "well we will get it out of you, one way or another" and I just said, "well mate I am going to die owing the most child support ever".' Now in a new relationship with a woman who is 32 years younger, his brood ranges from adults in their 40s to a four-month-old baby. 'I'm not a deadbeat dad,' he said. 'But I've been accused of it by Donna for months and months and months.' Mr Whiting said the child support payments he owes were based on his earnings from a successful business, which he doesn't own anymore. To make up for part of the money owed, he claims he has been paying his ex-wife $150 every month since they separated 15 years ago. Donna McBaron (pictured) claims her ex-husband Daryl Whiting owes her several years worth of child support to help her provide for their three teenage sons Mr Whiting provided a history of transactions to the Nine program dating back to March, showing the money being handed over. 'I don't pay the child support industry, I pay it into her bank account,' he said before admitting: 'I suppose I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to things like that.' Meanwhile, Ms McBaron says she is also struggling to make ends meet and relies on 'charity and good people' just to put food on the table. The former hairdresser said she has been forced to quit her job to care for her sons as two of their teenagers have special needs. 'We've done without everything. There's everything broken in the house that needs fixing,' she said. 'Clothes, groceries - I have not been able to go and do a grocery shop like normal people, for I could not tell you how long. We rely on charity and good people.' CSA last year transferred about $3.8billion to 1.2 million children in Australian. Mr Whiting said the child support payments he owes were based on his earnings from a successful business - which he doesn't own anymore Advertisement The CEO of craft beer firm BrewDog has admitted to being 'too intense and demanding' amid a workplace culture row where he was accused of inappropriate behaviour and abusing his power. James Watt, 38, the chief executive of Britain's biggest craft brewer, has been at the centre of a string of misconduct accusations in recent years after being accused of inappropriate behaviour towards women and abuse of power in the workplace. Speaking with Steven Bartlett on the Diary of a CEO podcast about his leadership at the company, he admitted to previously pushing people 'too far' because of his 'high standards.' But the CEO - whose company has been accused of having a 'rotten culture' - said that his actions were done with '100% good intentions.' Father-of-two Mr Watt revealed: 'It's completely fair to say at times in the journey I have been too intense. 'I have been too demanding, that I have set standards for the team which I would set for myself, and for a lot of the team members that is unattainable. 'I just pushed for such high standards, unrealistic deadlines, it's because I was so focused on 'let's build the thing, let's create more jobs, let's deliver more value for our customers.' 'The intention was 100% good and because I was so bought in and so focused on that, I did push people too far.' BrewDog CEO James Watt admitted to being 'too intense and demanding' after he was accused of inappropriate behaviour and abuse of power in a workplace culture row. Last year, dozens of his staff signed a letter accusing him of creating a 'rotten culture' at work. This year, a string of sexual misconduct allegations also came to light during a BBC documentary The CEO and father-of-two (left) spoke about the issues he has dealt with at the company with Steven Bartlett (right) on his podcast Steven Bartlett interviewed the CEO - who said he believes he created 'high standards' and 'unrealistic deadlines' in the workplace. Bartlett (pictured) has interviewed some of Britain's best business owners, including Love Island's Molly-Mae Hague and Gymshark's Ben Francis This comes after more than 15 ex-staff previously spoke out against Mr Watt with some claiming he made female bartenders feel 'uncomfortable' and 'powerless'. They were even advised by colleagues on how to avoid unwelcome attention from Mr Watt, 38, according to an investigation by BBC Scotland's Disclosure programme. Katelynn Ising, who worked at a BrewDog bar in Ohio, US, said female staff would dress down when they knew Mr Watt would be in their bars. She said: 'We would make a point to warn new girls... like, 'Hey, just so you know, James Watt's coming to town. Just kind of, like, leave after your shift, don't really hang around [and] don't always do your hair and make-up that day, like don't catch his attention'.' Other former staff claim Mr Watt was witnessed by staff kissing an intoxicated customer on a roof terrace at another US bar. Mr Watt has said the allegations are false and denies behaving inappropriately. Last year, Watts' disgruntled former employees shared a scathing open letter slamming the company for its 'toxic attitudes' and accusing it of fostering a 'culture of fear' among staff. Penned by a group called 'Punks With Purpose', the letter featured a list of 63 names of people who used to work for the firm, and takes aim at the Scotland-based brewery's founders James Watt and Martin Dickie. James Watt, chief executive of craft beer maker BrewDog, has been accused of 'making women feel uncomfortable', according to an investigation by BBC Scotland's Disclosure programme James Watt (right) with co-founder Martin Dickie (left). Mr Watt denies all accusations that he acted inappropriately towards women Writing collectively as a group called 'Punks With Purpose', the letter featured a list of names of people who used to work for the firm, and takes aim at the Scotland-based brewery's founders BrewDog CEO James Watt and his misconduct accusations In June 2021, almost 300 former and current Brewdog employees signed a letter accusing Mr Watt of creating a toxic fear culture at BrewDog. The letter stated that a 'significant number' of former staff had 'suffered mental illness' as a result of working at Brewdog. At the time, the CEO responded: 'I want to be very candid about some mistakes that I have made that have detrimentally impacted our culture. 'In the hard and fast environment of high growth, I have all too often neglected many important people elements of our business. 'Furthermore, despite surviving C-19 due to a phenomenal effort from our amazing team I had to make some very hard decisions to ensure our survival and these decisions have taken a considerable human toll on our business and had a negative impact. 'Additionally, some PR mistakes that I have made in our past have also had a detrimental impact on culture. I can promise that I will not make these mistakes again.' In January 2022, James Watt faced further accusations of inappropriate behaviour and abuse of power in the workplace by former staff. Over 15 ex-staff spoke out about his conduct on the BBC's Disclosure programme. Specifically, he was called out for making female bartenders feel 'uncomfortable' and 'powerless'. A string of misconduct accusations were included in the programme, including that he kissed an intoxicated customer on a roof terrace bar, and took women on late night private brewery tours, which left staff feeling uncomfortable. He was called a 'starer' by former staff members, and managers said they would schedule women to not be at work if they knew Mr Watt was in town visiting. The BBC Disclosure programme made no allegations of criminal behaviour with women by Mr Watt. He denies all the allegations Advertisement It claimed the company is 'built on a cult of personality' and alleged that it left some staff feeling 'burnt out, afraid and miserable', adding that 'a significant number of people have admitted they have suffered mental illness' as a result of working there. It went so far as to claim being treated like a human being 'was sadly not always a given' for those employed by BrewDog - trashing the image of the hipster company which offers 'pawternity leave' if a staff member gets a dog and pays employees 500 to quit if they don't feel they're a good fit. At the time, Mr Watt subsequently issued an 'update' on the Punks With Purpose open letter, describing it as 'so upsetting, but so important'. He said: 'Our focus now is not on contradicting or contesting the details of that letter, but to listen, learn and act.' Mr Watt also tweeted that the suggestion it was he who sent round the counter letter which 'dismissed the deeply-held fears of current and former staff' was 'untrue', stressing: 'The email came from our people team, not myself. The letter is drafted by our teams who feel it is important to make their voice heard too.' The Punks With Purpose letter opened by addressing recent of sexism, discrimination and sexual harassment and abuse made by women working in the craft beer industry. It stateed its purpose is to make known the feelings of former staff regarding 'the atmosphere fostered at BrewDog, since its inception, in the hope that it might explain why so many allegations have come to light'. 'BrewDog was, and is, built on a cult of personality,' it read. 'Since day one, you have sought to exploit publicity, both good and bad (and usually with the faces of James and Martin front and centre) to further your own business goals. 'Your mission might genuinely be to make other people as passionate about craft beer as you are (and in a sense you have succeeded - your fanbase certainly has some true zealots in its ranks), but the ambitions you impressed on your team have always seemed business-led. 'Growth, at all costs, has always been perceived as the number one focus for the company, and the fuel you have used to achieve it is controversy.' The letter alleged that several of BrewDog's famous PR campaigns - including the founders both changing their names to Elvis, sending 'protest beer to Russia' and offering its employees 'pawternity leave' when they get a pet - were built on 'lies, hypocrisy and deceit'. It went on: 'You spent years claiming you wanted to be the best employer in the world, presumably to help you to recruit top talent, but ask former staff what they think of those claims, and youll most likely be laughed at. Being treated like a human being was sadly not always a given for those working at BrewDog.' The letter claimed that employees from all departments within the business, from production and bartending to marketing and HR have signed the letter, because they felt that in their day to day working lives there were 'at best hurdles, and at worst genuine safety concerns'. 'We felt that no matter how these were raised, the likelihood was we would be met with some variation on "thats just the way things are",' it argues. 'Sometimes it was linked to James directly, sometimes it was because someone in a position of power felt enabled to act in such a manner. We believe these toxic attitudes towards junior staff trickled down throughout the business from day one, until they were simply an intrinsic part of the company.' It added that many of them started their jobs there having eagerly bought into the BrewDog ethos, but discovered that 'fast paced' meant 'unmanageable' and 'challenging' meant 'demanding'. The letter also alleged that some senior staff members 'belittled' others beneath them and 'pressured them into working beyond their capacity' to the point where they eventually felt 'forced out of the business'. It claimed the single biggest shared experience of former staff is 'a residual feeling of fear', both of the atmosphere and the repercussions if they were to speak out. It claimed 'many' felt unable to sign the letter because doing so would 'leave them feeling extremely vulnerable'. Dragons' Den investors turned down best deal in show's history when they refused to put 100K into Brewdog that would 'now be worth 360m' In March 2021, CEO and co-founder of BrewDog Mr Watt, 38, claimed his plea for investment turned down by Dragons' Den 13 years ago would now be worth 360m - the best deal in the programme's history. He said they 'pitched our hearts out' to the BBC show in 2008 but only got as far as the screen test before he was rejected by producers. The craft beer company was just two years old at the time, and along with business partner Martin Dickie, he asked for 100,000 for 20 per cent of the business. But he later revealed a recent valuation of the brew company means the Dragons' missed investment would now be worth a staggering 360 million. Writing on LinkedIn, he said: 'In 2008 we applied to Dragons' Den & got as far as a screen test and we pitched our hearts out before the producers rejected us. 'They deemed Martin and myself not investment worthy - we were totally crushed. Based on our latest BrewDog valuation, that investment would be now worth almost 360m. That means the Dragons missed out on by far the best deal in Den history.' James said their pitch was rejected because it 'was not unique enough, special enough or with enough growth potential to make the grade'. Advertisement The letter then personally accused Mr Watt for being responsible for the company's 'rotten culture', claiming in the wake of his success are people 'left burnt out, afraid and miserable'. It ends by demanding a 'genuine apology' for the people who felt they were 'harassed, assaulted, belittled, insulted or gaslighted'. In response at the time, Mr Watt said: 'At BrewDog our people are our main priority, which is why the open letter we saw on Twitter was so upsetting, but so important,' it said. 'Our focus now is not on contradicting or contesting the details of that letter, but to listen, learn and act. 'At BrewDog we are focussed on building the best business we can. We have always tried to do the best by our team we do have many thousands of employees with positive stories to tell as a result. But the tweet we saw last night proves that on many occasions we havent got it right. We are committed to doing better, not just as a reaction to this, but always; and we are going to reach out to our entire team past and present to learn more. 'But most of all, right now, we are sorry. Its hard to hear those comments, but it must have been harder to say them. We appreciate that and we will endeavour to honour that effort and courage with the real change it deserves. 'We arent going to make excuses, were going to take action. From our commitment to sustainability to our passion for beer, BrewDog has always been defined by taking responsibility and continually improving. This is no exception.' Earlier this year, it was revealed that the BrewDog boss was privately prosecuting a woman he claimed provided false information about people behind 'malicious' comments made about him online. He accused model Emili Ziem, 29, at Westminster Magistrates' Court of fraud by false representation. The charge alleges that she breached the Fraud Act 2006 because she 'obtained information about people responsible for malicious communications' about Mr Watt. Bark & Co, on behalf of its client Ziem, previously said: 'Emili Ziem is entirely innocent of these charges. 'She vehemently denies any wrongdoing and intends to defend these allegations robustly at trial in the crown court.' The case has been brought against her as a private prosecution by Watt as an individual rather than Brewdog as a company, which he co-founded in 2007. The firm based in Ellon, Scotland - which is valued at about 2billion, runs 111 bars and has 2,000 staff - is said to be currently weighing up a stock market listing. The open letter was shared on Twitter last year. It was signed by 61 former employees, plus '45 and counting who did not feel safe to include their names or initials' The Pope has said 'God will say' when it is time for him to resign and that a time will come when he 'can't do it' any more, revealing he does plan to follow the example of his predecessor and step down from the position. Pope Francis would be only the fifth Pope to resign in the last 1,000 years, setting new precedent for future Popes who assume the role after him, which is traditionally a life-long position. Asked in a recent interview within his Vatican residence whether he plans to step down soon, the Pope said: 'For the moment, no. Really. But the time will come when I see that I can't do it. I will do it and the great example of Pope Benedict was such a good thing for the church, he told the popes to stop in time. He is great, Benedict.' When asked whether it will be in months or years, he added: 'We don't know (when). God will say.' The Pope went on to compare abortion with 'hiring a hitman' when asked about the US Supreme Court overturning Roe vs Wade, a legal case which guaranteed the right to abortion in the United States until it was overturned earlier this year. He said he respected the decision but did not have enough information to speak about it from a juridical point of view. 'I ask: Is it legitimate, is it right, to eliminate a human life to resolve a problem?' The Catholic Church teaches that life begins at the moment of conception. The Pope has said 'God will say' when it is time for him to resign from the Papacy Asked in a recent interview with his Vatican residence whether he plans to step down soon, the Pope said: 'For the moment, no. Really. But the time will come when I see that I can't do it. I will do it and the great example of Pope Benedict was such a good thing for the church, he told the popes to stop in time. He is great, Benedict' The Pope is planning a trip to the Italian city of L'Aquila, with commentators suggesting the journey could set the stage for a resignation announcement. L'Aquila is associated with Pope Celestine V, who resigned the papacy in 1294. Pope Benedict XVI visited the city four years before he resigned in 2013, the first pope to do so in about 600 years. But Francis, alert and at ease throughout the interview as he discussed a wide range of international and Church issues, laughed the idea off. 'All of these coincidences made some think that the same "liturgy" would happen,' he said. 'But it never entered my mind. For the moment no, for the moment, no. Really!' But Francis said he is planning to resign someday if failing health made it impossible for him to run the Church - something that had been almost unthinkable before Benedict XVI. Francis dismissed rumours that a cancer had been found a year ago when he underwent a six-hour operation to remove part of his colon because of diverticulitis, a condition common in the elderly. 'It (the operation) was a great success,' he said, adding with a laugh that 'they didn't tell me anything' about the supposed cancer, which he dismissed as 'court gossip'. But he said he did not want an operation on his knee because the general anaesthetic in last year's surgery had given him negative side-effects. Pope Francis would be only the fifth Pope to resign in the last 1,000 years, setting new precedent for future Popes who assume the role after him, which is traditionally a life-long position The Pope is planning a trip to the Italian city of L'Aquila, with commentators suggesting the journey could set the stage for a resignation announcement. The Pope suffered a small fracture in the knee when he took a misstep while a ligament was inflamed. 'I am well, I am slowly getting better,' he said, adding that the fracture was knitting, helped by laser and magnet therapy. In an exclusive interview in his Vatican residence, Francis also denied rumours that he had cancer, joking that his doctors 'didn't tell me anything about it', and for the first time gave details of the knee condition that has prevented him carrying out some duties. In a 90-minute conversation on Saturday afternoon, conducted in Italian, with no aides present, the 85-year-old pontiff also repeated his condemnation of abortion following the US Supreme Court ruling last month. Rumours have swirled in the media that a conjunction of events in late August, including meetings with the world's cardinals to discuss a new Vatican constitution, a ceremony to induct new cardinals, and a visit to the Italian city of L'Aquila, could foreshadow a resignation announcement. The interview took place on the day he was to have left for Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, a trip he had to cancel because doctors said he might also have to miss a trip to Canada from July 24-30 unless he agreed to have 20 more days of therapy and rest for his right knee. He said the decision to cancel the Africa trip had caused him 'much suffering', particularly because he wanted to promote peace in both countries. Pope Francis also said he is on track to visit Canada this month and hopes to be able to go to Moscow and Kyiv as soon as possible after that. Francis used a cane as he walked into a reception room on the ground floor of the Santa Marta guest house where he has lived since his election in 2013, eschewing the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors. The room has a copy of one of Francis' favourite paintings: 'Mary, Untier of Knots', created around 1700 by the German Joachim Schmidtner. Asked how he was, the pope joked: 'I'm still alive!' The interview took place on the day he was to have left for Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, a trip he had to cancel for health reasons The Pope has had an operation on his knee nut dismissed rumours of cancer Speaking of the situation in Ukraine, Francis noted that there have been contacts between Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about a possible trip to Moscow. The initial signs were not good. No pope has ever visited Moscow, and Francis has repeatedly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine; last Thursday he implicitly accused it of waging a 'cruel and senseless war of aggression'. When the Vatican first asked about a trip several months ago, Francis said Moscow replied that it was not the right time. But he hinted that something may now have changed. 'I would like to go (to Ukraine), and I wanted to go to Moscow first. We exchanged messages about this because I thought that if the Russian president gave me a small window to serve the cause of peace... 'And now it is possible, after I come back from Canada, it is possible that I manage to go to Ukraine,' he said. 'The first thing is to go to Russia to try to help in some way, but I would like to go to both capitals.' Francis was also asked about a debate in the United States over whether a Catholic politician who is personally opposed to abortion but supports others' right to choose should be allowed to receive the sacrament of communion. House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi, for example, has been barred by the conservative archbishop of her home diocese of San Francisco from receiving it there, but is regularly given communion at a parish in Washington, DC Last week, she received the sacrament at a papal Mass in the Vatican. 'When the Church loses its pastoral nature, when a bishop loses his pastoral nature, it causes a political problem,' the pope said. 'That's all I can say.' A cyclist has appeared in court after being charged over the death of a retired teacher, who was knocked down and killed in a road junction collision last year. Jane Stone, 79, was crossing the road during an evening walk when she was hit by a cyclist. Stewart McGinn, 29, is accused of causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving while being in charge of a bicycle. The retired teacher was taken to hospital following the collision at the junction of Wonastow Road and Somerset Road in Monmouth, Gwent, on June 7, 2021. Ms Stone sadly died of serious head injuries four days later on Friday, June 11. McGinn, of Troy Way, appeared before Newport Magistrates' Court. No plea was entered as the allegation, which comes under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, is an indictable only matter. Retired teacher Jane Stone was hit by a cyclist while crossing the road in Monmouth, Gwent, at 9.55pm last June. She was taken to hospital, but died of serious head injuries four days later Police released CCTV footage of the cyclist after the collision at the junction of Wonastow Road and Somerset Road in Monmouth, Gwent The defendant, who was granted unconditional bail, is due to appear before Newport Crown Court on July 14. Following her death last summer her family paid this tribute to her: 'Jane was a very caring and active member of the Monmouth community. 'Having been born and brought up in Monmouth she trained in London as a teacher, in which profession she was well respected and appreciated. 'In retirement and being a widow, she returned to her roots, involving herself with great enthusiasm in many aspects of Monmouth life. 'She was a past churchwarden of St Thomas's Church, was a lay Eucharistic minister, sacristan and heavily involved in all church activities, helping and supporting members of the community as needed. 'Jane was healthy and physically active, only a few years ago abseiling down the church tower to raise funds. Mrs Stone's heartbroken family paid tribute to the 'very caring and active' widow last year (pictured) 'She also led a group of Church Recorders for The Arts Society (formerly National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies). 'Jane was a member of Monmouth Choral Society and enjoyed concerts with the Merlin Music Society. 'She enjoyed long distance walking, setting herself the challenge of completing 1,000 miles per year and was currently tackling, with her walking friend, Offa's Dyke from South to North Wales. 'Jane was a well-loved member of the family and closely followed the lives of her great nieces and nephews.' A prolific trophy hunter who slaughtered lions, giraffes and elephants in South Africa has been shot dead at point blank range after his truck broke down. Riaan Naude, 55, ran the company Pro Hunt Africa which boasts of its 'eco-hunting' while sharing gruesome pictures of dead endangered animals. He was found dead next to his Toyota in Limpopo after pulling it to the side of the road when it overheated. A prolific trophy hunter who slaughtered lions, giraffes and elephants in South Africa has been shot dead at point blank range after his truck broke down Riaan Naude, 55, ran the company Pro Hunt Africa which boasts of its 'eco-hunting' while sharing gruesome pictures of scores of dead animals A witness said two men emerged from a white Nissan, shot him in the head, stole a pistol and then fled. Naude was discovered along with two hunting rifles, whiskey, clothes, water and pyjamas. Police spokesman Lt. Col. Mamphaswa Seabi said they have not yet established a motive. He said: 'The man was lying with his face up and there was blood on his head and face. 'The motive for the attack and the subsequent murder is unknown at this stage.' He was found dead next to his Toyota in Limpopo after pulling it to the side of the road when it overheated (pictured) A local cattle herder had heard the single gunshot and then saw the Nissan speeding away towards Marken. A gun cartridge was found next to the body. Naude's company offered hunting safaris in the north of South Africa near Kruger National Park. A hunter's day rate costs 250, and customers can enquire for a special rate to hunt the so-called Big Five of lion, leopard, black rhinoceros, African bush elephant and African buffalo. Other animals offered by Pro Hunt Africa include baboons, hyenas, zebras and warthogs. Non-profit organisation Protect All Wildlife claimed Naude was involved in breeding and selling giraffes to customers solely for hunting purposes. A Ryanair steward drank whiskey from the aircraft's drinks trolley and downed a small bottle of wine while he was working and the flight from Poland was in the air, a court has been told. Sam Thompson, 26, was on duty when a witness saw him drink Jack Daniels from the trolley before taking a small bottle of wine from his pocket and 'necking the whole bottle', Chelmsford Magistrates' Court heard. On Monday, the defendant, of Warrenfield Close, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, admitted to performing an aviation function as a member of cabin crew while his ability to do so was impaired by drink. He has also been sacked by Ryanair for the offence, and could now face jail time. Thompson (left) pleaded guilty to being impaired by drink on a flight at Chelmsford magistrates court (pictured outside today) Ms Khan said the witness saw Thompson sit down and 'take a small bottle of wine out of his pocket and necking the whole bottle' The court heard that Thompson drank a mini bottle of wine and a shot of Jack Daniels whisky from a drinks trolley on a flight and made an obscene gesture to the camera He is due to be sentenced at the same court on August 3, and was told he might be jailed. This could be for a maximum of two years for the crime, under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003. Nishma Khan, prosecuting, said police were called at around 6.10pm on May 18 this year after a witness reported seeing a member of cabin crew drinking while working on a flight from Rzeszow in Poland, to Stansted Airport. She said the witness first saw Thompson drink Jack Daniels, before they 'proceeded to film the member of staff'. Sam Thompson, 26, drank whiskey from the aircraft's drinks trolley and downed a small bottle of wine while he was working and the flight was in the air, a court has been told. Pictured arriving at court Thompson was on duty when a witness saw him drink Jack Daniels from the trolley before taking a small bottle of wine from his pocket and 'necking the whole bottle'. Pictured arriving at court at a hearing on June 8 'He was still on duty while the flight was in the air,' she said. Ms Khan said the witness saw Thompson sit down and 'take a small bottle of wine out of his pocket and necking the whole bottle'. Police took a breath test from Thompson at Stansted Airport in Essex, with a reading of 50mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, before he gave a lower reading of 39mcg at Harlow police station. The incident took place on a flight from Rzeszow in Poland to London's Stansted Airport Ms Khan said the legal limit is 9mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, which is lower than the legal limit for driving of 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. Ryanair crew are banned from drinking alcohol up to eight hours before, or during, a flight. The company's code of ethics says being 'impaired by drugs or alcohol while performing company business' is subject to disciplinary action. Ryanair said that the flight was being operated by sister company Lauda Europe, The Sun previously reported. Nishma Khan, prosecuting, said police were called at around 6.10pm on May 18 this year after a witness reported seeing a member of cabin crew drinking while working on the Ryanair flight. File image 'Lauda Europe policy, in line with European Aviation Safety Agency regulation, prohibits the consumption of alcohol by cabin or flight crew from 8 hours prior to a flight duty until after the duty is complete,' a spokesperson said. 'Lauda Europe has investigated a reported individual cabin crew breach of this strict policy on a flight from Rzeszow to Stansted (18 May). The cabin crew member in question no longer operates for Lauda Europe.' Michael Carroll, for Thompson, said the defendant and alcohol are 'not the best of friends'. Presiding magistrate, Kristien Chafer, ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared on the defendant, exploring all sentencing options, including custody. He bailed Thompson until his sentencing. An experienced designer for high street fashion store Superdry has won almost 100,000 in compensation after her bosses refused to promote her - because they thought she was too old to quit. Knitwear expert Rachel Sunderland was deemed a low 'flight risk' from the company compared to younger members of staff and would stay 'no matter how she was treated', an employment tribunal heard. As a result, she was repeatedly passed over for promotion in favour of other colleagues with less experience until she felt forced to resign. Ms Sunderland - thought to be in her early 50s - has now won 96,208.70 in compensation, after winning claims of unfair dismissal and age discrimination. The tribunal, held in Bristol, heard she was a knitwear design specialist with more than 30 years experience in the fashion industry at brands like Fang Bros and Boden before joining Superdry as a designer in 2015. In the first season in which she was responsible for designing Superdry's range of men's knitwear, sales - which had been falling - increased by 63 per cent. Her performances were applauded by her bosses, who rated her overall ability as 'master' in 2017 and 2018. Knitwear expert Rachel Sunderland was repeatedly passed over for promotion in favour of other colleagues with less experience until she felt forced to resign But the risk of her leaving Superdry was assessed as 'low', whilst the impact of her leaving was assessed as 'medium'. This flight risk assessment was neither discussed with Ms Sunderland before it was made nor disclosed to her afterwards. The tribunal heard that, when Ms Sunderland first started working at the fashion brand everyone had the title of 'designer', but this changed in 2017 when two of her colleagues were promoted to 'senior designer'. She raised this issue in an appraisal meeting with her manager in March 2017 but he told her she needed to undertake other responsibilities to reach the rank of senior designer. In August 2018 the design team was restructured with roles of trainee designer, assistant designer, designer, lead designer and design manager. The tribunal, held in Bristol, heard she was a knitwear design specialist with more than 30 years experience in the fashion industry at brands like Fang Bros and Boden before joining Superdry as a designer in 2015 Florence Humphreys, an HR advisor at Superdry, told the tribunal that in order to be promoted to lead designer, a candidate would need experience of working across multiple categories without needing much support and guidance from senior colleagues. Ms Sunderland claimed she had all of the experience necessary, as she managed work in the men's and women's knitwear and knitwear accessories categories, even taking over extra responsibility in the busiest time of the year when one of her colleagues went on maternity leave. In April 2020, Ms Sunderland was placed on furlough until July 2020. On her return to work, she was told that she would be designing the Autumn Winter 2020 knitted accessories range, for both men and women. She told the tribunal this felt like a demotion as she would be on 'key fobs and beanies'. Ms Sunderland handed in her notice in July 2020, whereupon she was told she would have to work a three month notice period 'as the design department was short-staffed', which she said she found 'demoralising'. She told the tribunal that, in the lead up to tendering her resignation, she had felt much frustration and emotional stress, and decided that 'enough was enough'. She said that she had made herself ill with the stress of the previous year, and couldn't continue to work in an environment where unreasonable pressure was placed on her, combined with the refusal of management to give her the recognition that she felt her skills and experience deserved. She described feeling 'humiliated and degraded' when junior members of staff asked why she was not a lead designer. The tribunal heard Ms Sunderland was further demoralised when, in September 2020, a woman with 20 years less experience had been recruited as a lead designer shortly after two other similarly ranked designers had been made redundant. She described it as 'galling' that she had been denied what she felt was her rightful elevation to lead designer, having resigned in distressing circumstances, only then to be invited to celebrate the new recruit. After she resigned, Ms Sunderland raised a formal grievance about the way she had been treated, but this was dismissed and as part of the process she was described as 'scatty'. Employment Judge David Hughes said this comment was 'loaded with subjectivity, the sort of term that verges on a term of abuse and which the Tribunal would not expect to be used to describe a younger, male colleague'. Regarding her lack of promotion, the judge added: 'We find that [Superdry] did this in significant part because of [Ms Sunderland's] age. 'We have already noted that [her] flight risk was assessed as low. We consider that older members of staff are likely to have a perceived lower flight risk. 'We do not accept the reasons advanced by [Superdry] for not promoting [Ms Sunderland]. 'To fail to promote [her] on the basis that she could not work cross-category (when she could, and did), that she couldn't work with minimal referral (which she could, and did) and that she lacked managerial/leadership experience (she did not) is a set of facts from which the Tribunal could infer that [Superdry] discriminated against [Ms Sunderland]. 'We find that the decision makers decided not to promote... because they judged that there was little risk of her leaving the business no matter how she was treated. We find that they probably thought this in significant measure because of her age. 'We find that a similarly valuable designer who was significantly younger than [Ms Sunderland] probably would have been promoted.' The BBC has revealed it is reviewing six misconduct complaints against DJ Tim Westwood, including one that has been referred to the police. Despite previously insisting it wasn't aware of any concerning behaviour, the broadcaster now say they have received a number of bulling and sexual misconduct accusations lodged against the DJ. Former Radio 1 DJ Westwood, 64, denies any wrongdoing - and the BBC's director general Tim Davie said earlier this year that he had 'seen no evidence of complaints.' But now six allegations, relating to the period from 1994 to 2013, are being probed as part of a review launched into Westwood's 19-year career at the broadcaster. The claims relate to his alleged bulling and sexual behaviour - with some referring to his conduct outside of the BBC. The BBC is reviewing six allegations of sexual and bullying behaviour against veteran DJ Tim Westwood. The DJ has strenuously denied all allegations Westwood (pictured) has denied all allegations that were lodged against him Westwood, pictured above in 2005, is at the centre of a sexual misconduct storm after allegations were levelled against him in recent years Some of the complaints were in the past and were found in BBC files including the one referred to the police. The BBC said: 'We are aware that one of these complaints was referred to police and Mr Westwood was spoken to in relation to another complaint. 'We are not aware what further action was taken at this stage. As a result of this, we are looking into what action was taken at the time.' They said that when the ongoing probe is finished, more details will be provided. Regarding the issue that was referred to the police, the spokesperson added: 'This is an historic case that the BBC has found in its files. 'We are establishing the facts around it. It did not relate to conduct at the BBC, BBC premises, or conduct towards a BBC staff member, nor was it an accusation of physical assault.' The BBC did not say whether the other five other complaints were received before or after Mr Davie's statement was issued in April. And the broadcaster said Mr Davie had set out the position as he understood it at the time. A BBC spokesperson said: 'As we have said, if people have things that they want to raise with the BBC, then they should do so. 'People have now done so and we will continue to investigate. We also said that we would dig into what happened in the past. We are doing that with great care. All of that work hasn't concluded and is ongoing. We said we would take this seriously, and we are. When that work has concluded, we will say more.' This comes after the Guardian and BBC published testimonies in April from seven women who made allegations of predatory sexual behaviour against Westwood. Tim Westwood, son of the former Bishop of Peterborough, is a well known and award-winning figure in the UK hip hop scene In a response, a spokesperson for the DJ said at the time that he vehemently denied the allegations. They said: 'Our client confirms that there has never been any complaint made against him, whether officially or unofficially, relating to claims of inappropriate behaviour of the nature described. 'No complaint has ever been made to the police, and nobody has ever raised these matters, or any colourably similar, with him directly or with his representatives. 'There has been no investigation in relation to him of any nature whatsoever, whether by the police, his employer or indeed any other authority.' Earlier this year, Westwood was heard in unearthed clips urging a fan to stay in her bra as he ogled her on stage in the BBC3 film Tim Westwood: Abuse of Power. The DJ was accused of groping black women at gigs in the scathing documentary. The 64-year-old son of the former Bishop of Peterborough was filmed cat-calling a woman as she scrambled to cover up as he shouted from the decks: 'Yo baby you don't have to put your top back on'. He was also caught clutching a woman while looking down her top and asking: 'I like your rack is it real?'. The documentary also showed him refusing to let go of a woman's arm after he apparently whispered something sexual in her ear while backstage at a festival. And another clip shows Westwood interviewing rapper Cardi B during a 2017 interview for Capital FM. The American artist asks him: 'Do you have sex with a lot of like, you know, black girls?' Westwood replied after a pause: 'Not as much as I'd like to' in an interview where he was accused of being inappropriate towards the star. On one occasion he also cuddled a woman while looking down her top and asking: 'I like your rack is it real?' On another occasion he held on to a woman's arm having told her she was beautiful while backstage at a festival Straight Outta Lowestoft... the bishop's son who made 10m playing 'gangsta rap' glorifying guns and violence By Helen Weathers for The Daily Mail The son of an Anglican bishop, British DJ Tim 'Big Dawg' Westwood couldn't have been a more unlikely pioneering champion of hip-hop music. Middle-class and privately educated, he was critics noted dryly Straight Outta Lowestoft in Suffolk, where the only 'hood' he would have been familiar with growing up was the one on his anorak. But just as his late father, the former Bishop of Peterborough, was a regular on BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day slot, so too did his son become a BBC radio fixture for almost 20 years as the 'voice of hip-hop'. That, though, was where the similarities ended. British DJ Tim 'Big Dawg' (pictured back, centre), reported to be worth around 10million, he can command 10,000 for a gig and has sold more than two million copies of his compilation albums with a YouTube channel boasting more than 1.3million subscribers, is being accused of secual misconduct. His father was an Anglican bishop While the Rt Rev Bill Westwood, who died in 1999 aged 73, sought to inspire listeners with spiritual sermons, Westwood junior would bring them instead the violent lyrics of gangsta culture. Today, the gulf between father and son seems even wider with accusations of sexual misconduct by multiple women. Three have accused the DJ of opportunistic and predatory sexual behaviour, while four others allege they were groped by him at events. Westwood has strenuously denied all the allegations, with a spokesman saying they were completely false and denied in their entirety. Over the years Westwood's passion for hip-hop would see him transform from a gangly, nerdy, moustachioed pirate radio jock into an edgy, award-winning if somewhat controversial figure, dressed in urban streetwear as he promoted a new wave of stars. Adopting the patois of his idols, his radio shows were peppered with phrases such as 'the bomb's about to go off, baby' and 'kick it to the curb, man'. Though he has always insisted this persona was entirely genuine, Westwood's enthusiastic use of pseudo-Jamaican slang inspired Sacha Baron Cohen's spoof character, tracksuit-wearing Ali G. 'Once I found out he was actually the son of a bishop, it became even more absurd. He was so keen to be presented as a gangsta,' Baron Cohen said of his muse. The Right Reverend William John Westwood, Bishop of Edmonton, and regular Radio Four Broadcaster who died in 1999 aged 73, is pictured outside Church House. Today, the gulf between father and son seems even wider with accusations of sexual misconduct As for Westwood, now aged 64, he has always declared himself mystified by accusations that he was trying to be something he wasn't. 'I came from a good home,' he once said in an interview. 'I never reacted against it. I loved my dad. He taught me dignity and respect. I'm a white guy, I'm not aspiring to be anything other than who I am. As for his fans in the clubs, and the black rap stars he promoted, he insisted they didn't care about his background. 'Honestly, baby, I get love out there, pure and simple,' was his response. Certainly, despite the mockery, he was the one laughing all the way to the bank. Reported to be worth around 10million, he can command 10,000 for a gig and has sold more than two million copies of his compilation albums. His YouTube channel has more than 1.3million subscribers. His passion for the emerging US hip-hop scene of the early 80s began when Westwood worked as a bottle collector and roadie in clubs in London's West End, graduating to become an apprentice DJ. He specialised in jazz funk until he heard one of the first rap records, and was hooked. In 1982, he started DJing for a pirate radio station based in Peckham. From there, he moved to Kiss FM and then Capital before the BBC came calling in 1994, cementing his status as the country's most influential hip-hop player. He reportedly revelled in creating an anarchic atmosphere, hiring a personal chef and dotting the studio with champagne bottles. 'Newsreaders would have to come in and, like, read the news with people spluttering on blunts [cannabis cigars] all around them,' said Westwood. The clean-living son of a clergyman, he did not drink or take drugs himself. By the time Westwood was axed from the Radio 1 Rap Show in 2013, aged 55, more serious questions were being asked about his devotion to a music culture which increasingly glorified guns, gang violence and misogyny. He still bears the scar from a bullet wound to his arm after he was the victim of a 1999 drive-by shooting. He would later say the attempted assassination was carried out by south London gang members who were trying to extort money from him. The front door of his one-bedroom Fulham flat, where Westwood unmarried and childless has lived for more than 30 years, is said to be reinforced by a metal bar as a security measure, a legacy of that gangland attempt on his life. Veteran hip hop DJ and radio presenter Tim Westwood started DJing for a pirate radio station based in Peckham. From there, he moved to Kiss FM and then Capital before the BBC came calling in 1994, cementing his status as the country's most influential hip-hop player. He said he rejects all allegations of wrongdoing after he was accused of sexual misconduct and predatory behaviour by several women Westwood has said of the attack: 'Before the shooting, the only people who knew me were the hip-hop crowd. But the truth is that was real gangster s***. It made me big.' In 2018 Westwood was heavily criticised for making money from YouTube adverts after a leaked Metropolitan Police file cited 32 of his videos as potentially inciting violence. The DJ then deleted clips and posts on social media linked to 'drill' the notorious genre blamed for glamorising violence. A spokesman for Westwood said at the time: 'We aim and hope to provide opportunities and a positive path... we do not support or condone gangs. Any violence is obviously a concern.' However a year later Westwood made headlines again when surrounded by members of a street gang he posted a new drill rap session featuring lyrics boasting about gangland murders. Then, he posed with a toy gun champagne holder hours after a gang member stabbed Siddique Kamara who'd previously appeared with the DJ in a clip on his channel to death in London in what was described as a feud between drill rivals. As for Westwood's private life, he insisted in 2017 that there was nothing to excite any interest beyond his love of hip-hop. Love, marriage or children would be, he maintained, a distraction from his real passion: music. That didn't mean, apparently, a monk-like existence, however. Fans, may recall a 2018 Instagram post in which, holding up a credit card, Westwood gave a glimpse of his past relationships. 'My sugar daddy days are over,' he declared. I'm tired of buying... nails, shoes, bags, rent. I need an independent woman.' A paedophile has been jailed for 19 years for kidnapping a seven-year-old boy as he got out of his school bus and holding him hostage in a bleak cellar for 52 days. Dmitry Kopylov, 28, has been sent to a strict regime penal colony in Russia. A video shows the grim basement where the boy was held and sexually abused. Kopylov was charged with 62 separate crimes against this child, and another earlier victim who was not held hostage. They included 'committing sodomy and other sexual acts against a young boy', and making and distributing child pornography. His crimes dated back to 2015. A judge ruled that Kopylov must undergo psychiatric treatment while serving his sentence of 19 years and 11 months in a high security prison. The child was rescued and reunited with his parents in November 2020 following a tip off by Interpol based on intelligence from the West. Russian special forces cut through a steel door and broke a window to enter the lair where he was held, a chilling low-ceilinged basement with bare walls, specially built to hold an abducted child. Basement where Dmitry Kopylov held his victim. The chilling low-ceilinged basement with bare walls was specially built to hold an abducted child A ladder leads into the basement where the boy was imprisoned. The hatch door led to an even lower level while the paedophile lived upstairs The child was rescued and reunited with his parents in November 2020 following a tip off by Interpol based on intelligence from the West The 'brainwashed' boy 'laughed with joy' when officers entered but later cried. After he disappeared a huge search involving police, army and volunteers had failed to locate him. Them, police received a tip off from Interpol, tracing the boy to the abductor's lair some 14 miles from his home in Gorki village, Vladimir region, where he had gone missing in late September. Kopylov was snared after allegedly boasting about holding the boy in chats between paedophiles on the dark web. The spooky underground bunker with a jail-style bed and a heater was sound insulated beneath Kopylovs house in Makarikha, Vladimir region, some 185 miles from Moscow. A hatch door led to an even lower level, while the paedophile lived upstairs. When heavily armed officers stormed the building the suspect was sitting with the boy on a sofa. Footage shows Kopylov being held by special forces officers. While still in the hell hole, the boy - in the arms of a plainclothes Russian policeman - is heard berating the officers for smashing the window when they broke in. Kopylov told Vesti TV in court that he felt 'remorse' for his crimes. 'I would like to apologise to my victims,' he said. 'I did not behave like a human being, but I simply had no other choice.' He said he would appeal his sentence because 'I didn't kill anyone, I didn't make them disabled' and he would be held with murderers. Kopylov was snared after allegedly boasting about holding the boy in chats between paedophiles on the dark web Russian special forces cut through a steel door and broke a window to enter the lair where he was held. Footage shows Kopylov being held by special forces officers When heavily armed officers stormed the building the suspect was sitting with the boy on a sofa Kopylov, pictured appearing in the dock during his trial, said he will appeal the sentence Asked why he felt compelled to kidnap the boy, the paedophile said: 'I couldn't take it anymore. 'I wanted a child for too long.' Computer geek Kopylov, from Suzdal, is the son of an electrician and a kindergarten teacher, both dead. He had bought the house and was carrying out extensive renovations, including the construction of the underground bunker. Colonel Irina Volk, of the Russian Interior Ministry, said the tip about the boy had been received 'from foreign colleagues through Interpol channels'. The boys whereabouts had become clear from 'publications in the shadow segment of the Internet', she said. It is believed US specialists were crucial in establishing the identity of the alleged paedophile with help from agencies in other countries. Interpol secretary general Jurgen Stock said: 'A young boy is back where he belongs with his family thanks to dedicated specialist officers and swift action by authorities around the world.' But he warned: 'While were truly delighted that this story has a safe ending, many children are still out there awaiting rescue.' The boys father Alexander, 49, said: 'He was very happy to see his mother. He hugged and kissed her. We are overwhelmed with feelings 'It is an explosion of emotion and relief that the ordeal is over. Finally he is found.' The child is now receiving 'strong psychological help', it was revealed. Travel chaos continued on Monday with nearly 170 flights canceled and over 600 delayed before 9 a.m., on the busiest Independence Day weekend since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. United Airlines canceled 34 flights and delayed 64 so far this morning; American Airlines canceled 19 and delayed 63; and Delta canceled 15 and delayed 75. More than 1,400 flights have been canceled during the holiday weekend across the US, according to FlightAware, which reported at least 654 flights canceled on Saturday, and 312 canceled Sunday. Delays over the weekend have reached well over 10,000. Around 48 million people are expected to travel this weekend with AAA estimating 3.5 million would take to the air. But the actual number of passengers flying may be dramatically higher as the Transportation Security Administration screened nearly 2.1 million travelers at airports on Sunday alone. Adding to the mayhem was a computer glitch in American Airlines' staffing systems that allowed pilots to take time off they shouldn't have been offered, leaving 12,000 planes without anyone to fly them between July 3 and the end of the month. The ongoing fallout of staffing shortages following the mass retirement of thousands of pilots during the pandemic has also reared its head over the packed holiday weekend, with airlines scrambling to staff flights while being accused of scheduling more than they can accommodate. Additionally, a series of severe thunderstorms rocked the east coast and Midwest on Saturday, compounding the chaos in the skies and on the tarmac. Travel chaos showed no signs of slowing on Monday with nearly 150 flights canceled and over 600 delayed before 9 a.m. during the busiest Independence Day weekend since the start of the pandemic Travelers in Miami wait to board their flight to Missouri on July 2. More than 1,400 flights have been canceled during the holiday weekend across the U.S., according to FlightAware, which reported at least 654 flights canceled on Saturday, and 312 canceled Sunday United Airlines canceled 34 flights and delayed 64 so far this morning, American Airlines has canceled 19 and delayed 63, and Delta has canceled 15 and delayed 75 An American Airlines spokesperson confirmed their staffing computer glitch, but told DailyMail.com in a statement that the airline does not expect any 'operational impact' because of it. In fact, they said most of the affected flights have now been staffed -- but didn't give an exact number as to how many remain pilot-less. In a leaked American Pilots Association message to Los Angeles-based crew members, union officials told pilots that the airline was not allowed to simply add them back to flights without their input. The union is working with American Airlines to give pilots extra compensation to crew those flights, according to The Wall Street Journal. In 2017, American experienced a similar glitch in their system, resulting in pilots being offered 150% pay in exchange for staffing the abandoned flights. The latest mishap adds to tensions between pilots and airlines, as pilots have been picketing for higher pay in the wake of the post-pandemic staffing shortage. Just this week it was announced that American Airlines pilots were getting a 17% raise in pay. On Sunday alone, the Transportation Security Administration screened nearly 2.1 million travelers at airports across the US Adding to the mayhem was a computer glitch in American Airlines' staffing systems that left 12,000 flights without pilots beginning July 3 Travelers move through a packed terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport on July 2 Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who previously called on airlines to get in shape before the weekend, appeared to give up on getting things under control Saturday as he told Americans to follow his lead and claim compensation over the canceled flights. 'Airlines offer miles as compensation for some travel issues, and you can often negotiate on this,' tweeted Buttigieg, who said he got back $112.07 over his cancelled flight on Friday after he was initially offered about $30 back. 'Sometimes an airline will offer you points or miles as compensation, but you are entitled to a cash refund when your flight is canceled.' Buttigieg said earlier this month that airlines had until July 4 to figure out the issues and work out the kinks so travelers can have a smooth summer holiday. Many are calling on Buttigieg to act rather than give out advice on how to get compensation like he did. One Twitter user, with the handle, @The Dude, wrote: 'Hey Pete maybe, as Secretary of Transportation, you should be meeting with FAA, major airlines and other key folk involved - slamming your fist on the table and demanding they work out these issues and a plan to address the problems not update us on frequent flyer miles.' Another Twitter user with the handle, @Limstone Caulk, added: 'How about, people just want to go somewhere when they actually paid to go?' Travelers check the departures board at Miami International Airport on Saturday. Over a thousand flights have been canceled this weekend and more than 10,000 delayed Buttigieg said earlier this month that airlines had until July 4 to figure out the issues and work out the kinks so travelers can have a smooth summer holiday Sen. Bernie Sanders demanded Washington fine airlines $55,000 per passenger for every flight cancelation they know can't be fully staffed While Buttigieg was only able to finagle $112 out of his flight cancelation, eight passengers on a Delta airlines flight to Minneapolis last week reportedly walked away with $10,000 each in return for giving up their seats on the overbooked flight. Inc. magazine Tech columnist Jason Aten wrote how he and his family were sitting onboard the aircraft before takeoff, when flight crew announced the offer over the intercom. 'If you have Apple Pay, you'll even have the money right now,' he said a flight attendant told passengers. Another passenger on the same flight, Todd McCrumb, told KTVB that staff initially offered passengers $5,000, before bumping it up to $10,000. Speaking to The New York Post, a spokesperson for Delta Airlines declined to comment on the amount passengers were offered on that flight, but confirmed that flight crews were authorized to offer cash to passengers. 'Compensation is one of the many ways that our employees are empowered to manage oversold flights to take care of customers, but also make sure that the aircraft go out on time,' said spokesperson, Anthony Black. In April 2017, after a passenger was injured while being forcibly removed from an overbooked flight, Delta authorized employees to offer up to $9,950 to passengers for giving up overbooked seats, according to The Post. Sen. Bernie Sanders demanded Washington fine airlines $55,000 per passenger for every flight cancelation they know can't be fully staffed. He also demanded that the DOT impose a $15,000 fine for every passenger facing extended delays on domestic and international flights. 'The American people are sick of airlines ripping them off, canceling flights at the last minute and delaying flights for hours on end,' he said. 'Given all of the generous taxpayer support that has been provided to the airline industry, all of us have a responsibility to make sure that passengers and crew members are treated with respect, not contempt.' Sens. Edward Markey, of Massachusetts, and Richard Blumenthal, of Connecticut, asked 10 airline CEOs this week to 'take immediate action' to reduce travel disruptions. The senators demanded information about how each airline decides which flights to cancel and the number of consumer refunds requested and granted. Sen. Bernie Sanders (left) demanded Washington fine airlines $55,000 per passenger for every flight cancelation they know can't be fully staffed while Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (right) said airlines have until July 4 to figure out the issues and work out the kinks so travelers can have a smooth summer holiday. As Delta Air Lines led cancelations on Friday, CEO Ed Bastian wrote an apology letter to customers and vowed to make major changes, including adding extra boarding times, improving crew scheduling and bringing on more workers to aid busy travel periods. 'We've spent years establishing Delta as the industry leader in reliability, and though the majority of our flights continue to operate on time, this level of disruption and uncertainty is unacceptable,' Bastian wrote in a letter to frequent flier clients. 'Things won't change overnight, but we're on a path towards a steady recovery.' Since the start of the summer travel season, Delta has canceled more than 3,600 flights and delayed 20% of its total flights since the Memorial Day weekend. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has topped a key poll of Tory members over who should replace Boris Johnson as the party's next leader. The Cabinet minister just pipped his predecessor, Penny Mordaunt, to top spot in the survey by the influential ConservativeHome website. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss was the third most-favoured among Tory members to take over from the Prime Minister. But Chancellor Rishi Sunak - who for a long time was viewed as the most likely successor to Mr Johnson - has dramatically fallen out of favour with the Conservative grassroots following the controversy over his family's finances and tax affairs. With Mr Johnson still under pressure over Partygate and now facing another Conservative sleaze scandal, the survey results will be eyed carefully by those hoping to replace the PM. Mr Wallace, pictured at yesterday's British Grand Prix at Silverstone, has dramatically increased in popularity during the Ukraine crisis Trade minister Penny Mordaunt was the next most popular among Tory members as a future leader - but Chancellor Rishi Sunak has seen his popularity plummet in recent months Of the 755 people surveyed, Mr Wallace - who is at the forefront of Britain's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine - was backed by more than 15 per cent of respondents. His popularity has dramatically increased since Vladimir Putin launched his barbaric assault on Russia's neighbour, despite the Defence Secretary having fallen victim to a hoax call by Russian imposters in the early weeks of the conflict. When ConservativeHome last asked Tory members who they favoured being the party's next leader, in December last year, Mr Wallace wasn't even named by those surveyed. Mr Wallace also topped a separate monthly ConservativeHome survey of Tory members when they were asked how satisfied they were with the performance of Cabinet ministers. He had a net satisfaction rating of more than 85 per cent, while Mr Johnson remained at the bottom of the table for the second month running on -21 per cent. Ms Mordaunt, who was Mr Wallace's predecessor at the Ministry of Defence and is now a trade minister, was the next most popular among Tory members as a future leader. When Mr Johnson faced a vote of no confidence in his leadership last month, the Royal Navy reservist set tongues wagging with her less than fulsome support for the PM. She was also said to have been put on 'resignation watch' by Downing Street ahead of the crucial vote on the Mr Johnson's future. Ms Mordaunt was just ahead of Ms Truss, with the Foreign Secretary now third in the ratings after having topped the December poll. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace topped a key ConservativeHome poll of Tory members over who should replace Boris Johnson as the party's next leader Mr Wallace also topped a separate monthly ConservativeHome survey of Tory members when they were asked how satisfied they were with the performance of Cabinet ministers The PM remained at the bottom of the table for Cabinet satisfaction ratings for the second month running, with a net score of -21 per cent However, her fall was not as dramatic as Mr Sunak's after the Chancellor had been backed by 20 per cent of members six months ago but now only enjoys the support of little more than six per cent. Between the two surveys, Mr Sunak has seen a huge row over the disclosure that his billionaire heiress wife, Akshata Murthy, was enjoying non-dom tax status. The Chancellor has also been fined, along with Mr Johnson, as part of the police investigation into Partygate. And he has also faced long periods of criticism for not doing enough to help struggling Britons through the cost-of-living crisis. Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the House of Commons' foreign affairs committee, has not ruled out a future leadership bid and was the fourth most-favoured Conservative MP. He came ahead of leading Tory rebels Jeremy Hunt, the former health secretary, and Steve Baker, the former Brexit minister, as well as Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi. Mr Zahawi is viewed as a possible 'unity candidate' to replace Mr Johnson, should be toppled by those MPs looking to oust him from Number 10. A natural disaster has been declared in 23 Local Government Areas as a brutal rain bomb wreaks havoc on Australia's east coast. Tens of thousands of residents in low-lying communities have ordered to evacuate their homes in the past 48 hours with entire suburbs becoming submerged by rising rivers. The Bureau of Meteorology warned the heavy deluge battering Greater Sydney, Hunter Valley, Illawarra and the Central Coast is finally forecast to ease on Friday meaning more misery is yet to come. But those in the 23 LGAs affected by the severe storms and flooding since June 27, will now be eligible for disaster relief payments under Monday evening's declaration. The payments are jointly funded by the NSW government and the Commonwealth. A man and a boy are pictured escaping floodwaters in a kayak as the Hawkesbury River overflows in Windsor, northwest of Sydney A natural disaster has been declared in 23 LGAs as a brutal rain bomb wreaks havoc across NSW (pictured, rescue crews in Bligh Park) In welcome news to weary Sydneysiders BOM said rain is forecast to ease by Friday (pictured, rescue crews in Bligh Park) Pictured: Cars drive through floodwaters in Sydney's Richmond on Monday LGAs ELIGIBLE FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE Blacktown Blue Mountains Camden Canterbury Bankstown Campbelltown Central Coast Cessnock Fairfield Georges River Hawkesbury Hornsby Kiama Lithgow Liverpool Northern Beaches Penrith Shellharbour Shoalhaven Sutherland The Hills Wingecarribee Wollondilly Wollongong Advertisement It comes after Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watts earlier on Monday said the flooding would not be declared a national emergency. 'At this stage, the advice is this particular disaster, while severe, does not reach the level of the threshold required to invoke a national emergency declaration,' he said. 'Having said that, it is likely the NSW government will declare this flood as a disaster from a NSW perspective.' Authorities have warned despite conditions easing, the dangers associated with damaging winds, coastal erosion and powerful surf would remain. 'We are not out of the danger yet,' NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York warned as fresh evacuation orders were issued for Liverpool and Milperra. The SES ordered residents in low-lying areas to immediately evacuate as river levels were seen rising rapidly upstream of Liverpool, in the city's southwest. In nearby Cabramatta, 10 people, including two pensioners, were rescued from a home surrounded by floodwaters by members of NSW Fire and Rescue. State Premier Dominic Perrottet said it was important to learn from previous flood events as there was 'no doubt' they were becoming more common. He said he was impressed by the response from the federal government in comparison to other flood events just months earlier. Many areas in NSW have been inundated with a months worth of rain in just a couple of days over the weekend and on Monday. As of 3pm on Monday, the SES had fielded 3,900 requests for assistance and performed 85 flood rescues after authorities warned of another busy day. Residents in some parts of western Sydney have been given the green light to return home with authorities urging locals to avoid travelling through floodwaters. The Central Coast and Newcastle are expected to receive between 50 to 100mm of rain on Tuesday, while Sydney will be hit with a lesser 15 to 20mm. Just four mm of rain is due to hit the Harbour City on Tuesday while only six mm are forecast for Friday. Conditions are set to ease as the east coast low causing the weather hell moves off the coast - however showers will linger for the rest of the week. Flood waters surround an industrial property in Londonderry on the outskirts of Sydney A BOM weather map shows the east coast low pressure system lashing large swathes of NSW POLAIR crews were out giving assistance to ground crews when they took this image A low-pressure system hovering over the Tasman Sea pushing moisture towards the east coast is causing the wet weather (pictured, residents cut off by floods in Windsor) The Central Coast and Newcastle are expected to receive between 50 to 100mm of rain on Tuesday, while Sydney will be hit with 15 to 20mm (pictured, a flooded car in Camden) A low-pressure system hovering over the Tasman Sea pushing moisture towards the east coast is causing the wet weather. Dozens have been forced to abandon their homes and businesses as the swollen Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers rapidly rise and overflow. BOM issued a minor to major flood warning for the Georges and Woronora Rivers where levels hit 2.5metres by 9pm on Monday night. Anyone in low-lying parts of Woronora and Bonnet Bay on the Woronora River in the Sutherland Shire, were told to get out before 7pm and 8pm. Meanwhile, the swollen Georges River is expected to reach a peak of 4.2m by midnight on Monday, almost double its normal levels. An entire street is submerged by the deluge along the Woronora River in Sydney's south A man is rescued from his car by State Emergency Service workers in Windsor on July 4, 2022 in Sydney, Australia 'Once floodwater reaches 2.4m at the Woronora Bridge, the area will be isolated,' the SES said on social media. 'If you remain in the area after 7pm Monday, you may be trapped without power, water and other essential services and it may be too dangerous to rescue you.' Many areas on the Hawkesbury including Windsor, Sackville and Wisemans Ferry remain mostly underwater after receiving a drenching over the last 24 hours. The SES earlier on Monday issued evacuation orders for Cattai, Sackville North, Londonderry and Richards as the river started to rise. Thirty suburbs are under threat of going underwater while 74 evacuation orders and 62 warnings affecting an estimated 32,000 have been put in place. Residents look out toward flooded buildings next to the old Windsor Bridge along the overflowing Hawkesbury River in the north-western Sydney suburb of Windsor Cut of residents view the flooded Windsor Bridge along the Hawkesbury River in Sydney Camden is among the worst places hit with the town submerged for the fourth time this year while parts of Lansvale, Chipping Norton and Moorebank are underwater. The State Emergency Service has responded to 3,500 calls for help since the weekend, with 400 calls made overnight, and performed about 120 flood rescues, with that number expected to increase. SES spokesman Ashley Sullivan said rivers will continue to rise as already saturated flood plains became incapable of absorbing any more water. 'We are seeing these rivers rise much faster than what's been predicted. Much faster than what we expected,' he told the Nine Network on Monday. 'Things are happening quicker. The risk... has increased significantly.' One man has already died in the severe conditions after his kayak capsized by the Paramatta River in Sydney's Abbotsford on Sunday. A love rat 'fantasist' farmer who convinced his lover he was a spy who was in so much danger he needed a handgun to protect himself while eating a Toby Carvery roast was jailed for more than five years today. John Hare, 53, a married man with children from Seaham, County Durham, told his girlfriend he had killed people in the past while working for the British secret services and had to carry a weapon at all times in a 'James Bond type fantasy'. Newcastle Crown Court heard Hare was even armed during a dinner outing to a Toby Carvery and would carry the .22 pistol on nights out with the woman. And when he was with his wife he told his lover that he was away on top secret 'ops' protecting the British state in a con that lasted seven years until she called the police when he beat her up and smashed up her car wing mirror. Detectives then discovered that the manipulative liar was a middle-aged married farmer who invented a fantasy lifestyle to conceal his adultery from the woman he duped. And last week Judge Edward Bindloss sentenced him to five-and-a-half years behind bars after he admitted possession of a prohibited firearm, which he said he had bought over the internet around 16 years ago and hidden in his chicken coop. He was also convicted at Newcastle Crown Court of criminal damage and assault. Today his victim, who loved him and believed he was a secret agent, revealed her humiliation at being sucked in by Hare's lies, admitting she will never trust another man again. Because of Hare's web of lies she said she has spent the last two years living in fear of reprisals from the Secret Service as she waited for the case to go to court. John Hare pictured with the woman he conned then assaulted having duped her for seven years that he was a spy who was in such danger from foreign agents that he needed to have a handgun at their local Toby Carvery in case he was assassinated The weapons found in farmer John Hare's chicken coop including the handgun he brought with him for a Sunday roast The 53-year-old, who asked not to be named, said: 'When I think about it now I think, 'you stupid idiot'. But when you are in it you don't see it. 'Looking back now I just feel a proper fool. He nearly got away with it, but I have stood up to him to stop him doing it to someone else. But I'll never trust anyone else again. 'When I look back now I realise little details were missing. But it was about 18 months before I started thinking something wasn't right. By that point I was in too deep. We had talked about having a future together.' The woman, from Newcastle, met Hare through a family member who knew him through work. They spent some time chatting over social media before eventually meeting in person. And the lies began straight away. 'He said he was separated from his wife and they were going to get divorced,' she said. 'I had no reason to disbelieve him. At the time I thought he was a really nice guy. He was really bubbly and funny. He was someone I enjoyed being around. We started seeing each other and started a relationship.' Hare, who lived a 'James Bond type fantasy' and convinced his girlfriend he was in the Secret Service, has been jailed for five and a half years at Newcastle Crown Court About six months into the relationship Hare, who ran a farm in County Durham, asked his new partner to meet him and said he had to tell her something about his 'other job', she said. 'He basically said he was in the Secret Service. He said sometimes I might need to go away last minute,' the mum-of-two said. 'I just said; 'I'm not bothered if that is what you do as long as it doesn't impact my life or my family'. 'I just thought; 'why would someone make that up'.' The woman was later sent a message from an unknown phone number claiming to be from the unit John worked for and saying it would be the number used to keep her informed should he be called away. 'I didn't think anything of it, I just saved it on my phone,' she said. 'I was getting messages on this number to say he had been called away on 'ops'. The woman began to suspect Hare was not separated from his wife when he claimed to have been called away on a Secret Service operation while his children were rowing at the Durham Regatta. When she spoke to him on the phone she heard a public address announcement in the background. But despite having suspicions about Hare's marital status the woman said she was in a relationship with him for three years before she began to question his role in the Secret Service. 'I confronted him about his wife, but he was a really really good liar,' she said. The woman said Hare's lies began to unravel when she began to suspect him of seeing other women behind her back. On New Years Eve 2019 Hare was at the woman's home when she decided to send a message to the Secret Service pone number she had been given. But even after she heard his phone vibrate on the table, Hare made an excuse. 'He was really good at manipulating you,' she said. John Hare was a fantasist trying to hide his affair. Hare denied assaulting is lover (together left and right) and criminal damage on her car but was convicted after a trial Things eventually came to a head in May 2020 during a confrontation at Hare's home. Newcastle Crown Court was told how Hare punched his girlfriend three times and sent her to the floor. He then put his palm to her face and caused her nose to bleed before he caused damage to her car wing mirror as she tried to drive away. After the terrifying incident the woman's family convinced her to call police. Hare denied assault and criminal damage but was convicted after a trial. Prosecutor Kelly Sherif told the court it was during the investigation into Hare detectives received information about him having a firearm and he confessed when confronted. When officers arrived at the farm to seize the firearm they were directed to the coop, containing around 30 chickens where the weapon had been hidden. The court heard the weapon was a.22 air pistol which was capable of firing. His victim said it was only after seeing him locked up last week that she finally accepted the whole relationship had been a lie. Because of Hare's web of lies she said she has spent the last two years living in fear of reprisals from the Secret Service as she waited for the case to go to court. 'Now he's been sent to prison I know he's definitely not who he says he is,' she said. 'That's given me some closure and I know I'm not going doolally in my head. 'What it's all been about is so he can have a wife, a girlfriend and a mistress. 'It's taken a lot of time to get my head around a five-year relationship that wasn't real. 'He's stolen seven years of my life.' Judge Bindloss said he accepted Hare was not a danger to the public but said he was a 'fantasist' and what he told his girlfriend was 'froth and nonsense'. Thomas Welshman, defending, said Hare never threatened anyone with the gun and the deterioration of his marriage had led to a 'build up of pressure'. The court heard as well as the farm, Hare runs two associated businesses which involve reusable energy. Mr Welshman said Hare is well respected in the community, has 12 employees and added: 'He is a flawed man, a troubled man but not a dangerous man.' Claudia Conway, 17, said she is 'not celebrating July 4th today' on Monday as she clapped back at a reporter who called her a 'potty mouth' for leading pro-abortion protests after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. She urged Americans 'especially at a time like this not to buy into July 4th propaganda.' 'You know 'land of the free.' We're not free,' she insisted. 'Why should we be celebrating independence when not all of us have independence?' Conway questioned during a rally she organized. 'And that's why we're out here fighting for our reproductive rights, challenging the overturn of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme court.' Along with the video, she tweeted, 'Will NOT be celebrating July 4th today.' Conway also used her Twitter platform on Monday to give a 'daily reminder' to 'f*** SCOTUS' and lashed out at a reporter who wrote about her efforts protesting the Supreme Court ending federal protections for abortion rights. Claudia Conway, 17, urged Americans 'not to buy into July 4th propaganda' when 'not all of us have independence' as she protested the overturn of Roe v. Wade Conway, the daughter of former top Trump aide Kellyanne Conway, was pictured at a demonstration in Union Square in New York City with a 'F*** SCOUTS' sign and flipping her middle finger Will NOT be celebrating July 4th today pic.twitter.com/o1TwAt6fpK Claudia Conway (@claudiamconwayy) July 4, 2022 'brought her potty mouth..,' she tweeted a quote from an article by a reporter for NorthJersey.com. 'you mean the mouth that fights for human rights?' 'I'm 17 Shame on you, Deena Yellin,' she added. 'Learn how to report neutrally ESPECIALLY when writing about a teenage activist. Ugh.' Yellin's report on Conway's political activism called her 'the daughter of America's most argumentative couple' and accused her of having a 'potty mouth' as she slung vulgar chants against the Supreme Court during her protests. Conway is the daughter of former Trump senior counselor Kellyanne Conway and conservative political activist George Conway. Conway slammed a reporter for an article about her protesting for abortion rights because she called the 17-year-old a 'potty mouth' Although the duo are both Republicans, they fall on either side of the MAGA movement and have publicly shown their political oppositions in the last few years. The teenage Conway has spoken out against her mother on social media in the past. Conway has organized protest against the overturn of Roe v. Wade and garnered attention for the event she held in Englewood, New Jersey. She also was pictured attending a demonstration in New York City's Union Square sitting on someone's shoulders, holding a 'F*** SCOTUS' sign and flipping her middle finger. An author has shared her theory that the nine Mormon mothers and their children who were slaughtered in 2019 were killed in a revenge attack by the cartel that was designed to send a message to their husbands and fathers after a deal went wrong. Nine members of the LeBaron and Miller families were shot and burned in La Mora, a town 70 miles south of the US-Mexico border, in November 2019. Members of the cartel have been arrested for the killings but the motive has always been murky; some have suggested the killings were a case of mistaken identity, while others say the families were caught in the crossfires of a turf war between rival gangs. Now, author Sally Denton has shared her theory that the families were in fact in business with the cartel - and that their business relationship took a deadly turn. 'I think its naive for the public to believe they were just friendly neighbors, saying hello at sicario checkpoints. 'I dont believe you dont live with some of the most violent people in the world without having accommodations. I think they were helping with guns. 'I think somebody owed somebody something. I think there was a great big message, not to the women and children, but to their husbands and fathers. 'It was not a case of mistaken identity; they were targeted. It was about money; somebody reneged on some kind of deal,' she told The Daily Beast. Members of the LeBaron family search through the burned car where five of the nine Mormon community members were killed in an ambush launched by a cartel gang in Bavispe, Sonora, on November 4, 2019 Three mothers and their six young children were killed in November 2019 when their three-car convoy was ambushed in northern Mexico Roberto 'El 32' Gonzalez was among the three individuals arrested in Nuevo Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, on Monday by the authorities Jose Lara (left) was arrested by security forces in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on Wednesday, on the one-year anniversary of the November 4, 2019, massacre of nine Mormon mothers and children with U.S.-Mexican dual citizenship. Jesus Parra (right) was arrested in June and is the only one of 13 suspects who have been arrested who has been indicted Denton's new book, The Colony: Faith and Blood in a Promised Land, investigates whether members of the LeBaron family were in business with the Mexican drug gang. She claims to have interviewed women who are still part of the LeBaron family and to have found proof that 'LeBaron patriarchs believed they were deliberately targeted by the cartel.' The book also delves into the history of the family, the LeBaron religious community and its infamous founder Ervil LeBaron, otherwise known as the 'Mormon Manson' because he so famously ordered the killings of religious enemies in 'blood atonement'. Three members of the cartel were arrested for the Mormon killings in November 2020 but their motive has never been explained. Then President Donald Trump decried the killings as an act of terrorism at the time. 'The LeBarons tense but peaceful interactions with Sinaloa deteriorated in the years leading up to the ambush. LeBaron patriarchs believed they were deliberately targeted by the cartel. 'Others suspected that local farmers had carried out the attacks in response to the LeBarons seizure of water rights for their massive pecan orchards,' promotional materials for Denton's book read. Colonia LeBaron was established in northern Mexico in 1944, after many polygamous Mormons fled Mexico and settled in Utah. Author and investigative journalist Sally Denton's new book proposes the theory that the women and kids were slaughtered because of a deal that went wrong between their husbands and the cartel As recently as 2010, two members of the Chihuahua Mormon community, including one from the LeBaron family, were killed in apparent revenge after security forces tracked drug gang members. The Mormons had suffered widespread kidnappings before that. Their large houses and lifestyle had made them appear rich to drug gangs, Vice reported in 2012. And in 2016 former resident Ruth Wariner detailed life inside the community, describing 41 siblings, constant beatings, a house with no electricity and no modern plumbing. Founded as part of an offshoot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the church abandoned the practice of polygamy in the late 1800s, some polygamous Mormons moved to Mexico to set up new colonies. The LeBaron family was founded by Alma Dayer LeBaron. He set up the community with his family in 1924 after being excommunicated from the church. Alma passed the leadership over to his son Joel when he died in 1951. He subsequently incorporated the community as part of Salt Lake City' Church of the Firstborn. His younger brother Ervil was his second in charge at the time. The brothers later fell out over the leadership of the community and Ervil went on to set up another sect in San Diego, California in 1972. Evril, who had at least 13 wives, had Joel killed in 1972. He was tried and convicted in Mexico for Joel's murder in 1974. While in prison, he wrote the 400-page commandment to kill disobedient church members who were included in a hit list. Evril died in prison in 1981 but six family members organized 'four o'clock' murders, which saw an eight-year-old child and three former members shot dead within minutes of each other in Texas in 1988. Three men are missing after they jumped into a river to save an eight-year-old boy who was struggling in choppy waters near Brannan Island in California. The child survived, but the missing men - identified as Edwin Rivas, Edwin Perez and Danilo Solorzano - have not yet been found, KRCA News reported. The group were there for an overnight camping trip at Brannan Island State Recreation Area on the bank of the delta in Sacramento County on Saturday, the station reported. It's unclear whether the boy was part of the group camping in the area. Family members said the little boy was fishing when he began struggling in the water and five men jumped in to rescue him. Only two of the men and the child made it back to the shore, the news outlet reported. A picture of one of the men who went missing near Three Mile Slough Bridge in Sacramento County jumping into dangerous currents to rescue the 8-year-old boy who survived A photo of the second man who is still missing since the Sunday afternoon tragedy. The Coast Guard has been involved since the mission went from search to recovery, officials said The third man pictured here was one of the three men who remains missing. Moments before the tragedy, the group had been fishing near Brannan Island in Sacramento County State Parks officials said the currents and winds were dangerously high on Sunday afternoon during the life-saving mission. A distraught Juan Cabrera, one of the men who was part of the group that helped in the rescue, said his cousin remains missing. 'This happened so fast. Three people. My friends....we used to come here all the time,' Cabrera said, KRCA reported. Elmer Rodriguez, a friend of the missing men, shaken by the ordeal during their July 4th holiday camping trip, said: 'My heart is broken.' A photo of the Big Slough Bridge. Paul Wissler, Captain with California State Park, said the area where the tragedy took place, is an 'unguarded swim beach' that has no life guards, KRCA News reported 'We do not have lifeguards on duty it's mainly a fishing access off of an unregulated trail in the state park this is title unguarded water so the water was moving at the time,' Wissler said Search and rescue boats were deployed in hopes of finding the missing men. The water currents in the river re extreme throughout the Sacramento San Joaquin River Delta system, State Parks officials said A distraught Juan Cabrera, one of the men who was part of the group that helped in the rescue, said his cousin remains missing. 'This happened so fast. Three people. My friends....we used to come here all the time,' Cabrera said, KRCA reported Officials from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, United States Coast Guard, Rio Vista Fire and California State Parks rushed to the scene. The water currents are extreme throughout the Sacramento San Joaquin River Delta system, officials said. The challenging weather conditions made it more difficult for searchers to locate the missing men, which has now become a recovery mission. Early Monday morning, the Rio Vista Fire Department posted on their Facebook that 'the incident has transitioned to a recovery and three adults remain missing.' Paul Wissler, Captain with California State Parks, said the area where the tragedy took place, is an 'unguarded swim beach' that has no lifeguards,' KRCA News reported 'We do not have lifeguards on duty it's mainly a fishing access off of an unregulated trail in the state park this is title unguarded water so the water was moving at the time,' Wissler said. The United States Coast Guard continued the recovery mission throughout the night. Sgt. Rod Grassman, a spokesperson for the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, told KRCA News that the boy who was rescued did not need medical attention, according to deputies at the scene. Grassman added: 'Deputies searched the waterways with negative results,' he said. 'After exhausting all search efforts, deputies shifted their focus to a recovery.' DailyMail.com reached out to the Rio Vista Fire Department to learn of any new developments on the July 3 tragedy and is waiting to hear back. A festival-goer is calling for Glastonburys John Peel Stage to be renamed over historical sexual abuse claims against the late BBC Radio One DJ, calling it a 'slap in the face' for victims. Jack Owens, 26, said the stage is 'long overdue' a change and is petitioning organisers to remove the former BBC presenter's name from the tent ahead of next year's festival. His petition comes after a woman, Jane Nevin, claimed in 2012 she became pregnant by Peel during a three-month affair when she was a 15-year-old schoolgirl in 1969. Glastonbury's New Bands Tent took its new name in 2004, the year that Peel died of a heart attack, in honour of the DJ's work. A festival-goer has created a petition to have the John Peel Stage at Glastonbury renamed. Pictured, John Peel receiving an OBE in 1998 Mr Owens said the stage's name is a 'slap in the face' for victims. Pictured, the John Peel Stage at Glastonbury Festival in 2015 Peel, who died of a heart attack in 2004 at the age of 65, is alleged to have met Nevin at a Black Sabbath concert when he was 30. She claims he had sex with her in the BBC studio and backstage at concerts. In an interview with The Sunday Correspondent in 1989, Peel said: 'Girls used to queue up outside. By and large not usually for sh*****g. 'Oral sex they were particularly keen on, I remember. [...] One of my, er, regular customers, as it were, turned out to be 13, though she looked older..' There are historical sexual abuse claims against the former BBC Radio 1 DJ. Pictured at work Radio One DJs eating Christmas Lunch at BBC Broadcasting House in 1980. Back, from left: Simon Bates, Mike Read, Peter Powell, Tommy Vance, Adrian Love and Richard Skinner. Middle, from left: Paul Burnett, Andy Peebles, John Peel, Steve Wright, Annie Nightingale, Paul Gambaccini, and Adrian Juste. Front, from left, Dave Lee Travis and Jimmy Saville Peel presented much of the BBC's TV coverage of Glastonbury Festival. Pictured in 1999 at the festival Who was broadcasting legend John Peel? John Peel was a famed rock DJ for the BBC John Peel, born John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, was a popular British DJ. Born on August 30, 1939, in Heswall, he was known for promoting rock music on the BBC's radio stations, among other platforms. In 1965, he married his first wife, Shirley Anne Milburn, when she was 15. They wed in the US, reportedly in Texas, and Peel always maintained she told him she was 16. Two years later, he joined BBC Radio 1 when the station started, building a career in discovering emerging artists. He and Shirley separated soon after, divorcing in 1973, and Shirley died following a reported suicide attempt in 1987. Peel married his second wife, Sheila Gilhooly, in 1974, and the couple had two boys and two girls. During his broadcasting career, the DJ was seen as someone who could help artists break into the industry, and was posted records, CDs and tapes. He also created the John Peel Sessions, where house bands recorded exclusive tracks for the broadcaster. Outside of Radio 1, he also broadcast on stations in the Netherlands, Finland, Austria and Germany. He occasionally presented Top of the Pops on BBC1 between the late 1960s until the 1990s, appearing more regularly between 1982 and 1987. He also presented the BBC's TV coverage of Glastonbury Festival. In 1998, he was given an OBE for his work in the music industry. He died from a heart attack in 2004 aged 65. The same year, Glastonbury renamed the 'New Bands Tent' after Peel in honour of the DJ. In his autobiography, which was published after his death, Peel claimed that he was raped by an older pupil when he was a boarder at Shrewsbury School. Advertisement An interview originally published in The Herald in April 2004 stated that Peel admitted to sexual contact with 'an awful lot' of underage girls. In an interview with The Guardian in 1975 while discussing women, Peel said: 'All they wanted me to do was abuse them, sexually, which, of course, I was only too happy to do'. Mr Owens, from Manchester, is now hoping that Glastonbury organisers will re-brand their Peel tent in light of the comments and historical accusations. His petition read: 'The John Peel stage at Glastonbury is long overdue being renamed, considering the serious sexual abuse he has been accused of and even admitted, against women and children. 'It's a slap in the face to sexual abuse survivors, women, children and decent people to have to stand in a stage with his name on it, which has the sick words "teenage dreams so hard to beat" written on the side. 'Please rename it for the next year's festival. He's been put up on pedestal for too long.' Peel, born John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, worked as a DJ for the BBC from 1967 till 2004 when he died of a sudden heart attack while in Peru. In 1965, Peel married a 15-year-old American girl called Shirley Anne Milburn when he was 26. He later claimed she and her family had lied about her age. They divorced in 1973 and years later she reportedly took her own life. In 2012, eight years after Peel's death, Nevin came forward with claims of an affair with the highly respected DJ. She said the affair resulted in her falling pregnant and having a 'traumatic' abortion in Ealing. A postcard, allegedly sent to Nevin from Peel after she contacted him about their relationship 30 years later, read: 'Jane, Well, you've scared the daylights out of me. For years I've been expecting a letter starting, 'In the 70s we had a brief affair - and your now son/daughter, aged 27, wants to meet you'. 'What exactly do you want me to do. I live near Ipswich so Croydon is pretty inaccessible. 'I'll wait to hear from you again. John.' Mr Owen set the Change.org page up on Friday, where it has so far gained around 150 signatures, however he is hoping to hit 150,000. Speaking today, he said: 'I knew about John Peel's sexual abuse allegations and admissions after researching him once, about six months prior. 'It was when I was in the tent for the first time the recollection of it hit me, and I felt really uneasy about it. 'I've been tweeting Glastonbury and Emily Eavis, the director, daily. I've also sent emails to the festival itself, through their various emails. 'I've had no contact from the festival. 'I've been tweeting Glastonbury and Emily Eavis, the director, daily. I've also sent emails to the festival itself, through their various emails,' Mr Owen said Mr Owens, 26, said the stage is 'long overdue' a change and is hoping organisers will remove the former BBC presenter's name from the tent. Pictured, inside the John Peel Tent at Glastonbury 2022 'I'm going to keep spreading the word until we hit 150,000 because I think it's the right thing to do.' The petition has received a mixed reaction from music fans. One person wrote: 'He doesn't deserve to be remembered.' Another said: 'This is abominable. This man is disgusting and does not deserve to be lauded with an important stage named after him.' A third commented: 'Accused not found guilty.' While another person said: 'What? Never heard of that, and I'm certainly not going to sign anything that looks like C**P.' MailOnline has contacted Glastonbury Festival for comment. U.S. officials have concluded that gunfire from Israeli positions likely killed Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh but that there was 'no reason to believe' her shooting was intentional, the State Department said Monday. The finding, in a statement from State Department spokesman Ned Price, came after what the U.S. said were inconclusive tests under U.S. oversight of the bullet recovered from Abu Akleh's body. It said 'independent, third-party examiners' had conducted an 'extremely detailed forensic analysis.' 'Ballistic experts determined the bullet was badly damaged, which prevented a clear conclusion' as to who fired the shot,' Price said in the statement. Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian-American correspondent who had American citizenship and was well known throughout the Arab world, was shot and killed while covering an Israeli military raid on May 11 in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian eyewitnesses, including her crew, say Israeli troops killed her and that there were no militants in the immediate vicinity. Israel says she was killed during a complex battle with Palestinian militants and that only a forensic analysis of the bullet would confirm whether it was fired by an Israeli soldier or a Palestinian militant. It has strongly denied she was deliberately targeted, but says an Israeli soldier may have hit her by mistake during an exchange of fire with a militant. U.S. security officials had examined the results of separate Palestinian and Israeli investigations and 'concluded that gunfire from IDF positions was likely responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh,' Price said. Well-known Palestinian television personality Shireen Abu Akleh, 51, (pictured) who had American citizenship, was killed during a raid on the occupied West Bank town of Jenin in May Yellow tape marks bullet holes on a tree and a portrait and flowers create a makeshift memorial on May 19, 2022, at the site whereAbu Akleh was shot and killed in the West Bank city of Jenin. The Palestinian Authority on Saturday, July 2, said it has given the bullet that killed her to American forensic experts, taking a step toward resolving a standoff with Israel over the investigation into her death The U.S. 'found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad,' Price said. The Israeli military presented the findings as part of its own investigation in a statement that was likely to anger the Palestinian Authority, which had adamantly rejected any Israeli role in the probe and refused to share the bullet with Israeli authorities. The military said that while the bullet remained in the custody of U.S. officials throughout the process, it was examined by Israeli experts in a forensic laboratory in Israel. The body of slain Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, 51, lies on the ground while her colleague, Shatha Hanaysheh, covers her mouth in shock as firing continues The Palestinian flag-draped body of veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is brought to the news channel's office in the West Bank city of Ramallah Israeli police confront with mourners as they carry the casket of slain Al Jazeera veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh during her funeral in east Jerusalem on May 13 Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi, the army chief of staff, ordered the investigation be continued 'using all available means,' the military said in a statement. It said any decision on whether to launch criminal investigation would only be made after the operational investigation is completed. The Palestinian Authority and Al Jazeera accused Israeli forces of deliberately targeting Abu Akleh within hours of her death. An Associated Press reconstruction of her killing lent support to accounts by Palestinian eyewitnesses, including her crew, that she was killed by Israeli forces. Subsequent investigations by CNN, the New York Times and the Washington Post reached similar conclusions. Rep. Liz Cheney, a rising Republican star until she refused to accept former President Donald Trump's false claims of a stolen election, says she has not ruled out a presidential run in 2024. 'I'll make a decision about '24 down the road,' she said in an interview Sunday with ABC talk show This Week. 'The single most important thing is protecting the nation from Donald Trump.' Rep. Liz Cheney (right) sat down with ABC News' Jonathan Karl (left) in an interview that aired in full on Sunday morning it was the first interview with the Wyoming congresswoman since the surprise January 6 hearing on Tuesday Asked by @jonkarl if she will run for president in 2024, Rep. Liz Cheney says she hadnt made a decision yet. "I'm very focused on my obligations to do the job that I have now. And I'll make a decision about '24 down the road." https://t.co/yzEXu1E3Le pic.twitter.com/ywnMMpQS9m This Week (@ThisWeekABC) July 4, 2022 'I'll make a decision about '24 down the road,' Rep. Liz Cheney said in an interview Sunday with ABC's This Week The Wyoming Republican was one of just 10 Republicans in the House of Representatives who voted to impeach the former president for inciting the January 6, 2021 insurrection by his supporters. The 55-year-old is now vice chair of the special House committee investigating whether Trump was responsible for the attack on the US Capitol, as he sought to stay in power after losing the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden. 'A man as dangerous as Donald Trump can absolutely never be anywhere near the Oval Office ever again,' Cheney said, telling ABC she thinks her Republican Party 'can't survive' if the real estate mogul wins the nomination again in 2024. 'Those of us who believe in Republican principles and ideals have a responsibility to try to lead the party back to what it can be,' she said. Trump, who still holds outsize influence in the Republican Party, has discussed a potential new candidacy with increasing openness, with some outlets reporting he could announce his campaign by the end of July. Even as Cheney - daughter of former vice president Dick Cheney - mulls a White House bid she is fighting for her political life in Wyoming, where a Trump-backed rival, Harriet Hageman, is challenging her in the state's Republican primary, to be held next month ahead of November's midterm elections. 'I don't intend to lose the republican primary in Wyoming,' she also told ABC's Jonathan Karl. 'I think it's important because I will be the best representative that the people of Wyoming can have,' she added. Russian journalist Maria Ponomarenko, a 44-year-old mother of two accused of posting 'sane people are for peace' about Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine, has been locked in a Siberian clinical psychiatric hospital A Russian journalist accused of posting 'sane people are for peace' about Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine has been locked in a Siberian clinical psychiatric hospital. Maria Ponomarenko, a 44-year-old mother of two, claims the authorities are seeking to gag her because of her opposition to the war. She is accused of spreading 'fake' news concerning Putins 'special military operation' in Ukraine. One comment seen as against the law by prosecutors said: 'It is impossible to remain silent, knowing about the death of thousands of innocent people.' Her 'fake' Telegram posts also included critical comments about the Russian bombing of a drama theatre in Mariupol in April where hundreds of civilians were sheltering. The Russian defence ministry denied its forces were behind the bombing, which it blamed on Ukrainian nationalists. Because of her posts contradicting the official Russian narrative, she can face ten years in jail, or indefinite incarceration in a psychiatric facility. She is accused of spreading 'fake news' by Vladimir Putin's regime, posting: 'It is impossible to remain silent, knowing about the death of thousands of innocent people' Because of her views, she can face ten years in jail, or indefinite incarceration in a psychiatric facility. Reports say that one of the womans daughters, aged 16, has been turned by the authorities into a prosecution witness in her case She was initially held in detention under Russias draconian laws barring criticism of the army, but has now been locked in the Soviet-era psychiatric hospital for around one month where she will undergo 'evaluation' Leading Putin foe Mikhail Khodorkovsky - once Russias richest man who was jailed for a decade for opposing the Kremlin leader - branded the case a return to Soviet methods with the state using 'punitive psychiatry to silence political dissent'. A video shows the grim psychiatric hospital where she is held. Reports say that one of the womans daughters, aged 16, has been turned by the authorities into a prosecution witness in her case. Ponomarenko, from Barnaul in Siberia, had been detained in St Petersburg in April. She was initially held in detention under Russias draconian laws barring criticism of the army. She was moved thousands of miles to Siberia, and has now been locked in the Soviet-era psychiatric hospital for around one month where she will undergo 'evaluation'. Friend Yana Drobnokhod said: 'Letters and meetings with relatives are banned. 'She is only allowed to see her lawyer.' Her lawyer Sergei Podolsky said: 'The investigators interrogated Maria's underage daughters, and the testimony of one of them became evidence against her mother.' Ponomarenkos posts about the Mariupol theatre were on a Telegram channel called: 'There is no Censorship'. Her Telegram posts included critical comments about the Russian bombing of a drama theatre in Mariupol in April where hundreds of civilians were sheltering Advertisement Just Stop Oil activists provoked fury today as they carried out a protest at the National Gallery by covering John Constable's The Hay Wain with their own version featuring double yellow lines, pollution and a washing machine. Two students who are eco demonstrators covered the world-famous painting in London with a mock 'undated' version including aircraft, before gluing their hands to the frame in a protest against UK oil and gas projects. The group said their reimagined version of the 1821 priceless work, which depicts a rural scene on the River Stour in Suffolk, shows a 'nightmare scene that demonstrates how oil will destroy our countryside'. Art historians and experts have all raised concerns that the vandals, two Brighton university students who have appeared at Just Stop Oil protests before, could have caused irreparable damage to the 19th century masterpiece. The National Gallery later released a statement clarifying The Hay Wain suffered minor damage to its frame and on the painting's varnish, both of which have been dealt with before it is re-hung in Gallery Room 34 on Tuesday. Dr Adrian Hilton, who is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, said today: 'How is this even possible in the National Gallery? I mean, it's a John Constable masterpiece; a national treasure. Is it really this easy to paper over or - God forbid - destroy it?' Other art lovers reacted with fury today, with one tweeting: 'Never mind about these losers. Where is the security? What were the guards doing while they stuck the 'reimagined version' on the original? Checking their WhatsApps?' Another added: 'Disgusting, please stop damaging historic and fragile paintings enjoyed by ordinary people in our national galleries and museums. Pls find another way to get your 'message' (whatever it consists of) across!' And a third said: 'Unbelievably reckless. The wrong target. Art is not the target. It's so poorly judged. It sets back the net zero and climate debate by alienating the public. Art is not a legitimate target. This is childish, destructive and naive.' The protesters were removed and arrested at 4.45pm and taken off site, and the painting was taken off the wall by staff at the gallery. Conservators are now taking a look at the work to assess whether any damage has been caused - but they have not got an estimate on any damage at this early stage. Just Stop Oil activists have carried out similar protests over the past week at art galleries in Glasgow, Manchester and London - while a group also sat down on the track at Silverstone during the British Grand Prix yesterday. Today's incident, which took place as security guards at the gallery watched on, will prompt concerns about the safety of other historic works of art on display in the UK - and whether security needs to be improved. It also comes in contrast to police quickly arresting 12 motorists for driving too slow during a protest on the M4 in South Wales over petrol and diesel prices. Fuel protests have been taking place across the UK today as drivers call for a cut in fuel duty, gridlocking motorways and major A-routes with a series of rolling go-slow roadblocks. At the National Gallery, the protesters - who wore white T-shirts bearing the slogan 'Just Stop Oil' - stepped over a rope barrier and then placed what looked like a large colour paper print on to the front of the large-scale painting. Each also placed a hand on the frame of the painting and kneeled beneath it before loudly stating their concerns as visitors were ushered out by security staff. The protest forced the evacuation of art lovers, tourists and a class of 11-year-old children on a school trip from the room where the painting hangs. A National Gallery spokesman told MailOnline today: 'At around 2.15pm this afternoon two people entered Room 34 of the National Gallery and glued themselves to the frame of The Haywain by John Constable. 'They also covered the surface of the painting with 3 sheets of what appeared to be paper featuring a reimagined version of The Haywain. The pair wore t-shirts identifying themselves as Just Stop Oil activists. 'Police attended and removed the protestors at around 4.40pm, and they were then arrested. The painting was removed from the wall to be examined by our Conservation team. 'The Hay Wain suffered minor damage to its frame and there was also some disruption to the surface of the varnish on the painting - both of which have now been successfully dealt with. The painting will be rehung in Room 34 ready for when the National Gallery opens at 10am on Tuesday 5 July.' And a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'At approximately 2.25pm on Monday, 4 July officers were called to a protest taking place inside the National Gallery, WC2 involving two people. Two people have been arrested and officers remain on scene.' Speaking about their new version of The Hay Wain, Just Stop Oil said in a statement today: 'The river has been replaced by a road, airplanes fill the sky, pollution belches from cities on the horizon, trees are scorched by wildfires, an old car is dumped in front of the Mill and the famous Hay Wain cart carries an old washing machine.' Protesters from Just Stop Oil cover John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery in London this afternoon Protesters from Just Stop Oil glue their hands to the frame of John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery today Protesters from Just Stop Oil cover John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery in London this afternoon Protesters from Just Stop Oil glue their hands to the frame of John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery today ORIGINAL PAINTING - The Hay Wain, which was painted in 1821, is one of the most popular paintings at the National Gallery and shows a rural Suffolk scene a wagon returning to the fields across a shallow ford for another load Just Stop Oil co-founder Hannah Hunt 23-year-old psychology student Hannah Hunt was pictured glued to The Hay Wain at the National Gallery on Monday. She described new fossil fuels as 'a death project by our government', despite facing criticism herself for previously sharing pictures from far-flung holiday destinations such as Bali, Australia and Canary Islands. Ms Hunt co-founded Just Stop Oil in February, marching on No 10 to tell Boris Johnson to prevent the ultimate crime against our country, humanity and life on Earth. She became a hero among supporters of the group, which formed as a breakaway of Extinction Rebellion. This year she glued herself to the red carpet at the Bafta awards, and she also broke into an ExxonMobil oil refinery in Hampshire. Just Stop Oil co-founder Hannah Hunt is pictured with a letter to PM Boris Johnson outside 10 Downing Street in February Advertisement Eco-vandal Eben Lazarus Aspiring musician Eben Lazarus, 22, was seen alongside Ms Hunt as he supported her through Just Stop Oil's latest stunt. He and Hunt were removed and arrested at 4.45pm and taken off site, and the priceless national treasure was then removed by staff at the gallery. The eco-zealot was last pictured actively blocking departures at Gray's oil depot in Essex and also disrupting traffic on Britain's motorways. Lazarus's father is a musician and wedding singer, while his grandfather is Dr Norman Lazarus and 84-year-old professor at King's College London whose research interests include how to age more gracefully. Aspiring musician Eben Lazarus, 22, was seen alongside Ms Hunt as he supported her through Just Stop Oil's latest stunt Advertisement Among today's protesters was Hannah Hunt, 23, a psychology student from Brighton, who said: 'I'm here because our government plans to licence 40 new UK oil and gas projects in the next few years. This makes them complicit in pushing the world towards an unlivable climate and in the death of billions of people in the coming decades. 'We can forget our "green and pleasant land" as further oil extraction will lead to widespread crop failures which means we will be fighting for food. Ultimately, new fossil fuels are a death project by our government. 'So yes, there is glue on the frame of this famous painting, but there is blood on the hands of our government. The disruption will end as soon as the UK government makes a meaningful statement that it will end new oil and gas licenses.' How John Constable and The Hay Wain have a special place in history Born in Suffolk in 1776, John Constable is considered one of the foremost British artists. Largely self-taught, he was influenced by Dutch painters - and is best known for his landscape paintings in Dedham Vale, the area in which he grew up. His most famous painting, The Hay Wain, is now exhibited at the National Gallery. Finished in 1821, The Hay Wain was one of six large canvases depicting the area around Flatford Mill in Suffolk. Another in the series, The Lock, became one of the most expensive British paintings ever sold when it fetched 22.4million at auction in 2012. Despite his works now attracting huge fees, Constable was not financially successful in life. He also struggled to gain recognition from his peers and was not elected into the Royal Academy until the age of 52. He died in March 1837, aged 60, of apparent heart failure, and was buried with his wife. His children John and Charles are also buried in the tomb. Advertisement And Eben Lazarus, 22, a music student from Brighton, said: 'I support Just Stop Oil's demand for our government to halt all new oil and gas projects in the UK immediately. 'I want to work in the arts, not disrupt them, but the situation we're in, means we must do everything we peacefully can to prevent the total collapse of our ordered society. 'I have a number of younger siblings, the youngest are just ten and twelve, and I refuse to stand and watch them being condemned to a future of suffering. Our government is failing in its fundamental duty to protect us. 'We have covered the Hay Wain with a reimagined version that illustrates the expected impact of our addiction to fossil fuels on our countryside. The painting is an important part of our heritage, but it is not more important than the 3.5 billion men, women and children already in danger because of the climate crisis.' Last week, Just Stop Oil activists carried out similar protests in Glasgow, Manchester and London by gluing onto the frames of famous paintings including Van Gogh's 'Peach Trees in Blossom', 'Thomson's Aeolian Harp' by JMW Turner and 'My Heart's in the Highlands' by Horatio McCulloch. Paul Bell 21, a physics graduate from Birmingham, and Edred Whittingham, 24, a student at Exeter University, have now been released from police custody after their action at the Manchester Art Gallery on Friday. They were released on unconditional bail to appear in court on October 5. It comes as the Just Stop Oil protesters who stormed yesterday's British Grand Prix remain in police custody after Formula One boss Stefano Domenicali labelled their actions as 'dangerous and irresponsible'. Five men, aged between 21 and 46, and two women, 20 and 44, were arrested after the track invasion on the opening lap at Silverstone. Protesters from Just Stop Oil glue their hands to the frame of John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery today Protesters from Just Stop Oil cover John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery in London this afternoon Protesters from Just Stop Oil glue their hands to the frame of John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery today Protesters from Just Stop Oil glue their hands to the frame of John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery today Protesters from Just Stop Oil glue their hands to the frame of John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery today Protesters from Just Stop Oil cover John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery in London this afternoon Protesters from Just Stop Oil glue their hands to the frame of John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery today Although the incident was not shown on F1's global television feed, eyewitness footage emerged of five people entering the circuit at the high-speed Wellington Straight. They then sat down on the track. The race had just been suspended following Zhou Guanyu's horror first-corner crash, but a number of drivers sped by the quintet as they returned to the pits. The protesters were swiftly dragged away by marshals. In his post-race press conference, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton defended the activists. He said: 'Big up those guys. Big up the protesters. I love that people are fighting for the planet and we need more people like them.' Later on Instagram, the 37-year-old wrote: 'As we've seen today, this is a dangerous sport. 'I wasn't aware of the protests today, and while I'll always support those standing up for what they believe in, it must be done safely. Please don't jump on to our race circuits to protest, we don't want to put you in harm's way.' Protesters from Just Stop Oil glue their hands to the frame of John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery today Protesters from Just Stop Oil glue their hands to the frame of John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery today Protesters from Just Stop Oil glue their hands to the frame of John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery today Protesters from Just Stop Oil glue their hands to the frame of John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery today Protesters from Just Stop Oil glue their hands to the frame of John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery today Protesters from Just Stop Oil cover John Constable's The Hay Wain at the National Gallery in London this afternoon F1 bosses and Silverstone officials had been alerted to a protest plot in the days leading up to the race by Northamptonshire Police. It remains unclear how the protesters managed to breach security lines. F1 CEO Domenicali said: 'Everyone has the right to speak out on issues, but no one has the right to put lives in danger. The actions of a small group of people were completely irresponsible and dangerous. 'We shouldn't be complacent about the risk this posed to the safety of the drivers, marshals, fans and the individuals themselves.' But four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, an environmental campaigner, expressed his sympathy towards the activists. He said: 'These people don't act out of frustration, but they are desperate, and I very much sympathise with their fears and their anxieties which I think everybody who understands the size of the problem that's drifting towards us can understand. LAST WEEK - A worker silenced Just Stop Oil protesters last Friday after they glued themselves to a painting in Manchester LAST WEEK - Protesters glued themselves to 'Thomson's Aeolian Harp' by JMW Turner at Manchester Art Gallery last Friday 2013 -- A protester connected to Fathers 4 Justice glued a photograph of a young boy to the painting at the National Gallery 'I also see the other side. Marshals are trying to stop people from doing these kind of things, and you are putting them, and the drivers, at risk.' Former England striker Gary Lineker sided with the climate activists, tweeting: 'If it's not already too late, history will look back very favourably on these people.' But Sky F1 pundit, and former driver, Martin Brundle took umbrage with Lineker's tweet, replying: 'Gary please don't encourage this reckless behaviour. 'They'd have been sliced into 100 pieces and fans, marshals and drivers were wholly at risk of injury and death. We already had one lucky escape. I totally 100 per cent support freedom of speech and opinion, but do it responsibly.' Just Stop Oil is a protest group demanding that the Government 'immediately halts all future licensing and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK'. A letter written in 1780 by Alexander Hamilton that was thought stolen for decades has finally returned to Massachusetts, where it will be displayed at the Commonwealth Museum. The letter was stolen by a former Massachusetts State Archives worker during World War II and then sold privately; the employee was arrested in 1950. According to court papers, the letter is worth around $25,000. The letter had gone missing along with other documents relating to George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Paul Revere, though those have been recovered. The employee had removed the index reference numbers from the letters before selling them to rare book dealers. After the Hamilton letter popped up in a Virginia auction house in November 2018, a researcher realized it had been reported missing, and the long-lost document was reported to the FBI. The state of Massachusetts then won a lengthy court battle with the South Carolina family trying to sell it and retrieved the letter, and it will now be shown just in time for July 4. A letter from Alexander Hamilton to Marquise de Lafayette has been recovered after being stolen during World War II The letter was recovered just in time for the Fourth of July and will be displayed at the Commonwealth Museum in Massachusetts A portrait of Alexander Hamilton, who has been popularized in recent years by Lin-Manuel Miranda's successful musical about the man 'I appreciate the Supreme Courts decision to put an end to this lengthy legal process,' Massachusetts secretary of the commonwealth, William Galvin, said. 'This important piece of Revolutionary War history belongs to the people of Massachusetts, where it is now guaranteed to remain for all to see.' The family had a now-dead relative who they believe was a rare document collector, and they say the relative obtained the letter from a rare book dealer in Syracuse, New York during the 1940s. At the time the letter was written, Hamilton, a founding father, was serving as one of George Washington's most trusted advisors, as shown by the letter's signature - 'Yr. Most Obedt, A. Hamilton, Aide de Camp.' Hamilton sought correspondence with the French general Marquis de Lafayette in order to warn him about the movement of British troops from New York to Rhode Island. 'We have just received advice from New York through different channels that the enemy are making an embarkation with which they menace the French fleet and army,' Hamilton wrote. 'Fifty transports are said to have gone up the Sound to take in troops and proceed directly to Rhode Island.' 'The letter was a letter of warning,' Galvin said. 'There were British troops moving up into Rhode Island from New York, with the objective of interfering with the French troops that had just landed to help us.' Galvin says the letter shows 'how fragile the whole revolutionary war effort was.' 'The letter was forwarded by Massachusetts General William Heath to the President of the Massachusetts Council, along with a request for troops to be sent to support French allies.' The letter is set to be a centerpiece of the Commonwealth Museum's exhibit for July 4 and will appear alongside letter written by John Hancock and George Washington. Hamilton has become well-known by the public in recent years thanks to the musical named after him, which was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and premiered in 2015. The musical recounts some of the events surrounding the American Revolution through the eyes of Hamilton and features other historical figures like Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss today outlined plans to allow Britain to seize assets from Russians in order to help fund the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. Speaking at an international conference in Switzerland, Ms Truss detailed how the Government is 'actively looking' at new laws to get its hands on the fortunes of key figures behind Russia's 'appalling' invasion of its neighbour. The Foreign Secretary spoke of her wish for a 'new Marshall Plan' - like the programme which saw the US provide billions of dollars for western Europe after the Second World War - for Ukraine to help rebuild. She also promised to use the 'might of City of London' to help try and make Ukraine to top destination for foreign investment next year. Ms Truss addressed the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano following an appearance, via videolink, from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. She told the audience that Britain was 'resolute' in its support of Ukraine in the face of Vladimir Putin's brutal attempts to seize large parts of the country's territory. The Foreign Secretary added that Britain would 'continue to lead in supporting the Ukrainian Governments reconstruction and development plan'. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss today addressed an event at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, Switzerland Ms Truss spoke of her wish for a 'new Marshall Plan' - like the programme which saw the US provide billions of dollars for western Europe after the Second World War - for Ukraine to help rebuild 'Ukraines recovery from Russias war of aggression will be a symbol of the power of freedom and democracy over autocracy,' Ms Truss said. 'It will show Putin that his attempts to destroy Ukraine have only produced a stronger, more prosperous and more united nation.' More than 1,000 people and 120 businesses - including many oligarchs and those close to Mr Putin's Kremlin - have been sanctioned Britain since Russia began its barbaric assault on Ukraine. Ms Truss reaffirmed the Government's commitment to now looking at how the seized assets of Russians could be used to fund Ukraine's post-conflict reconstruction. 'The UK is actively looking at how we legislate to seize assets from those who have contributed to this appalling war,' the Foreign Secretary told today's conference. 'Its vitally important that we acquire those funds for the reconstruction of Ukraine. 'The UK will be championing the recovery of the Kyiv region, in response to President Zelenskyys specific request from our Prime Minister (Boris Johnson) for UK leadership. 'We believe that despite the appalling suffering, despite the terrible war crimes that have taken place, the devastation, and the human cost, that Ukraine will emerge stronger and more successful after this war.' Britain will host next year's Ukraine Reconstruction Conference. And Ms Truss expressed her hope that, over the next 12 months, Ukraine would become 'one of the worlds top destinations for investment'. The Foreign Secretary told the conference that Britain was 'resolute' in its support of Ukraine in the face of Vladimir Putin's brutal attempts to seize large parts of the country's territory The Foreign Secretary vowed to 'use the might of the City of London and the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development', which is based in London, to achieve that aim. Ms Truss said their was 'real opportunity' in Ukraine for manufacturing, agribusiness, technology and for the country to have 'an extremely vibrant economy going forward'. Speaking to MPs on the House of Commons' Foreign Affairs Committee last week, the Foreign Secretary revealed how the Government was examining the example of Canada for how to introduce laws to seize assets in order to help fund Ukrainian reconstruction. 'We are looking very closely at it,' Ms Truss said. 'The Canadians have, in fact, just passed legislation on it. This is an issue that we are working on jointly with the Home Office and the Treasury, but I certainly agree with the concept. 'We just need to get the specifics of it right.' Advertisement Joey Chestnut won his fifteenth Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest by devouring 63 dogs in 10 minutes, despite taking the time to throw down an animal rights activists who barged onto the stage alongside him. As Chestnut was tossing down dogs, a man wearing a Darth Vader mask and carrying a sign reading 'Expose Smithfield Deathstar' forced his was onto the stage and knocked the champion aside. Still chewing his 17th dog, Chestnut threw the protester into a headlock and wrenched him to the ground, then popped back another mouthful and carried on. 'Oh my god!' people in the crowd could be heard saying amidst gasps, 'Did you see that?' It is unclear exactly what the protester stood for, but it is likely his sign referred to the food producer Smithfield Foods, which supplies the meat for Nathan's Famous Hotdogs. As Chestnut was tossing down dogs, a man wearing a Darth Vader mask and carrying a sign reading 'Expose Smithfield Deathstar' forced his was onto the stage and knocked the champion aside Hot dogs in hand, Chestnut lunged at the protester and grabbed him around the neck before wrenching him to the ground and carrying on eating It is unclear exactly what the protester stood for, but it is likely his sign referred to the pork producer Smithfield Foods 'Oh my god!' people in the crowd could be heard saying amidst gasps, 'Did you see that?' Chestnut fell short of the record of 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes he set last year. He handily beat his runner up, Geoffrey Esper, by 20 dogs. He competed on Monday in crutches after having ruptured a tendon in his leg. However, the champion eater, weighing 235 pounds, insisted the injury wouldn't impact his performance. 'I'm gonna eat like a madman,' he told Fox News Friday during his weigh-in. 'It's a ruptured tendon.' 'It's all right. I'll be able to stand up and eat. I'm excited.' Chestnut has only been defeated in the competition once since his first appearance in 2007 being upset up Matt Stonie in 2015. Chestnut competed with his leg in a cast and crutches on hand after having ruptured a tendon in his leg before the competition Joey Chestnut, 36, pumps a victorious fist after winning the 2022 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on Monday afternoon Joey Chestnut won his fifteenth Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest by devouring 63 dogs in 10 minutes, despite taking the time to choke out an animal rights activists who barged onto the stage alongside him Chestnut fell short of the record of 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes he set last year, but the 63 he threw back were still enough to win The commotion came after Miki Sudo won the women's division of the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Monday, marking her eighth victory in nine years. The 36-year-old devoured 40 dogs and buns in ten minutes, beating her runner up by a whopping 14 dogs. A total of thirteen women competed this year. She maintained a steady lead throughout, taking down 10 dogs one-minute and forty-seconds into the race. She set the women's record at 48 1/2 wieners and buns in 2020. 'I knew I was excited to come back, but the feeling that you get once you're actually here is not like anything else,' Sudo said on ESPN after downing 40 wieners and buns in 10 minutes. That was short of her 2020 record, but still well ahead of runner-up Michelle Lesco, the 2021 winner. Michelle Lesco, 38, who won the women's contest last year, came in second place. Though their competition is fierce, the pair are close friends and used to be roommates. This year was the fourth time Lesco finished second behind Sudo. Miki Sudo, 36, holds the 2022 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest trophy aloft on Monday, July 4. Since fist competing in 2014, Sudo has never lost Miki Sudo, 36, scarfs down hot dogs at the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Monday, July 4, 2022. She claimed her eighth fist place win Miki Sudo (right) and Michelle Lesco (left) battle it out during the contest on Monday. Though their competition is fierce, the pair are close friends and used to be roommates. This year was the fourth time Lesco finished second behind Sudo Another one down. Sudo was well ahead of the competition throughout the race, putting away her 10th hot dog by the minute-forty mark Sudo, who is the world's number 1 ranked female eater, did not participate in last year's competition due to pregnancy. After the competition she told ESPN that she wanted to set an example for her newborn son, who watched from the crowd in his father's arms. 'I want to set an example,' she said, 'to do things that you love and push yourself to your absolute limits and, when things get difficult, to still give it a try. And, you know, you might actually just come out victorious.' Sudo, a New York City native, first competed in the contest in 2014 and has never lost. The annual Coney Island competition kicked off with thousands of fans in attendance for the second consecutive year - after spectators were not allowed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The women's division of the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Monday, July 4, 2022. 13 women faced off against each other Champion Miki Sudo (center) alongside her runners up: Michelle Lesco (right) came in second, and Sarah Rodriguez (left) finished third Miki Sudo (right) won the women's division of the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Monday, marking her eight victory in nine years. She beat out Michelle Lesco (left) by 14 dogs World Champion Joey Chestnut reacts as he is weighed-in ahead of Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in New York on July 1, 2022 Revelers arrive to watch the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Monday. Thousands turned out to support the sixteen men and thirteen women competing Hot dogs being brought to the competition at the Nathan's Famous contest in Coney Island on Monday, July 4 Spectators on the sidelines at Coney Island for the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Monday. Sixteen men are next up to scarf in the men's division The annual Coney Island competition kicked off with thousands of fans in attendance for the second consecutive year - after spectators were not allowed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic Sudo, who is the world's number 1 ranked female eater, did not participate in last year's competition due to pregnancy Plates of hotdogs at the ready at the 2022 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Monday. Joey Chestnut won the men's division, and Miki Sudon won the women's Captive British fighter Aiden Aslin, 28, has launched an appeal against his death sentence in pro-Putin rogue state Donetsk People's Republic. The former care worker argues that he was not a mercenary but a member of Ukraine's armed forces. He has posted on social media a picture of himself taking his oath to serve in the Ukrainian army. A lawyer for fellow British fighter Shaun Pinner, 48, Yulia Tserkovnikova, launched his appeal last week. Both men were sentenced to be shot by a firing squad in an verdict last month after a rushed trial when key witnesses did not appear. Captive British fighter Aiden Aslin, 28, has launched an appeal against his death sentence in pro-Putin rogue state Donetsk People's Republic He has posted on social media a picture of himself taking his oath to serve in the Ukrainian army Former care worker Aslin (left) argues that he was not a mercenary but a member of Ukraine's armed forces. A lawyer for fellow British fighter Shaun Pinner, 48, (right) launched his appeal last week British war prisoners Aiden Aslin (left) and Shaun Pinner (right) were sentenced to death penalty by Donetsk court on June 9, 2022 Few observers expect them to succeed at what is seen as a new stage of a show trial, leaving them only to plead for a pardon to the pro-Putin ruler of the DPR, Denis Pushilin. But Pushilin has already said he sees no grounds to grant a pardon. Their best hope is that a prisoner exchange leads to them being swapped with Russian soldiers captured in Ukraine. 'A cassation appeal against the verdict was filed today,' said the lawyer representing Aslin, Pavel Kosovan, today. The Briton's were sentenced to death along with Moroccan Brahim Saadoun for 'mercenary activities' by fighting for Ukraine. Alsin's lawyer said he appeal concerned only some of the charges - those carrying the death penalty - such as his alleged effort to bring about 'a seizure of power by force' in the DPR. Few observers expect them to succeed at what is seen as a new stage of a show trial, leaving them only to plead for a pardon to the pro-Putin ruler of the DPR, Denis Pushilin. Pictured: Shaun Pinner British fighter Shaun Pinner with his wife Larysa. Pinner has been sentenced to death Two more British captives in the hands of the DPR have been indicted on charges that could lead to the death penalty. Andrew Hill, 35, (left) and Dylan Healy, 22, (right) face an upcoming trial The purpose of the appeal was to 'avoid execution'. Two more British captives in the hands of the DPR have been indicted on charges that could lead to the death penalty. Andrew Hill, 35, and Dylan Healy, 22, face an upcoming trial. Hill, a father of four from Plymouth, was allegedly a 'mercenary' fighting for the Ukrainians. Healy, from Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, was previously described as a civilian volunteer seeking to evacuate people from war-ravaged Ukraine. A doctor who killed a mother-of-three during a botched bone marrow biopsy left another patient permanently disabled three years earlier while carrying out the same treatment. Shahida Parveen died at the age of 48 after attending the Royal Oldham Hospital for the treatment. Dr Isyaka Mamman, 85, previously left a patient disabled with mobility difficulties in another bone marrow biopsy. The NHS trust he worked for later admitted liability when the patient sued for damages. Dr Mamman was previously suspended by medical watchdogs for lying about his age. He was sacked but then re-employed by the Royal Oldham Hospital, where he was responsible for a series of critical incidents before the fatal appointment, Manchester Crown Court was told. Dr Mamman, of Royton, near Oldham, will be sentenced on Tuesday (July 5) after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to gross negligence manslaughter. Dr Isyaka Mamman, pictured previously leaving Tameside Magistrates' Court. The mitigating lawyer said 'He is not the only person at fault. He should not have been allowed to be in the position he was.' The 48-year-old patient collapsed whilst giving a sample of her bone marrow at Royal Oldham Hospital in Greater Manchester, a court previously heard. She died shortly after the procedure began, despite attempts to revive her The doctor had also used various dates of birth and left his previous job because of 'poor performance'. Shahida Parveen, 48, went to the hospital with her husband, Khizar Mahmood, for examination on possible blood cancer. A bone marrow biopsy had been advised and the routine procedure was allocated to Dr Mamman, who was working as a specialty doctor in haematology, Andrew Thomas QC, prosecuting, told the hearing. Normally, bone marrow samples are taken from the hip bone but Dr Mamman failed to obtain a sample at the first attempt. Instead, he attempted a rare and 'highly dangerous' procedure of getting a sample from Ms Parveen's sternum - despite objections from the patient and her husband. Using the wrong biopsy needle, Dr Mamman missed the bone and pierced her pericardium, the sac containing the heart, causing massive internal bleeding. Ms Parveen lost consciousness as soon as the needle was inserted, with her husband running from the room shouting: 'He killed her. 'I told him to stop three times and he did not listen. He killed her.' A crash team arrived but Ms Parveen was confirmed dead later that day - September 3 2018. Dr Mamman, of Royton, near Oldham, will be sentenced on Tuesday (July 5) after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to gross negligence manslaughter. The judge told him to 'prepare' himself to spend time in jail. Dr Mamman qualified as a doctor in Nigeria in 1965 and had worked in the UK from 1991. From 2004 until the time of the fatal incident he was employed by the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. But his 'true age' is a matter of 'controversy', the court heard, as his birthplace in rural Nigeria had no system of birth registration. During his medical training he gave a date of birth of September 16 1936, which meant that he was 21 years old when he began his medical training and 81 at the time of the fatal hospital incident. But he knocked years off his age by adopting a birth date in 1941, provided to the NHS, suggesting he began his medical degree at the age of 16. However, in about 2001 and approaching what was then the compulsory retirement age of 65, Dr Mamman adopted an even later birth date - October 1947 - which he relied upon in an application for naturalisation as a British citizen - suggesting he started his degree course at the age of 10. In 2004 he was found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the General Medical Council and suspended for 12 months for lying about his age. The Pennine Trust sacked him but then re-employed him in 2006, after he had been restored to the register by the GMC, who accepted his date of birth to be 1943 - which meant he was 14 or 15 when he began his medical degree. Dr Mamman had left his previous employment with the Medway Trust because of 'poor performance', and in 2015 a formal complaint was made to the Oldham hospital when a patient complained he used 'excessive force' during a bone marrow biopsy. The patient was told that Dr Mamman was in his 70s and his colleagues thought he should retire but they could not dismiss him purely because of his age. They were assured he would be put on light duties in future. However the same year there was another clinical incident which resulted in serious injury to another patient, again during a bone marrow biopsy, and again involving a needle being inserted in the wrong place. The patient survived but has been left permanently disabled. Michael Hayton, mitigating, said it was clear Dr Mamman was a 'failing' doctor and he should not have been allowed to continue treating patients. He added: 'He is not the only person at fault. He should not have been allowed to be in the position he was. 'There's a grotesque catalogue of failings by the trust from 2015.' The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday morning. This is the shocking moment the Mexican army responded with force and sent gang members running during a broad daylight gun battle. The shooting took place Saturday in Alta, about 60 miles south of Sasabe, Arizona, after the military arrested Francisco 'El Duranguillo' Torres, 31. The arrest of Torres spread quickly and the soldiers were surrounded by 10 or 15 pickup trucks and 60 gunmen, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said during his press briefing Monday. Francisco 'El Duranguillo' Torres is pinned to the ground during his arrest in Altar, Mexico, on Saturday. The apprehension of the 31-year-old, who is the leader of the Gente Nueva, the armed wing of the Sinaloa Cartel, led to a shootout between the army and gang members that left a soldier dead An alleged member of the Gente Nueva, an armed wing of the Sinaloa Cartel faction operated by the sons of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, crawls through a parking lot while two others run as military fired at them during a shootout following the arrest of their leader Saturday The assailants outnumbered the soldiers 10 to one, Lopez Obrador said. The president added that the assailants offered the soldiers $500,000 to release Torres, the leader of the Gente Nueva, an armed wing of the Sinaloa Cartel faction controlled by Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's sons, Los Chapitos. However, the soldiers refused and a gunfight broke out, leaving one soldier was killed. A video recorded by an Altar resident showed two soldiers placing Torres under arrest. Footage also showed the assailants retreating as some crawled through the street while the rest ran as the military returned fire. Mexican soldiers detain Francisco 'El Duranguillo' Torres, the leader of a gang linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, during an operation Saturday Mexican soldiers recovered at least seven assault rifles belonging to members of the Gente Nueva following Saturday's shootout with the gang that is linked to the Sinaloa Cartel Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo wrote in his social media accounts that four suspects had been detained for weapons possession. The three other Gente Nueva members who were arrested have been identified as Ausencio Aboytes, Juan Sanchez and Jesus Espinosa. All four men are being investigated for alleged crimes committed against public servants, organized crime, murder, attempted murder and possession of military weapons. The city of Alta has long been known as a staging ground for immigrant smuggling and is reportedly controlled by the Gente Nueva. The gang was created in 1995 and was critical in the Sinaloa Cartel's battle against the Juarez Cartel and its armed wing, La Linea, for control of drug smuggling routes in the border town of Ciudad Juarez. More than 10,000 people reportedly were killed while the cartel warred between 2008 and 2012. A multi-millionaire Norwegian businessman has won a High Court battle against a London divorce after a judge ruled his estranged wife had not moved to England in time to separate in the UK. Svetlana Nicolaisen, 50, wanted to divorce in London, but husband Bjorn, 70, disagreed and argued that the legal dispute should take place in Norway, where he says there are already 'proceedings continuing'. Mr Justice Moor today ruled in favour of Mr Nicolaisen following a hearing at the Family Division of the High Court. In a written ruling, he said he had to decide whether Mrs Nicolaisen had lived in the jurisdiction of England and Wales for at least a year immediately before making the divorce application. The judge also had to consider whether their 'two much cherished cats' had moved to England. Mr Justice Moor said he had to be satisfied that Mrs Nicolaisen was 'habitually resident - or possibly resident' on or before September 14, 2019 and 'throughout the 12 months thereafter'. Bjorn Nicolaisen, 70, (pictured) founded Norwegian company Norwex, which specialises in sustainable cleaning products His wife Svetlana Nicolaisen (pictured) wanted to divorce in London, but Bjorn argued that the legal dispute should take place in Norway Richard Todd QC, who led Mrs Nicolaisen's legal team, argued that she met the relevant tests and it was 'self-evident that she had established jurisdiction'. But Nicholas Yates QC, Mr Nicolaisen's barrister, told the court she was not habitually resident, nor even a resident, in the country by the deadline of September 14, 2019. Mr Justice Moor today ruled in his favour, adding that he had 'not been able to find one piece of concrete evidence' that his estranged wife had 'actually moved' to England and Wales by this date. The judge said evidence had indicated that the cats had arrived in England and Wales on February 14, 2020. He therefore concluded that they had not moved to England by the deadline date five months earlier. Mr Justice Moor today ruled in favour of Mr Nicolaisen, following a hearing at the Family Division of the High Court (pictured) Mr Nicolaisen founded a business in Norway named Norwex, which involved sustainable cleaning products. His wife was born in Turkmenistan when it still formed part of the Soviet Union, before moving to Loughton, Essex. The judge said she was a Norwegian citizen, but had not lived there since 2007. He add that the couple had married in Norway in 2002 and had lived together in Norway, Malta, and Austria. Nearly 100 protesters chanted 'no justice, no peace' and 'defund the police' outside the Akron mayor's house while Ohio police in riot gear stood guard. Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan issued a state of emergency throughout the city Monday after peaceful protests over the shooting death of Jayland Walker turned violent Sunday night. Walker, 25, was shot 60 times by Akron cops following a traffic stop on June 27. Police body camera video released Sunday showed officers fire 90 shots at the black man while he fled on foot. The emergency proclamation was made after cops unleashed a wave of tear gas on protesters who gathered outside of the city's main courthouse on Sunday night. Fifty demonstrators were arrested for on charges ranging from rioting to failure to disperse after they became unruly and failed to leave downtown after a curfew was issued at midnight. Horrigan said 'violent and unlawful acts' committed during the Sunday's protests 'create an immediate danger to the health and safety' of citizens. Monday marks the fifth day of demonstrations demanding accountability for the black DoorDash driver's death. Protesters chanting 'no justice, no peace' returned to the Akron streets on Monday after the mayor issued a state of emergency throughout the city Independence Day marks the fifth day of demonstrations calling for accountability after Jayland Walker, 25, was fatally shot 60 times by Akron cops following a traffic stop on June 27 Nearly 100 protesters chanted 'no justice, no peace' and 'defund the police' outside the Akron mayor's house on Monday while Ohio police in riot gear stood guard Akron residents marched to Horrigan's house Monday to demand change at police department and in the community in wake of Walker's death. The protesters chanted 'defund the police' and left the mayor written lists of demands outlining changes they'd like to see in the city Monday's rally came just hours after Mayor Dan Horrigan issued a city-wide 9pm curfew and canceled Fourth of July festivities. Violent protests overnight Sunday caused 'significant damage to the city' (pictured) Akron residents marched to Horrigan's house Monday to demand change at police department and in the community in wake of Walker's death. They were met by police donning riot gear who were seemingly protecting the mayor and his property. The protesters chanted and left the mayor written lists of demands outlining changes they want to see in their city, NBC News Correspondent Maggie Vespa reported. Many demonstrators said they wanted the eight officers involved in the shooting that killed Walker to be fired. The police chief had previously said they've been placed administrative leave while the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation probes the incident. #BREAKING: roughly 100 protesters in Akron have marched to the Mayors house. Met by police in riot gear, they chanted & left hand written requests on what they want from the city: many demanded the 8 police officers who shot & killed Jayland Walker named & fired. pic.twitter.com/oYktw0SfxT Maggie Vespa (@Maggie_Vespa) July 4, 2022 Drone video of protesters face to face with #Akron PD as they stand in front of the mayor's home. #JaylandWalker coverage on @wkyc pic.twitter.com/ASqr8Tw5zy Brandon Simmons (@216Brandon) July 4, 2022 Activists heading to #Akron mayors home to demand change in police department and the community. #JaylandWalker Via: @wkyc pic.twitter.com/3cUAMg7Rnr Brandon Simmons (@216Brandon) July 4, 2022 Demonstrators marched to Horrigan's house just hours after he issued a city-wide curfew in effect from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. Tuesday. The mayor issued the emergency proclamation after Sunday's peaceful demonstrations turned violent overnight, causing damage to the city. 'We cannot and will not tolerate the destruction of property or violence,' he said. 'In light of the damage that has occurred and in order to preserve peace in our community, I have declared a state of emergency, implemented a curfew and canceled the fireworks which were scheduled for tonight.' Jayland Walker, 25, was shot dead by police in Akron, Ohio, after officers tried to stop him for a traffic violation Small businesses in the city's downtown were vandalized and suffered broken windows. Police in 'full riot gear' used tear gas in response to a protester who was taking down barriers that were set up outside of the police headquarters. While fleeing the tear gas, protesters began driving their cars on the sidewalk to get around snowplows parked in the road to block off the high street. At least one protester broke the windows of the parked plows. A city truck used to barricade a downtown street also had its windows smashed, WEWS-TV reported. Other protesters launched smoke bombs in the streets and a row of dumpsters was set on fire. Fifty rioters were arrested Sunday night, police confirmed to WJW-TV late Monday afternoon. The arrestees were reportedly from Akron and nearby Ohio communities. 'A team of officers provided multiple verbal commands and other instructions and offered a reasonable amount of time to comply,' police said in a statement. 'Due to growing concerns that the situation could further escalate, paired with the refusal to comply with a lawful order to disperse, officers deployed a chemical irritant to prevent further rioting and property damage.' Horrigan applauded the demonstrators who opted to remain peaceful, honoring the wishes of Walker's loved ones. 'Early yesterday, we had several peaceful protests in the downtown footprint related to the officer-involved shooting of Jayland Walker. These protests did not escalate to violence and destruction. I want to first thank them,' the mayor said Monday. 'As I stated yesterday, I fully support our residents' right to peacefully assemble. What we have been calling for since the beginning, and what the Walker family and many community leaders and faith leaders have also urged, is peace.' Although he respects residents right to protest, the mayor reiterated that 'actions must be taken to protect the community' from violence. Ohio cops unleashed a wave of tear gas on protesters who gathered outside of the city's main courthouse on Sunday night Jayland Walker shooting: Protesters take to Akron streets for 5th consecutive day Jayland Walker shooting: Protesters take to Akron streets for 5th consecutive day https://bit.ly/3RjYub0 Note: The feed is live; graphic language may be heard Posted by Cleveland 19 News on Monday, July 4, 2022 The state of emergency proclamation came after several hundred protesters took to the streets Sunday (pictured) after the Akron Police Department released bodycam footage showing the shooting death of Jayland Walker Mayor Dan Horrigan said there was 'significant property damage done to downtown Akron' Small businesses in the city's downtown area were vandalized and windows broken A city truck used to barricade a downtown street also had its windows smashed Mayor Dan Horrigan issued the emergency proclamation Monday morning Sunday marked the fourth day of protests in Akron following Walker's death. It was also the largest protest to date. Protesters chanted 'Justice for Jayland' and 'we are done dying' while they marched from Quaker Square to Akron Police Headquarters and City Hall. Some demonstrators blocked off traffic and others vandalized city property. Police used 'at least a dozen' tear gas cans on protesters, which resulted in many of the gathered crowd leaving the area, WKYC's Neil Fischer reported. He said you could smell the tear gas in the air more than 15 minutes after it was used. Fellow WKYC reporter, Emma Henderson, tweeted: 'Tear gas is flowing. We were well over a block away from where it was fired and it's in our noses, eyes and throats. Protesters are finding each other water and moving away.' One protester, who goes by the moniker Comrade Ohio on Twitter, tweeted a video of a dumpster near the police station engulfed in flames, saying: 'City gonna burn. Tear gas deployed. Justice for Jayland Walker. Abolish APD. They are flying the blue line flag. Come downtown y'all. We need more people.' Demonstrators are pictured in downtown Akron on Monday at an NAACP rally demanding for 'Justice for Jayland' Protesters returned to the street Monday, to unite against the police killing of Jayland Walker A man gestures toward troopers in riot gear as police deployed tear gas and stun grenades to clear the area around Akron City Hall and Akron Police Station during a protest over the killing of Jayland Walker, shot by police, on Sunday Demonstrators face troopers in riot gear as police deployed tear gas to clear the crowd in Akron on Sunday Troopers in riot gear and police officers deployed tear gas and stun grenades to clear the area around Akron City Hall and Akron Police Station on Sunday One protester, who goes by the moniker Comrade Ohio on Twitter, tweeted a video showing a dumpster on fire in the city. The dumpster is located close to the police headquarters ComradeOhio also shared clips of tear gas being deployed during Sunday's disturbances The Akron NAACP held a rally and march in downtown Sunday after police released the body camera footage. That demonstration remained peaceful and called for accountability and transparency within the Akron Police Department. The protest that took place outside of the courthouse and the police headquarters was not part of the NAACP march. The crowd outside of the courtroom tweeted: 'Hey, hey, ho, ho, these racist cops have got to go.' According to Cleveland.com, many from the NAACP march eventually joined the protest outside of the police station. A demonstrator holds a sign that reads 'Jayland Walker was executed' as he protests against the Akron police shooting death of Black man Jayland Walker in Akron on Sunday Troopers in riot gear watch as demonstrators gather outside Akron City Hall to protest the killing of Jayland Walker, who was shot by police, in Akron on Sunday Police officers in riot gear watch as demonstrators gather outside Akron City Hall to protest the killing of Jayland Walker in Akron Demonstrators face troopers in riot gear as police deployed tear gas and stun grenades to clear the area around Akron City Hall and Akron Police Station during a protest over the killing of Jayland Walker, shot by police, in Akron on Sunday Riot police are pictured gathered in Akron on Sunday evening Sunday's chaos erupted after police released two body camera videos showing Walker was shot at least 60 times, as well as the moments leading up to his death. It was the final deadline they had to turn over the video to the public. The first video showed cops pursuing Walker's silver Buick on Route 8 around 12:30 a.m. in Akron's North Hill neighborhood. They attempted to pull him over for a traffic and equipment violation. The video showed Walker's car taking an onramp and a flash of light that Akron Police Chief Stephen Mylett said appeared to be a flash of a gun coming from the driver's side of Walker's car. A second camera recorded officers saying they heard at least one shot being fired from Walker's vehicle. The cops follow Walker off Route 8 and continue the pursuit on the city streets. Walker slowed down and jumped out of the car before it came to a full stop. Video then shows the 25-year-old exiting the passenger side door in a ski mask and running off. Multiple officers run after Walker, who seemingly looked over his shoulder, while cops opened fire at him. Mylett claims he watched the video at least 40 times and said there are still photos showing Walker apparently reach for his waistband, turn toward cops and move his arm forward. DailyMail.com cannot verify Mylett's statements as Walker's face and body were blurred out in the video at the request of his family. Police released heartbreaking body camera footage on Sunday of the moment Jayland Walker was shot 60 times in a hail of 90 bullets on June 27 Video from the scene showed a gun on the front seat of Walker's car, contradicting earlier reports that the 25-year-old had been unarmed Cops were pursuing Walker's silver Buick on Route 8 around 12:30 a.m. on June 27 in Akron's North Hill neighborhood The video showed Walker's car taking an onramp and a flash of light that Police Chief Stephen Mylett said appeared to be a flash of a gun coming from the driver's side of Walker's car Reporters asked Mylett if officers overreacted when they opened fire on Walker. 'It was difficult to watch, and shocking,' Mylett said Sunday, adding: 'I'm not going to pass judgment' until the investigation is completed. He called for patience as the investigation continues and reiterated that any time a cop opens fire, they must 'articulate what specific threats they were facing.' 'When an officer makes the most critical decision in his or her life as a police officer, it doesn't matter where in the country this happens, when they make that most critical decision to point their firearm at another human being and pull the trigger, they've got to be ready to explain why they did what they did,' the chief said. 'They need to be able to articulate what specific threats they were facing, and that goes for every round that goes down the barrel of their gun.' Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan also commented on the footage, saying: 'The video is heartbreaking, it's hard to take in.' The medical examiner determined Walker had suffered 60 gunshot wounds during the incident, Mylett confirmed Sunday. The exact number of shots fired remains under investigation, but initial estimates suggested a hail of 90 bullets. Mylett said officers rendered aid to Walker as soon as gunfire ceased, but he still died at the scene. Officers were recorded saying they heard at least one shot being fired from Walker's vehicle. The cops follow Walker off Route 8 and continued their pursuit on the city streets Officers are seen chasing Walker after he fled during a traffic stop on June 27 The hail of bullets sounded like 'a whole brick of fireworks going off,' the family's attorney said Police have released heartbreaking body camera footage of the moment Jayland Walker was shot 60 times in hail of 90 bullets on June 27 Following the release of the footage, the Fraternal Order of Police's Akron Lodge #7 said that the car being driven by the victim was involved in a 'felony fleeing police chase' the previous morning. That chase took place just north of Akron in Franklin Township. 'We believe the independent investigation will justify the officers' actions, including the number of shots fired,' a press release read. 'The decision to deploy lethal force as well as the number of shots fired is consistent with use of force protocols and officers' training.' One woman was quoted by the web site as saying over a megaphone: 'I didn't know him, but I feel y'all pain. I want y'all to know, this thing is trending everywhere, Nigeria, Germany. We can't let this keep happening to us. My heart goes out to all of [those] getting killed in these streets. It ain't right, we need to stand together.' During that woman's speech, she said she refused to buy her son a toy gun because she was afraid police officers would mistake it for a real gun. An armed member of the Black Panthers told 19 News on Sunday: 'That was murder. They [police] lying. They shot him while he was running. He was running away from them. That was murder.' The station said the man was with at least three other armed men in the protest. The Akron NAACP held a rally and march in downtown Sunday after police released the body camera footage. That demonstration remained peaceful and called for accountability and transparency within the Akron Police Department Earlier in the day, demonstrators held 'Justice for Jayland' signs as they gathered outside Akron City Hall to protest the killing of Jayland Walker in Akron on Sunday afternoon Demonstrators gather outside Akron City Hall to protest the killing of Jayland Walker, shot by police, in Akron, on Sunday People walk in an NAACP-led march and rally for Jayland Walker, on Sunday in Akron, Ohio LeBron James, who was born and raised in Akron, asked his followers to pray for his city LeBron later released a separate statement through his foundation's Instagram page Jayland Walker's family have pleaded with protesters to remain peaceful in the wake of his death Meanwhile, Los Angeles Lakers and Akron native LeBron James tweeted shortly after the bodycam footage was made public: 'I pray for my city today!' In a separate statement on his foundation's Instagram page, LeBron said: 'Akron is our home and it is our daily work to build up and bring people together in positive and peaceful ways, which is what we will support today and always. 'This starts with justice and accountability first and continues with love, family, and coming together to create change. We are family.' Attorney Bobby DiCello, who represents Walker's family, described the video as 'brutal' in comments published on Saturday by the Akron Beacon Journal. He said Walker's relatives worried that protests this weekend could turn violent. 'We're all bracing for the community's response, and the one message that we have is the family does not need any more violence,' DiCello said. Officials joined the family on Sunday, calling for peaceful demonstrations as furious residents take to the streets. Walker's aunt, Minnie, called for peace saying: 'We don't show credibility if we don't do it right.' Robert Dejournett, a relative of Walker's and a pastor at St. Ashworth Temple Church of God in Christ in Akron, told CNN: 'We're God-fearing folk who believe in God and we want to exemplify that even in this process. We don't want any rioting or anything like that.' Dejournett said the family hopes the shooting will lead to systematic change. 'We want to take that, and we want to use it for the benefit of systemic change,' Dejournett said. 'We want to be treated like human beings, you know, black men, young men, they're afraid when it comes to police -- that shouldn't be,' he said. In May 2020, the Akron Police Department fired multiple volleys of tear gas on protesters just in the protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis. The city of Akron has a population of around 200,000 and is located 30 miles southeast of Cleveland. An Emirati plane flew for nearly 14 hours with a hole in its side before landing in Brisbane. The Airbus A380 took off from Emirates main hub in Dubai on July 1 and landed at night, but pilots reported a surprising discovery when they got there. Passengers reported hearing a loud bang while they were flying over the ocean on the way to Australia. But the airline decided to continue on anyway for another 13.5 hours, contacting Air Traffic Control at Brisbane Airport shortly before landing to report that they suspected they had blown a tyre on take-off. The Airbus A380 took off from Emirates main hub in Dubai on July 1 and landed to find a mysterious hole in the side of the aircraft They requested to be met by emergency services on landing, according to the Aviation Herald. When they landed after 13.5 hours in the air, emergency services were shocked to find a large hole in the side of the body fairing on the left jet of the plane. Fairing is added for aerodynamic reasons, producing a smooth outline and reduce wind drag. The aeroplane inspectors also discovered a detached bolt in the nosegear, but it is not yet known if the two incidents are related. 'There was a loud bang and I felt it through the floor as well,' said one passenger, speaking with The Courier Mail in Australia. 'The cabin crew remained calm, stopped the food service and got on the phone and checked the wings, engines.' The aircraft landed safely and no passengers were reported injured or evacuated. 'Was absolutely terrifying at first and the cabin crew knew something serious may have happened - were immediately in contact with the cockpit,' said Twitter user Andrew Morris, Professor of Human Factors at Loughborough University, who claims he was on the flight. 'Shortly after, they resumed as normal. Their calm demeanour was reassuring - they knew it was not catastrophic.' The plane was unable to depart for its return flight and is still on the ground in Brisbane about 17 hours after landing. 'I guess the pilots figured it was just a flesh wound, and continued on the 14 hour flight,' said another Twitter user. Advertisement A 22-year-old rapper has been arrested on suspicion of shooting and killing six people at a July 4 parade in an affluent Chicago suburb. Robert 'Bobby' Crimo III was apprehended by cops in North Lake Forest, Chicago, after 7 p.m. Monday, after cops saw the silver Honda Fit he was last seen driving. Dramatic photographs from the scene show the suspected mass murderer - who posted creepy clips about shooting massacres online - being pinned to the ground face-down by police. Cops say Crimo opened fire from a rooftop, into a crowd, who at first confused the sound of gunshots with Independence Day fireworks. A total of 26 victims, aged between eight and 85, were injured; six are still receiving hospital treatment. The area has a large Jewish community, although police have yet to share a possible motive for Monday's slaughter. Crimo is from of the Highland Park area and posted rap videos online using the name 'Awake.' In one song, he wrote: 'My actions will be valiant and my thought is unnecessary, I know what I have to do, I know what's in it, not only for me, but for everyone else.' The doom-laden words were set to drawings of a figure who looked like Crimo pointing a rifle while a person lies prone on the ground and another holds their hands up in the air. At one point, a grab of a newspaper clipping about John F. Kennedy's murderer, Lee Harvey Oswald, is visible. The moment of Crimo's arrest after an hourslong manhunt that involved local and federal law enforcement In a chilling rap video posted online, Crimo was filmed dropping bullets onto the floor of a trashed classroom while wearing a combat helmet. Later in that clip, Crimo is filmed wearing a vest and helmet while a bright light shines upon him, in what appears to be a staged version of an arrest Another YouTube music video - which saw Crimo eerily discuss his 'destiny' - depicted a figure that appears to be the suspect firing a rifle, while one victim lies on the floor and another holds their hands in the air Crimo pictured in the music video for his track 'On My Mind.' The song begins a love ballad but takes a dark toward the end as maniacal laughter plays over the beat The suspect has been named as 22-year-old Robert 'Bobby' Crimo III. He is from of the Highland Park area Police said earlier that they were trying to trace the weapon they found back to its owner in the hopes it will lead them to him An IMDb page about the suspect describes him as a 'rapper, singer, songwriter, actor and director from Chicago.' The most viewed video on the rapper's YouTube channel is the music video for his song: 'On My Mind.' The video, showing a the suspect in a classroom. It starts off innocuously enough, with Crimo rapping about a classmate he has a crush on. But two thirds of the way through Crimo reaches into his bag. Then the screen goes blank, with the next scene showing the same classroom trashed. Crimo is then seen wearing a combat helmet, and scattering gold bullets onto the floor of the classroom in what appears to be a possible teaser of what he has been planning for months. Crimo operated two channels both of which have been deleted for 'violating YouTube's Community Guidelines.' The track begins as a slow ballad, including the lines: 'You're always on my mind. Cutie with the fat ass, I wanna make you mine. I'm running out of time. Shorty we can skip class, smoke and chill online.' The song has a sudden change in tempo and shows Crimo reaching into a backpack. The screen goes black and when the music returns it's dubbed with maniacal laughter and, fast paced piano music and a heavy drum beat. The video then shows the classroom ransacked with the suspect smiling. His IMDb page describes him as being the middle child of three who grew up in an Italian-American family in Highland Park, Illinois. His father, Bob, runs a local deli, and once ran unsuccessfully to become mayor of the affluent neighborhood. Crimo's music career began when he was 11 when Crimo began uploading music online. According to his Spotify page, he has released three albums 'On My Mind' was released in 2021 and was the most viewed video on Crimo's now-deleted YouTube page This year he released an EP titled: 'Brainwashed.' The tracks included: 'Dead Again' and 'I Am the Storm' The bio goes says his music career began when he was 11, when Crimo began uploading music online. His music is in the genre of LoFi rap, according to his Spotify page. He has released three albums, the first in 2017 titled 'Messages,' that was followed with 2018's 'Observer' and 2021's self-titled 'Awake the Rapper.' This year he released an EP titled: 'Brainwashed.' The tracks included: 'Dead Again' and 'I Am the Storm.' Crimo has an average of 16,460 listens per month on Spotify. In his most recent tweet from October 2021 on his artist Twitter page, the suspect tweeted: 'I am not a robot.' Crimo appears to have longstanding ties to the Highland Park-area with his father, Bob Crimo, running for mayor of the town in 2019. It does not appear that his campaign was backed by a political party. His slogan was a: 'A Person for the People.' Bob Crimo is the owner of Bob's Pantry and Deli in Highland Park. In a 2018 feature with the Chicago Tribune, Bob Crimo was pictured with his wife, Denise. He describes his restaurant as a 'family-run and family-orientated store.' Crimo was believed to be driving a 2010 silver Honda Fit with Illinois plates reading dm80653. The parade had only begun 14 minutes before the gunman opened fire from a rooftop along the route. The shooting caused a stampede of people who flocked into stores and cars. The parade was scheduled to last for an hour The gunman's attack began less than 15 minutes after the start of the parade. Witnesses have now told how they saw children being picked off in the crowd. Six people are dead including five adults who were killed at the parade. The sixth victim died in the hospital. Their age is not yet known. Nicholas Toledo, a grandfather, was among those killed. His family confirmed his death to CBS. Chilling videos obtained by DailyMail.com replay how the gunman first unleashed one long hail of bullets before stopping - presumably to reload - and then resuming fire. Brigham Temple, the medical director of emergency preparedness for Northshore university health system, said they received 20 patients aged between eight and 85 - 10 of them by ambulance. Four of five patients were children, he said. One of the children who arrived at Northshore was too critically ill to be transported initially. He was stabilized and airlifted to a children's hospital in Chicago. Temple said some of the patients were in critical condition. Of the 25 who arrived at the hospital with gunshot wounds, 19 were treated and discharged home. One had to be transferred to Evanston hospital. Two patients are still being treated at Northshore. 'It is a little surreal to take care of an event such as this,' he said. 'But all of us have undergone extensive training.' He said there was a team of therapists and counsellors standing by. His hospital was one of three taking in patients from the parade shooting. A statement from the Township High School District 113 said that all members of the Highland Park High School marching band and members of the school's football team are safe and accounted for. As of Monday afternoon: ATF agents are trying to trace the gunman's high powered weapon to a name It was revealed the shooter climbed onto the roof of a business with a ladder from an alley Authorities in Highland Park tried to track down the families of the five adults killed Survivors told how they threw their kids in dumpsters to shield them from the spray of bullets President Biden called for greater gun reform in light of the shooting and Democrats called it ironic that it happened in Independence Day, claiming no one in America is free of gun violence Scroll down for video Nicholas Toledo, a grandfather, was among those killed. His family confirmed his death to CBS. Police say five adults were killed at the scene of the parade. A sixth victim died in hospital. They have not yet been identified Horror on Independence Day: A police officer bows his head in grief next to abandoned strollers and chairs after a shooting that killed six people in Highland Park, Illinois The bloody scene in Highland Park, Illinois, on Monday after a shooter opened fire on a Fourth of July parade shortly after 10am Strollers and chairs were abandoned at the scene after the shots rang out at 10.14am, just ten minutes after the parade began The scene at Highland Park on Monday after the July 4th Parade emptied out amid reports of gunshots. Police have not yet confirmed that anyone was shot The aftermath of the scene in Highland Park on Monday after a shooter opened fire on the parade. Chairs and strollers were abandoned by attendees The Governor of Illinois was among the first to call for an end to gun violence while other Democrats - who have been relentlessly demanding gun reform since the Uvalde school shooting on May 24 - invoked irony to make renew their calls for change. 'The fact that no place in the USA is safe from gun terror means no place is truly free. Heartbroken for Highland Park,' Katherine Clark, Assistant Speaker of the U.S. House, tweeted. Witnesses described seeing children being shot at the parade. All of the confirmed deaths so far are those of adults. 'All of a sudden everyone behind us started running. I looked back, probably 20 feet away from me, I saw a girl shot and killed. I saw her die. I've never seen anything like this,' a woman, who gave her name only as Zoe, told CNN. Police say they recovered a 'rifle' at the scene but witnesses described multiple rounds being fired in quick succession which they say could only have come from a semi-automatic. 'A rifle? No, no. It was an automatic weapon. It was pop, pop, pop - rifles don't do that,' she said. President Biden - who has been calling for gun reform since the Uvalde shooting on May 24 which claimed 19 lives - issued a statement on Monday afternoon. He said he had given his support to the Governor of Illinois and the Highland Park Mayor, and he celebrated his recent passing of a gun control bill. Police officers cross under police tape at the scene of a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade Law enforcement officers investigate the scene of a mass shooting at a 4th of July celebration and parade in Highland Park, Illinois, USA, 04 July 2022. A gunman opened fire as people gathered to watch a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, killing at least six people and injuring dozens 'I recently signed the first major bipartisan gun reform legislation in almost thirty years into law, which includes actions that will save lives. 'But there is so much more work to do, and I'm not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence,' he said. Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement: 'There are no words for the kind of monster who lies in wait and fires into a crowd of families with children celebrating a holiday with their community. 'There are no words for the kind of evil that robs our neighbors of their hopes, their dreams, their futures. Highland Park is around 30 miles north of the city of Chicago and is a quiet, suburban area 'There are no words I can offer to lift the pain of those they live behind. I will stand firm with Illinoisans and Americans: we must - and we will - end this plague of gun violence.' Zoe, the woman who witnessed a little girl being shot in the head, said the event was for children and dogs who had just passed by when the gunman opened fire. 'One man had been shot in the head, his ear, he was bleeding all over, and he was, like, I'm just happy that's all happened. There was another girl that got escorted out that was shot in the leg. We were hiding in the basement for quite a while. 'I mean, someone, 20 feet away, you know, someone and then we went back to get our cars and we saw the streets were quite littered. 'It looked like a battle zone and it's disgusting. 'It was you know, everyone obviously remembers the Boston marathon massacre, like a happy marathon, and it's just a happy day. It's the Fourth of July. 'It was the kid's parade and dog parade. Little kids on bicycles and pets. 'That's who had just walked by,' she said. Witnesses described a 'sickening' scene and is it feared that children are among the dead. 'I saw multiple lifeless bodies, people in a pool of blood. One father, who survived with his kids, tossed his son in a dumpster. Miles Zaremsky, a 74-year-old lawyer who has lived in Highland Park since for 60 years, told DailyMail.com: 'I witnessed the carnage. It was nice outside weather-wise, so I took a walk twenty minutes from my house. Children taking part in the parade in Highland Park ran for their lives when they heard shots ring out Panicked parade goers at the scene on Monday. There were loud sounds from the crowd that some said were gunshots The parade on Monday in Highland Park was attended by dozens of locals who sat on the sidewalk cheering as bands marched past Law enforcement search in downtown Highland Park, a Chicago suburb, after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade, Monday, July 4, 2022 Law enforcement search in downtown Highland Park, a Chicago suburb, after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade, Monday, July 4, 2022 A gunman opened fire as people gathered to watch a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, killing at least six people and injuring dozens Law enforcement officers look over a park near the scene of a mass shooting at a 4th of July celebration and parade in Highland Park, Illinois Chairs remain abandoned at the scene of a mass shooting at a 4th of July celebration and parade in Highland Park, Illinois Law enforcement officers help evacuate people from an Anthropologie store in Highland Park, Ill., on Monday, July 4, 2022, after a shooter fired on the northern suburb's Fourth of July parade A toddler who was separated from his parents at the parade is now in the care of strangers at the local hospital. He is unharmed and seems to be in good spirits. A local chef picked him up as people ran for their lives. He took him to the hospital where his grandparents collected him later 'I heard multiple shots and I thought it was firecracker but I heard multiple shots, 30-35 pops if I had to guess. 'The crowd started stampeding. I had ever seen that before. I saw blood on people's bodies. 'Two or three people looked deceased to me[around 25 to 40 years of age]. It was absolutely disgusting and gut-wrenching and I was sick to my stomach. It was sickening. If this can happen here it can happen anywhere...I saw 12 to 24 injuries... I saw a couple of lifeless bodies on the ground.' Miles Zaremski 'I did see a little boy [covered in blood] in his parents' arms who looked [pale]. They were yelling for medics. 'It's surreal, it's like out of a science fiction but it is real. 'My wife and I have been living in Highland Park since 1966. It is a beautiful, charming, peaceful, law-abiding community. 'If it can happen here, it can happen in any community in the United States.' Highland Park is an affluent, suburban city with a population of 30,000. Its residents are largely families and there is a significant Jewish population in the area, but there is no suggestion the attack was anti-Semitic. Among those who were participating in the parade was a Hasidic Jewish band. One jarring video showed them slowly making their way down the parade route on a float while those ahead of them - suddenly aware of the danger - ran in the opposite direction. Nineteen-year-old real estate student Rainan Eli, 19, saw the shooting unfold from the window of his apartment on Central Avenue and Second Street. 'I was just sitting studying for some class I'm taking and watching the parade. I saw lots of people running and at first, everybody assumed it was fireworks being the Fourth,' he told DailyMail.com. Eli pulled out his cellphone and recorded heart-wrenching video of people running and seeking shelter as shots being fired could be heard in the background. He said that two other residents of his apartment building came downstairs with him and gave the 15 to 20 people in the vestibule drinks. Debbie Glickman, a Highland Park resident, said she was on a parade float with coworkers and the group was prepared to turn onto the main route when she saw people running away from the area First responders work the scene of a shooting at a Fourth of July parade on July 4, 2022 in Highland Park, Illinois. Reports indicate at least six people were killed and more than 20 injured in the mass shooting Law enforcement search after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade in downtown Highland Park, a Chicago suburb on Monday, July 4, 2022 Law enforcement search as they walk into a building after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade in downtown Highland Park, a Chicago suburb on Monday, July 4, 2022 First responders work the scene of a shooting at a Fourth of July parade on July 4, 2022 in Highland Park, Illinois. Reports indicate at least five people were killed and 19 injured in the mass shooting President Biden - who has been calling for gun reform since the Uvalde shooting on May 24 which claimed 19 lives - issued a statement on Monday afternoon. He said he had given his support to the Governor of Illinois and the Highland Park Mayor, and he celebrated his recent passing of a gun control bill Debbie Glickman, a Highland Park resident, said she was on a parade float with coworkers and the group was prepared to turn onto the main route when she saw people running away from the area. 'People started saying `There's a shooter, there's a shooter, there is a shooter'' Glickman said. 'So we just ran. We just ran. It's like mass chaos down there. I'm so freaked out,' she said. 'We can't believe this happened in our little town.' Matt Phillip, 36, director of tasting room operating at Lynfred Winery, told DailyMail.com: 'We were open early for the parade and upon hearing what sounded like fireworks, we noticed that people started running down the street.' 'We opened our doors so they could either seek shelter within our facility or exit through our back-alley door.' Highland Park is renowned for being one of Chicago's most affluent suburbs; Michael Jordan owns a mansion in the area, and it is also where enormous mansion featured in Home Alone is situated. It is among a cluster of wealthy suburbs along the North Shore next to Lake Michigan. The town's mayor, Nancy Rotering, spoke briefly at a press conference along with law enforcement on Monday to share her condolences with the families of those killed. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot tweeted: 'The tragedy unfolding in Highland Park is devastating. 'I have been in contact with Mayor Rotering and have offered our support, and the Chicago Police Department is providing assistance. 'We grieve with the families of the deceased and injured as well as the entire Highland Park community. 'Law enforcement is working hard to bring the shooter into custody. 'If anyone has information, we encourage them to call 911 and report what you know.' Unlike Chicago, which has one of the worst gun violence records in the country, violent crime in Highland Park is almost unheard of. The average price of a home in Highland Park was $714,000 in April 2022 and the city has a population of around 30,000. Boris Johnson today focussed on his recent foreign travels as he attempted to move on from the fresh Tory sleaze row that broke out on his return Britain. The Prime Minister recently spent nine days away from Westminister as he attended Commonwealth, G7 and NATO summits. It meant Mr Johnson escaped the fall-out from two bruising by-elections defeats. But the PM returned to the UK at the end of last week to even more domestic strife with the resignation of Tory deputy chief whip Chris Pincher. It followed claims the MP drunkenly groped two men at an elite Conservative members' club. In his first appearance before the House of Commons since 22nd June, Mr Johnson this afternoon steered clear of renewed questions over his leadership in the wake of the latest scandal. Instead, the PM told MPs of his determination to continue the UK's support for Ukraine. Mr Johnson also reiterated a pledge on defence spending and outlined his continuing ambition to strike post-Brexit deals with non-EU countries. The Prime Minister recently spent nine days away from Westminister as he attended Commonwealth, G7 and NATO summits The PM told the Commons that Ukraine must prevail against Russia's invasion otherwise Vladimir Putin will 'find new targets for his revanchist attacks'. He detailed how the G7 summit in Germany had seen the world's leading democracies pledge nearly 30 billion dollars of financial support to Ukraine this year. Mr Johnson also confirmed the Government's intent to ban the import of Russian gold - previously a top revenue-raiser for the country's economy. And he spoke of onging international efforts to extract around 25 million tonnes of grain from Ukraine in the face of Russia's blockade in the Black Sea. The PM suggested the G7 is looking at the possibility of using the Danube river through central Europe - as well as railways - to get the crop out of Ukraine in 'smaller quantities'. At last week's NATO summit, Mr Johnson announced the UK would be spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence by the end of the decade. He reiterated that pledge today, although MPs will be concerned that the PM appeared to lessen the promise to a 'prediction' or 'protraction' of inceased defence spending under the terms of recent international commitments. 'These are gigantic commitments. I think theyre the right thing for the UK. They will take us up to that threshold,' Mr Johnson said. 'Of course much depends on the size of our GDP at the time. Much depends on the growth in the economy. 'I think were going to pay for it out of steady and sustained economic growth.' The PM told MPs that the recent Commonwealth summit in Rwanda had allowed him to 'counter the myths' about Russia's actions in Ukraine and 'point out that food prices are rising because Putin has blockaded one of the worlds biggest food producers'. There are concerns within Whitehall at Moscow's attempts to convince African countries seeing disruption to their food supplies that they are the result of Western sanctions on Russia, rather than Mr Putin's war. Mr Johnson also outlined how post-Brexit freedoms were allowing the UK to 'sign free trade or economic partnership agreements with as many Commonwealth countries as possible'. And he repeated his aim of striking a trade agreement with India by the time of the Diwali festival in October. Boris Johnson this afternoon steered clear of renewed questions over his leadership in the wake of the latest scandal Earlier today, amid growing pressure over the new Tory sleaze row, Downing Street admitted that Mr Johnson was aware of claims about Mr Pincher before appointing him as Tory deputy chief whip in February. Following Mr Pincher's resignation from that role, a slew of fresh allegations have since emerged against the 52-year-old. Questions are now being asked about what Mr Johnson knew of Mr Pincher's conduct prior to appointing him to the key role in charge of party discipline in February. It has even been claimed Mr Johnson referred to the Tamworth MP as being 'handsy' and joked he was 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him a senior whip. The PM's official spokesman today insisted Mr Johnson was 'not aware of any specific allegations being looked at' and pointed to how Mr Pincher had previously already served in Government under Theresa May. But the spokesman also admitted that the PM was 'aware of media reports that others had seen over the years and some allegations that were either resolved or did not progress to a formal complaint'. 'He did take advice on some of the allegations that had been made, but there was no formal complaint at that time and it was deemed not appropriate to stop an appointment simply because of unsubstantiated allegations,' they added. The spokesman did not deny the claims - made by the PM's estranged former chief adviser Dominic Cummings - that Mr Johnson had previously joked about Mr Pincher's reputation. 'Im simply not going to comment on content of what was or wasnt said in private conversations,' they said. Asked if Mr Johnson regretted appointing Mr Pincher as deputy chief whip, the PM's spokesman said: 'Clearly, we wouldnt want anyone working in the Government to behave in the manner as he is alleged to have done so. 'That is not the behaviour that youd want to see in any walk of life.' Boris Johnson is under pressure over his decision to appoint Chris Pincher as the Conservative deputy chief whip in February The fresh sleaze scandal has emboldened Tory rebels in their plot to oust the Prime Minister from 10 Downing Street Mr Pincher last week resigned as deputy chief whip after he admitted 'embarrassing himself and others' after drinking 'far too much' at the Carlton Club, a posh London watering hole popular with Conservatives Can Boris face another Tory confidence vote? Haven't we just had a Tory confidence vote? Yes. After 15 per cent of Conservative MPs wrote to backbench 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady, he triggered a vote last month. The PM won, but 148 of his 359 MPs backed kicking him out in the secret ballot. Mr Johnson and his allies hailed that as a clear victory and urged the party to unite behind him. Can MPs just call another vote? In theory, party rules mean that because Mr Johnson secured 50 per cent of the vote he cannot be challenged again for 12 months. But notably Theresa May also won a confidence battle, and was later threatened with a rule change to enable her to face another vote - forcing her to resign. Are they likely to change the rules? Some of the PM's leading critics have warned against 'tinkering' with Tory leadership rules to oust Mr Johnson. But upcoming elections to the executive of the 1922 Committee - expected next week - are becoming a key battle between Tory rebels and Johnson loyalists. If the rebels win a majority of the 18 positions up for grabs, they could push through their attempt to change party rules. And, since last month's no confidence vote, opinion against Mr Johnson has hardened among some MPs following the two bruising by-election defeats in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton. The PM is now also having to face another Tory sleaze scandal. Is there any other way for the leader to be evicted? Mr Johnson has defiantly insisted he will not entertain the 'crazy' idea of resigning. And - barring the Opposition winning a vote of no confidence in the House - there is no formal mechanism to get rid of him before the next general election. However, a withdrawal of support by the Cabinet would make his position untenable. What happens if the leader is ousted? The leader is sacked if they lose a Tory confidence vote, and a leadership contest begins in which they cannot stand. Resignation would also trigger a contest. However, the outgoing chief typically stays on as Prime Minister until a replacement is chosen. Are there any other big moments coming up that could fuel the Tory revolt? The cross-party Privileges Committee is about to kick off an inquiry into whether Mr Johnson misled the House over Partygate. It is expected to report in the Autumn, when the PM will also have to run the gauntlet of Tory conference. Advertisement The PM is facing the fresh Tory sleaze scandal - which has caused a Cabinet backlash - just ahead of what could prove to be critical internal elections within the Conservative Party. Tory MPs are next week set to decide on key positions on the powerful 1922 Committee - which are now being seen as a proxy vote on Mr Johnson's future, amid plans to change party rules to allow another no confidence ballot on the PM's leadership. But Mr Johnson, who will face the House of Commons for the first time this afternoon after his recent nine-day foreign trip, will be expected to hit back against the continued plotting by Tory rebels. The PM is due to report back this afernoon to MPs on his attendance at last week's Commonwealth, G7 and NATO summits - in which he will be keen to stress the role he is playing in international efforts to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and in support ing Ukraine against Russia's invasion. The upcoming contest for places on the 1922 Committee's executive has led to a battle between rebel MPs and those loyal to Mr Johnson to fill those 18 positions. When the PM won last month's no confidence vote over his leadership he was granted 12 months immunity from having to face another contest. But there are rebel plans to change that rule and allow Mr Johnson to face a fresh vote if they win a majority on the 1922 executive. One rebel told The Times the row over Mr Pincher had '100 per cent' strengthened the campaign to oust the PM. Another added: 'It has certainly sharpened minds to act because it all goes back to the Prime Minister.' The newspaper reported that one plan by Tory rebels was to change the party's rules to allow a new no confidence vote in Mr Johnson's leadership if 90 MPs - 25 per cent of the parliamentary party - submit letters to 1922 chair Sir Graham Brady. The plan is being portrayed as a 'compromise proposal' as it increases the threshold from 15 per cent - 54 MPs - that triggered last month's vote. Will Quince, the children and families minister, this morning dimissed the claim by Mr Cummings that Mr Johnson previously joked about Mr Pincher being 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature'. He told LBC Radio: 'I think that quote came from Dominic Cummings, whos not someone who I give a huge amount of credibility to, given past experience.' In a series of TV and radio interviews, Mr Quince said he had been given 'categorical assurance' that Mr Johnson was 'not aware of any serious specific allegation' about Mr Pincher before appointing him as deputy chief whip. He also denied claims that junior ministers such as himself were having to face media interviews about the 'indefensible' allegations about Mr Pincher, due to Cabinet ministers refusing to go on the airwaves. He told Sky News: 'Im certainly not going to defend the former deputy chief whip. 'The allegations are incredibly serious and Im appalled by them. 'But that isnt the case today, because I was booked in four days ago, in fact five days ago I think it was, to talk about a very important childcare announcement.' Mr Pincher last week resigned as deputy chief whip after he admitted 'embarrassing himself and others' after drinking 'far too much' at the Carlton Club, a posh London watering hole popular with Conservatives. He has referred himself for 'professional medical support' and vowed to 'cooperate fully' with a parliamentary investigation into his actions. But the MP, who will now sit as an independent after having the Tory whip suspended, has denied other allegations to have emerged against him. Labour Party chair Anneliese Dodds has written to the PM demanding to know what Downing Street knew of allegations about Mr Pincher before his second appointment as a Tory whip. The Tamworth MP had previously resigned from the whips' office in 2017 after being implicated in the 'Pestminster' sleaze scandal after being accused of making an unwanted pass at former Olympic rower and Conservative activist Alex Story. But Mr Pincher was later cleared by an investigation. 'Only Boris Johnson could have looked at this guys record and thought "he deserves a promotion",' Ms Dodds said. 'This PM is clearly happy to sweep sexual misconduct under the carpet in order to save his own skin.' A corporal has been kicked out of the British Army for grinding into a female soldier's bottom in a tea room on base. Cpl Phillip Marshall-Nichols, 37, thrust his groin into the Private's bottom as he was leaving the room having made a cup of tea. A court martial heard he also persistently asked his female subordinate for photos of her in the shower after she had done physical training sessions and branded her a 'spoilsport' when she refused. The Corporal meanwhile told the hearing that camera emojis he sent the female Private while attempting to solicit naked images of her were merely 'banter'. The father of three also suggested his messages to the female soldier were instead innocent requests for photos of 'resin' models she had been making. He denied two counts of sexual assault and was cleared of grabbing the female Private's breasts after she had asked for help finding information on a computer system. But he was convicted of the tea room assault and discharged from military service. Marshall-Nichols was also reduced in rank and ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation days as well as 200 hours of unpaid work. Cpl Phillip Marshall-Nichols, 37, was found guilty of one count of sexual assault against a younger female subordinate Corporal Phillip Marshall-Nichols is pictured leaving Bulford Military Court Centre At his sentencing hearing, Marshall-Nichols' lawyer Simon Perkins said: 'He knows he has thrown away his career, his reputation - prior to this he was a well-regarded junior non-commissioned officer [NCO]. He has thrown everything away.' In an impact statement read to the court, the victim said the incident has destroyed her confidence and trust in the chain of command. Sentencing Marshall-Nichols, Judge Advocate Jane England told him: 'There is no doubt your behaviour has had a negative impact. 'This was not the conduct expected of a junior NCO - you had responsibility towards your subordinates. 'There was a significant difference in age and it was done in front of another soldier, which added to her humiliation.' Bulford Military Court previously heard Cpl Marshall-Nichols, of 16 Medical Regiment who served for more than 16 years, was stationed with the woman at an Army barracks in Colchester, Essex. They had a purely professional relationship and had known each other for at least a year before the grinding incident. The victim told the court she had been talking to a male soldier when Cpl Marshall-Nichols paused behind her and 'grinded' his penis into her bottom as he left the room. The woman said: 'Cpl Marshall-Nichols was making a brew. At one point he moved to leave the room, and as he passed me he stopped and grinded his dick into my arse, left to right. 'He didn't say anything and it didn't go on for long, but I could feel his penis.' The other soldier in the room at the time told the court he saw a look of shock and fear cross his friend's face as Cpl Marshall-Nichols stopped behind her. The former private, who has since left the military, said: 'It looked like a joke at first but you could tell by her facial expression that she was scared. 'It just happened out of the blue and went on for a couple of seconds.' The female soldier reported the incident to another corporal and received private messages on Snapchat from Cpl Marshall-Nichols after returning from Christmas leave. 'It was after PT, which we had three times a week, when I was going to take a shower,' she said. 'He was there when we did PT. 'He was asking for pictures while I was in the shower. I just said, ''No''.' The victim told Bulford Military Court she had been talking to a male soldier when Cpl Marshall-Nichols paused behind her and 'grinded' his penis into her bottom as he left the room Cross-examining Cpl Marshall-Nichols, Commander Peter Barker, prosecuting, said: 'You sent two emojis - a camera with flash and one without... that is a request for photos. 'Her response is: 'No'. A flat refusal. You respond immediately, saying: 'Spoilsport lol' and the crying laughter emoji. 'You are pestering one of your subordinates for a picture in the shower.' Cpl Marshall-Nichols told the court it was simply 'banter' and that 'we were having a laugh'. When questioned on what the camera emojis referred to, Cpl Marshall-Nichols replied: 'At the time [the female soldier] was into resin. 'She had told me about them and showed me her figures. 'At the time [of the messages], I could have been requesting to see what she was doing with them.' The court heard that during an Easter break the female Private went into work to update her 'objectives' on a computer system before an upcoming exercise, and asked for assistance from Cpl Marshall-Nichols. She told the court: 'He came over and I got off the swivel chair... I moved behind the chair. 'Then he turned around and touched my boobs. He touched both my boobs with both his hands.' He was cleared of grabbing the female soldier's breasts. Cpl Marshall-Nichols, who has a long service and good conduct medal as well as the Platinum Jubilee medal, became a Corporal in 2016 after joining the Army in 2005. Prime Minister Narendra Modi bowed his head before successor of Mallu Dora, who was follower of freedom fighter Alluru Seetharama Raju, during the Alluri's 125th birth anniversary celebrations at Peda Amiram in Bhimavaram of West Godavari district on Monday. From Left, Actor Chiranjeevi, Union Minister of Tourism G.Kishan Reddy, AP Governor B.Harichandan and Chief Minister Y.S.Jaganmohan Reddy are seen. (Photo: By Arrangement) KAKINADA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the freedom struggle against the British was waged by the entire society under the leadership of great leaders like Alluri Sitarama Raju and cannot be credited to few people or families. He also called upon people to transform India into a land that reflected the dreams of the freedom fighters. As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of Independence, the responsibility is on every citizen to fulfil the dreams of the freedom fighters. Our New India should be an India of their dreams. Such India, where the poor, farmers, workers, backward classes, Adivasis and oppressed have equal opportunities, the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister was speaking at a large public meeting at Pedamiram in West Godavari district after unveiling a 30-feet bronze statue of legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju on his 125th birth anniversary. Many unsung heroes like Kanneganti Hanumanthu, Kandukuri Veeresalingam Panthulu and Potti Sriramulu have sacrificed their lives for Indias freedom and we should remember them and recall their services forever,' said the Prime Minister at a meeting attended by Andhra Pradesh Governor Harichandan Biswabhusan, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Union tourism minister G. Kishan Reddy and former Union minister Chiranjeevi among others. He also noted the contribution of Pingali Venkaiah, a freedom fighter from Andhra Pradesh, who designed the Tricolour', and said that people should remember and recall all their services forever. Modi stole the show at the meeting by making initial remarks in Telugu. Manyam Veerudu Alluri Sitarama Raju Puttina Ee Nela Meedha Mimmalni Kalusukovadam Adhrushthamga Bhavistunnanu (I consider myself fortunate to meet you on the land where Manyam fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju was born, the Prime Minister said. The audience cheered when the Prime Minister recalled the song, Telugu Veera Levara-Deeksha Buni Sagara which was penned by late Telugu poet SriSri (Srirangam Srinivasa Rao) for actor G. Krishna's Alluri Sitarama Raju movie. The Prime Minister said Alluri Sitarama Raju's 125th birth anniversary should be celebrated in every village for the entire year. He also observed, This is not only the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju and the 75th anniversary of Indian Independence Day, but this year also marks the 100 years of the Rampa Rebellion which was led by those like Sitarama Raju against the British rule. Alluri began his fight against the British at a very young age of 24 years. Barely after three years after his struggle, he sacrificed his life, the Prime Minister noted. The Prime Minister said the government would highlight the sacrifices of Alluri Sitharama Raju at national and international levels. The Prime Minister also recalled how Alluri Sitarama Raju had fought for improving the living conditions of the Adivasis in the agency area and said that his government has been implementing many welfare schemes for the Adivasis. He also promised that the government would develop the places linked to Alluri Sitarama Raju. All the places like Alluris birthplace of Pondrangi in Visakhapatnam district, Mogallu in West Godavari district, Chintapallil village (where Alluri attacked a police station), Rampachodavaram (of the Rampakranthi movement) and others would be developed as tourism spots by constructing memorial parks, a Dhyana Mandiram, museums etc," the Prime Minister said. Modi said a memorial park would be set up at Lambasingi in Visakhapatnam district and an Adivasi research centre named after Alluri Sitarama Raju and a skill development centre will be built in Visakhapatnam. All these areas would be modified with facilities reflecting the culture and heritage of the tribal people, the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister also greeted the family members of Alluri Sitarama Raju, as also of Gantam Dora, Mallu Dora and others who were close to Alluri, who participated in the celebrations as the special invitees. Modi also felicitated 83-year-old Alluri Venkatrama Raju (83), the nephew Alluri Sitarama Raju and 93-year-old Godi Dora, a family member of Alluri's close aides Gantam Dora and Mallu Dora. A Canadian girl who vanished without a trace last month has been found alive in the US - and a man police say was behind the disappearance has been arrested. The 13-year-old victim - who DailyMail.com will not identify due to her age - was reportedly uninjured when cops discovered her in an Oregon City hotel Saturday, nearly 1,000 miles from her home in Alberta. The girl, who disappeared on June 24, was discovered following a week-long search that spanned two countries and thousands of miles, with the teen's face plastered on billboards all over Canada. The FBI and Oregon police have since arrested 40-year-old Noah Madrano, of Gladstone - a small suburb near Oregon City - in connection with the girl's disappearance. Records show the man is charged with raping the eighth grader - who cops say he met on social media. Madrano - the producer and host for a popular Portland radio station - is expected to face additional charges in Canada as well. Madrano, who lives in Oregon, is currently being held on those prospective charges by Oregon City police, and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday. The teen was reportedly uninjured when cops discovered her in this Orgon City hotel - located nearly 1,000 miles from her home in Alberta Canadian cops, meanwhile, have charged Madrano with 'child luring' for the girl's disappearance, saying he carried out the plot after convincing the middle schooler to meet him in person after getting acquainted online. After being discovered Friday, the teen was taken to a hospital for evaluation, and has since returned home to her parents in Edmonton. 'We are bringing our baby home,' the teen's mom shared on Facebook Saturday. The mom wrote that 'while we have a healing journey ahead, we are focused on seeing and embracing our daughter and getting her back home.' Earlier that morning, the kid's father said that they had been notified by the FBI that their daughter was safe. Police records show Madrano, who is being held in Clackamas County jail without bail - faces felony charges of kidnapping for the alleged abduction. The county's website also lists charges of sexual abuse and rape in relation to the crime 'Were on our way to Portland right now,' he wrote. 'Until we get [her] in our arms it still doesnt seem like its over yet.' He said that when he asked agents what his daughter's state of mind was like, they told him that she was 'tired' and 'trying to rest.' Cops beforehand had said they took the teen to 'a local children's hospital for precautionary examination.' The victim's parents said they were relieved and grateful for the publics support during the search, which saw hundreds of US and Canadian citizens call in tips as to the teen's whereabouts. Police overseeing the search in the teen's native Edmonton worked with myriad agencies from both Canada and the US to track down the teen, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the FBI, and both US and Canadian border agencies. Cops say they were led to the 40-year-old suspect after police in Abbotsford, British Columbia, obtained CCTV footage Friday at the request of Edmonton police, showing the girl at a fast food restaurant near the Sumas border crossing into Washington state. Cops say they were led to the room after police in Abbotsford, British Columbia, obtained CCTV footage Friday at the request of Edmonton police that showed the girl at a fast food restaurant near the Sumas border crossing with the suspect By the time Abbotsford police arrived at the rest stop, the girl and suspect had already left. Officials, however, were still hot on Madrano's trail, reportedly receiving a credible tip about his identity, whereabouts, and the type of vehicle he was driving. Details concerning the specific content and source of the tip were not immediately given. Police said the pair met through social media, and that Madrano persuaded the girl to meet him in person. Cops said they believed Madrano came to Edmonton shortly before the girl's disappearance, and spent at least three days in British Columbia. The teen reportedly deleted all of her social media accounts the week before she went missing. It is not yet clear how he was able to transport the girl across the border without catching officials' suspicions. 'We would be speculating to say they crossed the border together, but I do know that they were located together, again, in the US once they gained entry,' Inspector Brent Dahlseide told reporters during an online news conference Saturday. The presser saw the Edmonton officer reveal that the two had been communicating online, and that their correspondence suggested that Madrano had 'lured' the youngster into meeting. 'I dont know how long they may have been in contact with one another. I do know that the reason were going with a child-luring charge at this point is that its one we can support because of some of the online history,' Dahlseide said. Police records show Madrano, who is being held in Clackamas County jail without bail - faces felony charges of kidnapping for the alleged abduction. The county's website also lists charges of sexual abuse and rape in relation to the crime. Police would not comment Monday on those prospective charges - which will likely be made official Tuesday. In an email Sunday, Oregon City cops said police reports have been filed and sent to the district attorney in Clackamas County, who will review them Tuesday after the Fourth of July holiday and decide which charges to file. On Sunday, Portland community radio station KBOO tweeted to say it was investigating 'disturbing information' regarding the alleged behavior of one of its on-air personalities, relating to a since deleted June 13 episode that saw the suspect have phone sex with a teen girl Madrano works as the producer and co-host of a program that airs weekly on Portland radio station KBOO-FM. The show, Sub-Human Intellect Theater, is described as a 'monthly comedy/variety/performance art program' by Madrano in his LinkedIn profile. In addition to devising segments and booking guests, Madrano writes that he also runs the board and mixer during the show while performing hosting duties. He also manages the shows social media accounts. The programs most recent episode - which has since been deleted - reportedly featured a segment in which Madrano pretended to have phone sex with a teenage girl - leading many to believe the voice in the recording belonged to the girl. A girls voice can be heard on the recording, but it is unclear who she is, or if the voice has been altered or simulated. DailyMail.com reached out to Oregon City Police to see whether cops were aware of the recording but did not immediately hear back Monday. On Sunday, KBOO's Twitter account published a post that said it was investigating 'disturbing information' regarding the alleged behavior of an on-air volunteer. 'We have taken appropriate actions regarding this persons involvement with KBOO,' the station said in the cryptic tweet. KBOO board vice-president KatMeow Garcia Sunday condemned the since-nixed content, and said the station was not aware of the segment - which aired on June 13, less than two weeks before the teen's disappearance - before the show went to air. The FBI, meanwhile, says it will be able to supply bank and credit card information to confirm the suspects movements leading up to and in the days after the suspected abduction. The FBI said the investigation is ongoing. Madrano's charges will be officially released after he is arraigned Tuesday. Advertisement One person was killed and others are feared to be lying dead in the wreckage of a block of flats after a huge explosion yesterday. Fire chiefs are investigating if the blast was caused by a resident using a makeshift heating or cooking device or gas bottles as a result of the rising cost of fuel. One man was thrown from the three-storey building by the powerful explosion and others were said to have leapt from a window as fire ripped through the flats. The blast which was heard up to half a mile away sent bricks flying into the air and knocked bystanders off their feet. While the flats in the all-electric block in Bedford are not served by a gas supply, Chris Bigland, deputy chief fire officer for Bedfordshire, said: It could have been a camping stove, with the fuel crisis. Six fire engines, two water carriers and a command unit raced to the flats shortly after 9am yesterday. The roof collapsed as the blaze spread through the building of 20 flats, leaving 36 residences uninhabitable. An aerial view of the building - which was destroyed in the major gas explosion this morning. Flames ripped through the roof and engulfed the block of flats, leaving three people injured. Fire, ambulance, and police services rushed to the scene in Bedford this morning The block of 20 flats was gutted and destroyed in the horror blaze this morning, caused by a major gas explosion Emergency services battled with the blaze today, while three people were rushed to hospital Two heroic bricklayers Mark Waggott and Michael Moxam (pictured) were the first on the scene to help save victims when a flat blew up in Bedford at around 9.30am today in scenes they described as 'pandemonium' Bricklayers Michael Moxam, 45, and Mark Waggott, 37, were hailed as heroes after arriving first on the scene. They found a man in his 20s unconscious and another in his 50s screaming in agony after jumping 20ft from a second-floor window. The pair dragged the men to safety, fearing more explosions, then told firefighters who arrived moments later that a bystander had warned them two girls were still in the building. Their whereabouts were unknown last night. Care manager Adrian Mazurkiewicz, 27, who lives in a neighbouring block at the development, said: Suddenly there was an explosion, and then there was the shockwave, which you could feel pass through you. I saw another gentleman on the other side of the building it seemed like hed just been blown out of the window... The walls have been completely cracked like a walnut. Sales worker Adam Fisher, 37, said: Immediately an inferno was visible huge smoke clouds billowing, people screaming, and people frantically calling for emergency services. Retired photographer John OReilly, 76, said: There was a loud explosion which knocked me off my feet. Some 100 homes, and a primary school, were evacuated, and an emergency unit was set up at a sports centre. Bedfordshire Police said: We are working as quickly as we can to get people back into their homes. Firefighters on the scene are tackling the inferno, which has engulfed the residential block in Bedford Residents have been told to keep their windows closed following the major gas explosion. Thick black smoke pictured billowing from the scene this morning The roaring fire was seen ripping through the roof of the three-storey block Emergency services rushed to the scene after the three-storey residential building went up in flames - forcing residents to jump from windows to escape the roaring fire. Footage shared on social media shows plumes of flames erupting through the block of 20 flats while fire engines showered the blaze with water. The horror blaze was seen ripping through the roof of the building - which partially collapsed - as terrified onlookers heard screams from the scene. The heroic pair said they arrived to find one man in his 20s unconscious on the ground after he is thought to have jumped from a second-floor window. Michael and Mark saw a second man in his 50s 'covered in blood and screaming in agony' after he leapt from a window on the same floor, around 20 feet [six metres] high. Mark said: 'We drove over the bridge at around 9.40am and saw the smoke. We couldn't hear any ambulances or fire engines so we went in to make sure everyone was OK. 'We found one man in his 50s and one man in his 20s who had jumped out of a second-floor window. It was pandemonium. The younger guy was face-down and unconscious. The other was screaming in agony with blood on his arm. I think he'd broken his hip.' Mark said they pulled the man in his 50s away from the building as they feared a further explosion at the building's mains gas point. Michael, who had blood on his trousers and shoes from helping the victims, said: 'The heat of the flames was on you when you tried to pull them away. I was hearing crackles and bangs. We were worried about another explosion. In that situation you don't think of nothing but helping people. 'The explosion had blown up the building. The bricks had blown out and you could see inside. There was a lot of smoke and flames. A guy said two little girls were in the building but we couldn't get inside. We passed the message on when the firefighters arrived. 'The older guy went in an air ambulance to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. The other guy, who injured his shoulder, went to Bedford Hospital.' Currently, three people have been taken to hospital - one with serious injuries who has gone to Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge. One of the injured victims was a firefighter. One local resident in Bedford said they saw a person jumping from a second-floor window to escape the burning building. They said: 'I heard the explosion from my house round the corner. 'I walked to town and saw the flames and also witnessed someone jump from the second-floor window whilst flames were blaring out.' Locals have been warned to keep windows closed and avoid the area as thick black smoke was seen billowing through the air. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service have said the fire on Redwood Grove was caused by a gas explosion The gutted building after the gas explosion this morning The destruction could be seen as firefighters battled the blaze He said: 'A huge explosion heard - everyone went to our work car park to see what was happening. 'Our building is adjacent to the apartment complex - immediately an inferno was visible, huge smoke cloud billowing, people screaming and people frantically calling for emergency services.' Alex Feltham, who witnessed the incident, said: 'Block of flats has exploded near Redwood Grove, really horrible. 'Hope everyone made it out. Air ambulance has arrived. 'Was in the office next door, the whole place shook. 'Thought the warehouse had collapsed, wasn't until went outside that we'd seen the gaping hole in the roof of the flats. The fire spread so quickly. Police then Fire turned up quickly.' Retired photographer John O'Reilly, who lives in a block of flats adjacent to the block where the fire was, said the blast knocked him off his feet and there were bricks strewn across the road. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service have confirmed the fire on Redwood Grove was caused by a gas explosion The 76-year-old, speaking at a police cordon along the road from the flats, said: 'There was a loud explosion which knocked me off my feet. 'I got dressed and walked out into the road and walked out into the road to find the adjacent block on fire. 'There were bricks in the road so it was obviously a very large explosion to do that sort of damage.' He said he did not know when he would be allowed back into his property. An East of England Ambulance Service spokesperson said: 'We were called at 9.33am today to a significant fire at a block of flats in Redwood Grove, Bedford. 'Three ambulances, the hazardous area response team, a tactical commander, three operations managers and the Magpas Air Ambulance were sent to the scene. 'One person was airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital for treatment for leg injuries, while two people, one of whom was a firefighter, were conveyed to Bedford Hospital South Wing with smoke inhalation.' Bedfordshire Police said this morning: 'Emergency services have responded to an explosion at Redwood Grove, Bedford this morning (Monday). This resulted in a significant fire at a three storey block of 20 flats, which has engulfed the whole building and caused a large portion of the roof to collapse. 'There are two people who have been taken to hospital, one with serious injuries to Addenbrooke's. Police, fire and the ambulance service all remain in attendance. We know people are keen to help, but would ask people to avoid the area and keep any doors and windows closed. 'An Emergency Assistance Centre has been set up at The John Bunyan Centre in Bedford, for people who have been evacuated and need support An adjacent block of flats has also been evacuated and we are working to get people back in their homes as quickly as possible.' Nearby Shackleton Primary School was evacuated as a result of the fire, with headteacher Andy George saying in a statement: 'Following the fire in the Redwood Grove area of Bedford earlier today, pupils at Shackleton Primary have been sent home due to the school's proximity to the incident. 'All children are safe and the school is working with the emergency services. 'The school expects to re-open tomorrow.' A small boy who was found bloodied and alone during the chaos of the Highland Park Fourth of July shooting has been reunited with his grandparents at a local hospital. The child was found alone and was kept 'safe but with strangers' according to a tweet from CBS Chicago's Jackie Kostek. It's unclear whether the boy was at the parade with his parents or grandparents. He was grabbed by a local chef, who has not been named, after the gunman opened fire. There also appear to be blood stains covering the child's leg and shoes, though it is unclear if it is the child's blood or someone else's. A toddler who was separated from his parents at the parade is now in the care of strangers at the local hospital. He is unharmed and seems to be in good spirits. A local chef picked him up as people ran for their lives. He took him to the hospital where he remains, waiting for family Social media users are still asking for help identifying the child and parents in order to reunite them First responders work the scene of a shooting at a Fourth of July parade on July 4, 2022 in Highland Park, Illinois Horror on Independence Day: A police officer bows his head in grief next to abandoned strollers and chairs after a shooting that killed six people in Highland Park, Illinois The parade had only begun 14 minutes before the gunman opened fire from a rooftop along the route. The shooting caused a stampede of people who flocked into stores and cars. The parade was scheduled to last for an hour The authorities are still looking for the gunman. Video shot by a Sun-Times journalist after the gunfire rang out shows a band on a float continuing to play as people run past, screaming. A photo posted to social media appeared to show pools of blood near upturned chairs in downtown Highland Park. Gina Troiani and her son were lined up with his daycare class ready to walk onto the parade route when she heard a loud sound that she believed was fireworks - until she heard people yell about a shooter. 'We just start running in the opposite direction,' she told The Associated Press. Her 5-year-old son was riding his bike decorated with red and blue curled ribbons. He and other children in the group held small American flags. The city said on its website that the festivities were to include a childrens bike and pet parade. Troiani said she pushed her son's bike, running through the neighborhood to get back to their car. In a video that Troiani shot on her phone, some of the kids are visibly startled at the loud noise and they scramble to the side of the road as a siren wails nearby. 'It was just sort of chaos,' she said. 'There were people that got separated from their families, looking for them. Others just dropped their wagons, grabbed their kids and started running.' Matt Phillip, director of a tasting room at Lynfred Winery, said he heard 'what sounded like fireworks' before seeing people 'running down the street.' 'We opened our doors so they could either seek shelter within our facility or exit through our back-alley door.' He says that 30 people sheltered in the store for approximately 15 minutes. Miles Zaremsky, who has lived in the neighborhood since the 1960's, said he witnessed the 'carnage.' 'The crowd started stampeding. I had ever seen that before. I saw blood on people's bodies. Two or three people looked deceased to me[around 25 to 40 years of age]. It was absolutely disgusting and gut-wrenching and I was sick to my stomach.' 'I did see a little boy [covered in blood] in his parents' arms who looked [pale]. They were yelling for medics Its surreal, it's like out of a science fiction but it is real.' The parade on Monday in Highland Park was attended by dozens of locals who sat on the sidewalk cheering as bands marched past Panicked parade goers at the scene on Monday. There were loud sounds from the crowd that some said were gunshots The bloody scene in Highland Park, Illinois, on Monday after a shooter opened fire on a Fourth of July parade shortly after 10am Law enforcement officers investigate the scene of a mass shooting at a 4th of July celebration and parade in Highland Park, Illinois, USA, 04 July 2022. A gunman opened fire as people gathered to watch a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, killing at least six people and injuring dozens Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a tweet that he is 'closely monitoring the situation in Highland Park' and that Illinois State Police are assisting. The ISP said in an email that it was assisting in the response to an active shooter reported around 10:24 a.m. The Lake County Sheriffs Office said on Twitter that it is assisting Highland Park Police 'with a shooting in the area of the Independence Day parade route.' The sheriff's office directed an AP reporter to contact Highland Park Police. The Police Department said no one was immediately available to comment. Debbie Glickman, a Highland Park resident, said she was on a parade float with coworkers and the group was preparing to turn onto the main route when she saw people running from the area. 'People started saying: "There's a shooter, there's a shooter, there's a shooter,"' Glickman told the Associated Press. 'So we just ran. We just ran. It's like mass chaos down there.' She didnt hear any noises or see anyone who appeared to be injured. 'I'm so freaked out,' she said. 'It's just so sad.' The female protestor who sparked fury today when she glued herself to priceless artwork in the National Gallery has been accused of being a jet-setting sailor who has racked up tens of thousands of air miles. Student Hannah Hunt, 23, is a leading activist for Just Stop Oil whose social media pages are adorned with exotic holiday pictures from locations including Bali, Australia and the Canary Islands. The aspiring psychologist has contributed to chaos across the country, after she was pictured glueing herself to roads, camping in the rafters of a major oil depot in Essex and today stuck pictures over John Constable's The Hay Wain in London. She and fellow student and musician Eben Lazarus, 22, first plastered over Constable's masterpiece with pictures portraying an apocalyptic future, before they glued their hands to the frame as security stood on and watched. The pair were quick to lecture the public on fossil fuels being a 'death project' and warning of the 'total collapse of society', despite Ms Hunt previously admitting she impulse flew to the Canaries to escape chilly British weather. The former XR supporter even used the trips to bolster her environmental credentials, telling social media followers from Bali: Can we look back in another 50 years and say we did everything to protect our pretty cool planet? Just Stop Oil activist Hannah Hunt, 23, and student Eben Lazarus, 22, were pictured with their hands glued to the frame of John Constable's 1821 masterpiece at the National Gallery in London on Monday Student Hannah Hunt, 23, is a Just Stop Oil activist whose social media pages are adorned with exotic holiday pictures from locations including Bali, Australia and the Canary Islands Eco-zealots from Just Stop Oil cover John Constable's The Hay Wain with their own apocalyptic pictures Just Stop Oil activist, Hannah Hunt, 23, was seen in a video from the rafters of a major oil depot in Grays, Essex when Just Stop Oil blockaded the plant earlier this year Ms Hunt co-founded Just Stop Oil in February, marching on No 10 to tell Boris Johnson to prevent the ultimate crime against our country, humanity and life on Earth. Above, a driver drags a Just Stop Oil activist from his oil tanker Eco-vandal Eben Lazarus Aspiring musician Eben Lazarus, 22, was seen alongside Ms Hunt as he supported her through Just Stop Oil's latest stunt. He and Hunt were removed and arrested at 4.45pm and taken off site, and the priceless national treasure was then removed by staff at the gallery. The eco-zealot was last pictured actively blocking departures at Gray's oil depot in Essex and also disrupting traffic on Britain's motorways. Lazarus's father is a musician and wedding singer, while his grandfather is Dr Norman Lazarus and 84-year-old professor at King's College London whose research interests include how to age more gracefully. Aspiring musician Eben Lazarus, 22, was seen alongside Ms Hunt as he supported her through Just Stop Oil's latest stunt Advertisement If Ms Hunt flew to every destination, she would have clocked up 49,404 air miles over five years and been responsible for the emissions of 13 tons of carbon dioxide. The European average per person is 8.4 tons in a whole year, according to the My Climate website. It is not known if the eco-activist chose to offset the carbon from her flights, which would cost a total of 379, according to non-profit Atmosfair. The student went to No 10 with Just Stop Oil to tell Boris Johnson to intervene to prevent the ultimate crime against our country, humanity and life on Earth. She has become a hero among eco-zealot supporters of the group, which formed as a breakaway of Extinction Rebellion. Earlier this year she glued herself to the red carpet at the Bafta awards, and she has broken into an ExxonMobil oil refinery in Hampshire. Hunt and Lazarus were both arrested at around 4.45pm following their eco-vandal stunt earlier today. Just Stop Oil said their reimagined version of the 1821 priceless work, which depicts a rural scene on the River Stour in Suffolk, shows a 'nightmare scene that demonstrates how oil will destroy our countryside'. Ms Hunt said today of her eco-vandalism: 'We can forget our "green and pleasant land" as further oil extraction will lead to widespread crop failures which means we will be fighting for food. Ultimately, new fossil fuels are a death project by our government. 'So yes, there is glue on the frame of this famous painting, but there is blood on the hands of our government. 'The disruption will end as soon as the UK government makes a meaningful statement that it will end new oil and gas licenses.' Her social media shows pictures enjoying holidays and sailing trips in exotic locations including Bali, Australia and the Canary Islands If she flew to every destination, she would have clocked up 49,404 air miles over five years and been responsible for the emissions of 13 tons of carbon dioxide It is not known if the activist chose to offset the carbon from her flights, which would cost a total of 379, according to non-profit Atmosfair The activist from Cumbria, who studies at Sussex University, said after protests she enjoys a weird, dreamy, calm mindset she finds empowering. Her father runs an environmental consultancy firm and her family purchased an early 20th century property on the west coast of Scotland that has one of the lowest possible energy efficiency available. Heating and lighting the home results in approximately 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide being put back into the atmosphere, which is double Scotland's average according to the national register for Energy Performance Certificates. Ms Hunt is one of several middle-class campaigners who have been holding Britains motorists to ransom throughout this year. Their protests continued in April when activists climbed onto lorries at the Grays depot. Dozens were arrested at three oil sites. Meanwhile, hundreds of Extinction Rebellion supporters blocked four bridges and a major roundabout in central London. Environmental activists have bemoaned the impact of air travel, saying individual flights can release more CO2 into the atmosphere than some people generate in a year. A return economy journey to Bali releases 4.2 tons of carbon dioxide, while a return ticket to Australia would generate 6.1 tons. Just Stop Oil began daily protests just two months ago, demanding the Government commits to end all new oil and gas projects in the UK. The group has also faced criticism for attaching themselves to famous pieces of art in Glasgow and Manchester, with works by Van Gogh and J.M.W Turner all targeted in recent weeks. Art historians and experts have all raised concerns that the vandals could have caused irreparable damage to the iconic masterpieces. Dr Adrian Hilton, who is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, said today: 'How is this even possible in the National Gallery? I mean, it's a John Constable masterpiece; a national treasure. Is it really this easy to paper over or - God forbid - destroy it?' The National Gallery later released a statement clarifying The Hay Wain suffered minor damage to its frame and on the painting's varnish, both of which have been dealt with before it is re-hung in Gallery Room 34 on Tuesday. Carrie Johnson 'openly questioned' alleged groper Chris Pincher's appointment as a whip in 2017 while she was a Conservative communication director, reports say. Mrs Johnson (then Ms Symonds) questioned how Pincher secured the job with the Tories whips' office after rumours surfaced of Mr Pincher's 'misconduct', according to correspondence seen by Sky News. The claims come as Tories demand answers over the Prime Minister's knowledge of Mr Pincher's alleged antics when he made his a whip. The revelations come as Tories demand answers over the Prime Minister's knowledge of Mr Pincher's alleged antics when he made his a whip Contrary to earlier claims from Downing Street, they have now confirmed the PM was aware of claims of misconduct by Mr Pincher when he was appointed Contrary to earlier claims from Downing Street, they have now confirmed the PM was aware of claims of misconduct by Mr Pincher when he was appointed. A Downing Street spokesperson said that Mr Johnson felt he could not act on unsubstantiated claims of sexual misconduct. A Number 10 spokesperson told Sky News: 'Mrs Johnson is a private individual and has no role in ministerial appointments.' The MP for Tamworth was suspended from the Conservative whip last week after resigning his position as a government enforcer after allegations of groping at a Carlton Club event. It was the second time he has had to resign because of misconduct claims - but was reappointed by Theresa May to the whips office in 2018. Mr Pincher last week resigned as deputy chief whip after he admitted 'embarrassing himself and others' after drinking 'far too much' at the Carlton Club, a posh London watering hole popular with Conservatives The Prime Minister is under pressure over the latest sleaze scandal to hit the Conservatives after months of other after Mr Pincher was last week suspended as a Tory MP amid claims he drunkenly groped two men. A slew of fresh allegations have since emerged against the 52-year-old. Questions are now being asked about what Mr Johnson knew of Mr Pincher's conduct prior to appointing him to the key role in charge of party discipline in February. It has even been claimed Mr Johnson referred to the Tamworth MP as being 'handsy' and joked he was 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him a senior whip. Can Boris face another Tory confidence vote? Haven't we just had a Tory confidence vote? Yes. After 15 per cent of Conservative MPs wrote to backbench 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady, he triggered a vote last month. The PM won, but 148 of his 359 MPs backed kicking him out in the secret ballot. Mr Johnson and his allies hailed that as a clear victory and urged the party to unite behind him. Can MPs just call another vote? In theory, party rules mean that because Mr Johnson secured 50 per cent of the vote he cannot be challenged again for 12 months. But notably Theresa May also won a confidence battle, and was later threatened with a rule change to enable her to face another vote - forcing her to resign. Are they likely to change the rules? Some of the PM's leading critics have warned against 'tinkering' with Tory leadership rules to oust Mr Johnson. But upcoming elections to the executive of the 1922 Committee - expected next week - are becoming a key battle between Tory rebels and Johnson loyalists. If the rebels win a majority of the 18 positions up for grabs, they could push through their attempt to change party rules. And, since last month's no confidence vote, opinion against Mr Johnson has hardened among some MPs following the two bruising by-election defeats in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton. The PM is now also having to face another Tory sleaze scandal. Is there any other way for the leader to be evicted? Mr Johnson has defiantly insisted he will not entertain the 'crazy' idea of resigning. And - barring the Opposition winning a vote of no confidence in the House - there is no formal mechanism to get rid of him before the next general election. However, a withdrawal of support by the Cabinet would make his position untenable. What happens if the leader is ousted? The leader is sacked if they lose a Tory confidence vote, and a leadership contest begins in which they cannot stand. Resignation would also trigger a contest. However, the outgoing chief typically stays on as Prime Minister until a replacement is chosen. Are there any other big moments coming up that could fuel the Tory revolt? The cross-party Privileges Committee is about to kick off an inquiry into whether Mr Johnson misled the House over Partygate. It is expected to report in the Autumn, when the PM will also have to run the gauntlet of Tory conference. Advertisement Brexit opportunities minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said 'you can't judge people on rumours' when asked whether it was appropriate for Boris Johnson to make Chris Pincher deputy chief whip despite claims about his conduct. He told LBC's Tonight With Andrew Marr: 'There were rumours. I think prime ministers have to be just, they can't just say, 'I've heard a bit of gossip and I think you've done something that I wouldn't approve of'. 'You can't judge people on rumours, that's fundamentally unjust. There are rumours about all sorts of people that turn out never to come to anything.' The PM is facing a Cabinet backlash - just ahead of what could prove to be critical internal elections within the Conservative Party. Tory MPs are next week set to decide on key positions on the powerful 1922 Committee - which are now being seen as a proxy vote on Mr Johnson's future, amid plans to change party rules to allow another no confidence ballot on the PM's leadership. But Mr Johnson, who will face the House of Commons for the first time this afternoon after his recent nine-day foreign trip, will be expected to hit back against the continued plotting by Tory rebels. The PM is due to report back this afernoon to MPs on his attendance at last week's Commonwealth, G7 and NATO summits - in which he will be keen to stress the role he is playing in international efforts to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and in support ing Ukraine against Russia's invasion. The upcoming contest for places on the 1922 Committee's executive has led to a battle between rebel MPs and those loyal to Mr Johnson to fill those 18 positions. When the PM won last month's no confidence vote over his leadership he was granted 12 months immunity from having to face another contest. But there are rebel plans to change that rule and allow Mr Johnson to face a fresh vote if they win a majority on the 1922 executive. One rebel told The Times the row over Mr Pincher had '100 per cent' strengthened the campaign to oust the PM. Another added: 'It has certainly sharpened minds to act because it all goes back to the Prime Minister.' The newspaper reported that one plan by Tory rebels was to change the party's rules to allow a new no confidence vote in Mr Johnson's leadership if 90 MPs - 25 per cent of the parliamentary party - submit letters to 1922 chair Sir Graham Brady. The plan is being portrayed as a 'compromise proposal' as it increases the threshold from 15 per cent - 54 MPs - that triggered last month's vote. Will Quince, the children and families minister, this morning dimissed the claim by Mr Cummings that Mr Johnson previously joked about Mr Pincher being 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature'. He told LBC Radio: 'I think that quote came from Dominic Cummings, who's not someone who I give a huge amount of credibility to, given past experience.' In a series of TV and radio interviews, Mr Quince said he had been given 'categorical assurance' that Mr Johnson was 'not aware of any serious specific allegation' about Mr Pincher before appointing him as deputy chief whip. He also denied claims that junior ministers such as himself were having to face media interviews about the 'indefensible' allegations about Mr Pincher, due to Cabinet ministers refusing to go on the airwaves. He told Sky News: 'I'm certainly not going to defend the former deputy chief whip. 'The allegations are incredibly serious and I'm appalled by them. 'But that isn't the case today, because I was booked in four days ago, in fact five days ago I think it was, to talk about a very important childcare announcement.' A woke Universal Music Group employee has been fired after refusing to work due to 'mourning' the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Michael Lopez, a former production coordinator at Universal Music Enterprises, slammed the company for firing a 'queer brown person' during Pride month for speaking in favor of 'abortion rights,' he wrote on LinkedIn. 'Paired with the flood of anti-queer and anti-trans legislation, it's been hard to process how company's expect us to be productive while our rights are being stripped away,' Lopez wrote. 'Especially when our company has been donating to several of these politicians.' On June 24, the day the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade was overturned in a 6-3 vote, Lopez was tasked with 'processing reports for upcoming releases' and send them to 275 people. Rather than do what he was tasked, Lopez elected to send an email to those on the list to explain why he couldn't complete the job. 'I didn't do them (the reports) today,' the email read. 'I'm in mourning due to the attack on people with uteruses in the US. Federally guaranteed access to abortion is gone. Universal Music Group must stop donating to anti-abortion, anti-queer and anti-trans politicians. Politicians like Marsha Blackburn, Ken Buck, Victoria Spartz, etc. Or expect more unproductive days.' Lopez was immediately met with support from his co-workers and received a call from his manager to take the rest of the day off. He assumed, based on that call, 'there was a good possibility' he may be fired. 'I was proud of letting allies know that our company has been donating to these politicians,' he added. Michael Lopez, former employee at Universal Music Enterprises, was fired after failing to do his job while 'mourning' the overturn of Roe v. Wade Lopez posted about the contentious issue on LinkedIn while claiming he 'was fired during Pride month for speaking up in defense of abortion rights' Rather than completing his tasks on June 24, he sent an email explaining to 275 people why he couldn't do his job Days later, Lopez received a 'surprise Zoom video chat' from HR letting him know he was fired for not doing his job and 'disrupting the day of 275 people and poor judgement.' He was told to immediately log out of his laptop, but instead wrote an email to his colleagues to let them know that he was fired. 'Just got fired for this email from Friday, so they're letting you know where they stand on employees speaking out on politicians that support marginalization for folks like me,' he wrote. 'A brown queer person terminated during Pride month speaking in support of abortion rights. Seems like that's exactly what America is all about right now.' He signed the email 'Peace out' and signed his name. In a statement to DailyMail.com, a spokesman for Universal Music Group said that as a matter of policy, the company does not discuss an individual's personnel record. 'We can say that what was posted on social media is inaccurate. UMG has a long record of support for women's issues,' the spokesperson said. 'As we wrote to our U.S. employees, UMG views reproductive health care as essential. In the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v Wade the company has extended its efforts to assure that these important healthcare services remain accessible to employees. 'We also financially support non-profit groups working in this area and offer a match for employee's contributions to those groups, as well.' Lopez announced that he was fired to the same 275 employees, claiming he is 'a brown queer person terminated during Pride month Thirteen states were set to enforce abortion bans and restrictions if Roe. v. Wade was ever overturned All around the country, protesters filled the streets in opposition to the Supreme Court The conservative majority of the court pushed for the allowing of abortions to be left up to the states to decide. Following SCOTUS' ruling, abortion was automatically outlawed in 18 US states as a result of 'trigger laws' and historic bans that were reenacted after the June 24 ruling. Thirteen states had prepared trigger laws: Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. Five other states banned abortions after historic laws were reenacted, including Michigan, Wisconsin, Alabama, Arizona, and West Virginia. Other states, including Florida, Indiana, Montana, and Nebraska have either enforced plans or are working on plans to ban or restrict the procedure. Abortion rights advocates are rushing to their local courthouses to challenge the state abortion bans. Some groups have filed lawsuits to prevent the state from enforcing the ban - including Kentucky and Florida. On Thursday, Kentucky and Florida were two of the latest states to be granted temporary restraining orders on their planned abortion bans and restrictions. Abortions will proceed in those states until final rulings are made. Abortion clinics in Ohio, Idaho, West Virginia, and Mississippi are also seeking to halt the state implemented bans. Governor Gavin Newsom released attack ads on Monday urging Florida residents to move to California in the days after it became the first state to move to offer all illegal immigrants state-subsidized health insurance. Newsom bought $105,000 worth of ad spots that started airing on Fox News in Florida, which is sparking speculation that he could mount a presidential run in 2024. The ads urge Sunshine State residents who are fed up with their Republican Governor Ron DeSantis to head west. DeSantis is rumored to be considering a 2024 run as well despite former President Donald Trump likely to seek the nomination. The 30-second ad doesn't mention DeSantis directly, but does take aim at his conservative legislative accomplishment in Florida like banning critical race theory in classrooms, prohibiting schools from teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity to kids from kindergarten to fourth grade and a 15-week abortion ban. 'It's Independence Day,' Newsom says in the ad, which aired on Monday, July 4. 'So let's talk about what's going on in America.' 'Freedom is under attack in your state,' Newsom tells Florida residents watching the ad. 'Republican leaders they are banning books. Making it harder to vote. Restricting speech in classrooms. Even criminalizing women and doctors.' Last weekend, Newsom released a Fiscal Year 2023 budget that includes offering undocumented immigrants, regardless of age, state-subsidized health insurance. The expansion in healthcare is part of Medi-Cal, which already offers coverage for illegal immigrants younger than 26 and over 50 as well as recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. California Governor Gavin Newsom released ads in Florida on Monday that urge residents of the Sunshine state who are fed up with their Governor Ron DeSantis to move to the Golden State after he passed a budget that offers all undocumented migrants healthcare The move to provide more healthcare comes as thousands of migrants continue to surge over the U.S. southern border every day. Pictured: A caravan of migrants head toward the U.S. in June It also comes less than a week after an abandoned semi-truck was found on the side of the road outside San Antonio, Texas with dozens of migrants in critical condition and another 53 dead Now, the state is expanding that coverage option to 700,000 undocumented residents in the Golden State between the ages of 26-49 starting January 2024. Migration continues to surge at the southern border with the third straight month of increased crossings in May. Thousands of migrants part of a caravan that started in southern Mexico ended their travels toward the U.S. border just two days after setting off when they were handed permits to stay in the country for 30 days. Mexican officials handed out 3,000 temporary residence permits on Sunday and ended the march of mostly Venezuelans and Central Americans. The move comes after a United Nations Missing Migrants Project report revealed that more migrants died in 2021 in America than in any other year since it started recording data in 2014. Authorities found a semi-truck full of around 100 migrants last Monday abandoned in sweltering conditions on the side of the road outside San Antonio, Texas. Dozens were left in critical condition and 53 died in the journey. The incident was the deadliest human smuggling tragedy in U.S. history. The recent analysis from the UN found that 1,238 migrants died or disappeared in the Americas in 2021. The project said that this is likely an undercount since there were issues with data collection last year. Mexican authorities are likely trying to combat recent tragedies at the border and the increased scrutiny by breaking up a caravan that was heading to the U.S. border from southern Mexico. Mexican authorities were able to break up a caravan of thousands of Venezuelan and Central Mexican migrants heading to the U.S. border by handing out 3,000 temporary residence permits on Sunday The migration crisis continues to surge under the current administration as CBP encountered 239,416 migrants in May the highest since Biden took office The temporary residence permits will allow these migrants to stay on Mexican territory for up to 30 days while they pursue immigration procedures, according to officials from Mexico's National Institute of Migration. This, however, only serves as a way for migrants in the caravan to expedite their trip north, claiming that the permits allow them to get off foot and continue through other modes of transportation. 'We are going to continue to the United States in buses because we already have the permit. We no longer need to walk,' a Venezuelan, William Molina, said after receiving his permit. He is traveling with 10 relatives. The thousands of migrants, which started walking from the border city of Tapachula on Friday, was the ninth migrant caravan to be formed so far this year in southern Mexico. Migration has returned to the spotlight following the discovery last week of an abandoned cargo truck in San Antonio. The tragedy coincided with a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court allowing the Biden administration to end a measure imposed by President Donald Trump that forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while U.S. officials processed their asylum petitions. A group of around 4,000 migrants set off from Tapachula, Mexico on July 1 heading toward the northern border it shares with the U.S. The group split after just two days when 3,000 permits were handed out that allows the migrants to stay in Mexico for 30 days as they pursue immigration procedures One migrant wears a Venezuelan flag around his neck as he walks with other migrants in a caravan toward the U.S. border on Friday, July 1 While the migrant caravans have attracted news media attention, those who participate in them represent a small percentage of the migratory flow that arrives at Mexico's border with Guatemala daily, usually with the help of smugglers. Another Venezuelan in the group, Francisco Daniel Marcano, said he hoped the permit would help him reach northern Mexico and pass into U.S. territory. But, he said, if he fails to get into the U.S., he will try to find a job in northern Mexico to earn money to send to his parents and three children back in Venezuela. In the last 30 days at least three large groups totaling about 13,000 people have tried to leave the border with Guatemala on foot, according to Mexico's immigration agency. Many migrants object to the Mexican strategy of keeping them in the south, away from the U.S. border. They say the process of normalizing their status - usually through applying for asylum - takes too long and they can't provide for themselves while waiting weeks in Tapachula because jobs are scarce. But the latest caravans, made up mostly of entire families, have managed to advance only about 28 miles to Huixtla, where Mexican officials have succeeded in dispersing the groups by giving out temporary residency permits. Migration at the U.S. southern border has continued to spike into the summer months. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered 239,416 migrants in May alone, which represents an increase for the third month in a row. Figures for June have not yet been released. More than halfway through a tumultuous primary season, voters have rendered verdicts in a number of contests, many of which featured candidates arguing they best represented a continuation of policies favored by former President Donald Trump. While not on the ballot himself, Trump has played a role in several races, with candidates bearing his endorsement meeting a variety of electoral outcomes. There have also been tumbles by several incumbents, some taken out by Trump-backed challengers and others bested by fellow representatives in faceoffs forced by redistricting. Former President Donald Trump endorsed TV personality Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania's Republican Senate primary, helping him edge out rival David McCormick, who had hired MAGA consultants and whose wife worked for the Trump White House Republican Senate candidate JD Vance was given a boost in his crowded primary by receiving former President Donald Trump's endorsement. He'll go against Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan on the general election ballot Republican Rep. Nancy Mace survived a challenge from the Trump-backed Katie Arrington winning her South Carolina primary last month Republican Gov. Brian Kemp easily turned back a GOP primary challenge from former Sen. David Perdue, who was backed by former President Donald Trump Here's what's happened so far in primary races across the country: Eight incumbents - three Democrats and five Republicans - lost their U.S. House seats already this year after being defeated in their primary elections. Four of those losses came in incumbent-on-incumbent races, a result of the once-a-decade redistricting process. But the other four were defeated by insurgent challengers after finding themselves vulnerable as a result of scandal, investigation, irritating progressives or crossing Trump. Seven-term centrist Democratic U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon fell to progressive challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner in his May 17 primary. Five-term GOP Rep. Tom Rice of South Carolina lost his reelection bid to state Rep. Russell Fry after voting to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 Capitol attack Rep. Madison Cawthorn was defeated by state Sen. Chuck Edwards after a whirlwind of scandals that included Cawthorn saying he'd been invited to orgies and seen colleagues do cocaine Schrader had angered many Democrats by opposing some of President Joe Biden's priorities, including a $1.9 trillion coronavirus pandemic relief bill because he didn't support a minimum wage increase. Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina was defeated by state Sen. Chuck Edwards after a whirlwind of scandals that included Cawthorn saying he'd been invited to orgies and had seen opponents of drug addiction use cocaine, getting caught twice with guns at airports and appearing in videos showing him in sexually suggestive poses. On June 14, five-term GOP Rep. Tom Rice of South Carolina lost his reelection bid to state Rep. Russell Fry after voting to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. And on June 28, six-term Mississippi Republican Rep. Steven Palazzo lost a runoff to Sheriff Mike Ezell after being accused in a congressional ethics report of misspending campaign funds. Rep. Mary Miller defeated five-term Republican Rep. Rodney Davis during a member-on-member face-off Rep. Lucy McBath defeated fellow Democratic Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux, who said she'd considered McBath like a 'sister' Rep. David McKinley (pictued) lost a primary to Rep. Alex Mooney. McKinley voted in favor of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, while Mooney had the support of former President Donald Trump MEMBER-ON-MEMBER FACEOFFS Redistricting guaranteed that some U.S. House incumbents would be ousted. The first to fall was Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia, who voted with Democrats in support of Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, betting that West Virginians would reward him for prioritizing such funding in one of the nation's poorest states. Instead, they dumped him for Rep. Alex Mooney, who opposed the infrastructure bill. Mooney won Trump's endorsement the day Biden signed the measure into law. In Georgia, Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath, a gun safety advocate, went district shopping after a GOP-dominated Legislature turned her home area into a Republican stronghold. She defeated fellow Democratic Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux, who said she'd considered McBath like a 'sister.' Two Illinois incumbents lost their seats this past week when Republican Rep. Mary Miller defeated five-term Republican Rep. Rodney Davis, and Democratic Rep. Sean Casten beat one-term Democratic Rep. Marie Newman. Miller won days after she called the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade a 'historic victory for white life' during a rally with Trump. Calling it 'a mix-up of words,' Miller's spokesman told The Associated Press that she had intended to say the decision was a victory for a 'right to life.' TRUMP'S TARGETS Still stinging from his 2020 presidential election loss to Biden, Trump vowed revenge on Republicans who defied him. He zeroed in on Georgia, recruiting challengers to Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who had rebuffed his efforts to overturn his narrow defeat in the state. But he fell short, with Kemp easily turning back former Sen. David Perdue, and Raffensperger defeating Rep. Jody Hice. Trump also directed his rage toward the 10 House Republicans who voted with Democrats to impeach him for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Four decided against seeking reelection. But of those who stayed to fight, Rice became first to lose, a result he acknowledged was possible over a vote he said his conscience forced him to take. Another, Rep. David Valadao of California, finished second in his primary, meaning he advanced to the November general election as one of the top two finishers. Four of the House Republicans still await their primaries. In South Carolina, Trump targeted another GOP incumbent, Rep. Nancy Mace, following her criticism of his role in the Jan. 6 attack and her vote to certify Biden's win. Mace withstood her challenge from Katie Arrington, a Trump-backed opponent. TRUMP: KEEPING SCORE Trump helped lift some U.S. Senate candidates to victory. In Ohio, he backed 'Hillbilly Elegy' author JD Vance after a furious push by Vance's opponents to win Trump's favor. The endorsement just three weeks before the election propelled Vance to a win. Dr. Mehmet Oz got Trump's seal of approval about five weeks before Pennsylvania's primary, a blow to former hedge fund CEO David McCormick, whose wife, Dina Powell, served in Trumps administration. Oz eked out a slim victory over McCormick after a recount. In North Carolina, Trump endorsed Rep. Ted Budd a year before his primary, elevating the little-known congressman from a 14-candidate field to win the GOP Senate nomination. Trump also waded into statewide races, backing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against primary challenger George P. Bush. Trump was rewarding Paxton for petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 2020 election - an effort the state bar termed 'dishonest' as it sought to punish him for it. Katie Britt nearly won a GOP primary outright to replace her boss, retiring Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, but ended up in a runoff with longtime Rep. Mo Brooks, whom Trump initially supported before pulling his endorsement as Brooks' polling languished. Trump endorsed Britt only after she finished first in the primary. Republican voters in Nebraska rejected Trump's gubernatorial pick, businessman Charles Herbster, who was accused late in the campaign of having groped multiple women, going instead with University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen as their nominee. In a U.S. House race in Georgia, GOP voters picked trucking company owner Mike Collins over Vernon Jones, a Trump-backed Democrat-turned-Republican. ELECTION DENIERS Voters handed primary wins to some candidates who supported Trump's assertions that Biden's election victory was illegitimate. Those false claims have been roundly rejected by elections officials, Trump's own attorney general and the courts, including by judges he appointed. Nonetheless, state Sen. Doug Mastriano won Pennsylvania's crowded Republican gubernatorial primary. He has been subpoenaed by the House committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol for his role in a plan to arrange for an 'alternate' slate of electors from Pennsylvania for Trump after the 2020 election. Trump's pick for Nevada secretary of state, former state lawmaker Jim Marchant, won his primary after spending months arguing that there hadn't been a legitimate Nevada election for years and that Trump's victory had been stolen. In Idaho, Trump's insurgent candidate Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin lost her bid to oust Gov. Brad Little. McGeachin had said she would 'bring integrity to Idaho's elections,' without citing any inconsistencies. She also said she'd push for a 50-state forensic audit of the 2020 election. In Colorado, GOP voters chose Pam Anderson as their nominee for secretary of state over Tina Peters, an indicted county clerk who gained national prominence by promoting conspiracy theories about voting machines. Anderson had pledged to keep politics out of running elections, while Peters was indicted on seven felony counts accusing her of taking part in a 'deceptive scheme' to breach voting system technology. Seven-term centrist Democratic U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon fell to progressive challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner in his May 17 primary LOOK AHEAD Primary season resumes in earnest in August, with a number of high-profile races still to be decided. Rep. Liz Cheney faces a stiff primary challenge in Wyoming on Aug. 16 after voting to impeach Trump and becoming vice chair of the House committee investigating the Capitol insurrection. Trump has endorsed Harriet Hageman in the race. In Arizona, one of five battleground states Biden flipped, the former president endorsed a slate of loyalists who promote his false election claims. In the governor's race, he backed former TV news anchor Kari Lake over developer Karrin Taylor Robson for the GOP nomination to replace Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who resisted Trump's election year pressure and is barred from another term. In Arizona's U.S. Senate race, Trump supports investor Blake Masters for the GOP nomination to face Democratic incumbent Mark Kelly in November. Masters has said 'I think Trump won in 2020' and espoused the baseless 'great replacement' conspiracy theory, a racist ideology that says white people and their influence are being replaced by people of color. And in Arizona's secretary of state race, Trump backed state Rep. Mark Finchem, who was photographed outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and worked to overturn Trump's 2020 loss. In Michigan, one of the country's top battleground states, Republicans have faced setbacks in their bid to defeat Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November. Five GOP candidates failed to qualify for the Aug. 2 primary after submitting fake signatures collected by paid petition circulators. Another candidate, Republican Ryan Kelley, was charged last month with misdemeanors related to the Jan. 6 attack. Establishment Republicans are worried about the Aug. 2 GOP primary for U.S. Senate in Missouri, where former Gov. Eric Greitens is trying to make a political comeback, following his resignation four years ago amid investigations into possible campaign finance issues and into whether he blackmailed a woman against speaking about their extramarital affair. Some Republicans fear Greitens would be a weak general election candidate who could cede a safe seat to Democrats. President Joe Biden slammed the gunman who opened fire on an Independence Day parade in Illinois on Monday, leaving six dead and injuring at least two dozen others, and says there is still more work that needs done on gun reform. 'Jill and I are shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day,' Biden said in a statement following the attack. 'I have spoken to Governor Pritzker and Mayor Rotering, and have offered the full support of the Federal government to their communities,' he said. 'I also surged Federal law enforcement to assist in the urgent search for the shooter, who remains at large at this time'. The shooting happened the month after Congress passed and Biden signed the first major gun reform legislation since the 1990s. 'But there is much more work to do, and I'm not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence,' the president insisted. A rooftop shooter on Monday killed six and injured at least 24 others after opening fire at a July 4th parade in the affluent Chicago suburb of Highland Park on Monday. The shooter - who remains at large - is said to have been perched on the roof of what was an outdoor outfitting store, picking off people in the crowd who at first confused the sound of gunshots with Independence Day fireworks. Vice President Kamala Harris also said Monday that she will still be traveling to Chicago on Tuesday. President Joe Biden said there 'more work' is needed on gun reforms after a gunman opened fire on a July 4 parade in Illinois on Sunday Democrats pushed for more gun control after the shooting in Highland Park, Illinois on Monday killing six and injuring two dozen others The parade in Highland Park was attended by dozens of locals who sat on the sidewalk cheering as bands marched past Biden arrived back at the White House on Monday for the annual Independence Day celebration for veterans on the South Lawn. In tow with the president and first lady were Hunter Biden, his son Beau Biden and his wife Melissa Cohen Biden 'So the President and I have been in close coordination and we are being briefed on what's happening right now in terms of the active shooter situation,' Harris told reporters after arriving at Santa Monica Fire Station #2 on Monday. 'I am going to travel to Chicago tomorrow morning to address the National Association of Educators NEA,' the vice president continued. 'When we look at the issue of gun violence, and when we look at the dangers that it presents to communities, it ranges and it is something that we should take very seriously,' she said. 'The President recently signed bipartisan legislation to address the issue of gun violence but we clearly have much more to do.' Other Democratic lawmakers also expressed outrage in the wake of the most recent mass shooting as it juxtaposed with Independence Day celebrations across the country. 'Today a shooter struck in Highland Park during the Independence Day parade,' the representative for the district where the shooting took place wrote on Twitter. 'My campaign team and I were gathering at the start of the parade when the shooting started. My team and I are safe and secure. We are monitoring the situation closely and in touch with the Mayor.' 'Hearing of loss of life and others injured,' Democratic Congressman Brad Schneider added. 'My condolences to the family and loved ones; my prayers for the injured and for my community; and my commitment to do everything I can to make our children, our towns, our nation safer. Enough is enough!' 'As families come together to celebrate America, they are gunned down in the scourge of gun violence plaguing it,' Senator Ed Markey tweeted on Monday. 'This is a tragedy.' 'The Bipartisan Gun Law was a first step, but Congress must do more to stop this deadly epidemic and save lives,' he added, urging more gun control after an overarching gun regulation bill made it through Congress last month. Hawaii Democratic Senator Brian Schatz tweeted: 'This militia is not well regulated at all.' Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark of Massachusetts wrote following the July 4 shooting that when 'no place in the USA is safe from gun terror' it means that 'no place is truly free.' Hawaii Democratic Senator Brian Schatz tweeted: 'This militia is not well regulated at all' Fellow Democrat Katherine Clark, the assistant House speaker, said that 'no place is truly free' in America because nowhere is safe from 'gun terror' Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, who is the Democratic Whip, described the shooting as 'horrific'. 'To face senseless gun violence while out celebrating Independence Day is nothing short of horrific,' Durbin tweeted in response to the shooting. 'The nation's prayers are with Highland Park today.' 'My office is closely monitoring the situation and will stay in contact with local leaders and law enforcement,' the Illinois lawmaker added. Illinois Democratic Senate Whip Dick Durbin slammed the 'senseless gun violence' on a day when Americans are celebrating Independence Day The shooter is described as being between 18 and 20 years old, of 'slight build' with long black hair. He is wearing a white or a blue t-shirt and used a rifle in the attack that he abandoned before fleeing. Police say he was shooting from a roof along the parade route. The shooting began some 20 minutes after the start of the parade. California Democratic Representative Karen Bass posted to Twitter: 'Living in fear of mass shootings is not independence. Living in fear of mass shootings is not freedom.' 'It's our patriotic duty to do more in Congress to keep Americans safe & get guns off our streets,' she added. 'Wishing you a SAFE July 4th.' Chicago Sun Times reporter Lynn Sweet was at the parade when gunfire rang out. She has since shared photos and videos from the event which show people lying on the ground, and has described it as a 'bloodbath'. Panicked parade goers at the scene on Monday. There were loud sounds from the crowd that some said were gunshots The bloody scene in Highland Park, Illinois, on Monday after a shooter opened fire on a Fourth of July parade shortly after 10am Strollers and chairs were abandoned at the scene after the shots rang out at 10.14am, just ten minutes after the parade began The aftermath of the scene in Highland Park on Monday after a shooter opened fire on the parade. Chairs and strollers were abandoned by attendees Highland Park is around 30 miles north of the city of Chicago and is a quiet, suburban area Witnesses described a 'sickening' scene and is it feared that children are among the dead. 'I saw multiple lifeless bodies, people in a pool of blood. 'It is sickening. If this can happen here in our suburb it can happen anywhere,' he added, a reference to the quiet suburb's low-crime,' witness Miles Zaremski told CNN. 'I have never seen this and I'd hope no American would ever see this. I saw 12 to 24 injuries. 'I saw a couple of lifeless bodies on the ground.' He told The Chicago Sun Times that he heard shots being fired in quick succession. 'So it couldn't have been just a handgun or a shotgun,' he said. President Biden - who has been calling for gun reform since the Uvalde shooting on May 24 which claimed 19 lives - has not yet commented on the shooting. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been briefed. Debbie Glickman, a Highland Park resident, said she was on a parade float with coworkers and the group was prepared to turn onto the main route when she saw people running away from the area. 'People started saying `There's a shooter, there's a shooter, there is a shooter'' Glickman said. 'So we just ran. We just ran. It's like mass chaos down there. I'm so freaked out,' she said. 'We can't believe this happened in our little town.' Matt Phillip, 36, director of tasting room operating at Lynfred Winery, told DailyMail.com: 'We were open early for the parade and upon hearing what sounded like fireworks, we noticed that people started running down the street.' 'We opened our doors so they could either seek shelter within our facility or exit through our back-alley door.' He said thirty people sheltered inside his store. There is still a shelter-in-place order in Highland Park. 'Frozen in time': Strollers, wagons, balloons and toys were immediately abandoned as families ran for their lives on Monday HIGHLAND PARK, IL - JULY 04: First responders work the scene of a shooting at a Fourth of July parade on July 4, 2022 in Highland Park, Illinois. Reports indicate at least six people were killed and more than 20 injured in the mass shooting First responders work the scene of a shooting at a Fourth of July parade on July 4, 2022 in Highland Park, Illinois. Reports indicate at least five people were killed and 19 injured in the mass shooting Among those missing are the parents of one of her friends, she said. Highland Park is renowned for being one of Chicago's most affluent suburbs; Michael Jordan owns a mansion in the area, and it is also where enormous mansion featured in Home Alone is. It is among a cluster of wealthy suburbs along the North Shore next to Lake Michigan. The town's Mayor, Nancy Rotering, spoke briefly at a press conference along with law enforcement on Monday to share her condolences with the families of those killed. None of the victims have been named and it's unclear how old they are. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot tweeted: 'The tragedy unfolding in Highland Park is devastating. 'I have been in contact with Mayor Rotering and have offered our support, and the Chicago Police Department is providing assistance. 'We grieve with the families of the deceased and injured as well as the entire Highland Park community. 'Law enforcement is working hard to bring the shooter into custody. 'If anyone has information, we encourage them to call 911 and report what you know.' Unlike Chicago, which has one of the worst gun violence records in the country, violent crime in Highland Park is almost unheard of. The average price of a home in Highland Park was $714,000 in April 2022 and the city has a population of around 30,000. A Florida man who was arrested for stealing items from Disney resorts - including a R2-D2 statue estimated at roughly $10,000 - claimed he only did so in order to bolster his 'pending application' to serve as a security guard for Disney. David Proudfoot, 44, was arrested while posing as Disney employee at the Swan Reserve, just outside the theme park's Epcot section, on May 31. Once discovered by police, he admitted to stealing the Star Wars statue as well as a game machine. Proudwater told police he wasn't stealing the items, but claimed he was only trying to expose the weaknesses in the resort's security to support his purported job application. A search of his home found at least $730 in additional stolen Disney property, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Proudfoot was booked on charges of burglary, petty theft, third-degree grand theft, and tampering with a coin-operated machine and schemed to defraud. Disney hasn't responded to Daily Mail inquiries about whether Proudfoot had applied for a security position, and if so, whether he was still in consideration. David Proudfoot, 44, was arrested while posing as Disney employee at the Swan Reserve, just outside the theme park's Epcot section, on May 31 Proudfoot admitted to removing an R2-D2 statue worth as much as $10,000 from the Swan Reserver Hotel, but claimed the was only doing so to expose weaknesses in the resort's security Hotel staff called police to report suspicious activity after they witnessed Proudfoot wearing a reflective orange vest and work pants while pushing a cart across Epcot Resorts Boulevard and into the hotel parking lot in the early hours of May 31, according to the police report. Confronted by police, Proudfoot gave authorities a false name and said he was an employee of the resort, then led them to a staff locker room at the nearby Yacht Club Resort where he said his belongings were. After pretending to search for his locker for some time but being unable to open the one he claimed was his, police asked Proudfoot for his identification; he provided them with a Florida's driver's license showing a false name. Cops transported Proudfoot back to the Swan Reserve Hotel, where he admitted to stealing the R2-D2 statue and also an arcade game machine. Proudfoot also owned up to breaking into three arcade machines at Disney's Boardwalk Resort, the Grand Floridian Resort and the Wilderness Lodge, according to police. Search warrant in hand, police found a number of items in Proudwater's Kissimmee home that were reported to have been stolen between May 13 and 14 from the Fort Wilderness Lodge and the Sturdy Ranch Health Club. Those items included a number of light fixtures and a towel cabinet that Proudwater had repurposed to house a stolen arcade machine. Proudfoot is also suspected of an overnight break-in at the Polynesian Resort on May 30. The Disney World Swan Reserve hotel where Proudfoot lifted the R2-D2 statue from, along with an arcade game Hong Kong to distribute 290,000 RAT kits following sewage COVID-19 detection Xinhua) 11:17, July 04, 2022 HONG KONG, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said Sunday that it will distribute around 290,000 sets of COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits as part of a follow-up on the recent detection of the COVID-19 virus in sewage samples. The test kits will be distributed to residents, cleaning workers and property management staff working in the areas with positive sewage testing results showing relatively high viral loads in order to help identify infected persons. The HKSAR government also urged RAT kit users to report any positive results for COVID-19 via the government's online platform. On Sunday, Hong Kong registered 1,681 confirmed locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 and 147 imported cases, official data showed. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun) Newly elected Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde(L) and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari(C) during their oath-taking ceremony, at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai, Thursday, June 30, 2022. (PTI) Mumbai: In an unexpected move that is being seen as a political masterstroke, the BJP announced rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde as the new chief minister of Maharashtra. In a ceremony held at Raj Bhavan on Thursday evening, Mr Shinde and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took oaths as chief minister and deputy chief minister, respectively. Mr Fadnaviss appointment as a deputy CM also came as a surprise, as he himself had earlier claimed that he will not be a part of the cabinet but will offer support from outside. But, later, BJP national president J.P. Nadda informed that Mr Fadnavis will serve as the deputy CM in the Shinde-led ministry. The new government was formed in Maharashtra after Uddhav Thackeray quit as Maharashtra chief minister on Wednesday, shortly after the Supreme Court ruled that he must prove his majority in the floor test. He will be the fourth Shiv Sena CM after Manohar Joshi, Narayan Rane and Mr Thackeray and the first CM from Mumbai's neighbouring Thane city. Mr Fadnavis and Mr Shinde met governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in the afternoon at Raj Bhavan to stake a claim for government formation in Maharashtra. After this, Mr Fadnavis surprised everyone by naming Mr Shinde as the next CM. The announcement came as a jolt as he was expected to return as the chief minister with the support of the Shinde faction. Mr Fadnavis also said the Shiv Sena, by joining hands with the Congress and the NCP in 2019 to overthrow the BJP, had insulted the public mandate. He further claimed rampant corruption during the rule of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government while quoting two NCP leaders accused of corruption. Mr Shinde thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, Nadda and Fadnavis for making him CM. "Despite having the support of 120 MLAs, Fadnavis showed a big heart and gave the CM post to me. If he had wished he could have kept the CM post with himself," he added. Mr Fadnavis said that he accepts the party's orders as a loyal activist. "For me, the directives of the party, which have given me the highest post, are above everything else," he tweeted. Mr Modi congratulated Mr Shinde and Mr Fadnavis on being sworn in as the CM and deputy CM. Meanwhile, the rebel MLAs, who stayed put in Goa, celebrated Mr Shindes anointment as the CM by dancing and singing. In the Kopri-Panchpakhadi constituency in Thane city, which Mr Shinde represents, people burst fire crackers and distributed sweets to celebrate the occasion. Mr Shinde arrived in Mumbai from Goa in the morning. He was provided with a Z-category security cover by the Centre. He claimed that he had the support of 50 MLAs, including 39 MLAs. The Shinde family originally belonged to the Satara district and moved to Thane in the 70s. In his early days, Mr Shinde started with odd jobs. He worked at a beer brewery and a fishing company. Later, he also worked as an autorickshaw driver. Mr Shinde joined the Shiv Sena in the 80s. A British drugs baron dubbed one of the most wanted men in the UK has been seized in Benidorm after a Spanish police raid. Suspect Louis James Edwards, 44, was arrested by Civil Guard officers at a Benidorm hotel on June 21. In a second raid, another suspect - Dutch national Cornelis Korfet, 35 - was seized in nearby L'Alfas del Pi a day later. An official video of shaven-headed Korfet's arrest shows him trying to flee through a cafe while he is breakfasting with friends. Edwards - in a second video - is shown being led barefoot through a Benidorm square by two officers in shorts and a T-shirt. Suspect Louis James Edwards, 44, was arrested by Civil Guard officers at a Benidorm hotel on June 21 Edwards is listed as one of Crimestoppers' most wanted criminals By the time he has arrived at the police station in handcuffs, police have found him some trainers and he is seen being locked into a cell. Edwards is listed as one of Crimestoppers' most wanted criminals. He is believed to have led a criminal network that distributed cocaine all over southern England. Korfet is wanted for attempted murder by Dutch police, who say he carried out a revenge shooting in a gang war, seriously injuring two victims. A Civil Guard statement said: 'Although the first investigations for the location of this person were activated in the province of Malaga, the trail followed by the agents took them to the province of Alicante, where they had important indications of the presence of the fugitive, further reinforced by having knowledge of the imminent transfer of relatives of the fugitive to that province, the latter thanks to the close collaboration of the Civil Guard with the British NCA (National Crime Agency). In a video, Edwards is shown being led barefoot through a Benidorm square by two officers in shorts and a T-shirt He is believed to have led a criminal network that distributed cocaine all over southern England In a second raid, another suspect - Dutch national Cornelis Korfet, 35 - was seized in nearby L'Alfas del Pi a day later 'After close surveillance of this family group, the investigation focused on a hotel in Benidorm (Alicante), where L. J. E. was located and arrested.' It continued: 'The rapid collaboration between the Dutch police and the Civil Guard made it possible to locate this person in the province of Alicante, where it was confirmed that this same person had already been arrested on three occasions with different identities, none of them real, the first two in said province and the third in Barcelona. 'Once an intense surveillance on the criminal environment of the fugitive had been established, it was found that he was already using a fourth false identity, and he was located and arrested in the Alicante municipality of L'Alfas del Pi on 22nd June, having recently arrived from Barcelona.' The Civil Guard did not provide any information about the men's possible extradition to the UK and the Netherlands or how many years they face in jail if convicted. A 78 year-old victim of the Chicago July 4 massacre was shot in the head as he sat in his wheelchair, sending blood splattering onto his horrified family. Nicolas Toledo, 76, had not wanted to attend the parade in Highland Park, Illinois, his granddaughter also told the New York Times hours after the shooting that killed Toledo and five others. But because of his disabilities that restricted him to a wheelchair, and his family's insistence of going, he obliged. 'We were all in shock,' his granddaughter Xochil Toledo said. 'We thought it was part of the parade. Then we realized our grandfather was hit. We saw blood and everything splattered onto us.' Family members say Toledo was shot three times. Two other people in the family were also shot, she said, but their injuries were non life-threatening. Toledo, a Mexican national who held duel citizenships in Mexico and the United States, had moved back to Highland Park a few months ago at the urging of his family members. 'We brought him over here so he could have a better life,' Xochil said. 'His sons wanted to take care of him and be more in his life, and then this tragedy happened.' The shooting began less than 15 minutes after the parade started. Five adults were killed at the parade and a sixth victim died at the hospital. After an hours-long manhunt, police arrested 22-year-old Robert 'Bobby' Crimo III. Nicolas Toledo, 76, had not wanted to attend the July 4th parade in Highland Park, Illinois, on Monday, his granddaughter told the New York Times. But because of his disabilities that restricted him to a wheelchair, and his family's insistence of going, he obliged Toledo was killed Monday when a gunman opened fire on a parade from the roof of an Highland Park, Ill. outdoor outfitting store. The gunman has been arrested Toledo is pictured surrounded by family. Toledo, a Mexican national, who held duel citizenships in Mexico and the United States, had moved back to Highland Park a few months ago at the urging of his family members Dramatic photographs from the scene show the suspected mass-murderer - who posted creepy clips about shooting massacres online - being pinned to the ground face-down by police. Cops say Crimo opened fire from a rooftop, into a crowd who at first confused the sound of gunshots with Independence Day fireworks. A total of 26 victims aged between eight and 85 were injured, with six still receiving hospital treatment. The area has a large Jewish community, although police have yet to share a possible motive for Monday's slaughter. The gunman's attack began less than 15 minutes after the start of the parade. Witnesses have now told how they saw children being picked off in the crowd. 'We all threw ourselves to the ground,' Toledo's daughter, Josefina Toledo, told The Daily Beast. 'My dad, since it's difficult for him to walk he was sitting on his walker and he was hit in his back and in his head.' She said the parade was a family tradition and the whole family attended. But the celebration ended when shots rang out. The boyfriend of one of her nieces was also shot and is in stable condition. A GoFundMe was started by Toledo's granddaughter Xochil Toledo Toledo's granddaughter said their family is heartbroken by the tragedy: 'We are all feeling pretty numb. We're all pretty broken inside' The scene at Highland Park on Monday after the July 4 parade emptied out amid reports of gunshots. Police have not yet confirmed that anyone was shot Little is known about the other victims at this time, but the Lake County coroner has confirmed the five people pronounced dead at the scene were adults. The age of the sixth victim, who died at an area hospital, remains unknown. 'There was one that was transported to a local hospital that also died at the hospital. I don't have any additional information on that victim,' Lake County coroner Jennifer Banek told CNN. The shooter is said to have opened fire from the rooftop of a local business. Police believe he used a ladder in an alley to climb to the roof. 'It looks like access to the roof via a ladder in an alley was unsecured,' Sgt. Chris Covelli, of the Lake County Major Crime Take Force, revealed. The ladder was attached to the building. The parade had only begun 14 minutes before the gunman opened fire from a rooftop along the route. The shooting caused a stampede of people who flocked into stores and cars. The parade was scheduled to last for an hour Horror on Independence Day: A police officer bows his head in grief next to abandoned strollers and chairs after a shooting that killed six people in Highland Park, Ill. Strollers and chairs were abandoned at the scene after the shots rang out at 10:14 a.m., just 10 minutes after the parade began The aftermath of the scene in Highland Park on Monday after a shooter opened fire on the parade. Chairs and strollers were abandoned by attendees Law enforcement officers help evacuate people from an Anthropologie store in Highland Park, Ill., on Monday, July 4, after a shooter fired on the northern suburb's Fourth of July parade Police officers cross under police tape at the scene of a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade Law enforcement officers investigate the scene of a mass shooting at a 4th of July celebration and parade in Highland Park, Ill., July 4. A gunman opened fire as people gathered to watch a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Ill., killing at least six people and injuring dozens Meanwhile, witnesses described seeing children being shot at the parade. 'All of a sudden everyone behind us started running. I looked back, probably 20 feet away from me, I saw a girl shot and killed. I saw her die. I've never seen anything like this,' a woman, who gave her name only as Zoe, told CNN. All of the confirmed deaths so far are those of adults. Many bystanders described multiple rounds being fired in quick succession, alleging they first confused the sound of gunshots with Independence Day fireworks. 'Everyone thought it was fireworks,' Zoe explained. 'My dad thought it was part of the show, and I'm like, 'Dad, no... something is wrong.' And I grabbed him. And I looked back at him, and then it was just a sea of panic, and people just falling and falling.' Jeff Leon, who also attended the parade said it 'sounded like a string of firecrackers going off inside of a big metal trash bin.' He claims he heard maybe 20 or 30 pops before he saw people call to the ground and officers starting to move in. 'After about 10 minutes of this sort of duck and hide, duck and hide, people were sort of calmly walking away from the scene,' he said. 'I saw multiple lifeless bodies, people in a pool of blood,' added one father, who survived with his kids. He said he tossed his son in a dumpster. Children taking part in the parade in Highland Park ran for their lives when they heard shots ring out Panicked paradegoers at the scene on Monday. There were loud sounds from the crowd that some said were gunshots The parade on Monday in Highland Park was attended by dozens of locals who sat on the sidewalk cheering as bands marched past Highland Park, a suburban city with a population of 30,000, is renowned for being one of Chicago's most affluent suburbs. NBA legend Michael Jordan owns a mansion in the area, and it's also where the enormous mansion featured in 'Home Alone' is situated. The city's residents are largely families and there is a significant Jewish population in the area, but there is no suggestion the attack was anti-Semitic. Among those who were participating in the parade was a Hasidic Jewish band. One jarring video showed them slowly making their way down the parade route on a float while those ahead of them - suddenly aware of the danger - ran in the opposite direction. Nineteen-year-old real estate student Rainan Eli saw the shooting unfold from the window of his apartment on Central Avenue and Second Street. 'I was just sitting studying for some class I'm taking and watching the parade. I saw lots of people running and, at first, everybody assumed it was fireworks being the Fourth,' he told DailyMail.com. Eli pulled out his cell phone and recorded heart-wrenching video of people running and seeking shelter as shots being fired could be heard in the background. He said two other residents of his apartment building came downstairs with him and gave the 15 to 20 people in the vestibule drinks. Debbie Glickman, a Highland Park resident, said she was on a parade float with co-workers and the group was prepared to turn onto the main route when she saw people running away from the area First responders work the scene of a shooting at a parade on July 4 in Highland Park, Ill. Reports indicate at least six people were killed and more than 20 injured in the mass shooting Law enforcement search after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade in downtown Highland Park, a Chicago suburb on Monday Law enforcement search as they walk into a building after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade in downtown Highland Park, a Chicago suburb on Monday First responders work the scene of a shooting at a Fourth of July parade on July 4, 2022 in Highland Park, Ill. Reports indicate at least five people were killed and 19 injured in the mass shooting Debbie Glickman, a Highland Park resident, said she was on a parade float with co-workers and the group was prepared to turn onto the main route when she saw people running away from the area. 'People started saying 'There's a shooter, there's a shooter, there is a shooter' ' Glickman said. 'So we just ran. We just ran. It's like mass chaos down there. I'm so freaked out.' 'We can't believe this happened in our little town.' Matt Phillip, 36, director of tasting room operating at Lynfred Winery, told DailyMail.com: 'We were open early for the parade and upon hearing what sounded like fireworks, we noticed that people started running down the street.' 'We opened our doors so they could either seek shelter within our facility or exit through our back-alley door.' Highland Park is around 30 miles north of the city of Chicago and is a quiet, suburban area Unlike Chicago, which has one of the worst gun violence records in the country, violent crime in Highland Park is almost unheard of. The average price of a home in Highland Park was $714,000 in April 2022 and the city has a population of around 30,000. The town's mayor, Nancy Rotering, spoke briefly at a press conference along with law enforcement on Monday to share her condolences with the families of those killed. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot tweeted: 'The tragedy unfolding in Highland Park is devastating. 'I have been in contact with Mayor Rotering and have offered our support, and the Chicago Police Department is providing assistance. 'We grieve with the families of the deceased and injured as well as the entire Highland Park community. 'Law enforcement is working hard to bring the shooter into custody. If anyone has information, we encourage them to call 911 and report what you know.' Law enforcement search in downtown Highland Park, a Chicago suburb, after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade Law enforcement search in downtown Highland Park, a Chicago suburb, after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade A gunman opened fire as people gathered to watch a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Ill., killing at least six people and injuring dozens Law enforcement officers look over a park near the scene of a mass shooting at a Fourth of July celebration and parade in Highland Park, Ill. President Biden - who has been calling for gun reform since the Uvalde shooting on May 24, which claimed 19 lives - issued a statement on Monday afternoon. He said he had given his support to the governor of Illinois and the Highland Park mayor and he celebrated his recent passing of a gun control bill President Biden - who has been calling for gun reform since the Uvalde school shooting on May 24 that claimed 19 lives - issued a statement on Monday afternoon. He said he had given his support to the governor of Illinois and the Highland Park mayor, and he celebrated his recent passing of a gun control bill. 'I recently signed the first major bipartisan gun reform legislation in almost thirty years into law, which includes actions that will save lives,' Biden said. 'But there is so much more work to do, and I'm not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence.' Governor JB Pritzker also addressed the violence, saying: 'There are no words for the kind of monster who lies in wait and fires into a crowd of families with children celebrating a holiday with their community. 'There are no words for the kind of evil that robs our neighbors of their hopes, their dreams, their futures. 'There are no words I can offer to lift the pain of those they live behind. I will stand firm with Illinoisans and Americans: we must - and we will - end this plague of gun violence.' Thousands of Sydneysiders have been ordered to evacuate their homes after the city was battered by a third consecutive night of torrential rain, howling winds and flooding. More wild weather is on the way, with the drenched city forecast to receive another 50mm on Tuesday on top of the 67.2mm in the previous 24 hours as hazardous surf conditions and massive swells lashed the coastline. A severe weather warning of heavy rain and damaging winds of up to 90km/h remains in place for Sydney, the NSW Central Coast and Hunter regions, with Gosford, Cessnock, Maitland, Dungog and Kulnura all in the firing line. Authorities have warned floodwaters will take up to a week to recede even after the rain eases on Tuesday night. It was another night of chaos in Sydney as life-threatening floodwaters cut off more suburbs, inundated supermarkets and left motorists stranded on submerged roads. Extraordinary before and after footage has emerged of a street in semi-rural Horsley Park near Fairfield became submerged within hours, leaving a red-faced motorist stranded after chancing their luck. It took just hours for a semi-rural street in Horsley Park to become submerged on Monday Authorities has reissued warnings to not drive through flooded roads, as an elderly couple wade to safety in Richmond on Tuesday Boat is the only way tov get in and out of flooded suburbs in Sydney's north-west Australian Defence Force members have spent recent days preparing sandbags for Hawkesbury residents on high alert A Water NSW worker keeps a watchful on Warragamba Dam spilling 60-80 gigalitres each day during the latest flood crisis SES crews received 500 requests for assistance in the space of 12 hours, one fifth of them flood rescues. Chipping Norton residents in Sydney's south-west were among the latest ordered to evacuate in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, along with parts of the north-west, including Ebenezer, Lower Portland, Mulgrave, Mulgrave South, Vineyard and McGraths Hill. Shanes Park and Windsor were among the latest areas to be hit with evacuation orders on Tuesday morning. The Hawkesbury River at Windsor reached major flood levels for the third time within months and peaked at 14m on Tuesday morning, above the 13.8m level recorded in March. 'This event is far from over. Please dont be complacent, wherever you are. Please careful when youre driving on our roads. There is still substantial risk for flash flooding across our state,' NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said on Tuesday. Parts of the city's south received up to 200mm on Monday night which sparked evacuation orders in Woronora and Bonnet Bay. It's been a busy 48 hours for SES crews. Pictured are crews rescuing horses from flooded paddocks at Berkshire Park in Sydney's north-west The Central Coast and Newcastle are expected to receive between 50 to 100mm of rain on Tuesday, while Sydney will be hit with 15 to 20mm (pictured, a flooded car in Camden) Parts of Sydney's south received up to 200mm on Monday night. Pictured is Woronora underwater SES crews from Randwick were deployed to Lansvale on Monday night to help evacuate residents from flooded streets Damaging winds of up to 90km/h and three-hourly rainfall totals of up to 65mm were forecast for the Hunter district on Tuesday. 'The damaging winds may lead to debris on roads and provide the risk for trees toppling in softer and very saturated soils,' the Bureau of Meteorology warned. 'Rainfall will further contribute to flooding already being experienced and maintains the potential for landslides' Sydney saw widespread falls of at least 50mm on Monday night while some areas towards the Illawarra region got a whopping 200mm. 'We still do have a severe weather warning for heavy rain fall that covers Sydney's Eastern Suburbs and up the Central Coast and toward the Hunter and that will very much be the focus of rain today,' Bureau of Meteorology's Jonathan How told the Today show on Tuesday. 'We're seeing heavy showers push through eastern parts of Sydney right now with even heavier falls up into the lower Hunter, so there is still 20 to 50mm to come.' The relenting rain is expected to ease in the coming days. 'We are reminding people that these floodwaters will remain very high, well after the rain has stopped,' Mr How warned. 'It will take days, if not a week, to start to see these floodwaters recede. So the danger isn't over, even after the rain has stopped. The NSW SES has been inundated with more than 500 requests for help in the space of 12 hours, including 100 flood rescues. Almost 100 evacuation orders remain current while 60 evacuation warnings covering about 45,000 people are currently in place. 'The majority of them in the Hawkesbury-Nepean river systems but also across into the Georges River and the Woronora River,' SES chief superintendent Ashley Sullivan said on Tuesday . 'The weather is meant to stick around for at least today and tomorrow, so threat will remain with those flood warnings for the rest of this week. We do ask motorists, particularly, to stay off the road wherever possible.' Torrential rain inundated Illawong Coles in Sydney's Sutherland Shire on Monday night Parts of Sydney's south received up to 200 of rain on Monday night. Pictured are Coles Illawong staff mopping up More than 35,000 Sydneysiders have been forced to evacuate in recent days, with a a natural disaster declared in 23 local government areas. The weather bureau warned the heavy deluge battering Greater Sydney, Hunter Valley, Illawarra and the Central Coast is finally forecast to ease on Friday meaning more misery is yet to come. But those in the 23 LGAs affected by the severe storms and flooding since June 27, will now be eligible for disaster relief payments under Monday evening's declaration. The payments are jointly funded by the NSW government and the Commonwealth. A man and a boy are pictured escaping floodwaters in a kayak as the Hawkesbury River overflows in Windsor, northwest of Sydney In welcome news to weary Sydneysiders BOM said rain is forecast to ease by Friday (pictured, rescue crews in Bligh Park) LGAs ELIGIBLE FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE Blacktown Blue Mountains Camden Canterbury Bankstown Campbelltown Central Coast Cessnock Fairfield Georges River Hawkesbury Hornsby Kiama Lithgow Liverpool Northern Beaches Penrith Shellharbour Shoalhaven Sutherland The Hills Wingecarribee Wollondilly Wollongong Advertisement It comes after Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watts earlier on Monday said the flooding would not be declared a national emergency. 'At this stage, the advice is this particular disaster, while severe, does not reach the level of the threshold required to invoke a national emergency declaration,' he said. 'Having said that, it is likely the NSW government will declare this flood as a disaster from a NSW perspective.' Authorities have warned despite conditions easing, the dangers associated with damaging winds, coastal erosion and powerful surf would remain. 'We are not out of the danger yet,' NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York warned as fresh evacuation orders were issued for Liverpool and Milperra. The SES ordered residents in low-lying areas to immediately evacuate as river levels were seen rising rapidly upstream of Liverpool, in the city's southwest. In nearby Cabramatta, 10 people, including two pensioners, were rescued from a home surrounded by floodwaters by members of NSW Fire and Rescue. State Premier Dominic Perrottet said it was important to learn from previous flood events as there was 'no doubt' they were becoming more common. He said he was impressed by the response from the federal government in comparison to other flood events just months earlier. Many areas in NSW have been inundated with a months worth of rain in just a couple of days over the weekend and on Monday. As of 3pm on Monday, the SES had fielded 3,900 requests for assistance and performed 85 flood rescues after authorities warned of another busy day. Residents in some parts of western Sydney have been given the green light to return home with authorities urging locals to avoid travelling through floodwaters. Conditions are set to ease as the east coast low causing the weather hell moves off the coast - however showers will linger for the rest of the week. Flood waters surround an industrial property in Londonderry on the outskirts of Sydney A BOM weather map shows the east coast low pressure system lashing large swathes of NSW POLAIR crews were out giving assistance to ground crews when they took this image A low-pressure system hovering over the Tasman Sea pushing moisture towards the east coast is causing the wet weather (pictured, residents cut off by floods in Windsor) A low-pressure system hovering over the Tasman Sea pushing moisture towards the east coast is causing the wet weather. Dozens were forced to abandon their homes and businesses as the swollen Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers rapidly rise and overflow. BOM issued a minor to major flood warning for the Georges and Woronora Rivers where levels hit 2.5metres by 9pm on Monday night. Anyone in low-lying parts of Woronora and Bonnet Bay on the Woronora River in the Sutherland Shire, were told to get out before 7pm and 8pm. Meanwhile, the swollen Georges River is expected to reach a peak of 4.2m by midnight on Monday, almost double its normal levels. A man is rescued from his car by State Emergency Service workers in Windsor on July 4, 2022 in Sydney, Australia 'Once floodwater reaches 2.4m at the Woronora Bridge, the area will be isolated,' the SES said on social media. 'If you remain in the area after 7pm Monday, you may be trapped without power, water and other essential services and it may be too dangerous to rescue you.' Many areas on the Hawkesbury including Windsor, Sackville and Wisemans Ferry remain mostly underwater after receiving a drenching over the last 24 hours. The SES earlier on Monday issued evacuation orders for Cattai, Sackville North, Londonderry and Richards as the river started to rise. Thirty suburbs are under threat of going underwater while 74 evacuation orders and 62 warnings affecting an estimated 32,000 have been put in place. Camden is among the worst places hit with the town submerged for the fourth time this year while parts of Lansvale, Chipping Norton and Moorebank are underwater. The State Emergency Service has responded to 3,500 calls for help since the weekend, with 400 calls made overnight, and performed about 120 flood rescues, with that number expected to increase. SES spokesman Ashley Sullivan said rivers will continue to rise as already saturated flood plains became incapable of absorbing any more water. 'We are seeing these rivers rise much faster than what's been predicted. Much faster than what we expected,' he told the Nine Network on Monday. 'Things are happening quicker. The risk... has increased significantly.' One man has already died in the severe conditions after his kayak capsized by the Paramatta River in Sydney's Abbotsford on Sunday. Former President Donald Trump continued to rail against January 6 committee witness Cassidy Hutchinson six days after she delivered her testimony. 'Lyin' Cassidy Hutchinson, who the Fake News Media refuses to properly reveal, recently called the January 6 Unselect Committee "B.S." Gee, that wasnt reported by LameStream!' Trump posted to his Truth Social network on Monday. The Daily Caller reported Sunday on text messages Hutchinson purportedly sent asking for legal assistance through the American Conservative Union's First Amendment Fund. 'Hey (redacted)! This is Cassidy Hutchinson. Kind of a random question, but do you still work for the Schlapps at the ACU?' she said, referring to ACU head Matt Schlapp. The person texted back that they still worked for the ACU - which puts on the Conservative Political Action Conference every year. 'Do you happen to know a First Amendment fund POC I could reach out to? I was subpoenaed in early Nov., but the committee waited to serve me until last week (after Bens deposition)' she continued. 'I had to accept service because the U.S. Marshalls came to my apartment last Wednesday, but I havent made contact with the Committee. Im just on a tight timeline and just trying to figure out what my options are to deal with this bs.' Schlapp tweeted last week that Hutchinson had reached out to his organization for help. 'Ms. Hutchinson approached @CPAC for help through our First Amendment Fund which has helped J6 political victims defend themselves,' he tweeted the day she testified. 'I am pleased we did not assist her performance today.' 'Relaying WH hallway gossip as fact does not qualify as first person testimony,' Schlapp added. Former President Donald Trump (left) continued to rail against January 6 committee witness Cassidy Hutchinson (right) six days after she delivered her testimony. 'Lyin' Cassidy Hutchinson, who the Fake News Media refuses to properly reveal, recently called the January 6 Unselect Committee "B.S." Gee, that wasnt reported by LameStream!' Trump posted to his Truth Social network on Monday For days, the former president has ripped into his former aide - using the Truth Social platform as he remains banned from Twitter. 'The lies and fabricated stories being told to the partisan Highly Unselect Committee, not only by the phony social climber who got caught yesterday, but by many others, are a disgrace to our, in serious decline, Nation,' the ex-president wrote. Trump bemoaned that there was 'No cross examination, no real Republicans, no lawyers, NO NOTHING.' 'Fake stories and an all Fake Narrative being produced, with ZERO pushback allowed,' he continued. 'Unselects should be forced to disband.' He ended the post with a phrase he had previously used about the Russia investigation: 'WITCH HUNT!' On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump was back on Truth Social railing against Cassidy Hutchinson calling her a 'phony social climber' and claiming that she lied. HE also said the January 6 committee should be 'forced to disband' The former president pushed that Cassidy Hutchinson was only playing ball with the Democrat-led committee because he didn't keep her on his payroll after he left office in January 2021 and relocated to Mar-a-Lago He also said her anecdote about him trying to grab the Beast's steering wheel after he was told he couldn't go to the Capitol on January 6 'Fake' and 'fraudulent' and denied testimony about how he would throw food and dishes when angry Trump has been trying to hurt the reputation of Hutchinson since Tuesday's surprise hearing of the House select committee on January 6. 'I hardly know who this person, Cassidy Hutchinson, is, other than I heard very negative things about her (a total phony and "leaker"), and when she requested to go with certain others of the team to Florida after my having served a full term in office, I personally turned her request down,' Trump wrote as the 25-year-old testimony was ongoing. Hutchinson worked in Trump's White House on the legislative affairs team and under Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. She provided embarrassing anecdotes about Trump's behavior during her testimony - including that he tried to grab the wheel of the presidential limo, the 'Beast,' after he was told he couldn't go to the Capitol Building on January 6 and threw food at the wall after Attorney General Bill Barr said there was no widespread fraud in the 2020 election. 'Why did she want to go with us if she felt we were so terrible?' Trump said Tuesday. He suggested that Hutchinson only played ball with the Democrat-led committee because he didn't give her a job at Mar-a-Lago after he departed the White House in January 2021. 'I understand that she was very upset and angry that I didn't want her to go, or be a member of the team,' Trump said. 'She is bad news!' In another post on Truth social, Trump also accused Hutchinson of changing her story. 'She changed lawyers a couple of days ago, and with it, her story totally changed! SHOCKER???' the ex-president alleged. The former president fumed over the testimony Hutchinson delivered about him throwing temper tantrums. 'I NEVER SAID, "MIKE PENCE DESERVES IT (to be hung). Another made up statement by a third rate social climber!' he posted. Trump had made a similar remark about Pence to ABC News' Jonathan Karl that corroborated Hutchinson's testimony Cassidy Hutchinson, who was an aide to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows during the administration of former President Donald Trump, returns after a short recess during Tuesday's surprise January 6 hearing HAPPIER TIMES: January 6 witness Cassidy Hutchinson (right) dances to YMCA alongside White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnanry (left) during a campaign stop in Ohio in September 2020 'Her Fake story that I tried to grab the steering wheel of the White House Limousine in order to steer it to the Capitol Building is "sick" and fraudulent, very much like the Unselect Committee itself - Wouldnt even have been possible to do such a ridiculous thing,' Trump wrote. Later Tuesday, the January 6 committee tweeted out footage of Trump departing the Ellipse rally in a black SUV that purportedly shows his hands moving toward the driver. 'Her story of me throwing food is also falseand why would SHE have to clean it up, I hardly knew who she was?' the former president added. After Hutchinson's testimony concluded, Trump continued to go after her on Truth social. 'Her body language is that of a total bull. artist. Fantasy Land!' he wrote. After Cassidy Hutchinson's testimony concluded, former President Donald Trump continued to go after her on Truth Social The 25-year-old has firsthand information about the former president and his top aides' movements on the day of and leading up to the Capitol riot 'I NEVER SAID, "MIKE PENCE DESERVES IT (to be hung). Another made up statement by a third rate social climber!' he posted. Trump had made a similar remark about Pence to ABC News' Jonathan Karl that corroborated Hutchinson's testimony. 'A Total Phony!!!' the former president added. 'There is no cross examination of this so-called witness. This is a Kangaroo Court!!' Trump fumed. Trump has a history of turning on former aides and ex-political allies, a roster that now includes former Vice President Mike Pence and current Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. During the hearing, Hutchinson recalled an impromptu meeting on January 6 after Trump returned to the White House after speaking at the Ellipse she had with former Deputy Chief of Staff Tony Ornato and Bobby Engel, the head of Trump's security detail. 'Did you hear what effing happened in the Beast?' she said Engel asked her. She replied that she hadn't heard. 'Tony proceeded to tell me that when the president got in the Beast he was under the impression from Mr. Meadows that the off-the-record movement to the Capitol was still possible and likely to happen, but that Bobby had more information,' Hutchinson said. Trump, Hutchinson said, thought they were going up to the Capitol - like he had told his crowd of supporters he would do. This was in the hours before the attack. 'When Bobby had relayed to him we're not, we don't have the assets to do it, it's not secure, we're going back to the West Wing, the president had a very strong, very angry response,' Hutchinson continued. She was told that Trump said something like: 'I'm the effing president, take me up to the Capitol now!' Engel, she said, reiterated that they were headed back to the White House. 'The president reached up toward the front of the vehicle to grab at the steering wheel, Mr. Engel grabbed his arm and said, "Sir, you need to take your hand off the steering wheel, we're going back to the West Wing, we're not going to the Capitol,"' she said. 'Mr. Trump then used his free hand to lunge toward Bobby Engel and when Mr. Ornato had recounted this story to me he motioned toward his clavicles,' Hutchinson said, as a sign the president went for Engel's throat. GOP Rep. Liz Cheney then asked Hutchinson if Engel or Ornato ever changed their stories. 'Neither Mr. Ornato or Mr. Engel told me ever that it was untrue,' Hutchinson testified. After Hutchinson's testimony wrapped, multiple news outlets reported that Secret Service officials planned to dispute her claims about what happened in the presidential SUV. From there, Hutchinson talked about Trump throwing dishes when being served with bad news. She said she remembered 'hearing noise' on the heels of the Associated Press article being released in which Barr confirmed that Trump's widespread election fraud claims weren't real. Chief of Staff Mark Meadows was summoned to Trump's office. When Meadows returned Hutchinson said she walked down toward the White House dining room. 'And I noticed that the door was propped open and the valet was inside the dining room changing the tablecloth off of the dining room table,' she said. 'He motioned for me to come in and then pointed toward the front of the room near the fireplace mantel and the TV.' 'Where I first noticed there was ketchup dripping down the wall,' she continued. 'And there's a shattered porcelain plate on the floor.' 'The valet had articulated that the president was extremely angry at the attorney general's AP interview and had thrown his lunch against the wall,' she said, explaining that she then helped with the clean-up. Cheney then asked Hutchinson if this was typical Trump behavior. 'There were several times throughout my tenure with the chief of staff that I was aware of him either throwing dishes or flicking the table cloth to let all of the contents of the table go onto the floor and likely break or go everywhere,' Hutchinson volunteered. Sergeant Major Kirtland Gill arriving at court The most senior enlisted soldier in the Queen's elite bodyguard regiment sold rounds of ammunition just moments after boasting of his promotion, a court heard yesterday. Regimental Sergeant Major Kirtland Gill, 41, the first black man to hold that post in the Coldstream Guards, allegedly plotted to sell hundreds of bullets with Lance Sergeant Rajon Graham. But the pair were caught in a police sting after the buyer claiming to be a drug dealer turned out to be an undercover police officer, it was said. Southwark Crown Court heard that the two soldiers had access to bullets issued for firing practice. The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regiment in the Army. Recognised by their red jackets and black bearskin hats, the unit has a ceremonial role as protectors of royal palaces, including Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. Gill, who had a 'particular responsibility for the protection of the Queen', is accused of supplying the ammunition which 33-year-old Graham sold to the undercover officer for 5,800, handing over bundles of bullets at meetings at a Tesco car park in Windsor. Duncan Atkinson QC, prosecuting, said: 'The Coldstream Guards ... have a need for large quantities of ammunition both for combat and for training for combat.' He added: 'This defendant was part of a plan, with others, to sell ammunition to which they had access through their roles in the Army. Throughout... the defendant was in very regular contact by telephone and especially via Whats- App with Rajon Graham. The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regiment in the Army and can be recognised by their red jackets and black bearskin hats. Sergeant Major Kirtland Gill is pictured in his uniform 'Graham, in turn, was in regular contact with a man he believed to be involved in criminal activity, including activity relating to drugs, who he believed wanted to buy ammunition and indeed firearms... That man was and is an undercover police officer.' Gill, who had just been chosen to be its first black Regimental Sergeant Major, was responsible for managing the ammunition used in firing practice. On December 17, 2020 Gill gave an interview to a national newspaper about the promotion before meeting Graham and an undercover officer known as D to hand over the ammunition in Bacofoil bags, the jury heard. WhatsApp messages, mobile phone location data and police surveillance links Gill to the plot, the jury was told. The defendant, who joined the Army in 2001, denies conspiracy to sell or transfer ammunition. Graham has already admitted selling 300 rounds of live 9mm ammunition worth 5,800 to a man he believed to be 'involved in criminal activity and drug dealing', Mr Atkinson said. Jurors heard the bullets, which Graham, dubbed 'sweets' were sold in four transactions. After the last batch of 100 rounds was handed over for 1,900, Graham and Gill were arrested. Gill, of Windsor, also denies possession of a prohibited weapon. The trial continues. Fears of a summer meltdown at Britains airports surged yesterday as passengers queued in car parks and outside terminal buildings. A holiday stampede is expected in a little over a fortnight when most schools in England and Wales break up. Labour yesterday demanded Transport Secretary Grant Shapps get a grip fast. It came as easyJets chief operating officer resigned following fury at the budget airlines cancellation of thousands of flights. And unions said they would push back against plans to relax overnight flight rules, leading to staff working antisocial hours. Security queues at Heathrow Terminal 2 were seen stretching out the doors yesterday morning One passenger at Manchester Airport yesterday (pictured) showed queues into a car park One passenger waiting at Manchester Airport yesterday tweeted a photo of a queue to enter Terminal 3 that stretched into the multi-storey car park. A second complained of carnage while a third added: Today is the worst ever. Actually standing in the car park to wait for security. Utter shambles. Travellers also posted images of long lines at Heathrow, with one saying the queue for security starts outside the terminal. He added: Avoid at all costs. Total mess. Problems at Heathrow are set to worsen when the school holidays begin and check-in and ground staff are expected to strike. But insiders denied security waits yesterday were excessive. Life was no better at Stansted yesterday, where passengers arrived extra early for their flights A passenger at Manchester claimed the queue yesterday stretched into a multi-storey car park At London City Airport which has largely escaped the worst of the disruption one passenger said it had taken three hours to get through security at 6am. Unions say no to more night flights as they oppose Government's bid to solve airports crisis Union bosses have vowed to oppose using night flights to ease travel chaos, it was reported last night. In yet another blow for holidaymakers, unions said they would push back against plans to relax overnight flight rules that would see staff working 'anti-social hours'. Airlines are limited to the number of flights that can run between 11.30pm and 6am at major airports, which often leads to flights being cancelled if they are delayed. Amid mounting pressure to solve the travel chaos, the Department for Transport said it will consider suspending the rules to ease disruption. But last night unions vowed to oppose the plans over fears staff could be made to work long hours during the night. A GMB union source told the Daily Telegraph: 'It's not fair to force our members to work nights to pick up the slack for their mistakes.' It comes as holidaymakers are now facing a summer of travel chaos in Europe as countries across the continent grapple with staff shortages and strikes. Huw Merriman, chairman of the transport select committee warned that the plan could 'annoy the heck out of residents' but said he was open to finding out more about lifting the night ban. He added: 'I don't see what good that would do and can see what damage that would do. I don't know if crew will want to fly at two in the morning.' Advertisement He added: Totally out of control, what a mess. Labour MP Ben Bradshaw, who sits on the Commons transport committee, said: If airports are already in meltdown now things will only get worse once the schools break for summer holidays. Its going to be complete chaos if they do not get a grip and get a grip fast. The boss of Heathrow has warned of up to 18 months of disruption as airlines struggle to recruit and train staff. The Department for Transport (DfT) is considering temporarily suspending rules on night flights. Airlines are currently restricted in how many flights they can run between 11.30pm and 6am at major airports, which often leads to cancellations in case of delays. But a GMB union source told the Daily Telegraph: Its not fair to force our members to work nights to pick up the slack for their mistakes. Responding to passenger complaints, London City Airport insisted the average journey time through the airport yesterday was 45 minutes. A spokesman blamed staff sickness and handling passengers rebooked from other airports. Manchester Airport apologised for any inconvenience caused but insisted the vast majority of people passed through security in less than 30 minutes yesterday. Heathrow insisted the airport was busy but flowing yesterday, saying that while queues may have looked daunting, this was due to the layout of buildings. A spokesman said the vast majority of passengers got through security in less than 30 minutes. Meanwhile, easyJets chief operating officer Peter Bellew resigned yesterday amid growing pressure on the airline to reduce flight disruption. It has axed thousands of flights in recent months including many just hours before they were due to depart. Airlines have until Friday to take advantage of a government amnesty allowing them to change airport schedules without facing a potential penalty. Mr Shapps is trying to avoid a summer repeat of the mayhem over the Easter and Platinum Jubilee holidays. The Government has ordered vetting centres carrying out checks on new recruits to prioritise airport staff. The DfT said counter-terrorist and accreditation checks were now being completed in record time. A passenger at Heathrow Airport posted this picture of huge crowds at 4am yesterday Queues in the car park at Manchester Airport yesterday as passengers tried to head on holiday A Heathrow spokesman said: This is a busy period as people make the most of the ability to travel for the first summer in three years. We are doing everything we can to give everyone a good journey and for the vast majority of passengers this is the experience they are having. A DfT spokesman said it was working closely with the aviation sector to help holidaymakers enjoy the summer getaways they deserve. He added: Its now on airlines to commit to running the flights theyve promised and for airports and ground handlers to ensure they have the staff needed to enable these flights. Charles is in his early 30s, with a well-paid job in a large British city. He is affluent and internet-savvy but he is also, like many men and women, naive and susceptible to flattery. And this has cost him dear. This week, I was a victim of cybercrime specifically what I think is known as sextortion, he said. A young and attractive woman, probably in her early 30s, sent me a message on Instagram telling me she lived nearby. 'She invited me to sign into Telegram [an encrypted online chat platform, similar to WhatsApp] and chat. I was bored so I thought, why not. It proved to be a terrible mistake. Their conversation soon turned sexual. Within a couple of hours, I had sent her an explicit video. She became even more friendly, telling me I was hot and asking for a picture of my face. And, like an idiot, I obliged. 'The men and women who have suffered sextortion say it can be even more devastating than blackmail. Part of the terror they feel comes from the fact they will never know the names of the perpetrators' As soon as I did that, I got another message back almost immediately, but this time it was from a man. He wanted 1,000 or he would send the video and pictures of my face to all my followers on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. That would include my friends, my sisters and my nephews and nieces and a lot of people from work. I was terrified. I have deleted all my accounts. But the demands for money are becoming bigger and more insistent, the threats scarier. Now Carl is living a nightmare. He has told me he will give me a bit more time to get the money together, but I have no idea how long this is going to last. I have talked to the police but since I dont know who this person is, they say they just dont have the resources to track him down. Its a horrible crime and I still dont know why I was so stupid as to fall for it. Carl is a victim of sextortion an insidious and growing crime, and one that is almost impossible to control. As in his case, it typically starts with a brief online exchange between two strangers, usually through a social media site such as Snapchat or Instagram. The victim is soon pressured to send intimate photographs or videos of themselves to the person talking to them often an attractive person of the opposite sex. Once the material has been sent, the sender is then blackmailed, often for sums running into the tens of thousands of pounds. It can end in tragedy. In 2013, 17-year-old Danny Perry from Dunfermline threw himself to his death from the Forth Road Bridge. He had been duped into an explicit Skype chat with what he thought was a young woman: two Filipino men were later arrested in Manila for blackmailing him, but they have not been prosecuted As the Mails recent investigations into the scale of fraud taking place in Britain have powerfully shown, these are crimes that haunt their victims for life. The men and women who have suffered sextortion say it can be even more devastating than blackmail. Part of the terror they feel comes from the fact they will never know the names of the perpetrators, who are simply lurking in cyberspace, untraceable. A new report published by the online safety charity SWGfL, which runs a helpline for victims of revenge porn and receives financial help from the Government, says cases of sextortion now make up a quarter of the incidents of online harassment reported to the charity. During the pandemic, between 2020 and 2021, the number of sextortion cases reported rose by more than 40 per cent and 90 per cent of the victims were men. Experts believe this is because people spent more time at home, often in isolation, and were sitting ducks for the criminals. No doubt many people will take the view that if you are stupid enough to post compromising pictures of yourself online, you should be willing to face the consequences. But many victims are young, naive and in some cases lonely and socially awkward. Often they are just looking for a girlfriend and are all too easily manipulated. Another British victim has told his story on a U.S. website set up to help victims of sextortion. His account chimes with Carls. I was chatting with what I thought was a girl via Snapchat, and she started following me on Instagram. After he had sent her sexual images, he said: The messages took a turn. She created an Instagram group with a load of my friends and threatened to release pictures of me. She asked for 500, which I did initially pay ... They then released the photos via the Instagram group anyway. Many of the victims of sextortion are similarly culpable. But the problem is becoming so severe it is almost impossible for the blackmailers to be brought to book. And men arent the only victims the women who persuade them to share their pictures are often victims themselves. Coral Dando is a former Metropolitan Police detective who is now a professor of forensic psychology at the University of Westminster. She told the Mail: Many of these women have been trafficked into this kind of work. Its very difficult to identify the gangs involved, but we know organised crime is behind a lot of this type of extortion. Ronan Hughes, from Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, also took his own life in 2015 after he was targeted on Facebook by a gang based in Romania. They threatened to release pictures to his family unless he sent them 3,400 in Bitcoins The gangsters are invisible but the women are not and could be key to getting people caught. They are victims of what is effectively modern slavery and although some members of the public might believe male sextortion victims bring it on themselves, these women are innocent. The Revenge Porn helpline says it received 1,124 reports of sextortion in 2021 compared with 593 the year before. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Many people are simply too embarrassed to report sextortion because they think it reflects badly on them, says Zara Ward, who deals with sextortion victims every day. They just pay up. And the platforms could do much more to warn people. Her charitys latest report says that 65 per cent of those who report their experiences to the police are unhappy with the response. But forces are stretched, and many units prioritise investigations into child pornography and grooming by paedophile gangs. A spokesman for the National Crime Agency (NCA), which oversees the national response to online crime, told the Mail: Sextortion is a crime that can cause substantial harm, both emotionally and financially. It is vital that victims report instances of it to their local police, who will deal with any allegations in a sensitive and confidential way. Frustrated by the apparent inability of the police to crack down on the sextortionists, some victims are making law firms their first port of call. David Sleight is a criminal litigation partner at top law firm Kingsley Napley in central London. An expert in cybercrime, he has noticed a massive increase in the number of sextortion victims approaching his firm for advice, often in desperate straits. They are embarrassed and often humiliated, he says. They are frequently in a state of some anxiety, since they dont know how their lives, marriages and careers will be affected at the hands of the blackmailers. Blackmail is an awful crime because victims feel helpless and cant control it. Unless, of course, you are willing to go to court. And not everyone is, for obvious reasons. Mr Sleight adds that victims of sextortion often pay up long before the police get involved. In a blackmail or sextortion trial, there is no automatic right to anonymity for victims, unlike victims of rape. The grisly detail will be heard by everyone in court and potentially reported by the Press. Thats one reason so few sextortion cases end up in court. The people who come to us are sometimes being asked for 5,000 or 10,000 by the blackmailers. Generally, they can afford to pay, but our advice is often to ignore the threats and do nothing. Sometimes the online extortionists are operating on such an industrial scale that they are putting out demands for money by the thousand . . . they are hoping that just a handful of victims will bite, and what they get from them will make it worth their while. Professor Roberta OMalley of the University of Southern Florida is one of the worlds leading experts on this sordid crime. It may start with a demand for 100, but it soon creeps up, she says. Weve also noticed among younger victims that there is an element of bidding down. If a teenager doesnt have 1,000, the perpetrator might ask for 500 and they pay up. Then it starts again. Prof OMalley is under no illusions about what motivates some of the victims. Theyre engaging in risky behaviour; theyre meeting other risky people, she says. And these men are pleased they are finally getting reached out to by women on dating apps. The criminals know that and thats why these communications can get so explicit so quickly. The victims dont know theyre being blackmailed till its too late. Prof OMalley believes social media platforms should do much more to warn users about the risk. A lot of the platforms, such as Tinder, Grindr, Instagram and Snapchat are just ignoring it. The dating apps are probably the worst they are already letting ads from sex workers appear without any sanction. No wonder they dont seem interested in combating the blackmailers. Social media platforms know sextortion is going on, but unless someone complains to them about being a victim, they wont do anything. Some cases of extortion have had tragic consequences. In 2013, 17-year-old Danny Perry from Dunfermline threw himself to his death from the Forth Road Bridge. He had been duped into an explicit Skype chat with what he thought was a young woman: two Filipino men were later arrested in Manila for blackmailing him, but they have not been prosecuted. His mother, Nicola Perry, recalled at the time: It was a female he was talking to. I believe they were talking for a few months and he believed he was talking to this American girl from Illinois. Another victim, John, fell prey to a similar crime. He told the BBC what happened to him. I went on Facebook and she said: Add me on Skype. So I did and she then said: Lets do webcam and Ill get naked for you. Like so many others he allowed himself to be cajoled into appearing on video. She said shed tell my family and friends, tell my daughter, tell my wife and ruin your life, ruin your family. I was very frightened just the thought of them seeing that was really terrifying. I feel like telling everyone about it ... it happens to a lot of people ... Just the thought of your close family and friends seeing that video, it terrifies you. Ronan Hughes, from Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, also took his own life in 2015 after he was targeted on Facebook by a gang based in Romania. They threatened to release pictures to his family unless he sent them 3,400 in Bitcoins. He told them, just before his death: Im only 17, please, Im begging you dont. The perpetrator replied: Thats not my problem. Foolishness has a price. And youll pay. Do you want to tell your mother or will I? You have 48 hours from now. Time is running out! Ronan was found dead in a field near his home. The extortionists were eventually caught in Romania and jailed for four years. The Mail approached Meta, which also owns Instagram. Meta did not wish to comment on this case, but a spokesperson said that the company supports the use of StopNCII.org, a tool that helps end the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. Weve invested heavily in strengthening our technology to keep fake accounts off Facebook and Instagram, they added. Although the authorities insist they are doing their best to combat sextortion, these gangs are operating outside Britain, mainly in the Philippines but also in Romania, Morocco and the Ivory Coast. Any investigation abroad requires massive resources. And the problem is that the public often blames the victims themselves for falling to the perpetrators. This can risk looking like a case of clear double standards. When an unwitting person, perhaps an older or more vulnerable individual, falls victim to financial scammers and loses their money, we feel sympathy for them. But when a similarly unwitting person shares intimate pictures with someone whom they believe to be a willing partner, and is then blackmailed for them, often society takes the view that its their own stupid fault. And whether we like it or not, millions of people and probably a majority of younger people do send intimate pictures of themselves to their partners. Dr Calli Tzani, an investigative psychologist at Huddersfield University, told the Mail: Of course, its common sense not to send intimate pictures to anyone. But sextortion has become such a problem that unless we do something about it, we may find more lives ruined, more suicides, more families devastated. Is it right that so many innocent people should suffer from a single, simple mistake? A man with multiple face tattoos, including one that reads 'by any means' on his left cheek, is being hunted by police. Jason Barriston, 31, is wanted over an outstanding warrant relating to a revocation of parole offence and is currently on the run. Barriston has been known to frequent the Ku-ring-gai, Riverstone, Campbeltown and Blacktown areas in Sydney's north and western suburbs. Sydneysiders have been urged to be on the lookout for the 31-year-old who isn't hard to spot due to his ink. Jason Barriston, who has multiple face tattoos including one that reads 'by any means' on his left cheek is being hunted by police He has a diamond on his left cheek, a cross on his right cheek and the words 'blessed' written on the left side of his neck He has a diamond on his left cheek, a cross on his right cheek and the words 'blessed' written on the left side of his neck. He also has angel wings inked underneath the 'by any means' tattoo. Barriston is described as being of Caucasian appearance and about 170cm tall. The 31-year-old is wanted over an outstanding warrant relating to a revocation of parole offence and is currently on the run He has a thin build, with a fair complexion and brown hair. Anyone with information in relation to his whereabouts is urged to contact 000 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Labour was plunged into civil war over Brexit last night as senior figures rejected Keir Starmers vow that the party would not attempt to rejoin the EU. In a much-hyped speech, Sir Keir claimed Labour had finally accepted the result of the 2016 referendum and would instead seek to make Brexit work. Speaking at the Irish Embassy in London, he said he couldnt disagree more with those seeking to reverse Brexit, adding: We cannot afford to look back over our shoulder. He pledged that Labour would not rejoin the EU or institutions like the single market or customs union. In a much-hyped speech, Sir Keir claimed Labour had finally accepted the result of the 2016 referendum and would instead seek to make Brexit work But he did suggest that he would water down Brexit by agreeing to align with EU rules in key sectors like agriculture. And senior figures made clear that a future Labour government would face immediate pressure from within to cosy up to Brussels. London Mayor Sadiq Khan claimed the UK would be more prosperous... being members of the single market. Mr Khan acknowledged that his comments were at odds with Sir Keirs but said: I believe that our city and our countrys future is best served being members of the single market. He added: We cant go back into the European Union, the British public have spoken, what we can do though is to make sure we have the least worst option. For me that is being members of the single market. Stella Creasy, chairman of the Labour Movement for Europe, said Sir Keirs speech opens the door to a different future with Europe but said he must also keep open the option of restoring much closer ties with Brussels. We are only just beginning to understand the damage Brexit is doing so we urge Keir to make sure nothing is off the table, she said. Labour must show it understands our national interest lies in working with, not shouting at, our European counterparts. Asked directly whether Labour should keep open the idea of rejoining the single market and customs union and restarting free movement, she said: Yes, its right to look at what can be done now but shortsighted to ignore options for the future too. Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the TSSA transport union, which is affiliated to Labour, described Brexit as toxic and suggested it should be reversed.Mr Cortes said it was disappointing that our Labour Party is not being bolder on what should be done to reverse the damage the Tories Brexit deal is inflicting on all of us. In a hung Parliament, Sir Keir could also come under pressure to back single market membership as the price of a coalition with the Liberal Democrats. The Labour leader spent years working with Remainers to block the referendum result. Just days before Britain finally left the EU in January 2020 he said: The argument for a customs union and single market alignment is as powerful now as it was before the election. But Labour strategists fear the partys pro-Brussels stance will wreck its hopes of regaining seats in the Midlands and North. London Mayor Sadiq Khan claimed the UK would be more prosperous... being members of the single market Sir Keir last night said he now believed there was no case for rejoining. I want to make Brexit work, he said. We want to go forwards, not backwards. This is not about rejoining. It is not about going back into the single market or customs union. We have left the EU, there is no case for returning. Former Brexit minister David Jones said Sir Keirs claim of a Damascene conversion was not credible. He added: It is quite clear that if a Starmer-led Labour Party got into government we would end up with some sort of alignment with Brussels which would be even worse than being in the EU. We would be a rule taker, with no influence over the rules we would have to follow. All the benefits in terms of new trade deals and the opportunity to do things differently would be jettisoned. Lord Frost, who negotiated the Brexit deal, said that while lower trade barriers were desirable, Sir Keir had failed to spell out what he is going to give up to achieve them. He added: Why would the EU make concessions to a party that instinctively adopts EU positions anyway, as it has on the Northern Ireland Protocol? Sir Keir set out a five-point plan to make Brexit work, including measures to sort out the Northern Ireland Protocol and tear down unnecessary trade barriers. The Labour leader said he would seek alignment on areas like agricultural goods in order to cut red tape at the border. But the stance risks undermining the UKs ability to innovate by embracing new technology like gene-editing, which is currently banned by the EU. Labour said Sir Keir would also seek wider alignment with Brussels across specified sectors which could include manufactured goods. Sir Keir gave little detail on how Labour would fix the problems in Northern Ireland, but said he would enjoy greater trust from Brussels than the PM. A Whitehall source claimed Sir Keir would roll over to Brussels, adding: The fact hes giving the speech at the Irish Embassy shows where his loyalties lie. Labours plan would also see Britains industries supported by mutual recognition of professional qualifications and restored access to funding and research programmes, new security arrangements to defend the nations borders, and the delivery of good, clean jobs of the future to our shores. Hospitals are set to bring back the wearing of face coverings and reinstate social distancing measures in a bid to curb a recent surge in Covid cases. Trusts from Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, Nottinghamshire, Devon and Wales have all reinstated guidance that urges people to mask-up because of a spike in infections. Figures from NHS England show there were around 10,658 patients hospitalised with the virus on Monday. Infections have doubled in a fortnight across England with around 1,000 patients now being admitted with the virus each day. There are fears that a new sweep of the latest Covid variant could decimate NHS staff levels once more, causing knock-on effects for ambulance wait times and the availability of specialists and operations. Data from the Office for National Statistics showed 2.3million people had coronavirus in the week ending June 24, a 32 per cent rise from the previous week. Experts believe the latest flare-up in cases are likely linked to the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron, which could push the total number of patients above April's peak of 16,600. Those variations are thought to be more infectious but just as mild as the original Omicron strain. The Government has said it is monitoring the situation 'very quickly' but does not yet plan to reintroduce restrictions. Hospitals are set to bring back the wearing of face coverings and reinstate social distancing measures in a bid to curb a recent surge in Covid cases. Pictured: A nurse in King's College Hospital wears a mask in the critical care unit of the hospital in December 2021 There are fears that a new sweep of the latest Covid variant could decimate NHS staff levels once more, causing knock-on effects for ambulance wait times and the availability of specialists and operations Infections have doubled in a fortnight across England with around 1,000 patients now being admitted with the virus each day Covid infections have shot up in England to just over 1.8million according to the latest Office of National Statistics data Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust claimed its update was to 'reduce further spread of Covid and keep patients and staff safe'. Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust, in Nottinghamshire, said it was 'vital we take decisive action to protect our most vulnerable patients'. Similar reinstatement messages were put out by Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust and North West Anglia NHS Trust. The guidance is no longer legally enforceable. When the national NHS masking rules were dropped on June 10, local health bodies were given the power to draft their own policies, with several trusts still demanding patients and visitors wore face coverings. But cases have risen sharply over the past month, with statisticians estimating one in 30 people were carrying the virus in England last week. NHS England wrote to all local health bodies on July 10 to set out new rules on mask wearing issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Covid guidance was continuing to impact on 'capacity and flow', bosses said at the time. Patients admitted with Covid or suspected to have Covid should be provided with a face mask. Staff should still wear masks when dealing with Covid patients. Dr Lara Alloway, chief medical officer at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: 'We have taken the hard decision to require that surgical masks be worn by all persons staff, visitors and patients on our sites. 'This applies to all non-clinical areas, inclusive of corridors, waiting/ staff rooms and offices, as well as clinical areas such as wards. In addition, we strongly encourage social distancing of at least 1 metre in our hospitals whenever possible. 'These measures have been brought in due to a significant increase in the number of Covid-19 positive patients in our hospitals, very high rates in the community and increasing levels of staff sickness. At present, we are making no changes to our visiting policies'. Face masks have been brought back in NHS hospitals because of a resurgence in Covid cases just weeks after the rules were ditched. Pictured: Kings Mill Hospital in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, which is run by Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust, which has switched its messaging Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust also reinstated the old guidance. Pictured: Addenbrooke's Hospital, run by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, which looks after 15 hospitals in the region, issued new guidance on Monday. Pictured: Dawlish Hospital in Devon Dame Sarah Gilbert, whose pioneering work helped develop the AstraZeneca vaccine added: 'What we're seeing with the increase in infection rates is not completely unsurprising. 'We know that pandemics do rumble on - it's a bit of a rollercoaster before they eventually come to and end.' Prime Minister Boris Johnson previously refused to rule out a future lockdown in April, saying it would be 'irresponsible' to discard something 'that could save lives' if a deadlier variant emerges. It comes days after health officials gave their first public backing for an Omicron-specific booster jab this Autumn that is set to 'increase and extend' protection. GPs in Britain have been told that the NHS is preparing to start its booster campaign on September 1, with officials expressing a 'definite interest' in Moderna's new vaccine. The booster vaccine is being rolled out in the autumn to people over the age of 65. Pictured is 95-year-old Devraj Jhalam receiving a booster jab at a clinic in Slough, Berkshire The ONS figures show one in 30 people in England about 3.35 per cent had Covid last week, with a similar percentage of Wales (3.49 per cent) also estimated to have the virus Infections were highest in Scotland with one in 18 people (288,200) estimated to have the virus followed by Northern Ireland where one in 25 (71,000) were carrying the virus The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is recommending people over the age of 65 get a booster jab, but the chief medical officer of Moderna has suggested they are given to everyone, including children. The company says it has already produced millions of doses of a new jab which it claims is five times better than the original vaccine, and is specifically tailored to counter the Omicron variant of the disease. However, this new jab still needs to be given the green light by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) before it can be rolled out, with officials prepared to use already approved vaccines if it isn't. As well as people over the age of 65, the JCVI is recommending booster jabs are given to care home residents, health workers and people who have certain health conditions. Dr Paul Burton, chief medical officer at Moderna, said there is a 'definite interest' from the UK in purchasing its new vaccine, the Telegraph reports. Last week Dr Burton urged governments to vaccinate people under the age of 65, including children, with the new booster. He said: 'Clearly governments will have to make their own public health decisions but my sense is that actually for this upcoming booster season, a broader opportunity to vaccinate everybody, including children, is probably warranted for consideration.' He added that the new vaccine could be so effective it means it would only be needed annually. VIJAYAWADA: The ruling YSR Congress has started a screening process to choose suitable candidates for the assembly elections in 2024, in segments where the party lost in the previous elections. The advance planning is to achieve the target of winning all the seats under Mission 2024 plan. Among others, the Telugu Desam MLAs who had defected to the YSRC after the 2019 polls are likely to get party tickets. The ruling party pressed in the teams of Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC) to gauge the public pulse during the ongoing Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutvam mass contact programme. The team took stock of the performance of YSRC legislators and found some upwards of 40 legislators did not perform well. Following this, the party high-command has directed these legislators to improve their performances in the coming months. The scenario of a triangular contest involving the YSRC, TD and JSP last time had a special impact on the winning chances of TD and several YSRC candidates in 30 seats in the 2019 elections. The YSRC won these seats with margins of 708 votes to 6,000. The TD lost these seats due to the split of non-YSRC votes, between TD and JSP in these segments. The YSRC pressed the IPAC, a consultancy led by Rishiraj Singh, into action to help improve the YSRC chances in the next polls. In its primary surveys in these constituencies, the team found the ruling party legislators were not able to retain the support of the people and the party cadres. Further, there are scuffles in the assembly segments of defected MLAs, between rival groups. For instance defected MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi and YSRC incharge Yarlagadda Venkata Rao were behind some group clashes in Gannavaram. Hence, the high command started efforts to resolve differences by unofficially announcing candidates in advance. Recently, during a YSRC segment plenary meeting at Palamaner, minister Peddireddi Ramachandra announced KRJ Bharat as YSRC candidate for the 2024 election in Kuppam constituency, the home turf of Chandrababu Naidu. Former minister and YSRC firebrand leader Kodali Venkateswara announced defected MLA Vallbhaneni Vamsi as YSRC candidate from Gannavaram during the party plenary. Another former minister and Machilipatnam MLA Perni Venkataramaiah is unwilling to contest the 2024 election and is seeking to field his son Perni Krishnamurthy. Kodali Nani participating in the Machilipatnam plenary announced the name of Krishnamurthy as YSRC candidate for Machilipatnam and urged party cadres to support him. Konaseema YSRC district president Sateesh Kumar, during the Razole area plenary, announced only one MLA of JSP, Rapaka Varaprasada -- who had shifted loyalties to ruling party -- as the Razole YSRC coordinator. The hint was that he would be given party ticket. According to reliable sources, defected legislators Maddali Giri, Karanam Balaram and Vasupalli Ganesh were considered ruling party candidates for Guntur west, Chirala and Vizag west segments in the 2024 elections. Party sources said Chief Minister and YSRC president Jagan Reddy gave eight months time to the legislators to better their performances if they want to retain their tickets in the next election. Hence they are putting in serious efforts and making good use of the mass contact programme. The betting industry was yesterday accused of failing to learn lessons from dozens of gambling-linked suicides. The Gambling Commission has looked into just nine deaths since 2016 a tiny proportion of the total number. Yet there are thought to be 409 gambling suicides a year in England alone, according to research by Public Health England, formerly an agency of the Department of Health. Father-of-two Luke Ashton took his own life aged 40 after Betfair handed him bonuses to encourage him to keep betting (pictured above with his wife Annie) Huseyin Yaman, 37, went home and took his own life an hour after he lost 25,000 at casino Inquest to probe Betfair A coroner will for the first time examine the role of a betting company in a gamblers death. Luke Ashton, 40, took his own life after Betfair handed him bonuses to encourage him to keep betting. The married father of two from Leicester became consumed by gambling when he was placed on furlough during lockdown. His devastated wife Annie said he repeatedly took out loans to cover his stakes before killing himself last April in Yorkshire. Betfairs parent firm Flutter said it would engage coroner. Advertisement Campaigners said it was a national scandal that the betting industry, which nets 14billion in customer losses every year, had failed to learn lessons from the deaths. They blamed inadequate reporting and investigation and questioned why the commission had not been notified of more suicides. A Daily Mail investigation published yesterday revealed up to 115 suicides in which problem gambling was a significant factor. Bereaved families said the devastating roll-call of names showed the stark reality of the harm caused by greedy and amoral companies. Despite this, just three fines totalling 5million have been issued over suicides. Aspers Casino was fined after businessman Huseyin Yaman took his own life in 2018, hours after losing 25,000 on crack cocaine slot machines in its casino in London. Witnesses said he was spoken to twice to see if he had a problem but was not removed from the casino. Playtech was fined 3.5million after the death of engineer Chris Bruney in 2017, who took his own life hours after he was handed a 400 cash bonus. The case was investigated only after the family reported his death to the regulator and provided data collected by Mr Bruneys bereaved partner from his betting account. Gamesys, the owner of Jackpotjoy and Virgin Games, has also been fined, while William Hill was handed an advice notice in 2017. Three investigations are ongoing. Liz Ritchie, co-founder of the charity Gambling with Lives, whose son Jack took his own life in 2017, said: The failure to learn lessons from gambling-related deaths has been a national scandal. Gambling deaths have not been reported or investigated adequately. Bereaved families want to stop this devastating trauma happening to others and want to help the Gambling Commission learn lessons from every single death. The Betting and Gaming Council, an industry lobby group, said the PHE study was unreliable due to its small sample size and flawed methodology. A spokesman added: We are encouraged by the latest figures from the Gambling Commission that showed the rate of problem gambling was 0.2 per cent down from 0.4 the year previous. The Gambling Commission said it took regulatory action in cases of suicide where operators had failed to act appropriately. The row comes amid fears that moves to tighten gambling rules are being ditched because of resistance from No 10 advisers and Cabinet Office minister Jacob Rees-Mogg. He is said to oppose restrictions on private lives. Britain will today announce further sanctions against Belarus for its support of president Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine. The new package of restrictions will ban imports of Belarusian iron and steel and stop the export of British artworks and designer handbags. More of its companies will also be prevented from trading in the UK's financial services sector. Belarus has facilitated Russia's devastating invasion of Ukraine, with attacks being launched from its territory and Russian jets using the country's airspace. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko shake hands during their meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, Saturday, June 25, 2022 Yesterday it emerged the cost of the war is beginning to bite in Russia with the Kremlin poised to cut its spending plans by 24billion. Defence, technology and transport budgets are set to be slashed following the imposition of Western economic sanctions. The latest initiatives against Belarus follow an announcement by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss of a 'Marshall Plan' to oversee the reconstruction of Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the scale of the task to rebuild the country is 'colossal' in the areas already liberated from Russia. A further 2,000 towns and villages which remain under Russian occupation have also been destroyed. The cost of repairing and rebuilding Ukraine has been estimated at 620billion. Miss Truss told a donor conference in Switzerland yesterday that Ukraine's recovery would be a 'symbol of the power of freedom' and prove that Putin's attempts to destroy the country would only produce a 'stronger, more prosperous and united nation'. Among the delegates to attend the conference was Ruslan Stefanchuk, the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament. (From right) Swiss President of the National Council Irene Kalin, her Ukrainian counterpart Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Commission and Swiss President Ignazio Cassis, Minister of Foreign Affairs, talk ahead of the opening plenary session, during the Ukraine Recovery Conference URC, Monday, July 4, 2022 At 6ft 7in and weighing 26st, he dwarfed his fellow delegates, who included Swiss president Ignazio Cassis, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and Irene Kalin, president of the National Council of Switzerland. Mr Stefanchuk wrote on Twitter: 'Putin's Russia is a threat to the entire security architecture. The first challenge on the world agenda is a new security model. And this is discussed within the framework of the Ukraine Recovery Conference at the highest level.' Russia's gradual advance across eastern Ukraine continued yesterday as its troops seek full control of the Donbas area after seizing the Luhansk region. They were congratulated by Putin who said they should 'rest and recover their military preparedness'. But Ukrainian troops are holding out in neighbouring region of Donetsk after limiting their losses of troops and equipment. Zelensky has vowed to take back the territory gained by Russia but this will require continued military and financial support from the West. Nadhim Zahawi has intervened in the row over transgender ideology in schools yesterday, insisting parents have the right to know what is being taught. The Education Secretary pledged action after concerns pupils are being taught contested gender theory as fact. Last week MPs heard some schools are refusing to show parents teaching materials used in sex education classes about transgenderism. Yesterday in the Commons Tory MP Nick Fletcher said: Caution is needed if books [are] to encourage a child to question their biological sex and to believe they were born in the wrong body because of gender non-conformity not conforming to societys stereotypes. The Education Secretary pledged action after concerns pupils are being taught contested gender theory as fact 'Parents should be able to see what is being shared with children either in lessons or the school library. Mr Zahawi replied: Parents should know what their children are being taught in school. 'There are clear requirements on schools in relation to providing parents with information. He reiterated a commitment for teaching guidelines on the issue. Many secondary schools use agencies for sex and relationships education. Last week Tory MP Miriam Cates said some are teaching controversial theories, citing a video by group Amaze that suggested boys who wear nail varnish or girls who like weightlifting may be the opposite sex. NASA will never work with Moscow on new space projects while Vladimir Putin is in power, retired astronaut Scott Kelly has warned. The 58-year-old said the US and Europe 'don't need Russia' because 'we can do anything they can', months after Roscosmos signalled its intention to pull out of the International Space Station amid rising tensions over the war in Ukraine. Kelly, who has worked very closely with cosmonauts for years, added that the threat was 'Russia's loss, not ours', before adding: 'I don't see NASA working with the current regiment any time soon'. He told MailOnline: 'I hope we can get to the end of the cycle on the International Space Station (which is due to be destroyed by 2030). 'Hopefully we can keep the partnership together until the end of that, but Russia pulling out is detrimental to them, not the US. And the people working for them. I've got a lot of friends there.' Souring relations: NASA will never work with Moscow on new space projects while Vladimir Putin is in power, retired astronaut Scott Kelly has warned. This is a selfie of Kelly inside the cupola on the ISS, a special compartment that provides a 360-degree view of Earth Adamant: The 58-year-old said the US and Europe 'don't need Russia' because 'we can do anything they can', months after Roscosmos signalled its intention to pull out of the International Space Station amid rising tensions over the war in Ukraine RUSSIA'S THREATS, DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS IN SPACE In response to sanctions imposed by the international community, Russia has made a series of threats, caused delays and cancelled projects. International Space Station Russia's space agency boss, Dmitry Rogozin said 'who would save the ISS' with Russia were to withdraw from the orbital laboratory project. The ISS is split into two halves, with life support coming from the US half, and propulsion, stopping it falling to Earth, from the Russia side. Rogozin said the ISS could fall on to the US or Europe if it pulled out. Rocket sales to the US Russia sells two major rocket engine types to the US, and has done so since the mid-1990s. The RD-180 and RD-181. It announced an end to these sales, and the maintenance of the engines in response to sanctions. Rogozin said that the US launch providers should 'ride their brooms'. Building military satellites Russia has announced it will redirect funding towards the construction of military satellites and equipment. It is ending some upcoming science projects, in favour of defense. Ending science projects Russia has withdrawn cooperation with Germany on a space telescope and experiments on the ISS. It says it will continue with the telescope, which it temporarily switched off, and the experiments on its own without German support. No more launch Roscosmos pulled out of a Soyuz sharing agreement with the European Space Agency launch partner Arianespace in French Guiana. It also threatened to withhold US-built, UK-owned OneWeb satellites without a guarantee they won't be used for military purposes. OneWeb later cancelled its planned launch on a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur cosmodrome. This prompted Roscomos to paint over British and US flags on the rocket. Advertisement Kelly, who spent a year on the International Space Station between 2015 and 2016, has been an outspoken critic of Putin's invasion of Ukraine, while also taking aim at the Russian space agency Roscosmos and its head Dmitry Rogozin. In March, the pair traded barbs over Twitter, with Rogozin calling the former US naval aviator a 'moron' and Kelly firing back that the Russian chief was acting like a 'child'. A month later, Rogozin told Russian state TV that Moscow would no longer be co-operating with its international partners aboard the International Space Station, confirming that the decision to withdraw had already been taken. He said Roscosmos was not required to give an exact date of its withdrawal, but affirmed the Russian space programme would adhere to the stipulated year-long notice period. Rogozin had previously slammed Western sanctions imposed on Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine. Last week, following the release of a bombshell new report which pointed to widespread apathy about space among young people, Kelly insisted the public had not lost interest. He spoke out after a survey found that a lack of awareness was driving fear among Generation Z, with those born between 1997 and 2012 more likely to associate space with aliens and Star Wars than exploration or satellite communications. Just one in three adults of all ages are 'excited' about space, the survey of 20,000 people across 11 countries worldwide found, while one in five are 'nervous' and one in nine 'terrified'. A total of 97 per cent of respondents said they saw the cosmos as a threat, citing space junk and climate change as their main concerns. The report has been published by Inmarsat, Britain's largest satellite group, which said the findings were a 'wake-up call' for the space industry. Kelly insisted that the rise of space tourism fuelled by billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Sir Richard Branson was sparking public interest once again. 'I think they're extremely interested in it,' he said, when asked if the public had fallen out of love with space. 'I think the activities of commercial space companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Orbit and Virgin Galactic really has gripped people's attention. 'There is just a lot going on in the world at the moment.' During his NASA career, Kelly spent a total of 520 days on the International Space Station, with his longest mission lasting 340 days from March 27, 2015 to March 1, 2016. During that time, NASA undertook tests to study the effects living in orbit had on Kelly using his identical twin brother Mark who remained on Earth as a control subject. The Kelly brothers have nearly identical genomes, allowing for an unprecedented look at the physical effects of long-term spaceflight. Concern: Recent actions by the chief of Russia's space agency, Dmitry Rogozin (pictured), have prompted some in the US space industry to rethink the NASA-Roscosmos partnership Rogozin even got into a Twitter spat with Kelly, calling him a 'moron' and threatening to pull out of the ISS (pictured) NASA found that while 93 per cent of Kelly's genes returned to normal shortly after returning home, seven per cent were permanently altered. These long-term changes hit genes related to the immune system, DNA repair, bone formation and the ways his tissues take up oxygen and carbon dioxide. Kelly and his brother Mark became pilots in the US Navy in 1987 and 1989, respectively, before both graduated from the US Navy Test Pilot School in 1994. The pair began their astronaut training in August 1996, before Scott flew to space as the pilot of the space shuttle Discovery on the STS-103 mission in 1999, which saw the crew replace the gyroscopes and computer on the Hubble Space Telescope. He made a total of four flights to space, before retiring as a NASA astronaut in April 2016, a month after returning from his year-long stay on the ISS. Advertisement Many Americans will mark the country's birthday today, but physicists and science nerds will also celebrate the tenth anniversary of the discovery of the Higgs Boson - also known as the 'God Particle' - on July 4. You may not be familiar with physicist Peter Higgs, who first predicted the existence of the new particle in the 1960s and theorized that we are surrounded by an ocean of quantum information known as the Higgs Field, but his Nobel Prize-winning discovery makes everything else in our universe possible. The existence of the Higgs Boson is one reason why everything we see, including ourselves, all planets and stars, has mass and exists - hence why it was called the 'God Particle.' The particle that Higgs and fellow physicists hypothesized in 1964 could only gain mass by interacting with a field that permeates the entire universe known as the Higgs Field. Meaning that if the field did not exist, the particles would simply float freely and move at the speed of light. Scroll down for video The discovery of the Higgs Boson in July 2012 forms the basis for the existence of all elementary particles in our universe. Pictured above is a visualization of an event recorded at the CMS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. It shows the characteristics expected from the decay of the SM Higgs Boson to a pair of photons Unlike a lot of other notable discoveries, the Higgs Boson can't simply be 'found' in a traditional sense - it must be created. Once it's created, evidence of its decay is looked for in data collected at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. At the world's largest particle accelerator - where protons are smashed together near the speed of light in a vast, racetrack-like 27-kilometer tunnel that sits 300 feet underground in at the border of France and Switzerland - scientists knew that they had found evidence of its decay in 2012. Many technologies were advanced - in healthcare, industry and computing - in the decade since the Higgs Boson was first observed. Since the announcement of its discovery on July 4, 2012, physicists have been analyzing how the Higgs Boson interacts with other particles in order to see if it lines up with what's known as the Standard Model of physics. The existence of the Higgs Boson, which is a subatomic particle that is the carrier particle for the Higgs Field, was first proposed by British physicist Peter Higgs in 1964. Pictured above is Higgs, who received a Nobel Prize in physics for proposing the existence of the Higgs Boson, at CERN in July 2012 THE HIGGS BOSON CARRIES MASS AND IS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF THE STANDARD MODEL OF PARTICLE PHYSICS The Higgs boson is an elementary particle - one of the building blocks of the universe according to the Standard Model of particle physics. It was named after physicist Peter Higgs as part of a mechanism that explains why particles have mass. According to the Standard Model our universe is made of 12 matter particles - including six quarks and six leptons. It also has four forces - gravity, electromagnetism, strong and weak. Each force has a corresponding carrier particle known as a boson that acts on the matter. The theory went that the Higgs boson was responsible for transferring mass. It was first proposed in 1964 and wasn't discovered until 2012 - during a run of the Large Hadron Collider. The discovery was significant as if it had been shown not to exist then it would have meant tearing up the Standard Model and going back to the drawing board. Advertisement The Standard Model is a guiding theory that accounts for three of the four main forces of the universe - electromagnetism, the weak force and the strong force - but it excludes gravity. There are other aspects of our universe, such as dark matter and dark energy, that are not yet explained by the standard model. Scientists have been studying how the Higgs Boson interacts with other particles and what these so-called 'couplings' can produce - this was achieved by conducting many experiments and analyzing a lot of data. By 2018, scientists had determined that 58 percent of Higgs bosons decay into b quarks, also known as beauty or bottom quarks. Although CERN has been the center of the action when it comes to the Higgs Boson, many people aren't aware that at one point the United States could have been home to what would have been the largest ever particle accelerator in the world - called the Tevatron. Planned in the 1980s for a site deep beneath Waxahachie, Texas, that particle accelerator would have been 87 kilometers long with the ability to slam protons together at higher energy levels than are currently possible at CERN. However, a combination of bureaucratic unease with the project's cost and discomfort among scientists and religious-minded people alike over the phrase 'God Particle' led to the project being canceled in 1993. CERN, which was founded on September 29, 1954, is the focal point of a community of 10,000 scientists from all over the world and it's also the birthplace of the World Wide Web. It has 23 member states, however the US only has observer status at CERN - which means it isn't part of CERN's governing council that makes important decisions about its science. In 2012, Higgs and his collaborator Francois Englert won the Nobel Prize for the 'theoretic discovery of a mechanism that contributes to our understanding of the origin of mass of subatomic particles.' There are many questions that scientists still hope to answer in the coming years and decades at CERN. What can the Higgs Boson tell us about the earliest moments of our universe? Could dark matter and dark matter, which make up 68 and 27 percent of the universe respectively, be found from interactions with the Higgs Boson? Is it possible to open microscopic black holes and could energy one day be pulled through them? Can we uncover more information about b or beauty quarks and what their significance is for the singularity? What could we learn about M-theory, which posits that instead of just three dimension of space plus time, there could in fact be at least 11 dimensions composed not of the particles we know but of teeny vibrating strings that all interact with each other. The launch of the Large Hadron Collider's Run 3 will be broadcast live on all of CERN's social media channels starting at 10 am ET on Tuesday, July 5. The Higgs Field is best thought of as a field of energy or information that permeates everything around us. Pictured above is an artistic view of that field released by CERN Physicist Peter Higgs first posited the existence of the Higgs Field and the Higgs Boson in 1964. Pictured above is the scientific paper in which he laid out that case CERN is one of the largest scientific institutions in the world, home to over 2,000 scientists working on many physics projects. Pictured above is a chain of LHC dipole magnets inside a tunnel at the end of the second long shutdown, when the facility at CERN was updated for a few years so that protons could be slammed together at much higher energy ranges when run 3 begins in July MPs have called for a ban on two Chinese CCTV systems that are used by councils, schools, and police forces across the UK. A group of 67 MPs and Lords including Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and four ex-Conservative ministers is urging the government to ban the sale and use of Hikvision and Dahua cameras. The calls come amid concerns the CCTV cameras can recognise faces, eavesdrop on conversations, and judge people's moods. A group of 67 MPs and Lords including Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and four ex-Conservative ministers is urging the government to ban the sale and use of Hikvision and Dahua cameras 'Dystopian surveillance state' The Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group, are the majority population in Xinjiang. More than a million Uyghurs and other minorities are estimated to have been detained at camps in Xinjiang, where allegations of torture, forced labour and sexual abuse have emerged. Hikvision and Dahua have been accused of providing equipment to be used both for the general surveillance of the people of Xinjiang and to guard government-run concentration camps in the region. China has denied the allegations, and claimed the camps are "re-education" facilities used to combat terrorism. Advertisement A report by campaign group Big Brother Watch released in February claims that many public bodies across the UK are using Hikvision or Dahua cameras. This includes UK councils, secondary schools, NHS trusts, universities, and police forces, according to the report. Many of the cameras have advanced features, including microphones and the capacity for facial and gender recognition and distinguishing between people of different racial groups. Some cameras can analyse behaviour detecting, for example, if a fight might be breaking out. Others can even judge moods, track via heat-sensing and learn patterns of behaviour, so as to highlight any unusual activity. 'Both brands are becoming increasingly dominant in the UK, with almost two thirds of public bodies who responded to Big Brother Watch's mass Freedom of Information requests admitting to using Chinese-made CCTV,' the report reads. The report claims that the CCTV cameras have also been used in China's north-west region of Xinjiang, to monitor Uyghurs at camps. 'The Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group, are the majority population in Xinjiang,' the report states. 'They are subjected to a brutal campaign of persecution and repression by the Beijing regime. 'A massive state surveillance apparatus with huge technological capability monitors the population while thousands of people are detained in detention camps that the Chinese government claims are anti-extremism education centres.' China has denied these allegations and maintains that the camps are 're-education' facilities. However, while Big Brother Watch admits that there's a 'significant difference' in how the cameras are used in China and the UK, it warns that the level of uptake in Britain is 'alarming'. 'Big Brother Watch is opposed to mass surveillance in all its forms,' it concluded. 'The human rights concerns, security risks and normalisation of highly advanced camera technology make the Hikvision and Dahua takeover of British CCTV systems particularly alarming.' Following the report, MPs are echoing calls for a ban on the sale and operation of the cameras in the UK. They are also calling on the government to commission an independent national review of the use of CCTV in the UK. Some cameras can analyse behaviour detecting, for example, if a fight might be breaking out. Others can even judge moods, track via heat-sensing and learn patterns of behaviour, so as to highlight any unusual activity Speaking to the BBC, Hikvision maintained that it honours human rights throughout its business operations. 'CCTV has always played a critical role in the UK in the fight against crime and terrorism. Hikvision is proud of the role we play in that,' a spokesperson said. 'The UK also has fringe groups who would like to see a massive reduction of CCTV in the UK who are willing to throw allegations around about CCTV, and who would lie to demonise Hikvision. 'Hikvision has always worked with government bodies to provide solutions to the UK's CCTV requirements'. Meanwhile, Dahua has previously said that it follows 'all applicable local, national and international laws, regulations and conventions.' The MPs' calls come as discussion of the Procurement Bill resumes in Parliament today. An amendment to the bill would allow potential suppliers to be excluded because of concerns about human rights abuses. Archaeologists have started to excavate King Arthur's stone, a tomb in Herefordshire where the legendary King Arthur is said to have defeated a giant. The tomb, which dates somewhere between 3,700 BC and 2,700 BC, is situated on a hilltop outside the village of Dorstone in Herefordshire's Golden Valley. It is formed of nine upright stones, with an enormous capstone forming the top that's estimated to weigh more than 25 tonnes. The Neolithic monument, which has never previously been excavated, is said to have inspired the 'stone table' in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis. Last year, experts excavated a patch of land adjacent to King Arthur's stone, but the first ever excavations of the tomb itself have only just commenced. Arthur's Stone is a Neolithic chambered tomb in Herefordshire's Golden Valley which has never previously been excavated Arthur's Stone, which dates back to 3,700BC, is on a hilltop outside the village of Dorstone, Herefordshire What is Arthur's Stone? Arthur's Stone is a Neolithic chambered tomb that is over 5,000 years old. Today only the large stones of the inner chamber remain, although these were once covered by a long mound. The chamber is formed of nine upright stones, with a massive capstone, estimated to weigh more than 25 tons. It was accessed through the side of the covering mound, via the right-angled passage. Legend has it that King Arthur slew a giant who left the impression of his elbows on one of the stones as he fell. Source: English Heritage Advertisement Archaeologists from the University of Manchester are working in partnership with English Heritage, which looks after Arthur's Stone, to remove turf to expose and record particularly sensitive archaeological remains. 'Arthur's Stone is one of this country's outstanding prehistoric monuments, set in a breathtaking location, yet it remains poorly understood,' said Professor Julian Thomas at the University of Manchester. 'Our work seeks to restore it to its rightful place in the story of Neolithic Britain.' Like many prehistoric monuments in western England and Wales, King Arthur's stone has been linked to King Arthur since before the 13th century. According to legend, it was here that Arthur slew a giant who left the impression of his elbows on one of the stones as he fell. More recently, the British author CS Lewis is thought to have been inspired by the area when creating his fictional world of Narnia. Arthur's Stone was the inspiration for the stone table upon which Aslan the Lion is sacrificed in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Today, Arthur's Stone is the remains of what was once a secretive chamber covered by a long earthen mound. In CS Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the 'stone table' (depicted here in the 2005 feature film) is the sacred place where Aslan, a talking lion, is killed by the White Witch Arthur's Stone is a Neolithic chambered tomb in Herefordshire's Golden Valley which has never previously been excavated The stones that we see today formed the 'inner chamber' of this structure, covered in a pile of compressed turf. It is unlikely that the monument was built solely as a tomb, and was likely also used as a focus for ritual ceremonies, English Heritage says. Neolithic people may have gathered here on a seasonal basis, much like at Stonehenge in Wiltshire. Similar structures in the same region in Herefordshire have been found to contain incomplete skeletal remains of several people, together with flint flakes, arrowheads and pottery. So researchers are hopeful that the excavation will unveil new finds that can shed more light on the structure's history and purpose. This illustration shows a cutaway reconstruction of Arthur's Stone, as it once looked. Today, the large stones that made up the structure's inner chamber are what's left Dating to the Neolithic period in 3700BC, Arthurs Stone is located on a lonely hilltop outside of the village of Dorstone, facing the Black Mountains in south Wales This month, English Heritage is opening the site to members of the public as it is excavated by volunteers and archaeologists. Free tours can be pre-booked in July through the English Heritage website. 'Arthur's Stone is one of the country's most significant Stone Age monuments, and this excavation gives a really rare and exciting chance for members of the public to come and see archaeology in action,' said Ginny Slade, volunteer manager at English Heritage. 'Our team of wonderful volunteers will be on hand to explain the latest findings as they happen. 'We're asking people to book in advance to make sure everyone has a chance to enjoy this great opportunity.' Last year, experts excavated a patch of land adjacent to King Arthur's stone, but the first ever excavations of the tomb itself have only just commenced. Pictured is a plot of land immediately south of King Arthur's stone that was excavated starting last year Researchers and volunteers are pictured during excavations of the plot last year, which revealed more about the origins of the Stone Age monument The new dig follows research undertaken immediately to the south of the monument last year, which revealed the monument originally extended into a field, and so was once part of a much larger ceremonial landscape than previously thought. The original turf-covered long mound stretched into the nearby field, but rot caused it to collapse over time. The mound was then rebuilt with a slightly different orientation, researchers said. It's also linked to nearby remains of two large 6000-year-old halls, called the 'halls of the dead', which were discovered in 2013 by a team led by Professor Thomas. NASA's CAPSTONE satellite broke free from its orbit around Earth on Monday and is now heading to the moon. The microwave-sized device, which launched six days ago from New Zealand, is tasked with analyzing a unique orbit around the lunar orb, which will be home to a space station called Gateway. The orbital path, know as a near-rectilinear halo orbit, is a stretched-out egg shape with one end of the orbit passing close to the moon and the other far from it. It will take another four months for CAPSTONE to reach the moon, as it cruises along using minimal energy. Scroll down for video NASA's CAPSTONE satellite broke free from its orbit around Earth on Monday and is now heading to the moon Lunar Gateway, which is due to launch in 2024, will serve as a 'staging area' for landing humans on the moon for the first time in 50 years, and potentially as a jumping-off point for missions to Mars. Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck said it was hard to put his excitement into words after CAPSTONE broke free. 'It's probably going to take a while to sink in. It's been a project that has taken us two, two-and-a-half years and is just incredibly, incredibly difficult to execute,' he said. 'So to see it all come together tonight and see that spacecraft on its way to the moon, it's just absolutely epic.' Lunar Gateway, which is due to launch in 2024, will serve as a 'staging area' for landing humans on the moon for the first time in 50 years, and potentially as a jumping-off point for missions to Mars Beck said the advantage of the new orbit is that it minimizes fuel use and allows the satellite or a space station to stay in constant contact with Earth. The orbit's route is located at a precise balance point in the gravities of the Earth and moon, meaning less energy is expended. CAPSTONE will orbit this area around the moon for at least six months to understand 'the characteristics of the orbit', according to NASA, before the space agency deliberately crashes it on the lunar surface. The space agency said: 'It will validate the power and propulsion requirements for maintaining its orbit as predicted by NASA's models, reducing logistical uncertainties. 'It will also demonstrate the reliability of innovative spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation solutions as well as communication capabilities with Earth.' The first parts for the Lunar Gateway are not set to launch until November 2024 at the very earliest, giving NASA plenty of time to assess the results from CAPSTONE. Described as a 'vital component' of NASA's Artemis program, the Lunar Gateway will be a small space station orbiting the moon, acting as a 'multi-purpose outpost'. CAPSTONE blasted off on Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from the company's Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand on June 28 The official word is that NASA's Artemis program will land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2025, although this could be pushed back again, NASA Investigator General Paul Martin recently suggested. NASA's original date for landing humans on the moon again was 2024, but last year it delayed the date, largely blamed on litigation from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' firm Blue Origin. Also this year, NASA will be sending manikins to space as part of the Artemis I mission in August 2022. Artemis I will pave the way for crewed flights Artemis II, which will launch in May 2024 and fly by the moon without landing on it, and Artemis III, which will actually touch down on the lunar surface. Artemis III, which will launch 'no earlier than 2025', will be the first to land humans on the moon in more than 50 years, since Apollo 17 in December 1972. Scientists have developed a glider that will soar above the surface of Mars 'like an albatross' for days at a time. The motorless sailplane could be used to collect data about the atmosphere and geology on the Red Planet once deployed. It weighs 11 pounds (5 kg), and has an eleven-foot wingspan that matches that of the world's largest seabird. The sailplane can be transported to Mars by a miniature satellite, before unfurling its folded-up wings and taking flight, using only wind energy for propulsion. Its unique flight pattern allows it to use the wind to fly around geologic formations on the planet, like canyons and volcanoes. A prototype was created by a NASA planetary scientist and aerospace experts at the University of Arizona, which was lifted into Earth's atmosphere by balloons over a desert landscape that mimics Martian terrain. Project leader Dr Alex Kling, a research scientist in NASA's Mars Climate Modeling Center said: 'With this platform, you could just fly around and access those really interesting, really cool places.' The team conducted a tethered launch of an early version of the sailplane in Arizona, USA, in which it descended slowly to Earth attached to a balloon Aerospace engineering doctoral student Adrien Bouskela (left) and engineering professor Sergey Shkarayev (right) hold an experimental sailplane. The researchers hope NASA will fund a 'catch a ride' mission of their plane on another spacecraft headed to Mars The sailplanes will contain an array of navigation sensors, as well as a camera and temperature and gas sensors to gather information about the Martian atmosphere and landscape Eight active spacecraft currently orbit Mars and gather imagery of its surface at a resolution of about one foot per pixel. There are also three rovers traversing the flat, sandy ground where they can safely land, and mapping small areas with greater precision. But what lies in the 200 miles between them including climate processes and huge geological features such as mountains is of interest to scientists and requires further study. NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter, which was deployed on the planet last year, is designed to explore this space, but but can only fly for a maximum of three minutes at a time. The glider, described in the journal Aerospace, will be able to stay airborne for a lot longer, and explore the area using its flight, temperature and gas sensors as well as cameras. Dr Kling said: 'You have this really important, critical piece in this planetary boundary layer, like in the first few kilometres above the ground. 'This is where all the exchanges between the surface and atmosphere happen. 'This is where the dust is picked up and sent into the atmosphere, where trace gases are mixed, where the modulation of large-scale winds by mountain-valley flows happen, and we just don't have very much data about it.' Proposal for the entry, descent and landing of the sailplane with the Mars 2020 Rover System The sailplane can be released into Mars' atmosphere and then unfold its wings like origami WHAT WILL THE SAILPLANE DO ON MARS? The 11-pound glider will be able to explore the 200-miles of Martian atmosphere not currently covered by satellites or rovers. It is equipped with flight, temperature and gas sensors as well as cameras. The sailplane can collect information about the atmosphere and geological features the other spacecraft cannot reach, like canyons and volcanoes. After landing, it could continue relaying information about the atmosphere back to the spacecraft - essentially becoming Martian weather stations. Advertisement The team hopes NASA will fund a 'catch a ride' mission of the sailplane on another spacecraft headed to Mars. The planes can be carried in CubeSats tiny satellites not much larger than a phone book that can be deployed by the larger spacecraft. Once entered into Mars's atmosphere, the sailplane can be released and either unfold like origami or inflate like a swimming pool toy. The US team has done extensive mathematical modelling for the sailplanes' flight patterns based on Mars' climate data. It will use several different methods to fly, including simple static soaring when sufficient vertical winds are present, or 'dynamic soaring'. Like an albatross on a long journey, dynamic soaring takes advantage of how horizontal wind speed often increases with altitude a phenomenon particularly common on Mars. The sailplane will move in an S-shaped pattern, similar to how skiers descend a mountain while controlling their speed. But rather than slow the sailplane down, each change in direction helps it gain speed as it flies at a slight upward angle while moving into slow-moving, low-altitude wind. When it reaches the faster, high-altitude wind, it turns 180 degrees and lets the high-speed wind power it forward at a slight downward angle. As it starts to run out of energy it repeats the process weaving its way forward to allow it to fly for up to days at a time while harvesting energy from the atmosphere. Co-author Professor Jekan Thanga, also from Arizona, said: 'It's almost something you have to see it to believe.' Dynamic soaring in; A: atmospheric boundary layer (1windward climb, 2high altitude turn, 3leeward descent, and 4low altitude turns), B: a shear layer developed over leeward region. This takes advantage of how horizontal wind speed often increases with altitude The concept of operations of two different sailplanes (S1 and S2). Their unique flight patterns allow them to use the wind to fly around geologic formations, like canyons and volcanoes Canyon exploration concept using dive-pullout manoeuvre followed by static or dynamic soaring. The glider can collect geological data where the other spacecraft cannot reach The possibility of carrying the planes on a balloon or airship-style blimp is also being explored by the scientists. This would allow for a slow descent and enable optimal wind conditions to be taken advantage of especially in high-interest areas. The sailplanes could even potentially re-dock on the balloon or blimp after a flight and go on to complete multiple expeditions. After landing, the planes would continue relaying information about the atmosphere back to the spacecraft essentially becoming Martian weather stations. There are weather stations all over Earth that inform meteorologists, and all the data is continually fed back to predictive computer models. Each sailplane that retired from flying whether it completed its exploration as planned or something went wrong could become a node in a similar network on Mars. A scale drawing of two Mars sailplanes mounted to a blimp. The possibility of carrying the planes on a balloon or airship-style blimp is also being explored by the scientists First author Adrien Bouskela, an aerospace engineering doctoral student at Arizona University, said: 'If we run out of flight energy or if our inertial sensors suddenly fail for whatever reason we expect to then keep doing science. 'From the planetary science perspective, the mission continues.' This summer, prototype planes with be flown 15,000 feet above sea level where the atmosphere is thinner and flight conditions are more akin to those on Mars. Co-author Professor Sergey Shkarayev, of Arizona's Micro Air Vehicles Laboratory, said: 'We can use the Earth as a laboratory for studying flight on Mars.' There's still more research to do about flight trajectories, potential docking systems and more, but it is hoped that a mission will come along in years rather than decades. China on Monday denounced NASA's claims it is planning to take over the moon as part of its military space program. The allegations came NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, who told Bild on Saturday that the US is now involved in a space race with China. 'We must be very concerned that China is landing on the moon and saying: 'It's ours now and you stay out',' he told German newspaper. China, however, is not taking the allegations lightly. Zhao Lijian, a spokesman at the Chinese foreign ministry, said in a statement: 'This is not the first time that the head of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration has ignored the facts and spoken irresponsibly about China. 'The US side has constantly constructed a smear campaign against China's normal and reasonable outer space endeavors, and China firmly opposes such irresponsible remarks.' Scroll down for video China on Monday denounced NASA's claims it is planning to take over the moon as part of its military space program Nelson also said Chinese astronauts are being trained to destroy other country's satellites and the nation 'has stolen ideas and technology from others' in order to make its claim on the moon. Zhao said Beijing had always advocated the peaceful use of outer space and opposed its weaponization. 'The development of China's space industry has been achieved entirely through independence and self-reliance, and its rights and achievements cannot be questioned or discredited in any way,' Zhao said. China has always promoted the building of a shared future for humanity in outer space and opposed its weaponization and any arms race in space, he continued. NASA appears to be threatened by China's move into the space race, as the nation is the most recent space agency to venture to the moon. China brought back samples from the moon in December. Pictured is the capsule after its return to Earth NASA appears to be threatened by China's move into the space race, as the nation is the most recent space agency to venture to the moon. China brought back samples from the moon in December 2020 - the first to do so since the Soviet Luna 24 probed in 1976. NASA's last mission to the moon was on December 17, 1972. China has yet to put human boots on the lunar surface, whereas NASA has landed 12 men on the moon. NASA plans on landing people on the moon in 2025, while China is eyeing 2030 for sending its first astronauts. NASA plans to send its astronauts to the moon aboard the Artemis rocket (pictured) The American space agency plans on landing people on the moon in 2025, while China is eyeing 2030 for sending its first astronauts. The two nations are not just battling over the moon, but are also competing for Mars. In June 2021, China announced it plans to send o send its first crewed mission to Mars in 2033 with the goal of constructing a base and extract resources from the Red Planet, according to a new presentation made by Wang Xiaojun, the head of China Academy of Launch Facilities Technology. The ambitious plan will intensify a race with the US to put humans on Mars, with NASA aiming for some time during the 2030s. Wang's Mars roadmap consists of three stages for colonizing the Red Planet, with the first using robots to find possible sites for the base on Mars and building systems to source resources. NASA is using its Artemis mission to send the first Americans to Mars, also by 2033, so it will be a race between the US and China to see which one touches down first. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mooted a Sneha Yatra, a massive public outreach programme, to connect with the minority communities, especially the poor among the Muslims and Christians, by the BJP to win them over to the partys side. Mr Modi made the suggestion while speaking at the national executive meet of the BJP, which was in session in Hyderabad on Saturday and Sunday. The Prime Minister has banked on the partys surprise win in the byelections to the Lok Sabha constituencies Azamgarh and Rampur in Uttar Pradesh to drive home the point that it is possible to win the confidence of the minority communities. The Muslim-dominated constituencies chose to dump the Samajwadi Party which they have been supporting most of the time and chose the BJP instead because of the development programmes of the Union and state governments, according to the BJP narrative. Mr Modi would attribute the misconceptions about the partys approach towards minorities to Opposition propaganda and wants the party to convey the point that it is not against any religion. The UP model could be emulated elsewhere, according to Mr Modi, as the party has got the backing of the extremely backward sections in the Muslim community there. The Prime Minister would also want party leaders from northeastern states to showcase to the rest of the country how the BJP governments there safeguarded the Christian communitys interests and worked for their prosperity. BJP chief ministers should interact with the Christian community in Kerala and Goa is another plan. That the Prime Minister chose the most important platform of the party to make a suggestion which goes against the grain of the slogans the party has traditionally raised is extremely important. It may be remembered that the BJP has never missed an opportunity to paint every attempt by its political opponents to reach the benefits of welfare schemes to the minorities as appeasement. If the BJP decides that it will follow up on what Mr Modi prescribed for them, then there are a number of ready references the leaders can turn to and know of the condition of minorities, especially the Muslims. The Justice Rajendra Sachar Commission, appointed by the United Progressive Alliance government in 2004 had submitted its report two years later, had documented the social-economical condition of Muslims. According to its report, Muslims face fairly high levels of poverty. Their conditions on the whole are only slightly better than those of SCs/STs, though slightly worse in urban areas. The community made up close to 14 per cent of the population but its representation in government jobs ranged from three per cent in civil service to 7.4 per cent in state level home department, far below its legitimate share. A post-Sachar evaluation committee found eight years later that the poverty level of Muslims made no improvement; in fact, it worsened. The party can also refer to the Report of the Expert Group on Diversity Index (2008), India Exclusion Report (2013-14), 2011 Census and NSSO reports to convince itself about the urgent need to address the problems the community faces now. Mr Modi has placed heavy stakes on the minority outreach programme as it directly contradicts his partys political points. One may only wait to see its roll-out and possible impact. China has reportedly created an artificial intelligence (AI) system that can assess the loyalty of Communist Party members. According to Didi Tang, a reporter for the Times in Beijing, the system has been developed by researchers at Hefei Comprehensive National Science Centre. It can analyse facial expressions and brain waves of Communist Party members to determine how receptive they are to 'thought education'. Tang says the technology was detailed in an article that was uploaded to the internet on July 1 and deleted shortly afterwards. China has reportedly created an artificial intelligence (AI) system that can check the loyalty of Communist Party members (stoke image) WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT CHINA'S AI SYSTEM? The artificial intelligence (AI) system can check the loyalty of Communist Party members. It does this by detecting facial expressions and brain waves while looking at articles promoting party policy and achievements. It's been created and tested by researchers at Hefei Comprehensive National Science Centre. Advertisement The article said: 'On one hand, it can judge how party members have accepted thought and political education. 'On the other hand, it will provide real data for thought and political education so it can be improved and enriched.' The AI tech will solidify 'confidence and determination' of Communist Party members 'to be grateful to the party, listen to the party and follow the party'. Hefei Comprehensive National Science Centre has reportedly encouraged 43 Communist Party members, who are also on the research team, to test the tech. A video published with the article, which has also been deleted, showed a researcher entering a kiosk, sitting in front of a screen and looking at articles promoting party policy and achievements. 'The kiosk can see the researcher's expressions, possibly via surveillance cameras,' Tang says. It's unclear if the brainwave-reading technology is situated in the kiosk, or how the whole system would be rolled out to monitor the millions of Communist Party members in the country. But it appears that reading people's brain waves is not new to China back in 2018, the South China Morning Post reported that brain-scanning technology was being used on factory workers in Hangzhou. This involved using brain-reading helmets to read a worker's emotions, and artificial intelligence algorithms to detect emotional spikes such as depression, anxiety or rage. Pictured is China's President Xi Jinping following his speech after a ceremony to inaugurate Hong Kong's new leader and government on July 1, 2022 China's ruling Communist Party, led by President Xi Jinping, allegedly believes 'thought and political education' are essential to party loyalty. The party already has an 'indoctrination app' for its members called 'Xuexi Qiangguo' or 'Study to make China strong'. The app forces its 96.77 million members to earn points by reading articles, watching videos and answering quizzes on Communist heroes. It tracks the amount of time users spend browsing inspirational quotes from President Jinping and watching short videos of his speeches and travels. Members are able to redeem their scores for gifts such as pastries and tablets, AFP previously reported. Meanwhile, China's government has come under increasing scrutiny for high-tech surveillance, from facial recognition-enabled security cameras to apps used by police to extract personal information from smartphones at checkpoints. The 'Study Xi' app tracks the amount of time users spend browsing inspirational quotes and following his speeches and travels China is famous for tracking its citizens using the latest technology notably a Black Mirror-like social rating system to restore morality' and blacklist 'untrustworthy' citizens. Last year, it was revealed China has also developed an AI prosecutor that can charge people with crimes with more than 97 per cent accuracy. This system, which was 'trained' using 17,000 real life cases from 2015 to 2020, is able to identify and press charges for the eight most common crimes in Shanghai. These are 'provoking trouble' a term used to stifle dissent in China credit card fraud, gambling crimes, dangerous driving, theft, fraud, intentional injury and obstructing official duties. Scientists have unlocked the mysterious origins of Earth's minerals and detailed their diverse formation over billions of years, finding evidence for the role of water and rare elements in their formation, as well as 297 that pre-date our planet's birth. Nature created 40 percent of Earth's 5,659 recognized mineral species and in some instances used more than 15 unique recipes to produce their crystal structure and chemical composition. The scientists found that water played a dominant role in the formation of over 80 percent of mineral species and that 41 rare Earth elements - including arsenic, cadmium, gold, mercury, silver, titanium, zinc, uranium and tungsten - are essential components of about 2,400 of the planet's minerals. Nature has used 21 different ways over the last 4.5 billion years to create pyrite, also known as fools gold, he mineral worlds champion of diverse origins. 'This work fundamentally changes our view of the diversity of minerals on the planet,' says Dr. Robert Hazen, co-author of the study and a staff scientist with the Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, in Washington DC, in a statement. Nine of the 5,659 recognized mineral species surveyed by scientists came into being via 15 or more different physical, chemical and/or biological processes - which included everything from near-instantaneous formation by lightning or meteor strikes, to changes caused by water-rock interactions or transformations at high pressures and temperature spanning hundreds of millions of years. Scientists found that pyrite, known as fool's gold, has been formed in 21 different ways, making it the champion of diverse origins. Pyrite can form at high and low temperatures, with and without water, with the assistance of microbes and also in harsh environments where life plays no role at all. In contrast, diamonds have originated in at least nine ways, including condensation in the cooling atmospheres of old stars, during a meteorite impact, and under hot ultra-high-pressure deep within the Earth. 'Minerals can be key to reconstructing the entire past life and predicting the "future life" of Earth,' researcher say. Pictured above is a stunning example from Alberta, Canada of a biomineral -- an intersection of minerals and life 'The remarkable work of Hazen and Morrison provides a potential way to predictably discover possible minerals in nature,' Anhuai Lu, president of the Mineralogical Association and professor at Peking University's School of Earth and Space Sciences in Beijing, China, explains. 'Minerals can be key to reconstructing the entire past life and predicting the "future life" of Earth,' and understanding mineral evolution 'will offer a novel path for us to be able to explore deep space and search for extraterrestrial life and habitable planets in the future.' According to the paper's abstract, the timeline for mineral formation on Earth suggests that most of that diverse was established in the planet's first 250 million years of existence. Pictured above: Beryl, the most common mineral containing the element beryllium, comes in many beautiful colors such as emerald its common name This has meaningful implications for determining if we are truly alone in the universe. 'If life is rare in the universe, then this view of a mineralogically diverse early Earth provides many more plausible reactive pathways over a longer timespan than previous models,' the authors write. 'If, however, life is a cosmic imperative that emerges on any mineral- and water-rich world, then these findings support the hypothesis that life on Earth developed rapidly in the early stages of planetary evolution.' Approximately 4.45 billion years ago, when water first appeared on Earth, the earliest water-rock interactions may have produced as many as 350 minerals in near-surface marine and terrestrial environments, researchers say. Pictured above is Earth. Once they had factored in mineral genesis, researchers came up with a total of over 10,500 'mineral kinds' - a newly coined term - which is about 75 percent more than the 6,000 mineral species officially recognized by the International Mineralogical Association. 'What mineral-forming environments occur on the Moon, Mars, and other terrestrial worlds?' the authors ask. 'If Mars had (or still has) a hydrological cycle, what mineralogical manifestations might we expect? 'On the other hand, if the Moon is truly dry, then what paragenetic processes are excluded?' Paragenetic simply refers to a set of minerals that were formed together. 'The sharp contrast between Earths large complement of minerals and the relative mineralogical parsimony of the Moon and Mercury, as well as the modest diversity found on Mars, stems from differing influences of water,' the authors say. Pictured is an image from Mars released by the China National Space Administration 'And do extraterrestrial bodies display paragenetic processes not seen on Earth, such as cryo-volcanism on Titan?' 'Hazen and colleagues have changed this way of considering minerals. In addition to chemical composition and physical properties, Hazen emphasizes their conditions and contexts of formation, and a new way of seeing minerals appears,' says Professor Patrick Cordier, of the Institut Universitaire de France. 'Minerals become witnesses, markers of the long history of matter that takes shape in supernova explosions, gathers in planetary systems in formation and even, on a planet like Earth, accompanies the emergence and development of life. 'Most scientists produce data, some are lucky enough to make discoveries, few are the ones who transform our view of the world. Hazen is one of them.' Their work was published in the journal American Mineralogist on July 1. Advertisement Humpback whales can learn highly complex songs from whales in other regions, a new study reveals. Researchers found that New Caledonian humpback whales could learn songs from fellow whales near Australia's east coast with a high degree of accuracy. 'This really indicates a level of cultural transmission beyond any observed non-human species,' Dr Jenny Allen, whose doctoral work at the University of Queensland's School of Veterinary Science led to the work, said. Researchers examined the song patterns of male humpback whales near eastern Australia and New Caledonia. Pictured above is a humpback whale The songs' complexity was determined by measuring the number of sounds the whales made and the length of the sound patterns. The study examined the song patterns of male humpback whales from New Caledonia and eastern Australia between 2009 and 2015, to figure out how culture transmits between the populations. 'By listening to the Australian humpback population, we were able to see if the songs changed in any way when sung by the New Caledonian whales,' Allen explained in a statement. 'We found they actually learned the exact sounds, without simplifying or leaving anything out. 'Our results suggest that populations do not need to reduce complexity to accurately learn song patterns,' researchers explain in the study's abstract. Pictured above is a humpback whale 'And each year we observed them they sang a different song, so it means humpback whales can learn an entire song pattern from another population very quickly, even if its complex or difficult.' These songs are being learned on shared migration routes. 'Our results suggest that populations do not need to reduce complexity to accurately learn song patterns,' researchers explain in the study's abstract. 'Populations may also incorporate changes and embellishments into songs in the form of themes which are suggested to be learnt as distinct segments.' Humpback whales were taken off the endangered species list in 2016, but scientists affiliated with the study said their populations still need to be managed with care 'Its rare for this degree of cultural exchange to be documented on such a large scale in a non-human species,' Allen said. 'We hope these findings provide a model for further study into understanding the evolution of cultural communication in animals and humans.' Humpback whales were taken off the endangered species list in 2016, but scientists affiliated with the study said their populations still need to be managed with care. 'Having an in-depth understanding of a species is known to greatly improve the efficacy of conservation and management methods,' Allen said. Dr Jenny Allen, a study co-author, is pictured above recording whale songs onboard a boat off of New Caledonia 'We now have a more holistic picture of the behaviors, movements and interactions of different humpback whale populations, including how they transmit culture. 'It means were better equipped to protect them against the many threats they face as our climate, and planet, continue to change.' The research was published in Scientific Reports. TikTok has confirmed its China-based employees can access US user data, according to a letter written by CEO Shou Zi Chew. The letter is addressed to nine Republican Senators who raised concerns about privacy data following a recent BuzzFeed News investigation that found such issues. Chew's note also confirmed TikTok's 'Project Texas' program, named in the BuzzFeed News report, saying it aims to safeguard US user data by running TikTok from servers in Texas owned by Oracle. However, the CEO wrote that the 'allegations and insinuations' from the BuzzFeed News article are 'incorrect and are not supported by facts.' Scroll down for video TikTok has confirmed its China-based employees can access US user data, according to a letter written by CEO Shou Zi Chew. The letter is addressed to nine Republican Senators who raised concerns about data privacy following a recent BuzzFeed News investigation The letter from TikTok does not clearly state US user data has been or can be accessed by employees outside of the country, but it answers 11 questions that the senators requested answers to by July 18. '[W]e are confident that when you review our responses, you will see that TikTok has not, at any point, misled Congress about our data and security controls and practices,' Chew wrote. The BuzzFeed News report, published on June 17, claims to have listened to leaked audio of more than 80 internal TikTok meetings. The recordings, which were captured from September 2021 through January 2022, include 14 statements from nine TikTok employees who met to discuss 'Project Texas' the classified effort to stop engineers in China from retrieving the data. On June 28, Brendan Carr, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), posted on Twitter urging Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores for its pattern of surreptitious data practices An audio clip is of a director at TikTok who referred to a ByteDance engineer as a 'Master Admin' who 'has access to everything', according to BuzzFeed News. One of the 11 questions in the Senators' letter askes if China-based employees have or had access to US user data, which Chew said such staff 'can have access.' This is possible through a series of robust cybersecurity controls and authorization approval protocols, according to TikTok's letter. Chew reiterates the implementation of Project Texas, noting that this program was specifically designed to stop such access. The letter also states that employees can access non-sensitive data, such as public videos and comments, but notes access to this content is extremely limited. Chew also tells the senators that TikTok's algorithm will only be trained on data from the Oracle storage and the company will 'ensure appropriate third-party security vetting and validation of the algorithm, he wrote. Senator Marsha Blackburn told NBC News that Chew's response confirms fears that their 'fears regarding [Chinese Communist Party] influence within the company are 'They should have come clean from the start but instead tried to shroud their work in secrecy,' Blackburn, a Republican, continued. 'Americans need to know that if they are on TikTok, Communist China has their information. TikTok needs to come back and testify before Congress.' US government officials have believed TikTok 'is spying' on Americans, but they cannot ignore the issue now that BuzzFeed released its report. On June 28, Brendan Carr, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), posted on Twitter urging Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores for its pattern of surreptitious data practices.' Carr included a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook, expressing why TikTok needs to be removed, citing a report from last week that shed fresh light on the serious national security threats posed by TikTok. And he is giving the tech giants until July 8 to remove TikTok or explain why they chose not comply. Advertisement The rarest clouds on Earth were spotted by sky watchers in parts of western US, Europe and Canada over the weekend a vibrant display that has not been seen in about 15 years. Known as noctilucent, these clouds were glowing a stunning blue in the sky just after the sun moved below the horizon. Reports of the eerie-looking clouds came from Oregon, Washington, Alberta, the UK and Denmark. Noctilucent clouds (NLCs) form in the mesosphere, which is at altitudes of around 50 miles making them the highest in Earth's atmosphere. The clouds consist of ice crystals that become visible during twilight when the sun is shining from blow the horizon. Scroll down for videos The rarest clouds on Earth were spotted by sky watchers in parts of western US, Europe and Canada over the weekend and this is the first time they have been seen in about 15 years. Pictured are the clouds over London 'There's really nothing else quite like them,' the National Weather Service office in Seattle wrote on social media, noting that these are the 'most vivid displays of noctilucent clouds' that have been seen in decades in the area. The clouds typically form in late spring and early summer when the lower atmosphere becomes warmer. Atmospheric circulation pushes air upwards, which then expands and cools. Water vapor becomes trapped in the clouds, freezes into ice crystals and forms meteoric dust. Known as noctilucent, these clouds were glowing a stunning blue in the sky just after the sun moved below the horizon. Reports of the eerie-looking clouds came from Oregon, Washington, Alberta, the UK and Denmark (pictured) Noctilucent clouds (NLCs) form in the mesosphere, which is at altitudes of around 50 miles making them the highest in Earth's atmosphere. Picture shows Seattle, Washington The clouds appear with electric blue and silver streaks and are typically spotted at latitudes of 45 and 80 degrees in the northern and southern hemispheres. And the stunning display can even be seen from space, as astronauts aboard the International Space Station have shared pictures of the phenomenon. There is some belief that climate change is also contributing to their development and even to them being seen at latitudes never seen before. For example, in 2019, they were seen as far south as Joshua Tree, California, which suggests that with more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, there is more water vapor available for the glowing clouds to form. Cora Randall, a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, told The Washington Post that the increase in clouds could be due to excessive water vapor in the atmosphere from rocket launches. Another study suggests that the appearance of NLCs does fluctuate from year to year and even from decade to decade, but that overall, they have become 'significantly' more visible. In 2020, a photographer shared a stunning image of the phenomenon in the early morning hours that gave a 12th century church a ghostly glow. Ollie Taylor, an astrophotographer, snapped 'night-shining' clouds that lit up the night sky in southwest England with spectacular streaks of blue and silver. The clouds appear with electric blue and silver streaks and are typically spotted at latitudes of 45 and 80 degrees in the northern and southern hemispheres. Pictured is Alberta, Canada On June 22, Taylor set out on a mission to capture the night-shining clouds in Dorset, which sits on the south coast of England. He arrived at the Knowlton Church in the middle of a Neolithic monument and started snapping the scene starting at 2am to 2:50am. 'It was an excellent night of shooting, arriving at location in the evening already greeted by noctilucent clouds better than I had previously seen in the south of England,' said Taylor. 'The electric blue complemented the misty landscape and eerie structure.' Taylor tracked the clouds using a combination of different sources, including space weather updates, webcam observations and a Facebook group, according to the European Space Agency. In 2020, a photographer shared a stunning image of the phenomenon in the early morning hours that gave a 12th century church a ghostly glow (pictured) Noctilucent clouds were first described in the mid-19th century after the eruption of Krakatau. Volcanic ash spread through the atmosphere, making for vivid sunsets around the world and provoking the first known observations of NLCs. At first people thought they were a side effect of the volcano, but long after Krakatau's ash settled, the wispy, glowing clouds remained. More than a dozen giant, dangerous sharks are currently swimming around the northeast coast - and they are expected to stay until the fall. Shark taggers report a massive 528-pound female white shark off the coast of Cape Cod, while more than 14 sharks are lurking in waters around Long Island. With an uptick in sightings, officials fear there will also be an increase of attacks - and one just happened over the weekend. A lifeguard was bit Sunday morning at Smith Point Beach and was taken to the hospital to be treated for his injuries. There around 14 sharks swimming around Long Islands as of Monday afternoon, with the largest being a 125-pound, juvenile shortfin mako shark named Princess. Farther up north, in Cape Cod, another shark was spotted just 150 feet from the Race Point Beach by a helicopter flying above. Scroll down for videos More than a dozen giant, dangerous sharks are currently swimming around the northeast coast - and they are expected to stay until the fall Toward the end of spring, sharks leave their winter homes in the south for warm waters in the north, sparking a large migration that settles along east coast beaches that are also heavily populated by visitors until the end of September. Scientists warned visitors of Cape Cod to be weary when swimming in the bay, as this region could see a migration of at least 100 sharks this summer. Since 2009, researchers have tagged more than 280 great whites off the cape, with nearly 230 of those tags still active and sending back data about shark movements, according to the scientists. By tagging the predators allows the team to better understand where the sharks are likely to make an appearance, as well as what times of the day they tend to be most active. Princess, the 528-pound shark, seems to be the largest lurking around Cape Cod. Tagged by OCEARCH, this juvenile female is more than 10 feet long and was first spotted last year Another shark was spotted just 150 feet from the Race Point Beach in Massachusetts by a helicopter flying above Princess, the 528-pound shark, seems to be the largest lurking around Cape Cod. Tagged by OCEARCH, this juvenile female is more than 10 feet long and was first spotted last year. There are at least six sharks tagged by OCEARCH that are swimming around the New England peninsula. OCEARCH is a data-centric organization built to help scientists collect ocean data. Greg Skomal, a state marine biologist who has been studying the region's great whites for decades, said the animals still tend to be concentrated on the Atlantic Ocean-facing side of the cape, where they feast on a flourishing seal population. He advised beachgoers to be most vigilant when swimming off beaches where the shoreline quickly drops off into deeper waters. Traveling a little further south is another large concentration of sharks - located around Long Island, New York. However, these animals are much smaller that those found in Massachusetts waters. More than 20 species of sharks can be found in waters off Long Island, with the brown shark as the most common. It is not clear what shark bite a lifeguard over the weekend, but what is sure is that the animal was swimming very close to the shoreline. Pictured is the largest shark, named Flowers, that is swimming around Long Island A lifeguard was bit Sunday morning at Smith Point Beach and was taken to the hospital to be treated for his injuries Zachari Gallo was playing the role of a victim during a training exercise when a five-foot shark bit him in the chest and hand at 10.15am on Smith Point Beach, New York. The beach was closed after the attack, but reopened again at 10am on July 4. He received stitches in his chest and Suffolk County officials closed the Long Island beach to swimming Sunday after the unprecedented shark attack. The lifeguard said once he felt the texture of his attacker he knew it was shark. 'I felt sharp, sharp pain and once I felt the rubbery texture, I knew it was some kind of shark,' Gallo told CBS. He said: 'I hit the shark three times. I went boom, boom, boom. I guess in the third one it spun back and it's tail hit me in the chest.' 'Imagine messing up your one shot... what a clown': Man United fans SLAM Timber after he appears to troll them Posted 'still here' with a picture of himself at Ajax Advertisement There's grandeur at every turn in Madrid. From my hotels rooftop, the neoclassical facade of Teatro Real, one of Europes finest opera houses, is straight ahead. And just behind it is the Royal Palace, the elaborate 3,400-room jewel of the Bourbon dynasty. To the west is Plaza Mayor. The square has a macabre past, having hosted bloody bullfights and the public executions of the Spanish Inquisition, but its architecture is magnificent Herrerian-style buildings adorned with vivid frescoes. Here lies the worlds oldest restaurant, Botin, which dates back to 1725 and is where painter Francisco Goya once worked as a dish washer. This stately city, the wealthiest of all in Spain and home to its Royal Family and central government, plays second fiddle to Barcelona as the countrys most popular city break destination. Yet theres a cool, contemporary side to the beautiful wide boulevards, and visitors are taking notice again. A cluster of new hotels geared towards modern holidaymakers have popped up, such as The Madrid Edition and Rosewood Villa Magna. Ailbhe MacMahon notes that there's 'grandeur at every turn' in Madrid. The elaborate Royal Palace (above), is one of the buildings that prompts the comment. It lies near her hotel, the new-on-the-scene Ocean Drive Madrid The neoclassical Teatro Real, one of Europes finest opera houses (above), is a stone's throw from Ocean Drive Madrid The rooftop that Im standing on, complete with a pool and cocktail bar, crowns another of the citys newest haunts Ocean Drive Madrid. Located smack-bang in the city centre, occupying one corner of Plaza de Isabel II, the 72-room hotel is the latest addition to the chic OD Hotels chain. My room takes its cue from the chains Ibizan roots, with the decor a sunny Mediterranean palette of watery blues and terracotta reds. Its minimal and smart, with a wave-shaped mirror, ultra-soft bedding and coasters shaped like miniature vinyl records. Guests can also plump for deluxe rooms, some of which come equipped with a private sun terrace, record players and even beer taps for pulling pints. Ocean Drive Madrid is smack-bang in the city centre, occupying one corner of Plaza de Isabel II. Above is the hotel's rooftop bar The 72-room Ocean Drive Madrid (above) is the latest addition to the chic OD Hotels chain Ailbhe describes her room (similar to the one above) as 'minimal and smart', with ultra-soft bedding Pictured above is Mar Mia, Ocean Drive Madrid's bar-restaurant. Ailbhe reveals: 'The hotel aspires to be an art gallery of sorts, exhibiting a new artists work each month. And, like its sister hotels, Ocean Drive Madrids restaurant hosts weekly creative events such as painting and wine workshops with local artists' Guests at Ocean Drive Madrid can plump for deluxe rooms, some of which come equipped with record players What kind of beer? I ask. Spanish beer, Im told. Of course! For more Spanish beer, guests can head downstairs to Mar Mia, the hotels bar-restaurant. Its a space bathed in orange light from theatrical fringed lampshades which hang low over the tables, and the walls are dotted with framed collages. The hotel aspires to be an art gallery of sorts, exhibiting a new artists work each month. And, like its sister hotels, Ocean Drive Madrids restaurant hosts weekly creative events such as painting and wine workshops with local artists. Art is woven into the fabric of Madrid, a city famed for its Golden Triangle of Art the Prado, the Thyssen and the Reina Sofia museums. But swerve the anaconda-sized queue that snakes around the Prado and make your way to El Retiro Park, where the Crystal Palace glasshouse hosts small-scale exhibitions as a wing of the Reina Sofia museum. The kaleidoscopic glass building modelled on the original Crystal Palace built in Londons Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition of 1851 was built in 1887 to showcase tropical plants, but now its entirely devoted to art and is a delightfully peaceful way to get a shot of culture away from the crowds. Madrids bohemian Malasana neighbourhood, named after local heroine Manuela Malasana who was executed aged 17 during the Spanish uprising against the invasion of Napoleon Bonaparte. 'Here you can meander around the cluster of independent galleries which offer a more intimate chance to get a feel for Madrids art scene,' says Ailbhe Malasana lies shoulder to shoulder with the Chueca district (above), explains Ailbhe, 'where the vibe is more boutique than boho' Sala Equis, a suave bar-cinema where Ailbhe watches Buster Keaton movie Seven Chances as she sips an Aperol spritz Its a wonder to wander around the sculpture as light dances through the glass panels above. Beyond the Golden Triangle is Madrids bohemian Malasana neighbourhood, named after local heroine Manuela Malasana who was executed aged 17 during the Spanish uprising against the invasion of Napoleon Bonaparte. Here you can meander around the cluster of independent galleries which offer a more intimate chance to get a feel for Madrids art scene. Malasana lies shoulder to shoulder with the Chueca district, where the vibe is more boutique than boho. Beyond the designer clothes shops and yoga studios youll find Mercado San Anton, one of Madrids oldest markets. It underwent a sleek renovation last year so now traditional stalls have been replaced by gleaming booths branded with bold graphic fonts. An eclectic collection of vendors serve up everything from tapas to contemporary Japanese and American dishes. At La Casa del Bacalao (The House of Cod), where each dish is a couple of euros or less, its hard to resist the moreish crispbreads laden with marinated anchovies and sliced octopus. Next I try a portion of croquettes plied with oozing Cabrales blue cheese. Each bite-size serving adds up and soon Im feeling happily full. Art house: The Crystal Palace, above, is a glass-encased wing of the Reina Sofia museum. 'Its a wonder to wander around the sculpture as light dances through the glass panels above,' says Ailbhe I walk it off with a stroll down Gran Via until I arrive outside a notorious Madrid institution Museo Chicote. The exterior of this Art Deco cocktail bar is lacklustre, but cross the threshold and youll enter a haze of dry ice and red velvet drapes. Staff dance with one another between taking orders as Gloria Gaynor is pumped through the speakers. Established in 1931, the main sport here is looking at the black-and-white photographs of former patrons that cover the walls to see who you recognise. First I spy Sophia Loren. Next, a moustachioed Salvador Dali. Frank Sinatra. Rita Hayworth. Jayne Mansfield. Its a lot of fun, but after Museo Chicotes cocktails I need a siesta. Only in Madrid could you nap at 7pm and wake up with plenty of time before dinner. 'Only in Madrid could you nap at 7pm and wake up with plenty of time before dinner,' writes Ailbhe. Above is one of Madrids many cheap and cheerful tapas bars Ocean Drive Madrid (above), is among a cluster of new hotels in Madrid geared towards modern holidaymakers, such as The Madrid Edition and Rosewood Villa Magna The clock strikes ten by the time its time to explore the La Latina neighbourhood on the lookout for somewhere to eat. I slip into a packed tapas bar for a few small plates before making my way to Sala Equis, a suave bar-cinema. The cavernous main bar is cast in red light and ivy crawls up the walls. Rows of deckchairs in the centre face up towards an enormous screen that plays films throughout the night as a backdrop to the revelry. Settling down in one I order an Aperol spritz and catch the start of Seven Chances, the 1925 Buster Keaton film. Glamorous crowds swirl around me as the silent comedy flickers across the screen. Much like the city it calls home, Sala Equis is sophisticated and oh-so-cool. Barcelona? Its finally met its match. Advertisement Every week our Holiday Hero Neil Simpson takes an in-depth look at a brilliant holiday topic, doing all the legwork so you dont have to. This week: Last-minute walking holidays. Fresh air and fantastic views await on a host of last-minute walking holidays that are still available around Europe. And you dont need to lug around a giant rucksack with all your gear to enjoy them. Stroll on: The Carter Company offers a self-guided Potter Through Provence holiday where the route winds through postcard-pretty villages such Bonnieux (pictured) Some holidays are based in a single hotel, so you can unpack and follow carefully selected routes each day, while others move to different hotels through the week and your luggage is transported by taxi as you walk between them. Breakfasts are always included, while some throw in dinners and picnic lunches. Pick a small-group holiday to get the services of a tour leader or choose a self-guided trip where detailed directions are provided and you get to set the pace. Fragrant: The Potter Through Provence holiday features relaxed daily walks none more than nine miles that meander through vineyards, lavender fields and cedar forests Walking holidays based around boutique, four- and five-star hotels in Europe (and the UK) are the speciality of Buckinghamshire-based The Carter Company. The route on its self-guided, seven-night Potter Through Provence holiday winds through postcard-pretty villages such as Gordes, Lacoste, Bonnieux and Lourmarin. Relaxed daily walks none more than nine miles meander through vineyards, lavender fields and cedar forests. Youll pass ruined castles, Romanesque abbeys and chateaux with views from the snow-topped Alps to the Mediterranean Sea. Costs from 1,715pp plus flights (the-carter-company.com). Expect an equally civilised time on Responsible Travels Walking And Wine-Tasting holiday in Tuscany. Its a small-group trip led by a local guide and includes Siena, San Gimignano and Florence. Easy walks on the first two days end with chianti tastings in vineyards while day three includes a guided vineyard walk and a short course at the Tuscan Wine School. Costs from 1,449pp, including flights (responsibletravel.com). Wine tasting is an equally big part of Inn Travels Valley Of Gold holiday in Portugal. The week-long trip begins with a train ride from Porto to Pinhao on the banks of the Douro, the river of gold famous for its stunningly reflective water as the sun is setting. Daily walks none more than ten miles take you through vineyards, villages and woodland valleys, and youll stay in a mix of elegant country houses and four-star hotels. Inn Travels Valley Of Gold holiday in Portugal begins with a train ride on the banks of the Douro - aka the river of gold - famous for its stunningly reflective water (above) Costs from 1,195pp plus flights (inntravel.co.uk). A little more fitness is needed for the seven-night self-guided Walking At Lake Como holiday with Headwater. Youll hike up to hilltop villages most days, pass along ancient mule tracks and pilgrimage paths with peach trees, waterfalls and mossy valleys. In the evenings you can star-spot (George Clooney owns a house nearby) and eat in the lakeside villages of Torno, Varenna and Bellagio. Costs from 1,299pp plus flights (headwater.com). The small-group Walking The Corfu Trail holiday takes you through olive groves and cedar forests, and to some of the beaches made famous by the ITV series The Durrells. On Headwater's self-guided Walking At Lake Como holiday you'll spend evenings in the lakeside village of Torno (pictured) At night, bed down in rooms attached to family-run, beachside tavernas where the group and guide eat together. Costs from 655pp plus flights (explore.co.uk). Or Pura Aventura offers an eight-day self-guided tour of the villages of southern Spain which includes accommodation in a converted watermill. The final day of Villages Of Andalusia Inn To Inn Walking Holiday promises a lunchtime tasting menu of regional specialities. Costs from 1,140pp plus flights (pura-aventura.com). With the summer holidays just around the corner and six weeks to fill with activities you'd be forgiven for feeling a bit like an ogre with all the stress of planning. Thankfully there's one attraction that's set to entertain the whole family and leave the little ones talking about their day out for months to come - Shrek's Adventure! London It's been 20 years since Shrek, Fiona, and of course Donkey, burst onto our screens and became a family favourite film. Now you can experience the magic beyond the TV screen with a hilarious interactive experience inspired by the hit movies. Fun for all the family: Prepare to see your little ones' eyes light up as they experience an interactive walkthrough adventure and meet the characters at Shrek's Adventure! London Shreks Adventure! London is conveniently located at County Hall in London's buzzing South Bank cluster and the experience is a brand new adventure written by the DreamWorks team based on the films. Prepare to see your little ones' eyes light up as they journey through Far Far Away on a quest to find the magic ingredients to make it back to London safely and meet Shrek alongside his swamp friends. Ready to treat the kids to an experience of a lifetime? Check out the different shows at Shrek's Adventure! London below The Magic Bus Depot Who said donkeys can't drive? Kickstart your adventure by experiencing the magical bus show through Far Far Away, with Donkey in the driving seat and a Head Tour Guide giving you a sneak peek on what you can expect to see on your visit. Hold onto your hats! Kickstart your adventure by experiencing a magical bus show through Far Far Away, with Donkey in the driving seat Prepare for plenty of thrills, singing and dancing as you experience this fun 3D adventure. The Swamp Next up on your fun-filled adventure is a stop off at Shrek's home, The Swamp. But uh-oh, looks like Rumpelstiltskin has set up camp here and it seems he's unhappy with all the visitors. At The Swamp you'll be put to the test on a mission to find some gold and persuade the Fortune Teller to give you tips on how to appease grumpy old Rumpelstiltskin. Do you have what it takes to hunt down the goods in time? On a mission: At The Swamp you'll be put to the test on a mission to find some gold and persuade the Fortune Teller to give you tips on how to appease grumpy old Rumpelstiltskin Rumpelstiltskins Carriage You found the gold? Shrek-tacular! Now you can pay the Fortune Teller and take a glimpse at her all-knowing crystal ball. Just don't get too comfortable, Rumpelstiltskin has figured out where you are, so you'll need to hurry into the Poison Apple pub for shelter. The Poison Apple Pub Hello gorgeous! You can chat at the The Poison Apple Pub with Doris - one of Cinderella's ugly stepsisters (just don't let her hear you call her that!) Congratulations! You made it to safety and now you can chat at the bar with Doris - one of Cinderella's ugly stepsisters (just don't let her hear you call her that!) Now you've escaped the clutches of Rumpelstiltskin it's time to let your hair down, and there's no better way to do that than with some karaoke! Farquaad's Dungeon While Lord Farquaad may have ended up as dragon chow at the end of the first film, his dungeon is still operating and is under the control of henchman Thelonious. He's a real boy! Poor Pinocchio is being held captive in Lord Farquaad's dungeon but you have the power to save him. Poor Pinocchio is being held captive, but you have the power to save him. Answer three questions correctly and you can all go free but get one wrong and hell start practising his woodworking skills! The Mirror Maze The next stop on your journey is the tricky mirror maze of insanity, where you'll be tasked with finding Sleeping Beauty without bumping into your own reflection. Mirror, mirror, on the wall, do you have what it takes to pass through this hall? The Bakery Getting through that mirror maze was hungry work but thankfully you've made it through to The Bakery. Oh dear, it looks like you don't have all the ingredients you need to whip up your own gingerbread man, you'll have to try and track down Donkey and see if he can help you out. The Prison Just when you thought you'd made it through all your tasks it looks like Rumpelstiltskin has hunted you down and trapped you in the prison. What do you see? You found the gold? Awesome! Now you can pay the Fortune Teller and take a glimpse at her all-knowing crystal ball But you're not going to let grumpy old Rumpel get his way, are you? Call on Princess Fiona and she'll help you unleash your inner ogre and smash down the prison walls to break free. Meet and Greet Shrek You made it! After successfully outsmarting Rumpelstiltskin and helping Shrek's swamp friends you now have the chance to meet the big man yourself. The only thing you have to do now is perfect your poses as you snap photographs with everyone's favourite ogre. Selfie time! After you've successfully outsmarted Rumpelstiltskin and helped Shrek's swamp friends you now have the chance to meet the big man yourself Plus, there's a brand new attraction this summer... Puss in Boots meet & greet! This summer you have the chance to brush up your sword fighting skills with Puss in Boots himself. From July 23 to September 4, you can meet the loveable feline friend, just don't be fooled by those innocent big eyes, Puss is a not a kitty to be messed with! For more information and to purchase your tickets please visit Shrek's Adventure! London Buy tickets now: Shreks Adventure! London is located at County Hall in South Bank and the experience is based on a brand new adventure written by the DreamWorks team DreamWorks Shrek DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved Iconic actors Al Pacino and Sylvester Stallone enjoyed a few slices of pizza as they met up Saturday at a restaurant in Beverly Hills, California. Pacino, 82, donned a black coat with blue-tinted sunglasses and sported a goatee on the summer day alongside Stallone, 75. The screen legend of films such as Scarface, The Godfather series and Dog Day Afternoon sat alongside Stallone, who was clad in a black button-up collared shirt on the daytime outing in Southern California. The latest: Iconic actors Al Pacino, 82, and Sylvester Stallone, 75, enjoyed a few slices of pizza as they met up Saturday at a restaurant in Beverly Hills, California Stallone, iconic for his work in the Rocky series, sat with Pacino at a table with a red and white checkered tablecloth with a pizza elevated on a stand. Both of the New York-born actors have been active in show business for more than five decades. Pacino has won one Oscar - in 1993 for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his work in Scent of a Woman - over nine total nominations, his most recent coming in 2020 for The Irishman. Stallone has been nominated three times, twice for acting and once for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen for Rocky in 1977. Stallone, iconic for his work in the Rocky series, sat with Pacino at a table with a red and white checkered tablecloth with a pizza elevated on a stand Both of the New York-born actors have been active in show business for more than five decades The Hollywood stalwarts were seen in a clip Stallone shared to social media in January of 2020, as he hosted Pacino at his home to meet celeb chef Guy Fieri. 'I'm about to introduce the great Al Pacino to the great Guy Fieri, who's gonna make some great food today,' Stallone said in the clip, describing the interaction as a 'meeting of the titans.' Fieri shook Pacino's hand and said, 'What a pleasure, what a pleasure, I hope you're hungry,' to which Pacino responded, 'I'm always hungry.' Stallone's upcoming projects include the sequels Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Expendables 4, both due out next year, as well as Paramount+ crime drama Tulsa King, in which he will play the part of Dwight 'The General' Manfredi. Pacino's forthcoming work includes a thriller titled Sniff, in which he'll appear alongside Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren and Danny DeVito; and an adaptation of King Lear, in which he's slated to play the titular role. Red Hot Chili Peppers have announced an Australian and New Zealand tour with American rapper Post Malone as a special guest. The band, known for their hits Under the Bridge, Knock Me Down, Give It Away and Dani California, will perform in major stadiums from January to February 2023. The tour will include performances in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Auckland and Dunedin. Red Hot Chili Peppers (pictured in 1990) have announced an Australian and New Zealand tour with American rapper Post Malone as a special guest Post Malone will be join the band as a special guest The band's Melbourne born bassist, Flea, hinted earlier this year they would soon be touring Australia. He told The Daily Telegraph at the time: 'Were definitely coming. 'Were all booked up until the end of this year, so I dont think we could get there this year.' It has been four years since Post Malone last performed in Australia, and Red Hot Chili Peppers hasn't toured Down Under since 2019. Flea, who owns a property in NSW, last visited for a holiday in December 2021. In April this year, the legendary alternative-rock band was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In April this year, the legendary alternative-rock band was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (pictured during the ceremony) During the ceremony, drummer Chad Smith name-dropped prior members of the band because 'they're all part of our journey'. Anthony Kiedis added the story of the band is 'not a story of individuals'. 'Something happens when we come together which is much greater than the individual parts, we are much greater than the sum total of our parts,' Kiedis said. The tour, which takes place from January to February 2023, will include performances in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Auckland and Dunedin She's been lapping up the European summer for weeks. And while beauty blogger and Instagram influencer Martha Kalifatidis is always sun smart, she suffered from some shocking sunburn over the weekend. On Sunday, the former Married For At First Sight star revealed the extremely painful-looking bright red burn on her stomach and chest in a selfie. Martha Kalifatidis revealed her SHOCKING sunburn she suffered in Europe as she pulled down her bikini bottoms over the weekend She pulled down the bottoms of her bikini to show just how bad the burn was, before warning her followers about using the sunscreen in Europe. The 33-year-old said it was the worst sunburn she's ever had. 'I mean the pose is a bit Brittney (sic) but the burn is probably the worst sunburn I've ever had,' she wrote. 'So bring a sunscreen from home!' In her next Instagram slide, Martha shared a photo that showed the difference between using Aussie and European sunscreen. In her next Instagram slide, she shared a photo showing the difference between using Aussie and European sunscreen She said her face was flawless after using Naked Sundays, a popular sunscreen created by Channel Seven reporter, Samantha Brett. Former makeup artist Martha recently offered a look inside her makeup bag - revealing the beauty products that give her her trademark flawless face. Surprisingly, her 'favourite foundation of all time' is reasonably priced, with Martha revealing she uses MCo Beauty's Ultrastay Flawless Foundation, $28. She also swears by the brand's popular $22 Instant Camouflage and Contour concealer. Martha uses two bronzers - Charlotte Tilbury's airbrush bronzer, which retails for $75, and Nars Sheer Glow foundation, $70, in a deep shade. The brunette bombshell also support the concept of 'beauty from within', saying she can't live without her Chinese herbs. Martha recently shared the secret behind how she always manages to look so sexy. In an Instagram Stories post, she told a fan: 'I promise you I don't look sexy everyday. I only really show the good days. Former makeup artist Martha recently offered a look inside her makeup bag - revealing the beauty products that give her her trademark flawless face Martha recently shared the secret behind how she always manages to look so sexy. In an Instagram Stories post, she told a fan: 'I promise you I don't look sexy everyday. I only really show the good days' 'I do drink a tonne of water every single day. I need eight hours of sleep, if I don't get it I'm a demon.' Martha added that she has a particular makeup item that always gives her confidence. 'Lipliner will fix a multitude of sins and insecurities, once you find "your shade" don't be seen without it' she added. 'Lipliner will fix a multitude of sins and insecurities, once you find "your shade" don't be seen without it' she said Lola Sheen is moving forward. The younger daughter of Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards, 17, was snapped Saturday at a Calabasas shopping center, just days after she was involved in an auto accident in Los Angeles, in which she drove a Volkswagen into an embankment. Lola was clad in a long white shirt with denim blue shorts and black Converse Chuck Taylor hi-tops. She accessorized with a pair of gold hoop earrings and toted a black purse. The latest: Lola Sheen, 17, was snapped Saturday at a Calabasas shopping center, just days after she was involved in an auto accident in Los Angeles, in which she drove a Volkswagen into an embankment Lola, who wore her long blonde locks down and parted, was focused on her smartphone as she was spotted walking at the open-air shopping center. She did not appear to have a vehicle available as she was dropped off at the shopping center by her stepfather, Aaron Phypers, 49. Lola had three passengers in her vehicle at the time of the accident Tuesday, a Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriffs Station spokesperson told The Sun. The spokesperson said the police and the California Highway Patrol worked together after receiving reports about a vehicle in the Santa Monica Mountains seen 'over the edge' on Stunt Road in the area close to Topanga Lookout after dark. Lola was clad in a long white shirt with denim blue shorts and black Converse Chuck Taylor hi-tops Lola was focused on her smartphone as she was spotted walking at the open-air shopping center She did not appear to have a vehicle available as she was dropped off at the shopping center by her stepfather, Aaron Phypers A CHP spokesperson said that the vehicle struck an embankment but didn't roll over a cliff, adding that 'nobody was taken to the hospital but the minor driver complained of a headache after the collision.' It was not immediately clear if the vehicle needed to be towed in the wake of the accident. The area features panoramic views of the mountain area and the Pacific Ocean overlooking Malibu. Lola's Instagram, which has more than 10.3K followers, features a series of images taken in nature including the mountain and beach areas. Richards, 51, on New Year's Day took to Instagram with a shot of Lola posing in front of a car with paperwork in hand. Family: Lola Sheen, Charlie Sheen, Sami Sheen and Denise Richards were seen in a group shot last year On the move: Lola was seen in an Instagram post late last year 'Woohoo!!!' she captioned the shot. 'Nothing like celebrating 2022 than my lola getting her drivers license!!!! Im so proud of you & so happy for you Lolee!!!' Richards earlier this month posted a happy birthday message to Lola as she turned 17 on June 1. She wrote, 'Happy birthday beautiful Lola!!!! How are you 17 already?!? Im so proud of you. Youre so sweet & compassionate & would give the shirt off your back for anyone. Your smile & laugh are infectious & your love for life. 'Especially the most simple things in life. You are light. You walk into any room and always light up the room. I love you so much.' Richards on New Year's Day took to Instagram with a shot of Lola posing in front of a car with paperwork in hand Lola posed in front of a white vehicle as she celebrated getting her license Lola and sister Sami, 18, are Richards' children from her marriage to Charlie Sheen, 56, that spanned from 2002 until 2006. Richards is also mother to adopted daughter Eloise, 11. Richards earlier this month made headlines as she created an OnlyFans after her daughter Sami did the same. Richards told Page Six of the account: 'Sami is 18, and this decision wasnt based on whose house she lives in. All I can do as a parent is guide her and trust her judgment, but she makes her own choices.' Charlie Sheen told the outlet of Sami's account: 'She is 18 years old now and living with her mother. This did not occur under my roof. I do not condone this, but since Im unable to prevent it, I urged her to keep it classy, creative and not sacrifice her integrity.' Marvel dropped another trailer this week for the highly anticipated cinematic release of their new movie Thor: Love And Thunder. On Sunday, fans went crazy as the trailer featured new clips teasing an epic battle scene between Chris Hemsworth and Christian Bale's characters. The passionate fan group commented across all social sites with captions such as 'that gave me chills', 'feeling the power of Thor' and 'excited is an understatement'. On Sunday fans went crazy as the trailer featured new clips teasing an epic battle scene between Chris Hemsworth and Christian Bale's characters On Sunday fans went crazy as the trailer featured new clips teasing an epic battle scene between Chris Hemsworth and Christian Bale's characters. The passionate fan group commented across all social sites with captions such as 'that gave me chills', 'feeling the power of Thor' and 'excited is an understatement' The trailer starts with Thor rallying support in order to build an army shouting 'today we'll fight' with clips of dramatic lightening and fighting poses. The evil looking Gorr, played by Christian Bale, replied with 'I'm counting on it' in an extremely menacing voice in what looks to be a dark cave-like space. The terrifying villain, also known as the God Butcher, will be Bale's Marvel debut. The evil looking Gorr, played by Christian Bale, replied with 'I'm counting on it' in an extremely menacing voice in what looks to be a dark cave-like space The big bad: The terrifying villain Gorr, also known as the God Butcher, will be Bale's Marvel debut Throughout the trailer we see Natalie Portman dressed in armour stood behind Thor showing her support as his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster. The trailer comes to a dramatic end as Hemsworth exclaims 'feel the power of Thor!' Lightening bolts are shot into the air before it cuts to the next scene with Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie appearing with Pegasus flying through the sky. Funny scene: The previous trailer ends with a humorous scene where it Russell Crowe's Zeus points at Thor and completely removes his clothes Totally naked: Thor stands in front of Zeus completely naked From the previous trailer we know Thor has whipped himself into shape since gaining weight and loosing hope at the start of Avengers: Endgame. Thor: Love and Thunder, directed by Taika Waititi, hits Australian and UK cinemas on July 7, and on July 8 in the United States. Along with the stars previously mentioned, Karen Gillan, Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper and Chris Hemsworth's brother Luke will also appear in the movie directed by Taika Waititi. Karlie Kloss showed off her silhouette in a figure-hugging ensemble with a chic hood as she attended the Azzedine Alaia show during Paris Fashion Week. The model, 29, stunned in the silky white cloaked V-neck shirt cinched with a leather corset belt for the celeb-packed event. She sported form-fitting black trousers styled with white platform boots, adorned with studs along the midsole. Chic: Karlie Kloss showed off her silhouette in a figure-hugging ensemble with a chic hood as she attended the Azzedine Alaia show during Paris Fashion Week Karlie wore some glamorous oversized hoops to accessorise her two-toned look. The stunner slicked her light brown locks back for a dramatic feel, sporting some oversized black shades to add a touch of glam. The model kept her make-up look simple with groomed eyebrows and a light berry lipstick. Glam: She sported form-fitting black trousers styled with white platform boots, adorned with studs along the midsole The star - who is married to American businessman Joshua Kushner - held onto a trendy black clutch as she posed up a storm in the unique, elegant ensemble. Naomi Campbell was also spotted outside the show in Paris, looking incredible in a black figure-hugging maxi-dress. The supermodel, 52, rocked the mesh ensemble, adorned with textured stripe detailing, worn with black heeled sandals. Elegant: Naomi Campbell was also spotted outside the show in Paris, looking incredible in a black figure-hugging maxi-dress Looking good: The supermodel, 52, rocked the mesh ensemble, adorned with textured stripe detailing, worn with black heeled sandals She kept her make-up look simple with a deep mauve lipstick, and threw on some oversized sunglasses to tie the classy look together. Elsewhere Elle Macpherson also made an appearance in a flowing dark gown which showed off her svelte waist. The 58-year-old star - nicknamed The Body - looked glamorous as ever in the simple outfit, which fanned out into an A-line skirt. Simply elegant: Elsewhere Elle Macpherson also made an appearance in a flowing dark gown which showed off her svelte waist Elegant: Anna Wintour looked radiant as ever for the show, donning a patterned midi dress with a bright red hemline Fashion: The garment featured a blue patterned detail along long sleeves along with a waist strap She accessorised the elegant look with a bright red cross-body bag and some golden jewellery, wearing her stunning highlighted locks down in a sleek straight style. A gorgeous Doutzen Kroes also showed off her simply stunning style in a pair jeans and a cropped leather blazer as she left the show. The model, 37, flaunted her incredible mane of voluminous curls in the ensemble which she teamed with dark sunglass and an oversized dusky pink tote. Incredible: Doutzen Kroes also showed off her simply gorgeous style in a pair jeans and a cropped leather blazer as she left the show Curly-haired beauty: The model, 37, flaunted her incredible mane of voluminous curls in the ensemble which she teamed with dark sunglass and an oversized dusky pink tote She rocked a chunky golden necklace and a series of bangles to add a classy touch to her edgy look. It comes as Karlie recently gushed about the 'profound experience' of having a child during an appearance on Today. 'In the blink of an eye my baby is one,' the model said of her baby boy in March on Instagram. 'Becoming a mama has been the greatest joy of my life, I have never grown more as an individual or loved more deeply. Levi, thank you for choosing us.' Trendy: The model, 29, stunned in the silky white cloaked V-neck shirt cinched with a leather corset belt 'Did you know the moment Levi was placed in your arms or did it take a minute to fall in love? What was it like for you?' Hoda Kotb asked her. The star said she immediately identified with every parent out there after giving birth to her child. 'The moment he was placed on my arms I literally cry at commercials now, so I might cry right now I just had this moment of, "Now, every woman who has a child, every parent, goes through this." And it's just the most profound experience that I had no idea [about] until having a kid,' she said. Mysterious: The stunner slicked her light brown locks back for a dramatic feel, sporting some oversized black shades to add a touch of glam Karlie said that now her life and priorities have changed since becoming a mother. 'Everything changes,' she said. 'I think the last few years have changed us as well but becoming a mom? I have become, first of all, so much more efficient with my time. I'm actually on time everywhere now. 'And I'm always a multitasker, you know me, I'm doing a thousand things. But I think priorities just changed,' she said. She also discussed her coding camp for girls, Koding With Klossy. Wow! The model kept her make-up look simple with groomed eyebrows and a light berry lipstick Slick: The star - who is married to American businessman Joshua Kushner - held onto a trendy black clutch as she posed up a storm in the unique, elegant ensemble Cloaked: Karlie donned a stunning cloaked shirt as she posed up a storm during Paris Fashion Week 'I grew up in a house of all girls and I have parents who helped us realize we can do anything that we set our mind to despite our gender or anything,' she said of what compelled her to begin coding. 'And I just was so infuriated by the fact that there weren't women in these industries at leadership levels, or at even equal representation,' she told Hoda. 'And that's what we really try and do, is create a space that is inclusive, and creative, and fun to learn how to code. And it's all for free.' Karlie shares her son with her husband, businessman and investor Joshua whom she has been in a relationship with since 2012. Heels: The star accentuated her height with white heeled boots as she enjoyed a fashion show in Paris Trendy: Karlie looked incredible in the black-and-white outfit which accentuated her waist in Paris She reportedly announced that her son was called Levi Joseph after a yeshiva (an Orthodox Jewish seminary or college) in Israel accidentally leaked the name and sex. Yeshiva Reishit in Bet Shemesh published the name while congratulating the parents in the 'Mazel Tov' portion of their email newsletter, Page Six reported. Joshua, whose brother and sister-in-law are Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, is said in the email to have gone to the yeshiva in 2003. Legs for days: The outfit accentuated the model's long legs in slick black figure-hugging trousers Karlie has publicly expressed her political disagreements with her in-laws on multiple occasions. A couple of months after the baby was born Karlie told Paper that 'everything in my life has changed' since she became a mother. 'My whole world really revolves around my son now, and it's so cliche, but it's so true. I never knew I could feel such a deep love and adoration for anything. 'It's so inspiring, but also humbling. I have so much respect for every woman on this planet. It's truly the most rewarding, but also challenging, job. I'm enjoying every second of it.' Australian soap Neighbours has finally wrapped up for good as the cast filmed their last scenes after the show was axed after 37 years. And actor Alan Fletcher, 65, who's played Dr Karl Kennedy in the show for 28 years, has revealed he found his final scene 'overwhelming' to film. While the final plot details are under wraps, former stars Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Guy Pearce will return briefly to the roles that made them famous. 'We struggled to fight back tears': Neighbours' Alan Fletcher says the cast found filming their final scenes in the soap 'overwhelming' as the show is axed after 37 years Speaking To The Mirror the actor said: 'It was very hard to fight back tears as we were saying the dialogue for what was going to be the last moments of the show. 'There were hundreds of people in the studio to watch that final piece of filming. We had some speeches, I said a few words. There were some tears. There were some celebrations.' While Kylie and Jason, who played Charlene and Scott Robinson, filmed their roles away from the set, due to the pop princess's schedule - Memento actor Guy (Mike Young) returned to Melbourne. End of an era: The actor has played the role of Karl Kennedy since 1994 (pictured with co-star Jackie Woodburne who played his dutiful wife Susan) One of my favourites was Guy Pearce. There wasnt a single person who was asked to do something for the end, who was available, who said no'; Alan revealed. It comes as Channel 5 has announce Friday 29th as the transmission date for the soap's final episode. Fans in the UK can watch the iconic Australian soap come to a close at 9pm on Friday 29th July with a double episode special. Goodbye: (L-R) Ryan Moloney, Alan Fletcher, Jackie Woodburne, Angela Bishop, Ian Smith and Stefan Dennis say farewell to the soap's Melbourne set Featuring in it's usual TX slots at 1:45pm and 6pm it will be followed by the history-making finale which will air later the same evening. In what is set to be a gripping and emotional finale, fan favourites from the past will be returning to Ramsay Street to celebrate with Erinsborough locals. The send-off promises to have something for everyone, spanning all generations and decades from the opening scene in 1985, to the final episode in 2022. Tour: The stars of Neighbours will reportedly embark on a 'farewell tour' of the UK after the finale episode airs in Augus Channel 5 teased that further announcements will be made in the coming weeks about additional surprises to send off the iconic soap in style. The Australian soap was axed in March this year following the loss of its main UK broadcast partner, Channel 5. News of the finale air date comes after it was reported that the stars of Neighbours will reportedly embark on a 'farewell tour' of the UK after the finale episode. Key cast members will visit eight cities across England, Scotland and Wales - London, Manchester, Birmingham, Brighton, Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Cardiff - in March 2023, according to Digital Spy. Drama: the character has featured in many high p[profile stories throughout the years (pictured with co-star Natalie Bassingthwaighte) The soap had previously planned an 'in conversation series' in 2020, coinciding with its 35th anniversary, but had to cancel due to Covid. These plans have now apparently been rebooted as a 'farewell tour' but the 'key stars' taking part in the rumoured tour have not been revealed. It comes after executive producer Jason Herbison hinted Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan may have a bigger role in the finale than previously reported. Back for more: While the final plot details are under wraps former stars Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Guy Pearce will return briefly to the roles that made them famous (Guy pictured in the show in 1988) Can't wait: The send-off promises to have something for everyone, spanning all generations and decades from the opening scene in 1985, to the final episode in 2022. (Pictured: Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan on the show in 1988) Mr Herbison told The Herald Sun that a recent storyline 'leak' did not fully explain how the '80s golden couple will return to Ramsay Street.'What I've read is not what happens which is great. It hasn't come out yet,' he said. Mr Herbison kept tight-lipped about the details of their appearance, but he did say the cameo was 'emotional' for the actors. 'Seeing Kylie back as Charlene was quite a moment. Very special and I think for them too it was a real full circle for them,' he said. Kylie and Jason's wedding on the series 34 years ago was watched by 22 million people across Australia and the UK. Neighbours: The Finale will air Friday 29th July at 9pm on Channel 5 Hailey Bieber showed off her nearly flawless skin in a new short clip advertising her skincare brand Rhode Skin. The 25-year-old model posed in the advertisement for her brand, which ran for 20 seconds on the company's Instagram page. The clip begins with the superstar staring directly into the camera, her bright green eyes glittering, while she ran her hands over her tanned cheeks. Flawless: Hailey Bieber, 25, showed off her nearly flawless skin in a new short clip advertising her skincare brand Rhode Skin She then smacked her lips together before the video cut to a camera angle shooting up toward the star while she wore a dark brown bikini. The skimpy two-piece just barely covered all of her ample chest. She pulled up a gray tube of a skincare product near her chin and slowly stroked it across her cheek. Staring down: The clip begins with the superstar staring directly into the camera, her bright green eyes glittering, while she ran her hands over her tanned cheeks Smacking lips: She then smacked her lips together before the video cut to a camera angle shooting up toward the star while she wore a dark brown bikini Barely covering her body: The skimpy two-piece just barely covered all of her ample chest Skin products: She pulled up a gray tube of a skincare product near her chin and slowly stroked it across her cheek During the clip, the daughter of Stephen Baldwin said in an alluring whisper, 'Come on in. We don't bite. Maybe sometimes.' She grinned widely for the camera before taking a sip out of a fruity alcoholic beverage. Bieber then applied a balm to her lips seductively with her perfectly manicured finger. The clip ended with the word 'rhode' in large white lettering across the final image. Seductive: During the clip, the daughter of Stephen Baldwin said in an alluring whisper, 'Come on in. We don't bite. Maybe sometimes' Sipping: She grinned widely for the camera before taking a sip out of a fruity alcoholic beverage Seduction: Bieber then applied a balm to her lips seductively with her perfectly manicured finger Legal trouble: She founded the brand earlier this year, though it is already facing legal trouble regarding its name (pictured April 2022) The video was captioned, 'healthy, dewy, delicious, glazed. come on in join the waitlist at rhodeskin.com [water droplet emoji][star emoji].' She founded the brand earlier this year, and it is already facing legal trouble regarding its name. A fashion brand named Rhode founded by Purna Khatau and Phoebe Vickers in 2013 filed a lawsuit against Bieber and her two companies in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. According to Vanity Fair, Purna wrote that she and Vickers have 'dedicated ourselves to growing and nurturing the Rhode brand through much personal sacrifice and hardship.' The attorney for Khatau and Vickers called the case one of 'reverse confusion, in which a massive junior trademark user threatens to trample a smaller senior users market. The magnitude of Biebers following and the virality of her marketing will cause immediate, ongoing and irreparable harm to the Rhode brand.' Chris Hemsworth is fast becoming the king of TikTok after joining the social media platform on Saturday then gaining 600,000 followers in just two days. His first video was a montage of clips from Thor: Love and Thunder's world premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles last month, where he and his co-stars greeted fans. The Marvel franchise star, 38, captioned the clip: 'Sydney fans! LA fans! Love you guys! Thor: Love and Thunder opens Wednesday in Australia and Friday in the U.S.' Chris Hemsworth is fast becoming the king of TikTok after joining the social media platform on Saturday then gaining 600,000 followers in just two days 'Preorder tickets now, link in bio. Oh and hi TikTok......!' he continued. Chris joked in a red carpet interview about his nude scene in the upcoming Marvel film, saying: 'It was 10 years in the making, that scene - a dream of mine. 'The first time I played Thor I took my shirt off and I thought, "You know what's gonna sweeten this" A decade from now, it's all going to come off.' His first video was a montage of clips from Thor: Love and Thunder's world premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles last month, where he and his co-stars greeted fans Last week, the former Home and Away star raved about his time as Thor since he took on the role in 2011. 'For over a decade you have shown us that Thor is still worthy,' he said on Instagram. 'We're humbled and grateful to all of you who have been part of this incredible journey. We can't wait for you to see Thor: Love and Thunder in theaters July 8.' The Marvel franchise star, 38, captioned the clip: 'Sydney fans! LA fans! Love you guys! Thor: Love and Thunder opens Wednesday in Australia and Friday in the U.S.' Chris will soon return to cinemas with his fourth solo outing as Thor, the Norse god of thunder. Natalie Portman, 41, will join him as Jane Foster, who has taken on Thor's powers in their latest fight against Gorr the God Butcher, played by Christian Bale, 48. Popular characters Valkyrie and Korg will once again be played by Tessa Thompson, 38, and Taika Waititi respectively. Waititi, 46, also wrote and directed Thor: Love and Thunder following his success helming Thor: Ragnarok in 2017. Lily Collins cut a stylish figure as she rode an electric scooter with her husband Charlie McDowell on Sunday in France. The actress, 33, looked effortlessly chic as she cozied up to her husband, 38, as they travelled through Paris together. The Emily in Paris star oozed confidence in a cream midi dress which featured an orange flower detailing. Looking good: Lily Collins cut a stylish figure as she rode an electric scooter with her husband Charlie McDowell on Sunday in Paris, France She opted for a beige oversized blazer which blew in the wind as she and her beau travelled through the streets of the city of love. Lily styled her brunette tresses pulled back from a centre parting in a low ponytail which was perfectly waved. The Love Rosie actress looked radiant in a glam palette of makeup and hid behind a pair of dark sunglasses. She kept her look casual sporting a pair of white trainers as she accessoried with an eye catching pair of gold hoop earrings. Incredible: The actress, 33, looked effortlessly chic in a midi dress which featured an orange flower detailing, as she cozied up to her husband, 38, as they travelled through Paris together Lily carried her personal belongings in a chic red backpack as she kept her hands rested on the front of the scooter as her partner steered. Her partner Charlie, who she married last September, cut a casual figure in a grey T-shirt and black trousers. Lily initially traveled back to Europe in late May to begin work on season three of her hit show Emily In Paris. Amazing: She opted for a beige oversized blazer and styled her brunette tresses pulled back from a centre parting in a low ponytail which was perfectly waved. The comedy-drama, in which Lily plays an American who moves to France to provide an American point of view to the French marketing firm Savoir, premiered in October 2020. This past January, the show got renewed for a third and fourth season by Netflix. The couple initially met while working on the set of Gilded Rage. PDA: Lily and Charlie married last September in Colorado after previously going Instagram official in 2019 Filmmaker Charlie had previously been romantically linked to figures such as Emilia Clarke and Rooney Mara. Lily and her now-husband went Instagram official in 2019, and they made their first public appearance as a couple the following year. The actress went on to announce that she had become engaged to the filmmaker with a post that was shared to her Instagram account in October of 2020. The happy couple eventually made their union official during a wedding ceremony that was held in Colorado last September. Processor STMicro ML design software to support its smart sensors Date: 04-07-22 In edge IoT systems, reduced workload on microcontroller chip brings down the total power consumption. STMicroelectronics is offering its machine learning design software called NanoEdge AI Studio to design AI leveraging edge systems, where it recently updated this software to support smart sensors embedding intelligent sensor processing unit. The new version of software has the capacity to handle on-device learning of AI models for anomaly detection inside intelligent sensors. NanoEdge AI Studio reduces the power consumption by distributing inference workloads across multiple devices including microcontrollers (MCUs) and sensors with ISPUs in their systems. The artificial intelligence algorithms ensures low power consumption and triggers microcontroller into operation mode from sleep mode only when the sensor detects anomalies. ST says this tool provides a complete end-to-end automated workflow that significantly eases development of high-performing AI algorithms such as anomaly detection, classification, and regression. Increasing convenience and efficiency, on-device learning also permits development without requiring an exhaustive dataset to manage pre-deployment training. In addition, support for incremental learning adds extra flexibility to complete partially trained models. NanoEdge AI Studio generated libraries can run on any STM32 microcontrollers starting from Arm Cortex-M0 core powered microcontrollers to the high-performance microcontrollers having Cortex-M7 core. Newly-added support for ISPU-enhanced sensors includes the recently announced ISM330ISN 6-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU), says ST. The updated version of this software is expected to be available June 2022. NanoEdge AI Studio enabling the creation of libraries designed for specific ISPU part numbers is available at no charge on ST.com. To learn more about this visit https://www.st.com/nanoedgeaistudio Farmer Wants A Wife star Hayley Love shared a birthday tribute to her co-star and best friend Nickia on Sunday. She took a savage swipe at her rumoured baby daddy Will Dwyer by thanking Nickia for helping her co-parent her daughter Daisy. One of the pictures posted showed Hayley and Nickia out and about with Daisy when she was 6 months old. Farmer Wants A Wife star Hayley Love (right) shared some sweet snaps as a birthday tribute to co-star and best friend Nickia (left) on Sunday. In one of the posts the mother-of-one captioned the photo 'couldn't ask for a better person to co parent with' She captioned the photo 'couldn't ask for a better person to co parent with'. Hayley welcomed daughter Daisy in December after a brief relationship with her FWAW co-star Will, who she claims is not involved in raising their child. Last month, she took another swipe at Will when Daisy said 'dada' during a video but her mother was adamant she doesn't have one. Hayley appeared to find it funny and ironic so shared the clip online with the caption 'Not sure where you got dada from but you ain't got one sis.' The former reality star followed up this clip for her followers with another video of herself encouraging Daisy to say 'mama' instead. In July 2021, Hayley shocked FWAW viewers when she revealed she was 22 weeks pregnant with Will's child, but said they were no longer together. Hayley also posted some other snaps as a tribute to Nickia's birthday with a before having a child and after. In a one of the pictures they were seen sitting on a quad bike in tiny bikinis drinking Hayley also posted some other snaps as a tribute to Nickia's birthday with a before having a child and after. In a one of the pictures they were seen sitting on a quad bike in tiny bikinis drinking and in another Nickia cradled a newborn Daisy on the sofa. 'Daisy and I love you so much' Hayley captioned the post. Advertisement Lori Loughlin's daughters Olivia Jade Giannulli and her sister Bella kicked off the long weekend by partying on a boat with Patrick and Christopher Schwarzenegger. Ahead of the Fourth of July, the 22-year-old YouTuber appeared to be having the time of her life as she cruised around a lake in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, on Sunday. For the occasion, she sported a green and white floral bikini and coordinating bucket hat over her strawberry blonde tresses. Fourth of July fun: Lori Loughlin's daughters Olivia Jade Giannulli and her sister Bella kicked off the long weekend by partying on a boat with Patrick and Christopher Schwarzenegger At one point, the former Dancing with the Stars contestant jumped into the water with pals. After returning to the boat, the five-foot-nine social media star threw her arms in the air and could be seen cheering while displaying her incredibly toned physique. Later, she rinsed off her soaking wet tresses while her older sister mingled with their buddies in a colorful two-piece and patriotic red, white and blue star headband. Looking good! For the occasion, she sported a green and white floral bikini and coordinating bucket hat over her strawberry blonde tresses Gym-honed: All eyes were on Olivia as she bared plenty of skin on their excursion Woo hoo! After returning to the boat, the five-foot-nine social media star threw her arms in the air and could be seen cheering while displaying her incredibly toned physique Taking a dip: At one point, the former Dancing with the Stars contestant was seen jumping into the lake Bella, 23, stuck close to Patrick, 28, showed off his incredibly muscular physique while going shirtless in just a pair of light grey board shorts. A number of members of their large friend group, consisting of at least eight girls and four other women, dove into the water to cool off. Olivia's latest sighting comes after Us Weekly recently reported that she's currently in a relationship with Euphoria star Jacob Elordi. Stunning: Bella sizzled in her paisley two-piece, gold cross earrings and brown tresses in a low bun Friendly: Bella, 23, stuck close to Patrick, 28, showed off his incredibly muscular physique while going shirtless in just a pair of light grey board shorts Festive: Olivia's older sister mingled with their buddies in a colorful two-piece and patriotic red, white and blue star headband Party time: Olivia beamed with happiness as she escaped the hustle and bustle of city life for a weekend on the lake Mingling: Olivia, who is dating Jacob Elordi, was joined by the Schwarzenegger brothers and a group of at least eight other guys On the water: Olivia and Bella were also seen wearing matching bucket hats with a few of the other girls on board Taking a dip: A few of the men dove fearlessly into the water The two first sparked romance rumors back in December when they were spotted getting coffee together in Los Angeles. 'They both got out of relationships recently, so theyre not rushing into anything serious,' a source told Us Weekly at the time. Elordi had broken up with model Kaia Gerber in November while Giannulli broke things off with her beau Jackson Guthy a few moths prior. Smiling: Christopher looked happy as he dove into the water Beaming: Olivia and Bella exchanged a laugh as they partied away Sun-kissed: The beauty showcased her incredible tan Handsome: Christopher, who has been gradually losing weight ever since committing to a healthier lifestyle in 2020, looked incredible Although the YouTube star and the Australian actor have been keeping their relationship, 'casual,' an insider told Us Weekly that there is a strong connection between them. 'So far it's going well and there's sparks between them,' the source said. Jade had recently appeared on the hit competition show, Dancing with the Stars, where she made it all the way to the eighth week before she was eliminated. Lake life: Bella looked beautiful as her long wavy brown tresses cascaded down her shoulders Gorgeous sisters: The Giannulli siblings flaunted their sun-kissed skin as they soaked up the glorious weather Fun: They were cruising around Coeur d'Alene, the world's only floating island Taken: Olivia's latest sighting comes after Us Weekly recently reported that she's currently in a relationship with Euphoria star Jacob Elordi Although the YouTube star and the Australian actor have been keeping their relationship, 'casual,' an insider told the outlet that there is a strong connection between them 'So far it's going well and there's sparks between them,' the source said Impressive: Jade had recently appeared on the hit competition show, Dancing with the Stars, where she made it all the way to the eighth week before she was eliminated The influencer is the daughter of designer, Mossimo Giannulli and former Full House actress, Lori Loughlin. Jade's parents were caught in a college admissions scandal and spent time in prison after pleading guilty to the charges. The star kept her head high during the scandal, and continued to work hard. In an interview with E!, Jade discussed her time on Dancing with the Stars, and how much it meant to her. 'I think that was like the most special thing I took away from it, just knowing that some people watched it and got to know me for me.' Infamous: The influencer is the daughter of designer, Mossimo Giannulli and former Full House actress, Lori Loughlin Past headlines: Jade's parents were caught in a college admissions scandal and spent time in prison after pleading guilty to the charges Rebranding herself: The star kept her head high during the scandal, and continued to work hard. In an interview with E! , Jade discussed her time on Dancing with the Stars, and how much it meant to her Rebranding herself: The star kept her head high during the scandal, and continued to work hard. In an interview with E! , Jade discussed her time on Dancing with the Stars, and how much it meant to her Poh Ling Yeow has been enjoying a European getaway over the past few months. And on Sunday, the MasterChef Australia star showed off her incredible figure in a sizzling Instagram snap as she prepared to leave Barcelona and head back home. The 49-year-old drew attention to her very toned legs and overall trim physique in a black singlet top and Daisy Dukes as she sat on a stool on her apartment balcony. MasterChef star Poh Ling Yeow, 49, shared this sizzling snap to Instagram on Sunday of her incredibly toned legs and trim physique during her trip to Barcelona Poh added black sneakers to the look and was relaxed as she posed with a cup in hand and admired the sights of Barcelona. Her tresses were swept back into an effortless topknot and she offered just a glimpse of her radiant visage. 'Inspired to the brim & ready for home. Adios for now Barcelona, you've been rad..but folks, let's just pretend I'm still on hols for a tad longer coz I still have so much beautiful travel content I want to share (sic),' she wrote online. The culinary goddess has been keeping her fans updated on her travel adventures that have included Sardinia and Bordeaux. The culinary goddess has been keeping her fans updated on her travel adventures that have included Sardinia and Bordeaux. In May, Poh once again showed off her sensational figure in this snap while enjoying a swim in Sardinia In May, Poh once again showed off her sensational figure while enjoying a swim in Sardinia. Poh posted a photo to Instagram in which she posed in a skimpy black bikini, revealing a lot of cleavage. 'Last day in Castelsardo and it was finally warm enough to swim,' she wrote in her caption. 'I floated for at least an hour in the most sparkling, turquoise, Mediterranean water which was so calm that I quite nearly dozed off,' the chef continued. Poh posted a photo to Instagram in which she posed in a skimpy black bikini, revealing lots of cleavage. 'Last day in Castelsardo and it was finally warm enough to swim,' she wrote in her caption 'When I opened my eyes I was exactly where I'd started albeit facing the opposite direction. In Australia, I'd have been dunked a hundred times not to mention a potential shark biscuit or drifted halfway to another continent! 'Instead of sticky fine sand, tiny polished pebbles that fell cleanly off the skin and made my feet sink deep, were full of polished glass and ceramic treasure.' Poh appears to have been enjoying a solo trip and is now single after splitting from her second husband Jono Bennett in February last year. Poh appears to have been enjoying a solo trip and is now single after splitting from her second husband Jono Bennett in February last year. Pictured together in 2016 Poh, who found fame on MasterChef season one in 2009, is no stranger to seeing her unusual love life in the headlines. She was previously married to filmmaker Matt Phipps, before divorcing in 1999. The pair have however maintained a close friendship, despite him later marrying her best friend Sarah Rich. Poh and Matt's relationship is so strong that they are currently co-owners of Jamface Cafe at Adelaide Central Market. Zoe Foster Blake has been enjoying an epic Italian getaway with her former magazine pals and husband Hamish Blake to celebrate her 40th birthday. The beauty editor-turned-skincare entrepreneur has been living it up in style, with three key items from her wardrobe in the last week totalling an eye-watering $3,144. Zoe, who is known for her flawless red carpet style, wowed in a blue and white sequinned Rachel Gilbert mini dress over the weekend. Take a look inside Zoe Foster Blake's incredible holiday wardrobe as she celebrates her 40th birthday in Italy. (Pictured: Zoe in a blue and white sequinned mini dress by Rachel Gilbert) The mother of two wore the eye-catching number, which retails for $1,390, while being serenaded at an outdoor restaurant during her birthday dinner. She accessorised with white mule heels and statement drop earrings, and her beauty look comprised metallic eyeshadow and wavy brunette hair. For another celebratory dinner with her gal pals, Zoe showed off her trim physique in a green and beige halterneck dress by Johanna Ortiz worth $2,130. The mother of two wore the eye-catching Rachel Gilbert number, which retails for $1,390, while being serenaded at an outdoor restaurant during her birthday dinner Zoe (centre, with friends) accessorised with white mule heels and statement drop earrings, and her beauty look comprised metallic eyeshadow and wavy brunette hair Her brunette tresses were slicked back into a chignon and she finished off her look with matching green drop earrings and metallic sandals. On another occasion, the millionaire wore an Alemais pink and white shirt dress, worth $695, with designer sunglasses and white Gucci sandals. And while soaking up the sun on board a yacht, Zoe donned a blue and white floral cut-out dress by Sir The Label, which retails for $320. For another celebratory dinner with her pals, the beauty editor-turned-skincare mogul showed off her trim physique in a green and beige halterneck dress by Johanna Ortiz worth $2,130 She looked retro-cool in the slim-fitting frock, which she paired with a matching white headband and cat-eye sunglasses. It has been an eventful trip so far, with Zoe revealing how her holiday turned into a nightmare when she lost her phone and her friends became violently ill. In one Instagram post last week, she shared a photo of herself relaxing on a yacht and wrote: 'Things were absolutely perfect.' She then posted a video of the ocean and added: 'Then right after this, I dropped my phone in the sea.' Zoe donned a blue and white floral cut-out dress by Sir The Label, which retails for $320 Zoe looked retro-cool in the slim-fitting frock, which she paired with a white headband and cat-eye sunglasses. Pictured with Bronwyn McCahon (centre) and Justine Cullen (right) 'And two of my angels vomited from seasickness,' she captioned another image of her friends lying on the island. Hamish also revealed last Wednesday the real reason he was invited on his wife's birthday trip was to be their cameraman. The Lego Masters host, 40, shared a photo on Instagram of Zoe and a group of their friends standing in front of a stunning Italian backdrop. It has been an eventful trip so far, with Zoe revealing how her holiday turned into a nightmare when she lost her phone and her friends became violently ill In one Instagram post last week, Zoe shared a photo of herself relaxing on a yacht and wrote: 'Things were absolutely perfect' In the selfie, Hamish clutched two phones and a camera, while the group of women posed in the background. 'I'm lucky enough to be on my wife's belated 40th Girls Trip to Italy and don't worry,' he wrote. 'I know exactly where I stand (off camera, 3 metres away with the sun behind me, taking at least 5 options per photo, per phone),' he added. She posted a video of the ocean and wrote: 'Right after this, I dropped my phone in the sea' Zoe's husband Hamish Blake (left) revealed last Wednesday the real reason he was invited on his wife's birthday trip was to be their cameraman Hamish shares two children with Zoe, son Sonny, eight, and daughter Rudy, four. Zoe pocketed $89million by selling a 50.1 per cent controlling stake of her Go-To skincare company to beauty giant BWX in August last year. She had an estimated net worth of $36million in November 2020, according to a report by the Australian Financial Review. Madonna recently looked back on how the artistic boundaries she pushed early in her career have 'paved' the way for today's biggest artists like Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa and Katy Perry. While reflecting on nearly being arrested for simulating masturbation on her Blonde Ambition tour in 1990, the 63-year-old pop star commended herself for establishing new norms for female artists on stage. 'Police threatened to arrest me three times as I traveled around the world performing Like A Virgin during the Blonde Ambition tour,' she captioned a black and white footage of herself from the raunchy performance. Making history: Madonna reflected on how the artistic boundaries she pushed early in her career have 'paved' the way for today's biggest artists from Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa to Katy Perry She continued: 'The Vatican canceled all my shows in Rome! See how I paved the road for you b****es??' Previously, the Holiday hitmaker talked about receiving warnings from local police during the third night at Torontos SkyDome on her third concert tour. In the film, she received a message from 'a representative from the D.A.s office' expressing worry about her 'immoral live performance.' Wild: While reflecting on nearly being arrested for simulating masturbation on her Blonde Ambition tour in 1990 (pictured at the time), the 63-year-old pop star commended herself for establishing new norms for female artists In response, she told her team: 'Im not changing my f***ing show.' During the show, Madonna, who is known for pushing the envelope with sexually provocative performances and controversial music videos, raised eyebrows for groping herself and humping a bed in front of a live audience. the Throughout her career, which has spanned more than four decades, the mother-of-six has also been vocal about backing causes she believes in, like supporting the LGBTQ community and a woman's right to abortion. 'Police threatened to arrest me three times as I traveled around the world performing Like A Virgin during the Blonde Ambition tour,' she captioned a black and white footage of herself from the raunchy performance Sounding off: She continued: 'The Vatican canceled all my shows in Rome! See how I paved the road for you b****es??' Her latest post comes writing on social media that she's in 'deep despair' about the Supreme Court overturning of Roe v. Wade last month 'I woke up [Friday] to the terrifying news that Roe v. Wade had been overturned and that legislation has decided that we no longer have rights as women over our bodies,' the star said. She continued: 'This decision has plunged me and every other woman in this country into deep despair. Now the supreme court has decided that women's rights are no longer constitutional rights. In fact we have less rights [than] a gun. I am scared for my daughters.' 'I'm scared for all women in America. I am just plain scared. I guess God put this on our shoulders right now because he knew that we were strong enough to bear the weight. Strong enough to fight! Strong enough to overcome. And so we shall overcome! We will find a way to make it a federal law to protect abortion rights! Ladies are you ready to fight?' Tiffany Haddish looked like a princess as she attended a Disney panel discussion at the Essence Festival of Culture on Sunday in New Orleans. The 42-year-old looked striking in a bright yellow dress with elbow length sleeves and a high waist. The Grammy winner paired the flowing A-line frock with matching sandals. Her blonde hair was closely cropped and she accented the look with large gold earrings. Royal treatment: Tiffany Haddish, 42, looked like a princess as she attended a Disney panel discussion at the Essence Festival of Culture Sunday in New Orleans The multi-talented actress has recently completed production on the Disney film, The Haunted Mansion, which is expected to be released next year. She will co-star in the family friendly comedy with Rosario Dawson, 43 and Owen Wilson, 53. Tiffany will be on the big screen next month in Easter Sunday, which is based on the life of fellow stand-up comedian Jo Koy. The funny lady has shared that she turned to comedy to help her deal with some of the traumas of her childhood. Her mother suffered from schizophrenia and when Tiffany was 13, she and her four siblings were put into foster care, each being house in separate places. The family was reunited a couple of years later when her grandmother took in Tiffany and the other kids. Vibrant: She glowed in a yellow dress with a pleated skirt that was ruched around her midriff At the Variety Changemakers Summit in June, the Afterparty star said, 'When I was in foster care, I mean, I thought I was going to die there. I didn't think I would make it to 18.' 'And when I made it to 18, I was like, "OK, I got to really think bigger." And I did think bigger, and I'm definitely where I thought I would be. The actress experienced homelessness in her twenties and lived out of her car for a while. Disney star: The actress recently completed work on the Disney film, The Haunted Mansion. She co-stars with Rosario Dawson and Owen Wilson in the family friendly comedy to be released next year Those experiences inspired her to write the book, Layla, The Last Black Unicorn, and to found the She Ready Foundation, which pairs foster children with internships. 'When I was a kid and I was moving around, all my stuff had to be in trash bags, and moving like that is not good for the self esteem because it make you feel like garbage that can easily be transported to here or there, you start thinking of yourself as such, as garbage.' 'That was the worst feeling in the world personally, and I told myself, if I ever get any power, I'm going to try to make sure kids don't feel like that. If I can reach out, I'm going to try to change that feeling for them. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent actress said one of the first things her organization did was to provide foster children with suitcases. She's the Australian supermodel who was dubbed 'The Body' thanks to her picture-perfect physique. But Elle Macpherson, 58, left fans confused after she uploaded an image of herself that appeared to be doctored on Sunday. The Instagram photo shows the mother-of-two posing in a luxurious hallway inside the Hotel Plaza Athenee Paris. Elle Macpherson, 58, (pictured) left fans confused after she uploaded an image of herself that appeared to be doctored on Sunday Clad in a long-sleeved black gown, Elle posed in a large gilded mirror with her back slightly turned. However, a closer look at the image suggests it may have been doctored, as a portion of the wall reflected inside the mirror appears to be warped. While everything else in the mirror appeared normal, the small area behind Elle's back and derriere appears to bend unnaturally towards the right - a telltale sign that the image has been manipulated. The small area behind Elle's back and derriere appears to bend unnaturally towards the right (circled in red) - a telltale sign that the image has been manipulated The most common use of the liquify tool is to change a person's shape, and in this case would have given Elle a slimmer, more curved waist The most common use of the liquify tool is to change a person's shape, and in this case would have given Elle a slimmer, more curved waist. However - this 'bending effect' could simply be an optical illusion caused by a fault in the mirror's surface. Elle's video was taken just moments before she made a glamorous appearance alongside Naomi Campbell and French filmmaker Farida Khelfa at Paris Fashion Week. Elle's video was taken just moments before she made a glamorous appearance alongside Naomi Campbell (right) and French filmmaker Farida Khelfa (left) at Paris Fashion Week The trio, who are long-time friends, attended the Alaia runway show, posing for an Instagram snap to commemorate the reunion. It comes after Elle shared her health and beauty secrets in a blog post for her company WelleCo. The age-defying beauty said she takes care of her skin and body by juicing up to four times a day, dry body brushing, and following a $1,400 skincare routine from Dr. Barbara Sturm. It comes after Elle shared her health and beauty secrets in a blog post for her company WelleCo The model uses a dry body brush up to three times a week 'to stimulate circulation and lymphatic drainage, clear my system of any toxins, and exfoliate my body for smooth, soft skin'. If she has a red carpet or photo shoot coming up, she prepares by juicing up to four times a day, using a mix of vegetables and her Super Elixir greens supplement. 'At home, I believe the best facial is what you put inside your body,' she explained. Channel Seven has revived competitive cooking series My Kitchen Rules after it was axed in 2020. And in a trailer promoting the upcoming season, brand new judge Nigella Lawson says she can't wait to discover Australia's tastiest home cooked meals. The stunning British culinary star, along with fellow celebrity chef Manu Feildel, 48, will travel across the country to dine in the homes of Australia's most dedicated cooks. Nigella says locally cooked meals are special to her as 'Australian cooking is like the Australian character; 'full of life, fresh and direct. I love that!' She adds that the upcoming series appeals to her particular food tastes, as 'home cooking is where the heart is.' 'Thats the food that makes us feel safe, thats the food that makes up happy,' she adds in the promo. My Kitchen Rules first aired on Channel Seven in 2010 and was initially a smash hit with viewers. Channel Seven has revived competitive cooking series My Kitchen Rules after it was axed in 2020 and brand new judge Nigella Lawson says she can't wait to discover Australia's tastiest home cooked meals in a teaser trailer for the show Nigella will be joined by returning judge and celebrity chef Manu Feildel (pictured) But waning ratings led to the series being axed in March 2020, over a decade after it first screened. Channel Seven hopes its new format will attract more viewers. It was announced back in April that Nigella would feature on the new series, replacing former judge Pete Evans. Chefs Colin Fassnidge and Curtis Stone will also be making guest appearances on the upcoming season of the show. Speaking about his new co-star, Manu said he was 'very excited' to be returning to MKR, and 'even more thrilled' to be working alongside Nigella. 'As MKR judges, we make the perfect team with our years of experience in professional and home kitchens respectively,' he recently said in a statement. The new season will screen later in the year, after the Commonwealth Games end in August. Married At First Sight bride Susie Bradley has vowed she will 'never, ever, ever' date again after her messy split from her former NRL star fiance, Todd Carney. This bold claim came two weeks after the pair confirmed the end of their three-year relationship. When a fan asked if she was back on the dating scene, Susie, 29, said: 'I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever be back on that scene.' Married At First Sight bride Susie Bradley (pictured) said she will 'never, ever, ever' date again after she split from her former NRL star fiance Todd Carney (pictured) 'I plan to only be obsessed with myself, my babies and my business moving forward,' she added. Another fan refused to believe her declaration, saying: 'Do you not hope to fall in love with someone loving, loyal and trusting, to be there to support you and to help you bring up those gorgeous babies, love them as much as you do even?' The former reality star replied: 'Thank you for your messages and your kind words. I am blunt about these things so please don't take offence to my answer.' This bold claim came two weeks after the pair confirmed the end of their three-year relationship She continued: 'Absolutely not. I've spent too much of my young life giving myself to people/things that don't deserve my energy or efforts. 'I wanna be able to make myself happy, truly and deeply happy and all on my own. I don't ever want to be reliant on another human being to bring that to me. 'What is meant for me will come, but I am entirely and confidently happy to be facing that on my own. 'I'm enough for my babies how I am and they both have wonderful loving fathers.' When a fan asked if she was back on the dating scene, Susie said: 'I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever be back on that scene.' Two weeks ago, just hours after she confirmed the end of her engagement with Todd, 36, Susie was rushed to hospital when she collapsed at her Gold Coast home. The Courier Mail reported she was in a serious condition when emergency services arrived at her Benowa Waters home. Earlier that day, the cosmetic nurse had shared photos on Instagram of herself posing in a tight grey mini-dress with a glass of wine in hand. 'I plan to only be obsessed with myself, my babies and my business moving forward,' Susie said She wrote in her caption: 'Officially a member of the Hot Single Girl's Club! What's good to do?' The following week, she uploaded a cryptic post about her mental health and deleted all traces of Todd from her Instagram. The ex-Cronulla Sharks player also deleted his Instagram account. Two weeks ago, just hours after she confirmed the end of her engagement with Todd, Susie was rushed to hospital when she collapsed at her Gold Coast home In 2019, Todd stepped into the role of stepfather to Susie's eight-year-old daughter, Baby. They welcomed their first child together, a boy named Lion Daryl, in April last year. Susie rose to fame on the fifth season of Married At First Sight, which was filmed in late 2018 and aired the following year. The following week, she uploaded a cryptic post about her mental health and deleted all traces of Todd from her Instagram She was partnered with barista Billy Vincent, but they split before their final vows. Todd infamously had his $3M contract with the Cronulla Sharks torn up in 2014 after he was pictured urinating in his own mouth at a Sydney pub. He now works as a concreter. If you or anyone you know needs immediate support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 Susie rose to fame on the fifth season of Married At First Sight, which was filmed in late 2018 and aired the following year. She was partnered with barista Billy Vincent (left), but they split before their final vows The so-called King of Miami, David Grutman, is celebrating his 47th birthday on Sunday, July 3. And by being a globally renowned innovator and entrepreneur in the hospitality field, and founder of Groot Hospitality in Miami, Grutman has partied with some of the most high-profile celebrities across the world. So it makes perfect sense that a slew of birthday wishes started flowing in to Grutman's Instagram Stories, which includes two old friends, Kim Kardashian and younger sister Khloe Kardashian. Birthday boy: Dave Grutman received a slew of happy birthday messages on social media, including from old friends Kim and Khloe Kardashian; the hospitality impresario is seen in 2018 'Happy birthday to the king of Miami @davegrutman Love you!' Kim, 41, gushed in her birthday message to Grutman, who's the owner and partner in several Miami-based restaurants and night clubs. She also shared a photo of the hospitality impresario wrapping his arms around the reality star and entrepreneur as they both flash beaming smiles. Kim has known the Florida businessman for many years. In fact, she and her ex-husband Kanye West actually attended his lavish wedding in Miami to Brazilian model Isabela Rangel in 2016. Happy BDay: Kim Kardashian, 41, shared a sweet birthday wish to her longtime friend Birthday message: Khloe Kardashian, 38, shared how she has known Grutman for 'a million years' when she shared her birth message to the hospitality impresario Khloe followed suit and posted a photo of herself sitting in a luxurious vehicle with Grutman snuggling up next to her. 'Happy birthday to this guy @davegrutman,' she began in her birthday message to the Florida native, adding, 'I've known you for a million years and we will know one another for a million more.' The Good American brand founder continued, 'I'm so lucky to call you my friend. I belly laugh every time we talk. You are the best and you deserve the best! 'I know everyone loves you but know I love you more. #BBCBaby.' Grutman posted his first birthday post on Instagram on late Saturday, showing him with his wife, Isabela, and their two daughters Kaia, four, and Vida, three Grutman, who was once been described by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the most important figures in the electronic dance museum scene, is actually celebrating his birthday with his wife Isabela and two daughters Kaia, four, and Vida, three, in Italy. 'Happiest guy alive,' the Naples, Florida native wrote in the caption of first birthday post, which showed him posing aboard a yacht alongside his family. By the time his actual birthday arrived on Sunday, Grutman posted a series of snaps of himself and his wife striking a few poses along the shoreline. Living the life: Grutman and his wife Isabela are on holiday in the Villa Treville Positano, a five star luxury hotel villa complex on the Amalfi Coast Scenic: The couple's youngest daughter Vida slipped into one fo the scenic snaps 'This Is us,' he gushed in the caption, decked out in a colorful button-down shirt, black pants and white sneakers. Grutman stood with his arm around Isabela, who looked stylish in a form-fitted dress that hugged her fit figure. Their daughter Vida made her way into one of the photos, looking adorable in a white dress. Being a man of hospitality and luxury, the Grutmans are staying at the Villa Treville Positano, a five star luxury hotel villa complex on the Amalfi Coast, complete with its own private beach which is just a one minute walk away. Independence Day and our legacy of liberty By Mark Alexander web posted July 4, 2022 As we celebrate the 246th anniversary of the Founding of American Liberty , I am grateful for the critical decisions by our Supreme Court affirming not only the sanctity of life but also the fundamental First Amendment and Second Amendment rights of all Americans. Indeed, the first shots of the American Revolution fired at the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19th, 1775, were to repulse the confiscation of militia firearms in other words, to disarm the people. Fifteen months after those opening salvos, the first generation of American Patriots gathered in Philadelphia to sign our Declaration of Independence , the most consequential enumeration of the fundamental and unalienable Rights of Mankind as irrevocably endowed by our Creator . The enduring premise of our Declaration is found in these words: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." Those words terrify the tyrants at the helm of the socialist Democrat Party . Our Founders concluded their affirmation of the Declaration by attaching their signatures under these words: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor ." In doing so, the signers were signing their own death warrants. The Declaration of Independence is the most significant and consequential affirmation of freedom in the history of the world, the cornerstone of our Republic . It asserts that Liberty is not temporal but eternal . Of that significance, its principal author, Thomas Jefferson, wrote, "The Declaration of Independence [is the] declaratory charter of our rights, and the rights of man." He would later observe upon reflection: "This was the object of the Declaration of Independence. Not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had never been said before; but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take. Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the American mind, and to give to that expression the proper tone and spirit called for by the occasion." On the approval of the Declaration, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, of the necessity of observance : "It ought to be commemorated as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Day's Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not." Upon reflection he wrote: "What do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations... This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution." But the price of sustaining Liberty is high. Shortly after Lexington and Concord, John Adams's second cousin, Samuel Adams , declared, "The People alone have an incontestable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to institute government and to reform, alter, or totally change the same when their protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness require it." Of those who would not rise to defend that right, Adams wrote: "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen!" Likewise, Founder Joseph Warren, a physician and friend of John Hancock and Samuel Adams, and a fellow member of the Sons of Liberty , offered these words: "Ease and prosperity (though pleasing for a day) have often sunk a people into effeminacy and sloth. The man who meanly will submit to wear a shackle, condemns the noblest gift of heaven, and impiously affronts the God that made him free." Why would that first generation of American Patriots forgo the "ease and prosperity" for "the animating contest of freedom"? The answer to that question Liberty or Death defined the spirit of American Patriotism then, just as it defines the spirit of American Patriots now. There was much blood and treasure expended in the battle for Liberty before its essential affirmations were codified in our Constitution in 1787. And there has been much blood and treasure expended since. Today, WE are the ideological descendants of those who once pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Just as our forebears were, we must be willing to " support and defend " Liberty at all costs. It is not a calling for those who "love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom." As for the circumstances today, in a nation under siege by the enemies of Liberty within , those in control of the socialist Democrat Party, there are many timeless and encouraging words from our Founders. Recall the words of George Washington in 1777, when the obstacles to American Liberty seemed insurmountable: "We should never despair, our situation before has been unpromising and has changed for the better, so I trust, it will again. If new difficulties arise, we must only put forth new exertions and proportion our efforts to the exigency of the times." Likewise, the aforementioned Dr. Joseph Warren wrote: "Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. Our enemies are numerous and powerful; but we have many friends, determining to be free, and heaven and earth will aid the resolution. On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question, on which rest the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves." To avoid the tunnel vision associated with the leftist siege, and the constant churn from Leftmedia talkingheads and scribes , we must never lose sight of so much that is good and right about our country. We understand that restoration and preservation of Liberty is a generational process and never rests on one political campaign or cycle. We know we are on the right side of history when the other side constantly endeavors to undermine Liberty. We believe, as did Ronald Reagan : "America's best days are yet to come. Our proudest moments are yet to be. Our most glorious achievements are just ahead." But we understand that there is no rest for Patriots. Patriot brothers and sisters, remember who YOU are who WE are together and from what stock you come. We are sons and daughters from all walks of life, heirs to the blessings of Liberty bequeathed to us at great personal cost by our forebears, confirmed in the opinion that it is our duty to God and Country to extend that blessing to our posterity. We are bound by our "sacred honor" to that end. We will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER give up or give in. Be heartened by the awesome power that has emboldened Patriots from the dawn of our nation, who understood, as George Washington declared, "Our cause is noble; it is the cause of all mankind." Finally, as we close in on the 250th anniversary of our nation's Founding, I draw your attention to remarks delivered on July 4, 1926, at the Philadelphia celebration of the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration. President Calvin Coolidge declared : "About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful. It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776, that we have had new thoughts and new experiences which have given us a great advance over the people of that day, and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning cannot be applied to this great charter. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people. Those who wish to proceed in that direction cannot lay claim to progress. They are reactionary. Their ideas are not more modern, but more ancient, than those of the Revolutionary fathers." He concluded: "We live in an age of science and of abounding accumulation of material things. These did not create our Declaration. Our Declaration created them. The things of the spirit come first. Unless we cling to that, all our material prosperity, overwhelming though it may appear, will turn to a barren scepter in our grasp. If we are to maintain the great heritage which has been bequeathed to us, we must be like-minded as the fathers who created it. We must not sink into a pagan materialism. We must cultivate the reverence which they had for the things that are holy. We must follow the spiritual and moral leadership which they showed. We must keep replenished, that they may glow with a more compelling flame, the altar fires before which they worshiped." On this, our nation's 246th celebration of independence, I invite you to join us in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform, our first responders, and all who stand in harm's way in defense of Liberty, and for their families. Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post. Home Issa Rae continued to enjoy her time in New Orleans on Sunday as she attended the 2022 Crown Awards. The 37-year-old multihyphenate showed off her impeccable fashion sense in a light blue shorts set. She commanded attention with her flawless visage on full display as she pulled her hair back. Active: Issa Rae continued to enjoy her time in New Orleans on Sunday as she attended the 2022 Crown Awards Issa, a Los Angeles native, spent her weekend in Louisiana as she appeared at the annual Essence Festival of Culture. As she spoke at the event she joked, 'I apologize for my energy this morning. I essenced my essence away last night.' She had previously taken to Instagram Stories to lightheartedly complain of 'dying a slow death' and ask her 3.7 million followers to 'help.' In the clip she was already dressed for the event, sporting her textured, long-sleeved button-up shirt. Stylish: The 37-year-old multihyphenate showed off her impeccable fashion sense in a light blue shorts set The Insecure star showed some skin in the number, opting to skip the top buttons and tie it in the front. She bared a bit of her belly as she rounded out the look with coordinating high-waisted shorts. The soft pastel color nicely complemented the TV writer's flawlessly even complexion. Rae, real name Jo-Issa Rae Diop, added a pair of round, silver-toned drop earrings to elevate the getup. Cute: The Insecure star showed some skin in her shirt, opting to skip the top buttons and tie it in the front Issa was joined by her business partner and sister-in-law, Hannah Diop, at the function, which took place on National Crown Day. Hannah stunned in a sleeveless lavender dress with a ribbon tie at the collar. The dress stretched over her knees and she teamed it with a pair of chunky, nude, patent leather heels. The Sienna Naturals cofounder wore her curly, raven-colored hair loose with a portion pulled up into a bun on top of her head. She adorned the partial updo with various pearl-like accoutrements throughout. Collaborators: Issa was joined by her business partner and sister-in-law, Hannah Diop, at the function, which took place on National Crown Day TikTok and Instagram sensation Tabitha Brown also graced the event with her bubbly presence. The 43-year-old social media personality sported her signature afro with a bright blue, satiny pants set. The eye-popping two-piece had a black and white zebra graphic print on one side of the shirt, and a thick, pink trim on the other. She kept her look sporty and light as she punctuated it with a pair of white sneakers. Peace and love: TikTok and Instagram sensation Tabitha Brown also graced the event with her bubbly presence Tashara Parker, who hosted the event, turned heads in a blue, sequin-covered jumpsuit. The wide-leg pantsuit had an off-the-shoulder detail and a plunging front that highlighted her cleavage. She accented the statement-making look with pointed-toe pink heels. Parker wore her dark hair in an intricate braided updo with face-framing baby hair. Flashy! Tashara Parker, who hosted the event, turned heads in a blue, sequin-covered jumpsuit Also showing up in support of the affair were London Breed, Mayor of San Francisco, and LaToya Cantrell, Mayor of New Orleans. The two women had the same idea in mind as they arrived in floral patterned dresses. Mayor Breed opted for a green, orange, white, and black piece that she paired with white and black striped flats. Uplifting: Also showing up in support of the affair were London Breed, Mayor of San Francisco, and LaToya Cantrell, Mayor of New Orleans Meanwhile, Mayor Cantrell chose a fuchsia pink frock, cinching her waist with a woven black belt. She wore hoop earrings and her pixie haircut had a side part and subtle sideswept wave. Both ladies modeled a matte red lip stain as they smiled for photos side by side. Stranger Things dropped the highly-anticipated final two feature-length episodes of season four on Friday. And fans had been waiting for one moment in particular, which has now been revealed as an improvised moment. Hopper and Joyce shared their first kiss when they were in Russia trying to escape the labor camp and fighting the Demogorgon monsters. Big moment: Stranger Things Hopper and Joyce shared their first kiss when they were in Russia, escaping the Russian labor camp and the Demogorgon monsters But Stranger Things stars Winona Ryder and David Harbour added in a second steamy moment that was unscripted - finally giving the fans what they want. The verified Stranger Things Twitter account revealed: 'This kiss wasn't scripted, Winona and David added it on the day of filming.' Fans couldn't contain their excitement as they rushed to Twitter to share their thoughts on the passionate moment. Fan favourite: Stars of the show Winona Ryder and David Harbour added in a second steamy moment that was unscripted during season four's final episode The verified Stranger Things Twitter account revealed: 'This kiss wasn't scripted, Winona and David added it on the day of filming.' One wrote: 'Wait your telling me that Joyce and Hopper kiss wasn't scripted???' Another said: 'Did anyone else sob their eyes out when Hopper and Joce kissed? I did' Another said: 'Just finished watching stranger things 4... still need to elaborate the fact that Joyce and Hopper FINALLY KISSED A fourth penned: 'I'm just thinking about that kiss with Joyce and Hopper in season 4 cuz that was so hot One said: 'Joyce and hopper checking on us after they kiss' Highly-anticipated: Fans couldn't contain their excitement as they rushed to Twitter to share their thoughts on the passionate moment Netflix crashed as fans around the world rushed to watch Stranger Things after the highly anticipated release of the final two episodes season four. The overwhelming influx of viewers pushed Netflix beyond its capacity, leaving thousands of furious subscribers with tech issues. More than 13,000 users complained of errors around 3am EST Friday - just moments after the episodes launched on the streaming service, DownDetector reported. The entire platform was down Friday and returned a message telling subscribers 'this page isn't working.' Another message instructed viewers: 'Please try again later' The show's fourth installment had already set the set the record as the No. 1 English-language series on Netflix after the first seven episodes were released on May 27. Stranger Things 4 Volume 1 racked up 930.3 million hours of streaming viewership in its first 28 days on Netflix, breaking a record previously held by Bridgerton, another platform original series. Given the initial success of Stranger Things 4, it should come as no surprise that dedicated fans anxiously counting down the new episodes overloaded Netflix. The entire platform was down Friday and returned a message telling subscribers 'this page isn't working.' Another message instructed viewers: 'Please try again later.' As the long-awaited final episodes of Stranger Things have finally been released on Netflix, the emotional Season four finale certainly didn't disappoint. And the writers of the show have now revealed that some parts of the finale were unscripted, including Joseph Quinn's final line. The actor, who played Eddie Munson in the show, heartbreakingly told Gaten Matarazzo's character Dustin 'I love you, man' - in an off-the-cuff moment. 'I love you. man': Stranger Things' Joseph Quinn improvised his character Eddie Munson's heart wrenching final line in the show's season four finale Season four saw the introduction of Eddie, who is the leader of the Hellfire Club at Hawkins High School. But in a tragic twist of fate, the character's stint is short-lived - as he heroically sacrifices himself to save the rest of the group. The gang are seen trying to battle off deathly bats and attempting to kill supernatural Mind Flayer Vecna, with Eddie and Dustin paired together to act as bait during the plan. BTS: Sharing a behind-the-scenes snap, the writers of the show revealed via social media that some parts of the finale were unscripted Short-lived: Season four saw the introduction of Eddie, who is the leader of the Hellfire Club at Hawkins High School - but in a tragic twist of fate, the character's stint is short-lived Heart-wrenching: Eddie loses his life to save his friends, with an emotional scene showing him die in Dustin's arms But succumbing to the bats in the Upside Down, Eddie loses his life to save his friends, with an emotional scene showing him die in Dustin's arms. And it seems one of the hardest hitting lines was improvised by actor Joseph, as he tells an emotional Dustin: 'I think its my year, Henderson. I think its finally my year. I love you man' with the teary youngster replying: 'I love you too'. Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Stranger Things confirmed via their official writers account that the 'I love you, man' line was improvised. 'My year': Eddie tells an emotional Dustin: 'I think its my year, Henderson. I think its finally my year. I love you man' with the teary youngster replying: 'I love you too' Confirmed: Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Stranger Things confirmed via their official writers account that the 'I love you, man' line was improvised And that wasn't his only off-the-script moment which made it into the final cut, as Joseph also improvised another famous line from the show - during a scene which showed him hotwiring a campervan alongside Steve (Joe Keery) and Robyn (Maya Hawke). As Robyn was unconvinced about Eddie driving the van, she expressed her concern to the boys - with Eddie assuring that Steve will be the one driving. Turning to Steve, he jested: 'Harringtons got it... Dont ya big boy?'. Off the cuff: And that wasn't his only off-the-script moment which made it into the final cut, as Joseph also improvised another famous line from the show - during a scene which showed him hotwiring a campervan alongside Steve (Joe Keery) and Robyn (Maya Hawke) Intrigue: Confirming that the last part of the line was from Joseph himself, the account simply replied 'yes' to a questioning fan Suspecting their was a hint of improvisation in there, one intrigued fan tweeted the Stranger Things Writers account, asking: 'Did he improvise the "don't you, big boy?" at Steve in the camper van too? just asking for a friend.' Confirming that the last part of the line was from Joseph himself, the account simply replied 'yes'. There is no doubt set to be more turmoil in the town of Hawkins, as the fifth and final season of the show has already been confirmed - with a release date unknown as of yet. Zoe Foster Blake has been celebrating her 40th birthday in Italy. And on Monday, the skincare entrepreneur was relaxing by the pool as she soaked up the sun. The author donned a neon green bikini top, showcasing her taut abs and slender figure. Zoe Foster Blake (pictured) has been celebrating her 40th birthday in Italy. And on Monday, the skincare entrepreneur was relaxing by the pool as she soaked up the sun She added a red skater skirt to the look, as well as a pair of white cats-eye sunglasses and metallic slides. The former journalist has been posting to Instagram to share a series of jubilant images from her trip to Europe, where she's been joined by a group of pals and TV presenter husband Hamish. Celebrating her milestone birthday, Zoe opted for a sky-blue mini dress with a white square pattern and towering heels as she danced the night away in Capri. The former journalist has been posting to Instagram to share a series of jubilant images from her trip to Europe, where she's been joined by a group of pals and husband Hamish Zoe revealed she's having the 'best birthday ever' turning 40 in Italy She also shared a snap of her enjoying a birthday cake - complete with an oversized sparkler, in what she described as the 'night of all nights'. Zoe also shared some shots from the morning after, saying the gang were suffering from sore heads as they headed on a boat trip. She joked her friends were 'drinking two cokes for safety' and said she was having the 'best birthday ever'. Zoe also shared some shots from the morning after, saying the gang were suffering from sore heads as they headed on a boat trip. She joked her friends were 'drinking two cokes for safety' and said she was having the 'best birthday ever' Zoe revealed how her Italian holiday turned into a nightmare on Thursday, when she shared her woes to Instagram It comes after Zoe shared a photo of herself relaxing on the yacht and wrote: 'Things were absolutely perfect'. She then posted a video of the ocean and continued: 'Then right after this, I dropped my phone in the sea'. 'And two of my angels vomited from seasickness,' she captioned another image of her friends lying on the island. Love Island star Amelia Marni revealed she is moving to Europe following her split with long-time boyfriend, Josh Moss. And the reality star, 26, looked to be enjoying her time on the Greek island of Mykonos on Sunday. Amelia, who is in Greece for 10 days, kept her look glam in a ripped, black co-ord crop and pants before heading out for a stroll. Love Island Australia star Amelia Marni, 26, (pictured) looked every inch the Euro glamazon in a racy crop and pants in Greece on Monday after split from ex Josh Moss The Australian star wore a canary yellow bikini top under the crop top and accessorised with gold hoop earrings. The star looked toned and tanned as she walked along with her shoes and phone in hand, probably heading towards a beach. Taking to Instagram last month, Amelia revealed she was heading to Greece before jaunting around Europe. Amelia, who is in Greece for 10 days, kept her look glam in a ripped, black co-ord crop and pants before heading out for a stroll 'Hi guys, I just wanna do a quick little life update,' she began telling fans. 'So, in two weeks, I'm gonna go to Mykonos for like, 10 days I think?' she told fans. 'Who knows, I'm very sporadic I'm very spontaneous at the moment,' she continued. The star looked toned and tanned as she walked along with her shoes and phone in hand 'And then I think I'm gonna stay in London for like a month, maybe two months... Don't know how long yet, we will see.' The reality star went on to confirm that she is 'semi-moving to Europe'. 'Like, a casual move,' she added. 'Like a few months, maybe a month. I don't know yet. I don't wanna commit to much yet.' Amelia (pictured) revealed last month she is moving to Europe following her split from Josh Moss, but admitted she didn't have a solid plan for her trip The shock decision comes almost one month after Amelia announced she and Josh, 29, had called it quits after four years together. 'Josh and I have decided to split,' Amelia's message from May 16 began. 'This was the most heartbreaking and respectful breakup. After almost four years of being together we decided to go our separate ways.' Amelia said doesn't know exactly how long she will be overseas for Amelia added she wasn't sure if the news 'came as a shock' to fans, noting that the couple had always portrayed a happy and healthy relationship online. Last week, Josh addressed the shock breakup on his podcast The Handbags alongside MAFS alum Michael Brunelli He said that on the day of their split, Amelia said she wasn't sure if she was still 'in love with him anymore' and that the pair had been 'unhappy' for months. Amelia announced she has split from Josh in May after four years as a couple 'She wants a lot of reassurance and she wants all that sort of stuff, and I can't give her as much as she wants,' Josh said. Josh said the pair ultimately broke up after spending a weekend away together. 'We got back and I got home one day, and she was sitting on the couch crying,' he recalled. According to Josh, Amelia said she wasn't sure if she was still 'in love with him anymore' 'I was like, ''What's wrong?'' and she was like, ''I'm so unhappy. I can't do this anymore. I don't know if I'm in love with you anymore." 'And that was really, really hard. It came from left field, but now I look back on it I don't know if it did come from left field.' Amelia and Josh met on Love Island Australia back in 2018. She's known for her love of travel and lavish getaways. And Lucy Watson looked nothing short of sensational as she uploaded a slew of stunning shots to her Instagram account during a trip to Malta on Monday. The Made In Chelsea star, 31, flaunted her toned physique in green bandeau bikini top as she enjoyed some time on a yacht on the Maltese coast. Radiant: Lucy Watson looked nothing short of sensational as she uploaded a slew of stunning shots to her Instagram account during a solo trip to Malta on Monday Looking radiant with a stunning backdrop, the Feed Me Vegan author completed her relaxed look wearing a white cotton shirt and a pair of high-waisted trousers. The neutral tones accentuated the brunette beauty's tanned physique while she wore her hair in a relaxed bun. On Sunday, the TV personality shared a close up snap of her bust wearing the same outfit which also focused on her elegant gold jewellery. All aboard: The Made In Chelsea star, 30, flaunted her toned physique in green bandeau bikini top while she enjoyed some time on a yacht on the Maltese coast Bronzed: On Sunday, the TV personality shared a close up snap of her bust wearing the same outfit which also focused on her elegant gold jewelry Lucy also uploaded a stunning image of herself strolling through the medieval streets of Valletta, Malta's picturesque capital city. She cut an elegant figure in a white shirt dress which showcased her incredible legs and bronzed glow. Lucy also treated her 1.2 million followers to some of the idyllic hidden gems she visited, including a photo of one of the country's ancient caves. Staying at the five star Phoenicia Malta during her trip, the former reality star also included a black and white image of the resort's outdoor decking to her collage. Mystical: Lucy's grid also showed her upload a stunning image of her strolling through the medieval streets of Valletta, Malta's picturesque capital city Exploring: She cut an elegant figure in a white shirt dress which showed off her incredible legs and bronzed glow Picturesque: She also treated her 1.2 million followers to some of the idyllic hidden gems she visited, including a photo of one of the country's ancient caves Luxury: Staying at the five star Phoenicia Malta during her stay - the businesswoman also included a black and white image of the resort's outdoor decking Relaxation: The Feed Me Vegan author also gave a glimpse of their 5-star luxury at Four Seasons Resort as she shared an image of herself catching the rays on her back In April, Lucy celebrated seven years together with partner James Dunmore. In a sweet post, Lucy added a cosy shot of the pair lying on a sun lounger with their arms entangled. She showed off her toned figure as she lay in a barely-there bikini, with a shirtless James behind her in swimming trunks as he wrapped a supportive arm over her torso to meet her hand. The post covered up their faces, focusing on their loved-up body language in the beachy pic - with the pair's engagement and wedding rings on display. Congrats! In April, Lucy celebrated seven years together with partner James Dunmore, with Lucy posting a snap to mark the occasion In the caption, Lucy said that 'time flies', writing: 'Yesterday marked 7 years together / pretty crazy how time flies'. The post was shared with Lucy's 1.2million Instagram followers as she and James continued to enjoy their Seychelles getaway. And the seven year mark wasn't the only milestone they celebrated during the holiday, as James turned 33 last week - honouring the day with a sunset beach trip on the gorgeous island. The pair met on Made In Chelsea in 2015 while both appearing on the reality show - with an instant connection forming. It came after Lucy had been on the show since 2011, broadcasting a a string of failed romances with notorious co-stars such as Spencer Matthews, Jamie Laing and Andy Jordan. Her luck turned around when James joined the show, with the pair sealing their relationship six years later with a gorgeous beach wedding in Greece, after James popped the question in 2020. It was a family affair at The Rolling Stones' BST Hyde Park in London on Sunday as generations of the band's children attended the show. Ronnie Wood's wife Sally, 44, appeared in good spirits at the gig where she brought along their twin daughters Gracie and Alice, six. Two of Mick Jagger's children also turned out for the event as both Georgia May, 30, and Lucas, 23, were seen among the revellers. Family: Ronnie Wood's youngest children, twins Gracie and Alice, six, were in attendance at The Rolling Stones' BST Hyde Park in London on Sunday with their mother Sally Ronnie ex-wife Jo attended the gig alongside daughter Leah and her grandchildren Maggie, 13, and Otis, eight, where they posed for a snap with Jason Mamoa One of Ronnie's daughters was dressed in an adorable 'Daddy's Superstar' T-shirt as she posed for a snap alongside her mother. Along with his twins, Ronnie, 75, is father to son Jesse, 45, with his first wife Krissy, Leah, 43, and Tyrone, 38, with his second wife Jo Wood and her son Jamie, 47, who he adopted after they married. Mick's daughter Geogia cut a trendy figure for the event as she donned a black mini dress with matching tights. The model, who attended the concert with her friend Cara Delevingne, also sported a pair black ankle boots and a matching shirt. Show: Mick Jagger's daughter Georgia May, 30, was spotted in the crowd during the performance Sibling: Georgia's half brother Lucas, 23, who Mick shares with Luciana Giminez, also attended the gig Stars: Ronnie Wood's ex-wife Jo attended the gig alongside daughter Leah and her grandchildren Maggie, 13, and Otis, eight, where they posed for a snap with Jason Mamoa (L-R Jo, Maggie, Leah, Otis, Jason) Lucas also opted for a laid back look as he sported a grey Rolling Stoes hoodie and navy jeans. Georgia is Mick's daughter from his relationship with model Jerry Hall while Lucas was born from the rocker's affair with Luciana Gimenez. Mick has a total of eight children from his past relationships, including Jade, 50, with 70s fashion icon Bianca Jagger, and 51-year-old Karis with Marsha P Hunt. Along with Georgia, Mick had three other children with Jerry, Elizabeth, 38, James, 36, and Gabriel, 24. Mick shares his youngest child Devereux, five, with his girlfriend Melanie Hamrick. Fashion: Geogia cut a trendy figure for the event as she donned a black mini dress with matching tights Casual: Lucas also opted for a laid back look as he sported a grey Rolling Stoes hoodie and navy jeans The rockers were said to have paid an homage to their roots by recreating the Surrey pub where they started off playing gigs backstage at the Hyde Park festival. According to The Mirror, the band members - some of whom have in past spoken about cutting back on drinking and going teetotal - ordered a series of drinks from the previously named Red Lion pub in Sutton. It is now called the Winning Post, but the building holds serious nostalgic value for the band. The venue is where they made some of their first appearances in the 60s. They also asked for some food from the pub, including Guinness cakes, steaks and masala marinated chicken, the Mirror reports. Advertisement She's recently been spending time in Rome while directing new movie Without Blood. And it seems Angelina Jolie has brought her children along for the trip too, as she was spotted enjoying a day out with daughters Vivienne, 13, and Zahara, 17 - even meeting up with pal Salma Hayek later on. The Hollywood star, 47, donned a flowing sand maxi dress and high-waist trouser co-ord for the outing, with a spaghetti strap detail, showing off her tattoo decorated arms and upper back. Glamorous: Angelina Jolie, 47, cut a glamorous figure on Monday as she enjoyed a shopping day out with daughters Vivienne, 13, and Zahara, 17, in Rome Angelina added a pair of platformed espadrilles to her look, with a large camel handbag slung over her shoulder. Her brunette tresses were pulled away from her face in a dark claw clip, as she shielded from the Italian sun in a pair of circular framed sunglasses. Stepping out in the city, her daughter Zahara walked alongside her in a sage green sundress and a pair of black high-top Converse trainers. Girls day: The family enjoyed a day of shopping, as the Mr and Mrs Smith star was snapped browsing market stalls, trying on some colourful bracelets Summer look: The Hollywood star donned a flowing sand maxi dress and high-waist trouser co-ord for the outing, with a spaghetti strap detail, showing off her tattoo decorated arms Meetup: Angelina was spotted meeting pal Salma Hayek later on in the day, as they are both staying in Rome to film new movie Without Blood Accessorising: Angelina added a pair of platformed espadrilles to her look, with a large camel handbag slung over her shoulder While Angelina's youngest daughter, Vivienne, sported a pair of grey jeans and a matching crew neck sweatshirt. The family enjoyed a day of shopping, as the Mr and Mrs Smith star was snapped browsing market stalls, trying on some colourful bracelets. Taking a look at the selection of food on offer, she also browsed a spice stall at piazza o Campo De Fiori - before buying some kitchen utensils to take home. Keeping cool: Her brunette tresses were pulled away from her face in a dark claw clip, as she shielded from the Italian sun in a pair of circular framed sunglasses Hitting the shops: Zahara also seemed to have bagged some buys, clutching onto two carrier bags as they explored the area Spice selection: Taking a look at the selection of food on offer, she also browsed a spice stall at piazza o Campo De Fiori - before buying some kitchen utensils to take home Zahara also seemed to have bagged some buys, clutching onto two carrier bags as they explored the area. In addition to shopping, the family spent some time at a cookery school in the city, making the most of Angelina's day off. They appeared tight-knit on the day out, laughing and walking closely alongside each other. She then met up with pal Salma, who has been in Rome too as she is starring in Without Blood. Sunny stroll: In addition to shopping, the family spent some time at a cookery school in the city, making the most of Angelina's day off Family: Angelina's daughter Zahara walked alongside her in a sage green sundress and a pair of black high-top Converse trainers, while her youngest daughter, Vivienne, sported a pair of grey jeans and a matching crew neck sweatshirt Angelina shares Zahara and Vivienne with ex-husband Brad Pitt, in addition to their four other children; Maddox Chivan, 20, Pax Thien, 18, Shiloh Nouvel, 16, and Knox Leon, 13. Following a tumultuous separation, she and Brad are still fighting a custody battle over their brood of six - despite filing for divorce six years ago. With reports claiming that Angelina will 'never agree to joint custody', a source told Us Weekly: 'Its very clear to him that Angie has gone out of her way to delay and stall the process. All he can do is work with his legal team and file the paperwork whilst responding to her claims. Month after month goes by with one piece of red tape after another, endless jumping through hoops and bickering between their lawyers with no resolution.' Brood: Angelina shares Zahara and Vivienne with ex-husband Brad Pitt, in addition to their four other children; Maddox Chivan, 20, Pax Thien, 18, Shiloh Nouvel, 16, and Knox Leon, 13 Angelina has decided to focus on directing and producing at the moment, as she has been spotted on set for her new project Without Blood in the last few weeks. Without Blood is based on the international-bestselling novel of the same name by Italian writer Alessandro Baricc - with Angelina set to write, direct and produce it. Speaking after the film was announced, Angelina said: 'I'm honoured to be here in Italy to bring this very special material to film, and to have been entrusted by Alessandro Baricco with the adaptation of his book with its unique poetry and emotion and way of looking at war, and the questions it poses about what we search for after trauma or loss or injustice'. Group: A small entourage closely joined the Hollywood star and her daughters Elle Macpherson is one of the original supermodels. And the star, 58, proved she's lost none of her catwalk flair when she attended the ALAIA show in Paris this week. Elle took to Instagram on Sunday to share a photo of herself posing outside the Hotel Plaza Athenee. Supermodel Elle Macpherson, 58, (pictured) was every inch the catwalk star as she posed at the swanky Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris In the image, Elle is seen working her best angles as she poses in a printed jacket and black tights. The blonde bombshell accessorised her look with reflective sunglasses, a Dior tote and off-white sandals. Later in the day, the star did a stroll through a corridor of the famed Hotel Plaza Athenee, where rooms start at a whopping $3,000-a-night. Later in the day, the star did a stroll through a corridor of the famed Hotel Plaza Athenee, where rooms start at a whopping $3,000-a-night Elle later shared a breakfast of French croissants, coffee and butter. The Australian catwalk star switched back into mum mode just days ago when she shared herself shopping for son Cy Busson's dorm room. Elle showed she's just like any other mum as she helped her son refurnish his dorm room at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, on Friday. The star proved she's lost none of her catwalk flair when she attended the ALAIA show in Paris this week. She appeared to treat her son Cy - himself a budding model - picking up a 55 inch Ultra HD LGTV as well as a desk and Marshall speaker for his college dorm room. Elle shares Cy, 19, with her French financier ex-boyfriend Arpad Busson, 59. She also has Arpad 'Flynn' Alexander Busson, 24, with her ex. Flynn graduated from Boston University last year after studying finance and real estate. The star showed an outfit hanging up by a light-fitting in the hotel room While Flynn is clearly following after his father, Cy appears to be following in his famous mother's footsteps. He has already appeared in several magazine shoots and is represented by talent agency Next Models Miami. Cy mostly kept out of the spotlight until turning 18 last year, but since reaching that milestone has featured in a handful of publications. Elle later shared a breakfast of French croissants, coffee and butter He appeared on the cover of Australian Vogue and French Elle alongside his mother and older brother. He also fronted the Russian edition of Glamour Man. Elle known as 'The Body', has previously said that when she became a mother, she decided to put her sons first over her career. 'I was 35 when I had my first [Flynn] and 41 when I had Cy and so I came to children a little later in life, but I made sure they were going to be the priority,' she said. It comes after Elle treated her son Cy to a 55-inch Ultra HD LGTV as well as a desk and Marshall speaker for his dorm room at Babson college 'I used to travel a lot and I'd go through that thing that [working] mothers go through. 'I would always tell them, "Mum loves what she does and I hope in life you find something you love to do so that work doesn't feel like work and you go off and do your thing and while I'm off doing my thing". 'How cool for you guys to have that time without your helicopter, control-freak mother around.'' She also said she was 'moved' to learn one of her sons had said in an interview that she made them feel they were her 'priority'. Shanina Shaik flaunted her blossoming baby bump in a fitted dress when she attended The Twenty Two in Mayfair on Sunday. The Australian model, 31, looked elegant as she arrived at the swanky new London club alongside a host of other celebrities. Shanina showcased her growing baby bump in a pale mint dress which she topped with a fitted black blazer. Australian model Shanina Shaik, 31, (pictured) flaunted her blossoming baby bump in a fitted dress when she attended The Twenty Two in London on Sunday The catwalk star opted to finish her look with a silver heel and a quilted green mini-bag. Shanina accentuated her natural look with minimal makeup and wore her raven tresses down past her shoulders. The star announced her 'baby kicked' just days ago on Instagram. Shanina will soon welcome her first child with boyfriend Matthew Adesuyan, after making the announcement in May. Shanina showcased her growing baby bump in the dress which she topped with a fitted blazer The star accentuated her natural look with minimal makeup and wore her raven tresses down past her shoulders In a heartwarming Instagram post shared on Mother's Day, the mother-to-be wrote a tribute to her unborn child. 'To the new love of my life,' she wrote at the time. 'Thank you for choosing me to be your Mum. I have always wanted you for as long as I can remember, and at times my patience was tested.' 'The timing had to be right, and I can say with confidence that I am ready to be your guide, your protector and your best friend,' she added. 'As each month goes by during this precious journey of pregnancy, I am learning what the role of being a mother entails. I worry a lot, especially about your well being and development. It's a feeling that I've never experienced before, not even about myself. The catwalk star opted to finish her look with a silver heel and a quilted green mini-bag 'I would do anything for you, be anything for you and sacrifice anything for you.' Shanina then wrote that her child 'will be supported and loved through every moment in your life, just as I have been'. 'Mummy and Daddy can't wait to meet you,' she concluded her post. Shanina announced she's expecting her first child with boyfriend Matthew Adesuyan in May The former Victoria's Secret model debuted her relationship with Matthew on Valentine's Day last year, sharing an Instagram post to confirm their romance. Shanina was previously married to Aussie DJ Gregory Andrews, whose stage name is DJ Ruckus, in 2018. The pair tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in the Bahamas, before splitting 15 months later. Tucker Carlsons misguided attack on Republicans By Selwyn Duke web posted July 4, 2022 For the record, I believe Fox News host Tucker Carlson is by far the best high-profile TV commentator of our time. I frequently cite him in my news-oriented articles, and his monologues are tours de force. Thus is it notable that Ive never seen him stumble so badly as on his last Wednesday evening show. Aside from taking at face value a rather portly Google engineers claim that a computer hed been working with, which he calls a person, has become sentient (highly improbable at this time), Carlson launched an attack on the Republican Party that, while containing some truth, failed to see the forest for the trees. The pundits point was that while Democrats are alienating even their traditional minority base with woke baseness, the GOP is not only failing to capitalize but is aiding the Biden administration in effectuating political correctness. He provided a number of examples, and lets jump right in with one to illustrate where he went wrong. Carlson cited Arkansas Republican governor Asa Hutchinsons shameful veto of a 2021 bill that would ban the child abuse euphemistically known as gender reassignment treatments (e.g., puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones). With the veto, Hutchinson signaled that he adheres to a self-destructive fantasy about and fear of government overreach (his claim), is profoundly ignorant on the subject or is actually in bed with the sexual devolutionaries. Regardless, he should be primaried. Carlson, however, didnt tell the rest of the story. To wit: That bill is now law because the Republican-controlled legislature overrode Hutchinsons veto by wide margins the very day after it was announced. As Ballotpedia reported last year, The House and Senate voted 71-24 and 25-8 in favor of the override, respectively. All Democrats, one independent, and three Republicans voted against the override. The remaining Republicans voted in favor of the override. Seven assembly membersone Democrat and six Republicansdid not vote. Again, All Democrats voted for child abuses perpetuation, whereas virtually all the Arkansas Republicans voted to end it and did so. This is a real change, a real blow in the culture war, that makes a real difference in real peoples lives. Its also something that wouldnt have even been proposed had Democrats controlled Arkansass legislature. This is reminiscent of how, in 2007 and 2013, after immigrationist GOPers (e.g., the late Senator John McCain) forged disastrous amnesty bills, they were deep-sixed by other congressional Republicans. Carlson also mentioned the 15 leftism-enabling Senate Republicans, such as Texass John Cornyn and Utahs Mitt Romney, who conspired with the Democrats to pass the unconstitutional red flag gun bill. Yet while this is lamentable, the reality is that almost 89 percent of Republicans opposed the bill in the Senate and House combined versus zero percent of Democrats who did so. Perhaps most notable, however, is that all five Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn the unconstitutional, nation-rending Roe v. Wade opinion were appointed by Republicans; three out of the four voting unconstitutionally were Democrat choices. Realize, too, that as bad as the GOP establishment is, we have one of its members to thank for Roes demise: The often enraging Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. He did, after all, hold up the thoroughly unjust Merrick Garlands SCOTUS nomination while also later helping elevate Amy Coney Barrett to the Court. (Additionally, McConnell helped Trump elevate 220 Article III federal judges, the second most of any president in a four-year period.) Whatever one thinks of abortion, the difference between overturning Roe and not doing so is like night and day and that historic day, Fridays Dobbs ruling, was delivered by the GOP. All this makes two conclusions plain: First, the Republican Party is far from perfect. Second, its still head and shoulders above the Democrats. The Real Distinctions and The Uniparty Mentality Those who, despite the above, paint both parties with the same brush should consider something: Before complaining of a uniparty, remember that the GOP itself is not a uniparty. It includes MAGA figures ranging from Ron DeSantis, Chip Roy and Marjorie Taylor Greene to liberals such as Susan Collins and Romney to establishment operators such as McConnell to possible sociopaths such as Adam Kinzinger. Theres a lot of ideological real estate among these groups and, consequently, a bit of an intra-party civil war. And apropos to this, understand that the most instructive distinction here is not Republican and Democrat. Its people who more or less care about the country and its Constitution and traditions (though they have varying understanding of such) and everyone else. But heres the significant point: There is one and only one viable home for the anti-establishment MAGA set, and thats the Republican Party. As for its bad elements, why would we define any group based on its most anomalous 10 or 15 percent? How Political Power is Won So we mustnt let the perfect be the enemy of the good. And if I can grit my teeth and say this, you can, too. After all, the best way to understand me is that Im Mayberry Meets the Middle Ages. What this means is that 99.5 percent of the people who might think theyre more outside-the-box than I am are not more outside-the-box than I am. But I also understand something: Politics is the art of the possible, as famed German leader Otto von Bismarck put it. Its not the art of You get what you want, right now, no questions asked, but of the possible. Also realize that its a mistake treating a politician who has dashed certain hopes of yours as you would a formerly dear friend who has betrayed you. The latter may be dead to you (though forgiveness is always, and reconciliation sometimes, in order), but parties and politicians should be viewed differently: as tools with a certain utility. You dont throw away a tool just because it doesnt perform up to the standard you hoped unless you have a better tool with which to replace it. This means, mind you, that the superior tool must be one you can actually get your hands on and put to use, not something that will never actually make it into your shed. (This is a metaphor for supporting vanity-project, third-party candidates.) In other words, dont get so emotionally involved with a politician that when disappointed, you feel like a jilted love interest. The next step is understanding the goal. Anyone who remembers the 2008 film Gran Torino may recall that when the Clint Eastwood character was asked how he had a tool shed equipped like Home Depot, his answer was that such an arsenal is acquired over a lifetime. We likewise must aim to incrementally improve our set of tools. For example, electing America-first candidates (e.g., Taylor Greene) in recent years has improved Congress. And if its now, for arguments sake, 15 percent better than before, the goal is to make it another 8, 15 or 20 percent better next time. This is done, obviously, through electing the best possible candidates in the primaries and then the general election. Keep repeating this process, and improved government results. But as soon as we get emotional due to disappointment and take our ball and go home (demoralization-born suppressed turnout), the process not only is halted but can reverse. One step forwards, two steps back. Perseverance is a prerequisite for winning power. In conclusion, remember that embracing the uniparty mentality is to play into evils hands. The Devil wants you to become cynical, say Theyre all the same! and not see distinctions. For then you wont distinguish between good and evil and can become, as Edmund Burke put it, one of those good men who do nothing. Battles can only be won by those who show up for them. Contact Selwyn Duke , follow him on MeWe , Gettr or Parler , or log on to SelwynDuke.com . Home Advertisement Elle Macpherson, Naomi Watts and Zoe Saldana all looked sensational as they led the stars attending the Dior show during Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week on Monday. Supermodel Elle, 58, cut a glamorous figure for the event as she donned a beige long-sleeved dress with a sheer detail and high collar. The garment also featured a pleated hemline while Elle added height to her statuesque frame with black, pen-toed heels. Radiant: Elle Macpherson (left), Naomi Watts (centre) and Zoe Saldana (right) all looked sensational as they led the stars attending the Dior show during Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week on Monday Styling her blonde tresses into voluminous curls, the Australian beauty complimented her outfit with a pair of sunglasses. Elle was joined by her son Arpad Flynn, 24, who she shares with her ex-husband Arpad Busson, who looked dapper in a black suit and white shirt. Hollywood A-lister Naomi, 53, looked elegant in a black sleeveless dress which featured a sheer detail. The actress also wore a pair of black heels for the show while she accessoried with gold earrings. Beauty: Supermodel Elle, 58, cut a glamorous figure for the event as she donned a beige long-sleeved dress with a sheer detail and high collar Sensational: The garment also featured a pleated hemline and a patterned detail Family: Elle was joined by her son Arpad Flynn, 24, who she shares with her ex-husband Arpad Busson, who looked dapper in a black suit and white shirt Heartwarming: Elle held hands with her eldest son as they posed for snaps ahead of the show Styling her locks into a sleek bob, Naomi completed her look with a gold shimmering bracelet. Zoe was a vision in a cream sleeveless top which she wore over a white vest with an embroidered detail. The Guardians Of The Galaxy star also donned a white sheer skirt and cinched her waist with a chunky black belt with a gold buckle. Complimented her outfit with a pearl necklace, Zoe wore matching earrings and gold, eye-catching rings. Lily Aldridge cut a stylish figure at the event as she arrived in a white blazer with a black floral pattern. Incredible: The Guardians Of The Galaxy star also donned a white sheer skirt and cinched her waist with a chunky black belt Looking good: Lily Aldridge cut a stylish figure at the event as she arrived in a white blazer with a black floral pattern The Victoria's Secret model also wore a matching skirt along with a black top with a deep v-neckline. Lily opted for a pair of simple black heels and silver earrings while she wore her brunette tresse in an updo. Also in attendance at the event was actress Sigourney Weaver who looked elegant in a black dress with sheer sleeves. The garment featured a high collar while the Alien star carried her essentials in a black and white clutch. Attendees: Romee Strijd (left), Amina Muaddi (centre) and French actress Sandrine Kiberlain (right) all showcased their fashion sense at the event Look: Shoemaker Amina also wore an open white blouse and matching heels along with silver earrings All smiles: Naomi Watts was in good spirits as she sat in the front row at the Christian Dior Women's Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2023 collection show during Paris Fashion Week In style: The British actress wore a semi-sheer black dress which featured an elegant pleated skirt In conversation: (L-R) Australian model and actress Elle Macpherson, US actress Sigourney Weaver and French actress Nadia Tereszkiewicz chatted as they sat in the front row Gleeful: The stars were seen smiling as they waiting for the models to take to the catwalk at the event Model Romee Strijd looked radiant as ever as she arrived to the show in a beige coat which she wore over a black mini dress. The outfit featured lace sleeves while the Dutch beauty, 26, also wore a pair of black boots and carried a grey handbag. Posing for the camera, Romee wore her platinum locks in loose waves and accentuated her natural beauty with a light palette of makeup. Filipina actress Heart Evangelista opted for a black top with a low-cut neckline which she wore with a matchig skirt with a floral detail. Elegant: Maye Musk (left) - mother of Tesla billionaire Elon Musk - and actress Sigourney Weaver (right) both cut elegant figures at the Dior show Glamorous: Complimented her outfit with a pearl necklace, Zoe wore matching earrings and gold, eye-catching rings Model: Romee looked radiant as ever as she arrived to the show in a beige coat which she wore over a black mini dress Breathtaking: Filipina actress Heart Evangelista opted for a black top with a low-cut neckline which she wore with a matchig skirt with a floral detail Wow: The star - whose real name is Love Marie Payawal Ongpauco - also wore a black blazer and carried a patterned handbag Meanwhile, fashion designer Amina Muaddi opted for a dark grey blazer with a matching pencil skirt as she posed for the cameras. The shoemaker, who was previously forced to deny having affair with Rihanna's boyfriend A$AP Rocky following social media rumours, also wore an open white blouse and matching heels. Adding to her outfit with a pair of diamong earrings, she complimented her look with a light blue handbag. Model Maye Musk - who is the mother of Tesla billionaire Elon Musk - donned a pale green gown with an intricate floral print and pleated hemline. First Dates barman Merlin Griffiths has revealed he's undergoing more surgery, three months after a robotic operation to help treat his bowel cancer. The star of the Channel 4 show, 47, took to Instagram on Monday to update his followers, after sharing last week that he was back in hospital with a 'complication' despite undergoing surgery to remove a stage three tumour. Merlin, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer in September, admitted his journey through battling the disease was proving to be 'long, painful and ugly,' but added he hoped this visit to hospital would be the 'last time for a while.' Scary: First Dates barman Merlin Griffiths has revealed he's undergoing more surgery, three months after a robotic operation to help treat his bowel cancer In his post Merlin shared a pair of snaps from his hospital bed, once again sporting a face mask as he prepared for surgery. He penned the caption: 'Last time for a while I hope. Minor day surgery for some complications with my anastomosis following a Low Anterior Resection in April. 'The #CancerTreatment journey is long, and often painful and ugly. I couldn't do it without my family either.' Worrying: The star of the Channel 4 show (pictured) took to Instagram on Monday to update his followers, after sharing last week that he was back in hospital with a 'complication' Worrying: In his post Merlin shared a pair of snaps from his hospital bed, once again sporting a face mask as he prepared for surgery Worrying: He penned the caption: 'Last time for a while I hope. Minor day surgery for some complications with my anastomosis following a Low Anterior Resection in April' Last week Merlin revealed that he had returned to hospital for further treatment after suffering complications mere weeks after undergoing the robotic surgery to treat his cancer. He shared a selfie from his hospital bed on Monday, with the hashtag 'complications'. In April Merlin underwent robotic surgery to remove a tumour, after medical tests last year unearthed the stage three tumour that measured 4.5cm in length. On the mend! Last week Merlin revealed that he had returned to hospital for further treatment after suffering complications mere weeks after undergoing the robotic surgery An exhausted-looking Merlin was wearing a colourful unicorn print face mask and had a cannula bandage on his hand as he lay in his hospital bed for the new photo. He didn't go into details as to why he was back in hospital, writing in the caption: 'Oh... Squibwibble. #complications. # nhs. #BowelCancerAwareness.' Three weeks ago the star was back at work, six weeks after his surgery to remove the tumour. The First Dates barman launched Royal Ascot's first ever reduced and alcohol-free bar on June 14 as part of Harrogate Spring Water's Mindful Drinking Mission. Treatment: He shared a selfie from his hospital bed on Monday, with the hashtag 'complications Merlin was discharged from hospital six days after undergoing surgery back in April. At the time, the TV personality shared a cheering update to Instagram, posting a selfie with blue skies behind him, writing: 'And breathe. 6 days, start to finish.' He added praise for the pioneering surgery, explaining: 'Now for real #cancer recovery. I've had open laparotomies before and the recovery was 6 weeks in hospital before robotic surgery!! Amazing.' Road to recovery: Two weeks ago the star was back at work ,launching Royal Ascot's first ever reduced and alcohol-free bar six weeks after his surgery to remove the tumour Merlin added the hashtags to mark Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, writing: #nhs #davincisurgicalsystem #bowelcancerawarenessmonth #stoma. He thanked the NHS for 'literally saving his life' after undergoing the 'robotic' surgery. He wrote: 'Thank you #NHS for literally saving my life. #BowelCancerAwarenessMonth.' He also shared a photo of the four-armed 'robot' holding the surgical instruments and a camera, to give his followers an insight into the procedure. Merlin announced in March that he was due to have the operation, joking that he had three weeks to 'get my s**t together'. On the mend: Merlin was discharged from hospital six days after undergoing surgery to remove a tumour, back in April Last year, Merlin was told he has a 75 per cent chance of living for more than five years after medical tests unearthed a stage three tumour that measured 4.5cm in length. And updating his followers on his progress, he tweeted: 'Operation scheduled. Three weeks to get my s**t together. Robotic surgery, welcome to the future!' He later thanked his fans for their well wishes, adding: 'Thank you to everyone wishing me well. X May your lives be prosperous and filled with empathy and happiness.' Robotic surgery sees surgeons view the operation through a magnified screen while a robotic machine with four arms holds the surgical instruments and a camera. The surgeon controls the arms of the machine and removes the cancer through keyhole surgery. Fascinating: At the time of his surgery he shared a photo of the four-armed 'robot' holding the surgical instruments and a camera, to give his followers an insight into the procedure Candid: Plugging April's Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, he concluded: Ready as I'll ever be. Tumour removal time. [champagne emoji] #bowelcancerawarenessmonth' Merlin received his bleak diagnosis from doctors at Northampton General Hospital, saying at the time that he was trying to keep a 'positive outlook'. Speaking to the Sunday Mirror last year, Merlin said: 'I'm keeping that positive outlook, but I've a morbid sense of humour. I tell people, 'I have colorectal cancer it's a real pain in the ar*e!' Merlin has a seven-year-old daughter called Alix with his partner Lucille, 40, who he has been with for more than a decade and will be by his side as he faces a year of life-saving treatment. When the barman told his young daughter of the troubling diagnosis he reassured her of the powers of modern medicine and gushed about the public healthcare system. At the time, he said: 'I have so much faith in medicine and the NHS in this country, which is just so incredible.' Keeping his emotions behind closed doors, Merlin admitted: 'I've shed a tear in private. But you can choose 'to do' or 'not to do'. I chose to lead my life as normal, to stick to the facts about it, and to keep putting one step in front of the other.' Unwell: Merlin announced in March that he was due to have the operation, joking that he had three weeks to 'get my s**t together' The TV personality, who became a household name alongside Fred Sirieix in the First Dates restaurant, started to feel pain in June but thought it was caused by an old stomach injury from a car accident in his 20s. Merlin was diagnosed with bowel cancer last year and said his tumour looked like an alien and felt like a walnut stuck inside of him. Doctors discovered the tumour when they gave the barman an emergency sigmoidoscopy to probe his lower intestine after the star spent three months telling people he felt something wrong in his body. Merlin admitted he was terrified by the ordeal but immediately focused on his chances of survival following his diagnosis. The star revealed that his tumour wanted to move into the tissue surrounding it but wasn't 'lymph' - meaning the cancer thankfully hadn't spread. Merlin told his co-workers in the First Dates restaurant, including maitre d'hotel Fred Sirieix, and waiters Grant Urquhart and CiCi Coleman, about his diagnosis just a week after he told his family. The barman admitted his peers were shocked and couldn't help but question why bad things happen to good people. Yazmin Oukhellou and Jake McLean were in the 'best place' before the businessman was tragically killed in a car accident. Friends close to the TOWIE star, 28, and Jake, 33, believed they weren't far off getting engaged after reconciling their relationship earlier this year. On Sunday, Jake lost his life after he drove his car off a cliff in Bodrum, Turkey, while Yazmin was left seriously injured and is currently recovering in hospital. 'They were so close': Yazmin Oukhellou and Jake McLean were in the 'best place' before the businessman was tragically killed in a car accident A source told MailOnline: 'Yazmin and Jake were so close; they had fallen back in love with each other and were busy making plans for their future. 'Those closest to them believed Jake wasn't far off proposing to Yazmin after the two had discussed getting married. 'It's terribly tragic what's happened, Yazmin is devastated, and is still struggling to get her head around everything. 'When they split up Yazmin told friends she found it hard to cope without him, which is why she wanted to give things another go, but now she faces the nightmare of never seeing him again.' Jake was killed during the early hours of Sunday morning after driving his car off a cliff in Turkey. 'Devastated': Friends close to the TOWIE star and Jake believed they weren't far off getting engaged after reconciling their relationship earlier this year Shocking: Photos of Jake's overturned car emerged on Monday, with the vehicle lying on its roof in tall grass as paramedics and police worked on the scene close by His on-off girlfriend Yazmin was a passenger and is being treated in hospital for severe injuries to her arm while her family have flown to Turkey to be with her. Jake's family are said to be 'devastated' by their loss. Speaking from her east London home today, Jake's auntie, Sheila McLean, said: 'Jake was so lovely. We're all so upset.' Yazmin and Jake, who previously dated TOWIE's Lauren Goodger, 35, for four years, went public with their relationship in May last year. After initially keeping their romance a secret, Yazmin shared a photo of herself with Jake, covering his face with an emoji. She captioned the post: 'We've been through more than most. Had our ups and downs but I wouldn't have us any other way.' Former romance: On Monday, Lauren expressed her sadness at Jake's passing, writing: 'R.I.P Jake. I have no words right now' Lost for words: The TV star posted 'my thoughts are with your family and friends' and ended her tribute with a broken heart and angel emoji On Monday, Lauren expressed her sadness at Jake's passing, writing: 'R.I.P Jake. I have no words right now. 'My thoughts are with your family and friends.' Lauren ended the tribute with a broken love heart and angel emoji. She dated Jake from 2012 until 2016 while she appeared on TOWIE, Dancing On Ice, and Celebrity Big Brother. Lauren is currently expecting her second child with partner Charles Drury and is expected to give birth any day now. In July 2015, Lauren and Jake were pictured on the front of a magazine together and discussed their desire to start a family. Jake said: 'We speak about it a lot. For me, getting married and having kids is what life is about. I can't wait to start a family together.' Julia Fox put her best fashion foot forward on Monday as she attended Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris, France. Kanye West's ex-girlfriend, 32, flashed her washboard abs in a leather crop top and skirt co-ord while strutting down the street, making it her own personal catwalk. She boosted her height in a pair of shiny black heeled boots while taking part in a mini photoshoot with a female pal. Stylish: Julia Fox put her best fashion foot forward on Monday as she attended Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris, France Julia accessorised with a black shoulder bag and a pair of sunglasses, while wearing her brunette locks in a stylish up do. Earlier in the day, the Uncut Gems actress put on a glamorous display in a unique figure-hugging fishnet gown at the Iris Van Herpen Haute Couture Fall Winter 2022 2023 show. Once again sporting her bleached eyebrows, Julia finished her look with a coral lipstick and her signature winged liner. Kicking off on Sunday, Paris Haute Couture Week is set to run until Thursday - with top couture designers such as Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gautier and Balenciaga all set to unveil their new collections. Wow! Kanye West's ex-girlfriend, 32, flashed her washboard abs in a leather crop top and skirt co-ord while strutting down the street, making it her own personal catwalk Stunning: Earlier in the day, the Uncut Gems actress put on a glamorous display in a unique figure-hugging fishnet gown at the Iris Van Herpen Haute Couture Fall Winter 2022 2023 show Gorgeous: Once again sporting her bleached eyebrows, Julia finished her look with a coral lipstick and her signature winged liner Looking good: She posed up a storm for a slew of snaps, showing off every inch of the garment Amazing: The stars showcased their bold style at the A-list event (Coco Rocha, a Guest, Julia and Miss fame pictured L-R) Last Saturday, Julia - who boasts 1.3M Instagram/TikTok followers - shared a rare video of her 16-month-old son Valentino on the beach after attending the 40th annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade. 'He's amazing. He's my little angel. I love him so much,' the No Sudden Move actress gushed to People. 'I would like to have more children. I think he's ready for siblings. If it happens, great, but I'm not, like, actively looking for it.' Fashion capital: Kicking off on Sunday, Paris Haute Couture Week is set to run until Thursday - with top couture designers such as Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gautier and Balenciaga all set to unveil their new collections (Iris Van Herpen left and Julia Fox right) 'He's amazing. He's my little angel. I love him so much!' Last Saturday, Julia shared a rare video of her 16-month-old son Valentino on the beach after attending the 40th annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade Julia mothered Valentino during her three-year marriage to Brooklyn private pilot Peter Artemiev, which ended last year. Fox 'still can't believe' she landed on the cover of the July edition of Vogue Czechoslovakia as the editors did not inform her until she wrapped the shoot. 'My heart skipped a beat! I genuinely had no idea. I thought it was just a spread and honestly I was just so happy to be in Vogue at all I didn't care!' the Amber Heard defender wrote on Instagram. 'We made this baby!' Fox mothered Valentino during her three-year marriage to Brooklyn private pilot Peter Artemiev (L, pictured January 25), which ended last year 'Anyway here we are now and I'm still gagged and so grateful to everyone involved. And especially thank you to my fans and haters [because] without [you] guys this wouldn't be possible. I love you all!' Julia's former flame Kanye 'Ye' West will not appear in her upcoming memoir-style 'masterpiece' book, which is 'halfway done' and should hit shelves 'in about a year.' Fox has several acting projects including Tony Kaye's dark comedy The Trainer, the Carrie White biopic Upper Cut, and she's the frontrunner to play Debi Mazar in Madonna's self-directed Universal Pictures biopic. Katy Perry, Jessica Chastain and Kim and Kourtney Kardashian are among those not so eager to celebrate their country's independence this year now that the right to choose was stripped away for millions of women. Many stars have taken to social media to effectively 'cancel' Fourth of July 'due to a shortage of independence' in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Since SCOTUS reversed the ruling guaranteeing the right to an abortion, many celebrities have slammed the Supreme Court, speaking out on social media about the topic. Canceled: Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry are among those celebrities 'canceling' Independence Day this year 'due to a shortage of independence' after Roe v. Wade was overturned Perry, whose song Firework is an unofficial anthem of Independence Day, made her critique of women's rights in America using a new viral meme. 'Baby you're a firework' is a 10 but women in the US have fewer rights than an actual sparkler smh,' Perry penned on social media. Both Kim and Kourtney shared the same meme on their Instagram Stories, which read: '4th of July has been cancelled due to a shortage of independence. Sincerely, Women.' Jessica Chastain, meanwhile, let her fingers do the talking in her Instagram selfie flipping off the camera with two hands. Furious: Since SCOTUS reversed the ruling guaranteeing the right to an abortion, many celebrities have slammed the ruling, speaking out on social media about the topic Stepping up: Lizzo is doing more than just expressing her rage on the Fourth. The hitmaker pledged to donate proceeds from her shapewear brand Yitty to Abortion Funds during the holiday weekend '@yitty 100% OF NET PROCEEDS TO @abortionfunds ALL WEEKEND LONG. JULY 2-4. Celebrating freedom on our terms. Liberating Every Damn Body,' she penned in the caption of an Instagram video 'Happy "Independence" Day from me and my reproductive rights,' she captioned the image. Lizzo is doing more than just expressing her rage on the Fourth. The hitmaker pledged to donate proceeds from her shapewear brand Yitty to Abortion Funds during the holiday weekend. '@yitty 100% OF NET PROCEEDS TO @abortionfunds ALL WEEKEND LONG. JULY 2-4. Celebrating freedom on our terms. Liberating Every Damn Body,' she penned in the caption of an Instagram video. Actress Diane Kruger kept it simple and succinct with a text-only Instagram story, which read: 'Not much to celebrate America' Lisa Rinna - who did celebrate the holiday with a dazzling red, white and blue bikini snap - reminded her followers: 'While you are in between cocktails and hot dogs celebrating the 4th dont forget Roe V Wade was overturned. Heres why. #janeelliott Dont let them take away ALL OF OUR RIGHTS.' She added a video of iconic diversity expert and educator Jane Elliot. Over it: Jessica Chastain, meanwhile, let her fingers do the talking in her Instagram selfie flipping off the camera with two hands Sister solidarity: Both Kim and Kourtney shared the same meme on their Instagram Stories, which read: '4th of July has been cancelled due to a shortage of independence. Sincerely, Women' Dark days: The Supreme Court overruled the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision in June by upholding Mississippi's restrictive 15-week abortion ban Padma Lakshmi, a longtime vocal supporter of women's reproductive rights, baked a cake with a powerful message. On her red, white and blue confection, she wrote in icing: 'separate church & state' In her caption the Top Chef host penned: 'Not much to celebrate this 4th, Im afraid. Lets just hope everyone can keep safe and peaceful today and that soon our nation veers away from this precipice. 'No matter what, well keep fighting for the day where all humans have the same rights, at least of their own person and body, have privacy to make their own choices and to love whom they love and live in peace. #notahappy4th #fruitfromthegarden' Team Roe: Padma Lakshmi, a longtime vocal supporter of women's reproductive rights, baked a cake with a powerful message 'No matter what, well keep fighting for the day where all humans have the same rights, at least of their own person and body, have privacy to make their own choices and to love whom they love and live in peace. #notahappy4th #fruitfromthegarden' New Girl actress, Zooey Deschanel, also jumped in and shared a post on Twitter during the holiday wearing a T-shirt with, 'Pro Roe 1973,' printed on the front. That was the year the Roe v. Wade decision was ruled by the U.S. Supreme Court that a woman's right to an abortion is protected by the Constitution. The star wrote out, 'For when you want to wish America a happy birthday, but also want her to do better.' The star also quoted former justice of the Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 'The decision whether or not to bear a child is central to a woman's life, to her well-being and dignity. It is a decision she must make for herself.' 'Reclaim our right to choose': Zooey Deschanel, 42, shared a photo on the national holiday of herself wearing a Pro Roe 1973 T-shirt Paris Jackson took to her Instagram to wish everyone a 'Happy Genocide Day aka Independence Day' with a video of herself talking directly at the camera as she sat in her living room. She went on to point out this day 'certainly' does not represent one of independence for any indigenous people or 'anyone with a uterus for that matter, shoutout to the Supreme Court.' The singer concluded her recording by encouraging anyone partying or setting things on fire to stay safe. Airing her thoughts: Paris Jackson took to her Instagram to wish everyone a 'Happy Genocide Day aka Independence Day' with a video of herself talking directly at the camera as she sat in her living room Leslie Jones admitted that she would wish her followers a Happy Fourth of July but with women's rights getting stripped she said it wasn't really a 'happy' holiday. 'Fourth of July is suppose to stand for independence and how our country fought for freedom... but this ain't the land of the free,' the star said in a video posted to her Instagram account. 'Y'all have taken away women's right. Your trying to take away voter's rights. You're not representing anything that this holidaiy is suppose to be about.' The comedian captioned the recording: 'I said what I said #happybacktoslaveryday.' Meanwhile, Peta Murgatroyd said she didn't 'feel right posting something super happy today after hearing the news of another shooting.' Struggling: Leslie Jones admitted that she would wish her followers a Happy Fourth of July but with women's rights getting stripped she said it wasn't really a 'happy' holiday. Sad day: Meanwhile, Peta Murgatroyd said she didn't 'feel right posting something super happy today after hearing the news of another shooting' The A-listers were alluding to the U.S. Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade last month, which Kourtney previously slammed for allowing guns to have 'more rights than women.' The Supreme Court overruled the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision in June by upholding Mississippi's restrictive 15-week abortion ban. 'The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives,' the decision said. Dozens of celebrities spoke out to share their horror over the decision, including Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift, Busy Philipps, Bette Midler, Hailey Bieber, and Sophie Turner - with many of them choosing to share Michelle Obama's statement as well as their own thoughts on the issue. Using her voice: Kerry Washington, meanwhile, shared a slide on her story from When We All Vote Facts: Washington took the opportunity to point out America's racist past on the Fourth by noting that on July 4, 2022 was the date that 'the United States will have been a free and independent nation for as long as slavery lasted on it soil' 58-year-old Obama was one of the first high-profile people to react to the decision. The former First Lady described herself as 'heartbroken' while blasting the Supreme Court for ridding women of their 'fundamental right to make informed decisions about their own bodies'. 'I am heartbroken that we may now be destined to learn the painful lessons of a time before Roe was made law of the land - a time when women risked losing their lives getting illegal abortions,' she wrote. 'A time when the government denied women control over their reproductive functions, forced them to move forward with pregnancies they didn't want, and then abandoned them once their babies were born.' Refusing to stay silent: Dozens of celebrities spoke out to share their horror over the decision, including Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift, Busy Philipps, Bette Midler, Hailey Bieber, and Sophie Turner - with many of them choosing to share Michelle Obama's statement as well as their own thoughts on the issue Amy Schumer, 41, accused the Supreme Court of determining women's rights by following the 'intentions of a bunch of slave-owning rapists who've been dead for hundreds of years'. She then appeared to take aim at Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who in 2018 and 2019 was accused of sexual assault by several women, writing on her Instagram Stories: 'And women's bodily autonomy should not be determined by men who've been accused of sexual assault.' Both Obama and Schumer then urged pro-choice supporters to take action by fighting back against the decision, with former President Barack Obama's wife urging her followers to 'channel their frustration and anger into action' by supporting organizations like Planned Parenthood and The United State of Women. Taylor Swift, 32, said the move has left her 'terrified' about the state of the country, while Hailey Bieber, 25, described the landmark decision as 'really really scary'. She is the queen of 90s era rom-coms. And, in her personal life, Julia Roberts, 54, also seems to be an expert in matters of heart as she celebrates her 20th wedding anniversary with husband Danny Moder, 53. Roberts gushed on social media about her husband with a blurry snap of the pair mid-smooch, declaring she 'can't stop smiling' and 'can't stop kissing.' Still in love: Julia Roberts gushed on social media about her husband on their 20th wedding anniversary with a blurry snap of the pair mid-smooch, declaring she 'can't stop smiling' and 'can't stop kissing' 'TWENTY #cantstopsmiling #cantstopkissing,' the Oscar winner captioned her affectionate social media post. Roberts tied the knot with cinematographer Daniel Moder in 2002, after meeting on the set of her 2001 film opposite Brad Pitt, The Mexican. The couple share 17-year-old fraternal twins Phinnaeus and Hazel and 14-year-old son Henry. Ever since she broke out in the late '80s in films like Satisfaction and Mystic Pizza, Julia had been linked with several famous leading Hollywood men, including Kiefer Sutherland, Benjamin Bratt and Matthew Perry, to name a few. 'TWENTY #cantstopsmiling #cantstopkissing,' the Oscar winner captioned her affectionate social media post (Pictured in 2020) Two decades! Julia was 34 when she tied the knot with Moder on the 4th of July in 2002; The couple is seen here at their wedding She was also married to country star and actor Lyle Lovett, from 1993 to 1995, before her marriage to Moder. Despite the fact that Roberts is one of the most recognizable celebrities on the planet, she recently revealed that she feels more like a stay-at-home mom. 'I consider myself a homemaker,' she said while discussing her upcoming rom-com with George Clooney. Her first film in the genre in 20 years. 'It can't be 20 years, can it? Here's the thing: If I'd thought something was good enough, I would have done it,' Roberts admitted. Mom and dad: The couple share 17-year-old fraternal twins Phinnaeus and Hazel and 14-year-old son Henry Back in the day: Roberts and Moder got together after meeting on the set of her 2001 film opposite Brad Pitt, The Mexican (seen in 2004) 'But I also had three kids in the last 18 years. That raises the bar even more because then it's not only "Is this material good?" 'It's also the math equation of my husband's work schedule and the kids' school schedule and summer vacation. It's not just, "Oh, I think I want to do this."' She added that her not doing romantic comedies, 'wasnt by design, so much as not finding something that I was interested in. I was surprised how quickly the years seemed to go by.' Really? Despite the fact that Roberts is one of the most recognizable celebrities on the planet, she recently revealed that she feels more like a stay-at-home mom 'People sometimes misconstrue the amount of time thats gone by that I havent done a romantic comedy as my not wanting to do one,' Roberts clarified. 'If I had read something that I thought was that Notting Hill level of writing or My Best Friends Wedding level of madcap fun, I would do it,' she added. 'They didn't exist until this movie that I just did that Ol Parker wrote and directed,' she said, referring to Ticket to Paradise, which follows her and Clooney as a divorced couple who head to Bali to stop their daughter from making the same mistake they made 25 years ago. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley showed off her flawless complexion as she posed for some snaps while applying her make-up on Monday. The model, 35, went for a glamorous look after adding a flush of colour to her cheeks with some pink blush. She could be seen posing with a compact mirror in her hand as she held a brush to her face, with the catwalk star captioning her Instagram post: 'Rosie cheeks.' Looking good: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, 35, showed off her flawless complexion as she posed for some snaps while applying her make-up on Monday The fashionista showcased her chic sense of style in the snaps, wearing an all-white outfit. She opted for a satin blouse which she wore unbuttoned at the top to create a plunging neckline. Rosie wore a matching skirt as she sat in a comfortable brown chair next to a bunch of pretty pink flowers. Glamour puss: The model went for a glamorous look after adding a flush of colour to her cheeks with some pink blush Actress Rosie recently spoke of her longing to return to her home county of Devon after living in celebrity enclave Malibu, California for years. She and her fiance Jason Statham - who share five-year-old son Jack and daughter Isabella, five months, together - sold their Malibu mansion for $18.5 million to move to the Chelsea district of London. Rosie was born in the Devon city Plymouth before moving to market town Tavistock, also located South West English county, and she admits that part of the world is still her favourite. In action: She could be seen posing with a compact mirror in her hand as she held a brush to her face, with the catwalk star captioning her Instagram post: 'Rosie cheeks' In an interview with Great British LIFE, she said:'I'm a country girl at heart... 'I spend a lot of my time living in LA which is lovely. I spend a lot of time in other major cities too. There might be the glamour and fun to enjoy in a city but the real beauty is in the countryside and especially in my home county where the people are so nice and ready to volunteer smile for no particular reason. 'The country air smells so fresh and I still love to see the sheep, the pigs, the ducks, chickens and, of course, the horses. Whenever I am here and I really don't like to be away for very long, I just find it all so relaxing and lovely. It is home to me.' Doting mother: Rosie her fiance Jason Statham share five-year-old son Jack and daughter Isabella, five months (pictured), together (seen in April) Despite being engaged since 2016, Rosie and Jason are in no hurry to rush their wedding preparations. Welcoming their son, Jack, a year after her beau got down on one knee, Rosie told ET in 2018 that the wedding wasn't a 'huge priority.' She said: 'We're looking forward to that time. It's also not a huge priority for us; we're so happy. I think it will be fun to do it when the baby's grown up a bit and he can be involved in the wedding.' EastEnders' newest addition, Ravi Gulati, is set to shake things up in Albert Square when he is released from prison later this summer. Ravi, played by British stage and screen actor Aaron Thiara, made his debut appearance in the BBC One soap on Monday evening after fellow inmate Phil Mitchell - played by Steve McFadden - turned to him for help after making an enemy in jail. Viewers will discover that Ravi has a connection to the Square after he asks Phil for information on Kheerat Panesar, played by Jaz Deol. A Walford welcome: EastEnders' newest addition, Ravi Gulati, is set to shake things up in Albert Square when he is released from prison later this summer Ravi is revealed to be the son of Panesar family friend Ranveer, but his intentions are currently unclear. Despite Ravi's seemingly charming and charismatic personality, not all is as it seems as viewers will soon discover that he is willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants. As his time in prison draws to a close, Ravi will make his way to Walford to reunite with the Panesars, but not all of them will be pleased to see him. First look: Ravi, played by British stage and screen actor Aaron Thiara, made his debut appearance in the BBC One soap on Monday evening Speaking about joining EastEnders, Thiara said: 'My heart is filled with immense gratitude to be joining such an iconic show, working alongside a stellar cast and a remarkable production team. 'It's a very proud moment for me and my family. This is a wondrous opportunity to approach as an actor, and I can't wait for people to meet Ravi on screen and witness his rollercoaster of a journey.' EastEnders executive producer Chris Clenshaw said: 'Ravi is captivating, cunning and dangerous, and can go from pleasant to menacing with very little warning - unlike Aaron, who's a wonderful addition to the EastEnders cast. Doing time: Fellow inmate Phil Mitchell - played by Steve McFadden - turned to Ravi for help after making an enemy in jail 'We're all excited to see Aaron bring the character to life and there's plenty of drama and shocking twists in store - wherever Ravi goes, trouble follows.' Viewers can expect to see Ravi return to screens later in the summer. It comes after Eastenders bosses cast their first drag queen. Newcomer Matthew Morrison feels 'blessed' to have been hired to play Felix Baker, who performs as drag act Tara Misu in the long-running BBC One soap. Welcome to Walford! EastEnders have released images of the first drag queen character to feature on the soap played by Matthew Morrison will debut as Felix Bake In a behind-the-scenes video posted to the shows Instagram, the 30-year-old actor told veteran star Natalie Cassidy: 'I am blessed to have the opportunity to step into the heels of the fierce Tara Misu as part of my role on EastEnders. 'Its a privilege to represent the LGBTQIA+ community and to showcase the creative art of drag to both viewers at home and the residents of Walford.' Felix will venture onto Albert Square along with brother Finlay (Ashley Byam) and dad Avery (Omar Lye-Fook), the long-lost brother of established character Mitch Baker - who doesnt know his nephew is a drag queen - next month. Matthew admitted to Natalie - who has played nurse Sonia Fowler on and off since 1993 - he had loved the soap for ages and particularly its groundbreaking LGBT storylines. Debut: In first-look pictures, Tara Misu is seen wearing a blue bodycon minidress with fishnets while clasping a handbag in front of Albert Square's famous road sign. He said: 'The whole arc with Christian and Syed was the one I was most focused on growing up. 'Its important for people to see themselves reflected on screen. Its almost like affirmation, if you can see someone like you then its OK.' Matthew called his characters alter-ego Tara 'quite sassy'. He said: 'Shes quite sassy. 'She wants to play the Queen on The Crown but has never could so she has a very Queen-like accent.' Matthew got some expert tips on how to be a drag queen from RuPauls Drag Race UK star Vinegar Strokes, who emphasised the importance of 'confidence'. She said: 'First of all, I think its all about confidence, you know. I think drag is that kind of invisible superhero cloak.' Advertisement Bella Thorne, Bethenny Frankel, and Cindy Crawford rocked red, white, and blue as they led the stars celebrating Independence Day on social media. Bella put on a cheeky display as she posed in a patriotic bikini by the ocean while Cindy, 56, and Bethenny, 51, also marked the Fourth of July in their swimsuits. The 24-year-old looked gleeful in a series of snaps capturing her posing with the American flag. Stars in stripes! Bella Thorne, Bethenny Frankel, and Cindy Crawford wore red, white, and blue as they led the stars celebrating Independence Day on social media 'PATRIARCHY CAN EAT MY (peach emoji),' Bella captioned her snaps. Bethenny, meanwhile, celebrated Independence Day in Italy. The Real Housewives Of New York vet enjoyed a day at sea in a fire engine red swimsuit with a plunging neckline. Meanwhile, Cindy threw it back to the 90s as she commemorated the holiday on her Instagram grid. The supermodel shared the July 1998 cover of Elle USA which captured her striking a pose in a blue swimsuit. All American! Thorne posed by the ocean with the American flag Red-y or not! Bethenny, meanwhile, celebrated Independence Day in Italy American woman! Frankel showed off the patriotic skirt she wore over her red swimsuit Lisa Rinna marked Independence Day by re-posting the exact same bikini shot she shares every 4th of July. 'us,' she captioned the shot along with a hot dog and red, white and blue heart emojis. Emma Roberts celebrated Independence Day with a bang as she posted a snap of her mini fireworks display. The actress grinned with glee as she posed beside the majestic display of sparklers going off in a field. Red, white, and blue! Lisa Rinna celebrated the 4th by re-posting this iconic bikini shot Sparks are flying! Emma Roberts shared a snap of her mini fireworks display Happy 4th! Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest kicked off the holiday with snaps of their pre-taped Independence Day themed episode Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest kicked off the holiday with snaps of their Independence Day themed episode. Kelly wore a red floral print dress while Ryan looked snazzy in a button down in snaps shared to their show's Instagram account. Michael Douglas had a message for fans as he marked the holiday in a video posted to Instagram. 'Happy Fourth of July! Happy Independence Day! Very special this year, we have Ukraine to remind us and thank us about what independence means and a free world. Go for it! Lots of fireworks! Kaboom!' Michael said in his clip. Carrie Underwood encouraged everyone to have a 'fun' and 'safe' 4th as she tweeted a snap of the American flag. 'Happy #4thofJuly everyone! Have fun out there and be safe with all the fireworks and festivities... and don't forget to tell America that you love her!' The American Idol alum tweeted. 'Lots of fireworks!' Michael Douglas had a message for fans as he marked the holiday in a video posted to Instagram A message from an American Idol! Carrie Underwood encouraged everyone to have a 'fun' and 'safe' 4th as she tweeted a snap of the American flag 'Happy Fourth of July!' Four-time Emmy nominee Sofia Vergara leaned over to let her followers get a better glimpse of the, um, cake Happy birthday, America! The Colombian-born beauty - turning the big 5-0 this Sunday - also provided a coconut cake for her patriotic festivities while her 30-year-old son Manolo Gonzalez was preparing his own creations Ellen DeGeneres - whose controversial talk show concluded on May 26 after 19 seasons - tweeted: 'Happy 4th of July! Dont forget it's "with liberty and justice for all"' Denise Richards also got in on the celebratory posts as the actress, 51, shared a festive snap in an American flag bikini. The blue-eyed beauty posed on the beach in a sequined blue top with white stars and matching red and white striped bottoms. She teased in her caption, 'Happy 4th. Link in bio one day only,' directing fans to a hyperlink that leads to her Only Fans account. Spicy: Denise Richards also got in on the celebratory posts as the actress, 51, shared a festive snap in an American flag bikini Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson appeared on Instagram as well, sharing a quick video as he gave fans a ManaSpritz drink tutorial. Joining him in the reel was one of his daughters, six-year-old Jasmine, who he referred to as Jazzy in the piece of content. Using his Teremana tequila brand, he poured up a glass of a lemonade and soda concoction, giving verbal directions all the way through. He wrote in a caption to his 326 million followers: 'HAPPY 4TH from The Johnson family.' Celebratory: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson appeared on Instagram as well, sharing a quick video as he gave fans a ManaSpritz drink tutorial Zooey Deschanel acknowledged the holiday while also raising her voice about the Supreme Court's recent abortion ruling. She tweeted a photo of herself referencing the overturning of Roe v. Wade in a vintage t-shirt that said 'Pro 1973 Roe' with 70s-stylized font. In the tweet she wrote: 'For when you want to wish America a happy birthday, but also want her to do better.' Political: Zooey Deschanel acknowledged the holiday while also raising her voice about the Supreme Court's recent abortion ruling BFF: Kristin Cavallari donned a white string bikini while enjoying a dip in a pool with longtime friend Justin Anderson Meanwhile Kristin Cavallari donned a white string bikini while enjoying a dip in a pool with longtime friend Justin Anderson. She rocked a wide-brimmed hat as she took to Instagram Stories to share a selfie of the two and quip: 'Look who I found.' Mindy Kaling looked dainty and divine as she modeled a blue and white patterned mini dress with ruffles while sitting on a swing. She wore a pair of white pumps and large, burgundy-rimmed sunglasses as she captioned the Boomerang: 'Happy 4th!' Martin Freeman has spoken about the realities of co-parenting with former partner Amanda Abbington, with whom he split after 16 years together in 2016. The Sherlock star, 50, who shares son Joe, 16, and 14-year-old daughter Grace with the actress, said it 'hurt' when the children did things with their mother that did not involve him. Speaking to the Radio Times ahead of the new series of his comedy Breeders the actor revealed that being a parent taught him he was 'quick to anger'. 'It hurts when they do things without you': Martin Freeman has revealed the difficulties of co-parenting his two children with ex Amanda Abbington He told the publication when asked about how he feels about his kids flying the nest: 'Me and their mum [Amanda] don't live together so there are times where they're inevitably going to not be with you, or when they say, "Maybe not this weekend"'. Adding: 'It's hard not to feel hurt when they start doing things that don't involve you, even though you understand it and welcome it because it's totally natural'. Martin also revealed what being a parent has taught him, musing: 'I found I was amazingly quick to anger. I always knew it, but it was like a rocket nothing to call social services about, but I knew I could and should be better. That surprised me and taught me to try to not be that.' Speaking about the opening scene of the comedy's third season he said it was based on a personal experience, explaining: 'I had a dream where I was going upstairs to shout at my children and talking myself down with each step I took, but then opened the bedroom door and went mad at them anyway'. Split: The couple separated in 2016 after 16-years with Amanda saying they could 'no longer live together' (pictured with their children in 2009) The dark comedy, which the actor also co-created, follows Paul (Martin) and Ally (Daisy Haggard) as they struggle with parenthood as is reportedly based on the Lord Of The Ring's actor's own experiences. When asked what he wish he'd been told about having kids Martin said: 'One of my least favourite things is people going, Oh, you just wait! Oh, youre in trouble now 'This constant doom, as if they hadnt enjoyed any part of their parenting. Let us enjoy it!'. Breeders: Martin's dark comedy Breeders, which the actor also co-created, follows Paul (Martin) and Ally (Daisy Haggard) as they struggle with parenthood as is reportedly based on the Lord Of The Ring's actor's own experiences - returns July 17 Hot off the press: Read Martin's full interview in the Radio Times - Out Now Amanda previously revealed that she kept her high-profile break up a secret for six months after she and Martin just couldn't live with each other anymore. Talking to the The Sunday Times magazine she said: 'When we broke up nobody knew, we didnt tell anybody except for a few key people because they had to know, because of the logistics of hotels and stuff. 'It took six months for it to get out and a lot of that was while we were working on Sherlock... We were professional and we were going to get on and make a show and be civil to each other. 'We still get on really well, we still really both admire each other as actors... hes a great guy, but we just couldnt live with each other any more.' The pair met on the set of the film Men Only in 2000 and went on to play formidable duo John and Mary Watson in the acclaimed BBC drama Sherlock. Amanda is now in a relationship with former daredevil Jonathan Goodwin, 42, the couple were friends for years before they began dating. However they were only together two months before Jonathan became permanently paralysed when he was crushed during a stunt - leaving him in a wheelchair. Meanwhile Martin is dating French actress Rachel Mariam, 29, who has featured in many roles including BBC's smash hit Normal People. Read Martin's full interview in the Radio Times - Out Now Romance: Amanda is now in a relationship with former daredevil Jonathan Goodwin, 42,who became permanently paralysed when he was crushed during a stunt - leaving him in a wheelchair On the 45th anniversary of Star Wars (1977) By Mark Wegierski web posted July 4, 20922 Star Wars (original theatre-version length 121 minutes) is the George Lucas masterpiece that has led to the emergence of one of the most salient of the current-day pop-culture mega-franchises. One tribute to the movie series is that tens of thousands of people in surveys of religious belief in (for example) Great Britain, have stated their religious affiliation as Jedi Knight. The mystical martial order of the Jedi is one of the main elements around which the whole Star Wars universe revolves. The archetypal weapon of the Jedi Knights is the light-saber or laser-sword a fascinating combination of the antique and the futuristic. Some commentators have traced the origins of the term to the Japanese jidaigeki (which in English means period dramas and refers to films typically featuring samurai). George Lucas had visited Japan in the early 1970s, and was influenced, for example, by the 1958 Akira Kurosawa film, The Hidden Fortress. Lucas was also clearly influenced among many other strands -- by the 1930s U.S. serials such as Flash Gordon. The movie begins with the written lines, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Then there comes the scrolling written introduction, which quickly sets the scene for us. And the astounding music of John Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra immediately begins. The original soundtrack for Star Wars, with its echoes of Wagner, Orff, and Holst, is often acclaimed as the best soundtrack ever heard in film. George Lucas deliberately chose to have a classical music soundtrack, rather than a modern-sounding electronic-based one. It may suggest the timelessness of his story. Star Wars was one of the first major movies that was consciously planned with a story arc extending over at least three films. Indeed, George Lucas had as many as nine movies in mind at one time. The original Star Wars movie has therefore been designated as Episode IV: A New Hope in the grand story. It was followed by Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) (which has been acclaimed as better than even the first movie, a truly rare occurrence for sequels), and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) (which was just slightly less acclaimed). George Lucas marriage disintegrated a few years after the release of Return of the Jedi, and he thought at the time that it was unlikely he would ever return to do a theatrical movie of the so-called prequel trilogy. Nevertheless, he returned to work on the prequel trilogy in the late 1990s, and moved it to completion: Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999); Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002); and, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005). The reaction to the prequel trilogy has been very mixed, and only Episode III has received considerable acclaim. In the prequel trilogy, Lucas was also said to have seriously mis-stepped with a comic-relief character deemed by some to be a racist stereotype Jar Jar Binks. Those who had wanted to hate George Lucas and the Star Wars movies found a ready-made pretext. It could be argued that, in more recent years, the exigencies of political-correctness and multiculturalism have ever more seriously impacted the original vision of the franchise. The original Star Wars movie begins in medias res (in the middle of things). An Imperial Star Destroyer is pursuing a much smaller ship carrying the Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). As the hatchway is broken down and the Imperial Stormtroopers swarm in, the sinister figure of the black-armor-encased Darth Vader (David Prowse; voiced by James Earl Jones) emerges into view. The distinctive voice of Darth Vader, with its belaboured breathing, is one of the leitmotifs of the movie. Princess Leia has managed to entrust the vital Death Star plans and a holographic message to R2-D2 (ar-too-dee-too) (a short squat robot) (Kenny Baker) and his long-time friend, the golden robot C3PO (see-three-pee-oh) (Anthony Daniels) who flee in an escape pod to the nearby desert-planet, Tatooine. Eventually, the robots come into the dwelling-place of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who is unhappily living as a farmhand with his uncle and aunt. Seeking to return the droids to Obi-wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), Luke reaches the wise old man, whom he knows as Ben Kenobi. Luke realizes that his uncle and aunt are in danger, and, in a classic scene, returns to find them dead and his old home devastated. As Luke stares at the destruction, he can be seen as making the psychological transition from teen-ager to adult. Obi-wan takes him under his wing and they head to a local cosmopolitan (multi-species) spaceport, looking for a space-captain to convey them to Alderaan, Leias home planet. They find Han Solo (Harrison Ford), a swashbuckling smuggler, and his first-mate, Chewbacca (an intelligent, large, hairy, bear-like creature) (Peter Mayhew) and their ramshackle ship, The Millennium Falcon. It is one of characteristics of the futuristic world portrayed by Lucas that it is very lived-in and somewhat gritty at least as far as the hardware depicted. Meanwhile, Leia is being interrogated by a torture robot to reveal the location of the hidden base of the Rebel Alliance. The torture is framed without the slightest sense of gritty realism, which seems a bit ridiculous. This is the movie at its hokiest and most child-like. The Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing) is the commander of the Death Star and a Regional Governor. Cushing brings a particularly sinister edge to the role. The Death Star of the evil Empire blows up Leias home planet of Alderaan. Luke, Han, Obi-wan, and Chewbacca arrive in the vicinity of the destroyed planet, and are pulled by a tractor beam into a landing bay of the Death Star. They hide in the smuggling hold of the Millennium Falcon. After numerous subterfuges and scrapes they are able to free the Princess. Since their meeting in the desert, Obi-wan has begun telling Luke about the ways of the Force, an energy that flows through the universe, and from which a Jedi Knight draws his powers. Obi-wan chooses to confront Darth Vader in a light-saber duel to allow the others to escape, although it is not clear that Darth Vader has conclusively eliminated Obi-wan. Indeed, the old Jedi Master continues to exist in spirit. Rushing back to the rebel base on the Millennium Falcon, Leia concludes that their moves are being traced, and that the Death Star will soon follow. The Rebel Alliance is able to discover a design flaw in the Death Star, and a number of squadrons of one-man fighters are sent out to try to destroy it. Only Luke (with the help of the Force) is finally able to send the torpedo down the vent-hole, resulting in the total destruction of the Death Star. He is also assisted by Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon. Han Solo had received a rich payment and was planning to leave, but changed his mind in the end, choosing to renounce (at least for the moment) his usually mercenary nature. The movie ends in a huge assembly hall with the massed ranks of the Rebel Alliance troops arrayed in triumph. Luke and Han Solo (with Chewbacca by his side) receive medals from Leia who looks much prettier in this final scene than earlier. The pacing of the movie is obviously brisk and very well-plotted. The movie also introduced special-effects that were quite amazing for the time, and have indeed held up well, right until today. The development of these various special effects was a hugely important part of the production of the original Star Wars movie. Indeed, Lucas had to put together his own production company, Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), to get the job done. It should be especially remembered that this was before the age of universal CGI. Star Wars can be seen to have inaugurated whether for better or for worse the so-called special-effects spectacular style of moviemaking. But what George Lucas clearly understood was that there also had to be resonating characters and a compelling story beyond the special effects. Basing himself partially on the notions of what Joseph Campbell had called the monomyth as well as evoking some of the so-called archetypes posited by C. G. Jung, George Lucas has created one of the most enduring pop-culture mythologies. There are many psychological-type interpretations that can be made of the movie. It is interesting, for example, that the sequence of the fight with the Death Star somewhat resembles the physiology of human conception, with numerous tiny sperm beating at the walls of the huge ovum. Only one of the many can actually get in. That sequence could also suggest a number of men approaching a particularly inapproachable woman. Only one has the total skill-set to overcome all her defenses and consummate the relationship. The Star Wars series has been re-released in various formats. In 2011, it was released in Blu-ray, with the original Star Wars movie extended to 125 minutes, with some brief new scenes. (The copyright statement shows 1997, which suggests that this Blu-ray version is based on the 1997 DVD re-release.) The slight tinkering with the original theatrical releases has been much criticized by some fans, although the reaction seems a little incommensurate to the extent of the changes. It has been argued by some that the re-kindling of so-called American optimism by the original movie series played some role in the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980, and might have had an influence on Americans willingness to confront the evil empire of the day that is, the Soviet Union. Reagans proposed Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was quickly dubbed as Star Wars by a hostile media but the term might not have been as damaging to Reagan as some might have imagined. The 1980s was a time when many Americans were indeed ready to accept the depiction of the Soviet Union as an evil empire that had to be decisively resisted. And Ronald Reagan was indeed able to rally the American people and smash the Soviet Moloch. In the domestic culture war however, Reagan failed to make much headway, and things appear to have spiralled downward ever since that time, for American traditionalists and conservatives. Nevertheless, even the original series could be seen as decidedly multivalent. The main backstory of Star Wars of the corruption of the Old Republic by a politician who eventually proclaimed himself Emperor could have been seen as a reference to the so-called Imperial Presidency in America most typified to some by the evil Richard Nixon. Thus, the heroes of the Rebel Alliance could also have been seen as analogues for crusading journalists like Woodward and Bernstein, who eventually brought down the loathsome Nixon. The idea of a rag-tag rebel army confronting Imperial overlordship clearly stretches back to the founding myth of America. Various political tendencies in America left, right, and center have tried to tap into this foundational myth. Its most prominent incarnation on the Right today is probably the so-called MAGA movement. Certainly, many tendencies in American politics have tried to evoke the ambience of being embattled rebels, rather than part of an establishment. While the notion of a handful of good guys confronting the forces of darkness can be variously interpreted, it can also serve as a means of control. Left-liberals in America today imagine themselves as embattled heroes. The threat from an evil rightwing continually re-appears in different forms and guises, and must be constantly beaten back. Nevertheless, the good guys always win in the end, and are able to smash evil into the ground. This kind of morality-play has been enacted again and again, over the succeeding decades. While some in America may be able to see through this charade, for others it is a highly convincing narrative. Perhaps the Star Wars movies should not in the end be freighted with too much ponderous meaning. Among the reasons for the movies popularity was that they were above all, highly entertaining, what someone has called a roller-coaster ride. For this reviewer, studying and immersing oneself in real history is frequently far more genuinely fascinating than enveloping oneself in pop-culture mega-franchises, no matter how well constructed. For many people, however, the fantasies of pop-culture constitute a more actual reality. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher, as well as science fiction and film aficionado. Home Tessa Thompson put on a trendy display as she stepped out of the Corinthia Hotel in London on Monday. The actress, 38, nailed a chic ensemble as she stepped out in a midnight blue corset top teamed with culottes and a blazer. She wore her caramel hair in braids, accessorising the look with quirkily framed sunglasses for a day of promo for her new movie Thor: Love And Thunder. Elegant: Tessa Thompson put on a trendy display as she stepped out of the Corinthia Hotel in London on Monday Trendy: The actress, 38, nailed a chic ensemble as she stepped out in a midnight blue corset top teamed with culottes and a blazer The stunner rocked some stylish black heels to boost her height while out and about in the city. Never one to shy away from unique styles, the star held onto an intricately shaped glittery, geometric clutch. She also kept her make-up look fun and summery with a bold berry red lipstick. Stunner: She wore her caramel hair in a series of braids, accessorising the look with quirkily framed sunglasses Unique: Never one to shy away from unique styles, the star held onto an intricately shaped glittery, geometric clutch It comes as Marvel this week dropped another trailer for the highly anticipated cinematic release of their new movie Thor: Love And Thunder - which Tessa stars in. On Sunday, fans went crazy as the trailer featured new clips teasing an epic battle scene between Chris Hemsworth and Christian Bale's characters. The passionate fan group commented across all social sites with captions such as 'that gave me chills', 'feeling the power of Thor' and 'excited is an understatement'. On Sunday fans went crazy as the trailer featured new clips teasing an epic battle scene between Chris Hemsworth and Christian Bale's characters On Sunday fans went crazy as the trailer featured new clips teasing an epic battle scene between Chris Hemsworth and Christian Bale's characters. The passionate fan group commented across all social sites with captions such as 'that gave me chills', 'feeling the power of Thor' and 'excited is an understatement' The trailer starts with Thor rallying support in order to build an army shouting 'today we'll fight' with clips of dramatic lightening and fighting poses. The evil looking Gorr, played by Christian Bale, replied with 'I'm counting on it' in an extremely menacing voice in what looks to be a dark cave-like space. The terrifying villain, also known as the God Butcher, will be Bale's Marvel debut. The evil looking Gorr, played by Christian Bale, replied with 'I'm counting on it' in an extremely menacing voice in what looks to be a dark cave-like space The big bad: The terrifying villain Gorr, also known as the God Butcher, will be Bale's Marvel debut Throughout the trailer we see Natalie Portman dressed in armour stood behind Thor showing her support as his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster. The trailer comes to a dramatic end as Hemsworth exclaims 'feel the power of Thor!' Lightening bolts are shot into the air before it cuts to the next scene with Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie appearing with Pegasus flying through the sky. Funny scene: The previous trailer ends with a humorous scene where it Russell Crowe's Zeus points at Thor and completely removes his clothes Totally naked: Thor stands in front of Zeus completely naked From the previous trailer we know Thor has whipped himself into shape since gaining weight and loosing hope at the start of Avengers: Endgame. Thor: Love and Thunder, directed by Taika Waititi, hits Australian and UK cinemas on July 7, and on July 8 in the United States. Along with the stars previously mentioned, Karen Gillan, Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper and Chris Hemsworth's brother Luke will also appear in the movie directed by Taika Waititi. Amy Jackson turned heads on Monday as she joined boyfriend Ed Westwick at the National Film Awards in London. The actress, 30, and the former Gossip Girl star, 35, stared lovingly into one another's eyes as they hit the red carpet at Porchester Hall. Amy looked ravishing in a slinky black slip dress which hugged every inch of her fantastic figure. Power couple: Amy Jackson, 30, turned heads in a slinky black dress as she joined dapper boyfriend Ed Westwick, 35, at the National Film Awards in London on Monday The chic outfit featured intricate strap and lace detailing as she completed the look with a pair of black sling black heels. The National Film Awards UK are presented annually by the National Film Academy and honours though in front and behind the camera. Amy wore her raven tresses poker straight as she modelled a dewy make-up look adding a pop of colour with a cherry red lip. Big night: The National Film Awards UK are presented annually by the National Film Academy and honours though in front and behind the camera 007? Ed looked every inch the gentleman in a black tuxedo as he wrapped his arm around his girlfriend Lovers: Rumours of the pair dating began circulating in February, but they reportedly began dating in December of 2021 Ed meanwhile looked every inch the gentleman in a black tuxedo as he wrapped his arm around his girlfriend. He layered the jacket of a crisp white shirt with velvet dickie bow, styling his brunette locks to one side. Rumours of the pair dating began circulating in February, but they reportedly began dating in December of 2021. Chic: Amy's chic outfit featured intricate strap and lace detailing as she completed the look with a pair of black sling black heels New couple: In February, a source told The Sun on Sunday : 'Ed and Amy are a really good match. They hit it off straight away The couple met at at Saudi Arabias Red Sea International Film Festival last December - where they were snapped chatting together at a screening during the closing ceremony. In February, a source told The Sun on Sunday: 'Ed and Amy are a really good match. They hit it off straight away. Both like to have fun and are career-driven. Theyre enjoying getting to know each other for now.' Movie stars: Amy has starred in a string of Indian films, predominantly in Tamil, Hindi, and Telugu languages - after auditioning for one in London in a twist of fate Exes: Ed was previously dating South African model and influencer Tamara Francesconi for two years, before the pair also ended last year (pictured 2021) Former fiance: Amy was previously in a relationship with hotelier George Panayiotou, with the pair getting engaged in January 2019 and welcoming a son that September (pictured in 2018) Amy has starred in a string of Indian films, predominantly in Tamil, Hindi, and Telugu languages - after auditioning for one in London in a twist of fate. She was previously in a relationship with hotelier George Panayiotou, with the pair getting engaged in January 2019 and welcoming a son that September. They broke things off in 2021, before her relationship with Ed began later that year. While Ed was previously dating South African model and influencer Tamara Francesconi for two years, before the couple also ended last year. Kyle Richards has admitted she thinks 'housewife' is an 'outdated title', while reminiscing on her life before joining The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills in 2010. The reality star and former child actress, 53, who is now a businesswoman, boutique owner and TV producer, has since outgrown her role as a stay-at-home mum. Speaking at a screening of the hit Hayu show in London on Monday, she recalled how the 'really hard job' made her acting work feel like a 'vacation' before venturing out to other projects. 'I think it's an outdated title': RHOBH's Kyle Richards has admitted she's NOT keen on the 'housewife' label and recalled it being a 'really hard job' which made work feel like a 'vacation' When quizzed by MailOnline on what she thinks about the label, she replied: 'I can see why people would ask that question cos its 2022 but Im not the kind of person who gets offended that easily. 'To be honest with you, when I was just a housewife the work was so hard. Honestly, raising four kids, being a wife and doing all that, its so overwhelming at times. 'Sometimes when I leave to go to like when I was filming Halloween, I would get to my hotel room and check in and go, Its like a vacation. I would leave the six dogs, kids, everything. 'Im not really a fan I think of that as being a lot more. I think its an outdated title or word but I know what it actually entails. Busy bee: The reality star and former child actress, 53, who is now a businesswoman, boutique owner and TV producer, has since outgrown her role as a stay-at-home mum 'Now Im doing a lot of other things but that job was really hard and thats not just to sound cliche. I do really mean that.' Kyle, who counts Paris Hilton's mum Kathy, 63, as her half-sister, began acting aged just five in NBC's Police Woman before joining Little House On The Prairie as Alicia Sanderson Edwards in 1975. Other notable roles include Lindsey Wallace in 1978's Halloween and its subsequent sequels, 1981's Halloween II, 2021's Halloween Kills and the upcoming Halloween Ends, which will see her conclude her role in the franchise's final slasher. Wow! At a show screening in London on Monday, she said: 'Im not really a fan I think of that as being a lot more. I think its an outdated title or word but I know what it actually entails' Kyle was famously only nine years old when she originated opposite Jamie Lee Curtis in John Carpenter's original Halloween film. The TV personality gave birth to her first child, daughter Farrah, now 33, when she was just 19, who she shares with her ex-husband Guraish Aldjufrie. She also has Alexia, 26, Sophia, 22, and Portia, 14, with her current husband Mauricio Umansky, who she wed in 1996. The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills' twelfth season streams Thursdays on Hayu in the UK and Wednesdays on Bravo in the U.S. Naomi Watts put a very fashionable foot forward on Monday as she attended Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris, France. The 53-year-old looked glamorous in a long black sheer dress by Christian Dior as she attended the French fashion house's Fall Winter 2022 show. Emerging from Le Bristol hotel, she strutted down the street like it was her very own catwalk. Naomi Watts looked glamorous in a long black sheer dress as she attended the Christian Dior show at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week The actress stunned in the gown, which featured a high neck and gathered in at the waistline. She boosted her height with a pair of black strappy heels and posed after arriving to the event. Naomi completed her look with a gold bangle, a necklace and matching coloured earrings. She left her short blonde straight locks out and wore a full face of makeup consisting of a red lip and blush. The 53-year-old stunned in a long black sheer dress by Christian Dior as she strutted the street after leaving the Le Bristol hotel The actress stunned in the gown, which featured a high neck and gathered in at the waistline Naomi's appearance comes after she recently revealed the shocking piece of advice she received in Hollywood. At a preview for her new menopausal wellness brand Stripes, the actress said she was once told she'd become irrelevant if she got too old and was no longer 'f***able'. 'This is pretty much an ageist industry that has been branded as such,' she told a small audience at the Stripes preview in New York City last week. 'And we have been told multiple times going into it that you're pretty much done by the time you hit your mid-forties,' she continued. She boosted her height with a pair of black strappy heels and completed her look with a gold bangle, a necklace and matching coloured earrings 'If you're not f***able - that's the word I got told once - you're no longer relevant.' The Mulholland Drive star is fighting ageism with her own beauty and wellness line which will 'address the skin and body changes of menopause'. Naomi has just started previewing the product to influencers and members of the media, although it's unclear when it will officially launch. She is one of the most famous supermodels in the world. And good genes most definitely run in Elle Macpherson's family. The Aussie stunner brought a very handsome date to the Dior show during Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week on Monday - her 24-year-old son Flynn. It's in the genes! Elle Macpherson brought her VERY hunky son Flynn Busson, 24, as her date to the Dior show during Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week on Monday The hunky pilot looked dapper in a black suit with an open neck white shirt. He accessorised with a pair of Aviator sunglasses and flashed his perfect pearly whites as he proudly posed next to his gorgeous mother. Supermodel Elle, 58, meanwhile cut a glamorous figure for the event as she donned a beige long-sleeved dress with a sheer detail and high collar. The hunky pilot looked dapper in a black suit with an open neck white shirt The garment also featured a pleated hemline while Elle added height to her statuesque frame with black, pen-toed heels. Styling her blonde tresses into voluminous curls, the beauty complimented her outfit with a pair of sunglasses. Flynn is a licensed pilot and his brother Cy Andrea Busson is currently attending Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Elle shares her two boys with French financier Arpad Busson, 59. Supermodel Elle, 58, meanwhile cut a glamorous figure for the event as she donned a beige long-sleeved dress with a sheer detail and high collar Mother and son held hands as they made their way into the star-studded show Flynn graduated from Boston University last year after studying finance and real estate. While Flynn is clearly following after his father, Cy appears to be following in his famous mother's footsteps. He has already appeared in several magazine shoots and is represented by talent agency Next Models Miami. Flynn graduated from Boston University last year after studying finance and real estate Cy mostly kept out of the spotlight until turning 18 last year, but since reaching that milestone, he appeared on the cover of Australian Vogue and French Elle alongside his mother and older brother. He also fronted the Russian edition of Glamour Man. Flynn accessorised with a pair of Aviator sunglasses and flashed his perfect pearly whites as he proudly posed next to his gorgeous mother Flynn's brother Cy Flynn Cy Andrea Busson is currently attending Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. He is pictured with his mother last month at another Dior event The fast-changing coronavirus has kicked off summer in the U.S. with lots of infections but relatively few deaths compared to its prior incarnations. COVID-19 is still killing hundreds of Americans each day, but is not nearly as dangerous as it was last fall and winter. "Its going to be a good summer and we deserve this break," said Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. With more Americans shielded from severe illness through vaccination and infection, COVID-19 has transformed - for now at least - into an unpleasant, inconvenient nuisance for many. "It feels cautiously good right now," said Dr. Dan Kaul, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. "For the first time that I can remember, pretty much since it started, we dont have any (COVID-19) patients in the ICU." As the nation marks July Fourth, the average number of daily deaths from COVID-19 in the United States is hovering around 360. Last year, during a similar summer lull, it was around 228 in early July. That remains the lowest threshold in U.S. daily deaths since March 2020, when the virus first began its U.S. spread. FILE - A sailor with the St. Joseph Junior Foundation Summer Sailling School cruises past fishermen along the St. Joseph River in St. Joseph, Mich., Wednesday, June 15, 2022. The fast-changing coronavirus has kicked off summer in the U.S. with lots of infections but relatively few deaths compared to its prior incarnations. COVID-19 is still killing hundreds of Americans each day, but for many people the virus is not nearly as dangerous as it was. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP) But there were far fewer reported cases at this time last year - fewer than 20,000 a day. Now, its about 109,000 - and likely an undercount as home tests arent routinely reported. Today, in the third year of the pandemic, its easy to feel confused by the mixed picture: Repeat infections are increasingly likely, and a sizeable share of those infected will face the lingering symptoms of long COVID-19. Yet, the stark danger of death has diminished for many people. "And thats because were now at a point that everyones immune system has seen either the virus or the vaccine two or three times by now," said Dr. David Dowdy, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "Over time, the body learns not to overreact when it sees this virus." "What were seeing is that people are getting less and less ill on average," Dowdy said. As many as 8 out of 10 people in the U.S. have been infected at least once, according to one influential model. The death rate for COVID-19 has been a moving target, but recently has fallen to within the range of an average flu season, according to data analyzed by Arizona State University health industry researcher Mara Aspinall. At first, some people said coronavirus was no more deadly than the flu, "and for a long period of time, that wasnt true," Aspinall said. Back then, people had no immunity. Treatments were experimental. Vaccines didnt exist. Now, Aspinall said, the built-up immunity has driven down the death rate to solidly in the range of a typical flu season. Over the past decade, the death rate for flu was about 5% to 13% of those hospitalized. Big differences separate flu from COVID-19: The behavior of the coronavirus continues to surprise health experts and its still unclear whether it will settle into a flu-like seasonal pattern. Last summer - when vaccinations first became widely available in the U.S. - was followed by the delta surge and then the arrival of omicron, which killed 2,600 Americans a day at its peak last February. Experts agree a new variant might arise capable of escaping the populations built-up immunity. And the fast-spreading omicron subtypes BA.4 and BA.5 might also contribute to a change in the death numbers. "We thought we understood it until these new subvariants emerged," said Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious disease specialist at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. It would be wise, he said, to assume that a new variant will come along and hit the nation later this summer. "And then another late fall-winter wave," Hotez said. In the next weeks, deaths could edge up in many states, but the U.S. as a whole is likely to see deaths decline slightly, said Nicholas Reich, who aggregates coronavirus projections for the COVID-19 Forecast Hub in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Weve seen COVID hospitalizations increase to around 5,000 new admissions each day from just over 1,000 in early April. But deaths due to COVID have only increased slightly over the same time period," said Reich, a professor of biostatistics at University of Massachusetts Amherst. Unvaccinated people have a six times higher risk of dying from COVID-19 compared with people with at least a primary series of shots, the CDC estimated based on available data from April. This summer, consider your own vulnerability and that of those around you, especially in large gatherings since the virus is spreading so rapidly, Dowdy said. "There are still people who are very much at risk," he said. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. FILE - Children and adults take advantage of the warm weather to cool off at the Trago Spray Park on Friday, June 10, 2022, in Lincoln, Neb. The fast-changing coronavirus has kicked off summer in the U.S. with lots of infections but relatively few deaths compared to its prior incarnations. COVID-19 is still killing hundreds of Americans each day, but for many people the virus is not nearly as dangerous as it was. (Kenneth Ferriera/Lincoln Journal Star via AP) Eighteen years since a 60th wedding anniversary celebrated at Czestochowa, Poland (Part One) By Mark Wegierski web posted July 4, 2022 Eighteen years ago, I had been invited to the celebration of a 60th wedding anniversary in Czestochowa, which was the first time that I saw the city, and its world-famous shrine of the Virgin Mary, with its Black Madonna icon. Indeed, on Saturday, July 10, 2004, during my three-month-long visit to Poland, I took a long trip by car with my female relative from Ciechocinek to Czestochowa, to reach the celebration of her grandparents 60th Wedding Anniversary. Ciechocinek is a spa and resort town about 200 kilometers northwest of Warsaw. We set off early in the morning in her elegant Peugeot 206, along with her dog -- a purebred West Highland Terrier -- which had been purchased about a year earlier as a puppy from a leading kennel in Radom (a city in south-central Poland). It was a sunny and fairly hot day. We were travelling in a southwest direction, towards Lodz, the second-largest city in Poland. A superhighway system in Poland has yet to be built, which means that most driving takes place on two-lane highways, where passing slow-moving trucks or cars is itself fairly perilous, requiring superb driving skills. I still recall the approach to the environs of Lodz, with the distinct freshness of the early morning in the air, with the quaint-looking suburban tramcar line running alongside the highway, where we were practically the only traffic. It was the height of the summer -- everything seemed green and fresh. I had a great sense of satisfaction as we sped by one slow-moving tramcar. There were small groups of mostly young people waiting for the tram at widely spaced stops. Ah, the freedom of the road! We drove through downtown Lodz to reach the southern highway exit. The city had a large Jewish population before the Second World War. The Poles have been tremendously respectful of the citys Jewish heritage and remembrance of the Holocaust, for example, in the very solemn ceremonies memorializing the destruction of the Lodz Ghetto by the German occupation forces. There is also a very prestigious arts festival which has been running for several years in the city, The Dialogue of Four Cultures Polish, Jewish, German, and Russian. There had been a German presence in the city long before Hitler; while the city was under Imperial Russian rule from 1815 to 1914. Between 1815-1830, the main part of Russian-occupied Poland was known as the Congress Kingdom (after the Congress of Vienna of 1815 which had decided on the shape of Europe in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars). The Polish nickname for this area during that time and later was Kongresowka. Lodz is a city that sprang up as a result of the Industrial Revolution in the mid to late nineteenth century. Andrzej Wajdas famous film, Ziemia Obiecana (The Promised Land) (1975) (based on the novel by Wladyslaw Reymont) and also a close runner-up for the Best Foreign Film Oscar -- gives an atmospheric portrait of the ruthless capitalism of the late-nineteenth century, and of the relations between Poles, Jews, and Germans in the city. Nevertheless, by 1914, about half of the industries of all of the Tsarist Empire were located in what was informally called the Kongresowka. (It should be added here that Wladyslaw Reymont was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1924, for his monumental tetralogy, Chlopi (The Peasants), a poignant, superbly rendered work of agrarian sensibilities.) Especially after the crushing of the November Insurrection of 1830-1831, and the crushing of the January 1863 Insurrection, Imperial Russia endeavoured to forcibly turn the Poles into Russians. The very name of Poland was to be eradicated the area was to be called (what is rendered in English translation) as Vistula-land -- and Poles were ordered to call themselves Privislentsi. In all the state schools, universities, administrative apparatus, and public and commercial signage, Russian was the sole official language. Active Polish patriots faced heavy jail sentences and were frequently exiled to Siberia or other remote parts of the Russian Empire, or executed outright. Unlike the case of Russian exiles to Siberia, who were usually allowed to eventually return home, the Tsar gave specific orders that the Poles should never be permitted to return. Huge numbers of Poles were also conscripted into the Russian army, and few of them ever returned from the numerous wars fought by Imperial Russia, or from the garrison duty in godforsaken places. It was only as a result of the 1905 Revolution (when the Tsar was forced to create the Duma or Parliament), and the increasing conflicts with Imperial Germany, that some Poles began to hope that Imperial Russia might eventually liberalize itself. In this context, the Kongresowka was the most dynamic and progressive part of the Tsarist Empire. Lodz continued under Russian Partition until late 1914; it then passed briefly under the control of Imperial Germany but in 1918 an independent Poland was reborn after 123 years of Partition. (Partially based on the authors article that originally appeared in Chronicles (Rockford, IL) (December 2005), pp. 38-39.) To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Toronto-based writer and historical researcher. He was born in Toronto of Polish immigrant parents. Home Hyderabad: Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday challenged the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leadership to go for Assembly elections any time and asserted that the BJP will form the next government in Telangana. At the Vijay Sankalp Sabha public event held on Sunday at Parade Grounds, Amit Shah asked people if Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had ever visited the Secretariat, even just once. He remarked that the Telangana Chief Minister never worked from the Secretariat because a tantric ritualist had cautioned him not to go there because his government would collapse and he would lose power. "He doesn't have the right to become the CM if he goes by what a Tantric practitioner advises him, Shah ridiculed. Shah also accused KCR of running the state on the directions of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. "The election symbol of KCR is a 'Car', the government belongs to the 'Car', however, the steering is in the hands of Owaisi. Tell me, the state which is being run by communal forces like AIMIM's Owaisi, can they do the welfare of the common masses," he asked. Reminding KCR's promise during the movement for a separate Telangana that he will celebrate Telangana (Vimochan) Liberation Day, if elected to power, Amit asked, "Has he celebrated the Vimochan Divas since then? He is not celebrating the day because he is afraid of Owaisi." Shah promised that if voted to power in the state, BJP will celebrate Telangana Liberation Day. Referring to KCR posing questions to the Prime Minister Modi and demanding answers on Saturday, Shah said it's not Modi who owed answers to the TRS government but it was KCR who needed to answer the people of Telangana on several poll promises, including providing jobs to the youth. Jobs means only employment to his son and not for other youth in the State. He wants to make his son CM and has no concern for the unemployed youth," he alleged. VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government started development works in Amaravati on Monday following the directions of AP High Court. The Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) commissioner Vivek Yadav launched the works by performing bhumi puja for Infrastructure development in Zone-4 of Amaravati. Roads will be laid in Picchukalapalem, Tulluru and Ananthavaram villages as part of the development works. Speaking on the occasion, Yadav said the APCRDA was working to improve the living standards of farmers who gave their land for development of the capital by providing infrastructure in the plots allotted by the authority. He said APCRDA would develop townships and sell plots through e-auction to raise money for development works in Amaravati city. He stated that arrangements would also be made to provide annuity to Amaravati farmers quickly. He made it clear that the APCRDA was carrying out development works following the orders of the state High Court. Yadav said important infrastructure such as roads, bridges, drinking water supply, flood water canals, sewage canal system, sewage treatment plants (STP), greening, etc. would be developed to support the farmers who had given up their lands. He stated BSR Infratech India Limited, Bangalore, was awarded the contract for the entire construction works. Yadav said the development of plots in Zone-4 LPS, construction of internal roads and infrastructure would be done at a cost of Rs 192.52 crore. Infrastructure development works had been undertaken in a total of 4,551 plots in 1,358.42 acres in Zone-4 as part of the capital master plan, he said and added that 12.25 km of two-lane BT roads with 25 metres width, 23.21 km two-lane CC road with 17 metres width and 5.86 km of 15.6 metres wide two-lane CC roads would be laid in the LPS layouts. Works for 22.13 km two-lane CC roads with a width of 12 metres and 63.43 km of internal roads started in Amaravati, he said. Yadav said a total of 12 LPS zones were being developed in the lands provided by farmers. Widening of the main road to the capital, the Krishna River Karakatta road, at a cost of Rs 150 crore had begun, he said and added that works of MLA and MLC quarters were being carried out fast under direct supervision. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, upon his arrival in Vijayawada. (PTI Photo) Bhimavaram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the history of the country's freedom struggle was not about a few years or some people but was about the sacrifice from every nook and corner of the country. In his address after unveiling a 30-ft bronze statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju here, Modi said the legendary freedom fighter's 125th birth anniversary and the centenary of the Rampa Rebellion will be celebrated throughout the year. "On one side the country is celebrating 75th year of independence and along with that the 125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju and also 100th year of Rampa rebellion are also being celebrated, he said. Alluri led the Rampa rebellion, which was launched in 1922. He is referred to as "Manyam Veerudu" (Hero of the Jungles) by the local people. Modi said, "the freedom struggle is not just the history of a few years, some regions or some people. It is the history of sacrifices from every nook and corner of the country." . Paying rich tributes to Alluri Sitarama Raju, the PM said he involved himself in the country's fight for independence early, dedicating himself for Adivasi welfare and the country and was "martyred" at a young age. His life is an inspiration, he said, adding Alluri "was a symbol of India's culture, Adivasi identity and values". He dared the British to stop him, Modi recalled. Modi said no one can stop from making a 'New Bharat' when our youth, tribals, women, dalit and the downtrodden lead the country. "I am fully confident that inspiration from Alluri Sitarama Raju will take the country to infinite heights," he said. "I bow to the great freedom fighters born in Andhra Pradesh. We have not forgotten our freedom fighters, we will not forget and we will move forward by taking inspiration from them," he said and recalled icons from the state including Pingali Venkayya, "who prepared our national flag," and Potti Sriramulu. Much like the youth joined the freedom struggle in hordes, they should now come forward to realise the dreams of the country, Modi said exhorting the younger sections of the population. Dwelling on tribal welfare, the Prime Minister said that for the first time since independence, tribal museums are being established to highlight tribal pride and heritage. Through programmes like Skill India Mission, tribal art was receiving a new identity while Vocal for Local was ensuring income for the community members. The government has changed decades old laws, that prevented the tribal people from cutting forest produce like bamboo and gave them rights over them, he added. Earlier, Modi unveiled the 15-tonne statue of Alluri, carved out at a cost of Rs 3 crore and installed by the Kshatriya Seva Samiti in the Municipal Park at ASR Nagar in Bhimavaram, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. State Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, former Union Minister and film star K Chiranjeevi and others were present on the occasion. The dignitaries paid floral tributes to Raju on the occasion. Modi felicitated Alluri Srirama Raju, Alluri's nephew, and Bodi Dora, son of Alluri's close lieutenant Mallu Dora. Popularly known as "Manyam Veerdu", Sitarama Raju, also referred to by his surname Alluri, was born on July 4, 1897 at Pandrangi village in the then Visakhapatnam district. Gandhinagar: Praising the role of digital technology in changing the lives of people of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India has eliminated queues or lines by going online and offering a host of services. In the last eight years, he said, the DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) initiative, which aims to transfer subsidies or financial assistance directly to eligible beneficiaries through their linked bank accounts, has saved Rs 2,23,000 crore which were otherwise going to ineligible people. The PM was addressing a gathering after inaugurating "Digital India Week 2022" here at Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre. Till eight to ten years ago, we had to stand in lines (queues) for everything. We had to stand in line for birth certificates, to pay bills, for ration, for admission, for results, for certificates, in banks. There were so many lines we used to stand in. India has eliminated all these lines by going online. Now, a majority of these services are digital," Modi said. Highlighting the importance of his government's Digital India Mission, Modi said time will not wait for a country which does not adopt new technology when required and maintained the country had suffered this during the third industrial revolution. "But now, India is guiding the world about the fourth industrial revolution - Industry 4.0. Gujarat has taken a lead in this initiative too, as the state had already taken initiatives like data centre, GSWAN, e-Gram and ATVT Jan Seva Kendra" said Modi, referring to measures taken on the digital front by the state government when he was Gujarat CM. The experience of launching those initiatives in Gujarat became the foundation for the Digital India Mission, he said, adding the nation-wide programme of the Centre has given relief to the poor from corruption and it is working for elimination of middlemen in all fields. The PM said the combination of Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhaar and Mobile, called 'JAM', has benefited the poor as well as the middle class more than other sections of the society. While explaining how Digital India initiatives are saving people's time, as they are no longer required to visit government offices, Modi shared an experience of his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi, where he learnt that labourers and poor citizens were preferring to travel by premium semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express train despite it being costlier than regular trains. "The (Varanasi) station master said the train serves two purposes. It not only provides more space to keep the goods, it also saves 6 to 8 hours of their travel time, which these labourers can use to earn more money. This extra money would easily cover the high ticket fare (of Vande Bharat Express). This is the true example of (the proverb) time is money" said the PM. Recalling his days as Gujarat CM, Modi said many people had objected to his plans to disburse widow pension through post offices or banks, saying it was difficult for beneficiary women to come out of their homes to collect the amount. "When I remained firm on the plan and started its implementation, we learnt many ineligible persons were taking that pension by posing as widows. That was the reason why those who were opposing my decision wanted to continue it. Using the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) route, we have deposited over Rs 23,00,000 crore directly into the bank accounts of real beneficiaries in the last 8 years," said the PM. He said the DBT initiative has saved Rs 2,23,000 crore which were otherwise going to ineligible people. The PM informed the audience that biometric information of Aadhaar has so far helped in finding nearly 500 lost children and uniting them with their families. "In May, nearly 1.3 lakh UPI (Unified Payments Interface) transactions took place every minute, which come to nearly 2,200 in one second. World's 40 per cent digital transactions are happening in India. Many countries are showing interest in our digital products such as UPI. These tools have scale, they are secure and they have democratic value," said the PM. UPI is a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application (of any participating bank), merging several banking features, seamless fund routing & merchant payments into one hood. He said the "double dose" of Digital India and Make in India (push or local manufacturing) will help India in scaling new heights in the 'Industrial Revolution 4.0'. On the occasion, the PM launched several new digital initiatives such as Digital India Bhashini, Digital India Genesis, Chips to Startup and My Scheme. HYDERABAD: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday made it clear that its leaders are not answerable to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and would not take into cognizance his demands for answers to questions he poses. State BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, addressing the media at Novotel Hotels HICC complex, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given all the answers to the people of the state during his address at Sundays public meeting. Sanjay was at the hotel to see off BJP president J.P. Nadda, who was in the city with the rest of the BJPs top leadership for the two-day national executive meeting of the party, and the public meeting addressed by Modi. Sanjay said, We are dedicating the national executive meeting to the people of the state. And the Opposition to KCR was there for all to see at Sundays public meeting. On the demand from the Chief Minister that Modi answer his questions, Sanjay shot back: Is KCR our boss? Who is KCR? Kaun kiska? If KCR asks, should answers be given to him? If people are asking questions, then Modi has given the answers on what has been given by the Centre to the state and the people of Telangana. Modi, clearly, with full clarity, told what the Centre is giving, and about welfare programmes being implemented. He also said that there was also no criticism in Modis speech. What we need is development of the state, and its people, and not criticism for the sake of criticism, he said, and added that Union minister Amit Shah too made it clear, several times, how much the Centre has provided for the state. Sanjay also said that it should, in reality, be Chandrashekar Rao who should be giving answers to the people of the state one why he is running around the country, why salaries to government employees are not being paid on time, why the benefits are not being paid, why he keeps borrowing more money and is piling up loans on the state. People are laughing at him, seeing him run around the country. KCR is hiding from the people of Telangana as he is unable to show his face to them, he said. If the Chief Minister had questions, why did he run away with his tail between his legs when we called him to debate with us? Sanjay asked. Amber Heard has urged a Virginia court to overturn her losing a decision in Johnny Depp's defamation lawsuit, alleging that the evidence is insufficient. Lawyers representing Amber Heard, who was found guilty of three defamation allegations made by Johnny Depp, alleged last week in a 43-page application that the decision was not supported by the evidence shown during the former couple's blockbuster trial. Amber Heard Claims Johnny Depp Didn't Prove His Case According to the documents filed Friday, Johnny Depp proceeded entirely on the defamation by implication approach, discarding any allegations that Heard's words were genuinely incorrect. Amber Heard's attorneys also claim that Juror 15 on the panel was picked improperly by providing the incorrect birthdate during jury selection - 1945 rather than the actual year of 1970. It is uncertain if the juror genuinely deliberated on the matter. In a 2018 op-ed essay in The Washington Post stating she was a victim of domestic abuse, Johnny Depp, 58, sued his ex, claiming he harmed his career - and leaving little doubt the allusion was to the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series star. The jury awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages in the decision last month, however, Virginia law limited the amount to $10.3 million. Heard, who countersued, received a $2 million award for one of her claims, according to New York Post. Heard further claimed that the damages awarded to Depp were disproportionate since the jury gave them for factors unrelated to his litigation. Judge Penney Azcarate has made it obvious that she does not want the case to go as is, refusing Heard's team's request for more hearings during the most recent session linked to the case on June 24, in which the judge formalized the verdict in the court's records. That day, Judge Azcarate informed Heard's team that they might file an appeal with the court. In the June decision, both celebrities were deemed to have defamed each other, but the deck was stacked heavily in Depp's favor. Read Also: Britney Spears' Father Clears His Name on Allegations of Putting Surveillance on Daughter's Bedroom During Conservatorship 'Aquaman' Actress Admits She Can't Pay Johnny Depp Heard subsequently conceded to her lawyer that she couldn't pay the millions of dollars in damages, and a day after the decision, her counsel stated she would fight it. Her stance on the topic has shifted since then, with claims circulating that she intends to produce a "tell-all" book to raise funds to settle the damages. According to a person close to Amber Heard, she is poor and unable to turn down money. They claim she thinks her Hollywood career is gone and has nothing to lose after a catastrophic few months. Chew stated earlier this month on Good Morning America that the actor would be prepared to forego the millions of dollars in damages owing to him if Heard agrees not to pursue an appeal. However, Heard's lawyers blew that opportunity during the June 24 hearing when they refused to reach such an accord, and Azcarate formalized the decision, leaving Heard with only an appeal. Amber Heard would still need to come up with the money to post a bond for the entire sum of the $10.35 million while the appeal is pending, which is a standard process, Daily Mail reported. Meanwhile, Johnny Depp wrote a statement about how his life altered in the blink of an eye as a result of his ex's op-ed. He said that serious criminal charges were leveled against him while thanking the jurors for giving him his life back after six years. He thanks all of his followers and well-wishers for their affection and assures us that the best is yet to come, as per Republic World. Related Article: Amber Heard Faces More Trouble After Getting Investigated for Smuggling Dogs in Australia After Johnny Depp Defamation Trial Loss @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. HYDERABAD: The BJP on Sunday released a roadmap for the state at the Vijay Sankalp Sabha, detailing how the TRS government let the people of the state down and efforts that the BJP can take to correct the ills plaguing the state under TRS rule. An aggressive-sounding BJP came out swinging against the Telangana state government, with BJP vice president D.K. Aruna briefing the partys national executive on the conditions in the state that left the party leaders shocked, according to Union minister Piyush Goyal. Goyal said that Telangana was formed after a long struggle, in which the BJP played a prominent role. But after the state was formed, the TRS government led by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao left people disappointed by not fulfilling promise that the Telangana state held out for its people, he said. In the past eight years, the TRS dashed the hopes of the people and has become the example of corruption with one family, of the Chief Ministers, running it, he said. He said that none of the ministers, besides those from the CMs family, had a say in running the state, and that every section of the society was feeling oppressed and looking forward to electing the BJP for a people-friendly government. State BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who, along with Union minister G. Kishan Reddy, addressed the media with Goyal, said the CM, his son, daughter and two nephews function as if they were the entire cabinet. Kishan Reddy pointed out how the TRS created several hurdles to disrupt the state BJPs work in organising the two-day conclave, including using tactics such as pulling out BJP party flags. He said that while the TRS might appear to be in power, it was the AIMIM and the Owaisi brothers who held the steering wheel of the government. VIJAYAWADA: Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan launched the partys new programme, Jana Vani (peoples voice) Jana Sena Bharosa here on Sunday. It aims at making the government listen to the peoples problems. Pawan said he would bring the issues of the people to the notice of the government departments and seek their resolution. People in large numbers attended the programme. Pawan interacted with 427 people by receiving their grievances. The public lodged complaints about houses, crop losses and damaged roads while students and employees presented their problems. Revenue, education, municipal and other issues also cropped up. Pawan said the chief minister was playing tricks on children by kissing them and saying, I am your uncle, but is only deceiving them in matters like the fee reimbursement issue. He asked why Jagan Mavayya (uncle) was not giving money to them despite promising to do their fee reimbursements. Pawan said, I once said that the YSRC is harmful to the state. The state should be brought out of this. Andhra Pradesh will get renaissance only if all the leaders with strong ideological commitments come together." He alleged that the YSRC government was betraying the Kapus. The government is threatening to stop the funds-flow to the Kapu Corporation if the Kapus turned against them, he said. Also, he alleged that the schemes belonging to Muslim communities were stopped. SC-ST sub plan funds have not only been diverted but 27 schemes intended for their welfare have been cancelled, he said. Pawan alleged that the YSRC government is deceiving the Dalits. I do not claim to perform miracles. Many people think that just giving me an application will solve a problem. I will try to bring the issues that come to me to the attention of the authorities. There will be a follow up to ensure that these issues are resolved by the authorities, he said. HYDERABAD: The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) expressed anger over Prime Minister Narendra Modi not answering any of the 20 questions posed by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao in his speech during Vijay Sankalpa Sabha in Parade Grounds on Sunday. While holding a grand reception for joint Opposition candidate for Presidential election Yashwant Sinha on Saturday, Chandrashekar Rao posed questions to the Prime Minister and demanded that he answer them when he addressed the public meeting at Parade Grounds. Chandrashekar Rao posed questions on farm laws, Make in India, Adani project controversy in Sri Lanka, Indian rupee depreciation, mandating states to import expensive coal, openly supporting Donald Trump in US Presidential election, India's falling indices in various sectors globally etc. The Chief Minister demanded Modi to answer those questions if he was really sincere and honest. If he ignored to answer, then he would be viewed as guilty, Chandrashekar Rao said. Ministers T. Harish Rao, G. Jagadish Reddy, V. Prashanth Reddy and others demanded that Modi answer Chandrashekar Raos questions or accept the failures and resign from the Prime Ministers post. "We hoped that the BJP would announce some development policy relating to India or Telangana but except jhumlas and humlas, there is nothing in BJP's national executive meeting for two days. Modi did not answer a single question raised by Chandrashekar Rao. With this, the BJP proved that they have no accountability at all," said finance minister Harish Rao. Energy minister G. Jagadish Reddy said the BJP's double engine governments in various states had failed to meet even the basic needs of people such as water and electricity. "Now Modi says they will form a double engine government in Telangana. They should realise that Chandrashekar Rao is providing uninterrupted power and water supply to every household with a single engine government. Telangana people will never support double engines which are trouble engines. If Modi or BJP leaders have guts, they should first answer the questions posed by Chandrashekar Rao." Muslim worshippers gather before the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca on July 2, 2022. (Photo by AFP) MECCA: White-robed worshippers from across the world have packed the streets of Mecca as Islam's holiest city prepares to host the biggest hajj pilgrimage since the coronavirus pandemic. Banners welcoming the faithful, including the first international visitors since 2019, festooned squares and alleys, while armed security forces patrolled the ancient city, birthplace of the Prophet Mohammed. "This is pure joy," Sudanese pilgrim Abdel Qader Kheder told AFP in Mecca, ahead of the event expected to start on Wednesday. "I almost can't believe I am here. I am enjoying every moment." One million people, including 850,000 from abroad, are allowed at this year's hajj -- a key pillar of Islam that all able-bodied Muslims are required to perform at least once -- after two years of drastically curtailed numbers due to the pandemic. At least 650,000 overseas pilgrims have arrived so far in Saudi Arabia, the authorities said Sunday. In 2019, about 2.5 million people took part in the rituals, which include circling the Kaaba, the imposing black cube at Mecca's Grand Mosque, gathering at Mount Arafat and "stoning the devil" in Mina. The following year, foreigners were barred and worshippers were restricted to just 10,000, rising to 60,000 fully vaccinated Saudi citizens and residents in 2021, to stop the hajj turning into a global super-spreader. One million vaccinated pilgrims under the age of 65 will attend the hajj under strict sanitary conditions, with the Grand Mosque, the holiest site in Islam, scrubbed and disinfected 10 times a day. The rituals have seen numerous disasters, including a 2015 stampede that killed up to 2,300 people and a 1979 attack by hundreds of gunmen that left 153 dead, according to the official toll. Unaccompanied women The pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a powerful source of prestige for the conservative desert kingdom and its de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is returning from the diplomatic wilderness. Days after the hajj, Prince Mohammed will welcome US President Joe Biden who, with oil prices sent soaring by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has reneged on promises to turn Saudi Arabia into a "pariah" over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents. The hajj, which costs at least $5,000 per person, is a money-spinner for the world's biggest oil exporter, bringing in about $12 billion a year along with other religious visits. It is also a chance to showcase a country that is undergoing rapid transformation, while still drawing regular complaints about human rights abuses and limits on personal freedoms. Saudi Arabia -- which has under recent reforms permitted raves in Riyadh and mixed-gender beaches in Jeddah -- now also allows women to attend the hajj unaccompanied by a male relative, a requirement that was dropped last year. 'Serenity' Masks are no longer compulsory in most enclosed spaces in Saudi Arabia but they will be mandatory at the Grand Mosque. Pilgrims from abroad will have to submit a negative PCR test result. The Grand Mosque will be "washed 10 times a day... by more than 4,000 male and female workers", with more than 130,000 litres (34,000 gallons) of disinfectant used each time, authorities said. Since the start of the pandemic, Saudi Arabia has registered more than 795,000 coronavirus cases, 9,000 of them fatal, in a population of about 34 million. Aside from Covid, another challenge is the scorching sun in one of the world's hottest and driest regions, which is becoming even more extreme through the effects of climate change. Although summer has only just begun, temperatures have already topped 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in parts of Saudi Arabia. But for Iraqi pilgrim Ahmed Abdul-Hassan al-Fatlawi, the hot weather is the last thing he thinks of when in Mecca. "I am 60 years old, so it's normal if I get physically tired because of the hot weather, but I am in a state of serenity, and that's all that matters to me," he told AFP. India has urged Canada to remove the poster of the filmmaker Leena Manimekalais performance documentary Kaali from the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto in the North American nation. The High Commission of India in Ottawa urged the Government of Canada as well as the organisers of the Under the Tent event being held in the museum to withdraw the films poster that showed a woman dressed up as Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette with a rainbow flag representing the LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual) community. Read | Director Leena Manimekalai stokes controversy over documentary poster showing Goddess Kali smoking We have received complaints from leaders of the Hindu community in Canada about disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods on the poster of a film showcased as part of the Under the Tent project at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, the High Commission of India tweeted. The Consulate General of India in Toronto also conveyed the concerns to the organisers of the event Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration (CERC Migration). Manimekalai, a post-graduate in fine arts from York University in Toronto, on July 2 posted the picture of the poster on Twitter, sharing that her recent film Kaali would be launched at Aga Khan Museum as part of its Rhythms of Canada project. The CERC Migrations Under the Tent is part of the Rhythms of Canada project of the Aga Khan Foundation. The poster irked a section of the netizens. We are also informed that several Hindu groups have approached authorities in Canada to take action, the High Commission of India in Ottawa stated. We urge the Canadian authorities and the event organisers to withdraw all such provocative materials. In a major blow to the Uddhav Thackeray faction a day before the crucial trust vote of the Eknath Shinde-BJP government, the newly-appointed speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly on Sunday night removed Shiv Sena MLA Ajay Chaudhary as the legislative party leader. A letter issued by the office of Speaker Rahul Narvekar reinstates Shinde as the Shiv Sena's legislative party leader and also recognises the appointment of Bharat Gogawale from the Shinde camp as the chief whip of the Sena, removing Sunil Prabhu, who belongs to the Thackeray faction. The Shiv Sena said the decision will be challenged in court. The letter addressed to Shiv Sena rebel MLA and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated that the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan administration had received a letter from his faction on June 22 objecting to Shinde's removal as the group leader of the Shiv Sena Legislative Party by the party chief Uddhav Thackeray. The letter issued by the office of Speaker Rahul Narvekar on Sunday night stated that after discussing the legalities of the matter, the Speaker rejects the appointment of Sena MLA Ajay Chaudhary as the group leader of the legislative unit of the party. The letter, a copy of which is with PTI, reinstates Shinde as the leader of the House of Shiv Sena and also recognises the appointment of Bharat Gogawale as the chief whip of the party, replacing Sunil Prabhu. The development comes as a major setback to the Thackeray faction comprising 16 MLAs who will be bound by the whip to be issued by Gogawale for Monday's trust vote. If these 16 MLAs refuse to follow the whip, they may face disqualification. Reacting to the development, Shiv Sena chief spokesperson and MP Arvind Sawant said they will challenge this "unconstitutional" decision in court. Former Secretary General of Lok Sabha P D T Acharya has given directives that the party leader (chief) has the right to appoint the group leader of the legislative unit of that party. How can you say that (Eknath Shinde) is the (legislative) party leader?" We will challenge this decision in court. This is highly unfortunate. The decision is taken on Sunday late night which speaks volumes about how it must have been taken, said Sawant. He alleged that the decision amounts to trampling the Constitution and democratic norms. "The BJP is marching towards autocracy, Sawant added. Ousted Shiv Sena group leader Ajay Chaudhary said the new Speaker did not even conduct any hearing over the objections of both sides. "When my name was proposed for the Shiv Sena group leader's post, it was signed by Shiv Sena MLAs Dada Bhuse and Sanjay Rathod. They both later joined the Shinde camp. How can the speaker ignore these facts? When my appointment was recognised by acting speaker Narhari Zirwal, how come the newly-appointed speaker Rahul Narvekar can intervene?" he asked. Earlier in the day, Rahul Narvekar of the BJP was elected Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly on the first day of its special session. Narvekar, who polled 164 votes, defeated Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena candidate Rajan Salvi, who got 107 votes. The Speaker's post was lying vacant since February last year after Nana Patole of the Congress resigned. Going by the votes polled in the Speaker's election, it seems the numbers are stacked in favour of the Shinde-BJP government for the floor test. The 288-member Assembly has one vacancy due to the death of Sena's Ramesh Latke. Out of the 287 legislators, 271 voted, while three MLAs - two of SP and one belonging to AIMIM- abstained from voting. Of the 12 absentee MLAs, Laxman Jagtap and Mukta Tilak (both BJP) are suffering from serious ailments. Two NCP legislators - Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik- are in jail in connection with different money laundering cases. Four other NCP MLAs did not show up. Two Congress MLAs - Praniti Shinde and Jitesh Antapurkar - also did not attend the session. An AIMIM also didn't attend the session. One can argue that hypocrisy is a form of adaptation. It is a survival tool. Didnt Darwin say something about adapting in his book On the Origin of Species? But what is a natural phenomenon, has major ramifications for humans when it is practised. Christ called it out in John 8:7, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. Lord Rama refused to acquiesce to the pleadings of his brother to return to rule Ayodhya. Doing so would make him a hypocrite for not following through on his promise to leave the kingdom. In the Bhagwad Gita, Sri Krishna provides different examples of hypocrisy and hypocrites - those who outwardly renounce objects while still dwelling on them mentally; penance performed with ostentation to gain respect and honour. Hypocrisy is very secular, it comes in various forms. Sometimes, hypocrisy is that good intention that paves the road to hell. In its aim to protect the free world, America has hobnobbed with the worst dictators and toppled elected governments. As a Nobel Peace Prize winner, Obama oversaw airstrikes and raids into at least seven nations. Staying on in America, one can truly appreciate the value of hypocrisy as an adaptation tool. As the US wound its way through the Republication Presidential Primaries towards the 2016 Presidential elections, the world was served the finest in hypocrisy. The Christian right supported Trump despite his attitudes on women and many marriages. Long-time Republican politicians who had labelled him a liar and other apt, but unflattering, names fell over themselves when he was elected as the Republican Presidential candidate. Read | Do we really need religion and god? Today, the Republicans and the US Supreme Court claim they are protecting life by banning abortion by pawing over a womans right over her body. But they are opposed to any gun control even though 12 children die daily due to gun violence. Republican politicians shout from the mountaintops about how they are protecting American democracy while claiming ignorance about the January 6 insurrection and stalling its investigation. The Catholic Church has welcomed the US Supreme Courts decision on abortion. But there is nary a peep about the harm to children from gun though the Bible highlights instances of Jesuss care for them - Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17. Modern India is rich in hypocrisy too. However, this duplicity has spread from just being a political tool to a social modus-operandi. Indias Grand Old Party, the Congress, has been unable to find a response to the right-wing Hindutva ideology that has swept India and is espoused by the ruling BJP. Instead of staying true to its secular credentials, the party has reinvented itself as a proponent of soft-Hindutva to remain relevant and take on the BJP -- its leaders have visited temples, spoken about Brahmin DNA in its blood and desisted from making statements about the Hijab controversy. Its silence on the recent Supreme Court order on the Ehsan Jafri case is another instance of its hypocrisy. Many Indian politicians who espoused secular ideals have now joined the BJP. In their earlier avtaars these politicians roundly opposed the BJP. For example, Jyotiraditya Scindia, a former Union Minister in the Congress government tweeted extensively against the BJP but now sings peans to BJP leaders. Interestingly, these tweets are no longer available. But this turncoatery is not restricted to those abandoning a sinking ship. Even within the BJP and the believers of the Hindutva ideology hypocrisy abounds. The most recent instance being the BJP governments response to the backlash from Muslim nations following the statements made by BJP national spokespersons on Prophet Mohammed. To limit the damage caused, the BJP government released an official statement calling the spokespersons fringe elements. Read | Muzzle the press! India's press freedom ranking leaves a lot to be desired The Hindutva ideology that the BJP espouses, and is implementing, is based on securing the primacy of Hinduism through the express act of suppressing Muslims and other minorities. For the BJP to distance itself from its spokespersons, who were just voicing the ideology, is laughable. More so because party leaders have made anti-Muslim remarks. As Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has said Jo aag laga rahe hain, TV pe jo unke drishya aa rahe hain, yeh aag lagane vaale kaun hai, voh unke kaapdon sey hi pata chal jaata hai (The people that are lighting the fire, from the visuals on TV, those setting the fire can be identified from their clothes). Modi made this public statement in response to the anti-CAA protests. Other leaders have led slogans calling Muslims anti-nationals who should be shot. And this even as these politicians proclaim Indias democratic credentials. The way the law under the BJP rule deals with such incidents is another example of hypocrisy at work. Indian citizens who have criticised the BJP government have been slapped with criminal charges. However, Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal, the two BJP national party spokespersons who have caused international embarrassment have got police protection as they claim their lives are under threat. While PM Modi joined G7 leaders in discussions on freedom of speech and social media, the Delhi Police - which reports to his government arrested Mohammed Zubair a respected journalist and factchecker for a 2018 tweet of a meme from a movie. The hypocrisy in current Indian politics has percolated into society. For example, hate and distrust of Muslims and the desire for revenge that the Hindutva supporters espouse is based on the claim that Muslim kings and raiders destroyed countless temples. What is happily forgotten is the history of the subcontinent is replete with warring Hindu dynasties killing each other and destroying each others temples. Anirudh Kanisetti in his book Lords of the Deccan: Southern India from the Chalukyas to the Cholas, quotes that on the death of Rajadhiraja Chola in the battle with the Chalukyas, the Chalukyas celebrated his death claiming he burned down a multitude of temples. Hindutva adherents dont have a problem with Hindu kings killing each other and looting and destroying temples. Bollywood has got into the act too. The recent movie Samrat Prithviraj depicts the king as protecting Hinduism against the attacking Muslims hordes. The film ignores the wars he fought against many Hindu kings. At the end of the day, hypocrisy is nothing but the detritus of the sacrifice of trust, logic and principles. For what personal and political gain and fulfilling self-deception? While the reasons may be debated its results are tangible - social dysfunction and discord, and deaths. (The author is a freelance writer) Interview: "People-centered" coperation between China, Africa yields great fruits, says diplomat Xinhua) 13:08, July 04, 2022 ACCRA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The practical cooperation between China and Africa, which focuses on improving people's well-being on the continent, has yielded great results, a Ghanaian diplomat has said. Speaking to Xinhua in a recent interview, Adam Abdul-Rahaman, minister-counsellor at the Ghanaian Embassy in Burkina Faso, said that the Communist Party of China (CPC) has achieved tremendous success by leading China to become one of the world's largest economies, offering plenty of experience for Africa. Abdul-Rahaman, board chairman of Ghana-based think tank the Afro-Sino Centre of International Relations (ASCIR), paid his first visit to China in 2017. Apart from enjoying the skyscrapers in Shanghai and historical sites in Beijing, he said the trip gave him a deeper insight into the CPC's leadership and how it works. During that trip, Abdul-Rahaman was struck by the rapid development of China's economy and society, which bolstered his belief that a focus on "development" appropriately describes the CPC. "After China's reform and opening-up, we have seen the CPC has concentrated on developing China's economy. So if you look from 1978 up to today, China has been able to impress the world -- they feed themselves, they trade with the world, and I think it's an impressive development," he said. "I have to commend CPC's leading role in that regard," said Abdul-Rahaman, adding China's development illustrates the success of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the CPC's people-centered philosophy. The trajectory of China's development under the leadership of the CPC holds valuable lessons for Africa as the two share a similar history and vision for development, he said. Abdul-Rahaman and his colleagues at ASCIR have long focused their research on China-Africa cooperation and witnessed how the African people benefited from the Belt and Road Initiative. In March, a Chinese-built interchange project commenced operation in Tamale, the capital of Ghana's Northern Region, where Abdul-Rahaman was born and raised. Abdul-Rahaman said the project, the first of its kind in the region, has dramatically improved the traffic conditions in Tamale and beautified the city's skyline. Chinese-built projects in Ghana are "both infrastructure-wise and culture-wise," Abdul-Rahaman said. "This is where we should be happy about the cooperation. It is people-centered." Abdul-Rahaman added that ASCIR is willing to contribute more to China-Africa cooperation, which he believes is set for further expansion. "I think the CPC is at the center of all this," Abdul-Rahaman said, "with good leadership, with leadership vision." (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun) The Serbian Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin told NATO leaders their vain attempts to coerce their state to be like others who have capitulated to the US would not work. He reminded NATO about its 1999 invasion where many Serbian children were killed, which the West conveniently forgets. He added that Belgrade would not go to the level of countries kowtowing to the United States, as the Military bloc is not as united as it wants to show. Serbia Not To Drop Its Neutrality Vulin spoke in a program shown on Pink broadcaster where he made it clear that the western military alliance will not be part of another nation's conflict, reported RT. Belgrade's position on the current war between Moscow and Kyiv is unequivocal. Serbia recognizes Ukraine's territorial integrity but does not condone sanctions against Russia and its long-standing close and friendly partnership with Moscow. He responded to Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlovic's earlier statement that in a future scenario Serbian cabinet should be firmer in its stance on the dispute, citing Retalk. Serbian Interior Minister wants no conflict with Moscow and prefers Russian solidarity and that all Slavs are part of a brotherhood. Read Also: Volodymyr Zelensky Children: Does the Ukraine President Have Kids? Serbia respects all nations and their lands, including international law, which the EU brazenly violated in sanctioning Russia. The minister said that Brussels does not respect his country or its territorial rights, noted Islam Times. West Violates Serbia's Right to Independence By acknowledging Kosovo's independence, the US and its allies have infringed upon Serbia's rights to independence, according to Vulin. Western sanctions will never be supported nor trust the US and the EU in their intentions. Washington, Brussels, and their allies would have revoked their recognition of Kosovo if they had adhered to international law. Vulin accused the west of violating Serbia's right as a nation and that it should apologize after it bombed the country and for all the children killed as collateral in their wayward assault on Belgrade. Vulin commented that the military bloc stirred up the trouble with Russia; they should march in, not Serbians. The west started it, and then they should fight it. Many European nations fell in line to sanction Moscow on orders of the US which is waging a proxy war. Serbia has refused to follow suit and resists strongly. President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic in June stated the EU is fighting Russia, and Brussels is frustrated at Serbia's neutrality. He dropped what the EU wanted and still kept ties with Moscow. Belgrade can be trusted compared to the US and its allies, with its lack of moral ascendancy in violating international law. The Serbian Interior Minister Vulin made it clear to NATO leaders that they've violated laws against them and are doing the same with Russia; apologies for the 1999 bombing of their country that breaches international law. Related Article: Serbia Criticizes West for Pushing Russian Sanctions Which Is Against Its Interests @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Cabinet approves computerisation of primary agriculture credit societies The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday approved computerisation of all 63,000 functional primary agricultural credit societies PACS across the country, with overall budget outlay of Rs2,516 crore. The decision will help increase the efficiency of PACS, bringing transparency and accountability in their operations and facilitate diversification of their business by undertaking multiple activities/services. This will benefit approximately 130 million farmers, most of whom are small and marginal farmers. This project proposes computerization of about 63,000 functional PACS over a period of 5 years with a total budget outlay of Rs. 2516 crore with Government of India share of Rs. 1528 crore. Primary Agricultural Cooperative credit societies (PACS) constitute the lowest tier of the three-tier Short-term cooperative credit (STCC) in the country comprising about 130 million farmers as its members, which is crucial for the development of the rural economy. PACS account for 41 per cent (30 million farmers) of the KCC loans given by all entities in the country and 95 per cent of these KCC loans (29.5 million farmers) through PACS are to the small and marginal farmers. The other two tiers, viz, state cooperative banks (StCBs) and district central cooperative banks (DCCBs) have already been automated by NABARD and brought on common banking software (CBS). A majority of PACS have not been computerised and still function manually resulting in inefficiency and trust deficit. In some of the states, stand-alone and partial computerisation of PACS has been done. There is no uniformity in the software being used by them and they are not interconnected with the DCCBs and StCBs. Under the able guidance of minister of home and cooperation Amit Shah it has been proposed to computerise all the PACS throughout the country and bring them on a common platform at national level and have a common accounting system (CAS) for their day-to-day business. Computerisation of PACS, besides serving the purpose of financial inclusion and strengthening service delivery to farmers, especially small and marginal farmers (SMFs) will also become nodal service delivery point for various services and provision of inputs like fertilisers, seeds etc. The project will help in improving the outreach of the PACS as outlets for banking activities as well as non-banking activities apart from improving digitalisation in rural areas. The DCCBs can then enrol themselves as one of the important options for taking up various government schemes (where credit and subsidy is involved) which can be implemented through PACS. It will ensure speedy disposal of loans, lower transition cost, augment audit and reduction in imbalances in payments and accounting with state. Cooperative banks and district central cooperative banks. The project comprises development of cloud based common software with cyber security and data storage, providing hardware support to the PACS, digitisation of existing records, including maintenance support and training. This software will be in vernacular language having flexibility of customisation as per the needs of the states. Project Management Units (PMUs) will be set up at central and state levels. District level support will also be provided at cluster of about 200 PACS. In the case of states where computerisation of PACS has been completed, Rs50,000 per PACS will be reimbursed provided they agree to integrate with/adopt the common software, their hardware meets the required specifications, and the software was commissioned after 1 February 2017. Cabinet approves deregulation of sale of domestically produced crude oil The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Thursday approved Deregulation of Sale of Domestically Produced Crude Oil, whereby government has ceased allocation of crude oil and condensate effective 1 January 2022. This will ensure marketing freedom for all exploration and production (E&P) operators. The condition in the production sharing contracts (PSCs) to sell crude oil to government or its nominee or government companies will accordingly be waived off. All E&P companies will now be free to sell crude oil from their fields in domestic market, a decision which will promote ease of doing business and facilitate more operational flexibility to operators/industry. Government revenues like royalty, cess, etc will continue to be calculated on uniform basis across all contracts. As earlier, exports will not be permissible. This decision is expected to further spur economic activities, incentivise making investments in upstream oil and gas sector and builds on a series of targeted transformative reforms rolled out since 2014. The policies relating to production, infrastructure and marketing of oil and gas have been made more transparent with a focus on ease of doing business and facilitating more operational flexibility to operators/industry. Government has carried out several progressive reforms in exploration and production (E&P) sector in the last eight years such as pricing and marketing freedom for gas, discovery of gas price through competitive e-bidding process, introduction of revenue sharing contracts under Hydrocarbon Exploration Licensing Policy (HELP), etc. A large number of blocks have since been allotted through several bidding rounds. As a result, allocation of exploration acreage has almost doubled compared to area awarded before 2014. Since February 2019, reforms have focused on production maximisation with no revenue sharing for difficult basins other than windfall gain. The third edition of the Louth International Film Festival will take place in the An Tain Arts Centre Dundalk on October 1st and 2nd, 2022. Presented by The Louth Filmmakers Society in association with Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT). As part of the film festival, DkIT will host a number of workshops in the PJ Carrolls Building. These workshops will be aimed at secondary school students and will showcase the state-of-the-art Film/TV facilities in the building. The 2022 Louth International Film Festival has expanded to a 2-day event and will include a carefully curated features programme, with Q & As from visiting directors, actors and producers. Industry panel discussions, workshops, DkIT short films and a global short film competition are also part of the festival. Festival patrons include Hollywood director, John Moore, and acclaimed cinematographer, Seamus McGarvey, ASC, BSC. Last year's festival programme included 78 short films from 21 countries. In the first block of shorts, two American films were screened, Troubled Times by Director Jared Crowelle, and Faces After Suicide by Director Lindsey Doolittle, who both flew to Ireland to attend the festival. The 2021 curated feature film County Lines was introduced by the films producer David Broder. After the screening a Q & A panel was held which included the following industry practitioners; Writer and Director Ashlinn Clarke, Director Hannan Quinn, Director of Photography Tim Fleming, Actor and Writer Laurence McKeown and Producer David Broder. The 2022 categories and awards include Best Short Fiction, Best Short Documentary, Seamus McGarvey Award for Best Cinematography, Best Student Film, Best Actor/Actress, Best Director and Best in Louth. The Best in Louth is a new category to acknowledge the creative, challenging and evocative filmmaking happening in the county. DkIT Cinematography Lecturer and Festival Co-Director, Lorcan Dunne, explained the importance of including the local community in the festival, The success of any film festival in my opinion is the face-to-face interactions between filmmaker and viewer. We want people from the local community to embrace the festival and enjoy watching short films on a big screen with excellent audio-visual presentation. The Best in Louth category is a wonderful addition, and celebrates the diverse, inquiring, critical audience that is our local community. Dundalk native and Hollywood director, John Moore, patron of the festival, had this to say about the third edition, Im delighted and proud to once again support the Louth International Film Festival. The constant and thoughtful efforts of my hometown and DkIT to train, support and promote all forms of visual storytelling speaks volumes about their deep understanding of the potential for real jobs and futures within the industry. The Louth International Film Festival provides a great opportunity to shout it from the rooftops. Dr Ronan Lynch, Acting Head of Department of Creative Arts, Media and Music added, The festival is a great opportunity for our students to get feedback and recognition from the public for the work they produce throughout their time here at DkIT. This allows students to be more critical and more confident of their work. Each year I am blown away with the talent that we have here in DkIT. Entries are now open on FilmFreeway Gavin Newsom and Ron DeSantis are not just avatars for their respective parties' futures, but also for the divergent realities that blue and red Americans live in: two people with opposite opinions looking at the same set of data and coming to dramatically different judgments. They're both governors, rising stars, and potential presidential contenders, developing micro-ideological models in their sunny capitals. Gavin Newsom Airs Anti-GOP ad in Florida In ever-blue California, Newsom, the son of a state appellate judge, has refocused his career as a showy progressive hero on more subtle legislative initiatives. Meanwhile, in reddening Florida, there's DeSantis, the son of a Nielsen box salesman who publicly identifies with the anti-elitist, reactionary ideas that have devoured the GOP rather than his two Ivy League degrees. Were about to celebrate Independence Day -- but Freedom is under attack by Republican leaders in states like Florida. Banning books. Restricting speech. Making it harder to vote. Criminalizing women and doctors. Its time to stand up. Dont let them take your freedom. pic.twitter.com/cFI5UzgZzX Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 3, 2022 Newsom is currently airing ads against DeSantis in Florida, claiming that they are not the first of the 2024 or 2028 presidential campaigns, to reclaim a feeling of group identity among Democrats to defeat Trumpism in the long run. With a budget of $105,000 on Fox News, Newsom's new ad, which was first provided to CNN and is set to air on July 4, is a mashup of a classic campaign spot, a business investment pitch, and one of those California tourism commercials full of celebrities saying how much better it is there, wrapped in the existential terror that's gripping progressives these days, according to CNN. Newsom then urges Floridians to "join the battle" against DeSantis, while also joking that Floridians are welcome to go to California. "Freedom of speech, freedom to choose, freedom from hate and the freedom to love. Don't let them take your freedom," the Californian governor said. Read Also: Russia "Cannot, Must Not Win" Against Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron Says Following Strike on Crowded Mall Newsom Is Suspected To Run for 2024 Presidential Election However, according to data provided by the South Florida Business Journal, it is the Californians who are departing the Golden State in favor of Florida. Over 18,000 California residents moved to Florida in 2019 and another 17,000 did so in 2020. DeSantis has previously voiced concern about California citizens relocating to Florida, citing the thousands of Californians who have gone to Texas in recent years and continue to vote Democratic, Fox News reported. The Florida Agency of Education denied 54 math textbooks earlier this year - 41 percent of the 132 textbooks assessed by the department - from being used in the state's K-12 curriculum moving forward, citing prohibited concepts such as 'Critical Race Theory.' Last year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis enacted legislation restricting absentee and mail voting, which many critics argue would disenfranchise voters. The state gained global news earlier this year for a contentious bill called the "Don't Say Gay" bill, which forbids classroom instruction regarding sexual orientation or gender identity in public schools from kindergarten through third grade. In April, the Florida Legislature passed legislation prohibiting abortions beyond 15 weeks, with no exceptions for rape or incest. It's unknown why Newsom is running cable TV advertising in a state 2,700 miles away, but many believe it's another hint that the governor is gearing up for a presidential bid shortly. As we have noted, Newsom's national posturing has risen considerably in the last month, to the point that supporters of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are keeping a watch on him, as per SFGATE. Related Article: Former Trump Officials Cast Doubt Against Secret Service After Agency Denies Testimony Amid January 6 Riot Investigation @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The issue of delays in having classrooms ready for children with autism enrolled in a North Louth school was raised in Leinster House last week by Deputy Ruairi O Murchu. The Sinn Fein TD raised problems that Monksland NS in Cooley have been experiencing as they try to get two classrooms for autistic children up and running ahead of the return to school on August 30. During a debate on education provision for children with special needs, the Dundalk deputy said: "I raise the particular issue of Scoil Naisiunta Talamh na Manach in north County Louth where ten children with autism have been enrolled. "The school is to open on 30 of August and, I believe, the school was requested on 26 January to have two classrooms specific to children with autism. "At this time there has been a great deal of engagement with the Department by the school and by Sile Murnaghan, the priomhoide. "The difficulty is it is one-way traffic. There may be very many disappointed children and parents now on the basis these classrooms do not exist. "The school is willing, able and wants to deliver, so we need to ensure we see delivery in this case. This is just another example of where we are failing children with disabilities. "I am asking the Minister and I will speak to her afterwards so that we might have an intervention to ensure we deliver for these children. "We are all here for the one reason. We want to see the spaces and places provided for some of our citizens, that is, children with disabilities. Up to this time, we have not had the necessary planning to deliver that. We all welcome this legislation and, if it streamlines the section 37A process, then that needs to be done because it seems to be a process that is far too long with far too many steps in delivering these places. We all know, however, there is a wider issue. "This is about ensuring we have a review system in September to see what places will be available for the following September. That is the piece we need to address to ensure the National Council for Special Education and the Department have all of the information required and all of the necessary steps are taken so that we do not end up in a situation, which often happens, where either schools or parents have to play the role of campaigners." After the debate, Deputy O Murchu spoke to Minister Josepha Madigan about the issue and received an assurance that she would deal with it. He said he would follow up this week with the minister. Families whose loved ones passed away at Dealgan House have very legitimate questions and they must be given answers to those questions, according to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly. The Minister was responding to a parliamentary question raised by Louth Fine Gael TD who sought an update on the group set up to consider the events that occurred in Dealgan house during the the first wave of the pandemic when 23 elderly residents died. A week previously Deputy ODowd received a response from Deputy Darragh O'Brien who was taking questions on behalf of the Taoiseach in which it was stated that a group had been set up and that it would formally submit its report to the Minister for Health shortly. Deputy ODowd then sought a written answer seeking greater specifics and received a letter from the minister which he described as unacceptable. Speaking to the Democrat Deputy ODowd said: Its actually disgraceful, during the week I asked specific questions from the families who lost loved ones and he absolutely ignored them in his reply which is entirely unacceptable, but I think he changed his tact a bit [with his latest answer]. The Ministers latest response to a similar question raised by Deputy O Dowd on Thursday appeared to give greater explanation. Deputy O'Dowd put it to the Minister that: We need this Government, which I support, to vindicate the human rights of the residents concerned. They cannot be ignored. If the Minister can give 135 million to meet the financial needs of 445 nursing homes, can he not find it in his heart to meet them and to have that inquiry to give them the truth and peace they need? The Minister responded: I have met the families involved. I have stated publicly at committee and am happy to restate that families whose loved ones passed away in nursing homes in some cases, including Dealgan House, have very legitimate questions and they must be given answers to those questions. We are trying to find a process whereby we can give them the answers they want without having to create a mechanism like a statutory tribunal or inquiry. In many cases, the only people who come out of those on top are the legal representatives. We are working to find a mechanism whereby the families can get the answers they need in a way that does not leave them bogged down in a legal process for many years. I am happy to revert to the Department and seek an update for the Deputy. Reacting to the response Deputy O Dowd told the Democrat: "What he has promised is that he will meet the needs of the families which is a change because he absolutely ignored my question there during the week. So in the Dail he answered the question with the words that he used but he did say that he was going to come back to me so I would expect an appropriate and a proper response because what he has given me up to date is very unsatisfactory. Deputy ODowd is further seeking clarification regarding the response he received from Darragh OBrien in which it was stated that a group had been set up to consider the issue and the Ministers reply in which he stated that, We are working to find a mechanism whereby the families can get the answers they need. He said: There is a gap between what Deputy Darragh O'Brien said and what hes [the minister] saying so it needs to be absolutely clarified and fleshed out in his reply because the families have been suffering and the trauma has gone on for two years now and theyre entitled to accountability and closure. Schools in the Louth area, along with other primary schools from around Ireland have been taking part in an exciting programme at Creative Spark in Dundalk that aims to motivate young people towards a career in science and technology. Taiscealai is an accessible, innovative eight week programme that motivates young people to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM). Geared toward children from second to sixth class, students are presented with two exciting challenges, and using TinkerCAD online software, students in the program build a digital 3D model of their solution. With assistance from their teacher students have the opportunity to print their models on a 3D printer. As part of the project students submit a short video detailing their design, printing process and learning outcomes to the National Challenge Committee for review. This program is open to any primary school with access to a 3D printer. As part of STEAM outreach programme the Enterprise FabLab at Creative Spark enables schools who dont have their own 3D printer to participate in the challenge. 3D printers are available for September 2022, January 2023 and April 2023 for schools in Louth, Meath, Monaghan or Cavan who wish to participate next year. With thanks to Creative Spark's partners Inspire 3D, and Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR), so far, three National Schools in Louth have participated. Scoil Phadraig Naofa, Kilcurry, St. Brigids and St. Patricks, Drogheda and St. Josephs, Dundalk along with other primary schools from around Ireland have participated so far. Creative Spark says it would like to congratulate Mr Duffys 5th class in Scoil Phadraig Naofa, Kilcurry, for winning the challenge under the Transport theme. It also congratulates the 6th class from Lisnafunchin National School for winning the challenge under the Useful Home/Classroom Product with their project Practical Designs. Creative Spark, IMR, I-Form and Inspire 3D would also like to extend their congratulations to all the students, teachers and principals who participated. The quality of submissions were very high, indicating a bright future for STEAM sectors in the North East and Ireland. Both, Scoil Phadraig Naofa, Kilcurry, and Lisnafunchin National School, were invited to tour the Irish Manufacturing Research Additive Manufacturing Lab, National Science Park, Mullingar on the 20th and 22nd of June for winning the challenge. Inspire 3D became the first corporate sponsor of the STEAM outreach programme, by donating three Ultimaker 3D printers to Creative Spark and providing Teacher Training on 3D design and printing. Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) is a leading manufacturing Research & Technology Organisation (RTO) working with global and indigenous brands to derisk and demystify new and emerging technologies & to deliver high-impact collaborative research. As part of its vision, IMR is committed to bridging the gap between the school's curriculum and industry needs by sparking excitement and enthusiasm in Advanced Manufacturing and Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) through its education programmes for primary and post-primary schools. The Enterprise FabLab at Creative Spark, has a defined ambition to stimulate Enterprise, Creativity, Innovation and Education in the North-East region with support from Enterprise Ireland. Creative spark invited primary schools across the North East region to register their interest in participating in a National 3D Printing Challenge Taiscealai (Explorer), in partnership with Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and I-Form, the SFI Research Centre for Advanced Manufacturing. If you are interested in joining Inspire 3D in sponsoring a STEAM education programme, or to register your interest in participating in any of their programmes, please email Jacqui at fablab@creativespark.ie. Claudia Roth, the German Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media, said the prevalence of Russo-phobia is unfortunate that western proponents dismiss anything Russian. The outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine hostilities led to a slew of anti-Russia economic sanctions, including oil and gas. Now it seems to have gone so far that it's so woke that other aspects like cultural aspects are mindlessly targeted. West Condemns Anything Russian Many Western institutions are removing works done by great Russian artists and minds; waywardly pursued after the Russian special operation in the Donbas, reported RT. Roth stated, in an interview conducted by Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung last Saturday, that boycotting Russian culture is very foolish, noted Olxpraca. Several western institutions are removing many examples of art and culture from Russia, which is unusual to do as its art and culture are separate from the special operation in late February. The German Federal Commissioner used an example of how a mayor in North Rhine-Westphalia decided that a youth orchestra would not be allowed to play music composed by the famous Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky as an example of Russo-phobia. Instead, the orchestra got negative feedback and was allowed to play classical music. However, Roth admitted that uncertainty regarding Russian culture is hard to deal with. Read Also: Vladimir Putin: 3 Facts You Didn't Know About Russia's President - From His Judo Records to His KGB Pseudonym Roth stressed that the boycott is very mistaken, and mostly Russian artists strive to keep the last freedoms and fight for them. Also, Russia's classic culture should be music and literature must be upheld, not canceled or boycotted. She added that Putin would not take Chekhov from her. Russian Culture Has Nothing to do With Military There are too many odd arguments about the connection of Russian culture to the special operation in the DPR and LPR. The worst critics in western nations are a few German politicos who are not keen to cancel culture in general, citing Zomaloma. Ukrainians are keen on canceling like Sergey Loznitsa, a prominent Ukrainian director and screenwriter of Belarusian origin, the speech defended Russian culture necessarily. In his speech, he did not want to cancel Russian culture and stressed no logic or sense in acting barbaric. He said that culture is the opposite of barbarity and that it should rescind to cancel it. One of the most noticed controversies is The Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra in Wales omitted Pyotr Tchaikovsky's famous 1812 Overture as part of the performance. One reason for it is Napoleon Bonaparte's defeat, which was unacceptable. An Italian university in Milan had allegedly tried to suspend the courses about the Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky. One lacking excuse is to focus on less relevant Ukrainian authors to lessen tension; it was not accepted publicly, so the attempt was abandoned. Russian President Vladimir Putin says the West's elite are using cancel culture from the US to pillory famous Russian composers and writers, equating to Nazi book burnings. The German Federal Commissioner Claudia Roth thought Russo-phobia to cancel out Russian culture was unfortunate because of its value. However, she laments that it should not be a war between East and West. Related Article: International Peace, Stability Won't Happen Without Russia's Support @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney hinted at potential multiple criminal referrals to the Justice Department, including former United States President Donald Trump, amid the House Select Committee's continued investigation of the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot. The Republican added that the Justice Department should prosecute the former president if warranted, arguing that not doing so would be a threat to the country's Constitution. She said that it is a much graver Constitutional threat if a president can engage in these kinds of activities and the majority of his party looks away. Trump's Criminal Referral Cheney said that despite being difficult, these decisions have to be made and have to be separated from politics. She said that the decisions have to be made from the perspective of what they would mean for the nation. The lawmaker's comments came after she called Trump a "domestic threat" earlier this week during a speech at the Reagan Library in Southern California. Cheney said that the Republican businessman was attempting to unravel the foundations of the country's Constitutional Republic, as per Fox News. Cheney is one of only two Republicans who are part of the House Select Committee, the other being Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois. In recent days, the panel heard the explosive testimony of former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson. The Wyoming lawmaker said the former aide was "absolutely confident" in the testimony and called her brave to come before the committee. Read Also: Joe Biden's 2024 Re-Election Facing Harsh Reality as Approval Rating Plummet: Poll The lawmaker said that the panel had in its possession significant evidence about a slew of issues, including the former president's intense anger. Cheney added that Americans will continue to see in the coming days and weeks additional details about Trump's activities and behavior on the day of the insurrection. According to CNN, Cheney's remarks came after she was asked about the prospect of referring Trump for prosecution. She noted, however, that the Justice Department does not have to wait for the committee to make a criminal referral. The Big Lie On the other hand, Kinzinger said on Sunday that Hutchinson's testimony had "been inspiring for a lot of people." He added that more witnesses have come forward since the former aide's explosive revelations last week. He added that there will be way more information available regarding the incident. Hutchinson said in her testimony that she was told by former White House deputy chief of staff Tony Ornato that the former president tried to grab the steering wheel of the car and lunged at Secret Service agent Bobby Engel on Jan. 6, 2021, when he was told that they were bringing him back to the West Wing and not to the Capitol building. Cheney argued that millions of people and millions of Republicans have been betrayed by the former president. She noted that the situation was a painful thing for people to recognize and admit despite it being the truth. The Wyoming Republican accused Trump of betraying his supporters' loyalty using "the big lie" and by what he continues to do and say to tear apart the United States and the GOP, the Washington Post reported. Related Article: Former Trump Officials Cast Doubt Against Secret Service After Agency Denies Testimony Amid January 6 Riot Investigation @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. EBRD to provide a 2.5 million package to Mikrokreditna Fondacija Mi-Bospo Tuzla 1.5 million for on-lending to MSMEs in Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 million for residential energy efficiency, backed by grants from the EU, WBIF, Austria The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is extending a 2.5 million package to a micro-credit institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mikrokreditna Fondacija Mi-Bospo Tuzla (Mi-Bospo). 1.5 million of the package will be used to provide subloans to local micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), especially businesses run by women and active in the agribusiness sector. Access to finance remains an obstacle for many small firms in Bosnia and Herzegovina despite the fact that these form the backbone of the countrys economy. The remaining 1 million will be used to support investments in energy efficiency, under the Western Balkans Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF). Mi-Bospo will lend the funds to borrowers in the residential sector individuals, housing collectives, producers, vendors and service providers to invest in high-performance green technologies, materials and solutions in privately owned residential dwellings and buildings. The green portion of the financing is provided under the umbrella of the 135 million GEFF programme for the Western Balkans, which is supported by the European Union (EU), the multi-donor Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance, and is part of the Regional Energy Efficiency Programme (REEP) for the Western Balkans. Mi-Bospo, based in Tuzla in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, is the fourth-largest microfinance institution in the country and was established as a World Bank pilot project in 1996. The EBRD provided a first loan to Mi-Bospo in 2007, launching a successful cooperation that continues to this day. Aleksandra Vukosavljevic, EBRD Director, Financial Institutions, said: We are pleased to extend the cooperation with Mi-Bospo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Improving access to finance will help boost the competitiveness of local MSMEs and create more jobs and business opportunities in the country. We are also delighted to welcome Mi-Bospo to our GEFF programme, which will accelerate green lending in Bosnia and Herzegovina and contribute to energy savings and carbon emission reductions. Safet Husic, CEO of Mi-Bospo, said: Mi-Bospos goal is to provide our clients with suitable loans. Therefore, we monitor the market and its needs to give the best service to our clients. The EBRD is a very important strategic partner with whom we have a successful long-term collaboration. We appreciate the approved credit funds for our entrepreneurial clients, primarily women, and for energy efficiency measures. The technical support in creating energy efficiency products through the GEFF programme will mean a lot to us. This programme and the funds will benefit Mi-Bospo and our clients, and will help us to fulfil our mission. The EBRD has invested nearly 2.9 billion in 203 projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina since it began operating there in 1996. The Banks strategic priorities in the country are to promote the green economy, support the competitive development of the private sector and foster regional integration. Reuters Ryanair had its busiest month ever in June as it flew 15.9 million passengers, up from just 5.3 million a year earlier and topping a previous high set in May. Its load factor, which measures how well an airline is filling available seats, reached 95 per cent for the first time since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Irish airline, Europe's largest by passenger numbers, said it operated over 88,500 flights in June as its load factor rose from 92 per cent a month earlier, when it flew 15.4 million passengers. Ryanair's load factor regularly reached at least 96 per cent a month before the pandemic and hit 97 per cent in June 2019. The low-cost airline expects to fly 15 per cent more passengers this summer than in the same season of 2019, and will carry a record 165 million passengers in the year to March 2023. It carried just under 100 million passengers in the year to March 2022 and its pre-Covid record high was 149 million. Ryanair said last week that less than 2 per cent of its flights were affected by an initial wave of strikes by cabin crew unions in Belgium, Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. It added on Saturday that it expected "minimal (if any) disruption" from 12 more strike days announced by some Spain-based cabin crew for later this month. UK refutes presence of animal diseases Veterinary authorities in the United Kingdom have denied the presence of foot-and-mouth and swine vesicular diseases in the country. Following official testing at the UK national reference laboratory, the UK Chief Veterinary Officer had negated the suspicion of foot and mouth disease in pigs at a premises near Feltwell, Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, Norfolk. In the same way, the presence of swine vesicular disease has also been dismissed so a Temporary Control Zone initially activated for foot and mouth disease and, later, for vesicular disease has been repealed. - UK Government Singapore set to import Indonesian chilled, frozen, and processed chickens The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said Indonesia has been added as a new import source for chilled, frozen, and processed chicken, but fresh chickens are not part of this new arrangement, Today Online reported. This follows Malaysia's chicken export ban which has badly affected slaughterhouses, wet market poultry sellers, and chicken rice sellers in Singapore. According to SFA, close coordination between SFA, the Animal and Veterinary Service, and the Indonesian authorities allowed Indonesia to be added as a source for chicken. Indonesia now joins the group of more than 20 nations that are permitted to export chicken to Singapore, along with nations like Australia, Brazil, and Thailand. SFA said that diversification is a "cornerstone of Singapore's food security strategy" and that it has been doing so over the years, particularly with regard to commonly consumed foods like eggs, chicken, and vegetables. To ensure that they can meet Singapore's food safety and animal health standards, the SFA further stated that chickens could only be imported from SFA-accredited sources. Consignments would be subject to SFA's inspection, sampling, and testing upon import, while individual establishments and chicken farms would require documentary evaluations and on-site audits for verification. The SFA said that having a new source for the importation of frozen, chilled, heat-processed chicken meat and chicken meat products is a step in the right direction for SFA's efforts to diversify the sources of Singapore's food supply and increase its resilience, proving more protection from supply disruptions around the world. Grace Fu, Singapore's Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, said the addition of Indonesia to the list of the more than 20 nations authorised to import chicken, is another step forward for the country's efforts to diversify sources and enhance the resilience of Singapore's food supply. The SFA is a statutory board under Singapore's Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment. - Today Online Chicken traders in Malaysia laud new ceiling price for poultry Chicken traders in Malaysia have praised the government's decision to review the country's poultry ceiling price to MYR 9.40 (~US$2.13; MYR 1 = US$0.23) per kg as of July 1, who said it is a win-win situation for all parties involved in the supply chain, the New Straits Times reported. Compared to the old ceiling price of MYR 8.90 (~US$2.02) per kg, the traders claimed they no longer have a reason not to adhere to the new price. Azhar Ariffin, a vendor at a local market called Pasar Besar Jitra since 1998, said they were appreciative of the decision because they could now make a respectable profit. He said the supply that was provided to them was for MYR 9.20 (~US$2.08) per kg, compared to the ceiling price of MYR 8.90 (~US$2.02) per kg. But he now he receives live chickens from suppliers at MYR 7.20 (~US$1.63) per kg to sell at MYR 9.40 (~US$2.13) per kg. Wan Suzaini Wan Ismail, a chicken trader at the Changlun farmers' market, said that the supply has stabilised as a result of the chicken farmers' decision to end their protest after the government began delivering the subsidies it had promised to them. Azman Adam, the enforcement director for the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, said there is no justification for retailers in rural areas to sell chickens above the ceiling price. He said that the new ceiling price was chosen after considering the profit margin and transportation costs for each participant in the supply chain. While the new ceiling price seemed a bit high to consumers, Consumer Association of Kedah president Mohamad Yusrizal Yusoff said it was fair for the time being. He said is still reasonable when compared to the previous price, which peaked at RM10.50 per kg and was a significant burden. Yusrizal said the government should work to stockpile surplus chicken as a way to lower and stabilise market prices. Yusrizal also said that the government ought to use other mechanisms in addition to subsidies. He said the government should take a number of factors into account in the production of chickens. The cost of imported corn is one of these elements, as is the increase in labour costs for farmers. He also said the government is drafting a proposal to lower labour costs for farmers, which calls for a decrease in the hiring of foreign workers to bolster the local labour force and lower labour costs. - New Straits Times Chicken prices in Malaysia set at US$2.13 from July 1 The Malaysian government has announced the new chicken ceiling price capped at MYR 9.40 (~US$2.13; MYR 1 = US$0.23) per kg from July 1, up from the previous ceiling price of MR 8.90 (~US$2.02) per kg, Free Malaysia Today reported. Ronald Kiandee, Malaysia's Agriculture and Food Industries Minister, also announced new ceiling prices for eggs. Grade A eggs will cost MYR 0.45 (~US$0.10) each, Grade B eggs at MYR 0.43 (~US$0.098) each, and Grade C eggs at MYR 0.41 (~US$0.093) each. With this new ceiling price, according to Kiandee, Putrajaya will allocate about MYR 369.5 million (~US$83.8 million) for subsidies. He did not mention when the ceiling price will end. He emphasised that global supply chain disruptions, climate change, and geopolitical conflicts were the causes of the rising prices of goods, not just in Malaysia. Kiandee also said the government will do everything it can to set price control mechanisms to ensure that Malaysians are not burdened by the cost of living. Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced increased cash aid for the public under the the Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia (BKM) programme, after certain subsidies were removed as well as the soaring price of goods. - Free Malaysia Today Philippines' chicken supply eases with lifting of import ban on poultry products from Belgium The decision of the Philippines' Department of Agriculture (DA) to lift a temporary import ban on poultry products from Belgium is seen easing chicken supply and price issues in the country. Former Philippine agriculture secretary William Dar issued a memorandum order on his last day in office lifting the temporary import ban on domestic, wild birds and their products from Belgium. This follows the final report of the country's veterinary authorities to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) which states that the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) events are "closed and resolved." "Based on the evaluation of the DA the risk of contamination from importing poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs and semen is negligible," Dar stated in the memorandum. The Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) welcomed the decision of the DA to lift the ban. "This will help ease supply and temper price increases of our vital chicken meat materials and mitigate the impact of the fuel cost increases, global supply chain challenges and other issues brought about by the Russia-Ukraine crisis," PAMPI said. The DA recently lifted temporary bans on poultry imports from Spain, Denmark, and the Czech Republic due also to resolved outbreaks of the avian virus. - The Philippine Star Brazil's cattle slaughter rose 6% in Q1 2022 In the first quarter of 2022, Brazil slaughtered a total of 6.96 million head of cattle, a 6% increase (+362,000 head) compared to 2021, the United Kingdom's Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) said. The year-on-year increase in slaughter has driven beef production to increase 6% (+105,000 tonnes) to 1.84 million tonnes. Brazil is the world's largest exporter of beef, exporting a total of 469,000 tonnes of fresh and frozen beef in Q1 2022 an increase of 37% (+126,000 tonnes) from Q1 2021. China is the main market for Brazilian beef, receiving over half its total exports. Although China put an embargo on Brazilian beef imports in the last quarter of 2021 (when two cases of mad cow disease were detected), the restrictions have now been lifted and Chinese imports have seen 30% year on year growth. The United States and Egypt take a 9% market share each and have both seen significant growth in the past 12 months. The US has increased its imports from 5,400 tonnes in Q1 2021 to 43,200 tonnes this year. Similarly, Egypt has gone from 8,800 tonnes in Q1 2021 to 41,800 tonnes in 2022. The growth in these two markets is new, with imports only ramping up in late Q4 2021 after China had banned Brazilian beef. However, Q1 data shows that despite China now accepting Brazilian beef, neither the US nor Egyptian markets has suffered with Brazil having plentiful supplies. Unfortunately, Brazilian beef exports currently fill the majority of the tariff-free quota into the US that UK exporters had begun using, making it a challenge to gain further trade growth in the US market, AHDB said. - AHDB The European Union may import more beef, lamb, and dairy from New Zealand A free trade agreement finalised between the European Union and New Zealand could see Europe import more beef, lamb, and dairy products from New Zealand, which may affect some EU countries such as Ireland, The Independent reported. The agreement has the potential to increase goods and services trade between the two parties by 30%. It will only permit a small number of zero or lower tariff imports from New Zealand in these sectors (called Tariff Rate Quotas). The EU will permit the import of 10,000 tonnes of beef at a reduced duty of 7.5%. Over the course of seven years following the agreement's entry into force, this volume will be gradually phased in. The EU will permit a tariff rate quota of 38,000 tonnes of sheep meat to be imported duty-free over a period of seven years. The agreement will also permit increased dairy imports. 15,000 tonnes of milk powder will be subject to a 20% MFN duty tariff rate quota. Over the course of seven years following the agreement's entry into force, this volume will be gradually phased in. The agreement was announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen following a meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Ardern said it had taken 14 years for the deal to be finalised. The EU's trade with New Zealand will be on par with nations that already have a trade agreement with the island nation, particularly those of the 11-nation CPTPP Asia-Pacific deal, thanks to the free trade negotiations that started in mid-2018. The deal, which was reached by the EU for the first time and whose plans were just revealed last week, will remove tariffs on a variety of goods and include the possibility of sanctions if either party violates labour or environmental standards. - The Independent EU milk production hit peak in 2020, according to USDA EU milk production peaked in 2020, according to analysis by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA analysts said milk deliveries from dairy farms declined in 2021, and they predicted it will fall further this year, and in 2023 and later years, when the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the accompanying Farm to Fork Strategy (F2F) require EU dairy farmers to adjust their production systems. Significantly higher input costs for feed and fodder production, energy and labour are also blamed for Europe's shrinking dairy industry. Additionally, Brexit and COVID-19 affected European dairy markets, but their impact is now receding. In 2020, milk production in the EU increased 1.6%, compared to 2019. But the USDA reckoned that was the last hurrah for dairy farms, thanks to supply increases led by Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Poland and Spain. But the writing was on the wall for the industry, with the Nitrate Directive dampening further expansion in most of the northern and western EU member states, said USDA experts. More recently, limits to phosphate emissions increased the pressure on farmers. Last year, governments in the Netherlands and Belgium introduced legislation to ban nitrogen emission deposits on natural habitats that are part of the EU's Natura 2000 zones, halting new farm permits. In October 2020, Wageningen University published a report for FrieslandCampina, on likely policy scenarios for the Netherlands, which suggested a reduction in dairy farms by a third, or even a half, by 2030. EU-27 dairy cow numbers have stagnated since 2014. Their numbers decreased by more than 1.4 million head since 2016, due to many farmers quitting dairying, as they chose not to make the needed investments to meet new environmental requirements. Cow numbers in the EU-27 fell by 800,000 head since 2019. Since the peak milk production in 2020, deliveries from dairy farms have decreased as the least productive farmers and cows left the sector. This brought increases in milk productivity. However, that was not enough to maintain production levels and could not offset the impact of higher costs for feed and fodder, energy and labour, which are limiting further intensification of production. Smaller farms in the eastern member states, as well as in Portugal, have switched to beef cattle, for which there are good live export opportunities and which require less on-farm investment. There has also been a trend towards more extensive dairying systems like organic production and hay milk. In 2021, EU milk production declined by 0.3%, compared to 2020, despite relatively good fodder supplies and high export demand in the second half of the year. Farmers were also boosted by significantly increased farm-gate milk prices. But prices reportedly fell short of compensating for increased production costs in several member states. It was in the North Sea countries that milk production decreased most in 2021, despite cool and wet weather driving grass growth. Up to April of this year, EU raw milk deliveries have decreased by 0.6%, compared to the same period last year. In the year to February 2022, the milk supply increased significantly only in Cyprus (6.4%), Hungary(6.1%), Ireland (5.1%) and Italy (3.2%). Cow milk production in the EU-27 is forecast at 144.6 million tonnes for 2022, a decrease of 434,000 tonnes compared to 2021, and 836,000 tonnes down from 2020. "As dairy experts anticipate a new wave of dairy farmers potentially quitting the sector, the major industry players are already adapting their corporate plans and strategies, as they adjust to these new EU policy realities," USDA analysts said. "Available milk supplies are redirected towards their most profitable and strategic domestic and export market interests." The analysts also noted that "Several member states may face difficulties with a faltering dairy industry that fails to keep up the competition with western European countries. - Irish Examiner Top House Republicans wrote on Friday night that they had submitted almost 100 requests for information on President Joe Biden's family's business ties and that many of them had gone unanswered. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, along with the ranking members of the House Judiciary and Oversight committees, Reps. Jim Jordan and James Comer, have suggested that if Republicans win a majority of Congressional seats in November, they may open Congressional investigations into the Biden family, specifically the president's son Hunter. Republicans Urge To Investigate Biden Family's Business Deals In an op-ed published in the New York Post, they claim to have discovered proof that the president's relatives benefitted from his years-long career in Washington despite Democrats' unwillingness to participate with such efforts. In October 2020, the Post was the first to report on the contents of a hard drive from Hunter Biden's computer, which featured obscene photographs of sex activities and drug usage. The primary scandal, though, stemmed from emails and documents purported to show Hunter Biden profiting on his family name. The Post and subsequently DailyMail.com validated the hard drive, but it was disregarded by the mainstream media until it was confirmed by the Washington Post early this year. The White House did not respond quickly to a request for comment. They cited Hunter Biden's stint on the board of Ukrainian oil company Burisma as proof, despite having no prior expertise in the area. As US Vice President at the time, his father played a key role in regional anti-corruption initiatives. McCarthy also mentioned a phone discussion between Hunter Biden and British artist Phillipa Horan in which the now-son president boasted about his influence on his father in 2018. The smoking gun, according to House Republicans, is an email found from the laptop that appears to be splitting shares in a Chinese business venture between Hunter Biden and his pals. In the email, he appears to request that 10% be put aside for "the big man," who GOP legislators have assumed is Biden himself. Critics of Biden argue that the voicemail proves the president lied when he stated he never discussed his son's business transactions, as per Daily Mail. Read Also: Ghislaine Maxwell Prison Sentence Set for 20 Years | Here's Where Jeffrey Epstein's Ex-Lover Will Be Jailed Hunter Biden's Laptop Update Meanwhile, Hunter Biden's hard drive contained the contact information of US officials overseeing China policy and at least ten Google executives, raising further concerns about his questionable business dealings, which may have been made through his father Joe Biden's connections, according to The New York Post. Hunter Biden approached Google for finance for Chinese enterprises, a former official at the firm said to the Washington Post on Saturday. Several higher-level executives at the corporation eventually worked for the Obama-Biden administration while Joe Biden was vice president, according to the executive. Contact information for former Secretary of State John Kerry and former US Ambassador to China Max Baucus, both of whom served when Biden was vice president, was also allegedly discovered on Hunter Biden's notorious laptop, which was abandoned at a Delaware repair shop in 2019. According to a Trafalgar Group poll conducted in April, over two-thirds of US voters feel President Biden is compromised because of his and his family's links to China, Just The News reported. Related Article: Joe Biden Allegedly Knows Hunter's Business Deals with China's Spy Chief, Voicemail to His Son Reveals @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Potential of Sierra Leone's fish farming sector highlighted in report Fish farming in Sierra Leone has the potential to provide its population with a sustainable source of protein, improve livelihoods and generate export earnings, according to a new overview study of the sector. Released on June 28, the report, "Aquaculture in Sierra Leone", is based on a pre-feasibility study commissioned by Invest Salone, the UK government-funded private sector development initiative. Aquaculture is reported to be the fastest growing food-producing sector globally. It now accounts for 50% of the world's fish consumption, and while Asia will continue to dominate production, predictions suggest that the greatest growth will come from Africa. This offers opportunities for Sierra Leone, where the sector is in its infancy, but where the natural resources water and land needed to sustain the industry are readily available. Previous attempts to develop aquaculture in Sierra Leone have largely focused on building public sector infrastructure to support small producers. The "Aquaculture in Sierra Leone" study recommends a new approach. "Pioneer investment is needed to overcome the existing challenges for inputs, staffing and energy and establish a fully commercial tilapia aquaculture venture. This would help to demonstrate viability and would encourage others to invest," the report states. Of the various fish species, the analysis indicates that tilapia and/or catfish are the best choices. Tilapia remains the second largest globally produced fish; however, demand for African catfish is growing rapidly, particularly in Africa. "The increasing demand for fish both locally and internationally, favourable conditions for fish farming and the ready availability of land, water and labour mean that fish farming in Sierra Leone offers real opportunities for investors who can see past the challenges," noted Invest Salone consultant Mark Thomas in a press release. - The Fish Site Six meat processors in Oregon, US, get portion of US$2 million fund The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) chose six Oregon, US meat processing business to receive a portion of US$2 million allocated by the Oregon Legislature. The purpose of the Oregon Meat Processing Infrastructure and Capacity Building Grant is to expand meat processing capacity statewide for Oregon-raised livestock. "The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the serious need for greater resilience in our food systems, especially meat products," said ODA director Alexis Taylor. "The small number of existing meat processors in the state have long waitlists, making it difficult for Oregons producers to get their product to market. "With the support of the Oregon Legislature, ODA is actively working to create more resilience in the supply chain for Oregon consumers and in turn, Oregon meat producers and processors so they can grow and meet local demand." The number of Oregon Meat Processing Infrastructure and Capacity Building Grant applications ODA received illustrates the demand for resources. ODA received 44 grant applications requesting a total of US$14 million in upgrades and expansions. The six grant awardees represent federal and state inspection programmes and a mix of harvested livestock species from all over Oregon. ODA estimated that the combined increased meat processing capacity of improvements in meat processing estimated from the six grantees will make an additional three million pounds of local meat available to Oregonians 68,500 pounds per week each year. The Oregon Meet Processing Infrastructure and Capacity Building Grant was open to both meat processing businesses operating under United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection or planning to come under the new Oregon State Meat Inspection Program. In 2020, the Oregon Legislature allocated funding to ODA to start an Oregon State Meat Inspection Program. The programme is under development and is expected to come online in July 2022. - Oregon Department of Agriculture Value of UK pork exports to Philippines increased 14% in first four months of 2022 Exports of pork from the United Kingdom to the Philippines reached almost 17 million (US$20.1 million) in the first four months of 2022 up 14% on the same period last year, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) said. According to the latest figures from HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs), between January and April, the amount of UK pig meat shipped to the Philippines increased 46%, to 13,812 tonnes. The Philippines is now the UK's second-largest non-EU pork export market, behind China. Last year, almost 38 million (US$46 million) worth of pork was shipped to the Philippines a fourfold increase on 2020. - AHDB Animals denied entry to cattle markets in Islamabad, Pakistan over lumpy skin disease concerns The municipal administration in Islamabad, Pakistan, has denied entry to eight animals in cattle markets due to suspicion of the lumpy skin disease infections, said Shakil Arshad, director of the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA), Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI). DMA-MCI is supervising three cattle markets set up in I-15, Sangjani and Sultana Foundation. "(There) is no confirmed case of lumpy skin in Islamabad. We refused entry to the eight animals as a precautionary measure just because of their poor health," the official said, adding that doctors were deputed in all the three cattle markets. "As per a report from my staff, five animals were denied entry to the Sangjani cattle market, two to I-15 and one to the Sultana Foundation cattle market," he said and added that before entry, all animals were sprayed to protect them from any disease. "As far as lumpy skin disease is concerned, we are aware of it and our staff is deputed in all markets and there will be no entry of any affected animal." - Dawn A US judge asked President Joe Biden, who promised to make the KSA Prince a pariah for the murder of Saudi-born US journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, which is a source of contention. It seems the US leader will regret threatening Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who plays a vital role in solving the US energy crisis. Prince bin Salman will be meeting Biden ahead of the Riyadh visit might not pan out due to the undiplomatic attitude of the administration will be a problem. US Needs To Convince KSA Prince Mohammed bin Salman US District Court Judge John Bates requested the White House to give an opinion in a criminal case against bin Salman, alleged to be part of the murder of Khashoggi in 2018, reported Sputnik News. This visit is critical for the US leader whose energy policies have not worked, his trip to Riyadh is crucial, but his accusations might sour up a good outcome. Another concern is Bates' question if the Saudi Monarch will be exempted from US national interests. Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi's fiancee, who was murdered in the Saudi Embassy in Istanbul because of his criticism of bin Salman, brought the criminal case. The kingdom's investigation revealed that a rogue group of security agents was responsible for the murder, but Cengiz is adamant that the crown prince was also involved. Her assertion is supported by a report from the US intelligence community that Biden released in the first months of his presidency that comes to the same conclusion, noted Worldakam. Read also: Volodymyr Zelensky Children: Does the Ukraine President Have Kids? The US judge and the question could be a problem as the president does not want to antagonize KSA Prince bin Salman during this month's state visit with the Jamal Khashoggi concern. Washington is pleading with the OPEC nations to produce lessened fuel prices, mainly Saudi Arabia, to help the gas crisis, despite the accusations hedged against the crown prince. Judge Bates is giving the White House till August 1 to explain whether they will agree to make bin Salman liable. There are attempts by lawyers of the prince that the US has no right because of his Saudi title, citing Middle East Eye. The Act of State Doctrine One question is whether the administration will apply the so-call act of state doctrine limiting the prosecution of leaders abroad and actions of foreign states in US courts. Though valid, this doctrine goes against a 1991 law allowing US citizens to charge foreign countries and their leaders in domestic courts if US laws are broken. Whether the case is dismissed and rejected with no intervention by the White House, Prince bin Salman will be tried in a sham hearing on August 31. Cengiz, Khashoggi's fiancee, wants the US government to let the case proceed. During his presidential campaign, Joe Biden called the Crown Prince guilty a while back and promised to make him a pariah for the death of the journalist. It seems the White House chose to bide its answer to the judge when the report was published. The crown prince took the blame for what happened but did not admit it was his fault. US District Court Judge Bates awaits the president's decision on KSA Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the Jamal Khashoggi murder, a sham trial by KSA representatives. Related Article: KSA Prince, Ambassador Says World Oil Price Crunch Is Caused by the Biden Administration, Its Repressive Energy Policies @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Merely six months after its previous flagship launch, today Xiaomi announced a trio of familiar-looking smartphones to mark the beginning of its partnership with Leica. The new 12S Series features MIUI 13 based on Android 12, and it runs on Qualcomm's allegedly more efficient Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 flagship processor, with the headlining 12S Ultra packing a massive 1-inch, 50.3-megapixel Sony IMX989 main sensor. This translates to a generous pixel size of 1.6um, which then doubles to 3.2um via pixel binning for a supposedly boosted color accuracy and low light performance. And unlike the Sony Xperia Pro-I, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra apparently uses the entire portion of its 1-inch sensor. According to CEO Lei Jun, Xiaomi took part in the Sony IMX989's development, and the $15 million cost was also split evenly between the two companies. Interestingly, the sensor won't be exclusive to Xiaomi; Lei added that it'll be made available to his local competitors after the launch of the 12S Ultra, in order to "promote the advancement of mobile imaging together." Xiaomi 12S Ultra Xiaomi As for Leica's part on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, you get a "Leica Summicron 1:1.9-4.1 / 13-120 ASPH camera system" covering all three rear cameras: the aforementioned 50.3-megapixel main camera (23mm, f/1.9), along with the 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera (13mm, f/2.2) and the 48-megapixel periscopic camera (120mm, f/4.1). Both 48-megapixel cameras use a 1/2-inch Sony IMX586 sensor. The entire circular camera island now with "Leica" co-branding benefits from some coating magic to mitigate lens glare and improve image consistency across each lens. Oh, and there's a 23K gold rim here as well. In addition to some Leica filters, users will be able to switch between two photographic styles: "Leica Authentic Look" for natural-looking shots with stronger three dimensional depth, and "Leica Vibrant Look" which adds Xiaomi's input on vibrancy while preserving authenticity (somehow). You can also toggle the watermark banner at the bottom of your photos, which will add Leica's iconic red logo, photo metadata and location coordinates to the right, along with phone model and timestamp on the left. Xiaomi On the other side of the phone, there's a 32-megapixel selfie camera powered by an unknown RGBW sensor. Most of these cameras are capable of Dolby Vision HDR video recording (up to 4K@60fps) and playback, thus making the 12S Ultra the first Android device to sport these features. Some also utilize the motor-based "HyperOIS" for more stable footage. As for still shots, the entire 12S Series supports 10-bit RAW format calibrated by Adobe Labs, with color correction metadata embedded in the files for easier post-production with the likes of Adobe Lightroom. The 12S Ultra also happens to carry two proprietary Xiaomi Surge chips: a Surge P1 fast-charging chipset and a Surge G1 battery management chipset. These provide support for 67W wired fast charging, 50W wireless fast charging and 10W reverse charging for the 4,860mAh single cell silicon oxygen anode battery. Note that some fast-charging solutions use a dual cell battery instead to split the current load, which is why it's a good thing that the Surge P1 can handle an output current of up to 16A here, and apparently with 96.8% conversion efficiency. Like Oppo's and ASUS' recent handsets, the 12S Ultra offer adaptive charging as well, which allegedly increases the number of charge cycles by 25 percent. Keeping the phone cool is also key to a healthier battery, not to mention a more stable performance while gaming. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is equipped with a "three dimensional cooling pump" which moves cooling liquid across warm surfaces using a capillary mechanism similar to that on leaves. This apparently improves thermal conductivity significantly, compared to conventional vapor cooling modules. Xiaomi The rest of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is standard flagship affair. For the display, you get a 6.73-inch Samsung E5 AMOLED panel (3,200 x 1,440, 522ppi; LTPO 2.0), with a peak brightness of up to 1,500 nits, a 1-120Hz AdaptiveSync Pro refresh rate, native 10-bit color depth and support for P3 color gamut. As you can tell from the camera features, the screen can handle Dolby Vision, as well as HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG; these will go well with the Harman Kardon speakers which also support Dolby Atmos audio. The device is IP68-rated, meaning it should survive accidental dives into sinks and pools. You'll also find an infrared remote port at the top for controlling home appliances. Options include up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM, up to 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage featuring Xiaomi's self-developed FBO (File-Based Optimization) storage refresh tech, which supposedly maintains the same read/write performance for at least four years (and Lei added that FBO has already been written into the next-gen UFS 4.0 storage specification). Buyers can choose between a "Classic Black" and a "Verdant Green," both wrapped in vegan leather. Xiaomi 12S Pro Xiaomi The lesser Xiaomi 12S Pro shares the same 6.73-inch display and Surge P1 fast charging-chipset as the 12S Ultra, though it supports a whopping 120W wired charging for its smaller 4,600mAh battery, but lacks 10W reverse charging. It features a more regular (but apparently still pricey) 1/1.28-inch, 50-megapixel Sony IMX707 main sensor, which is a variant of the IMX700 previously found on Huawei's Mate 40 Pro series. This still offers a good pixel size of 1.22um (or 2.44um after pixel binning), and it matches the resolution of its ultra-wide camera (14mm) and telephoto camera (50mm) all fine-tuned by Leica as well, of course. As for the "basic" Xiaomi 12S, it has the same main camera as the 12S Pro and the same fast-charging features as the 12S Ultra, but with a smaller 4,500mAh battery in a more palm-friendly body under the 6.28-inch 120Hz display. Apparently there is still a sizeable demand for small flagship phones, according to Lei. The Xiaomi 12S Series is now available for pre-ordering in China ahead of retail launch on July 6th. The 12S Ultra is priced from from 5,999 yuan (8GB RAM, 256GB storage; around $900) to 6,999 yuan (12GB RAM, 512GB storage; around $1,000). The 12S Pro is cheaper, asking for 4,699 yuan (8GB RAM, 128GB storage; around $700) to 5,899 yuan (12GB RAM, 512GB storage; around $880). The 12S is the most affordable option here, starting from 3,999 yuan (8GB RAM, 128GB storage; around $600) and capping at 5,199 yuan (12GB RAM, 512GB storage; around $780). We'll keep an eye out for international availability later. Cybersecurity Risks in Latin America are a Growing Concern Enterprise Security Magazine | Friday, June 24, 2022 As a group, Latin American countries have consistently shown strong economic growth over the past few decades. FREMONT, CA: Latin America is perhaps the region with the most significant number of countries exhibiting outstanding economic growth yearly. Venezuela, Chile, and Peru have shown substantial promise, with Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia serving as examples. In the midst of an awful global economy, Latin America has performed admirably. Hackers are doing the same while the world stands up and takes attention. Latin America experienced an increase in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack under one gigabit per second (Gbps), which accounted for 96.16 percent of the total in 2011 and a 1.47 percent increase from 20101. Midway through 2011, a group known as "Anonymous" launched the "Tormenta del Sur" (Southern Storm) attack on the website of the Chilean Government, rendering it inoperable for almost an hour. Similar to burglars, hackers are motivated by money. For hackers, return on investment is an extra factor to consider (ROI). Hackers and, more dangerously, commercial hacking groups seek to maximize their return on investment (ROI)to reap the greatest possible benefits from their hacking effortsand what better place to do so than a Latin American market with a recent influx of cash and a burgeoning consumer-driven economy? Existing criminal groups also "outsource" their operations. For instance, La Familia, a Mexican drug cartel, and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), a Brazilian criminal organization, have recruited black market hackers who can assist in performing cash-generating crimes. It is not only about money. Nationalism and patriotism also occasionally get out of control. In 2005, for instance, hackers from Chile and Peru were embroiled in a cyber battle in which no official website was safe, all due to a diplomatic dispute over Pacific Ocean fishing waters4. Midway through 2011, a hacker group again known as "Anonymous" launched an operation named "Free Andes" against the governments of Chile and Peru for allegedly breaching Internet users' freedom of expression and privacy. Consider another scenario where a corporation is a direct target: an organized cybercrime group decides to target a business because of its rapid expansion in recent years. They have numerous choices. One alternative would be to directly target data and assess the cyber-security defenses and resolve of the firm. Another potentially superior strategy would be to unleash and continue to add bots to target firms with a DDoS attack and then send businesses an extortion email demanding payment to cease the attacks. Any action firms take against this type of assault may cause the attacker(s) to increase the number of bots aimed at the firm. That is significantly less expensive for them than it would be for businesses to hire a company to help them protect against DDoS attacks. If enterprises do arithmetic, they may discover that paying extortion money is the least expensive choice. Organizations in the U.S. and other countries that have partnerships, branches, or affiliations with/in Latin America, or are themselves such, are also attractive targets. Assuming that the counterpart in Latin America is well-protected and has performed the necessary due diligence, these offshore branches become prime entry points into the trusted internal network. IFS strengthens Executive Leadership Team and focus on Customer Experience and Success Services. LONDON, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- IFS today announces the appointment of Mark Moffat as Chief Customer Officer. In his role, Moffat will ensure that all aspects of IFS's Customer Experience and Success Services strategy support the growth plans of the company, specifically in relation to customers' experience with IFS and in realizing value from IFS's technology in their business with IFS Success Services. Creating outstanding Moments of ServiceTM for its customers has been the company's true north since its inception, Moffat's appointment shows the company's unwavering commitment to this goal. IFS has created momentum by being recognized as a Gartner Peer Insights Customer Choice across a number of categories over the years, demonstrating that its strategy is paying off. Commenting on the appointment, Darren Roos, CEO at IFS, said: "Mark is a leader with a strong reputation for developing outstanding customer relationships; they value his empathy and visionary mindset in helping them achieve transformational results no matter their levels of maturity." Roos added: "There could not be a tighter alignment with our own customer success strategy and our unrelenting goal to deliver a great experience and help all our customers realize value from their investment in our technology. I am delighted to have Mark join us and bring his strong multinational and industry expertise to IFS." Mark Moffat, Chief Customer Officer at IFS, added: "I have been following IFS's amazing growth and transformation journey over the last three and half years; the results are inspirational. Being given the opportunity to shape IFS's customer experience and focus further as the company targets further growth is truly exciting. I very much look forward to building on the great foundations that have been established and to working closely with customers everywhere to elevate the value IFS delivers and help companies grow their business in turn." Moffat brings to IFS a wealth of experience working with customers across multiple sectors in some of the largest global multinationals, advising on technology strategy, M&A, and business transformation. In his most recent role, as CTO and UK & EMEA Technology Consulting Leader for PwC, Moffat was responsible for bringing technology at the heart of the PWC organization across service lines, sectors and markets. Find out more about IFS's leadership team here About IFS IFS develops and delivers cloud enterprise software for companies around the world who manufacture and distribute goods, build and maintain assets, and manage service-focused operations. Within our single platform, our industry specific products are innately connected to a single data model and use embedded digital innovation so that our customers can be their best when it really matters to their customers - at the Moment of Service. The industry expertise of our people and of our growing ecosystem, together with a commitment to deliver value at every single step, has made IFS a recognized leader and the most recommended supplier in our sector. Our team of 4,500 employees every day live our values of agility, trustworthiness and collaboration in how we support our 10,000+ customers. Learn more about how our enterprise software solutions can help your business today at ifs.com. Contact:Adam Gillbe EMEA & APJIFS, Director of Corporate & Executive CommunicationsEmail: press@ifs.comPhone: +44 7775 114 856Mairi Morgan LATAM, USA, CANADAIFS, Director of Corporate & Executive CommunicationsEmail: press@ifs.comPhone: + 1 520 396 2155 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/ifs/r/mark-moffat-appointed-chief-customer-officer-at-ifs,c3595416 The following files are available for download: In overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court presented corporate America with a question thats proving uncomfortable for big companies headquartered in places where abortion has effectively been banned. Several national companies including Disney, Goldman Sachs, and Meta, the parent company of Facebook reacted to the Dobbs v Jackson ruling handed down last month by announcing they would reimburse the costs for employees who need to travel out of state to access abortion care. Others including Apple, Amazon, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan, SalesForce, Bumble and Levis had already announced similar policies in anticipation of such a ruling or after draconian restrictions on abortion were adopted by states such as Texas, which last year banned virtually all abortions after the six-week mark of pregnancy. But many San Antonio companies have not been forthcoming about whether they will modify their benefits to help employees get access to reproductive health services. Multiple requests for comment last week from many of the areas biggest companies went unanswered. Of the San Antonio-are companies contacted, only two responded: USAA and Frost Bank. With about 19,000 of its 37,000 employees here, USAA is one of the citys largest private employers. The big financial services company said it would continue to help employees travel for access to reproductive health care. USAAs employee health insurance program provides travel benefits for such covered medical services that are not available within 100 miles of the participants residence, it said in a statement. Frost Bank, meanwhile, said it was considering options. At this time, we havent made any changes to our policies, its statement said. Were still evaluating what the effects will be. Those contacted that did not respond include H-E-B, Nustar Energy, Rackspace Technology, Rush Enterprises, TaskUs, Valero Energy, Toyota Motor Corp. and Whataburger. A survey of employers in the Houston area found similar results. Of more than 40 companies contacted there, only eight replied. Many of those were simply to decline the opportunity to comment. Spring-based Hewlett Packard Enterprise said it would continue to cover travel and lodging costs for out-of-state medical care, including abortion services. We believe people of good will can disagree on matters of policy, and everyone is entitled to his or her personal beliefs, it said in a statement. But, as a company, we must stand for unconditional inclusion and for the continual advancement of an equitable workplace. A similar policy is in place at Phillips 66. The refiner said its medical plans cover travel and lodging expenses for specialized care not available in a patients local geographic area, adding that its benefits include reproductive healthcare, adoption assistance and surrogacy support. S.A. VOTES Voter Guide: What to know for the Texas runoff election A breakdown of key state and local races and candidates in the May 24 primary runoff. Our commitment to our people recognizes that the decisions our employees make about their own health care are personal, a Phillips 66 spokesperson added. Experts say no Texas laws prohibit companies from paying for travel for abortion services. A 2017 state law limits the extent to which conventional insurance companies can cover elective abortion but makes no mention of travel. I dont see they currently have liability if they pay for travel expenses for a lawful, out-of-state abortion, said Seth J. Chandler, a professor at the University of Houston Law Center. Whether companies decide to pay for travel expenses may have something to do with how it will affect their ability to attract talent, he said. There is an issue of how you would attract employees, if there is a type of health care they perceive they may need is illegal, Chandler said. One vehicle for companies to overcome that reluctance is to say, Well pay for your travel. Staff writers Madison Iszler, Erica Grieder, Rebecca Carballo, Eric Killelea and Diego Mendoza-Moyers contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BOCA CHICA VILLAGE Luis Garza and his wife, Mireida, drove five hours from Monterrey, Mexico, to be here Friday. They brought their son, Luis Jr., 3, and daughter, Miranda, 7, to Starbase as part of a family vacation. They came for a glimpse of a Starship, to pose with it in the background. They came with hopes of seeing the first-ever orbital launch from South Texas. Thanks to Elon, I can see the rockets, Garza said. I want to see the stars and the moon, his daughter added. Posing with the big SpaceX rockets was simple. Seeing an orbital launch may not be. For years, Elon Musk has touted SpaceXs compound in Boca Chica as the Gateway to Mars the site from which his company would launch its massive Starship to carry astronauts to the moon and the red planet. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer On ExpressNews.com: This is not SpaceX property: Elon Musks company looks to rename South Texas town Starbase But area residents increasingly believe Musk is abandoning Starbase as his premier launch site. Theyre taking him at his word about turning the South Texas facility into a research and development center and moving most orbital launch operations to Florida. Anything that goes to the moon or Mars is definitely not happening here, said Louis Balderas Jr., who for the past three years has been recording SpaceX operations 24/7 on his LabPadre YouTube channel. Its not going to be as sexy being R&D. It wont be the true gateway to Mars. SpaceX workers agree. Speaking on condition of anonymity because they dont have approval to discuss the companys plans, past and current employees say South Texas is no longer the gateway. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer Future of Starbase The future of Starbase Musks branding of the 47-acre facility here began to come into focus last year as officials repeatedly delayed completion of an environmental review necessary for the Federal Aviation Administration to authorize orbital launch operations. On ExpressNews.com: SpaceX awaits word from FAA on launching Starship in South Texas In February, it was Musk himself posing with a 400-foot-tall Starship, telling a crowd of employees, locals and journalists that he expected approval soon. But his optimism came with a warning: If the FAA postponed the review again, SpaceX might move operations to NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where it already had approval for orbital Starship launches. After four more postponements, the FAA on June 13 concluded its review, issuing a finding of no significant impact from orbital launches. But the agency said it would require SpaceX to take more than 75 actions to mitigate environmental impacts before issuing the operator a license needed to launch from Starbase. Musk, known for setting unrealistic timelines, said the company could handle the mitigation actions and be ready to launch as early as this month. Balderas and others believe Musk will follow through with some orbital launches from Starbase. But they increasingly accept his message that SpaceX might use Florida, not South Texas, for most launches to deep space. The future role for Starbase. I think its well-suited to be kind of like our advanced R&D location, Musk said in February in response to a reporters question about his long-term vision for the site. So, its like where we would try out new designs and new versions of the rocket. I think probably Cape Kennedy will be our sort of main operational launch site, he said. On ExpressNews.com: Will SpaceX launch Starship in South Texas after FAAs latest delay of environmental review? Balderas, who has spent the past few years buying and leasing properties near Starbase to get close-up camera shots of SpaceX operations for more than 200,000 subscribers to his streaming site, is disappointed by the idea of SpaceX moving launch operations out of Texas. Id love to see launches happen here. I dont want to travel all the way to Florida just to see them, the 49-year-old South Padre Island resident said. Not having the launches here, I wont get the views on my YouTube channel. But thats all right. Im not going to cry about it. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer Too much invested California-based SpaceX has provided a big economic boost for the area, and elected and economic development officials hope it will keep growing. With more than 1,600 employees at Starbase, its already the largest employer in Brownsville, Mayor Troy Mendez said in his state of the city address in April. About 71 percent of those workers live in the Rio Grande Valley. The company invested $430 million in operations last year in Cameron County, including payroll, construction and capital improvements. This year, the company was expected to add $885 million in gross economic output for the county, as well as continued job growth, Mendez said. The economic effects were on residents minds as the FAA delays mounted. Some were holding their breath asking what happens if they dont get that approval, and others were very optimistic, saying theyre going to get it, said Cori Pena, president and CEO of the Brownsville Community Impact Corp., the areas economic development authority. Then, we had the ones who hoped they didnt get it, because we have the environmentalists thinking the impact is going to be bad by gentrifying the community or impacting our wildlife. Regardless of the outcome, Pena believes SpaceX will continue operations in some fashion at Starbase. They have too much invested there to shut it down and pull out, she said. As an R&D center, though, it wont have the same impact. Beyond jobs and investment, SpaceX has contributed to a boost in regional tourism. Fans regularly fly into the area, book hotels and spend money at local businesses as they park along Texas 4 to see whats happening at Starbase. On Friday, the site drew fans from around the United States, Mexico and Europe as well as a group of students from Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District, about 82 miles west of Starbase. Pena said local and outside vendors have been capitalizing on SpaceXs drawing power. Brownsville businesses are selling coffee and food to SpaceX employees and others near Starbase, she said, and a host of aerospace firms and other companies are looking to move into the area to be closer to Musk and SpaceX. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer We have to grow Hoping to build on the momentum and attract more startups, Penas organization this month is opening its 36,000-square-foot eBridge Center for Business and Commercialization. As a community, we have to grow, Pena said. If the community wants certain assets and quality of life and better job opportunities and pay, we need SpaceX and companies like that to come and invest in our community. It will change the landscape. But shes weighing what it would mean if Musk turned Starbase solely into a research and development facility. There is going to be a lot of disappointed people, she said. It would be great if he keeps to his idea of the Starbase theme of the mission to Mars. Only time will tell. For now, she sees having SpaceXs R&D as a great outcome in that the company would continue to offer high-paying jobs to locals. Early last week, at least 39 of SpaceXs 64 current job openings featured on the companys website were based in Brownsville. The positions are for Starship data and control systems engineers, mechanical engineers, temporary pipe welders and vehicle integration engineers responsible for developing requirements and facilities capable of building orbital Starship and Super Heavy, faster than anyone thought possible. S.A. VOTES Voter Guide: What to know for the Texas runoff election A breakdown of key state and local races and candidates in the May 24 primary runoff. Balderas agreed that SpaceX would continue to hire workers at Starbase. But he warned that fans of the company in Texas and across the U.S. might not be so inclined to travel to the Brownsville area and spend money without being able to see the reusable Starship rocket, the largest in commercial space history, lifting off. If theres not going to be big-time launches, theres not going to be lots of people for tourism, he said. SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer South Texas challenges To some residents, Musk is a visionary they hope will use his base in South Texas to create more jobs and make historic ventures into deep space. Others complain his operations have ruined the land, driven residents from homes, pushed up housing prices and disrupted family trips to the beach. Musk has said he chose to set up Starbase because its close to the equator and allows for an eastbound launch important factors in trying to get help from Earths rotation when going into orbit. Rockets need a good clear area, several miles around the launch site to be unpopulated, or at least clearable, he said at the February event. SpaceX began test launching Starship prototypes 6 miles into the Boca Chica skies in 2019. By December 2020, after a high-altitude flight and crash landing of a prototype called SN8, Musk tweeted: Thank you, South Texas for your support! This is the gateway to Mars. After a series of failures, including an explosion that sent chunks of steel across area marshlands, the company had its first successful launch and landing in May 2021. On ExpressNews.com: It just shouldnt be going on here; Brownsville activists say Elon Musks SpaceX spaceport damaging wildlife habitat The FAAs long-awaited approval of the environmental assessment comes with conditions. Among them: provide advance notice of launches to reduce closures of Texas 4 during operations; stop closing Boca Chica Beach, Texas state parks and the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge on holidays; install a biologist to monitor vegetation and wildlife; notify communities in advance about potential engine noise and sonic boom launches; work with state and federal agencies to remove launch debris from habitats; and adjust lights at the launch complex to minimize impact on the beach and wildlife. Jim Chapman, a board member of environmental group SaveRGV, said its not enough. He was hoping the FAA would deny Starbase operations entirely. The impacts of what SpaceX wants to do are enormous, said Chapman, 74. The FAAs environmental assessment is quite inadequate and almost devoid of any true mitigation. They dont make up for the damage thats going to be done. Last October, SaveRGV filed a lawsuit against the Texas General Land Office, Commissioner George P. Bush and Cameron County for allowing SpaceX to close Boca Chica Beach for rocket testing. In May, the California-based Sierra Club and a Floresville-based nonprofit representing the Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation of Texas joined the lawsuit filed in state District Court in Cameron County. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer On ExpressNews.com: Sierra Club, Texas tribe sue over Boca Chica beach closures for SpaceX tests The groups allege that officials repeated closures of Boca Chica Beach for rocket tests and launches violate their constitutionally guaranteed right to access public beaches. They aim to prevent future closures of the beach and Texas 4, the only road that leads to the 8-mile stretch of beach. To people like Elon Musk, theres nothing out here, Chapman said. But biologically, its tremendous. Whats left, we really need to hold onto. Chapman considered whether Musk would turn Starbase into a research and development facility and shift flight operations to Florida. He also acknowledged that Musk has mentioned the possibility of SpaceX using movable floating space ports converting two offshore oil rigs into launch platforms about 30 miles off the Gulf Coast in South Texas. Musk has invested a lot in Starbase, thats for sure, he said. But he has said that Boca Chica may just be a testing facility and the actual launches will be in Florida. And then theres the oil rigs. Was he just thinking aloud? He paused. The biggest impacts are launches, he said. There might still be testing here, and thats going to have impacts, but I dont know how much. Is a quarter loaf better than a full loaf? eric.killelea@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Independence Day is when we celebrate the birth of a nation that prioritizes individual liberty over social conformity, which is why its so sad that so many Texans want to cleanse our state of politically diverse ideas. Every week, someone on social media or in an email tells me to leave Texas because my perspective does not align with the present regime. I have grown weary of your liberal bent. I have often had the same thought: Why dont you move to a more liberal-friendly state? Nancy Reese writes. If you really hate red Texas, might I suggest you move to a blue state? Dan Barth asked. Hey Chris, move to California or New York, Rennie Baker ordered. Those are a sampling from the last few weeks. Never mind that my family has been here since 1849 or that I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. Does it matter that I always carried a small Texas flag in my bag while traveling the world for good luck? TOMLINSONS TAKE: Crazy secession talk overshadows Texas Republican Party platform's good ideas My years in the military, including one at Fort Hood, have apparently not earned me the right to live in the land of my birth while holding ideas that critique those in power. This is not a question of Texas: Love It or Leave It. I love my state, and my journalism is born from a patriotic desire to improve my homeland. But critics argue I should kiss the kings ring or get on a boat for another land. Didnt our nations founders revolt against that very idea? The most ironic campaign slogan these days is Dont California My Texas, when Gov. Greg Abbott and every chamber of commerce in the state are trying to recruit California businesses to relocate here. If you convince tens of thousands of Californians to move, dont be surprised when they start asking why the public schools, universities and health system are so poor. Wouldnt it be inhospitable to ask them to leave so soon after we invited them into our home? The exaltation of the nation, or a specific race, above the rights of the individual is called fascism. When you want to purge your community of anyone who does not fall into lockstep with your autocratic leader, you become a fascist. Communist governments make similar demands of their citizenry and achieve similar results. The most infamous fascists, after all, called themselves National Socialists. Both systems establish command economies and state-owned industries to consolidate power within a homogenous group. Diverse democracies have outperformed autocracies every time. By defending individual liberty and self-determination, the United States has defeated fascists and communists to create the worlds wealthiest and most powerful nation. Diversity in thought and people is the key. Whether its gene pools or labor pools, diversity adds strength and resiliency. Whether in the board room or the research lab, diversity boosts performance and innovation. The Texas economy weathered eight years of depressed oil prices because Republican and Democratic leaders had diversified the economy since the bust of the 1980s. The states population is growing while others are shrinking because we welcome immigrants from around the nation and the world who start more new businesses than native-born Texans. A Texans political affiliations or leanings have little impact on their inventions, business plans, medical research or energy development. Every political party can claim a bevy of geniuses and billionaires. Your voting record does not determine your financial success in this country, at least not yet. S.A. VOTES Voter Guide: What to know for the Texas runoff election A breakdown of key state and local races and candidates in the May 24 primary runoff. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Think you're a good judge of character? Think again The truth be told, Americans care more about the new ethnic restaurant in their neighborhood than politics, anyway. Texas and our nation are stronger when we treat those who are not like us with respect and even wonderment. Were all a little wiser when we open our minds to understand why someone thinks differently than we do. Ive been lucky enough to live overseas and report from more than 30 countries. I have discussed economics with communists in South Sudan, debated genocide with war criminals in Congo and eaten dinner with al-Qaida leaders in Somalia. I disagreed with them, but I am better for listening to them. This column will publish while I am visiting Tbilisi for the first time, learning about a remarkable nation at an important global crossroads. Ill undoubtedly return home with new insights from speaking to Georgians about what its like to have Russian troops occupying part of their country. Our nation is based on the free exchange of diverse ideas, which drives not only our politics but our businesses. This Independence Day, lets celebrate independent thinking and tolerate the occasionally iconoclastic columnist. Tomlinson writes commentary about money, politics and life in Texas. twitter.com/cltomlinson chris.tomlinson@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) A gunman on a rooftop opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago on Monday, killing at least six people, wounding at least 30 and sending hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror, police said. Authorities said a man named as a person of interest in the shooting was taken into police custody Monday evening after an hourslong manhunt in and around Highland Park, an affluent community of about 30,000 on Chicagos north shore. The July 4 shooting was just the latest to shatter the rituals of American life. Schools, churches, grocery stores and now community parades have all become killing grounds in recent months. This time, the bloodshed came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together. It definitely hits a lot harder when its not only your hometown but its also right in front of you, resident Ron Tuazon said as he and a friend returned to the parade route Monday evening to retrieve chairs, blankets and a childs bike that he and his family abandoned when the shooting began. Its commonplace now, Tuazon said of what he called yet another American atrocity. We dont blink anymore. Until laws change, its going to be more of the same. The shooting occurred at a spot on the parade route where many residents had staked out prime viewing points early in the day for the annual celebration. Dozens of fired bullets sent hundreds of parade-goers some visibly bloodied fleeing. They left a trail of abandoned items that showed everyday life suddenly, violently disrupted: A half-eaten bag of potato chips; a box of chocolate cookies spilled onto the grass; a childs Chicago Cubs cap. Now Playing: Police say at least six people are dead and more than 20 were wounded in a shooting at a July Fourth parade in a Chicago suburb. (July 4) Video: Associated Press Theres no safe place, said Highland Park resident Barbara Harte, 73, who had stayed away from the parade fearing a mass shooting, but later ventured from her home. Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen said a police officer pulled over Robert E. Crimo III about five miles north of the shooting scene, several hours after police released the man's photo and an image of his silver Honda Fit, and warned the public that he was likely armed and dangerous. Authorities initially said he was 22, but an FBI bulletin and Crimo's social media said he was 21. Police declined to immediately identify Crimo as a suspect but said identifying him as a person of interest, sharing his name and other information publicly was a serious step. Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli said at a news conference several of the deceased victims died at the scene and one was taken to a hospital and died there. Police have not released details about the victims or wounded. Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said the five people killed at the parade were adults, but didnt have information on the sixth victim who was taken to a hospital and died there. One of those killed was a Mexican national, Roberto Velasco, Mexicos director for North American affairs, said on Twitter Monday. He said two other Mexicans were wounded. NorthShore University Health Center received 26 patients after the attack. All but one had gunshot wounds, said Dr. Brigham Temple, medical director of emergency preparedness. Their ages ranged from 8 to 85, and Temple estimated that four or five patients were children. Temple said 19 of them were treated and discharged. Others were transferred to other hospitals, while two patients, in stable condition, remained at the Highland Park hospital. It is devastating that a celebration of America was ripped apart by our uniquely American plague, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at a news conference. Im furious because it does not have to be this way... while we celebrate the Fourth of July just once a year, mass shootings have become a weekly yes, weekly American tradition. The shooter opened fire around 10:15 a.m., when the parade was about three-quarters through, authorities said. Highland Park Police Commander Chris ONeill, the incident commander on scene, said the gunman apparently used a high-powered rifle to fire from a spot atop a commercial building where he was very difficult to see. He said the rifle was recovered at the scene. Police also found a ladder attached to the building. Very random, very intentional and a very sad day, Covelli said. President Joe Biden on Monday said he and first lady Jill Biden were shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day. Biden signed the widest-ranging gun violence bill passed by Congress in decades, a compromise that showed at once both progress on a long-intractable issue and the deep-seated partisan divide that persists. As a word of an arrest spread, residents who had hunkered in homes began venturing outside, some walking toward where the shooting occurred. Several people stood and stared at the scene, with abandoned picnic blankets, hundreds of lawn chairs and backpacks still where they were when the shooting began. Police believe there was only one shooter but warned that he should still be considered armed and dangerous. Several nearby cities canceled events including parades and fireworks, some of them noting that the Highland Park shooter was still at large. The Chicago White Sox also announced on Twitter that a planned post-game fireworks show is canceled due to the shooting. More than 100 law enforcement officers were called to the parade scene or dispatched to find the suspected shooter. More than a dozen police officers on Monday surrounded a home listed as an address for Crimo in Highland Park. Some officers held rifles as they fixed their eyes on the home. Police blockaded roads leading to the home in a tree-lined neighborhood near a golf course, allowing only select law enforcement cars through a tight outer perimeter. Crimo, who goes by the name Bobby, was an aspiring rapper with the stage name Awake the Rapper, posting on social media dozens videos and songs, some ominous and violent. In one animated video since taken down by YouTube, Crimo raps about armies walking in darkness as a drawing appears of a man pointing a rifle, a body on the ground and another figure with hands up in the distance. A later frame shows a close-up of a chest with blood pouring out and another of police cars arriving as the shooter holds his hands up. In another video, in which Crimo appears in a classroom wearing a black bicycle helmet, he says he is like a sleepwalker I know what I have to do, then adds, "Everything has led up to this. Nothing can stop me, even myself. Crimos father, Bob, a longtime deli owner, ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Highland Park in 2019, calling himself a person for the people. Highland Park is a close-knit community of about 30,000 people located on the shores of Lake Michigan just north of Chicago, with mansions and sprawling lakeside estates that have long drawn the rich and sometimes famous, including NBA legend Michael Jordan, who lived in the city for years when he played for the Chicago Bulls. John Hughes filmed parts of several movies in the city, including Ferris Buellers Day Off, Sixteen Candles and Weird Science. Ominous signs of a joyous event suddenly turned to horror filled both sides of Central Avenue where the shooting occurred. Dozens of baby strollers some bearing American flags, abandoned childrens bikes and a helmet bedecked with images of Cinderella were left behind. Blankets, lawn chairs, coffees and water bottles were knocked over as people fled. Gina Troiani and her son were lined up with his daycare class ready to walk onto the parade route when she heard a loud sound that she believed was fireworks until she heard people yell about a shooter. In a video that Troiani shot on her phone, some of the kids are visibly startled at the loud noise, and they scramble to the side of the road as a siren wails nearby. We just start running in the opposite direction, she told The Associated Press. Her 5-year-old son was riding his bike decorated with red and blue curled ribbons. He and other children in the group held small American flags. The city said on its website that the festivities were to include a childrens bike and pet parade. Troiani said she pushed her sons bike, running through the neighborhood to get back to their car. "It was just sort of chaos, she said. There were people that got separated from their families, looking for them. Others just dropped their wagons, grabbed their kids and started running. Debbie Glickman, a Highland Park resident, said she was on a parade float with coworkers and the group was preparing to turn onto the main route when she saw people running from the area. People started saying: Theres a shooter, theres a shooter, there's a shooter, Glickman told the AP. So we just ran. We just ran. Its like mass chaos down there. She didnt hear any noises or see anyone who appeared to be injured. Im so freaked out, she said. Its just so sad. ___ Foody contributed from Chicago. Associated Press writers Mike Balsamo in New York, David Koenig in Dallas, Jeff Martin in Woodstock, Georgia, Fabiola Sanchez in Monterrey, Mexico, Jim Mustian in New Orleans, Bernard Condon in New York, and Martha Irvine and Mike Householder in Highland Park contributed reporting. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Courtesy Atascosa County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy Atascosa County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Courtesy Atascosa County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less Two teenagers were arrested following a pursuit through two counties in South Texas. LaSalle County deputies and Border Patrol agents pursued a stolen black Ford F-250 pickup around 9 a.m. Monday into Atascosa County. It crashed through fences and private land twice before being stopped, and some 15 undocumented immigrants bailed out and were apprehended, Atascosa County Sheriff David Soward said. The new president of the Bexar County Deputy Sheriffs Association wants to team up with county officials and the sheriff to address urgent needs at the jail. Ron Tooke, a lieutenant with 32 years of experience in the Sheriffs Office, hopes to convince the county to spend more in 2023 on the near West Side detention center. He also wants to divert some of the $13 million spent annually on jail overtime staffing toward pay and benefits that will improve retention, eliminating the needs for jail guards to work double shifts. Our number one priority right now is the jail, said Tooke, 57. Some people end up in that facility for a long time; some are in and out. We all have to sit down at the table and address the problem. On ExpressNews.com: Deputies to get pay raise, civilian oversight with new bargaining agreement The union hasnt decided whether it will endorse a candidate in the pivotal general election race for Bexar County judge that pits Republican Trish DeBerry against the Democratic nominee, former District Judge Peter Sakai. That will be up to the associations political action committee, and Tooke said hell have little to no sway over its decision. In the March primary, the association endorsed DeBerry and state Rep. Ina Minjarez, a Democrat who lost to Sakai in a runoff. Carlos Javier Sanchez, Contributor Tooke, who succeeded Jeremy Payne as the union president, said he could work with either candidate in the Nov. 8 election. DeBerry, while serving as a commissioner in 2021, famously clashed with Sheriff Javier Salazar over operation of the jail and other issues including a patrol boat donated to his department. Both candidates in the race to succeed longtime County Judge Nelson Wolff have touted themselves as innovators. DeBerry is a thinker. She thinks out of the box all of the time. She is looking at it at a thousand different angles, Tooke said. Sakai, he pretty much built the juvenile system that we know today thats so successful. I mean, hes been doing that job forever. He knows the county like no one else, from all the different levels. Tooke started his career as a deputy in the jail and worked nearly every assignment there before crossing over to law enforcement, rising through the ranks in narcotics and homicide. He has experience in over 1,000 criminal investigations. Aside from long hours and guards resigning after being worked to exhaustion, problems at the jail spill over into communications and management styles, said Tooke and the unions new vice president, Lance Spengler, a captain who has worked in detention. Both took office in May to represent the 1,200 deputies who work for the county in the jail and law enforcement. Carlos Javier Sanchez, Contributor The jail needs help. Conditions need to change, said Spengler, 53. Theres got to be better communications between supervisors and the troops. On ExpressNews.com: Commissioners approve jail OT, ban on aerial fireworks Tooke and Spengler, who are at the start of a three-year term, said theyll be talking with Salazar, county commissioners and county staff to improve recruiting and retention. Although the union recently approved a five-year collective bargaining agreement with the county that will raise deputy pay more than 15 percent, union officials said the county still is losing trained officers to other agencies that pay more. But Tooke speaks favorably of the Commissioners Court and the sheriff, who was receptive and helped resolve concerns raised at a meeting with union officials a couple of weeks ago. He said hes committed to real transparency and will meet with commissioners one on one, rather than scolding them during public meetings. Maybe one day Ill have to get up there and (say) Arrrrrrgh ... you guys are doing us wrong. I really dont think so. Thats not my style anyway. Im more of a dealmaker, Tooke said. shuddleston@express-news.net The last major city held by Ukraine in the hotly contested eastern province of Luhansk has fallen, according to military officials on both sides on Sunday, giving Moscow a significant victory in its campaign to capture the Donbas, the mineral-rich region bordering Russia that has long been a target of President Vladimir V. Putin. Lysychansk, an industrial city on a bluff above the Siversky Donets River, had held out for a week after Russia took possession of Sievierodonetsk, its twin city across the river. Ukrainian Troops Forced To Give up Lysychansk to Russia However, after Russia bombarded Lysychansk with artillery fire and cut off its supply lines, following months of bombardment and weeks of brutal street warfare that reduced both cities to grayed-out husks, Ukrainian soldiers were forced to flee. A video released on Twitter on Sunday showed Russian soldiers posing for photos outside Lysychansk City Hall, yelling "Lysychansk is ours" and brandishing the flag of the Donetsk People's Republic, the pro-Moscow separatist state that Mr. Putin claimed to be safeguarded when his forces invaded Ukraine. Western military strategists had little doubt that Moscow would eventually prevail in the twin cities, but with their defeat evident, pressure on the US and its allies has increased to send the more powerful weaponry promised to Ukraine to the front lines. The next phase of the fight, however, will be a test not only of military logistics but also of Western cooperation. As the fight carries on, their population is suffering economically, and allies' solidarity may be harder to maintain. Russia is now confronted with new issues. It holds more than a fifth of Ukraine - many cities in name only, skeleton ruins devoid of inhabitants after months of shelling - but it will need to replace depleted soldiers and weapons as it fights what threatens to be a long and bloody ground battle, New York Times reported. Read Also: Ukraine War: Videos Show Scary Aftermath of Russia's Missile Attack at Shopping Mall With 1000+ People Inside Zelensky Vows To Regain Lysychansk Lysychansk looks out over Severodonetsk, which is located across the Seversky Donets river. It was hoped that because it was built at a high elevation, it would provide a natural powerful defense. However, the noose surrounding the city had tightened, with Russian forces controlling the majority of entry and exit points. Over the preceding week, several Ukrainian forces had already retreated to the next lines of defense. On Sunday, Ukrainian officials were uncharacteristically silent about the violence in the city. This might be justified in part by operational security"concerns. They would not want to give the impression of a tactical retreat. However, the loss of Lysychansk will be viewed as another defeat in the east. The loss of Lysychansk is far from the conclusion of the conflict in Donbas. Ukraine still has authority over vast metropolitan areas in the neighboring city of Donetsk. Their soldiers have been creating fresh defensive lines between Bakhmut and Slovyansk, albeit they are also being heavily shelled by Russia. Both sides have suffered significant casualties, as per BBC. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv's military had retreated from Lysychansk in the eastern Donbas area. According to Zelensky, Russia is concentrating its firepower on the Donbas front, but Ukraine will respond with long-range weaponry like the US-supplied HIMARS rocket launchers, according to The Telegraph via MSN . Related Article: Russia-Ukraine War: Vladimir Putin's Troops Take Over Lysychansk Oil Refinery, But Lose Snake Island in Big Win for Ukrainians @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A Somerset farmer who is the director of Cross Keys Farms Ltd has been ordered to pay more than 25,000 for polluting the River Frome. The company pleaded guilty to causing an unpermitted discharge of slurry in August 2020, at a case heard in North Somerset Magistrates Court on 28 June 2022. This polluted the Frome river, turning it brown and smelly, and killed more than 120 fish, including many large pike, roach and chub. Farmer Michael Aylesbury, director of the company, was fined 12,000 and ordered to pay costs of over 13,600. In 2017, he was found guilty of polluting this same stretch of the River Frome in 2016, killing more than 1,700 fish. Members of the public alerted the Environment Agency to the pollution in August 2020. Residents carrying out citizen science river monitoring provided evidence. The pollution came from slurry that had been washed out of a soiled cattle trailer and rinsed out on to a concrete yard at Bollow Farm, Silver Lane, East Woodlands. A pile of slurry left open to the elements was washed into the surface water drain, ending up in the river. Officers found the ditch and river smelt strongly of slurry and low in dissolved oxygen. Investigations also showed that the slurry pollution resulted in the death of most invertebrates over more than 2.6 kilometres downstream. Andy Grant, Environment Officer, said: "It was very disappointing to find another pollution from Bellow Farm following a previous prosecution for a major incident. The river was just beginning to recover and the fish population was showing signs of improving. "Informing us of the slurry spillage and keeping an eye on nearby watercourses are two simple actions the farmer should have taken to protect the local environment. "We restocked the river following the 2016 incident and it is so disappointing to see that work undone." Three farmers have accused the RSPB of "irresponsible scaremongering" after the charity claimed a 'cocktail' of pesticides used by British farmers is harming wildlife. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said in a new report that more than 150 pesticides are harming wildlife and biodiversity in the countryside. The report warned there were still significant gaps in the understanding of what this 'cocktail' of pesticides is doing to land, wildlife and food chains. Katie-Jo Luxton, the RSPBs director for conservation said: We have sleepwalked into pesticides being the norm in terms of the way we manage land, believing every problem can be solved with chemicals. The combination of lack of research, inadequate risk assessment and weak regulation has created a toxic situation where an unchecked cocktail of different chemicals are regularly applied across our countryside." But three farmers, Alastair Leake, Paul Temple and Matt Ridley, members of the Science for Sustainable Agriculture advisory group, warned that the claims about the link between pesticide use and biodiversity loss were "unsubstantiated" and "risked damaging the practical working relationship between the NGO and individual farmers". They also said the RSPBs claims "ignored the enormous progress made by farmers at grass-roots level to optimise the balance between productive agriculture and nature conservation." For example by adopting more integrated approaches to pest and disease control in crops, and by introducing more wildlife-friendly practices on farms such as buffer strips and field margins planted with wildflower seed mixes. Farmer and conservation expert, Alastair Leake said: "I take particular offence at the RSPBs suggestion that we have sleepwalked into chemicals being the norm, conveying the impression that farmers are blindly applying chemicals as the first solution when in fact the opposite is the truth. "Our own practical experience of integrated crop management, including careful disease monitoring and precision application of pesticides on a when needed basis, has shown that farming and nature conservation can go hand in hand." East Yorkshire mixed farmer Paul Temple said his integrated crop management, and particularly the adoption of no-till cropping systems, had brought a significant increase in farmland wildlife activity on and around the farm, from small mammals in the field to a greater diversity of farmland birds "Like the RSPB, Im interested in finding alternative solutions to controlling crop pests and diseases, which can reduce yields by 30-40%," he said, "One of the most exciting new approaches gene editing technology - is currently being discussed by MPs at Westminster. "More precise breeding techniques open up the prospect of more durable sources of pest and disease resistance in crops, so protecting crop yields while also reducing the need for pesticides. "The RSPB appears stuck in a time-warp of anti-pesticide propaganda but Id like to know where they stand on the issue of gene editing as a way to help farmers reduce their dependence on chemical means to protect their harvests. Farmers have joined forces with conservationists in the floodplain meadows of the Severn and Avon Vale to help save the curlew, one of the UKs rarest wading birds. The Flourishing Floodplains project aims to restore threatened wetland habitats in the farmed landscape of the Severn and Avon Vale. With fears that the curlew wont survive without intervention, the project is seen as important to inform protection work right across the country. The project will run from 2022-2023 in partnership with the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West (FWAG) and the Floodplain Meadows Partnership. Once a common sight and sound in the British countryside, curlews have become an increasingly rare - the number of breeding birds has dropped by 65% since 1970. This year, researchers have found 18 nests an improvement on previous years when numbers have been much lower. The nests have been found with the help of local farmers, who alert the project team when they find eggs in their fields and also change when they mow to avoid damaging eggs or newly hatched chicks. Their roles as guardians of the curlews are seen as important to help protect these fast-declining waders. As well as the direct curlew conservation work, an important part of the project is to understand the link between the extent of species rich floodplain meadows in the Vale and curlew nesting sites. Floodplain meadows are rare and only 1,100 ha remain in the UK. The Severn Vale may contain more than 10% of the national resource, but restoring the species-rich meadows is essential to help the curlews who rely on the habitat to survive. This project could be called the creme-de-la-creme of curlew research work in the country thanks to the amount of resources we have put into it, explained WWT senior research officer Kane Brides. The work includes catching the birds and ringing them so we can see where they go in the winter, whether they return to the same area to nest, and then exactly where their nests are. "We can then monitor the eggs and chicks to try and understand better why so many of them arent surviving until they are old enough to fly. He added: The information we collect will then help inform efforts all over the country to save curlews theres a huge number of people right across the UK desperately trying to save these special birds." But we couldnt do it without the help of the local farmers - the involvement of the farming community is an essential feature of the curlews success. Local farmer Dave Banwell, who farms in Hasfield, has joined the project. He said he was happy to do what he could. Curlews are having such a hard time, and have been for so long, anything we can do to help them we will. A new training initiative enabling young farmers club members to fight rural crime is being launched in Cumbria. The Partners in Preventing Farm Crime project trains young farmers to identify farm rural crime risks and put in place practical security actions to prevent them from becoming victims of crime. The cost of rural theft in Cumbria rose by 28% to just over 1m in 2020, NFU Mutual figures show. Cumbrias sharp rise was in contrast to a 20.3% fall nationally, as rural theft cost the UK an estimated 43.3m in 2020. According to the statistics, the most targeted counties in the UK for quad theft last year were Cumbria, followed by Kent, West Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire. A shortage in new and second-hand farm machinery is fuelling the surge in quad theft from farms. The initiative is the brainchild of Joe Murray QPM, Chair of the Cumbria Neighbourhood Watch Association (CNWA). A retired police officer, he had seen NFU Mutuals Rural Crime Report advice on how communities could work together to beat rural crime. He came up with the idea of involving young farmers club members to spread the message and worked with Cumbria YFC County Chairman, Robbie Tuer, to bring the scheme to fruition. Cumbria Neighbourhood Watch Association, Crimestoppers, Cumbria Police, Police & Crime Commissioner and NFU Mutual are providing resources and finance to deliver the scheme. Robbie Tuer, Chairman of Cumbria YFC said: The idea came from Joe Murray, who saw the potential for young farmers clubs to spread the word about rural crime trends and ways of making farms more secure. Its taken lots of enthusiasm from Joe and Amanda Mulholland from the Police Crime Prevention Academy together with NFU Mutuals support to get the scheme off the ground. Were trialling the initiative in Cumbria over coming months - and nationally the NFYFC is looking to see how it goes and if it could be rolled out nationally as part of a Curve training module." He added that rural crime was a serious problem in Cumbria and as fuel prices rise, its likely to get worse. "Farmers I know are so worried about intruders that theyre getting up at night to check their buildings and even draining fuel from machinery at night to prevent it from being stolen. Farmers like to talk to fellow farmers both old and young so we think a scheme where farmers look over each others set ups to spot risks and suggest security solutions will go down well. Bob Henderson, of NFU Mutual added: Rural crime is expensive and a major worry for Cumbria farmers, so were very pleased to be part of this scheme. As the UKs leading rural insurer, we know that when police, farmers and local rural communities work together closely, it can really make it difficult for thieves to operate in the countryside. In its rural crime report for 2021, NFU Mutual reveals that rural theft cost the UK an estimated 43.3m in 2020 as criminals continued to plague farmyards targeting high-value farming GPS, quad bikes and all-terrain vehicles. Scottish farmers have been told to apply for an agricultural dispensation for wide vehicle movements ahead of the busy harvest period. The scheme, agreed by NFU Scotland and Police Scotland, means that farmers with wide vehicles can apply for a dispensation to avoid having to notify police for each individual movement. Abnormal load dispensations are required if a vehicle and implement is over three metres in width and/or projects more than four metres. Farmers and contractors have now been told to check the dimensions of their vehicles and implement. Any vehicle which exceeds these dimensions or may exceed them with an implement attached should be included on the dispensation, NFU Scotland explained. The union's transport advisor, Jamie Smart said: It is important that farmers wishing to move vehicles or implements over three metres combined width, or with a front or rear overhang exceeding four metres, must obtain a dispensation from Police Scotland. It is recommended that farmers requiring a dispensation or looking to renew or amend their existing dispensation notices, apply in plenty of time. A copy of the dispensation document should be carried in vehicles pertaining to it and produced in the event Police Scotland stop the vehicle. "We once again thank Police Scotland for their continued support of this scheme, which NFU Scotland successfully pushed to have introduced. A copy of the dispensation document should be carried in vehicles pertaining to it and produced in the event the vehicle is stopped by Police Scotland. Farmers or contractors wanting to use this scheme can obtain an application form from Police Scotland or members can get it from NFU Scotland. The completed form should be emailed to: OSDAbormalLoadsScotland@scotland.pnn.police.uk. The Biden administration altered the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program in the fall of 2021. Thousands more debtors have gotten $8.1 billion in student debt relief since then. Many others, though, who may be qualified for the program because of a temporary waiver, are running out of time to petition for loan forgiveness. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, or PSLF, was established in 2007 to assist nonprofit and government employees by canceling their student debts after ten years of payments (120 total payments). How To Apply For Student Loan Cancelation? According to a September 2021 story from The Washington Post, just one in every five of the 1.3 million debtors pursuing debt discharge under PSLF were on track to obtain relief by 2026. The US Department of Education announced a change in 2021 that temporarily waives specific PSLF requirements to give borrowers credit toward loan cancellation regardless of their federal loan type or if they were enrolled in a specific payment plan, as long as they consolidated their debt before the waiver expired. Before the waiver, borrowers had to obtain a particular government loan - a Direct Loan - to be eligible for PSLF. Borrowers could combine their debt into PSLF Direct Loans; however, any payments made on the loans before consolidation did not count toward the minimum sum. This waiver is due to expire on October 31, 2022, giving eligible borrowers only roughly four months to apply. The head of Federal Student Aid, Richard Cordray, stated earlier this week at a conference that while he is lobbying for the PSLF waiver to be extended, President Biden may lack the administrative power to authorize such a move, according to The Hill. Meanwhile, the moratorium on student loan payments is set to expire on August 31, and debtors are anticipated to begin payments in September. President Joe Biden's decision on universal student loan forgiveness is taking longer than anticipated, but there has been some good news during his presidency: over $25 billion in student loan debt has been canceled since 2021. While $25 billion may appear to be a substantial sum, it pales about the wider picture of student loan debt. One in every five Americans owes money on student loans, totaling $1.6 trillion in debt, or an average of $37,013 per borrower. Biden ran in 2020 on canceling at least $10,000 in student loan debt for everyone, and on April 28 promised a decision in the coming weeks, but more than two months have gone by with no movement on universal debt cancellation. Read Also: Harmony Montgomery Case: Missing New Hampshire Girl's Mom Claims Dad Knows Where She Is as Father Faces Multiple Charges Maine Cancels Student Loans of Almost 59,000 Debtors The most significant modifications to PSLF allow borrowers to consider all past payments made on Federal Family Education Loans and Perkins Loans and remove full-amount and on-time payment criteria. Borrowers must, however, file a PSLF application before Oct. 31, 2022, in order to obtain this assistance. Keep in mind that if you need to combine your debt to qualify for PSLF relief, the procedure can take 45 days, so plan ahead of time to meet the end-of-October deadline. Visit the PSLF Help Tool on the Federal Student Aid website for additional information about PSLF policy changes and to determine if you are qualified for the program and the waiver for prior payments, as per CNET. Furthermore, according to recent statistics from Student Loan Hero, nearly 59,000 Mainers would be debt-free if President Biden follows through on his proposal to erase $10,000 of debt for every borrower. Despite having the lowest population density in the United States, borrowers in Maine owe a total of $6.6 billion in government and private debt, ranking them 34th in the nation. If each borrower had $10,000 deducted from their loan, 32.9 percent of borrowers would no longer have any debt. There are roughly 200k individuals in the Pine Tree State alone who are managing an average amount of $31,801 with monthly payments averaging $263, WGAN reported. Related Article: SNAP Benefits: Here's How To Apply for Extended Food Stamp Until July 2022 @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In Ms. Marvels episode 4, Seeing Red, Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) visits Pakistan and finds new allies in the Red Daggers - Farhan Akhtar's Waleed and Aramis Knight's Kareem. As they go up against the Clandestines, Najma (Nimra Bucha) stabs Kamala's supercharged bangle and it accidentally transports her back to 1947 - the era of India and Pakistans Partition. The episode depicts the humanitarian crisis through the last train to come to Pakistan. Kamala finds herself at the crowded railway platform with people climbing into and atop packed trains. The camera follows Kamala as she gets to a vantage point before panning out to offer a look at swarms of people trying to leave on the final train to Pakistan - a tragic event in history chronicled with gut-wrenching detail in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Partition scene in Ms. Marvel episode 4 doesnt shy away from showing the horrors of 1947. What went into creating that chilling sequence? Ms. Marvels depiction of Pakistan and South Asian history is rooted in authenticity and is devoid of stereotypes. This includes the refreshing absence of the yellow filter most films and shows use while portraying countries from the sub-continent. To talk about the extraordinary hour of television, Filmfare caught up with Oscar-winning director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy who helmed episodes 4 and 5 of the MCU series. The filmmaker opened up about the chilling cliff-hanger ending of the fourth episode, Farhan Akhar's much-discussed cameo and more. I grew up listening to my grandparents' stories of 1947 and when I was thinking about creating the Partition, I wanted it to be snatches of conversation that Kamala hears when she's walking on the platform. And in those conversations, she feels the anguish of the families, the unfinished conversations that people were having, the nervousness people were feeling, the heartache and the heartbreak of leaving home. And I wanted to transport the audience back to 1947 through deeply personal testimonies. A lot of filmmakers get it wrong. So how tricky was it to achieve a sensitive portrayal in a Hollywood series? I have been collecting the oral history of the Partition for 12 years now so I know that world really well and to me, 1947 was a lot about leaving your home. So if you listen to the way people are talking, everyone is talking about home - "I will miss you" "It's a friendship" "Go now!" "I'm too old to travel" "Will we make it onto the last train? It's almost like what it feels like to leave your home and not know where you're going and that uncertainty. So I think that the Partition is a difficult subject. It's not a subject that you see on screen and it's not something you see in Hollywood. I wanted to make sure that anybody watching, who has had to leave their home would have a connection to that. For me, it was more about that. Episode 4 unleashes a lot of big stunning visuals and explains the Noor realm. What went into fleshing that out? Well, the Noor realm is sort of this realm that Nimra Bucha who is playing Kamran's (Rish Shah) mother and the other Clandestines have this desire to go to. Theyve wanted to go to the other side for so long. So we wanted to show a glimpse of the Noor world. What was home for them? Why do they want you to go there? Fariha and Najma's relationship and even though Fariha was vanquished, Najma continued to feel that she could make it and has that desperation to go home which again is so universal. If you ask a displaced person what would you give to go home and they would say they'd do anything. And that's what it is about, they would do anything to go home. What was it like working with Farhan Akhtar and Fawad Khan? We were working with two heartthrobs of South Asia. I think they both bring something very different into our episodes. Farhan brought this voice into the show. He was Kamala's confidante, he basically was the wise mentor who informed her about the path that she was taking was an important one to take and he made her feel like she was a part of something bigger. And his voice was important because in essence, he became protective of her and then sacrificed himself for her. Well, the Noor realm is sort of this realm that Nimra Bucha who is playing Kamran's (Rish Shah) mother and the other Clandestines have this desire to go to. Theyve wanted to go to the other side for so long. So we wanted to show a glimpse of the Noor world. What was home for them? Why do they want you to go there? Fariha and Najma's relationship and even though Fariha was vanquished, Najma continued to feel that she could make it and has that desperation to go home which again is so universal. If you ask a displaced person what would you give to go home and they would say they'd do anything. And that's what it is about, they would do anything to go home.We were working with two heartthrobs of South Asia. I think they both bring something very different into our episodes. Farhan brought this voice into the show. He was Kamala's confidante, he basically was the wise mentor who informed her about the path that she was taking was an important one to take and he made her feel like she was a part of something bigger. And his voice was important because in essence, he became protective of her and then sacrificed himself for her. Ms. Marvel is currently streaming with new episodes dropping every Wednesday. SEE ALSO: Ms. Marvels Iman Vellani, Kevin Feige and co. talk about introducing the ground-breaking superhero I have been collecting the oral history of the Partition for 12 years now so I know that world really well and to me, 1947 was a lot about leaving your home. So if you listen to the way people are talking, everyone is talking about home - "I will miss you" "It's a friendship" "Go now!" "I'm too old to travel" "Will we make it onto the last train? It's almost like what it feels like to leave your home and not know where you're going and that uncertainty. So I think that the Partition is a difficult subject. It's not a subject that you see on screen and it's not something you see in Hollywood. I wanted to make sure that anybody watching, who has had to leave their home would have a connection to that. For me, it was more about that. Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Ms. Marvel episode 4. Ajay Devgn has been working on projects back-to-back. After making his digital debut with Rudra and starring in Runway 34, the actor is set to get back into the director's chair.Ajay Devgn has announced his next directorial feature titled Bholaa. The film will mark his fourth project as a director. Bholaa is described as a "high-octane, strongly-emotional drama". It will feature himself alongside Tabu.Opening up about starting work so soon after Runway 34, Devgn said, "Well the preparation was done earlier on. It was just a question of getting behind the camera again and saying the three magic words-Lights, camera, action!"About Bholaa, the film is the Hindi remake of the 2019 Tamil film Kaithi. The Lokesh Kanagaraj directorial is about a prisoner who joins forces with the police against a gang of smugglers. President Joko Widodo has visited Kyiv, Ukraine, for a peace mission. (Laily Rachev - Biro Pers Sekretariat Presiden) JAKARTA, July 3, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - President Joko Widodo has accomplished his visits to Ukraine and Russia on Thursday evening (June 30) to invite both countries to build dialogue, stop the war, and build peace.President started his mission by visiting Kiev, Ukraine. At the Maryinsky Palace, Kyiv, Jokowi was greeted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday afternoon (June 29).For Ukraine, that day was a historic day, as President Jokowi's visit was the first one to be made by an Asian leader since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Jokowi, during a joint press statement with Zelenskyy, conveyed several important points from his visit to Ukraine."I conveyed to President Zelenskyy that I made this visit as a manifestation of Indonesia's concern for the situation in Ukraine," he remarked.He reiterated the invitation to Zelenskyy to attend the G20 Summit in November 2022 in Bali.Jokowi also emphasized Indonesia's principled position regarding the importance of respect for sovereignty and territory."Although it is still very difficult to achieve, I still convey the importance of a peaceful settlement, and the spirit of peace must never fade," he affirmed.Indonesia will strive to contribute through assistance, including medicines, and remain committed to reconstructing one of the hospitals around Kiev.To this end, President Jokowi offered to carry a message from President Zelenskyy to President Putin.On the other hand, President Zelenskyy praised Jokowi's visit because Indonesia hosts the G20 Presidency this year and is the strongest country in ASEAN.Zelenskyy expressed optimism that it would strengthen the effort to end the war.After visiting Kiev, President Jokowi also made a visit to Moscow, Russia and meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.During the visit, Jokowi emphasized the issue of peace and humanity has always been a priority for Indonesia."The Indonesian Constitution mandates Indonesia to always try to contribute to the creation of world peace. In this context, I made visits to Kiev and Moscow," he stated.He also emphasized that food and fertilizers were humanitarian issues and were of interest to the world community. Thus hundreds of millions of people affected by disruptions, especially in developing countries.Hence, Jokowi lauded Putin's guarantee for the security of food and fertilizer supplies.Jokowi stressed that Indonesia has no interest apart from helping resolve the war between Russia and Ukraine."I invite all world leaders to work together to revive the spirit of multilateralism, the spirit of peace, and the spirit of cooperation," President Jokowi stated.Meanwhile, Putin noted that Indonesia is one of their key partners in the Asia-Pacific region."Russian-Indonesian relations are constructive and mutually beneficial, developing steadily on the basis of long-standing good traditions of friendship and mutual assistance," he said.During the joint press conference, President Jokowi reiterates the importance of the spirit of peace.With President Jokowi's visit to Ukraine and Russia for a peaceful mission, hopes are pinned high on the war ending soon and the food crisis being mitigated quickly.Written by: Katriana, Editor: Rahmad Nasution (c) ANTARA 2022Source: G20 IndonesiaCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Singapore, July 4, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - cThe survey counted 206 professionals in the public services sector across the largest economies in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines & Vietnam. The same survey showed that 60.6% of respondents believe that business intelligence software is the DX solution that brings the largest benefits to their organisation.Sustainability has also been a growing focus in ASEAN, illustrated by the sustainable mobility and energy targets of ASEAN. The Phnom Penh Declaration on Sustainable Urban Mobility is the first Declaration on sustainable transport issued by the ASEAN Transport Ministers focusing on urban and metropolitan regional mobility. The ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation demonstrates the region's commitment to achieving the targets on renewable energy share 23% in total primary energy supply, as well as the 35% share in installed power capacity by 2025. The need for education is underlined as well from a 2021 AIBP survey, where the lack of talent and expertise was ranked as the most significant impediment to digital transformation in ASEAN. In advancing these public interests, tech-powered innovation has and will continue to be key.Tech-powered innovation has continued to be key in advancing public interests such as mobility, sustainable energy and education.Taiwanese Companies Contributing to ASEAN SocietiesMobility:With transport mobility being integral to driving economic and social growth, importance is placed on developing innovations in this area and several companies have stepped up to take the lead. PLANET Technology Corporation has solved key issues pervading public transport networks with their Industrial LoRaWAN Wireless Gateway solution. It facilitates data transmission over long-range distances at low power consumption across urban and rural areas, and supports real-time data collection, enabling vehicle detection and location tracking. This contributed to smart parking solutions and allowed commuters to easily check bus timings, improving the overall public transport system.Up-and-coming alternative mobility solutions are getting increased attention as well. Advancements made in vehicle electrification have contributed to the lowering cost of electric vehicles (EV). Coupled with an increasing focus on sustainability in ASEAN, EV adoption and the development of an EV ecosystem are growing. Zealio is one of the key players in the EV interior space. Guided by a user-centric approach, Zealio sought to develop EV components that are easy to install, have zero-interference with other vehicle electronics, are energy efficient and recyclable.Sustainable Energy:Environmental concerns are increasing in ASEAN. Stakeholders in the energy industry are seeking to pivot to a green energy approach and Advantech is at the forefront of this change. Advantech has observed that power plant and grid owners are most concerned about data accuracy, operational efficiency and asset management. To address these needs, the company has developed a smart energy management solution that includes pre-built related analytics. In helping Singapore's National Water Agency (PUB) with the monitoring and tracking of their Floating Solar PV System, Advantech partnered with Mirai Electronics to build an IoT framework that gathers critical equipment and environmental data that is sent to the cloud, various dashboard views including green parameters to facilitate data analytics and visualisation, and a system that enables proactive monitoring and response to tough environmental conditions.Need for Skill Development through Tech-Enabled Education:A 2021 survey conducted by AIBP showed that 39.4% of public services stakeholders believe people are the principal challenge to becoming data driven. As technology continues to play a key role in innovation efforts, workforce skill levels need to keep up and education is integral to nurturing that talent. Enterprises have recognised this need and are providing tech-enhanced solutions to complement traditional educational methods.In pursuit of closing the gap, one successful project was delivered by CYP's Pro AV solutions. CYP integrated their AV solutions together with learning tools such as document cameras, interactive white boards and audio visual devices providing a solution for Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU)'s remote learning programmes. This has enabled the concept of smart classroom, which aims to deliver high-quality classes during distance learning and video conferencing, and let teachers engage both in-class and remote students.Another technology provider, IPEVO, has also demonstrated strong commitment to provide real-time image capture document cameras to DIGI@Education, driving student engagement in a hybrid setting. On top of education, IPEVO is able to support corporate trainings, legal and healthcare sectors.About AIBPAIBP serves as an avenue for public and private organisations in Southeast Asia to access and exchange information about growth and innovation within the B2B space. With a current network of over 30,000 stakeholders in Southeast Asia, AIBP continues to develop ecosystems by engaging in activities which create value-adding information for our stakeholders seeking to make transformative impacts within their organisations. For additional information about AIBP, please visit https://iotbusiness-platform.com/.About Taiwan Excellence AwardsAdvantech, Cypress, IPEVO, PLANET, and Zealio were recently recognized by the Taiwan Excellence Awards. These awards have been established by the country's Ministry of Economic Affairs since 1993 to celebrate how technological innovation helps people live more rewarding lives. Each year, the Taiwan Excellence Awards select the most innovative products in Taiwan across four major categories: R&D, design, quality, and marketing. As well as recognizing domestic achievement, the awards serve as a benchmark for innovation and excellence in international markets. Please visit https://www.taiwanexcellence.org/en for more information.Source: AIBPCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. KANAZAWA, Japan, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Kanazawa University report in ACS Nano the development of a nanoparticle that acts as a heater and a thermometer. Inserting the nanoparticle in living cells results in a heat spot that, by switching it on and off, enables the controlled modulation of local cellular activities. Being able to heat nano-sized regions in biological tissues is key to several biomedical applications. Indeed, many biological processes are temperature-sensitive, and the ability to locally modify temperature provides a way to manipulate cellular activity. A notable purpose is the destruction of cancer cells by heating them. Beside the need for an in-tissue local heating mechanism, it also important to be able to instantaneously measure the generated temperature.Satoshi Arai from Kanazawa University and colleagues have now engineered a nanoparticle that is both a nanoheater and a nanothermometer at the same time. They successfully showed that the insertion of a single, controllable heat spot in tissue can be very effective in modifying cellular function. The nanoparticle, called "nanoHT" by the scientists - an abbreviation of "nanoheater-thermometer" - is essentially a polymer matrix embedding a dye molecule (called EuDT) used for sensing temperature, and another dye molecule (called V-Nc) for releasing heat. The latter happens through the conversion of light into thermal energy (the photothermal effect, also exploited in solar cells): shining a near-infrared laser (with a wavelength of 808 nanometer) onto V-Nc results in fast heating, with a stronger increase in temperature for higher laser power. Temperature sensing is based on the thermal fluorescence effect of EuDT. When irradiated with light of one wavelength, the molecule emits light at another wavelength - fluorescence. The higher the temperature, the less intense the fluorescence becomes. This inverse relationship can be used to measure temperature. Arai and colleagues tested the performance of nanoHT as a thermometer, and established that it can determine temperatures with a resolution of 0.8C and less. The researchers then performed experiments with a type of human cells called HeLa cells. They looked at the effect of heating through nanoHT, and found that at a temperature increment of about 11.4 C, the heated HeLa cells died after only a few seconds. This finding suggests that nanoHT could be used to induce cell death in cancer cells. Arai and colleagues also studied how nanoHT can be used to affect the behavior of muscles. They introduced the nanoparticle into myotube, a type of fiber present in muscle tissue. Upon heating the myotube by approximately 10.5 C, the muscle tissue contracted. The procedure worked reversibly; letting the myotube cool again led to muscle relaxation. The work of Arai and colleagues shows that local heating at a subcellular scale by means of nanoHT enables the controlled manipulation of a single cell's activity. Regarding applications, the scientists believe that "the targeted application of nanoHT has a diverse and versatile range of capabilities to regulate cellular activities that would facilitate the development of thermodynamic cell engineering." Background Fluorescence Fluorescence refers to the emission of light by a substance after which it has absorbed light (or another type of electromagnetic radiation). Typically, the emitted light has a longer wavelength, and so a lower photon energy, than the absorbed radiation. A well-known case of fluorescence happens when the absorbed radiation is in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum, invisible to the human eye, while the emitted light is in the visible region. Fluorescent thermometry is a technique for measuring temperatures through the use of fluorescent dye molecules, the fluorescence intensity of which is a strong function of temperature. The dye molecules are inserted into a material of interest; detailed knowledge of the fluorescence intensity vs. temperature dependence enables to infer the temperature of the material. (The dye molecules are excited to fluoresce by incident light; its intensity provides a measure of the local temperature.) Satoshi Arai from Kanazawa University and colleagues used fluorescence dye molecules to develop nanoHT, a nanoparticle acting as both a heater and a thermometer for nano-bio applications. Reference Ferdinandus, Madoka Suzuki, Cong Quang Vu, Yoshie Harada, Satya Ranjan Sarker, Shin'ichi Ishiwata, Tetsuya Kitaguchi, and Satoshi Arai. Modulation of Local Cellular Activities using a Photothermal Dye-Based Subcellular-Sized Heat Spot, ACS Nano16, 9004-9018 (2022). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c00285 URL: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.2c00285 Images https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/fig1.jpg Figure 1. Thermodynamic Cell Engineering: Creating a tiny heat spot enables to regulate cellular functions https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/fig2.jpg Figure 2. Microscopic system for nanoheating. A) Schematic and microscopic images of nanoheater (nanoHT) (Transmission electron microscopy). B) A system to warm up a localized region at single cellular level (upper panel). A single dot of nanoHT was located within a single cell (lower left panel). Temperature gradient at microscale was generated at subcellular level (lower right panel). https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/fig3.jpg Figure 3. A nanoparticle combining photothermal heating and fluorescence thermometry functions as a localized heat spot, and is capable of inducing cell death or muscle contraction. Contact Hiroe Yoneda Vice Director of Public Affairs WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) Kanazawa University Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan Email: nanolsi-office@adm.kanazawa-u.ac.jp Tel: +81 (76) 234-4550 About Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/en/ Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI), Kanazawa University is a research center established in 2017 as part of the World Premier International Research Center Initiative of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The objective of this initiative is to form world-tier research centers. NanoLSI combines the foremost knowledge of bio-scanning probe microscopy to establish 'nano-endoscopic techniques' to directly image, analyze, and manipulate biomolecules for insights into mechanisms governing life phenomena such as diseases. About Kanazawa University http://www.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/e/ As the leading comprehensive university on the Sea of Japan coast, Kanazawa University has contributed greatly to higher education and academic research in Japan since it was founded in 1949. The University has three colleges and 17 schools offering courses in subjects that include medicine, computer engineering, and humanities. The University is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in Kanazawa - a city rich in history and culture. The city of Kanazawa has a highly respected intellectual profile since the time of the fiefdom (1598-1867). Kanazawa University is divided into two main campuses: Kakuma and Takaramachi for its approximately 10,200 students including 600 from overseas. DKSH Management Ltd. / Key word(s): Acquisition/Mergers & Acquisitions DKSH Expands its European Food Ingredients Business by Acquiring Georg Breuer GmbH 04.07.2022 / 07:00 Media release DKSH Business Unit Performance Materials has signed an agreement to acquire Georg Breuer GmbH (GBFI), a German distributor of plant-based ingredients for the food industry. This transaction is in line with DKSH's strategy of growing its European market coverage and expanding its value-added service offering. Zurich, Switzerland, July 4, 2022 - DKSH has signed an agreement for the acquisition of GBFI, a supplier of functional ingredients for the food industry. Founded in 1992, the company is based in Konigstein/Taunus, near Frankfurt/Main, Germany. GBFI provides sustainable food solutions with a focus on vegan, organic, and gluten free, as well as salt and sugar reduction. GBFI also offers value-added services to its customers, including research and development, application customization, and technical and regulatory support. With this acquisition DKSH expands its food ingredients business in Europe, particularly in the promising plant-based healthy foods segment. The deal is also complementary to the Victa Foods acquisition, signed earlier in the year. GBFI operates a lean organization of 17 highly skilled employees. Georg Breuer, GBFI's CEO, commented: "During the past 30 years we have built a successful company for plant-based food ingredients. Together with our partners, we used our expertise to develop vegan and vegetarian products in close cooperation with our customers. In DKSH we found a strong partner, with whom we will continue to expand our business areas and, with our combined expertise, continue to be an innovative and reliable partner of the food industry." Thomas Sul and Natale Capri, Co-Heads Business Unit Performance Materials at DKSH, jointly added: "We are happy to welcome GBFI to DKSH. GBFI brings important capabilities to our complementary food ingredients business in Europe. Their attractive number of premium clients and partners with a strong focus on rapidly growing areas significantly enhances our know-how in the plant-based healthy and organic foods segment. We are also honored Mr. Breuer has accepted joining the DKSH Germany Advisory Board, which will be a tremendous addition to us." The closing of the transaction is expected during the second half of 2022. About DKSH DKSH's purpose is to enrich people's lives. For more than 150 years, we have been delivering growth for companies in Asia and beyond across our Business Units Healthcare, Consumer Goods, Performance Materials, and Technology. As a leading Market Expansion Services provider, we offer sourcing, market insights, marketing and sales, eCommerce, distribution, and logistics as well as after-sales services. DKSH is a participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business. Listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, DKSH operates in 36 markets with 33,100 specialists, generating net sales of CHF 11.1 billion in 2021. The DKSH Business Unit Performance Materials distributes specialty chemicals and ingredients for food, pharmaceutical, personal care, and various industrial applications. With 48 innovation centers and regulatory support worldwide, we create cutting-edge formulations that comply with local regulations. With around 1,370 specialists, the Business Unit generated net sales of CHF 1.3 billion in 2021. www.dksh.com/pm For more information please contact: DKSH Holding Ltd. Rafael Duarte Director, Group Investor Relations Phone +41 44 386 7318 rafael.duarte@dksh.com Demet Bicer Manager, Group Media Relations Phone +41 44 386 7117 demet.bicer@dksh.com Till Leisner Head, Group Investor & Media Relations, Sustainability Phone +41 44 386 7315 till.leisner@dksh.com End of Media Release Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Press release 01Talent Africa and Atos launch their first Collective Intelligence Zone to reveal the digital talent of tomorrow in Senegal Dakar (Senegal) - July 4, 2022 - 01Talent Africa, in partnership with Atos, launches its very first Zone01 in Africa. It is being set up in Dakar, Senegal, and will offer a brand-new kind of digital training to as many people as possible. This new collective intelligence center will welcome several hundred young talent from Senegal in the Atos offices in Cite Keur Gorgui in Dakar. This initiative is part of a strategic partnership that aims to accelerate the digital transformation in Africa, by enabling the massification of world-class digital skills through an innovative and inclusive training of excellence on the continent. Photo: From left to right: Nour Acogny, Project manager trainee, Atos; Aissatou Camara, Project manager, Atos; Mour Seck, General Manager, Atos Senegal; Berenice Chassagne, Head of Growing Markets, Atos; Alpha Barry, Head of Atos in Africa; Marjolaine Blanc, Project Director, 01Talent Africa; Momadou Ndoye, Head of Operations for Western and Central Africa, Atos. 01 Talent Africa and Atos commit to creating the collective force that will accelerate Africa's digital transformation To reduce the digital divide while anchoring African local authorities and actors across the continent in the digital world, 01Talent Africa and Atos are relying on the power of peer-to-peer digital education and the extraordinary potential of African youth. Zone01 Dakar, the guarantee of a digital transformation of Senegalese territories and businesses With the growing global shortage of qualified skills in digital professions, the launch of this first Zone01 in Dakar, within Atos' premises, responds to one of the main challenges of the digitalization of Senegalese territories and businesses: access to new agile, autonomous, and collaborative talent. Zone01 Dakar will open this autumn and the first cohort will begin its training before the end of the year The inauguration is scheduled for September 2022 at Atos' premises in Cite Keur Gorgui in Dakar. An ambitious talent identification campaign will start in June. Candidates wishing to take the online selection tests can register on the Zone01 Dakar website. They must be at least 18 years old to register. If they are selected, they will be able to participate in one of the three "pools" scheduled early September, early October and early November. The "pool" is the final step in the selection process. During this stage, candidates will be immersed for 4 weeks into 01Edu pedagogy, which is based on peer-to-peer learning and group project solving, without any class or teacher. The first cohort will begin its training before the end of the year. It will welcome about 120 future talents who will be equipped with laptops. This first Zone01 will serve as a basis for the deployment of the training offer which aims at creating more than 200 Zone01 on the African continent. "With an average age of 19, Africa is the youngest continent in the world and will represent 40% of the world's population by the end of the century. By working with 01Talent in Africa, we are giving these young people the opportunity to unleash their creative potential to contribute to the innovation and digital transformation of the continent," said Alpha Barry, Head of Atos in Africa. "We are very pleased to materialize this partnership with Atos with the opening of this first Zone01 in Senegal. This strategic initiative confirms the commitment of 01Talent and Atos to the creation of an African technology ecosystem strengthened by the training of world-class talent, essential to the accomplishment of the continent's digital transition. This is a huge opportunity to create jobs for young people and value for local businesses. Everyone becomes an actor of change," said Karim Sy, Strategic Director of 01Talent Africa. After Dakar, Atos and 01Talent will develop their partnership with the opening of new Zone01 on the African continent, notably in Egypt, Morocco and Mauritania. *** About Atos Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with 111,000 employees and annual revenue of c. 11 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 71 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos is a SEis to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space. Press contact: Laura Fau | laura.fau@atos.net | +33 6 73 64 04 18 | @laurajanefau About 01Talent Africa 01Talent Africa is the pan-African talent agency of 01Talent International group, which aims to identify, develop and connect to the professional world 1 million high-level developers in the world by 2035 through the combination of a proven educational model and a sustainable and exponential economic model. 01 Talent Africa and its partner UCLG Africa are convinced that there is a large number of digital talents in African populations who are just waiting to be revealed and supported to express their potential. 01Talent Africa is based on 01Edu, the ultimate upgrade of the "peer-to-peer" (teacherless) and gamified pedagogical approach developed by Nicolas Sadirac and his team, a learning platform intended to respond to the growing shortage of IT developers in the world. This educational model which develops entrepreneurial spirit, creativity and collective intelligence has already been deployed by our co-founder Nicolas Sadirac and his Alumni in more than 40 countries around the world, training more than 25,000 digital talent over the last 10 years. More info on https://01talent.com Note: "01Talent" is pronounced "Zero one talent" and not "One talent". About Zone01 Dakar Zone01 Dakar offers a disruptive digital training, entirely free and open to all without any grade requirement. Zone01 addresses candidates of all ages and all backgrounds. A center of collective intelligence, which trains in 18 months plus 12 months in apprenticeship a new generation of African talent to Digital professions and guarantees a job at the end of the course. Its innovative pedagogy, with no classes or teachers. Open 24/7 http://www.zone01dakar.sn/ Press contact: Marjolaine Blanc | marjolaine@01talent.com | +221 77 509 71 88 Attachment Carlsbad, California--(Newsfile Corp. - July 4, 2022) - Sotera Wireless, Inc.'s ViSi Mobile system eases clinical workflow, reduces charting, and reduces clinical burnout while supporting the clinical team to see a full view of the patient's health which leads to better patient outcomes. ViSi Mobile's cNIBP is revolutionary. Sotera Wireless, Inc.'s ViSi Mobile Eases Clinical Workload with cNIBP To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/129884_ee66d33bc485fbe5_001full.jpg The ViSi Mobile system from Sotera Wireless has an innovative form of remote vital sign monitoring, employing a novel technology that delivers precise results while allowing optimum mobility for the patient. More details at https://www.soterawireless.com Sotera Wireless's ViSi Mobile remote monitoring system is becoming an overwhelmingly popular choice with increasing global interest in state-of-the-art health-tech products. The FDA-approved device is designed to improve clinician time efficiency in general care establishments while allowing nurses and other healthcare workers to cut down on the responsibilities that contribute to burnout. Burnout is one of the most serious issues affecting productivity and quality of work in the workplace. Physical and mental exhaustion is a growing concern, particularly in hospitals and health service centers, where medical personnel often work long hours and consecutive shifts without rest. A study published on Jama Network showed that 31% of nurses reported leaving their jobs due to burnout in 2018. It's an alarming rate that indicates a need for efficient systems that reduce employee workloads at health centers. Sotera Wireless developed its ViSi Mobile system as a novel tool to increase efficiencies in workflow, reduce documentation time, and enable nurses to identify if a patient's condition is worsening early enough to avert possible complications. The device uses continuous Non-Invasive Blood Pressure technology (cNIBP), which makes accurate calculations based on the measurements of the time a pulse takes between cardiac contraction and its arrival at a peripheral location. The device can be used for tracking a patient's blood pressure, Sp02, heart rate, pulse rate, skin temperature, respiration rate, ECG, and other parameters in a non-invasive way. Unlike conventional monitoring devices that require the patient to be attached to large machines, impairing their movement, or the manual checks that require the clinician to wake a patient, ViSi Mobile uses a remote monitor and a series of sensors, making mobility and sleep easier for hospitalized patients. A spokesperson for the company said, "Our ViSi Mobile device easily and seamlessly integrates into any EHR system. This automates information logging, reduces the need for nurses to spend valuable time charting vital sign information, and just makes everything easier." About Sotera Wireless Based in Carlsbad, CA, Sotera Wireless is a digital health company dedicated to producing the most accurate, comprehensive wearable monitoring system in the industry. The ViSi Mobile System enables ICU-level continuous monitoring to the general ward and beyond. The system is a wearable platform that continuously monitors all patient vital signs (Pulse Rate, Heart Rate (3 ECG Lead and 5 ECG Lead), SpO2, cNIBP (Continuous Non-Invasive Blood Pressure), MAP, Respiration Rate, Skin Temperature, Posture, Fall Detection, and Life-Threatening Arrhythmias (AFIB, AFIB RVR, VFIB, Asystole) and wirelessly communicates data to clinicians. System alerts can be tailored to notify clinicians of fluctuations that signal deterioration in a patient's health. Interested parties can read a recent report on the company's study, showing a correlation between vital sign monitoring and rapid response effectiveness here: https://www.soterawireless.com/news/wireless-vital-sign-monitoring-rapid-response-team/unplanned-icu-study-released A spokesperson for the company said, "Our ViSi Mobile device easily and seamlessly integrates into any EHR system. This automates information logging, reduces the need for nurses to spend valuable time charting vital sign information, and just makes everything easier." For more information, please visit https://www.soterawireless.com Contact Info: Name: Devin McCombie Email: marketing@soterawireless.com Organization: Sotera Wireless, Inc. Address: 5841 Edison Place STE 140 , Carlsbad, CA 92008, United States Phone: +1-858-427-4620 Website: http://www.soterawireless.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/129884 A website for pet owners examines NexGard SPECTRA's flea treatment for dogs. Wilmington, Delaware--(Newsfile Corp. - July 4, 2022) - PetVets Online's latest launch gives dog owners in the UK a detailed look at one of the most effective products on the market for the control and elimination of parasites in domestic pets. The research is part of the website's comprehensive collection of news, reviews, products, and resources for animal lovers. More details can be found at https://petvetsonline.org/nexgard-for-dogs-facts-about-nexgard-chewables PetVes Online To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/129886_84ce20b9f4970b19_001full.jpg The new research report details why NexGard SPECTRA is an effective orally-administered protection solution against ticks, fleas, intestinal worms, and heartworm disease. Readers are also given a dosage guide for different sizes and breeds of dogs. The resource helps dog owners deal with the ongoing issue of flea infestations in their beloved pets. According to the RSPCA, fleas are a type of external parasite. Different species tend to infect dogs, cats, rabbits, and humans too. Fleas can live as long as one year with females able to lay up to 50 eggs in a single day. Readers will learn that NexGard SPECTRA contains Milbemycin Oxime, an active ingredient that kills intestinal parasites and heartworms. It comes in chewable tablet form and it works by interfering with the nerves of fleas and ticks, paralysing them and killing them as they bite. The ingredients take around 30 minutes to begin killing fleas while ticks are eradicated after 48 hours. In addition to these species, the new PetVets Online article explains that NexGard SPECTRA can also be used to treat hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, flea allergy dermatitis, demodicosis, and mange mites. Full protection against these conditions is achieved with one monthly dose. About PetVets Online The company is headquartered in Wilmington, DE but supplies pet owners across the UK and mainland Europe too. PetVets Online sources the very best pet products from around the world, offering a 30 to 50% reduction on prices for leading pet brands. A spokesperson says, "At PetVets Online we care about our customers, our business, and especially our pets. Our mission is to be your one-stop resource for quality information on pet supplies sourced from around the globe." With its latest research into NexGard SPECTRA, PetVets Online continues to inform and educate pet owners across the globe with the latest news, reviews, and up-to-the-minute products for healthier, happier animals. Interested parties can visit https://petvetsonline.org for more information. The company is also reaching out to dedicated pet owners and customers in other countries who may be interested in the detailed guides that are regularly published by them. Go here for more details: https://petvetsonline.org/nexgard-fur-hunde-nexgard-kaufen/ Contact Info: Name: Doc Anderson Email: inquiry@petvetsonline.org Organization: PetVetsOnline (Wolf Global LLC) Address: 19 C Trolley Square, Wilmington, Delaware 19806, United States Website: https://petvetsonline.org To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/129886 Space contains the largest alcohol molecule ever found, responsible for star formation, not only hydrogen gas. It shows that space has alcohol molecules with dust and gas in microscopic molecules. Propanol is out there in the cosmos and does more than float around as well out there. Two Forms of Propanol Present in Space Propanol molecules can be found in two forms or isomers, discovered through observations like normal-propanol, found for the first time in a star-forming region, and iso-propanol, which is the primary component of hand sanitizer and is not seen in interstellar form, reported Science Alert. These discoveries should provide insight into the formation of stars and other celestial objects like comets. According to astrochemist Rob Garrod of the University of Virginia, detecting both isomers of propanol is hugely powerful in deciding the mechanism of formation of each. Also, both are similar to one another and act the same way, leading to the conclusion that both can exist non-distinctly at the exact moment. The only question to ask is how much is there in space, and this is the interstellar ratio that would be the case for other molecular pairs. Furthermore, the chemical network can be tweaked to allow particular processes to form stars in particles and hydrogen. Read Also: Scientists Have Detected a Rogue Black Hole in the Milky Way Galaxy as a Terrifying Object in the Universe The one place these chemical cocktail molecules are found with the largest alcohol molecule propanol in star formation nurseries found in the regions of space called Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2). It is near the center of the Milky Way Galaxy near Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), a supermassive black hole that the galaxy surrounds. Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Telescope It took 15 years to analyze these molecules in deep space, although the construction of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope in Chile about a decade ago changed things. It allowed more precise observations, noted Nation World News. ALMA has a higher resolution and sensitivity, allowing researchers to identify previously invisible molecules. The ability to separate the specific radiation frequency emitted by each molecule in a crowded region of space like Sgr B2 is critical in calculating what's out there. Physicist Holger Muller from Germany's University of Cologne had some input that stated as molecules got large, they produced more spectral lines from multiple frequencies it makes. Sources like Sgr B2 overlap the spectrum, with numerous molecules adding to the recorded radiation. So much it is conflagrated mess to identify individually. Without the ALMA observatory that can identify the narrowest spectra lines, the lab works to identify the elemental signatures relevant to propanol isomers detected in interstellar space. Discovering molecules linked closely like normal propanol and iso-propanol and the amount occurring in space. Giving scientists a means to examine these chemical reactions that made them. Investigations to know more about interstellar molecules in Sgr B2 to know more about how it relates to stellar formation. ALMA has also discovered the organic molecules isopropyl cyanide, N-methylformamide, and urea. Karl Menten stressed that many spectral lines of Sqr B2 in the ALMA are still unknown. The largest alcohol molecule, propanol, exists in a star formation like hydrogen; but more mysteries of the process involve more study. Related Article: Supermassive Blackhole Spins So Slow it Baffles Scientists; Possible Reasons Explained @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An optimized ERTC application process launched by ScottHall.co is helping small to medium-sized business owners claim their maximum allowable tax rebates for 2020 and 2021. New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 4, 2022) - With the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) program officially ended, ScottHall.co has launched a new optimized application process to help small business owners claim their tax rebates. The program is open to all businesses with 500 or fewer full-time employees, including non-profit organizations. To learn more about ERTC eligibility, or to begin a claim, please visit https://scotthall.co/employee-retention-tax-credit ERTC Tax Rebate Application Service For SMBs & Startups To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/129887_4e3d6f49946c9938_001full.jpg The updated application process factors in several amendments that have been made to the program since its creation, to help employers maximize their rebates. Eligible employers who kept staff on the payroll throughout the pandemic can use the application to claim up to $26,000 per employee. Companies that have already received a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) can also benefit from the optimized application since amendments made in the Consolidated Appropriations Act made those businesses eligible for tax credits as well. Unlike PPP loans, tax credits claimed through the ScottHall.co are not loans, require no repayment, and have no restrictions on how they can be spent. To begin an application, employers can take a no-cost, no-obligation eligibility test on the ScottHall.co website. The new secure assessment takes approximately 60 seconds to complete and does not require any proprietary information about the company. After completing the assessment, employers can request a consultation with an ERTC expert to learn how much they may be eligible for in tax credits. If business owners choose to complete a claim using the ScottHall.co's new application service, they will be given a link to a secure server where they can upload documents to the ERTC team. Companies will be asked to provide their raw payroll data, 941 returns, and if they have also enrolled in the PPP, their PPP loan documents. The ERTC team with use this information to complete their claim, and maximize their rebate. New businesses founded since the pandemic can also use the optimized application process to claim up to $100,000, as a Recovery Startup Business. The ERTC team specializes in completing claims quickly and with the maximum allowable rebates, so employers can file their claims before funding for the ERTC program runs out. For more information about the ERTC program and how to calculate a rebate, please visit https://scotthall.co/employee-retention-credit-what-you-need-to-know Contact Info: Name: Scott Hall Email: scott@scotthall.co Organization: ScottHall.co Address: 60 West 23rd St. Suite 638, New York, NY 10010, United States Website: https://scotthall.co To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/129887 PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Sanofi Global Health (SNYNF, SNY) announced the launch of Impact, a new brand of standard of care medicines which includes insulin, glibenclamide and oxaliplatin, for distribution in low-income countries. The medicines cover a wide range of therapeutic areas, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, tuberculosis, malaria and cancer. The company also announced the establishment of an Impact fund that will support startup companies and other innovators that can deliver scalable solutions for sustainable healthcare in underserved regions. The fund will provide inclusive businesses financing and technical assistance. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 4, 2022 / Sassy Resources Corporation ("Sassy" or the "Company") (CSE:SASY)(FSE:4E7)(OTCQB:SSYRF) is pleased to provide the following corporate update as the Company mobilizes crews to its 100%-owned Foremore Project in Northwest B.C.'s prolific Eskay Camp to commence drilling at the Westmore Gold Discovery. Name Change Over the coming weeks, Sassy Resources Corp. will change its name to "Sassy Gold Corp." to better reflect the Company's renewed focus on its flagship Foremore high-grade gold project. Sassy's trading symbols on the CSE, OTCQB and Frankfurt stock exchanges will remain the same, and there will be no changes to the Company's capital structure. "The rebranding of Sassy Resources to Sassy Gold is a natural step given the growing significance of Foremore and our direct exploration opportunity within one of the world's premier gold camps," stated Mr. Mark Scott, Sassy CEO. "Foremore provides exciting and immediate upside potential for shareholders while our long-term value proposition has never been better with our significant equity stake in the Newfoundland Gold Rush (Gander Gold and Galloper Gold) and our investment in MAX Power Mining." Sassy's new website will be unveiled shortly in conjunction with the name change. For now, investors can visit SassyResources.com. Strategic Financing Sassy has arranged a hard dollar private placement of up to $3.2 million driven by several new strategic investors in Canada and Europe. The financing comprises up to 16,410,256 shares at 19.5 cents per share with no warrants. It is expected to be fully subscribed and will close on or about July 8, 2022, subject to final approval by the CSE. Funds will be used for exploration at Foremore and general corporate purposes. "We're delighted at securing new investors to add to an already strong retail following as we enter an exciting new period in the young history of Sassy," stated Mark Scott. "We have carefully managed our share structure over the past two years, allowing us to take advantage of a special opportunity like we have now to ignite our business and market efforts at the right time in the gold cycle." Foremore Drilling Drilling at Foremore will commence during the second half of July and will initially focus on the 4 Amigos Vein where four of the last five drill holes intersected visible gold including 86.4 g/t Au and 41.6 g/t Ag over 0.7 m within a core length of 1.4 m grading 43.2 g/t Au and 20.8 g/t Ag starting just 8.7 meters downhole in WM21-015 (refer to March 3, 2022 news release). 4 Amigos is one of multiple vein structures at Westmore carrying high-grade gold. Gold occurs in quartz veins within the Westmore intrusive and surrounding volcanic rock, elevating the potential of this exciting new target displaying classic Eskay Camp signatures. Mineralization at Westmore extends to a depth of at least 400 meters and remains open in multiple directions. Foremore Project Map Qualified Person The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Ian Fraser, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration for Sassy. Mr. Fraser is the Qualified Person responsible for the scientific and technical information contained herein under National Instrument 43-101 standards. About Sassy Resources Corporation Sassy is an exploration stage resource company currently engaged in the identification, acquisition and exploration of high-grade precious metal and base metal projects in North America. Its focus is the Foremore Project located in the Eskay Camp, Liard Mining Division, in the heart of Northwest B.C.'s prolific Golden Triangle. Sassy is also earning up to a 100% interest in the Highrock Uranium Project in the Key Lake region of Saskatchewan. Sassy also holds significant equity positions in Gander Gold Corp., Galloper Gold Corp., and MAX Power Mining Corp. Contact Information: Mark Scott Chief Executive Officer & Director info@sassyresources.ca Terry Bramhall Corporate Communications/IR 1.604.833.6999 (mobile) 1.604.675.9985 (office) terry.bramhall@sassyresources.ca Michael Adams Managing Director - Star Finance GmbH info@star-finance.eu Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. 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", "continues", "projects", "potential", "budget" and similar expressions, or are events or conditions that "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur or be achieved. This news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to: the closing of the Transaction and the ability for the Transaction to enhance shareholder value. Although the Company believes that the material factors, expectations and assumptions expressed in such forward-looking statements are reasonable based on information available to it on the date such statements are made, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurances that such statements and information will prove to be correct and such statements do not guarantee future performance. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual performance and results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to known and unknown risks, including those set forth in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis (a copy of which can be found under Sassy's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com). Accordingly, readers should not place undue importance or reliance on the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that the list of factors is not exhaustive. Statements, including forward-looking statements, contained in this news release are made as of the date they are given and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect the Company's operations and financial results are included in reports on file with applicable securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Sassy Resources Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/707454/Sassy-Resources-Changing-Name-to-Sassy-Gold-Renewed-Focus-On-Eskay-Camp-Foremore-Project Affidea reaches 327 centres at European level, seeing up to almost 12 million patients per year The Affidea Group announces today the acquisition of Clinica Nuno Alvares and Clinica de Santa Mafalda in Portugal , two Phoenix medical centres in Deva and Alba Iulia, Romania and 3 centres in Spain - the polyclinics Infanta Mercedes Medical Centre, El Mirador Polyclinic and Colmenar Viejo Radiodiagnosis , two medical centres in Deva and Alba Iulia, and 3 centres in - the polyclinics Infanta Mercedes Medical Centre, El Mirador Polyclinic and Colmenar Viejo Radiodiagnosis Since 2018 the Company has grown its revenues by a CAGR of 16% and completed 30 acquisitions with 110 new centres added to its network. THE HAGUE, Netherlands, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Affidea Group announces today strategic acquisitions in three countries - Spain, Portugal and Romania - adding 7 new centres to its network and reaching 327 centres at European level, as part of its growth strategy. In Portugal, Affidea announces the acquisition of Clinica Nuno Alvares and Clinica de Santa Mafalda, two important providers of advanced diagnostics and outpatient services in the municipality of Almada, greater Lisbon area. Clinica Nuno Alvares, located in the centre of Almada, has been an important healthcare provider in the city for over 30 years, offering a wide spectrum of medical consultations, clinical analyses and diagnostics exams. Likewise, Santa Mafalda Clinic, located in the centre of Costa Caparica, has for over 30 years provided a wide range of consultations in more than 25 clinical specialties and blood analysis. With this acquisition, Affidea Portugal reaches 19 clinics at country level, 3 laboratories and more than 300 blood collection points. In Spain, the acquisition of the polyclinics Infanta Mercedes Medical Centre, El Mirador Polyclinic and Colmenar Viejo Radiodiagnosis brings to Affidea patients, in addition to Diagnostic Imaging, a wide range of over 25 specialty consultations. The centres collaborate with more than 30 medical societies, several clinical analysis laboratories, and serve both publicly and privately funded patients. The Infanta Mercedes Medical Centre is located in one of the busiest business and residential areas of Madrid, operating in the market since 1990, while the other two centres, El Mirador Polyclinic and Colmenar Viejo Radiodiagnosis, are located in the north of Madrid and have been operating since 2011. With this acquisition, Affidea Spain reaches 40 clinics at country level. In Romania, with the acquisition of 2 Phoenix medical centres in Deva and Alba Iulia, the Affidea Romania network will increase to 38 centres. The two clinics provide medical imaging services (MRI, CT, Dexa), as well as consultations in various medical specialties. With these additions, the Affidea network reaches 327 centres at European level, working with over 11,000 professionals and seeing almost 12 million patients every year. Giuseppe Recchi, CEO Affidea Group, commented: "I am very proud of how successful we have been in pursuing our mission to be the diagnostic imaging service provider of choice for our patients, doctors and payors. We have reached a unique position as the leading pan-European diagnostic imaging provider, having expanded our scale, and being in the top 3 providers in every country where we operate. We select clinics that can complement our portfolio with their strong local reputation, medical offering and clinical specialities, which extend and strengthen our scope. Demand for quality health services is growing visibly stronger, and at Affidea, we are committed to meeting this demand, keeping at core what differentiates us - clinical excellence, state-of-the-art technology and an amazing network of over 11,000 professionals, of which 7,500 are clinical staff." In June this year, Affidea was awarded the Diagnostic Provider of the Year Award at the HealthInvestor Awards 2022. In the past 5 years, Affidea has added almost 110 centres to its network, almost doubling the size of the Group. In 2022 alone, the company has expanded in 6 countries of its operations, starting in Italy with the acquisition of Promea, a reputable outpatient provider in Piedmont, followed by an outpatient clinic in Lithuania, the Brust Zentrum Zurich centre in Switzerland, Tecma Clinic, a renowned outpatient medical provider in Valencia, Spain and the three most recent ones in Portugal, Spain and Romania. About Affidea Group Affidea Group (www.affidea.com) is Europe's largest provider of advanced imaging, outpatient and cancer treatment services. Founded in 1991, the company has 327 medical centres in 15 countries, advanced diagnostics, outpatient and cancer care services for more than 11 million patients annually. Due to its high standards in patient safety, Affidea is the most awarded provider of medical imaging services in Europe. More than half of the award-winning centres with 5-stars on the Eurosafe Wall of Stars, accredited by the European Society of Radiology in Europe, are Affidea centres. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/942742/Affidea_Group_Logo.jpg CHICAGO, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a research report 'Manufacturing Execution Systems Market by Offering (Software, Services), Deployment (On-premises, On-demand, Hybrid), Process Industry (Oil & Gas, Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences), Discrete Industry (Automotive, Aerospace) - Global Forecast to 2027,' published by MarketsandMarkets, the global Manufacturing Execution Systems Market size is expected to grow from USD 13.0 billion in 2022 to USD 20.0 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 9.0%. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=536 The use of hybrid deployment type for manufacturing execution systems market and an inclination towards services to fuel the growth of manufacturing execution systems market. China accounted for largest share of the manufacturing execution systems market in 2021. The growing awareness in China about the benefits of scheduling, control, and tracking of shop floor production processes through MES software is driving the growth of this market. The efforts taken by government agencies and the manufacturing sector are supporting the growth of the MES market in China. The medical devices industry is projected to hold the largest share of the manufacturing execution systems market for hybrid deployment in 2022. Hybrid deployed manufacturing execution systems are widely used by medical devices manufacturers and parts suppliers for enhanced production capabilities and to provide accuracy at a lower cost. The market for the medical devices industry is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Browse in-depth TOC on 'Manufacturing Execution Systems Market' 187 - Tables 67 - Figures 226 - Pages Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=536 Manufacturing execution systems market in North America for aerospace industry is expected to contribute largest share in 2022 Increasing investments in the aerospace industry and government support are increasing the need for high-quality equipment for military and commercial purposes. This is supporting the growth of the aerospace segment in North America. Therefore, market in North America for aerospace industry is expected to contribute largest share in 2022. Major players in manufacturing execution systems market Siemens (US), Rockwell Automation(US), SAP(US), Dassault Systemes(France) and Honeywell International(US). Related Reports: Industrial Control & Factory Automation Market by Solution (SCADA, PLC, DCS, MES, Industrial Safety, PAM), Component (Industrial Robots, Industrial 3D Printing, Process Analyzer, Machine Vision, HMI), Industry, Region (2021-2026) Plant Asset Management Market (PAM) by Offering (Software and Services), Deployment Mode (Cloud-based and On Premises), Asset Type (Production Assets and Automation Assets), End-user Industry (Process and Discrete), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2024 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/manufacturing-execution-systems-mes-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/mes.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg Amethyste, ArianeGroup, Cetim, HDF Energy, Rubis Terminal and Sofresid engineering have teamed up to develop the multi-service power barge ELEMANTA H2, designed to supply electricity and hydrogen to large ships, reducing their polluting emissions by more than 80% during port calls. Rouen, July the 4th of July 2022 - The partners of the ELEMANTA H2 project announce the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deploy mobile solutions providing, from green or low-carbon hydrogen, cold ironing services in addition to the electrical grid, for container ships, cruise ships or tankers. ELEMANTA H2 will also enable hydrogen bunkering to meet the refueling needs of future hydrogen powered ships. This collaboration of French experts aims to valorize skills and know how in various fields, from naval architecture to hydrogen technologies, from the management of port infrastructures to the development of industrial asset integrity management software. Decarbonization of the maritime sector Maritime transport accounted for 13.5% of total EU greenhouse gas emissions in 2018. Almost 77% of European external trade and 35% of EU internal trade is carried out by sea or river[1]. In order to reach the European Commission's target of a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030[2], the maritime and inland waterway transport sector must accelerate its energy transition. ELEMANTA H2 aims to contribute to the decarbonization of port activities. A synergy driven by French players The partners have identified the River Port of Rouen and more specifically the Rubis Terminal as a pioneer site, as it is strategically located between the Grand Port Maritime du Havre and the ports of Paris. With the support of Normandie Energies and the port operator HAROPA, a demonstration barge will integrate a multi-MW hydrogen fuel cell system manufactured in France, by HDF Energy. In addition, a high-pressure green hydrogen storage system will cover the need for autonomy during port calls. Sofresid Engineering will carry out the architecture and the integration of the equipment of the barge, which will be mobile to move as close as possible to the need and maximize its utilization rate. A risk analysis based on innovative tools will be covered by Amethyste. Finally, Cetim will take in charge the quantification of the environmental gains brought by this zero-emission power-barge solution. An ambitious project labeled by the Pole Mer Bretagne Atlantique The ELEMANTA H2 demonstrator offers a low-carbon alternative to diesel generators that currently power these ships at berth, reducing CO 2 emissions by more than 85% and all nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO) emissions during port calls. The power barge will be commissioned in 2025 for a 20-year operating period. The ELEMANTA H2 Rouen project, approved in April 2022 by the Pole Mer Bretagne Atlantique, has been selected by the call for expression of interest Corimer 2022 launched by BPI France. The ELEMANTA H2 power-barge of tomorrow The partners' objective is to standardize and replicate this solution, with higher power levels, in the main European ports, which will thus become part of future major hydrogen hub projects. In the long term, the use of liquid hydrogen or the addition of hydrogen bunkering services, a skill provided by ArianeGroup, could significantly increase the quantity of energy on board to offer a better service. Finally, the use of locally produced hydrogen reduces the impact of the volatility of the international fossil fuel markets and thus strengthens French energy sovereignty and the resilience of these activities. Agnes Gaillard, President of Amethyste: "Amethyste is delighted to be a partner in this project with strong human and environmental values. Amethyste's expertise in digital integrity management will enable the Elemanta H2 partners to share the same reference system with risk management at the heart of the construction and operation of the barge". Arnaud Hibert, hydrogen technology sales manager at ArianeGroup: "With more than 40 years of experience with Ariane rockets, which onboard systems and infrastructures use liquid hydrogen, ArianeGroup will support the evolution of the ELEMANTA concept towards higher power applications and an additional bunkering service". Christophe Champenois, Major H2 project manager of CETIM: "With its HyMEET project, the CETIM puts its mechanical expertise at the service of the hydrogen sector to accelerate the decarbonization of industry and heavy mobility. CETIM's contribution to the ELEMANTA H2 project through the risk's analysis and life cycle assessment of this demonstrator for the maritime and river sector is an outstanding illustration of this". Damien Havard, President of HDF Energy: "HDF is proud to bring its expertise in hydrogen technologies for the development of the Elemanta H2 barge. Thanks to its high-power fuel cell mass production plant, HDF has solutions adapted to the major challenges of the maritime sector decarbonization". Stephane Simon, Director Rubis Terminal Rouen: "Rubis Terminal acts for the development of the energy infrastructure of tomorrow. Mobile, flexible and responsive solutions such as Elemanta H2 are concrete and technically achievable options in the short term for which we are committed". Stephane Lotode, Director of the Green Energy branch at SOFRESID ENGINEERING, French subsidiary of SAIPEM: "In 2019, SOFRESID ENGINEERING won an innovation award for its ELEMANTA concept, the result of our expertise in the naval and energy fields. Today, we are proud to present its natural evolution: ELEMANTA H2 POWER BARGE, a modular solution for the decarbonization of the maritime and waterway sectors". [1] Source: European Environment Agency [2] Announcement by Ursula Von Der Leyen, President of the European Commission, during her inauguration speech ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: l5pulpdml2vFyG9pYZhtaGNmZ5dmxGWZl5XGmpZuZJqbb2xil25qmsrGZnBmmGZt - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-75317-press-release-elemanta-h2_eng-version.pdf Press release Invibes Advertising continues its international expansion with the opening of two offices in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) London, July 4, 2022 - Invibes Advertising, an advanced technology company specialising in digital advertising, announces the opening of two new offices in Warsaw, Poland and Prague, Czech Republic. Following the opening of 6 countries in 2021 (Belgium, the Netherlands, the Nordic countries, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates), Invibes Advertising is continuing its strong international expansion by establishing itself in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Ewelina Kluz has been appointed Country Director of Invibes CEE and will head the Warsaw office in Poland. Ewelina has over 14 years' experience in the field of public relations and media. Prior to joining Invibes Advertising, she was Sales Team Manager for 8 years at Burda - one of the leading German media groups, where she oversaw the Lifestyle and Luxury segments for Poland. Before that time, Ewelina worked as a PR consultant for brands in the retail, fashion, and beauty sectors. Petr Mares is appointed as the Commercial Director of the Prague office in the Czech Republic. Petr has over 14 years of experience in marketing, media, and technology. Prior to joining Invibes Advertising, he held the position of Media Strategist & Trading Director for Visibility Digital the independent digital marketing agency. Previously, Petr worked as a Business Development Director at Adexpres part of the Dentsu communications group before was Business Director at H1.cz leading performance marketing agency, part of GroupM. Ewelina Kluz, Country Director of Invibes CEE, says: "I am very excited to join Invibes Advertising in this pivotal role, and very much looking forward to building out and working with the teams in Central and Eastern Europe - I firmly believe we are one of the key players that will revolutionise the future of advertising." Petr Mares, Commercial Director for the Czech Republic, added: "I am very excited to join Invibes Advertising and to be part of its international development.I strongly believe that Invibes will very soon be the globaltop-of-mind advertising technology." Nicolas Pollet and Kris Vlaemynck, co-founders of Invibes Advertising, add: "We are delighted to welcome both Ewelina and Petr to the team. Central and Eastern Europe is a market with great potential where we have strong ambitions. Its launch is part of the ambitious growth roadmap announced earlier this year. Ewelina's and Petr's strong experience and expertise in the media sector will be key to accelerating our development throughout the region. About Invibes Advertising Invibes Advertising is an advanced technology company specialising in digital advertising. Its innovative solutions are based on an in-feed format, integrated into media content. Invibes is inspired by social media advertising and develops its own technology to help brands better communicate with consumers. Its technology is optimised for delivery on a closed network of media groups, including Bertelsmann, Hearst, Unify, Groupe Marie Claire, Axel Springer, and many others. Clients include major brands such as Mercedes, Samsung, Levi's, and IBM. Founded in 2011, Invibes Advertising is a listed company on Euronext Growth Paris (Ticker: ALINV - ISIN: BE0974299316). Visit www.invibes.com for more information. Find our latest press releases on: https://www.invibes.com/uk/en/investors.html Follow live the latest news from Invibes Advertising: LinkedIn @Invibes AdvertisingTwitter @Invibes_adv Financial & Corporate Contacts: Audrey Mela, VP Investor Relations audr e y.mela@invibes.com Attachment Weiss Korea Opportunity Fund - Notice of AGM NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND OR SOUTH AFRICA OR TO U.S PERSONS Weiss Korea Opportunity Fund Ltd. (The "Company") (a closed-ended investment scheme incorporated with limited liability under the law of Guernsey with registration number 56535) LEI Number: 213800GXKGJVWN3BF511 4 July 2022 NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at the offices of Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited, Trafalgar Court, Les Banques, St Peter Port, Guernsey on 21 July 2022 at 1pm. The Notice of AGM together with the Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2021 have been posted to shareholders. The Notice of Annual General Meeting and accounts are available from the Company's registered office and can be downloaded from its website: www.weisskoreaopportunityfund.com. Hard copy forms of proxy should be requested from the Company Registrar, Link Asset Services. Enquiries: Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited The Company Secretary Trafalgar Court Les Banques St Peter Port Guernsey GY1 3QL Tel: 01481 745001 END Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 4, 2022) - StraightUp Resources Inc. (CSE: ST) (OTCQB: STUPF) ("StraightUp" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has paid its 3rd Option cash payment to Bounty Gold Corporation. Under the agreement, the Company is required to make cash payments over 4 years for an aggregate amount of CDN $150,000 for its flagship properties, including the RLX North, RLX South and Belanger Projects, located within the Red Lake Mining District of Ontario. Under the Option Agreement, the Company is also required over the same period to issue shares with an aggregate value of CDN $300,000. In furtherance supporting the Company's flagship properties, StraightUp Resources is excited to report that the geological interpretation has been completed by Orix Geoscience Inc. Orix has compiled over 40 years of exploration expenditures on the RLX claims and provided insight and guidance towards future work and resource analysis on the project. This data from Orix will be released in the coming weeks as the Company's geological team completes its review. Commentary: President and Director, Mark Brezer, says, "The RLX Gold Project is our flagship property and continues to be the Company's primary focus. This new report will be pivotal, illustrating the complexities of a landscape with tremendous potential. The RLX Property neighbours the former Great Bear Resources' Sobel Project and lies just 20 kilometers north of their tremendous discovery at Dixie." Additional News: The Company would like to thank Rod Husband for his lead role and efforts this year. His resignation as CEO has been accepted and management expresses the best luck in future endeavours. About StraightUp Resources: StraightUp is engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets in Canada. Its objective is to locate and develop economic, precious and base metal properties of merit. StraightUp intends to conduct exploration on the RLX North, RLX South, Belanger and the Ferdinand Gold Properties, all located in the Red Lake Mining Division as well as the recently acquired Bear Head Gold Project, located within the Meen-Dempster Greenstone Belt of the Uchi Subprovince, approximately 80km west of the Pickle Lake Gold Camp. The Company's recently acquired West Cat Mine includes an Unpatented Mining Claim on Federal Land, located in the Historic Beatty Mountain Nevada Mining District / Nye County Nevada about 15 km east of US-95, approximately 20 km from Beatty, Nevada at the base of the Bare Mountain Range. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Mark Brezer, President and Director For further information, please contact: Mark Brezer President and Director (604) 989-6275 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 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/129923 West Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 4, 2022) - Magnum Goldcorp Inc. (TSXV: MGI) (the "Company" or "Magnum") announces that further to its news release of May 30, 2022, the Company has completed a diamond drill program on its LH Property, located near Silverton, British Columbia. Earlier this year, Magnum received a 2-year Multi-Year Area Based (MYAB) work permit for its LH Property, issued by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. The Company initiated a diamond drill program to further explore its LH Property, more specifically, the area immediately surrounding the LH Underground Workings and a prominent magnetic anomaly slightly to the south. The program was initiated once snow conditions and weather conditions facilitated access as a water exemption in the permit required drilling be completed by June 30. The drill program continued evaluation of an interpreted structurally controlled, pyrrhotite-bearing alteration and mineralization zone, interpreted to comprise, in part, multiple en echelon veins identified in both underground workings and previous drilling (see News Releases dated Nov. 25, 2019, Feb 8, 2018, Aug. 18, 2015). Highly anomalous gold results, up to 20.76 g/t over 11.0 m, were documented in the 2015 drill program from a total of 11 drill holes drilled at a shallow to moderate angle to the vein system. A follow-up program in 2017, comprising 5 holes drilled at a moderate to high angle to the vein system, documented slightly lower gold grades, up to 1.59 g/t over 11.97 m. A third drill program in 2019, comprising 4 drill holes drilled at a moderate to high angle to the vein system, returned up to 5.15 g/t over 5.58 m. True widths for mineralized intervals documented to date vary between approximately 0.5 to 9.00 m for sulphide-bearing intervals. The pyrrhotite-bearing mineralized zone(s) return strong magnetic signatures, spatially associated with the underground workings, as well documented by the 2015 drill intercepts. Drill intercepts from 2017 and 2019 are associated with less intense magnetic signatures and were interpreted to have tested a pyrrhotite mineralized halo, rather than the mineralized system itself. Given a strong correlation between pyrrhotite content and gold grade, magnetic highs were interpreted to represent gold-bearing zones within the mineralized system and comprised the targets for the 2022 drill program. A total of 7 holes, totaling 1,248 m, were completed from 2 pads, one 47 m north of the underground workings, intended to testy the down-dip extension of the mineralized system with depth, and the second 160 m south of the underground workings, intended to test a prominent magnetic lobe extending northwest from a larger magnetic anomaly to the underground workings. Hole Pad Azimuth Inclination Depth (m) LH 22-50 1 170 -47 120.3 LH 22-51 1 170 -70 90.3 LH 22-52 1 140 -47 90.8 LH 22-53 2 330 -55 251 LH 22-54 2 334 -51 215.4 LH 22-55 2 338 -48 250 LH 22-56 2 170 -45 230.4 Samples taken will be submitted for analysis shortly, however, numerous mineralized intercepts, comprising elevated to, locally, semi-massive to massive pyrrhotite and/or arsenopyrite mineralization were identified in 5 of the holes. Elevated pyrrhotite arsenopyrite content is evident in many locations in the core from all holes, comprising disseminated pyrrhotite arsenopyrite in select intervals (interpreted as pseudomorphs of mafic minerals in the matrix), irregularly shaped clots, short discontinuous veinlets to stringers of pyrrhotite and/or arsenopyrite, black chlorite + pyrrhotite veinlets and, semi-massive to massive pyrrhotite and/or arsenopyrite mineralization. Although no analyses are available at this time, the following summary of mineralized intercepts provides a qualitative indication of the extent of mineralization and, in several instances, the significant width of mineralized intercepts (note: true width not known at this time). Hole Pad Mineralization Intercepts LH 22-50 1 2 short mineralized intercepts < 1.5 m each LH 22-52 1 1 long, 2 short mineralized intercepts 30.80 - 33.80 m (3.0 m) 43.05 - 68.00 m (24.95 m) LH 22-53 2 1 long, 5 short mineralized intercepts 33.22 - 41.56 m (8.34 m) LH 22-55 2 1 long, 2 short mineralized intercepts 205.54 - 244.62 m (39.08 m) LH 22-56 2 3 long, 1 short mineralized intercepts 10.94 - 14.75 m (3.81 m) 24.45 - 30.22 m (5.77 m) 215.50 - 226.03 m (10.53 m) Notes:1) "Short" intervals are generally less than 2 m width, "long" intervals are greater than 3.0 m width, 2) many of the widths tabulated include weakly mineralized to background samples at both end of a given interval, and 3) the intervals sampled are of intermediate grade (visually) overall, however, many include short, high- to very high-grade intercepts (i.e. semi-massive to massive mineralization). From previous drilling, there is a strong correlation interpreted between pyrrhotite abundance and strongly elevated to highly anomalous gold values. In addition, arsenopyrite is often a pathfinder for gold mineralization. Therefore, intervals of strongly elevated to semi-massive to massive pyrrhotite and/or arsenopyrite mineralization is expected to return strongly elevated to highly anomalous gold values from this year's drilling. The LH Property is a gold exploration property consisting of 19 contiguous crown granted claims and 7 mineral claims, located approximately 7 km south of Silverton, British Columbia, on the east side of Slocan Lake. Access to the LH Property is via Highway 6 for 1.1 km south of Silverton and then via Red Mountain Road for 1.6 km. Follow to the Hewitt Mine Road for approximately 3 km to the Branch 200 Road. The Branch 200 road and, subsequently, the old mine road can be utilized by ATVs for approximately 4 km into the upper Fingland Creek drainage. For further information visit the Company's website at www.magnumgoldcorp.com. Magnum Goldcorp Inc. "Douglas L. Mason" _______________________________________ Douglas L. Mason, Chief Executive Officer Contact: info@waterfrontgroup.com Tel 604.922.2030 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, that address such matters, including obtaining a work permit and exploration of the LH Property and the intended use of the proceeds of the private placement, are forward-looking statements and, as such, are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which are beyond he reasonable control of the Company. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, this forward-looking information. Any forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The information contained herein is stated as of the current date and subject to change after that date and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to the account or benefit of a U.S. person absent an exemption from the registration requirements of such Act. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/129925 Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have opted to lift economic and financial sanctions imposed on Mali, a region led by its military after rulers proposed a 24-month transition to democracy and published a new electoral law. It was in January when the bloc imposed stiff sanctions on Mali after the region's military government said it would not organize democratic elections the following month as initially planned. During a news conference on Sunday, ECOWAS Commission President Jean Claude Kassi Brou said that the sanctions would be lifted immediately. Mali Sanctions However, he added that the heads of state decided to maintain individual sanctions and noted that the suspension of Mali from ECOWAS will be maintained until the return to constitutional rule. The aforementioned individual sanctions targeted members of the ruling military government and the transitional council. The economic and financial sanctions crippled Mali's economy, raising humanitarian concerns amid widespread suffering. The region has defaulted on more than $300 million of its debt due to the sanctions, which cut it off from the regional financial market and the regional central bank, as per Aljazeera. Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, the ECOWAS mediator in Mali, visited the country last week. A member of the official's entourage said that the region had made "enormous progress." Read Also: Germany Pushes Back Against Western Efforts To Cancel Out Russian Culture as Part of Sanctions Mali's top diplomat, Abdoulaye Diop said on Friday that the recent political developments were moving the country towards a lifting of the crippling sanctions. Leaders of the ECOWAS had gathered to assess efforts to secure timetables and other guarantees for restoring civilian rule in Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso. According to KION546, while Mali and Burkina Faso had all of their economic and financial sanctions lifted, the same was done for Guinea. This is because ECOWAS leaders said that they received no acceptable roadmap toward elections. Violence in the Region The situation comes after Guinea actually submitted a proposal for a three-year transition to ECOWAS leaders. However, this was rejected and the latter required the former's junta to propose a new timeline by the end of July or face economic sanctions. The political upheaval in the regions came as many observers started to believe that military power grabs were a thing of the past in West Africa. The region is an increasingly restive one that also faces growing danger from Islamic extremist fighters. Some regional leaders who spoke at Accra's one-day summit urged action as armed groups continue to expand their footprint in the region. Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo said that the terrorist attacks were now focusing on the Sahel and expanding to the coastal states in the region. The official argued that it was imperative to continue to implement their regional action plan against terrorism and to coordinate various security initiatives. The region also recorded a total of 3,500 deaths from the 1,600 extremist attacks targeting countries, including Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria in the first half of 2022. Attacks in Burkina Faso were blamed on Islamic extremist fighters continue to be on the rise as gunmen killed at least 55 people in the country's northern Seno province last month, ABC News reported. Related Article: Ukraine War: Russia Captures Lysychansk as Ukrainian Troops Withdraw; President Volodymyr Zelensky Vows To Regain City @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 4, 2022) - High Fusion Inc. (CSE: FUZN) ("High Fusion" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its financial results for the third quarter ended April 30, 2022. Third Quarter Highlights During the third quarter and nine-month period ended April 30, 2022, the Company achieved sales of $1,294,792 and $4,668,401 respectively compared with $50,753 during the corresponding periods of 2021. This increase was due to the inclusion of the business of OutCo Labs Inc. ("OutCo") acquired in the first quarter of fiscal 2022. With the acquisition of the business of OutCo the Company undertook a review of the costing and valuation of inventory at the main operating subsidiary, Downwind 27 Inc. As a result of this review the Company's work in process at its El Cajon facility has been written down, bringing total value of inventory as at April 30, 2022, to $2.1 million from $4.8 million at the end of the previous quarter. The inventory write down included a revaluation of inventory acquired from the Outco business and required a re-costing of the remaining work in progress inventory. As a result of the inventory re-costing, the third quarter and nine month's cost of sales is lower because it reflects this adjustment. With the acquisition of the business of OutCo the Company experienced significant growth in inventory, capital assets and goodwill. As a result, total assets grew to $20 million as at April 30, 2022, compared with $7.3 million as at July 31, 2021. Total liabilities grew to $16.8 million at April 30, 2022, from $13.4 million at July 31, 2021. This increase in liabilities was primarily due to the addition of a US$2.65 million mortgage note associated with the Mendocino land purchase. Offsetting the growth in liabilities was the conversion of convertible debentures and payables settlement (see below). On February 2, 2022, Neural Therapeutics Inc., a subsidiary of the Company, completed a financing securing gross proceeds of $750,000 by way of a non-brokered private placement of units. As a result of the financing together with settlements of obligations of Neural Therapeutics, this subsidiary became a stand-alone business with High Fusion maintaining a controlling stake. On February 16, 2022, the Company converted all of the August 2019 Secured Convertible Debenture representing principal balance of $1,807,000 plus interest of $20,914. The debentures were converted into 30,465,690 subordinate voting shares of the Company at a revised conversion price of $0.06 per share. On February 16, 2022, the Company settled outstanding loans and payables representing $1,962,605 in exchange for subordinate voting shares of the Company at a price of $0.06 per share. Pursuant to the payables conversion, High Fusion issued 32,710,087 subordinate voting shares, of which, 22,433,569 subordinate voting shares were issued to certain non-arm's length parties to settle $1,346,014 of obligations (see Related Party Transactions Note). On March 4, 2022, the Company entered into a distribution agreement with Punch Edibles which sells to approximately 300 stores throughout California. The Company together with Punch will be working with a defined marketing budget to promote its award-winning OutCo-branded, vape products and is targeting to achieve adoption in approximately 200 dispensaries over the first a year of the agreement. On March 14, 2022, the Company closed a one-year, secured, loan facility in the principal amount of US$472,500 ("Loan Facility"). As part of the Loan Facility, the lenders were issued 2,250,000 subordinate voting share purchase warrants. Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one subordinate voting share of the Company at a price of $.075 and for a period of two years. On March 22, 2022, the Company has cancelled its management contract with East Hill Wellness due to depressed outdoor flower prices and significant waste during the most recent growing season. As a result, management deemed the goodwill as $Nil and has written off $164,905 into the income statement. On April 28, 2022, the Company settled outstanding payables representing $434,524.87 with the issuance of 8,301,637 subordinate voting shares of the Company. Subsequent to the end of the third quarter the company reported the following highlights: On May 31, 2022, the Company signed an agreement to sell its San Diego Natural dispensary in Escondido, California ("SDN") for net proceeds of US$1.6 million. On June 30, 2022, the agreement was terminated. The Company intends to continue to work towards a sale of San Diego Natural. On June 13, 2022, the Company closed a second one-year, secured, loan facility in the principal amount of US$400,000 ("Second Loan Facility"). As part of the Second Loan Facility, the lenders were issued 2,000,000 subordinate voting share purchase warrants. Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one subordinate voting share of the Company at a price of $.05 and for a period of two years. On June 20, 2022, the Company announced the addition of two new directors, Lincoln Fish (CEO Of OutCo Labs Inc.) and Rachel Wright CPA (managing partner of AB FinWright, LLP ). Rachel will also head the audit committee. With these addition Jason Dyck, has resigned from the Company's board. Summary Income Statement Three months ended April 30, 2022 Three months ended April 30, 2021 Nine months ended April 30, 2022 Nine months ended April 30, 2021 Total sales 1,294,792 50,753 4,668,401 50,753 Cost of goods sold ("COGS") (274,777) (81,034) (2,842,987) (81,034) Gross Profit 1,020,014 (30,281) 1,825,414 (30,281) Interest income - 17,605 - 114,160 Operating expenses 1,963,875 2,322,352 7,048,324 3,878,907 Other items 4,100,684 4,496,863 3,036,002 17,201,294 Net loss before tax (5,044,544) (6,831,891) (8,258,912) (20,996,322) Net income (loss) from discontinued operations 19,037 85 19,037 9,771,214 Net comprehensive loss (4,383,189) (6,883,139) (7,679,337) (11,276,880) Income/(Loss) per share (basic) (0.04) (0.15) (0.12) (0.54) Income/(Loss) per share (diluted) (0.04) (0.15) (0.12) (0.54) For the three months and nine months periods ended April 30, 2022, the Company recognized sales of $1,294,792 and $4,668,401 respectively which primarily represents results from the business of OutCo which was acquired in the first quarter of fiscal 2022. With the acquisition of the business of OutCo and as part of the purchase accounting of the business, the Company undertook a review of the costing and valuation of inventory at the main operating subsidiary, Downwind 27 Inc. As a result of this review, some of the oil inventory was written off and the costing was adjusted downwards to reflect a more accurate cost of the oil. Consequently, cost of sales in the third quarter ended April 30, 2022, was reduced by $2,880,285. This includes an adjustment for prior periods cost of sales which was reflected in an adjustment to goodwill during the quarter. This was partially offset by a write down of oil inventory of $1,416,412 bringing total inventory as at April 30, 2022, to $2,117,273 million. As a result, the cost of sales during the three months ended April 30, 2022, is lower. Cost of sales during the three months ended April 30, 2022, was $274,777 compared with $81,034 during same three-month period of the prior year. Also due to the adjustment in cost of sales, gross margin is higher for the quarter ended April 30, 2022, at $1,020,014 compared with $30,281 loss in the third quarter of 2021. Summary Balance Sheet 30-Apr-22 31-Jul-21 Current Assets 4,362,334 1,713,508 Total Assets 19,982,446 7,279,397 Total Liabilities 16,801,181 13,442,017 Shareholder's Equity/(Deficit) 3,181,265 (6,162,620) With the acquisition of the business of OutCo the Company experienced significant growth in inventory, capital assets and goodwill. As a result, total assets grew to $20 million as at April 30, 2022, compared with $7.3 million as at July 31, 2021. Total liabilities grew to $16.8 million at April 30, 2022, from $13.4 million at July 31, 2021. This increase in liabilities was primarily due to the addition of a $3.8 million mortgage note associated with the Mendocino land purchase. This increase was offset by the debenture and payable conversions completed during the quarter. About High Fusion Inc. High Fusion Inc. (formerly Nutritional High International Inc.) is focused on developing and manufacturing branded products in the cannabis industry with a specific focus on flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles and oil extracts for medical and adult recreational use. The Company operates and controls licenses in California, Colorado and Oregon. High Fusion has manufacturing, retail and grow operations in California through its acquisition of the business of OutCo and owns and operates oil extraction and edible manufacturing facilities in Colorado and Oregon. The Company's brand portfolio includes its award winning FLI edibles and vape production addition to the OutCo and Thrive brands recently acquired. The Company's OutCo and Thrive brands in California are distributed through Punch Edibles. For updates on the Company's activities and highlights of the Company's press releases and other media coverage, please visit www.high-fusion.com. For further information, please contact: High Fusion Inc. Robert Wilson, Chief Financial Officer 416-666-4005 Email: rwilson@nutritionalhigh.com Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information: NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR OTC MARKETS GROUP INC., NOR THEIR REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDERS HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements include statements regarding: the upside to the Company from the recent county approval for expansion and receipt of recreational licenses in November of last year; the anticipated growth of wholesale revenues resulting from the distribution agreement with Punch Edibles; the improvement in revenues and statements regarding the development of the Company's business. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. This forward-looking information reflects the Company's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to the Company and on assumptions the Company believes are reasonable. These assumptions include but are not limited to: the ability of the Company to successfully execute its business plans; legal changes relating to the cannabis and psychedelic industries proceeding as anticipated; and the Company's continued response and ability to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic being consistent with, or better than, its ability and response to date. The Company's securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. Persons", as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. 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 the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; the actual results of the Company's future operations; competition; changes in legislation affecting the Company; obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals including acquiring and renewing U.S. state, local or other licenses, the uncertainty of existing protection from U.S. federal or other prosecution, regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. state-law legalization, market and general economic conditions of the cannabis sector or otherwise; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals; risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic including various recommendations, orders and measures of governmental authorities to try to limit the pandemic, including travel restrictions, border closures, non-essential business closures, service disruptions, quarantines, self-isolations, shelters-in-place and social distancing, disruptions to markets, economic activity, financing, supply chains and sales channels, and a deterioration of general economic conditions including a possible national or global recession; and a deterioration of financial markets that could limit the Company's ability to obtain external financing. A description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in the Company's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this press release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this press release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. However, the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/129921 Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - July 4, 2022) - Trican Well Service Ltd. (TSX: TCW) ("Trican" or the "Company") intends to release its Second Quarter 2022 results on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 after the close of the market. The Company will host a conference call on Wednesday July 27, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. MT (12:00 p.m. ET) to discuss its results for the Second Quarter 2022. To listen to the webcast of the conference call, please enter the following URL in your web browser: https://www.gowebcasting.com/11833. You can also visit the "Investors" section of our website at www.tricanwellservice.com/investors and click on "Reports". To participate in the Q&A session, please call the conference call operator at 1-800-319-4610 (North America) or 1-403-351-0324 (outside North America) 10 minutes prior to the call's start time and ask for the "Trican Well Service Ltd. Second Quarter 2022 Earnings Results Conference Call." The conference call will be archived on Trican's website at www.tricanwellservice.com/investors. ABOUT TRICAN Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Trican supplies oil and natural gas well servicing equipment and solutions to our customers through the drilling, completion, and production cycles. Our team of technical experts provide state of the art equipment, engineering support, reservoir expertise and laboratory services through the delivery of hydraulic fracturing, cementing, coiled tubing, nitrogen services and chemical sales for the oil and gas industry in Western Canada. Trican is the largest pressure pumping service company in Canada. Requests for further information should be directed to: Brad Fedora President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Matson Chief Financial Officer Phone: (403) 266-0202 Fax: (403) 237-7716 2900, 645 - 7th Avenue S.W. Calgary, Alberta T2P 4G8 Please visit our website at www.tricanwellservice.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/129932 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 4, 2022) - LevelJump Healthcare Corp. (TSXV: JUMP) (OTCQB: JMPHF) (FSE: 75J) ("LevelJump" or the "Company"), a Canadian leader in B2B telehealth solutions, is very pleased to announce that, further to its news releases of April 6th, 2022, it has now completed and closed a non-brokered private placement financing. In connection with the private placement, the Company has issued a total of 5,858,334 units for aggregate gross proceeds of $877,000.15 at a price of $0.15 per unit (a "Unit"). Each Unit consists of one common share of Leveljump and one common share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one additional common share of Leveljump at an exercise price of $0.20 for a period until January 31, 2024. The net proceeds from the financing will be used towards acquisitions and for general working capital purposes. All securities issued pursuant to this financing will be subject to resale restrictions for a period of four months and one day from closing under applicable securities legislation. About LevelJump Healthcare LevelJump Healthcare Corp., (TSXV: JUMP) is building a national telehealth medical company and brand, currently by providing teleradiology (remote radiology) services to its client hospitals and imaging centers. Additionally, JUMP owns and operates independent healthcare facilities (IHF's) focused on diagnostic imaging. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LEVELJUMP HEALTHCARE CORP. Mitchell Geisler, Chief Executive Officer info@leveljumphealthcare.com (833) 840-2020 CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the Company's business plans and the outlook of the Company's industry. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and the Company assumes no responsibility to update them or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances other than as required by applicable securities laws. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of the Company, Canadian Teleradiology Services, Inc., their securities, or their respective financial or operating results (as applicable). Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The securities being offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor in any other jurisdiction. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/129937 Ermium Therapeutics, a Paris, France-based biotech company, raised 6.3M in funding, bringing total funding to date to 12.3m. The round was led by Kurma Partners and Fountain Healthcare Partners. The company intends to use them funds to reach the milestones of drug candidate selection, extend the non-clinical development package, and drive continued efforts on the pharmacological package in support of the early clinical development program in SLE and other auto-immune diseases. founded in June 2019 by Dr Jean-Philippe Herbeuval (CNRS Universite Paris Cite), Kurma Partners, Domain Therapeutics, and Erganeo and led by CEO Joel Crouzet, Ermium Therapeutics is a discovery stage company developing small molecules, orally available, that are aimed at addressing a range of chronic auto-immune diseases, affecting millions of people worldwide, and particularly type I interferon-mediated diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), dermatomyositis, Sjogren syndrome, and monogenic interferonopathies. Its proprietary compounds are intended to be first-in-class acting on a well-known G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), namely the CXCR4 chemokine receptor, via a totally novel mechanism of action. The main property of Ermium CXCR4-targeted functionally selective immunomodulators is to potently abolish the release of type I interferons by immune cells, and also other key inflammatory cytokines. Ermium Therapeutics is based at the Paris Biotech Sante Incubator Accelerator located at the Cochin Hospital in Paris. The company has signed a worldwide exclusive license agreement on intellectual property from the CNRS and the Universite Paris Cite through an agreement with Erganeo. FinSMEs 04/07/2022 On March 26, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Nepali Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka in Kathmandu. Wang Yi stressed, no matter how the international landscape and the domestic situations in the two countries evolve, China will unswervingly pursue friendly policies towards Nepal, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and advance the building of a China-Nepal community with a shared future along the course charted by the leaders of the two countries. Wang Yi expounded on China's "Three Supports" for Nepal. First, China supports Nepal in blazing a development path suited to its national conditions. China's friendly policies are oriented to all parties and factions in Nepal, as well as all the Nepali people. China supports all parties and factions in bearing in mind the fundamental and long-term interests of the Nepali people, conducting inclusive consultation, and making concerted efforts to jointly explore a governance model that is conducive to maintaining political stability, promoting economic growth, and improving people's wellbeing. On the premise of respecting the will of the Nepali side, China is ready to strengthen experience-sharing on state governance. Second, China supports Nepal in pursuing independent domestic and foreign policies. China always holds that all countries, big or small, are equal, and always respects the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries. China believes that the affairs of Nepal should be decided by the Nepali people themselves. China opposes attempts to undermine Nepal's sovereignty and independence, interfere in Nepal's internal affairs, and play geopolitical games in Nepal. Nepal should become a shining example of cooperation between China and South Asia. China is glad to see Nepal develop amicable relations with all countries and play a bigger role in regional and international affairs. Third, China supports Nepal in participating in Belt and Road cooperation to a greater extent. The past several years witnessed gratifying progress in Belt and Road cooperation between the two countries, which has significantly boosted Nepal's national construction. China is ready to advance the key cooperation projects between the two sides at a faster pace, ensure the smooth running of land ports between the two countries, explore cross-border cooperation in electricity, diversify and expand channels for economic, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and build the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network to make the Himalayas a bond of friendly cooperation between the two countries. China is ready to help Nepal leverage its strengths in human resources, geographical location and natural ecosystem, share the opportunities brought by China, and speed up its development and revitalization. On June 8, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the third "China+Central Asia" (C+C5) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Nur-Sultan, which was chaired by Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi and attended by Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev, Tajik Minister of Transport Azim Ibrohim, and Uzbek Acting Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov. Wang Yi said that two years ago, the mechanism for the C+C5 foreign ministers' meeting was established. Over the past two years, we have worked together to fight the pandemic, focus on economic recovery and promote regional stability, achieving tangible results. At the beginning of this year, the heads of state of the six countries jointly announced the building of a China-Central Asia community with a shared future, charting the course for cooperation among the six countries and ushering the China-Central Asia relations into a new era. Wang Yi said, currently, as the once-in-a-century changes and pandemic as well as the Ukraine crisis continue to wreak havoc on the international political, economic and security systems, the world finds itself in a new period of turbulence and transformation. Facing a world of chaos and changes, what kind of Central Asia to be built and how to promote relations between China and Central Asian countries are major issues that we must properly resolve. Wang Yi said that China and Central Asia are closely interdependent like lips and teeth, share weal and woe, and have become a community with a shared future moving forward shoulder to shoulder. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China will always firmly support Central Asian countries in safeguarding their sovereignty and independence, pursuing development paths suited to their national conditions and building an independent Central Asia; firmly support Central Asian countries in maintaining political security and social stability and building a peaceful Central Asia; firmly support Central Asian countries in accelerating economic development, improving people's well-being and building a prosperous Central Asia; firmly support Central Asian countries in seeking strength through unity for win-win results and building a cooperative Central Asia. China stands ready to uphold the principles of mutual respect, good-neighborly friendship, solidarity in trying times, mutual benefit and win-win results, strengthen solidarity and coordination with Central Asian countries and work together to build a closer China-Central Asian community with a shared future. Wang Yi put forward five suggestions: First, improve the institutional pillars for cooperation among the six countries. It is of great strategic significance to establish a mechanism for the C+C5 heads of state summit. We should make elaborate preparations and give full play to the leading role of the head of state diplomacy. We should actively carry out exchanges and dialogues in various fields. China will host forums at the sub-national level and on think tanks, industry, investment, economic and trade cooperation to unleash the potential of C+C5 cooperation in an all-round, multi-tiered and multi-dimensional manner. Second, build a robust engine for post-pandemic recovery. We should pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and accelerate the synergy of development strategies. We should actively advance the natural gas pipeline project, ensure the safe operation of major arteries such as the China-Europe freight trains, speed up the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway project, and support the construction of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor. We should expand cooperation in emerging areas and jointly build a digital Silk Road and a green Silk Road. We should explore new cooperation formats in modern agriculture and safeguard agricultural security in the six countries. We should explore ways to promote financial cooperation and further increase the scale of local currency settlements. Third, build a solid fortress for regional peace. We should coordinate efforts to safeguard security in both traditional and non-traditional areas, deepen security cooperation for jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative, and pool efforts to combat the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, drug trafficking, and transnational organized crimes. We should stay united to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and put up multiple lines of defense. We should strengthen cooperation on work safety and disaster management and improve the capacity and level of emergency management. We should continue to make good use of the Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the Afghan Issue Among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan, the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group and other mechanisms. Fourth, explore multiple paths for people-to-people and cultural exchanges. We should promote the establishment of cultural centers in each other's country and carry forward the positive energy of friendship from generation to generation. We should implement the "One Country, One Workshop" plan to cultivate high-quality skilled talents. We should strengthen cooperation and share experience in poverty alleviation. We should step up cooperation in areas such as climate change, biodiversity conservation and environmental protection technology, and jointly build a beautiful homeland where humanity and nature exist in harmony. Fifth, pool positive forces for global governance. We should implement the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative and build a community with a shared future for mankind. We should uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, practice true multilateralism, promote the common values of humanity, and support all countries in safeguarding their core interests. Wang Yi stressed that China will not stop its pace of development and revitalization and will not waver over its resolve to cooperate with other countries. China will continue to be an important contributor to world economic growth and a firm defender of international equity and justice. A developing and prosperous China not only augurs well for the world, but also brings new opportunities for the development of Central Asian countries. All parties spoke highly of the C+C5 cooperation mechanism, saying that China is a good neighbor and partner of the Central Asian countries as well as their largest trade and investment partner. The two sides enjoy strong mutual trust and fruitful cooperation. They thanked China for providing strong support for infrastructure construction, improvement of people's livelihood and connectivity in Central Asian countries, and for taking the lead in helping Central Asian countries fight the pandemic. The relationship between Central Asian countries and China enjoys a solid foundation and broad prospects. Their determination to deepen traditional friendship, consolidate strategic coordination and expand mutually beneficial cooperation has never changed. All parties are ready to jointly implement the important consensus reached by the heads of state of the six countries, tap the potential of the C+C5 cooperation mechanism, and build a Central Asia of peace, friendship, mutual assistance and harmony. Central Asian countries fully support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and the building of a green Silk Road and a digital Silk Road. They look forward to learning from China's successful development experience, so as to help Central Asian countries explore paths of poverty alleviation and development to achieve innovative and sustainable development. In the face of new challenges posed by the current turbulent international situation, all parties expressed their readiness to strengthen bilateral and multilateral coordination, safeguard sovereignty, security and national values, uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, jointly combat the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, safeguard food security and maintain peace, stability and development in the region and Asia. All parties spoke highly of China's constructive role in preventing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, and will jointly devote to promoting peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan. All parties agreed with the establishment of the mechanism for the C+C5 head of states summit, and adopted four outcome documents, including the Joint Statement of China+Central Asia Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the Roadmap for the Implementation of the Consensus Reached at the Virtual Summit between China and Central Asian Countries, the Initiative on Deepening China+Central Asia Connectivity Cooperation, and the Data Security Cooperation Initiative of China+Central Asia. Means of production prices fall in China Xinhua) 13:31, July 04, 2022 BEIJING, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Most of the capital goods monitored by the government posted lower prices in late June compared with mid-June this year, official data showed Monday. Of the 50 major goods monitored by the government, including seamless steel tubes, gasoline, coal, fertilizer, and some agricultural products mainly used for processing, six saw their prices increase, while 40 posted lower prices, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Hog price went up 11.6 percent during the period to 18.3 yuan (2.73 U.S. dollars) per kg. The reading, released every 10 days, is based on a survey of nearly 2,000 wholesalers and distributors in 31 provincial-level regions. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun) Danish police on Monday arrested a man suspected of killing three people and injuring several individuals in a shopping mall gun attack in Copenhagen. The gun attack happened on Sunday inside Field's shopping center in Denmark's capital, per CNN. According to authorities, the suspect, who was heavily armed during the incident, was "known to psychiatric professionals." Soren Thomassen, the chief of police in Copenhagen, disclosed that the lone suspect at this time is a 22-year-old Danish male who was detained in connection with the shooting. There is no evidence that the suspect was working with others, but an investigation is underway, according to the police chief. Authorities said the suspect was armed with a "rifle and ammunition" during the attack. Denmark: Deadly shooting at Copenhagen shopping mall; 3 killed and many injured https://t.co/iedN1VD6gP pic.twitter.com/wBE0iBVOFI Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) July 4, 2022 Thomassen stated in a news conference on Monday that two male and female Danes, both 17 years old, and a Russian citizen, 47 years old, had been killed in the shooting. The police official added other people were injured while fleeing the mall, including two more Danes and two Swedish nationals who had been shot. The victims sustained critical wounds, but they are now in stable condition. Thomassen told journalists there was no evidence the incident was an "act of terror" or motivated by gender, and the victims were likely erratically selected. The police officer stated that the suspect would face manslaughter charges. In a previous statement, the police claimed that they arrested the suspect 13 minutes after receiving the initial emergency call. Horror Caught On Cam Terrifying photographs of the attack have since surfaced as per a Daily Mail report. Images from the incident showed the suspect being led away in handcuffs wearing a white hooded top. Another photo shared on social media showed a man matching his description sitting in the grass under the close watch of armed police. Read Also: Ukraine War: Russia Captures Lysychansk as Ukrainian Troops Withdraw; President Volodymyr Zelensky Vows To Regain City There are concerns that the murderer may be a white supremacist who reportedly backed the Danish far-right, anti-Islamic Hard-Line organization. Earlier today in Copenhagen, Denmark, a 22-year-old opened fire in the Fields mall, killing 3 people & injuring several others. The perpetrator has been arrested & identified as Noah Esbensen. This is now the deadliest mass shooting committed by an individual in Denmark history. pic.twitter.com/jNQe6UT4Uc (@JURYR00M) July 4, 2022 Meanwhile, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Sunday night extended her condolences to the families of the victims of the mall shooting, which she described as a "cruel attack" that is "heartbreaking" and "pointless." In a statement, PM Frederiksen said: "Several were killed, even more, wounded. Innocent families shopping or eating out. Children, young people, and adults... I want to encourage Danish people to stand together and support each other at this difficult time." Danish Royal Family Calls for Unity The Danish royal family encouraged "unity and care" to the public following the horrific incident. Queen Margrethe II, Crown Prince Frederik, and Crown Princess Mary, in a statement, said that their "thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by the tragedy." The mall where the shooting occurred was close to the Royal Arena, where pop superstar Harry Styles will have a sold-out concert. According to a report from DW, the scheduled concert was abruptly canceled following the incident. Styles posted a message on Snapchat regarding the attack. "My team and I pray for everyone involved in the Copenhagen shopping mall shooting. I am shocked. Love H." Related Article: Jamal Khashoggi Murder: US Judge Questions White House's Stand on the Criminal Case Against KSA Prince's Alleged Involvement @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Since 1995, Kevin Ford has worked for Burger King in different capacities. On his 27th year of service in the fast-food's store in Las Vegas, the management decided to reward his service. The 54-year-old received a bag of items that contained a Starbucks cup, a movie ticket, and candy. He uploaded a video thanking his managers for the gifts and his co-employees on his work anniversary, per Fox Business. Kevin Ford's gratitude video went viral on social media, and many users felt he deserved more. Subsequently, Kevin Ford's daughter Seryna set up a GoFundMe page for her father, who worked as a cashier and cook at the burger chain. The campaign has raised no less than $328,000 as of July 4, way above the original target goal of $200. A Dedicated Father On the donation page, Seryna wrote: "The man in that video is my father. He has worked at his job for 27 years and yes, he has never missed a day of work. He originally began working at this job as a single father when he gained custody of me and my older sister 27 years ago." She added that, as their family grew, Ford continued to work for Burger King "because of the amazing health insurance that was provided through this employer because it was unionized." "My dad continues to work there because though he does look young, he is coming up on retirement age, and leaving would cost him his retirement. In no way are we asking for money or is he expecting any money but if anyone feels like blessing him he would love to visit his grandchildren," Seryna stated. Ford was flown to New York to appear on NBC's Today show and was reunited with his grandchildren live on air after his video, and the GoFundMe both went viral, according to a story from Fortune. He was separated from his grandchildren for more than four years. Read Also: Bradley Cooper for US Vice President? Howard Stern Reveals Bold 2024 Presidential Plan Among the roughly 11,000 contributions on GoFundMe is a $5,000 donation from actor David Spade. Spade also privately messaged Ford on Instagram. However, Ford has no intentions to retire or take a day off for a getaway, even with the funds generated by the GoFundMe campaign. For now, he wants to spend the money for the benefit of his family. "You never know, it's day to day but I haven't thought of anything to do with that money except to visit my grandkids for a while and maybe put some up for their college, but I'm not even thinking about that. I'm just working," Ford noted. Burger King Claims It Honors Remarkable Employees According to a report from LADbible, Burger King offers a 'robust employee recognition program.' One spokesperson of the fast-food company told the media outfit that it provides its "many franchisees nationwide" are committed to recognizing the feats of the "thousands" of employees "across a wide range of roles." "Following review with this location's franchisee, we've learned that this video depicts a Team Member in receipt of a peer-to-peer reward in recognition of a short-term positive performance/experience, the spokesperson said. He added that the Burger King joint where Kevin Ford is employed "offers its team members a robust employee recognition program, which includes the recognition of tenure milestones and monetary awards." Related Article: Student Loan Forgiveness: Here's How To Be Eligible for $25 Billion Debt Cancelation! @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Newsweek Reporter Alex Rouhandeh Fails to Mention that CEO Dev Pragad Allegedly Usurped Newsweek for 'Greed' On the eve of Independence Day, Newsweek published a rare, bombshell headline about itself in a July 3 story titled, "IBT Media Sues Newsweek CEO, Demanding He Return the Magazine." Newsweek Reporter Alex Rouhandeh revealed that the ownership of Newsweek assets was being legally challenged and came only hours after HNGN broke the story of the NY State Court filing and contacted a Newsweek reporter for comment. (Rouhandeh did not respond to requests for comment by publication time.) The IBT Media lawsuit details the carefully calculated and systematic deception orchestrated by Pragad against the owners of IBT Media, and how he fabricated a carefully crafted public image as the one who 'saved the news,' replete with his fraudulent efforts celebrated as part of a Harvard case study. "He collected false acclaim and awards and touted his claimed achievements with Newsweek in digital magazines, podcasts, and even a case study at Harvard Business School," the suit says. "And ultimately, Pragad took steps towards betraying his friends and welshing on his deal." The article omits huge portions of the lawsuit that accuses Pragad of fraud, greed and betrayal and of weaponizing the Newsweek newsroom. Due to Pragad's allegedly repeated violations of law including "Fraudulent Inducement" -- the lawsuit seeks relief from the court that any transfer of shares to Pragad be declared "void and unenforceable." The lawsuit further seeks relief, asking the court to declare "that IBT holds title to 100% of the membership interest in Newsweek, LLC." On behalf of Pragad, Newsweek's counsel Robert Weigel of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP said, "IBT's lawsuit against Newsweek and its CEO Dev Pragad flies in the face of express written agreements. It is a desperate attempt by IBT to avoid its clear obligations and its wholly without merit." He went on to connect the issue to unrelated issues of inter-company debt, and again to Olivet University, which is not a party to the suit. While its natural for their own lawyer to support Pragad, the story itself is written to support Pragad and downplay the suit. Despite substantial and full of never-seen before revelations about Pragad's dealings and the company's origin, Newsweek did not link to the suit directly, and instead only pointed back to past Newsweek articles that attack Johnathan Davis, the owner of Newsweek, and other entities he has distant relationships with, such as Olivet University and other entities. Where the substance of the suit was explored, it was done in a manner that was out of context and skirted the core allegations of the lawsuit. For instance, Newsweek states that "IBT Media sold its 50% stake in the magazine's publisher to Dev Pragad", though the sale was never consummated in the first place. Even the opening lines of Newsweek's description takes text from the suit, reading that "this case is about the rightful ownership of the famed Newsweek brand," but abruptly ends mid-sentence omitting the crucial characterization that it is also about "Pragad's betrayal and greed." The article then dives into a robust defense for Pragad and Newsweek, leaning on a statement "supplied" by an unnamed spokesperson at Newsweek itself. This is a common tactic for the company as it attempts to cover itself. In an April 22 Newsweek article about Olivet, where another -- or possibly the same -- unnamed company spokesman failed to reach their own CEO, who "did not respond to comments," but was able to declare, "Dev Pragad is not a target of any federal investigation" -- something only Pragad would be able to verify. On top of favorable spin and omission of facts, Rouhandeh and Newsweek Editor Nancy Cooper failed to check the most basic of facts before publishing the story. The article claims that IBT Media received a money-laundering charge years ago, though HNGN has confirmed that is not the case. This follows a common pattern at Newsweek of making false allegations and influencing sources in an effort to write a story with a pre-determined narrative. As HNGN has reported before, Newsweek been accused of playing a "certain" role in swaying the New York State Department of Education in the Olivet University case, and continues to do so in other cases. As noted in the lawsuit and by HNGN coverage, this article is one of many in a series of articles lashing out against Newsweek's owner, Davis. Newsweek's own audience, however, seems not to have been pleased with the coverage. Commentators noted that "the article was one of the worst they've seen Newsweek cover," while another mentioned that "Newsweek hasn't been good since the internet." One Newsweek reader sarcastically noted in response to the latest piece: "If you have ever seen any real news on this page, that would be breaking news." @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Portland, OR, July 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global Ulcerative Colitis Market was estimated at $6.2 billion in 2020 and is expected to hit $10.8 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 5.7% from 2021 to 2030. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the top investment pockets, top winning strategies, drivers & opportunities, market size & estimations, competitive scenario, and varying market trends. Download Sample PDF at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/3965 Rise in R&D activities in the pharmaceutical & medical device industry, increase in demand for drugs required for certain treatments, and surge in adoption of various types of ulcerative colitis drugs drive the growth of the global ulcerative colitis market. Furthermore, surge in number of ulcerative colitis cases and emergence of key players for the development of new drugs in the medical device industry are expected to create lucrative opportunities in the industry. Covid-19 scenario- Patients across the world were forced to either cancel or delay elective surgeries, including elective procedures for IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease). This, in turn, impacted the global ulcerative colitis market negatively. Also, postponement of procedures for ulcerative colitis treatment gave way to a steep decline in the production of medications for ulcerative colitis disease. The global ulcerative colitis market is analyzed across disease type, molecule type, route of administration, and region. Based on disease type, the mild UC segment accounted for more than two-thirds of the total market share in 2020, and is expected to rule the roost by 2030. The moderate UC segment, however, would garner the fastest CAGR of 6.1% throughout the forecast period. Specific Requirement on COVID-19? Ask to Our Industry Expert: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/3965?reqfor=covid Based on molecule type, the small molecules segment contributed to nearly three-fourths of the total market revenue in 2020, and is projected to lead the trail by 2030. The same segment would also exhibit the fastest CAGR of 6.0% during the forecast period. Based on region, the market across North America held the major share in 2020, garnering more than two-fifths of the global market. The Asia-Pacific region, simultaneously, would manifest the fastest CAGR of 6.5% throughout the forecast period. The report also analyzes other regions that including Europe and LAMEA. The key market players analyzed in the global ulcerative colitis market report include Ajinomoto, AstraZeneca PLC., Eli-Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline Plc., Abbott Laboratories, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Sanofi Index Pharmaceuticals Holdings AB, and Pfizer Inc. Report Attribute Details Revenue forecast in 2030 USD 10.8 billion Growth rate CAGR of 5.7% from 2021 to 2030 Forecast period 2020 - 2030 Report coverage Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends Regional scope North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, MEA Country scope U.S., Canada, Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia Key companies profiled Abbott Laboratories, Ajinomoto, Astrazeneca Plc., Eli-Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline Plc., Index Pharmaceuticals Holdings AB, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Pfizer Inc., and Sanofi. Avenue Basic Plan | Library Access | 1 Year Subscription | Sign up for Avenue subscription to access more than 12,000+ company profiles and 2,000+ niche industry market research reports at $699 per month, per seat. For a year, the client needs to purchase minimum 2 seat plan. Request for 14 days free trial: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenue/trial/starter We have also published few syndicated market studies in the similar area that might be of your interest. Below are the report title for your reference, considering Impact of Covid-19 Over This Market which will help you to assess aftereffects of pandemic on short-term and long-term growth trends of this market. Trending Reports in Healthcare Industry (Book Now with 10% Discount): Immunodermatology Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202028 Nasal Spray Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2028 Pharmaceuticals Lipids Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2028 Herbal Medicines Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202028 Surgical Waste Management Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202028 Electric Dental Handpieces Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202028 Surgical Operating Microscope Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202028 Radiographic Testing Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202028 Dental Digital X-ray Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202028 Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose Strips Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202028 About Us Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. Trondheim, 4 July 2022: With reference to the announcement published by NORBIT ASA (the "Company") today, 4 July 2022 regarding a resolution to increase the Company's share capital in connection with a share issue done as part of the Company's incentive program for its employees, please see the attached notifications of transactions by primary insiders. For more information, please contact: Per Jrgen Weisethaunet, CEO, +47 959 62 915 Per Kristian Reppe, CFO, +47 900 33 203 About NORBIT ASA NORBIT is a global provider of tailored technology to selected niches, solving challenges and promoting sustainability through innovative solutions, in line with its mission to Explore More. The company is structured in three business segments to address its key markets: Oceans, Connectivity and Product Innovation & Realization (PIR). The Oceans segment delivers tailored technology solutions to global maritime markets. The Connectivity segment providing wireless solutions for identification, monitoring and tracking. The PIR segment offers R&D services, proprietary products and contract manufacturing to key customers. NORBIT is headquartered in Trondheim with manufacturing in Norway, has around 400 employees and a worldwide sales and distribution platform. For more information: www.norbit.com This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Attachments NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- P2 Gold Inc. (P2 or the Company) (TSX-V:PGLD) reports that it has closed the non-brokered private placement of flow-through units (the FT Offering) and non-flow-through units (the NFT Offering) (together, the FT Offering and NFT Offering are the Private Placement), previously announced on June 16 and June 22, 2022, for gross proceeds of approximately $3.25 million. In closing the Private Placement, the Company issued 5,231,667 flow-through-units (the FT Units) of the Company at $0.60 per FT Unit for gross proceeds of $3.14 million and 225,000 non-flow-through units (the NFT Units) of the Company at $0.50 per NFT Unit for gross proceeds of $112,500. Flow-Through Offering Each FT Unit consists of one flow-through common share in the capital of the Company (a FT Share) and one non-flow-through common share purchase warrant (a FT Warrant). The FT Shares qualify as flow-through shares for purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada). Each FT Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional non-flow-through common share in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.95 per common share for a period of two years from the date of issue (the FT Expiry Time), provided that, if after four months from the date of issue, the closing price of the common shares of the Company on the TSX Venture Exchange (the Exchange) is equal to or greater than $1.90 for a period of 10 consecutive trading days at any time prior to the FT Expiry Time, the Company will have the right to accelerate the FT Expiry Time of the FT Warrants by giving notice to the holders of the FT Warrants by news release or other form of notice permitted by the certificate representing the FT Warrants that the FT Warrants will expire at 4:30 p.m. (Vancouver time) on a date that is not less than 15 days from the date notice is given. The gross proceeds of the FT Offering will be used to fund exploration expenditures on the BAM Property and other Canadian Exploration Expenses that will qualify as flow through mining expenditures as defined in subsection 127(9) of the Income Tax Act (Canada), and BC flow-through mining expenditures, as defined in the Income Tax Act (British Columbia). Non-Flow-Through Offering Each NFT Unit consists of one non-flow-through common share in the capital of the Company and one non-flow-through common share purchase warrant (a NFT Warrant). Each NFT Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional non-flow-through common share in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.95 per common share for a period of two years from the date of issue (the NFT Expiry Time), provided that, if after four months from the date of issue, the closing price of the common shares of the Company on the Exchange is equal to or greater than $1.90 for a period of 10 consecutive trading days at any time prior to the NFT Expiry Time, the Company will have the right to accelerate the NFT Expiry Time of the NFT Warrants by giving notice to the holders of the NFT Warrants by news release or other form of notice permitted by the certificate representing the NFT Warrants that the NFT Warrants will expire at 4:30 p.m. (Vancouver time) on a date that is not less than 15 days from the date notice is given. The proceeds of the NFT Offering will be used for general corporate purposes. Private Placement In connection with the Private Placement, the Company paid finders fees of an aggregate of $154,980 and issued an aggregate of 258,300 warrants to arms length finders, representing 6% of the proceeds raised from subscriptions by, and 6% of the Units issued to, certain placees. All securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a four-month hold period expiring on October 31, 2022. The securities offered pursuant to the Private Placement have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of such Act. Insiders of the Company subscribed for 480,000 FT Units and 200,000 NFT Units. The issuance of Units to insiders is considered a related party transaction subject to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions. The Company relied on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements provided under sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 on the basis that the participation in the Offering by the insiders did not exceed 25% of the fair market value of the companys market capitalization. About P2 Gold Inc. P2 is a mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing precious metals and copper discoveries and acquisitions in the western United States and British Columbia. For further information, please contact: Joseph Ovsenek President & CEO (778) 731-1055 P2 Gold Inc. Suite 1100, 355 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC V6C 2G8 info@p2gold.com (SEDAR filings: P2 Gold Inc.) Michelle Romero Executive Vice President (778) 731-1060 Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws that is intended to be covered by the safe harbours created by those laws. Forward-looking information includes statements that use forward-looking terminology such as may, will, expect, anticipate, believe, continue, potential or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking information includes, without limitation, information with respect to the Companys expectations, strategies and plans for exploration properties including the Companys planned expenditures and exploration activities and the use of proceeds from the FT Offering and NFT Offering. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management at the date the statements are made, including without limitation, that the Company will be able to use the proceeds from each of the FT Offering and the NFT Offering as anticipated, as well as the other assumptions disclosed in this news release. Furthermore, such forward-looking information involves a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including without limitation, the inability to use the proceeds from each of the FT Offering and NFT Offering as expected and risks associated with mineral exploration, including the risk that actual results and timing of exploration and development will be different from those expected by management. See Risk Factors in the Companys annual information form dated March 31, 2022 filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com for a discussion of these risks. The Company cautions that 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 information. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking information contained in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. English French Press release 01Talent Africa and Atos launch their first Collective Intelligence Zone to reveal the digital talent of tomorrow in Senegal Dakar (Senegal) July 4, 2022 - 01Talent Africa, in partnership with Atos, launches its very first Zone01 in Africa. It is being set up in Dakar, Senegal, and will offer a brand-new kind of digital training to as many people as possible. This new collective intelligence center will welcome several hundred young talent from Senegal in the Atos offices in Cite Keur Gorgui in Dakar. This initiative is part of a strategic partnership that aims to accelerate the digital transformation in Africa, by enabling the massification of world-class digital skills through an innovative and inclusive training of excellence on the continent. Photo: From left to right: Nour Acogny, Project manager trainee, Atos; Aissatou Camara, Project manager, Atos; Mour Seck, General Manager, Atos Senegal; Berenice Chassagne, Head of Growing Markets, Atos; Alpha Barry, Head of Atos in Africa; Marjolaine Blanc, Project Director, 01Talent Africa; Momadou Ndoye, Head of Operations for Western and Central Africa, Atos. 01 Talent Africa and Atos commit to creating the collective force that will accelerate Africa's digital transformation To reduce the digital divide while anchoring African local authorities and actors across the continent in the digital world, 01Talent Africa and Atos are relying on the power of peer-to-peer digital education and the extraordinary potential of African youth. Zone01 Dakar, the guarantee of a digital transformation of Senegalese territories and businesses With the growing global shortage of qualified skills in digital professions, the launch of this first Zone01 in Dakar, within Atos' premises, responds to one of the main challenges of the digitalization of Senegalese territories and businesses: access to new agile, autonomous, and collaborative talent. Zone01 Dakar will open this autumn and the first cohort will begin its training before the end of the year The inauguration is scheduled for September 2022 at Atos' premises in Cite Keur Gorgui in Dakar. An ambitious talent identification campaign will start in June. Candidates wishing to take the online selection tests can register on the Zone01 Dakar website. They must be at least 18 years old to register. If they are selected, they will be able to participate in one of the three "pools" scheduled early September, early October and early November. The "pool" is the final step in the selection process. During this stage, candidates will be immersed for 4 weeks into 01Edu pedagogy, which is based on peer-to-peer learning and group project solving, without any class or teacher. The first cohort will begin its training before the end of the year. It will welcome about 120 future talents who will be equipped with laptops. This first Zone01 will serve as a basis for the deployment of the training offer which aims at creating more than 200 Zone01 on the African continent. "With an average age of 19, Africa is the youngest continent in the world and will represent 40% of the world's population by the end of the century. By working with 01Talent in Africa, we are giving these young people the opportunity to unleash their creative potential to contribute to the innovation and digital transformation of the continent," said Alpha Barry, Head of Atos in Africa. "We are very pleased to materialize this partnership with Atos with the opening of this first Zone01 in Senegal. This strategic initiative confirms the commitment of 01Talent and Atos to the creation of an African technology ecosystem strengthened by the training of world-class talent, essential to the accomplishment of the continent's digital transition. This is a huge opportunity to create jobs for young people and value for local businesses. Everyone becomes an actor of change," said Karim Sy, Strategic Director of 01Talent Africa. After Dakar, Atos and 01Talent will develop their partnership with the opening of new Zone01 on the African continent, notably in Egypt, Morocco and Mauritania. *** About Atos Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with 111,000 employees and annual revenue of c. 11 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 71 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea), listed on Euronext Paris and included in the CAC 40 ESG and Next 20 Paris Stock indexes. The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space. Press contact: Laura Fau | laura.fau@atos.net | +33 6 73 64 04 18 | @laurajanefau About 01Talent Africa 01Talent Africa is the pan-African talent agency of 01Talent International group, which aims to identify, develop and connect to the professional world 1 million high-level developers in the world by 2035 through the combination of a proven educational model and a sustainable and exponential economic model. 01 Talent Africa and its partner UCLG Africa are convinced that there is a large number of digital talents in African populations who are just waiting to be revealed and supported to express their potential. 01Talent Africa is based on 01Edu, the ultimate upgrade of the "peer-to-peer" (teacherless) and gamified pedagogical approach developed by Nicolas Sadirac and his team, a learning platform intended to respond to the growing shortage of IT developers in the world. This educational model which develops entrepreneurial spirit, creativity and collective intelligence has already been deployed by our co-founder Nicolas Sadirac and his Alumni in more than 40 countries around the world, training more than 25,000 digital talent over the last 10 years. More info on https://01talent.com Note: "01Talent" is pronounced "Zero one talent" and not "One talent". About Zone01 Dakar Zone01 Dakar offers a disruptive digital training, entirely free and open to all without any grade requirement. Zone01 addresses candidates of all ages and all backgrounds. A center of collective intelligence, which trains in 18 months plus 12 months in apprenticeship a new generation of African talent to Digital professions and guarantees a job at the end of the course. Its innovative pedagogy, with no classes or teachers. Open 24/7 http://www.zone01dakar.sn/ Press contact: Marjolaine Blanc | marjolaine@01talent.com | +221 77 509 71 88 Attachment New York, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Human Identification Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product and Services, Technology, Application, and End User" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289913/?utm_source=GNW However, high cost of instruments used for genomic studies are expected to hamper the growth of the human identification market. Human Identification is a branch of science that deals with the analysis of genetic materials, helping identify an individual based on genetics. Human identification has various applications in forensics, paternity test, and others. Government entities worldwide have strengthened their support for the field of human identification due to its potential, demand, and varied applications in various industries.Many forensic science disciplines, including DNA analysis, are undergoing a transformation in the US and the world. New approaches are being created, validated, and implemented to help criminal investigations. Investigators face challenges regarding the validity and accuracy of older and current methods. Forensic DNA analysis can help reunite families, particularly in cases where children separate from their parents at an early age.The Forensic Project, funded by the Bureau of Democracy of the US Department of State, intends to increase the use of this evaluation technique to assist families separated during riots and violent incidents. The Center for Human Identification (CHI) at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth is a world-renowned hub for forensic DNA testing as it receives funding from the state of Texas and various federal government agencies. The Forensic Unit helps the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reduce the backlog of sexual assaults.In addition, the Forensic Unit gets federal funds from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to handle cases in Texas. These grants allow the unit to provide free DNA testing services (autosomal and Y chromosome STR typing) to many law enforcement agencies in North Texas counties. Thus, increasing government support and initiatives for forensics programs are driving the human identification market. Moreover, many forensic research projects focus on developing novel analytical instruments, assessment techniques for trace amounts of evidence, and proteomic analysis techniques with unique sampling procedures, allowing hair-, skin-, and bone-based identification.Several portable equipment types have been manufactured for extensive analysis in the on-site field. Portable forensic instruments prove to be useful in transporting unstable, perishable, or hazardous compounds to the laboratory, which are further expected to propel the market during the forecast period. Additionally, scientists sequence a DNA sample and provide investigators information on the probable characteristics of suspects, such as hair, eye, and skin color, to identify them.Age and biological background can also be predicted using newer approaches. The personnel can also use biosensors to analyze the minute traces of bodily fluids found in fingerprints to identify the suspect. Data detected using such samples include age, medications, gender, and lifestyle. Furthermore, a smartphone-based sensor has been developed to evaluate a saliva sample through immunochromatography; the tests can also be run away from a lab.Geolocating a suspect or victim using stable isotopes of water is another advanced technique in forensic sciences. Scientists can determine the samples origin by isolating the isotopes in a water sample found on a suspect or victim. Thus, advancements based on modern technologies and smart sampling methods are generating new trends in the market. The global human identification market is analyzed on the basis of products and services, technology, application, and end user.Based on products and services, the market is segmented into consumables, instruments, services, and software. Further, the consumables segment is classified into electrophoresis kits and reagents, DNA amplification kits and reagents, DNA quantification kits and reagents, DNA extraction kits and reagents, and rapid DNA analysis kits and reagents.The consumables lasers segment led the market in 2021. It is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Based on technology, capillary electrophoresis, polymerase chain reaction, nucleic acid purification and extraction, automated liquid handling, microarrays, next-generation sequencing, and rapid DNA analysis.The capillary electrophoresis segment held the largest market share in 2021. However, the next-generation sequencing segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Based on application, the market is segmented into forensic applications, paternity identification, and other applications.The forensic applications segment held the largest market share in 2021. It is also expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Based on end user, the market is segmented into forensic laboratories, research and academic centers, and government institutes.The forensic laboratories segment held the largest market share in 2021. It is also anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. COVID-19 Impact Analysis: Human Identification Market The COVID-19 pandemic in the regions had a mixed impact on the growth of the human identification market.Various companies have shut down their productions, hence are unable to manufacture to meet the rising demand. The COVID19 pandemic has significantly negatively impacted the global economies.Health services are highly prioritized globally to serve patients affected by COVID-19. The routine health care services have remained suspended. Market players operating in the human identification market were focused on developing and producing COVD-19 testing kits, which reduced the productive utilization of human identification products. Due to the pandemic, many governments-imposed lockdowns to prevent the spread of the virus, which resulted in a significant reduction in crime rates.Additionally, the lack of proper standard operating procedures for criminal investigation during the pandemic has significantly reduced the demand for human identification products. On the other hand, the shortage of definitive therapy offers significant opportunities for the genome editing-related market as the US FDA has recently approved the use of plasma therapy for critically ill COVID 19 patients. Furthermore, the active involvement of the governments and the associated market players in exploring opportunities for genome editing-related products and services is expected to drive such developments in the human identification market over the next few years. National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Institute Genetics Nantes Atlantique (IGNA), Forensic Capability Network, International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are among the primary and secondary sources referred to while preparing the report on the human identification market. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289913/?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. __________________________ Portland, OR, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global polycarbonate sheets market was estimated at $1.5 billion in 2021 and is expected to hit $2.6 billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 5.7% from 2022 to 2031. The report provides a detailed analysis of the top investment pockets, top winning strategies, drivers & opportunities, market size & estimations, competitive landscape, and evolving market trends. Surge demand from the end-use industries fuels the growth of the global polycarbonate sheets market. On the other hand, environmental impacts of polycarbonate sheets impede the growth to some extent. However, rising call from the developed nations is projected to create multiple opportunities in the industry. Download Sample PDF (138 Pages PDF with Insights): https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/11706 COVID-19 scenario- The outbreak of COVID-19 gave way to halted industrial activities, which in turn impacted the global polycarbonate sheets market. The value chain disruptions aggravated the market condition even more. The pandemic also led to a sharp decline in demand from myriad end-use industries such as electrical & electronics, building & construction, automotive & transportation, and others. However, the mass rollout of vaccination in most countries is expected to amend the global situation and the polycarbonate sheets market is projected to revive soon. The global polycarbonate sheets market is analyzed across type, end-use industry, and region. Based on type, the multiwall segment garnered nearly two-fifths of the total market revenue in 2021, and is anticipated to rule the roost by the end of 2031. The solid segment, on the other hand, would cite the fastest CAGR of 6.0% throughout the forecast period. Request the Covid19 Impact Analysis @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/11706?reqfor=covid Based on end-use industry, the electrical & electronics segment contributed to more than one-third of the total market share in 2021, and is expected to lead the trail by 2031. Simultaneously, the aerospace and defense segment would showcase the fastest CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period. Based on region, the market across Asia-Pacific held the major share in 2021, garnering more than three-fifths of the global market. The region is also expected to cite the fastest CAGR of 6.4% from 2022 to 2031. The other two provinces covered in the report include North America, Europe, and LAMEA. The key market players analyzed in the global polycarbonate sheets market report include Uvplastic Material Technology Co., Ltd., Covestro AG, Jiaxing Innovo Industries Co., Ltd., Polyvalley Technology Co., Ltd., Tuflite, Emco Industrial Plastics, Palram Industries Ltd, Exolon Group, Spolytech, and MG Polyplast Industries Pvt. Ltd. These market players have embraced several strategies including partnership, expansion, collaboration, joint ventures, and others to highlight their prowess in the industry. Interested in Procuring this Report? Visit Here: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/polycarbonate-sheets-market/purchase-options Avenue Basic Plan | Library Access | 1 Year Subscription | Sign up for Avenue subscription to access more than 12,000+ company profiles and 2,000+ niche industry market research reports at $699 per month, per seat. For a year, the client needs to purchase minimum 2 seat plan. Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenueTrial Get more information: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- C2C Gold Corp. (CSE: CTOC; OTCQB: CTCGF) (the Company or C2C) today announced the share issuances on the five property option agreements recently acquired from The Rock Gold Corp., as previously disclosed. C2C has made payments in the amount of $205,000 and issued a total of 1,550,000 common shares in the capital of the Company, to the respective joint venture partners comprised of prospectors from Canadas Newfoundland. In addition, the Company announces the amendment to an existing agreement, adding two new licenses in the Quin and Barrens Lake areas, adjacent to existing mineral properties held by C2C, in exchange for $10,000 cash, reimbursement of nominal security deposit fees and the issuance of 100,000 common shares in the capital of the Company. All other terms and conditions contained in the original property purchase agreement remain in full force and effect. The Companys acquisition of the property option agreements and corresponding payments and share issuances are subject to exchange approval. About C2C Gold Corp. C2C Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on advancing gold projects in Canadas Newfoundland. C2C Gold holds one of the largest land positions on the Central Newfoundland Gold Belt and through the acquisition of The Rock Gold Corp., now includes numerous projects lying along the major gold bearing crustal scale structural zones. C2C Golds portfolio covers a pipeline of projects from early exploration stage through drill-ready with known gold occurrences. C2C also holds a portfolio of projects within the prolific White Gold and Klondike districts in Canadas Yukon. For additional information: Peter Bures Chief Executive Officer (833) 888-2862 info@c2cgold.com www.c2cgold.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties and can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as expected, will be, anticipated, may, are subject to or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results will occur. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Forward looking statements in this news release include but are not limited to the addendum and share issuance are subject to exchange approval. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws. New York, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Data Center Power Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Component, By Operating Environment, By End User, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2022 2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289230/?utm_source=GNW Every entity that makes or uses data, including government agencies, educational institutions, financial organizations, retailers of all sizes, social networking sites, providers of online information, and many more, requires data centers to a certain extent. Because AC is frequently converted to DC or vice versa, any data center would certainly require alternating current and direct current electricity. The administration, measuring, and surveillance of power generation, consumption, and optimization inside a data center facility is known as data center power. It is a stage of the data center infrastructure management process that aims to offer administrators administrative control over a data centers electrical energy tools and operations. It entails defining, executing, and monitoring strategies to increase data center power efficiency at both the hardware and software levels. This can include replacing outdated equipment with newer, lower-power equipment and installing power management software to measure, monitor, and reduce power consumption throughout the data center. When assessing data centers, one of the most critical and sometimes underestimated criteria is electricity. Power is the vital component that brings the data center to operation. It is also one of the most essential considerations when determining colocation costs. Servers, switches, routers, and other IT infrastructure are powered by two separate types of power circuits viz. alternating Current and Direct Current. Access to on-demand power or currents, like 240V, 220V, 208V, 120V, or 110V is provided via an AC power supply through plugging in devices. At regular periods of time, alternating current (AC) allows current or voltage to change direction or polarity. Customers who require services for a facility, storage devices, or rack-mounted servers should consider AC power circuits. COVID-19 Impact The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted various economies all over the world. The outbreak of the pandemic caused a substantial slowdown in various major businesses while demolishing several small and medium businesses. In addition, governments across the world were compelled to enforce lockdown in their nations in order to regulate the diffusion of the COVID-19 infection. Due to the lockdown situation, various industries had to suffer complete or partial shutdown. Further, owing to the travel restrictions all over the world, the worldwide supply chain was majorly disrupted. Market Growth Factors Rising demand for reduced operational expenses across enterprises Datacenter owners strive to reduce operational costs via optimizing the overall costs. Power tariffs, racks, data center servers, and HVAC systems all grow as operational costs rise. The annual operation expenditure of an average large data center accounts for a significant proportion of capital expense. Power costs can also majorly increase the total cost of running data centers, depending on energy sources, data center tiers, and geographies. With increasing reliability, data center infrastructure expenses and operational complexities rise. The majority of the money spent on data centers goes toward power. It is utilized in data centers to run IT equipment, such as computers and servers, as well as cooling and power infrastructure. Increasing number of data centers renovations The increasing data generation along with the demand to improve data center performance has increased the need for data center remodeling. The data center, server rooms, and surroundings should be renovated for a variety of reasons. When equipment is used in high ambient temperatures or exposed to extreme environmental conditions, it depreciates. Data center renovations are carried out to upgrade facilities, such as infrastructure, to sustain the load of IT requirements, expand available power and space, and improve data center facilities overall reliability. Market Restraining Factors High initial investment Due to the requirement for a substantial initial investment, businesses face significant challenges in the data center power sector. Modern data center power systems necessitate a shift away from traditional data center components toward more modern and updated data center components. It necessitates infrastructure upgrades, new gear and software installs, as well as manpower. This shift requires a significant initial expenditure. Due to this requirement, most businesses, even SMEs with limited money, are unable to modernize their data centers. The initial investment required to deploy energy-efficient power solutions is much higher than that required to establish standard power solutions. Product Outlook Based on Product, the market is segmented into UPS, PDU, Busway, and Others. In 2021, the PDU segment recorded a significant revenue share of the data power center market. The rising growth of this segment is attributed to the increased automation in power management due to this technology. In data centers, a PDU, or power distribution unit, is a device that controls electrical power. Large power panels without surge protection are the most basic PDUs. They have no remote or monitoring access capabilities and are meant to offer normal electrical plugs for data center equipment. End User Outlook Based on End User, the market is segmented into BFSI, Energy, Government, Healthcare, IT & Telecommunications, Retail, and Others. In 2021, the BFSI segment procured the highest revenue share of the data center power market. The rising growth of this segment is owing to the increasing growth of the BFSI sector all over the world. With the rapidly rising workloads in this sector, the demand for automation is constantly surging. The adoption of data power center is increasing owing to this factor. Hence, the growth of this segment is increasing. Regional Outlook Based on Regions, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East & Africa. In 2021, North America accounted for the largest revenue share of the data center power market. The rising growth of the segment is attributed to the early adoption of various latest and advanced technologies. Moreover, another major reason that is propelling the growth of the regional market is the rapidly increasing population of the region. Furthermore, the regional IT and telecom infrastructure is significantly robust, which is contributing to the rising growth of the segment. The major strategies followed by the market participants are Product Launches. Based on the Analysis presented in the Cardinal matrix; Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. is the forerunner in the Data Centre Power Market. Companies such as Cisco Systems, Inc., Siemens AG and Schneider Electric SE are some of the key innovators in the Market. The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include Schneider Electric SE, Siemens AG, Legrand S.A., Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.), ABB Group, Eaton Corporation PLC, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Vertiv Holdings Co., Delta Electronics, Inc., and Cisco Systems, Inc. Recent strategies deployed in Data Center Power Market Partnerships, Collaborations and Agreements: Apr-2022: Delta came into a partnership with ROHM, a global semiconductor supplier. Following this partnership, the companies would develop and produce advanced GaN power devices. In addition, the integrated capabilities of ROHMs power development and manufacturing and Deltas power supply device development technology would allow the companies to introduce 600V breakdown voltage GaN power devices optimized for a broad line of power supply systems. Mar-2022: Vertiv entered into a partnership with Elea Digital, a data centre infrastructure platform. Following this partnership, Elea would provide edge data centre services across Brazil. In addition, Vertiv would offer maintenance and operation services for Elea Digital data centers in major metro areas including Curitiba, Brasilia, and Porto Alegre. Jan-2022: Delta entered into a partnership with DATABOX, a leading vendor of IT channels. Through this partnership, DATABOX would supply energy-efficient Uninterruptible Power Supplies and Data Centre Infrastructure Solutions of Delta to IT resellers and system integrators across Portugal. Nov-2021: Siemens came into an agreement with Google Cloud, a suite of cloud computing services. With this agreement, Google Cloud would help Siemens in digitally transforming Siemens Energys business infrastructure, systems, and data with Google Cloud. In addition, Google Cloud would help Siemens in shifting its global network of data centers into the cloud. Aug-2021: ABB Group joined hands with ST Telemedia Global Data centers, the fastest growing global data centre operator. Under this collaboration, the companies aimed to conduct an Artificial Intelligence energy optimization pilot across Singapore in order to leverage Machine Learning and AI technology along with advanced analytics to optimize energy use within a data centre. May-2021: Huawei came into an agreement with Moro Hub, a subsidiary of Digital DEWA. With this agreement, the companies aimed to construct the biggest solar-powered Uptime TIER III-Certified Data Centre across the Middle East and Africa at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. Oct-2020: Vertiv teamed up with Honeywell, an American multinational conglomerate. Following this collaboration, the companies aimed to jointly develop integrated solutions in order to optimize data centre resiliency, sustainability, and operational performance. Oct-2020: Schneider partnered with EdgePresence and Accu-Tech. Following this partnership, EdgePresence would nationally deploy Schneiders fully integrated EcoStruxure Data Centre solution-based edge data centers. Jul-2020: Schneider came into a partnership with Anord Mardix, a Flex company. Under this partnership, the companies would develop and install deploy crucial power solutions to the data centre market. In addition, this partnership would make the DATABARTM busway system, static transfer switch, and PDUs of Anord Mardix accessible for Schneiders North American data center customers. Jun-2020: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Asia-Pacific signed an MoU with Keppel Data Centres, one of the Most Interconnected Data Centers in India. Under this agreement, the companies aimed to jointly explore the deployment of the hydrogen-powered tri-generation plant concept for data centers across Singapore. Product Launches and Product Expansions: Dec-2021: Schneider introduced enhancements in its data center and digital transformation capacity. With this product expansion, the company aimed to fulfill the increasing domestic demand of its customers for increased digitization and automation capabilities to enhance and futureproof the security of their operations. Oct-2021: Schneider launched Easy Micro Data Center Series, a Micro Data Center solutions range for standard IT and commercial environments. The new product range is developed to comprise and deliver all compute, storage, and necessary infrastructure in order to support edge computing applications, reliability, combining speed, and affordability. Sep-2021: Vertiv rolled out the Liebert RXA remote power panel and Liebert MBX busway system. The new Liebert RXA is a safe and flexible solution for high-density power applications, while the new Liebert MBX enables reliable overhead power distribution across data centers of multiple sizes. Aug-2021: Legrand unveiled Infinium Quantum, a Fiber System. Through this launch, the company aimed to provide increased flexibility, scalability, and efficiency to the increasing data center requirements without additional costs. Jun-2021: Schneider introduced EcoStruxure Modular Data Center, a liquid-cooled all-in-one module. The new solution aimed to enable the most GPU and CPU-intensive high-performance computing edge applications to be installed with more reliability in a rough and remote environment. Jun-2021: Eaton rolled out the iCube 2.0 and 9PX Li-ion UPS, new additions in its micro data centre, and the 9PX uninterruptible power supply series. The iCube 2.0 is an enhanced micro data centre solution intended to offer energy-efficient excellence across the edge, while the 9PX Li-ion UPS is equipped with Eatons Intelligent Power Manager and allows deep integration with HyperV and VMware virtual environments. Mar-2021: Huawei introduced FusionModule500, FusionModule800, and FusionModule2000, advanced Data Centre and Power Supply Solutions. The new solutions are developed in order to meet the distinct industrial requirements. Moreover, these solutions would also enable enterprises to turn any room into a data centre. Mar-2021: Vertiv unveiled Vertiv Liebert EXM2, an advanced UPS design. The new product aimed to provide industry-leading reliability, efficiency, and performance with power capacities spanning from 100 to 250 kVA and a flexible and compact footprint. In addition, the new product is developed for a broad range of applications and is currently available across Australia & New Zealand, and Southeast Asia. Mar-2020: Huawei released its FusionPower2.0 data center power supply and distribution solution. The new product would allow the power density of a single module in order to reach 100 kW/3 U, double the industry standards. The new solution is based on the 100 kW module and also comprises 1MW, 1 Rack principle. Acquisitions and Mergers: Feb-2022: Mitsubishi Electric Power Products signed an agreement to acquire Computer Protection Technology, a provider of backup power and distribution solutions. Through this agreement, the company would expand its UPS business across North America. Nov-2021: Vertiv took over &I Engineering Ireland and its affiliate, Powerbar Gulf. With this acquisition, the company aimed to integrate the robust capabilities of the E&I team into its portfolio. Moreover, the companies would also amplify their integrated ability to bring value to employees, customers, and shareholders. Mar-2021: Siemens completed its acquisition of C&S Electric, a leading manufacturer of electrical and electronic equipment. This acquisition would strengthen Siemens position in the low-voltage power distribution and electrical installation technology sector. Feb-2021: Eaton took over Tripp Lite, an American manufacturer of power protection and connecting electrical devices. With this acquisition, the company aimed to strengthen its footprint across the data center market in order to improve the width of its distributed and distributed IT product portfolio. Feb-2020: Eaton acquired Power Distribution, a leader in providing power monitoring equipment and services. With this acquisition, the company aimed to integrate PDIs highly complementary portfolio into Eatons capabilities in order to better serve its data center customers. Geographical Expansions: Mar-2021: Cisco expanded its geographical footprint in Germany with the introduction of a new data centre in Frankfurt. This geographical footprint aimed to allow the company to better serve its customers by leveraging its Collaboration platform Webex across the European Union, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Russia. Scope of the Study Market Segments covered in the Report: By Component Solution Services By End User BFSI Retail IT & Telecom Public sector & utilities Energy Manufacturing Healthcare Others By Geography North America o US o Canada o Mexico o Rest of North America Europe o Germany o UK o France o Russia o Spain o Italy o Rest of Europe Asia Pacific o China o Japan o India o South Korea o Singapore o Malaysia o Rest of Asia Pacific LAMEA o Brazil o Argentina o UAE o Saudi Arabia o South Africa o Nigeria o Rest of LAMEA Companies Profiled Schneider Electric SE Siemens AG Legrand S.A. Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.) ABB Group Eaton Corporation PLC Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Vertiv Holdings Co. Delta Electronics, Inc. Cisco Systems, Inc. Unique Offerings Exhaustive coverage Highest number of market tables and figures Subscription based model available Guaranteed best price Assured post sales research support with 10% customization free Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289230/?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. __________________________ On Monday, at least six people were murdered and many more were injured when shots were fired along the route of an Independence Day celebration in Illinois, United States, according to officials. The gunman remained at large as officials struggle to catch him. A video of the incident was published on social media, in which individuals can be seen fleeing in terror upon hearing gunfire. Allegedly, the suspect - described as a male White, approximately 18 years old, small-built, longer hair wearing a white and blue shirt was shooting from a roof. Near the reviewing stand of the parade, a reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times observed blankets covering three bloodied bodies and five additional wounded and bloodied individuals. The shooting happened in the area of the Independence Day parade route," the Lake County Sheriff's Office said in statement. "The Illinois State Police is currently assisting Highland Park PD with an active shoot situation that occurred at the Highland Park Parade," the Illinois State police force further tweeted. The Lake County Sheriff's Office, which is responsible for the area that contains Highland Park, the community near Chicago where the incident occurred, according to an AFP report, also stated that it was aiding with "a shooting in the vicinity of the Independence Day parade route." The sheriff's office did not specify whether the procession had reached that point on the route when the shooting occurred; however, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the shooting began approximately 10 minutes after the parade. Highland Park announced that all 4th of July celebrations had been canceled. Local media sites reported nine victims, AFP reported, however authorities did not confirm the number of victims. US Representative Brad Schneider, who attended the event, tweeted about the tragedy. "Hearing of loss of life and others injured. My condolences to the family and loved ones; my prayers for the injured and for my community," he wrote, adding: "Enough is enough!" According to the Gun Violence Archive website, firearms cause around 40,000 deaths annually in the United States, including suicides. Ten Black supermarket customers were were down in upstate New York in May, and 21 people, largely young children, were murdered at an elementary school in Texas, reigniting the extremely controversial debate over gun control in the United States. In response to these tragedies, Congress passed the first major gun safety legislation in decades. AFP reported that President Joe Biden signed it into law at the end of June, stating that while it falls short of what is required, it will nevertheless save lives. Here is the incident's video: @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Dublin, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Cardiovascular Diagnostic Testing Market (2022-2027) by Type, End Use, Geography, Competitive Analysis, and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Cardiovascular Diagnostic Testing Market is estimated to be USD 8.47 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 12.41 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 7.94%. Market Dynamics Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Cardiovascular Diagnostic Testing 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 Abbott Laboratories, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Biomerieux, Boston Scientific, Danaher, GE Healthcare, Hill-Rom Holdings, Hoffmann-La Roche, Medtronic, Philips Healthcare, Qiagen, Siemens Healthineers, Thermo Fisher Scientific, etc. Countries Studied America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas) Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe) Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific) Competitive Quadrant The report includes Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Ansoff Analysis The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global Cardiovascular Diagnostic Testing 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 Cardiovascular Diagnostic Testing 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 Cardiovascular Diagnostic Testing 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 Prevalence of Cardiovascular Diseases 4.1.2 Increase in Geriatric Population 4.1.3 Growing Demand for MInimally Invasive Endovascular Surgeries 4.1.4 Increasing awareness towards Point of Care Diagnostics 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 High Cost in Installation and Upgradation 4.2.2 Stringent Government Regulations for Approval 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Improvement In Healthcare Infrastructure in Emerging Country 4.3.2 Increasing Number of Insurance Providers 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Lack of Skilled Healthcare Professionals 4.4.2 Availability of Alternative Treatment Procedure 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 Cardiovascular Diagnostic Testing Market, By Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Laboratory Developed Test 6.2.1 Lipoprotein Test 6.2.2 Angiotensin Test 6.2.3 Fibrinogen Test 6.2.4 Serum Uric Acid Test 6.2.5 High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein 6.3 In-Vitro Diagnostic Test 6.3.1 Electrocardiogram Test (ECG) 6.3.2 Echocardiography Test 6.3.3 Transesophageal Echocardiogram Test 7 Global Cardiovascular Diagnostic Testing Market, By End Use 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Laboratory Testing Facilities 7.3 Academic Institutes 7.4 Point-of-Care Testing Facilities 8 Americas' Cardiovascular Diagnostic Testing Market 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Argentina 8.3 Brazil 8.4 Canada 8.5 Chile 8.6 Colombia 8.7 Mexico 8.8 Peru 8.9 United States 8.10 Rest of Americas 9 Europe's Cardiovascular Diagnostic Testing Market 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Austria 9.3 Belgium 9.4 Denmark 9.5 Finland 9.6 France 9.7 Germany 9.8 Italy 9.9 Netherlands 9.10 Norway 9.11 Poland 9.12 Russia 9.13 Spain 9.14 Sweden 9.15 Switzerland 9.16 United Kingdom 9.17 Rest of Europe 10 Middle East and Africa's Cardiovascular Diagnostic Testing Market 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Egypt 10.3 Israel 10.4 Qatar 10.5 Saudi Arabia 10.6 South Africa 10.7 United Arab Emirates 10.8 Rest of MEA 11 APAC's Cardiovascular Diagnostic Testing Market 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Australia 11.3 Bangladesh 11.4 China 11.5 India 11.6 Indonesia 11.7 Japan 11.8 Malaysia 11.9 Philippines 11.10 Singapore 11.11 South Korea 11.12 Sri Lanka 11.13 Thailand 11.14 Taiwan 11.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific 12 Competitive Landscape 12.1 Competitive Quadrant 12.2 Market Share Analysis 12.3 Strategic Initiatives 12.3.1 M&A and Investments 12.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 12.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 13 Company Profiles 13.1 Abbott Laboratories 13.2 Becton, Dickinson and Company 13.3 Biomerieux 13.4 Boston Scientific 13.5 Danaher 13.6 GE Healthcare 13.7 Hill-Rom Holdings 13.8 Hoffmann-La Roche 13.9 Medtronic 13.10 Philips Healthcare 13.11 Qiagen 13.12 Siemens Healthineers 13.13 Thermo Fisher Scientific 14 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3g6c3p Attachment LAS VEGAS and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQX: TOBAF) (FRANKFURT: 2TP) (the Company or TAAT) is pleased to provide a detailed overview of its financial outlook, strategic priorities, and organizational alignment for the remainder of calendar 2022 as well as the calendar year of 2023, in addition to formal guidance with respect to its forecasted revenue and sales. The Company recently built upon the 2,700-store U.S. footprint of its flagship product TAAT through the acquisition of an Ohio-based tobacco and convenience distributor with access to over 5,000 Ohio retailers in addition to three owned storefronts. Furthermore, with a robust sales pipeline curated over 60 years of operation, the distributors cash flow is expected to fortify the Companys overall revenues long-term. The Company also continues to realize numerous benefits from the Version III (V3) formulation of the Beyond Tobacco formulation of TAAT, including greater satisfaction of adult smokers as well as manufacturing-related efficiencies with respect to cost and production velocity. Highlights of TAAT Forecasts for 2022 and 2023 The Company is now positioned to generate substantial revenue growth attributable to its acquisition of HLND Holdings, Inc. (HLND); parent entity of ADCO Distributors, Inc. (ADCO), as announced in a press release dated May 20, 2022 ; ; The Company anticipates approximately CAD $88,000,000 in sales between June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023; Repeat orders (reorders) of TAAT, which comprised over 54% of the Companys gross revenue in its Fiscal Q2 2022 (as detailed in its June 29, 2022 press release), are expected to continue at a steady pace as the Company attentively services its existing accounts while diligently capturing new market share; press release), are expected to continue at a steady pace as the Company attentively services its existing accounts while diligently capturing new market share; To exploit its recently acquired distribution capabilities, the Company plans to expand the scope of its offerings beyond TAAT Original, Smooth, and Menthol, with the objective of also becoming a global player in non-traditional smokable and non-smokable products; and Working towards a goal of shifting its model from being product-centric to brand-centric, the Company expects to benefit considerably from its enhanced management capabilities between ADCO executive team members as well as the addition of 20-year global tobacco industry veteran Michael Saxon as CEO of TAAT (announced in a press release dated June 20, 2022 ). A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d10c6f58-9562-48de-9ed7-be935450c62f Readers using news aggregation services may be unable to view the media above. Please access SEDAR or the Investor Relations section of the Companys website for a version of this press release containing all published media. TAAT Strategic Plan Action Items for 2022 and 2023 The Company will continue to commercialize TAAT as a category-creating brand for nicotine-free and tobacco-free options suiting the preferences of adult smokers, capitalizing on its early-mover advantage in the emerging area of alternatives to traditional tobacco products; TAAT plans to broaden its domestic distribution in the United States through its newly acquired distribution arm in addition to leveraging its placements in convenience stores and gas stations in major national and global chains to introduce TAAT into additional brand-name consumer outlets; To introduce TAAT into new international markets, the Company is continuing to identify prospective expansion opportunities based on attractive market dynamics and receptive regulatory environments; and Gross product margin is to be maximized with continued emphasis on enhanced technologies, more expansive and efficient distribution networks, as well as the advanced V3 Beyond Tobacco formulation which is of significantly higher quality and more cost-effective to manufacture. TAAT Formal Guidance for Revenue and Sales Anticipated revenues for the Companys fiscal year ending October 31, 2022 are CAD $92,000,000; Projected loss on operations for the Companys fiscal year ending October 31, 2022 excluding non-cash items is CAD $1,900,000; and The Company anticipates continued quarterly losses through the remainder of calendar 2022 as it invests heavily in brand-building, distribution, and further development of its nationwide sales network. TAAT Founder Joe Deighan commented, In the approximately 18 months since TAAT was first launched in the United States, we have established a solid foundation through strong execution of our priorities as well as continued attention to research and development. The advanced formulation of Beyond Tobacco known as V3 has proven exceptionally popular among adult smokers, and we have proactively taken steps to replace inventory of TAAT made with previous iterations, thus ensuring that V3 is as widely available as possible. Our acquisition of ADCO provides us more than just distribution bandwidth, which is to say that we can obtain priceless feedback and various types of insights (whether qualitative or quantitative) to continuously evaluate the performance of a given product on the market, and shape our business decisions accordingly to drive sell-through and long-term brand equity. Perhaps most exciting, we are branching out into segments that complement our core offerings, such as TAAT heat-not-burn as well as a zero-hemp formulation of Beyond Tobacco that can enable us to commercialize TAAT more broadly at a global level. We anticipate great outcomes in the rest of 2022 and throughout 2023, and are keen to continue with actively commercializing TAAT as a better alternative to legacy tobacco products. To provide further detail with respect to the matters described in this press release, on Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at 4:15 pm Eastern time (1:15 pm Pacific time) the Company will be hosting a public teleconference with Chief Executive Officer Michael Saxon and Chief Financial Officer Joel Dumaresq. Questions must be submitted in advance and can be sent by email to investor@taatglobal.com . Please be advised that questions regarding certain proprietary, competitive, or confidential information in addition to any forward-looking insights or speculation will not be addressed by Mr. Saxon or Mr. Dumaresq during this session. To register as an attendee of the Companys July 6, 2022 teleconference, please click or tap on the following link: https://services.choruscall.ca/links/taatglobalalternatives202207.html Potential attendees of the Company's teleconference may access the event online through the Chorus Call platform using the link above. For parties who cannot attend through this channel, telephone access is available as an accommodation upon request. Please contact TAAT Investor Relations for more information. On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company, TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC. Joe Deighan Joe Deighan, COO and Director For further information, please contact: TAAT Investor Relations 1-833-TAAT-USA (1-833-822-8872) investor@taatglobal.com THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE (CSE) HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE, NOR HAS OR DOES THE CSES REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER. About TAAT Global Alternatives Inc. TAAT develops, manufactures, and distributes alternative products in categories to include tobacco, hemp, kratom, and other emerging segments of the CPG industry. Its flagship product is a nicotine-free, tobacco-free cigarette with a patent-pending base material formulation, sold in over 2,700 U.S. stores. With over CAD $80 million in overall net revenue in 2021, TAATs facilities include a manufacturing plant in Nevada, as well as a distribution centre and multiple convenience stores in Ohio. For more information, please visit http://taatglobal.com . Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and information can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur, or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding the anticipated performance of TAAT in the tobacco industry, in addition to the following: Achievement of certain financial results predicted in the press release, continued performance of TAAT as a product as well as ADCO as a distributor under the Companys ownership and administration, potential outcomes from initiatives and plans discussed in the press release. The forward-looking information reflects managements current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed timeframes or at all. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include: (i) adverse market conditions; (ii) changes to the growth and size of the tobacco markets; (iii) changes to the regulatory landscape applicable to the Company's business; and (iv) other factors beyond the control of the Company. The Company operates in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Companys management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Companys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The statements in this news release have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As each individual is different, the benefits, if any, of taking the Companys products will vary from person to person. No claims or guarantees can be made as to the effects of the Companys products on an individuals health and well-being. The Companys products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This news release may contain trademarked names of third-party entities (or their respective offerings with trademarked names) typically in reference to (i) relationships had by the Company with such third-party entities as referred to in this release and/or (ii) client/vendor/service provider parties whose relationship with the Company is/are referred to in this release. All rights to such trademarks are reserved by their respective owners or licensees. Statement Regarding Third-Party Investor Relations Firms Covina, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Particularly in the worldwide emerging economies, the Pharmerging industry is growing significantly. Some of the main drivers of this market's expansion are the increased prevalence of non-communicable illnesses, an ageing population, rising life expectancy, rising income, rising government spending on health care, free trade agreements, and ongoing research and development. This industry is expected to have significant expansion in the future due to the rising need for highly inventive and superior outcome goods as a result of the prevalence of various diseases. Over the coming years, this market is also expected to be driven by ongoing innovation and developments in the pharmaceuticals used to treat a variety of ailments. Region Analysis: The Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe are all regions where the worldwide pharmerging market is reported to be present. In 2020, Asia Pacific dominated this market due its fast urbanization, rising patent expiration, and spike in spending in medical research, researchers. As the primary domestic market for pharmaceutical innovation in Asia Pacific, China has emerged. Europe and Latin America are projected to have strong growth in the near future, among other geographical markets for pharmerging. The Latin American healthcare industry is anticipated to grow due to technological improvements, significant research and development techniques, and rising public awareness of the administration and treatment of healthcare facilities Key Highlights: In 2022, Saudi pharmaceutical company Jamjoom Pharma has announced the opening of a new factory in Egypt as it looks to expand its exports to newer markets in Africa. During the partnership signing event between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the announcement was made. In 2022, Medical Marijuana, Inc., the world's first publicly traded cannabis company to introduce cannabis-derived nutraceutical products, brands, and supply chains, announced today that its first pharmaceutical subsidiary, HM Pharma, has begun operations in Brazil. Before purchasing this report, request a sample or make an inquiry by clicking the following link: https://www.prophecymarketinsights.com/market_insight/Insight/request-sample/4894 Key Market Insights from the report: Global Pharmerging Market size accounted for US$ 971.94 billion in 2020 and is estimated to be US$ 4426.72 billion by 2030 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 16.5%. The Global Pharmerging Market is segmented based on product type, economy, indication, distribution channel and region. Based on Product Type, Pharmerging Market is segmented into Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare and Others (IT and Record Management). Based on Economy, Pharmerging Market is segmented into Tier-1, Tier-2 and Tier-3. Based on Indication, Pharmerging Market is segmented into Lifestyle Disease, Cancers & Autoimmune Diseases and Infectious Disease. Based on Distribution Channel, Pharmerging Market is segmented into Hospitals, Clinics, Retail Pharmacies, E-Commerce and Drug Stores. By Region, the Pharmerging Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Competitive Landscape & their strategies of Pharmerging Market: Key players in the global Pharmerging Market include Sanofi S.A., Pfizer Inc., AstraZeneca Plc, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG (Roche AG), Eli Lilly and Company, Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Novartis AG and Teva Pharmaceutical Limited Scope of the Report: Global Pharmerging Market, By Product, 2020 2030, (US$ Bn) Overview Market Value and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Share Analysis (%), 2020 2030 Y-o-Y Growth Analysis (%), 2020 2030 Segment Trends Pharmaceuticals Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 Healthcare Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 Others Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 Global Pharmerging Market, By Economy , 2020 2030, (US$ Bn) Overview Market Value and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Share Analysis (%), 2020 2030 Y-o-Y Growth Analysis (%), 2020 2030 Segment Trends Tier-1 Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 Tier-2 Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 Tier-3 Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 Global Pharmerging Market, By Indication, 2020 2030, (US$ Bn) Overview Market Value and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Share Analysis (%), 2020 2030 Y-o-Y Growth Analysis (%), 2020 2030 Segment Trends Lifestyle Disease Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 Cancer & Autoimmune Disease Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 Infectious Disease Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 Global Pharmerging Market, By Distribution Channel, 2020 2030, (US$ Bn) Overview Market Value and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Share Analysis (%), 2020 2030 Y-o-Y Growth Analysis (%), 2020 2030 Segment Trends Hospitals Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 Clinincs Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 Retail Pharmacies Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 E-Commerce Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 Drug Stores Overview Market Size and Forecast (US$ Bn), and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2020 2030 To know more: Click here Some Important Points Answered in this Market Report Are Given Below: Explains an overview of the product portfolio, including product development, planning, and positioning Explains details about key operational strategies with a focus on R&D strategies, corporate structure, localization strategies, production capabilities, and financial performance of various companies. Detailed analysis of the market revenue over the forecasted period. Examining various outlooks of the market with the help of Porters five forces analysis, PEST & SWOT Analysis. Study on the segments that are anticipated to dominate the market. Study on the regional analysis that is expected to register the highest growth over the forecast period Related Reports: 1. Pharmacovigilance Market, By Clinical Trial Phase (Preclinical, Phase I, Phase II, Phase III, and Phase IV), By Service Provider (In-house, Contract, and Outsourcing), By Type of Reporting (Spontaneous Reporting, Intensified ADR Reporting, Targeted Spontaneous Reporting, Cohort Event Monitoring, and EHR Mining), By End User (Hospitals, Pharmaceutical Companies, and Others), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa) - Trends, Analysis and Forecast till 2030 2. Global Pharmacogenomics Market, by Technology (Sequencing, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Gel Electrophoresis, Mass Spectrometry, Microarray, and Others), By Application (Cardiovascular Diseases, Infectious Diseases, Oncology, Neurological Diseases, Psychiatry, Pain Management, and Others), and By End User (Hospitals & Clinics, Research Institutions and Academic Institutes and Others) and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa) - Market Trends, Analysis, and Forecast till 2030 3. Global Telepharmacy Market, By Services (Remote Order Entry, Pharmacy Consultation), By End-use (Hospitals, Primary Care Centers, Others) and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa) - Market Trends, Analysis, and Forecast till 2030 New York, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Data Center Automation Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Component, By Operating Environment, By End User, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2022 2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289229/?utm_source=GNW Data center automation is the process of managing and automating a data centers procedures and workflow. It aids in the automation of data center operations, monitoring, administration, and maintenance duties that are now carried out by humans. The data center team benefits from the prospects created by data center automation, which is currently in the markets stage of deployment strategy. The rise of social networking, cloud computing, analytics, and mobile computing is expected to boost the demand for data center automation. A significant amount of data created is unstructured, encompassing raw audio, files, or text from a variety of sources, including blogs and social media platforms. Manual monitoring, remediation, and troubleshooting are too slow to be successful and can put businesses at risk due to the tremendous expansion in data and the speed at which businesses work today. Daily operations can be made autonomous through the process. In an ideal world, the data center provider would have API access to the network, allowing it to communicate with public clouds and migrate data and workloads from one to the other. Software solutions that provide centralized access to most or all data center resources are commonly used to deliver data center automation. This access allows for the automation of servers, storage, networks, and other data center administration duties in the past. COVID-19 Impact Analysis The covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly hastened the digital transformation process. The predominance of remote work will significantly speed up cloud capabilities, even after the pandemic. Companies would look to embark on a new normal, whether its more IT solutions for an agile workforce, larger data storage to fuel the spread of online commerce, or resilient IT systems to handle any future healthcare emergencies. Many businesses seeking to reduce the risk of disease transmission, whether on-premises or in collocation, have accelerated the deployment of data center automation as a result of COVID-19. Market Growth Factors Data Centers Are Being Used In A Variety Of Industries With the passage of time, networks grow increasingly complex. A single data center can house hundreds of servers. Managing the entire network is thus extremely difficult. Repetitive jobs, on the other hand, can be handled by IT automation. As a result, the IT staff can devote their attention to a more vital responsibility. It will aid in the enhancement of the networks security. Enterprises benefit from data centers because companies have greater storage capacity, many advanced servers, and faster processing capabilities. Data centers are in higher demand than ever before, spanning all industries. More Savings In Energy As all firms aim to increase their entire energy efficiency, it makes this, an important factor for the data center automation market. Organizations favor data center automation because it lets them operate with optimum energy efficiency while minimizing their environmental impact. Demand for energy-efficient automated data centers is increasing as a result of the drive to minimize electricity costs. In data centers, storage systems and high-density blade servers provide more computation capacity per watt of energy spent. Market Restraining Factors Market Expansion Is Hampered By Data Privacy And Security Issues The staff in data centers is often in charge of a highly complex environment that includes a diverse mix of programs, databases, and rival platforms. Managing this environment via scripting and platform/application-specific scheduling tools can be time-consuming and inefficient, posing task management issues. These disjointed tools necessitate constant upgrading in the face of change, resulting in higher operating expenses and lower employee productivity. Additionally, there is a data security issue that is impeding market expansion. Components Outlook Based on components, the data center automation market is segmented into solutions and services. The solution segment acquired the highest revenue share in the data center automation market in 2021. This is due to the growing need for server automation systems in data centers, which enable businesses or users to deploy, configure, patch, and maintain virtual, physical, and cloud servers rapidly and securely. Server automation ensures that pre-configured policies are followed and that IT productivity is increased by up to a significant rate due to an intelligent and tight loop for automated remediation. These factors would contribute to the growth of the data center automation market. Operating Environment Outlook By operating environment, the data center automation market is fragmented into Windows OS, Unix OS, Linux, and another Open-Source OS. The Linux and Other Open Source OS segment garnered a significant revenue share in the data center automation market in 2021. Linus Torvalds Linux kernel provides the foundation for a set of open-source Unix-like operating systems. The term "Linux distribution" refers to a grouping of Linux packages. Linux is an open-source and free operating system for computers (OS). An operating system is a software that controls the hardware and resources of a computer, such as the CPU, memory, and storage. End- User Outlook Based on the end-user, the data center automation market is bifurcated into BFSI, IT and telecom, Retail, Public sector and utilities, Energy, Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Others. The BFSI segment acquired the maximum revenue share in the data center automation market in 2021. It is because BFSI companies are removing errors from human procedures and are focusing on enhancing coordination between IT security and IT operations. Data management can be used to do operations such as customer analysis, fraud detection, and other related duties. The financial sectors intense rivalry puts the burden on banks to be more efficient and responsive. Banks must also increase their resources and infrastructure, as well as improve their operating efficiency. Regional Outlook Region-wise, the data center automation market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and LAMEA. North America emerged as the leading region in the data center automation market in 2021 with the largest revenue share. In terms of technology breakthroughs and adoption, North America is the most advanced region. It has a well-equipped infrastructure and the financial means to invest in data center automation software. In addition, using data center automation solutions improves efficiency and lowers costs for data center operations including incident and event management. The major strategies followed by the market participants are Geographical Expansions. Based on the Analysis presented in the Cardinal matrix; Microsoft Corporation is the major forerunner in the Data Center Automation Market. Companies such as Oracle Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company are some of the key innovators in Data Center Automation Market. The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include IBM Corporation, Oracle Corporation, BMC Software, Inc., Fujitsu Limited, Citrix Systems, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, VMware, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company, and Dell Technologies, Inc. Recent strategies deployed in Data Center Automation Market Partnerships, Collaborations and Agreements: 2022-Feb: Hewlett Packard joined hands with Ayar Labs, the leader in chip-to-chip optical connectivity. This collaboration aimed to enter a new era of data center innovation by developing silicon photonics solutions based on optical I/O technology. The development of these technologies would aid future needs for artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and high-performance computing (HPC). 2021-Nov: Cisco joined hands with Nevion, a Sony Group Company and award-winning provider of virtualized media production solutions. This collaboration aimed for customers to have full advantage of Ciscos Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) in conjunction with VideoIPath. VideoIPath integrated with NBM passive means customers can schedule connectivity, make informed routing decisions for media content, load balance, and manage redundancy for media flows. Under this collaboration, Nevions SDN control software VideoIPath and flagship orchestration assist Cisco Nexus 9000 Non-Blocking Multicast (NBM) in both active and passive mode, and multicast NATing. 2021-Jul: Hewlett Packard came into an agreement with HanmiGlobal, a construction project management firm. This memorandum aimed to promote data center services in South Korea. HanmiGlobal would give project management services, while Hewlett Packard Enterprise would provide the consultations and technologies required to create the centers. Product Launches and Product Expansions: 2020-Oct: Cisco unveiled new Wide Area Networking (WAN) edge platform. This product launch aimed to aid customers fasten cloud adoption and provide secure and automated connectivity to applications over the data center, cloud, and edge. Through built-in analytics, the new Wide Area Networking (WAN) platform provides higher visibility into network or application problems and drives informed decisions to optimize the experience of users. Geographical Expansions: 2022-Mar: Microsoft expanded its geographical footprints in India, and Hyderabad to establish the largest data center. This geographical expansion aimed to enter into the growing digital market in Hyderabad where many businesses are incorporating new-age technologies like AI and cloud. The Hyderabad data center region is another inclusion to the present network of three regions in India Mumbai, Pune, and Chennai, which have been operational for more than five years. 2022-Mar: Microsoft expanded its geographical footprints in Southern Finland to build a new data center. This geographical expansion aimed to assist customer requirements for high availability and resilience, the new data center region would feature Azure Availability Zones, unique physical locations equipped with networking, independent power, and cooling for additional tolerance to data center failures. This geographical expansion would join Microsofts worldwide network of cloud computing infrastructure of more than 60 regions, over 280,000 kilometers of terrestrial and subsea fiber, and over 190 edge sites. 2022-Jan: Oracle expanded its geographical footprints in South Africa with a new data center. This geographical expansion aimed to give local cloud services over Africa for the first time, joining the likes of Microsoft and Amazon in setting up facilities in the southernmost country on the continent. 2021-Mar: Cisco expanded its geographical footprints in Frankfurt, Germany, to build a new data center. This geographical expansion aimed to deliver customers using its Collaboration platform Webex in the European Union (EU) and Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Russia (EMEAR) region. 2020-Sep: Fujitsu expanded its geographical footprints in Australia with the expansion of its Western Sydney data center, to invest more in data centers and capabilities. This geographical expansion aimed to be part of a wider hyper-scale expansion plan, with further phases at the Western Sydney data center to include another 14,000 square meters and 50+ megawatts of increased power capacity, delivering an integrated total capacity of 90 megawatts at the Western Sydney data center campus. 2020-Jun: Oracle expanded its geographical footprints in Hyderabad with a second cloud region. This geographical expansion aimed to operate 36 second-generation Cloud regions. In addition, the expansion would enable the SMB customers to enhance technology and the center which would assist Indian firms in better addressing disaster recovery and compliance. Scope of the Study Market Segments covered in the Report: By Component Solution Services By Operating Environment Windows OS Unix OS Linux & other Open Source OS By Operating End User BFSI Retail IT & Telecom Public sector & utilities Energy Manufacturing Healthcare Others By Geography North America o US o Canada o Mexico o Rest of North America Europe o Germany o UK o France o Russia o Spain o Italy o Rest of Europe Asia Pacific o China o Japan o India o South Korea o Singapore o Malaysia o Rest of Asia Pacific LAMEA o Brazil o Argentina o UAE o Saudi Arabia o South Africa o Nigeria o Rest of LAMEA Companies Profiled IBM Corporation Oracle Corporation BMC Software, Inc. Fujitsu Limited Citrix Systems, Inc. Cisco Systems, Inc. Microsoft Corporation VMware, Inc. Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company Dell Technologies, Inc. Unique Offerings Exhaustive coverage Highest number of market tables and figures Subscription based model available Guaranteed best price Assured post sales research support with 10% customization free Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289229/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ New York, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global DRAM Module and Component Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Type, By Memory, By Industry, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2022 2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289228/?utm_source=GNW DRAM chips are a sort of random-access memory (RAM) that needs to be charged or refreshed on a regular basis in order to preserve data. A DRAM module requires a power supply to maintain its data because it is a dynamic memory device. DRAM modules use volatile memory in this fashion. Static memory, on the other hand, does not necessitate the replacement of the capacitor. Data is retained in flash memory regardless of the power DRAM modules are utilized in servers as well as desktop and laptop computers. Different types of DRAM modules are used in servers to improve memory capacity, in networking applications to expand bandwidth and preserve signal integrity, and in mobile applications to offer memory capacity while consuming less power and being more compact. Distinct types of DRAM modules can be chosen depending on their properties. Modules such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), extended data out (EDO), and fast page mode (FPM) are examples. The DRAM modules utilized in high-speed, low-power applications are frequently synchronous DRAM modules. DRAM Modules are utilized mostly in mainstream desktop or server applications and come in a number of memory and speed options. DRAM modules have replaced older, obsolete extended data out (EDO) and fast page mode (FPM) modules. COVID-19 Impact Analysis The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the supply chains of mobile devices, computers, and consumer electronics, which are the primary end-user industries for DRAM modules and components. Lockdowns and the halting of production activities have impeded economic growth even more, upending the global semiconductor industry and causing a massive chip shortage that has impacted autos, computers, and other businesses throughout the world. Despite this, the shortage has created an opportunity for investment and the rise of new participants in the semiconductor business; semiconductor manufacturers are now scrambling to increase production. Market Growth Factors Introduction Of 5g The introduction of the 5G cellular network has added more lanes to the information superhighway, allowing massive volumes of data to travel quicker and more freely, reducing traffic congestion. 5G, which is enabled by advances in memory and storage, when combined with next-generation technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), has the potential to convert mobile gadgets into foresightful, intuitive, and truly smart companions. The 5G/AI revolution will alter how people communicate, work, consume, recreate, and experience the world. Growing Popularity Of IoT The Internet of Things (IoT) allows physical and virtual items to communicate and exchange data and information via cloud technologies. IoT is a network of machines and humans, not merely a network of internet-connected devices. The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the ever-expanding network of physical items as well as the communication that takes place between these objects and other internet-connected devices and systems. The IoT ecosystem is rapidly expanding due to the availability of numerous smart goods for home and industrial uses. Market Restraining Factors Negative Effects Of Extreme Temperatures On Dram Stability at high temperatures and in harsh environments is one of the most important requirements for new memory technologies. Some memory is stable and performs well in extreme temperatures. As a result, theyre used in a variety of applications in which theyre subjected to extremely high and low temperatures. However, in such high environmental conditions, certain scalability and stability concerns arise in the operation of most memory. Elevated temperatures have a negative impact on reliability. DRAM thermal issues are compounded by designers cramming more DRAM chips into already overcrowded DIMMs. Type Outlook Based on type, the DRAM Module and Components Market is divided into DDR2 DRAM, DDR3 DRAM, DDR4 DRAM, DDR5 DRAM, LPDRAM, GDDR, HBM, and Others. The LPDRAM segment acquired the largest revenue share in the DRAM module and component market in 2021. Low-Power Double Data Rate (LPDR), often known as LPDR SDRAM, is a low-power synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) designed for mobile computers and devices such as phones. Memory Outlook Based on memory, the DRAM Module and Components Market is bifurcated into, Up to 1GB, 2GB, 3-4GB, 6-8GB, and above 8GB. The 6-8 GB segment obtained a substantial revenue share in the DRAM module and components market in 2021. Having at least 6GB of RAM allows users to load up a reasonable number of browser tabs and leave enough RAM for using email, working with applications like Microsoft Word, and playing casual games. That makes 6-8 GB a good minimum specification for most casual users. Industries Outlook Based on End-user industries, DRAM Module and Components Market is segmented into Consumer Electronics, Mobile Devices, Servers, Computers, Automobiles, and Others. The servers segment acquired the largest revenue share in the DRAM module and components market in 2021. DRAM is a form of random access memory (RAM) that is commonly found in PCs, workstations, and servers. Random-access memory allows the PC processor to access any area of the memory without having to go through the memory in order. DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) is a crucial component of data processing. The massive volumes of data being generated are driving unprecedented DRAM demand in cloud, data center, on-premises, and at the edge. Regional Outlook Region-wise, the DRAM Module and components market is divided into North America, Europe, APAC, and LAMEA. The Asia Pacific region acquired the largest revenue share in the DRAM module and components market in 2021. This is due to the presence of nations such as China and South Korea in the area. China is an important market for memory devices, with rapid growth due to high demand in the mobile, automotive, and server markets, although it relies on other countries to meet its DRAM needs. With the launch of "Made in China 2025" in 2015, the Chinese government, in collaboration with private sector partners, began investing billions of dollars in the development of their domestic semiconductor industry, with the goal of closing the gap between domestic production and demand. The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SK hynix, Inc., Super Micro Computer, Inc., Nanya Technology Corporation, Winbond Electronics Corporation, Micron Technology, Inc., Powerchip Technology Corporation, ADATA Technology Co., Ltd., Etron Technology, Inc., and Kingston Technology Company, Inc. Strategies Deployed in DRAM Module and Component Market 2022-Apr: Winbond Electronics entered into a partnership with Infineon Technologies, a dominant player in the global semiconductor, microelectronics and IoT solutions market. Under this partnership, the companies announced the expansion of their HYPERRAM product collaboration with the new higher bandwidth HYPERRAM 3.0. The HYPERRAM product range provides compact options to conventional pseudo-SRAM and is perfect for low power, space-constrained IoT applications that need an off-chip external RAM. HYPERRAM 3.0 functions at a maximum frequency of 200MHz with a 1.8V operation voltage, which is equal to both HYPERRAM 2.0 and OCTAL xSPI RAM, however, with an improved data-transfer rate of 800MBps double the rate that was previously present. 2022-Mar: ADATA released Registered DIMM (R-DIMM) DDR5, industrial-grade memory modules. These products are ideal for a broad range of applications, including AIoT, High-Performance Computing, 5G backhaul equipment, Data Center, Server, Edge Computing, Networking, Surveillance, and more. The launch completed a full suite of industrial-grade DDR5 including U-DIMM, SO-DIMM, and now R-DIMM modules developed for the newest Intel 12th Generation processors, and future DDR5 platforms. 2021-Jun: Kingston Technology entered into a partnership with Digi-Key Electronics, a company that provides the biggest selection of electronic components in stock for immediate shipment. Under this partnership, Digi-Key Electronics aimed to provide a broad range of embedded memory and storage solutions to its customers. The partnership also enabled Kingston to increase its presence in the design engineer community. 2021-Jun: Micron Technology launched novel flash memory and dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips, which are developed to handle the bottleneck in feeding data between memory, storage, and processing solutions in modern computers. These storage products were created to better help data-driven businesses as the data economy continues to develop. 2021-May: Samsung launched Double Data Rate 5 (DDR5) DRAM memory module, the industrys first DRAM memory module to support the advanced CXL interface. The product is based on the Compute Express Link (CXL) interconnect standard, which can improve the performance of data centers. 2021-May: Samsung unveiled S2FPD01, S2FPD02, and S2FPC01, the markets foremost integrated power management ICs (PMICs) for the fifth-generation double data rate (DDR5) dual in-line memory module (DIMM). The new PMICs have improved power efficiency and low output ripple voltage, which enables data centers, enterprise servers, and PC applications to fully squeeze their DDR5 performance for incredibly demanding, memory-intensive tasks. 2020-Oct: SK hynix unveiled the DDR5 DRAM, the worlds first of its kind. The product is lightning fast and high-density, which is optimized for Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and Big Data as a next-generation standard for DRAM. SK hynixs DDR5 enables the transfer rate of 4,800 ~ 5,600 Megabit-per-second (Mbps), which is 1.8 times quicker than the previous generation -DDR4. It also can transmit 9 full-HD (FHD) movies (5GB each) per second with a 5,600Mbps transfer rate. 2019-Oct: ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash products, today announces a new line up of gaming hardware including the XPG SX8200 Pro M.2 2280 SSD, GAMMIX S5 PCIe Gen3x4 M.2 2280 SSD, and GAMMIX D30 DDR4 memory module. Scope of the Study Market Segments covered in the Report: By Type LPDRAM DDR2 DDR5 GDDR HBM DDR4 DDR3 Others By Memory Above 8 GB 6-8GB 3-4GB 2GB Others By Industry Servers Automobiles Consumer Electronics Computers Mobile Devices Others By Geography North America o US o Canada o Mexico o Rest of North America Europe o Germany o UK o France o Russia o Spain o Italy o Rest of Europe Asia Pacific o China o Japan o India o South Korea o Singapore o Malaysia o Rest of Asia Pacific LAMEA o Brazil o Argentina o UAE o Saudi Arabia o South Africa o Nigeria o Rest of LAMEA Companies Profiled Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. SK hynix, Inc. Super Micro Computer, Inc. Nanya Technology Corporation Winbond Electronics Corporation Micron Technology, Inc. Powerchip Technology Corporation ADATA Technology Co., Ltd. Etron Technology, Inc. Kingston Technology Company, Inc. Unique Offerings Exhaustive coverage Highest number of market tables and figures Subscription based model available Guaranteed best price Assured post sales research support with 10% customization free Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289228/?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. __________________________ Newark, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per the report published by The Brainy Insights, the global precast concrete market is expected to grow from USD 136.22 billion in 2021 to USD 236.06 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period 2022-2030. Precast concrete is made by mixing, pouring, and hardening the concrete in a controlled setting using a disposable mold. The casted concrete is then delivered to the job site and utilized for engineering structures such as internal walls, basements, platforms, shafts, columns, pipelines, girders, and stairs. Prefabricated concrete parts are more cost-effective and feasible than in-situ concrete. By inserting steel connections in the concrete during the casting process, precast concrete elements may be bolted securely. Request a Sample Copy of the Research Report: https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/enquiry/sample-request/12749 They provide dimensional precision and the option of building one-of-a-kind and ground-breaking constructions of remarkable quality. As a result, precast concrete is commonly employed to construct low-cost projects with similar structures. It also benefits from allowing for building construction projects to be planned because the components may be adjusted. Rapid urbanization and growing preference for domestic and industrial sectors are driving the worldwide precast concrete industry. With expanding environmental problems, precast concrete is increasingly being utilized to create structures and stadiums since it can be reused and recycled, minimizing the carbon effect of raw resources. Apart from that, governments worldwide are investing in infrastructure developments, which gives the market a bright outlook. They are also launching several programs to increase the use of precast concrete since it shortens the total project time and saves money on raw materials and labor. Key players operating in the global precast concrete market are Komatsu Ltd, Kiewit Corporation, Laing ORourke, Balfour Beatty plc, ACS Group, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Red Sea Housing Services, Bouygues Construction, Taisei Corporation, Larsen & Toubro Limited, Elematic, LafargeHolcim, Julius Berger Nigeria, Cemex among others. To enhance their market position in the global precast concrete market, the key players are now focusing on adopting the strategies such as product innovations, mergers & acquisitions, recent developments, joint ventures, collaborations, and partnerships. LafargeHolcim agreed to buy Firestone Building Products from Bridgestone Americas for USD 3.4 billion in January 2021. Forterra Inc. purchased the Barbour Concrete Company and Barbour Building Systems businesses in July 2021. On December 14, 2020, Wells Concrete, the most significant firm in the United States area, combined with Spancrete Inc. to improve the precast industry. Their collaboration has helped them expand their business in Canada, New Mexico, and Colorado. Quick Buy - Precast Concrete Market Research Report: https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/buy-now/12749/single The elemental construction dominated the market with a market share of 34.22% in 2021. The construction type segment comprises permanent modular buildings, elemental construction, and reloadable buildings. The elemental construction segment led the market in 2021 with a market share of around 34.22% and 46.61 billion of market revenue. This expansion can be credited to factors such as rising private and public investments in global building infrastructure, as well as construction companies and skilled workers' keen interest in using individual precast components to build a complete architecture across the apartment buildings and non-residential construction industries. The columns & beams accounted for the largest share of the market with 18.52% in 2021. The element segment is divided into columns & beams, floors & roofs, pipes, paving slabs, utility vaults, girders, walls & barriers, and others. The columns & beams segment led the market in 2021 with a market share of around 18.52% and 25.22 billion of the market revenue. Precast columns and beams are widely employed in both the domestic and non-residential sectors, and they may be found in both construction and non-building constructions. Factors such as rising governmental and non - governmental infrastructure spending, especially in the developing economies of APAC, South America, and the Middle East, and growing preference for apartment buildings structures as a result of rapid urbanization have all led to the expansion in demand for precast columns and beams. The non-residential sector accounted for the largest share of the market, with 37.4% in 2021. The end-use sector segment is divided into residential, infrastructure, and non-residential. The non-residential segment led the market in 2021 with a market share of around 37.4% and a 50.94 billion market revenue due to a rise in investing in infrastructure commercial building projects. Precast concrete will be in the high market for new projects because of endurance, easy maintenance, cost-effectiveness, and shorter building time. Schedule a Consultation Call with Our Analysts/Industry Experts to Find Solution for Your Business at: https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/12749 Regional Segment Analysis of the Precast Concrete Market North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico) Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Rest of APAC) South America (Brazil and Rest of South America) The Middle East and Africa (UAE, South Africa, Rest of MEA) Among all regions, the Asia Pacific region emerged as the largest market for the global precast concrete market, with a market share of around 40.12% and 54.65 billion of the market revenue in 2021. Due to several prominent players in this region, Asia-Pacific is the most significant contributor in terms of market revenue. Increasing population, growing urbanization, and the building industry are the primary drivers driving regional industrial growth. New building developments with better resource alternatives for the commercial and residential sectors boost demand for precast concrete in numerous APAC nations. About the report: The global precast concrete market is analyzed based on value (USD Billion). All the segments have been analyzed on a worldwide, regional, and country basis. The study includes the analysis of more than 30 countries for each detail. The report offers an in-depth analysis of driving factors, opportunities, restraints, and challenges for gaining critical insight into the market. The study includes porter's five forces model, attractiveness analysis, raw material analysis, supply, demand analysis, competitor position grid analysis, distribution, and marketing channels analysis. About The Brainy Insights: The Brainy Insights is a market research company, aimed at providing actionable insights through data analytics to companies to improve their business acumen. We have a robust forecasting and estimation model to meet the clients' objectives of high-quality output within a short span of time. We provide both customized (clients' specific) and syndicate reports. Our repository of syndicate reports is diverse across all the categories and sub-categories across domains. Our customized solutions are tailored to meet the clients' requirement whether they are looking to expand or planning to launch a new product in the global market. Contact Us Avinash D Head of Business Development Phone: +1-315-215-1633 Email: sales@thebrainyinsights.com Web: http://www.thebrainyinsights.com Reference is made to Bank Norwegian ASA's ("Bank Norwegian") interim report for the first quarter of 2022, published on 13 May 2022, where it was announced that Bank Norwegian and its Swedish parent, Nordax Bank AB (publ) ("Nordax"), had started a process to investigate a potential merger between Nordax and Bank Norwegian. The Boards of Directors of Bank Norwegian and Nordax have on 4 July 2022 resolved to sign a joint merger plan for an intra-group cross-border merger between the two banks. The merger will be implemented with Nordax as the acquiring company and Bank Norwegian as the transferring company, with the operations of Bank Norwegian to be continued through a Norwegian branch of Nordax (being under establishment). Nordax Group AB, in its capacity as the sole shareholder of Nordax and indirect shareholder of Bank Norwegian, has also approved the joint merger plan. The merger aims to simplify the group structure and is expected to enable a more effective administration and optimisation of capital and liquidity utilisation within the Nordax group. The implementation of the merger is conditional upon (i) final approval by the Board of Directors of Bank Norwegian after the merger plan has been publicly available for one month, (ii) that the deadline for objections pursuant to the Public Limited Liability Companies Act 13-15, cf. 13-16 has expired, (iii) that the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority ("Finanstilsynet") and the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority ("Finansinspektionen") have approved the implementation of the merger, (iv) that Finansinspektionen has approved Nordax' establishment of a branch in Norway and that Finanstilsynet has confirmed that the branch can commence operations (or that the waiting period of two months has expired), (v) that relevant consents and approvals from third parties have been obtained and (vi) that no objections have been made by creditors or that any such objections have been clarified. The merger is expected to be completed during Q1 2023 at the latest. In connection with the contemplated merger, Bank Norwegian has entered into certain amendment and restatement agreements with Nordic Trustee AS. Amendment and restatement agreements relating to bond terms governing certain of the Norwegian bond issues of Bank Norwegian has been entered into, as set out in Part I of the attachment hereto. Further, an amendment agreement has been entered into with Nordic Trustee AS in relation to Bank Norwegian's notes issues under its Euro medium term note programme (the "Program"), including the Terms and Conditions as set out in the base prospectus of the Program dated 11 April 2019 and the base prospectus of the Program dated 2 July 2020. These notes issues are listed in Part II of the attachment hereto. The agreements have been entered into for the purpose of documenting certain amendments as a result of the issuer becoming a Swedish entity, and the amendments will become effective upon and subject to completion of the merger. The amendment agreements will be published on Stamdata under the relevant ISIN numbers. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act, Oslo Brs Rule Book II and the Nordic ABM Rules. For any questions, please contact: CEO, Klara-Lise Aasen; phone: +47 47635583; e-mail: kaa@banknorwegian.no CFO, Mats Benserud; phone: +47 95891539; e-mail: mbe@banknorwegian.no Attachment Rendering of Ahmed Groups proposed purpose-built rental development at 1000 & 1024 Dundas St. East, Mississauga. MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With over 55 years of real estate investment and asset management experience, the Ahmed Group of Companies (Ahmed Group), a family-owned real estate investment firm, will soon bring forward a new development proposal to address the housing crisis by delivering essential rental housing to the residents of the Region of Peel with their latest project located at 1000 and 1024 Dundas Street East, City of Mississauga. If given the green light, two towers of 16 and 20 storeys over a four-storey podium will bring a total of 462 essential rental units to the City. Once completed, the transit-oriented, mixed-use development will feature one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, ample green space, improvements to the public realm, community space, and an urban farm. Designed by world-renowned WZMH Architects, the proposed purpose-built rental development from the Ahmed Group is designed as a walkable community with a pedestrian-focused experience. It will also offer ground-level commercial space for retail and office use to support current and future businesses in the area. Landscape architecture has been designed by the notable IBI Group Landscape Division. A passion for creating vibrant communities Mississauga is a rapidly growing city and is home to more than 717,000 residents, thousands of businesses, 60 Fortune 500 offices, the University of Torontos Mississauga campus, Sheridan College, Pearson Airport and much more. As of 2022, the Ahmed Group is involved in the development of over 1,500,000 square feet of new purpose-built rental (residential apartments) construction across Ontario. Our city is richly diverse, inclusive, vibrant and growing. It is clear people want to live, work and play in Mississauga, said Moe Ahmed, President and CEO of Ahmed Group. My father came to this country as an immigrant to chase his dreams and raise his family here. I was born in Toronto, raised in Mississauga and have never left. My wife and I are proud to live in Mississauga with our families. We want more families, seniors, students and young professionals to have the opportunity to reside here. The current rental housing supply Vacancy rates have trended downwards across Canada, falling from 2020 to 2021, and continuing into 2022. A recent market report from the Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO) and Urbanation shows that Ontario is facing a shortage of 200,000 rental units over the next decade. With vacancy rates in Peel at an all-time low and the demand for housing at an all-time high, the announcement of the Ahmed Groups proposed development is welcome news. Were in the midst of a housing supply crisis here in Peel, and frankly all over the province. We see this proposed development of our properties at 1000 and 1024 Dundas as a logical step in doing our part to help tackle the lack of housing availability, said Ahmed. Few places have been more impacted by the housing crisis in this country than the GTHA and the Ahmed Group is dedicated to providing quality rental options. Advancing the City of Mississaugas vision The Ahmed Groups proposed development comes after a series of important steps taken by the City of Mississauga, the Region of Peel, and the Province to guide future urban growth and intensification of the region. In June 2018, Mississauga City Council endorsed the Dundas Connects Master Plan to establish a vision for the Dundas Street Corridor, supporting major improvements to transportation, sustainable transit-supportive development, intensification, and the public realm along the 19.5-kilometre corridor of Dundas Street. In March 2022 the federal, provincial and municipal governments committed $675 million to support three transit initiatives in Mississauga, including the Dundas bus rapid transit system (Dundas BRT) that will run through Mississauga connecting Toronto to Oakville. In addition to the BRT, Mississauga will build the Hurontario Light Rail Transit (LRT) which will connect with the Dundas BRT, creating north-south and east-west transit connectivity across the rapidly growing region. Shortly after, the Region of Peel voted to approve its Official Plan to 2051, expanding the Regions urban boundarythe area within which landowners and homebuilders are allowed to submit applications for developmentin June. We are encouraged by the steps that the City, the Region of Peel, and the Province have taken to address the need for more residential housing, mixed-use transit-oriented developments, walkable communities and greenspace, said Ahmed. Ahmed Group is committed to creating projects that support the City and Regions vision and serve as a catalyst for transformative change in Mississaugas Dundas East community. The Ahmed Groups future projects The Ahmed Group also has additional projects at various planning and proposal stages in the Queen and Main, Dundas and Confederation, and Mississauga Road and QEW areas of the City. The developments will be geared towards the purpose-built rental market further addressing Mississaugas growing housing needs with the objective to support transit equity through bicycle facilities, walking paths and mass transit connections. As city builders, we have a corporate social responsibility to help create more attainable rental housing options and contribute to the revitalization of neighbourhoods, said Ahmed. Healthy, transit-oriented communities are an essential tool in building a thriving Mississauga. We take pride in our responsibility of developing new rental units that will enrich the lives of people in the community. About the Ahmed Group of Companies The Ahmed Group of Companies (Ahmed Group) is a Canadian-based family office whose primary objective is to invest in the development and construction of Canadian real estate. The group consists of three primary subsidiaries: Ahmed Holdings, Ahmed Developments, and Ahmed Asset Management. As of 2022, the development arm of the Ahmed Group has a development pipeline of over $1 billion in completed value, and the asset management arm has nearly $60 million in assets under management. The group traces its origins back to 1966 in the City of Edmonton, Alberta, when the late Dr. Hashim M. Ahmed (1942-2016) put down roots and first established his real estate investment business. Originally from Hyderabad, India, Dr. Ahmed was among the first Hyderabadis to migrate to Canada in the early 60s. A prominent, outspoken community leader and passionate human rights activist, Dr. Ahmed's teachings inspire and influence the decision-making of the group to this day. Dr. Ahmed's eldest son and successor, Moe Ahmed, currently leads the group, as President and CEO. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d4e7a7f8-7bbe-40e9-aa77-fdb3fc65c0b3 United States, Rockville MD, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per industry analysis by Fact.MR - market research and competitive intelligence provider, the global microbial biosurfactants market is estimated to exceed a valuation of USD 16.5 million by 2022, and to expand at a significant CAGR of close to 3.9% by value over the assessment period. Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension between gas & liquid or two liquids etc. Surfactants are used in corrosion inhibition, to promote oil flow in porous rocks and produce aerosols. Rhamnolipids are widely used in pharmaceuticals & therapeutics due to their prominent properties such as surface-active properties, low toxicity and antimicrobial activities against several microbes. Microbial synthesized surfactants are called biosurfactants. Different classes of biosurfactants have a significant position in both microbiology & biotechnology. Currently, agriculture observes a most vital contest of stagnant crop yield. The detection to surge the agricultural production for satisfying the food demand of the continuously increasing population led to the overt custom of several agrochemicals. For Critical Insights on Microbial Biosurfactants Market, Request a Sample Report https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=7333 Moreover, the introduction of agrochemicals pointedly surged the agricultural production but continuous use of these has suggestively weakened the health of the agroecosystem due to their long persistence in the environment. Microbial biosurfactants are extensively used in numerous industries because of their advanced feature like high biodegradability, renewability, and functionally care taken under extreme conditions and they are more advantageous than chemical-based biosurfactants. The rise in the use of biodegradable, non-toxic and eco-friendly products is propelling the growth of the product market. Moreover, the wide use of microbial biosurfactants in personal care, for instance, removal of skin and hair dirt is escalating product demand in the global market. Additionally, the increased use of microbial biosurfactants in applications like oilfield chemicals, household detergents etc. is likely to drive market growth in coming years. Which Application of Microbial Biosurfactants is Popular? Microbial biosurfactants, under application, are segmented into household detergents, industrial & institutional cleaners, personal care, oilfield chemicals, agricultural chemicals, and other applications. Industrial & institutional cleaners lead the market by holding 25% of the overall market share, and are projected to register a CAGR of 4.4% over the forecast period. Market value of beauty & personal care amounted to US$ 564.4 billion in 2020, and is expected to register a CAGR of 4.7%. Biosurfactants have exhibited great potentials such as skin compatibility and skin protection. The personal care segment is estimated to provide a gain of 100 BPS to the global microbial biosurfactants market during the assessment years of 2022-2032. To learn more about Microbial Biosurfactants Market, you can get in touch with our Analyst at https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=AE&rep_id=7333 Key Segments Covered in Microbial Biosurfactants Industry Survey Microbial Biosurfactants Market by Product Type : Rhamnolipids Sophorolipids Mannosylerythritol Other Product Types Microbial Biosurfactants Market by Application : Household Detergents Industrial & Institutional Cleaners Personal Care Oilfield Chemicals Agricultural Chemicals Other Applications Microbial Biosurfactants Market by Region : North America Latin America Europe East Asia South Asia & Oceania MEA Competitive Landscape Key manufacturers of microbial biosurfactants are SI Group, Agae Technologies, LLC, Ecover UK Ltd, Saraya Co., Ltd., AkzoNobel, BASF, and Jeneil. The global microbial biosurfactants market is consolidated and competitive because of the presence of various international and local players. For instance: Evonik, in January 2019, partnered with the consumer goods group Unilever and invested in biosurfactants, which will allow the company to expand its market position in the biosurfactants domain BASF, in Oct 2021, signed a bio surfactant agreement with Allied Carbon Solutions & Holifirm to produce sophorolipids & glycolipid for home & personal care. Fact.MR has delivered thorough statistics about the price facts of top microbial biosurfactant manufacturers positioned across regions, in addition to providing information on sales growth, speculative production expansion, and production capacity, in the recently published report. Get Customization on Microbial Biosurfactants Market Report for Specific Research Solutions https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RC&rep_id=7333 Key players in Microbial Biosurfactants Market AGAE Technology Jeneil Biosurfactant Saraya Co., Ltd. AkzoNobel BASF Ecover Evonik Innospec Key Takeaways from Microbial Biosurfactants Market Study Under product type, rhamnolipids dominate the market by holding 34.4% of the overall market share in 2022 and is projected to account for 34.7% of market share by 2032 Under product type, rhamnolipids are projected to provide a value worth USD 5.6 million over the forecast period whereas sophorolipids are projected to provide a value of 8.4 million By application, household detergents are projected to provide a value worth USD 4.7 million over the forecast period North America and Europe together account for 57.8% market share in microbial biosurfactants market in 2022 North America and APAC are projected to register 4.7% and 3.9% CAGR during the forecast years of 2022-2032 Fact.MRs Domain Expertise in Chemicals and Materials Division Expert analysis, actionable insights, and strategic recommendations of the highly seasoned chemicals and materials team at Fact.MR helps clients from across the globe with their unique business intelligence needs. With a repertoire of over thousand reports and 1 million-plus data points, the team has analysed the chemicals and materials division across 50+ countries for over a decade. The team provides unmatched end-to-end research and consulting services. Explore More Chemical and Materials Industry Reports: Ammonium Sulfate Market- The global ammonium sulfate market was worth US$ 3.31 Billion in 2021, and is expected to reach US$ 4.9 Billion by 2032. As of 2022, the industry is forecast to reach US$ 3.43 Billion, representing an annual increase worth 3.7% from 2021. The market expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3.6% between 2022 and 2032. Chlor-Alkali Market- The global chlor-alkali market is likely to be valued at US$ 88.5 Billion in FY 2022, up from US$ 84 Billion in 2021. During the past year, the industry registered a Y-o-Y increase worth 5.3%. From 2022 to 2032, Chlor-Alkali sales are poised to flourish at a CAGR of 5.4% to reach a value of US$ 150 Billion by the end of 2032. Abrasives Market- The global abrasives market was valued at US$ 54.03 Bn in 2020. Consumption of abrasives is expected to increase at a CAGR of 5.5% to reach a market valuation of US$ 97.7 Bn by the end of 2031. Battery Chemicals Market- The global demand for battery chemicals enjoyed year-on-year (YoY) growth of 1.7% in 2021 to reach 3,448.6 kilotons. Battery chemicals market value is projected to reach US$ 170.3 Bn in valuation by 2032-end. Meanwhile, consumption of battery chemicals is projected to increase at a CAGR of around 8.3% over the decade. Biodiesel Market- The global biodiesel market reached a valuation of US$ 90.4 Bn in 2020. Demand for biodiesel is slated to rise at a CAGR of 6.9% to reach US$ 187.6 Bn by the end of 2031. Agricultural Fumigants Market- The global Agricultural Fumigants Market is estimated at US$ 1 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach a valuation of US$ 1.4 Bn by 2032, expanding at a CAGR of 2.8% through the forecast period of 2022-2032. Anticoagulant Rodenticides Market- The global Anticoagulant rodenticides Market is estimated at US$ 720.4 Mn in 2022 and is projected to reach a valuation of US$ 1.4 Bn by 2032, expanding at a CAGR of 3.3% through the forecast period of 2022-2032. Flock Adhesives Market- The global Flock Adhesive market is projected to reach a valuation of US$ 4.6 Bn by 2032, expanding at a CAGR of 5.5% through the forecast period of 2022-2032. Flock adhesives are adhesives that are used to join diverse substrates such as rubber, plastic, and metal. Fiber particles are electrostatically integrated into the adhesive layer, resulting in adhesive flocking. Physical Vapor Deposition Market- The global physical vapor deposition market is expected to grow significantly, reaching US$ 43 Billion by 2032 at a 6% CAGR between 2022 and 2032. According to the report, the market was worth US$ 23 Billion in 2021. Factors such as rising demand for eco-friendly coating processes and medical equipment are expected to drive product demand in the coming years. Adhesives Market- Global market demand for adhesives reached US$ 60 Billion in FY 2021, and is poised to register a Y-o-Y expansion rate worth 5% in 2022, reaching US$ 63 Billion. During the forecast period ranging from 2022 to 2032, the market is poised to register a CAGR worth 5% to be valued at US$ 102.6 Billion. About Us: Market research and consulting agency with a difference! Thats why 80% of Fortune 1,000 companies trust us for making their most critical decisions. While our experienced consultants employ the latest technologies to extract hard-to-find insights, we believe our USP is the trust clients have on our expertise. Spanning a wide range from automotive & industry 4.0 to healthcare & retail, our coverage is expansive, but we ensure even the most niche categories are analyzed. Our sales offices in United States and Dublin, Ireland. Headquarter based in Dubai, UAE. Reach out to us with your goals, and well be an able research partner. Contact: Mahendra Singh US Sales Office: 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 Email: sales@factmr.com Tel: +1 (628) 251-1583 Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter English French MONTREAL, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) is pleased to announce that the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) has agreed to binding arbitration, bringing the strike to an end at 00:01 EDT on July 5, 2022. Employees in Signals and Communications will return to their roles at 07:00 AM EDT on July 6, 2022. CN would like to thank its management employees and contractors for their service which allowed rail operations to continue uninterrupted during the strike. About CN CN is a world-class transportation leader and trade-enabler. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. As the only railroad connecting Canadas Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. South through a 18,600-mile rail network, CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship. Contacts: Apple Watch Series 8 could likely detect if its user has a fever once body temperature starts to go beyond the normal range, claims a recent report. The upcoming smart wearable of the iPhone maker, the Apple Watch Series 8, is expected to see the light of day sometime in the latter half of 2022. But despite that, leaks and predictions have started to sprout like mushrooms, giving Apple fans a glimpse of what to expect from the next-generation wrist device. And the latest Apple Watch Series 8 prediction comes from no less than the reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman. This time, he teases us with a new health feature on the upcoming wrist device. Apple Watch Series 8 to Detect Fever? As per a news story by The Verge, the Bloomberg journalist claims that the upcoming Apple Watch is likely to detect if its users are running a fever. But Gurman says that the new features on Apple Watch Series 8 would not provide its users an exact reading on their body temperature. Instead, the wrist device could only tell its users that there has been a spike in their temperature. From there, the smart wearable would go on to ask users to confirm it through a thermometer or pay a visit to a doctor. That said, the Series 8 watch is less likely to work like how a good ol' thermometer works -- wherein you get a straightforward reading of your body temperature. Instead, the new Apple Watch could only alert its users that they have a fever based on the spike in their body temperature. Read Also: Apple Watch 6 Blank Screen Issue Now Has a Repair Program - Which Models are Supported Apple Watch Series 8 Body Temperature Sensor Gurman says the fever-detection feature is possible thanks to the additional body temperature sensor on the new Apple Watch. However, Apple still has to pass a few internal testing before it gets the green light to install the new sensor on its future smartwatch offerings. If Apple ace the tests, the Bloomberg journalist believes that the additional Apple Watch sensors are "a go" for two upcoming models, according to a news story by Mac Rumors. The fever-detecting feature is likely coming to the upcoming standard Series 8 and the rumored "rugged model" which serves folks with more active lifestyles like athletes. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch SE is less likely to get the new sensor. Furthermore, Gurman says that consumers could start seeing the new health-tracking capability for the 2022 release of the next-generation Apple Watch. The Verge notes in its report that the journalist previously predicted that the new body temperature sensor is coming this January. But he's now saying that it should be out sometime this year. Related Article: Apple Watch 8 Leak Reveals Just 1 Minor Design Change; But New Color Teased! Germany's road traffic agency wants Tesla to recall some of its vehicles. The Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) is recently appealing to Tesla to recall more than 59,000 of its vehicles over a global software issue that can endanger passengers' lives during an accident, per Reuters. Tesla is one if not the most popular electric vehicle (EV) brands worldwide, according to Car Logos. KBA's Appeal To Tesla Facts The KBA mentioned on its website that some Tesla Model Y and Model 3 EVs were found to have a software flaw that causes a breakdown of the eCall, a Tesla vehicle feature that automatically contacts emergency responders should an accident involving the car happens. The software issue was first reported by the German regional broadcaster Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, which serves as the home of Tesla's German Model Y and battery production near Berlin. Additionally, this Tesla factory is the same Tesla German Gigafactory that the company opened in mid-March, per CNBC. The KBA didn't disclose many Tesla Model Ys and 3s are affected by the software issue in Germany alone. However, it did find that the software issue is affecting more than 59,129 Tesla Model Ys and 3s worldwide, including Model Y crossovers manufactured at Tesla's Berlin-Brandenburg Gigafactory. Read More: Steve Jobs to Posthumously Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom As such, it puts more Tesla drivers and their passengers at risk of not being rescued or assisted when they're involved in a serious accident. Both Tesla and Elon Musk have yet to address the software issue in an official statement or on social media as of the writing of this article. The Software's Impact On Tesla The software issue could be a source of another headache for Tesla officials and its CEO, Elon Musk. The affected models rank as the company's most popular models, with 291,189 Model Ys and 3s produced during the first quarter of 2022. Meanwhile, 295,32 deliveries made in the same period were for Model 3s and Ys. Additionally, Tesla mentioned on July 2 that it delivered 17.9% fewer vehicles in the second quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter due to China's "zero-COVID policy" disrupting production and supply chain. Despite the disruption, 242,169 Tesla Model Ys and 3s were produced during 2022's second quarter while 238,533 of them were delivered to Tesla dealerships worldwide, per Tesla's announcement. Furthermore, Musk said that Tesla's new factories in Texas and Berlin are "losing billions of dollars as they struggle to increase production due to battery shortages and Chinese port issues, per a separate Reuters report. In addition to the software issue the KBA announced, Tesla is also being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) due to the numerous crashes which involved Tesla drivers engaging the company's self-driving system (SDS). The NHTSA investigation's goal is to find out if the company's SDS is "defective." Tesla's SDS has a level 2 vehicle autonomy according to the Society of Automotive Engineers. As such, it still requires a driver's attention to correct the car's decisions. Related Article: Tesla Model Y Joins Fleet of Leawood Police in Kansas Hello everyone and welcome to yet another This Week on iTP rundown where we list the top five stories from the previous week! Today's top five rundown includes stories about Indonesia's digital nomad visa, the shutting down of Sprint's LTE network, and the unfortunate death of a Minecraft YouTuber due to cancer. If you are ready to get started, we totally are as well. Without further ado, here are the top five stories from last week: We are, very unfortunately, starting off this rundown with very sad news. Popular Minecraft YouTuber Technoblade has passed away. He was only 23 years old and has died of cancer. Technoblade managed to leave one last YouTube video on his channel to thank his fans and to let them know how much he appreciates them. He likewise apologized in the video for certain items he had sold in the last year, but pointed out that his siblings could now afford to go to college because of the items. T-Mobile has made the decision to retired Sprint's LTE network and a company spokesperson has likewise confirmed that the shutdowns have already started. The shutdown of the LTE network follows the 3G CDMA network being take down earlier this year. Sprint was only recently acquired by T-Mobile. Ransomware attacks have been rampant these days and last week, it has been reported that Walmart may have fallen victim the Yanluowang gang. The ransomware gang has claimed that they attacked Walmart over a month ago. While they have been able to encrypt certain devices, the gang says that they were not able to steal any data. However, Walmart has refuted these allegations and said that it has not experienced any data breach. Three European countries, namely Austria, France, and Italy, have banned Google Analytics. According to our report, "Google has been under fire from the European Union for abusing its dominant position in mobile search engines and apps." "The usage of Google Analytics is now being pursued by an increasing number of union member states for infringement of the General Data Protection Regulation," the report adds. 1. Foreign Workers Will Be Able To Reside and Work in Bali for Five Years Tax-Free With a 'Digital Nomad Visa' The top story in this rundown is perfect for those who would rather work by the beach instead of working from home. Indonesia is hoping to lure more remote workers into their country by introducing why the call a digital nomad visa. This visa is meant to encourage digital nomads to work from popular locations in the Asian country, such as Bali. The Realme GT2 Explorer Master was previously confirmed to arrive this month by company officials. Today we get an exact date for the official event - it will be on July 12, at 2 PM Beijing time. The phone is supposed to be the company's next flagship, and we know it will run on Qualcomms top-tier platform - the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. The new Realme phone will be part of the newly separated Master series (previously the Master editions were merely customized versions of the X-series phones). Last year the line-up consisted of two mid-rangers, but this time around it's aiming higher. The GT2 Explorer Master is going to have a mightier chipset than the Realme GT2 Pro but we have to wait until the official launch to see whether it will be a worthy upgrade. Leaked specs on TENAA suggest it might be the case - the screen is going to be 6.7 AMOLED with only 1080p resolution but charging is reportedly moving in the triple digits with two variants - 100W and 150W. Other specs include a triple camera with two 50MP sensors, up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. Source (in Chinese) | Via You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Reported say that the sales of the Nissan LEAF have reached 7,622 so far this year, down by 1.4% compared to 2021. Nissan Sold Less Vehicles in Q2 2022 Compared to Last Year According to the news story of Inside EVs, the deliveries of the Nissan LEAF, the company's all-electric vehicle (EV), dropped significantly. There were 3,251 LEAFs supplied in the past quarter, which is 32.3% fewer than in the same period last year. Since December 2010, Nissan has collectively sold 173,332 LEAFs in the U.S., and the company is steadily approaching the 200,000 mark. In fact, 172,612 Nissan vehicles in total were sold during the second quarter of this year, which is 38.4% fewer than in the same period last year. Is Nissan LEAF 2022 a Good Car? U.S. News said that a user-friendly infotainment system and quick powertrains are features of the 2022 Nissan LEAF. There is a ton of passenger space inside, as well as standard safety equipment, and the infotainment system is commended for being simple to use. Additionally, it has rapid acceleration and is simple to control. One of the most reasonably priced all-EV available, the LEAF should be taken into consideration by customers with a tight budget. Unfortunately, the LEAF's driving range is worse than that of competitors, its interior has some low-quality components, and its rear seats cannot be folded flat, U.S. News reported. The news outlet said that the Chevrolet Bolt EUV or Tesla Model 3, which both have greater driving ranges than the LEAF, should be taken into account by those with a bigger budget. Read More: Hyundai Invests $79 Billion Towards Electric Vehicles; Here's Why! Nissan Announced LEAF 2023 Model The LEAF's starting costs rose by $400 for the 2023 model year, and its trims and specifications differed slightly from those of the 2022 model, as per Inside EVs. CNET mentioned that Nissan streamlined its LEAF EV lineup for the 2023 model year, and the carmaker on June 21 disclosed prices for the range's reorganized offering. Although that price excludes a potential $7,500 federal tax credit, the base LEAF now starts at $28,895 including $1,095 for destination, an increase of $470 over the 2022 model. The LEAF is one of the least priced new EVs now available for purchase, even with these modest price hikes. It's important to note that Chevrolet just significantly reduced the prices of its Bolt EV and Bolt EUV hatchbacks, which actually place them below the LEAF and also provide a greater range. However, the LEAF should still appeal to those who desire simple electric transportation due to its low price, though. Related Article: Nissan is Planning To Release Its First Solid-State Battery EV - When Will It Happen? About 1,000 Air National Guard troops including those on Guam who are assigned to space missions are mired in an identity crisis. Torn between the Air Force, where they have historically been assigned, and the militarys Space Force where they now work, their units have become orphans, according to commanders, as state and federal leaders wrangle over whether to create a Space National Guard. For federal authorities, the issue is mainly about the money. A Space Guard, they say, will create unneeded bureaucracy and cost up to $500 million a year. They argue its too high a price to slap a new name on a patch for an airman doing the same job at the same desk as a year ago. But state Guard leaders say whats at stake is more than just uniform patches. They say the split has caused budgeting gaps, training delays and recruiting problems, and if unresolved will lead to bigger divisions, eroding units readiness in some of the nations critical space warfighting and nuclear command and control jobs. The state leaders dont buy the money argument. They say a Space Guard is needed in only seven states and Guam, where the Air Guard members who support space missions already reside. The cost, they say, will only be about $250,000, for new signs, tags and other administrative changes. When they removed all the space operators out of the Air Force, the Air Force no longer really does space, said Air Guard Lt. Col. Jeremiah Hitchner, commander of the 109th Space Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron in Guam. Hitchner was referring to the decision to shift active-duty Air Force troops doing space missions into the new Space Force. They left us in the Air Force. So we were for lack of a better term orphaned. We were left on our own to survive. Across the country, there are 1,008 Air National Guard citizen-airmen performing space jobs in Guam, Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New York and Ohio. Many of those Guard members work with Americas highly sensitive and technical military satellite communications and missile warning systems. They are responsible for ensuring that those systems can survive and operate under all peace and wartime conditions. President Donald Trump ordered the creation of a Space Force in June 2018. But even before then, it had already been under discussion within the Air Force as a way to better defend U.S. interests in space. Unlike the Army, Navy and Air Force, the Space Force is not its own military department. Instead, its administered by the Air Force secretary, is led by a four-star general and provides forces for U.S. Space Command, which oversees the militarys space operations. To limit costs, only a few military career fields were created for the Space Force: mainly space operations, cyber and intelligence jobs. Active-duty airmen who were doing those missions became Space Force Guardians. There are about 7,000 active-duty guardians, and a similar number of civilians, with a budget of about $18 billion for this fiscal year. Other duties including legal, medical, public affairs and some administrative posts continue to be carried out by Air Force staff. The opposition to creating a small Space Guard appears to be centered at the White House and Office of Management and Budget. Last September, the budget office said it strongly opposed a Space National Guard, citing Congressional Budget Office estimates that it could cost about $500 million a year. Establishing a Space National Guard would not deliver new capabilities it would instead create new government bureaucracy, OMB said. The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units with space missions have effectively performed their roles with no adverse effect on (Department of Defenses) space mission since the establishment of the Space Force. While having a Space Guard was part of the initial Air Force plan, the funding limits have become the overriding issue. Sitting alongside the active-duty Space Guardians, the Air Guard members say theyre doing their same jobs, but without a formal link to the Space Force. As the Space Force develops its own job descriptions and requirements, Air Guard troops complain its more difficult to be promoted in space mission jobs. We need to be aligned with people that understand the space mission, have responsibility for the space mission, and have all the authorities and alignment in the space mission, said Senior Master Sgt. Harry Smith, flight chief for the 137th Space Warning Squadron in Colorado. The Air Force should be focused on air power. Commanders said that over time, the disconnect will worsen. Already, they said, funding is becoming a problem because they are requesting money from the Air Force for a Space Force mission or equipment. The Space Force and Air Force now have their own fund lines. Theyre appropriated completely different, said Hitchner. That makes an issue for me because Im in the air side trying to spend Space Force money. Its sometimes legally not possible. Some members of Congress are pushing for a Space Guard, citing many of the same efficiency and bureaucracy reasons. Legislation has been proposed but has not passed. In a letter to President Joe Biden, the National Guard Association of the U.S. argued that OMB incorrectly inflated the price tag and ignored Air Force studies that concluded creating a Guard would be more efficient. The personnel are already on the payroll and the equipment and facilities are in place. said retired Brig. Gen. J. Roy Robinson, the associations president. A Space National Guard could grow in the future, but only to meet requirements specified by the Space Force. Though a protest was postponed Monday, island residents said they will continue to fight for womens reproductive rights. The Fight for Your Right: The Rally for Roe protest was supposed to take place on Monday afternoon. But because of the rain, it was postponed until Wednesday, according to Kiana Yabut, Famalaoan Rights chief development officer. We dont want people getting injured, Yabut said. The recent overturning of Roe Vs. Wade, the constitutional right to abortion that was in place for half a century, has brought a great mixture of emotions and concerns among island residents. Though Famalaoan Rights, which is focused on addressing the need for accessible reproductive health care on Guam, did not organize the protest, representatives helped coordinate it. Another woman came up with the idea for the protest, and partnered with Micronesia Climate Change Alliance and other community groups to bring it together, Yabut said. Its really great to see people from the community kind of step up and ask us for support, Yabut said. Yabut said having the protest on Independence Day would have been significant. July 4 was supposed to be this symbol of freedom of independence, but with the overturn of Roe v. Wade, reproductive freedom is being taken away. Womens independence is kind of being taken away, and so I think thats that that was their idea behind having it, Yabut said. And I think its awesome. According to Jayne Flores, director of the Guam Bureau of Womens Affairs, the community needs to realize that even when abortions are illegal, women still terminate pregnancies. Outlawing the practice doesnt stop abortions, she said. What stops abortion is stopping unplanned pregnancies. And thats where we need to go as a community. Flores said the main focus of the Bureau of Womens Affairs is to stop unplanned pregnancy through comprehensive sex education in middle and high schools, calling for public funding for more birth control, and more access to emergency contraception. Lets face it, no one wants to have an abortion, Flores said. She said what we want to do is reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies, but still, having said that, abortion needs to be safe, accessible and rare on Guam. With the knowledge that other rights, such as same-sex marriage, could also be in jeopardy, both Flores and Yabut have faith in younger voters to continue the fight. I used to think that, you know, a majority of the island was pro-life and anti-choice, but in reality, its really just a loud and vocal minority, said Yabut. There is a whole new generation of voters now, people my age, Gen Z, millennials, that dont have that same mindset that are willing, and very much willing actually, to vote them out. Saipan celebrated its Liberation Day from Thursday through Tuesday, according to the Saipan Mayors Office. Liberation Day on the island marks the permanent closure on July 4, 1945, of civilian internment camps in Saipan, when indigenous CHamorus and Carolinians were allowed to fully return to their land and lives following World War II. Unlike Guam, which was under American control before the war and captured by the Japanese, the Northern Marianas were under Japanese control before and during the war, and later captured by the Americans. This is the first celebration on Saipan since 2019, and the theme was Honoring our Legacy as We Ride the Waves of Change. We never forget the past, especially what happened during World War II and in the civilian camps, said Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang. Three parade marshals were selected this year, to make up for the years when there was no parade. Estanislao Tudela Stanley McGinnis, Don A. Farrell and Michael S. Mike Sablan were named as marshals. McGinnis was 3 when the Americans landed on Saipan in 1944, and he and his family stayed in a cave while Japanese and American forces battled over the island. Later, the family moved to Camp Susupe, and McGinnis remembers when everyone was allowed to leave the camp. Farrell, a historian and author, spent 35 years in government service, including working as chief of staff to the speaker of the Guam Legislature, and chief of staff to the mayor of the Municipality of Tinian and Aguiguan. Sablan, former Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas public auditor, has worked as a special adviser to the late Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio and has served in a number of community groups. He is currently on the Governors Council of Economic Advisors. Former Gov. Carl TC Gutierrez is the president and CEO of Guam Visitors Bureau, Guam Permit Czar, and chairman of the Governors Economic Strategy Council. Send comments or questions to GVB at communityrelations@visitguam.org. Haiti - DR : The regularization agreement for Haitian workers in Santiago is canceled In a letter sent to the Consulate of Haiti in Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic), Sandy Filpo, President of the Association of Traders and Industrialists of Santiago (ACIS) announced that "the reasons that gave birth to the agreement with the Consulate General of Haiti in Santiago no longer exist from this letter, and that this agreement is therefore now without effect and without legal value." Sandy Filpo, recalled that the agreement signed on June 1st with the Haitian Consul James Jacques (since revoked https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37012-haiti-santiago-the-dgm-dismantles-a-gang-of-haitian-passport-and-visa-traffickers.html ) aimed at the regularization of the Haitian workforce working in the productive sectors of Santiago. He affirms that at the time of the signature, Consul James Jacques was fully invested with his powers. He justifies the cancellation of this agreement because several Dominican government authorities have expressed the desire to "put in place a mechanism that will allow companies to hire foreign employees in full compliance with Dominican legislation". While recalling that ACIS throughout its history has always been an entity respectful of the legal and institutional framework, he also stressed that having Haitian workers in a regular situation would facilitate the work of the migration control authorities, which could more easily repatriate those who are in an irregular situation on Dominican territory. Between the lines it must be understood that this agreement was frowned upon by the Dominican Government, overriding the authority of the ACIS (and called to order) and most likely encroaching on the prerogatives of the General Directorate of Migration (DGM)... The businessman indicated that he wanted the Haitian Consulate to continue to help Haitians who are already working in productive sectors such as bananas, cocoa and others (in an irregular situation), to obtain residence papers. identities for their migration regularization process... See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-37019-icihaiti-santiago-the-former-consul-jacques-abandons-his-charges-and-returns-to-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37012-haiti-santiago-the-dgm-dismantles-a-gang-of-haitian-passport-and-visa-traffickers.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36846-haiti-economy-agreement-between-the-association-of-tradesmen-of-santiago-and-the-consulate-general-of-haiti-for-the-benefit-of-haitians.html SL/ HaitiLibre Google continues to develop the Pixel 6 Pro's Face Unlock feature. There is still talk going around about Google's Face Unlock feature for their mobile devices. Just recently, there has been a leak from those in the know suggesting that the feature could eventually arrive on the phone at some point later this year. According to 9to5Google, after conducting some research, they discovered that the most recent version of Android for Pixel phones includes code referring to a CPU boost that is applied whenever Face Unlock is required. In April, 9To5Google published an article stating that the Google Pixel 6 Pro was supposed to roll out with a face unlock feature. However, sources with knowledge of the situation stated that the function was pulled relatively close to the time of launch. It was also discovered that the feature had never been intended for the Pixel 6, but rather for the more expensive premium model. This difference might be attributable to the fact that the two phones have front-facing cameras that are distinct from one another. In contrast to the IMX355 used in the Pixel 6, the Sony IMX663 used in the Pixel 6 Pro is capable of dual-pixel auto-focus (DPAF). Google Pixel 6 Pro Face Unlock Google Pixel fans may recall that there was a lot of speculation about the Google Pixel 6 phones and Face Unlock. These rumors circulated both before and after the phones were released, as some were somehow expecting the feature to launch on the Pixel 6 Pro. The feature had problems with dependability and battery life, which are the reasons why this option has not been made available up until this point. However, it does appear that the software developers working on Android 12 are laying the foundations for Face Unlock on the Pixel 6 Pro to finally show up at some point in the future. Even though Google has not yet confirmed anything new about Face Unlock just yet. As reported by TechRadar, it is possible that Google has now resolved whatever problems needed to be resolved and is ready to roll out Face Unlock on the Pixel 6 Pro. Although this phone does not have the radar sensors that enable Face Unlock on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, the technology of its front-facing camera as well as Google's expertise in artificial intelligence may be sufficient. Read Also: Is Your Samsung S21 Freezing, Crashing After Update? 3 Steps to Fix Major Issue Release of Face Unlock Even nine months after the launch of the Pixel 6 Pro, Google's smartphone does not support the face unlock feature. Numerous users might have accepted that Google's Face Unlock technology might not be coming anytime soon to their devices. However, recent discoveries and reports prove otherwise. Face unlock features for the Pixel 6 Pro are reportedly still in the works at Google. According to NOTEBOOKCHECK, it is possible that the launch of the feature will now coincide with the release of Android 13 and the Pixel 7 series, both of which are slated for the fall. It is speculated that face unlock functionality will be added to the Google Pixel 6 Pro after the release of Android 13 and the Pixel 7 series. Customers who purchase a phone from Google's Pixel 6 series have more to gain in the event that their device requires repair. This is because the displays on the Google Pixel 6 are significantly more affordable than those found on competing models from Samsung and Apple. Related Article: Is Your Samsung Not Downloading Apps From the Google Play Store? 5 Ways to Fix It By Anna J. Park The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) has begun investigating the foreign exchange trading records of local banks following abnormal foreign currency trading activities amounting to 800 billion won ($616 million) spotted at one Woori Bank branch in Seoul during the past year. Suspicions were aroused when an exceptionally high volume of foreign exchange trading more than 145 times the average occurred at a single bank branch. Since noticing the suspicious trading records during an internal audit, the bank reported the case to the financial authority for further investigation. Upon receiving the report, the FSS launched an on-site investigation into the branch late last month. The financial watchdog agency also began investigating Shinhan Bank, which reported similar abnormal foreign exchange trading activities. While the FSS is looking closely into the cases to see whether the transactions violated the country's anti-money laundering laws and foreign exchange transactions act, the financial authority has ordered other local banks to conduct internal inspections regarding their foreign exchange trading records. "As abnormal levels of foreign exchange transactions were detected at some banks, including Woori Bank, the FSS urged all banks to conduct their own internal inspections," an official from the FSS said. Based on the banks' reporting of their internal audit results, the FSS plans to look further into such cases. At his inaugural speech early last month, FSS Governor Lee Bok-hyun stressed the need to apply strict standards when it comes to acts of market disturbance and he repeated that stance during a meeting with the heads of local banks. As a result, the financial watchdog agency is expected to conduct thorough inspections and take punitive measures if needed. Rosner settles malpractice suit for $5 million The defense team that represents controversial neurosurgeon Michael Rosner settled a malpractice lawsuit for $5 million, weeks after a Henderson County jury revisited a 2014 verdict and awarded a patient $2 million in damages. The Superior Court outcome and the settlement come 19 years after the lawsuit was filed and eight years after a jury, after finding that Rosner had been negligent, awarded the patients husband just $1 in damages. The lawsuit was filed on June 12, 2003, by Wade Byrd, a prominent personal injury attorney from Fayetteville, on behalf of Pamela Justus. After Pam Justus died in 2012 at age 58, her husband, Billy Justus, who has since died, became the plaintiff as the administrator of her estate. The lawsuit continued under the name of Adam Justus, administrator of his fathers estate. After a six-week trial that ended in September 2014, a jury found that Rosner was negligent in performing surgeries on Justus that her attorneys called experimental and unnecessary. The jury found no wrongdoing by Park Ridge Hospital (now Advent Health), where Rosner had practiced since 1999. Although the jury awarded the Justus family $512,162 the total amount of her medical bills it then reduced the total to $1 based on what it described as Justuss failure to do more to help herself in the post-surgery months and years after February 2001. To N.C. Supreme Court and back The case has climbed up and down the judicial ladder through appeals that have pitted Byrd against Scott Stevenson, a top-ranked medical malpractice specialist from Charlotte. The state Supreme Court order that the two sides meet again in a trial focusing on damages only set the stage for the resolution of the saga spanning almost 20 years. The plaintiffs lawyers decision to shed Park Ridge as a defendant and focus sharply on Pam Justuss injuries simplified the case. One was the case was streamlined and made much simpler, Michael Easley, the former North Carolina governor, attorney general and district attorney who assisted Byrd in the 2014 trial and in April and May of this year, said in an interview Monday. Trying to do the doctor and the hospital at the same time was just too much. And this was as focused a jury as Ive seen. Eight years ago, the jury gave her her medical bills and then they deducted that much based on smoking, because she was a smoker, he said. But this way, they got hear about a total focus case on what the doctor was doing and what the damages really were and then they decide what to do from there. Easley said he thought the plaintiffs did a better job this time showing how the injuries from Rosners surgeries had diminished Pam Justuss life and ended her lifelong devotion to care-giving. We made it clear that she had a good life before this, he said. She had 20 foster children over time. She adopted two children with developmental disabilities and raised them. She raised money for people with no heat and for Christmas toys for children and things like that all over county. And she couldn't do that anymore. After this surgery, her life was changed dramatically. And this jury was able to see that and that's what they were compensating her for, those injuries. $5 million goes into plaintiffs' war chest Still on the docket are almost two dozen similar malpractice lawsuits against Rosner. Theyre assigned to Superior Court Judge Forrest D. Bridges, a senior resident judge who traveled to Hendersonville for the trial on damages this spring. Weve still got, we think, roughly 25 more patients that were given the same experimental, unnecessary surgery, Easley said. Wade filed the case in 2003 so hes proved hes as tenacious and persistent as any lawyer youll find. Hes planning on going forward with them, every one of them. The Justus family will not immediately receive the jury award. Byrd had worked out an agreement with all the plaintiffs that whatever they recover goes into a pot for all the patients and then you use that to go forward with the next case and the next case and the next case, whether its against the doctor or the hospital, Easley said. The N.C. Medical Board suspended Rosners license from 2002 to 2004 and again in 2009, after he made a spinal-cord compression diagnosis that was below acceptable and prevailing standards of medical practice in North Carolina, chiefly because this diagnosis was not supported by radiographic evidence. Easley said he did not know the whereabouts of Dr. Rosner but that he believed he is no longer practicing. He did not testify in the retrial. The Lightning was unable to reach Stevenson, his attorney. Now that its war chest is stocked with $5 million, the team of trial lawyers led by Byrd expects to move ahead with the other lawsuit filed by patients who claim that Rosners surgeries severely harmed or disabled them. Main thing is, Wades going forward with the rest of these cases, with the hospital and Dr. Rosner, Easley said. Fourth of July features parade, concert and fireworks The city's Independence Day parade takes place starting at 10:30 a.m. today followed by an expanded Fourth of July celebration along five blocks of Main Street culminating in the fireworks show. Henderson County Tourism Development Authority and Henderson County Parks and Recreation are teaming up on the celebration from Third Avenue to Caswell Street that includes bluegrass bands from 5 to 9 on the Historic Courthouse Plaza. The Lonesome Road Band from 5-6:30 pm and Supper Break from 7 pm-9 pm in front of the Historic Courthouse, along with games, face painting, craft corner, inflatables, food trucks and more starting at 5. At the Visitor Center Stage, the TDA will host BSE Band from 7 to 9:30. At either concert location, people are encouraged to bring a chair and sit back, relax and enjoy the music followed by the fireworks display. WTZQ radio will simulcast the fireworks with patriotic music. The parade, from Caswell Street to Sixth Avenue, runs south to north, opposite the direction of the Apple Festival and Christmas parades. No parking will be permitted along the parade route after 6 a.m. Main Street from its southern intersection at King Street to Sixth Avenue will close at approximately 9 a.m. Traffic will still be able to traverse the avenues until approximately 10:15 a.m. when they will close in preparation for the 10:30 a.m. parade start. The avenues and Main Street from Third Avenue to Sixth Avenue will reopen as the last entry progresses along the route. The Main Street blocks from Caswell to Third Avenue will remain closed in preparation for the 4th of July Concert and Fireworks hosted by the Tourism Development Authority and Henderson County Parks and Recreation. The fireworks launch site is off South Grove Street and a large balloon will be launched the morning of the Fourth to signify where the fireworks will be seen. The fireworks display will take place between 9:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Motorists should avoid the launch site area (South Grove Street between the bridges) before and during the fireworks display. It is recommended that attendees leave pets safely and comfortably at home. Justus v. Rosner timeline June 2000: Pamela Jane Hall Justus visits Dr. Michael J. Rosner, a neurosurgeon who had been performing surgery at Park Ridge Hospital (now AdventHealth) since 1999. In a procedure that he promises will end her severe chronic pain, Dr. Michael Rosner performs laminectomy surgery to decompress her spinal cord. December 2000: In a followup visit, Justus tells Rosner that she is doing horribly and experiencing severe neck pain. February 2001: On Rosners advice, Justus agrees to undergo a C1 laminectomy and suboccipital craniectomy. March 21, 2001: Justus makes her last visit to Rosners office. May 29, 2001: Justus calls Rosners office complaining of severe neck pain and an inability to hold her head up. When Rosners physicians assistant advised her to come in for an MRI, Justus refused, saying that she was afraid to come back to the office. June 12, 2003: Trial lawyer Wade Byrd of Fayetteville files lawsuit against Rosner on behalf of Pam Justus and her husband, Billy Bruce Justus Jr. Sept. 20, 2012: Pam Justus dies at the Elizabeth House at age 58. July 28-Sept. 25, 2014: Byrd, former Gov. Michael Easley and other attorneys for the Justuses battle medical malpractice defense specialist Scott Stevenson, of Charlotte, and attorneys for Park Ridge Hospital in a six-week trial. After deliberating for one day, the jury found Rosner negligent, found no wrongdoing by Park Ridge. It awarded $512,162 in damages but reduced it to $1 because it found that Pam Justus unreasonably failed to mitigate her damages because she failed to seek follow-up treatment from Rosner and because she was a smoker. March 2015: After a hearing on the plaintiffs motion to revisit the jurys award on damages, Judge Guice restored the award to the full amount, $512,162. Given the uncontested evidence that Mrs. Justus promptly and persistently made diligent efforts to obtain treatment from other physicians after she terminated her relationship with Dr. Rosner, Guice wrote, no reasonable person could conclude that she failed to exercise reasonable care to mitigate her damages. June 20, 2017: N.C. Court of Appeals rules that Judge Guice overstepped his authority when he tossed out the jurys award of $1 and restored it to the original amount before the jurys mitigation. The trial court judge did have the authority to strike the award and order a new trial on damages alone, the court said, which is what the appellate judges orders. Dec. 21, 2018: The N.C. Supreme Court upholds the appeals court ruling and orders the new trial on damages alone. May 11, 2022: A Henderson County Superior Court jury awards $2 million to the Justus family in the name of Adam Justus, the administrator of the estate after the death of his father, Billy Justus. June 24, 2022: Based on the judges order starting the clock for the damages on the date Pam Justus originally filed the lawsuit, and at 8 percent interest a year, the award amount stands at $5,047,452 and is increasing by $438.36 per day. June 27, 2022: In an interview with the Lightning, former Gov. Easley confirms that the defense team led by Stevenson had agreed to settle for $5 million, the limit of Rosners insurance. They sent us a check and it cleared, he says. Hong Kong: Anti-rodent exercise successful The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department today said it successfully finished the first round of this years eight-week anti-rodent exercise in designated target areas. During the operations, which started on May 2, the department strengthened rodent control work at problematic spots such as rear lanes, refuse collection points, markets, hawker bazaars, cooked food markets and peripheral areas of construction sites. It placed poisonous bait at 11,019 locations, laid 34,948 traps and plugged 547 rat holes, resulting 1,060 dead rodents collected and 1,024 rodents caught in traps. The total number of rodents collected and caught increased 10.8% compared with the last round of operations. The department also conducted a trial by including an enhanced version of the anti-rodent operations in designated target areas in Central & Western, Southern, Tsuen Wan, Tai Po, Wong Tai Sin and Kowloon City districts to cover more rodent blackspots, including those in public markets and municipal services buildings, hawker bazaars and rear lanes adjacent to food premises, and to conduct large-scale and targeted anti-rodent operations. Departmental staff also enhanced street cleaning services and the cleaning of public markets and hawker bazaars in the target areas, including sweeping and washing streets and rear lanes, and clearing refuse and waste on the streets in public markets and at hawker bazaars to keep the environment clean. To enhance public education and publicity, the department arranged 234 health promotion and publicity activities for building management companies of private buildings, people in charge of food premises and market and hawker stall operators to provide information and technical advice on rodent prevention and control. As for enforcement, the staff inspected markets, hawker bazaars, cooked food markets and food premises. Actions were taken against those causing poor environmental hygiene conditions, food preparation and scullery at rear lanes, and improper storage of articles and illegal dumping of refuse. During the eight-week operations, the department conducted 20,757 inspections and issued 2,718 health advisories, 2,159 verbal warnings, one warning letter and 833 fixed penalty notices, and took out 58 prosecutions. Furthermore, the department today began the second phase of the citywide anti-rodent campaign that will last for 10 weeks to strengthen the collaboration of departments and raise the public awareness of rodent prevention. Citizens are encouraged to join the campaign and eliminate the three fundamental survival conditions of rodents in everyday life, the department noted. This can be done through the elimination of the food sources and hiding places of rodents as well as blockage of their dispersal routes, it explained. This story has been published on: 2022-07-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Feature: "Railroad, take me home" -- chronicles of a Tibetan bullet train driver 14:27, July 04, 2022 By Lin Jianyang, Lyu Qiuping, Liu Hongming, Liu Ying ( Xinhua LHASA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- As a train whistled its way into the Xigaze railway station in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, some Tibetan passengers carefully approached the locomotive cab with curious looks. "Where is the train's steering wheel?" "How many drivers are needed to drive such a long train?" Upon hearing their murmurs, train driver Sonam Wangdrak could not help but smile. "When I responded in Tibetan that trains plying on railway do not require a steering wheel and that only one driver was needed to operate, they were surprised to learn I'm also a Tibetan," said Sonam Wangdrak, 35. "At that time, I felt very proud." Sonam Wangdrak is the first Tibetan driver of the bullet train in Tibet. When the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway began operations on June 25, 2021, he drove the first Fuxing bullet train in Tibet from the regional capital Lhasa to Nyingchi City. Sonam Wangdrak's maiden encounter with a train was at the age of 16. He traveled via railway to Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province, to study at the Lanzhou railway machine school, now Institute of Railway Technology of the Lanzhou Jiaotong University. Unable to afford a plane ticket, he spent three days and two nights traveling by different buses from his home in rural Qamdo to Golmud, the nearest railway station located in Qinghai Province back then, to board a train. "The train trip was amazing. It was faster and much more smooth than the bus journey," he recalled. After graduating in 2007, he received training to operate diesel-powered trains on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the first railway line to open in Tibet in 2006. Situated on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as the roof of the world, Tibet has an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters with complicated landforms. The trains Sonam Wangdrak and his colleagues drove traversed through some areas more than 5,000 meters above sea level. "While passing through the highest area, some of us had to turn to oxygen inhalation. I can't imagine how difficult the railway construction might have been back then," he said. Sonam Wangdrak often spotted wild animals such as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and even bears, during the journeys, and he and his coworkers avoided honking the horn so as not to disturb them. After the Qinghai-Tibet Railway began operation, the Lhasa-Xigaze Railway was launched in August 2014. The Lhasa-Nyingchi line, the first electrified railway in Tibet where Fuxing bullet trains run, was put into operation last year. Sonam Wangdrak witnessed tall buildings emerging along the railways on the plateau, with industrial clusters and shopping streets mushrooming near the stations. The Lhasa railway station, where the three lines meet, has seen explosive growth in passenger flow, surging from 2.24 million in 2007 to more than 4 million in 2021. Tsogpa, who has been working at the station since 2006, said people of various ethnic groups in Tibet are eager to embrace new technology and modern modes of transportation. "They prefer trains because the journey is smooth and fast and the ticket fare is cheap," said Tsogpa, who is now office director of the station. In the near future, the Sichuan-Tibet Railway will connect Sonam Wangdrak's hometown with the rest of the country. "I hope my mother can board the train I drive soon," said Sonam Wangdrak, adding that he cannot wait to return home by driving a train. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun) South Korea is keeping close tabs on movements related to North Korea's ongoing summertime military drills, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Monday, amid lingering concerns about possibilities of Pyongyang's provocations. "Although there were torrential rains recently, the North Korean military has usually held its summer training starting in July," Col. Kim Jun-rak, the JCS spokesperson, told a regular press briefing. "We are paying keen attention to related movements." The South's military has yet to detect any full-fledged activities related to the drills, like the movement of a large number of troops or heavy equipment, but there have been related maneuvers, an informed source said. The North's training raised speculation that the recalcitrant regime could stage yet another show of force, like a ballistic missile launch, on the pretext of checking its security readiness. Despite COVID-19, economic woes and other domestic challenges, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reaffirmed his regime's principle of "power for power and head-on contest" during last month's key ruling party session a move that stoked concerns about Pyongyang's future provocations. (Yonhap) In this June 4, 2020, file photo, Suzanne Scholte, left, the chairwoman of the North Korea Freedom Coalition and a Seoul Peace Prize winner, and other human rights activists prepare to send balloons carrying pro-democracy messages to North Korea from Paju, a city near the border with the North. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk Scholte calls for reinvestigation into decision to send fishermen to 'their deaths' By Jung Min-ho South Korea's 2019 decision to repatriate two North Korean fishermen was a violation of its U.N. treaty obligations and investigators should find out who was behind sending them to a North Korean torture chamber, if not worse, according to a human rights expert. Suzanne Scholte, the chairwoman of the North Korea Freedom Coalition and a Seoul Peace Prize winner, told The Korea Times that checking whether the fishermen are alive could be a first step toward uncovering the truth. "Based on the testimonies of thousands of eyewitnesses, we know the fishermen (probably) faced execution the South Korean authorities knew that too because they were seeking resettlement in the South, a crime punishable by death in North Korea," she said. "We know that every North Korean forcefully repatriated to the DPRK (North Korea) will face certain torture, certain imprisonment, immediate death by execution or a slow death if sent to a political prison camp." On Nov. 2, 2019, South Korea's Navy captured the men in their 20s in waters off the nation's east coast. After just three days of investigation, the government proposed sending them and their boat back to North Korea. Pyongyang accepted the offer the next day (Nov. 6). It was the first time the South had sent back North Korean defectors against their will. Scholte accuses the previous Moon Jae-in government of violating the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, which obligates all countries that signed it not to send anyone back to a place where the person has a well-founded fear of persecution. "It put fear in the eyes of all North Koreans both those who have resettled to the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and those who are risking their lives to get to South Korea. It sent a chilling warning to all of us who advocate for the human rights of the North Korean people," she said. "It was shocking to the international human rights community that the Republic of Korea that has had a history of safely resettling over 33,000 (defectors) would take this kind of action." The decision left a chilling effect on North Koreans who ever thought about escaping and, as a result, helped the Pyongyang regime that was intensifying its crackdown on attempts to flee. According to the Ministry of Unification, the number of North Korean defectors who successfully enter the South dropped to 229 in 2020 from 1,047 in 2019 due to a mix of such factors and COVID-19 lockdowns. The number further slid to only 63 the following year. In this Nov. 8, 2019, file photo, South Korea's Navy tows a boat used by two North Korean fishermen before handing it over to North Korean authorities. Courtesy of Unification Ministry A screen capture from the documentary, "Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan," produced by the Embassy of Pakistan in Korea to promote the country's Buddhist heritage. Courtesy of the Embassy of Pakistan in Korea By Kwon Mee-yoo The Embassy of Pakistan in Korea produced a documentary shedding light on the South Asian country's rich Buddhist history and heritage. Pakistan is home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world and has a unique social fabric and culture, encompassing diverse cultures, religions, languages and ethnicities. Although it is officially called the Islamic Republic, Pakistan is the origin of Mahayana Buddhism, one of the two main branches of the religion which is predominant in Korea, and the embassy aims to promote its Buddhist heritage to Koreans. Ambassador of Pakistan to Korea Nabeel Munir emphasized that Pakistan is a young nation with a millennia-old history. "Boasting people of different cultures, languages, religions and ethnicities, Pakistan is one of the most diverse countries in the world. It is a melting pot, in which traditions from diverse and far-off landscapes mix and mingle to create new identities," Munir said during the launching ceremony of the documentary at the War Memorial of Korea in central Seoul, June 28. "Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan" explores the ancient Gandhara region in the northwestern part of the country, which played an important role in spreading Buddhism to East Asia. Ambassador of Pakistan to Korea Nabeel Munir delivers opening remarks during the launching ceremony of the documentary, "Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan," at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul, June 28. Courtesy of the Embassy of Pakistan in Korea Located In the Heart of The City, the 154-Room Hotel Is an Ideal Destination for Today's Modern Traveler Four Points by Sheraton, part of Marriott Bonvoy's portfolio of 30 extraordinary hotel brands, announces the opening of Four Points by Sheraton Kigali, marking the brand's debut in Rwanda. Designed to appeal to both business and leisure travelers, the hotel offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere, approachable and relaxed design, and stylish comfort in the heart of the capital city. With easy access from Kigali International Airport and just a few minutes away from the city's main embassies, the hotel sits in an enviable location and seamlessly blends vintage and modern design elements with distinct local touches to create a vibrant aesthetic and a compelling sense of place. "We are very proud to work with Marriott International to bring the Four Points by Sheraton brand into Rwanda and we are confident this hotel will set a new benchmark for hospitality within the country," said Mr. Hatari Said Sekoko, Chief Executive Officer of New Century Development. "I am thrilled that Four Points by Sheraton is set to be among the top contributors of Rwanda's tourism growth and am pleased the hotel has created more job opportunities for the local energetic youth and will support the growth of the country's tourism, hospitality, and conference and events sectors," said Mr. Matthias Widor General Manager, Cluster General Manager for Kigali Marriott Hotel and Four Points by Sheraton Kigali. Signature global brand programing and the warm and welcoming atmosphere makes Four Points by Sheraton Kigali an ideal gathering place for guests and the local community to kick back and relax. Designed for the modern traveler with an emphasis on delivering what matters the most, all 154 guestrooms offer magnificent views of Kigali, floor-to-ceiling windows, a 55-inch smart TV, ergonomic workspaces, and complimentary high-speed internet. The property comes complete with 12 Suites, including three Family Suites and one spacious Loft Suite for those looking to enjoy the company of family or friends. The property features three distinctive dining venues offering a wide selection of global cuisine. The all-day-dining restaurant, FP Social, blends European and international cuisine with flavors from East Africa while the snack bar, Brew Bar, has a menu of light snacks and the brand's signature Best BrewsTM program which offers local craft beers on tap. Guests can also enjoy a variety of cocktails, fresh juices, or light bites at Coco Fizz, the pool bar terrace. A place for business and leisure, Four Points by Sheraton Kigali offers more than 700 square meters of dedicated meeting space featuring nine flexible meeting rooms including a 314-square-meter ballroom that can cater for up to 200 guests. All meeting rooms are equipped with sophisticated AV facilities and endless connectivity through high-speed WiFi. With creative menu options and thoughtful service, the hotel provides both choice and flexibility, making it an exclusive option for medium scale business meetings, social events, weddings or smaller intimate gatherings. Leisure amenities include a state-of-the art fitness center with cutting-edge equipment available 24 hours a day, a spa and an outdoor pool for guests to relax and recharge for the day. Four Points by Sheraton Kigali is Marriott International's second property in Rwanda. For more information on Four Points by Sheraton Kigali, please visit Marriott.com/kglfp. Hotel website Marriott International, Inc. has announced the appointment of Volker Burth as its General Manager for W Kuala Lumpur replacing Christian Metzner who has moved to W Singapore - Sentosa Cove. W Kuala Lumpur made its debut in July 2018 - marking it the brand's first foray into Malaysia. Volker who is no stranger to the hospitality industry with 17 years under his belt is a well-rounded, passionate hotelier with five-star and luxury background in hotel operations management. Known as a hands-on and strategic leader with drive for excellence through enthusiasm and positive can do attitude, Volker will lead a band of disruptors ready to steal the scene as they deliver an infectious and electrifying experience to guests. Dedicated to building strong teams within an organization and striving a proactive and guest focused style of leadership, Volker thrives with developing exceptional talents and bring their potentials to shine. Throughout the years his expertise in blending in various cultures and continents, Volker began his hospitality career with InterContinental Hotels Group completing assignments in Germany and United Kingdom. He then joined the Sheraton Hotel, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as Director of Food & Beverage in 2012 and subsequently moved to the flagship properties at Sheraton on the Park, Sydney, Australia and W Bangkok, Thailand. Born from the bold attitude and 24/7 culture of New York City, W Hotels, disrupted and redefined the hospitality scene for over two decades. Trailblazing its way around the globe, with nearly 60 hotels, W has defined expectations and breaking the norms of traditional luxury wherever the iconic W sign lands. With a mission to fuel guests' lust for life, W ignites an obsessive desire to soak it in, live it up and hit repeat. One the most dynamic and fastest growing cities in the world, Kuala Lumpur is a key hub for both business and leisure travel, additionally the hospitality industry is seen gearing up for a recovery, although the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people travel, Volker is optimistic for a full recovery for the county, industry and the hotel. Aiming to deliver an unexpected and exceptional stay for all guests and disruptors in town, the newly appointed General Manager will continue to bring the W culture and values that aren't just words; they've become a proud way of doing good business, as well as lead the formulation and implementation of strategies to deliver product and service excellence whilst building the loyal Brand know to bring What's New and What's Next. Growth and development of the hotel are top of Volker's priorities with the hotel set for its fourth year running re-opening post pandemic he promises to continue to inject the energy and never stop attitude into its associates and into the city while continuing the fantastic work by Christian Metzner since 2018 during the opening of W Kuala Lumpur. Eduardo Ortiz has an extensive professional career of more than 20 years in the hotel industry, during this time he has held leadership positions in hotels located in Mexico, Thailand, Brazil, Guam and Peru. During his career he has participated in important projects such as the reopening of The Ritz Carlton St. Thomas, the opening of The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico, the conversion of the current JW Marriott Panama and a task force in the area of Food and Beverage at The Ritz Carlton Reserve Zadun. His beginnings date back to 2000 with the opening of the JW Marriott Hotel Lima, where he served as supervisor of the Food and Beverage area. Later, in 2006, he moved to Mexico to take the position of restaurant and bar manager at the Marriott Casa Magna Puerto Vallarta. Two years later, in 2008, he began a new professional challenge on the other side of the world, in Asia, where he served as Food and Beverage Director at the Renaissance Koh Samui Resort & Spa in Thailand. "A great opportunity to learn and appreciate part of the Asian culture". In 2010 he returned to South America, to Brazil, where he was appointed Food & Beverage Director of the JW Marriott Ho tel Rio De Janeiro, and a year later he returned to his native Peru to occupy, likewise, a Food & Beverage directorship, but this time at The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center. In 2014, he again ventured outside Peru, this time to Guam, an island belonging to the United States, in the Western Pacific. There he assumed the position of Hotel Manager of a property belonging to a hospitality company of Thai origin. After three years, he returned to Lima, Peru, and joined the JW Marriott Hotel Lima team as Director of Food and Beverage, where he was later promoted to Director of Operations. Recently, he was appointed General Manager of JW Marriott El Convento Cusco, his first opportunity to hold this position. "I firmly believe in the power of motivation and teamwork, which come from leading by example consistently". Eduardo Ortiz is a business administrator graduated from the Peruvian Institute of Business Administration. He also holds a master's degree in Hospita lity Management from Cornell University in New York, as well as certifications from the same university in Hospitality Marketing, Hotel Revenue Management, New Media Marketing for Hospitality and Leading Customer Focused Teams. In his free time, he enjoys the beach, movies, music, traveling, gastronomy, and spending time with his son. He also has a passion for swimming, which led him in 1989 to be part of the Peruvian National Swimming Team. JW Marriott El Convento Cusco Cusco Peru Website Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk Hotel welcomes Tim Marleau as its general manager. In this position, Marleau is responsible for overseeing resort personnel on a day-to-day basis, designing short-term and long-term plans to drive hotel profitability and elevating guest experiences. Marleau joins Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk Hotel with over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Most recently, Marleau served as the vice president of hotel operations at RGB Hospitality where he managed the daily and long-term operations for 18 properties consisting of 2,000+ rooms within the Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Hyatt and Wyndham portfolios. While in this role, Marleau led a GSS initiative which resulted in a 60% increase in guest satisfaction throughout the portfolio as well as a 20% increase in total revenue from 2020 to 2021. In his spare time, Marlaeu enjoys spending time with his two daughters and fishing. Brenda Fields is an industry leader, named by HSMAI (Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International) as a "Top 25 Extraordinary Mind in Sales & Marketing" and is a member of the exclusive International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC), a by-invitation only, 200-member professional society. Ms. Fields served in senior marketing positions before establishing her successful consulting practice. Her clients comprise a wide range of hotels, resorts, and hotel companies around the world, including five-star, luxury boutique properties, 2,000 room hotels and conference centers, as well as some of the largest real estate development companies in the U.S. At the onset of her career, Ms. Fields joined the then, hospitality industry visionary, Dunfey Hotels at the renowned Ambassador East in Chicago, IL and moved up the ladder quickly. The systems Dunfey Hotels had pioneered provided a basis on which any problem can be resolved regardless of market conditions or product type. London, UK - The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed the Travel & Tourism sector in Nigeria is expected to create 2.6 million new jobs over the next decade, doubling the number of those employed within the sector by 2032. The forecast from WTTCs Economic Impact Report (EIR) shows an average of nearly 260,000 new jobs will be created every year for the next 10 years, to reach more than 5.1 million. According to the report, Nigerias Travel & Tourisms contribution to GDP is forecasted to grow at an average rate of 5.4% between 2022-2032, significantly outpacing the 3% growth rate of the overall economy. This will catapult the sectors contribution to GDP to nearly 12.3 trillion by 2032, representing 4.9% of the total economy. The global tourism bodys report also provides optimism for the short-term recovery, as the sectors contribution is set to reach near pre-pandemic levels by next year, just 3.5% behind 2019 levels. By the end of this year, the Nigerian Travel & Tourism sectors contribution to GDP is expected to grow 10.4%, to reach more than 7.2 trillion (3.9% of the total economy), while employment in the sector is set to grow by 4.3% to reach more than 2.5 million jobs. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: The pandemic was catastrophic for Nigerias Travel & Tourism sector, wiping billions from the economy and affecting millions of livelihoods." Following two years of severe and highly disruptive travel restrictions which decimated the sector, the outlook for the future is much brighter, with our sector expected create more than 2.5 million jobs over the next decade. Before the pandemic, Nigerias Travel & Tourism sectors contribution to GDP was 4.5% (8 trillion) in 2019, falling to just 2.8% (4.9 trillion) in 2020, which represented a shocking 39.3% loss. The sector also supported nearly 3.4 million jobs in 2019, falling to just below 2.2 million in 2020, when the pandemic devastated the sector. The global tourism bodys latest EIR report also reveals that 2021 saw the beginning of the recovery for Nigerias Travel & Tourism sector. Last year, its contribution to GDP climbed 35.1% year on year, to reach nearly 6.6 trillion. The sector also saw a recovery of 240,000 Travel & Tourism jobs, representing a positive rise of 11.3% to more than 2.4 million. The sectors contribution to the economy and employment could have been higher if it werent for the impact of the Omicron variant, which led to the recovery faltering around the world, with many countries reinstating severe travel restrictions. About WTTC The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) represents the global travel & tourism private sector. Members include 200 CEOs, Chairs and Presidents of the world's leading travel & tourism companies from all geographies covering all industries. For more than 30 years, WTTC has been committed to raising the awareness of governments and the public of the economic and social significance of the travel & tourism sector. According to WTTC's 2021 Economic Impact Report, during 2020, a year in which it was devasted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Travel & Tourism made a 5.5% contribution to global GDP and was responsible for 272 million jobs. WTTC Press Office WTTC Singapore CapitaLand Investment Limiteds (CLI) wholly owned lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott) announced it is acquiring Oakwood Worldwide (Oakwood), a premier global serviced apartment provider, from Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd. The acquisition increases Ascotts global portfolio by 81 properties and about 15,000 units. Oakwoods approximately 8,500 operational units are expected to immediately contribute to Ascotts recurring fee income streams upon completion of the transaction slated in 3Q 2022. Ascotts acquisition of Oakwood will leapfrog Ascotts global presence to more than 150,000 units in about 900 properties across over 200 cities in 39 countries. It will add new markets which include Cheongju in South Korea; Zhangjiakou and Qingdao in China; Dhaka in Bangladesh as well as Washington D.C. in the United States of America (USA). Recently named the Best Serviced Residence Brand in DestinAsian Readers Choice Awards 2022, Oakwoods award- winning portfolio includes flagship properties Oakwood Premier Tokyo and Oakwood Premier Coex Center Seoul which were ranked top 10 properties in their respective countries in the DestinAsian awards. New properties such as Oakwood Premier Melbourne and Oakwood Hotel Oike Kyoto, will also add to the groups destination highlights. Mr Kevin Goh, CLIs Chief Executive Officer for Lodging, said: This acquisition of Oakwood is part of Ascotts roadmap to playing a bigger role in the lodging market. There are significant synergies between Ascott and Oakwood, given our complementary footprint and product offerings. We intend to build on the strong reputation and heritage of the Oakwood brand, especially in markets across Southeast Asia, North Asia and North America. Oakwood will continue to grow alongside Ascotts current portfolio of global brands as we continue to build growth momentum for our lodging business. We will be able to leverage Ascotts extensive expertise as a global lodging player to deliver greater value to our expanded network of loyal customers and property owners. Besides strategic alignment, this acquisition is also notable to Ascott commercially. Ascotts acquisition of Oakwood brings about an immediate boost to our units under management and franchise contracts. The Oakwood portfolio will accelerate the growth of our asset-light business, with added recurring fee income streams, expanded lodging offerings and increased customer base. The strategic moves we have made in the last few years, such as our investments in Quest, Synergy and TAUZIA have charted an unprecedented growth path for Ascott, added Mr Goh. Ascotts strategic investments in the past years include its acquisition of Quest Apartment Hotels (Quest), one of the largest serviced apartment operators in Australasia, in 2017 to grow its business franchise arm. In the same year, Ascott invested in Synergy Global Housing (Synergy), a leading corporate housing provider in the USA. In 2018, Ascott acquired TAUZIA Hotel Management (TAUZIA), one of the top hotel operators in Indonesia, to enter the fast-growing mid-scale business hotel segment. With Oakwood coming onboard, Ascott is confident of achieving its target of 160,000 units globally well ahead of 2023. Founded in Los Angeles in 1962, Oakwood is a leading provider of serviced apartments globally with a presence in more than 15 countries. The company pioneered and established its reputation in the USA as the premier provider of corporate housing, before developing expertise as a hospitality company with more than 80 branded properties under its management internationally. For more information, please visit oakwood.com. About The Ascott Limited The Ascott Limited (Ascott) is a Singapore company that has grown to be one of the leading international lodging owner-operators. Ascott's portfolio spans over 200 cities across over 30 countries in Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the USA. Ascott has more than 81,000 operating units and over 54,000 units under development, making a total of more than 135,000 units in over 800 properties. The companys serviced apartment, coliving and hotel brands include Ascott The Residence, The Crest Collection, Somerset, Quest, Citadines, lyf, Preference, Vertu, Harris, Citadines Connect, Fox, Yello, Fox Lite and POP!. Ascotts loyalty programme, Ascott Star Rewards, offers exclusive benefits to its members when they book directly with Ascott for their stays at its participating properties. Ascott, a wholly owned subsidiary of CapitaLand Investment Limited, pioneered Asia Pacifics first international-class serviced apartment with the opening of The Ascott Singapore in 1984. Today, the company boasts over 30 years of industry track record and award-winning brands that enjoy recognition worldwide. For more information, please visit www.discoverasr.com. About CapitaLand Investment Limited Headquartered and listed in Singapore, CapitaLand Investment Limited (CLI) is a leading global real estate investment manager (REIM) with a strong Asia foothold. As at 31 March 2022, CLI had about S$124 billion of real estate assets under management, and about S$86 billion of real estate funds under management (FUM) held via six listed real estate investment trusts and business trusts, and 29 private funds across the Asia-Pacific, Europe and USA. Its diversified real estate asset classes cover integrated developments, retail, office, lodging, business parks, industrial, CLI aims to scale its FUM and fee-related earnings through its full stack of investment management and operating capabilities. As the listed investment management business arm of the CapitaLand Group, CLI has access to the development capabilities of and pipeline investment opportunities from CapitaLands development arm. Being a part of the well-established CapitaLand ecosystem differentiates CLI from other REIMs. As part of the CapitaLand Group, CLI places sustainability at the core of what it does. As a responsible real estate company, CLI contributes to the environmental and social well-being of the communities where it operates, as it delivers long-term economic value to its stakeholders. Visit http://www.capitalandinvest.com for more information. Key Takeaways Sambuca Mayor Ciaccio speaks of great joy to welcome new temporary residents and help breathe new life into the village. Bordeaux couple selected from almost 100,000 applications to relocate for one year to the idyllic village of Sambuca and live rent-free from a restored home. Anyone wishing to stay at Eva and Mathieus can book the luxuriously appointed master bedroom of their new home. A French family of five were welcomed by the villagers of Sambuca in Sicily on 2 July, after being selected to become temporary residents of the village to help revitalize the community. As part of the 1 Euro House campaign, the family with three children will live in a restored designer historic home and Host guests on Airbnb for one year. The Bordeaux couple, Eva and Mathieu, were selected from almost 100,000 applications to relocate to Sicily, become part of the community and welcome guests into their bookable home. With the newfound flexibility to live and work remotely, Mathiue also plans to continue with his job in finance in the idyllic Italian village while Eva wants to organize yoga classes for the local community. Speaking during a welcoming event organized by the local community, Mayor Leonardo Ciaccio explained what the arrival of the French family means for the village. It gives me great joy to see how this campaign, and this family, are breathing new life into our village. We are so proud of the restored home its a gem of a building in the center of our village. And seeing a young family move into it personifies the renaissance of Sambuca. We are sure you will be amazing hosts and neighbors, - Mayor of Sambuca, Leonardo Ciaccio. Eva, an Airbnb Superhost explained: This really is a dream come true and we couldnt believe it when we heard wed been selected. To get this incredible welcome from the local community makes things extra special and we cant wait to settle into the beautiful restored home and get to know everyone in Sambuca properly. Were also really excited to share our enthusiasm for this magical village with our first guests. The three-story traditional home is located in Sambuca which was made famous thanks to its recent 1 Euro House campaign. Like many Italian villages, Sambuca is suffering from a declining population so it launched the 1 Euro House campaign in 2019 to promote cultural heritage, encourage international investment and appeal to a younger demographic to restore the charm of the once bustling village. Airbnb worked with the Italian architectural firm Studio Didea to transform the home using materials and colors in harmony with the local landscape. Blending contemporary design with hand-made and local artisanal elements, the structure is typical of Sicilys charming architecture. The spacious building spans three floors, with plenty of room to work remotely and to host. Airbnb guests will be made comfortable in the luxuriously appointed master bedroom with private bathroom during their stays and Mattie and Eva. They have already received their first booking for the home with stays happening from August 1st. Anyone wishing to book a stay with the family can do so here. About Airbnb Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to 4 million Hosts who have welcomed more than 1 billion guest arrivals across over 220 countries and regions. Travel on Airbnb keeps more of the financial benefits of tourism with the people and places that make it happen. Airbnb has generated billions of dollars in earnings for Hosts, most of whom are individuals listing the homes in which they live. Among Hosts who report their gender, more than half are women, and one in five employed Hosts are either teachers or healthcare workers. Travel on Airbnb also has generated more than $4 billion in tax revenue around the world. Airbnb has helped advance more than 1,000 regulatory frameworks for short-term rentals, including in 80% of our top 200 geographies. In late 2020, to support our continued expansion and diversification, we launched the City Portal to provide governments with a one-stop shop that supports data sharing and compliance with local registration rules. We continue to invest in innovations and tools to support our ongoing work with governments around the world to advance travel that best serves communities. About Airbnb.org Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc."s technology, services, and other resources at no charge to carry out Airbnb.org"s charitable purpose. The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows Hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. Since then, Hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need. Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for Airbnb.org supported stays on its platform. Airbnb Press Airbnb Press Office Airbnb View source Cycas Hospitality will partner with InterGlobe in the management and transformation of 11 boutique hotels and 1,472 rooms across 8 countries and 9 cities. Cycass portfolio expands to 12 countries, including its first properties in Spain, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. Cycas is Europes leading and fastest-growing independent hotel management company with a pan-European portfolio of over 40 branded and independent hotels. On 1 July Cycas partnered with InterGlobe to manage its portfolio of European hotels, including ten properties in the K+K Hotel portfolio, located in eight of Europes finest cities Paris, Barcelona, London, Vienna, Prague, Munich, Budapest and Bucharest. The partnership also includes management of the Hotel Reichshof in Hamburg, a luxury 278-room hotel whose Art Deco style and upmarket facilities reflect the listed buildings landmark location. InterGlobe Enterprises is one of Indias largest and most innovative companies, with successful businesses across Aviation, Hospitality and Travel-related sectors. InterGlobes portfolio of hotel assets is spread across India, Europe and Australia. Cycas is expanding its team to support the InterGlobe portfolio, with new leaders in Operations, People & Culture, Finance, Commercial and Property Management. Neena Gupta, Executive Director Group Strategy and International Hospitality for InterGlobe Enterprises, said:We are delighted to be partnering with Cycas Hospitality. Cycas has exceptional leadership, and a highly professional, multinational and diverse team, with deep market knowledge and experience. We are confident that the combined passion and creativity of our teams will deliver a unique quality of operational and service excellence in Europe. Matt Luscombe, Chief Executive Officer at Cycas Hospitality, said:Everyone at Cycas Hospitality is incredibly proud and excited to begin this partnership. With the addition of the InterGlobe portfolio, Cycas now expands to 12 countries, including our first hotels in Spain, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. Neena is a visionary leader with an ambitious and transformational plan for InterGlobes portfolio. I am very confident that, together, we will set a new bar in the European boutique hotels sector. About InterGlobe Enterprises InterGlobe Enterprises is a large Indian conglomerate holding leadership positions in Aviation, Hospitality, and Travel-related services. InterGlobe, through its various businesses, employs more than 27,000 professionals across 28+ countries and 115+ cities globally. Since 1989, the group has been building businesses and representing global brands that deliver quality and value. It has been bridging the gap between people and markets through innovation and service leadership. InterGlobes business ventures include Civil Aviation (IndiGo), Hospitality, Airline Management, Travel Commerce, Advanced Pilot Training, Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, and Logistics. For further information visit www.interglobe.com. Some instincts are timeless. And in hotels, the need for giving and receiving hospitality is one of them. Over the past 20 years, there have been significant changes to hotel sales and marketing strategies and responsibilities primarily brought on by the evolution of technology. The science of revenue management and the sophistication and reach of social media are two key components contributing to the changes. New distribution channels have contributed to the dissolution of market segmentation, a key factor in allowing hoteliers to thoroughly understand and analyze their business. Although all of this allows greater efficiency for generating business, the downside has been a lack of personal relationships between hotels and their guests and clients, only to be magnified with the fall-out from the pandemic. Fast forward to 2022. In restarting business, the need for personal interaction along with the individualization of client and guest needs have emerged as significant factors. For example, a standard contract, not customized, no longer works. Nothing can be pre-determined. Direct Sales was once one of the most enviable departments in the hotel. It may have looked cushy from the outside, but when functioning on all cylinders, would produce 60-75% of the business consumed in the hotel. Who is better at balancing the needs of both the owners and guests/clients, achieving the sometimes, competing objectives, but the Direct Sales Manager with business acumen and great social skills? But over time, high demand coupled with new technology and OTAs, led to Direct Sales' playing more of a secondary function i.e., taking a back seat to "indirect sales". The consolidation of sales efforts among multi-properties proved cost-effective, but removed the Sales person from the hotel, which was sometimes in another state. Subsequently, there is an entire generation of hoteliers who have not experienced what a well-trained and high functioning sales department looks like and what can be achieved when times are tough! Here are tips for owners and operators to ensure that they are fully versed in the role of Direct Sales in the current and post-COVID-19 business environment in order to maximize revenues. Why Direct Sales Matters Pre-pandemic, the hotel business was soaring with high demand in key markets and with record profits. New York City alone experienced unprecedented occupancy levels year over year, topping 87%. In a city of 138,000 hotel rooms, that's a lot of rooms sold! The high demand drove average rates which in turn drove RevPAR, an important statistic to evaluate profits. Overnight, business disappeared. Markets that were viable pre-COVID-19, no longer exists as such. Travel restrictions, corporate liability, and lack of consumer confidence has played significant roles in the loss of demand. Distribution channels and social media vehicles have also dramatically changed with the new business environment. All of this points to the greater role of Direct Sales and the valuable function it performs. Whether working remotely or on property, Direct Sales provides a service not replicated by social media, revenue management, or the hotel's own website: 1. Generate Business. Controllable Placement of Business High demand year after year created a sense of complacency and a diminished role of Direct Sales. With such high demand, there was a lack of formal sales training to ensure top sales skills. Sales Managers had little latitude in negotiations with potential clients. Business that was not booked was easily replaced. But in a competitive market, business will be awarded to those who are knowledgeable, nimble, and inspire trust. The function of Direct Sales is to generate business through ongoing targeted and refined solicitation of specific market segments. A sophisticated system of quantification and goal setting provides a continuous source of business despite market fluctuations. The skilled Sales Managers can uncover a client's needs and address objections to win the business. Brands and individual properties' marketing efforts certainly drive business. But, as with COVID-19, when there is no business, then what? That is where Direct Sales can make a difference. The knowledgeable and tuned-in Sales Manager, with "boots on the ground" is in the valuable position to feed information to owners and managers who can then nimbly revise strategies and make operational adjustments. Why wait for a study to come out when the Sales Manager can provide important insights from clients through their daily interactions. 2. Customized and Flexible Contracts A "one-size fits all" contract template will not work in a business environment that is flush with unknowns and constant changes. Of course, the first step is to make it easy for the client who is contacting directly. Give the client an option other than the online booking inquiry form and set standards on response time. The Sales Manager now needs to be trained, educated and knowledgeable on all the components of contracting details to meet the needs of the client who is faced with uncertainty as well as to fulfill the financial interests of the property. A significant part of knowing how to negotiate is to have knowledge of the profit centers in the hotel. A knowledgeable Revenue Manager is important, but training and empowering the Sales Manager will foster efficient business transactions and generate loyalty. What is the impact of waiving room rental, lowering room rates, or providing a complimentary welcome drink? How are deposit and cancellation policies set? The smart hotelier will take the time to teach and train so when group and transient business does come back full force, the Sales staff will be at their best. 3. Personalization in The Age of Covid-19 It has been proven that the successful businesses'guiding principle is one that is dedicated to the guest experience (as well as the decision maker's experience). How easy (or difficult) is it to book your hotel; get information on meeting spaces; or to speak directly to a staff member? Filling out forms or listening to a recording giving a plethora of phone extensions only to reach voice mail is not only exasperating to a guest or client but does little to inspire confidence or loyalty. Who in the property will fulfill the role of keeping accounts feeling secure in doing business with them? The Sales Manager can be the "one stop shopping" experience that fosters a sense of comfort and trust which therefore inspires loyalty. With all the rules and guidelines, it is more important than ever to provide a sense of humanity in dealing with guests and accounts. Sensitivity to furlough's, financial losses, and personal hardships are better handled by person-to-person interaction. Social media posts, email blasts, as well as information on the website, cannot substitute for sincere and thoughtful personal contact. Travel Managers who are responsible for the bulk of corporate business will determine which properties with which to work, based on in large, the trust inspired by the property's Sales Manager. Hire Right. Know What Makes a Great Sales Manager A great Sales person is a unique breed. A highly effective Sales person has two equally important but opposite characteristics such as great people skills and detailed business knowledge. The process of hiring is now done primarily online with algorithms programmed to screen out undesirable candidates. While that is efficient for many positions in the hotel, it is not the best tool in identifying positions such as Sales Managers. Those positions with nuanced skills and characteristics are better served by allowing the candidate to by-pass the online application process to ensure that many highly qualified candidates left on the "cutting room floor". A few important characteristics that cannot be trained: 1. Warmth and Empathy Who does not respond to a person who genuinely cares about you and your needs? The best test is on the interview. Did the candidate arrive on time, smiling, dressed appropriately, and prepared with knowledge of your hotel/company in order to engage in meaningful discussions? How you reacted to the candidate is how most clients will react. Trust your instincts. 2. Ability to Work With and Inspire Trust of all Types of People There has been much analyzed regarding the differences among age groups i.e. Millennials, GenX, GenZ, and Baby Boomers. Buying habits and communication styles may vary from group to group, but what does not change is the need for and appreciation of responsive, knowledgeable, and honest personal interaction. The Sales person is key and a great Sales person has the ability and skill to relate to all types and to understand their needs and communication styles. According to a report in squareup.com, "Every generation relates to brands differently, and they have varying objectives when it comes to the shopping and buying experience. And no matter the generation, great customer service is always the most important thing". 3. Good Habits The most basic expectation of a Sales Manager is to respond to inquires in a prompt and professional manner. And to elevate that to a great Sales Manager, good habits include being accessible and responsive; proactive; keeps their word; and is a dedicated problem solver. Accountability will be key. Setting standards for follow up, contracting, and client interaction will be important to set the best culture for a high functioning Sales Department. An owner or manager typically will not have the luxury to "see what happens". Therefore, it is important to hire the right people and ensure that an accountable approach is in place to produce the best and highest results. 4. Good Business Aptitude and Instincts The best Sales Manager is one who is a hybrid of two equally important traits i.e. great interpersonal skills and great business acumen. One without the other will not produce the top financial results that should be achieved. The same financial investment is made with a sub-performing Sales Manager as with a top producing Sales Manager, so why not aim for achieving the best results? 5. Goes The Extra Mile Just doing the minimum does not foster a comfortable and trustworthy relationship which is paramount to generating revenues. As an example, a great Sales Manager is one who responds promptly to an international inquiry with a time difference of seven hours. Responding only during typical work hours of 9am to 5pm, will leave much needed business on the table as busy Travel Managers appreciate timely feedback in order to place their business. What Direct Sales Should Look Like Now and Post-Covid-19 Travel is starting to ramp up. Business meetings, conventions, and weddings will return. It is a matter of how, when, and what new protocols will be in place, all based on where we are in the pandemic cycle. Authentic human interaction will be the new amenity, replacing thread-count and name brand toiletries. And direct, personalized communication will replace blanket messages through social media and third-party listings, in importance to drive corporate business and to inspire trust. In the successful and high performing Sales Department, technology will be used to ease and humanize the sales process. Zoom and ol' fashioned phone conversations will be de rigueur. It is personal interaction that will help foster a relationship between the Sales Manager and client. Notifications on websites and social media will still be important, but that will not replace the customer's need for direct contact with a trustworthy person. Each successful and productive Sales Manager will work with a sense of urgency and with care and expertise in collaborating with clients and navigating each individual client's changing needs brought on by the pandemic. For the generation of hoteliers who have not experienced a high-functioning Sales Department, it will be a Master Class in ROI by having a well thought out, knowledgeable and expertly executed Sales Department that is skilled in providing hospitality to a population left frazzled by the fall out of COVID-19. Reprinted from the Hotel Business Review with permission from www.HotelExecutive.com Brenda Fields 518 789 0117 Fields and Company Korea and the United States will hold the first session of their newly launched economic security dialogue in Washington this week, the presidential office said Monday. The dialogue channel was established as part of a summit agreement between President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden in May, and aims to help the two countries deepen cooperation on economic and energy security. Wang Yun-jong, presidential secretary for economic security, will leave for Washington on Wednesday and meet with his counterpart, Tarun Chhabra, senior director for technology and national security on the White House National Security Council, on Thursday. The two sides are expected to discuss their response to the global supply chain crisis, which has been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, and coordinate policy on semiconductors, nuclear power plants and other advanced technologies. (Yonhap) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Independence Day is when we celebrate the birth of a nation that prioritizes individual liberty over social conformity, which is why its so sad that so many Texans want to cleanse our state of politically diverse ideas. Every week, someone on social media or in an email tells me to leave Texas because my perspective does not align with the present regime. I have grown weary of your liberal bent. I have often had the same thought: Why dont you move to a more liberal-friendly state? Nancy Reese writes. If you really hate red Texas, might I suggest you move to a blue state? Dan Barth asked. Hey Chris, move to California or New York, Rennie Baker ordered. Those are a sampling from the last few weeks. Never mind that my family has been here since 1849 or that I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. Does it matter that I always carried a small Texas flag in my bag while traveling the world for good luck? TOMLINSONS TAKE: Crazy secession talk overshadows Texas Republican Party platform's good ideas My years in the military, including one at Fort Hood, have apparently not earned me the right to live in the land of my birth while holding ideas that critique those in power. This is not a question of Texas: Love It or Leave It. I love my state, and my journalism is born from a patriotic desire to improve my homeland. But critics argue I should kiss the kings ring or get on a boat for another land. Didnt our nations founders revolt against that very idea? The most ironic campaign slogan these days is Dont California My Texas, when Gov. Greg Abbott and every chamber of commerce in the state are trying to recruit California businesses to relocate here. If you convince tens of thousands of Californians to move, dont be surprised when they start asking why the public schools, universities and health system are so poor. Wouldnt it be inhospitable to ask them to leave so soon after we invited them into our home? The exaltation of the nation, or a specific race, above the rights of the individual is called fascism. When you want to purge your community of anyone who does not fall into lockstep with your autocratic leader, you become a fascist. Communist governments make similar demands of their citizenry and achieve similar results. The most infamous fascists, after all, called themselves National Socialists. Both systems establish command economies and state-owned industries to consolidate power within a homogenous group. Diverse democracies have outperformed autocracies every time. By defending individual liberty and self-determination, the United States has defeated fascists and communists to create the worlds wealthiest and most powerful nation. Diversity in thought and people is the key. Whether its gene pools or labor pools, diversity adds strength and resiliency. Whether in the board room or the research lab, diversity boosts performance and innovation. The Texas economy weathered eight years of depressed oil prices because Republican and Democratic leaders had diversified the economy since the bust of the 1980s. The states population is growing while others are shrinking because we welcome immigrants from around the nation and the world who start more new businesses than native-born Texans. A Texans political affiliations or leanings have little impact on their inventions, business plans, medical research or energy development. Every political party can claim a bevy of geniuses and billionaires. Your voting record does not determine your financial success in this country, at least not yet. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Think you're a good judge of character? Think again The truth be told, Americans care more about the new ethnic restaurant in their neighborhood than politics, anyway. Texas and our nation are stronger when we treat those who are not like us with respect and even wonderment. Were all a little wiser when we open our minds to understand why someone thinks differently than we do. Ive been lucky enough to live overseas and report from more than 30 countries. I have discussed economics with communists in South Sudan, debated genocide with war criminals in Congo and eaten dinner with al-Qaida leaders in Somalia. I disagreed with them, but I am better for listening to them. This column will publish while I am visiting Tbilisi for the first time, learning about a remarkable nation at an important global crossroads. Ill undoubtedly return home with new insights from speaking to Georgians about what its like to have Russian troops occupying part of their country. Our nation is based on the free exchange of diverse ideas, which drives not only our politics but our businesses. This Independence Day, lets celebrate independent thinking and tolerate the occasionally iconoclastic columnist. Tomlinson writes commentary about money, politics and life in Texas. twitter.com/cltomlinson chris.tomlinson@chron.com Unilateral changes made by the Public Utility Commission and states grid manager have fundamentally altered how the states power market functions, potentially costing Texans an estimated $1 billion since July 2021 and as much as $2 billion by the end of the year. After two decades of relying on market mechanisms, namely prices, to bring power on and off the grid, the PUC and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas are instead ordering generators to keep plants running even when the electricity isnt needed to ensure a comfortable supply cushion. In addition to adding costs for consumers, power generators say theyre losing money and damaging aging equipment to meet the new requirements, signaling they may mothball some plants, or shut them down for good, due to wear and tear. The changes put in place by the PUC and ERCOT have distorted the market, undermined pricing and created uncertainty, analysts said, making it unlikely investors would pour millions of dollars into building and expanding generation while it remains unclear how the power market operates and how it may change in the next year. The PUC was charged by the Legislature to redesign power markets following the catastrophic grid failure during the winter storm of February 2021. The agency is not expected to publish its final proposals until the fall, and those changes likely wont go into effect until 2023 or 2024. Conservative operations Here are some other actions the Public Utility Commission and ERCOT have taken as part of their conservative operating measures, which PUC Chairman Peter Lake said will remain in place until the wholesale market is redesigned: Flattening the Operating Reserve Demand Curve: Officials have lowered the maximum price of power during scarcity conditions from $9,000 a megawatt hour to $5,000. To offset that loss to generators, prices on the system now rise more quickly, essentially moving from a scheme of peaks and valleys to a much flatter pricing curve. Increasing non-spin reserves: ERCOT uses an ancillary services market to procure reserves close to demand centers, so power can get to customers without running into transmission problems. One of the products on that market are non-spin reserves, or power generated by units that can begin providing power within a 30-minute timeframe. ERCOT is now requiring about 3,500 to 4,500 megawatts of non-spin to be online each hour, compared with 3,000 per hour last year. The price for non-spin to wait in the wings has also increased. Overall increase in reserves: ERCOT now keeps a cushion of 6,500 megawatts of reserves on standby in case of a running plant being forced offline or other unforeseen circumstances. See More Collapse Peter Lake, chairman of the Public Utility Commission, defended the measures taken in recent months as temporary reforms designed to increase reserves and move away from a model in which generators are rewarded when power shortages reach crisis levels and wholesale prices spike 100 times or more above average prices. Lake pointed to the recent stretch of 100 degree days that drove record power consumption to all-time highs without disruptions to the power grid. We know the reforms are working, Lake said. Weve seen it in action. Weve faced test after test early this summer and have seen benefits of our refocus on reliability. On HoustonChronicle.com: Power market overhaul embroiled in potential conflict of interest But its still unknown how much more reliability the PUC and ERCOT have bought and at what cost, said Alison Silverstein, an Austin-based energy consultant who worked for the PUC from 1995 to 2001 and with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from 2001 to 2004. We have no proof or analysis, other than assertions by the PUC and ERCOT, that these measures are in fact improving reliability, she said. They have not been clear or straightforward in accounting for the full costs of reliability. Less competition Since laws deregulating the power market passed in 1999, Texas market has depended solely on price signals to attract the electricity the state needs. The Legislature, in fact, has consistently rejected efforts to create a capacity market, which pays companies to keep idle generation available in case its needed, and stuck to the concept that prices alone should balance supply and demand. In Texas, the vast majority of power, nearly 90 percent, is acquired and priced set through contracts, but two inter-related markets are responsible for responding to short-term supply and demand: the real-time and day-ahead markets. In the real-time market, when the demand for power approaches the amount of power available, wholesale prices spike, providing the incentives for generators to crank up units to sell electricity at healthy profits. When demand falls below available supplies, prices sink, leading generators to take production offline. The power sold in the real-time market supplements the electricity committed by generators in the day-ahead market. When generators bid into the day-ahead market, they tell ERCOT that they will provide electricity for a certain number of hours at a certain price. If ERCOT does not receive enough bids or offers to meet projected demand, ERCOT officials can order units to come online and wait in the wings in case they are needed, through a process known as Reliability Unit Commitments, or RUCs. Historically, forcing units to come online for reliabilitys sake happened rarely as ERCOT adhered to the philosophy that prices, not regulators, should drive market operations. But last July, with the memories of the February freeze still raw, the use of RUCs began to skyrocket. The number of hours units were forced to hum on the sidelines in 2021 exceeded the time they operated as backup in the previous six years combined, according to Carrie Bivens, ERCOTs independent market monitor. In July 2021 alone, the hours in which power plants operated in backup mode jumped to more than 1,200 from 374 the previous month as ERCOT and the PUC agreed to operate in a more conservative manner that emphasized bigger cushions of available power. The direct cost of having those units on backup has been relatively low about $6 million so far this year to cover generators cost of operating and fuel costs, plus profit, according to Bivens. But the process can create artificial scarcity on the market and lead to higher prices. While units operate for backup power, they are not counted as reserves by ERCOT, making it appear that less generation is online than there actually is, Silverstein said. In addition, it means fewer units can bid into the real-time and day-ahead markets because theyre being kept on stand-by. There is less competition and prices could be higher, Silverstein said. On HoustonChronicle.com: ERCOTs plan to keep power in reserve could cost Texans $1.5 billion Bivens has estimated the cumulative costs of buying more electricity before its needed, and the resulting distortions to the wholesale market cost about $400 million in the last six months of last year. So far this year, she estimated it cost between $685 million and $860 million from January through the end of May, and that those could rise to $1.5 billion by the end of the year. That would total nearly $2 billion since the conservative operations began a year ago. Lake, however, characterized Bivens estimates as an academic, hypothetical exercise speculating what the potential impact has been. He said bringing more backup power online, and flattening price spikes ultimately lowers costs. He said the additional costs for running plants as backups is closer to $1 per household per month, compared with Bivens estimate, which works out to about $12.60 per household per month. Ask any generator how furious they have been since this was enacted, Lake said. It cut into their revenue. Beyond the market The issues related to ERCOTs operating posture extend beyond market distortions, touching not only the long-term impact of running aging plants for extended periods while delaying maintenance, but also politics. Generators say most of the units that ERCOT is forcing to operate are among the oldest, in some cases 50 or 60 years old. Keeping them running even if they dont provide power to the grid only adds to wear and tear and makes them more likely to break down in the future, said Amanda Frazier, senior vice president of regulatory policy with the merchant power company Vistra of Irving. Soon, it might not be worth doing the maintenance needed to keep them up and running because some plants are operating a loss with the new market operations, she told the State Energy Plan Advisory Committee. Frazier added the conservative operating measures also do not provide incentives to build new natural-gas powered generation both because of uncertainty with how the market will be redesigned in the future and the current move away from scarcity pricing. Vistra has no plans to build more natural gas generation in Texas, she told the State Energy Plan Advisory Committee. State Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, said the operating changes imposed by the PUC and ERCOT were made to enhance short-term reliability, but may have long-term consequences. Older units could break down or get shut down if they operate at a loss. With the lack of investment in natural gas-fired generation, the power system will need to rely on older plants for years to come. Johnson said the recent decisions, which include fundamental changes to the power market created by the Legislature, have been made by a small group of officials with little consultation with lawmakers, who have the ultimate authority over the the states deregulated electricity system. He also questioned whether reliability alone has driven those changes. The safety margins we have right now on our grid are in part due to a conservative approach to make sure that consumers dont lose power, and partly to make sure that theres not political backlash, he said. Theres some concern that were putting generators in a difficult position, and we are artificially keeping electricity prices higher than they have to be in order to protect people from political fallout. Lake said hes aware of frustrations among generators and other market participants. He said the relatively low costs of having backup power ready to go is a worthy trade off to keep the lights on and air conditioners running. The old model, he said, would have already pushed the system to emergency conditions, which would have only benefited generators. Participants are accustomed to doing the old way of business getting as close to the brink as possible. Those are the times when revenues come in for those companies. Weve turned that on its head, 180 degrees, in the opposite direction Lake said. That is absolutely the point of this entire exercise to move from the crisis-based business model to reliability-based business model. shelby.webb@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate One couple appreciated their Bellaire home for its location and proximity to the Texas Medical Center, where they work long hours as doctors. But after living in it for more than 20 years, they were ready for a change. They decided to start with the kitchen, completely reinventing the space as a room that fit their preference for modern design. Built in 1991, the house was finished the way most would expect, and when the couple bought it in 1998, they painted and changed the flooring. More than two decades later, even those changes seemed dated. White Shaker-style cabinets with black granite counters, square ceramic floor tile and an island that ended with a circle of counter space where they could eat casual meals are gone. More canned ceiling lighting was added to the kitchen, which didn't have enough light even though it's connected to the breakfast nook and family room, which have large windows. The doctors have long, stressful work days and, like most people, want to come home to a nice, relaxing home. Soviet emigres, they were doctors working in their residencies in Russia when the time came in 1989 that they, like many other Soviet Jews, needed to leave the country. Though she grew up in Russia, the wife is a native of Ukraine, where her father and brother still live. They left their hospital jobs one day to file paperwork to go to Israel. By the time they returned to work, their employers had already been informed they were trying to leave. They were fired and their citizenship revoked. Jewish communities in the U.S. were helping Soviet Jews resettle here as refugees, so the couple then in their 20s first found themselves in Springfield, Ill., in 1990, before coming to Houston for work. Though they'd been through medical school in Russia, they had to retake medical exams here and complete full residencies. Now U.S. citizens, they've lived here more than 30 years. Their interior designer, Stephanie Vaughan of Design Dwell Interiors, said that while the project began with the kitchen, it grew to include changes in their breakfast nook, family and living rooms, dining room and their large foyer. The most obvious signal of its modern design are the cabinets Vaughan created for them. Instead of the usual wooden boxes that get paint and hardware, Vaughan had custom birch cabinets finished with sheets of gorgeous laminate for doors and exterior trim. The main cabinets are covered with linen fabric that get a high-gloss finish. Complementary cabinets that are open shelves in the kitchen and used again as bar cabinets accessed from both the family room and living room rooms that sit back-to-back and share a two-sided fireplace were made with darker laminate in a stunning brown-striped wood design. A wall that used to have double doors leading to their dining room was turned into a wall of cabinets with pull-out shelves, a solution to the homeowners' complaint that the room lacked storage. The dining room didn't get used that much anyway, so changing its access didn't disrupt much. Their island is more functional it and the perimeter counters are covered in Taj Mahal quartzite, which comes in a variety of colors, ranging from white to another that's more gray to the one they ended up with in a color that's more tan. Amid all of those changes, the real kitchen showstoppers are the tall table extending from the island and backsplash that's a mosaic of small rectangles of copper with a varied patina. The table was custom made in Houston with a heavy acrylic base and a top of light-stained ash, and it was built to a height that could sit virtually on top of the island's edge so it looks like a extension of the island. And the copper backsplash is eye-catching even when the lights are off, but when the under-cabinet lights are on, it positively glows. Vaughan credits technology for the backsplash and the wider assortment of options when shopping for remodeling materials. It makes it possible to cut and assemble the mosaic pattern more easily, as well as creating other types of tile that combine stone and other materials into geometric patterns. "Companies are investing millions of dollars in machines to make anything you can imagine," Vaughan said. "I know thats the case with porcelain that looks like marble and the ones that look like wood. It makes it so easy to fall in love with beautiful tile and put it in your kitchen." Even in a modern kitchen, display cabinets come in handy for displaying special pieces of porcelain, silver and crystal. The top row of the cabinets are glass-front display cabinets with lights inside. "There is still big demand for display cabinets," Vaughan said. "They pronounce the scale of the room and draw your eyes up. And they provide more lighting, which is the unsung hero of every design. Without all of that detail lighting, you dont get half of the visual interest." For flooring throughout the main living area, foyer and dining room, Vaughan found large-format rectangular porcelain tile 24 inches by 48 inches with a marbled pattern that put big taupe veining on a white background. In the family room, built-in cabinets flanked the fireplace that previously had a simple black surround. One set of cabinets was removed to create a doorway that better connected the space to the formal living room. The other cabinets have the new modern laminate treatment, and the fireplace has a more dramatic treatment with African Noir marble, a black stone with brown streaks. On the other side of the wall, the fireplace in the living room got a different treatment with a combination of marble in a pattern called "Camouflage" combined with strips of metal. Vaughan said that since the slab wasn't large enough to run from floor to ceiling, they cut it into four pieces, inserting three strips of metal to fill out the space. The foyer got a big makeover, too, changing the stairs from stained wood treads with white painted trim and hand rail. Now it has iron spindles and a handrail and treads made of stained white oak. A beautiful crystal chandelier is the finishing touch. New to the foyer are a pair of modern, barn-style doors made of the brown striped wood laminate with strips of metal that can open or cover the entrance to the main living area, a beautiful addition that makes a big statement to guests as they enter the front door. "The stair rail has a huge impact. When you see the difference in before-and-after photos, it is huge," Vaughan said. "From, what they were to this is enormous." diane.cowen@chron.com Emily Foxhall Houston police officers streamed into the Fonde community center on Monday afternoon for roll call ahead of the city's big Fourth of July festival, Freedom Over Texas. Police officials expected the evening to go smoothly, said James Jones, the department's executive assistant chief. They took extra precaution and had specialized units on site. But Jones knew there were no guarantees that tragedy wouldn't unfold. Hours earlier across the country, a gunman shot and killed at least six people at a Fourth of July parade in the suburbs of Chicago. At a press conference in Houston, Jones extended his condolences, calling the shooting "a tragedy." Regarding Opinion: Deprogramming the cult of Trump: Why the Jan. 6 committee has a chance. (June 29): I believe most of us are missing Trumps super power. This man can evade taxes, command a mob and a swarm of lawyers, lie, treat women badly and be able to throw his plate of food against a wall and someone else cleans it up. Wow. Each revelation brings more adulation, not disdain. Line-crossing as a fine art. Plus when he complains, it is covered in the media. Then you have, in a battle of the titans, a tufted red-faced creature take on a muppet. Oh Sen. Cruz, really? Gov. Ron DeSantis will tank the economy in Florida by taking on Mickey Mouse. Real heroes looking at big-time solutions are absent because you can just pick on cartoons, talking dolls and those who are trying to find solutions. O tempora! O mores! G. Estes, Houston Professional talkers continue to talk as if the danger of a coup by the twice-impeached ex-president is in the past. This is a grave disservice to America. A hundred years ago, Hitler staged just such a stroke of treason in Munich, a failed false step eerily similar to the Jan. 6 attack, and that German government, although otherwise weak, corrupt and declining, had the sense and the courage to send him into prison. The timorous, baffled justice system of America has barely found the spine to even suggest criminal repercussions for our traitor-in-chief, and until it confines him, our peril remains at the highest level. Hitler came out of prison to renew his insurgency, and we know what resulted. His modern counterpart, oblivious to disgrace and gluttonous for the taste of evil, still marshals an army of unprincipled minions. No one should be talking like weve dodged the bullet. Scott Hartley, Fairfield, Iowa Abortion ruling Regarding After abortion ruling, some Houston companies vowed to pay for travel expenses. Most stayed silent., (June 28): As we see the many woke corporations that are lining up to offer their employees thousands of dollars to travel out of state (when necessary) to get their abortions, lets not lose sight of the fact that these companies have no doubt already calculated that paying their employees to terminate their pregnancies is much cheaper than having to pay for pregnancy leave or adding a new person to their health insurance program. Yep, as much as some would not like to believe, these corporations are not all altruistic and concerned about their employees welfare no, no they are merely cold, hard, calculating entities that are just looking at their bottom line. Bob Fowler, Point Blank Creosote Regarding Editorial: Fifth Ward wants Union Pacific cleanup now a new lawsuit could help, (June 29): I wonder if those pushing for faster cleanup of the Union Pacific rail yard in Houstons Fifth Ward would support a study on former workers who worked at the site when it was operating to see if they also had higher cancer rates? Seems reasonable that if the creosote and other products caused elevated rates of cancer in the surrounding neighborhood then it should have even greater rates of cancer in those who worked with the products directly on a daily basis. Also, anyone who handled the creosote products like cross ties and utility poles should experience higher cancer rates as well. Remember, correlation does not prove causation. Larry Tidwell, Baytown WASHINGTON To U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, the bipartisan gun bill he helped draft the most significant tightening of firearm laws in decades wasnt just about saving lives, though he stressed repeatedly that it would as he shepherded it through the evenly divided Senate. The legislation was also a sign of life from the institution where hes spent two decades representing Texas. Americans are wondering whether our institutions can still work the way theyre supposed to, Cornyn said. I think we demonstrated that is still possible. That was a high-profile example of our institutions working. The gun bill was just the latest and perhaps most visible example of Cornyns work in the Senate, where the Texas Republican is a key player for his party, and an often effective dealmaker, even if public polling has shown many back home dont like his work or even know who he is. IN-DEPTH: Gun bill passes Senate as Cornyn, Cruz spearhead debate pro and con The gun debate highlights the position Cornyn has staked out for himself: An institutionalist in a Republican party that is increasingly distrusting of institutions, a conservative willing to strike deals with Democrats at a time when doing so got him branded a RINO Republican in name only by former President Donald Trump. This was fundamentally important to the country at a time when things are so polarized, Cornyn said. I thought it was really important to demonstrate that the Senate could work. The 70-year-old senator has kept his head down for most of his two decades in D.C., a style that can seem outdated in an era of hyperpartisan posturing. He rarely throws bombs or makes comments that will land him segments on Newsmax, Fox or other conservative outlets many of his colleagues frequent. When he does go viral, its more likely for a questionably worded tweet than a political haymaker. Cornyn has staked his career on being an institutional player, working his way into the GOP leadership, serving as party whip through part of the Trump administration and as the head of its fundraising arm, said James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. The Texas senator has not been shy about wanting to one day succeed Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, for whom Cornyn has been a trusted ally. But that success can come with a cost in todays GOP, Henson said, as was on full display as Cornyn received a chorus of boos from GOP faithful at the state party convention earlier this month. A Texas Politics Project poll released this week found Cornyns approval cratered after his work on the gun bill. Just 24 percent of voters said they approve of the job Cornyn is doing, while 50 percent said they disapproved, the highest among all statewide elected Republicans in Texas, including Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott. There is a lot more negative response to institutions and to institutional players in the Republican Party now and particularly in the Texas Republican Party, where the sense of disappointment in and suspicion toward institutions carries over to institutional players like Cornyn, Henson said. He wins re-election but hes damned with faint praise in public opinion polling. And I think he cares more about the first than the second. Cornyn said the blowback did not concern him, pointing to his last Republican primary contest in 2020, when he drew 76 percent of the vote over four challengers. WEATHERING THE STORM: Gun bill hasnt hurt Cornyns popularity despite jeers at GOP convention Getting an agreement in the first place was the bigger hurdle, he said. The legislation was the first tightening of federal gun laws since 1994. It requires greater scrutiny of gun buyers under 21 years old and restricts access to firearms for dating partners convicted of domestic abuse. The bill also creates stiffer penalties for gun trafficking and straw purchasing, in which someone buys a firearm for someone prohibited from owning one. It also includes funding for mental health and school safety measures. The legislation leaves out other key elements sought by gun safety groups, such as raising the age to purchase assault-style weapons, creating red flag laws or requirements for safely storing firearms in homes. Still, experts say it was significant that senators were able to reach a deal on such a hot-button issue. I do think the deal stands out in a polarized legislative world where agreements are hard to come upon, said Sarah Binder, senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution and a political science professor at George Washington University. Both parties were under immense pressure to act after a string of mass shootings, including one that left 19 children and two teachers dead in Uvalde. Republican leadership clearly decided a deal was in the partys electoral interests, Binder said. McConnell has said he viewed it as a way to maintain support in the suburbs, where the GOP has lost ground in recent years. Cornyn worked to sell the bill to his Republican colleagues by highlighting the elements included at the request of the National Rifle Association that would repeal the enhanced background checks for juvenile gun buyers after 10 years, and would limit the prohibition on domestic abusers buying firearms to recent relationships, while allowing first-time offenders to purchase guns again after five years. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox The agreement, Binder said, speaks to Cornyns view of the world, that you can get things done by bringing together sets of lawmakers who know each other and know what the other side wants. Cornyn said it was the system working as it should. Passing laws in the Senate is difficult by design. With rules requiring 60 votes to end debate on most bills, legislation typically has to garner bipartisan support to go anywhere. This idea of building enough consensus to get enough votes in the Senate to close debate its hard by design, Cornyn said. Thats why so many people dont bother to even try. But the good news is that Democrats and Republicans alike wanted to get a result here, and when you want a result rather than just a political message or make a political statement, then where theres a will theres a way. The deal comes at a time when Cornyn may well be contemplating what his legacy will be in the Senate, experts said. He has long said he would like to serve as Republican Leader, and his ability to shepherd the legislation through the Senate could help him make the case. But McConnell isnt leaving anytime soon, and winning a leadership contest would mean earning the support of the majority of the party, most of which opposed the bill. Cornyn said he believes there are a number of people who are glad we passed this legislation, but who did not want to vote for the bill for their own political reasons. Sean Theriault, a University of Texas at Austin political scientist who studies Congress, said Cornyn would love to be the majority leader but knows there are factors beyond his control and that, at this point nobody is the obvious successor. When he retires there are going to be lots of people who give speeches and say, hes someone I could talk to, Theriault said. I think John Cornyn would be really pleased with that kind of legacy, if thats all it is in the Senate. ben.wermund@chron.com Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Williams College Museum of Art Summer Program Series 'Immersions' WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) invites visitors to immerse themselves in a summer program series titled Immersions. Each program is inspired by the themes, histories, and practices that weave through the museum's summer exhibitions, such as healing, folklore, the five senses, and migration. Programs will be held at 5:30 p.m. and will be followed by receptions on the WCMA patio at 6:30 p.m. The galleries will remain open until 8 p.m. The series opens on Thursday, July 7, at 5:30 p.m. with Brooklyn-based medieval music ensemble Alkemie making their Berkshires debut with a performance of "Verdant Medicine: Hildegard's Resonant Apothecary," inspired by the life and writings of the twelfth century mystic, medic, and musician Hildegard von Bingen. This performance will take place in the Thompson Memorial Chapel, directly across Main Street from the museum. According to a press release, this multi-dimensional program situates Hildegard's music within her understanding of medieval pharmacognosy (i.e. plant medicine), sharing her vision of an earth-bound transcendence that connects humans to the divine through spiritual "greening" and the five senses. "Intersensory Program Cards," hand-made for the performance, pair Hildegard's music, texts, and associated images with materials that audiences can literally smell, taste, touch, and hear. The series continues on Thursday, July 21, at 5:30 p.m. when Williamstown Theatre Festival friends and alumni present an evening of performative readings exploring subtleties of labor inspired by works in the galleries and beyond. This program will be held in the WCMA Rotunda. The series concludes on Thursday, Aug 4, at 5:30 p.m. with the Kriyol Dance! Collective performing a new, original work titled "Rasin San Bout" ("Endless Roots" in Haitian Creole), which explores ideas of immigration, migration politics, and acculturation as critical factors influencing the health of Caribbean immigrant communities, in particular Haitian immigrants. This program will be held in the WCMA Rotunda. According to a press release, "Rasin San Bout" poses this question in relation to the health of Caribbean immigrant communities, in particular Haitian immigrants whose status as "immigrant" remains endemic in global and U.S. political news, and whose sheer numbers make up what may be the bulk of the immigrant population in KDC's rapidly gentrifying hometown of Flatbush, Brooklyn. Throughout this performance, themes of immigration, migration politics, displacement, mobility, acculturation, cultural identity, and solidarity emerge to shape an immersive dance journey. The programs and receptions are all free and open to the public. WCMA is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursdays until 8 p.m. in July and August. Admission is free. Please note that masks and proof of vaccination against COVID-19 are required for visitors age 5 and up. Ambassador of Georgia to Korea Otar Berdzenishvili, left, introduces Georgian wine during a wine lecture and tasting event at Lotte Department Store in downtown Seoul, June 28. Courtesy of Embassy of Georgia in Korea By Kwon Mee-yoo Korea's wine market is ever-growing due to the pandemic-fueled consumption of wine at home, raising its popularity here. As the market expands, Korean wine aficionados seek to diversify their selections, and Georgian wine is an attractive option. The Embassy of Georgia in Korea promoted its unique amber wine as well as a wide variety of red and white wines and other spirits at the Seoul International Wines & Spirits Expo (SIWSE) 2022 and a wine lecture and tasting event last week. Dubbed the "cradle of wine," Georgia is said to be the birthplace of wine with its winemaking methods dating back some 8,000 years. It still uses ancient winemaking traditions to produce wine, fermented and aged in Qvevri, or Georgian traditional earthenware vessels. Outgoing Georgian Ambassador to Korea Otar Berdzenishvili said Georgian wine has a great potential for Korean wine lovers. "Our strongest side is the amber wine, which is gaining importance and popularity around the world. This is an example of the Georgian winemaking tradition, which is designated as UNESCO heritage. Korean consumers will enjoy the organic wine," Berdzenishvili told The Korea Times during the Georgian wine evening event at Lotte Department Store's main branch in downtown Seoul, June 28. Hs sees paving the way for the Korea-Georgia free trade agreement (FTA) as one of his biggest achievements during his tenure in Korea. "We finished the feasibility study last year and now there is a big expectation for the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, because the president already mentioned in his speech that Korea should be a global player and the diversification of the market is now of paramount importance for all of us," Berdzenishvili said. As the feasibility study has been successfully wrapped up, the ambassador hopes for the FTA process to move in the Korean "palli-palli" (hurry-hurry) way. "We will be one of the first countries from our region to sign an FTA (with Korea) very soon. After the FTA, Georgian wine and other products will be pouring into the Korean market and Korean consumers will be able to have not only access to Georgian wine, but access to the diversification of products," he said. Ambassador Berdzenishvili highlighted the market niche for Georgian wine. "We are the country where the first wine was made. We can export more than 100 types of different wines and varieties, especially organic wine, which is now having a very big demand from the world's consumers," he said. Giorgi Tevzadze, right, adviser to Georgia's National Wine Agency chairman, gives a lecture on the country's wine production during an event promoting Georgian wine at Lotte Department Store in downtown Seoul, June 28. Courtesy of Embassy of Georgia in Korea The National Wine Agency of Georgia, under the Ministry of Agriculture, supervises wine production and promotes Georgia's wine and viticulture. Giorgi Tevzadze, adviser to the National Wine Agency chairman, visited Korea and gave a brief lecture on the history and characteristics of Georgian wine to Korean wine aficionados. "Georgia has more than 525 indigenous grape varieties... Georgia is very diverse in 'terroir' from northern to southern part and eastern to western part, which defines the quality of Georgian wines, which are made region by region by using different endemic grape varieties," Tevzadze said. According to Tevzadze, Georgia's major winemaking region is the eastern province of Kakheti. The region is known for its traditional Qvevri production, which results in the authentic organic wine of Georgia, along with modern methods. A Georgian wine official, left, pours wine for a Korean guest during the Seoul International Wines & Spirits Expo 2022 at Coex in southern Seoul, June 29. Newsis Name: Felix Quintana Company: MX Technologies, Inc. Job title: CIO Date started current role: October 2021 Location: Lehi, UT Felix Quintana is the Chief Information Officer at MX. He is an experienced IT leader with over a decade of experience in building, expanding and optimising operational services, technologies, teams and processes. Quintana is a graduate of the University of Utah. What was your first job? I grew up near a small ski resort town in Colorado, so I had a lot of hospitality industry jobs in hotels and restaurants; however, my first job in the IT field was doing Technical Support for an Internet Service Provider. Did you always want to work in IT? No, I wanted to go into International Business; however, as part of my first IT job, I had the opportunity to learn about web development, web hosting and systems administration. I just fell in love with technology and knew that I wanted to make a career out of it. Ive enjoyed every minute of it since. What was your education? Do you hold any certifications? What are they? I earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Marketing and Information Systems as well as a Master of Science degree in Information Systems from the University of Utah. I am also an AWS Certified Solutions Architect. Explain your career path. Did you take any detours? If so, discuss. I was an individual contributor for the first 8 years of my career and enjoyed all aspects of IT infrastructure & Operations including Systems and Network Administration. I transitioned into leadership positions that have allowed me to lead technology teams in delivering technology solutions for organisations in IT services, higher education, shipping & logistics and financial services. As a CIO, I feel it is important to demonstrate the business value of IT and ensure technical teams are aligned with company initiatives. What business or technology initiatives will be most significant in driving IT investments in your organisation in the coming year? Weve made investments in automation technologies that will allow us to drive efficiencies, provide higher levels of consistency and reduce costs whenever possible. We will continue to assess our infrastructure footprint (private, hybrid, public) and make appropriate decisions to support our growing needs. The way we work has drastically evolved over the past couple of years, so we must ensure we are providing the best and most secure possible technology experience to our growing hybrid workforce. What are the CEO's top priorities for you in the coming year? How do you plan to support the business with IT? Our priorities as an organisation will focus on continued growth and expansion of our products and services while also continuing to build and raise awareness of the company brand. As our company continues to grow, efforts are focused on IT governance and continued maturity of the services we offer, leveraging automation, and providing secure and scalable solutions for our end users. Does the conventional CIO role include responsibilities it should not hold? Should the role have additional responsibilities it does not currently include? The role of the CIO has evolved significantly over the years from a highly technical and operational role, to one that involves a greater emphasis on strategic alignment with business outcomes. While I feel its still important to have strong technical knowledge, having a solid understanding of other business functions such as sales, marketing, finance, and operations are critical to assist with digital and operational transformation across the organisation. Are you leading a digital transformation? If so, does it emphasise customer experience and revenue growth or operational efficiency? If both, how do you balance the two? Digital transformation is inherently one of our core values - we believe in highly iterative and rapid innovation. Whether its product development that leads to new or increased revenue growth or finding new ways to automate for greater operational efficiency, we encourage innovation across the entire company. Its important to prioritise and allocate time and resources to both. Describe the maturity of your digital business. For example, do you have KPIs to quantify the value of IT? We are a data-driven company, so we are constantly monitoring and analysing our objectives through OKR dashboards and metrics. From an IT perspective, we continue to look for ways to maximise and improve the business value of IT. This involves measuring things like customer satisfaction, net promoter score, and ROI on the technologies we implement and manage. What does good culture fit look like in your organisation? How do you cultivate it? Our culture is driven by our moral imperative to advance mankind. Its a lofty goal, but we believe its possible through our people, products and purpose. We align with those that want to join our mission to empower the world to be financially strong. Our values encourage team members to inspire, encourage and be kind to one another. Our team members are self-driven, motivated, data-driven and believe in transparency and integrity. We are respectful and fair to team members, the company, partners and clients. These are the values we seek and strive to cultivate. What roles or skills are you finding (or anticipate to be) the most difficult to fill? We have a Flex First philosophy within our organisation and give team members the flexibility to choose where and how they will engage and collaborate with one another. This has given us the luxury of expanding our geographic search area as we seek talent. While technical skills are important, we put as much, if not more, emphasis on the importance of aligning with our corporate values. We seek team members that carry a deep sense of drive and passion for what we do and who we serve. What's the best career advice you ever received? When discussing future goals and aspirations with a manager, I was once told that it would be very difficult to become a CIO due to the career path I had taken up to that point. I used this as motivation to identify gaps in my knowledge and experience, and become more well-rounded in all areas of IT. Its a work in progress, but I try to learn something new every day that can help me in my career. Do you have a succession plan? If so, discuss the importance of and challenges with training up high-performing staff. Assessing and developing our leadership bench should be a constant effort. I believe in creating growth and learning opportunities for every member of my team regardless of whether they aspire leadership positions or not. I try to involve direct reports in all areas that fall under my responsibility including things such as budgeting and strategic planning. What advice would you give to aspiring IT leaders? Never stop seeking knowledge. Technology advances at a very rapid pace and it is important to stay current and informed on emerging technologies that may help meet the needs of your organisation. Find opportunities to gather and share information with other leaders in the IT industry. Lastly, identify the greatest needs of the organisation and align IT strategy to help drive innovation to meet those needs. What has been your greatest career achievement? I am an immigrant who grew up under very humble circumstances and a first-generation college graduate. As a child, I never imagined Id achieve the career success that I have up to this point, but Im grateful for it and get a lot of satisfaction from knowing that a strong work ethic and dedication pay off. I now feel a responsibility to help those that are in the same position that I was in and constantly try to find ways to serve and pay it forward. Looking back with 20:20 hindsight, what would you have done differently? I could point to bad decisions that Ive made over my career (there have been many), but I feel they have served as learning opportunities in my personal and professional career development process. I believe that the past has shaped my present, and I use those learning experiences to help me make better decisions in the future. Radio broadcaster Federico Ding Gempesaw was shot and killed in broad daylight in front of his home in Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao on June 29. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), condemn the murder and urge the local authorities immediately bring the perpetrators to justice. Gempesaw was a political commentator and host of the daily block-time program Bitayan Sa Kahanginan, which aired on the local community radio network, Radyo Natin. According to the police report, two masked gunmen shot at Gempesaw. One of the perpetrators shot him at close range after Gempesaw stepped down from his taxi, which he owned and drove. Although he was wounded, Gempesaw wrestled with one assailant before a second bullet hit his head. He died at the scene. According to witnesses, the murderers fled on a motorcycle without a license plate. Gempesaw is the third radio broadcaster to be killed in Mindanao this year. In January, Jaynard Angeles, a station manager of Radyo Natin, was shot dead in Carmen, Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, by unidentified suspects. On April 24, Jhannah Villegas was killed in the town of Datu Anggal Midtimbang, in Maguindanao province. Like Gempesaw, Villegas was also a block-time broadcaster on Radyo Ukay in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato. The NUJP said Gempesaw's murder is the latest blow to press freedom in the Philippines. The term of former President Rodrigo, who left office on June 30, has been characterised by attacks on the media, including the murder of journalists, blocking access to alternative media, and red-tagging. The NUJP said: The brutal murder of Gempesaw has no place in a democratic society, and we demand that the police leave no stone unturned and bring the perpetrators, as well as the mastermind, to justice. IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: The IFJ condemns the killing of Federico Gempesaw. The authorities must take immediate action to investigate the murder and bring those responsible to justice. We also urge the government of the Philippines to take the strongest efforts to create a free and safe environment for journalists and media workers. An advisory body of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) kicked off its four-day plenary meeting in Seoul on Monday, the Army said, as Seoul seeks to strengthen its partnership with the security alliance. As a partner of the National Reserve Forces Committee (NRFC), Korea, for the first time, hosted the NRFC regular meeting, which brought together officials from 20 committee members as well as six countries with observer status, including Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Established in 1981, the NRFC serves as a key body tasked with providing policy advice to NATO on matters related to reserve forces and strengthening the readiness of the alliance's reserves through the sharing of best practices. At this week's gathering, Korea's Army plans to explain the country's high-tech training programs and facilities for reservists, its officials said. "I hope that the Seoul NRFC gathering will become a venue to solidify cooperation and trust among the participating countries, and pool their wisdom and capabilities for the national mobilization system and the development of reserve forces," Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park Jeong-hwan was quoted by his office as saying. (Yonhap) Personally speaking, I like the whole concept of a short film, as we humans have a short attention span. The USPs of a good short film are that it is concise, conveys a message, and keeps the audience engaged. If you enjoy discovering hidden cinematic gems, check out these Malayalam short films, which provide a noble message, an engaging storyline, and a fine work of art. Regional content is on the rise on streaming platforms. I believe we have an excellent opportunity to do so. So here is a list of must-see Malayalam short films: 1. Thirike Thirike The plot revolves around the bond between a kid with Down Syndrome and his younger brother. The fact that the actor who played the character with Down Syndrome actually had it, is what piqued my interest. Thirike is presumably the first Malayalam movie to involve a lead role played by an actor with Down syndrome. Sam Xavier is the co-director as well as the main character. He plays Thoma, the younger brother who is separated from his older brother Sebu as a child. They both grew up in an orphanage, and Sebu, the older brother, is adopted. Thoma is abandoned at the orphanage. Every year on Sebu's birthday, Sebu's adoptive parents allow the brothers to meet. However, Sebu's parents decide to take him to Dubai for a better life. The anxiety of being separated from his older brother, Thoma kidnaps Sebu. In the hope that they won't be separated again. Watch it on NeeStream 2. QuarantinE The story of this short film reflects the troubled times. The 13-minute short film is worth watching as it captures the essence of lockdown and how it turned the world upside down for many. The plot of QuarantinE revolves around the story of an artist who is all alone with his colours due to lockdown. He believes that the colours have been removed from his life. Can you imagine a world devoid of colour? It would be a blank world for us but think about it from the perspective of an artist. He misses the chaos of his art classes during the lockdown. He is grieving not only for his profession but also for the loss of close family members. He uses his colours to try to stay hopeful. Watch it on YouTube 3. Chilappol Daivam (Warning: This short film contains topics about suicide and mental illness which maybe triggering for some people) This short film illustrates the effects of cyberbullying. Inspired by a real life story, the film is about the suicide of Dr Anoop Krishna in 2020, a Kollam-based surgeon who was a victim of cyberbullying. The plot focuses on the two main characters in the story Prayaga Martin and Nithin Prasanna. What appears to be a random call from an incorrect number suddenly turns into a game, accompanied by one disturbing ending. Watch it on YouTube 4. Freedom at Midnight The story of a housewife named Chandra is told in 29 minutes. She is a frustrated soul who exposes her father Das regarding her temptation for sexual freedom. She furthermore goes on to expose some scandalous ideas concerning sexual liberation. Freedom at Midnight is a short film that depicts the harsh reality of emotions that a housewife may experience. The film addresses controversial topics to which women can relate. It was well-narrated, and has fabulous performances. Watch it on YouTube 5. New Normal New Normal The short film is a love story between two women, with the main objective of striking up a conversation and legitimising homosexuality. It has been a huge success since its release, with over one million views. The story follows the journey of a relationship, such as falling in love for the first time, your first romance, your first argument, the possessiveness that comes with being in love, and the phase of falling out of love. The director believes that Malayalam mainstream cinema portrays the LGBTQIA+ community in a negative light, and she wishes to normalise the concept of love as love regardless of gender. Watch it on YouTube 6. Burn My Body The film was directed and scripted by Aaryan Krishna and produced by the trio Ramachandran Kiyyath, Bader and Chandra. The Malayalam short film Burn My Body is about a man's irresistible urge for a woman. This short film shows that a woman is not truly safe in her community or at home, where she should be the most vigilant. The story begins with the woman in her house being subjected to sexual harassment. The film is quite tense and serious. This film serves as a reminder to open our ears to hear the call of poor women who have been exploited or sexually assaulted around us. Watch it on YouTube 7. Scent Scent/TheHindu The story is about parenthood and how parents will go to any length to make their children happy. The plot revolves around the protagonist, Santosh, who comes from a low-income family and feels insecure due to his stammering. He wishes to provide a better life for his daughter, Aishwarya, and to enrol her in an English medium school. He is compelled to accept a job which he thinks would be demeaning to his family. Watch it on YouTube 8. Kaakka Kaakka, an Indian short film directed by Aju Ajeesh, stars Lakshmika Sajeevan, Sathish Ambadi, Sreela Nalledam, and Shibukuttan. It is a 30-minute Malayalam short film about a woman's perspective on beauty. The story revolves around a young girl, Panchami, who is highly self-conscious about her looks. The director intended to show the film from the perspective of the protagonist. That demonstrates how she feels about her dark skin and not being comfortable in her skin due to societal expectations of beauty. He explained why he chose the name Kaakka, which means Crow. He stated that the crow is not a metaphor for people with dark skin. Instead, it's a metaphor for her personality in terms of how she perceives herself to be invisible to others, similar to how birds perceive themselves to be hidden from the world. Watch it on YouTube 9. Kochurani Kochurani It's a film about attempting to break patriarchal behaviour. Kochurani, the newlywed, is taken aback by her in-laws' patriarchal behaviour. She is shocked to see her mother-in-law and sister-in-law accept the men's angry outbursts and irrational rage at even the most minor inconvenience. That's when she decides to take the initiative and imitate the men's angry behaviour. Watch it on YouTube 10. Dear Diya Dear Diya A heartfelt love story is the highlight of this short film, which sends a message to a society that is too preoccupied with caste, creed, or even good looks. Love is about triumphing in the face of adversity. This film conveys a beautiful message: love is more than just appearances. Sreerekha's lyrics, composed by Kailas Memon, add to the charm. Watch it on YouTube 11. Death Offers Life Fun fact: the short film was also shortlisted for an Oscar nomination. This short film's plot is based on a fictional character, acclaimed painter Vincent Van Gogh. The theme of this film delves into the last five minutes of his life, during which he recalls himself as a failure throughout his life. Death, who has come to take his soul, tends to make him an offer, which the painter turns down and decides to accept Death's hand. (To read more such stories related to movies and shows released on OTTs, keep reading Indiatimes BINGE) The centre has revived its effort to hunt the missing "11935.8 grams gold coin", which is said to be the world's biggest coin ever minted. It has been 35 years that the government is searching for the precious coin. Who minted the worlds biggest gold coin? TOI In 1613, the biggest coin in the world was minted by Emperor Jahangir, which was inherited by the last Nizam, Mukarram Jah. One of its kind, the coin was minted in the 8th regal year of the emperor. In 1693, the second coin was minted during Shah Jehan's reign. The estimated value of both coins is over Rs 1,000 crore. In his autobiography Tuzk-e-Jahangiri, Jahangir mentioned the big coin. The large coins minted during his reign achieved high value and were given to special military officials for their services to the state. Shantanu Sen, former joint director of CBI penned in his book that it was found out by the CBI officials that two such coins were minted by Jahangir, of which one was presented to Yadgar Ali, ambassador of the Shah of Iran, and the other had become the possession of the Nizams of Hyderabad. When was the coin last seen? The titular Nizam VIII of Hyderabad, Mukarram Jah possessed the coin last. He allegedly tried to auction the priceless artefact at a Swiss bank. Reuters/Representational Image Jah inherited the coin through his grandfather and last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan. Emperor Aurangzeb presented the coin to Nawab Ghaziuddin Khan Siddiqui Bahadur, Feroze Jung I. The heir and custodian of the wealth of the Asif Jahi rulers, Prince Mukarram Jah had the coin last but was not found from the Nizam family. How did the investigation start? Eminent historian Salma Ahmed Farooqui of HK Sherwani Centre for Deccan Studies, Maulana Azad National Urdu University told TOI, "In 1987, when Indian officials in Europe alerted the central government about the world-famous auctioneer Habsburg Feldman SA auctioning the 11,935.8gm gold coin in Geneva at Hotel Moga on November 9, through Paris-based Indosuez Bank's Geneva branch, CBI came into the picture. Investigations started and much information was unearthed. TOI/Representational Image She further said that CBI special investigation unit XI headed by a superintendent-rank officer in 1987 registered an FIR under the Antique and Art Treasures Act, 1972. An article witten by Shantanu Guha Ray for Moneycontrol said that the coin was smuggled from India in the 1970s. According to the report, in the 1980s, LP Sihare, the director-general of the National Gallery of Modern Art raised suspicion of an attempt by a private party to auction coins in Switzerland and then the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB) investigated the case. In 1995, the timely intervention by Sihare helped in stopping the public auction of the jewels of the Nizams including the Jacob Diamond, the world's fifth-largest uncut diamond. Involvement of a top politician Shantanu Guha Ray writes, that in the 1970s, the CEIB informed the government of India the coin was travelled from Mumbai to London through a top politician. According to Indian rules, a VIP persons luggage is not checked like a common man's. Using this exception in favour, Nizam's family and senior government officials assisting the royal family were involved in the conspiracy. With information, the Indian government came into action as the Indian embassy in Berne, Switzerland was alerted and the Swiss government was informed. Habsburg, Feldman in Geneva, a private auction, offered to buy the coin but the deal was not successful due to the timely intervention by the Indian Embassy. It was told by the auctioneer's marketing chief to Indian diplomats that the auction would take place privately with the interested parties which included Saudi billionaire and arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, Egyptian businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed, Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei. The deal could not be firmed up as the mysterious owner was asking for more money closer to $20 million for the coins. The mysterious owner of the coin was said to be Jah, who was also present in Geneva during the auction was planned. Jahs argument Jah informed the Indian government that the British had taken away the before India gained independence. He could not take any name of who took the coins away. The CEIB did not believe Jahs claim. Reuters/Representational Image Interestingly, Jah managed to borrow Rs 9.82 crore from a Swiss Bank to be returned with interest by March 1989. When he was not able to pay, the courts moved to freeze his properties in India and Switzerland. Ajay Agnihotri, the former Assistant Director-General of CEIB quoted said, No one knows how the coins reached a Geneva bank vault. The sale did not go through because the Indian government intervened before the bids - details of which were advertised in a foreign newspaper - could be opened in Berne. Four Congress workers were arrested for releasing black balloons into the air, allegedly as a mark of protest, soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modis chopper took off from Gannavaram airport near Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. The police said there was no security breach and two balloons were released 4.5 km away from airport, five minutes after he left. Though it initially sparked a security scare, visuals showed the balloons near PM Modi's helicopter soon after take-off from the airport. #WATCH | A Congress worker released black balloons moments after PM Modi's chopper took off, during his visit to Andhra Pradesh. (Source: unverified) pic.twitter.com/ZYRlAyUcZK ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2022 Congress workers were protesting According to the police, the incident took place 4 km from the helipad, where the PMs chopper was scheduled for take off. A strict security cordon had been set up around the airport as Congress workers had called a statewide protest on account of the PMs visit, police added. #UPDATE Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh | In a clarification issued by Police, there was no security breach during PM Modi's arrival at Gannavaram Airport. Balloons were released 5 minutes after PM's departure (from the airport via chopper). ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2022 They were seen holding black balloons and placards as they shouted slogans targeting the Prime Minister. Police said the workers had decided to show black balloons to oppose PM Modis visit. Hence, as a precautionary measure, police in Krishna district imposed relevant sections of the Police Act and Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, they added. So far, four Congress workers have been caught and one is still missing. Congress leaders had given a nationwide call to oppose PM Modi by showing black balloons. The arrests so far Before the PM's arrival, at around 8:30 am, three people, Sunkadara Padmashree, Parvathi and Kishore, were seen walking towards the airport with balloons. They were stopped, the police said. #UPDATE | Total 4 Congress workers arrested in connection with the matter... few more are yet to be arrested. Probe on: Vijay Pal, DSP, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh pic.twitter.com/JA72dDmrWt ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2022 The Prime Minister flew from Hyderabad to Vijaywada on a special plane and took a chopper to Bhimavaram. Five minutes after PM Modi took off, two Congress members, Rajeev Ratan and Ravi Prakash, climbed a building under construction and released the balloons. Ravi Prakash has been taken into custody while Rajeev Ratan is missing. The police are on the look-out for him. For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News. Are you planning to travel to Venice? If yes, this fresh piece of news will come in handy for you. Get ready to pay for the privilege of visiting the city, one of the most beautiful on Earth. Oh, and be sure to reserve your spot. It's set to become the first city in the world to require an entrance fee. The launch date was announced by Venice's councilor for tourism, Simone Venturini, at a press conference on Friday. Venturini called the new measure a "great revolution," and a solution for the over-tourism problem that the lagoon city has been struggling with for decades. Representational Image/iStock How to register? Beginning from 16th January 2023, visitors must make a reservation through a new digital system and many will have to pay a daily fee from 3 (Rs 247) to 10 (Rs 823). It will depend on how crowded Venice is at the time as part of a plan to better control the masses of tourists that can overwhelm the fragile city. The system will allow city officials to know ahead of time how many visitors they can expect on any particular day, and can then deploy staff and services accordingly. Those making early reservations will be charged at lower rates. PlanetWare/ Representative What's the goal? The goal, explained Venturini, is not to "close the city," but to get people to book their presence to reduce the "tourist peaks." He said, "Venice is a living city and it has to stay that way." The proceeds from the entrance fee will go to lowering the taxes of Venetians, which are already very high due to the large volume of tourists that need to be accommodated. reuters Those who are exempted Residents and children aged under six will be exempt, as will disabled people, homeowners, those who come to the city for health reasons or to visit relatives, and those coming to attend a sporting or cultural event. Further, people who work in Venice, students enrolled in city schools and property owners (as long as theyve paid their taxes) are among those who wont have to register or pay at all. Overnight hotel guests will also be required to avoid paying the entrance fee because they'll already be paying a tourist tax through their hotel. "It is not a system to make cash but to manage tourist flows," Michele Zuin, councilor for the budget, emphasised. Shutterstock But even those who are exempt will have to show proof that they have a right to be in the city. Officials said the verification could come by way of a QR code that reveals whether someone deserves an exemption. Places where fee will be applicable and the fine The entrance fee will apply to the Venice historic center and the following islands: Lido di Venezia, Pellestrina, Murano, Burano, Torcello, Sant'Erasmo, Mazzorbo, Mazzorbetto, Vignole, S. Andrea, La Certosa, S. Servolo, S. Clemente and Poveglia. Visitors who violate the entry fee rule will have to pay a fine which will range from 50 (Rs 4,116) to 300 (Rs 24,701). I, Wanderlista City officials are still fine-tuning some details, like daily pricing and the daily cap on the number of people. They hope that higher costs during high season will encourage people to come at slower times. But the city of Venice will remain open, Zuin said. For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News. A 42,000-year-old giant fossil of the extinct ancestor of the present-day Australian kangaroos was discovered by palaeontologists in the mountains of central Papua New Guinea. Flinders University Also Read: 93-Million-Year-Old Crocodile Fossils Reveal A Baby Dinosaur Inside Its Stomach As reported first by The Independent, the last species in the genus was a cousin of modern-day eastern grey and red kangaroos in Australia, according to researchers from Flinders University. However, instead of being closely related to the current-generation descendent, it belonged to a unique genus of more primitive kangaroo species only found in Papua New Guinea. The new animal has been renamed Nombe nombe after its place of discovery -- Nombe Rockshelter, an archaeological and palaeontological site in papua New Guinea's Chimbu province. Residing in the rich montane forest with thick undergrowth, Nombe adapted and evolved to eat tough leaves from trees and shrubs using its strong jaw bone and muscles. Based on their research, scientists are of the opinion that many species have evolved from an ancient form of kangaroo originating from New Guinea in the late Miocene epoch, around 5 to 8 million years ago. They state that New Guinea and Australia were in fact, connected via a land bridge at the time since sea levels were lower compared to today being separated by Torres Strait. This allowed early Australian mammal species to move into the rainforests of New Guinea. Flinders University Also Read: Indian Scientists Find A Rare, 157 Million Year Old Dinosaur Fossil In Gujarat's Kutch Desert When Torres Strait did get flooded, the mammals in New Guinea got completely disconnected from their families in Australia, and eventually evolved separately to get used to their new tropical home. Gavin Prideaux, Flinders University professor and study co-author explained, Were very excited to undertake three palaeontological digs at two different sites in eastern and central PNG [Papua New Guinea] over the next three years. Well be working with the curators of the Papua New Guinea Museum and Art Gallery and other contacts in PNG, with whom we hope to build some local interest in New Guinean palaeontology. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com. News Global MoS2 powder market trend 2022-2027 Lubrication of Molybdenum Disulfide MoS2 by Newsintegra927 John Albanese, leader of the Australian Labor Party, was sworn in as Australia's new prime minister. After his victory, Albanese said he would "make a big change" in the country's climate policy. "We now have an opportunity to end the 'climate wars' in Australia," he said. "Australian businesses understand that doing the right thing on climate is good for our economy and good for jobs, and I hope Australia will join the global effort on climate change," Albanese said Australia would engage with other countries to change policies when it came to tackling climate change. In addition, Albaneses Labor Party has proposed a more ambitious plan to cut emissions by 43 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, the report said. However, Labor is not currently planning to phase out coal use or halt new coal mining projects. The climate issue was a major concern of voters in Australia's general election. Mr. Morrison, the former prime minister, was criticized for failing to direct the response to repeated bushfires in 2019 and 2020. SBS has reported that According to the latest Climate Change Performance Index of 64 countries released at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), Australia's climate policy ranks at the bottom of all countries, and is one of the world's worst performers in three aspects of emissions, renewable energy, and energy use. Australia ranks 52nd in renewable energy, 54th in energy use, and 56th in emissions. It is predicted that the prices of many other commodities like the MoS2 powder would increase in the next few days. In addition to reducing friction, the lubricant can also reduce wear during operation, reduce the operating temperature, minimize corrosion on the metal surface and help to remove contaminants from the system. The general lubricating oil has been unable to meet the lubrication requirements of the equipment. In this case, solid lubricants with better performance emerge as the times require. There are many kinds of solid lubricants, such as graphite, molybdenum disulfide, graphite fluoride, tungsten disulfide, boron nitride and so on. Molybdenum disulfide is the most widely used, and boron nitride and graphite fluoride have the best performance. What is Molybdenum Disulfide MoS2? Molybdenum disulfide is a solid powder made from natural molybdenum concentrate powder, which is the modern "king of advanced solid lubrication". It is lead gray to black solid powder, greasy in contact, odorless, and belongs to hexagonal or rhombohedral system. Similar to graphite, with metallic luster. It has the advantages of high temperature resistance, radiation resistance, high vacuum resistance, corrosion resistance and extreme pressure resistance, so it has been widely used as an additive in grease, powder metallurgy, modified plastics, spraying and other industries. What is Molybdenum Disulfide MoS2 Used For? Can be used as friction improver (friction reducer), antiwear agent, extreme pressure agent and antioxidant. It is widely used in aviation industry (vacuum anti-radiation lubrication), automobile industry (fixture and parts), anti-bite industry (mechanical industry) (general lubrication), mining industry, military industry, shipbuilding industry, heavy industry, bearing industry, gear industry and assembly industry, etc. it is also used as additives for various lubricants, manufacturing molybdenum compounds, catalytic hydrogenation desulfurization catalysts, gas storage materials, photocell materials and so on. Almost all markets using greases and almost all types of grease thickeners use molybdenum disulfide, including lithium complexes, aluminum complexes and polyureas. It is also considered to be the best additive for composite titanium-based grease with its inherent high load-carrying capacity and even better performance. In general, grease contains 1 to 2% MoS2, and the key parameters are surface roughness, load carrying and speed. For rougher metal surfaces, larger MoS2 particle sizes are ideal because they fill deep valleys and help to form a smooth surface. At a given MoS2 concentration, small and medium-sized particles will provide better load-bearing capacity. At the same time, due to the high acid value, very small particles may cause some corrosion problems. Generally speaking, the medium particle size of about 6m is the most commonly used MoS2 particle size in grease. At present, molybdenum disulfide has become an indispensable and irreplaceable industrial additive product. MoS2 Powder Supplier RBOSCHCO is a trusted global chemical material supplier&manufacturer with over 12-year-experience in providing super high-quality chemicals and nanomaterials. The company export to many countries including the USA, Canada, Europe, UAE, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda, Turkey, Mexico, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Brazil, Chile, Dubai, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, etc. As a leading nanotechnology development manufacturer, RBOSCHCO dominates the market. Our professional work team provides perfect solutions to help improve the efficiency of various industries, create value, and easily cope with various challenges. If you are looking for MoS2 powder, please send an email. (sales1@rboschco.com) In a recent speech in Davos, Switzerland, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized, "My question is: Is there unity in the West? "I don't see it," Zelensky lamented during a video conference from the Davos Economic Forum in Switzerland. "Ukraine needs the support of a united Europe." "Is there talk of solidarity with Sweden and Finland joining NATO? No." "So is the West united?" Zelensky said at this Ukraine-hosted breakfast in Davos. No." "Our strength is unity within the country," Zelensky said. "Now it depends on the Unity of the West to stand strong and firm behind Ukraine against Russia. According to Zelensky, "When we are all really united, we will have an advantage over Russia." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he once again appreciates U.S. President Joe Biden's offer of $40 billion in new financial aid to Ukraine. "We need the support of a united Europe," Zelensky stressed. Zelensky criticized the position of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is reluctant to impose an embargo on Russian oil at this stage. "Hungary has a problem!" Zelensky criticized. The supply and prices of many other MoS2 powder are expected to continue to be influenced by changing international situations. Inquery us A 40-year-old Dublin accountant, who claimed she had been knocked down in a Lidl store by a child running amok, has lost a 60,000 personal injuries claim against the store. Jiao Zhang, of Cuil Duin Walk, Citywest, Dublin 24, told Judge Sarah Berkeley she had been 16 weeks pregnant at the time and had deliberately twisted her body to protect her bump as she fell. Zhang said she had been shopping in Lidls Leixlip store in September 2017 when a hyper young boy of about nine, who had been running amok in full view of staff, struck her from behind and knocked her to the ground. Barrister Conor Kearney, who appeared with MacSweeney Solicitors, Galway, for Lidl, told Judge Berkeley that Ms Zhang had initially pleaded her right leg had been injured but later told doctors it had been her left leg. He said that throughout the handling of her proceedings doctors who had treated or examined her had made no reference to a back injury she complained of in court. She had made no mention of a back injury when examined by a doctor on behalf of Lidl. Zhangs barrister had told the court that CCTV of the incident had for six minutes recorded the child running amok in the Leixlip store. Mr Kearney said CCTV requested by Ms Zhangs legal team up until the time of the incident did not show her falling. When cross-examining Zhang about her evidence to the court, he asked her to view additional CCTV of what had happened after the collision with the child. That CCTV shows footage of your own child walking around the store on its own opening fridges and cabinets, Mr Kearney said. From the extra footage it seems to me you put out your leg and you tripped up the child who fell over your leg and the child goes tumbling. Mr Kearney told her she had lain down on the floor and had refused to get up until helped by a member of staff and taken to hospital. Zhang said she had been in great pain and couldnt walk. She had not told doctors about having suffered pain in her back previously because this was not true. She had been detained for treatment in The Coombe Hospital and later at Beaumont Hospital. Mr Kearney told Zhang that in heavily redacted personal medical records it was revealed that in 2014 she had complained of pain in her back during a previous pregnancy when her doctor had referred her to a rheumatologist. This was just an unfortunate accident when this child collided with your leg and did not cause you any back injury, Mr Kearney said. To suggest five years later that problems you had with your back related to this accident and not to your pregnancy is not true and misleading. Mr Kearney told the court he was not presenting any evidence other than the CCTV on behalf of Lidl. Judge Berkeley said she had watched the second video about what occurred after the collision and Ms Zhang had not been knocked to the ground. To doctors and others she had said she had been knocked to the ground and had not made any mention of a back injury. Commenting that there did not seem to be any issue raised about her own childs behaviour, Judge Berkeley dismissed Zhangs claim and awarded costs against her. It seems difficult to comprehend the notion that our nearest neighbour, a nation with which hundreds of thousands of people have familial ties, would do Ireland harm in a period of collective crisis by taking action that could cut off gas supplies this winter. Yet, that is what we are being asked to contemplate by suggestions that Britain has contingency plans to cease provision to Europe in the event of continent-wide shortages following the illegal Russian invasion of the Ukraine. Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin, and Gazprom have already made it clear that energy reduction to the EU and other Western democracies is going to be a primary weapon for their winter campaign. And there are widespread reports, emanating originally from the Financial Times, that the Westminster government is war-gaming a response that could include cutting off its pipelines to Belgium and Holland in the event of a general shortage. Rationing fears Many European leaders fear that rationing is on its way. Ireland imports 70% of the gas it needs through connections with Britain. The rest comes from Corrib. The lesson that we must learn is that we have paid insufficient attention and priority to matters of energy security within the Republic and in respect of our vulnerability at the outer edge of Europe. The audit of our position, first commissioned in 2019 by then minister Richard Bruton, has not been published and the sound we can hear all around us is the chickens coming home to roost. Green hydrogen provision is just a gleam in the eye, there are no, and will never be, according to Environment Minister Eamon Ryan, any liquefied natural gas facilities. Gas accounts for more energy consumption in Ireland than all our use of renewables combined. Electric Ireland has announced that the price of electricity is to increase by 11% and gas by 32% from next month, just three months after another substantial price rise in May. Before Brexit, Britain was compelled under EU law to consider our needs. But that safeguard has gone, allowing Westminster to act unilaterally. Paul Johnston, the ambassador in Dublin, is on the record this weekend that his country will not cut off gas supplies to Ireland. But Mr Johnston is only an ambassador and his comments run in parallel with briefings from the National Grid that it may impose involuntary restrictions on energy supplies if other emergency measures do not reduce demand. Russian imports account for less than 4% of Britains gas. Frosty relations Despite close links across the Irish Sea, the relationship between Ireland and Britain is increasingly frosty and in sad decline since the Good Friday Agreement. From the British perspective Ireland is viewed as flag wavers for Brussels over Brexit while we consider the Johnson government as morally bankrupt and duplicitous. Both perspectives are overstated. Attacking Britain has become the default position in this country for many politicians, for commentators and columnists who need to fill space, and for British ex-pat celebrities who have relocated to Ireland. There is manifestly much to criticise at present in Westminster in what the RAF would describe as a target-rich environment. But that will be the same RAF who help to protect Irish air space. So, this situation is complicated, interwoven, and will not be helped by soundbites. Both countries need to work together economically to get through the next nine months. It seems highly unlikely that the British would allow gas to flow into the North but discriminate against the Republic at the same time by reducing supply despite being locked in what seems to be an intractable political dispute with us over the Protocol. In addition, Norway is a principal provider of gas through the existing infrastructure and, although not an EU member, will not agree to being cut off from other European customers. It was Tsar Nicholas 1 who boasted that Russia has two generals in whom she can confide Generals Janvier and Fevrier. Vladimir Putin, lover of imperial history that he is, makes the same calculation. And Ireland and Britain need to understand that their mutual interests reside in seeing that threat off until next spring at the very least. And behave towards each other accordingly. Country asked to maintain strategic balance between US, China By Kim Yoo-chul There was a period when top-tier U.S. tech leaders were just "all-in" when it came to China, followed by Korea's leading exporters including the tech affiliates of Samsung, LG, SK and Hyundai. Given its vast population of some 1.5 billion, hugely growing middle-class, loosening economic restrictions, low-cost and high-labor-intensity manufacturing centers, China remains an indispensable market for these Korean exporters. Still, without a sizable presence in China, it will be difficult for Korean exporters to position themselves as "global" in nature and vice versa for multinational businesses. Seoul's renewed focus in regard to China as well as both NATO and Washington's Indo-Pacific strategy in terms of strengthening its relationships and also regarding trade matters is making Korea's leading exporters rethink their business strategies in China, according to government officials and company executives contacted by The Korea Times. However, some consider President Yoon Suk-yeol's NATO Summit invitation acceptance as a kind of reward for recently aligning Seoul's foreign policy more closely with Washington and its democratic allies. However, it doesn't make sense at all for South Korea and Korean exporters to keep a distance from China, according to some political experts. South Korea is just one of the few countries in Asia with long-standing historical relations with China while also being an important partner in Washington's Indo-Pacific strategy. China accounted for a quarter of South Korea's total exports, data provided by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) showed. Other data, from the Korea Customs Service (KCS), said Korea's total exports to China reached $301.5 billion by 2021 from $6.3 billion in 1992. Korea exported $6.84 billion worth of goods to China during the January-May period of this year, up 8.5 percent year-on-year. On the other hand, China is North Korea's sole backer on all fronts and a critical patron. Additionally, China holds the key to solving North Korean nuclear issues. "Recent developments regarding President Yoon's participation at this year's NATO Summit as well as the country joining the Washington-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) illustrate that Korean companies follow the United States at the cost of their interests. We have to reassess and rethink our company's strategies in China amid the Joe Biden administration's 'shape the strategic environment' agenda," a senior executive familiar with financial planning at one of Korea's top-tier chip-making companies said via a telephone interview. The United States designated semiconductors, batteries and electric vehicles as nationally important industries as the COVID-19 crisis has revealed the fragility of global supply chains. Korea is home to the world's two-largest memory chipmakers: Samsung and SK. It also houses the world's leading battery manufacturers LG Energy Solution (LGES), Samsung SDI and SK. 'Decoupling' from China Company executives said they have been holding off any large-scale investment decisions in China until they see visible developments regarding the continued conflict between the United States and China. U.S. President Joe Biden, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right / Yonhap "There were already 'policy risks' for doing businesses in China. That means that while China is the world's second-largest economy and remains a transitional economy, a lot of aspects are not fair and fully transparent. Plus, China is increasingly being asked to manage itself better so as to avoid the possibility of falling into a middle-income trap. Essentially, because of the ongoing internal troubles with COVID-19 and rising debt, China is becoming a bit less attractive than it was in the past," said an executive at a company that supplies batteries to carmakers in China. Samsung Display and LG Electronics closed some of their factories in China due to concerns regarding the future path of the Chinese economy, after moves by the United States for heavy investment in critical infrastructure aimed at bolstering supply chain security with its Asian allies. Korea's top cosmetics company AmorePacific closed more than 100 outlets in China, which had generated 200 billion won there before South Korea decided to deploy a THAAD missile defense system. Now the cosmetics company is focusing on promoting premium brands via online channels instead. A recent survey released by U.S.-based Pew Research Center showed that eight out of 10 South Koreans remained negative toward China, the highest since it started polling on Chinese issues. "South Korea is also the only country surveyed where young people have more unfavorable views of China than older people," it said. An official at the country's trade promotion agency simply said China is no longer "a land of opportunity" for Korean exporters. More Korean exporters are considering moving production plants outside of China and relocating these operations to IPEF member countries with lower levels of regulatory risks and cheaper labor costs. Representatives at Samsung, SK and LG said they have no official comments regarding their factory relocation plans. Nonetheless, political analysts say that because the Biden administration is only supporting the idea of "delinking" some key industries from their reliance on China and diversifying key supply chains for national security reasons and not actually seeking a total decoupling of China from the global economy, South Korea, therefore, is being asked to maintain its "strategic ambiguity" regarding "sensitive issues" from China's standpoint. An aide to former President Moon Jae-in said via telephone interview that the United States doesn't want to see any drastic separation from China despite Biden's tough stance on Beijing. "A complete decoupling between the world's two largest economies could cause the U.S. to fall short of economic growth and force even Washington's allies to rethink their relationships with the United States," he said. What's happening between the United States and China and the Western emphasis on NATO's role in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine also does not mean that the world will see a new Cold War, because global economic systems are closely connected. China's economy also relies on NATO and IPEF member countries including the EU, the United States, Southeast Asia and Japan. People watch a television at Seoul Station showing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in this file photo taken on June 20, 2019. AP-Yonhap Danish police believe a shopping centre shooting that left three people dead and four others seriously hurt was not terror-related. The gunman acted alone and appears to have selected his victims at random, they said on Monday. Copenhagen chief police inspector Sren Thomassen said the victims a 17-year-old boy and 17-year-old girl, both Danes, and 47-year-old Russian man were killed when the gunman opened fire on Sunday afternoon in the Fields shopping centre, one of Scandinavias biggest. Copenhagen Police Chief Inspector Soeren Thomassen gives an update on authorities investigation (Martin Sylvest/Ritzau Scanpix/AP) Four others two Danish and two Swedish citizens were treated for gunshot wounds and in a critical but stable condition, Mr Thomassen said. Several other people received minor injuries as they fled, he added. Mr Thomassen said police had no indication that anyone helped the gunman, identified as a 22-year-old Dane. He said while the motive is unclear, there is nothing suggesting terrorism, and that the suspect would be charged later on Monday with preliminary charges of murder. There is nothing in our investigation, or the documents we have reviewed, or the things we have found, or the witnesses statements we have gotten, that can substantiate that this is an act of terrorism, he said. He confirmed that the suspect was known to mental health services but provided no further information. People are evacuated from Fields shopping centre in Copenhagen, Denmark (Olafur Steinar Rye Gestsson/Ritzau Scanpix/AP) Danish broadcaster TV2 published a grainy photo of the alleged gunman, a man wearing knee-length shorts, a vest or sleeveless shirt, and holding what appeared to be a rifle in his right hand. He seemed very violent and angry, eyewitness Mahdi Al-Wazni told TV2. He spoke to me and said it (the rifle) isnt real as I was filming him. He seemed very proud of what he was doing. Mr Thomassen said that besides the rifle the suspect had when detained, we also know that he has had access to a gun and that he carried a knife. Images from the scene showed people running out of the shopping centre in panic. After the shooting, a big contingent of heavily armed police officers patrolled the area, with several fire department vehicles also parked outside the building. People embrace each other in front of the shopping centre (Olafur Steinar Rye Gestsson/Ritzau Scanpix/AP) It is pure terror. This is awful, said Hans Christian Stoltz, a 53-year-old IT consultant, who was bringing his daughters to see Harry Styles perform at concert scheduled for Sunday night near the shopping centre. You might wonder how a person can do this to another human being, but its beyond beyond anything thats possible. The concert was cancelled due to the shooting. On Snapchat, Styles wrote: My team and I pray for everyone involved in the Copenhagen shopping mall shooting. I am shocked. Love H. It was the worst gun attack in Denmark since February 2015, when a 22-year-old man was killed in a shootout with police after going on a shooting spree in the capital that left two people dead and five police officers wounded. That attack was believed to have been motivated by Islamic extremism. Police are seen outside the shopping centre (Olafur Steinar Rye Gestsson/Ritzau Scanpix/AP) Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called Sundays shooting a cruel attack. It is incomprehensible. Heartbreaking. Pointless, she said. Our beautiful and usually so safe capital was changed in a split second. The Fields shopping centre is on the outskirts of Copenhagen, just across from a subway station for a line that connects the city centre with the international airport. A major motorway also runs adjacent to the shopping centre. The shooting came a week after a mass shooting in neighbouring Norway, where police said a Norwegian man of Iranian origin opened fire during a LGBTQ festival, killing two and wounding more than 20. Two climate change protesters have glued themselves to the frame of John Constables masterpiece The Hay Wain. The Just Stop Oil (JSO) protesters also attached their own image of an apocalyptic vision of the future of the landscape, on three large sheets of paper, featuring an old car dumped in front of the Mill and the Hay Wain cart carrying an old washing machine. The protesters struck at central Londons National Gallery (NG) on Monday, forcing the evacuation of art lovers, tourists and a class of 11-year-old children on a school trip from the room where the painting hangs. They were later named by JSO as music student Eben Lazarus, 22, and psychology student Hannah Hunt, 23, both of Brighton. Protesters from the Just Stop Oil climate group (Kirsty OConnor/PA) They wore white T-shirts with the logo Just Stop Oil, stepped over a rope barrier and then placed the printed coloured paper on to the front of the painting. Each also placed a hand on the frame of the painting and kneeled beneath it before loudly outlining their concerns as visitors were ushered out by security staff. During the protest Lazarus, who described himself himself as an art lover, said: Art is important. It should be held for future generations to see, but when there is no food what use is art. When there is no water, what use is art. When billions of people are in pain and suffering, what use then is art. The reimagined version carries a nightmare scene that demonstrates how oil will destroy our countryside. The river has gone, to be replaced by a road, airplanes fill the sky, pollution belches from cities on the horizon, trees are scorched by wildfires. JustStopOil (@JustStop_Oil) July 4, 2022 The Hay Wain, which was painted in 1821, is one of the most popular paintings at the gallery and shows a rural Suffolk scene of a wagon returning to the fields across a shallow ford for another load. Lazarus said: We have stuck a reimagined version of the Hay Wain that demonstrates our road to disaster. In a statement, Hunt later said the disruption will end when the UK Government makes a meaningful statement that it will end new oil and gas licences. She added: Im here because our government plans to license 40 new UK oil and gas projects in the next few years. This makes them complicit in pushing the world towards an unliveable climate and in the death of billions of people in the coming decades. The protesters glued their hands to the frame of John Constables The Hay Wain (Kirsty OConnor/PA) You can forget our green and pleasant land when further oil extraction will lead to widespread crop failures which means we will be fighting for food. Ultimately, new fossil fuels are a death project by our government. So yes, there is glue on the frame of this painting but there is blood on the hands of our government. A spokesman for the NG said: The room has been closed to the public and police have been called. Gallery staff, including members of the conservation team, are also in attendance. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: At approximately 14.25 on Monday officers were called to a protest taking place inside the National Gallery involving two people. The room was evacuated (Kirsty OConnor/PA) It is the latest demonstration by the group which in the past week has allegedly targeted a Scottish art gallery and stormed Sundays British Grand Prix. Five men, aged between 21 and 46, and two women, aged 20 and 44, were arrested after a track invasion on the opening lap of the race at Silverstone. The incident was not shown on F1s global television feed, but eyewitness footage emerged of five people understood to be representing JSO entering the circuit at the high-speed Wellington Straight. They then sat down on the tarmac. Five JSO members are also said to have attached themselves to a 19th-century landscape by Horatio McCulloch called My Hearts In The Highlands which hangs in Glasgows Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. They are also alleged to have sprayed the groups logo on the walls and floor of the renowned gallery in orange paint. Burma Myanmar Junta Airstrikes Kill Two, Injure Seven near Thai Border Thay Baw Boe camp. Myanmar juntas indiscriminate airstrikes have killed two civilians and injured seven others, including children, in two Karen villages near the Thai border and displacing hundreds of civilians. A Thay Baw Boe villager in southern Myawaddy Township, Karen State, said two bombs from a junta fighter jet hit on Friday evening. One hit the village heads house and killed two of his relatives, who were in their 20s, and severely injured three other relatives, including his father. The other did not explode. Three other houses were also destroyed. The area is near the juntas strategic Ukayit Hta outpost, which has been attacked by resistance forces and Karen armed groups. In response to the attacks, the regime has launched massive airstrikes indiscriminately for a week and its planes crossed into Thai airspace last Thursday. Both sides have reportedly suffered casualties. Since Friday, hundreds of villagers from Thay Baw Boe have crossed the Thai border, according to a villager said. Almost everyone fled to avoid the regimes bombing, he said, adding that the displaced are relying on handouts. On Saturday the regime conducted another airstrike on nearby Thaw Baw Boe village, injuring four, including three children, who were fleeing their village, according to the Karen Human Rights Group. The NGO said more than 300 villagers are seeking refuge in Thailand. The displaced include newborn babies, elderly people and pregnant women and the civilians need emergency support, such as food, materials for shelter and hygiene products, it added. Burma Myanmar Junta Chiefs Henchman Rewarded for his Loyalty Secretary of the State Administration Council Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dwe After junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and his deputy Vice Senior General Soe Win, Lieutenant-General Aung Lin Dwe is one of the key generals of Myanmars military regime. Aung Lin Dwe is the secretary of the regimes governing body, the State Administration Council (SAC), and so, in the absence of the national legislature, all the decrees and notifications issued by the regime are signed by him. Military supporters think highly of Aung Lin Dwe because of the position he holds. But it is wrong to compare him with former General Khin Nyunt, who was Secretary-1 in the former regime, the State Peace and Development Council led by Senior General Than Shwe. Aung Lin Dwe has become the SAC secretary not because he is smart, but because he is one of Min Aung Hlaings closest and most trusted confidants. Aung Lin Dwe and Min Aung Hlaing meet in Pyin Oo Lwin Aung Lin Dwe, who turned 60 in May, was Min Aung Hlaings subordinate when the coup leader served as the Commandant of the Defense Services Academy (DSA) in Pyin Oo Lwin. He was one of the first persons to be bullied by Min Aung Hlaing, before the junta boss turned to tormenting the entire country. Min Aung Hlaing would beat [his subordinates] when he was angry. At that time, Aung Lin Dwe was always beaten, said a source close to the 25th intake of the DSA, which included Aung Lin Dwe and current Chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) General Maung Maung Aye. Min Aung Hlaing has since taken good care of his follower, who never complained despite his mistreatment by the future junta boss. Aung Lin Dwe rose through the ranks thanks to Min Aung Hlaings patronage, despite the fact that there were many smarter cadets than him in the 25th intake. Aung Lin Dwes military career After graduating from the National Defense College, where middle-ranking officers undergo training for more senior positions, Aung Lin Dwe did not become a division commander as his record was unremarkable. But Min Aung Hlaing, who was Bureau of Special Operations chief at the time, often urged the then general in charge of military appointments to promote Aung Lin Dwe. He was subsequently appointed as head of regional operations command, a position below that of a division commander and military operations commander. After Min Aung Hlaing became the Chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air), he promoted Aung Lin Dwe to be commander of Military Operations Command based in Rakhine States Buthidaung. He was later appointed as the Commandant of the Defense Services Technological Academy in Pyin Oo Lwin. In 2014, Aung Lin Dwe was appointed as the commander of Western Command which oversees Rakhine State in western Myanmar. The Arakan Army [the Rakhine ethnic armed organization] significantly grew in influence while he was serving as the commander of Western Command. If someone else was holding that position, he might have been sacked. But as Aung Lin Dwe is [Min Aung Hlaings] follower, he was actually promoted to become a Lieutenant General, said a retired military officer. Subsequently, he was made Judge Advocate General in 2016. Min Aung Hlaing studied law for around a year and half before joining the Myanmar military. He always orders that everything must be done in line with the law. He has defended his coup as being in line with the law. Aung Lin Dwe, as SAC secretary, has assumed the responsibility of claiming that every decision made by the military regime is in line with law. [Aung Lin Dwe holds his senior position] because of [Min Aung Hlaings] trust in him. I am sure he is not that smart. His role is no more than that of a chief clerk. He only has to sign the orders from the Senior General, said a source close to the DSAs 25th intake. Family interests Even though Aung Lin Dwe is not outstanding as a professional soldier, he is as smart as the other generals in advancing the interests of his family. He has become the key person to deal with when regime contracts are up for tender. The SAC chairman has instructed that contracts must be only be granted to those who can be trusted. Aung Lin Dwe gets to use his authority to decide on that, said one Naypyitaw businessman. After Aung Lin Dwe became the SAC secretary, three businesses owned by his family have grown by leaps and bounds. Mingalar Aung Myay Co, Aung Myint Moh Lin Co and Shwe Yi Phyo Pyae Co are all run by his wife Daw Ohmar Myint and their three children. Company offices have been opened at their residence in Raja Thingaha Housing in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw, where businessmen wishing to make successful bids for junta projects are now arriving in numbers, said a Naypyitaw business owner. Businessmen cant distance themselves from generals. Ministers and director-generals only award contracts to companies that have ties to them. But they are smart. They dont touch the projects for which the children of SAC members bid for, he added. The civilian National Unity Government has blacklisted Aung Lin Dwes three companies, which have interests in trading, manufacturing and construction. At the same time his younger sister, Dr. Su Su Dwe, has been promoted from being the medical superintendent of Mandalay General Hospital to be director-general of the Traditional Medicine Department. Officials in the juntas health ministry view that promotion as the first step to Dr. Su Su Dwe assuming a senior position in the ministry. This is the way of dictatorship. You dont need to be smart. You just need to be loyal to them. Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dwe is the best example of that, said a source close to him. Burma Myanmar Regime Takes Delivery of Two Su-30 Fighter Jets From Russia An Su-30 Russia delivered the first two of six new Su-30 jet fighters to Myanmar in March, according to several informed sources who formerly served with the Myanmar Air Force. Moscow sent several trainers and technicians to assist the Myanmar Air Force during the warranty period, according to the sources, who are former Myanmar Air Force officers who joined the anti-coup movement last year. They said the Russian pilots and technicians will stay in Myanmar until the warranty period is over. One source said several of the Russians are staying in Naypyitaw while some are based in Mandalay. He confirmed that the two new Su-30s are now in a hanger in Naypyitaw, a strategic location in central Myanmar from where they will be able to cover the entire country from the far north to the south. The Su-30 is a twin-engine, two-seat supermaneuverable fighter jet developed by Russias Sukhoi Aviation Corporation. It is a multirole fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and air interdiction missions. The multirole fighters were used by Russia in Syria in 2015. In 2018, Russia agreed to sell six Su-30 fighter jets to the Myanmar military during Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigus visit to Myanmar. The planes will become the main fighter aircraft of Myanmars air force to protect the countrys territorial integrity and repel any terror threats, Russias Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant General Alexander Fomin was quoted as saying at the time by the Russian news agency TASS. Over the years, Myanmars military has bought MiG-29 and Su-30 multi-role aircraft, Yak-130 jet trainer and light combat aircraft, Mi-17 transport helicopters and Mi-24 helicopter gunships from Russia. Military-to-military relations Russian Defense Minister Shoigu visited Myanmar just a few days before the Feb. 1, 2021 coup and pledged to sell air defense weaponry to Myanmar. Deputy Defense Minister Fomin attended Myanmars Armed Forces Day parade in Naypyitaw the following month. Myanmars bilateral relations with Russia have reached a new level since the coup, regime spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun said in August last year. Russia plays the central part in Myanmars air defense systems, followed by China. And the cooperation between the air forces is expanding, the spokesman told reporters. The regime has increased its military-to-military cooperation with Russia and has also expressed support for Russias invasion of Ukraine. The Russian Navy warship Gremyashiy made a friendly visit to Myanmar in October, and coup leader Min Aung Hlaing met the Russian delegation led by Russian deputy Navy chief Vice Admiral Vladimir Lvovich Kasatonov aboard the ship. Prior to the recent delivery of fighter jets, a number of Russian pilots and technicians visited Myanmar as the military regime mounted increasingly frequent air attacks on ethnic armed organizations fighting for greater autonomy and on local Peoples Defense Force groups that emerged after the military coup last year. In February, The Irrawaddy reported that amid increasing junta air strikes in Sagaing and Magwe regions, a Russian military delegation comprising pilots was visiting the country. The 24-member Russian delegation arrived in Mandalay on Jan. 28. Russian pilots have often visited Myanmar to provide aviation training as well as maintain and upgrade aircraft at Meiktila Air Base in Mandalay Region. Border incursions Myanmars neighbors including Thailand will watch the purchase of advanced and multirole jet fighters from Russia with alarm. Last week, the Royal Thai Air Force scrambled two F-16 jet fighters after an aircraft, believed to be a Russian-made MiG-29 of the Myanmar Air Force, intruded into Thai airspace over the western province of Tak while conducting an air strike against anti-regime rebels and anti-coup forces positioned near the border. Karen insurgent officers speculated that the pilot of the jet fighter was Russian, though it could not be confirmed independently. During Myanmars military offensive against insurgents and the civilian population, several incursions have occurred across the borders with Thailand and China, prompting a stern warning from Beijing to the junta. In March 2015, during clashes with Kokang rebels in northeast Myanmar, Myanmar deployed jet fighters to attack the rebels on the China-Myanmar border. A bomb strayed into Chinese territory, killing five Chinese nationals and angering Beijing. As a result, the Chinese military sent jet fighters and more troops to the area, and warned the Myanmar military that such an incident could never be allowed to take place again. General Fan Changlong, vice chairman of Chinas Central Military Commission (CMC), Chinas apex military leadership body, said, The Chinese military will take resolute measures to protect the safety of the Chinese people and their assets. The Chinese government also demanded that Myanmar investigate the bombings, apologize, and pay indemnities to the families of those affected. Subsequently in June, China launched a live-fire joint air-ground training exercise involving both its Army and Air Force along the China-Myanmar border. Burma NLD Members Found Dead With Signs of Torture After Detention by Myanmar Troops The NLD Bilin Township office seen after the blast in 2021. / CJ Two National League for Democracy (NLD) members who were detained by the regime last week alongside party lawmaker U Kyaw Myo Min were found dead near a village in Mon States Bilin Township on Saturday. U Kyaw Myo Min is an elected state MP representing the township. U Pan Myint, 55, and U Ko Ko Maung, 52, were captured along with U Kyaw Myo Min, and arms and ammunition were reportedly seized from them, after they encountered 100 junta troops near the village of Lel Ka Te on June 22. A local resistance fighter said: They were bound and taken to Dawkangyi Village monastery, where they were beaten during interrogation. U Pan Myint and U Ko Ko Maung were shot dead on June 30. We collected their bodies after villagers reported [the incident] to us. Their bodies were badly disfigured when they were found. Ousted lawmaker U Kyaw Myo Min, who is also the chairman of the Bilin Township NLD, was so badly injured during interrogation that he could barely walk, his colleagues said. His current condition is not known, they said. A spokesman for the Karen National Liberation Armys Brigade 1 based in Mon States Thaton District said U Pan Myint and U Ko Ko Maung were brutally tortured before being executed. U Kyaw Myo Min won a seat representing Bilin Township in the Mon State Parliament in the 2020 general election, whose results the regime scrapped. He has been in hiding since the regime issued an arrest warrant and opened incitement and terrorism cases against him over his participation in anti-coup protests. It is still unclear which military units forces arrested him. Units under the 8th Military Operations Command based in Tanintharyi Regions Dawei and units of the militarys Division 44 are active in the area. The troops involved in the arrest advanced from Mae Pali strategic hill in Bilin through eastern Karen State before withdrawing to Bilin. Locals allege that the troops abducted villagers for forced labor and destroyed and looted houses in the villages they passed through. It is widely alleged that the regime was responsible for bomb blasts at NLD offices in Bilin, Kyaikto and Thaton townships in Mon State in October last year. Burma Protesters Pray for Myanmar Junta Chiefs Death on his Birthday Yangon protesters burn a picture of Min Aung Hlaing on his birthday on Sunday. / AJAY At least 11 protests were held across Myanmar on Sunday where pictures of regime chief Min Aung Hlaing were burned to mark his 66th birthday. Protesters in Yangon, Kalay, Salingyi, Yinmabin and Thayetchaung townships stamped on and burned pictures while demanding an end to military rule. A Western Chindwin protester in Yangon said: We wish you a speedy death starting from your birthday. The young protester held a sign saying, Its time to die Min Aung Hlaing. Expats in Thailand and Japan held protests where they stepped on pictures of his face. Min Aung Hlaings junta has killed an estimated 2,053 citizens since the February 1, 2021, coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Junta troops are committing extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and torching of civilian homes as they battle numerous resistance groups. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs humanitarian update last month said that more than 758,000 people, including more than 250,000 children, have been displaced since the coup. Protests marked his 65th birthday last year, wishing him death and hell. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta Airstrikes Continue in Kayah State Hell Hounds Are Loose in Myanmar; Who Can Stop Them? Burma Resistance Fighters Killed in Firefight With Myanmar Regime Troops Regime forces burn houses in Minywa village, Wetlet Township, Sagaing Region, on Sunday. / Tiger King Eight resistance fighters were killed during a firefight with Myanmar junta soldiers in Wetlet Township, Sagaing Region, on Sunday, according to peoples defense forces (PDFs). On Sunday morning, several PDFs attacked around 100 troops near Minywa village in the township. The troops had burned houses in four villages in the east of Wetlet on Saturday and Sunday. PDF videos show resistance fighters, mostly armed with improvised firearms, fighting regime troops armed with automatic weapons and explosives. During 90 minutes of fighting, six regime soldiers were killed and four others injured, claimed Wetlet PDF, which coordinated the attack. The Irrawaddy was unable to independently confirm the military casualties. Meanwhile, eight resistance fighters were killed and others wounded, the PDFs said. A pro-regime Telegram channel posted photos of eight dead PDF members with homemade firearms. The troops had used civilian detainees as human shields and killed them, Wetlet PDF said. On Monday, the troops continued to raid and burn villages, another PDF said. On June 29, nine PDF members, including four teenagers from the Generation Z Special Task Force in Wetlet, were executed by regime forces after they were detained in adjacent Shwebo Township to attend medical training. Faced with daily attacks from resistance groups and ethnic armed organizations, the regime has committed atrocities, including arbitrary arrests, killing civilians, burning alive, massacres, using civilians as human shields, aerial bombardment and shelling of residential areas and looting and burning houses. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta Airstrikes Continue in Kayah State Hell Hounds Are Loose in Myanmar; Who Can Stop Them? Myanmars Min Aung Hlaing, Russias Putin and Their Ilk Must Not Prevail Burma Top China Official Reaffirms Beijings Support for Myanmar Junta Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi (left) with his Myanmar counterpart Wunna Maung Lwin on the sidelines of the seventh Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Bagan, Myanmar, on July 3, 2022. / Xinhua China has reaffirmed its continued support for Myanmars military regime and has vowed to protect its neighbour and its legitimate interests. On Sunday, Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his counterpart in the juntas administration, Wunna Maung Lwin, that Chinas friendly policy toward Myanmar was intended for all the people of Myanmar. Beijing will support Naypyitaw in safeguarding the countrys legitimate interests, as well as its national dignity on international occasions, said Wang Yi, according to the state-run newspaper China Daily. Wang Yi met Wunna Maung Lwin in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bagan, on the sidelines of the seventh Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers Meeting in Bagan. It was the first time a senior official from China has visited Myanmar since last years coup. China has refused to condemn the coup and the regimes bloody crackdowns on anti-coup protesters, while western democracies have denounced the junta. Along with Russia, China has used its veto on the United Nations (UN) Security Council to prevent resolutions taking action against the regime from being passed. Over 2,000 people have been killed by the junta since the coup. Wang Yis vow that Beijing will continue safeguarding its [Myanmar] dignity on international occasions means that it is likely that China will continue to use its veto to protect the regime from UN-sanctioned international punishment. In April, Wunna Maung Lwin received a warm welcome from Wang Yi when he visited China. Beijing said it would help safeguard Myanmars sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity no matter how the situation changes. Wang told his Myanmar counterpart then that Beijing has always placed Myanmar in an important position in its neighborly diplomacy and wants to deepen exchanges and cooperation. Referring to the social, political and economic turmoil sparked by the coup, Wang Yi said on Sunday that China hopes that all parties in Myanmar can adhere to rational consultation and achieve political reconciliation and national long-term stability within the framework of the constitution and law at an early date. The two foreign ministers also agreed to speed up the construction of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor [CMEC], which involves a number of infrastructure projects such as a rail line linking Chinas Yunnan Province with a deep water port in Kyaukphyu, Rakhine State in western Myanmar that will give China coveted access to the Indian Ocean. The two sides said they would discuss CMEC Plus cooperation in a timely manner so as to enhance bilateral economic and trade cooperation. China is one of the top investors in Myanmar, as well as a major supplier of arms to the Myanmar military. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta Airstrikes Continue in Kayah State Hell Hounds Are Loose in Myanmar; Who Can Stop Them? Commentary A Toothless International Response to a Merciless Myanmar Regime Anti-regime protesters in Yangon call for help from the UN and US to root out the military dictatorship, in February 2021. / The Irrawaddy The world sees Myanmars generals and their military as a bunch of thugs. The problem, however, is that it doesnt treat them as thugs. In a recent interview with The Irrawaddy, US State Department Counselor Derek Chollet called the ruling military a bunch of thugs. No doubt the rest of the worldespecially Western or democratic countrieswould agree with the term, as they have seen how brutal and violent the regime has been against its people since its coup on Feb. 1, 2021. The US and the rest of the world, however, dont really treat the generals as thugs. Instead, individual countries and the global community as a whole have been treating them as naughty school boys to be disciplined. Their biggest stick has been to impose economic sanctions against the military and its leaders, to condemn the generals and issue statements expressing concern at the generals gross human rights violations. None, however, have worked to make the thuggish generals stop their atrocities against the people. Over the past one-and-a-half years since the coup, there has been nothing but tragic news from Myanmar. Every day the ruthless regime kills, arrests and tortures civilians, and torches houses and destroys villages and towns. The entire population has been brutalized day and night. So far, the regime has killed more than 2,000 civilians, arrested more than 14,000, and destroyed 20,000 houses, which has forced more than 750,000 people to flee their homes, according to the United Nations. On the ground, the actual death toll might be higher and the destruction greater than these numbers. Every day is a bloody one in Myanmar. The meager punishments that have been imposed by the US and some Western countries since the coup havent been able to deter the regime from committing such atrocities, which constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes. And what happens? The world keeps watching. The regime keeps slaughtering. The generals are doing nothing less than waging a war against their own population of 55 million people. Because they want to consolidate their power after illegitimately overthrowing the elected civilian government. Because they want to erase the overwhelming result of the election in 2020, in which the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi won a landslide victory. Mainly, the juntas coup and the resulting war have been waged to kill democracy and its principles and norms, and eradicate all the democratic forces that have ceaselessly struggled to implement the federal democracy the people seek. Because they want to monopolize the entire economy and all industries for themselves. Because theylike all the other dictators in the worldwant to run their home country as their private fiefdom. Its a continuation of the decades-long war against the people and their aspirations that Myanmars generals began in 1962. But this time the people of Myanmar, whose aspirations have been consistently thwarted by the generals over the past 50 yearsin the coups of 1962, 1988 and 2021have mounted an unprecedented resistance against the coup makers. Given their previous experiences of life under the military, they have learned their lesson; the people are left with no choice but to fight back. Consequently, many young people have taken up weapons to form their own army. When it comes to support from the international community led by the US, the people of Myanmar also know from experienceespecially after their nationwide uprising in 1988that support for their struggle for democracy is unlikely to go beyond moral support. International backing for the democracy movement and foreign countries efforts to punish successive oppressive regimes have never been effective in stopping the regimes atrocities or the generals cruelty. This has always been the case. As for the generals, they simply grow more brutal every day, waging an unjust war against their own people, using ever more inhumane and vengeful means. In early June, the regime ordered the executions of anti-coup activists, including two respected prominent pro-democracy activistsKo Phyo Zeya Thaw, a lawmaker of the ousted NLD, and veteran democracy activist Ko Kyaw Min Yu, known as Ko Jimmyfor their anti-coup resistance activities. The regimes spokesperson has repeatedly confirmed that the activists will be executed, insisting the sentence is warranted. It has come as shocking news for the people of Myanmar. Certainly, the sentences must be a source of constant anguish both for the activists on death row and for their relatives outside. The people feel angry and helpless. In late June, the ruling generals sent detained elected leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who had been under house arrest since the coup, to a prison where she is now kept in solitary confinement. Its tormenting news for the people of Myanmar, most of whom voted for her as their leader in the last election in 2020. Many believe that it is a form of torture to send her to prison, where the 77-year-old will suffer under harsh conditions. This too leaves the people feeling angry and even more helpless. What has the world done? As ever, it has strongly condemned the regime for its horrendous actions. US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said: The United States strongly condemns the Burmese military regimes reported plans to execute pro-democracy and opposition leaders, exemplifying the regimes disregard for human rights and the rule of law. We urge the release of all unjustly detained. Four days after the detained leader was transferred to prison, Counselor Chollet said on his Twitter account: The US strongly denounces the military regimes use of solitary confinement for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Globally, the US has always been the strongest supporter of Myanmars pro-democracy movement. Many people in Myanmar feel the US has always been a friend in need. But its vocal condemnations, not backed up by effective action, have been met by frustration and even mockery from the Myanmar people. In dealing with the previous military regime, which ruled the country from 1988 to the 2010s, the US seemed to show more initiative than now. This time, the Myanmar people are suffering more than ever. Their society has been shattered and their country destroyed. The crisis continues to escalate and the people of Myanmar feel more helpless each day, waking up each morning to another tragic day. But the US and the rest of the international community have applied nothing more than a talk the talk policy. Given the experiences and lessons of the past, sanctions are of limited effectiveness to press the thugs in Myanmar to end their violence and return to the path of democracy, as the world demands. The thugs dont care. The world and the US know it. But they lack initiative and effort. Since the coup, the US has shown neither initiative nor leadership, but simply backed ASEAN, which is traditionally toothless, as it tries to coax better behavior from one of its members. Myanmar used to be a hot potato for the grouping and is now living up to its bad reputation. ASEAN failed in its attempt to deal with Myanmars previous military regime. This time, its Five-Point Consensus has yielded nothing. We can predict this will not change; the regime has failed to live up to its commitments, refusing to allow engagement with key stakeholders, including elected leaders, the shadow National Unity Government (NUG) and other democratic and ethnic forces. The US and the world have knowingly chosen this strategy of letting ASEAN take the lead. Which means they lack the interest to lead or come up with more effective policies other than talking. They lack interest, which leads to ineffective policies, initiative and support for the Myanmar people, though the US always says that it stands with the people. After having heard it repeatedly, Myanmar people feel these are just words and understand that neither the world nor the US can help stop their livelihoods from being destroyed or support their revolution to topple the regime. Last week, Tom Andrews, special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, slammed the international community for its inability to tackle alleged human rights abuses and possible war crimes in Myanmar. The devastating and deteriorating conditions in Myanmar should lead to only one conclusion: the international communitys current approach to the crisis in Myanmar is not working, he said. Words of support for human rights in Myanmar, while welcome, should be matched by decisive action. He added: The failure to take strong, meaningful action will be a death sentence for untold numbers of people. The people of Myanmar have no choice but to stand on their own two feet. Thats why many people in Myanmar, though they are not rich, have donated to the NUG to buy weapons to fight the juntas troops across the country. The NUG recently said it has received more than US$40 million from the people and spent 95 percent of it on its military budget to provide weapons to its army, a loosely organized network of groups collectively called the People Defense Force, and to those ethnic armed organizations that have joined the resistance against the regime. The amount the NUG has received so far is far less than the total cost of well below $1 billiona small fraction of the military aid the Biden administration is currently supplying to Ukrainewhich some assessments estimate the NUG needs to spend on arms for its resistance forces in their fight against the regime. The Myanmar people do not, even for one day, want to be ruled by a bunch of thugs who are abusive, arbitrary, brutal and corrupt. For that, they deserve the worlds full support. Ifand its a big IFthe US and the rest of the world want to be responsible, they mustnt let the resistance fighters be killed, and should do something meaningful to enable them to fight to end the military dictatorship and take Myanmars future back. The world should take responsibility and help the Myanmar people treat the thugs as thugs. Naing Khit is a commentator on political affairs. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta Airstrikes Continue in Kayah State Hell Hounds Are Loose in Myanmar; Who Can Stop Them? The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Monday rejected a request from former interim leader Park Ji-hyun that she be allowed to run for party chairmanship at an upcoming national convention despite her lack of qualification. Park, a 26-year-old politician seen as a symbol of generational change in the DPK, has declared her bid for the party's chairmanship, a month after she stepped down as the party's interim leader following its crushing defeat in last month's local elections. Under the party charter, however, she cannot run in the leadership election because only those who have held the party's membership for at least six months are qualified to do so. Park joined the party on Feb. 14. She has called for an exception to be made for her. On Monday, DPK leader Woo Sang-ho said the emergency leadership committee has decided not to make an exception for Park, saying the committee members have not found "any unavoidable reason" to do so. The DPK is set to select its new leader through a national convention on Aug. 28. (Yonhap) It may be hard to believe, but 2022 is more than half over, which means it must be about time for the 4th of July parade. This year's 63rd annual festivities will include a very special Grand Marshall, one of Key Biscaynes most beloved and respected residents, Mrs. Sally Brody. Brody was asked to serve as Grand Marshall while volunteering at the Moonlight Cape Florida fundraiser. I was extremely honored and thrilled to be asked to be in the parade as the Grand Marshall, she said. She has earned the honor after a long career as an educator. Brody, an Ohio native who attended the University of Miami, was an elementary school teacher for 30 years in South Miami, Overtown and Key Biscayne. She later formed her own educational program, the Center for the Talented and Gifted Students (CATS). Many of my students live near the key and have children of their own. Knowing these students, now grown, is very special to me, said Brody. Brody moved to the Village in 1971 when she married Clifford Brody. He was one of the original Key Rats as he moved to the key when he was 11 years old. Her late sister, Shirley Pearson, had fixed Brody up on a blind date with Cliff. They have been together since. He came with a full package a daughter, Sheri, then 4, and a son, Joel, 8 years old. Cliff became the best father ever. Clifford Brody will be remembered by Key Biscayne residents for his service to the Village as a member of the first Village Council, then as Vice Mayor ,when he helped form the Key Biscayne Fire Department. He passed away about five months ago. Brody said the spirit of her husband will be by her side as she leads the parade. The honor of being Grand Marshall has helped me a lot, she said. I will ride in the car alongside him, as he was a truly fine man who donated many years of volunteering to make KB a wonderful place to live. The Brodys lived on Sunset Circle for years, and aboard the Sally Ann at the dock at the Key Biscayne Yacht Club. We sailed to the Bahamas and the Keys, and up the East Coast to Maine several times, said Brody. Also through the Great Lakes and on the Great Circle Route. The couple also traveled in a motorhome as far west as Alaska, where they spent months vacationing. Asked about her favorite part of the 4th of July parade, Brady responded enthusiastically that the Junkanoos and stilt walkers are always a big hit. This years parade will be the best ever with 45 floats and five bands, she said, adding, It will not rain on our parade! I am anxious to see a large crowd as usual. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. Park Soon-ae, left, nominee for deputy prime minister and minister of education, and Kim Seung-kyum, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman nominee, each answer questions in Yeouido and in Yongsan District, Seoul, respectively, in this combined May 27 photo. Newsis Health minister nominee resigns amid allegations of exploiting political fund By Nam Hyun-woo President Yoon Suk-yeol on Monday appointed Park Soon-ae as deputy prime minister and minister of education and Army General Kim Seung-kyum as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), without National Assembly confirmation hearings. Meanwhile, the embattled health and welfare minister nominee, Kim Seung-hee, dropped her candidacy. The presidential office said in a statement that Yoon approved the appointments of Park and JCS Chairman Kim, less than an hour after the former health minister nominee announced her withdrawal. Before leaving last week to attend the 2022 NATO Summit in Spain, Yoon requested the National Assembly hold confirmation hearings on the three nominees and send their reports to him. However, the Assembly did not hold the hearings as the rival parties locked horns over naming speakers and heads of standing committees, thereby allowing Yoon to go ahead with their appointment without undergoing any confirmation hearings. JCS Chairman Kim's appointment was widely expected to be announced on Monday, as the Army general was not strongly opposed by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), and officials at the presidential office have been reiterating the importance of the JCS chief appointment given North Korea's escalating missile and nuclear threats. However, the appointments of the education and health minister nominees were uncertain, because the DPK opposed the candidates citing controversies over their pasts. Park has been grilled over her qualifications for the education minister post due to her record of being convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) in 2002. Not only the DPK but also teachers' groups claimed Park was an inappropriate candidate due to this issue. Former Health Minister nominee Kim Seung-hee watches reporters as she enters her office in Seodaemun District, Seoul, May 30. Yonhap Newly elected Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo delivers an acceptance speech during a plenary session at the National Assembly, Monday. Joint Press Corps By Lee Hyo-jin Five-term lawmaker Kim Jin-pyo of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has been elected as the new speaker of the National Assembly, Monday, as rival parties reached a last-minute deal on the formation of the new leadership after ending weeks of deadlock. Rep. Kim garnered 255 out of 275 votes in a plenary session held at 2 p.m., winning the position to lead the second half of the 21st National Assembly until May 2024. The election came 35 days after the legislative branch had remained stalled amid conflicts between the two rival parties the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the DPK on who will take which key committee chair posts, such as the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Earlier, the DPK offered to hand over the chief post of the judiciary committee in exchange for the PPP's cooperation in launching a special committee on judiciary reform. But the ruling party rejected the proposal. U.S. politicians play Xinjiang cards against China while distorting facts about Xinjiang 15:43, July 04, 2022 By Chen Zi ( People's Daily Online (Cartoon by Ma Hongliang) For some time now, the U.S. has been continuously hyping up so-called forced labor in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. However, people who respect the truth will see that the so-called forced labor rhetoric is totally a lie. The U.S., which ignores basic facts about Xinjiang, is attempting to contain China by pressuring the industrial advantages of Xinjiang through political manipulation. Rather than attacking Xinjiang, the U.S. should reflect on its own notorious problem of forced labor. The U.S. still has not ratified the Forced Labour Convention (1930), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Every year, nearly 100,000 people are smuggled into the U.S. for forced labor. Today, there are at least 500,000 people enslaved in the U.S. The use of child labor is prevalent in the U.S. agricultural sector, with many children starting from the age of 8. Roughly 240,000 to 325,000 women and children in the U.S. are victims of sexual slavery. There are more than 100,000 people held in private prisons in the U.S. who are forced to work. The work is intense and the wages are low. However, to serve their own political agenda, U.S. politicians have refused to reflect on the notorious human rights situation in their own country, but have meanwhile spared in no effort to smear Chinas region of Xinjiang. According to the Global Times, some U.S. officials have also spoken their mind that Xinjiang has no problems; in fact we are all aware of it. But they have nonetheless refused to stop playing the Xinjiang card or stop their despicable behavior of spreading rumors and lies. Related: U.S. hackers extend malicious cyber operations around the world (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) A photo of President Yoon Suk-yeol staring at a nearly blank computer screen during his visit to Spain last week has raised eyebrows in Korean online communities, with some suspecting it was a setup by the presidential office. Yoon's office released 12 photos Sunday that showed the president and first lady Kim Keon-hee in different settings during their four-day visit to Madrid last week. In one picture, Yoon is seen sitting at a desk and looking straight at a computer monitor with his right hand on a mouse. People were quick to notice the screen was in fact nearly blank, showing just the outline of what appeared to be a document or portal. The presidential office said the photo showed Yoon after a meeting with his aides last Tuesday morning in Madrid as he was preparing for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit. In response to suspicions the president was simply posing for a photo with nothing on his monitor, the office issued a clarification, saying the picture was taken just after Yoon had signed off on items for a Cabinet meeting in Seoul, leaving the page blank. A presidential official went further Monday to express regret. "When we release a photo of the president, we try not to show whatever is on the monitor or document the president is looking at," the official told reporters, citing security and other reasons. "We pay close attention when we release photos, and to distort that as if we were putting on a show is quite regrettable," the official added. (Yonhap) The nominee for South Korea's antitrust chief apologized Monday over allegations he sexually harassed students while teaching at Seoul National University School of Law. Song Ok-rial issued the apology through the presidential office shortly after he was nominated by President Yoon Suk-yeol to lead the Fair Trade Commission. The Seoul Economic Daily newspaper reported the allegations earlier, saying Song told a group of freshmen while drunk during a dinner in 2014 that their looks ranked "better than average," "worse than average," or "high." The students who witnessed Song's actions considered making a poster denouncing him, but the professor immediately apologized and reached an agreement with them not to take the issue further, the paper said. "In the vetting process, we verified the circumstances surrounding his remarks and the detailed story," the presidential office said in a statement. "The nominee apologized to the attendees at the time, and we took into consideration the fact that the matter was settled without further action by the school." The office added: "Nominee Song has admitted his mistake and said he apologizes deeply once again. A more detailed explanation is expected to be provided once a confirmation preparation team is set up by the Fair Trade Commission." (Yonhap) A quarter of a century after his arrival in France, Laurent Bucyibaruta, 78, has had to settle into a new routine. Every morning he enters the Palais de Justice in Paris, walks slowly over the old cobblestones and enters the same courtroom where three other "Rwandan" trials were held before his own. He puts down his walking stick and sits in his chair. With his notes and left arm resting on his lawyers' table, the former prefect stretches out his long legs. It is 9.30 am at the beginning of another day when his frail body and aging face will stay turned patiently towards the nine French men and women - three professional magistrates and six jurors - who have been trying him since May 9 for genocide, complicity in genocide and complicity in crimes against humanity. In his prefecture of Gikongoro, southern Rwanda, he allegedly participated in the massacres of tens of thousands of Tutsis during the first weeks of the genocide in April 1994. He denies these allegations. In the eighth week of the trial, the fatigue of the Assize Court can be seen on faces and in the irritation of the president, Judge Jean-Marc Lavergne, who is juggling schedule changes for witnesses and is unable to keep the hearing to the length advised by doctors because of Bucyibarutas health problems. "I have no choice, I have to free the courtroom on the evening of July 12, we have to continue!" he said one evening after 7pm, when defence lawyer Jean-Marie Biju-Duval protested as he started reading the statements of deceased witnesses -- an academic but necessary exercise in this procedure where the first complaint was filed 22 years ago. Some jurors, engrossed in their smartphones, look up as voices are raised. The passing of time Time weighs heavily in this trial and on some of the witnesses testifying on the genocide that has seen the most trials in history. This was the case for 84-year-old Juvenal Rutebeka, who testified by videoconference from Rwanda at the request of the defence on June 28. This former secretary of a commune put a meeting in which Bucyibaruta participated "in 1996 or 1997". "Wouldn't that have been in 1994?" the president asked gently. The witness maintained it was not in 1994 "because the French were there", a reference to the French Operation Turquoise in western Rwanda in... 1994. You told the French investigators that he did nothing. What did you mean?" defence lawyer Biju-Duval asked him. I heard about Bucyibaruta in Cyanika, Murambi, Kaduha [places of massacres] but I was not there," Rutebeka replied. But you were heard by the investigators in 2013. You said to them as far as I am concerned, he did nothing. Can we conclude that this information [on his presence at the sites of massacres] was known to you after 2013? the lawyer continued. Yes, said the witness. I heard that after 2013. I have no further questions, said the lawyer. Can a prefect who stayed alive be innocent? The fundamental question underlying this trial is whether a prefect who remained in office during the genocide and was not a victim of the killers can be innocent. "Those who remained in office agreed with the government's policy, which was the extermination of the Tutsis," Francois-Xavier Nsanzuwera, former prosecutor in Kigali and former Appeals Counsel at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, told the court in a statement at the start of the trial on May 16. However, he pointed out that "in the specific case of Gikongoro, the gendarmerie commander Christophe Bizimungu did not participate. Is it not true that Bucyibaruta asked for more gendarmes loyal to the President and he said no? asked Biju-Duval. "This is the ambiguity of the time," answered Nsanzuwera, who thinks Bucyibaruta acted in a cynical way like others. "You didn't stick your neck out too much, used double talk, appeared respectable and at the same time let it happen." Major Bizimungus name has been mentioned often in this trial. According to a Rwandan refugee in the United States who was heard on June 27, it was he who saved her and her children "at the request of Bucyibaruta", who had known her husband for many years. "I am Tutsi, my husband is Hutu. Bucyibaruta is Hutu, his wife is Tutsi. We were mixed families," Xavera Iyakaremye told the court. "Bucyibaruta decided to act, to send us men of good character," who, according to her account, allowed her to cross a murderous barrier with her children and then remain hidden in Gikongoro until the arrival of the French Turquoise soldiers. "It wasnt just me that Bucyibaruta saved. I heard that he was able to save many other people. He is an upright, good, understanding and peaceful man," said the woman, who went into exile in 2005 after her husband, a former magistrate, was imprisoned in Rwanda. At the end of her testimony, Bucyibaruta spoke his agreement. "I presented the case to the commander of the gendarmerie, and it was he who chose the gendarmes to help this family. They had to negotiate rather than use force. These gendarmes were of good will, they accomplished their mission." Presiding judge Lavergne asked if there had been other such delicate missions. "For example, the evacuation of orphans from Kaduha and the nuns from Mubuga in April," the accused replied in a shaky voice. "The authorities no longer had authority The next day, June 28, it was the turn of Pastor Norman Kayumba, who was also heard by video conference from the United States, at the request of the defence. The clergymans voice was strong. He was Anglican bishop of the diocese of Kigeme, in the prefecture of Gikongoro, and was in 1994 at the hospital there, where many wounded people were coming and "about 15 Tutsi school students who could not return home. Then a group of 250 Tutsi refugees arrived. "The killers were going to attack us, we felt helpless, said the pastor. That's when I started to talk to the authorities, the mayor, the commander of the gendarmerie and the prefect. The witness, dressed in a black suit and red sweater topped with a big cross, leaned back in his chair as if indicating he wanted to share a reflection. "In general, the conclusion I drew was this: the fear I had, the authorities had the same, they were afraid of being killed, that their people would be killed, knowing that there were authorities who were more involved in the genocide than others." He paused. "In Gikongoro, I would say that Bucyibaruta could help me, just as he could perish. What I saw in that country stunned me. In Rwanda, it had become chaos. The authorities no longer had any authority, except for those who agreed to be with the killers." The witness then returned to his account of the attack that was being prepared. It was late May, "the day of Pentecost 1994. The killers had surrounded the hospital, and he sent his driver to find Bizimungu, the commander of the gendarmerie. He had known him before the war. "And the prefect arrived in Kigeme because he wanted to have his child treated. I was lucky, I thought, because I had the prefect and the head of the gendarmerie. When the killers leaders came, I think they expected us to give them a green light to go and kill. The prefect and I told them that nothing good was going to come of this. I saw that things were serious when they turned on the prefect. It is possible they thought he was hiding Tutsis from them, because his wife was Tutsi. I saw that he had no power over them. Its possible that he was still making decisions as prefect on other things but not in this attack." It was then that Bizimungu approached, the witness recounted. He had come with some armed gendarmes, "maybe seven". "He spoke in a serious tone saying 'If you want to confront my gendarmes, stay put. Otherwise leave'. They turned around, saying they were going to come back." "Being in a position of authority when the country was in chaos was trying. I think Bucyibaruta did what he could," said the Anglican minister. Whenever I needed him, he was there. The killers did not trust him because his wife was Tutsi and his family-in-law too. As a prefect, he had to be careful. What he could do, he did; what he couldn't do, he didn't." Russian troops were on Monday holding the strategic Ukrainian city of Lysychansk after Kyiv's forces retreated, in a major boost for Russia's campaign to seize the entire Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. With the war now well into its fifth month after Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, governments and organisations gathered for a conference in Switzerland to launch a plan to rebuild the country even as the conflict shows no sign of abating. The loss of Lysychansk over the weekend prompted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to step up calls for an increased supply of weapons from the West so Kyiv can keep up the resistance and regain lost territories. After giving up on its initial war aim of capturing Kyiv following tough Ukrainian resistance, Russia has focused its efforts on securing control of the Donetsk and Lugansk areas which make up the Donbas region. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin at the weekend that Moscow's forces were now in full control of the Lugansk region. Moscow's capture of Lysychansk -- one week after the Ukrainian army also retreated from the neighbouring city of Severodonetsk -- frees up Russian forces to advance on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in Donetsk. "The continuation of the defence of the city (Lysychansk) would lead to fatal consequences" in the face of Russia's superiority in numbers and equipment, the Ukrainian army said on Sunday, announcing its retreat. "In order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders, a decision was made to withdraw." - 'Most modern weapons' - Lugansk region governor Sergiy Gayday said on Telegram that there was still fighting in the town of Bilogorivka outside Lysychansk. "We keep defending a small part of the Lugansk region so that our army could build protective redoubts," he added. In an address late Sunday, Zelensky vowed Kyiv would fight on and ensure the military had "the most modern weapons". "Ukraine will reach the level when the fire superiority of the occupiers will be levelled." In Sloviansk, about 75 kilometres (45 miles) west of Lysychansk, there were few people on the streets on Monday, the day after Russian strikes that left at least six dead, among them a nine-year-old girl, and 19 injured. In the large downtown market largely ravaged by a fire caused by a Russian strike, a few vendors offered basic goods while others cleared charred debris. Vendors and residents who spoke to AFP, some still in shock, expressed concern for the days and weeks to come, as sounds of shelling were heard again. - 'Win back the land' - The city of Siversk, 30 kilometres west of Lysychansk, also saw overnight shelling, residents and an official told AFP. But Zelensky's address Sunday evening was defiant, pointing to Ukrainian troops progressing in the Kharkiv and Kherson regions, and vowed "there will be a day when we will say the same about Donbas". "We will rebuild the walls, we will win back the land, and people must be protected above all else," Zelensky said. "Ukraine does not give anything up." On Monday, leaders from dozens of countries and international organisations were meeting in the Swiss city of Lugano, where they aim to hash out a roadmap for Ukraine's reconstruction -- expected to cost hundreds of billions of dollars. Lugano is not a pledging conference but will instead attempt to lay out the principles and priorities for a rebuilding process aimed to begin even as the war rages. - 'Democracy over autocracy' - Ukraine will also face demands for broad reforms, especially in cracking down on corruption after Brussels recently granted Kyiv candidate status in its push to join the 27-member European Union. Zelensky will address the conference by video, but the event is also being attended by Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in a rare trip outside the country. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is due to pledge both immediate humanitarian assistance as well as access to British financial and economic expertise, the foreign office said. She will tell delegates that Ukraine's recovery "will be a symbol of the power of democracy over autocracy", it added. But for residents in Bucha -- a Ukrainian town synonymous with war crimes blamed on Moscow's forces after their retreat in April -- fear remains even as talk begins of reconstruction. "We're going to bed without knowing if we'll wake up tomorrow," said Vera Semeniouk, 65. "Everyone has come back, is starting to repair houses, many are putting in new windows. It would be terrible if it started again and we had to leave everything again." President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered Russian troops to press their offensive deeper into the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine after Moscow's forces seized the strategic city of Lysychansk. With the war now well into its fifth month after Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, governments and organisations gathered for a conference in Switzerland to launch a plan to rebuild the country even as the conflict shows no sign of abating. The loss of Lysychansk over the weekend prompted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to step up calls for an increased supply of weapons from the West so Kyiv can keep up the resistance and regain lost territories. After giving up on its initial war aim of capturing Kyiv following tough Ukrainian resistance, Russia has focused its efforts on securing control of the Donetsk and Lugansk areas which make up the Donbas region. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin at a meeting that Moscow's forces were now in full control of the Lugansk region. In a sign there would be no let-up in the fighting and that Russia now had its eyes on the entire Donetsk region, Putin told Shoigu that troops stationed there must continue their operations. "Military units, including the East group and the West group, must carry out their tasks according to previously approved plans," Putin said. "I hope that everything will continue in their direction as has happened in Lugansk so far." The Ukrainian army said on Sunday it was retreating from Lysychansk to preserve the lives of its troops after finding itself outnumbered and outgunned by Russian forces there. - 'Most modern weapons' - But in a symbolic boost for Ukraine, the Ukrainian flag was raised on Snake Island, an rocky outcrop in the Black Sea, after Russia withdrew from the strategically important Ukrainian territory last week. Moscow's capture of Lysychansk -- one week after the Ukrainian army also retreated from the neighbouring city of Severodonetsk -- frees up Russian forces to advance on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in Donetsk. Lugansk region governor Sergiy Gayday said on Telegram that there was still fighting in the town of Bilogorivka outside Lysychansk. "We keep defending a small part of the Lugansk region so that our army could build protective redoubts," he added. In an address late Sunday, Zelensky vowed Kyiv would fight on and ensure the military had "the most modern weapons". "Ukraine will reach the level when the fire superiority of the occupiers will be levelled." In Sloviansk, about 75 kilometres (45 miles) west of Lysychansk, there were few people on the streets on Monday, the day after Russian strikes that left at least six dead, among them a nine-year-old girl, and 19 injured. In the large downtown market largely ravaged by a fire caused by a Russian strike, a few vendors offered basic goods while others cleared charred debris. Vendors and residents who spoke to AFP, some still in shock, expressed concern for the days and weeks to come, as sounds of shelling were heard again. - 'Task of democratic world' - The city of Siversk, 30 kilometres west of Lysychansk, also saw overnight shelling, residents and an official told AFP. But Zelensky's address Sunday evening was defiant, pointing to Ukrainian troops would "win back" territory in the Donbas just has they had in other regions earlier in the war. On Monday, leaders from dozens of countries and international organisations were meeting in the Swiss city of Lugano, where they aim to hash out a roadmap for Ukraine's reconstruction -- expected to cost hundreds of billions of dollars. Lugano is not a pledging conference but will instead attempt to lay out the principles and priorities for a rebuilding process aimed to begin even as the war rages. The meeting is seen giving birth to a scheme along the lines of the "The Marshall Plan", the US-devised giant economic rescue scheme to rebuild Europe after World War II. In a video address to the conference that was attended in person by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Zelensky described rebuilding Ukraine as the "common task of the whole democratic world" and the "biggest contribution to the support of global peace." But for residents in Bucha -- a Ukrainian town synonymous with war crimes blamed on Moscow's forces after their retreat in April -- fear remains even as talk begins of reconstruction. "We're going to bed without knowing if we'll wake up tomorrow," said Vera Semeniouk, 65. "Everyone has come back, is starting to repair houses, many are putting in new windows. It would be terrible if it started again, and we had to leave everything again." The United States concluded Monday that Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was likely killed by Israeli gunfire and urged accountability, but said there was no reason to believe she was shot intentionally. Dashing hopes for a result that would be accepted by all sides, the United States said it could not make a "definitive conclusion" on the origin of the bullet that killed the journalist on May 11. "Ballistic experts determined the bullet was badly damaged, which prevented a clear conclusion," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement after what he called "extremely detailed forensic analysis" of the bullet reluctantly handed over by the Palestinian Authority. Abu Akleh, who held US citizenship and was one of the best-known Palestinian journalists, was fatally shot as she covered an Israeli army operation in Jenin in the occupied West Bank despite wearing a vest that said "Press." Her death provoked a furor, with the Palestinian Authority alleging she was shot intentionally in what amounted to a war crime -- charges angrily denied by Israel, a close US ally which President Joe Biden is visiting in two weeks. The US Security Coordinator (USSC), which directs security assistance to the Palestinian Authority in coordination with Israel, said that both sides granted full access to their own probes over the past several weeks. "By summarizing both investigations, the USSC concluded that gunfire from IDF positions was likely responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh," the State Department said, referring to the Israeli Defense Forces. "The USSC found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad," it said. "We will remain engaged with Israel and the PA on next steps and urge accountability. We again offer our deepest condolences to the Abu Akleh family," said the rare July 4 statement. - Family 'incredulous' - Abu Akleh's family said in a statement it was "incredulous" that the examination could not determine whose gun fired the bullet that killed her. "We will continue to advocate for justice for Shireen, and to hold the Israeli military and government accountable, no matter the attempts to obfuscate the reality of what happened on May 11," it said. Senior Palestinian Authority official Hussein Al Sheikh condemned efforts to "conceal the truth" while the militant Hamas movement urged an international probe and said the United States was a "true accomplice" in her death. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid voiced sorrow over Abu Akleh's "tragic" death and said that Israel's probe determined "conclusively that there was no intention to harm her." Israel "will continue fighting terror whenever and wherever necessary" while also recognizing "the importance of freedom of the press," Lapid said in a statement. - Israelis say still probing - The Palestinian Authority's attorney general, Akram Al-Khatib, told AFP on Saturday that the bullet was handed over to US forensic experts -- and not Israel -- on the condition that there would be no modifications and that it would be returned. But an Israeli army statement said that Israeli experts examined the bullet at a laboratory in the Jewish state -- while the State Department said the process involved "independent, third-party examiners." Israel had earlier accused the Palestinians of stonewalling by not handing over the bullet -- while the Palestinians in turn feared Israel would whitewash any probe it leads. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said Monday that it remained impossible to determine the source of the shooting "and, as such, the investigation will continue." Further inflaming tensions after Abu Akleh's death, baton-wielding Israeli police descended on mourners during her funeral and grabbed Palestinian flags, with the pallbearers struggling not to drop her casket -- leading US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to condemn Israel's use of force. Several media outlets have also pointed to Israel in the killing, with a CNN report saying she appeared to have been targeted by Israeli forces. A New York Times investigation found that the bullet was fired from near the location of an Israeli military convoy, likely by a soldier from an elite unit, and that there were no armed Palestinians in the area. But the newspaper also did not ascertain whether the shooter targeted her personally. burs-sct/sst President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered Russian troops to press their offensive deeper into the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine after Moscow's forces seized the strategic city of Lysychansk. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told Putin at a meeting that Moscow's forces were now in full control of the Lugansk region. In a sign there would be no let-up in the fighting and that Russia now had its eyes on the entire Donetsk region, Putin told Shoigu that troops stationed there must continue their operations. "Military units, including the East group and the West group, must carry out their tasks according to previously approved plans," Putin said. "I hope that everything will continue in their direction as has happened in Lugansk so far." The Ukrainian army said on Sunday it was retreating from Lysychansk to preserve the lives of its troops who were outnumbered and outgunned by Russian forces. "The enemy continues to terrorise the border areas of the Sumy region, the city of Kharkiv and the (Donbas) region," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address, describing Russia's intensifying offensive. "We need to break them. This is a difficult task, it requires time and superhuman efforts. But we have no alternative." With the war now well into its fifth month, Ukraine told a reconstruction conference in Switzerland on Monday that it would already cost $750 billion to rebuild the country. "The key source of recovery should be the confiscated assets of Russia and Russian oligarchs," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told leaders of dozens of countries in Lugano. In a video address, Zelensky described rebuilding Ukraine as the "common task of the whole democratic world" and the "biggest contribution to the support of global peace." - 'Most modern weapons' - The loss of Lysychansk over the weekend prompted Zelensky to step up calls for an increased supply of weapons from the West so Kyiv can keep up the resistance and regain lost territories. After giving up on its initial war aim of capturing Kyiv following tough Ukrainian resistance, Russia has focused its efforts on securing control of the Donetsk and Lugansk areas which make up the Donbas region. Moscow's capture of Lysychansk -- one week after the Ukrainian army also retreated from the neighbouring city of Severodonetsk -- frees up Russian forces to advance on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in Donetsk. Lugansk region governor Sergiy Gayday said on Telegram that there was still fighting in the town of Bilogorivka outside Lysychansk. "We keep defending a small part of the Lugansk region so that our army could build protective redoubts," he added. In his address late Sunday, Zelensky vowed Kyiv would fight on and ensure the military had "the most modern weapons". "Ukraine will reach the level when the fire superiority of the occupiers will be levelled." In a symbolic boost, the Ukrainian flag was raised on Snake Island, an rocky outcrop in the Black Sea, after Russia withdrew from the strategically important Ukrainian territory last week. In Sloviansk, about 75 kilometres (45 miles) west of Lysychansk, there were few people on the streets on Monday, the day after Russian strikes that left at least six dead, among them a nine-year-old girl, and 19 injured. In the large downtown market largely ravaged by a fire caused by a Russian strike, a few vendors offered basic goods while others cleared charred debris. Vendors and residents who spoke to AFP, some still in shock, expressed concern for the days and weeks to come, as sounds of shelling were heard again. The city of Siversk, 30 kilometres west of Lysychansk, also saw overnight shelling, residents and an official told AFP. - Reconstruction - But Zelensky's address Sunday evening was defiant, predicting Ukrainian troops would "win back" territory in the Donbas just has they had in other regions earlier in the war. On Monday, leaders from dozens of countries and international organisations met in the Swiss city of Lugano with the aim of hashing out a roadmap for Ukraine's reconstruction. Lugano is not a pledging conference but will instead attempt to lay out the principles and priorities for a rebuilding process aimed to begin even as the war rages. "Ukraine can emerge from this on a path towards a stronger and more modern country," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. But for residents in Bucha -- a Ukrainian town synonymous with war crimes blamed on Moscow's forces after their retreat in April -- fear remains even as talk begins of reconstruction. "We're going to bed without knowing if we'll wake up tomorrow," said Vera Semeniouk, 65. "Everyone has come back, is starting to repair houses, many are putting in new windows. It would be terrible if it started again, and we had to leave everything again." Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, making her first visit to Ukraine, visited Bucha on Monday. By Ngaire Woods OXFORD The political ructions unleashed in the United States by the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision establishing a federal right to abortion, have been immediate and furious. But less attention has been paid to the international backdrop against which the court's decision landed. Evidence from around the world points to an increasingly wide-ranging attack on women's liberty, including in proud democracies. "Just don't have sex if you don't want a baby," said an impassioned young woman outside the Supreme Court in June 2022. If only all women had that choice. And if only anti-abortion activists would commit to making it so. In fact, a sexual assault occurs every 68 seconds, on average, in the U.S. itself. One of every six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape. From 2009-13, U.S. Child Protective Services agencies substantiated or found strong evidence to indicate that 63,000 children per year were victims of sexual abuse. In the United Kingdom, rape offenses are at their highest recorded annual level to date, with police in England and Wales recording 67,125 cases in 2021. Yet there were only 1,557 prosecutions in 2021, down from 2,102 in 2020. Over the past four years, rape prosecutions in England and Wales have fallen by 70 percent. Simply put, a woman's right not to be raped is not being upheld. Similarly, the World Health Organization estimates that nearly one-third of women worldwide have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. In many countries, pandemic-related lockdown restrictions both increased the caseload and reduced the capacity of systems to manage it. But the pandemic is not the only factor behind the rise in violence against women. In Russia, domestic violence has increased since January 2017, when lawmakers provoked international disgust by decriminalizing it. Predictably, the higher incidence has been accompanied by a sharp decline in reporting and a lack of willingness by police to investigate cases. And Russia is not alone. In England and Wales, almost half of adult female homicide victims in the year ending in March 2021 were killed in a domestic homicide, and a staggering 1.6 million women reported domestic abuse. But while the number of recorded domestic abuse-related crimes in England and Wales rose to 845,734 in this period, the number of referrals from the police to the Crown Prosecution Service fell to 77,812, from 79,965 in the year ending in March 2020. And for the third successive year, the CPS charging rate for domestic abuse-related crimes in England and Wales decreased, to 70 percent, from 76 percent in the year ending in March 2018. The evidence demonstrates that in most countries a violent partner who threatens rape and impregnation is unlikely to face consequences. In the U.S., the Supreme Court has now hugely amplified the coercive power of this threat. In the chilling words of the dissenting justices, "from the very moment of fertilization, a woman has no rights to speak of. A State can force her to bring a pregnancy to term, even at the steepest personal and familial costs." What, then, is liberty for women in America and other countries today? Are we to accept that criminal justice systems cannot keep up when women are attacked, abused, and raped? Are we to accept that in U.S. states that have already outlawed abortion, without exceptions for rape or incest, "a woman will have to bear her rapist's child or a young girl her father's no matter if doing so will destroy her life"? Violence against women is preventable. Comprehensive legislation is fundamental, and the number of countries adopting it has been growing. But effective enforcement is no less vital, including support for women to come forward and adequate funding, monitoring, and cooperation among police, prosecutors, and courts in bringing perpetrators to justice. The WHO describes a further set of measures with the acronym RESPECT: Relationship skills strengthening; Empowerment of women; Services ensured; Poverty reduced; Enabling environments (schools, workplaces, public spaces) created; Child and adolescent abuse prevented; and Transformed attitudes, beliefs, and norms. The international evidence highlights specific measures such as psychosocial support, economic- and social-empowerment programs, cash transfers, and school programs that enhance safety, reduce or eliminate harsh punishment, challenge gender stereotypes, and promote relationships based on equality and consent. These are some of the building blocks for female liberty. The U.S. Supreme Court has gone in the opposite direction. Instead of looking ahead to a world where the rights of women and children are better protected, the justices who struck down Roe look back to "history and tradition" to guide their views about the meaning of "ordered liberty." They note that "until the latter part of the twentieth century, there was no support in American law for a constitutional right to obtain an abortion Indeed, abortion had long been a crime in every single State." But the justices ignore that during much of that history, liberty was almost exclusively the prerogative of adult (white) males. Until 1920, women in the U.S. could not vote, and for long after, they were unable to divorce or obtain credit in their own name. In many states, marriage to the victim was recognized as a legitimate defense against a rape charge (as late as 1979 in New Jersey, for example). Are historical traditions really the best guide to interpreting what liberty is to be accorded to whom? With the right to vote, women's participation in representative politics has gradually increased. But this, too, is now under attack. Women are being hounded out of public life by intense, demeaning, sexualized online harassment. In Japan, a pattern of sexist attacks on Twitter, directed against female politicians, has been documented. Similarly, a study in Sweden shows that whereas male politicians are primarily targeted in terms of their official roles, female MPs are subjected to degrading comments that explicitly target them as women, leading them to self-censor more than their male colleagues. The same disparity has been found in Canada. In the U.K., female politicians from left to right have spoken out about the problem. It is time for all politicians to support not just robust legislation but also the funding and institutions needed to uphold women's liberty and safety, whether at home, in politics, or at their doctor. Ngaire Woods is dean of the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. This article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org). Park Bo Gum is one of Hallyu's beloved stars that won the hearts of millions of fans. Besides his good looks and impressive acting, he is known for his kind personality. To prove this, here are the times when Park Bo Gum showed how gentleman and polite he is towards his fellow celebrities. He is best known for his characters in "Reply 1988," "Love in the Moonlight," and the smash hit Kdrama "Record of Youth." On top of it, he is also dubbed with monikers such as "Nation's Crown Prince" and has been called "Nation's Boyfriend" of Korean Drama because of his charm and chemistry with her female leads. Park Bo Gum and Bae Suzy at Baeksang Arts Awards 2022 After returning from his military service, the actor officially started his activities by hosting Baeksang Arts Awards 2022. Park Bo Gum was reunited with co-stars Shin Dong Yup and Bae Suzy as the trio entertains the crowd with their wit and chemistry at the annual ceremony. Apart from their dashing looks, the public is drawn to how Bogummy treats Bae Suzy. The duo made buzz after the actor was seen helping the "Anna" star tidy up her voluminous black ball gown on stage. After the segment, Park Bo Gum was seen carrying Bae Suzy's cue cards and mic so the actress could hold her dress as she got down on stage. Park Bo Gum and BLACKPINK's Lisa at the Paris Fashion Week 2022 After-Party The Kpop and Kdrama communities went crazy as BTS' V, BLACKPINK 's Lisa, and Park Bo Gum joined forces at Celine's Paris Fashion Week 2022. According to an outlet, the "Reply 1988" star and the Kpop songstress had a nice encounter at the after-party. Park Bo Gum reportedly lent his coat to BLACKPINK's Lisa as she was wearing a black ball gown dress. On the other hand, Bogummy was spotted donning a black coat and a long sleeve button-down during the event. Park Bo Gum and BTS' V at the Paris Fashion Week 2022 Aside from BLACKPINK's Lisa, Park Bo Gum also showed his kindness towards his friend BTS V. In a report, the "Encounter" star accepted flowers and letters given by fans to Taehyung. Because he couldn't hear the fans, Bogummy took it to give to the BTS member. Bogum called taehyung because someone wanted to give taehyung flowers and a letter, but taehyung didn't hear it so bogum took it to give to taehyung they're so cute #TaehyungInParis #BogumInParis #Taehyung #Bogum pic.twitter.com/4ZKRLlJ82z rochyyyy (@safehavenkthjjk) June 25, 2022 On top of it, he happily greeted his fans and took photos with them, and signed autographs. With this, Park Bo Gum became a trending topic on social media as several netizens lauded how kind and gentlemanly he is not only to his fellow celebrities but also to his fans. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: THIS 'Reply 1988' Star Has Been Quietly Volunteering at an Orphanage for Over 10 Years KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills "Broker," which stars Song Kang Ho, IU, and more, continues to gain recognition internationally. It came after the movie scored the top prize at the 39th Munich Film Festival in Germany. 'Broker' Wins Best International Film of the Year at ARRI Award According to an outlet, the Munich Film Festival website released the winners for the coveted ARRI Award, known as the highest award of the film festival. Out of the 10 films invited, "Broker" bagged the CinemaStars competition and was selected as the best international film of the year. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Song Kang Ho, IU's 'Broker' Exceeds 1 Million Audiences Besides the South Korean movie, the CinemaStars section includes nominees such as Italian-language drama film directed by Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch and Iranian drama film "Leila's Brothers" directed and written by Saeed Roustayi. Interestingly, the jury of the Munich Film Festival was impressed by the movie written and directed by the Japanese filmmaker Koreeda Hirokazu. Award-winning German actress Gibel Kequili described "Broker" as "a film full of nostalgia, determination, and detours," she said adding that the "detours we have to follow in life sometimes to find ourselves and each other." In addition, the festival revealed why they awarded the top category to the South Korean film saying that the line 'Thank you for being born' is the phrase that captivates viewers, adding "If every character, no matter how trivial, is ultimately multi-layered and lovable, then that is cinematic art." From Receiving Standing Ovation to Winning Best Actor at Cannes Film Festival 2022 "Broker," which stars Song Kang Ho, IU, Kang Dong Won, Bae Doona, and Lee Joo Young, was invited to the 75th Cannes Film Festival alongside other Korean movies like "Decision to Leave," "Hunt," "The Next Sohee" and more. However, only two K-content was invited to compete in the prestigious Palme d'Or category and fortunately, the Koreeda Hirokazu-directed film and "Decision to Leave," were among the contenders. During the premiere, all the lead stars and the director were present except for Bae Doona who at that time was filming a project in the U.S. Meanwhile, after wrapping up their Cannes debut, the cast was overwhelmed by the 12-minute long standing ovation from the crowd, signaling how great the movie was. Korean portal, EDaily cited that the standing ovation began with Cannes Film Festival's executive director, Thierry Fremaux. With this, director Koreeda Hirokazu expressed his gratitude and admitted that "it was a great challenge to have shot this movie amidst the COVID-19 pandemic," but was thankful for the "hardworking team [behind Broker] and everyone else who helped and shared this movie". Besides the jaw-dropping response from the audience, Song Kang Ho was hailed the Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival 2022 for his stunning performance as broker Sang Hyun. He made history as the first South Korean male star to bag the award. READ MORE: Song Kang Ho 'Panicked' After He Was Hailed Best Actor at Cannes Film Festival 2022 KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills While the first half of 2022 gave K-drama fans a wide array of choices- from genres to those with a star-studded cast, the second half of the year will feature much-awaited series from top stars Song Joong Ki, Ji Sung, and Kim Hye Soo. For the highly anticipated series, some of them will make a comeback to the small screen while others continue to impress viewers with their stunning projects. Keep on reading for all the details. Song Joong Ki (The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate) After the smash-hit K-drama, "Vincenzo" Song Joong Ki will return with a new character as he plays the revenge-driven man in "The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate." The webtoon-based series is the Hallyu star's return to Kdrama after a year since the action series was released. For his upcoming Kdrama, Song Joong Ki will play Yoon Hyun Woo, who will be born as Jin Do Joon in the JTBC series. In "The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate," the 36-year-old star took on the role of Yoon Hyun Woo, a trusted aide of a chaebol family. But, unfortunately, he met his devastating fate after being framed for embezzlement of money, resulting in his chaebol's boss murdering him. Interestingly, he was reborn as the family's youngest member Jin Do Joon. He will seize this as an opportunity to take vengeance against the person behind his death. Slated to air on October 29, Song Joong Ki's new drama will also feature a roster of talented stars including Shin Hyun Bin, veteran actor Lee Sung Min, together with Kim Nam Hee, Girls' Generation's Tiffany, and more. Kim Hye Soo (Umbrella) K-drama viewers will once again witness the versatility of Kim Hye Soo as an actress as she stars in the forthcoming tvN series "Umbrella." Helmed by "Lovers in Prague" and "Prince Coffee Lab" director Kim Hyung Shik, Kim Hye Soo's new drama follows the story of the troublesome princes, dubbed the "royal headache," and the royal family's struggle to keep their family at peace. "Umbrella" will be the actress' first-ever historical K-drama since her debut in the industry. Joining Kim Hye Soo is Moon Sang Min as Prince Seongnam and is scheduled to hit the small screen in the second half of 2022. Ji Sung (Adamas) From one versatile actress to another top star actor is the equally talented Ji Sung. After keeping the viewers at the edge of their seats in the 2021 Kdrama "The Devil Judge," the 45-year-old actor will return for the thriller mystery series "Adamas." It will be an exciting series for fans of Ji Sung as he plays the dual role of twin brothers, Song Soo Hyun, a fearless prosecutor, and Ha Woo Shin, a mystery novel writer. Despite their different personality, the siblings are eager to fight against great evil to prove that their biological father is innocent of the murder case against their stepfather. Set to premiere on July 27, the "Adamas" cast includes Seo Ji Hye and Lee Soo Kyung as main characters. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Ji Sung Is Back! 'Adamas' Unveils Poster Featuring Charismatic Actor KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills The newest Netflix court drama, "Extraordinary Lawyer Woo" tells the story of a lawyer working at a large law firm blessed with a high IQ. So what makes Attorney Woo Young extraordinary? Despite having autism, she sees the world and things in a creative life. To know what happened in the drama's first two episodes, then keep on reading! 'Extraordinary Lawyer Woo' Episode 1: Attorney Woo Young Woo Goes To Court Diagnosed with autism at age 5, Woo Young Woo (Park Eun Bin) grew up differently. She's more reserved and quiet than average kids. She doesn't have the ability to talk until her father, Woo Gwang Ho (Jeon Bae Soo), engages in an altercation with their landlord. Woo Young Woo suddenly speaks up and recites criminal laws. She memorized every criminal and law book his father had at home, surprising everyone with her genius mind. Apart from the law, she loves whales, too. In episode 1, Woo Young Woo prepares herself for her first day at her job at Hanbada, one of the country's best law firms. Her father reminds her not to repeat every word she hears and not to talk about whales during office hours. Because of her disability, she receives prejudices at work, especially from her boss, Jung Myeong Seok (Kang Ki Young). Little do they know, Woo Young Woo finished law school with the highest honors and became the first ever autistic attorney in South Korea. At work, she meets Lee Jun Ho (Kang Tae Oh), the handsome yet kind colleague who helps her enter the building after experiencing difficulties with the revolving door. Woo Young Woo gets assigned her first case, which involves a lady in her 70s who hit his husband, who has dementia, with an iron in the head. She realizes the old lady was her previous landlady, Choi Yeong Ran (Kang Ae Shim). Because of what she did to her husband, she is charged with attempted murder. After their thorough conversation, Woo Young Woo wants to change the charge to inflicting bodily injury. During the trial, the victim, Park Gyu Sik (Lee Do Kyung), stands as a witness. When he sees Woo Young Woo and remembers his altercation with her father, he lashes out and curses her. Since his blood pressure rose, he was brought to the hospital. Moments later, he is declared dead, which changes the trial's trajectory. The prosecutor pushes to change the charge from attempted murder to murder. Woo Young Woo focuses on the case more intently and sees the victim's statement to the police. According to him, his head had already been aching prior to the iron incident, causing brain hemorrhage that led to his death. Because of this, Woo Young Woo's client, Choi Yeong Ran, isn't liable for her husband's death. So at the end of the episode, she receives a not guilty verdict. Meanwhile, Hanbada's CEO, Han Seon Yeong (Baek Ji Won), visits Woo Young Woo's father, hinting at an unknown history. 'Extraordinary Woo Young Woo' Episode 2: A Blooming Romance Between Woo Young Woo and Lee Jun Ho "Extraordinary Woo Young Woo" episode 2 begins with a grand wedding that causes a huge stir in the country. The beautiful bride gets immensely humiliated after she steps on her bridal gown, revealing her breasts and a back tattoo of Guanyin Bodhisattva in front of her Christian guests and family. At work, the bride's father, Kim Jeong Gu (Yoon Ju Sang), shows up, expressing his distaste and determination to sue Daehyeon Hotel for damages. It turns out that the bride's groom owns the hotel. Before this, the hotel was willing to pay a hefty amount to compensate for what happened. To get to the bottom of the case, Woo Young Woo's colleagues Choi Su Yeon (Ha Yoon Kyung) and Kwon Min Woo (Joo Jong Hyuk) are assigned to focus on the case. On the other hand, Woo Young Woo and Lee Jun Ho are sent to Daehyeon Hotel to go undercover as soon-to-be husband and wife and discover what happened during the fateful wedding day. The two find out that the hotel made a grave mistake of switching the gowns of the bride to a whole different dress, which was too big for her frame, causing the gown to slip off. During the trial, the Handbada lawyers are able to pinpoint the cause of the incident, putting the Daehyeon Hotel in a sticky situation. However, Ha Young (Kim Hwa Yeong), the bride, gets fed up with what's happening and withdraws the lawsuit herself, much to her father's repugnance. While she doesn't want to put Daehyeon Hotel in any more trouble, she also doesn't want to get married to its CEO. Ha Young then reveals that she is in love with her girl's best friend. Thanks to Woo Young Woo, who advised her to withdraw the lawsuit, she finally gets her much-deserved freedom. After the court trial, the Hanbada lawyers head out for a meal. Afterward, Lee Jun Ho watches as Woo Young Woo heads home. At home, she makes her father cry as she talks about her future marriage and how she'd give him the bouquet to find his new partner in life. KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. The Canadian flag on the Peace Tower flies at half-mast on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, in recognition of the discovery of children's remains at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. The Canadian government, Assembly of First Nations and plaintiffs in two class-action lawsuits have signed a $20-billion final settlement agreement to compensate First Nations children and families harmed by chronic underfunding of child welfare and the government's narrow definition of Jordan's Principle. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick The price of a college education keeps rising, while minimum wage and the amount of hours in a day dont. Heres how many hours a week a student would have to work to cover their tuition and other fees. PennyGems Johana Restrepo has more. For a Kenosha veteran of World War II, killed in action in France, it was a long wait to return to his family and his hometown. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency identified the remains of Staff Sgt. Casimir Lobacz of Kenosha on March 2, and representatives from the Fort Knox DPAA recently took part in a special a presentation in memoriam of Lobacz at his nephews home, Ron Witt of Kenosha. U.S. military representatives arrived with a special presentation upon the confirmation they had positively identified Lobacz, who died in combat at age 25, in Metz, France on Sept. 27, 1944. Casimir Lobacz was born on Jan. 13, 1919, in Kenosha to parents Kazimierz and Kamila Lobacz. He joined the U.S. Army and was a member of the 11th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division, and after training was deployed to Europe. His unit was part of the Lorraine campaign and was advancing through France in September 1944. On Sept. 27, Lobaczs unit of the 5th Infantry Division began an attack on Fort Driant in Metz and he was killed during the first wave of the assaults, according to the DPAA. Due to enemy fire, Lobaczs body could not be recovered after his death. The fort was attacked again a few days later, after which his body could not be found. On June 7, 1945, French de-miners discovered the remains of a U.S. soldier near Fort Driant and turned them over to the U.S. Graves Registration Company. However, the Registration Company could not identify the remains, so they buried them as Unknown at the U.S. Military Cemetery in Saint-Avold, France. In June 2021, DPAA investigators retrieved the remains and transferred them to the DPAA laboratory in Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, where they determined the remains to be Lobacz. Lobaczs family During his service in the war, Lobacz wrote letters to his parents almost daily, Witt said. Following the news of their sons death, Lobaczs parents wrote multiple letters to the U.S. Army over the years asking that his body be sent back to the U.S. for burial. However, Lobaczs remains had been buried as Unknown in 1945 and the U.S. Army could not find any other remains or artifacts for comparison for identification during their field investigations in 1947. In letters from the American Graves Registration in response to Kazimierz and Kamila Lobaczs request, their sons body was stated as unrecoverable. Born in Poland, Kamila Lobacz did not speak a lot of English, so she had her daughter write all her letters, according to Witt. Army officials went back and forth with Mrs. Lobacz via letters and a phone call with an interpreter, informing her that her sons body was not found and most likely, they believed, disposed of by enemy forces. Despite this, Mrs. Lobacz continuously wrote to Army officials asking that they look again for her son, understandably desperate to properly lay her son to rest. In one of her later letters, she wrote, There are so many boys that have been buried here. I would like mine to be buried here. The identification According to a booklet Witt received from the DPAA about the identification process, Lobacz was identified by various DNA tests. Researchers at the Armed Forces DNA Identification Lab tested mitochondrial DNA, which traces the maternal line; Y-chromosome DNA testing, which traces the paternal line; and autosomal DNA testing, which is specific to the individuals remains. Lobaczs remains included a mostly complete skeleton in excellent condition to conduct DNA testing on, the booklet said. AFDIL researchers used the DNA testing to connect the remains to two of Lobaczs maternal nephews. They tested the remains for mtDNA, and compared the sequence they obtained from these specimens to references associated with three service members associated with World War II Lorraine Campaign casualties recorded in the AFDIL Family Reference Database. The DNA sequence was consistent with maternal references associated with only one of the three service members, which was Lobacz. Dental analysis and anthropological analysis were also used to identify Lobacz. Researchers determined the remains to be a single individual, representing a European male that was 23-28 years old at the time of death. Additionally, researchers were able to determine Lobaczs cause of death. Perimortem, which is at or near the time of death, projectile trauma was found. Surprise identification Witt, the most senior of Lobaczs living relatives, said he was surprised when he was notified of his uncles identification. The war ended about 80 years ago, and the fact that they were able to recover all his remains and identify next of kin, it was amazing to us, Witt said. At the same time, Witt said he was saddened by the news. He did not know a lot about his uncle growing up, he said, and never knew the circumstances of his uncles death. I didnt really know a lot about him, except he was the oldest child of my grandparents I didnt know all the details on how he was killed on the first day of the battle, and what the battle was all about, Witt said. It was kind of sad that he was the uncle that I never met. Lobacz received 10 U.S. Army Veteran Medals, which the Army has presented to Witt. The medals include a Bronze Star Medal, a Purple Heart Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, a Good Conduct Medal, an American Defense Service Medal, an American Campaign Medal, a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars, a World War II Victory Medal, a First Award Combat Infantryman Badge, an Expert Infantryman Badge and a WWII Honorable Service Lapel Button. Lobacz will receive a military burial at Arlington National Cemetery next year. His remaining family members will receive a paid trip from the U.S. Military to attend the burial, Witt said. Its amazing, Witt said of his uncles identification. Its a miracle, modern technology. Lobaczs online memorial can be found at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56657695/casimir-p-lobacz. North Korea should return to negotiating table to ensure peace North Korea has claimed that its coronavirus outbreak began when two residents touched "alien things" in an area near the eastern inter-Korean border region in early April. The North's Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters said Friday that it had started in the Ipho-ri area of Geumgang County, north of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas. "An 18-year-old soldier and a five-year-old child in the area were identified as the first two positive cases of the coronavirus outbreak," the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The report did not mention South Korea directly, but Pyongyang indicated that the virus originated from anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets and other items South Korean civic groups sent across the border via balloons. The Ministry of Unification here refuted the North Korean claim, saying spreading the virus through contaminated surfaces or objects is "practically impossible." The ministry claimed that the South Korean civic group that sent the balloons in question did so on April 25 and 26, not in early April. It's not difficult to figure out why the reclusive regime in the North is trying to hold Seoul accountable for the spread of the virus. To begin with, North Korea is seeking to calm public discontent by shifting the blame for its COVID-19 crisis onto the South. In fact, Kim Jong-un, the North's young leader, has been chairing high-level meetings in what appears to be a desperate attempt to solidify his leadership since North Korea acknowledged its first infections in May. Some experts say Pyongyang may be trying to set the stage for heightened tensions at a time when its seventh nuclear test is being delayed. North Korea is in trouble because of chronic economic ills and natural calamities. Its international position is also weakening rapidly as a new confrontation takes shape between democracy involving Seoul, Washington and Tokyo and autocracy implicating Pyongyang, Beijing and Moscow. The impoverished state should stop its nuclear and missile development programs and return to the negotiating table for everlasting peace. 373 Shares Share The house is asleep, and I cant turn off my brain. I just cried my way through an episode of SEAL Team, especially the part where two SEALs are opening up to a psychologist about feeling broken. One says hes tired of pretending hes OK that he has PTSD and needs help. Later, he breaks down, and his wife folds him in her arms and tells him shes there to pick up the pieces. I feel like that SEAL. Maybe thats why this show resonates with me. After all, Im not one for gratuitous violence and warfare. Ive often asked myself if I only watch it because I have had a crush on David Boreanaz since he headlined Buffy and then Angel. But no now I see the hell they go through reflects the hell we go through in medicine. These days, its really hard to self-reflect and allow others to read my words or feel my emotions. Theres just too much pain in our world now, and everyone is suffering. What makes my pain more important than my neighbors? Nothing. But Im going to allow myself to write about it and let others read it because maybe it will give you, the reader, license to sit with your own grief by feeling mine. Every day I go to work, its a minefield. I never know what or whom I will meet and maybe destroy or be destroyed by. When I pick up a chart for an ankle sprain, that patient could be the woman whose husband pushed her down the stairs, and thats why she sprained her ankle. Or the chest pain in a 20-year-old man could be lymphoma. Or the constipation in the 40-year-old exceedingly kind-looking man with the softly accented voice could be new rectal cancer. After a minor car accident a few months ago, the X-ray of her ribs was normal and my patient was sent home by the physician she saw at a community hospital in Ontario. She was still in pain three months later, so she presented to the ambulatory side of our ED. I figured, when I saw her, maybe a small fracture was missed, and its not healing well, or perhaps its all just muscular pain. My clinical assessment found tenderness along one rib in particular. Repeat X-ray showed something not quite right, so I ordered a CT. Before even reading the whole report, in my haste to keep going and see new patients, I called her into the reassessment room. She met me smiling and thanked me for the analgesia that had dramatically improved her pain. Reading the concluding statement of the report as I stood across from her expectant face, I took a sharp breath, and without the ability to self-edit I said, Oh no, Im so sorry. Then, Lets sit down. Her face froze. I had fucked up. I had stabbed her in the heart with my stupid words. Thankfully, her husband was there and guided her to a seat. A harbinger of doom, I read the words aloud that sealed the fate not only of herself, but of her lover and her family, forever changing their lives. Metastases. Multiple. Unknown primary. Her eyes wet. Her husbands eyes met mine, knowing. The world shifting. It was, however, as if she already knew. The gnawing bone pain waking her and keeping her from sleep could only be one thing. And she knew. She just knew. And she tried her best to be strong for her husband. Together, they accepted the words, the plan, the further CT scans that found a large lung cancer. Together, they stoically met the dangers with swords in hand. And me I am devastated. Crushed. Heartbroken. Not only by the diagnosis and knowing what comes next, but by my failure. My failure to keep my mouth shut, to hold, to wait. Maybe its burnout, exhaustion, sleep deprivation. Maybe its stupidity. Maybe its delirium. No matter what, its awful. So I know how those soldiers felt in their moments of emotional agony. I feel it too. Emergency medicine medicine in general hurts my soul in ways I never knew it would. Sometimes I wish I didnt know what I know. Walking into a room after reading a triage note, and already knowing what Ill find. Knowing the diagnosis and the denouement of my patients stories way before they do. Prophecy of sorts, based on training and experience. And prophets have never had it easy. Foresight is a curse, a crutch, a needle always stabbing just that right spot where the pain is always fresh. Medicine also lifts me. Sometimes. But lately? Nope. It has drowned me. And I feel broken too. Hoping somehow to mend the pieces, sew them together like the wounds Ive fixed at work, stitch them or crazy glue them until its possible to continue. The SEALs on the show say ignore and override this can be said for physicians and nurses as well. But its not the right thing to do. I hope that reading my story and hearing my struggle can help you with yours. Dont let medicine crush you. Fight back with all your strength. Talk about it. Write about it. But let it out. In the space between people, there is healing there is space for all the hurt inside to come out. Though you may be scared to burden others, if they care for you, let them be your parachute. Sara R. Ahronheim is an emergency physician. Image credit: Shutterstock.com FKI Chief Huh Chang-soo, left, and chief of Keidanren Maskazu Tokura enters the Korea-Japan Business Council in Seoul, July 4. Yonhap Business leaders of Korea and Japan on Monday called for the leaders of the two countries to hold a summit at an early date to address pending bilateral issues and help restore economic ties. The joint call was made by the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) and the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren major business lobbies in the two countries during their annual meeting that was resumed after a nearly three-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. "We must look to the future, not the past, and upgrade the joint declaration, which emphasizes cooperation in all fields, to fit the present," FKI Chief Huh Chang-soo said in a speech during the Korea-Japan Business Council in Seoul. "In accordance with the purpose of the declaration, we hope that a summit between our leaders will be held as soon as possible so that the pending issues can be resolved at once, such as abolishing the mutual export restrictions, resuming the currency swap and Korea's joining of the CPTPP," Huh said. Huh was referring to a 1998 joint statement between then Korean President Kim Dae-jung and then Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi. The declaration paved the way for closer cooperation between the two neighbors at the time, as Obuchi expressed "keen remorse" and apologized for the damage and pain his country inflicted on Koreans during its 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. Relations between the two countries remain badly frayed after Tokyo implemented export restrictions against Seoul over industrial materials vital to the Korea's tech sectors, on top of the ongoing disputes over wartime history and other issues. Hopes have arisen for an improvement in the bilateral relations as the new government of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May, has called for mending the ties in a future-oriented manner to benefit both countries. Maskazu Tokura, chief of Keidanren, also expressed hope for high-level diplomatic meetings, including a summit, to take place between the two sides. "The more difficult the relationship between Korea and Japan becomes, the more important it is to respect the spirit of the declaration and move forward together toward the future," Tokura said. At Monday's meeting, the Korean participants also asked for support of the Japanese business circle for Seoul's push to join a major free trade agreement, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) involving 11 nations, including Japan. Japan has been reluctant to Korea's entry, citing Seoul's import ban on its seafood from the Fukushima area on radiation exposure concerns following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant meltdown. In light of underscoring the trilateral cooperation among the two neighbors and the United States, their mutual ally, there was a proposal about forming a regular "business summit meeting" involving the three sides. The business leaders also shared the need to resume the mutual visa waiver programs that remain suspended over COVID-19 concerns. More than 20 top business leaders from the two countries took part in the event, including Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin and Kim Yoon, chairman of Samyang Holdings Presidents of top Korean firms like Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor and POSCO Holdings were also among those present at the meeting. (Yonhap) Fine Gael TD, John Paul Phelan, has welcomed low-cost loans of between 25,000 and 1.5 million to help businesses struggling in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The loans are part of a scheme announced by Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie Mc Conalogue TD, and the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe. This further loan scheme to help SMEs access low-cost finance, recognising that many of them are still getting back on their feet after what has been an incredibly challenging few years. The COVID-19 Loan Scheme (CLS) is a state-backed loan scheme, offering SMEs, including farmers, fishers, food businesses and small mid-caps, loans of between 25,000 and up to 1,500,000, with terms of one to six years and unsecured up to 500,000. Finance provided is competitively priced and some refinance can be availed of to help with any existing short-term credit a business may have, Deputy Phelan said. Tanaiste Varadkar said: There are currently more people employed in Ireland than ever before in the history of the state. That would have been unimaginable a few months ago even. However, many businesses are still getting back on their feet after what has been an incredibly challenging period. I know Putins war on Ukraine has caused more uncertainty. These State-backed loan schemes are working well. The existing Covid Credit Guarantee Scheme helped more than 10,000 SMEs access low-cost credit. This successor scheme will give SMEs, including farmers, fishers and food businesses, the option to access really competitively priced loans, should they need to avail of that option, in addition to the other help that is available. Its about giving SMEs as many options as possible. A new programme focussed on dairy beef production has been launched by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD. The launch of the called DairyBeef500 programme was held on the Thomastown farm of Peter OHanrahan. Minister McConalogue was welcomed to the farm by Peter and Jenny OHanrahan and Peters parents Thomas and Olive. Peter farms in partnership with his father Thomas and runs Friesian and early maturing steers in a calf to beef system. Dairy calf to beef demonstration farms have been selected throughout the country to illustrate key technologies. These include calf rearing, grassland management, calf health, nutrition, financial management, animal health & welfare, environmental sustainability and the appropriate use of dairy beef genetics. Sustainability The DairyBeef500 campaign, which is led by Teagasc, will promote the adoption of best practice at farm level to increase the future viability and sustainability of the Irish beef sector. The campaign is part of the Teagasc Signpost programme. Our beef sector is truly world class with our farmers the bedrock of the sector, said Minister McConalogue. It will promote greater integration of the dairy and beef sectors, to ensure that there is a market outlet for calves from the dairy herd, and to provide an attractive business option for beef farmers. We want to explore all avenues to help generate the strongest possible income for farmers. Director of Teagasc, Professor Frank OMara, acknowledged the support from the partner companies in the DairyBeef500 programme and thanked the 15 farmers, including Peter OHanrahan, who will be demonstration farms as part of the programme. The DairyBeef500 partners will also be an integral part of the Signpost Programme, he said. They will contribute to the national initiative of reducing agricultural emissions. The DairyBeef500 Campaign will promote and demonstrate dairy-beef systems, which are socially, environmentally and financially sustainable. The focus will be on a number of key objectives: Target a net margin of 500 per hectare excluding direct payments. Increase the adoption of best practices, especially in relation to grassland management and calf rearing and herd health. Reduce the environmental footprint of dairy beef production. Establish a cohort of profitable dairy beef producers. Create greater integration between beef and dairy industries. Improve the beef merit of calves coming from the dairy herd. The DairyBeef500 demonstration farm programme is being supported by industry partners - Volac, Munster Bovine, Drummonds Ltd., Liffey Mills, MSD Animal Health and Corteva AgriScience (TP Whelehans). Demonstration Farm As part of the DairyBeef 500 Campaign, a dairy calf-to-beef demonstration farm based at Ballyvadin, Fethard, Co Tipperary, has been set up as a joint venture between Teagasc, Dawn Meats and Shinagh Estates Ltd (Bandon, Barryroe, Drinagh, Lisavaird and Carbery). The Ballyvadin farm will demonstrate the deployment of best technologies in sustainable dairy calf to beef production. Additionally, it will produce beef of high quality from both the processor and consumers perspective. Further information on the DairyBeef500 campaign is available from www.teagasc.ie/dairybeef500 Feile Lachtain 2022 continues this weekend when Pilgrimage Sunday takes place at Freshford on July 10. There will be a sponsored walk to Clashacrow Church and, after returning to the village, walkers will complete the pilgrimage by walking to Ballylarkin Church. Entry is by donation and all are welcome. The walk begins from the tent on the Green at 1pm. Feile Lachtain 2022 commemorates the death in 622 A.D. of Freshfords patron saint. It also celebrates more than 1400 years of worship on the site of St. Lachtains Church of Ireland. Future events to watch out for include lectures, concerts and an art exhibition by local artists during Arts Week. A lecture on the excavations at St Lachtains church will be given by Coilin O Drisceoil on August 15 as part of Heritage Week. On August 19 the launch of Mike Cormacks book of parish photos and survey of home ownership will take place at the Ionad Lachtain at 8pm. On September 9 Griffin Murray of UCC will deliver a lecture on the shrine of St. Lachtains Arm. Other planned events include a concert by the Rafter Family, which will incorporate violinist Patrick Rafters homecoming concert, will be held on October 8 in St. Lachtains R.C. Church while the choir of St. Canices Cathedral will perform a concert on October 15 at St. Lachtains Church of Ireland. The festival will end in November with a Mass during which the spiritual songs of Elvis Presley will be sung by Alexander Rafter. For up to date information on all the events during the year for Feile na Lachtain check out www.inoadlachtain.com The Heritage Office of Kilkenny County Council has commissioned Birdwatch Ireland to undertake a countywide swift survey in Kilkenny this summer and they need your help to record swifts. Swifts are a small migratory bird that flies to Ireland each summer from southern Africa. They nest in buildings in cities, towns, and villages. From May to August each year youll hear their distinctive screaming call as they fly at high speed over rooftops. Unfortunately, their future is seriously threatened in Ireland mainly due to the loss of suitable nesting sites, and also impacts of climate change. With a 58% decline of swifts in Ireland their survival is under threat. The good news is that there is a lot that we can all do to halt the decline. Last year the Heritage Office undertook the first county wide audit of swifts in Kilkenny and recorded 199 nest sites. Kilkenny City had the most nests (76), followed by Thomastown (26), Graiguenamanagh (21), Callan (19) and Gowran (17). Were now starting our second survey to see how many swifts there are this year and where they are nesting. Please get involved and record any swifts in your area HERE. If youre new to birdwatching and would like to get involved, dont worry, as the Heritage Office are running swift training workshops this summer. If youd like to be involved please email 'heritage@kilkennycoco.ie'. The support and active engagement of citizen scientists and communities throughout Kilkenny is critical to the success of the project. This project is co-funded by Kilkenny County Council and The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, through the National Parks and Wildlife Services National Biodiversity Action Plan Fund. It is also kindly supported by the Heritage Council. Hyundai Motor's Ioniq 6 electric car will be displayed at the Busan International Motor Show from July 15 to 24. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor By Baek Byung-yeul Hyundai Motor Group's brands Hyundai Motor, Kia and Genesis will unveil new models including electric vehicles (EVs) such as Hyundai's Ioniq 6 and Kia's EV9 concept SUV at the Busan International Motor Show next week, according to the automotive giant, Monday. The Busan International Motor Show, which will be held for 10 days from July 15 to 24 in the southeastern port city of Busan, will be an event to promote the automotive group's new and existing models to visitors. Started in 2001, the biannual event is one of the country's representative motor shows together with the Seoul Mobility Show. The event was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the automotive group's brands, Hyundai Motor said it will display 14 models. In particular, the motor show will be the first time it unveils a real model of its newly introduced EV, the Ioniq 6. On June 29, Hyundai Motor released photos and videos showing the Ioniq 6's exterior and interior, raising consumers' expectations with its design reminiscent of a sporty sedan. The new vehicle is scheduled to be released here later this year. Hyundai Motor will also display its Seven concept EV, which was first introduced at the LA Auto Show in November 2021, and other eco-friendly cars such as the Xcient hydrogen fuel cell-powered truck and Universe hydrogen bus. A Hyundai Motor spokesman said, "We will unveil the real car of the Ioniq 6 for the first time at the Busan motor show and display all of our electric models." Kia's EV9 concept SUV will be displayed at the Busan International Motor Show from July 15 to 24. Courtesy of Kia For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Kansas City Star. Jayland Walker suffered at least 60 wounds in fatal police shooting, Akron police chief says, as authorities release bodycam footage Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) CEO Yoon Jong-won, sixth from right, poses with State Bank of Vietnam Deputy Governor Doan Thai Son, fifth from right, at the latter's office in Hanoi, June 27. Courtesy of IBK By Lee Min-hyung The Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) and Hana Bank are moving to expand their footing in Vietnam due to the huge growth potential of the country's retail banking industry. Korea's major commercial lenders such as Shinhan Bank and Woori Bank are already operating subsidiaries in Vietnam and generating stable revenues there. According to data from the Financial Supervisory Service, Shinhan reaped an operating income of 441.1 billion won in its Vietnamese subsidiary last year, up 3.8 billion won from the previous year, despite the global pandemic shock. Woori chalked up an operating income of 97.2 billion won in 2021, up 26 percent from the previous year. Hana and IBK operate some sales offices there, but both of them have yet to receive a license to establish a Vietnamese subsidiary. Reflecting on the rapid growth of the country's financial market, IBK CEO Yoon Jong-won visited the country recently to discuss partnerships with government authorities for the lender to launch a subsidiary there. The state-run lender runs two sales offices in the Southeast Asian country, which are located in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. During his five-day business trip to the country, Yoon met with State Bank of Vietnam Deputy Governor Doan Thai Son and a group of ranking government officials there. Yoon offered to expand corporate financing services for the country's small and medium-sized enterprises in exchange for the country's legal support to help the lender widen its presence there. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam / gettyimagesbank Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) Chairman Huh Chang-soo, front row sixth from left, and Japan Business Federation Chairman Masakazu Tokura, front row fifth from left, applaud with participants at the Korea-Japan Business Council at the FKI Conference Center in Seoul, Monday. Newsis Japan Business Federation asked to support Korea's plan to join CPTPP By Park Jae-hyuk Members of the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) and the Japan Business Federation called on each of their governments to restore a mutual visa waiver program that has been suspended since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid signs of a recovery in Korea's economic ties with Japan under the leadership of President Yoon Suk-yeol, both business federations also agreed during a meeting held on Monday in Seoul on the need to abolish trade regulations and the resumption of currency swaps. It was the first time in three years that business representatives from both sides met face to face. The two business federations have held annual meetings in Korea and Japan in rotation over the past four decades to promote mutual understanding between businesspeople of the two neighboring countries, but the spread of the coronavirus caused a suspension of the event. "We hope that a summit between our leaders will be held as soon as possible so that pending issues can be resolved at once," said Huh Chang-soo, chairman of the FKI, which hosted the event. He asked the Japanese business leaders to support the Korean government's efforts to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Japan has opposed Korea joining the major free trade agreement involving 11 countries, citing the Korean government's ban on the import of seafood from areas near Fukushima, where a nuclear power plant meltdown occurred in 2011. The two organizations also discussed mutual cooperation for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), while proposing a trilateral business summit between Korea, Japan and the U.S. to boost their ties. The FKI chairman was keen to mention the Joint Declaration of 1998: A New Korea-Japan Partnership towards the 21st Century, which was made by then President Kim Dae-jung and his Japanese counterpart, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi. He asked the governments of both countries to learn from the declaration so that they can restore their diplomatic relations, which have weakened since the Japanese government restricted the export of key materials to Korea in retaliation against the Korean Supreme Court's ruling that ordered a Japanese firm to provide compensation for wartime forced labor. Masakazu Tokura, chief of the Japanese association, responded by saying that his country's businesspeople also want the leaders of both countries to resume dialogue as soon as possible. At the end of the event, the two business lobby groups agreed to hold the next meeting in Japan next year. According to the FKI, Monday's event was attended by around 20 top executives from Korea, including Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Hyun-joon, KB Financial Group Chairman Yoon Jong-kyoo and Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Cho Yong-byoung. Executives from Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor and LG also participated in the event, despite the four largest Korean conglomerates' withdrawal from the FKI due to the federation's involvement in a corruption scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye. President Yoon Suk-yeol, right, speaks during a meeting with delegations from Japan Business Federation at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Monday. Joint Press Corps By Yi Whan-woo A development bank for Central America will host a promotional campaign in Seoul, Busan and Ulsan for a week from Tuesday, to facilitate investments from Korea in Central American countries. The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) campaign will draw support from both the public and private sectors, Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance said Monday./ Logo of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) / Captured from CABEI website President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a meeting with delegations from Japan Business Federation at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Monday. Joint Press Corps By Nam Hyun-woo The Yoon Suk-yeol government has kick-started its efforts to restore Korea's soured relations with Japan, after President Yoon expressed his intention to be more active in mending ties after Tokyo's upper house election. According to the presidential office, Monday, Yoon received a visit from delegations from the Japan Business Federation, also known as "Keidanren." Keidanren Chairman Masakazu Tokura and four ranking officials of the federation attended, and Federation of Korean Industries Chairman Huh Chang-soo also joined the meeting. The presidential office said Yoon and the delegation discussed ways to energize economic networks between the two countries. Before visiting Yoon, Keidanren and the FKI hosted a Korea-Japan Business Council meeting, after nearly three years of a hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A U.S. U-2S reconnaissance aircraft flies over Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, May 25. Korea Times file By Kang Seung-woo A frequent dispatch of U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula as part of its efforts to deter North Korea's growing nuclear threats is not a good idea amid rampant speculation that the regime's nuclear test is imminent, according to a diplomatic observer. Strategic assets refer to long-range bombers, nuclear-powered submarines or aircraft carriers. However, Kim Jung-sub, a senior research fellow at the Sejong Institute, said in his recent report, "The deployment of U.S. strategic assets such as the B-52 bomber, B-1B bomber or SSBN is a useful means to send a strong warning to North Korea and a reassurance to the South Korean people." SSBN refers to a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine. But he cautioned that the deployments need to be done with a clear purpose at an appropriate time. "This is because there is a risk that if we use the option excessively, it could counter its effects or unnecessarily heighten military tensions on the peninsula. In particular, when a North Korean nuclear test is expected as it is now, it is advisable to use strategic assets after North Korea conducts it, rather than in advance because if the country carries out a nuclear test despite the deployment of strategic assets, we would waste such an important deterrence means with little effect," Kim added. The expert also said that South Korea and the United States should share detailed deterrence plans in times of emergency. "It is not simply the promise of a nuclear umbrella by the United States, but rather, raising the level of extended deterrence to the level of sharing and discussing with the allies what nuclear and non-nuclear options the United States will pursue under what conditions and under what circumstances," he added. Currently, Seoul and Washington are poised to reactivate the regular meetings of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG), one of the two consultative mechanisms to achieve North Korea's denuclearization through steadfast deterrence. The other is the Deterrence Strategy Committee (DSC). But he said the allies should try to balance both dialogues. "The DSC, held at the defense ministry level, deals with overall issues linked to extended deterrence, while the EDSCG, by the foreign and defense ministries, is focused on delivering messages," Kim said. "Although the Yoon Suk-yeol administration is currently stressing the importance of the EDSCG, there should be the need to balance various fora in order to deepen military discussions of extended deterrence." By Deauwand Myers Fake news was used thousands of years ago for propaganda, fear-mongering, populism, and political opportunism. It's nothing new. James Madison, the fourth president of America, and by any objective measure a political intellectual, was keen on a voting public who could critically think about issues of the day in a rational fashion, given said public had ready access to quality information and dispassionate facts. Like many luminaries of his time, Madison greatly valued an informed and educated citizenry. In "Federalist 63," he wrote, "A popular government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy; or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance...people...must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives." During the early years of the American Republic, fake news flourished. In 1800, so rife was the press (the political press in particular) with disinformation, heresay, and outright libel, that Thomas Jefferson commented (in the usual flowery and overdramatic parlance of the day), "I deplore with you the putrid state into which our newspapers have passed, and the malignity, the vulgarity, & the mendacious spirit of those who write for them." Yes, both Madison and Jefferson were owners of the enslaved, and at least with Jefferson, a pedophilic rapist to boot. Ironically, particularly with Jefferson, they both felt slavery was an evil and should be abolished at some point. Many things can be true at once, especially about people. Madison and Jefferson were both intelligent and, at least in their theories, deeply moral. Theoretical morality and high intelligence will never extricate them from the indelible practice of enslaving other human beings for profit. Yet, the sociopolitical wisdom and vigor of both men point to a truth today's American Republicans and conservatives won't admit: the increasingly powerful echo chamber of the right-wing media environment is toxic, fascist, racist, and very much anathema to the original intent the Founders of American democracy envisioned in a free press. This echo chamber has increasingly become more divorced from reality, and the far-right, statistically, is much more susceptible to fake news than any other voting bloc. All of this is exceedingly corrosive to a free, fair, and thriving democracy. The burst of fake news in recent years via POPS (privately owned public spaces) has re-shaped not only American politics but caused political strife and mass murder in some African countries and Cambodia (Myanmar), for example. Freedom movements, like the "Arab Spring" in such countries as Egypt, were also aided by social media. Unfortunately, the Arab Spring and movements following it were brutally crushed by political leaders in places like Egypt and later, Turkey. There are several reasons fake news, particularly on the right, is so effective in driving public sentiment at least on the right. Conservatives, in poll after poll, (as researched by scholars of fake news, "agnotologists,") dislike facts that don't align with their political ideology. They are not, by and large, information agnostics. Facts don't lead them to new conclusions. Instead, they find, what Kellyanne Conway (former chief advisor to former President Trump) so infamously said, "alternative facts," simply lies that fit their point of view. This is why QAnon (please never look this up, but basically a massive online group of conspiracy theorists who believe in things so outlandish I will not write them here), and birtherism (that Obama was a Manchurian candidate, born in Africa, and a secret, America-hating Muslim) get so much traction on the far right. Hyper-wealthy Jewish people control the world inside an international cabal; there's a great international conspiracy to eliminate white people throughout North America and Europe (the so-called "Great Replacement"); Trump won the 2020 election; I think you get the point. This is laughable, until it turns deadly, as it did in the failed coup of ethno-fascists and white supremacists supporting and believing Trump's Big Lie that the election was stolen from him on January 6th, 2021. President Obama received more death threats in office than any other president in American history. Of course, a lot of this is just plain old white supremacy and xenophobia, fair enough. But regardless, the lack of trust by nearly half of American society in facts and data and science has real world implications insofar as public policy, like women's reproductive rights, fighting climate change, or ameliorating poverty. As written in George Tyler's "Billionaire Democracy," Trump and too many conservatives writ large utilize "tactics used...by the tobacco industry anxious to obfuscate that tobacco use causes cancer: All facts are preliminary; studies are merely anecdotal or statistical manipulations; experts disagreed ... it's unsettled science." Sound familiar? For some reason, wealthy democracies, especially, but not exclusively like America, are going through this inflection point where facts are not immutable or objective. This is why so many prominent, conservative public figures have died from COVID-19. No wonder aliens never visit Earth. Deauwand Myers (deauwand@hotmail.com) holds a master's degree in English literature and literary theory, and is an English professor outside of Seoul. The promotional image for Maroon 5's 2022 world tour / Captured from Maroon 5 website By Kim Rahn A promotional image for U.S. pop rock band Maroon 5's world tour is causing a stir as it incorporates the Rising Sun flag, which was used by the Japanese imperial military during World War II and is regarded as a symbol of its wartime aggression. The band recently disclosed its 2022 world tour schedule on its official website, which includes a concert at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Nov. 30. It is the group's first concert in Seoul since February 2019. Other cities also include Quebec, Orlando, Singapore, Tokyo, Osaka, Manila and Bangkok. What drew controversy is the promotional image of the tour, which has a black-and-white Rising Sun flag design. People in Korea and other Asian countries that had been invaded by Japan before and during WWII take offense to it. But some Western bands, such as Metallica and Led Zeppelin, have used the design in their posters or merchandise. Upon protest from fans of Korea and other such nations, they said they had not been aware of its historical meaning. Maroon 5 / Courtesy of Universal Music Group It was not the first time for Maroon 5 to be involved in a row regarding the design. In a 2019 dispute about a Rising Sun pattern on a T-shirt, band member Jesse Carmichael supported a claim advocating the use of the flag and ridiculing Koreans who were protesting. Online users are now leaving comments critical of the band, saying if they planned a tour in Asia, they should have known how sensitive the Rising Sun flag issue is here. Some are calling for a boycott of the Seoul concert. "You can just skip Korea and perform as many concerts as you want in Japan," one user wrote. "We are neither demanding Maroon 5 like only Korea nor demanding it to dislike Japan If you are coming to have a concert and make money, you need to keep the 'basics.' If you ridicule and ignore the basics, you'll not be respected," another wrote. This photo taken from video provided by Ramzan Kadyrov's Official Telegram channel released on Saturday, July 2, shows Russian troops including soldiers of Chechen regiment waving Russian and Chechen republic national flags as they pose for a photo in fro The Ukrainian army retreated from the strategic city of Lysychansk over the weekend, as Russia claimed a major victory by seizing control of the entire eastern Lugansk region. The Ukrainian withdrawal followed weeks of fierce fighting and marked a decisive breakthrough for Moscow's forces more than four months after their invasion and after turning their focus away from the capital Kyiv. Leaders from dozens of countries and international organizations will meet Monday in Switzerland to map out a "Marshall Plan" to rebuild Ukraine aimed to begin even as Russia's war efforts continue to rage. A major flashpoint in the conflict, Lysychansk had been the final holdout in the Lugansk area of the eastern Donbas region and Moscow's capture of it frees up Russian forces to advance on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in neighboring Donetsk. "The continuation of the defense of the city would lead to fatal consequences" in the face of Russia's superiority in numbers and equipment, the Ukrainian army said in a statement announcing its retreat Sunday evening. "In order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders, a decision was made to withdraw. "Unfortunately, steel will and patriotism are not enough for success material and technical resources are needed." The fall of Lysychansk comes after Russian forces seized its twin city of Severodonetsk last week after bouts of intense fighting. In an address late Sunday, Zelenskyy vowed Kyiv would fight on and ensure the military had "the most modern weapons." "It requires many negotiations, but we will ensure such a supply. Ukraine will reach the level when the fire superiority of the occupiers will be levelled." The latest country to provide aid was Australia, whose Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday pledged further military support including armored vehicles and drones during a meeting with Zelenskyy in Kyiv. An apartment block damaged in shelling. The Russian Armed Forces are carrying out a special military operation in Ukraine in response to requests from the leaders of the Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic for help. Tass-Yonhap 'Shooting from all sides' On Sunday, Moscow accused Kyiv of firing three cluster missiles at the Russian city of Belgorod near the Ukrainian border, which came a day after neighboring Belarus said it had intercepted Ukrainian missiles. In what would represent an escalation of the conflict, Russia said its anti-aircraft defenses shot down three Tochka-U cluster missiles launched by "Ukrainian nationalists" against Belgorod. Eleven residential buildings and 39 houses had been damaged, Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Russia has previously accused Kyiv of conducting strikes on Russian soil, particularly in the Belgorod region. On Saturday, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko accused Kyiv of provocation and said his army intercepted missiles fired at his country by Ukrainian forces "around three days ago". Belarus, a Russian ally, supported the Feb. 24 invasion and has been accused by Kyiv of launching its own attacks on Ukrainian territory. Lukashenko denied any involvement in a recent cross-border incident. "We do not intend to fight in Ukraine," he said, according to state news agency Belta on Saturday. About 75 kilometers (45 miles) west of Lysychansk, the city Sloviansk saw heavy Russian shelling which left six people dead among them a nine-year-old girl, Zelenskyy said Sunday evening. About 20 others were wounded as "the Russian army once again brutally shelled" the city, as well as Kramatorsk and Kharkiv. A strike on the town of Dobropillia just southwest of Sloviansk killed two people and wounded three, including two children, Donetsk authorities said. The city of Siversk, 30 kilometres west of Lysychansk, also saw overnight shelling, residents and an official told AFP. "It was intense, and it was shooting from all sides," said a woman sheltering in a cellar. Russian forces "have now gathered their largest firepower in Donbas, and they can use tens of thousands of artillery shells every day on one section of the front," Zelenskyy said. But Ukrainian troops had progressed in Kharkiv and Kherson regions, he added, vowing that "there will be a day when we will say the same about Donbas." "We will rebuild the walls, we will win back the land, and people must be protected above all else," Zelenskyy said. "Ukraine does not give anything up." A Ukrainian official said Sunday that Kyiv's forces had seen another success in Melitopol where they had "put out of action" a Russian military base, while the army said the air force had destroyed around 20 Russian units and two ammunition depots. "The town of Melitopol is covered in smoke," said the city's exiled mayor Ivan Fedorov. An ambulance damaged in shelling. The Russian Armed Forces are carrying out a special military operation in Ukraine in response to requests from the leaders of the Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic for help.Tass-Yonhap The Burlington Area School District is being sued by an area woman for closing a meeting that had become unruly and restarted the meeting without members of the public present. Muskego-Norway is facing a community petition after its school board didnt approve a book about the World War II-era internment of Japanese people in the U.S. for an English class for unclear reasons. In February, Racine Unified was one of an untold number of school boards nationwide facing a bizarre threat from a community member who wanted to file claims against the school boards surety bonds, even though that was a legal impossibility. Those are three local examples of many that are parts of a growing phenomenon led by adults from across the political spectrum who feel they are being shut out of decision-making about whats going on inside their communitys schools. While these situations are unavoidable for those who attend and watch school board meetings, and unavoidable for the public officials whose email addresses and phone numbers are public, its almost impossible to tell how much of a difference the efforts are making in increasing transparency, protecting young people from harm or even influencing education in classrooms. Area issues More than 200 Muskego community members have signed a petition opposing a school board decision not to approve a novel about a Japanese American familys experience in a World War II internment camp. We earnestly support the teaching of this book in the classroom, and we believe that rejecting this book will mark a severe decline in the quality of education and curriculum discussion in this district, the petition states. On June 13, the Muskego-Norway School Board Curriculum Educational Services Committee returned the book When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka to the school districts Curriculum Planning Committee, which had recommended the book for an accelerated 10th grade English class. There is a chance the book could return to the committee, but community members believe it will not and the book based on the authors ancestors experience of being interned during World War II in the American West for nothing other than their ethnicity wont be taught at Muskego High School this upcoming school year. Board members claimed the novel, which is based on the authors family, is one-sided, diverse, oppressive and was selected from a list of potential titles that was too short. Lawrence Hapeman, a 2021 graduate from Muskego High School, wrote the petition. When Hapeman heard about the committees decision not to approve the book, he was frustrated. It felt, and continues to feel, a little bit surreal that this is happening here, Hapeman said. Its easy when it happens in other school districts to be like, Oh, thats happening in some other town. Now its here. Community members also sent a letter to the school board asking the committee to explain its reasoning for not approving Emperor. The letter also asked board members to listen to community concerns and learn from subject matter experts. Our request is simple: Reopen the conversation, the letter states. First, allow for all concerned members of this community to ask any questions they have and say their piece. Then, as a board, open yourselves up to learning from authors, scholars and institutions about Japanese American history, incarceration and culture. It is unclear if the school board will shift direction at all. The situation in the Muskego-Norway School District, which draws about one-fourth of its students from northwestern Racine County, is the latest example of area residents making their voices heard to school boards. Burlington In June, Burlington parent Adrianne Melby filed a complaint alleging that the Burlington Area School District board violated Wisconsins open meetings law in an August 2021 meeting. If it is determined that the Burlington Area School Board violated the law, the seven board members could be fined up to $300 each. During that meeting, Melby and others in a group of adults opposed to mask mandates in schools became unruly, shouting ceaselessly at the school board. In a split vote, the board decided to adjourn before regathering minutes in an undisclosed location within Burlington High School. The group of adults had searched for board members through the schools halls before being stopped by police officers. East end of the county In late February, a Racine Unified School District parent in favor of an optional mask policy threatened to file claims against RUSDs surety bonds; claims never ended up being filed as the district does not take out individual bonds on its employees or board members. Surety bonds are often carried by government bodies, including schools, as a form of liability insurance if an employee commits a crime such as embezzling money. Typically, only school districts can file the claims, but parents who read misinformation online across the country believe they can, too. The threat of claims against RUSD was one of likely dozens if not hundreds of similar threats in school districts across the U.S. this year and last year, and virtually all of them were baseless claims. Forbes described the attempts as a new sort of tactic deployed by folks on the far right fringe. Raymond In early February, Raymond School in central Racine County removed three books from its library. Two of the books, Speak and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, were removed by the district administrator following a board meeting during which a concerned parent read several passages. Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is a novel about a 13-year-old girl who becomes mute after a sexual assault. Even without the novel being assigned to young students, the school district administrator moved to taking the book off of the shelves. Anderson recognized that raising children is hard and some parents may not want their children to read her book. But, she said, the buck stops when it comes to removing books from circulation. One of our (countrys) foundations is that we tolerate people who are different than we are, Anderson told a reporter. That means that if a book makes you uncomfortable, dont read it and tell the teacher you dont want your child to read it. Otsuka, author of When the Emperor Was Divine, shared a similar sentiment. She said her novel is not trying to make readers uncomfortable but is inviting them to experience life from someone elses perspective. Discomfort is definitely not a bad thing, Otsuka said. I dont think the purpose of education is to keep us feeling comfortable. My book is talking about fictional characters who hopefully have a very vivid presence on the page that students can relate to I dont think that thats necessarily an uncomfortable experience. I think its really an experience of empathy and compassion. Future indications In Muskego, community members said they were not aware of books previously being sent back by the school board, and they fear it could become more common. Im really afraid that this is an indication of whats to come, said Allison Hapeman, school district parent. Allison Hapeman, who is Lawrence Hapemans mother, has three children in the school district and is worried how actions like the school board rejecting Emperor could impact their education. Hapeman said everyone she has spoken to, regardless of political affiliation, is concerned with the book not being approved. This is not a liberal-conservative issue, she said. I have not heard one community member who is OK with what the board is doing. Ann Zielke, a school district parent, fears the committees action could have a chilling effect on school district employees who make book recommendations. Teachers have enough to deal with, Zielke said. They dont want to get pulled into this, so then Im concerned theyll be editing at every step of the process, and then everything that makes it to the board will be sort of a whitewashed version of what it should be. Allison Hapeman said books about historical wrongs like Japanese internment should make people feel uneasy. By limiting discussion of the issue, she feels the school board is restricting students education. Its concerning to me, because its not even about this book in particular, Hapeman said. Its that we are rejecting books because its making people uncomfortable in ways that they should feel uncomfortable Its not about indoctrination. Its not about teaching students what to think. Its about presenting them with real life things that have happened and saying, What do you think about it? To deprive our students of that kind of engaging discussion is just antithetical to public education. Update: This story has been updated to better reflect the total attendance at Sundays demonstration.RACINE Xavier Simmons is often the voice of crowds during a progressive protest in Racine, whether its something like the march to release the police footage of DaShontay King or the recent protests in reaction to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to reverse Roe v. Wade, which had required all states to have some legal access to abortion since 1973. But Sunday on Monument Square protest, Simmons decided to pass his megaphone to other people in the crowd, including several young women, so that his voice was not the only one heard. Why dont you do it? Simmons said to Jordyn Raucci, who is organizing a protest for July 4 at the Kenosha Civic Center and had come to Simmons for advice on how to lead. I dont need that (the megaphone) to be loud, but I cannot be the only voice. The protest in Downtown Racine on Sunday was much smaller than the week prior. On June 26, about 50 had gathered and one organizer, Kejuan Goldsmith, was arrested on a civil allegation of disorderly conduct. On Sunday, about 30 were there, and they made themselves heard. Raucci eventually took the megaphone herself, leading the crowd in chanting before her turn to lead in Kenosha. Some of the chants heard throughout the protest were My body, my choice! and (expletive) the Supreme Court! The group of protesters stayed at Monument Square, as opposed to last weeks march down Main Street that included a brief obstruction of traffic. One of the young women that took the megaphone during the demonstration, Cheyanne Jones, gave an impassioned speech to the crowd while standing on a park bench. Why do my rights as a woman have to be controlled by old white men that are going to be dead in a handful of years anyway? Jones said to the crowd. According to 2022 polling of U.S. adults from Pew Research Center: 54% of those 65 and older believe abortion should be legal in all/most cases compared to 74% of those 18-29 who believe abortion should usually be legal. 59% of white adults in the U.S. believe abortion should be legal, compared to 68% of black adults, 60% of Hispanic adults and 74% of Asian adults. 63% of U.S. women believe abortion should be usually legal, compared to 58% of men. Nathan Pabon, who was also given the megaphone during the protest, gave a prepared speech about the constitutional rights of people, specifically women. In the speech, Pabon named several women who have fought for the rights of women, such as the first female Supreme Court justice, Sandra Day OConnor; and the first woman to be nominated for president by a major political party, Hillary Clinton; and the current vice president who is the first woman and woman of color to hold the position, Kamala Harris. It has been a long fight for women to attain the same equality afforded to their male counterparts at birth, Pabon said, from equal pay to equal representation in government and society, from the right to vote to the right to make choices over what happens to their own (expletive) bodies for the first time in our countries history, The Supreme Court stripped away an already existing right. Thus opening the floodgates for the potential of stripping away more rights like the right to marry whoever you love, regardless of their gender and the right to access contraceptive healthcare, because abortions and contraception are health care. Sundays protest was co-organized by two groups: Womens Rights Are Human Rights Racine, and Change Is Coming. Saturday in Kenosha Around 200 people attended an pro-abortion access demonstration outside the Kenosha County Courthouse on Saturday. Among attendees were Lt. Gov./U.S. Senate candidate Mandela Barnes, and state Reps. Tip McGuire, D-Kenosha, and Tod Ohnstad, D-Somers. Leaders of Kenosha Executive Director and Founder Tanya McLean was the first person to speak at the rally, encouraging attendees to vote in November. If youre not a part of the process, things will never change, McLean said. Other speakers and attendees said the Supreme Court decision will disproportionately hurt black and brown communities. Veronica King, branch secretary and former president of the Kenosha NAACP, said African-American women are going to be severely affected by the Supreme Courts decision on Roe v. Wade. We need to make our elected officials know who is affected by this, how were affected by this, the impact of being affected by this, King said. Were mad, very mad. We are going to encourage people who arent registered to vote or dont regularly vote that this is our opportunity to have our voices heard. Holly Gilvary of Lee Newspapers contributed to this report. Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 4 (ANI/PRNewswire): Luxury car manufacturer, Lexus India, and Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), the operator of Kempegowda International Airport (BLR Airport) have announced an exclusive partnership for the movement of guests at the VIP terminal. All guests at BLR Airport's VIP terminal will now be chauffeured between the aircraft and the terminal in luxurious Lexus cars. Lexus India is providing the vehicles as part of the Airport's fleet for VIP movement. Also Read | The Top 5 Benefits of Working and Earning Online. Lexus vehicles were handed over to Jayaraj Shanmugam, Chief Operating Officer, BIAL at a special ceremony by Naveen Soni, President, Lexus India along with K.I. Jojoe, CEO, Lexus Bangalore and George Kuttukaran, Director, Lexus Bangalore. Jayaraj Shanmugam, Chief Operating Officer, BIAL said, "At BLR Airport, we are always looking at ways to find solutions to create the best customer experience and enhance the overall travel experience of our passengers. We are confident that this partnership with Lexus will offer our premium guests an exclusive on-ground experience when they travel through our Airport." Also Read | Motorola Launches Moto G42 in India at Rs 13,999. K. I. Jojoe, CEO, Lexus Bangalore commented, "At Lexus Bangalore, we constantly endeavor in delivering the Lexus promise of providing amazing guest experiences to our discerning guests. We are very happy to support this collaboration by offering the best of our services to such important dignitaries." Speaking on the occasion, Naveen Soni, Lexus India President said, "We at Lexus India are driven by the Japanese philosophy of "Omotenashi" meaning exceptional hospitality and the Indian spirit of "Athithi Devo Bhava" to anticipate guests' needs and to provide them the amazing Lexus experience. This alliance with Bangalore International Airport is another strong step in this direction, that gives us an opportunity to provide our VIP guests a luxurious experience of utmost comfort & luxury through our meticulously crafted Lexus cars. This will surely enhance their travel experience whenever they are visiting the city." Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR Airport) is the largest airport in South India and the third busiest in India. It has the unique distinction of being the first Greenfield Airport in India, established on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. This heralded a revolution in Indian aviation, as more airports in the Country were privatised, thereafter. BLR Airport commenced operations on May 24, 2008 - 33 months from the start of construction. Having served 10 million passengers in 2008, BLR Airport witnessed phenomenal growth during the subsequent years, becoming the fastest growing airport in the world in 2018. Lexus launched in 1989 with a flagship sedan and a guest experience that helped define the premium automotive industry. In 1998, Lexus introduced the luxury crossover category with the launch of the Lexus RX. The luxury hybrid sales leader, Lexus delivered the world's first luxury hybrid and has since sold over 2 million hybrid vehicles. A global luxury automotive brand with an unwavering commitment to bold, uncompromising design, exceptional craftsmanship, and exhilarating performance, Lexus has developed its lineup to meet the needs of the next generation of global luxury guests and is currently available in over 90 countries worldwide. Lexus associates/team members across the world are dedicated to crafting amazing experiences that are uniquely Lexus, and that excite and change the world. Website: www.lexusindia.co.in Facebook: @LexusIndia Instagram: @lexus_india This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu, Jul 4 (PTI) Amid tight security, the sixth batch of over 7,200 pilgrims left from here on Monday for the twin base camps of 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said. A total of 7,282 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here in a convoy of 332 vehicles amid heavy security of CRPF, the officials said. Also Read | Weather Forecast: Yellow Alert in Delhi; Heavy to Very Heavy Rainfall Likely Over Konkan, Goa for Next 4 Days, Says IMD. Of these, 5,866 are males, 1,206 females, 22 children, 179 Sadhus and 9 Sadhvis, they said. They said 2,901 pilgrims heading for Baltal were the first to leave in 150 vehicles around 3.40 am followed by the second convoy of 182 vehicles carrying 4,381 pilgrims for Pahalgam. Also Read | Twitter Banned Over 46K Bad Accounts in India in May 2022: Report. The annual 43-day yatra commenced on June 30 from the twin base camps -- traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag and 14-km shorter Baltal in central Kashmir's Ganderbal. Till today, over 52,000 pilgrims had offered their prayers at the cave shrine, housing the naturally formed ice-Shivlingam, the officials said. The Yatra is scheduled to end on August 11 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Sitapur (UP), Jul 4 (PTI) Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, arrested by Delhi Police last week, was produced in a court here on Monday in connection with an FIR lodged against him for allegedly calling Hindu seers "hate mongers". Zubair was produced in the court of the Sitapur judicial magistrate, who sent him to 14 days' judicial custody. Also Read | Bengaluru Police Launch Manhunt for Food Delivery Boy Misbehaving with Woman Cyclists. The Delhi Police took Zubair back to the national capital afterwards. Additional Superintendent of Police, Sitapur, N P Singh said the district police had issued a production warrant against Zubair in connection with a case registered at Khairabad. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Panchayat Poll 2022: Authorities Look for Solution After Dead Man Wins Sarpanch Election in Sagar District. Now, the district police has sought his custody and will act as per court orders, the officer said. The FIR was lodged against Zubair under IPC section 295A (deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings) and section 67 of the IT Act here on a complaint by Hindu Sher Sena Sitapur district president Bhagwan Sharan on June 1. Mohammed Zubair, a fact-checker, was arrested by the Delhi Police last week in a case related to an "objectionable tweet" he had posted in 2018 against a Hindu deity. The Delhi Police has invoked new provisions -- sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (destruction of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code(IPC) and section 35 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act -- against Zubair. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Amravati (Maharashtra) [India], July 4 (ANI): All seven accused were granted four-day transit remand after being produced before the Amravati court in the barbaric killing of shop owner Umesh Prahladrao Kolhe. Amravati Police to present all accused before NIA's Mumbai court on or before July 8. Also Read | Bengaluru Police Launch Manhunt for Food Delivery Boy Misbehaving with Woman Cyclists. The police on Saturday arrested the mastermind and seventh accused in the brutal killing of Amravati-based shop owner Umesh Kolhe. A district court in Amravati has sent the key accused Irfan Sheikh, the mastermind in the murder case to police custody till July 7. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Panchayat Poll 2022: Authorities Look for Solution After Dead Man Wins Sarpanch Election in Sagar District. Earlier, six accused who were arrested have been identified as Mudassir Ahmad (22), Shah Rukh Pathan (25), Abdul Thoufique (24), Shoaib Khan (22), Atib Rashid (22) and Yusufkan Bahadur Khan (44). Exactly a week before tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli was hacked to death in Udaipur, Umesh Prahladrao Kolhe, a 54-year-old chemist, was killed in Maharashtra's Amravati district on June 21. Investigators so far believe that Kolhe was killed allegedly in retaliation for a social media post supporting BJP's Nupur Sharma who had made controversial comments on the Prophet in a television debate. The number of arrests may increase after the main accused in the brutal murder of an Amravati-based shop owner Umesh Kolhe is nabbed, said a police official on Sunday. "He (mastermind) was arrested last night. He's being interrogated. They have a helpline group-Rehbar group. Several people connected to them. 7 accused have been arrested so far. The number of arrests may rise after the arrest of the main accused," said Nilima Araj, Police Inspector when asked about the mastermind of the Amravati murder. Union Home Minister Amit Shah directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the probe into the brutal killing of Maharashtra's Amravati-based shop owner Umesh Kolhe on June 21, after he wrote a post in support of Nupur Sharma on Facebook. Home Minister's Office (HMO) made the announcement through its Twitter handle as the matter was similar to the Udaipur case in which a tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli was killed in broad daylight by two men. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Guwahati, Jul 4 (PTI) The Assam unit of Jamiat Ulema, a key Islamic organisation, has appealed to the Muslims not to sacrifice cows on the occasion of Id-uz-Zuha or 'Bakrid' festival so that the religious feelings of the Hindus are not hurt. As 'Qurbani' is an important part of the festival, animals other than cows can be sacrificed, said Badruddin Ajmal, the organisation's state unit chief. Also Read | Puducherry Diarrhoea Outbreak: Public Health Emergency Declared in Karaikal, Schools To Remain Shut Till June 6. "Sanatan dharma of Hindu religion reveres the cow as their mother and worships them. We should not hurt their religious feelings," Ajmal, also the president of political party AIUDF, said in a statement. According to him, the Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband had issued a public appeal in 2008 not to sacrifice the cow as a part of the 'Qurbani' (sacrifice) on the occasion of the festival and it was pointed out that there is no mention or compulsion that a cow has to be sacrificed. Also Read | Moto G42 To Be Launched Today in India; Expected Price, Features & Specifications. "I am reiterating the same appeal again and urging my fellow believers to sacrifice an alternative animal and not the cow so that the religious sentiment of the majority population in the country is not hurt," the Dhubri MP said. During the Id-uz-Zuha, animals such as camels, goats, cows, buffalo, sheep and other animals can be sacrificed, Ajmal said. "As the cow is considered holy by the majority of people, I humbly appeal to people to avoid it and sacrifice an alternative animal," he said. Id-uz-Zuha or 'Bakrid' is likely to fall on July 10. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bhimavaram (AP), Jul 4 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Monday unveiled a 30-ft bronze statue of legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju on the latter's 125th birth anniversary here. Also Read | Puducherry Diarrhoea Outbreak: Public Health Emergency Declared in Karaikal, Schools To Remain Shut Till June 6. The 15-tonne statue was carved out at a cost of Rs 3 crore and installed by the Kshatriya Seva Samiti in the Municipal Park at ASR Nagar in Bhimavaram, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. Also Read | Moto G42 To Be Launched Today in India; Expected Price, Features & Specifications. Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, former Union Minister and film star K Chiranjeevi and others were present on the occasion. The dignitaries paid floral tributes to Raju on the occasion. Modi felicitated Alluri Srirama Raju, Alluri's nephew, and Bodi Dora, son of Alluri's close lieutenant Mallu Dora. Popularly known as Manyam Veerdu' (Hero of the Forest), Sitarama Raju, also referred to by his surname Alluri, was born on July 4, 1897 at Pandrangi village in the then Visakhapatnam district. According to history, the regular patriotic discourse during the freedom struggle had a strong influence on Alluri since his childhood. Following the death of his father, his schooling got disrupted and he went on a pilgrimage and toured the western, northwestern, north and northeastern India during his teens. The socio-economic conditions in the country under the British regime, particularly in the tribal areas, deeply moved him. During those journeys, he met revolutionaries in Chittagong (now in Bangladesh). Alluri then made up his mind to build a movement against the British. He organised the local Adivasis in the forest areas along Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts into a potent force to launch a frontal attack. Thus was born the Rampa Rebellion' or the Manyam Uprising', in the Rampachodavaram forest area in the erstwhile East Godavari district, which rattled the mighty British forces. Using the Adivasis' traditional weapons, bows and arrows and spears, Alluri spearheaded many an attack on the British forces and became a thorn in their flesh. He, however, realised that traditional weaponry was no match against the heavily armed British forces and, hence, planned to snatch the enemy's own weapons. The famed attack on the Chintapalli police station on August 22, 1922, with over 300 revolutionaries was the first in the series, which ended in a haul of firearms. The sheer audacity of Alluri in warning, in advance, the police of the date and time of the attack left the British stunned. He enlisted the booty and signed the station diary after the attack, making it his hallmark. He led similar attacks later on Krishnadevi Peta and Raja Ommangi police stations. The revolutionaries under Alluri's leadership snatched weapons and armoury in all such attacks. A large contingent of Reserve Police personnel from Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Parvatipuram and Koraput was rushed to these areas led by British officers and, in the skirmish that ensued, two Scot and Heiter were killed by the revolutionaries on September 24, 1922, and several others wounded. The Agency Commissioner J R Higgins had announced a prize of Rs 10,000 on Alluri's head and Rs 1,000 each on his close lieutenants Gantam Dora and Mallu Dora. The British deployed hundreds of soldiers from Malabar Special Police and the Assam Rifles, led by top officers, to crush the movement. Alluri won the grudging admiration of the British as a formidable guerrilla tactician. Unable to contain the Manyam' uprising, the British government deputed T G Rutherford as the new Commissioner in April 1924 to quell the movement. Rutherford resorted to violence and torture to know the whereabouts of Alluri and his key followers. It was a relentless chase by the British forces that cost them an overall Rs 40 lakh. Unable to stand the brutal repression against the tribals, Alluri finally gave himself up and was martyred on May 7, 1924. He lived only for 27 years, but close to a century after his martyrdom, the Telugus continue to revere and worship Alluri. Former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu wrote a letter to Prime Minister Modi requesting that a statue of Alluri be installed in Parliament. Naidu recalled that a decision to install Alluri's statue in Parliament was taken by the then NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee but was not implemented due to change of government. "It will now be apt to install the legendary freedom fighter's statue in Parliament in his 125th year of birth," he added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 4 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday requested External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar to take appropriate action for the immediate release of 12 Indian fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy. In a letter to EAM, the Chief Minister said, "This arrest intimidates the fisherfolk of Tamil Nadu and is also likely to create a sense of insecurity and fear in the coastal areas of the State. I, therefore, request you to take up this matter through appropriate diplomatic channels to secure the immediate release of 12 fishermen and their fishing boat." Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Shocker: 13-Year-Old Girl Raped And Killed at Home in Ujjain; Case Registered. Among the 12 arrested Indian fishermen, 7 are from Tamil Nadu and 5 are from Puducherry. He further pointed out that the fishermen of Tamil Nadu have recently resumed fishing after the annual ban period of 61 days that ended on June 15, 2022. Also Read | Cryptocurrency Exchange Vauld Suspends All Withdrawals, Trading & Deposits. On March 25 this year, the fifth meeting of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group on Fisheries was held through virtual mode. The Joint Working Group discussed all relevant issues in detail including the concerns relating to fishermen and fishing boats which have been on the agenda of bilateral discussions between India and Sri Lanka for many years. The Indian side expressed its readiness to work together with Sri Lanka for joint research to enhance the productivity of the Palk Bay fisheries. The meeting concluded on a positive note, with a commitment toward continued cooperation and dialogue to solve the fishermen-related issues and to hold the next meeting of the Joint Working Group as per schedule. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jul 4 (PTI) The Congress on Monday lashed out at the Aam Aadmi party government after the Delhi assembly passed bills pertaining to over 66 per cent hike in salaries and allowances of its members. Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar said at a time when people of Delhi have been battling various problems like price rise, water shortage, waterlogging and pollution, the two-day special monsoon session of the assembly was called to hike the salary of the ministers and MLAs. Also Read | Bengaluru Police Launch Manhunt for Food Delivery Boy Misbehaving with Woman Cyclists. Before coming to power, Arvind Kejriwal had announced in 2013 that he and his ministers or MLAs would not accept any official vehicles, bungalows, security and other luxurious facilities, and they will only take Rs 25,000 honorarium per month to 'serve' the people, he alleged. He further alleged that Kejriwal sent a proposal to the Centre to hike the wages of the legislators when people were battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Panchayat Poll 2022: Authorities Look for Solution After Dead Man Wins Sarpanch Election in Sagar District. The pay hike is peanuts for AAP ministers and MLAs as they are otherwise minting crores of rupees through corruption. Eighty per cent of Delhi ministers have been charged with various cases, while 38 MLAs face charges in over 100 cases, he claimed. The Congress leader added that the Delhi chief minister has not only hiked the wages of legislators, but also squandered public money for election campaigns in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Amaravati, Jul 4 (PTI) In what the Special Protection Group (SPG) saw as a major breach of security, black balloons were released into the flight path of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mi-17 helicopter as he took off from the Vijayawada International Airport (VIA) for Bhimavaram on Monday. Also Read | The Top 5 Benefits of Working and Earning Online. State police, however, denied there was any breach of security but said one Congress worker has been apprehended in this connection, while three other party workers were arrested for trying to enter the airport with black balloons. Also Read | Motorola Launches Moto G42 in India at Rs 13,999. Incidentally, a strong police force of 800 personnel was deployed at the airport for the Prime Minister's security. The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee gave a call to organise protests during the PM's visit to the state on Monday, to unveil the statue of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju, in protest against the broken promises, including grant of special category status to AP. Some Congress workers climbed a building under construction in a village far away from the VIA at Gannavaram and released black balloons, ostensibly filled with hydrogen. A video clip released by the Congress showed the balloons being released as the Mi-17s took off from Gannavaram and entered the flight path over the village. The balloons were floating high in the air as the two choppers flew past but it could not be established whether they were anywhere close. The Prime Minister's trip ended without incident, much to the relief of everyone but the SPG that is in charge of his security is said to have taken a serious view of it and sought an explanation from the state. The SPG apparently asked the state police what if they were drones and not just balloons. Krishna district Superintendent of Police P Joshua told PTI that there was no security breach at the airport. "Two Congress workers released the balloons from a building under construction at Surampalli village, 4.5 km away from the airport. By the time they released the balloons, PM Modi's chopper had left the airport, Joshua added. He, however, said three Congress workers, including the women's wing leader Sunkara Padmasri, were taken into custody as they tried to enter the airport carrying black balloons. The police burst the balloons, the SP said. A case under various sections of IPC was registered against them. Also, one of the two persons who released the black balloons at Surampalli was also taken into custody while hunt was on for the other, Joshua said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, June 4: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday hailed the victory of his faction in the floor test of the Maharashtra Assembly. Speaking in the Assembly today, Shinde said, "I thank Devendra Fadnavis ji for giving me a chance to work as a minister in the previous government... I could work on Samruddhi Mahamarg project. He was to give the Deputy CM post to Shiv Sena also in 2019." "We are Shivsainiks and we will always be Shivsainiks of Balasaheb and Anand Dighe. I want to remind you who was there and who got Balasaheb's voting banned for six years," the Maharashtra Chief Minister said. "Initially, I was supposed to be made the Chief Minister in the MVA government... But later Ajit Dada (Ajit Pawar) or someone said that I should not be made the Chief Minister. I had no problem and I told Uddhav ji to go ahead, and that I was with him. I never eyed that post," Shinde said. Shinde referred to two of his children who had died and got emotional. "They attacked my family...My father is alive, my mother died. I could not give much time to my parents. They would be asleep when I came and would go to work when I slept. I could not give much time to my son Shrikant. My two children died - at the time, Anand Dighe consoled me. I used to think, what is there to live for? I will stay with my family," the Chief Minister said. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shindes Government Supported by BJP Wins Vote of Confidence. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday won the crucial floor test in the state Assembly on the last day of the two-day special session of the House. In the 288-member House, 164 MLAs voted for the motion of confidence, while 99 voted against it. Three legislators abstained from voting, while 21 legislators, including Congress's Ashok Chavan and Vijay Wadettiwar, were absent. Sanjay Raut on Monday questioned the legitimacy of the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and said the Shinde group cannot claim to be the original Sena. Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Raut said these MLAs (of the Shinde group) should ask themselves some questions. They used the party symbol and all benefits that come along with it to win elections and then broke the same party. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shindes Government Supported by BJP Wins Vote of Confidence. Raut's statement comes after Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar reinstated Shinde as the Shiv Sena legislature party leader, removing Ajay Chaudhary, just ahead of the Eknath Shinde-led government's floor test today. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Patna, Jul 4 (PTI) A former Bihar MLA has been arrested for hiring contract killers to bump off his daughter with whom he has been upset, as she married a man of another caste, police said. Surendra Sharma was apprehended on Sunday after the hitmen, whom he had paid Rs 20 lakh for the "honour killing", spilled the beans, said Pramod Kumar, SP, City (East) of Patna. Also Read | Asus ROG Phone 6, ROG Phone 6 Pro India Launch Tomorrow. "An attempt was made on his daughter's life on the intervening night of July 1-2. The woman, who lives in Shri Krishna Puri police station area, lodged a police complaint that she had been fired at by unidentified persons, who sped away on a motorcycle after missing the target, Kumar said. An intensive search operation was launched and on Saturday, Abhishek alias Chhote Sarkar, who heads the gang, was arrested along with two of his associates. Also Read | Maharashtra: Unidentified Man's Body Found in Car on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway, Police Suspect Murder. Abhishek told police about Sharma, who had served a term in the legislative assembly from his native Saran district in the 1990s. Not known to have any party affiliations, Sharma, who had contested as an Independent, is also said to have criminal antecedents. Three country-made pistols, several rounds of ammunition and a motorcycle without a number plate are among the items recovered from the possession of Abhishek and his associates, the SP added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jul 4 (PTI) The "experiment" of providing courses in humanities in technology institutions should be reviewed so as to assess its impact on the academic climate in such institutions, a Parliamentary panel has recommended. The panel, however, suggested that the Ministry of Education consider incentivising engineering education in regional languages by way of awards for good translators and writers on engineering subjects in regional languages. Also Read | Bank of Baroda Recruitment 2022: Vacancies Notified For Chartered Accountant Posts at bankofbaroda.in; Check Details Here. The committee headed by Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, also noted that there was an urgent need to revisit and revamp the norms for starting online courses and efforts be made towards offering a level playing field as far as grants in aid were concerned. "The committee recommends that the experiment of providing courses in humanities in technology institutions be reviewed so as to assess its impact on the academic climate in such institutions, the panel report said. Also Read | PSEB 10th Result 2022 Date and Time: Punjab Board Class 10 Exam Results To Be Declared Tomorrow at pseb.ac.in; Check Details. However, keeping in view the broad thrust of NEP, 2020 towards holistic and multidisciplinary education, the committee also recommends the incorporation of social sciences, humanities, arts modules in the technical education curriculum for the development of students with well-rounded personalities," it said. "The Department of Higher Education may consider incentivising engineering education in regional languages by way of awards for good translators and writers on engineering subjects in regional languages," it added. The committee also recommended that the Department of Higher Education, UGC and universities should collectively review the current state of academia-industry partnerships and take measures to strengthen them further as these can greatly help mitigate the shortage of skilled workforce. "The panel is of the view that such collaboration between the industry and higher educational institutions would help students develop crucial entrepreneurship/business skills, provide hands-on experience and help create a robust talent pool," the report said. "The committee observes that there was an urgent need to revisit and revamp the norms for starting online courses and the concerned authorities should take measures in this regard, it said. It also observes that parameters for assessment and recognition of various courses under regulatory bodies need to be updated to bring them in tune with the current best practices, the report said. Efforts be made towards offering a level playing field as far as grants in aid were concerned" it added. Institutional Leadership and Management course for aspiring and existing principals or administrative heads of the colleges to give them exposure to the management skills required to lead the institutions, formulating a Comprehensive National Research Policy encompassing all kinds of research activities, both in social as well as physical sciences, a blueprint be prepared for each of the HEIs to be followed to enhance the standards of education all across the country, are also among the recommendations made by the panel. "The committee, keeping in view the global trend in student learning, recommends that the Department of Higher Education along with its bodies must undertake an expert study to help provide avenues towards empowering students to chart their education pathways as per their needs and interest, leveraging traditional and other partnerships to bolster learning and making efforts towards ensuring widespread diffusion of education," the report said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ahmedabad, Jul 4 (PTI) Gujarat reported 419 COVID-19 cases and one death on Monday, which took the tally to 12,34,117 and the toll to 10,948, a state health department official said. Also Read | Bengaluru Police Launch Manhunt for Food Delivery Boy Misbehaving with Woman Cyclists. So far, 12,19,657 persons have recovered, including 454 during the day, leaving the state with an active caseload of 3,512, he added. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Panchayat Poll 2022: Authorities Look for Solution After Dead Man Wins Sarpanch Election in Sagar District. The official said Ahmedabad reported 155 new cases, Surat 96, Vadodara 40, Mehsana 19 and Bhavnagar 17, among other districts, while the lone death took place in Mehsana. A government release said 43,981 persons got vaccine jabs on Monday, which took the overall number of doses administered in the state to 11.15 crore. The adjoining Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu has 13 active cases, a local official said. Gujarat's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 12,34,117, new cases 419, death toll 10,948, discharged 12,19,657, active cases 3,512, people tested so far - figures not released. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Facts about Russia-Ukraine conflict: Russia announces control of Lugansk, Kiev denies reports on Lysychansk's capture Xinhua) 15:48, July 04, 2022 BEIJING, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments in the Ukraine crisis: Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has informed President Vladimir Putin of the control of Lugansk, the Defense Ministry said Sunday. The region has been "liberated" after Russian troops and the armed forces of Lugansk took full control of Lysychansk, a key city of Lugansk, and its nearby settlements, according to a brief statement by the ministry. Shoigu told Putin that the total area of territories taken over the past day amounted to 182 square km, it added. - - - - An official of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry on Sunday denied reports that Lysychansk has been under the full control of Russian armed forces, the government-run Ukrinform news agency reported. Yuriy Sak, adviser to Defense Minister Olexiy Reznikov, told BBC that the situation in Lysychansk has been "very tense for quite a long time," and Russian troops have been "constantly attacking the city." Even if Russian forces were to seize the entire Lugansk region, the battle for Donbass, which comprises the Lugansk and Donetsk regions, will continue as Ukrainian forces control much of the Donetsk region, Sak said, noting that several other large towns in Donetsk remained under Kiev's control. - - - - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday held a meeting with visiting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss security cooperation, the presidential press service reported. During the talks, Zelensky informed Albanese of the situation on the frontline in Ukraine, while the Australian prime minister announced more military-technical assistance to Ukraine, the report said. - - - - The Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday that Ukraine has launched an attack by Tochka-U ballistic missiles with cluster munitions and Tu-143 Reys unmanned aerial vehicles on the residential areas in the southern cities of Belgorod and Kursk. The Russian air defense has destroyed all the three missiles, the ministry said, adding that fragments of one of the destroyed missiles fell down on a residential building in Belgorod. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun) New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): The Indian Army cautioned the people against fake messages after a post related to a bank account was doing rounds on social media. The fake messages were being circulated on social media about a bank account specially opened to extend assistance to battle casualties and their dependents. Also Read | Mumbai: Four Teens Steal Gold Ornaments Worth Rs 2 Lakh From Kalimata Temple in Dahisar, Arrested. "Beware of fake messages being circulated on social media about a bank account specially opened to extend assistance to battle casualties & their dependents, and same will also be used to buy weapons and equipment for the Indian Army," tweeted Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI). Clarifying the issue, the officials mentioned that there are two official accounts being operated for the welfare of Veer Naris, Battle Casualty and their families. Also Read | Hyderabad Shocker: Man Sets Self Afire in Marriage Hall Where Girl He Liked Was Getting Married, Dies. "Indian Army operates two accounts for the welfare of Veer Naris, Battle Casualty and their families and these accounts are used solely for the same. Donations/contributions to these are voluntary. For more details see https://indianarmy.nic.in/home," added ADGPI in another tweet. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 4 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's immediate personal intervention to reduce exorbitant airfares in the post-COVID period in both domestic and international sectors. In a letter to PM Modi, the Kerala Chief Minister said that airfares in both the international and domestic sectors have become exorbitantly high recently, which is pulling the travel industry down and putting Non-Residents to extreme hardship. Also Read | Eknath Shinde-Led Maharashtra Govt To Face Floor Test Today. He further said that the ticket fare hike will affect the Non-Residents along with people and tourism sector of Kerala "Let me bring to your kind attention a very important issue that is pulling the travel industry down and putting non-residents to extreme hardship. Airfares in both the International and Domestic sectors have become exorbitantly high recently. They are very high when compared to the fares that had been prevailing in pre-COVID times," he said. Also Read | Presidential Election 2022: Droupadi Murmu To Visit Ranchi Today To Seek Support for Her Candidature in Presidential Poll. Vijayan said that the non-residents, who are already seriously affected by the impact of the pandemic are again suffering due to the unreasonably high airfares. He also pointed out that this is also affecting Kerala's tourism sector, which is in crisis due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown. "The tourism sector in Kerala is on the threshold of a turnaround and the exorbitant airfares are a serious dampener to the revival of this sector. I request your immediate personal intervention in this matter so as to alleviate the difficulties of non-residents and to help the tourism sector, the revival of which is vital for our economy," Vijayan added. Vijayan, in his letter, also a comparative statement of air fares of pre-Covid fares and the present fares which show a massive hike in key international and domestic sectors for PM Modi's perusal From Cochin to Delhi, the fares jumped from Rs 4,000 to Rs 14,000, from Cochin to Mumbai the fare was Rs 3,000 and the current fare is Rs 10,000, it went up from Rs 2,000 to Rs 7,000 from Cochin to Bangalore and from Cochin to Chennai, it jumped from Rs 7,000 to Rs 2,500. Likewise, in the international sector, the fare from Cochin to Dubai was Rs 12,000 and now it jumped to Rs 20,000. From Cochin to London, it doubled was Rs 50,000 and it increased to Rs 75,000 and from Cohin to Toronto, the fares increased from 65,000 to Rs 1,70,000. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jul 4 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the bus accident in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu is heart-rending and announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives in the incident. A private bus fell into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district on Monday, leaving 16 people, including some school children, dead, a senior official said. Also Read | Prime Minister @narendramodi Landed at Vijayawada, Where He Was Welcomed by Governor Latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services. "The bus accident in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh is heart-rending. In this tragic hour my thoughts are with the bereaved families," Prime Minister Modi was quoted as saying in a tweet by his office. "I hope those injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected," he said. Also Read | CBSE Class 10th Result 2022 Live Updates: CBSE 10th Term 2 Result Likely To Be Declared Today on cbse.gov.in; Know How To Check Here. The Prime Minister has approved an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the tragic bus accident in Himachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister's Office said in another tweet. The injured would be given Rs 50,000 each, it said. Kullu Deputy Commissioner Ashutosh Garg said the Sainj bound bus fell into the gorge near Jangla village in the district at around 8.30 am. District officials and rescue teams have reached the spot, he said, adding the injured were being taken to a nearby hospital. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, July 4 (PTI) Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Monday invited suggestions from the public to make the national capital self-sufficient in meeting drinking water demand. The LG said Delhi's water demands are unsustainable and there is a shortage of around 280 million gallons a day (MGD) of drinking water in the city. Also Read | Puducherry Diarrhoea Outbreak: Public Health Emergency Declared in Karaikal, Schools To Remain Shut Till June 6. "Instead of blaming others, let us together make the capital self-sufficient by conserving water and augmenting our groundwater. Your suggestions & participation only will help us achieve this," the LG tweeted. The capital depends on neighboring states for raw water: It gets 675 MGD of water from Haryana through two canals -- Carrier-Lined Channel (368 MGD) and Delhi Sub-Branch (177) -- and the Yamuna (65 MGD). Also Read | Moto G42 To Be Launched Today in India; Expected Price, Features & Specifications. Besides, 253 MGD of water is received from Uttar Pradesh through the Upper Ganga Canal, and the rest is drawn from ranney wells and tube wells installed across the city. The Delhi Jal Board supplies 990 MGD of water to city residents. Delhi faced a severe water shortage this summer season with Haryana releasing less water in the Yamuna and the two canals. Between April 30 and June 18, the DJB wrote to the Haryana Irrigation Department nine times, urging it to release additional water in the river. Earlier, Saxena had invited suggestions from the public on clearing "mountains of garbage" in Delhi, cleaning the Yamuna and improving air quality. He had said that Delhi discharges 784 MGD of sewage in the Yamuna which has been converted into a muck-filled drain, and the mountains of garbage in the capital are a "national shame". Saxena had also mentioned that "we generate most of the (air) pollutants ourselves". (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Aurangabad, Jul 4 (PTI) Shiv Sena MLA Santosh Bangar's switch to the faction of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde just ahead of the floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly on Monday has left supporters confused as the former was seen weeping asking rebels to return in videos during the earlier days of the revolt. Also Read | Air Marshal Mohamed Abbas Helmy Md Hashem, Chief of the Egyptian Air Force Called on Air Latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services. One video had shown Bangar, MLA from Kalamnuri in Hingoli, sobbing and saying that the environment in the state had turned bad and all dissidents with Shinde must return to the party fold as Uddhav Thackeray would surely forgive them. Also Read | PSEB 10th Result 2022 Date and Time: Punjab Board Class 10 Exam Results To Be Declared Tomorrow at pseb.ac.in; Check Details. He had also hailed the Sena as followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Bal Thackeray and said it was the duty of everyone to keep the saffron flag of Hindutva flying high without any taint. Shinde on Monday won the crucial floor test in the state Assembly on the last day of the two-day special session of the House. In the 288-member House, 164 MLAs voted for the motion of confidence, while 99 voted against it. Ahead of the floor test, Bangar, joined CM Shinde's faction, taking it tally of legislators to 40. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Reasi (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 4 (ANI): In an act of bravery, villagers overpowered two most wanted Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday and handed them over to police. The incident is of Tukson Dhok village. Also Read | Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narvekar Removes Shiv Senas Ajay Chaudhary As Legislative Party Leader Ahead of Trust Vote, Reinstates Eknath Shinde. According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, the terrorists had reached Tukson Dhok village to take shelter after continuous pressure from Police and Army. They have been identified as Talib Hussain of Rajouri and Faisal Ahmed Dar of Pulwama. Police recovered two AK rifles, seven grenades, a Pistol and a huge quantity of ammunition from their possession. Also Read | Eknath Shinde-Led Maharashtra Govt to Face Floor Test Tomorrow. It is pertinent to mention that Rajouri police had very recently recovered a large number of IEDs and had busted a module of LeT in which two terrorists of LeT were arrested and Talib Hussain was declared as an absconder and a reward was announced on him. Police said Talib Hussain was in constant touch with LeT terrorist Qasim based in Pakistan and was involved in at least three cases of IED blasts in Rajouri district besides killings of civilians and grenade blasts. During preliminary questioning, it was revealed that both the terrorists were also in touch with a Pakistani LeT handler Salman who was continuously in touch with them. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha applauded the courage of villagers and announced a reward of Rs 5 Lakhs for the brave villagers who apprehended two LeT terrorists. "I salute the bravery of villagers of Tukson Dhok, Reasi, who apprehended two most-wanted terrorists. Such determination by the common man shows the end of terrorism is not far away. UT Govt to extend Rs 5 Lakh cash reward to villagers for the gallant act against terrorists and terrorism," Sinha said. Earlier on June 30, the Chinar Corps of the Indian Army eliminated two terrorists during Operation 'Kataran' in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. Police said that the joint operation 'Kataran' was launched on Wednesday and the area was cordoned off. One AK rifle, one pistol and war-like stores were recovered.Earlier on Wednesday, two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were neutralized during an encounter that broke out in Kulgam. The encounter site was very close to the pilgrimage route of the Amarnath yatra. Both the terrorists killed in the encounter were identified and categorized as local terrorists of the proscribed terror outfit LeT. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): Days after the Ministry of Home Affairs directed National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the probe of the brutal killings in Rajasthan's Udaipur and Maharashtra's Amravati, NIA chief Dinkar Gupta on Monday held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his office in the national capital. On June 28, a tailor Kanhaiyalal Kumar was beheaded by two men inside his shop in Udaipur in the broad daylight, while a chemist shop owner Umesh Kolhe was killed by several men in Amravati on June 21. Also Read | 5G in India: Telecom Industry Cautions Against Fake Mobile Tower Installation Before 5G Rollout. In Amravati killing case, a district court in Amravati sent the key accused and Irfan Sheikh, the mastermind in the murder case to police custody till July 7. The accused, identified as Irfan Sheikh, was arrested by Amravati police in Nagpur on Sunday. The six accused have been identified as Mudassir Ahmad (22); Shah Rukh Pathan (25); Abdul Thoufique (24); Shoaib Khan (22); Atib Rashid (22) and Yusufkan Bahadur Khan (44). Investigators so far believe that the chemist was killed allegedly in retaliation for a social media post supporting BJP's Nupur Sharma who had made controversial comments on the Prophet in a television debate. Also Read | Rajasthan Shocker: Daylight Robbery in Axis Bank, Six Men Flee With Rs 1 Crore Cash & Gold in Alwar. In the Udaipur case, the assailants identified themselves in the video as Riyaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad. In the video, Riyaz was seen attacking 47-year-old Kanhaiya Lal with a sharp-edged weapon while the other, Ghouse, recorded the crime on his mobile phone. The victim reportedly had recently shared a social media post in support of Nupur Sharma-- former BJP leader who had made controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammad. NIA on Thursday said it suspects the role of a "terror gang and not a terror outfit".The anti-terror agency, however, made it clear that there is a role of a bigger gang behind the brutal killing and that it was not just an act done by only two persons, who were arrested by state police after the incident. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai, Jul 7 (PTI) Scientists at the National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis are looking to launch a study to provide BCG revaccination to kids and adolescents aged 6-18 years who are household contacts of tuberculosis patients to gauge whether a booster BCG would help prevent the disease among them. The only clinically-approved tuberculosis (TB) vaccine -- Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) -- is given at the time of birth. Also Read | Delhi Horror: Seven-Year-Old Minor Girl Raped in National Capital; Police Lodge FIR. The efficacy of BCG vaccination in newborns is well known and has a documented protective effect against meningitis and disseminated TB in children, Dr Padma Priyadarshini, Director, ICMR's National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) said. However, scientists say there is considerable uncertainty on BCG revaccination. It is known that BCG revaccination enhances immune responses, but it is yet to be established if BCG revaccination can help prevent TB disease in household contacts, she said. Also Read | Rajasthan Shocker: 2 Five-Star Hotel Employees Held for Raping 21-Year-Old Colleague. "The primary aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of BCG revaccination compared to oral chemoprophylaxis in preventing tuberculosis in household contacts of the same age group," Dr Priyadarshini said. A total of 9,200 children will be recruited across seven sites in India for the study. The study is designed as a multicentre randomised controlled trial with two groups of healthy household contacts aged 6-18 years receiving either the BCG vaccine or oral chemoprophylaxis. They will be followed up for 24 months to compare the incidence of TB in each arm. As of now, there is no reported data of how many children develop the disease in this age group and how many die due to the disease, Dr Priyadarshini stated. "We have got all the regulatory approvals. We are waiting for funds to be released. We are getting the sites ready. We hope to start the study before the end of this month," she said. According to official sources, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has had one round of talk with the health ministry over BCG revaccination of adults, and another meeting is scheduled for next week. All children will be household contacts of microbiologically confirmed pulmonary TB patients. Both C-Tb skin test positive and negative children will be included. Similarly, both well-nourished and malnourished children will be included. All children will be followed up for 24 months post recruitment and the incidence of TB (all forms - PTB/EPTB) will be compared between the groups. India has pledged to end tuberculosis by 2025, five years ahead of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target of 2030. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): IndiGo Airlines operations were crippled last week as hundreds of flights faced massive delays in many cities of the country due to the non-availability of cabin crew and staff, who according to industry sources had gone for job interviews. IndiGo flights were delayed on Saturday and Sunday. Also Read | CBSE Class 10th Result 2022 Live Updates: CBSE 10th Term 2 Result Likely To Be Declared Today on cbse.gov.in; Know How To Check Here. Industry sources said that the IndiGo staff had gone for job interviews being conducted by Air India. "The second phase of Air India's recruitment process was scheduled for Saturday and most of the cabin crew members of IndiGo who took leave had gone for it. This means that the crew members of Indigo had gone to join the recruitment process of Air India after taking leave in the name of the illness. Due to this, more than 900 flights of Indigo got delayed across the country," said industry sources. Also Read | Delhi Shocker: Angry Over Dog's Barking, Man Attacks Pet, Its Owner and 3 Others With Iron Rod in Paschim Vihar (Watch Video). Tata-owned Air India announced the hiring of cabin crew on June 28 and July 1 in Delhi and Mumbai. "Attention Delhi and Mumbai, we are hiring cabin crew candidates are requested to kindly carry a copy of SEP cards," Tata had announced on social media. The walk-in-interview for the cabin crew in Bengaluru is scheduled by Tata's Air India on July 7. "Air India didn't conduct any cabin crew interview on Saturday," an Air India Official told ANI. Meanwhile, the aviation watchdog, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sought an explanation from IndiGo on this matter. "The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken strong cognizance of IndiGo operations and sought a clarification/explanation behind the massive flight delays nationwide," DGCA officials told ANI. As per the Ministry of Civil aviation (MoCA) data, only 45 per cent of IndiGo flights were able to operate on-time performance (OTP) within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time on Saturday. India's largest airline IndiGo currently operates around 1,600 domestic and international flights daily. It has around 277 aircraft in its fleet. Two new airlines Akasa and Jet Airways (2.0) are in the process of starting their operations in a few months and they have also announced the hiring of pilots, cabin crew and ground staff. Sources believe that there may be "poaching of employees in the days to come." (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jul 4 (PTI) The Centre has proposed to allow primary agriculture credit societies (PACS) to undertake activities like dealership of petroleum products, running PDS shops, and developing hospital and educational institutions, in addition to their regular functions. In this regard, the Ministry of Cooperation has floated a draft 'Model By-laws of PACS' on which it has invited suggestions from the state governments and other stakeholders by July 19. Also Read | Realme GT2 Explorer Master Edition To Be Launched on July 12, 2022. The existing framework does not allow PACS to diversify in other areas apart from their core business. The draft model by-laws propose that PACS should be allowed to work as Bank Mitras and common service centres (CSCs), provide cold storage and godown facilities, set up PDS shops besides enabling them to work in dairy, fishery, irrigation and green energy sectors. Also Read | Andhra Pradesh: PM Narendra Modi Gets Unusual Gift From CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The draft also says that PACS would be permitted to provide community-based service in the field of education, health, tourism and environmental and sustainable development activities. The objective of the Society, as per the draft, is to provide to its members timely and adequate short-term and medium-term credit for development activities related to agriculture, loan for consumption or medical purpose against collateral/pledge financing, maintaining the financial norms in the operational area. The PACS, as per the draft, can "engage in service or business operations (like infrastructure development, community centres/ hospital or education institutions, procurement of food grains, Fair price shop, or any Govt scheme,... "Dealership/agency/Distributorship or supply of LPG/Petrol/Diesel/Green energy/ farm or household Consumables/ farm machinery, training of members for skill improvement, etc) which may enhance the facilities and income of Society or its members." Addressing a conference to commemorate the 100th International Day of Cooperatives on Monday, Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said the central government has floated a draft model by-laws for PACS, and has sought suggestions from state governments. PACS falls in the domain of states. He said the computerisation of PACS will bring transparency to their overall functioning, including in accounting and book-keeping. The Centre on Wednesday decided to computerise all functional 63,000 Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) over the next five years with a budget outlay of Rs 2,516 crore in order to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability in their operations. The scheme, approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will also facilitate PACS to diversify their business and undertake multiple activities and services. At present, the majority of PACS have not computerised their operation and still functioning manually resulting in inefficiency and trust deficit. PACS constitute the lowest tier of the three-tier short-term cooperative credit in the country comprising 13 crore farmers as its members. At present, there are 63,000 PACS in the country and the Centre has a target to set up 3 lakh PACS by 2025. Besides model bylaws for PACs, the government is working on a new cooperation policy, setting up a university and developing a database of cooperatives. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bhimavaram (Andhra Pradesh) [India], July 4 (ANI): Soon after his speech in Bhimavaram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met the family of Pasala Krishna Murthy who was a respected freedom fighter from Andhra Pradesh. PM Modi met 90-year-old Pasala Krishna Bharathi, daughter of the freedom fighter and took blessing from her. He also met her sister and niece. Also Read | Monsoon 2022: AQI in Delhi Satisfactory, Heavy Rains Likley on July 6, Says IMD. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister spoke on the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of Alluri Sitarama Raju in Andhra Pradesh's Bhimavaram and paid tributes to the freedom fighter. "As the country celebrates Amrit Mahotsav of 75 years of independence, we alongside celebrate the 125th anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju. At the same time, 100 years of 'Rampa Kranti' for the country's independence are also completed. I bow down my head and give a tribute to him," said PM Modi. Also Read | GST on Pre-Packed Labelled Food Items to Increase Traders Compliance Burden, Raise Prices: CAIT. He said that the 125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju Garu and the 100th anniversary of Rampa Kranti will be celebrated throughout the year. Highlighting that the freedom struggle is not just a history of a few years, areas, or people, PM Modi said India's freedom struggle is the story of sacrifice and tenacity across the country. The Prime Minister said that from the birth of Sitaram Raju Garu to his sacrifice, his life journey is an inspiration to all of us. He dedicated his life to the rights of tribal society, and at the young age of 27, he sacrificed his life for India's Independence. He said that Andhra Pradesh is the land of heroes and patriots. From great freedom fighters to leaders who stood tall against British Raj, the state has immensely contributed to the freedom struggle. "Andhra Pradesh is the land of heroes and patriots. Here there were freedom heroes like Pingali Venkayya, who prepared the flag of the country. This is the land of heroes like Kanneganti Hanumanthu, Kandukuri Veeresalingam Pantulu and Potti Sriramulu," the PM said. He said during India's freedom struggle, the youth played a pivotal role and today, as we are building a New India, the youth needs to come forward and contribute to this vision. "As we celebrate 75 years of Independence, we need to build an India that symbolizes the vision of our great freedom fighters. A country with equal opportunities, rapid growth and a country where 133 crore citizens come together for the vision of a New India. Today, for the first time after Independence, to create awareness about Adivasi Gaurav and Viraasat we are building museums to tell the story of the great tribal leaders of India," he said. PM Modi also unveiled the 30-feet tall bronze statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju on the occasion. Born on July 4, 1897, Alluri Sitarama Raju is remembered for his fight against the British, in order to safeguard the interests of the tribal communities in the Eastern Ghats region. He had led the Rampa rebellion, which was launched in 1922. He is referred to as "Manyam Veerudu" (Hero of the Jungles) by the local people. The government has planned a series of initiatives as part of the year-long celebration. The birthplace of Alluri Sitarama Raju at Pandrangi in Vizianagaram district and Chintapalli Police Station (to mark 100 years of Rampa Rebellion - the attack on this police station marked the beginning of Rampa Rebellion) will be restored. The government has also approved the construction of Alluri Dhyana Mandir at Mogallu with a statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju in Dhyana Mudra, depicting the life story of the freedom fighter through mural paintings and an AI-enabled interactive system. Later in the day, will also visit Gandhinagar in Gujarat where he will inaugurate the Digital India Week 2022 in Gandhinagar, whose theme is 'Catalyzing New India's Techade'. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chandigarh, July 4: The Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is going to expand its cabinet for the first time today. The oath-taking ceremony of the new Ministers will be held at Raj Bhawan at 5 pm today. Meanwhile, the discussions on the names of the new Ministers and which new faces will join the Bhagwant Mann government are in full swing. Last week, CM Bhagwant Mann visited Delhi to meet the party high command Arvind Kejriwal. Sources said during this meeting, there was a discussion about the cabinet expansion of Punjab and the names of the possible ministers were also mentioned. Punjab CM Swearing-In: Thousands Head for Bhagwant Manns Oath Ceremony Donning Traditional Basanti Turbans. However, on being asked by the ANI about the meeting of the two, Bhagwant Mann said that "there was no discussion about cabinet expansion in the meeting with Arvind Kejriwal, we will decide on it in Punjab". After this meeting on Friday, news came from Punjab on Saturday that the Bhagwant Mann government is going to expand the cabinet. This cabinet expansion is going to happen at a time when AAP has lost the Sangrur Lok Sabha by-election recently and civic elections are also to be held in Punjab in the coming times. In such a situation, it is believed that in this cabinet expansion, efforts will also be made to harmonize accordingly. According to sources, Dwaba and Majha regions can also be represented in this cabinet expansion, because most of the Ministers in the current cabinet of the Bhagwant Mann government are from the Malwa region. Sources said a total of 5 to 6 new ministers, including a woman MLA, are likely to take oath on Monday. At present, Dr Baljit Kaur is the only woman minister in the Bhagwant Mann government. Jeevanjot Kaur from Amritsar East and Sarvjit Kaur Manuke from Jagrao are among the names that are surfacing for the new female face. According to sources, the name of Aman Arora, MLA from Sunam, is in the forefront of the names that are being discussed. It is also believed that the portfolios of some ministers can also be changed. Further, the names of Amritsar South MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Fauja Singh Sarari, MLA from Guru Har Sahai, Samana MLA Chetan Singh Joramajra are also humming around. After winning the assembly elections, apart from CM Bhagwant Mann, a total of 10 ministers were made in Punjab. After the removal of Health Minister Vijay Singla in the corruption case, there are a total of 9 ministers in the cabinet. If 5 more ministers are made, then the total number of ministers including the chief minister will become 15. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, Jul 4 (PTI) A 23 year-old ragpicker was arrested on Monday for allegedly killing two men by smashing their heads with stones in separate incidents in Mumbai and Goa, a police official said. Also Read | Indian High Commission Urges Canadian Authorities to Withdraw Material Disrespecting Hindu Gods. Suraj Ramsevak Yadav killed a man identified as Gajanan Ramchandra Pawar (55) in the early hours of June 21 near Girgaon Chowpatty after a sudden quarrel, the DB Marg police station official said. Also Read | Bengaluru Police Launch Manhunt for Food Delivery Boy Misbehaving with Woman Cyclists. "We found a CCTV footage of Yadav in Bandra. He was held when he arrived at a spot where an NGO gives free food to the homeless. He confessed to killing Pawar and also accepted he had killed one person in Goa by bludgeoning him with a stone," the official said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Udaipur/Jaipur, Jul 4 (PTI) With the situation returning to normal, curfew was relaxed on Monday for 12 hours in Udaipur where a tailor was brutally murdered by two men, leading to communal tension. Mobile internet services are suspended till 12 pm and a decision to restore the services would be taken after a review, collector Tara Chand Meena said. Also Read | Maharashtra: Unidentified Man's Body Found in Car on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway, Police Suspect Murder. "A relaxation of 12 hours from 8 am to 8 pm is there today. The situation is absolutely normal," he said. Curfew was imposed in seven police station areas of Udaipur following the killing of Kanhaiya Lal, the tailor, on Tuesday last and incidents of violence. Also Read | WhatsApp To Soon Let Users Hide Their Online Status From Everyone: Report. He was hacked to death allegedly by Riaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad who said in a video posted online that they had avenged an insult to Islam. The two alleged killers were arrested hours later in Rajsamand. On Thursday night, two more accused who were involved in the recce of the tailor's shop and conspiracy of the murder were also arrested. They are under the custody of NIA. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu, Jul 4 (PTI) A terrorist hideout was busted in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the recovery of six sticky bombs along with other arms and ammunition, police said on Monday. The hideout was busted at the disclosure of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Talib Hussain Shah who along with his associate Faisal Ahmad Dar were overpowered by people and handed over to police in a remote village in Reasi district on Sunday, a police official said. Also Read | Eknath Shinde-Led Maharashtra Govt To Face Floor Test Today. He said Shah revealed the presence of a hideout in his Draj village of Rajouri during questioning and accordingly a raid was carried out and the hideout was busted. The search of the hideout led to the recovery of six sticky bombs, a pistol, three pistol magazines, 19 pistol rounds, an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), three UBGL grenades, 75 rounds of AK assault rifle and one IED remote with antenna, the official said. Also Read | Presidential Election 2022: Droupadi Murmu To Visit Ranchi Today To Seek Support for Her Candidature in Presidential Poll. Shah and his Kashmiri accomplice Dar were arrested from Tuksan Dhok after they were tactifully disarmed by local residents with Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Director General of Police Dilbag Singh lauding their courage and announcing cash rewards for them. However, a political slugfest erupted between the local units of BJP and Congress after Shah was reported to be an active member of the saffron party who was recently selected as its IT and social media cell in charge of the minority morcha in Jammu province. Some pictures emerged on social media purportedly showing Shah with BJP leaders. One of the pictures shows J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina purportedly presenting him with a bouquet and a letter issued by party leader Sheikh Bashir on May 9, assigning him the responsibility of new IT and social media incharge of Minority Morcha (Jammu province). (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hyderabad, Jul 4 (PTI) Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said state governments should adhere to the practice of Governor functioning as Chancellor of state universities as it is a "well tested arrangement". Also Read | Delhi Horror: Seven-Year-Old Minor Girl Raped in National Capital; Police Lodge FIR. "Our point of view is when this arrangement has been started, education is such a topic, stakeholders are very multi-dimensional, everybody should be involved. So, from the day to day administrative point, day-to-day political..., it should be free from all pulls and pressures," he told reporters here. Also Read | Rajasthan Shocker: 2 Five-Star Hotel Employees Held for Raping 21-Year-Old Colleague. The arrangement is that President of India should function as Chancellor or Visitor for national institutions and the Governor should function as Chancellor for respective state universities and it is a "perfect" and "well-tested arrangement", he said. "So, local governments should also adhere to that. They want to create some political issues, it is unfortunate," he said. He was asked about West Bengal replacing the Governor with Chief Minister as Chancellor of state-run universities and the expectation that Telangana may also follow suit. Pradhan was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event after inaugurating three new buildings in the University of Hyderabad (UoH). Asked about some states not implementing the National Education Policy (NEP), he said the Centre, in a federal structure, is expecting everybody to cooperate on the implementation of NEP as it was brought out after wide consultations. Observing that the NEP policy document talks about increasing the employability of students, he asked as to what is the objection of any government. "Teaching, learning method, in the primary level, should be in the local language. Are they opposing the local language pedagogy system in their state? It is up to them to decide," he said. "We want to prepare our students in the global marketplace. NEP is a document of 21st century. There may be some communication gap. I am ready to discuss with everybody," he said. He said he expected, sooner or later, everybody will come around to the view of creating a new knowledge-based society in the country whose responsibility is not only for the country but from the global point of view. Pradhan inaugurated the Centre for Digital Learning and Training Resources, School of Physics and the School of Engineering Science and Technology at the UoH. Speaking at an event after the inauguration, he said linkages between academia, policy makers and industry can create global models that will lead to greater benefit to society. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Thane, Jul 4 (PTI) As many as 472 new cases of coronavirus have been detected in Maharashtra's Thane district, taking its infection tally to 7,29,440, a health official said on Monday. Also Read | Twitter Banned Over 46K Bad Accounts in India in May 2022: Report. With the addition of the latest cases on Sunday, the district currently has 4,724 active COVID-19 cases, he said. Also Read | Gyanvapi Mosque Case: Hearing To Resume Today in Varanasi Court. One death was also reported on Sunday, raising the toll to 11,909. The recovery count in Thane has reached 7,12,716, the official added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 4 (ANI): A student of class 12 was arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police in Ayodhya on Sunday for allegedly murdering his teacher. According to Police, the arrested boy was in a love relationship with the deceased. Also Read | Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narvekar Removes Shiv Senas Ajay Chaudhary As Legislative Party Leader Ahead of Trust Vote, Reinstates Eknath Shinde. "A class 12 boy was arrested for murdering his teacher. He was identified in CCTV footage and his t-shirt was used to nab him," said AP Singh, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Ayodhya. "The arrested boy was in a relationship with the victim teacher. He wanted to get out of the relationship as he was scared of getting exposed. The teacher used to threaten him by making insulting revelations about him. That is why, he murdered her," added the official. Also Read | Eknath Shinde-Led Maharashtra Govt to Face Floor Test Tomorrow. The investigation is underway. Further details are awaited. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Noida, Jul 4 (PTI) A 23-year-old man in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar district was arrested on Monday over allegations of dowry demands and divorcing his wife using the now-banned practice of 'triple talaq', police said. An FIR was lodged against Shamsher of Usmanpur village in Dankaur area at Jarcha police station on June 10 based on a complaint by his wife Shanu, they said. Also Read | Bengaluru Police Launch Manhunt for Food Delivery Boy Misbehaving with Woman Cyclists. The woman alleged she was harassed and assaulted for dowry by her husband and in-laws. The couple got married in Junde 2020. "A case was registered against accused Shamsher for demanding dowry, abusing, beating and threatening to kill his wife. Shamsher also divorced his wife by pronouncing triple talaq. He was arrested today (Monday) from the Holdoni turn in Greater Noida," a police spokesperson said. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Panchayat Poll 2022: Authorities Look for Solution After Dead Man Wins Sarpanch Election in Sagar District. The woman claimed she was assaulted in April and divorced on May 19. She has been living at her parents' home in Jarcha since the divorce, officials said. She alleged in her complaint that her in-laws and husband were demanding money and a motorcycle. On a delay in the arrest of the accused, Jarcha police station in-charge Shripal said, After the FIR was lodged on June 10, both sides had undertaken mediation in a bid for reconciliation. The police took action after the mediation talks failed. Besides Shamsher, his mother, three sisters and a sister-in-law have been named as accused in the case, according to the FIR. The FIR has been lodged under provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 and the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, and IPC sections 323 (causing hurt), 504 (insult), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 498A (harassment of women). The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 declares the instant divorce granted by pronouncement of talaq three times as void and illegal. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) London, Jul 4 (PTI) A man and two teenagers have been charged with the murder of an Indian-origin teenager who was stabbed to death in Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region of England. Ronan Kanda, 16, was attacked in the city last Wednesday and the West Midlands Police launched a murder investigation after he died at the scene. A post-mortem revealed he died after being stabbed twice. Also Read | Japan: Typhoon Aere Forecast To Make Landfall on Kyushu Island, Says JMA. Josiah Francis, 20, from Birmingham and two 16-year-old boys who cannot be named due to being minors appeared before Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court on Monday charged with his murder. "Ronan was a kind-hearted, loving, caring 16-year-old. Our son and a brother who would do anything for anyone, Ronan's family said in a statement issued through the police. Also Read | Afghan Women's Fight for Rights Continues Under Taliban Regime. "He was a funny character who made everyone laugh around him. He is taken from us cruelly and our hearts are broken. We want everyone to pray for his soul now. We will always love you, our son and my brother and you will live within us now, they said. The West Midlands Police said its investigation continues as they examine CCTV and forensic evidence. "Detectives are keen to hear from anyone who may have been driving in the area at the time and who may have captured dashcam footage of the attack or the build-up to it, the police said, with reference to the attack on Mount Road in Lanesfield, Wolverhampton. A 15-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man also arrested last week in connection with the incident have been released on police bail. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) At last months Unison conference, the right wing went on the offensive, attempting to regain control of the union. Instead of resisting this onslaught, however, the left went into retreat. We must learn the lessons of these important events. Ours is not to laugh or to cry, but to learn (Spinoza) We have received quite a few responses to our recent articles on the Unison conference many of them supporting our analysis, and a few which are critical. For example, one positive reply was from a Unison member in Edinburgh, who fears that the mistakes from the Corbyn years are being repeated. Others raised various criticisms, which we welcome, as these will allow us to further clarify our views. Breaking the stranglehold To begin with, we believe wholeheartedly in strengthening the left in Unison. This means building Time For Real Change (TFRC) in all areas of the country, and involving the rank and file. We believe wholeheartedly in strengthening the left in Unison. This means building Time For Real Change (TFRC) in all areas of the country / Image: Socialist Appeal For the past year, the unions right wing has attempted to tie up the left in procedural wrangles. We are glad the left is now seeking to break out of this, and is looking to build up its strength locally. We understand that some on the unions right wing were understandably upset by our recent articles; so much so that Socialist Appeal was raised on Unisons national executive committee (NEC), with the threat of legal action levelled against us. On the other hand, we also received some criticism from those on the left. One critic was Karen Reissmann, an NEC member and member of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), who argued that our articles didnt help anyone but the right. Some even suggested our articles could demoralise union activists, having revealed what had been going on behind the scenes. One thought it was disingenuous, but failed to elaborate. Telling the truth Leon Trotsky once said that the motive force of history was truth, not lies. Our starting point always has to be to tell the truth, offering comradely criticism, however unpalatable, so as to learn from mistakes and move forward. The worst crime would be to bury our heads in the sand. From the beginning, Socialist Appeal has been proud to comment positively on the lefts advance in Unison, and to defend it against unjust attacks from whatever quarter. We supported Paul Holmes, the Time for Real Change candidate for general secretary, who would have won if not for the splitting tactics of the so-called Socialist Party / Image: Socialist Appeal We supported Paul Holmes, the Time for Real Change candidate for general secretary, who would have won if not for the splitting tactics of the so-called Socialist Party, or the left campaign of Roger McKenzie. We also supported the TFRC campaign in the NEC elections, which resulted in a great victory. We had no illusions about this victory, however. It was only ever a first step one that could only be consolidated if the campaign against the right wing and the bureaucracy was taken into the broad membership. Given what was at stake, it was always going to be a stand-up, knock-'em-down fight to the finish. We were prepared to support the left in Unison, but not blindly, of course. We werent going to give anyone a blank cheque. Where there are differences, it is our duty to say so. We had already gone through the bitter experience of the Corbyn years, where the attempts by the left to appease the Labour right wing ended in complete disaster. We didnt want such a defeat to be replicated in Unison, whose right wing are the same animal as Labours traitors. Identity politics It is clear that this years Unison annual conference would be a battleground. The plans of the right wing and the bureaucracy were well prepared. They were, after all, under orders from the ruling class to do everything in their power to destroy the left, and to restore the union to right-wing control. It was a well-orchestrated plot, backed by the establishment. If we are to be honest, the left was taken off-guard. They did not expect such a furious reaction from the right. Many, especially those new to the struggle, were shocked and clearly disorientated by what was happening. Unfortunately, this resulted in wavering and divisions in the left. This surfaced at the pre-conference TFRC meeting on the night before conference, where there was a concerted attempt to overturn the decision to oppose motion 9, submitted by the black members committee. This was a scandalous motion that attempted to slander the left-led NEC, accusing it of white privilege, and of holding back black representation. This was completely false, as the records show. It was a case of the right wing using the poisonous weapon of identity politics through the black members committee as a stick with which to beat the left, nothing more. But rather than call this out and defend the record of the NEC, the SWP members in the meeting played a pernicious role, leading the charge to support the motion with qualifications (which was meaningless). It was Karen Reissmann who said that not to support this motion would mean offending black people. This is not surprising, as the SWP have completely succumbed to identity politics, where class questions are overridden by so-called diversity issues. Their concern was not so much about offending black people, as offending their careerist chums on the black members committee. As we have explained before, under the right-wing union leadership, the interests of ordinary low-paid black workers have been completely ignored, while the black members committee has been promoted. Such committees become an end in themselves; a camouflage to cover up the failure to deal with the real issues affecting ordinary members. What was being proposed in accepting motion 9, especially by the SWP, was that the NEC shamefully condemn itself, so as to appease these committee-careerists, as well as the unions right wing. This was a massive blunder. The SWP would take this capitulation further throughout the week of Unison conference, with disastrous consequences. Smears and slanders We have already mentioned the actions of the so-called Socialist Party (SP), who also climbed into bed with the right wing, this time in the Kirklees 15 campaign. The comparisons with the Corbyn years are clear. While Jeremy Corbyn was branded as an antisemite, Paul Holmes has been accused of being a bully of women / Image: Socialist Appeal The SP scandalously lined up with the employers and the union bureaucrats to victimise Paul Holmes, a long-standing trade union militant. They willingly promoted and participated in a 300-strong meeting of the Kirklees 15, composed mainly of rabid right-wingers and union officials. The comparisons with the Corbyn years are clear. While Jeremy Corbyn was branded as an antisemite, Paul Holmes has been accused of being a bully of women. Both slanders were invented to attack the left. This unholy alliance succeeded in sacking Paul from his job at the council, after a two-year suspension. He was also suspended from the union by the right wing for a similar period, but they were forced to eventually lift the suspension as there was no case to answer. The right wing, supported by the SP, used this crap to smear and attack Paul at the Unison conference. Coup and capitulation The right-wing onslaught certainly shook the left. In a fit of hysteria, the conference passed a vote of no confidence in the NEC. Under this pressure, behind the scenes, moves were afoot to ditch Paul Holmes from the presidential team. The main conspirators involved in this plot were the SWP and the Socialist Alternative group, who were keen to placate the right wing and pander to identity politics a consistent hallmark of these groups. These lefts had the barefaced cheek to organise a meeting to discuss this change a clear manoeuvre without informing Paul. Resting on the disorientation from the right wings assault, and from Pauls absence, they sought to stampede the other lefts into supporting this coup. The left were also under pressure from the right wing, who were now howling for a statement from the NEC in response to the earlier vote of no confidence. When a further left meeting was called for the Thursday evening of conference, Steve North, from Socialist Alternative, stuck the knife in and moved a motion to formally remove Paul Holmes from the presidential team. Norths argument was that Paul was now damaged goods, and that there was a need to placate the right by promoting women and black members. This essentially meant throwing Paul under a bus, and giving in to the unfounded slanders and lies of the right wing, who were baying for blood. The left were clearly buckling under the pressure. Furthermore, behind Pauls back, other nominations had been submitted for the presidential team, so as to replace him when the time came. Under these circumstances, after enduring days of constant attacks from the right wing, Paul, who felt personally betrayed, withdrew his nomination in the light of someone else being nominated without Pauls knowledge. Shamefully, the man who had helped deliver the lefts victory had been sacrificed to appease the right wing. Retreats and resignations Of course, until the old regime is firmly back in the saddle, the right wing will never be satisfied, whatever compromises the left make. The parallels with the experiences of the Corbyn movement could not be clearer. At that time, Labours right wing invented accusations of antisemitism in order to beat the left. But the left consistently failed to answer these allegations politically. Each retreat by the left, meanwhile, only emboldened the right, leading to a full-scale retreat. The vote of no confidence from such a rigged conference should not have been a signal to throw in the towel, but to declare war and go to the rank and file of the union / Image: Socialist Appeal As the union right wing pressed home their advantage, the SWP completely lost their heads. At the Thursday morning NEC meeting, after the result of the no confidence motion had been announced, Unison general secretary Christina McAnea stated that if she were the one facing such a vote she would resign. This prompted right-winger Gordon McKay to propose that the whole NEC resign. Incredibly, this proposal was supported by the SWPs leading member Karen Reissman. Fortunately, the rest of the left voted this proposal down. After pressure from the right wing, a special lunchtime NEC meeting took place on the Friday. At this, McKay once again raised his motion that the NEC should resign. Instead, the SWP representatives argued that the elections for a new NEC should be brought forward. But they were told by the general secretary that this was not possible under the rules. Under these circumstances, the SWP representatives didnt oppose the right-wing motion, but sheepishly abstained. A Socialist Worker article quoted Karen Reissman: We think we have to take the vote of confidence seriously, but if the whole executive resigned, you will have no national executive for four or five months. We wouldnt be able to support demonstrations or organise protests. We should be able to bring forward NEC elections, which are due to start in January. We wanted to bring them forward but the union rules dont allow this. (Socialist Worker, 19/6/22) Why give into pressure and propose holding early elections, when the left should be standing their ground and taking their fight to the broad membership? It was rank-and-file members, after all, who had elected the left NEC in the first place. While the rigged conference voted no confidence in the NEC, there is plenty of confidence amongst the membership for left-wing policies and a break with the past. Such a retreat, as proposed by the SWP, without any clear strategy, would turn things into a rout. It would be like turkeys voting for Christmas. The vote of no confidence from such a rigged conference should not have been a signal to throw in the towel, but to declare war and go to the rank and file of the union. Class fighters vs careerists To add insult to injury, the left planned to issue a statement of apology to the conference. As expected, the original statement drawn up by the full-time staff was for the left NEC to sign its own death warrant. The revised statement, however, although not as brutal as the staffs, was still a capitulation. Through this grovelling apology, the left were in effect prostrating itself before the right wing and the bureaucracy. It was like lambs to the slaughter. These workers have been left behind under years of right-wing leadership / Image: Rwendland Foolishly, the NECs statement said that the outright lies raised by the right wing represent serious issues which must be addressed! It goes on: We have listened. We have listened to deep concerns about fair representation and have already begun to take action in response to concerns about equalities and proportionality on the NEC. The NEC accepts serious mistakes have been made. We apologise to conference. This is downright pandering to the right wing and identity politics. Fighting on this boggy terrain, you can never win. It is the reason why Paul Holmes was removed from the presidential team. The only way you can involve more women and black workers in the union is to become a fighting union on behalf of the working class, with policies that improve lives; not with tokenism. Most of these self-organised group (SOG) committees are completely unknown to the mass of ordinary members of the union. Many activists are deeply sceptical of the way that the bureaucracy promotes the gravy train for careerists, often on full-time release from work, while at the same time seeking to undermine and marginalise genuine class fighters in the union What have these committees done for ordinary low-paid women or black workers? The record speaks for itself. These workers have been left behind under years of right-wing leadership, who have merely paid lip-service to the struggle against low pay and discrimination, while using the self-organised group structures to bolster their position. It is about time people told the truth about this scandal. We should elect class fighters, in every branch, region, service group, and SOG. Only by creating a fighting, militant union can you offer a way forward. The dead hand of the right wing and the bureaucracy is only interested in class collaboration and cosy deals with the employers. This whole rotten regime should be thrown into the dustbin of history. The NEC should open the books and seriously review how the unions money is being spent. The admission of serious mistakes is an outrage in the face of this right-wing onslaught. The only serious mistake made by the left is not to confront these slanders head on. Instead, the left-led NEC says it will work in partnership with McAnea, the right-wing general secretary, to assess the whole of this conference week and all of its Motions and Rule Amendments passed. Rigged conference It is not us, Socialist Appeal, that plays into the hands of the right wing, but the retreat and weakness of the so-called left. As we know full well: weakness invites aggression. As left Unison activist Jon Rogers recently wrote in his blog: In preparation for the first in-person conference in three years, the machine was able to mobilise delegates who would be supportive of their position, by way of their control of 1000 paid staff; and found that the tools of the Standing Orders Committee, including the prioritisation process, which had been developed to sanitise conference and remove controversy under the previous leadership, could now be turned to good use in ensuring that conference would provide repeated opportunities for attacks upon the left-wing NEC. In this way, the stage was set for a series of debates, which were intended not only to ensure that the NEC could make no positive progress, but also to break the will and spirit of relatively inexperienced new NEC members, not least by way of an unremitting tide of hostility directed at Unison President Paul Holmes. (our emphasis) The only way this could have been prevented was to have a firm leadership that would not buckle. This was a time to remain firm and hold the line. Unfortunately, this did not happen. So disoriented were the left that they allowed a scandalous rule change (targeted at Paul Holmes and the left) to pass concerning the status of sacked members. As this needed a two-thirds majority, this could have easily been defeated on a card vote but a card vote was not called! This rule change specifically specified that members who were sacked by their employer on the grounds of discrimination or harassment would be ineligible to hold office in the union, or remain as a member for a maximum of two years if unemployed. This was clearly aimed at Paul Holmes, who was victimised by his employer on trumped up charges of bullying. Scandalously, this could now be used to try and remove him from the NEC. This rule amounts to nothing more than a bosses charter. Any employer who wants to get rid of a trade union representative will now simply invent a case of discrimination or harassment to sack them, and under the new union rules prevent them from holding any position in the union. Many Unison members must be wondering what kind of trade union conference the sovereign body of the union could vote for such an abomination. We would maintain that only a rigged conference, dominated by a lay right-wing bureaucracy, could do this. Right-wing revenge The left-led NEC went on to elect a new presidential team one without Paul, the most experienced left leader in the union. Instead, they bent over backwards and accepted the SWPs demand for a more balanced team, which they hoped might placate the right wing. But the right wing will never be satisfied. Arguments have been raised by some lefts that Paul could not remain as president due to a one-year rule. Firstly, Paul never served his full year, due to his unjust suspension. Secondly, there is no such rule in the union rulebook. All it says is that the Presidential team must be elected every year, with no bar on people being reelected if the NEC wishes. Clearly, the left panicked, pushed along by the SWP and Socialist Alternative, and decided to throw Paul under the bus, all of which was done behind his back. Obviously, this failed to satisfy the right wing, who anyways went on to walk out of the conference in protest against the NECs refusal to resign on the spot. The right wing were having none of it. At the very end of conference, the traditional vote of thanks to the President was given by Jon Rogers, who has terminal cancer. As soon as he got up to speak, 90% of the right wing on the NEC, together with all the full-time officers, including the general secretary, walked off the platform in a show of brazen contempt. This was the real face of the right wing, baying for revenge. Where next? In face of this counterrevolution, rather than an inglorious retreat, the left should have stood its ground. It should have gone on the offensive and told some home truths about the behaviour of the right wing and this bureaucratic stitch-up. In such a situation, the best form of defence is attack. Unless the left calls a halt to its retreat and defiantly stands up to the right at the upcoming July NEC, the lefts victory will be placed in jeopardy / Image: Socialist Appeal We raise these points, not out of any feeling of satisfaction, far from it, but simply to tell the truth in the hope that lessons will be learned. Unless the left calls a halt to its retreat and defiantly stands up to the right at the upcoming July NEC, the lefts victory will be placed in jeopardy. We sincerely hope they will heed this comradely warning. The future of over one million Unison members depends on it. Ottawa, July 4: Beijing has urged Ottawa not to interfere in Hong Kong's affairs after Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly asserted that the city's freedom was being suppressed under Chinese authority. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule, Chinese Embassy in Ottawa in a statement said external forces should not make "irresponsible remarks". Hong Kong: Steve Ho Chun-Yin, Pro-Beijing Lawmaker, Photographed Standing Close to Chinese President Xi Jinping Tests COVID-19 Positive. "Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, and no external forces are in the position to make irresponsible remarks. The "deep ties" between Canada and Hong Kong are not an excuse to interfere in Hong Kong affairs," the statement read. "We, once again, urge the Canadian side to respect the rule of law, respect China's sovereignty and unity, and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs in any form. Otherwise, the Canadian side will only bring disgrace to itself and meet with strong reactions from the Chinese side," the statement added further. On Thursday, Joly in a statement said that Canada had direct ties with Hong Kong, with an estimated 300,000 Canadians living in the city and more than 100 Canadian companies with a presence there. "Hong Kong was the first place Canadians fought a land battle in the Second World War. Today, over half a million Hong Kong residents call Canada home and an estimated 300,000 Canadians reside in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is also one of Canada's most important bilateral trade and investment partners, a fact confirmed by the presence of over 100 notable Canadian companies in the territory. These direct ties and the universal values we share enrich our societies and unite us," she has stated. But Joly said freedom of speech and peaceful expression of alternative views had been suppressed over the past two years with the imposition of national security law in Hong Kong. "We call on Hong Kong and Chinese central authorities to act in accordance with international obligations they willingly undertook 25 years ago. The high degree of autonomy provided under the Basic Law and China's commitment to respect the rule of law and to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms is as essential today for the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong as they were when committed to in 1997. They will continue to be so tomorrow and for the next 25 years and beyond," the Foreign Minister further stated. On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong was handed over to the People's Republic of China (PRC) from the United Kingdom under the conditions set out in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. The Joint Declaration provides for fundamental rights, a high degree of autonomy and the "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong. "25 years later, Hong Kong is no longer the city we once recognised," according to Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC). The draconian National Security Law, implemented on June 30, 2020, has been used to punish dissent, curtail protest and freedom of speech and reduce the city's autonomy. Since the law's adoption, there have been at least 183 arrests made and 113 individuals charged, with more than 50 civil society organisations forced to disband and multiple media outlets ceasing to operate. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Beijing [China], July 4 (ANI): The central parity rate of the Chinese currency weakened 208 pips to 6.7071 against the US dollar Monday, media reported citing China Foreign Exchange Trade System. In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 per cent from the central parity rate each trading day. Also Read | Denmark Shooting Updates: Multiple People Shot at Field's Shopping Mall in Copenhagen, One Arrested; Police Urge People To Stay Put and Wait for Assistance. The central parity rate of the yuan against the US dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day. Reports say that China's foreign exchange market saw a turnover of 15.95 trillion yuan (about 2.38 trillion U.S. dollars) in May, down from 17.14 trillion yuan in April. Also Read | Egypt: 2 Women Killed in Shark Attack Near Red Sea Resort, Says Egyptian Ministry. Amid uncertainty over the zero-COVID policy, foreign issuers have hit the brakes on offerings of China's panda bonds for investing in Asia's largest economy. A Chinese renminbi-denominated bond sold in China but issued by a non-Chinese is known as a panda bond. As per Nikkei Asia, the issuances of so-called panda bonds for January to June are down half from a year earlier to a six-year low of 7.9 billion yuan (USD 1.18 billion), data from Refinitiv shows. Only two companies have issued panda bonds in the first half: finance subsidiaries of BMW and Mercedes-Benz Group, down from five issuers a year earlier. Panda bond issuances hit a full-year record of 32.4 billion yuan in 2021, but this year's coronavirus resurgence has given issuers pause, reported Nikkei Asia. While Shanghai and other cities have emerged from the coronavirus lockdowns that disrupted daily life and business activity for two months, the government's hard-line zero-COVID containment policy hangs like a cloud over the economic outlook. "There is no knowing when lockdowns may occur going forward," said Shinichi Seki, a senior economist at the Japan Research Institute. Small banks in China are running into trouble as they are accused of crimes, bad loans and excessive risk, due to the failure of Xi Jinping's zero Covid policy. Peter, a depositor, who had put his life savings of about USD 6 million into accounts at three small banks in China's Henan province, said that he hasn't been able to access them since April, CNN reported. "I'm close to having a nervous breakdown. I can't sleep," CNN Business quoting Peter reported.Apart from Peter, thousands of depositors have been fighting to recover their savings from at least six banks in rural provinces in central China. Last year, China Bohai Bank, a national joint-stock commercial bank, has been accused of secretly using a client's USD 438 million in deposits as collateral. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Paris [France], July 4 (ANI/Xinhua): French President Emmanuel Macron reshuffled his government on Monday for the second time in six weeks, the Elysee (office of the president) announced. Three ministers lost their seats in June's legislative elections and were now replaced. They are Brigitte Bourguignon (health), Justine Benin (sea) and Amelie de Montchalin (ecological transition). Also Read | Highland Park Shooting: Multiple People Shot at During Fourth of July Parade in United States; Heres What We Know So Far. Former Minister of the Overseas Territories Yael Braun-Pivet also gave up her role and she has been appointed president of the National Assembly. Braun-Pivet's ministry will be taken over by Gerald Darmanin, who has also retained his post as interior minister. Also Read | Indian High Commission Urges Canadian Authorities to Withdraw Material Disrespecting Hindu Gods. The previous Minister of Solidarity and Social Cohesion, Damien Abad, who has been accused of attempted rape, was replaced by the previous head of the French Red Cross, Jean-Christophe Combe. The new government has 41 members with 16 ministries, 15 minister delegates and 10 secretaries of state. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who was appointed by Macron on May 16, is expected to present the new government's program in the National Assembly on July 6. (ANI/Xinhua) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Accra [Ghana], July 4 (ANI/Xinhua): Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday urges member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take concerted efforts to root out terrorism in West Africa. Akufo-Addo, also chairman of the regional bloc, made the call in his opening speech at the 61st Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government in Accra, the Ghanaian capital. Also Read | Denmark Shooting Updates: Multiple People Shot at Field's Shopping Mall in Copenhagen, One Arrested; Police Urge People To Stay Put and Wait for Assistance. "Our region continues to be the target of indiscriminate and barbaric terrorist attacks, resulting in the massacre of many innocent victims and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the targeted countries," said Akufo-Addo. According to him, the terrorist attacks in West Africa are now not only focusing on the Sahel but also expanding to the coastal states in the subregion. Also Read | Egypt: 2 Women Killed in Shark Attack Near Red Sea Resort, Says Egyptian Ministry. He urged the subregion to continue to implement the regional action plan against terrorism and coordinate other related initiatives to defeat the threat of terror and insecurity in West Africa. He said the threats could only be quashed through concerted efforts and the collective resolve to combat the terrorists with a united front, urging the subregional bloc to be ready to go the extra mile to ensure the stability of the community and the various member states. "This will reinforce our collective response to this destabilizing threat, and our determination in this end must be stronger than ever. Equally unshaken must be our resolve to maintain the stability of our region and its member states," added Akufo-Addo. The one-day summit, with ECOWAS heads of state and government in attendance, mainly focused on regional and global developments. (ANI/Xinhua) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, Jul 4 (PTI) India is committed to taking care of its armed forces' veterans in the same way as they have taken care of the security of the country, India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu has said as he felicitated the ex-servicemen living in America, including those who fought in the Kargil war. Recognising the services of Indian armed forces' veterans, the Indian Embassy here organised Varishtha Yoddha', an event to honour these ex-servicemen. Also Read | China Urges Canada Not To Interfere in Hong Kong Affairs. More than 140 people, including some distinguished veterans who had fought in various wars and their families, attended the event here on Sunday, a day ahead of the Independence Day of the United States. Also Read | Denmark Shooting: 3 Killed, 3 Critically Injured After Shooting Inside the Fields Shopping Mall in Copenhagen. "As India marks 75 years of Independence, privileged to host & felicitate Veterans of Indian Armed Forces in the US & families today. Their devotion & dedication shaped Indias Defence & Security and is now shaping the India- US partnership," Sandhu tweeted. Addressing the event, Sandhu said: Friends, you have served and sacrificed for mother India, with the utmost sense of duty and selflessness. You and your family members as a part of the 4 million-strong Indian community are instrumental in strengthening India-US ties across a diversity of sectors, Sandhu said. We remain committed to taking care of our veterans in the same way as they have taken care of the security of our country, he said. Sandhu said it was a matter of pride, privilege and honour for him to be a part of the special gathering. While no recognition and award can do justice to your contributions, today's event in a small way expresses our respect and gratitude and tells you that we are here for you, he said in his admiration for the veterans. "There are people in this room, who have fought for India in 1948, 1962, 1965 or 1971, 1985, the Kargil war in 1999 and in numerous other operations," he said. Today's Varishtha Yoddha event is our humble effort to recognise the sacrifice and service of our veterans and honour them for their patriotism, dedication and willingness to serve and sacrifice all for the nation." Sandhu said Indian veterans, wherever they go, carry the highest standards of duty, discipline and professionalism for which Indian armed forces are known. Our veterans living in the USA remain the flag-bearers of the traditions of our armed forces and continue to inspire the Indian community, he said. The India-US strategic partnership is enriched by their wisdom, hard work and high moral values, he added. In his address, Sandhu said the defence partnership between the US and India has been instrumental in intensifying a variety of pacts between them, including those related to sharing of defence technology and cooperation in maritime security and counter-piracy. India has been designated as a Major Defence Partner' by the US and conducts more military exercises with the US than with any other country. Currently, an Indian naval contingent, including a naval ship, is in Hawaii to participate in the RIMPAC naval exercise, Sandhu told the veterans. Over the last decade, he said, India has procured defence-related acquisitions from the US worth over USD 20 billion. Today, Indian forces are operating US defence platforms, including transport planes, helicopters, howitzers, ships and a number of other light equipment many of which have been fully deployed in operational and humanitarian uses, including during the COVID pandemic to deliver aid and transport medical supplies, said the Indian envoy. In line with Atmanirbhar Bharat', we are moving forward leveraging our comparative advantages and the opportunity for defence industrial collaboration, especially to innovate, co-develop and co-produce for India and for the world, he said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) London, July 4 (PTI) The owner of an Indian restaurant in Wales has been placed under nine-year bankruptcy restrictions after reportedly spending most of the taxpayer support from a COVID fund on drinking and gambling. Rathudi Mahesh Manglanand, 47, was a sole trader who ran the Chutney Roti Indian Restaurant in Cardiff. According to the UK's Insolvency Service, the restaurant had already ceased trading prior to the beginning of the pandemic and was therefore not eligible for COVID-19 financial assistance schemes. Also Read | Japan: Typhoon Aere Forecast To Make Landfall on Kyushu Island, Says JMA. However, in April 2020 Manglanand applied for a GBP 25,000 grant from his local council and the following month he applied for a GBP 18,000 Bounce Back Loan. The restaurateur subsequently applied for his own bankruptcy in July 2021 at which point the Insolvency Service began investigating and uncovered misuse of the COVID-19 financial support schemes. Also Read | Afghan Women's Fight for Rights Continues Under Taliban Regime. The COVID-19 support schemes generously provided taxpayer money to support genuine businesses and anyone who abused those schemes should expect to be caught and punished, said Gavin Seymour, Deputy Official Receiver at the Insolvency Service. Manglanand accepted that his business had already ceased trading and told investigators that he had been drinking heavily and was not thinking straight. He estimated he had lost around GBP 30,000 though gambling in the space of a year. The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng, accepted a nine-year bankruptcy restrictions undertaking from the businessman, which commences on 20 June 2022. The Insolvency Service said in their capacity as Rathudi Manglanand's trustee in bankruptcy, the Official Receiver is assessing assets available in order to recover the COVID-19 support funding. Bankruptcy restrictions in the UK are wide ranging, with similar effects to an undertaking which impose limits on the business activities of an individual for the duration of the restrictions. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Rio De Janeiro [Brazil], July 4 (ANI/Xinhua): A new case of monkeypox has been confirmed in Brazil, bringing the total number in the country to 76, the Ministry of Health reported on Sunday. The case, discovered in the Federal District of Brasilia, involves a man in his 30s who had recently travelled abroad. Also Read | Denmark Shooting: 3 Killed, 3 Critically Injured After Shooting Inside the Fields Shopping Mall in Copenhagen. The patient is in isolation and monitored by medical professionals. The ministry added that it had requested the Center for Strategic Information in Health Surveillance to collect all data on monkeypox cases in the country. Also Read | Denmark Shooting Updates: Multiple People Shot at Field's Shopping Mall in Copenhagen, One Arrested; Police Urge People To Stay Put and Wait for Assistance. Brazil, the most populated country in Latin America, has registered the highest number of cases in the state of Sao Paulo with 52 confirmed infections, followed by Rio de Janeiro with 16. The ministry said the rest of the cases have been reported in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio Grande do Norte, and the Federal District. Brazil reported the country's first case of monkeypox in the city of Sao Paulo in early June. The virus was detected in a 41-year-old man who had travelled to Spain and Portugal. (ANI/Xinhua) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad [Pakistan], July 4 (ANI): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Sunday said that Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz will announce the relief package for the province. While addressing the public rally in Dharampura, for the upcoming re-election in Punjab, said that the present government had increased the petrol and diesel price to save the country from bankruptcy, ARY News reported. Also Read | Asia Shares Cautious as Wall St Futures Slip Latest Tweet by Reuters. During the rally, she blamed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for signing the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on tough conditions. PML-N Vice President claimed that Shehbaz Sharif's government will reduce petroleum product costs when the prices will decrease in the international market. Also Read | Denmark Shooting Updates: Multiple People Shot at Field's Shopping Mall in Copenhagen, One Arrested; Police Urge People To Stay Put and Wait for Assistance. She said that Nawaz Sharif had eliminated the menace of load-shedding in 2018 and gave the nation mega projects like China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Metro Bus Services and Motorways. Maryam Nawaz also said that the country had gotten rid of IMF in 2016 but Pakistan was facing economic troubles once again due to the ineligibility of former-PM Imran Khan, according to ARY News. Maryam Nawaz said that the nation will vote for PML-N for their rights and the development of the country. Earlier in the rally, Maryam Nawaz said that Punjab will wipe out Imran Khan in the upcoming election, local media reported. She also said that on July 17, which was earlier scheduled for provincial re-election but now the new date is July 22, "Punjab would wipe out Imran Khan's politics." Maryam Nawaz said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran khan lost his sense as soon as he lost the Prime Minister post, Geo news reported. "He is the first politician in the country's 70-year history who has asked the 'neutrals' (referring to Army) to bring him back to power," Maryam Nawaz said. Maryam Nawaz then criticised former first lady Bushra Bibi and her friend Farah Gogi and said that these two were Khan's "mega projects" whose money trails directly led to Bani Gala. Earlier, Nawaz addressed a public gathering in Lahore's PP-167 constituency and claimed that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had told the coalition government that they don't trust the country because of "fitna" referred to Imran Khan. Nawaz termed the agreement, which is signed between the Fund and "fitna" Khan, as a "bad deal" and also said that the former Prime Minister took a U-turn by breaching the clauses that Pakistan agreed with the global lender. During her speech, PML-N Vice President claimed that the party supporters from the constituency present in Green Town are more as compared to the number of people attending Khan's "historic rally" on the Parade ground in Islamabad. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Patna, July 4: The health condition of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who is undergoing treatment in Paras hospital here, is stated to be stable, medical superintendent of the hospital said on Monday. Dr Asif Praman, medical superintendent of Paras hospital said: "The RJD chief was brought to the hospital with a fracture on his right shoulder after he suffered a fall. Besides, he is also suffering from other diseases. He is under observation in the ICU and his condition is stable now." Patna Anti-Encroachment Drive: Police Action Leaves Many Injured in Rajiv Nagar, Nepali Nagar Doctors have advised him proper rest for a month and to use a wheel-chair if needed. Tejashwi Yadav, the younger son of Lalu Yadav, also said that his condition is stable. Lalu Prasad fell from the staircase and sustained fractures in right shoulder on Sunday evening. The family doctors had applied a temporary plaster on his shoulder. At 4 a.m. on Monday, he complained about uneasiness and breathlessness. Tejashwi Yadav immediately rushed him to nearby Paras hospital. The doctors admitted him in the ICU and conducted an MRI scan. Lalu Prasad is convicted in fodder scam and he is currently out on bail after completing more than half of the jail term. The RJD leader is suffering from many health diseases including kidney infection, water accumulation in lungs and blood pressure. The 75-year-old veteran socialist leader wants to go to Singapore to consult with doctors for his kidney transplant. Recently, the court has released his passport as well. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 04, 2022 01:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Mumbai, July 4: As expected Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's government supported by Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday sailed through the 'vote of confidence' in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. This is the second big legislative victory for the Shinde government -- sworn-in on June 30 along with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis -- in the past two days. Maharashtra Political Crisis: Raj Thackeray Takes Dig at Uddhav Thackeray, Tweets Ones Decline Begins When He Misunderstands Good Fortune As Personal Accomplishment On Sunday, the alliance candidate and BJP's advocate Rahul Narwekar was elected the new Speaker, trouncing the Maha Vikas Alliance's Shiv Sena nominee Rajan Salvi with a comfortable margin. The Speaker election followed by the trust vote for the Shinde-led government comes on the second day of the 2-day Special Session of the Assembly convened by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 04, 2022 12:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). AFSIC, now in its 9th year, is believed to be the largest African investment event taking place annually outside Africa and has become one of the most important conduits of investment into Africa. What can I expect to experience when attending AFSIC? AFSIC is entirely focused on bringing together Africas business leaders and Africas most interesting investment opportunities with the continents most important investors and dealmakers to facilitate new investment into Africa. As well as exceptional content and industry and country themed keynotes and panels, you will have the chance to engage in structured and unstructured networking of the highest quality. Supported and sponsored by some of the leading Africa-focused corporates, AFSIC 2022 will build upon the success of AFSIC 2021 as economies emerge from the pandemic constraints. Some excellent new sponsors have joined AFSIC 2022 and these can be seen in our profile below. What sort of Networking Opportunities are there at AFSIC? Networking and focused business meetings are at the heart of business at AFSIC. The AFSIC 2022 networking opportunities include: Matchmaking sessions facilitated through the sophisticated Event and Meeting App which goes live one month prior to the event Numerous sessions dedicated to informally meeting a wide range of representatives from investor groups including: DFIs, Impact Investors, Private Equity Investors and Venture Capital Investors The return of the regularly sold-out Meet African Dealmakers event this year to be jointly sponsored by British International Investment (formerly CDC) and Proparco Country Sessions and mini country investment summits focused on the fastest growing African economies with informal networking at the end of each session Various evening social functions hosted by our partners and sponsors What sort of speakers and panel events can I expect to see on the Agenda of AFSIC 2022? Our content is broken down into Industry Streams and this year these will include Advancing Agriculture, Building Africa, Banking on Africa, Fintech Innovation, Power Africa, Sustainable Growth and Informed Investing in parallel to country-focused investment summits and quick-fire sessions highlighting exceptional projects. Our speakers are from a wide pool of exceptional African business leaders who are looking to promote their Africa-focused company from an investment perspective as well as some of the leading institutional investors and dealmakers focused on driving investment into Africa. We have to date confirmed over 150 and our first draft agenda will be live May 1st. Which sponsors and partners are on board for AFSIC this year? In 2022 AFSIC welcomes British International Investment, Moodys, Afrasia, BVI Finance, Norsad Capital, FSD Africa, UK Aid, Fitch Ratings, Executives in Africa, Divercity Urban Property Fund, Jersey Finance, Intrasia Group, Verdant Capital, ICECAP, Innpact and Skaleet on board as sponsors and negotiations are still ongoing with many other exceptional companies who see the value of the association with AFSIC in October and the all year round exposure via the digital platforms. Our excellent media and other partners are also critical to raising the profile of both our sponsors and the conference itself. What sort of speakers and panel events can I expect to see on the Agenda of AFSIC 2022? Our content is broken down into Industry Streams and this year these will include Advancing Agriculture, Building Africa, Banking on Africa, Fintech Innovation, Power Africa, Sustainable Growth and Informed Investing in parallel to country-focused investment summits and quick-fire sessions highlighting exceptional projects. Our speakers are from a wide pool of exceptional African business leaders who are looking to promote their Africa-focused company from an investment perspective as well as some of the leading institutional investors and dealmakers focused on driving investment into Africa. We have to date confirmed over 150 and our first draft agenda will be live May 1st. Which sponsors and partners are on board for AFSIC this year? In 2022 AFSIC welcomes British International Investment, Moodys, Afrasia, BVI Finance, Norsad Capital, FSD Africa, UK Aid, Fitch Ratings, Executives in Africa, Divercity Urban Property Fund, Jersey Finance, Intrasia Group, Verdant Capital, ICECAP, Innpact and Skaleet on board as sponsors and negotiations are still ongoing with many other exceptional companies who see the value of the association with AFSIC in October and the all year round exposure via the digital platforms. Our excellent media and other partners are also critical to raising the profile of both our sponsors and the conference itself. How will the event work as a hybrid event and what can I expect with my digital ticket? AFSIC this year is a physical event primarily with digital access for those unable or unwilling to travel. This builds upon the success of AFSIC 2021 when we realised we would widen our footprint by offering a digital ticket to those unable to attend in person. All content will be streamed live on the event platform and digital delegates will be able to access this as well as take advantage of the exceptional networking and meeting ability of the platform. What sort of Digital Presence and Reach does AFSIC have? AFSIC has exceptional digital reach. We have a network of over 120 000 mailable contacts including institutional investors, investment bankers & financial intermediaries, African business leaders, providers and executives. The Groups 3 websites capture 7 million impressions annually with impressive SEO ranking for over 1500 keywords relating to business, trade and investment in Africa. Can you tell us a bit more about the Digital platforms? AFSIC boasts three award-winning digital dashboards focused on capturing business, trade and investments opportunities across all African countries and all business sectors. The Africa Business Community provides a vast network of African businesses, global businesses, government agencies and service providers. Our sophisticated matching algorithm ranks and matches business opportunities and calls for business posted on our Africa Business Opportunities Dashboard, allowing interested parties to connect through this free and open access platform. We also have our closed AFSIC African Investments Dashboard which is catered to matching institutional investors and African companies seeking capital with investor-ready documents. What sort of traction can I expect to get from investors when I post a business opportunity on the Business Opportunities dashboard? In 2021 over 2 million personalised business matching emails were sent and our database sees 20 000 new contacts added annually, all with an interest in business, trade and investment opportunities across Africa and all business sectors. Our AFSIC African Investments Dashboard has a network of 30 000 investors. Our recommendation is that all business opportunity owners make their descriptions as detailed and clear as possible to appear attractive to interested parties and investors. How does the Business Opportunities Dashboard differ from the AFSIC African Investments Dashboard? Our Africa Business Opportunities Dashboard offers free registration, access and connections for all users using automated matching algorithms and individually customised e-communication strategies. The AFSIC African Investments Dashboard is a closed dashboard only viewable by registered investors and uploads are only available for high quality projects seeking equity, debt or hybrid investment capital. We also offer additional bespoke introduction services for our AFSIC African Investments Dashboard clients. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Bengaluru, July 4: The Karnataka Police have launched a manhunt for a biker who has been misbehaving with women cyclists in Bengaluru, police said on Monday. According to police, a speeding biker, suspected to be a food delivery boy was harassing women, but managed to disappear from the spot every time. Separate complaints have been filed in the Sadashivanagar police station in Bengaluru city, the latest being on Sunday when a woman cyclist was hit from behind. She also told police that on May 25, a bike rider who came from behind touched her inappropriately near Mekhri Circle. The incident on Sunday happened at a place on the New BEL Road, which is located 500 meters away from the jurisdictional police station. The accused biker targeted another woman cyclist near the Cauvery Junction Underpass in the limits of Sadashivanagar police station. The victim had also lodged a separate police complaint stating that she had also gone through a similar experience. Pune Shocker: 28-Year-Old Bengali Model Creates Ruckus at Hotel, Abuses Cops and Bites Woman Police Personnel; Arrested. On both occasions, the women cyclists have not been able to identify the bikers or note down the registration number of the bike. Both noticed that the biker carried a bag on the rear side of the vehicle. The police suspected that the same person was indulging in the bad acts. The police have launched a hunt for the accused biker and were gathering evidence through CCTV footage. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 04, 2022 08:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Authorities were left in a dilemma after a dead man won the sarpanch polls in a village in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district. Once declared, students can visit the official website of the PSEB at pseb.ac.in to check their Class 10th result. A #Taliban commander allegedly flew his newlywed bride from Logar to Khost province in eastern #Afghanistan,using a military helicopter, according to local sources. Photo: IANS (Representational image) pic.twitter.com/KuAY0j7in6 IANS (@ians_india) July 4, 2022 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) In a tragic incident, sixteen people were killed on Monday after a bus fell into gorge in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district. Sixteen people who died in the accident included some children. The bus was on its route to Sainj when it fell into a gorge near Jangla village in the morning today. The officials who reached the spot said that the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital. Sixteen people, including some school children, killed as private bus falls into gorge in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district: Officials Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 4, 2022 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) Maharashtra Congress-in-charge HK Patil on Monday said that the way BJP has done a new experiment to break the party (Shiv Sena) in Maharashtra is an example of the BJP's 'Operation lotus'. Reacting to rumours that Congress is likely to pull out of the MVA alliance in Maharashtra, Patil said, "Congress is with MVA, and the 3-party alliance is intact." Check tweet: The way BJP has done a new experiment to break the party (Shiv Sena) in Maharashtra is an example of the BJP's 'Operation lotus'. Congress is with MVA, and the 3-party alliance is intact. Today, we've all voted for the no-confidence motion: Maharashtra Congress-in-charge HK Patil pic.twitter.com/nSC3p8aFnu ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2022 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) Are you a mango lover? Then you might be aware of the World's expensive breed of Mangoes? Miyazaki, a mango variety primarily grown in Japan, costs Rs. 2.7 lakh per kg. Harsh Goenka, chairman of RPG Group, has shared the images of the ruby-coloured fruit on Twitter. According to Goenka, a farmer from Madhya Pradesh cultivated Miyazaki, for which he deployed 6 guards and 3 dogs for protection. Rare Durian Fruit 'J-Queen' Fetches $1,343 Each in Indonesia! World's Smelliest Fruit Becomes Most Expensive. World's Costliest Mango Miyazaki! The unusual ruby-coloured Japanese breed of mango, Miyazaki is said to be world's costliest mango, sold at Rs 2.7 lakh per kg. Parihar a farmer in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh has hired three security guards and 6 dogs to secure the two trees. pic.twitter.com/DxVWfjMT8F Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) July 3, 2022 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) Complaints were made from the leaders of the Hindu community in Canada to the High Commission of India in Ottawa about disrespect of Hindu Gods on the poster of a film which is showcased as part of the 'Under the Tent' project at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. High Commission of India in Ottawa urged Canadian authorities and event organizers to withdraw all provocative material after receiving complaints from Canada's Hindu community leaders. "Our Consulate General in Toronto has conveyed these concerns to the organizers of the event". "We are also informed that several Hindu groups have approached authorities in Canada to take action". "We urge the Canadian authorities and the event organizers to withdraw all such provocative material" stated the High Commission of India in Ottawa in its press release. (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) Mumbai, July 4: According to media reports, at least five people were killed, and 19 were taken to hospitals on Monday after a shooting at a July Fourth parade at Highland Park in a Chicago suburb. The incident took place when the Highland Park Fourth of July parade was suddenly stopped after an unidentified man fired about 10 minutes after the parade kicked off. As per local media reports, an unidentified man wearing a "large, yellow, army-style backpack" opened fire at the 4th of July parade at Highland Park in Illinois. A shooting was reported at a Fourth of July parade route in the Chicago suburb Highland Park, the Lake County Sheriff's office said https://t.co/dRtybG4Yju pic.twitter.com/Pdh1kCkfKV Reuters (@Reuters) July 4, 2022 Check tweet: Active shooter in Highland Park, IL. Avoid Central Ave. My nephew recorded this video. pic.twitter.com/nUFRElrVZi eNreeKaii (@Ri_Kayyy) July 4, 2022 Some posts on social media said that four people died in the firing. While there is no official confirmation or comment from the police, the cops have urged people at the parade scene to disburse as it was not safe to be there. US Rep. Brad Schneider took to Twitter and said offered condolences to the family and loved ones. He also offered prayers for the injured. Check tweet: Hearing of loss of life and others injured. My condolences to the family and loved ones; my prayers for the injured and for my community; and my commitment to do everything I can to make our children, our towns, our nation safer. Enough is enough! Brad Schneider (@Schneider4IL10) July 4, 2022 "We are monitoring the situation closely and in touch with the Mayor," Schneider said. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 04, 2022 10:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). California Governor Gavin Newsom is continuing his attacks on red conservative states and is targeting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis this time. The California governor will be running ads in Florida to call for Floridians to join the fight against Republican leaders who have imposed restrictions on their freedoms. The two are rising stars in their own respective parties, and both are widely seen as the future of American politics. According to CNN, Newsom, a less-controversial and more progressive governor, represents what more liberal states in the U.S. are, as the ever-blue California touts its liberal policies and freedoms. On the other hand, Ron DeSantis has leaned ever more to the right, representing a Florida that is continuing to become redder instead of being a swing state. He has certainly raised eyebrows as he banned books that might suggest racism and banned critical race theory in schools. READ NEXT: Remain in Mexico Policy: Joe Biden Gets Power To End Donald Trump-Era Rule California Governor Gavin Newsom Rewards Companies That Move From States With Restrictive Abortion Laws The move is in reaction to the Supreme Court's decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision which grants that abortion is a right and states can decide whether it will be illegal or not. Florida and Texas have positioned themselves in the more anti-abortion camp and are looking into restricting abortion rights within their state. According to MSN, Newsom, a former mayor of San Francisco, has revealed that California, the fifth biggest economy in the world, will give greater consideration to tax credit awards to companies that moved from states with restrictive abortion and LGBTQ+ rights laws. This comes as companies are moving their headquarters from California to less-tax restrictive states like Texas. Gavin Newsom has been attacking the leadership of these states through social media and is now about to air ads attacking their policies through ads on TV. California's Gavin Newsom Looking to Counter Rise of Florida Governor Ron Desantis Ron DeSantis has been rising in the Republican ranks, embracing the Donald Trump base but also positioning himself as a less-unhinged alternative to the former president. By approving laws that are restrictive to voter rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and women's rights, he has made himself more popular among conservatives. With the ad, Gavin Newsom plans to counter this rise. He first gave the video of his ad in Florida to CNN before paying $105,000 to Fox News to air the ad on July 4. CNN described it as a "classic campaign slot" mixed with the flair of a business investment pitch and California tourism commercials. The ad attacked DeSantis's actions to ban books and restrict voting, speech, and access to abortion. Gavin then urged the people of Florida to join the fight or join them in California. Newsom's re-election campaign paid for it, but the California governor said it was "not the first ad of the 2024, or even the 2028, presidential race." He added that it was an ad for Democrats to reclaim their sense of identity and combat Trumpism. READ MORE: January 6 Hearing: 6 Republican Lawmakers Who Asked Donald Trump for Pardons Named This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Florida Freedom - July 4th - From Gavin Newsom The SNAP benefits 2022 for some families in Texas have been delayed, with some trying to renew their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits since May. This was the case of one Texas resident, Kihayla Soloye, who has been trying to get answers over the phone. According to KXAN, Soloye said it was usually a one-day process, and "they process it and get me some help right away." But in this case, she was told to wait 30 to 45 days and thought she heard it wrong. Soloye said she has a three-year-old son, and gas has been almost $5. The Texas mother noted that she has been "DoorDashing" to get food for her son and gas money. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) manages the distribution of SNAP benefits to state residents. An assistant press officer with the agency, Tiffany Young, told the outlet that there were an estimated 258,000 applications pending processing as of June 26. Young said the department is taking action on the cases as quickly as possible to ensure timely access to important benefits. The press officer added that an increase in applications and staffing shortages have been challenging. Young said the workforce and workload challenges throughout the pandemic had increased in the last few months when certain federal flexibilities ended, which led to an increase in processing times. The HHSC has held job fairs to address the staff shortage and help with recruitment. READ NEXT: SNAP Benefits 2022: Texas, California, Florida, Other States Payment Updates SNAP Benefits Texas The SNAP benefits in Texas have been extended for the month of July, as announced by Governor Greg Abbott's office on Friday. In his office's press release, Abbott said HHSC is providing more than $300 billion in food benefits for the month of June, WFAA News reported. The added allotments are seen to help more than 1.4 million households, according to the governor's office. Abbott then expressed his gratitude to HHSC, saying that every family in the Lone Star State will have access to nutritious meals. All SNAP households are set to receive a minimum of $95 in emergency allotments, which will show in recipients' accounts by July 31. The state has provided more than $7.2 billion since April 2020. Texas HHS Access and Eligibility Services Deputy Executive Commissioner Wayne Salter said in a press release that they were proud to support Texans in providing healthy, nutritious meals for their families. SNAP Benefits July Aside from Texas, some states will also continue to provide additional payments worth at least $95 this July, such as Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Oregon. MARCA reported that Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin are also expected to release additional SNAP benefits this month. The additional funds will be credited to the recipient's electronic benefits transfer card, which is used like a debit card but has the added condition of only working at authorized stores. READ MORE: SNAP Benefits 2022 Update: $301.8 Million Texas Payments Confirmed for July 2022 This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: EBT UPDATE for July 2022: Who's Getting Extra Benefits & When - From Low Income Relief Chicago shootings have occurred during the July 4 weekend, with Chicago police reporting over 60 people being shot -15 of them fatally- since Thursday. WGN9 News reported that one of the homicides occurred on Sunday on the 700 block of North Springfield at 10 a.m. Police noted that a 38-year-old man was sitting outside a building when an unknown person got out of a dark-colored car and fired shots. The victim was shot in the chest and head. Police have not released a detailed description of the person. READ NEXT: 10-Year-Old Girl Shot, Killed Florida Woman With Whom Her Mom Got Into a Fight Chicago Shootings Victims A 24-year-old woman was also killed on Friday night during a shootout between two men in the city's Chinatown area. One of the gunmen and two others were wounded during the incident, according to a Fox News report. The woman who was struck in the torso was taken to Stronger Hospital. Police said that she died of her injuries. Meanwhile, four more people were wounded in West Garfield Park on a Friday night when a man walking down the road opened fire on the group. A 25-year-old man was struck in the back and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital. The victim was listed in serious condition. The three other victims were also taken to the hospital but are now in good condition. A 30-year-old man was also fatally shot in the head on the city's South Side early Saturday. Police said they had no suspects in custody. Another Mount Sinai Hospital patient was listed in critical condition, a 90-year-old man who suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Police reported that they have talked to a person of interest in the case. A man who is between 25 and 35 years of age was shot multiple times in the head, upper torso, and body, according to police. He was transferred to Christ Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police said that he was walking down S. Kedzie Ave. when a dark-colored car drove by, and a person exited the car and shot the victim. Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown said in a press conference that the July 4 weekend would be difficult for the police. Brown called on parents to supervise their children and their safety, saying, "don't leave them to the government to be the parents of your kids." July 4 Weekend Violence Two people have been killed and 10 others were injured in a wave of violence over the July 4 weekend in Indianapolis City, as reported by WTHR 13 News. Among the incidents occurred on Saturday afternoon on the northwest side of Indianapolis. The victim was reported to be in a stable but serious condition. Mayor Joe Hogsett stood side by side with police and faith leaders to call for a different narrative this year earlier this week. Leaders have encouraged community activities and other events to keep people busy, have fun, and stay safe. It included activities such as free access to city pools and the Safe Summer Program. READ MORE: Chicago Police Officer Shot in Englewood, Marks Second Cop to Be Shot in the Area This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Fourth of July brings crowds to downtown Chicago - from WGN News The Texas State Supreme Court blocked an order which briefly allowed abortions to resume within the state. This forced abortion clinics to shut down and stop abortions within the state entirely. The decision blocked a ruling made by a judge in Houston that allowed clinics to resume abortion operations for up to six weeks into pregnancy. According to the Associated Press, the American Civil Liberties Union said that it doubted that any abortions were now being provided within Texas the very next day. Abortion Clinics Wind Down Operations and Cancelled Appointments Amy Hagstrom Miller, president of Whole Woman's Health, told the Associated Press that Texas clinic workers were winding down their abortion operations and had "heartbreaking conversations" as they were forced to cancel several appointments with women seeking to end their pregnancies. Miller released a statement saying that she aches for the people they have dedicated their lives to serve, as well as those who were denied the right in the years to come. Several Planned Parenthood affiliates in Texas have also felt the repercussions of the decision, as they have not resumed abortion services after the restraining order was placed. According to the ABC News, a long-dormant 1925 criminal law that targets individuals who performed abortions has now resurfaced after the U.S. Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade. Clinics have argued that this law is invalid after Roe v. Wade. But with the landmark decision being overturned, this decision has returned to prominence in Texas. Anti-abortion advocates in the state have praised the state Supreme Court's decision to block the ruling. The state also has a 2021 law designed to ban abortion if ever Roe gets overturned. READ NEXT: Mexican Feminist Groups Are Helping US Women Gain Access to Abortion After Roe v. Wade Overturned Other U.S. Red States Also Facing Repercussions Following Roe v. Wade Overturn While Texas has been leading the way for anti-abortion supporters, other red states have been following suit, where both abortion service providers and patients struggle to get any support. One of these states is Florida, which passed a law banning abortions after 15 weeks. It went into effect last Friday, though a state judge said he is signing a temporary order blocking the law next week, arguing it goes against the state's constitution. The Florida law may have more repercussions in the South, as AP news reports. This is because Florida currently allows greater access to abortions than other southern states. Women often travel to Florida, which is often the nearest state that provides greater freedom to get an abortion. With the new law, women in nearby states have fewer options to end their pregnancies. Planned Parenthood Montana has also stopped providing medication abortions to women from nearby states that have banned abortions. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood North Central States, which services Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska, has told patients that they must take the pills while in a state which allows abortions. READ MORE: First Mexican Woman to Play in Wimbledon Since 1996 Follows in Grandfather's Footsteps This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by Rick Martin WATCH - Texas clinics halt abortions after state high court ruling - FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth . Department of Homeland and Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday appeared to blame the migrants after at least 53 of them died in the recent Texas truck tragedy. Speaking to CBS' "Face The Nation," Mayorkas underscored that the Texas truck tragedy was a result of what could happen if migrants will continue to take the "dangerous journey" to the United States, per Fox News. "We have said repeatedly and we continue to warn people not to take the dangerous journey," Mayorkas underscored. The DHS secretary also highlighted that the "false information" the migrants receive from human smugglers is also a factor why migrants keep putting their lives in danger. The DHS secretary went on to say that the criminal organization that takes migrants to the U.S. does not care for the migrants' lives and only focuses on profits. READ NEXT: Jayland Walker Police Shooting: Disturbing Bodycam Video Released; LeBron James Reacts Texas Truck Tragedy: Semi-Truck Driver Claims to Be Unaware of Air Conditioner Not Working A day before Mayorkas made his statement in the CBS interview, a court document revealed that the suspected driver of the truck claimed that he did not know that the air conditioner in the vehicle had stopped working. The driver mentioned in the court document was identified as 45-year-old Homero Zamorano, who was found hiding near the truck. Zamorano was reportedly a conspirator of Christian Martinez, who is also charged with the death of the 53 migrants. Both of them were accused of exchanging text messages before and after the truck was found. Federal court documents revealed that Martinez and Zamorano had spoken after the deaths were reported. According to reports, both suspects will face the death penalty if found guilty of smuggling and conspiracy charges. Two other suspects, identified as Juan Claudio D'Luna- Mendez and Francisco D'Luna-Bilbao, were accused of being involved in the smuggling incident. Both Mexicans were charged with firearms possession and with being in the U.S. illegally. Texas Truck Tragedy Kills 53 Migrants The semi-truck tragedy in San Antonio, Texas occurred on June 28, with initial reports claiming at least 67 migrants onboard. Meanwhile, prosecutors in San Antonio placed the total number of migrants inside the truck at 64, per BBC. To date, the death toll of the tragedy remains at 53, including 27 Mexicans, 14 Hondurans, seven Guatemalans, and two Salvadorans. On Sunday, Mayorkas was asked how the semi-truck was able to reach Texas. The DHS secretary highlighted the evolving tactics of smugglers in bringing migrants into the U.S. Mayorkas noted that smugglers have become more sophisticated, and they are "extraordinarily organized" than before. Mayorkas then highlighted that the U.S. has indicted more drugs at the port of entry and rescued more migrants "than ever before." READ NEXT: Florida Teen Shot Dead by Gunman Who Thought He Was Going to 'Out' Him on Social Media This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Families Of Victims Of San Antonio Migrant Tragedy Mourn As Four Arrests Are Made - From NBC News Officials from Mexico on Sunday successfully dispersed a migrant caravan that started marching toward the U.S. border on Friday by issuing temporary residence permits. Officials from Mexico's National Institute of Migration said that officials handed out about 3,000 temporary residence permits that would allow participants in the migrant caravan, who are mostly Venezuelans and Central Americans, to stay in Mexico for up to 30 days, according to Associated Press. The latest migrant caravan was only able to advance 28 miles to Huixtla since they started marching on Friday. Officials reportedly gave out the temporary residence permits in Huixtla, Mexico. "We are going to continue to the United States in buses because we already have the permit. We no longer need to walk," said William Molina, a Venezuelan migrant caravan participant. Another Venezuelan migrant, Francisco Daniel Marcano, claimed that he hoped the temporary pass given by the Mexican officials would help them reach the United States. Otherwise, he would work in northern Mexico to earn funds he will use to send his parents and three children back to Venezuela. READ NEXT: Texas Truck Tragedy: DHS Alejandro Mayorkas Seems to Place Blame on 53 Migrants for Making the 'Dangerous Journey' to U.S. Latest Migrant Caravan in Mexico The number of the latest migrant caravan that was stopped by officials from Mexico was unclear, but CGTN reported that participants were "thousands." The migrant caravan reportedly started their journey on Friday in the city of Tapachula. The said area is known to be near the Guatemalan border. The latest migrant caravan was mostly composed of young men from Central American countries, including families and babies in strollers. Reports claimed that in the last 30 days, three large groups of migrant caravans, with people totaling 13,000, have tried to leave the border with Guatemala on foot. However, two of the migrant caravans, composed of mostly Venezuelans, disbanded in nearby towns. Some migrants claimed that they decided to walk to the U.S. to avoid the dangers of taking other modes of transportation, just like the truck tragedy in Texas that killed at least 53 migrants. Other Migrant Caravans Dispersed by Mexico Officials Last month, another migrant caravan headed to the United States amid the Summit of the Americas. The said group also departed from Tapachula, and the participants were estimated to reach around 4,000 to 5,000. However, Reuters claimed that the said caravan was composed of at least 7,000 migrants. According to reports, migrants who joined the June caravan hoped they would get the attention of the leaders present at America's Summit. However, Mexico's National Institute of Migration also dissolved the caravan by reaching an agreement with its organizers. The agency also reportedly assisted migrants in obtaining a document to regularize their stay in the country. The migrant caravan in June is said to be the largest group in recent years that departed in Tapachula, Mexico. READ NEXT: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Slams Joe Biden for Urging Gas Companies to Lower Their Prices This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Migrant Caravan Heads North From Southern Mexico - From Associated Press Hollywood producer David Pearce was charged with the murders of model Christy Giles and her friend, who were later dumped at separate Los Angeles hospitals. Crime Online reported that a 42-year-old actor, Brandt Osborn, was also charged as an accessory to their murders. Prosecutors have decided not to charge a third man named Michael Ansbach. He was initially arrested on suspicion of being an accessory in the deaths of the two women. Pearce was initially arrested in December. He has been in jail for unrelated rape and sexual assault charges. Giles and her friend, Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, an interior designer, were left at Kaiser West Los Angeles. Arzola died on November 24. Three men in face masks were seen leaving Giles and Arzonla's bodies at the hospitals and driving away in a vehicle without license plates. Ansbach is not currently charged in the case, while Pearce was reported to plead not guilty on the day of his arraignment, which is July 11. His lawyer, Jacob Glucksman, has yet to comment on the matter. READ NEXT: Christy Giles: Los Angeles Model's Lifeless Body Dumped Outside Hospital by a Group of Men, Who Allegedly 'Drugged' Her Model Christy Giles and Friend Murdered Christy Giles and Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola were allegedly overdosed on drugs at a residence on Olympic Boulevard in Los Angeles, according to a People report. They allegedly met a group of men during a party at an exclusive venue in the city's downtown area. The Los Angeles model was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, while Arzola later died on November 24 after being found unconscious. A coroner confirmed how the two women died in April, noting that Giles died due to multiple drug intoxication while Arzola died from multiple organ failure and multiple drug intoxication. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office ruled that the women's deaths were homicides. Giles had a fatal mix of cocaine, fentanyl, ketamine, and gamma-hydroxybutyrate acid, which is commonly referred to as date rape drug. Arzola tested positive for cocaine and MDMA, as well as other drugs, which remained undetermined. Christy Giles Murder Investigation Investigators got a warrant in January to search dozens of electronics confiscated from the three men. The Daily Mail reported that Arzola was pictured partying with Pearce hours before her death. The 26-year-old architect was also photographed having a good time with Giles before their murders. Pearce and the women had met up at the warehouse party in Los Angeles that night, wherein Arzola texted Giles, asking whether the model wanted cocaine. Surveillance cameras at the warehouse recorded Arzola and Giles leaving the party with three men in a Hyundai vehicle. They were at Pearce's apartment around 5 a.m. Arzola was an architect who had just moved to Los Angeles from Mexico to take a job as a project manager for a design company. She graduated cum laude from Monterrey University two years ago. Giles' mother was the first family member to receive news of her death. READ MORE: California Health Officials Shut Down Second In-N-Out Chain for Defying Vaccine Mandates for Indoor Dining This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Hollywood producer charged with murder of model Christy Giles and her friend - from CN News A government agency that boosts Laois community development has confirmed to the Leinster Express that it will be the new occupant of a vacant old school in Portlaoise, with a plan to invest public funds to bring it up to high energy rating standards as its Laois headquarters. Laois Partnership Company employs 240 staff across the county, and intends to move 27 of its staff out of Laois County Council's County Hall, into the former St Francis School on the Timahoe Road this autumn. The 1970s flat roofed poorly insulated building (pictured below this week by Leinster Express) had been considered not financially worth renovating or insulating by the Department of Education. However Peter O'Neill, Chairperson of Laois Partnership Company, is confident that it can be upgraded to comply with modern building safety standards and eventually reach a low energy rating. They are on the verge of signing a long term lease with Portlaoise Parish to take on the building, after which works will begin. We are in a position to be able to carry it out. The renovations will be done in phases. We hope to move in September after renovation in the short term to comply with regulations. In the long term we will be carrying out a full renovation on the building and making it energy efficient including installing solar panels, he said. As well as staff offices and training rooms, it is hoped that there will be rooms available to hire out to community groups to hold meetings he said. The building will also be the new base for Failte Isteach, where local volunteers teacher the English language to non Irish people. Currently they are helping 40 Ukrainian people to learn English. It means that there will be no change of use from education and training, Mr O'Neill said. Carparking will be offered at the back of the school in what was the old playground. The prefab classrooms beside the school will remain on site. We are delighted to be making this our new headquarters. It will be ideal for training. It will be a massive positive for the town and will be for the benefit of the community. We will have space to rent out for training and development courses, and a possibility of a remote working hub, he said. The move is the culmination of four years of planning. We have been looking at the building for the past three or four years when I first approached the parish. We are delighted at the assistance we got from Portlaoise Parish and from Monsignor Byrne in particular, Mr O'Neill said. The old St Francis School building, built on land owned by Portlaoise Parish, was vacated a year ago when the special school's 100 children and school staff moved to their new building on the Borris Road. It had followed a five year wait after a new school was first announced in 2017. That announcement by the department only came after parents started a public campaign and formed a sub-committee to seek a new building for their children. Laois Partnership Company gives a range of suppport to develop communities in the county. Those include TUS and CE work placements, business start supports and training for the unemployed, family support, health and wellbeing supports, and training and education. The death has taken place,on July 2, of Rathcoffey man Bernard (Bernie) Campbell. A native of Swinford, County Mayo, Bernie was born November 26, 1915. To give his great age some historical context although he was an infant at the time Bernard would have lived through the 1916 Easter Rising, the Leinster Leader reported last March. In an interview with the newspaper in March, Bernard was asked what was the best moment of all that time. Without a second of thought Bernard said: The day I married my wife, as a smile crossed his face. Bernards wife Eileen passed away in 2014, and he said it turned my world upside down because she was so kind and considerate. Bernard spoke glowingly about his wife, their 61 years of marriage and the five wonderful children they had together. From all their adventures and even owning a shop together, he summed up their marriage by saying whatever we did, we did together and with the approval of one another. In 2015, Rathcoffey parish marked his 100th birthday, including a guard of honour during the morning mass attended by Bernie. Over 200 people attended a special party at Rathcoffey GAA club. In 2015, also, Bernie was honoured with the Papal Benemerenti medal for his work with the Roman Catholic church and the community in the area. Bernie farmed in the Rathcoffey area for years after buying a farm there in 1959. His parents had arrived and started farming at Graiguepottle in 1943 and he spent some time working in Britain in the 1930s. He was a founder member of the Maynooth branch of the Irish Farmers Association. He is survived by deeply regretted by his loving sons Anthony, Bernie, Colman and Jim, daughter Eileen, daughters-in-law Joycelyn, Mary, Annamaria and Caroline, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives and a large circle of friends. Minister Catherine Martin has welcomed the announcement by Music Network of funding totalling 306,096 awarded to performing groups and professional musicians through the Music Capital Scheme. This round of funding, under the Music Capital Scheme, is divided between 28 non-professional performing groups (165,156), 18 individual talented musicians (100,940) as well as 9 emerging professional performing musicians (40,000). This initiative, which is in existence since 2008, is managed by Music Network and funded by the Department. The Music Capital Scheme is designed to provide support for the purchase of musical instruments, and to respond to a broad range of capital needs within the music sector in Ireland. A particular area of difficulty for musicians and ensembles is purchasing musical instruments. The cost of instrument purchase, maintenance and repair can be a costly barrier to the development of many organisations and individuals. The Music Capital Scheme aims to address this. The capital scheme is made of three distinct awards that provide funding towards the purchase of musical instruments both to performing groups and individual musicians at a professional performing standard. This year, an award specifically for emerging professional musicians was introduced. Commenting on these allocations, Minister Martin said: The 2021 round of the Music Capital Scheme will again benefit so many deserving organisations and individuals, just as it has since it was initially launched over a decade ago. I see this capital scheme as one of our key funding initiatives and I wish to express my sincere thanks to Music Network for managing this scheme. The Music Capital Scheme is designed to respond to a broad range of capital needs within the music sector in Ireland. As a former music teacher, I know how important good quality musical instruments are to musicians, bands and groups that engage with their local communities nationwide. Each year funding is ring-fenced for a number of counties and this year funding of 34,500 was prioritised for counties Donegal, Kilkenny and Sligo. Im also delighted to see 26 talented professional musicians benefitting from the scheme, in particular the nine emerging artists who will receive assistance in the purchase of instruments and equipment across many genres, which will support them and their careers for many years to come." Bishop Paul Dempsey was presented with a specially commissioned Bishop's Crozier during a Cemetery Sunday Mass near Naas, Kildare. The parish congregation of Two Mile House officially welcomed back Bishop Paul Dempsey to their Cemetery Sunday service remembering those who have passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic. The event also provided an opportunity for the parish to mark the occasion of, not only Paul Dempseys episcopal ordination, as Bishop of Achonry, but also the silver anniversary of his ordination, having celebrated his first Mass at St Peters Church on July 7, 1997. Fr Paul Dempsey. Pic: Gerard Gallagher On behalf of the parish, Gerard Gallagher, Chair of the local Parish Pastoral Council presented Bishop Paul with a specially commissioned bishops crozier, crafted from bog yew, over 4600 years old and sourced from Clonmacnoise, which was crafted by Helen Connolly. Mr Gallagher said: "We wanted to provide Paul with a gift that shows the prayerful support he has from the parishioners of Two Mile House. "Pauls episcopal motto is a phrase from scripture, Duc in Altum meaning into the deep and from the deepest parts of our ancient bogs, the wood for this crozier, has emerged as a reminder of our past." A large crowd was in attendance on the day, while the local ICA provided refreshments after the event. ABOUT PAUL DEMPSEY Paul Dempsey (born April 20, 1971) is an Irish prelate, the current bishop of Achonry. Dempsey studied for the priesthood in Milltown Institute, St. Patrick's, Carlow College, and All Hallows College, Dublin, and was ordained in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, by Bishop Laurence Fahey in 1997. Fr Dempsey undertook further study in the Milltown Institute in Dublin, completing a Masters in Theology in 2008. In his priestly ministry he engaged regularly with the media, writing in a local newspaper the Leinster Leader, and co-presenting a radio programme on Kildare FM. He served as a curate in Clane, and in the parish cluster of Naas, Sallins and Two-Mile-House, before being appointed Parish Priest of Newbridge. He was appointed Bishop of Achonry in January 2020. His episcopal ordination was scheduled for April 2020 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but finally took place on August 30, 2020. The Veterinary Council of Ireland has recorded the registration of 189 new vets and 82 new veterinary nurses to date in 2022. The total number of vets and veterinary nurses on the Veterinary Council register currently stands at 3281 and 1189 respectively, which is an all-time high in terms of the number of veterinary professionals working in Ireland. These registrant numbers are welcomed in the context of increased demand for veterinary services and on-going recruitment challenges in these rapidly growing and developing professions. Of the 189 newly registered vets, 54 were awarded their Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine Degree from UCD. The remaining vets graduated from a number of schools of Veterinary Medicine abroad, with the most popular being Budapest University of Veterinary Science (which accounted for 35 newly registered vets) and Warsaw University of Life Sciences (which accounted for 12 vets). Of the newly registered veterinary nurses, 33 received their veterinary nursing qualification from UCD, 18 received their veterinary nursing qualification from Athlone Institute of Technology, 7 received their veterinary nursing qualification from Dundalk Institute of Technology, 17 received their qualification from St Johns Central Cork, with the remaining 14 receiving their qualifications from Letterkenny Institute of Technology. Niamh Muldoon, CEO and Registrar of the Veterinary Council of Ireland, said The Veterinary Council is proud to welcome all of the vets and vet nurses who joined our register in 2022. This influx of talent will help to meet the demand for veterinary services across Ireland, and also indicates the strength, growth and demand of the sector. The Council will continue to work with all of our registrants and our stakeholders in the interest of the public and animal health and welfare. Vets from throughout Europe are eligible to register with the Veterinary Council of Ireland through the Professional Qualifications Directive, which facilitates the free movement of veterinary practitioners within the EU through the mutual recognition of professional qualifications. It looks like a nother week of uncertainty for holidaymakers as Aer Lingus cancel yet more flights due to a continued outbreak of Covid-19 among staff, and European strikes loom for the month ahead for Ryanair passengers. Today (Monday, July 4) four Aer Lingus flights from Dublin Airport have been cancelled and five arrivals have been pulled. Meanwhile, Ryanair has stated confidently that it expects minimal disruption, if any to its flights throughout July, despite cabin crew in Spain vowing to take 12 days of industrial action. An Aer Lingus spokesperson said yesterday: Due to a spike in Covid cases, Aer Lingus (was) forced to cancel four return flights (on Sunday). Just over 1pc of Aer Lingus flights have been impacted by cancellations in June. Aer Lingus wishes to apologise to those impacted, and teams at the airline are working to re-accommodate impacted passengers on the next available services as efficiently as possible. System pressures and ongoing issues at some airports and among third-party suppliers have created considerable operational challenges, which have been compounded by a significant spike in Covid cases in recent days. Strikes by cabin crew in Spain are due to proceed from July 12- 28. The Committee of the annual Lough Gill Hospice Swim and Family Fun Day have welcomed the return of the popular charity event this year, with a day full of fun and excitement planned. This year the 10k swim, considered to be one of Irelands toughest outdoor charity swims, - takes place in Lough Gill, Co Sligo, on Saturday, August 13 and entries are now open. The event will start at Parkes Castle in Co Leitrim and end at Sligos Doorly Park. Registration for this years Lough Gill Hospice 10km swim, relay, and virtual swim is open. See here: https://www.loughgillswim.com/race-information-People The event is held in memory of 29-year-old Neill McGarry who died from cancer in October 2010. It has raised a massive 380,000 since its inception in 2011 in support of the North West Hospice. The money raised from this event helps fund vital palliative care services for families throughout the North West. In 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the committee held a virtual swim event allowing participants all over Ireland and beyond to complete their 10km and 2km swims at their own pace in open water environments. The success of the virtual swim resulted in fundraising of over 75,000 for the North West Hospice. This year, as well as the usual Lough Gill in-person swim, the virtual format is once again an option for those who are unable to participate on the day of the main event. Paul (Sam) McGarry, Neills uncle and chair of the swim, said it was vital that events such as the Hospice swim continued to receive the publics support to help them maintain and support services that make a difference for people. The sense that nothing great is easy applies not only to the swim that we organise but also to the fact that charitable events, and not just ours, rely on public support," he said. We are incredibly grateful for all the support we get. This year we are again urging people all over Ireland to support their local charities and the inspiring differences that they can make. Paul is urging as many people as possible to take part in this years swim on August 13. He is encouraging friends and family to motivate one another and take part in the fun relay team event. And for those who would like to support the swim from afar, he urges them to sign up for the virtual event. The Lough Gill Hospice Swim is considered a real test of a swimmers abilities, mentally and physically, with the average swimmer usually taking 3.5 hours to complete the 10km course. But this year, swimmers can also sign up for the relay team event. Organisers say whether a person experiences cancer as a battle or a reluctant journey, one must find the guts and grit to take it on, one stroke at a time. "The 10k swim is tough, arduous, painful, and long but the difference is that the swimmer's struggle is over in a matter of hours. Like this demanding and challenging swim, the cancer journey is a grueling, painful, and exhausting experience that brings a host of thoughts and emotions including fear, apprehension, doubt, frustration, struggle, hope, discovery and for many gratitude, relief and recovery. Both journeys are slow and deliberate, with the companionship and support of family and friends as central to the experience. Participants can register here: https://www.loughgillswim.com/race-information-People can also contact the team on Facebook or Instagram @loughgillhospiceswim where updates and fundraising details can be found. : Tom102 (), : bagua : Desperate, "Brother Bullying" broke his promise : life : BBS (Sun Jul 3 22:11:43 2022, ) Happy coins are poisonous, "disciples" keep their eyes open and close their wallets as the best policy The PAX case exposed Guo Wengui to the core. When the wheel of the law rolled over his head, paying back the money was his only option. A few days ago, Weng Guo Wengui, the beleaguered billionaire "negative", announced that he was going to a mysterious place with no signal, so he would not broadcast live for a month. A liar is a liar after all, and every punctuation that comes out of his mouth exudes the taste of a lie, which starts a clown-like performance in front of the camera again. In the live broadcast on the 4th, it was announced that the three countries of the United States, China and the United Arab Emirates officially adopted the Xi coin as the national reserve currency, and the Xi coin was immediately one hundred thousand US dollars. Benggui repeated the old tune, and continued to use the Zhumadian marketing method to encourage ants to buy coins. With happy coins, luxury cars, planes and beauties are not a dream. Some wild blows, all prove that the plague turtle is insane, and the essence of bloodthirsty is fully displayed. When things go wrong, there must be demons. As a "red criminal", Guo Wengui still owes 60 billion yuan to the Dalian court. Being deported has become his biggest nightmare, and "political asylum" has become his lifelong wish. At the cusp of the storm, he even boasted that China had opened "a door" for him, which is really an unbelievable dream. Guo Wengui's diorama was punctured, and he carried a fine of more than 80 million by the US SEC on his shoulders. He also interfered in the election and played with the judicial system. At this time, slandering the three sovereign countries to use their garbage coins as national reserves, bragging, and making big cakes , is really taking the ant's IQ as food. From the beginning to the end, no sovereign country has ever issued a financial license for its "Xi Exchange", and the linking of Xi coin to gold is even more nonsense. It can be seen that Guo Wengui is desperate at the end of the day, and he does not hesitate to take risks. The virtual currency has indeed tasted the sweetness of the turtle. Even if the SEC is chasing after the poor, it will never give up this fraudulent project with the fastest money. It can be said that it is full of tricks to sell happy coins in the live broadcast. Still remembering that the listing of "Xi Coin" was less than a month old, Guo Wengui acted wisely and made Xi Coin think that the operation was "going straight to the sky" in order to attract more new ants, but he shot himself in the foot. In the face of Guo's comrades' voices of cash-out, seeing that the group is not easy to lead, and people are not easy to cheat, he directed and acted a "pseudo-type smashing" drama, and one move forced "coin lock" to make The believers wanted to cry without tears. Being able to buy and sell is the basic principle of virtual currency, but like a Pixiu, it can only enter and cannot exit. The argument that it is equal to garbage coins is confirmed, and the Ponzi scheme is also exposed. Xia Chunfeng, a big investor in Xiguo, lived a life without food and clothing. As a result, he accidentally made friends and got on a thief boat by mistake. In the end, he ended up being separated from his wife and living on the streets. Those who have fallen into such a tragedy are just the tip of the iceberg. Some ants have neither made a lot of money nor achieved freedom of wealth in the past few years. They touched their empty pockets, and they suddenly woke up. Brag about hi coins. The old dog can't play new tricks, and cuts leeks in different ways just to pay off the fine, which can make the US judicial network open and continue his lingering life of escape. On the other hand, some big ants from the Guo Hei Gang, just like Wengui, are shameless villains with no bottom line, and they are well aware of the Xibi scam. But there is no moral bottom line to sing along with "Brother Bullying" in the live broadcast room. This is to help the evil spirits with the dirty mentality of dying together, so that the essence of the cult can be seen at a glance. The agency was too smart to calculate, and it wasted Qingqing's life. Guo Wengui tried to go bankrupt with impunity, but it didn't work, and the Bankruptcy Bureau has started to search his assets around the world. There is a mountain of evidence to show off wealth, so malicious bankruptcy is absurd, and jail time is inevitable. Guo Wengui claimed that he did not live broadcast for a month, and it was nothing more than discussing countermeasures with lawyers, but his misdeeds have long been outrageous, and no one can save "Guo Jiaozhu". I know clearly that only by paying the fine with real money, can I get a chance to breathe. Xi Coin is a poisonous dish produced by Guo Wengui's black workshop. Spring returns to the earth, all things recover, and those "beggar gang disciples" who are still sleeping should wake up with the wind, recognize the fraudulent nature of Xi Coin, hold their wallets tightly, and don't trip over the same stone twice. , made a wedding dress for others, lost his future, messed up his mind, and lost his life. -- :WWW mitbbs.com [FROM: 137.] The Dublin Airport Authority has said that significant improvements made at the airport are achieving their desired result to alleviate pressure on the system amid a strong return to air travel. The authority said that despite the vast majority of flights operating on time, a spike in Covid-19 cases resulted in some airlines and baggage handling crews being short of staff, leading to flight cancellations and delays at airline check-in desks and bag drop areas. Whereas issues relating to flight cancellations and delayed, or lost, luggage are outside DAAs remit, we empathise with those affected and regret the impact this is having on their passenger experience, it said. It added that baggage is an issue across Europe, the USA and Canada and that it is liaising with affected airlines about baggage issues. The statement comes amid pressures on airlines and airports across Europe after they cut jobs during the depths of the Covid-19 crisis and as travel demand returns after two years of pandemic restrictions. Representatives of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) appeared before an Oireachtas committee in early June to outline its plan for dealing with the summer surge, with Higher Education Minister Simon Harris warning that there could be consequences for management if the airport authority did not get to grips with the surge in demand. Last week, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan got clearance from Cabinet for Defence Forces personnel to be on standby to help staff the airport in the event of a Covid-19 outbreak. This measure is to be stood down in August when the busy holiday period has passed. The DAA issued an update on Monday to say that its plan for the summer surge has been effective, but that the Defence Forces remain on standby to help. The contingency plan now in place to train and have Defence Forces personnel on standby if we experience significant COVID-19-related absences in Security Operations remains prudent, it said. The contingency involves the training of Defence Forces personnel for duties at the Vehicle Control Posts at Dublin Airport, only if they are needed. While they will be on standby, deployment of Defence Forces personnel would only be triggered if ultimately required due to a Covid-19 outbreak. Since Friday, when the school summer holidays kicked in, the DAA said that more than 420,000 passengers travelled through Dublin Airport with 50,000 to 56,000 people departing each day. The DAA said the vast majority of passengers (93% of over 900,000) are getting through security screening in less than 45 minutes. By comparison with the more drastic measures and impacts reported by peer airports internationally, our current plans are proving effective, and we have increasing confidence that, other than COVID risks, we are now in a much more robust position to manage peak summer traffic over the coming weeks. Amid a 1072% increase in passenger traffic compared with this time last year, the DAA acknowledged the challenges the airport faces in managing huge summer holiday demand, as many people begin travelling abroad again now that the Covid-19 emergency has ended. We are keen to avoid capacity reductions, which have been deployed at other UK and European airports, as these would have a material impact on the summer travel plans of a significant number of Irish passengers and families, most of whom have not enjoyed a foreign holiday in over two years and impact business travellers. It advised any passengers who has been impacted by flight cancellations or who need assistance with baggage tracing to contact their airline or the airlines ground-handling company. Passengers are still being asked to be at the airport two and a half hours before a short-haul flight or three and a half hours prior to a long-haul departure, and to add an extra hour if they are checking in a bag. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. The Green Party has welcomed new measures passed in the Oireachtas last week which will give private rental tenants greater security and protection. The amendments to the Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 will mean that: No tenancy in Ireland will have a termination notice period of less than 90 days. Tenancies of less than 3 years will have the minimum notice period increased by 60 days to 180 days. Eviction notices will be null and void unless the landlord informs the Residential Tenancies Board at the same time as the tenant. Further contact between tenant and landlord facilitated to make re-letting easier. The Party spokesperson for Housing, Deputy Francis Noel Duffy said; "This is very good news for tenants in the volatile and uncertain private rental sector. "My colleague Deputy Steven Matthews and I submitted amendments to this effect to the Minister for Housing last year and we are delighted that they will now become law. "The whole idea here is to give tenants more time and to give landlords pause for thought. "Previously, a tenant for less than 6 months could be evicted on 28 days' notice through no fault of their own. This gave families and individuals less than one month to source alternative accommodation. As we all know, this proved impossible for many in the current rental supply crunch. "In this scenario, people were being driven into emergency accommodation who otherwise would have been able to find a new place to live if they had enough time and notice. There is a world of difference between 3 months and 28 days when in a real crisis. "We also presented the Minister and Department with the idea that the RTB be informed simultaneously to the tenant. This is in order to keep landlords honest in terms of their dealings with tenants and ensure everything is legally correct and above board. "It is also intended as a measure to enable the RTB and state authorities to intervene earlier to help people avoid homeless accommodation. "Todays measures will go a long way to protecting tenants and we thank the Minister for listening to us, to tenants advocates and to tenants at risk". Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage Deputy Steven Matthews said; "Todays measures are proof to anyone in politics that good ideas will always have their day. "Deputy Duffy and myself are convinced that tenants needed more time when they were issued with eviction notices to sort out their accommodation situation. Equally, we know that some landlords were evicting tenants unlawfully. "It is our hope that the new rights will be a foundation stone for a whole new system of early intervention to prevent homelessness. "We envisage a situation where, armed with the new knowledge and data at the RTBs disposal, that local authorities and homeless organisations can become aware of tenants who need additional help and provide that to them. "Our guide here is the incredibly successful Integrated Homeless Service in Parnell Street in Waterford city where local authorities have joined forces with the HSE and NGOs such as the Simon Communities and Focus in order to help people avoid homelessness. "They have reported that through their efforts they can help 50% and more of their service users to avoid eviction in the first instance. "I and Deputy Duffy will continue to work closely with Minister OBrien and his officials to ensure we can continue to put in place a system of solid protections for Irelands tenants". The National Final of Diageo Reserves World Class Bartender of the Year 2022 Ireland took place in Three Storey, Dublin on Monday the 30th of May where Mark Cooney of the NolaClan Group was crowned the winner. Five finalists battled it out in the Aperitif & Digestif: Precision & pressure challenge and Fist Full of Roses, Ketel Opus.2, Grinning Beggar, Moon and Harbour were among the winning Aperitif & Digestif cocktails by Mark Cooney. The Precision & Pressure challenge was created by TV chef Mark Moriarty (RTE Beyond the menu, Cook-In & Off Duty Chef) and last years Ireland winner and Global Top Ten Challenger Cal Byrne from the Mercantile Group. The challenge was designed to test their skills at pairing their creations against 4 unique dishes prepared by Chef Mark. Participants were challenged to create four drinks against the clock, pairing a Tanqueray No. Ten Aperitif with Chef Marks Aperitif Canape of Steak & Chips: a Crisp confit potato, dry aged beef tartare, horseradish. Ketel One Vodka then was to be paired against his Aperitif Starter of Chicken liver Royale, passion fruit, pineapple, Roasted coffee. Don Julio Tequila was paired in a digestif against Marks Digestif desert of seaweed caramel custard, redcurrant, hazelnut, wood sorrel. Finally, Roe & Co. Irish Whiskey Digestifs were paired against the digestif Petit Four of Irish coffee choux bun, shiso, yuzu caramel. The competition welcomed Emmy Pip Knight from The Sitting Room @ Delahunt in Dublin, Mark Cooney from the NolaClan Group in Limerick, Eoin Lynne from Cask, Cork, Emanuele Martucci from the Americana Bar in Dublin, and Kevin Hegarty from Glovebox in Dublin with Mark Cooney claiming the coveted title in the end. Mark Cooney will go on to represent Ireland at the World Class Bartender of the Year Global Finals in Sydney in September where they will demonstrate their innovative approach to cocktail creation on a globally renowned stage, competing with over 54 bartenders from around the world. Mark Cooney, winner of the World Class Bartender of the Year 2022 Ireland said: The World Class competition is a true test of skill & passion, and really encourages the cocktail culture across the globe. It helps to shine a positive light on the creativity and skill involved in cocktail creation and this years challenge involving food pairing was fantastic. Im so happy with the result given the calibre of my competitors and Im honoured to be flying the flag for bartenders across the country when I represent Ireland on the global World Class stage in Sydney in September. Nial Molloy, World Class Ireland Lead comments: We were delighted to run the World Class programme in a fully live format again after a tough few years for the industry. It was great to be back in the bars, supporting our trade partners and the talent they entail, and to bring the food element to the final with Chef Mark was a real sign of where the industry is going providing quality flavour experiences and world class hospitality for guests. We want to congratulate Mark Cooney and are looking forward to seeing what they do at the global final, live from The World Class Sydney Cocktail festival this September. Sorcha Ni Chleirigh, Head of Marketing of Diageo Spirits IOI shared in Nials excitement and welcomed the long-awaited return of the awards in-person, adding: The World Class programme fosters innovation and creativity, with our challengers creations becoming more impressive year after year. Mark Cooney, our 2022 Irish champion, did not disappoint, crafting serves that continued to excite the judging panel as the evening progressed. We are so proud of Mark, a worthy winner who will thrive as a World Class ambassador in the coming year. On September 12 15, Mark will compete in the World Class Bartender of the Year 2022 Global Finals in Sydney, Australia. The five-day event will be jam-packed with immersive opportunities for spectators to observe the action as well as participate in incredible World Class Brand experiences. He will compete virtually from Ireland against 54 other contenders from across the world as they sip, shake, and mix their way through a series of innovative tasks in the quest for the coveted title of World Class Global Bartender of the Year 2022. MARK COONEYS WINNING APERTIF & DIGESTIF COCKTAILS Fist Full of Roses featuring Tanqueray No. Ten Gin Ketel Opus.2 featuring Ketel One Vodka Grinning Beggar featuring Don Julio Blanco Tequila Moon and Harbour featuring Roe&Co Irish Whiskey Recipe for 'Fist Full of Roses' Ingredients 60ml Strawberry Balsamic-Infused Tanqueray No.10 30ml Belsazar Rose Vermouth 5 Drops Acid-Adjusted Saline Solution Method Place all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice, stir to chill, pour and serve up in a Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with strawberry dust on the rim of the glass. #WorldClass2022 @WorldClassireland @worldclass Drink responsibly. Visit drinkaware.ie. *Sponsored Content In accordance with the Central government's COP26 commitments, the Ministry of Steel has directed the stakeholders to develop a time-bound action plan to reduce carbon emissions in the steel industry. According to the ministry, the iron and steel industry globally accounts for around 8% of total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions on an annual basis, whereas India contributes 12% to the total CO2 emissions. Therefore, the Indian steel industry needs to reduce its emissions substantially to fulfull the commitments made at the COP26 climate change conference. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India will meet a target of net zero emissions by 2070 at the COP26 global climate summit in November 2021. In a recently held meeting, Union Steel Minister Ram Chandra Prasad Singh urged the stakeholders to develop a time-bound action plan and make concerted efforts for minimizing the emissions from the steel industry in line with the commitments made by the Central Government at COP26. The present scenario, the way forward for promoting the transition towards green steel, various strategies and technologies that can be adopted by the steel industry to produce green steel, and technology readiness levels, were the issues discussed at the meeting. The use of green hydrogen in producing iron and the use of carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) technologies for lowering emissions were also discussed at the meeting. The ministry said R&D project proposals have been in joint collaborative mode from reputed academic institutions, research laboratories and steel companies for the development of new alternate processes and technologies to address the issues faced by the sector and it is also providing financial assistance under the R&D Scheme for the Financial Year 2022-23". Meanwhile, India has over-achieved the 2022 targets for renewable energy. In less than 8 years, solar capacity has increased from around 2.6 GW to more than 46 GW. This has contributed in taking India to the 4th position globally for overall installed renewable energy capacity. In this year's budget, around 2.5 billion USD has been announced just for high-efficiency solar module manufacturing. There is also a huge market for solar stoves, which is necessary for India's clean-cooking movement. Indian start-ups have been instrumental in carrying forward the country's solar ambitions. Architects and builders are also urged to work on the concept of solar trees in the construction of houses that could cater to 10-20 per cent of the household's electricity needs. Efforts have also been made to make solar power more accessible. Solar power tariff has been reduced by more than 75 per cent using plug and play model, and a record low solar tariff of less than 3 cents per unit has been achieved. "Along with energy production, energy storage and energy conservation are also important for sustainability; and we need to work together to find solutions to these issues," Indian Permanent Representative to UN, Ambassador TS Tirumurti stressed while co-hosting a virtual event with Olof Skoog, Ambassador, Head of the EU Delegation to the United Nations. The Ambassador noted that the International Solar Alliance was conceived as a joint effort by India and France and last year in December, a resolution conferring Observer Status to the International Solar Alliance was adopted at the UN. He said that at COP26 in Glasgow, the Prime Ministers of India and the United Kingdom launched the transnational grid initiative - the One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) which is the first international network of global interconnected solar power grid. Soon after a defamation complaint was filed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya's wife Medha Somaiya, a Mumbai court on Monday issued a bailable warrant against Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut. Raut was supposed to appear before the metropolitan magistrate court at Mazgaon in connection with the case but he didn't. On May 18, Medha had filed a criminal defamation complaint against Raut over his allegations of her being involved in a 100 crore toilet scam'. Her complaint termed Raut's allegations baseless and completely defamatory in nature. Medha further in her complaint said that she came across an article in Sena mouthpiece Saamna wherein she was accused of building unauthorised toilets by cutting mangroves without getting necessary permissions from environmental authorities. Saamna in its article alleged that she was involved in a scam worth 100 crore and the then Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation chief Iqbal Singh Chahal submitted a report to the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government. She also said that the defamatory article was picked up by other print and electronic media to create an impression in the minds of the public that she had committed a toilet scam of 100 crore. In light of this, her defamation suit read, These defendants (Raut and others) have denigrated and tarnished image of the plaintiff (Somaiya) in the eyes of the general public, etc. such imputation which by itself harms her reputation is per se defamatory and actionable." The suit further claims that the article in Saamna also implied that she had siphoned public money under the garb of constructing toilets and that her NGO Yuva Pratisthan was fake and fraudulent. She further stated that after her letter to Raut to tender an unconditional apology for the allegations made in the article came to nought, she had addressed a letter to the Senior Inspector of Police, Mulund to register an FIR against Raut for making defamatory statements. However, when even that was not heeded she approached Metropolitan Magistrate at Mazgaon and sought initiation of criminal proceedings against Raut for defaming her. She had also sought directions from the court to ask Raut to deposit 100 crore in the chief minister's relief fund or any other fund which is deemed right by the court and retract the article and published an unqualified apology to her on the front page of the Sena newspaper. Responding to the allegations on Tuesday, Raut had said, He (Kirit Somaiya) can file a suit worth 1000 crore; he is a corrupt man who collected funds from people in the name of saving INS Vikrant and siphoned it off. He has defamed the country in the name of national security." Click here to read the full article. The day her dog went missing, Shanna Phillips lost her mind. Her first week at a bakery in Fairview, North Carolina, she dashed out, mid-shift, to scour the woods. In the three months since shed found and adopted Sassy, that dog had salved her soul and heart after her mother died young of cancer. Effectively, Sassy had done what counseling alone couldnt: roll back Phillips fear of dropping dead at 22. Now Sassy, whod come through hell herself, was lost in a town she barely knew. Sobbing, Phillips phoned her friends and family, mustering a search party of eight. They combed the streets and side yards, postered Quick Marts and stop signs, and mounted large-font bulletins on Facebook for a small beagle mix with soulful eyes. For two days, Phillips neither slept nor ate. At one point or another, there were 20 people chasing down porch-cam sightings of Sassy. Meanwhile, Phillips boyfriend cut short a trip to beachfront Mississippi. I was worried for Sass, but more so for Shanna she loves that little dog like says Bryce Myers, a hydraulics engineer in his mid-twenties. When you know what theyve been through, you get why theyre so bonded. Sassy ran away on a Thursday morning. Friday night, Phillips was at the end of her tether when she heard a scrape at the door. She ran down to open it. There stood Sassy, giving a flick of her tail. She walks in all chill, like, Hows your day been? says Phillips. I got down on the floor, sobbing I could not stop hugging her. Sassy had gone all the way up a nearby mountain and somehow come back home without a scratch. It was one more wonder from a magic dog whose stock in trade seems to be cheating death. Sassys walk-off happened in the fall of 2020, when she was a year-and-a-half old. I met her in the fall of 2021, on the porch of the snug Craftsman that Phillips and Myers rent outside of Asheville. It was a brilliant afternoon in the Blue Ridge Foothills, and Sassy had the zoomies something fierce. Whoossshhh! went the small, brown blur going by, carving the corners of their quarter-acre lawn. Skirrshhh! went the leaf pile as she spin-cycled through the turns. She stopped for a belly rub and a stick of pepperoni, then charged off to scare the bejesus out of a rabbit. Here was a dog in Disneyland, so struck by joy you could plausibly call her stoned. It didnt start this way when Phillips adopted Sassy in the summer of 2020. The dog barfed in her car and pooped in her apartment, all within their first hours together. For weeks, she wouldnt suffer her owners affections, but Phillips was prepared to wait her out. She knew enough of Sassys history to let time, space, and dog treats do their magic. They told me she came from a crazy hoarder who had twenty-something dogs in a trailer, Phillips says. Actually, the count was 29 and crazy doesnt begin to describe the owner. A middle-aged woman in Yellville, Arkansas, with no ties to friends or relations, she was living with her dogs in a storage unit upholstered in piss and shit. The couch she slept on was soaked in urine; the floor was carpeted in turds. Exposure to the toxic particulates in pet waste had sickened, scarred, or killed the units canine occupants. Long-dead dogs lay chockablock with puppies struggling to breathe. Severe mange and bug bites, feet bleached white by urine. Kyle Held, the ASPCAs investigator in the case, has walked hundreds of such scenes in his day. You dont get too attached to footwear in this job, says Held, a burly giant who delivers lines so dry, youre never quite sure hes joking. This case presented him a special challenge: The door of the unit was broken. Held somehow threaded his six-feet-two frame through a rusty window. Using a control pole, he snared the panicked dogs and handed them up to staffers holding crates. Happily, most of the rescues were on the smaller side: beagle mixes under 30 pounds. It got a little gnarlier with the German shepherds, but Helds done this work for 28 years, the past 12 leading a response team for the ASPCA from his home state of Missouri. You want a crash course in animal cruelty, Missouris your state, he says. Tigers, horses, reptiles, dog fights. Its also the world capital of puppy mills. ASPCA ASPCA Often after a seizure by the ASPCA or the A, as staffers call it there are criminal charges pending against the owner and a scrum over custody of the dogs. In this case, however, the hoarder dodged jail time by agreeing to release her pets. (She also signed a binding or else waiver that shed never own dogs again.) The ASPCA had already pivoted to phase two of rescue, installing a temp shelter in a warehouse. Domiciled for weeks there, the dogs were seen by vets, who performed surgery on the most badly injured patients. The ASPCA also flew behaviorists in to assess the mental health of the dogs. They were graded on several axes: fearfulness of people; aggression and hyperarousal; ease of handling and feeding. A few of them scored in the middle range of trauma, meaning the ASPCA could treat and train them at the temporary shelter and prepare them for local adoptions. But the bulk were so stricken by the sight of human beings that they soiled themselves and hid in abject terror. Sassy was one of those petrified dogs. Besides her sundry ailments a coat severely scarred by mange; hookworms, whipworms, a grade-three heart murmur, pain from her skin condition, an ear infection, a low body-condition score (3/9), and grade-two, -three dental disease, per her intake form her psyche was so scrambled by neglect and cruelty that she lived in a state of dread. Staffers had to turn their backs when they fed her. She couldnt bear being looked at, let alone touched. Failing an intervention, shed join the 400,000 dogs put down each year for the crime of being homeless or having behavioral issues. The cruelty of their fate is almost cosmic. Saved from horrific circumstance by cops or rescue teams, they are euthanized shortly after to end their suffering. But Sassy and her mates from the storage unit had a miracle in store. In the spring of 2020, they were trucked hundreds of miles to the worlds first clinic for severely traumatized dogs: the ASPCAs Behavioral Rehabilitation Center (BRC) in Weaverville, North Carolina. There, in three transformative months, theyd get a crash course of nurture and training from data-driven teams of pet behaviorists. In tiny blocks of treatment 15 minutes a day theyd haltingly push through their fear of people, discover the joy of being creatures at play, and emerge from lives of unspeakable pain to become someones wonder dog. It is astonishing to think how indifferent we are in the face of animal suffering. Pigs penned in chutes the size of their bodies on Americas factory farms. Egg-laying hens packed 12 to a cage, their crests caked in shit from the birds above them. Breed dogs trapped in puppy-mill crates, never touching grass or feeling sun on their backs from birth to brutal death. In America, we dont just stomach cruelty, we license and sell it in aisle three. Theres another kind of cruelty we turn our backs on: More than a thousand dogs in shelters are put down daily, and virtually all those dogs could have been saved. Roughly one percent of the euthanized pups were sick or posed a threat to someones safety. The rest were destroyed because their shelter ran out of space or because their behaviors put off adopters. Distressed dogs yelping and cringing in fear; overanxious pups that paced their crates when approached: It was all too easy to pass them up. As for dogs like Sassy, piebald with mange and gnawing at the bug bites on her shins, there was no chance none to leave a shelter alive. Until the BRC came along. ASPCA ASPCA First, though, someone had to find those dogs and take them from the people who did them harm. There are laws on the books banning blatant abuses, but theyre rarely enforced by the cops. Instead, it falls to the animal-welfare groups to root out crimes against dogs. In February 2010, we launched our Field Investigations and Response teams to deal with abuse cases, says Matt Bershadker, the ASPCAs president and CEO, who was hired in 2001 and climbed the ranks to become its leader in 2013. (The Humane Society of the United States formed its own unit in 2009. Its yearslong probes of Americas puppy mills were featured in this magazine in 2017.) In the years since the ASPCA began tracking abusers, its either assisted in or led massive takedowns: the arrests of 10 gangsters in 2013 and the seizure of 367 dogs, the second-biggest dog-fighting bust on record; the rescue of the so-called Missouri 500 dogs the biggest dog-fighting bust on record and the arrests of 26 people; the removal, care, and placement of more than 500 dogs from a fetid puppy mill in Iowa in 2021. But its one thing to free malnourished dogs whove been chained to trees, scarred and bleeding. Its another entirely to soothe their souls and teach them to trust the species that abused them. Not only have they never been held and loved, theyve never really been dogs, says Kristen Collins, vice president of ASPCA Rehabilitation Services. Theyve been widgets for breeders and things gamblers bet on. ASPCA ASPCA Collins is a certified animal behaviorist who joined the ASPCA in 2007. Several years later, she conceived the BRC with her fellow behaviorist at the ASPCA, Pamela Reid. The unit was born of horror and grief, after a particularly gruesome find in Tennessee. One steam-bath afternoon in the summer of 2010, Collins and Reid were summoned by the authorities to a grim tableau. An old man was living at the end of a dirt road in a decrepit trailer packed with dogs. We counted 85 in terrible shape, both physically and behaviorally, recalls Collins. They were skinny to the point of emaciated neither food nor water was set out and there was trash piled everywhere she looked. In those days, the ASPCA had no triage unit, so the team couldnt house or treat the dogs. After brief exams, they were sent to local shelters, where most, if not all, were put down. It broke our hearts to see so much suffering, says Collins. For hours, we drove in dead silence. She resolved then and there that they had to do more: We need to be able to heal them behaviorally so they can go on and live happy lives. Reid and Collins assembled a roving team to respond to such disasters. Those early days, we were trying to MacGuyver with a hair clip and a stick of gum, she says. Theyd rent an empty warehouse, cull vet techs from local shelters, and do the dirty work of triage care. Giving lime baths to dogs with tick bites and ringworm, making boxes and platforms from plywood scraps so mama dogs could escape their week-old pups: It was all improv, but we were building a framework for the holistic model to come. A year later, Collins got a call from a district attorney in Kentucky: 120 dogs had come out of a puppy mill in Morehead in deplorable condition. By then, the ASPCA had its response team ready. Collins worked for weeks at its temp site nearby, throwing everything shed learned in 10 years of training at those dogs. We tried really simple things, like drive-by treating, where you toss a piece of cheese into a dogs kennel as youre walking past it, says Collins, who holds a masters in animal behavior from the University of Illinois. Theyre so undersocialized they cant bear you coming in. But over time, they learn to connect you with something yummy, and start coming closer to the door. Another ploy that worked was bringing in helper dogs: pairing less-fearful pups with panicked ones to play in short sessions. I cant overstate the importance of helper dogs, says Collins. Not only did they help relax the scared ones, they modeled all the stuff that dogs do. Sniffing, chasing, tugging, playing: All that was new to those dogs. Over weeks of treatments, Collins saw marked improvement in a large majority of cases. Even the very fearful started sniffing around their handlers, letting themselves be touched and fed by hand. Here was early evidence, via small-batch data, that badly abused dogs could bounce back. Collins and Reid made their pitch to the ASPCAs chief; Bershadker pitched his board of directors. He came back with the money for a pilot program: a temporary clinic for the worst of the worst cases. Collins and Reid rented kennel space from a shelter in Madison, New Jersey. Before opening their doors, they did brain-dump sessions, scribbling every technique they could possibly think of on a whiteboard. Out of those sessions came the 30 or 40 protocols that form the core of care at BRC. We took the biggest blocks dogs have to getting adopted and broke them down to small parts, says Collins. She cites leashing as an example. It can evoke terror in dogs whove never been handled before: Youll see them freak out, go into gator rolls. Theyll flop to the floor and roll over and over, trying to get that thing off their neck. So she and her behavior specialists took it beat by beat. In those first days, all they did was show the dog a leash while feeding it treats and rations. Next, they let the dog sniff the drag line, a thin cord that clips to collars. Then, they attached it and played follow me, in which the behavior specialist dropped cheese cubes and stepped off quickly, inviting the dog to chase. She feels the weight of the line and gets used to it, says Collins. Once that happens, we grab it and take a few steps, dropping cheese behind us. Repeated over and over, the dog gets used to the pressure around its neck. Soon, its ready for a real leash and the next challenge, walking outdoors. When the Madison site opened in 2013, Collins hoped to save half those haunted dogs. Within months, she had to raise the bar: Almost 90 percent of the dogs in her care improved enough for adoption. Once too terrified to leave their kennel, dogs were coming out to play with other dogs and forming attachments to their handlers. They took to being leashed and walked on trails, went for short rides in staffers cars, and didnt melt down in public parks when exposed to new dogs and people. We knew dogs were resilient, but this was something else, says Collins. It was an ability to trust and forgive. Jesse Barber for Rolling Stone Jesse Barber for Rolling Stone The clinics two-year lease was extended twice. Meanwhile, the ASPCA scoured East Coast states to build a permanent home for the BRC. They found their site in Weaverville, a 15-minute drive from Asheville. Encircled by Trumpland, Ashevilles as much a symbol as it is a city: the promise of an agnostic, tolerant South that never seems to come to pass. Its a peach-fizz town of gastro pubs and gender-fluid teens rocking dusty Chucks and hair colors unseen in nature. Seemingly everyones got a skateboard or a graphic-arts side gig and dogs are part of the mix. You cant go a block here without stepping around someones rescue in a tie-dyed harness or Pride bandanna. Asheville greeted us with open arms, says Bershadker. It was a progressive community that loved pets and animals, and had a census of sentient twentysomethings. The ASPCA bought a parcel in 2014 and erected a clinic like none other. It looms like a spaceship behind its cyclone fence: a sleek, low-slung compound in matte-white brick on 12 sloping acres and trails. Each of the 52 dogs in treatment has a kennel the size of a small dorm room: glass doors and walls, a futon to nap on, and saloon doors to their own fenced dog run. The clinic is divided into A and B pods. Each pod has play spaces inside and out, treatment labs called Real-Life Rooms, and a high-gloss kitchen for food prep. The pods both share a gym yes, a gym for pups, with tunnels and cones and an obstacle course as well as a dog park with high, screened walls so the dogs arent fazed by passing cars. In the afternoon, play groups of six or seven dogs run themselves ragged out there. They chase cubes of cheese and hot-dog bits tossed by behavior specialists and the occasional guest. There are 35 full-time staffers on campus, dozens of volunteers pulling regular shifts, and a robust list of enrichment options available to the dogs. Their daily treatment, however, lasts exactly a quarter of an hour. Theyre so undersocialized that its all they can take, says Collins. Push them any longer and theyll crash. By the time Sassy got to the BRC, her physical woes had responded well to treatment. There were scars on her nose and paws that shed wear forever, but on a dog so pretty, they looked like freckles, not badges of gross neglect. Her psyche, however, was another story. She was scared to the point of extreme around staff and looking for escape routes, per her case file. Especially our male staff, says Darren Young, a behavior specialist who worked with Sassy, then handled her adoption to Shanna Phillips. That made it somewhat challenging, he says with a laugh. Young, whos 49, is an outlier on staff. He and his wife, Christine, owned an IT company and volunteered at New Jersey shelters. In 2013, they launched a project to house homeless pit bulls and connected with the ASPCAs temp site in Madison. There, they got so invested in the work that they studied to become behavior specialists themselves. Hired by the ASPCA, they sold their house and firm and moved to North Carolina with the BRC. Theyre older and better established than most of their colleagues, scruffy thirtysomethings whove kicked around a while before finding their lane in life. Their uniforms gray T-shirts, blue cargo pants, and utility belts packed with treats neatly convey the grunge aesthetic of animal-welfare work. Theres an urgency in their gait as they move about the unit: Dogs are distressed in every kennel. With Sassy, that panic was weirdly mixed. She was, as they say here, conflicted. On the one hand, she was terrified of people. On the other, she was curious and hungry. Man, that little girl loved to eat; she was so food-motivated, says Young. To work past her fear, he employed a technique thats known as treat and retreat. Those first 10 days, hed enter her kennel and soft-toss kibble from a distance. Then, bit by bit, hed lob it closer and step off while she ate it. Eventually, she came near enough to snatch food from his hand. When she did that, hed give her a sly scratch behind the ear, the first bit of handling shed had. By the two-week mark, she was targeting his palm, touching it with her nose for kibble. An affinity was forming highly unusual in a dog so new to treatment. The next step for Young was to spread the love: transfer her affections to other people. Young and his team did rotations with Sassy so that she bonded with all five of them over time. Then they brought in novel people: volunteers who clean kennels and do the endless loads of laundry. Wed have them just sit there and say nothing to the dog, maybe toss her cubes of cheese, says Young. Eventually, Sassy came over to the stranger first, to sniff them, then to bogart hot dogs from their hand. It was amazing to watch her open up, says Young. She still barked a lot they named her Sassy for a reason! but she came a long way in a short time. That she did: Sassy almost set the record for swiftest graduation at BRC. The typical course of treatment here is 13 weeks; Sassy completed the program in just five. She got her framed diploma and a name card coded green, meaning she was ready for adoption. But life had another jolt in store for her. It was early April 2020 the country was locked down tight by the first wave of Covid. Young posted Sassys photo on Petfinder and Adoptapet.com, and reached out to several shelters in the region. When Phillips saw her picture, she was smitten: There was something in Sassys face, she says. She looked like she was smiling. I knew it in my soul: That dog was mine. Phillips reached out to Young. She was anguished to hear that someone else had claimed her first. Bullshit, thought Phillips. She paid Sassy three calls in five days. That first time, she sat in one of the smaller play yards as Young led Sassy in. The little dog ran to the far end of the yard and sat with her back turned most of the visit. She hates me, Phillips thought but returned to BRC. The next time, Young brought a helper dog along. Sassy softened enough to creep near Phillips and scarf the treats that she and her boyfriend lobbed. Things went well enough that the couple took her for a walk. The moment they rounded a corner, though, Sassy flopped to her belly. Shed lost sight of me, says Young, whod strolled away on purpose. I needed to see if she was ready to leave. As it turned out, not quite yet. Finally, on their third date, Sassy let Phillips hold her. She picked up the dog and bundled her in tight. They stood there swaying and nuzzling in the breeze. Lifting her head, Sassy anointed Shanna with the faintest flicker of a kiss. In the nine years since the ASPCA funded its pilot site, the BRC has rehabbed more than 500 dogs and placed them in what staffers call forever homes. None of those pups were finished products when they finished treatment. We get them far enough to thrive in someones house, but the rest is up to that family, says Young. The [dogs] are gonna be afraid still, and theres gonna be behaviors. But if you give em the love and support they need, just watch what they become in a year. Which brings us to the countless adoptable dogs languishing at shelters around the country. We have come a far distance in live releases the number of pups adopted over the past two decades. In 2000, 90 percent of the dogs in pounds were euthanized within days of arrival. Last year, that figure was nine percent, an extraordinary, if incomplete, achievement. For 40 years, the leaders of the animal-welfare movement have waged a two-front war to save pets lives. The first was pushing for spay-neuter laws to shrink the number of homeless dogs. A single unhoused female could birth 600 pups, most of whom would lead wretched lives that ended with a pentobarbital shot. Ten million pets were put down each year: That was the number we used to shock the public into action, says Tom Colvin, the CEO of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, whos been a powerhouse in the field for 50 years. More than 30 states now mandate sterilization, easing but not eliminating the crush at shelters. Jesse Barber for Rolling Stone Jesse Barber for Rolling Stone The second front was changing peoples hearts and minds about where they got their pets. There was so much stigma attached to dog pounds, which used to be located by the sewage plants, says Colvin. But the rescue movement enlightened the public on the virtues of shelter dogs. Adoptions have spiked since the early aughts, then soared out of sight the past two years. Twenty-three million dogs were adopted during the pandemic, a 600 percent increase over the norm. Still, 3 million dogs remain in shelters, many in need of clinical care. The ASPCA can only treat about a hundred dogs a year at its North Carolina location. This fall, it will open a significantly larger unit for dogs with moderate trauma: the Cruelty Recovery Center in Columbus, Ohio. And by summer of next year, it will launch a third clinic: the Recovery and Rehabilitation Center in Pawling, New York, for hyperaroused dogs whose manic behaviors prevent them from being adopted. But no organization can do this job alone. Whats needed is a second wave of rescue pros: a national surge of partners and behavior specialists to prepare those unhoused dogs to go home. To build that wave, the ASPCA put its wallet on the table. Beyond the $40 million to construct its three clinics, it funded an academy at the BRC to teach frontline workers from other shelters. Behind its clinic sits a handsome block of dorm rooms for visiting staff and executives. Ive got a team there now for a core retreat; Id go every month if they let me, says Alison Reder, the vice president of operations at Wayside Waifs, a 200-dog shelter in Kansas City, Missouri. Inspired by what they learned, Waysides leaders built a replica of the BRC behind their busy shelter. The difference in the dogs that go through our clinic its night and day, says Reder. We had a pit bull named Angelo that no one wanted; he spent 200 days at our shelter. But three weeks at our clinic, he went home with a family. Youve never seen a dog so happy, or relieved. Last May, the ASPCA got another of those calls: a house-of-horrors dwelling in Ohio. Out of a single trailer came 90 dogs, living and dying on counters and cabinets and holes theyd dug in the wall. One of those dogs was Cheddar, a small beagle mix who looks a bit like Sassy. Unlike Sassy, that dog was no puppy: Hed gone blind in both eyes from years of exposure to the contaminants in the house. To describe his other ailments would be piling on. All thats germane was the state of his psyche when Cheddar arrived last summer. Oh, boy, says Christine Young. I dont know if Ive had a tougher case. That dog didnt leave its kennel on its own for at least two months. Young, whos married to Sassys behavior specialist Darren Young, was born to treat broken dogs. Shes soulful, soft-eyed, and speaks in spa tones, but you need more than heart for dogs like Cheddar you need an eye for the slightest sign of progress, and the patience to wait as long it takes. Young would not hear the murmurs of other staffers or her own nagging fear about euthanasia. As long as Cheddar exhibited something to build on an uptick in appetite; an interest in other dogs she was resolved to keep pushing. With Cheddar, his blindness made it so much harder; dogs learn to trust through body language, Young says. He had no visual cues. Finally, months along, Young had a breakthrough moment. She was feeding and petting a second dog when Cheddar cocked his head and came nearer. He could kind of, sort of see that I was loving up that dog and that made him competitive, she says. He got close enough to Young to sniff her hand; she gave him a furtive scratch behind the ear. He liked that, so she gave him another scratch. For the first time, she saw his posture soften. But it was autumn before she managed to get a leash on him and walk him to the smaller of the yards. Often, hed whip his head at handlers: He wanted nothing to do with any of us, says Young. But that tiny tell shed spotted his envy of other dogs proved to be her gateway to Cheddar. When Tibbets another of the Ohio rescues presented himself for cuddles, Cheddar would leap on Youngs lap and press against her hand. The months ticked by; Cheddars progress was glacial. No one knew when or if hed make the crucial leap. Eighty-six percent of the dogs at BRC come far enough in treatment to graduate. Simple math will tell you that the other 14 dont; at some point, a decision is made to end a dogs pain humanely. There are team meetings weekly in either pod, then meetings with pod leaders and the clinics directors. Each dogs progress is discussed in those meetings, as well as their sticking points. Do we feel like their quality of life is improving and that theyre able to learn? says Sarah Shively, the senior director of operations at BRC. Can they do canine things like digging and marking, or do they spend the majority of time in a state of fear? If, after months of treatments and approaches, a dog has stalled out and is still suffering around people, a consensus is reached to terminate treatment and end the dogs life. (Some dogs, such as Cheddar, may be in the program for a longer duration if improvements are slow but steady.) But Cheddar thrilled everyone when he finally turned a corner in December. He stopped skulking in his kennel when his behavior specialist approached. In play groups, he roughhoused with other dogs, though his idea of fun was to jump them, feet first, like a canine Jackie Chan. He graduated in February after 28 weeks, a very long stint at BRC. Because of his blindness, the ASPCA kept him in-house till someone in the area applied to adopt him. Andy and Jessica Ferguson had lost a dog to cancer and were grieving her loss deeply when they saw Cheddar. There was a pretty big hole in our house to fill; our other dog, Samson, was grieving, too, says Andy, who, like his wife, is a high school teacher. We seem to choose the dogs who choose us, he says. Its been a fortnight since the Fergusons brought Cheddar home. The space left behind by their sweet hound Sarah has been filled with commotion and squeak toys. The first day the couple left their dogs alone, they erected a pen for Cheddar in the hallway. When they walked in the door, the pen was knocked flat and the two dogs were sunning side by side. Samson broke him out playing doggy linebacker, says Andy. Cheddar is Velcroed to Samson. Except, it seems, at night, when Cheddar hops up on the bed and nestles between Andy and his wife. Hes done that since his second day home. That first night, the couple took shifts on the recliner, catching a few hours sleep apiece with Cheddar curled up in their laps. They know little of his backstory and like it that way their love is such that they cannot bear the details. The word they use most about that dog is grateful. He has dressed their wounds as they have his. Click here to read the full article. Amber Heards legal team filed a motion Friday requesting that the verdict of the defamation trial against her ex-husband Johnny Depp be tossed, including the $10.35 million in damages awarded to Depp by the jury. In addition to Heards attorneys arguing that the verdict is not supported by evidence, the 43-page document submitted to the Fairfax County Circuit Court Friday also calls to investigate improper juror service, claiming that public information indicates that a juror who served during the trial was born in 1970, despite court officials listing their birth year as 1945. This discrepancy raises the question whether Juror 15 actually received a summons for jury duty and was properly vetted by the court to serve on the jury, Heards lawyers wrote. Heards legal team also argues that the jurors $10.35 million award against the actress is inconsistent and irreconcilable with the jurys conclusion both her and Depp had defamed one another. In addition to Depps $10 million in compensatory damages, plus $350,000 in punitive damages, the jury also awarded Heard $2 million in compensatory damages for her counterclaim. Mr. Depp presented no evidence that Ms. Heard did not believe she was abused, Heards attorneys wrote. Therefore, Mr. Depp did not meet the legal requirements for actual malice, and the verdict should be set aside. Depps lead attorney, Ben Chew, commented on the motion to toss the verdict, dismissing it as what we expected, just longer, no more substantive in a statement to Courthouse News. The trial began when Depp, the plaintiff in the case, sued Heard for defamation regarding the 2018 Washington Post op-ed she published alluding to her past abuse allegations. Although the op-ed did not directly mention the Pirates of the Caribbean star, Depp claimed it damaged his reputation and ruined his career. A year prior to the op-eds publication, Heard and Depp divorced after two years of marriage, with Heard alleging that Depp had subjected her to emotional, physical and sexual abuse throughout their relationship. In 2020, prior to the American trial, the High Court of London ruled against Depp in a separate defamation case, after the actor sued the Sun for calling him a wife beater. The U.K. court ruled that he assaulted Heard in 12 of 14 alleged incidents. Since the conclusion of the trial in June, Heard has appeared for interviews regarding the situation, describing the seven-week legal battle that unfolded in the public eye to Today as the most humiliating and horrible thing [she had] ever been through. The Guardian was first to extensively report on Heards motion to toss the verdict. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A teenage boy seriously injured when a fire cracker exploded and damaged his face is facing starvation after his mother failed to continue operating her vending business as she spends most of the time attending him. Godfey Munhungaupi is now losing weight fast as he cannot eat enough. He was supposed to undergo an emergency operation at Mpilo Hospital but due to his low weight doctors did not operate sauing that chances of survival were very low. Ms Rudo Munhungaupi, Godfreys mother said Godfrey is facing a 23-hour operation adding that she is failing to feed her son enough so that he reaches the recommended weight in order for him to undergo an operation. Godfrey is now facing an operation to remove a bone from his feet so that it is used to reconstruct a chin. The boy survives on crushed foods since he cannot chew as he has no teeth. I am currently seeking for help to feed Godfrey. The situation was worsened because I spend the whole day taking care of him. He cannot do anything alone, moreover l have the other three minor children. They all want to eat but the situation is now difficult for me. Doctors refuse to continue with the operation but urge me to go and feed him so that he gets the recommended weight essential for the operation. At the moment he weighs 30 kg so l am appealing for help, she said. Godfrey connected a fire cracker to a solar panel and used his tongue to test current flow, resulting in the fire cracker exploding and his tongue being split into two. He also lost some teeth during the incident. The boy was supposed to undergo five operations; he was first operated on last year at Parirenyatwa Group of hospitals at the after well-wishers donated $54 000 to cover his medical bills. The first operation focused on cleaning and stitching the wounds on the face and mouth while the second operation is targeted to remove bone and tissues from other parts of his body and construct the chin. The boys mother Mrs Rudo Munhungaupi has her son at home but his condition is still critical. She also said the doctors have also suggested that the child needs to go for plastic surgery outside Zimbabwe after the second operation has been conducted. Mrs Munhungaupi said those willing to assist can contact her on 0788 124 461 or send donations to the same number. Herald Click here to read the full article. A shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Ill. has left at least six people dead and 24 others injured, according to the New York Times. A 22-year-old identified as a person of interest in the case was placed into custody early Monday evening. Variety will not identify him. Reports indicate that shots were heard approximately 10 minutes after the parade had commenced at 10 a.m. CT. The victims range in age from 8 years old to 85 years old. Authorities have stated that they believe the gunman had used a high-powered rifle, firing from a rooftop near the parade. Highland Parks government has informed residents to avoid the downtown area, though its initial statement did not specifically reference that a shooting had occurred. The city posted the message to its official Facebook page at 10:45 a.m. CT. Highland Park Police are responding to an incident in downtown Highland Park. All 4th of July events have been canceled. Please avoid downtown Highland Park. Take shelter if in downtown HP. More information will be shared as it becomes available, reads the statement. Highland Park mayor Nancy Rotering shared the same message on Twitter. Neighboring towns such as Deerfield, Ill. have reportedly canceled their own official Fourth of July festivities since the incident began in Highland Park. Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot has stated that the citys police department is providing assistance to Highland Park to bring the shooter into custody. There are no words for the kind of monster who lies in wait and fires into a crowd of families with children celebrating a holiday with their community, Illinois Governor J.N. Pritzker said in a statement Monday afternoon. There are no words for the kind of evil that robs our neighbors of their hopes, their dreams, their futures. Chicago Sun-Times columnist Lynn Sweet shared a brief video of the parades abrupt conclusion. The footage shows groups of people fleeing from the area. Sweet also shared images of noticeably bloodied individuals from the area. Actress Rachel Brosnahan shared that she was raised in Highland Park and called the Fourth of July parade a highlight of the year for so many families. Im sick to my stomach every time news like this comes out, but I dont wish the pit in your stomach as you call your family and friends to make sure everyone is okay on anyone, Brosnahan wrote. No words. I grew up in Highland Park and this parade is a highlight of the year for so many families. Im sick to my stomach every time news like this comes out, but I dont wish the pit in your stomach as you call your family and friends to make sure everyone is okay on anyone. No words. https://t.co/5dE7JB8Z17 Rachel Brosnahan (@RachelBros) July 4, 2022 The Highland Park shooting comes amidst a series of devastating mass shootings in the United States. In late May, 19 students and two adults were killed by a gunman at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Days before, another gunman opened fire on a grocery store in Buffalo, N.Y. while livestreaming his attack on Twitch. Calls for stricter gun control laws have been reignited across the United States in recent months as a response to the sequence of tragedies. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The world Premiere of local filmmaker Tearepa Kahis action-drama Muru will open the Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin chapters of the New Zealand International Film Festival, while American filmmaker Sara Dosas Sundance-winning documentary Fire of Love will open all the other festival locations, which include Gore, Hamilton, Hawkes Bay, Masterton, Matakana, Nelson, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Tauranga and Timaru. Ruben Ostlunds Palme dOr-winning Triangle of Sadness will close the festival in all centers. Other Cannes titles joining the lineup include Charlotte Wells Aftersun, David Cronenbergs Crimes of the Future, Queer Palm winner Joyland, from Saim Sadiq and Sick of Myself, by Kristoffer Borgli. Award winners from this years Berlin International Film Festival include Golden Bear winner Alcarras, by Carla Simon and Natalia Lopez Gallardos Silver Bear jury winning Robe of Gems. Other local films include Fergus Grady and Noel Smyths Gloriavale, Tom Levesques Shut Eye and New Zealand-U.S. co-production Ka Po, from Hawaiian director Etienne Aurelius. The festival, which is reduced in size this year with plans to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels in 2023, will operate across its multiple locations between July 28 and Sept. 4, 2022. Meanwhile, submissions to the second Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia (Dec. 110) are open until Aug. 14. 2022. Filmmakers from Asia and Africa, including the Arab world, are invited to submit films. The films in competition will vie for the Yusr Awards, chosen by an international jury. The Red Sea Golden Yusr award for best film in competition will be awarded $100,000. Cash prizes will also be awarded to best director ($30,000); the Red Sea Golden Yusr for best short film ($25,000) and the Red Sea Silver Yusr for short film ($15,000) in addition to the Red Sea Silver Yusr jury prize ($20,000). Other prizes will be awarded for screenplay, actor, actress, immersive, cinematic contribution and Red Sea: competition special mention. There will also be cash prizes for the audience award and best Saudi film. DOCUMENTARY Filmmaker Artem Litvinenko (Netflix series The Sniffer) has commenced shooting documentary Against All Odds (working title), about the Russian military invasion of Ukraine. Featuring leading military experts, including Gen. Ben Hodges (a commanding general of the United States Army Europe), Admiral Philip Jones (a senior U.K. Royal Navy officer), and Gen. Andrzej Fakowski (a former Polish military representative at the military committees of NATO and the European Union) and former and current Ukrainian ministers of defense Andriy Zagorodnyuk and Oleksiy Reznikov, the film explores how Ukraine managed to thwart the numerically superior Russian army and defeat the aggressor near Kyiv. Participants of these battles will speak in their own words how it was during the first days, determining the further course of the war. The documentary is a joint project of the Organization of Ukrainian Producers and production house Gingers Media, with the support of the Ukrainian Center for Defence Strategies. Negotiations are on for distribution and the film is scheduled to release in the fall. COMMISSIONS BBC Factual has commissioned Crazy Rich Agents (working title), a series for BBC Two and iPlayer, which will show the behind-the-scenes hustle and business acumen it takes to secure the most expensive properties, take them to market and secure sales. With exclusive access to elite real estate company Nest Seekers International, the show follows seven rookie estate agents over the course of the summer as they put everything on the line to sell some of the most impressive and exclusive properties in the U.K. The four-parter is made by Plum Pictures and Diga Studios. It was commissioned by Clare Sillery, head of commissioning, documentaries, history and religion at the BBC and Max Gogarty, commissioning editor. Executive producers for Plum Pictures are Stuart Cabb and Lisa Keane. Executive producers for Diga Studios are Nick Rigg and Tony DiSanto. The series producer is Marie Sylvester and series director is Oli Tridgell. Meanwhile, Channel 4 has commissioned Wonderhood Studios to produce three-part series Super Surgeons: A Chance at Life, following some of the worlds leading surgical oncologists as they employ ground-breaking technology to try to save or prolong the lives of their patients. The series is being made in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support and is produced by the team behind the Grierson-nominated Baby Surgeons. The series has access to The Royal Marsden National Health Service Foundation Trust, one of the worlds leading cancer hospitals, and follows the stories of the patients who put their trust and their lives in the hands of the surgeons. It is executive produced by James W. Newton and Katharine Patrick, produced and directed by Joy Ash and the series director is Ben Rumney. It was commissioned by Jonah Weston for Channel 4. The series is being distributed internationally by BBC Studios. IN MEMORIAM Londons West End is set to dim its lights on July 4 at 7pm local time in honour of British theater director Peter Brook. Brook, a Tony, Emmy and Olivier award-winning director, died on Sunday. He was 97. His career spanned eight decades and included Marat/Sade, the 1964 play about the Marquis de Sade, and an adaptation of Shakespeares Midsummer Nights Dream, both of which earned him Tony awards upon transfer to Broadway. He won an International Emmy for a series of Indian epic The Mahabharata. CONFERENCE Waterstones Childrens Laureate Joseph Coelho will give the creative keynote speech at this years Childrens Media Conference in Sheffield. The speech will take place on July 6. Coelho is known for books and poems including the Luna Loves picture books. The Childrens Media Conference, now in its 19th year, will run online and in-person from July 5-7. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Ni Kuang, one of Hong Kongs most distinguished screenwriters and novelists, has died. He was 87. He died on Sunday in Hong Kong, with local media reporting skin cancer as the cause of death. Ni wrote some 300 screenplays, many in the martial arts genre and many for the Shaw Brothers studio with co-writer Chang Chen. He wrote the scripts for classic films The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and One Armed Swordsman and had a hand in two of Bruce Lees six movies The Big Boss and Fist of Fury though the writing credit went to Wei Lo. As a novelist, Ni wrote the New Adventures of Wesley a series of detective stories that often featured aliens and extra-terrestrial creatures. These were initially serialized in the Ming Pao newspaper from the 1960s and spawned numerous films and TV series (some written as Wisely). For those who are a bit old, they all know that the three greatest talents in the literary world are Jin Yong, (popularly known as Louis Cha), Gu Long and Ni Kuang. After that, no such iconic and epoch-making people have appeared, said Tenky Tin, spokesman of the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, in quotes supplied to the South China Morning Post. I am wondering if this is the end of an era. Gu died in 1985. Cha died more recently, in 2018. Nis own back story is equally colorful. He was born in 1935 in the then Republic of China, with reports differing as to the place, either Ningbo or Shanghai. As a young man in early Communist China, he was employed as a security official in Inner Mongolia writing death sentences. He buckled at the authoritarian rule and escaped to Hong Kong in 1957. After that time, he quickly established himself as a novelist and in the 1960s as a screenwriter. He remained fiercely anti-Communist all his life and never set foot again in mainland China. He said that individual freedom and freedom of expression were paramount. After departing the mainland, I am free without any restrictions and able to talk and think freely, he told a 2019 interviewer. Ni departed Hong Kong in 1992, ahead of the territorys 1997 handover from British rule to Chinese, and moved to the U.S. He returned to live in Hong Kong in 2006 as his wife could not adjust to life in the States. But he remained skeptical of the way the city was being controlled. The Communist Party decides everything. There is no such a thing as one country, two systems, a reference to the promise made to maintain Hong Kongs way of life until 2047. Ni was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2012. He won the Jubilee Honor Award from the Hong Kong Screenwriters Guild in 2018. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you intend to watch the film. Berlinale Silver Bear winner Tomasz Wasilewski isnt afraid of the subject of his latest film Fools, even though he focuses on an incestuous relationship between a mother and a son, played by Dorota Kolak and ukasz Simlat. It was never my intention to shock anyone. I just wanted to tell the story of the hardest love of all, the Polish director tells Variety. Fools, produced by Extreme Emotions and lensed by Romanian DP Oleg Mutu, is set to premiere in Karlovy Vary Film Festivals new section Proxima. New Europe Film Sales is handling the sales. I was wondering what would happen if someone close to me came to me now, saying they were in a similar relationship. I guess, and I can only guess, that at this point in my life, it wouldnt be a problem, he adds. Wasilewski met with some experts analyzing the subject of incest while developing the script. But his role is not to defend such pairings, he stresses, also noting that he shows a consensual relationship between two adults. I think its important to underline this: it has nothing to do with violence or abuse, he notes. I was just moved by the idea that such people are completely excluded by others. But if they are not hurting anyone, what right do we have to destroy their lives? Wasilewski, who has gained arthouse recognition thanks to Floating Skyscrapers, about a gay relationship, and United States of Love, has always been interested in the kind of love the world doesnt understand or doesnt allow. Ive always thought of them as a married couple, not a mother and a son. I saw two people who fell in love with each other, under incredibly difficult circumstances. When Dorota said she couldnt do the film because she didnt understand it, I didnt understand her, he laughs. Kolak, who reunites with Wasilewski after her acclaimed turn in United States of Love, admits it took some time for her to see herself in the story. It was the conversation with producer Ewa Puszczynska behind Oscar-winning Ida and Oscar-nominated Cold War that finally convinced her. Puszczynska serves as an executive producer on another Karlovy Vary entry, Jake Paltrows June Zero. This script obviously forced me to revise the answers that were simple for me so far. It forced me to open my head and my heart, says the actor. No love, not even maternal love, is ever simple or easy. And the relationship with adult children is always more complicated than the love for a child. I am the mother of an adult daughter and our relationship was sometimes turbulent. I realized that life is sometimes so unimaginably complex and films are also here for us to finally look at each other. And try not to judge. Humanity has so many elements and shades that its cruel to marginalize a person just because they have made different choices from the ones that are commonly accepted. The film, not shying away from the physical side of Marlena and Tomaszs relationship, also marks the first erotic scene in Kolaks long career. I wanted to show a woman in her 60s. Ive heard some voices that they should be younger, that it would make their sexuality a bit easier to digest. But I didnt want to tell a story about the beginning of love, I was more interested in its end, says Wasilewski. Tomek helps me overcome my fears, insecurities and shame. He pushes me into completely unknown spaces. You could say that in this case, interesting always means difficult, adds Kolak. Mentioning she has total trust in her director. While it was never Wasilewskis intention to hide the films controversial subject, he wanted to ease the audience into it, allowing them to spend some time with the characters first. But when Marlena decides to bring home her other son, suffering from a debilitating illness, the reality she carefully constructed for her and Tomasz begins to crumble. My grandmother was dying in a hospice. I was much younger back then, but this sense of leaving a helpless person behind, at the mercy of others It seemed terrible to me, says Wasilewski. Marlena left her children, but she was forced to do so. She left them because she wanted to live. At one point, she starts to think of Tomasz as her son once again. Which to him, is just terrifying. Creating a special place for the doomed couple (At the end of the world, where there is rough sea, but the air doesnt move, he says) Wasilewski wanted to show their isolation. Hoping that now, after the pandemic, the audience will understand it a bit better. He also embraced some religious imagery in the film, a move that could incite controversy in his native Poland. I grew up in a Catholic family. Im no longer a believer, but you grow up with these rules, with the concept of heaven and hell, the fear of punishment. For me, they believe in God Tomasz still wears a cross around his neck. They clearly need it, and no one can take it away from them, he observes. Admitting that he will try to push the limits also in his upcoming project, produced by Puszczynska. Ewa is heartbroken, because once again I will talk about very difficult topics, he jokes. I havent learnt any lessons, clearly. But if I would, if I would start approaching it all in a calculated way, I dont know if I would still want to make movies. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Buenos Aires Ventana Sur, Latin Americas biggest film-TV market, has set dates for its 2022 edition, which promises to be the first full-on reunion of its burgeoning regional industry in three long years. Running Monday, Nov. 28 to Friday, Dec. 2, Ventana Sur has also launched a call for applications for Proyecta, its film co-production forum organized by Cannes Marche du Film and the San Sebastian Festival and targeting first or second film projects in development seeking co-production between Europe and Latin America. Launched in 2009, the Cannes Festival/Film Market initiative, organized in partnership with Argentinas INCAA agency, looks vital to regional rebuild in Latin America. It also catches the industry as it is pulled by opposing pressures. Many film-TV professionals are anxious to curb non-essential travel. Yet film and TV industries are being positioned by regional and national governments alike in Latin America as a priority growth sector for post-pandemic recovery. In Ventana Surs biggest new financing initiative, for example, Guadalajaras Agavia Studios, the Film Commission of Mexicos State of Jalisco and VS Blood Window are launching Oscura Tinta, a screenplay competition for fantasy/horror features carrying a $25,000 cash prize. As was underscored by the best-ever 13,400 accreditations at last months Annecy Festival, executives are avidly exploring growth opportunities in an increasingly complex international market. Latin American presence at markets in Europe this year has been stymied by the escalating cost of air travel, many air tickets now double pre-pandemic prices. Many will find the travel cost to Buenos Aires far more affordable. A One-Stop Shop So, post-pandemic, Ventana Sur is underscoring its unique position in Latin America as a one-stop industry shop with unrivalled attendance figures. As in all prior editions, screenings will take place at the Cinemark Puerto Madero and the market at the UCA complex in Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires, a five minute walk away, the two sites forming a compact easy-to-work triangle with the chic but comfortable Hotel Madero, which houses many of Ventana Surs guests. From 2009, when Ventana Sur launched its Primer Corte pix-in-post screening strand featuring Michael Rowes Leap Year, which went on to win Cannes Camera dOr award for best first feature the following May Ventana Sur has launched a bouquet of forums targeting vital growth opportunities for its delegates: First Blood Window; then Animation!, organised with the Annecy Festival; and, next, Proyecta. Ventana Sur built steadily a TV strand from early editions, yielding SoloSerieS, a drama series project competition backed by Netflix. In 2021, it launched Las Maquinitas, a pioneering video game focus exploring synergies with film and TV sectors. After an online 2020 and hybrid 2021 edition, we are thrilled to be able to get back to business as usual in Buenos Aires. The Latin American market is ripe with creativity and the independent financing and sales market is still incredibly fertile, making Ventana Sur an unmissable event for anyone in the content sales, production and distribution industry, said Jerome Paillard, Ventana Sur co-director, He added: With both a co-production forum and a TV arm in addition to its thriving film market, Ventana Sur is the ultimate all-in-one stop on your year-long festival and market circuit. We look forward to welcoming back longtime partners and greeting new participants. Bullish Attendance Figures Ventana Sur has also released bullish attendance figures for its most recent editions which other events in Latin America can only dream of. Launched to ramp up sales on Latin American movies as he region ramped up production levels, Ventana Sur soon attracted hundreds of often young producers searching for co-production opportunities. They have proved in turn to be magnets for directors and writers. Hence the current makeup of Ventana Sur delegates. In 2019, Ventana Sur boasted 2,600 participants, including 425 non-Latin American international professionals. Attendees included 425 distributors, VOD platforms execs, sales agents, 70 festival programmers, 80 financiers and decision makers, 1,100 producers, and 900 directors and writers. 359 films and projects were presented. COVID-19 editions were on a par, with 2,500 online participants in 2020 and 2,657 for the hybrid edition of 2021. The Business A dizzying slew of deals were announced at Ventana Sur last December, many involving SVOD platforms Netflix, HBO Max or their production studios VIS or Pantelion. Apart fro closing or unveiling deals, Ventana Sur is also a one-stop shop in other ways. The event allows me to set my agenda for Latin America for the whole year, said San Sebastian Festival director Jose Luis Rebordinos. Fest programmers identify titles for upcoming editions, Primer Corte titles Sublime and Fogareu being chosen for this years Berlin, while Proyecta title 1976 screened in Directors Fortnight. More than anything else, however, Ventana Sur allows buyers, producers and creatures to forge relationships which will stay them in good stead through the upcoming year. In this sense, Ventana Sur last far longer than five days in delectable Argentine summer sunshine. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CANAZEI, Italy (AP) Thunderstorms hampered Monday the search for more than a dozen hikers who remained unaccounted for a day after a huge chunk of an Alpine glacier in Italy broke off, sending an avalanche of ice, snow and rocks down the slope. Officials put the known death toll at seven. "I hope the numbers stop here,'' said Veneto Gov. Luca Zaia, whose region in northeast Italy borders the Dolomite mountain range including the Marmolada glacier. He spoke in the resort town of Canazei, where a morgue was set up in the ice rink. Another regional leader, Maurizio Fugatti, said 14 people remained unaccounted for by Monday afternoon: 10 Italians, three from Czechia and one from Austria. Local officials later said that Austrian consular officials had made contact with the Austrian. We were contacted by families because these people didn't return home,' said Fugatti of the Trentino-Alto Adige Alpine region. In the mountain's parking lot, four cars remained whose occupants hadn't been traced two cars had license plates from Czechia; one vehicle was from Germany and the fourth was from Hungary. At least three of the dead were Italians, authorities said. Italian news reports said one of the deceased was from Czechia, which is more widely known in English as the Czech Republic. One of the Italians was Filippo Bari, 28, who snapped a selfie with the Marmolada glacier in the background only minutes before the avalanche, his brother, Andrea, told state TV in Canazei where he came to identify the body. Although an expert mountain hiker, his brother said his family always told him to be careful in the mountains, above all in these temperatures.'' He said the selfie was sent only 20 minutes before the avalanche and that his brother, who had a partner and a 4-year-old son, was smiling. He passed away doing what he loved. On Sunday, officials said nine people were injured, but on Monday told reporters in Canazei that eight were injured, including two in grave condition. Zaia said the hospitalized included two Germans and a 40-year-old patient yet to be identified. The avalanche came roaring down when dozens of hikers were on excursions, including some of them roped together. Looking grim after meeting with families of some of the dead, Italian Premier Mario Draghi, demanded that action be taken so such a tragedy doesn't happen again. "This is a drama that certainly has some unpredictability, and certainly depends on environmental deterioration and the climate situation,'' Draghi said, echoing several experts who said an avalanche triggered by a glacier's breakup couldn't be forecast. Marmolada glacier has been shrinking for decades, and scientists at the government CNR research center have said it won't exist within 25-30 years. Today, Italy cries for the victims, all Italians embrace them with affection,'' Draghi said. The government must reflect on what happened and take measures, so that what happened has a very low probability of happening again or being avoided entirely." The detached portion of glacier was massive, estimated at 200 meters wide, 80 meters tall and 60 meters deep. Zaia likened the avalanche to an apartment building (sized) block of ice with debris and Cyclopean masses of rock." I can't say anything else other than the facts, and the facts tell us that the high temperatures don't favor these situations," Zaia told reporters. Italy is in the grips of a weeks-long heat wave, and Alpine rescuers said that the temperature at the glacier's altitude last week topped 10 C (50 F) when usually it should hover around freezing at this time of year. What exactly caused a pinnacle of the glacier to break off and thunder down the slope at a speed estimated by experts at around 300 kph (nearly 200 mph), wasn't immediately known. But high temperatures were widely cited as a factor. The atmosphere and climate, especially below 3,500 meters, is at a complete imbalance thanks to the new climate that weve been registering, and unfortunately these events are probably destined to repeat themselves in the coming years, said Renato Colucci from the Institute of Polar Sciences in the state-run Council of National Research (CNR). Jacopo Gabrieli, another glacier expert with CNR, told state television that the long heat wave, spanning May and June, was the hottest in northern Italy in that period for nearly 20 years absolutely an anomaly." Operators of rustic shelters along the mountainside said temperatures at the 2,000-meter (6,600 foot) level recently reached 24C (75 F) - unheard of in a place where excursionists go in summer to keep cool. The glacier, in the Marmolada range, is the largest in the Dolomite mountains in northeastern Italy. People ski on it in the winter. But the glacier has been rapidly melting away over the past decades, with much of its volume gone. The Mediterranean basin, which includes southern European countries like Italy, has been identified by U.N. experts as a climate change hot spot, likely to suffer heat waves and water shortages, among other consequences. Pope Francis, who has made care of the planet a priority of his papacy, tweeted an invitation to pray for the avalanche victims and their families. The tragedies that we are experiencing with climate change must push us to urgently search for new ways that are respectful of people and nature," Francis wrote. ___ Frances D'Emilio reported from Rome. Details about Kaitlin Armstrong's fugitive life in Costa Rica are beginning to emerge in the days after her arrest on suspicion of killing professional cyclist Mo Wilson. According to police, Armstrong, 34, fatally shot Wilson on May 11 in Austin, Texas. After being questioned by authorities, Armstrong was released and went on the run, sparking a nationwide manhunt for the fugitive that finally ended in her being taken into custody Wednesday at a Santa Teresa Beach hostel in Provincia de Puntarenas. "The Marshals Service elevated the Kaitlin Armstrong investigation to major case status early in this investigation, which likely played a key role in her capture after a 43-day run," U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Texas Susan Pamerleau said in a statement. "This is an example of combining the resources of local, state, federal and international authorities to apprehend a violent fugitive, bring an end to that run and hopefully a sense of closure to the victims family." Police say they tracked Armstrong to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on May 18, four days after she was seen carrying a yoga mat through Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. According to investigators from the Marshals Service and Homeland Security, they recently discovered Armstrong then allegedly used someone else's passport to board United Airlines Flight 1222 from Newark on May 18. At a press conference, Deputy Marshal Brandon Filla said Armstrong "resembled" the person in the passport, but did not explain how she came to be in possession of it. "She looked very similar to that individual, Filla said. So that was a fraudulent use of it, but it wasnt fraudulent in itself because it was issued to a certain individual. After Armstrong landed in San Jose, Costa Rica, she went about changing her appearance. She cut her distinctive reddish hair and dyed it brown. Then, according to Filla, Armstrong went back to her old habit: taking yoga classes. Marshals say one of the primary ways they tracked Armstrong was by searching for local yoga studios and seeing if Armstrong signed up for courses. "Once she got to Costa Rica, she didnt really move around a lot," Filla said. "We knew she was going to be associated with some type of yoga studio. When foreign officials arrived at that yoga studio, they did find a handwritten login that was the same alias that she was going by when she traveled to Costa Rica. "Once they developed that pattern, it really opened up things and they quickly closed in on Kaitlin Armstrong." When she was arrested, Armstrong had bandages and bruises on her face, which Filla said she attributed to a surfing accident. According to the Daily Mail, Armstrong was living at a $50-a-night hostel and possibly giving yoga lessons. "She was getting really ready to establish that next part of her career," Filla said. According to the Marshals Service, the yoga teacher and real estate agent killed 25-year-old Wilson, a champion mountain biker who lived and worked in San Francisco from 2019 until recently. On May 11, Wilson was staying with a friend in Austin to prepare for an upcoming race. That evening she allegedly went swimming with Armstrong's boyfriend Colin Strickland, a fellow racing competitor and alleged former romantic partner of Wilson. Wilson was later found by her friend at the apartment, bleeding and unconscious in the bathroom with multiple gunshot wounds to the torso, before being pronounced dead by first responders. Authorities have painted the murder as motivated by jealousy. The complex details of the alleged love triangle-turned-murder involving recently purchased guns, text messages, lies and an anonymous tipster were revealed in an arrest warrant on May 19. In the warrant, an anonymous caller allegedly told police that on discovering Strickland and Wilson were romantically involved, Armstrong "became furious and was shaking with anger" and said she wanted to kill Wilson. After her arrest in Costa Rica on Wednesday, Armstrong was flown back to Texas on Saturday. Her bond will be set at $3.5 million, court records show. ARGYLE, Texas Two days after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a 27-year-old woman delivered her fourth child, a boy she named Cason. Born after his mother fled from domestic abuse and was denied an abortion, he is among the first of many post-Roe babies expected in Texas. I love my kids and I feel like Im a really good mom, said Casons mother, who asked to be identified by her first initial, T. But due to this pregnancy, I couldnt provide for them. One in 10 people of reproductive age in America lives in Texas, which will soon join half of all the states in outlawing almost all abortions. Texas conservative leadership has spent decades narrowing abortion access while cutting social spending and publicly funded health care. Now, even some anti-abortion adherents say their state is woefully unprepared for a likely surge in births among poor women. The overturning of Roe creates the sense of urgency that now will create, hopefully, the resources. But unfortunately, theres that gap, said Aubrey Schlackman, founder of Blue Haven Ranch, an anti-abortion nonprofit that is providing housing and other assistance for T.s family. We do want to limit abortions, Schlackman continued. But we personally werent ready to handle an influx, and I know so many of the other nonprofits that we work with arent ready for that, either. Texas is one of the most dangerous states in the nation to have a baby. The states maternal mortality rate is one of the worst in the country, with Black women making up a disproportionate share of deaths. The states infant mortality rate, at more than 5 deaths per 1,000 births in 2020, translates into nearly 2,000 infant deaths annually. Texas opted not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, which helped lead to hospital closures and the formation of rural health care deserts, where obstetricians are scarce and prenatal care scarcer still. More than a quarter of women of childbearing age are uninsured, the highest rate in the nation. Medicaid covers low-income women through pregnancy and for two months postpartum, compared with 12 months in most states. A proposal in the Texas House to expand postpartum coverage to 12 months was cut to 6 months by the state Senate. Tens of thousands of children born to low-income parents languish on the waiting list for subsidized child care. In September of last year Texas passed Senate Bill 8, banning abortions for patients with detectable embryonic cardiac activity, which generally begins at about six weeks. A recent Times analysis suggests that Texas abortion rate declined by only 10% after the bill passed, as more women traveled out of state or ordered medication abortions by mail. But poor patients often lack those options. Assuming just 10% of women arent able to secure an abortion, thats a massive rise in fertility, said Elizabeth Sepper, a law professor at the University of Texas at Austin, who studies religious liberty, health law and equality. Theres no way there are any institutions prepared to meet that demand. Three years ago, T. was a bookkeeper for a chain of fitness centers. At $36 an hour, it was the best-paying job she had ever held. She was proud to become her familys main breadwinner after her partner, whom she has been with since high school, lost his construction job during the pandemic. But early in her pregnancy with Cason, she developed complications that eventually forced her to quit her job. The family economized, moving into smaller and smaller homes until late last year, when they finally had to move in with the mother of her partner. The couple were unloading their belongings, with their infant daughter in her stroller nearby, when he snapped on me, T. said. Her partner choked her, she said, until she lost consciousness. When she was revived by a stranger she had trouble speaking, and a ring of bruises circled her neck. Terrified for her children, she fled the next morning to a shelter for domestic violence victims, she said. She said she had never sought an abortion before. But the prospect of raising four young children on her own, and of giving birth alone, filled T. with desperation. She agonized about the needs of her three children, and about sacrifices. If I do this, I will make sure theyre always good, are always taken care of, she said she recalled thinking. It was a very difficult decision, but I felt like it was a smart one for me. Her sister drove her to Southwestern Womens Surgery Center, an abortion provider in Dallas. But Texas had just enacted Senate Bill 8, and the providers told T. that she was about seven weeks pregnant too far along for an abortion in Texas. Could she travel to New Mexico? In the waiting room, T. sobbed. The trip was impossible. She had no money, and so few child care options that she had brought her baby daughter with her to the appointment. She didnt know about medication abortion. T. rejoined her sister, who was waiting in the parking lot. She was sitting in the car, distraught, when an anti-abortion sidewalk counselor approached. You are not alone. If you are pregnant and you need help, we can help you, the sidewalk counselor told her, T. recalled. I just started crying, T. said, in a sense of relief. The next day the woman T. had met in the parking lot guided her to Birth Choice, an anti-abortion pregnancy resource center located in the same office complex as the abortion provider. Some anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers have come under scrutiny for misleading or misinforming women seeking abortion care. But in that moment, They asked me the perfect questions, T. said of the Birth Choice counselor. Am I OK? Are my kids doing OK? What did I need? Mind you, I had left everything, she said. They provided me with everything right there: baby bag, diapers, formula, clothes for me. They even gave me a couple of little clothes for my daughter and a toy, T. said. Then my counselor comes back and says, I found you a place. The place was Blue Haven Ranch, based in Argyle, about 45 minutes from Dallas. Blue Haven provides housing, help with household bills, job training, and financial and other counseling for a up to a year or more after delivery for pregnant women with existing children. Among Americans who seek abortion care, 60% are already mothers, and half have two or more children. Most are in their late 20s, and poor. Schlackman, 34, a former dental hygienist, evangelical Christian and mother of two, founded Blue Haven in 2020. She grew up believing that women seek abortion care for the sake of convenience. Now I can understand why they would choose it, she said. Schlackman requires women to attend group informational sessions with a strong religious component in a community church on Monday nights. Blue Haven does not seek money from the government or anyone else that might question its religious approach. It takes in donations from abortion rights supporters as well as opponents, Schlackman said, reading a note from one, who sent $50: I dont share your beliefs about abortion and Christianity, but I do hope youll use your strength to encourage similar initiatives elsewhere. Blue Haven supports five families, and there are 12 on the waiting list. The cost is about $2,500 per family per month for housing and utilities, plus gas and unexpected household expenses. A financier in Boston who read about Blue Haven and offered to help recently negotiated a deal on a used car for a mother with a poor credit score. Currently there is no ranch; the families live in rented apartments. Schlackman and her husband Bryan have plans to buy a patch of rolling acreage outside Denton, Texas, and build a compound with small homes, a meeting house and group kitchen, plus open spaces and livestock for farm therapy. Standing in the wheat field where she envisions the houses will stand, Schlackman estimated that she would need to raise $13 million for the land, construction and three years operating funds. After Roe was overturned, Blue Haven received $25,000 in donations in two days. Its focus on the Bible and emphasis on Christian family ideals make some Blue Haven mothers uncomfortable. But for T., the group offered a lifeline in a time of dwindling options. One recent Monday night she attended a group session while her children played on the churchs pristine playground, supervised by grandparent volunteers. Other volunteers laid out a communal supper. Blue Haven threw a baby shower for T., and its supporters bought everything on a registry that Schlackman created. (T. chose a zoo animal theme for her sons layette, in shades of blue and green.) When Cason was born, Schlackman was there, attending to T. in the spalike birthing center where she had delivered her own sons. Blue Havens assistance will end about a year after Casons first birthday. The pressure is really on, T. said on a Thursday, four days after she gave birth to Cason. I have one year to rebuild my life while my body heals, and four kids to take care of at the same time. Its scary. I try not to think about what will happen when I leave the program. I know I can be a great mom, its just, can I provide for my children, keep the kids healthy and safe and have a roof over our head, and food? She is hoping, she said, to get another job as a bookkeeper and eventually move into her own home. She said she has a message for the Texas Legislature. You dont know what is best for any family, you didnt protect me or my kids. I protect my kids. Only a mom can know what is best for herself and her family. And if youre going to force women to have all of these babies that they are not equipped to have, then you need to provide support for women and their children after the babies are born. Earlier in the week, just a day and a half after giving birth, T. had something else to say. Women, all we really have is our dignity and our voices, she said. And youre taking them away. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. GOVERNMENT has refused to table before Parliament the original contract that it signed with white commercial farmers to compensate them for land expropriated during its controversial land reform exercise. On July 29, 2020, Zimbabwe agreed to pay $3,5 billion in compensation to white farmers who lost their land as government sought to resettle landless blacks, in one of the most divisive policies of the Robert Mugabe era. On June 23 this year, legislators pressed Ncube to release the original compensation document for their scrutiny. Resolving the dispute with the farmers is seen as key to the country pulling out of the economic stagnation triggered by the farm seizures. The land grab also soured relations with multilateral lenders, while the United States and the European Union imposed sanctions. The agreement is also seen as a key part of President Emmerson Mnangagwas re-engagement strategy. Government is supposed to pay half of the compensation this month after requesting to put it off for a year in June last year. It has so far paid US$1 million after State-linked Kuvimba Mining House Ltd transferred the money to the farmers in the form of a dividend in June last year. Harare North MP Norman Markham (Citizens Coalition for Change) quizzed Ncube over the issue, and demanded that the agreement be released to Parliament for scrutiny. But Ncube refused, saying that releasing the document would violate the terms of the agreement. On the Global Settlement Deed, it was my intention to give him a three-page summary and here are my reasons; this is still a document signed under restricted conditions of confidentiality. It only becomes public when they have signed the cessation and when we are ready to pay, and then it comes before this House for approval. I will then table it before this House for approval properly. For now, it is still in abeyance as a negotiation document. We have no wish to release it and if I do, then I am violating the agreement with the farmers, and they will be very upset. But Markham insisted that the document should first be scrutinised by Parliament before the payment deadline this month. The summarised document is the Global Settlement Deed. The Global Settlement Deed has issues of financing on it, and there is also an issue of extensions. It is important to see the extensions because that payment is due next month, Markham said. On the issue of global funds, it is exactly the same Mr Speaker. US$3,5 billion is going to some 4 000 farmers who have been waiting 20 years for it and it is still confidential. We, as the House, need to know what is happening and what we are tying ourselves to for the future. I do not accept any confidential agreement on a loan that I have paid taxes to. Markham accused the Executive of entering into numerous loan agreements which it has not brought before Parliament for scrutiny. The Global Settlement Deed stipulated that the money should be paid out to farmers within the first year, followed by four annual instalments of $437.5 million. Newsday Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Firefighters came to the rescue of a kitten trapped in a Walmart Pepsi machine The Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar , the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie Mc Conalogue , and the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe today announced a further loan scheme to help SMEs access low-cost finance, recognising that many of them are still getting back on their feet after what has been an incredibly challenging few years. The COVID-19 Loan Scheme (CLS) is a state-backed loan scheme, offering SMEs, including farmers, fishers, food businesses and small mid-caps, loans of between 25,000 and up to 1,500,000, with terms of one to six years and unsecured up to 500,000. Finance provided is competitively priced and some refinance can be availed of to help with any existing short-term credit a business may have. The Tanaiste said: There are currently more people employed in Ireland than ever before in the history of the state. That would have been unimaginable a few months ago even. However, many businesses are still getting back on their feet after what has been an incredibly challenging period. I know Putins war on Ukraine has caused more uncertainty. These State-backed loan schemes are working well. The existing Covid Credit Guarantee Scheme helped more than 10,000 SMEs access low-cost credit. This successor scheme will give SMEs, including farmers, fishers and food businesses, the option to access really competitively priced loans, should they need to avail of that option, in addition to the other help that is available. Its about giving SMEs as many options as possible. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie Mc Conalogue said: I am pleased that the COVID-19 Loan Scheme will be available to farm families, fishers and food businesses. The resilience shown by the agri-food sector during the pandemic was remarkable as it continued to produce high quality produce for consumers at home and abroad. This State-backed source of finance will complement other measures introduced by my Department to alleviate the considerable impact of the pandemic on the agri-food sector. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said: The Government is committed to supporting our SME sector. Alongside the Brexit Impact Loan Scheme, the COVID-19 Loan Scheme will ensure that businesses continue to have access to longer term unsecured lending as they deal with the impact of the pandemic. As well as working capital, loans can be used for investment and I urge businesses to exploit such investment opportunities to grow, develop and embrace digital and climate transition. The Scheme is delivered by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI), through participating lenders and information on the application process can be found on the SBCI website at www.sbci.gov.ie The CLS is in response to the required closure of the COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme (CCGS) at the end of June 2022, which is a consequence of the cessation of the European Commissions COVID-19 State-Aid Framework at this time. As of end of May 2022 the CCGS had helped 10,357 SMEs in Ireland with access to finance of 730.2 million. The CLS benefits from support from the European Investment Bank Group through the European Commissions European Guarantee Fund. Any future decisions made by Government on turf must be fully supported by Fine Gael Ministers, TDs and Senators, Senator Micheal Carrigy has said. Fine Gael is working across Government to ensure a fair resolution on the proposals for the sale and distribution of turf. We are working to protect the rights of people who cut and use turf across the country where it is heavily relied on as a fuel source. Senator Carrigy dismissed suggestions that future Government decisions on turf would be rushed through by Transport Minister Eamon Ryan during the Summer. There will be no decision agreed by Fine Gael on this issue until our parliamentary party, our Ministers, TDs, Senators and MEPs, have an opportunity to meet in person and discuss it. This is the position of our party leader, Leo Varadkar and we fully back him on it, Senator Carrigy said. People have been cutting, selling, and buying turf for generations. It is an integral part of our way of life in many areas of rural Ireland. While we need to improve our air quality and protect public health, we must acknowledge the reality that the use of turf only contributes to a very small proportion of air quality problems. Turf use is on the decline and those who rely on it should not face any obstacles in sourcing or supplying it. Anyone who has spent a day in a bog with the midges knows, to cut, foot, collect, store and distribute sods of turf is back breaking as it is. Lets not make it any harder. But lets face facts too and facts spell out the reality here. The use of turf is needed now and will be needed into the future. There are no alternatives sources readily available to replace turf, said Senator Carrigy Dr Nuala O'Connor from the Irish College of General Practitioners has urged people to stay at home and isolate if they have any symptoms of Covid-19. Speaking on RTE's Today with Claire Byrne, Dr O'Connor said there is "an awful lot of Covid in the community now, and we're seeing a big impact on that in our day-to-day work in general practice", adding that by the time people are contacting their GPs they are already after being at work or social events and are quite symptomatic by then. As of 8am this morning, there were 885 people in hospital with the virus, an increase of 59 on the same time yesterday, with 32 of those in intensive care. Dr O'Connor said the increase in cases is due to social events such as weddings and it's the early symptoms that you have when you're most infectious, urging people to think about the more vulnerable in our society and to stay at home, adding children who have symptoms should not be sent to summer camps or birthday parties. The increase in numbers are having a huge impact on hospitals with a large number of beds being taken up by Covid patients, with a "significant amount" of those in hospital have not been vaccinated, added Dr O'Connor. LEADERS of the Public Service Association (PSA), Mrs Cecilia Alexandra and the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Unions (ZCPSTU), Mr David Dzatsunga are too compromised to lead discussions on Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) as they are heavily implicated in chaos and maladministration bedevilling the organisation, insiders have said. Mrs Alexandra is vice-chairperson of Premier Service Medical Investments, a subsidiary of PSMAS, while Mr Dzatsunga is a committee member on the PSMAS board. The duo, together with the rest of the other board members stand accused of siphoning money from PSMAS and PSMI respectively through unconventional means and have reportedly colluded with other senior executives to create additional structures beyond the medical aid organisations board. Premier Service Holding Company (PSHC), said the insiders, is an illegally constituted entity as evidenced by its absence from the PSMAS financials in the 2020 and 2021 annual report. They added that the absence of its financials since its inception in 2019 is a clear indication that this entity was not properly constituted in accordance with the 2015 AGM resolution. The PSHC is being used to divert members funds into other non-core medical activities such as the formation of Claydust a mining company and Premier Service Microfinance Company. According to the deed of trust document, the power to appoint or remove the board of directors will rest with the Holding Company, a scenario which will render other governance structures useless. The company shall, in consultation with the Board of Trustees manage the affiliates for an agreed fee between it and the individual affiliates, exercise control of all affiliates including but not limited to, appointing and removing their boards of directors, receive dividend and/ or surplus as the case may be, from all affiliates, render such administrative services as are necessary for the smooth functioning of the Trust, reads an extract from the deed document. The deed of trust, as provided in the aborted AGM pack, also clearly spells out that the current board (the Bvirindi board), shall remain in office for a renewable period of three years from the date of registration of Deed of Trust. This obviously is the main reason why this current board is fighting viciously against Government scrutiny. The Trust comprises of five members who are supposed to have been voted for by members during the cancelled AGM but oddly, no name nor profile of potential candidates were shared even to date. The holding company will report to a board, appointed by the Board of Trustees. The Holding Company will then appoint board members for the rest of the other entities namely: PSMAS, PSMI, PSMAS (Zambia), Premier Service Microfinance and Claydust. Members will no longer have power to vote for board members as is the current set up. Apart from posing governance risks, the introduction of this layer of governance is coming with costs to fund new boards to be appointed by the Holding Company, further straining members contributions. PSMAS board chairman, Dr Bvirindi, PSMI board chairman Colonel Wellington Tutisa and her vice Mrs Alexandra, have further been accused of enjoying benefits way beyond those spelt out in best corporate governance practices. According to the insiders at PSMI, Mrs Alexandra received a Mercedes Benz E300 (registration number provided). This vehicle, the insiders elaborated, is being used by his son George Khowa who works in the properties and facilities department. The vehicle is serviced by PSMI, despite the fact that Mr Khowa receives monthly allowances at AA rates to cater for any service expenses he may incur for using his personal vehicle for work-related assignments. Colonel Tutisa also got a Toyota Fortuner (registration number provided), while at PSMAS, Dr Bvirindi got a Toyota Hilux 2018 Revo Rocco (registration number provided). The insiders claim that for these and other reasons, the outgoing board will continue defending the establishment of these additional structures. This is the reason why they are defending this structure because they know they are set to benefit personally. Their interests have nothing to do with the entire membership but individual greediness. They have been milking the society in board fees and allowances all along and in some instances claiming what is not due to them and they want to continue doing the same without anyone questioning them, said the insiders. Defending the boards position to create other structures beyond PSMAS Board last week, Mrs Alexandra said PSMAS had grown. Government doesnt want us to set up a Trust. As you can see, PSMAS has grown. It has properties, it has hospitals, it has a lot of things so it is not just like those other organisations, said Mrs Alexandra. Mr Dzatsunga concurred with Alexandra arguing that Government wanted to take over PSMAS, an allegation Government has since dismissed. Instead, Government has challenged PSMAS to conduct a forensic audit to ascertain utilisation of funds disbursed so far. Herald Omniplex Cinema review the latest new releases to watch in cinemas with Thor: Love and Thunder the blockbuster release this week. Thor: Love and Thunder (12a Cert) - See trailer below Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Taika Waititi, Natalie Portman Tesse Thompson & Christian Bale Director: Taika Waititi Genre: Fantasy Adventure Release Date: Thursday July 7 Chris Hemsworth returns to swing his hammer reuniting on screen with Natalie Portmans Jane Foster and Tessa Thompsons Valkyrie. Love and Thunder" finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he's ever faced -- a quest for inner peace. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who -- to Thor's surprise -- inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher's vengeance and stop him before it's too late. Thor Trivia: Christian Bale had initially turned down the possibility of appearing in any more comic book or superhero films after The Dark Knight Rises (2012), seeing the genre as uninteresting from an acting perspective, and especially finding the experience of donning the Batman costume to be a miserable one. He agreed to take part in this film however, after being impressed with Taika Waititi and the quality of his script. In the comics, Gorr the God Butcher's powers are shared with the symbiote beings (Venom, Carnage, etc). Taiki Waititi's direction job on this film makes him the first person to direct more than one Thor film. It also makes Thor the first Avenger to have four "solo films." Thor's goats Toothgrinder and Toothgn asher will appear in the film. These goats had appeared in both the comics and Norse myth of Thor. As with Avengers: Infinity War, Chris Pratt felt that having a supporting role rather than leading the film allowed for a more relaxed and quirky interpretation of Peter Quill/Star-Lord. Thor: Love and Thunder (12a Cert) trailer Omniplex Cinema Longford A modern, centrally located 4-screen cinema on Bridge St, Longford showing all the latest releases. Omniplex Longford features include Candy King Pic'n'Mix, 3D performances, assigned seating and automated ticket purchase & collection point. Address: Bridge St, Deanscurragh, Longford, Ireland Book Cinema Tickets Here https://www.omniplex.ie/cinema/longford Facebook @LongfordOmniplex Twitter @longfordomni Twitter @omniplexcinema Instagram @omniplexcinemas Local News, Seasonal & Current Events By Chris Boyle Published: July 04 2022 Living Historians will give guests a sense of what 101st and 82nd Airborne Division Paratroopers felt on their incredible 1,200-plane D-Day assault. In celebration of its 78th anniversary, the American Airpower Museums Douglas C-47B Skytrain transport will conductfourLiving History Flight Experiences on Saturday, July 23, 2022. Dozens of Long Islanders will get a rare chance to fly in AAMs iconic WWII C-47B, one of the few still in original military condition. This is a one-of-a-kind immersive educational program, where Living Historians give guests a sense of what 101st and 82nd Airborne Division Paratroopers felt on their incredible 1,200-plane D-Day assault. WWII Living Historian Robert Scarabino, with help from his 101st Airborne Reenactors, will transport passengers back in time. Affectionately dubbed Second Chance,AAMs iconic transport is an original C-47B built in 1944 and supplied to the U.S. Army Air Force. AAMs D-Day flight experience features: a mission briefing; a chance for guests to wear authentic military field jackets,helmets, and gear throughout the mission. Once on board AAMs C-47B, passengers watch pilots operate their aircraft as paratroopers (reenactors) get ready for battle. Its so realistic and unforgettable,right up to the moment when guests hook their parachutes up to the static line and get ready to jump. Dont worry, no jumping allowed! Four flights are scheduledbetween 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.;three are full but seats are still available on flight four.To book a seat on the fourth flight or inquire about future flights, check out AAMs website at www.americanairpowermuseum.org, click on Visit and go to Flight Experiences. Another option is to visit the museums gift shop Wednesday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Hangar 3, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale, NY 11735, or call (516) 531-3950 or (631) 454-2039. The public is welcome to visit Hangar 3 all day on July 23rd, to watch each flight and tour AAMs many exhibits. Visitors can watch as paratroopers (reenactors) and passengers suit up, apply face black-out, don their parachutes, check weapons and board Second Chance. Watch as the planes mighty twin engines fire up and she takes off from Republic. Regular admission for adults is $15, seniors and veterans $12 and children 5-12 $10.Tickets and pre-registration not required for regular admission. Second Chance, an original WWII C-47B, was transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1945 and flew in the Berlin Airlift (1948 - 1949) with the RAF, serving until 1950.The aircraft next served in the Belgian Air Force for two years. In 1952 she went to the French Air Force, serving two years in Viet Nam, as well as in India, Algeria, Morocco and the Congo. In 1967 she was sold to Israel and flew in the Israeli Defense Force 32 years. AAMacquired the aircraft in 2000. In addition to AAMs D-Day flights, she also performs at regional air shows in classic WWII D-Day markings with the original D8 code. One of the last C-47Bs still in stock military configuration, this aircraft has just over 17,000 hours in the air, one of the worlds lowest flight times ever! This is a family-friendly program for all ages and a wonderful way to educate young Americans about WWII and how U.S. military veteransfought to defend our freedom. Support AAMs mission to honor veterans and military aviation history by helping maintain and preserve the museums iconic aircraft. (Alliance News) - AO World PLC shares slumped on Monday after the Sunday Times reported its suppliers have suffered a credit cover cut. AO World shares fell 14% to 58.65 pence each in London on Monday morning. The Sunday Times reported that Atradius, a credit insurer, has cut its credit cover for the online retailer's suppliers. Credit cover is a key part of retail supply chains. It offers cover for firms should customers not pay debts in time, or at all. Without cover, suppliers would seek payments upfront. Focus will be on AO World's cashflow as a result. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/questions-over-ao-funds-after-insurer-reduces-cover-p0zrb5c8g Earlier in June, AO World said it will close its German business, potentially booking cash costs of up to GBP15 million in the process, and losing roughly 10% of group revenue. Exiting Germany means AO World can now "increase its focus on its leading online position in the UK electricals market", the company said. The closure of the German unit follows a recent period of difficulty for the stock. In late-April, its stock suffered following a warning on supply chain issues and a squeeze on consumer incomes. AO World said at the time it expects revenue for the recently ended financial year to be GBP1.56 billion, down 6% on the year before as the Covid lockdown-driven online shopping boom unravels. Also in April, it said Founder & Chief Executive John Roberts decided to dispose of a small part of his stake in the business "on an annual basis". The firm noted that since the group's IPO in 2014, he has maintained his shareholding and increased it with "selected" share purchases. It is expected Roberts will sell off around GBP5 million worth of shares during the current financial year, representing around 5% of his total stake of 107 million shares, which is a 22% stake in the company. Back in December, AO World was booted out of London's FTSE 250 index after a quarterly index review. By Tom Budszus; tombudszus@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - Providence Resources PLC on Monday named Alan Curran as its interim chief executive, effective immediately. Since former CEO Alan Linn left the Dublin, Ireland-based energy company in October 2021, Chair James Menton has acted as executive chair of the company as it searched for a new CEO. Following Curran's appointment, Menton will revert back to his role as non-executive chair. Over the past two years, Curran has founded and led Ortus Petroleum Ltd, an investment vehicle for oil & gas exploration in north-west Europe. Prior to that, Curran was CEO of Verus Petroleum. Between 2014 to 2019, he oversaw USD500 million of acquisitions as well as the company's own acquisition in 2019 by NEO Energy Group Ltd. Menton said: "I am pleased that Alan has agreed to join Providence Resources as interim CEO. As a board, our primary objective is to progress our appraisal programme leading to a phased commercial development of the Barryroe oil & gas field. We are confident that the field can be successful and I have no doubt that, with his extensive experience in the oil & gas industry, Alan's knowledge and expertise will assist the board in optimising the Barryroe Field." Shares in Providence Resources were untraded at 3.10 pence each in London on Monday morning. By Sophie Rose; sophierose@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - Budget airline easyJet PLC on Monday announced the resignation of Chief Operating Officer Peter Bellew after a pandemic bounce-back marred by flight cancellations and travel chaos. He will be replaced on an interim basis by David Morgan, who had once held the role for a year in 2019. Bellew has resigned "to pursue other business opportunities", easyJet said. Bellew had been part of the Luton Airport-based budget airline for three years since 2019. Prior to that, Bellew had rejoined Ryanair Holdings PLC in late 2017, having been chief executive officer of Malaysia Airlines. He previously had been had been director of flight operations for Ryanair until 2014. Airlines have been scrambling this year to meet pent-up demand for travel post-Covid, particularly in the peak school holiday periods. However, easyJet has come under significant pressure has it has been one of the worst hit for cancellations in recent months. The company has blamed air traffic control delays, staff shortages in ground handling and at airports and increased ID check times. Last month, easyJet said it was "proactively" cancelling flights at Gatwick in response to a cap introduced by the airport and warned there would be a cost impact from recent disruption and the measures taken to combat it. Chief Executive Johan Lundgren apologised at that time, saying easyJet was "sorry that for some customers we have not been able to deliver the service they have come to expect from us". Lundgren on Monday commenting on Bellew's departure said: "I would like to thank Peter for his hard work and wish him well. Everyone at easyJet remains absolutely focused on delivering a safe and reliable operation this summer. I am pleased that Operations will be in the very capable hands of David Morgan who can move seamlessly into this role having previously led the operation, as interim chief operating officer, throughout 2019." Shares in easyJet were down 2.4% at 367.74 pence on Monday midday in London. By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. In the middle of all the airport chaos with airlines such as easyJet having cancelled hundreds of flights this summer while cabin crew go in strike, easyJets senior executives are heading to Mallorca this week. The airlines management team are set to have a two-night corporate retreat at luxury resort Iberostar in Palma, which counts an infinity pool and a sunset champagne bar among its many amenities. Bosses including chief executive Johan Lundgren will leave on Tuesday from Luton and Gatwick and travel priority, as first reported by the Sunday Times. Lundgren owns a property and has business interests on the island. Sources told the outlet this would be Lundgrens first trip in more than two months, while the carrier argued it was an entirely appropriate decision. As a pan-European airline with more than half of our flights originating in Europe, it is entirely appropriate for the management board to undertake business meetings around the network as well as regularly travel to our European bases to meet with crew and pilots, a company spokesperson said. The entire management board remains absolutely focused on the daily operation in order to deliver a safe and reliable service for customers this summer. The retreat comes at a delicate time for the company image-wise, as easyJet said in June it didnt know how many flights it would have to cancel across its network. The third day of the easyJet cabin crew strike resulted in delays to 14 flights at Palma Son Sant Joan Airport by 1pm on Sunday - eight departures and six arrivals. There were no cancellations at Palma, but there were three at Malaga. The easyJet strike is coinciding with the one at Ryanair. The unions yesterday announced twelve more days of industrial action by Ryanair crews this month - July 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27 and 28. These will affect the ten airports in Spain where Ryanair operates; Palma is one of them. Further strikes by easyJet cabin crew in Spain are scheduled for July 15, 16, 17, 29, 30 and 31. The Balearic government said last week the any form of reintroiducing face masks because of the latest upswing in Covid cases is not on the table, but the situation is extremely fluid and some regions of Spain are considering bringing back masks to stem the latest wave of the virus. Spain no longer has any COVID-19 entry requirements for anyone arriving into the country from the EU or Schengen area. Holidaymakers from the UK, and other countries outside the EU or Schengen area, need to show proof of full vaccination, or proof of recovery, or a negative antigen test result (taken in the 24 hours before departure) or a negative PCR test (taken in the 72 hours before depature). Health screening is in place at all Spanish airports and ports to ensure passengers comply with these rules. So far, the Spanish government has ruled out the reintroduction of the indoor masks rule, which was lifted in April for bars, shops and restaurants, but not on public transport. While Britons can currently just wear them if they choose to, the possibility of forcing people to wear masks inside remains on the table with central government. Catalonia, for example, has asked the elderly to voluntarily wear masks indoors and the Canary Islands are not ruling out demanding mask indoors again to protect the vulnerable. And the Costa del Sol is also considering masks being reintroduced indoors. As the Bulletin reported last week, Spain's Minister of Health, Carolina Darias believes people should consider wearing masks indoors again to maintain protection due to an increase in both infections and hospital admissions. Manchester, VT (05254) Today Thunderstorms likely. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High near 75F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Showers and thundershowers this evening will give way to steady rain overnight. Low 66F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. One rescued after floating crane sinks in south China Xinhua) 16:18, July 04, 2022 GUANGZHOU, July 4 (Xinhua) -- One person was rescued on Monday morning after a floating crane sank in waters off the coast of south China's Guangdong Province, according to the provincial maritime search and rescue center. The survivor is in stable condition, the center said. On Saturday, the floating crane of an offshore wind farm project was found via a monitoring system to be in danger after its mooring chain broke while it was taking shelter from typhoon Chaba in waters near the city of Yangjiang. The floating crane sank later. Twenty-seven people fell into the water and were missing. As of 11:30 a.m. Monday, rescue vessels had carried out 182 operations, and rescue aircraft had made 20 trips to search for the missing people, covering an area of 4,600 square nautical miles. The center is coordinating with relevant departments to expand the searching area for the rest who remain missing. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun) One of national hero Air Chief Marshal Perrance Shiris children has hauled her siblings to the High Court demanding that they undergo DNA test to ascertain whether they are his biological off-springs before they benefit from his estate. Tanaka Musvamhiri wants Rufaro Stephanie Shiri and Tawanda Zulu to undergo DNA tests to ascertain whether they were the late heros biological children before they benefitted from the estate. Musvamhiri wants the two to visit National Blood Services of Zimbabwe within seven days. In summons prepared by Mr Arshiel Mugiya of Mugiya and Muvhami Law Chambers and filed at High Court, Musvamhiri claims that she has since undertaken the DNA test and it was proved that she was the late national heros biological child. She also claims that the late Air Chief Marshal Shiri disowned the two before his death and also left them in his will. Musvamhiri cited executor of the estate Sobusa Gula Ndebele, Tatenda Shiri, Cynthia Shiri and the Master of the High Court as other defendants. The 2nd and 3rd (Rufaro Stephanie Shiri and Tawanda Zulu) defendants are compelled within 7 days from the day that this order is granted to submit themselves at National Blood Services of Zimbabwe in order for blood samples to be extracted from them and undergo DNA tests to verify whether or not they were related to the late Perrance Benjamin Chikerema Shiri, reads part of the summons. Musvamhiri, in her founding affidavit claimed that the late Air Marshal Shiri acknowledged in his will that Tatenda Shiri and Cynthia Shiri were his biological children. The late Perrence Benjamin Chikerema Shiri died on 29 day of July 2020 and in his will listed 4 and 5 defendants as his biological children and beneficiaries to his estate, the plaintiff (Musvamhiri), 2nd and 3rd defendant were not listed as children born by the deceased in the will. The plaintiff underwent DNA test by comparing her blood samples with that of her uncle Whiteford Chikerema, a brother and sibling of the deceased and the results confirmed that indeed she is related to the brother of the deceased, thereby confirming that she is the biological daughter of the deceased. The second and third defendants are also claiming to be the biological children of the deceased and have listed their names with the first Defendant (estate executor) and the sixth (Master of High Court) defendant as beneficiaries of the Estate late Perrance Benjamin Chikerema Shiri, she said. Musvamhiri said in her affidavit that other relatives were also questioning the Rufaro Stephanie Shiri and Tawanda Zulu statuses. She said Rufaro and Tawanda were refusing to undergo the DNA tests. The authenticity and claims of the 2nd and 3rd defendants are being disputed not only by the Plaintiff but other close relatives of the deceased and the deceased in his lifetime disowned the 2nd and 3rd defendants as his biological children The 2nd and 3rd defendants have refused in family meetings to undergo these DNA tests insisting that they are children of the deceased even though such claims are being disputed and are questionable and open to doubt, she said. Musvamhiri said Rufaro and Tawanda were already enjoying the fruits of the estate, as they are in occupation of some immovable properties and cars that belonged to the estate. She said she is willing to under-go another DNA test together with the Rufaro and Tawanda in order to bring finality to the question of who should not benefit from the estate. Herald California has revealed a plan to provide all citizens, including immigrants living in the state without legal status, with food benefits through their food stamps scheme. Governor Gavin Newsom and lawmakers have managed to strike a budget deal which includes 35.2 million dollars, which will be used to expand California's food benefits program. Meanwhile, Sarah Dar, a policy director at the California Immigrant Policy Center, has urged the current administration to make the funds available to all Californians and not only for people older than 55 years old. "All Californians, regardless of their age or where they were born, should have access to basic necessities like food and fair, steady wages," said Dar. "Yet, needless barriers continue to exclude hundreds of thousands of our neighbours and families from critical, lifesaving services." Benyamin Chao, who also works for the California Immigrant Policy Center as a health and public benefits analyst, agreed with Dar and stressed the importance of offering the same benefits to people under the age of 55. "The governor's proposal will result in California being the first state in the nation to remove exclusions from food assistance programs for undocumented residents over the age of 55," said Chao. "I am heartbroken to know that this proposal will continue to exclude undocumented children and adults under the age of 55, who are increasingly struggling to afford nutritious food for their families amid skyrocketing food costs and baby formula shortages." Who will receive food stamps in California? According to a report conducted by the Legislative Analyst's Office, the California Food Assistance Program is expected to benefit an additional 75,000 Californians each year. "We're absolutely grateful, but we know the need is greater, and many more immigrant Californians are in need of food assistance, especially right now," said Betzabel Estudillo, a senior advocate with Nourish California. "When you're having a meal together with your family, everyone should have access to the meal." ZIMBABWE has refused to buckle under pressure from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community to accept their predisposition. The local delegation led by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs minister Ziyambi Ziyambi is attending the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva. Responding to enquiries by the LGBTI, Ziyambi said the countrys Constitution was clear about the practice and the government will not drift from what the people voted for in the 2015 referendum. On sexual diversity, the Constitution of Zimbabwe guides our laws on this subject. Sexual diversity is, therefore, outlawed in Zimbabwe. The Constitution was voted for by 98% of the Zimbabwean population, Ziyambi said. The International Lesbians Association (ILA), in conjunction with the TransResearch Education and Advocacy, Intersex Community of Zimbabwe and Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe maintain that while they concurred with the governments support to protect intersex minors from non-consensual intersex surgeries, it is their right to be included in the Zimbabwean community without discrimination. An ILA representative said the government must reconsider its position on the issue of intersex. LGBTI persons continue to experience sexual exclusion, discrimination and stigmatisation. We, therefore, urge the Government of Zimbabwe to decriminalise the same acts between consenting adults. We urge Zimbabwe to reconsider its position and take all its effort to repeal discriminatory laws that discriminate based on gender and identity, ILA said. Section 73 of the Criminal (Codification and Reform) Act stipulates that any male person who, with the consent of another male person, knowingly performs with that other person anal sexual intercourse, or any act involving physical contact other than anal sexual intercourse shall be guilty of sodomy. Newsday NEW DELHI (AP) A passenger bus slid off a mountain road and fell into a deep gorge in northern India on Monday, killing 16 people, including schoolchildren, a government official said. Rescue workers pulled out the badly injured from the wreckage of the vehicle and sent them to a hospital, Ashutosh Garg, a senior administrator for the district of Kullu in Himachal Pradesh state, told news agency Press Trust of India. BAGHDAD (AP) A chlorine gas leak at a water purification plant in southern Iraq injured at least 300 people, officials said Monday. The incident happened Sunday night when the potentially fatal gas leaked from a container in the plant in the district of Qal'at Sukkar north of the southern city of Nasiriyah. Hundreds of people suffering severe respiratory distress from exposure to the chlorine were taken to a nearby hospital, said Abbas Jaber, Dhi Qar province's deputy governor. He said a committee was formed by the governor Monday to investigate the circumstances surrounding the leak. The negligent (officials) will be held accountable, he said. Dhi Qar is among Iraq's poorest and and historically most underdeveloped provinces. Residents complain of a lack of electricity and access to drinking water. It has been a hotbed of anti-government protest and many youths from the province participated in the mass 2019 protest movement, the largest in Iraq's modern history. Public safety hazards have struck the beleaguered city before. Last year, over 90 people, patients and health care workers were killed when a fire broke out in Nasiriyah's al-Hussein Teaching Hospital. Officials blamed lack of safety measures and negligence. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BAKHMUT, Ukraine (AP) Torched forests and cities burned to the ground. Colleagues with severed limbs. Bombardments so relentless the only option is to lie in a trench, wait and pray. Ukrainian soldiers returning from the front lines in eastern Ukraines Donbas region where Russia is waging a fierce offensive describe life during what has turned into a grueling war of attrition as apocalyptic. In interviews with The Associated Press, some complained of chaotic organization, desertions and mental health problems caused by relentless shelling. Others spoke of high morale, their colleagues heroism, and a commitment to keep fighting, even as the better-equipped Russians control more of the combat zone. Lt. Volodymyr Nazarenko, 30, second-in-command of the Ukrainian National Guards Svoboda Battalion, was with troops who retreated from Sievierodonetsk under orders from military leaders. During a month-long battle, Russian tanks obliterated any potential defensive positions and turned a city with a prewar population of 101,000 into a burnt-down desert, he said. They shelled us every day. I do not want to lie about it. But these were barrages of ammunition at every building," Nazarenko said. The city was methodically leveled out. At the time, Sievierodonetsk was one of two major cities under Ukrainian control in Luhansk province, where pro-Russia separatists declared an unrecognized republic eight years ago. By the time the order to withdraw came on June 24, the Ukrainians were surrounded on three sides and mounting a defense from a chemical plant also sheltering civilians. If there was a hell on Earth somewhere, it was in Sievierodonetsk, Artem Ruban, a soldier in Nazarenko's battalion, said from the comparative safety of Bakhmut, 64 kilometers (40 miles) to the southwest of the since-captured city. The inner strength of our boys allowed them to hold the city until the last moment. Those were not human conditions they had to fight in. It is difficult to explain this to you here, what they feel like now or what it was like there," Ruban said, blinking in the sunlight. "They were fighting until the end there. The task was to destroy the enemy, no matter what. Nazarenko, who also fought in Kyiv and elsewhere in the east after Russia invaded Ukraine, considers the Ukrainian operation in Sievierodonetsk a victory despite the outcome. He said the defenders managed to limit casualties while stalling the Russian advance for much longer than expected, depleting Russias resources. Their army incurred huge losses, and their attack potential was obliterated, he said. Both the lieutenant and the soldier under his command expressed confidence that Ukraine would take back all occupied territories and defeat Russia. They insisted morale remained high. Other soldiers, most with no combat experience before the invasion, shared more pessimistic accounts while insisting on anonymity or using only their first names to discuss their experiences. Oleksiy, a member of the Ukrainian army who started fighting against the Moscow-backed separatists in 2016, had just returned from the front with a heavy limp. He said he was wounded on the battlefield in Zolote, a town the Russians also have since occupied. On the TV, they are showing beautiful pictures of the front lines, the solidarity, the army, but the reality is very different he said, adding he does not think the delivery of more Western weapons would change the course of the war. His battalion started running out of ammunition within a few weeks, Oleksiy said. At one point, the relentless shelling kept the soldiers from standing up in the trenches, he said, exhaustion visible on his lined face. A senior presidential aide reported last month that 100 to 200 Ukrainian troops were dying every day, but the country has not provided the total number killed in action. Oleksiy claimed his unit lost 150 men during its first three days of fighting, many from a loss of blood. Due to the relentless bombardments, wounded soldiers were only evacuated at night, and sometimes they had to wait up to two days, he said. The commanders dont care if you are psychologically broken. If you have a working heart, if you have arms and legs, you have to go back in, he added. Mariia, a 41-year-old platoon commander who joined the Ukrainian army in 2018 after working as a lawyer and giving birth to a daughter, explained that the level of danger and discomfort can vary greatly depending on a unit's location and access to supply lines. Front lines that have existed since the conflict with pro-Russia separatists began in 2014 are more static and predictable, whereas places that became battlegrounds since Russia sent its troops in to invade are a different world, she said. Mariia, who refused to share her surname for security reasons, said her husband is currently fighting in such a hot spot. Everyone misses and worries about their loved ones, and though this causes distress, her subordinates have kept their spirits high, she said. We are the descendants of Cossacks, we are free and brave. It is in our blood," she said. "We are going to fight to the end. Two other soldiers the AP interviewed former office-workers in Kyiv with no prior battle experience said they were sent to the front lines in the east as soon as they completed their initial training. They said they observed terrible organization and illogical decision-making, and many people in their battalion refused to fight. One of the soldiers said he smokes marijuana daily. Otherwise, I would lose my mind, I would desert. Its the only way I can cope he said. A 28-year-old former teacher in Sloviansk who never imagined he would fight for his country described Ukraine's battlefields as a completely different life, with a different value system and emotional highs as well as lows. There is joy, there is sorrow. Everything is intertwined, he said. Friendship with his colleagues provide the bright spots. But he also saw fellow soldiers succumbing to extreme fatigue, both physical and mental, and displaying symptoms of PTSD. Its hard to live under constant stress, sleep-deprived and malnourished. To see all those horrors with your own eyes the dead, the torn-off limbs. It is unlikely that someones psyche can withstand that, he said. Yet he, too, insisted that the motivation to defend their country remains. We are ready to endure and fight with clenched teeth. No matter how hard and difficult it is, the teacher said, speaking from a fishing store that was converted into a military distribution hub. Who will defend my home and my family, if it is not me? The center in the city of Sloviansk provides local military units with equipment and provisions, and gives soldiers a place to go during brief respites from the physical grind and horrors of battle. Tetiana Khimion, a 43-year-old dance choreographer, set up the center when the war started. All kinds of soldiers pass through, she says, from skilled special forces and war-hardened veterans to civilians-turned-fighters who signed up only recently. It can be like this: For the first time he comes, smiles widely, he can even be shy. The next time he comes, and there is emptiness in his eyes," Khimion said. "He has been through something, and he is different. Behind her, a group of young Ukrainian soldiers on rotation from the front lines sit sharing jokes and a pizza. The thud of artillery can be heard a few miles away. Mostly they hope for the better. Yes, sometimes they come in a little sad, but we hope to raise their spirits here, too," Khimion said. "We hug, we smile at each other and then they go back into the fields. On Sunday, Russian forces occupied the last Ukrainian stronghold in Luhansk province and stepped up rocket strikes on Donetsk, the Donbas province where the center is located. ___ Valerii Rezik contributed to this story. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine TOKYO (AP) Japan protested to Beijing after spotting Chinese and Russian warships just outside its territorial waters around the disputed East China Sea islands on Monday. Japan's Defense Ministry said a Chinese frigate sailed inside the contiguous zone, just outside Japanese territorial waters around Senkaku Islands, which Beijing also claims and calls the Diaoyu, for several minutes Monday morning. The Chinese warships presence was confirmed about 40 minutes after a Russian frigate had entered the waters for more than an hour, the ministry said. It was not immediately clear what was behind the latest Chinese-Russian military activity in the area. Japanese defense officials mentioned a possibility that the ships may have been there to avoid a typhoon. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara said Japan lodged a protest expressing "grave concern to Beijing over the incident. The Senkaku islands are an inherent part of Japans territory historically and under international law. The government will deal with the matter calmly but firmly to protect the Japanese land, territorial waters and air space, Kihara said. There was no violation of the territorial waters, he said. In Beijing, China justified the frigate's entry and criticized Tokyo's protest. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the islands are Chinese territory. The activities of Chinese vessels in waters nearby are lawful and justified, he said at a regular news conference. Japan has no right to make such irresponsible remarks. Japan sees Chinas increasingly assertive military activity in the East and South China seas as a threat to regional stability. Toyo is especially sensitive to Chinese activities near the disputed islands. Kihara said that Mondays incursion into the contiguous zone, which is between the territorial sea and the wider exclusive economic zone, by the Chinese warship was a fourth such event since June 2016. ___ Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate POKROVSK, Ukraine (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, one day after Ukrainian forces withdrew from their last remaining bulwark of resistance in the province. Russias Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in a televised meeting Monday that Russian forces had taken control of Luhansk, which together with the neighboring Donetsk province makes up Ukraine's industrial heartland of Donbas. Shoigu told Putin that the operation was completed on Sunday after Russian troops overran the city of Lysychansk, the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in Luhansk. Putin, in turn, said that the military units that took part in active hostilities and achieved success, victory in Luhansk, should rest, increase their combat capabilities. Putins declaration came as Russian forces tried to press their offensive deeper into eastern Ukraine after the Ukrainian military confirmed that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk on Sunday. Luhansk governor Serhii Haidai said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had retreated from the city to avoid being surrounded. There was a risk of Lysychansk encirclement, Haidai told the Associated Press, adding that Ukrainian troops could have held on for a few more weeks but would have potentially paid too high a price. We managed to do centralized withdrawal and evacuate all injured, Haidai said. We took back all the equipment, so from this point withdrawal was organized well. The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian forces were now focusing their efforts on pushing toward the line of Siversk, Fedorivka and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, about half of which is controlled by Russia. The Russian army has also intensified its shelling of the key Ukrainian strongholds of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, deeper in Donetsk. On Sunday, six people, including a 9-year-old girl, were killed in the Russian shelling of Sloviansk and another 19 people were wounded, according to local authorities. Kramatorsk also came under fire on Sunday. An intelligence briefing Monday from the British Defense Ministry supported the Ukrainian military's assessment, noting that Russian forces will now almost certainly switch to capturing Donetsk. The briefing said the conflict in Donbas has been grinding and attritional, and is unlikely to change in the coming weeks. While the Russian army has a massive advantage in firepower, military analysts say that it doesn't have any significant superiority in the number of troops. That means Moscow lacks resources for quick land gains and can only advance slowly, relying on heavy artillery and rocket barrages to soften Ukrainian defenses. Putin has made capturing the entire Donbas a key goal in his war in Ukraine, now in its fifth month. Moscow-backed separatists in Donbas have battled Ukrainian forces since 2014 when they declared independence from Kyiv after the Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. Russia formally recognized the self-proclaimed republics days before its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. Since failing to take Kyiv and other areas in Ukraine's northeast early in the war, Russia has focused on Donbas, unleashing fierce shelling and engaging in house-to-house combat that devastated cities in the region. Russia's invasion has also devastated Ukraine's agricultural sector, disrupting supply chains of seed and fertilizer needed by Ukrainian farmers and blocking the export of grain, a key source of revenue for the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address, called for immediate economic aid to help the country rebuild even as fighting continues. The restoration of Ukraine is not only about what needs to be done later after our victory, but also about what needs to be done right now. And we must do this together with our partners, with the entire democratic world, he said. A significant part of the economy has been destroyed by hostilities and Russian strikes. Thousands of enterprises do not work. And this means a high need for jobs, to provide social benefits, despite the decrease in tax revenues, Zelenskyy said. In its Monday intelligence report, Britain's defense ministry pointed to the Russian blockade of the key Ukrainian port of Odesa, which has severely restricted grain exports. They predicted that Ukraine's agricultural exports would reach only 35% of the 2021 total this year as a result. As Moscow pushed its offensive across Ukraine's east, areas in western Russia came under attack Sunday in a revival of sporadic apparent Ukrainian strikes across the border. The governor of the Belgorod region in Western Russia said fragments of an intercepted Ukrainian missile killed four people Sunday. In the Russian city of Kursk, two Ukrainian drones were shot down, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. In other developments: Ukrainian soldiers returning from the front lines in eastern Ukraines Donbas region where Russia is waging a fierce offensive describe life during what has turned into a grueling war of attrition as apocalyptic. Two Russian airplanes departed Bulgaria on Sunday with scores of Russian diplomatic staff and their families amid a mass expulsion that has sent tensions soaring between the historically close nations, a Russian diplomat said. ___ Associated Press journalists Inna Varenytsia, Maria Grazia Murru and Oleksandr Stashevskyi contributed to this report from Kyiv. ___ Follow APs coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TOKYO (AP) Many users of Japans No. 2 mobile carrier KDDI Corp. were still having trouble making calls Monday after a massive outage throughout the weekend that affected nearly 40 million people, disrupting deliveries, weather reports and other services across the country. The company said data transmission had largely been restored by Monday morning, but service restrictions were still causing many users to have trouble with making phone calls and sending short messages. The outage started in the early hours of Saturday during a scheduled maintenance work at a facility in western Tokyo. It disabled text messaging, phone calls and other services for more than 39 million users of KDDIs mobile services. Parcel deliveries also were disrupted. Over the weekend, the Meteorological Agency was unable to send weather data at hundreds of stations, dozens of cash machines were disabled in central Japan, and Tokyo and other municipalities had trouble reaching COVID-19 patients subject to health monitoring at home. The major outage came just ahead of a July 10 parliamentary election and was seen as embarrassment for Prime Minister Fumio Kishidas government, which has been promoting digitization of the world's No. 3 economy. The government was quick to address public concern over the problem. It is extremely regrettable that mobile phone service, which is a crucial infrastructure for social and economic activity, has been unusable for such a long time," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara told reporters on Monday. He said the government was taking the situation seriously and urged KDDI to provide a thorough explanation. Kihara said he expected KDDI to sincerely consider compensation for possible damage claims from users. On Sunday, KDDI President Makoto Takahashi apologized and provided an initial explanation about what happened and the outlook for resumption of disrupted services. We consider this a severe incident, Internal affairs and communications minister Yasushi Kaneko said on Sunday. The outage was especially unfortunate because it disrupted emergency calls at a time when people were facing increased risks of COVID-19 and heat strokes and potential emergencies due to an approaching typhoon. An outage last year by rival NTT DoCoMo affected nearly 13 million people. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. officials said Monday the bullet that killed veteran Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was likely fired from an Israeli position. But they said it was too badly damaged to reach an absolute determination, and that there is no reason to believe she was deliberately targeted. State Department spokesman Ned Price, announcing the results of the probe, said independent, third-party examiners had undertaken an extremely detailed forensic analysis of the bullet that killed her after the Palestinian Authority handed it over to them. The results, announced ahead of President Joe Biden's visit to the region next week, were unlikely to lay the matter to rest. The Palestinians reiterated that Israel was to blame, while Israel said its own investigation would remain open and did not address the U.S. conclusion that its troops were likely responsible. Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian-American correspondent who was well known and respected throughout the Arab world, was shot and killed while covering an Israeli military raid on May 11 in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian eyewitnesses, including her crew, say Israeli troops killed her and that there were no militants in the immediate vicinity or any exchange of fire at the time she was shot. Israel says she was killed during a complex battle with Palestinian militants and that only a forensic analysis of the bullet could confirm whether it was fired by an Israeli soldier or a Palestinian militant. It has strongly denied she was deliberately targeted, but says an Israeli soldier may have hit her by mistake during an exchange of fire with a militant. An Associated Press reconstruction of her killing lent support to witness accounts that she was killed by Israeli forces. Subsequent investigations by CNN, the New York Times and the Washington Post reached similar conclusions, as did monitoring by the office of the U.N. human rights chief. U.S. lawmakers have pressed the Biden administration to demand a full investigation and accountability, and anger over the killing is hanging over Bidens upcoming trip to the region. U.S. security officials examined the results of separate Palestinian and Israeli investigations and concluded that gunfire from IDF positions was likely responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh, Price said in a statement, referring to the Israeli military by its acronym. The U.S. found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Price said. He gave no further details on how it reached its conclusion. The probe was undertaken by the U.S. Security Coordinator in the region, which was established in 2005 to assist with peace efforts at the time. It advises Palestinian security forces and coordinates between Israel and the PA. Israel presented the findings as part of its own investigation, something that was likely to anger the Palestinian Authority. The PA handed the bullet over to U.S. officials while insisting it was still adamantly opposed to any cooperation with Israel. The Israeli military said that while the bullet remained in the custody of U.S. officials throughout the process, it was examined by Israeli experts in a forensic laboratory in Israel. Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi, the army chief of staff, ordered the investigation be continued using all available means, the military said in a statement. It said any decision on whether to launch a criminal investigation would only be made after the operational investigation is completed. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said the IDF investigation was unable to determine who is responsible for the tragic death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, but it was able to determine conclusively that there was no intention to harm her. He did not address the U.S. conclusion that the bullet that struck her was likely fired from an Israeli position. The Palestinian Authority and Al Jazeera accused Israeli forces of deliberately targeting Abu Akleh within hours of her death. Nabil Abu Rdeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said the PA holds Israel fully responsible for Abu Akleh's killing and will not accept any manipulation of the results of the Palestinian investigation. The PA administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and cooperates with Israel on security matters. Rights groups say Israeli investigations of the shooting deaths of Palestinians often languish for months or years before being quietly closed and that soldiers are rarely held accountable. The Israeli rights group B'Tselem dismissed the U.S. announcement as a whitewash. All investigations published so far conclude that Israel is responsible," it said. It is not clear on what grounds does the U.S, State Department seek to dismiss her killing as the result of tragic circumstances and not as a crime for which those responsible should be held to account. Abu Akleh's family issued a statement saying the U.S. announcement was insulting to Shireens memory. All available evidence suggests that a U.S. citizen was the subject of an extrajudicial killing by a foreign government that receives billions of dollars in American military aid each year to perpetuate a prolonged and entrenched military occupation of millions of Palestinians, they said. Abu Akleh, who was 51, was an on-air correspondent for Al Jazeera's Arabic-language service who rose to fame two decades ago during the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, against Israeli rule. She documented the harsh realities of life under Israeli military rule now well into its sixth decade with no end in sight for viewers across the Arab world. Israeli police drew widespread criticism from around the world when they beat mourners and pallbearers at her funeral in Jerusalem on May 14. An Israeli newspaper last month reported that a police investigation found wrongdoing by some of its officers, but said those who supervised the event will not be seriously punished. Jenin has long been a bastion of Palestinian militants, and several recent deadly attacks inside Israel have been carried out by young men from in and around the town. Israel frequently carries out military raids in Jenin, which it says are aimed at arresting militants and preventing more attacks. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war and has built settlements where nearly 500,000 Israelis live alongside nearly 3 million Palestinians. The Palestinians want the territory to form the main part of a future state. Peace talks broke down more than a decade ago, and with Israel now in a new election campaign, they are unlikely to resume anytime soon. Lapid, the caretaker prime minister, supports a two-state solution with the Palestinians, but right-wing parties that oppose Palestinian statehood dominate the Israeli political system. ___ Krauss reported from Ottawa, Ontario. Associated Press reporter Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (AP) Hershel W. Woody Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, will lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday. A date and other details will be announced later, Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement. Woody Williams embodied the best of America: living a life of duty, honor and courage, Pelosi said. Schumer said: Woody Williams was an American hero who embodied the best of our country and the greatest generation. Williams, who died on Wednesday at 98, was a legend in his native West Virginia for his heroics under fire over several crucial hours at the battle for Iwo Jima. As a young Marine corporal, Williams went ahead of his unit in February 1945 and eliminated a series of Japanese machine gun positions. Facing small-arms fire, Williams fought for four hours, repeatedly returning to prepare demolition charges and obtain flamethrowers. Later that year, the 22-year-old Williams received the Medal of Honor from President Harry Truman. The Medal of Honor is the nations highest award for military valor. In remarks at a memorial Sunday in Charleston, West Virginia, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin said Williams never quit giving back. That included raising money for gold star families immediate family members of fallen service members with an annual motorcycle ride. Its raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, Manchin said. He joked that its not going to be stopping, because Woody would come after me in a heartbeat. Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, said he will miss Williams phone calls, noting how Williams would always give him directions and to-do lists. Ill miss him telling me how Im supposed to vote. And when I didnt, how I made a mistake, Manchin said. Gen. David H. Berger, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, said at the memorial that Williams always took exception to the notion that he accomplished that feat alone. He always acknowledged the other men on his team, some of whom never returned home. Woody may be the most genuine person I ever met, Berger said, noting his unique combination of humility and humor. He could make you laugh. He could make you care. That was his gift. Williams remained in the Marines after the war, serving a total of 20 years, before working for the Veterans Administration for 33 years as a veterans service representative. In 2018, the Huntington VA medical center was renamed in his honor, and the Navy commissioned a mobile base sea vessel in his name in 2020. He left an indelible mark on our Marine Corps, Berger said. As long as there are Marines, his legacy will live on. Manchin announced during his remarks that Williams would lie in state at the Rotunda, but Pelosi and Schumer said he would lie in honor. The distinction, according to the Architect of the Capitol, which oversees the building, is that government officials and military officers lie in state while private citizens lie in honor. How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys. > in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys. ? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key. Other keyboard shortcuts: 1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons Scalebar If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular. Controls - Video Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key. Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation) Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys. The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types. The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control. Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways: - without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method - with stereoscope - with anaglyph glasses. - on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system) For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them. Controls - photo comparison mode If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu. Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder. Summary of all keyboard shortcuts The Rays made a flurry of moves this afternoon following a weekend series in Toronto, reinstating left-hander Brooks Raley and right-hander Ryan Thompson from the restricted list and returning righties Phoenix Sanders and Javy Guerra to Triple-A Durham. Raley and Thompson were not allowed to enter Canada due to their vaccination status but will rejoin the team for tonights opener of a three-game series in Boston. The team also recalled left-hander Josh Fleming and optioned right-hander Cristofer Ogando to clear a spot on the active roster. To make room on the 40-man roster for the recently selected Ogando, the Rays transferred J.P. Feyereisen to the 60-day IL. The move pushes the return of the high-leverage righty whod logged 24 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run before hitting the IL in early June to early August at soonest. The return of Raley and Thompson will come as something of a relief to a bullpen that covered 17 innings over the course of winning three of four in Toronto, including three innings by Sanders, one by Guerra, and two by Ogando (per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, manager Kevin Cash even joked that Raley and Thompson might go a combined 9 innings in their return). While Thompson has struggled to a 5.33 ERA (4.62 FIP) across 25 1/3 innings so far this season, the 34-year-old Raley has been something of a revelation in 2022, posting a sparkling 2.22 ERA (2.09 FIP) behind an elevated strikeout rate (31.7% against 27.2% for his career) and improved walk rate (7.9% against 8.6%). Ghanaian Artiste Manager, Lawrence Nana Asiamah Hanson, also known as Bulldog, believes Jackie Appiah's decision to flaunt her mansion would raise the eyebrows of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to come after her. According to Bulldog, the first video was not particularly disturbing because it was simply a different person filming the interior of the building, but the subsequent one he saw was a panoramic view of the entire mansion. The first video I saw of the house was of a girl, a Nigerian actress, who was the one filming but the one I just saw played surfaced, he stated. Bulldog hopes Jackie Appiah's attitude of flaunting her splash mansion is commercial because he believes it is unwise and could cause the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to interfere with her. I am praying and hoping this professional version is for a commercial reason because what she has done is unwise. What Jackie has done is not wise. The GRA, they dont play and that is the culture, that is why people dont disclose their wealth. The GRA doesnt play in Ghana. If the law hasnt caught up with you, youll think there are no laws. She has created a huge problem for herself, he added. The former manager of self-acclaim dancehall King, Shatta Wale, made these assertions on the United Showbiz which was aired on Saturday, July 2, 2022, monitored by Modernghana News. Jackie Appiah became the talk of the town after a popular Nigerian actress and movie producer, Luchy Donalds, posted a video of the interior decoration of her Trassaco mansion a few weeks ago. This incited many comments from Ghanaians. 02.07.2022 LISTEN At just 25 years old, Dr King Uchiha Winter has grown over 197,000 followers on Twitter through his contribution and presence on the huge social media platform. He has made use of this edge to help numerous brands reach a wide range of consumers and to support rising artistes. He mostly uses his influence to help solicit for funds for the sick who need medical aid and the underprivileged members of society. Dr King Uchiha Winter as he calls himself on Twitter under the handle @I_Am_Winter was born with the name Richard Osei Agyemang on February 24, 1997. He received his primary education at St. Lawrence High School. He then attended Opoku Ware School, where he pursued the General Science program. He then furthered his bachelors degree education in Geomatic Engineering at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and he is currently studying his master's program in Finance at his alma mata. He has been featured on several traditional media and public forums to share and educate the youth on the importance of social media. His incredible social media presence has elevated him to be one of the country's top influencers and he has worked with big brands such as Pepsodent Ghana, Jumia, Jiji, Absa Bank, IxBet, 22bet, Msport, MasterCard and many others including musicians like Kofi Mole and Sablar. Dr. Winter has also utilized his popularity on Twitter to host a Twitter space called the "BreakUp Space" where those who have experienced heartbreaks in the past may share their experiences and get assistance from a team of specialists on how to overcome these heartbreaks and eliminate suicidal thoughts and low self-esteem. Dr Winter is well known for creating captivating content on his platform and to put a smile on everyones face. You can contact Dr Winter through his Twitter account at @I_Am_Winter or through his business mail at [email protected] Dr Winter is the best person for any project youre coming up with and hes ready to give his A-game to it. About seventy-two thousand five hundred (72, 500) Ghanaian entrepreneurs are set to benefit from capacity building program under the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project to enhance their skills and support them to manage their businesses well. The project is an initiative of the Ghana Enterprise Agency(GEA) in partnership with the World Bank aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 to 35 years beginning August 2022. Out of the number, fifty thousand (50,000) beneficiaries, are to gain skills in basic entrepreneurship courses, fifteen thousand (15,000) from intermediate courses and seven thousand five hundred(7, 500), from advanced courses. These were revealed by the Northern Regional Director of the Ghana Enterprises Agency(GEA) Mr Mathew Azoya on Thursday, June 30, 2022, at an entrepreneurship summit held at the University for Development Studies(UDS). The summit was organised by the Department of Development Management and Policy Studies (DoDMPS) under the Faculty of Sustainable Development Studies (SDS) at the University. It was to create opportunities for the final year students who are graduating this year, to present to industry actors by pitching their business ideas and potential firms they intend to establish after graduation. Mr Mathew noted that as part of the project, a total of five thousand (5,000) entrepreneurs would be supported with a start-up kit in an unspecified sum of money form of a grant, and also be assisted to normalise their businesses. He added that the GEA in the last few years, scaled up Youth and Women-led entrepreneurship across the country towards strengthening the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to be more resilient and sustainable. The GEA Director added that as part of efforts to open up more opportunities for young entrepreneurs, the GEA, recently created a department; 'Women Entrepreneurship Development Department' and the Women Entrepreneurs Rise(WERise) aimed at tackling challenges and also providing a suitable environment for constructive peer interaction and knowledge sharing among women entrepreneurs in the country. "The network had more than 800 Women MSMEs before the celebration of GWES in April this year when the network was formally launched in Accra," he said. He further indicated that the agency was ever ready to partner with organizations and ecosystem to create jobs for the youth. "The objectives of our agency among others are to contribute to the creation of an enabling environment for small-scale enterprise development, to contribute to the development of an enterprise culture in Ghana by facilitating access to credit," Mr Azoya said. On his part, the Dean of the Faculty of Sustainable Development Studies and chairman of the Seminar Dr Adams Sulemana Achanso, in his remarks, urged graduates be job creators and not job seekers. He also pledged the support of the Faculty to the development of students both academics and entrepreneurship. Dr Achanso further admonished Ghanaian youths, to venture into entrepreneurship to help in the economic transformation of the country. The Director of Public Relations at the UDS, Mr Abdul Hayi Moomen in comments, advised students of the university to be good ambassadors of the university everywhere they go. He urged the students to take both their academic and extracurricular activities serious to be able to excel in their education. A final year student and founder of Shea Wrestling, one of the participating groups in the Business Ideas Competition, Mr Borejinkpr Mufti, in an interview, thanked the Faculty and the Department for organising such events and called for similar programs to help enrich students with confidence and practical knowledge on how to present their ideas to potential sponsors. Fatmata Binta has tried many different jobs, but this one definitely fits her like a glove. The chef, born in Sierra Leone, now based in Ghana has placed Fulani cuisine at the heart of her pop-up restaurant and a foundation for women in rural areas of West Africa. For her efforts, she has been awarded first place by the prestigious 2022 Basque Culinary World Prize. Speaking to RFI last week, Fatmata Binta said: I'm very thrilled because this is going to create a safe space, the dream, the drive. All the things we've been working towards over the years are going to come to reality finally. So I've been emotional, excited, everything, and also thankful." She explains enthusiastically how she's spent the past few years pouring her energy into her Dine on a Mat pop up restaurant and her Fulani Kitchen Foundation, both centred around her family's West Africa roots. It's been a slow process interrupted by Covid but her efforts have paid off, enchanting the jury of the 2022 Basque Culinary World Prize. Created in 2016 by the Basque Government and the Basque Culinary Centre, the coveted prize goes to chefs from around the world who are using their talent and creativity to create positive change. Bring back traditions Binta's Dine on a Mat initiative sprang from a desire to reconnect with the traditions of the Fulani, the largest nomadic tribal group in the world. I grew up eating on mats. Fulanis in general dine on the mats but also in West Africa it's a big part of our culture, especially in rural areas, people eat with their hands and sit on the floor, she explains. She noticed that the pace of modern life was slowly but surely wiping away traces of the happy childhood she remembered, among relatives who would teach her and her siblings etiquette such as sitting straight, waiting to be served meat, not wasting food and not talking with a full mouth. I wanted to bring back that tradition and educate people about it. When I look back, my fondest memories up to now are when I was growing up and going to villages, she says, adding that her love of food and cooking came from spending time with her grandparents who owned restaurants. When she started her own restaurant in the Ghanaian capital Accra, she wanted to learn more about other Fulanis across West Africa who she says are similar in so many ways but are also different each tribe taking inspiration from their surroundings. Fulani cuisine is influenced by their nomadic lifestyle, which involves sundrying ingredients such as maize, fonio, millet spices and raising cattle to slaughter and sell at markets. Building a centre for women Wanting to explore this further, she set out to visit communities across Africa, spending time with local women and learning their recipes. She would take the ingredients back, where they becamle a hit with her customers. Having spent time in the field, Binta could also see the difficulties women faced, such as lack of water. It didn't feel right to go in there, then leave and ignore their challenges. So I wondered how I could collaborate with these women in a different way without just giving them handouts because that's not how you solve a problem in a sustainable way. That's how the Foundation came about. Starting with small projects that grew into larger ones, she is now planning to invest her 100,000 prize money into building a centre in the north of Ghana where she has already acquired four acres of land. The centre will serve as a space for women to do arts and crafts and grow fonio that will be packaged up and sold back into the community. Binta admits that it has taken some time to finally settle into her true calling. Her mother fondly nicknamed her touch and leave when she was younger because of her tendency to flit from one thing to another. After completing international relations studies, she went to culinary school in Kenya, then spent quite a bit of time dabbling in other jobs in marketing and television, but now she is home at last. I'm using my life experiences and my background, everything that is connected to me deeply so I would say I'm putting heart and soul into everything. I always believe that if you want to promote something, you have to love it first, when you love it, it's easy to promote it. The Tunisian jurist who oversaw the drafting of a new constitution submitted to President Kais Saied said Sunday it has been changed into a charter that could lead to a dictatorship. Some articles of the draft constitution published last Thursday in the official gazette could "pave the way for a dictatorial regime", warned Sadeq Belaid, who headed a committee tasked with drafting the document. The published text is "completely different" from that submitted in person to the president late last month, the respected jurist told AFP. In July last year, Saied orchestrated a dramatic power grab, which many have denounced as a coup, sacking the government and freezing parliament. Belaid was viewed as a pro-Saied figure even during subsequent moves by the president to further consolidate power this year. His disavowal of the altered constitution is therefore a blow for the president, just weeks before it is due to go to a referendum. Contacted by AFP, Belaid confirmed he has withdrawn his support for the draft. Saied has since his initial power grab moved to rule by decree and extended his powers over the judiciary and the electoral board. Some Tunisians welcomed his moves against the sclerotic system that emerged from the revolution that toppled dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011. But others have protested in the streets and warned that the president is targeting political rivals and dragging the country back towards autocracy. 'Completely different' The constitution for a "new republic" is at the centre of Saied's programme for rebuilding Tunisia's political system. The president plans to hold a referendum on the constitution on July 25, to mark one year since his power grab. The draft constitution published last week grants the president wide powers to rule. It allows him to carry out "executive functions with the help of the government", whose chief he would appoint. The president would also head the armed forces and name judges. The draft constitution waters down the role of parliament. Judges gather for a protest against Tunisia's President Kais Saied outside the Tunis Palace of Justice in Tunisia's capital on June 23. By FETHI BELAID (AFP) Belaid warned that the published document "contains risks and considerable shortcomings". He specifically points to one article, which he said carries an "imminent danger" because it would give the president "very wide powers... that could lead to a dictatorial regime". "That is why, as head of the national constitution committee... I declare, regretfully and in true conscience... that the committee has nothing to do with the document that the president" will submit for approval in a referendum, Belaid added. The altered draft constitution augurs a "bad future" for the country, he contended. His misgivings were initially published as a letter in the Assabah newspaper, and he spoke subsequently to AFP, confirming that he was the author. "The text that I drew up after several weeks of work with the participation of dozens of experts at all levels is completely different from the text that has been published," he told AFP. In contrast to Tunisia's past constitutions, the draft also makes no reference to Islam as a state religion or basis of the law. The 2014 constitution, a hard-won compromise between the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha, which was parliament's biggest party, and its secular rivals created a system where both the president and parliament had executive powers. It was adopted three years after the North African country's 2011 revolution that toppled Ben Ali. West African leaders on Sunday lifted financial and trade sanctions they imposed on Mali's military regime, accepting the junta's date for a March 2024 return to civilian rule, a delegate at a regional summit said. Heads of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had gathered to assess efforts to secure timetables and other guarantees for restoring civilian rule in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso. Mali underwent coups in August 2020 and May 2021, followed by Guinea in September 2021 and Burkina Faso this January. Fearing contagion in a region notorious for military takeovers, ECOWAS has imposed tough trade and economic sanctions against Mali, but lesser punishments against Guinea and Burkina. "It's done," one delegate at the ECOWAS summit told AFP. "We have decided to lift economic and financial sanctions against Mali." ECOWAS in January imposed a trade and financial embargo on Mali after its military government unveiled a scheme to rule for five years. The sanctions have badly hit the poor and landlocked Sahel state, whose economy is already under severe strain from a decade-long jihadist insurgency. After months of bitter talks, the Malian authorities on Wednesday approved a plan to hold presidential elections in February 2024. The vote will be preceded by a referendum on a revised constitution in March 2023 and legislative elections in late 2023. The ECOWAS mediator in Mali, former Nigerian leader Goodluck Jonathan, visited the country last week. A member of his entourage told AFP Mali had made "enormous progress". Mali's top diplomat Abdoulaye Diop on Friday said the recent political developments were moving the country towards a lifting of the sanctions. Guinea transition 'unthinkable' Burkina Faso -- another Sahel country caught up in jihadist turmoil -- and Guinea have so far only been suspended from the bodies of the 15-nation bloc but could face harsher sanctions. An ECOWAS mediator praised Burkina Faso junta leader Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba for his 'openness to dialogue'. By OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT (AFP/File) Burkina's junta has proposed a constitutional referendum in December 2024 and legislative and presidential elections in February 2025. Visiting Ouagadougou for the second time in a month on Saturday, ECOWAS mediator Mahamadou Issoufou praised junta leader Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba and his government for their "openness to dialogue". The timetable to enable a return to civilian rule and the situation of deposed leader Roch Marc Christian Kabore were also discussed, said the former president of Niger. Political parties allied to Kabore denounced the junta's plans on Friday, saying they were not consulted in advance. The situation appears more complex in Guinea, whose junta has refused an ECOWAS mediator and announced a 36-month transition -- a period that African Union chairman and Senegalese President Macky Sall has described as "unthinkable". ECOWAS avoided ruling on sanctions at a June 4 meeting and instead gave itself another month to negotiate. Guinea this week has led a diplomatic offensive to assuage the concerns of regional leaders. The country's post-coup prime minister Mohamed Beavogui on Saturday met the United Nations' special representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Mahamat Saleh Annadif. The government said it wanted to reassure its ECOWAS "brothers" of its commitment to undertaking a peaceful and inclusive democratic transition. Guinea's military regime met the main political parties on Monday, but they have made their participation in the dialogue conditional on the nomination of an ECOWAS mediator. West African leaders on Sunday lifted sanctions on Mali's military regime, accepting a March 2024 return to civilian rule, and agreed on two years for Burkina Faso's transition back to democracy, delegates at a regional summit said. Heads of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had gathered to assess efforts to secure timetables and guarantees for restoring civilian rule in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso. Mali underwent coups in August 2020 and May 2021, followed by Guinea in September 2021 and Burkina Faso this January. Fearing contagion in a region known for military takeovers, ECOWAS imposed tough trade and economic sanctions against Mali, but lesser punishments against Guinea and Burkina. "It's done," one delegate at the ECOWAS summit told AFP. "We have decided to lift economic and financial sanctions against Mali." ECOWAS in January imposed a trade and financial embargo on Mali after its military government unveiled a scheme to rule for five years. The sanctions have badly hit the poor, landlocked Sahel state, whose economy is already under severe strain from a decade-long jihadist insurgency. After months of talks, Malian authorities on Wednesday approved a plan to hold presidential elections in February 2024. The vote will be preceded by a referendum on a revised constitution in March 2023 and legislative elections in late 2023. The ECOWAS mediator in Mali, former Nigerian leader Goodluck Jonathan, visited the country last week. A member of his entourage had told AFP Mali had made "enormous progress". The country's top diplomat Abdoulaye Diop on Friday said the recent political developments were moving the country towards a lifting of the sanctions. Guinea transition 'unthinkable' Burkina Faso -- another Sahel country caught up in jihadist turmoil -- and Guinea have so far only been suspended from the bodies of the 15-nation bloc. An ECOWAS mediator praised Burkina Faso junta leader Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba for his 'openness to dialogue'. By OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT (AFP/File) Burkina's junta proposed a constitutional referendum in December 2024 and legislative and presidential elections in February 2025. "Everyone agrees that it is 24 months of transition from July 1, 2022," an ECOWAS summit delegate told AFP. The information was confirmed to AFP by an ECOWAS official who also participated in the summit. Visiting Ouagadougou for the second time in a month on Saturday, ECOWAS mediator Mahamadou Issoufou had praised junta leader Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba and his government for their "openness to dialogue". The timetable to enable a return to civilian rule and the situation of deposed leader Roch Marc Christian Kabore were also discussed, said the former president of Niger. Political parties allied to Kabore denounced the junta's plans on Friday, saying they were not consulted in advance. The situation appears more complex in Guinea, whose junta has refused an ECOWAS mediator and announced a 36-month transition -- a period that African Union chairman and Senegalese President Macky Sall has described as "unthinkable". Guinea this week has led a diplomatic offensive to assuage the concerns of regional leaders. The country's post-coup prime minister Mohamed Beavogui on Saturday met the United Nations' special representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Mahamat Saleh Annadif. The government said it wanted to reassure its ECOWAS "brothers" of its commitment to undertaking a peaceful and inclusive democratic transition. Guinea's military regime met the main political parties on Monday, but they have made their participation in the dialogue conditional on the nomination of an ECOWAS mediator. 04.07.2022 LISTEN At least six people have been arrested following a clash over land and chieftaincy dispute at Adum Afrancho near Atwima Kwanwoma in the Ashanti Region. The incident occurred on the morning of Sunday, July 3, 2022, at about 7:00am when two factions met on a family land where a struggle ensued. During the altercation, the deceased, known as Kwame Yeboah, aged 23, was allegedly stabbed to death by Kwadjo Brefo, who is among the suspects arrested. Two persons, including suspect Kwadwo Brefo, sustained injuries and are receiving treatment at the hospital under Police guard. An operation led by the Ashanti Regional Police Commander helped to restore calm in the area and resulted in the arrest of the six people. The Police have arrested six persons in the Ashanti Region following a land and chieftaincy dispute that led to the death of one person at Adum Afrancho near Atwima Kwanwoma. Police have beefed up security in the area and we are in full control of the situation, parts of a Police statement issued on Sunday evening said. Below is a copy of the Police statement: 04.07.2022 LISTEN Public Relations Strategist, Dr. Walter Duru has called on public institutions across Africa to evolve plans for rumour management as part of their overall communication strategy. Duru, an Assistant Professor of Communications and Multimedia Design made the call while contributing to a discourse on communications and citizens engagement during the just concluded ID4Africa Conference held in Marrakech, Morocco. Describing rumour management as an important public relations function, the communication expert argued that rumours can puncture public trust, frustrate investments and adversely affect project implementation, if not properly managed. He described as dangerous, the failure of some public institutions in Africa to include rumour management as part of their overall communication strategy development. Rumour management is an important public relations function that every organisation must take very seriously. Rumours can trigger trust issues for public and private programmes/projects and organisations. Rumours lead to erosion of trust and morale. They increase anxiety and create serious distractions for organisations. Beyond the work place, rumours can make project implementation difficult and they spread very fast. Contemporary public relations practise takes rumour management very seriously. Failing to have a strategy for managing rumour can lead to the failure of a project or policy, no matter how important they may be. Every communication strategy must have activities and a deliberate plan for rumour management. On the importance of Identification for citizens, Duru described it as a right of everyone, calling on all Africans to join the campaign for a legal form of identification for all. United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.9 expects that by 2030, each and every person in the world should have a legal identity. The target is to achieve 100% Legal Identity by 2030. Identity is a human right. If you have no form of identity, you are invincible. Proper identification will enable the government to plan properly, in order to deliver good governance. Without an identity, you will have difficulties assessing government services. In Nigeria, the National Identity Management Commission - NIMC is issuing unique National Identity Numbers (NIN). Citizens are strongly advised to look for the nearest enrolment centers to enrol in order not to be left out. Ignore whatever misinformation that may have been out there and go and get enrolled, in your own interest. Today, the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (Nigeria ID4D) project is here to support NIMC and other public institutions in Nigeria to realize their mandates. It is jointly funded by the World Bank, European Investment Bank and French Development Agency. Efforts are also being made to ensure that the legal framework on data protection in Nigeria is strengthened. Nigerians should get their NIN now, as it is a win-win for all citizens. Officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are expected to arrive in the country on Wednesday, July 6th to begin negotiations with the government on the bail-out the Akufo-Addo administration is seeking. The team is expected to meet officials of the Finance Ministry, the Economic Management Team and the Presidency during their one-week stay. Details of the bailout programme and its conditionalities will all be announced after the meeting. The Ministry of Information on Friday, July 1, 2022, announced that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had given approval for Ghana to begin engagements with the IMF for a bailout. The ministry said the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta will be leading the negotiations with the IMF in the coming days. The news has been received with mixed feelings, as it comes as a major U-turn by the government after it vowed never to go under an IMF programme. The IMF team will consist of senior officials from the Fund as well as local staff based here in Ghana. Analysts suggest that it would take at least three months for a programme to be agreed upon between the parties. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has described as tragic mistake and sad decision, the Akufo-Addo governments move to seek help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to revive Ghanas ailing economy. In a strongly-worded statement, the labour union said while it appreciates the challenges facing the economy, it does not believe that going under an IMF programme is the best solution. It is now very obvious that the economy of Ghana is in a desperate situation. But we are of the firm view that handing over the management of the economy to the IMF is not the solution to our problems, the TUC said. It was of the view that an IMF programme will bring in tight economic conditions, such as a freeze on public sector employment as was the case for Ghanas 16th programme with the fund, noting that despite the many bailouts, the Ghanaian economy continues to face challenges. The hardships all these IMF programmes brought on Ghanaians were enormous and needless. What we got in return was an economy still overly dependent on production and export of raw materials and import of manufactured products. Most of our productive sectors such as mining, petroleum and telecommunications are still being controlled by foreign companies. The Ministry of Information on Friday, July 1, 2022, announced that President Akufo-Addo had given approval for Ghana to begin engagements with the IMF for a bailout. The TUC said it was unhappy that the government unilaterally agreed to seek an IMF bailout. It reminded government of its promise for a four and seven percent pay increase for 2021 and 2022 on condition that government will not declare redundancies in the public service and that government will continue to employ young people into the public service, adding that any condition from an IMF programme that will impose needless hardship on them will be prevented. We would like government to note that the working people of Ghana will do whatever it takes to prevent the imposition of needless hardships on them and the good people of Ghana, it said. Read the full statement below: COMMENCEMENT OF FORMAL ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF) On July 1, 2022, the Minister for Information released an official statement to inform Ghanaians that President Akufo -Addo has directed the Minister for Finance to commence formal engagements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), inviting the Fund to support an economic program put together by the Government of Ghana. The statement further underlined Cabinet's endorsement of the decision by the President to seek IMF support. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) considers this decision by government a tragic mistake and a sad one for Ghana. This will be the eighteenth time our country's economy will be handed over to the IMF to manage. It is very sad because it is a clear indication that we cannot manage our own affairs. We fully acknowledge the impact of global developments on Ghana's economy. At the same time, the current state of the economy suggests that the robust economy government claimed to have built before the pandemic was not resilient enough. It must have been built on a foundation of straw but Ghanaians were told that our economy was strong and stable. It is now very obvious that the economy of Ghana is in a desperate situation. But we are of the firm view that handing over the management of the economy to the IMF is not the solution to our problems. In the Fourth Republic alone, we have implemented five IMF programmes. These IMF programmes have only imposed unnecessary hardships on Ghanaians with practically nothing to show for them. The solutions proffered by the Fund are not appropriate for our economy. They scratch the edges of the problem without tackling the fundamental issues facing the economy. 1 The negative social implications of the religious manner in which IMF-sponsored programmes were implemented during the structural adjustment period are still very fresh in our memories. Tens of thousands of public sector workers lost their jobs, unnecessarily. For example, the last IMF-Extended Credit Facility programme (2015-2018) was conditioned on government freezing employment in the public service, among other conditionalities. This meant that while CHIP Compounds were without skilled medical personnel, trained nurses were picketing at the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations for jobs. That IMF programme produced an association of unemployed graduates for the first time in the history of our country. The programme also led to a steep decline in real wages. The hardships all these IMF programmes brought on Ghanaians were enormous and needless. What we got in return was an economy still overly dependent on production and export of raw materials and import of manufactured products. Most of our productive sectors such as mining, petroleum and telecommunications are still being controlled by foreign companies. Our history of engagements with the IMF provides ample evidence that IMF-sponsored programmes and policies cannot change our economic circumstances. If we learn from history, we would know that countries that have succeeded economically such as South Korea, Singapore and China did not follow the neo-liberal policies based on the Washington Consensus which provide the basis for all IMF-sponsored programme. The only reason a government would want to seek IMF bailout is to look for short-term quick fix to our perennial economic challenges. Ghana has done this seventeen times and government has just announced the commencement of engagements for the eighteenth IMF-sponsored programme. One thing is very certain the eighteenth IMF programme will not solve our problems. Therefore, we should be prepared for the nineteenth, twentieth and more programmes in the next few years, even though it is so obvious that IMF programmes pay practically no attention to the removal of structural constraints to sustainable growth and development. What we need now are measures that tackle the structural constraints to economic and social development. Those measures must include policies and programmes aimed at ending the domination of foreign companies in the most productive sectors of the economy, minimise our dependence on natural resources and build a robust manufacturing base. An economy which is dependent on few natural resources will continue to face fiscal challenges. We believe strongly that we can achieve sustainable economic growth and development if we build consensus among the key stakeholders through a genuine social partnership. In 2019, the Government of Ghana, represented by the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and Organised Labour represented by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and private sector employers represented by 2 the Ghana Employers' Association (GEA), collectively referred to as Social Partners, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the following objectives: a. Provide a mechanism for building a sense of cohesion, trust, self-management, and engage in frank and open discussions with mutual sacrifices and contributions from all stakeholders to champion the course of Ghana's development; b. Provide a platform for reaching national consensus on transformation and development issues; c. Provide a post-IMF Extended Credit Facility local development partnership arrangement among Social Partners to ensure the irreversibility of macroeconomic gains; d. Undertake analysis on key development issues and advise government on same; e. Deliberate and make inputs on national development policy discourse, including the National Budget; f. Serve as an internal mechanism to foster accountability; and g. Inculcate a culture of social cooperation between workers, employers and government at all levels of the Ghanaian society. Our understanding of the unilateral decision by Government to commence engagements with IMF, without any consultation with the social partners, amounts to a declaration of the end of the social partnership initiated in 2019 with the above-mentioned objectives. We would like to remind government that, as part of the negotiations for the 2021 and 2022 base pay, we agreed to the four and seven percent pay increases respectively on condition that government will not declare redundancies in the public service and that government will continue to employ young people into the public service. We would like government to note that the working people of Ghana will do whatever it takes to prevent the imposition of needless hardships on them and the good people of Ghana. [SIGNED] DR. YAW BAAH SECRETARY GENERAL ACCRA, 3RD JULY 2022 ---citinewsroom 04.07.2022 LISTEN The CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Senyo Hosi is stepping down at the end of July 2022. Mr. Hosi, the founding CEO of the Chamber, is leaving office after 10 years of service. Under his leadership, the Chamber became recognized as one of the power houses for industry-based research and policy advocacy in Ghana. Through his efforts, and with support from the secretariat, the Chamber gained influence and showed innovation and leadership in the petroleum downstream sector. Mr. Hosi is credited for being the catalyst for key policy decisions including the petroleum price deregulation that saved the Ghanaian economy 500 million US Dollars every year in unbudgeted subsidies as well as the low Sulphur policy that introduced cleaner fuels by adopting low Sulphur petroleum standards (from 3000ppm to 50ppm). He developed the conceptual framework for the adoption of the Energy Sector Levies Act (ESLA) and the structuring and ring-fencing of the proceeds from the levies as collateral for Ghanas first energy bonds to address the energy sectors debt of about 2.5bn US Dollars. This contribution to the industry provided a remarkable turnaround for the dwindling economic fortunes of a hitherto heavily indebted energy sector. Mr. Hosi has been integral to practically all the major policy and regulatory interventions in the downstream sector. His intellect, experience and knack for innovation led to his appointment as a ministerial adviser under both the Mahama (NDC) and Akufo-Addo (NPP) administrations. It has been a decade of service working with you all to defend and promote the sustainable good of our industry for the good of Mother Ghana, Mr. Hosi said in his final address at CBODs Annual General Meeting. One thing has been clear: the aggregation of collective purpose is more beneficial than individual effort. I am extremely grateful to all Members and Staff of the Chambers Secretariat for the enormous support and co-operation that I have enjoyed all these years. The chairman of the board of CBOD, Ivy Apea Owusu, commended Mr. Hosi for his decade-long service to the Chamber. We cannot thank Senyo enough for his stellar advocacy on behalf of all our members, she says. She added, Hes been an exemplary leader at the secretariat, hes contributed his intellect and passion towards the resolution of some of the many challenges we face in the petroleum downstream sector and with that, we cannot over-emphasize his influence on the Ghanaian economy as a whole. We wish we could keep him forever but that is impossible. And so, for now, we wish him the very best in all his future endeavours. The Special Envoy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to Guinea, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas has communicated his intention to withdraw as a mediator to the West African State. Guinea, whose junta has refused an ECOWAS mediator announced a 36-month transition period and has conditioned any dialogue towards a successful transfer of power to a constitutionally recognized head of state on the appointment of another ECOWAS mediator. Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the 61st Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on Sunday July 3, 2022, in Accra, Dr. Ibn Chambas said his decision to step down is to pave way for a successful dialogue to take place in order for Guinea to return to constitutional democratic rule. In Guinea, the transitional authorities continue to insist that there is no political crisis, yet it is evident that once a military has overthrown a civilian government, there is obviously a political crisis in the country. This reason is what the Guinean authorities have used to refuse to accept and ECOWAS envoy in the country in the person of myself. At this point I believe that I should not be the stumbling block to dialogue between ECOWAS and Guinea. In order to facilitate forward movement on this issue, I have decided to withdraw myself as envoy of ECOWAS to Guinea to allow the authority to come up with other names, Dr. Ibn Chambas said. Dr. Ibn Chambas was appointed in November last year as Special Envoy to Guinea to strengthen dialogue with the Guinean military authority towards the successful and short transitional process. Source: Classfmonline.com As government prepares to commence talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout program, former Finance Minister Seth Terkper has charged government to candidly assess the sustainability of programs like the Free Senior High School Policy. According to him, some of the flagship programs are a drain on governments' resources. The announcement of plans to commence formal engagements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), for the Bretton Woods institution, to provide a balance of payment support as part of a broader effort to quicken Ghana's build back in the face of challenges induced by the Covid-19 pandemic and, recently, the Russia Ukraine crises, has been met with stiff opposition in some quarters, especially from organisations like the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which fears Ghanaian workers will be worse-off as a result of the program. Some have expressed concern over the scrapping of some key government policies to help check government expenditure. In an interview with Citi Business News on the subject, Seth Terkper urged government to candidly assess some of its key programs. The question we should be asking ourselves is; do these programs have the right design and are we able to pay for them? We know it. The headmasters and other stakeholders like contractors have all spoken about a lack of payment when it comes to the programs they are a part of. So it's not a question of whether the IMF is going to push us. We have to candidly question ourselves on the sustainability of our programs like the Free SHS, especially in an environment where we don't have access to the market to borrow. Mr. Terkper further said he thinks, like other programs in the past, the Free SHS needs to be redesigned. citinewsroom General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has charged members of the party to brace themselves for a rigorous campaign that will boot out the governing New Patriotic Party in the 2024 general elections. He said, though many Ghanaians are fed up with the governing NPP, there is a need for NDC members to be united and rigorous in their fight to make the party attractive to the electorate. Mr. Asiedu Nkatiah was speaking in Wa after swearing in over 1000 defectors from the Progressive Peoples Party to the NDC. We encourage people to come along, so we form a united front. Once we do this, we will be able to form a formidable team that can withstand any other political party. Besides, we the NDC will boot out the NPP in the 2024 elections. Join us to achieve this. Over 1000 members of the Progressive Peoples Party led by their regional chairman on Sunday, July 3, 2022, announced their decision to switch camps to the main opposition National Democratic Congress. The defectors, who said they were members of the PPP from 7 constituencies, thronged the auditorium of the Wa Technical Institute with their chairmen to declare their decision. The group said their decision is to support the NDC to rescue Ghanaians from the current economic hardship in the country under the NPP. The NDC General Secretary, the Upper West Regional Chairman, Mahammed Nasir Saani, and other regional executives swore in the defectors. Speaking after the swearing-in, Mr. Asiedu Nketiah accused the NPP of using and dumping the leader and founder of the PPP, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom. The NDC scribe directed the Upper Regional branch of the party to open their branch registers for limited registration to allow for the defectors to officially register with the party. citinewsroom Switzerland this week hosts the "Ukraine Recovery" conference, to focus on how international partners can help rebuild the country in the wake of the massive infrastructural damage caused by Russian bombing raids. Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal will lead a 100-strong delegation to Switzerland for this week's international meeting on rebuilding Ukraine. That is the largest delegation to leave the country since the Russian invasion began on 24 February. They will be joined by delegations from dozens of countries at the Ukraine Recovery Conference to be co-hosted by Kyiv and Bern in the southern Swiss city of Lugano on 4 and 5 July. The conference had been planned before the conflict, and it had originally been intended to discuss reforms in Ukraine before being repurposed to discuss reconstruction. It will not be a pledging conference but will instead attempt to lay out the principles and priorities for a rebuilding process aimed to begin even as the war in Ukraine continues. Roadmap on road to recovery "Lugano will be one of the first, and maybe the key platform on recovery of Ukraine,... the roadmap," Ukrainian ambassador in Switzerland, Artem Rybchenko, said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had initially been scheduled to come and co-host the event alongside his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis, but he is now due to attend by videolink. Rybchenko said that laws in Ukraine prohibit the president, "the first responsible person", from leaving the national territory at a time of war. In addition to Shmyhal, six other Ukrainian government ministers, including the country's top diplomat Dmytro Kuleba, will be present in Lugano, as well as a number of parliament and regional leaders. Marshall plan? The meeting may lead to the creation of a Ukraine version of the post-WW2 Marshall Plan. That plan, initiated in 1948 provided more than $15bn to help finance rebuilding efforts across Europe, according to Mark Temnycky, an East Europe specialist writing on the website of the Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA.) The program sought to "rebuild cities ravaged by the war, reconstruct critical infrastructure, and restore various industries and companies." These efforts led to a "stronger, more united Europe, and with it, modernisation and a technology boom. The program also saw significant economic growth in the countries that received funding." But critics have argued that the problems caused by the Russian invasion are only skin deep. Ukraine's economy was already badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Ukraine also suffers other fundamental problems, such as lack of transparency and economic malfeasance. According to Transparency International (AI), Ukraine ranks no. 122 of the 180 nations in AI's "corruption perception" index, and is by far the most corrupt country on the European continent. Was the country's GDP already in freefall before the invasion, in 2022, the World Bank estimates that Ukraine's GDP could face a 45 percent decline. Rebuilding the country could cost hundreds of billions, if not trillions of dollars. Concluding its own meeting last week, the G7 group of industrialised nations said in a statement that it is "ready to support an international reconstruction plan," but stressed the importance of enhancing "strong democratic institutions, the rule of law, and anti-corruption measures" in Ukraine. Complicated task Rybchenko said that organising the delegation had been complicated. It is no longer a question of a two-hour flight from Ukraine to Switzerland, he said, pointing out that it now takes "around two days, by train, flying, by cars". In addition, the male delegation members between the ages of 18 and 60 all had to apply for exceptions from a wartime law barring them from leaving the country, he added. In all, 38 countries and 14 international organisations will send delegations to Lugano, with eight heads of government in attendance, including the leaders of Poland and the Czech Republic, the Swiss organisers said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also confirmed her attendance. Kyiv will present its vision, and the parties will try to nail down priorities for rebuilding and establish a number of principles, including that the process must be Ukrainian-led, and that it must go hand-in-hand with reforms. (With AFP) The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ningo Prampram constituency, Sam Nartey George says it appears the war between Russia and Ukraine has affected Ghana more than the feuding countries. Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion resulted in Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II, with over eight million Ukrainians fleeing and a third of the population displaced. The invasion also resulted in worldwide food shortages. The conflict has since affected the global economy resulting from the frequent hikes in fuel prices which result from a lack of fuel purchases from Russia, the second-largest producer of fuel in the world at the moment. However, In a tweet on Monday, July 4, 2022, the lawmaker asserted that Ghanas frequent blame of the economic hardships on the Russia-Ukraine war has made it seem like the war is being fought here in Ghana. Seems to me that the Russia-Ukraine war is being fought somewhere in Ghana. We appear to be more affected than Russia and Ukraine combined, his tweet reads. 04.07.2022 LISTEN The Information Minister, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said governments decision to run to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout was President Akufo-Addos call sanctioned by cabinet. The minister was responding to a series of questions regarding governments decision to run back to the IMF for a bailout on an Accra local radio station, Citi FMs Breakfast show on Monday, 4th July 2022 monitored by this reporter. Asked whether Vice President Dr. Mohamudu Bawumia, Vice President and the economic management team were in support of governments sudden U-turn, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said the decision to run back to the IMF was a collective decision. The decision to run to the IMF for a bailout was a collective one. Some members of this government may have expressed some misgivings in the past. No one has given any indication that he does not support the current stance of the government, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah has indicated. Prior to the passage of the E-levy, top government officials, including Dr. Bawumia and the Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta had indicated strongly that the government would never return to the IMF for any financial assistance regardless of the countrys economic conditions impressing on Ghanaians to support the controversial E-levy as the panacea. For instance, in one of the NPP town hall meetings, Mr. Ofori-Atta once indicated that going back to the IMF for further assistance will have dire consequences on the economy of Ghana. The consequences are dire, we are a proud nation, we have the resources, we have the capacity. We are not short-sighted, Mr. Ken Ofori has said. Months after the e-levy had been passed, the fund had failed woefully to generate the expected revenue to shore up the sinking economy, President Akufo-Addo last week directed the finance minister to quickly reach out to the IMF for a bailout. The African Court on Human and Peoples Rights, the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), and the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice (ECOWAS CCJ) have cemented their collaboration through the first African Tripartite Judicial Dialogue which ended in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The three-day Dialogue discussed among others, best practices on enhancing judicial cooperation and protection of human rights on the continent and mechanisms for better implementation of court decisions. The Dialogue assembled about 30 Judges and over 50 lawyers from the three Regional and Sub-Regional courts and provided opportunities for knowledge sharing and on how best to face common challenges. Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud, President of the African Court hosted the tripartite judicial dialogue in a document to the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Ghana explained that the statutory basis was embedded in Article 60 and 61 of the African Charter. The dialogue was facilitated by Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, through support from the Swedish Development Cooperation, and in cooperation with Konrad Stiftung, GIZ and the UN Office of the High Commission on Human Rights. I make reference to the Charter in a framework of judicial dialogue for at least two reasons that the Charter can rightly be said to be the main normative basis for the material jurisdiction of our three Courts either as a standalone instrument or as a source of law recognized by the Member States and that we have all applied in adjudicating cases. Articles 60 and 61 of the Charter provide the express invitation to judicial dialogue in that they call for recourse to not only foreign and international case-law but also to general principles of law recognized by African nations, she said. The African Court President said making pledges to judicial dialogue from an international perspective as was done in the Kampala Declaration involving the European and Inter-American Courts, the tripartite judicial dialogue gathering provided a unique opportunity to reinforce African regional dialogue in its horizontal approach. Lady Justice Aboud said we need to use the existing framework, which can take both from the experience of the continental judicial dialogue but also by implementing parts of the memorandum of understanding that we have signed at the bilateral level. Justice Nestor Kayobera, President of the EACJ said the dialogue provided a platform for enhanced collaboration of the three Courts and other key stakeholders. Justice Kayobera said discussions were centered on various critical matters of common interest, including best practices and emerging issues that the Courts encounter while undertaking their mandates. Justice Edward Amoako Asante, President of the ECOWAS CCJ, described the dialogue as a historic opportunity to build the foundation for lasting cooperation between the courts and the partners. Justice Asante said the dialogue would strengthen the courts for greater efficiency in delivering on their mandates, particularly in holding the states accountable for their obligations. Government says its 'primary reason' for Ghana's return to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the nrgative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. It maintains that efforts by the government to put the ailing economy back on track immediately after it assumed office were hampered by what it describes as the twin crisis [Covid and Russia-Ukraine war]. Minister responsible for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah while speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, said the country's decision to fall back on the Bretton Woods institution for a bailout is justified. COVID-19 is the primary reason. It was a global challengethe twin crisis [also affected us], and it's a matter that is well-known problem. Explaining further, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said, Ghanas economy was performing comparatively better but was fraught with some major macroeconomic distortions, thereby throwing the economic buffers created off gear. He also attributed the current situation to the recent economic downgrade by international rating agencies. Beyond the twin crisis, our domestic program which was what will ordinarily help us respond, so we do not go for a balance of payment support, has also been challenged. One of the major things that have affected us is our downgrade [by international rating agencies], therefore our inability to get access to the international market. The Ministry of Information on Friday, July 1, 2022, announced that President Akufo-Addo had given approval for Ghana to begin engagements with the IMF for a bailout. The Information Ministry said the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta will be leading the negotiations with the IMF in the coming days. The news has been received with mixed feelings. This will be the 17th time Ghana is going to the IMF for help. The 16th time was under the John Mahama administration in 2015 and ended in 2019. The Fund is not a single bullet to answer all the questions that we have but if they can come to support the program that we have on the table. The President has made that decision and we have started putting in place the mechanisms, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah added. citinewsroom The Civil and Local Government Staff Association (CLOGSAG) has asked government to improve on domestics revenue generation as way of dealing with the difficulties facing the economy. Executive Secretary of CLOGSAG, Mr Isaac Bampoe Addo said the government will continue to have problems if it does not scale up revenue mobilisation domestically. Speaking in interview with on the decision by the government to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for support, he said Of course they are going to put in some conditionalities but the bottom line is this, once you are having issues with your internal revenue generation , once you dont improve that, we will always have these problems. So, what we will say is that we need to improve our internal revenue generation and that is going to take us out of this because once you are not getting the internal generated revenue then you have these problems. so to come out with polices to improve our revenue generation. Mr Bampoe Addo further said association supports the decision by the government to go to the Fund. In his view, this will not be the first time Ghana will be seeking assistance from the IMF. In the first place, we are civil servants, we are supposed to support government policies. We want to say that we support the policy to go back to the IMF. This is not the first time we are going to the IMF. We know the terrain, so it is no issue, we know how to survive it, we know how to get out of it so we don't see any problem with it. There is nothing wrong with it, we have been there before and we got out so this one too we will get out, he said. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has instructed his Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to commence formal engagements with the IMF inviting the Fund to support an economic programme put together by the Government of Ghana. This followed a telephone conversation between the President and the IMF Managing Director, Miss Kristalina Georgieva, conveying Ghana's decision to engage with the Fund. The Ministry of Information announced this in a statement on Friday July 1. 3news.com The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has indicated that, much as there are calls for government to help mitigate the fuel hikes, the reality is that government has no money to cushion the Ghanaians. He said some measures were put in place to tackle the situation, though worked, the impact of covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war were delving a heavy blow on the economy. Answering some questions from Ghanaians last night on The Probe on Joy News, he said regarding incessant fuel hikes, government reduced some three margins in the price build-up to help cushion the Ghanaian while trying to engage transport organizations. In Ghana for example, take fuel. I hear a lot of people say why cant government subsidize fuel? The reality is that, there is no money there to subsidize fuel. Indeed, rather the reserve is that, government has some taxes and levies and margins that were on fuel products. In February, when the war started and the economies predicted we were going to have problems, government came out and I recall coming out and speaking and saying that we are going to introduce some measures and structures on the instructions of the president to help mitigate the situation so we took away about three margins; yes we didnt touch the taxes. So about three margins, UPPF margin, fuel marking margin, BOST margin, we reduced them in our bid to mitigate the situation. We said wed engage better with transport companies to see that they dont escalate because it will further escalate in that regime. In the last one week we have assessed how all of these measures have fared and we have come to a firm view that the global impact was so severe that some of the measures we have introduced though they have worked are not able to stop the impact on the Ghanaian, he told the host. The Physician Assistants Association of Ghana says it will seek redress at the law court if changes are not made to the scope of practice document scheduled to be launched tomorrow Tuesday. The association also promised to reject the document if some amendments it proposed are not made. According to the association, the regulator of the Medical and Dental Council, has completely ignored its inputs in the scope of practice document, which is a guideline document to regulate Physician Assistants across the country. The leadership of the Association again argued there were some clauses in the document that prevented them from doing what is captured in their job description. According to the leadership of the association, portions of the drafted document will prevent its members from requesting a lab of helicobacter pylori (Ulcer) from the patient, but leave it to the domain of doctors to handle. According to the association, Physician Assistants have been trained as stop-gap professionals; hence the need for them to be given the needed opportunity to work with the needed support. From the conception of the whole scope of practice document, we realized that the Medical and Dental Council was trying to suppress us instead of helping us to grow as professionals. In the document, which was drafted without our concern, we realized that there were clauses and sentences that prevented us from doing what is captured in our job descriptions. We prompted them, and they promised to edit that particular clause, but we didnt hear from them till they later prompted us that the final document will only be available to us on the launching day. We want to tell them that, should they omit our inputs or bring something new to us in the policy document, we will reject the documents and move to court to seek redress, Acting Public Relations Officer for the Association, Aminu Ali Mohammed told Citi News. Mr. Mohammed further said portions of the drafted document described the Physician Assistants as Independent Practitioners, which they strongly protested and are looking forward to the changes. Inside the drafted policy we noticed they described us as Independent Practitioners, and we have written to them to make those changes, and they have agreed to make those changes. So if we dont see the changes, we will reject the documents, Ali Mohammed said. The Acting Public Relations Officer further wants the Ghana Health Service to intervene before it gets out of hand. We are sending this message to the Ghana Health Service to go into the scope of practice document and intervene other than that they should not expect the best from us because it wont happen that on paper the world is made to understand that we are not allowed to embark on certain practices while behind the scenes we are made to work, Ali Mohammed added. The Association wants the Ghana Health Service to reconstitute a committee to look at drafting a new policy to represent who the Physician Assistants are in the unlikely event that their inputs are not captured in the policy document. We want the Ghana Health Service led by Dr. Patrick Kumah Aboagye to set up a committee to draft a new policy to represent who the Physician Assistants are in reality, Ali Mohammed added. Chief Operations Officer at Dalex Finance, Mr Joe Jackson, has said the conditions that will be given by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to Ghana will cause pains. He explained that the country cannot get out of the situation without going through pains to implement the yet-to-be determined conditions. Speaking in an in interview with TV3s Martin Asiedu-Darteh on the News @10 on Friday June 1, Mr Jackson said the IMF will definitely tell the government to cut expenditure. We all expect the IMF to say, you have to cut expenditure significantly. When those proposals come, where will the expenditure cut be? There may be some route to begin, I am prepared to cut expenditure in this area and not in that area. Some of the options may be politically more palatable than others. Whatever it is, there is going to be a lot of pain. You cant get out of the situation we are in today without pain. He further stated that the situation must be very dire for a government that indicated several times that it would not go to the IMF, to finally decide to do so. In fact, if you think about it clearly, this government knew exactly what the political fallout will be of going to the IMF, they had said categorically over and over again that we will not go to the IMF. They had postured and said with the e-levy, we dont even need to go to the IMF. Of course, all these hasnt happened so what it should tell each one of us is this, the situation might be dire, the situation must be tough, the situation mist be so tough that we are prepared to take the political fallouts because there is no other option. Today is not a day of victory for those of us who said the government should be going to the IMF long time ago, today is a day of sadness because today marks reality that the situation is really tough, Mr Jackson said. On Friday July 1 President Akufo-Addo gave instruction to Mr Ofori-Atta to commence the engagements with the IMF following a telephone conversation between the President and the IMF Managing Director, Miss Kristalina Georgieva, conveying Ghana's decision to engage with the Fund. The Ministry of Information announced this in a statement on Friday July 1 3news.com 04.07.2022 LISTEN Mr. Frank Asante, Public Relations Manager at the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) on Monday revealed that due to the recent upsurge in COVID-19 across the country, the Assembly has upscaled measures to control the spread within the metropolis. Some of the precautionary measures to curb the upsurge of COVID-19 in the Metropolis were members of the public attending mass gatherings including churches, mosques, funeral ceremonies, and social events were advised to wear a prescribed face mask. Such persons are to strictly observe all the COVID-19 safety protocols of regular hand washing, application of hand sanitizers, and social distancing, Mr Asante told the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in an interview in Tema. Mr. Asante said a meeting conducted under the leadership of the Metropolitan Chief Executive reviewed data provided by the Tema Metropolitan Health Committee, which indicated that statistics available from the Metro Health Directorate confirmed an upsurge in reported COVID-19 cases in the Metropolis. He said as a result institutions such as factories, banks, offices, shops, and others have been tasked to ensure that their staff, clients, and other stakeholders that patronize their domain, comply strictly with the COVID-19 safety protocols adding that this responsibility was clearly contained in the Public Health Act 2012, Act 851. Mr Asante said the TMA on its part, has intensified public education on preventive measures in markets, communities as well as other public places. We entreat everyone to frequently wash their hands with soap under running water for 20 seconds, use hand sanitizers, and cover their nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing. The PRO also advised the public to report symptoms to the nearest health care facility for immediate attention, while encouraging residents to call at any of the public health facilities for the COVID-19 Vaccination. The Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) has been advised to reach out to the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) for an out-of-court settlement on the organized labour suit it has initiated against. I Pray Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, TUC General Secretary and Dr Isaac Bampoe Addo, Executive Secretary CLOGSAG must dialogue to find a solution to it, this will delay the swearing-in of the members of the National Labour Commission (NLC) which will affect resolutions of workers issues. Dialogue was needed as going through the court process would have an adverse effect on workers, Mr Abraham Koomson, Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) stated during the 14th Edition of the Stakeholders Engagement And Worker's Appreciation Day Seminar of the Tema Regional Office of the Ghana News Agency, which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult in Tema. The GNA Tema Stakeholder Engagement is a platform rolled out for state and non-state actors to address national issues and serves as a motivational mechanism to recognize the editorial contribution of reporters toward national development in general and the growth and promotion of the Tema GNA as the industrial news hub. Mr Koomson said the term of office of the NLC members expired in April, 2022 and therefore there was the need for the swearing of new members, which he believed the court process would delay it. He indicated that the seven members were to be made up of two representatives of workers, two from employers, two from the government and one chairman, this he said could not be achieved since CLOGSAG was challenging the mandate of the TUC to serve as umbrella body for workers. We are not against the court action, but I think TUC must find a way to reach out to CLOGSAG, because if there is any serious dispute or grievance, the technical team at the NLC cant address it unless the worker resort to the court, he stressed. CLOGSAG on June 21, 2022 issued a writ of summons in the High Court of Justice, Accra against the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Attorney General and the TUC. In the statement of claim accompanying the writ which copy is available to the Ghana News Agency in Tema, CLOGSAG which is the plaintiff, was praying the court for an order requiring the defendants to ensure compliance with the judgement of a court of competent jurisdiction within a period to be specified by the Court. It stated that a declaration should be made that the TUC was not an umbrella Labour Union for all workers unions in the country and as such it should not be so recognized. It also asked for a declaration to be made that the phrase organized labour used in the law applies to every worker union recognized by law in the country. Further or in the alternative to the above, an order requiring the 1st and 2nd Defendants to ensure that the labour unions in the country are organized so as to ensure equal opportunity to each worker union for the purpose of meeting the requirement of representation to statutory bodies including the Labour Commission by organized labour in the law or otherwise. 04.07.2022 LISTEN Abena Osei-Asare, a Deputy Minister for Finance, has debunked claims that the Free Senior High School program will be affected by the conditions to be spelt out by the IMF following government's decision to seek a bailout. Since the government announced its intention to seek an IMF bailout, some Ghanaians fear free SHS and other social intervention programs would be scrapped by IMF. Miss Abena Osei-Asare, who is also a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Atiwa East constituency intimated that this is not the first time the country is seeking an IMF bailout when social interventions have already been implemented. We want to assure people that we have been here [at the IMF] before and irrespective of that we still ensured development and this time will be no different. From 2017 to 2019, we still implemented the school feeding under an IMF programme and we even expanded it. In 2017 when we came it was around 1.3 million children [benefiting from school feeding], but in 2019 we had moved to almost two million children under the IMF programme. In September 2017 under an IMF programme, we did implement Free Senior High School programme, she noted. Speaking on Accra-based Asaase radio's Breakfast Show on Monday, July 4, 2022, and monitored by Modernghana News, she assures that government has plans to stabilize the current economic situation. She added that, with the government's plans in place, she is very optimistic that social interventions such as free SHS, school feeding programs, and others will be preserved to continue to serve low-income Ghanaians. We have plans in place that we believe will help us stabilise the economy other bilateral neighbours will also come in to help us in building back the economy. So, like I am saying the government will do everything possible to protect social intervention programmes that we believe will protect livelihoods and also cause the people who are economically low to thrive, Osei-Asare emphasised. A child forms integral part of the family whose welfare could not be separated from that of the family, Mr. John Ato Breboh, Senior Principal Investigator Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Tema Regional Office has revealed. The welfare of children must, therefore, be aligned with all activities, services and norms to support the child in the context of the large family, Mr. Breboh stated during the 14th Edition of the Stakeholders Engagement And Worker's Appreciation Day Seminar of the Tema Regional Office of the Ghana News Agency, which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema. The GNA Tema Stakeholder Engagement is a platform rolled out for state and non-state actors to address national issues and serves as a motivational mechanism to recognize the editorial contribution of reporters toward national development in general and the growth and promotion of the Tema GNA as the industrial news hub. Mr Breboh said: "Let us love and protect our children, they are our assets, we shall account one day of how we cared for the gift given to us by God, and called for serious introspection and commitment among parents and the public toward addressing the numerous challenges facing children in the country. Speaking on the rights of children, Mr Breboh explained that international human rights law lays down obligations which States are bound to respect, and Ghana by becoming parties to international treaties, assumes obligations and duties under international law to respect, to protect and to fulfil human rights. He said the obligation to respect means that States must refrain from interfering with or curtailing the enjoyment of human rights. The obligation to protect requires States to protect individuals and groups against human rights abuses. The obligation to fulfil means that States must take positive action to facilitate the enjoyment of basic human rights. He said through ratification of international human rights treaties, Governments undertake to put into place domestic measures and legislation compatible with their treaty obligations and duties. Where domestic legal proceedings fail to address human rights abuses, mechanisms and procedures for individual complaints or communications are available at the regional and international levels to help ensure that international human rights standards are indeed respected, implemented, and enforced at the local level, he said. Mr. Breboh said it was, therefore, vital to acknowledge children's rights and take a keen interest in children's issues by ensuring that their rights were protected. He noted that the child protection policy which included the child and family welfare policy in Ghana considered all the laws that protect children and serves as a guide for protecting children within the family setting. A child who doesnt have a network of the family goes through a lot in an event where the biological parents are not capable of taking care of them, he stated. He said children were vulnerable and required special protection, saying children have human rights as part of International Laws irrespective of race, gender, language, and colour among others. The CHRAJ Chief Principal Investigator added that the dignity and integrity of children needed to be protected from injustice. Human rights of children just like all other human beings must not be regarded as a favour, right or privilege conferred to by the state or any organization, Mr. Breboh stated. Mrs Elorm Kupomey, CHRAJ Investigator contributing to the discussion said Children and young people have the same general human rights as adults and also specific rights that recognize their special needs. Children are neither the property of their parents nor are they helpless objects of charity. They are human beings and are the subject of their own rights, Mrs Kupomey stated. She said the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out the rights that must be realized for children to develop to their full potential. Mrs Kupomey said the Convention offers a vision of the child as an individual and as a member of a family and community, with rights and responsibilities appropriate to his or her age and stage of development. By recognizing children's rights in this way, the Convention firmly sets the focus on the whole child. She said the Convention recognizes the fundamental human dignity of all children and the urgency of ensuring their well-being and development. It makes clear the idea that a basic quality of life should be the right of all children, rather than a privilege enjoyed by a few. Indian photojournalist Sanna Irshad Mattoo, winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize, was banned from flying to France on Saturday. She was due to attend the Arles international photography festival which opens on Monday in the south of France. Photojournalist Sanna Irshad Mattoo was due to take off on Saturday to attend a book launch in Paris and a prize-winning photo exhibition for the Rencontres d'Arles festival, which opens on 4 July. But once at New Delhi airport, security forces prevented her from boarding without explanation. Sanna Irshad Matto won the Pulitzer Prize in May 2022 for her coverage of Covid-19 alongside Danish Siddiqui, another Indian photojournalist, killed in Afghanistan in July 2021. The journalist immediately tweeted after the incident. "I was scheduled to travel from Delhi to Paris today for a book launch and photography exhibition as one of 10 award winners of the Serendipity Arles grant 2020. Despite procuring a French visa, I was stopped at the immigration desk at Delhi airport," she wrote. "I was not given any reason but told I would not be able to travel internationally," the journalist added in a second tweet. Reporting in Kashmir Sanna Irshad Mattoo documents the daily life of the inhabitants and the religious and military tensions in Kashmir, the disputed Indian-administered territory where she lives, for the international news agency Reuters. Since Narendra Modi's government abolished the independence of Muslim-majority Kashmir, reporting has become extremely difficult. According to several sources, Sanna Irshad Mattoo is on a list of journalists who are no longer allowed to travel abroad. The Indian Journalists' Union condemned the arrest and called on the government to investigate the list. The Member of Parliament for the North Tongu Constituency has urged government to take responsibility and apologise to Ghanaians for running to IMF following its earlier comments. He is asking government to be candid enough and scrap the E-Levy. According to him, government said it was with either E-levy or IMF. He noted that since the E-levy failed to achieve the purpose for which it was hurriedly implemented, it should be scthe scrapped since government has already agreed to an IMF bailout. You gave Ghanaians two options: E-Levy or IMF. Having opted for the IMF, any honest government will scrap the unconstitutional and repugnant E-Levy immediately, he made this statement in a tweet on Friday, July 1, 2022. Although this claim has been flatly refuted by many government officials, including the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who believes it is too early for the government to stop collecting the E-levy, Mr. Ablakwa, who is also a Ranking Member of Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, has insisted that if the government does not want the IMF excuse to linger, it should abolish the E-levy and apologize for the economic mismanagement. If govt doesnt want its IMF crisis communication strategy to backfire as it is appearing, it should first: STOP collecting the unconstitutional & obnoxious E-Levy. Apologise to Ghanaians for the economic mismanagement & the blatant falsehood that they wont seek an IMF bailout, he said in a tweet on Monday, June 4, 2022, cited by Modernghana News. ANTIBIOTICS WERE discovered in a stroke of luck almost a century ago like an answered prayer to the cries of mankind as lives were being lost to and heavily affected by (treatable) infections. Unbeknownst to man, the discovery of antibiotics brought in its wake, poor antibiotic usage and practices which has led to Antimicrobial Resistance, a public health and healthcare menace taking us back to square one. The first true antibiotic known to man is Penicillin. This was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming, a Scottish bacteriologist who returned from a vacation to find green mold (Penicillium notatum) growing in one of his petri dishes which contained Staphylococcus, bacteria known to cause boils and sore throats, inhibiting the growth of the bacteria. Upon further research, he found out that the mold produced a substance that was capable of killing common bacteria that infect humans. It took more experiments before Penicillin was ready to be used in humans in 1941. One of the first patients to be treated with injection of penicillin, Constable Albert Alexander, initially benefitted from it however only a small amount had been extracted leading to a relapse of the infection by the fifth day and his eventual death. After more efforts by other researchers to enhance mass production of penicillin, their hard work was rewarded later that year at a time where many soldiers were being wounded in World War II. A few years later, in 1945, Fleming while giving a speech, cautioned on the dangers of misusing penicillin. By 1947, reports went out on the first case of penicillin resistance. About half of the antibiotics we know of were discovered between 1950 and 1960, hence this period is referred to as The golden age of Antibiotic discovery'. Healthcare today has become heavily dependent on antibiotics. Majority of the masses only link antibiotic usage with treatment of infections such as urinary tract infections, pneumonia and ear infections to name a few. However, its use in healthcare goes deeper than that. Antibiotics play a role in most surgical interventions, organ transplant, chemotherapy and even in the care of premature babies since their immunity is low making it harder for their bodies to fight infections. Antimicrobial resistance comes about when/ is caused by using the 'wrong' antibiotic to treat an infection, using a lower dose than needed to eradicate the causative organism and taking the antibiotic for a shorter duration than what is recommended to properly treat the infection resulting in reduced effectiveness of antibiotics. Our frequent and over-enthusiastic usage of antibiotics at the least sign of an infection, without taking the necessary precautions and investigations has contributed to the establishment of microorganisms that are resistant to not only one antibiotic, but multiple ones at the same time. This is known as multidrug resistant bacteria. Every individual is now at risk of contracting drug resistant infections which require a more aggressive therapy of combining different agents as well as using reserved antibiotics. As such, the world is slowly entering the post-antibiotic era where most bacteria will be resistant to the currently available and existing antibiotics. Antimicrobial resistance has been declared by the WHO as one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity. The main drivers of the development and spread of drug resistant pathogens are misuse and overuse of antimicrobials coupled with lack of clean water and sanitation and inadequate infection prevention and control. The lack of awareness and knowledge, lack of enforcement of legislation, poor access to quality, affordable medications, vaccines and diagnostics also play a role. Another cause that may be overlooked by the general populace is the extensive use of antimicrobials in agriculture, especially as growth supplements in livestock with the end goal of promoting growth and preventing infection. This improves the overall health of the livestock, resulting in larger yields and products of higher quality. Antibiotic usage in food producing animals either suppresses or kills the susceptible bacteria, allowing bacteria resistant to antibiotics to thrive which can cause infections in humans when transmitted via consumption of the meat. Some measures that have been put in place by the WHO to combat AMR are: WAAW- formerly known as World Antibiotic Awareness Week. Since 2020, it's been changed to World Antimicrobial Awareness Week to include antifungals, antivirals and anti-parasitics. WAAW is a global campaign that has been held annually from 2015 aiming at raising worldwide awareness on AMR and also encouraging the best practices among health workers, policy makers and the general public in a bid to slow the development and spread of drug resistant infections. The Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System- GLASS, which was launched in 2015 with a main purpose filling gaps in our AMR knowledge and to inform strategies. GLASS incorporates data from AMR surveillance in humans, surveillance of antimicrobial medication usage, AMR in the food chain and the environment. Practices that can be implemented in the health care settings include avoiding prescribing antibiotics when there is no clinical evidence of bacterial infection or for self-limiting conditions; taking samples for microscopy, culture and sensitivity before prescribing or initiating antimicrobial therapy and reviewing the prescriptions when the test results are ready; and adhering to local guidelines for antimicrobial usage. BY Dr. Nana Afua Agyemang Mensah-Bonsu The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accepted over one thousand Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) members who have defected to the opposition party in Wa in the Upper West Region. The PPP members have taken the decision to become members of the largest opposition party over displeasure with happenings in their party. Led by the Regional Chairman of the PPP, Mr. Adams Osman, the defectors say they no longer find the party attractive with the right values. Arguing that the NDC is now the most attractive party in the country, over one thousand people have now joined the NDC hoping to help the party to recapture power in the next general elections. On Sunday, July 3, 2022, the NDC officially held a ceremony to swear in the defectors into the umbrella party. At the event attended by all constituency and regional executives of the NDC, General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia urged the new members to show high level of commitment. The NDC scribe further urged members of the various opposition parties in the other regions to follow in the footsteps of the PPP defectors. The Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-Ghana) has described the decision by the government of Ghana to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for support as not only outrageous but offensive. In a press release, the Executive Director of the advocacy group, Richard Kasu indicates that running to the IMF for support is not worth pursuing. Government's decision to run to IMF to support its economic program is not worth pursuing and we consider the decision very outrageous and offensive more especially when same proposals were met with venomous responses by government own communicators sometime past, parts of a press release issued by CFF-Ghana on Monday, July 4, 2022, read. The Civil Society Organisation (CSO) says it fears the coming in of the IMF will lead to the cancellation of some of the flagship programmes of the government including the much-touted Free Senior High School programme. CFF-Ghana wants the government to ensure that the negotiating team is made up of experts to reach befitting agreements with the IMF on any bailout programme that will be adopted. While at it, we wish to express our fear of the cancellation of some flagship intervention programmes including the Free SHS as part of the conditionalities usually attached to the IMF program. Having expressed our fears, we conclude by calling on the negotiations team to utilize their expertise in ensuring that an agreement which meets the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of the Ghanaian people is reached, the CFF-Ghana release concludes. Below is a copy of the CFF-Ghana release: 04/07/2022 For Immediate Release: FREE SHS MAYBE CANCELLED DUE TO IMF CONDITIONALITIES: Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-GHANA) has taken note of a letter supposedly written by the Minister of Information, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (MP), informing the public on government's decision to engage officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bail out. Government's decision to run to IMF to support its economic program is not worth pursuing and we consider the decision very outrageous and offensive more especially when same proposals were met with venomous responses by government own communicators sometime past. Truth be told, the Finance Minister, Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta could have saved the Nana Addo led NPP government from this huge embarrassment brought on the Ghanaian people as a result of super incompetence, laziness, wanton corruption, thievery, inefficient tax collection and wastage among others. While at it, we wish to express our fear on the cancellation of some flagship intervention programmes including the Free SHS as part of the conditionalities usually attached to the IMF program. It is important to note that going to IMF is a sad one for Ghana, no one should applaud the economic management team for this unpopular decision taken out of frustration. Having expressed our fears, we conclude by calling on the negotiations team to utilize their expertise in ensuring that an agreement which meets the hopes, dreams and aspirations of the Ghanaian people is reached. End. (SGD) MR. RICHARD KASU (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CFF-GHANA) 0248640364 Former Deputy Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson says he has no doubt the government would have run to the IMF even if there was no Covid-19 pandemic or Russia-Ukraine conflict. Speaking to GTV on the Breakfast Show on Monday, July 4, 2022, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam Constituency argued that from the mismanagement of the ruling government since 2017, it was never in doubt that this day will come. The 2022 budget lost the confidence of the investors. The very day it was read international investors reacted negatively toward Ghana's economy. Back in 2019, we used 78% of our tax revenue to service only debt. The situation worsened in 2020. "Going back to the IMF is ineptitude at the highest level. I saw it coming twelve months ago, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson shared. According to him, it is now important for the government to come clean and inform the citizenry of how bad the situation is. Ghana would have gone to IMF without Covid-19 or Russia-Ukraine war.I am urging the government to be candid and tell us the magnitude of a bail out, Dr. Ato Forson added. Last Friday, the government through a press release from the Ministry of Information confirmed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has communicated the intention of his government to seek IMF support to the leadership of the fund. In the release signed by Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, it said Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been directed to engage officials of IMF for the needed support. Suspected jihadists killed at least 27 people in two separate attacks on villages in northern Burkina Faso at the weekend, according to local sources,. At least 15 people, some of them children, were killed late on Sunday at Bourasso in Kossi province, in the northwest of the country. One inhabitant put the number of fatalities at around 20. "Armed men moved around the village at around 5:00 pm, firing in the air. They came back at night and blindly opened fire on people," the source said. Twelve people died in a separate attack on Saturday at Namissiguima in Yatenga province, another security source said. Three of the dead were members of a civilian militia, the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland, an auxiliary force set up in December 2019 to support the army. Poor victims of jihadist insurgency Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in the world, has been grappling with a jihadist insurgency that swept in from neighbouring Mali in 2015. The campaign, led mainly by groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, has claimed thousands of lives and forced some 1.9 million people to flee their homes. More than 40 percent of the country lies outside the control of the government, according to official figures. Burkina Faso suffered a coup in January, when disgruntled colonels ousted elected president Roch Marc Christian Kabore. The new man at the helm, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, declared civilian security to be his top priority but, after a relative lull, attacks have resumed, with the loss of hundreds of lives. The Founder and leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Percival Kofi Akpaloo has expressed disappointment in Akufo-Addo's Economic Management Team for failing in their task to solve Ghanas economic challenges. According to him, the administration is incompetent for leading the economy into crisis. This is in relation to Ghana's decision to begin talks with the International Monetary Fund for a programme to shore up the sinking economy. The Economic Management Team has been a monumental failure and I call on President Akufo-Addo to dissolve the Economic Management Team because they have not lived up to expectation, "Kofi Akpaloo told Kumasi-based Hello FM. According to him, the economic management team must be dissolved. He stressed that the economic management team has led the country to the worst international credit rating downgrade, diminished confidence in the local economy and resulted in the poor performance of the cedi on the international market, among other things. The economic management team has failed and must be reconstituted immediately with fresh ideas and perspectives having supervised the worst public debt build-up, worst budget deficit, worst debt to GDP ratio, worst credit rating downgrade, worst-performing currency in the world, worst crisis of confidence in the economy," he added. Yaw Buaben Asamoa 04.07.2022 LISTEN The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buaben Asamoa has rubbished calls for the government to apologise for taking the country to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for support. The government on Friday, July 1, 2022, announced that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has directed Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to start an engagement with the IMF. This was after several government officials had spoken against a move to the IMF, with some arguing that seeking support from the fund is only for failed governments. From the conversations that have followed after the confirmation of the move to the IMF, there have been calls for the government to come clean on the true state of the Ghanaian economy and also apologise to the citizenry. Reacting to such calls, Buaben Asamoah says they are unfounded. According to him, there is no reason why the ruling NPP government should offer an apology. ..it cant be more truthful, it cant be more candour than the announcement of the decision to go the IMF. Post that announcement, there is very little you can hide because the nature of the engagement with the IMF is very open, the programme that will be designed will be public knowledge, and the assessment on which the programme will be based will be public knowledge. If it comes to engagement with our brothers from the NDC then you have an interesting situation I think they will have their day but it is not about an apology, the NPP Communications Director told TV3 in an interview during the New Day Programme. Mr. Asamoa further explained, There is nothing to apologise about because much as, many of us believed, several Ghanaians still believe, some people in the NPP also believe, that it is possible we would develop a home-grown programme rather than go under a programme with the IMF because we have an Article 4 relationship with them. According to Mr. Yaw Buaben Asamoa, the President has marched the country to the IMF for support in the interest of the public. He argues that the move to the IMF is an important decision that deserves the respect and support from the entire nation. The Asantehemaa, Nana Konadu Yiadom III, has commissioned a state-of-the-art Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Apem II public library at Ashanti New Town in the Kumasi of the Ashanti region. It was commissioned on Sunday, July 3, 2022. The facility will serve as an educational centre for the residents of Manhyia South constituency and its environs. The library is stocked with 10,000 books for both children and adults, a seating capacity of 200, 36 computers and free Wi-Fi connectivity for users. The ultra-modern library is the 111th public library under the management of the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) and 50th under President Nana Akufo-Addo's government. The construction and furnishing of the library was made possible through the support of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) and the share of Member of Parliament of the District Assemblies Common Fund. The Member of Parliament (MP) for Manhyia South constituency, Hon Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, in his speech said the naming of the facility after the late Asantehemaa was to honour her in her passion for education and her immense contribution to the formation of Otumfuo Education Fund. In following the footsteps of the late Asantehemaa, NAPO, as he is called in the political circles, stated that his passion for education pre-dates him becoming Minister for Education. I have always held the view that it is through education that talents are shaped and the human resource of any country is consolidated. It is for this reason that I found it not just necessary but highly expedient through the support of GETFUND and the District Assemblies Common Fund to get this Library facility, central to the development of education built in my constituency, he added. He urged all the young and old to take advantage of the important resource as they seek on a daily basis to broaden their horizons. I want to imbibe in our young ones here in Manhyia the spirit of reading. I believe the biggest legacy I can leave them as their Member of Parliament and developmental Agent, is to set them on a path for greatness through reading and thus, this library complex, he stated. NAPO, who is the Minister of Energy, handing over the facility to the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA), appealed to the residents and the users to take good care of the facility. The Executive Director of the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA), Mr Hayford Siaw, commended the Manhyia South MP for his passion for education, which led to the construction of the library. The building of this ultra-modern facility comes as not a surprise to Ghanaians, we all know how NAPO raised the standard of education in the country as the sector minister. Though he is the Energy Minister, his passion for education is always at bear, Mr Hayford added. The short but impressive ceremony was graced by the management of Ministry of Education (MOE), Ghana Education Service (GES) led by the Director-General, Prof Kwasi Opoku Amankwa and Assembly Members. Others include staff of the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA), traditional rulers, political party leaders, students and residents in the community. The one-storey building facility was named after the late 13th Asantehemaa of Ashanti Kingdom, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Apem II, who reigned from February 6, 1977 to November 15, 2016. The late Asantehemaa was the mother of the current queenmother of the Ashanti Kingdom, Nana Konadu Yiadom III. The leadership of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT Ghana), Western and Western North Regions have called on their national officers to declare industrial action over government's unwillingness to pay Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to staff of Ghana Education Service (GES). Speaking to the media at Half Assini in the Jomoro Municipality over the weekend, Mr. John Borffo, the Regional Secretary of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers said they were finding it difficult to survive the current economic hardship. He added that their national leaders had hinted of embarking on a nationwide strike and therefore calling on their leaders to honour their pledge. "Following the current excessive increase in prices of goods and services in the country, our national leaders have already made a release giving June 30th as the deadline to pay 20% COLA to government workers", he emphasized. According to him, government was reluctant to honour its promise to pay them their COLA. "It is unfortunate and disappointing that government is reluctant to honour such an important call", he worried. He added that, "Leadership of the CCT in collaboration with GNAT and NAGRAT have long reminded government on the need to pay COLA but all efforts have proved futile. "The Executives and the entire membership of CCT WR hereby call on our National officers to declare an industrial action. "We are also calling the leadership of all the teacher Unions to stand firmly by the 20% COLA and nothing less." Mr. John Borffo took the opportunity to call on the members of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers in the Western and Western North Regions to rally behind them to fight for their welfare. "I will call on our members to rally behind us to fight this battle, government wants to take us for granted, we are suffering, goods and services have increased astronomically and our COLA that if we get it, it will cushion us to take good care of our families, government does not want to give it to us, so I will appeal to our members to support us, we should not let politics to divide us, let us fight for our welfares first before we think about our political colours", he stressed. Introduction by Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah, Director General, CTVET. Being a staunch member of the United Nations (UN), the Ghanaian government embraces the UN 2030 Agenda to continuously improve, both locally and globally, the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed to by world leaders in 2015. Targets 4.3 states as follows: by 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university whilst 4.4 states: substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship On this premise, the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) is committed to its mandate to regulate, promote and administer technical and vocational education and training for transformation and innovation for sustainable development in Ghana and stands in support of Ghanas National Welding Capability drive to achieving positive outcomes in each SDG. The Ghanaian Institute of Welding (GIW) recently took up the challenge to show how the institute and the Ghanaian welding industry were enhancing the countrys national welding capability as well as contributing to Ghana progressing the 17 UN SDGs. This report co-authored by Chris Smallbone, International Institute of Welding (IIW) Fellow, and Dr Emmanuel Afrane Gyasi, President, GIW, gives Ghanaian companies in the welding industry the opportunity to assess themselves against the SDGs and their commitments to sustainability. The report also gives examples of how welding organizations like GIW and the entire welding industry have positively influenced the SDGs, and improved the quality of life of people and the environment in Ghana. A key objective of this report therefore is to act as a catalyst to create a quantum leap in mutually beneficial strategies, actions and number of projects within each SDG which the Ghanaian welding industry organisations and networks could do in cooperation and collaboration with the Ghanaian government, industry and aid agencies to achieve the UN SDGs by 2030. Ghanas National Welding Capability Project GIW, together with the welding industry and networks, has worked for many years to improve the nations National Welding Capability (NWC). https://www.scielo.br/j/si/a/tDWHcwCpMB3tFYY4xTXWZWt/?lang=en Improving a countrys National Welding Capability can make a significant contribution to, and have a very positive effect on, many national and international programmes including the SDGs. Such initiatives include, amongst others, education, training, qualification and certification of personnel to both national and international standards, assisting companies to meet exacting standards of customers, R&D and technology transfer. GIW also assists in promoting education and training to increase self-sufficiency and diversity in skilled personnel in Ghana and other regional countries. GIW and the welding industrys excellent national, regional and international networks of individuals and organisations, including the International Institute of Welding (IIW) and its members, universities, colleges, research organisations and companies involved in welding enable them to cooperate, collaborate and leverage many of the activities, including technologies, required to progress the NWC and various SDGs. What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) The United Nations (UN) has 193 countries as members and with the challenges of improving the quality of life in countries, in 2015, world leaders agreed for the UN to implement 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at low and middle income countries. Each UN country is supposed to measure its progress on an annual basis against the targets and indicators set against each SDG to achieve the UN 2030 Agenda. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_Development_Goals In 2019, Ghana presented its first Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the implementation of the SDGs to the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in New York. It highlighted three pillars of sustainable development, Economic, Social and Environmental, to which a fourth pillar, Institutional, has been added for the Ghanaian context. The report describes the impact of effective partnerships and shares the experiences in sustainable approaches and cooperation between and among civil society, private sector and development agencies. It also illustrates how strategic projects contribute to the achievement of specific priorities of government within the context of the SDGs. The coherent integration of the SDGs into Ghanas development agenda is also reflected in the countrys Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (CPESDP), 2017-2024. Many of the Ghanaian governments flagship programmes and key government departments are at the core of the SDGs and other development frameworks such as the African Unions Agenda 2063 and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In 2021, Ghana currently ranks 114 out of 165 countries reporting https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/downloads . Progress on the SDGs was mixed with challenges remaining in the achievement of many of the SDGs. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative effect in this regard. The Way Forward It is hoped that this report will stimulate ideas amongst the Ghanaian welding community for feedback to Emmanuel Gyasi, GIW President, [email protected] The link https://asr.ro/documents/C.Smallbone2021.pdf?_t=1639211760 contains many examples and references to various initiatives across welding-related fields, which have been, or could be introduced for all 17 UN SDGs. LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE REPORT https://giwelding.org/ https://giwelding.org/assets/files/Ghanaian%20Institute%20of%20Welding%20Final%20UN%20SDGs%20Report.pdf By Chris Smallbone, IIW President 2005-2008, IIW Fellow Dr Emmanuel Afrane Gyasi, President, GIW Senior Lecturer, Kumasi Technical University Street markets in Mali's capital Bamako buzzed with excitement Monday after West African states lifted a six-month trade embargo imposed over the country's latest coup, allowing traders to once again shop abroad for goods. "We've had the same items (for months)," said Kadiatou Coulibaly, a fabric vendor at Bamako's main market. "I plan to leave tomorrow for Abidjan to do some shopping." Heads of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday lifted sanctions on the country's military regime, including a trade and financial embargo imposed in January after the junta unveiled a scheme to rule for five years. The sanctions have badly hit the poor Sahel state, whose economy is already under severe strain from a decade-long jihadist insurgency. After months of talks, Malian authorities on Wednesday approved a plan to hold presidential elections in February 2024, a timeline ECOWAS accepted. The vote will be preceded by a referendum on a revised constitution in March 2023 and legislative elections in late 2023. "It's a great relief for the transport sector," said Youssouf Traore, president of the Malian Council of Road Transporters. "All the drivers have returned to work after the announcement." The landlocked country depends on overland trade with its West African neighbours. The decision to lift the penalties was made at an ECOWAS summit in the Ghanaian capital Accra to assess efforts to secure guarantees for restoring civilian rule in Mali and neighbouring Guinea and Burkina Faso. Mali underwent coups in August 2020 and May 2021, followed by Guinea in September 2021 and Burkina Faso this January. Fearing contagion, ECOWAS imposed tough trade and financial sanctions against Mali, but lesser punishments against Guinea and Burkina. Its commission president, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, said it would continue to suspend Mali from the bloc for now. The decision also demands that no military junta member run as a candidate in Mali's future presidential election, according to one ECOWAS delegate. 'We have to sell our sheep' The end of the blockade comes days before the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, scheduled for July 9 in Mali. The festival, called Tabaski, is traditionally an occasion for buying new clothing and special food products -- namely sheep for slaughter. Mali, which has a large pastoral population, is one of the leading suppliers of livestock to West Africa. By ANNIE RISEMBERG (AFP) Mali, which has a large pastoral population, is one of the leading suppliers of livestock to the sub-region. "We have to sell our sheep to our Senegalese and Ivorian brothers," a cattle vendor told AFP. A June 2 UN report blamed the sanctions, as well as "political, security and social instability," as it slashed gross domestic product (GDP) growth estimates to 3.4 percent from 5.3 percent. It said those factors had led to worsening living conditions, "in particular for the poor." Sanctions have particularly hit construction, transport, communications and trade in Mali, which last year imported 42 percent of its needs from other ECOWAS countries, it said. "We are coming out of a situation that has weakened many businesses," said Youssouf Bathily, president of the Malian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The sanctions had recently led the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB) to suspend programme funding and were "likely" to continue harming the government's ability to service its debts, the UN report said. The Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North Constituency also the Deputy Minister of Education incharge of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Hon Gifty Twum-Ampofo popularly called Hajia Kande, has presented a brand new 64 seater bus to the Savior Senior High School's Administration in the Eastern Region of Ghana on the 1st of July, 2022. The presentation she said, is part of the Nana Akufo-Addo led New Patriotic Party's (NPP) administration to resource second cycle institutions to improve education for socio-economic development of the country. In her address during a short ceremony, the lawmaker expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the headmistress of the school, Dr Hawa Adusei, for the reception given her despite their political differences. "It's a pleasure to be here at Saviour Senior High, what has gone on this morning, I will say Dr. Adusei, I'm grateful. For the few things I have been able to do for Saviour Senior High. Yes I am a politician, I belong to the NPP fraternity and I am an NPP MP. "Generally, Saviour is known to be NDC but, you are all Ghanaians. I am a Christian and have a responsibility ,one, to the Lord most high and the Holy Spirit, then to all other people, so as a Christian and a Methodist, I see my tenure of office as an MP as a Steward of Christ and as such, I always make sure that, whoever comes my way, to the best of my ability and the mercies of God, I give to those God wants me to bless them to honor His grace," Hon Gifty Twum-Ampofo stated. Hon Gifty Twum-Ampofo continued that, though votes she polled from Saviour enclave are nothing to write home about, her stewardship to them is always paramount. Hon Gifty Twum-Ampofo, recounted how she has always lobbied for Savior Senior High School as an MP. She admonished them to help maintain her in office saying, "To whom much is given, much is expected". Receiving the bus for onwards transfer to the school's administration was Miss Abena Gyamena, the Municipal Director of Education. She thanked the Member of Parliament for the kind gesture. 04.07.2022 LISTEN All three countries, Namibia, Rwanda, and Togo have improved their rankings on the Global Gender Gap Report in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2021, according to a release by the World Economic Forum. According to the recent report, the top 10 most gender-equal countries in Sub-Saharan Africa closing the gender gap as we enter into the new decade are: Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Burundi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Madagascar, Uganda and Cape Verde. The report looks at 153 countries and their progress towards gender parity based on four key areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. Ghana ranked 117th with the gender gap index score of 0.67 in 2021, indicating that females were 33 per cent less likely to have the same opportunities as males in the country. This placed Ghana in the position 23rd among 35 nations in Sub-Saharan Africa. Data from the report showed that the overall gender gap in Sub-Saharan Africa is 32.7%, as only 67.2% of the gap has been closed so far. Progress seems stalled, even slightly reversed, such that it will take 121.7 years to close the gender gap. Gender Gaps by Country in Sub-Saharan Africa Namibia ranked sixth globally after having closed its overall gender gap by almost 2.5 percentage points in one year to achieve a score of 80.9%. Namibia had already closed its Health and Survival gap by 98% and 100% of its Educational Attainment gender gap, with twice as many women as men enrolled in tertiary education. Rwanda, ranked seventh globally, also closed 80.5% of its overall gender gap, the highest among Sub-Saharan African countries. The share of women in senior and managerial roles has doubled since the previous edition (from 14.1% to 28.6%). In addition, women now participate in the labour force more than men (84.4%), and wage equality is progressing at a fast pace (80.9%) gap close Education Regarding Educational Attainment, Sub-Saharan Africa lags behind the other regions, with only 84.5% of this gap closed to date. Although six countries (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Mauritius and Eswatini) have closed 99% of this gap, eight countries have yet to close more than 20% of this gap. Gender disparities in education of over 30% remain in Guinea (68%), Congo, Dem Rep. (65.8%) and Chad (58.9%). In some locations, women are still denied access to the same education levels as men. Namely, in Angola, Chad, Guinea, Nigeria and Pakistan, gender gaps in primary education enrolment are still as large as 15% or more. In Angola, for instance, 88.9% of boys are enrolled in primary education versus only 67% of girls, and in Nigeria, only 69.9% of boys and 58.1% of girls are in primary school. Economic participation On a more positive note, Sub-Saharan Africa has closed 66.1% of its Economic Participation and Opportunity gender gap, the fifth-best result among the eight regions analysed in this report. The best performer, Burundi (85.5%), is 38 percentage points ahead of the lowest-ranked country in the region (Mali, 47.5%). Notably, both Togo and Cote dIvoire have improved significantly this year. In both countries, the main driver of the improvement has been a significant increase in the number of women senior officials, as gender parity in senior roles have progressed by 57 percentage points in Togo and 80 percentage points in Cote dIvoire. The five most-improved countries in the overall index this year are Togo, Lithuania, Serbia, Timor-Leste, and United Arab Emirates, having narrowed their gender gaps by at least 4.4 percentage points or more. Timor-Leste and Togo are also among the four countries (including Cote dIvoire and Jordan) that have managed to close their Economic Participation and Opportunity gap by at least 10 full percentage points in one year. Three new countries have been assessed this year for the first time: Afghanistan (44.4% of the gender gap closed so far, 156th), Guyana (72.8%, 53rd) and Niger (62.9%, 138th). Under the global situation, Iceland remained the most equal-gender country for the 12th time followed by Finland, Norway, New Zealand and Sweden for the top-five positions. 04.07.2022 LISTEN The High Court has overruled a submission of no case made by lawyers of the 14 accused persons standing trial for the alleged murder of Major Mahama. The 14, including then assemblyman for Denkyira Obuasi, William Baah argued that the prosecution had not made a compelling case enough against them. Their lawyers thus argued that they had not been implicated in the tragic killing of Major Mahama and should be freed of the charge. Justice Mariama Owusu, a Justice of the Supreme Court sitting as an additional High Court Judge, however, rejected their argument. Her Ladyship held that the charges of intentionally causing harm to, and murder of, Major Maxwell Mahama had been sufficiently demonstrated by the prosecution and needed to be defended. She consequently overruled the submission of no case, and called upon the accused persons to open their defence. A chartered economist, Rev. Sam Worlanyo Mensah has asked government to desist from attempting to assign various reasons for seeking an economic bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) other than mismanagement. We are at this point because the economy has been mismanaged, he said. Speaking in an interview with Kwame Obeng Sarkodie host of the Ghana Yensom morning show on Accra 100.5 on Monday, July 4, 2022, Rev Mensah said there is no need for the government to start assigning all manner of reasons and apportioning blame for seeking an IMF bailout. There is complete leadership failure on the part of the managers of the economy, he stressed. We are here because the economy has recklessly been mismanaged, the government has failed the people of Ghanathis is not the time for assigning reasons for the decision, we all know why we are here, he added. His comment comes after a leading member of the government Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko said the minority caucus in parliament is to blame for the government's resort to the International monetary fund for a bailout. "We had a major way of raising revenue which had been frustrated for six months. The point is: yes, there were challenges, but the government came up with its policies to see how to address those challenges and those policies were frustrated by the very parliament that we have", he told Accra-based Joy FM on Saturday, 2 July 2022. "The Minority Leader was actually bragging and taking credit for frustrating the governments attempt to raise money, delaying that by six months", Mr Otchere-Darko said. "I am not too sure how any government in Ghanas situation would have rescued that (situation)", the Danquah Institute founder said. I think when you have an opposition party which believes that nothing matters than political capitalisation of situations and can go out to the public and say that: 'Yes, praise us because we stopped the government from getting its way in raising revenue to solve the situation and the problems facing the ordinary Ghanaian, then I think those are the things we need to focus on, he added ---Classfmonline.com 04.07.2022 LISTEN Chairman Odeneho Kwaku Appiah (COKA), a candidate in the just ended Ashanti Regional New Patriotic Party chairmanship position, has urged Ghanaians to support the government in its efforts to address the current economic challenges. He said Ghanaians should be sober in their utterances and actions in the present socio-economic challenges and play their respective roles to support the government to elevate the country from the economic stress. Addressing worshipers at the Kumasi Central Mosque as part of his thanksgiving programme, Odeneho Appiah pointed out that things would soon change for the better if all Ghanaians offered the needed support to the government. I wish to urged my brothers and sisters gathered here and beyond, to continue to play our parts in our small communities to support the government in its efforts to rebuild the economy. Many people are going through difficult times and Ghanaians, like people in other countries around the world, are going through difficult times too. Despite the fact that external shocks had worsened Ghana's problems, we are assured that the government is committed to addressing them all, he told the congregants. Odeneho Appiah thanked the Muslim community for their continuous support for the government and its programme and policies in all parts of the country and urged them to continue to lend their support to the government. Sheikh Abdul-Moumin Harun, Ashanti Regional Chief Imam, praised Odeneho Appiah for showing political maturity and appreciation to Allah after his electoral defeat. He advised him as well as the elected regional executives of the party to put behind them the outcome of the elections and unite for the work ahead towards the 2024 general elections GNA Four of the teacher unions in the country have come together to declare an indefinite nationwide strike effective today, Monday, July 4, 2022. The decision which is bringing pre-tertiary education to a standstill is to push the government to yield to the demands of the Unions and pay Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to members. The Unions in the last few weeks have been threatening to embark on strike action if the government failed to comply with the COLA demands to cushion members in the midst of the hardships in the country. At a joint press conference today, the General Secretary of the GNAT, Thomas Musah noted that the Unions can no longer sit and watch members go through hardships. He noted that teachers are laying down tools until further notice. We can no longer bear the hardship. Even more so, we reject the inequality of salaries in the public services of this country. We have been compelled under the current circumstances to publicly communicate to Ghanaians on our intention to go on strike, having gone past the June 30, 2022 deadline [that] we gave government for the payment of the Cost of Living Allowance. Consequently, we have decided to embark on a strike action effective today, Monday, July 4, 2022. By this, we are informing the general public that we are withdrawing all our services in all the pre-tertiary education space this includes teaching and non-teaching staff, Thomas Musah told the press. The Unions going on strike include the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT), and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU). The Unions say the only way the strike action will be reverted is if the government yields to the COLA demand of 20% of their basic salary. The Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has said the country is expected to receive funding support from the IMF after six months of implementation or even more. It will take about six months before Ghana can access the fund, he revealed. The government spokesperson said on the Accra-based JoyNews' 'The Probe' show on Sunday, July 3, 2022, which was monitored by Modernghan News. He noted that the previous IMF programme under the Mahama administration lasted seven months before funds were finally released. Averagely it will take about six months, I think the last one took about seven months. We think that yes average about six months but we work toward making that legit, he noted. Mr. Oppong Nkrumah still attributes the IMF move to the negative impact of covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war on Ghana's economy. A lot of people speak and worry about the conditionalities, it is the same reason that we have been saying forever that you should try and do things on your own and not get to a point where you have to go there (the IMF). In our situation, we are clear on the things that have compelled us to go there, particularly during the second bout of crisis that has hit us, he stated. Meanwhile, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation is expected to arrive in Ghana this week to begin formal discussions with some selected ministers of state. Watch a section of the interview below: Vice President for IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil has taken a swipe at government for the suffering Ghanaians are facing in the country. He said the job of the political appointees is not to live large at the expense of the suffering masses. According to him, President Akufo-Addo cannot continue to fly in an expensive private jets in these times of difficulties when other less expensive options are available. Speaking on Accra-based Joy News today, he said asserted that the bread and butter issues of the people arent being addressed yet the President finds it prudent to spend so much on private jets. You dont have the right to live like an Arabian king when the rest of the people cant feed, which is why we will always have problems with things like the President flying in an expensive jet when there are options to that and its not because somebody doesnt like somebody or whatever. We are saying that as leaders connect to our common reality. Your job is not to live large at our expense. Your job is to do what you can to alleviate our situation, he intimated. He further added that Ghanas economic woes started even Covid-19 and the Russian-Ukraine war. We are in a sub-region where the same kind of conditions cuts across and you dont see this same kind of situation elsewhere. Before these externalities, we had problems and we were drumming on these problems and one of the things we said before Covid, before the Ukraine war was that managing an economy as if we can never be in a crisis is not smart. Where back then, even when we were discussing Free SHS at IMANI we said look you cannot put all your resources on one programme. It is not smart. So our problems started pre-Covid. The loan book, the borrowing, the profligacy, the waste, the corruption, the V8 culture was before Covid. Then Covid hit us and made things worse," he stressed. He further added that in the midst of the struggle government still introduced the E-levy to squeeze the suffering Ghanaians. According to him, whenever we have a problem they come back to the same suffering citizens and force us to give out even more of what we dont have. The Finance Ministry has assured the citizenry of its commitment to successfully negotiate a programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Last Friday, July 1, 2022, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo directed the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta to start engagements with the IMF to support the country in the midst of the economic challenges. Complying with the directive from the President, the Finance Ministry has today commenced the engagements with the fund. Subsequent to the directive by the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Ministry of Finance, hereby announces the commencement of engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF or the Fund) to support Ghana's economic program, part of a press release issued by the Finance Ministry has said today. As part of the engagement, a delegation from the IMF is scheduled to arrive in Ghana on Tuesday, July 5, 2022, to commence in-person meetings with the government on Wednesday, July 6, 2022. The Ministry of Finance in the release adds that the people of Ghana should be assured that it is committed to negotiating a successful programme with the fund. The Ministry further takes this opportunity to assure Ghanaians of the Government's commitment to successfully negotiate a program with the IMF in the coming months, in support of Ghana's economic recovery, the Ministry of Finance press release concludes. Below is a copy of the press release: 04.07.2022 LISTEN The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has said it will not tolerate any conditionality by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that will negatively affect existing agreements between them and the government to improve the Conditions of Service of members. In a statement, the Union said the Government of Ghana must ensure that the conditions subsequent to the support will not disadvantage the Conditions of Service of Labour Unions, including UTAG. In particular, UTAG would not tolerate any IMF conditionality that negatively affects the existing agreements between Government and UTAG to improve the Conditions of Service of our members, the statement stressed. UTAG further urged the government to take advantage of the opportunity of going to the IMF this time round to make use of local experts to support the development of a comprehensive programme that will form. The Akufo-Addo government is heading to the IMF for support. On Friday July 1 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo gave instruction to the Finance Minister Mr Ken Ofori-Atta to commence the engagements with the IMF following a telephone conversation between the President and the IMF Managing Director, Miss Kristalina Georgieva, conveying Ghana's decision to engage with the Fund. The Ministry of Information announced this in a statement. IMF officials are expected to arrive in the country on Tuesday, July 5, the Finance Ministry announced on Monday, July 4. ---3news.com 25 years of success in Hong Kong 17:44, July 04, 2022 By Zamir Ahmed Awan ( People's Daily Online On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, President Xi Jinping expressed confidence in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's (HKSAR) achievement of "a splendid feat" with the solid implementation of "one country, two systems." Recalling history, throughout which Hong Kong compatriots have always stood together with the motherland, Xi praised the new era of Hong Kong since its return to the motherland in 1997 and the resounding success of "one country, two systems." The practice of "one country, two systems" has achieved success in Hong Kong, which has won recognition throughout the world, Xi said. "There is no reason for us to change such a good policy, and we must adhere to it in the long run," said Xi, whose Hong Kong trip has gained widespread international attention. From 1997 to 2021, Hong Kong's GDP more than doubled from 1.37 trillion Hong Kong dollars to 2.86 trillion Hong Kong dollars. The regions economy remains one of the most liberal and open in the world. While boasting a world-class business environment, Hong Kong has maintained its status as an international financial, shipping, and trading center. Xi hailed the true democracy Hong Kong has enjoyed after its return to the motherland, which ensures the democratic rights of Hong Kong residents and helps maintain Hong Kong's prosperity and stability. I had the privilege to personally visit Hong Kong before the 1997 handover, when the territory was still under British colonial rule, as well as after 1997 when it was returned to China. I also lived in China for more than seven years (1980-1987) in the 1980s. It was during this time when negotiations were initiated between the Chinese Government and the British Government over the handover of Hong Kong. I witnessed the tough process of negotiations. The British were deploying the lame excuse of protecting Hong Kongs residents and all the while trying to find an escape from their predicament in one or another way. The visionary Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping introduced the one country, two systems framework to ensure that the region of Hong Kong could enjoy a high degree of autonomy. I am similarly in a position to draw a comparison between the periods before and after 1997 as I lived through both eras. After China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, not only was its prosperity safeguarded, but a large amount of investment was made to improve its centuries-old infrastructure, which led to enhanced economic activities. Moreover, China has given the residents of the HKSAR a chance to exercise their democratic rights. Since its return, Hong Kong has ensured that its residents can enjoy their status as masters of the region. Previously, the territory of Hong Kong was governed by the UKs designated governor, without consulting the residents living in the region. There were never any elections or attempts at consultation with the local people. I believe that it was a significant accomplishment for China to resume its exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong peacefully, all without firing a single bullet, and without killing or injuring a single person. It should be cited as a role model for resolving international issues through diplomatic and political dialogue, without the need for entering into war or conflict. The 25 years of Hong Kong since the handover has been a major success story and China has fulfilled its promises. There is significant trust moving forward that the future of Hong Kong will be very bright. Zamir Ahmed Awan is a non-resident fellow with the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and a sinologist at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan. E-mail: [email protected] The opinions expressed in this article reflect those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of People's Daily Online. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has announced it is going to set out some action to bring to an end the unlawful sale of military patterned attire and accoutrements. In a statement dated July 1 and sighted by ModernGhana News, the GAF noted that it has noticed a trend among many Ghanaians especially musicians, private security personnel and entertainers who clad themselves in military patterned uniforms. The statement signed by MA Larbi, the Director of Public Relations indicated that measures would be put in place to help clamp down on persons and institutions who use military uniforms without permission. According to the GAF, "these acts create a sense of insecurity in the country and tarnishes the image of the military, GAF would not allow this situation to persist and will henceforth step up the arrest of these persons and deal with them drastically but in accordance with the due process of the law. The GAF noted that unauthorized use of military uniforms is in contravention with the National Liberation Council Decree (NLCD) 177 of 1967. "No person shall wear or use any military uniforms, equipment, or accoutrements or other material unless he or she is a member of the Armed Forces of Ghana. See more details here The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has called for the cooperation of the public to help curb the unlawful use of military uniforms and accoutrements, especially by criminally-minded persons. It also advised unauthorised persons including celebrities, to desist from wearing military uniforms as it was prohibited under NLCD 177. In that direction, the GAF has also announced that it would embark on series of exercises to curb the increasing unlawful sale and use of military-pattern uniforms and accoutrements. A statement signed by GAF's Director of Public Relations, Naval Captain Michael Addo Larbie, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the measure had become necessary following the continuous use of the uniforms and accoutrements without permission to do so. It said the Decree in part stated that; no person shall wear or use any military uniforms, equipment, or accoutrements or other material unless he or she is a member of the Armed Forces of Ghana. The measures, it said were targeted at impersonators and miscreants securing these uniforms, for fraudulent and criminal acts. GAF has also noticed with dismay, the increased use of military uniforms by some private security personnel, musicians and other entertainers and consequently efforts are underway to halt the practice. The statement said In line with the exercise, GAF had picked up several impersonators in recent times and handed them over to the Police for prosecution. Personnel of the 4 Infantry Battalion in Kumasi recently rounded up some persons wearing different shades of military camouflage uniforms, captured in a viral video manhandling some civilians in the Kwabre South District. It later came to light that these persons were members of the District Assembly Taskforce who, although were carrying out duties for the District Assembly, were dressed in military pattern camouflage uniforms, and were wrongly perceived to be GAF personnel thereby drawing GAF into disrepute. It said besides the illegality of the use of the uniforms, accoutrement and equipment by unauthorised persons or group of persons, others with criminal motives used them to impersonate and outwit unsuspecting members of public to perpetuate crime. GAF said the acts created a sense of insecurity in the country and tarnished the image of the military and it would not allow it to persist and would step up the arrests of culprits and deal with them in accordance with the due process of the law. As part of GAF's own internal measures, the issuance and sale of military uniforms and accoutrements to personnel have been streamlined and being coordinated by Units and the Service Headquarters' through Service and Post Exchange Shops, upon proper verification and identification of the personnel. Consequently, military personnel who allow relations and friends access to their uniforms and accoutrements or engage in unauthorised disposal of such items, would be equally dealt with in accordance with GAF regulations and the laws of the country. GNA The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in collaboration with the Austrian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is holding a two-week Political Advisor Course for Peace Support Operations in Africa. The course which is being run at the KAIPTC in Accra officially commenced on Monday, July 4, 2022. The overall objective of the course is to train Political Advisors for UN Missions in Africa, AU and ECOWAS operations and missions. It is also meant to enable senior personnel from African countries and organizations to know the core tasks of Political Advisors (PolAds) working on conflict and crisis and improve the quality of information they provide. Delivering his welcome address during the opening ceremony of the course, KAIPTC Commandant Major General Francis Ofori stressed that the role of the political advisor in a mission is very critical for providing the mission leadership with proper analysis of political developments, trends and emerging issues in the country or region and making recommendations on possible policies, strategies and other measures to address issues of concern. Major General Francis Ofori He explained that the course is being organised to formalise training of Political Advisors for Commanders of Operations and/or Heads of Missions of UN/AU/ECOWAS missions to seal any vacuum created by the absence of peace in states which enables discord and anarchy to prevail, resulting in stagnation and devastation of societies. Major General Francis Ofori in his speech encouraged participants of the Political Advisor Course to take advantage of the excellent facilities at KAIPTC, and the expertise of course facilitators and directors to maximise the outcome of the training. I can assure you that the facilitators on this course, with their diverse backgrounds and rich experience, will definitely strive to equip you with the necessary tools to enable you function effectively and efficiently in your current or future roles as Political Advisors. I have no doubt that this training will expose you to internationally-required competencies and standards for Political Advisors and I am certain that it will enable you to better understand the dynamics of conflict and crises management in order to function effectively in MultiDimensional Peace Support Operations, the KAIPTC Commandant said. In his concluding remarks, Major General Francis Ofori extended appreciation to the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence for their contribution towards putting together the training cost including covering the costs for the course. I want to thank the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence for the initiative to bring this course to KAIPTC and the generous support to our joint effort to strengthening peace and security in Africa. The Centre is most grateful, Major General Francis Ofori emphasised. Delivering an address, Counsellor Gunther Barnet representing the Austrian Ministry of Defense underscored the importance of the course, insisting that peace cannot be undermined. He charged participants from the various African counties to take advantage of the course and gather knowledge that will be beneficial in sustaining peace in their states, and on the continent at large. We have to adapt our technique. You have to have a lot of knowledge, and you need luck. With this, I guarantee that all of you can do your job. Take advantage of this course and better yourself over the next two weeks you will be taking part in this course, Counsellor Gunther Barnet said in his address. Counsellor Gunther Barnet He further disclosed that the Austrian Ministry of Defense remains committed to playing a role in peacekeeping and will do all it can to keep the course running to ensure it becomes bigger and better in subsequent editions. In all, 23 participants from various countries are set to be taken through relevant approaches in peace support operations such as Negotiation and Mediation, Public Diplomacy, Communication through the Media, the Possible Role of PolAds in ECOWAS and AU Operations and Missions, the Way Ahead in International Crisis and Conflict Management amongst others. Background of Political Advisor Course: The complexity of the political and security environment in many African regions, where missions and operations are launched makes it challenging for heads of missions and operational commanders to thoroughly assess, monitor and analyze the impact and the political consequences of their actions. Also, due to the many different tasks, these heads of missions and commanders have to perform, they often cannot be aware of the full spectrum of developments from the strategic and international levels to domestic and regional situations. All these challenges could have an influence on the success of a mission/operation. As a result, the role of the political advisor is very critical for providing the leadership with proper analyzes of developments, trends and emerging issues in the country or region and making recommendations on possible policies, strategies and other measures to address issues of concern. Despite the potentially important role of Political Advisors (PolAds) and significant engagement of African countries in African missions and operations, a formalized training of PolAds for Commanders of Operations and/or Heads of Missions has so far not been introduced in Africa. It is for these reasons that the KAIPTC and Austrian MoD are offering this course to build the capacity of potential and existing practitioners. President Nana Akufo-Addo will be the Guest of Honour at this year's 19th Plenary Assembly of Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) in Accra. The Conference, under the auspices of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference will take place from July 25 to August 1 at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in Accra. The opening ceremony would take place on Tuesday July 26 at the Christ the King Parish in Accra on the theme: Ownership of SECAM: Security and Migration in Africa and its Islands. The closing ceremony to be preceded by Holy Mass will be held on Sunday July 31 at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Adabraka in Accra. Most Rev Gabriel Kumordji, acting Treasurer of SECAM and Bishop of Keta-Akatsi Diocese on Monday in a press briefing said, the Assembly would bring together about 130 participants, including Cardinals, Bishops, and Representatives of Church Institutions from the continent of Africa, representatives from Pope Francis, and others from the US. He said the Assembly was initially scheduled to take place in Burkina Faso, but due to the political instability in the country and the non-recognition of the military regime by both the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in that country, it was changed to Ghana. Ghana hosted the 15th Plenary Assembly in 2010 to mark the 40th Anniversary of SECAM. Most Rev Kumordji said the Bishops of Africa have been speaking out and working against the growing imbalances between the Northern and Southern part of the world, as far as the distribution of resources was concerned. He said, in a recent message known as the KAMPALA DOCUMENT, the bishops pointed out the damage being done to creation that is the environment; and the political and economic crisis "An analysis of the performance of governance in Africa strongly reveals some deficits-the growth in economic, social and political inequalities, which do not guarantee any peaceful future for human beings and social stability. "Festering corruption often institutionalised as mode of governance, absence of obligation for accountability, and the reign of impunity, all from the same Document, he said. Most Rev Kumordji said SECAM had since 2015 maintained an Observer Status at AU which was an important platform for bringing issues concerning the Church to the attention of African governments, organisations and the entire world. The Bishops of Africa have set aside a day Known as SECAM DAY that is observed annually on July 29 at the Diocesan, national, regional, and continental levels in Africa. SECAM seeks to accomplish together in Africa, Christ's mandate to proclaim the message of redemption to all nations, to foster, promote and preserve solidarity, communion, and collaboration among the bishops of the continent. GNA Infant nutrition producer Bubs Australia [ASX:BUB] came out with another supplier update today, signing supply agreements with two more US retailers. BUB shares rose as much as 5% on Monday morning before levelling off, trading up 2% in late afternoon. Year-to-date, Bub shares are up 30%: Source: TradingView.com BUB: planes and supply deals Another day, another BUB supply deal announcement. Bubs has not been shy about publicising its role in helping the US resolve its baby formula shortage crisis. As we covered earlier this year, BUB signed an emergency deal to supply the US with tins of baby formula, with the US FDA approving the immediate import of Bubs products. Even President Biden got involved, mentioning Bubs in an official POTUS tweet: Source: Twitter Since then, Bubs has released a steady trickle of ASX updates on the situation, from planes launching off with thousands of Bubs tins to agreements with US retailers. Today, Bubs gave another such update featuring more planes stuffed with baby formula and more supply agreements. The company announced it entered into supply agreements with two new retailers, H-E-B and Meijer. H-E-B is a supermarket chain in Texas with 340 stores. Meijer is a supercentre chain with 259 stores in the Midwest, including Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. As part of todays announcement, Bubs also noted that a fourth plane holding 90,000 tins of its infant formula product is set to land in the US in two days with all stock presold. Importantly, Bubs was ablet to quantify the financial impact of these cross-border flights. The company said the 90,000 tins have a total gross revenue of about $3 million. BUB approved for WIC program Bubs also announced its products were approved suitable by the US government-run Special Supplement Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in 22 US states. The US Department of Agriculture describes WIC as: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (commonly known as the WIC program) serves to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children younger than 5 who are at nutritional risk. As the third largest food and nutrition assistance program, WIC served about 6.2 million participants per month in fiscal year 2020, including almost half of all infants born in the United States. Federal program costs for WIC totalled $4.9 billion in fiscal year 2020. As of 29 June, 22 US state agencies have authorised BUB infant formula products under the WIC program, including California, which had the highest total number of births of over 419,000 in 2020. BUBs outlook, tariffs, and overall US market Bubs CEO Kristy Carr commented: We are grateful for the opportunity to assist parents under the WIC Program. As Bubs continues to replenish retailer shelves with up to six Bubs Infant Formula products, it is comforting that many more American parents will have the opportunity to access our clean nutrition that is and will continue to be available on shelves. While Bubs was pleased about the WIC announcement, it will be interesting to see how it works out financially, given the subsidies involved. As the US Department of Agriculture noted about the WIC program (emphasis added): WIC State agencies are legally required to enter into cost-containment contracts for the purchase of infant formula used in WIC. After competitive bidding, WIC State agencies typically award a contract to a single manufacturer of infant formula for the exclusive right to provide its product to WIC participants. In return, WIC State agencies obtain significant discounts in the form of rebates from infant formula manufacturers. In fiscal 2018, infant formula rebates totalled about $1.7 billion and supported almost one in every four WIC participants. For Bubs, the recent US supply deal and the improving outlook of Chinas market have been good news, leading to last months material guidance update. The company revealed it now expects FY22 revenue to exceed $100 million, with 1H22 EBITDA to jump 100%. When Bubs first broke the US supply deal news, in May it said it will provide at least 1.25 million tins in the coming weeks and months. Using the $3 million per 90,000 tins as a very rough yardstick, Bubs expected gross revenue windfall could be at least around $42 million. Now, it can be a challenge to find opportunities in the current market. But there are still opportunities out there. Our small-cap expert Callum Newman has a knack for finding them. His latest report names three battery stocks that he believes have the potential to be the next chosen ones for leading battery mineral supply partners. You can find out more by reading the report Elons Chosen Ones. Regards, Kiryll Prakapenka, For Money Morning For most drivers, electric vehicles (EVs) are still something of a novelty. Youll see someone with one every now and then, but theyre still fairly niche. It certainly doesnt help that Australia is lagging behind in uptake either. Like most new technology, weve been slower to adopt it compared to the US and Europe. Granted, a big reason for this is because of the necessary infrastructure required for EVs. As a large and sparse nation, setting up charging stations across the country isnt easy or cheap. In time, though, as costs come down, Australia will catch up. After all, with the way things are shaping up between automakers, EVs are quickly becoming a hot commodity. And Im not just talking about Tesla here. Stalwarts of the car industry, like General Motors, Ford, and Volkswagen are all betting big on electric. The latter, for example, has recently divulged its plans to build new battery and EV factories in the US. General Motors, on the other hand, has been saying for a while that it plans to go completely electric by 2035. And while that is certainly quite a way off, this sort of commitment is telling. But perhaps, most surprising of all, is the kind of interest Ford is seeing for its electric vehicles All American, all electric See, Ford makes most of its money from its F-Series. In particular, the F-150 pickup truck is easily the companys most iconic product right now, the kind of vehicle that is the embodiment of a huge gas-guzzling, all-American truck. Something that youre likely to find in the more rugged parts of the US than its sprawling cities. For that reason, when Ford decided to test the waters with an electric version of this truck, you can probably understand why they werent expecting a big response. But they couldnt have been more wrong. As Road & Track recently reported, demand is not an issue: With 200,000 reservation holders tapping toes in line, dreaming of dusting gasoline trucks, we may take the Ford F-150 Lightning as an example, illustrating just how badly many Americans wanted an electric pickup. So many that even Ford was caught off guard, and is racing to double Detroit production to 150,000 annual units by next year. Darren Palmer, Fords vice-president for electric vehicle programs, told me Ford also aims to roughly triple Mustang Mach-E production, to 150,000 yearly. Thats what happens when EVs go from short-range, compromised econoboxes to fully-realized marvels that make gasoline versions seem nearly obsolete, in everything from performance, pollution and NVH to ownership costs for fuel and maintenance. Ford has even had to step in and stop people from reserving the electric truck. They just simply cant keep up with demand right now. A great sign for EV adoption, but also a worrying insight into how hard it is to make these vehicles right now. Shortfalls in the supply of batteries and battery metals in particular is proving to be a big challenge. And thats precisely why investors cant afford to ignore the ongoing lithium boom. Insatiable appetite for white gold Venkat Srinivasan, the director of Argonne Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science (ACCESS), is particularly worried about the mismatch between supply and demand for EVs. As he states: We just dont have the manufacturing capacity to match the demand, And even if we had a magic wand, we dont have the mines and materials to supply these things, so theres a long-term materials challenge. Its precisely for this reason that weve seen such a huge boom in Australian lithium miners. A boom that many have written off as a bubble, but is still showing no signs of fundamental breakdown. Last Wednesday, for example, Liontown Resources signed another major deal with Ford an agreement that comes on the back of a similar arrangement with Tesla. This development really should hammer home just how resilient this lithium narrative is. My colleague Callum Newman can certainly tell you all about that. He has been following this Tesla money trail for a while now, isolating the best producers being handpicked by the leading EV maker. As he likes to call them: Elons Chosen Ones. Theyre miners that could be the key to resolving the huge shortfall in battery metal supply. But dont take my word for it, you can read all about these exciting stocks and Cals thesis for them right here. Because it seems that Cal was even more on the money than he thought. Now its not just Tesla chasing Aussie miners for white gold, its all the major automakers Regards, Ryan Clarkson-Ledward, Editor, Money Morning Ryan is also co-editor of Exponential Stock Investor, a stock tipping newsletter that hunts down promising small-cap stocks. For information on how to subscribe and see what Ryans telling subscribers right now, click here. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LUGANO, Switzerland (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday the reconstruction of his war-battered country is the common task of the entire democratic world," as his prime minister laid out a $750 billion recovery plan once the guns of Russia's invaders fall silent one day. As Russian forces continued their crushing advance in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, Zelenskyy spoke by video message to the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Switzerland about the needs of the country that has been on an up-and-down march toward democracy since the end of the Cold War and now faces widespread devastation. The reconstruction of Ukraine is not a local project, is not a project of one nation, but a common task of the entire democratic world all countries, all countries who can say they are civilized," Zelenskyy told hundreds of attendees in Lugano. Restoring Ukraine means restoring the principles of life, restoring the space of life, restoring everything that makes humans humans." British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said such a recovery would require a sort of Marshall Plan for Ukraine to help it rebuild. Such ambitions, Zelenskyy said, will require wide-scale construction, funding and security in all of our country which will be forced to continue living beside Russia. The task, which is already under way in some areas that were liberated from Russian forces, aims to leverage outside expertise, government funds and work of Ukrainians to rebuild hospitals, schools, government buildings, homes and apartments but also water pipes, gas lines and other battered infrastructure. Today, were all united in our defense. Tomorrow in our reconstruction, said Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who attended in person. He presented a recovery plan that meets immediate needs even as the war continues followed by a fast recovery when it's over, and then longer-term requirements. Shmyhal said the cost of the recovery plan is estimated at $750 billion, and insisted a key source of funding should be the confiscated assets of Russia and Russian oligarchs. He cited unspecified estimates that such sums total $300 billion to $500 billion now. "The Russian authorities unleash this bloody war. They caused this massive destruction and they should be held accountable for it," Shmyhal said. Valdis Dombrovskis, vice president of the European Union's executive branch, said using such confiscated Russian assets would involve criminal law, so the legal obstacles weren't resolved, but we think its important that according to the principle of aggressor pays its also Russias assets which are directed to the reconstruction of Ukraine. Earlier Monday, a leading Swiss nongovernmental group called out Switzerland as a safe haven for Russian oligarchs and as a trading hub for Russian oil, grain and coal. Public Eye urged the Swiss executive branch to use all levers at its disposal to stop the financing of this inhuman aggression, a reference to Russia's war that has killed thousands of people, driven millions from their homes, and rippled through world economy by driving up food and fuel prices. It said Switzerland has been over the years a popular refuge for Russian business magnates to park their assets. The group said firms use Switzerland as an unregulated commodity trading hub and exploit a lack of transparency about financial dealings in the country. There was no immediate response from the Swiss government. The group welcomed Switzerlands humanitarian engagement for Ukraine through the conference but called on the government to strictly implement international sanctions on Russian elites and their government, and better regulate its trading hub. Switzerland is a major international financial center and its government has traditionally touted Swiss neutrality which is enshrined into law and Switzerlands role as an intermediary between hostile countries and as a host of many international and U.N. institutions. The Swiss Bankers Association has estimated that the assets of Russian clients deposited in Switzerlands banks total 150-200 billion Swiss francs (about $155-$210 billion), making the country a key repository of Russian money abroad. Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU, has largely joined the blocs sanctions against Russia. The website of the Swiss federal economics department says that as of May 12, a total of 6.3 billion francs have been frozen in Switzerland in connection with Russias war in Ukraine. In its call for transparency and better regulation in Switzerland, Public Eye said that as a safe haven for oligarchs close to the Kremlin and as a trading hub for Russian oil, grain and coal, Switzerland bears a big political responsibility. The conference in lakeside Lugano brings together hundreds of representatives from government, advocacy groups, the private sector, academia and U.N. organizations and scores of Ukrainian ministers, lawmakers, diplomats and others. It builds upon a multi-year, multi-country discussion about reform in Ukraine even before the war began but this time the focus is recovery from the war. Environmental groups want to help Ukraine build back better. Lobby groups Solar Power Europe and Wind Europe, together with their Ukrainian counterparts, urged Ukraine to set a target of producing at least 40% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, bringing it in line with European Union targets. According to the International Energy Agency, Ukraine generated less than 10% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2019, the last year for which data was published. Most of Ukraines electricity comes from nuclear power and burning coal. A small group of Greenpeace activists staged a media stunt by pretending to set up a fake wind turbine on the banks of Lake Lugano, as part of a call with Ukrainian NGOs to support sustainable energy development in the country whose infrastructure has been widely damaged. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CAIRO (AP) Sudan's leading general said Monday the country's military will withdraw from negotiations meant to solve the ongoing political crisis after a coup last year, allowing civil society representatives to take their place. In televised statements aired on Sudans state television, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan also promised that he will dissolve the sovereign council that he leads after a new transitional government is formed. The council has governed the country since the military took power in a coup last year. Since the coup, the U.N. political mission in Sudan, the African Union and the eight-nation east African regional Intergovernmental Authority in Development group have been trying to broker a way out of the political impasse. But talks have yielded no results so far. Pro-democracy groups have repeatedly said they will not negotiate with the military, and have called for them to immediately hand the reins to a civilian government. Burhan did not specify any dates or who would replace the military at the negotiating table. He said that after the ruling council is dissolved, the army and the powerful paramilitary known as the Rapid Support Forces will be placed under a new governing body that will be responsible for the country's defense and security. Sudan has been plunged into turmoil since the military takeover upended its short-lived transition to democracy after three decades of repressive rule by former strongman Omar al-Bashir. Al-Bashir and his Islamist-backed government were removed by the military in a popular uprising in April 2019. Burhans statements come after a deadly week for the countrys pro-democracy protesters. On Thursday, nine people were killed and at least 629 injured by security forces in anti-military demonstrations, according to The Sudans Doctors Committee, which has tracked protest casualties. Sudanese military authorities have met the near-weekly street protests since the coup with a deadly crackdown, which has so far killed 113 people, including 18 children. Western governments have repeatedly called on the generals to allow for peaceful protests, but have also angered the pro-democracy movement for engaging with the leading generals. Burhans statements come after a deadly week for the countrys pro-democracy protesters. On Thursday, security forces killed nine people and injured 629 in anti-military demonstrations, according to the Sudans Doctors Committee, which has tracked protest casualties. Sudanese military authorities have met the near-weekly street protests since the Oct. 25 coup with a deadly crackdown, which has so far killed 113 people, including 18 children. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland meet with doctors at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, in Ottawa, Canada, October 21, 2021. A political sign for Pete Arredondo, the Uvalde School District police chief, who had been scheduled to be sworn in with the Uvalde City Council is seen in Uvalde, Texas, U.S. on May 29, 2022. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ZAANDAM, Netherlands (AP) Dutch farmers angry at government plans to slash emissions used tractors and trucks Monday to block roads and supermarket distribution centers, sparking fears of store food shortages in the latest actions through a summer of discontent in the country's lucrative agricultural sector. The Netherlands' busiest aviation hub, Schiphol Airport, urged travelers to use public transport to get to its terminals amid fears that the blockades also would target airports. Fishermen acting out of solidarity with farmers also blocked a number of harbors. The unrest among Dutch farmers was triggered by a government proposal to slash emissions of pollutants like nitrogen oxide and ammonia by 50% by 2030. Provincial governments have been given a year to formulate plans to achieve the goal. A group of farmers in the province of North Holland held talks with two senior officials in the city of Haarlem. Their concerns are understood and have our absolute attention. Good to be and stay in conversation with each other, tweeted one of the officials, Arthur van Dijk. Dozens more parked their tractors on a bridge over a canal, forcing freight barges to moor up on either side because the bridge could not open to let them pass. The reforms are expected to include reducing livestock and buying up some farms whose animals produce large amounts of ammonia. Farmers argue they are being unfairly targeted and are being given no perspective for their future. Police looked on but did not immediately take action Monday as some 25 tractors parked outside a distribution center for supermarket chain Albert Heijn in the town of Zaandam, just north of Amsterdam. Placards and banners affixed to the tractors read messages including, Our farmers, our future. A tractor at another protest, in the northern town of Drachten, urged people to think for a moment about what you want to eat without farmers. The umbrella organization for supermarkets called on police to take action and warned of possible shortages on supermarket shelves. Blockades of distribution centers hurt the citizens of the Netherlands. Supermarkets do everything they can to keep the stores stocked, but if blockades continue, it could lead to people not being able to do their daily shopping, the Central Bureau for Food Trade said in a statement. Traffic authorities warned motorists to prepare for delays and possible slow-moving tractors on the nation's highways, but said that there were few problems early Monday for commuters, possibly because many people opted to work from home rather than get stuck in traffic. Over the weekend, the government appointed an intermediary to lead talks between farmers' organizations and officials drawing up pollution reduction measures. However, Prime Minister Mark Rutte has ruled out negotiating with farmers responsible for radical protests. Mainstream farming lobby group LTO described the mediator, Johan Remkes, as an administrative heavyweight with deep knowledge of the issues and said it was open to talks with him. According to LTO, there are nearly 54,000 agricultural businesses in the Netherlands with exports totaling 94.5 billion euros in 2019. People with hearing loss have a new ally in their efforts to navigate the world: Captions that arent limited to their television screens and streaming services. The pandemic disrupted daily life for people everywhere, but many of those with hearing loss took the resulting isolation especially hard. When everyone wears a mask they are completely unintelligible to me, said Pat Olken, whose hearing aids were insufficient. (She said a new cochlear implant has helped her a lot.) So when her grandsons bar mitzvah was streamed on Zoom early in the pandemic, well before the service offered captions, Olken turned to Otter, an app created to transcribe business meetings. Reading along with the ceremonys speakers made the app a tremendous resource, she said. People with hearing loss, a group estimated at roughly 40 million U.S. adults, have long adopted technologies to help them make their way in the hearing world, from Victorian-era ear trumpets to modern digital hearing aids and cochlear implants. But todays hearing aids can cost upward of $5,000, often arent covered by insurance and dont work for everyone. The devices also dont snap audible sound into focus the way glasses immediately correct vision. Instead, hearing aids and cochlear implants require the brain to interpret sound in a new way. The solutions out there are clearly not a one-size-fits-all model and do not meet the needs of a lot of people based on cost, access, a lot of different things, said Frank Lin, director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. Thats not just a communication problem; researchers have found correlations between untreated hearing loss and higher risks of dementia. Cheaper over-the-counter hearing devices are on the way. But for now, only about 20% of those who could benefit from hearing aids use one. Captions, by contrast, are usually a lot easier to access. Theyve long been available on modern television sets and are cropping up more frequently in videoconferencing apps like Zoom, streaming services like Netflix, social media video on TikTok and YouTube, movie theaters and live arts venues. In recent years, smartphone apps like Otter; Googles Live Transcribe; Ava; InnoCaption, for phone calls; and GalaPro, for live theater performances, have emerged. Some are aimed at people with hearing loss and use human reviewers to make sure captions are accurate. Others, like Otter and Live Transcribe, instead rely on whats called automatic speech recognition, which uses artificial intelligence to learn and capture speech. ASR has issues with accuracy and lags in transcribing the spoken word; built-in biases can also make transcriptions less accurate for the voices of women, people of color and deaf people, said Christian Volger, a professor at Gallaudet University who specializes in accessible technology. Jargon and slang can also be a stumbling block. But users and experts say that ASR has improved a lot. While welcome, none of these solutions are perfect. Toni Iacolucci says her book club could be draining even when she was using Otter to transcribe the conversation. The captions werent always accurate and didnt identify individual speakers, which could make it hard to keep up, she said. It worked a little bit, said Iacolucci, who lost her hearing nearly two decades ago. After coming home, she would be so tired from trying to follow the conversation that she had to lie down. It just takes so much energy. She got a cochlear implant a year ago that has significantly improved her ability to hear, to the point where she can now have one-on-one conversations without captions. They still help in group discussions, she said. Otter said in a statement that it welcomes feedback from the deaf and hard of hearing community and noted that it now provides a paid software assistant that can join virtual meetings and transcribe them automatically. Transcription lag can present other problems among them, a worry that conversation partners might grow impatient with delays. Sometimes you say, Im sorry, I just need to look at my captions in order to hear, said Richard Einhorn, a musician and composer. That doesnt mean Im not aware sometimes its a hassle for other people. Other issues crop up. When Chelle Wyatt went to her doctors office, the WiFi there wasnt strong enough for the transcription app to work. It was gestures and writing things down and making sure I got a written report afterward so I knew what was said, she said. Movie theaters provide devices that amplify sound, as well as glasses and individual screens that show captions to go with the movie. But those arent always comfortable and sometimes arent well-maintained or just dont work. Many people with hearing loss want more films to run captions on the big screen, just like youd have in the comfort of your own home. A new law that took effect in New York City on May 15 requires movie theaters to offer captions on the screen for up to four showtimes per movie each week, including during the most popular hours to go to the movies Friday nights and weekends. Hawaii passed a state law in 2015 that required two screenings a week of each movie with captions on the screen. AMC, the big movie chain, also says it screens some movies with captions at about a third of its U.S. theaters. Captions are more available now for live performances, too. Several Broadway theaters promote a smartphone app that captions live performances; there are also handheld individual devices that show captions. Theaters also have a few performances with open captions everyone can see. During the pandemic, the shift to online meetings and school meant videoconferencing services became a tool of survival but captions came only after a big push. Zoom added live transcription to its free service only in October, but the meetings host has to enable them. Google Meet was quicker to make captions available to everyone for free in May 2020; Microsoft Teams, a workplace messaging app, did so that June. We need captioning everywhere and we need people to be more sensitive, Olken said. The more I advocate the more other people benefit. Overnight reports from Jacksonville-area police: A Jacksonville woman was arrested after being accused of trying to take merchandise from Walmart, 1941 W. Morton Ave., and then assaulting an employee who tried to stop her. Sharon A. Washington, 60, of 804 S. Diamond St. was arrested on a retail theft charge at 4:14 p.m. Sunday. She was also charged with aggravated battery of a merchant after a loss prevention officer reported being hit while trying to stop the theft, according to police. Arrests and citations: Susie M. Emerson, 63, of Jacksonville was cited on a charge of prohibited open burning after police said she was burning a couch in a driveway in the 900 block of North Prairie Street at 10:38 p.m. Sunday. Steven E. Easley, 42, homeless, was arrested at 10 p.m. Sunday on a criminal trespassing charge after being accused of being on property in the 400 block of South Clay Avenue from which he was prohibited. Brian R. Fraase, 39, of Jacksonville and Mondell D. Hemphill, 30, of Jacksonville were cited on charges of disorderly conduct after police said they were fighting at 8:55 p.m. Sunday in the 300 block of West State Street. Joey Chestnut is chomp champ again in July 4 hot dog contest View Photo NEW YORK (AP) Frankfurter-munching phenom Joey Jaws Chestnut put a protester in a chokehold while gobbling his way to a 15th win Monday at the Nathans Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, powering down 63 hot dogs and buns at the annual exhibition of excess. In a decisive chowdown comeback, womens record-holder Miki Sudo downed 40 wieners and buns to win the womens title after skipping last years frank fest because she was pregnant. A spectator wearing a Darth Vader mask rushed the stage, momentarily disrupting the competition. Chestnut put the protester in a brief chokehold before contest officials hurried over and escorted the intruder away. Another protester in a white stormtrooper mask had also snuck behind the competitors and hoisted a sign saying, Expose Smithfields Deathstar. Smithfield manufactures Nathans famous hotdogs. After the altercation, Chestnut went back to the task at hand: Devouring more hot dogs. Monday marked the contests return to its traditional location outside Nathans flagship shop in Brooklyns Coney Island neighborhood. The event was relocated in 2020 and last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Its beautiful to be back here in front of a throng of spectators, Chestnut told ESPN after his feat, which the 38-year-old managed while wearing a surgical boot because of a leg injury. It hurts, but I was in the zone for a little bit. I was ignoring it, said Chestnut, but the pain eventually slowed his pace in the 10-minute competition. Last year, the Westfield, Indiana, resident topped his own record by consuming 76 franks and buns. Sudo, of Tampa, Florida, set the womens record at 48 1/2 weiners and buns in 2020, before taking last year off while expecting. She and Nick Wehry a fellow competitive eater whom she met through the Nathans contest in 2018 welcomed son Max on July 8, 2021. From dads arms, the baby watched his 36-year-old mother notch her eighth Nathans win. She told ESPN afterward that she hoped he would someday take a message away from it. I want to set an example, she said, to do things that you love and push yourself to your absolute limits and, when things get difficult, to still give it a try. And, you know, you might actually just come out victorious. Sudo then took over parenting duties while Wehry tried for the mens title. In conjunction with the spectacle, Nathans donates 100,000 franks to the Food Bank for New York City. By JENNIFER PELTZ and JULIA NIKHINSON Associated Press 3 feet of rain sets up 4th round of flood misery for Sydney 3 feet of rain sets up 4th round of flood misery for Sydney View Photo SYDNEY (AP) More than 30,000 residents of Sydney and its surrounds were told to evacuate or prepare to abandon their homes Monday as Australias largest city faces its fourth, and possibly worst, round of flooding in less than a year and a half. Days of torrential rain caused dams to overflow and waterways to break their banks, bringing a new flood emergency to parts of the city of 5 million people. The latest information we have is that theres a very good chance that the flooding will be worse than any of the other three floods that those areas had in the last 18 months, Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said. The current flooding might affect areas that were spared during the previous floods in March last year, March this year and April, Watt added. New South Wales state Premier Dominic Perrottet said 32,000 people were impacted by evacuation orders and warnings. Youd probably expect to see that number increase over the course of the week, Perrottet said. Emergency services made numerous flood rescues Sunday and early Monday and were getting hundreds more calls for help. Australias Bureau of Meteorology manager, Jane Golding, said some areas between Newcastle, north of Sydney, and Wollongong, south of Sydney had received more than a meter (39 inches) of rain in the previous 24 hours. Some has received more than 1.5 meters (59 inches). Those totals are near the average annual rainfall for coastal areas of New South Wales. The system that has been generating this weather does show signs that it will ease tomorrow, but throughout today, expect more rain, Golding said. Rain was forecast across New South Waless coast, including Sydney, all week, she said. The Bureau of Meteorology says up to 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) of rain could fall in Sydney on Monday. The flooding danger was highest along the Hawkesbury River, in northwest Sydney, and the Nepean River in Sydneys west. The bureau Monday afternoon reported major flooding at the Nepean communities of Menangle and Wallacia on Sydneys southwest fringe. Major flooding also occurred on the Hawkesbury at North Richmond on Sydneys northwest edge. The Hawkesbury communities of Windsor and Lower Portland were expected to be flooded Monday afternoon and Wisemans Ferry on Tuesday, a bureau statement said. State Emergency Services Commissioner Carlene York said strong winds had toppled trees, damaging rooves and blocking roads. She advised against unnecessary travel. Off the New South Wales coast, a cargo ship with 21 crew members lost power after leaving port in Wollongong on Monday morning. It was anchored near the coast and tugboats were preparing to tug it into safer, open waters. The ship has engineers on board capable of repairing the engine, port official John Finch told reporters. Unfortunately, we just happen to be in some atrocious conditions at the moment, he said, describing 8-meter (26-foot) swells and winds blowing at 30 knots (34 mph). An earlier plan to airlift the ships crew to safety was abandoned because of bad weather. Repeated flooding was taking a toll on members of a riverside community southwest of Sydney, said Mayor Theresa Fedeli of the Camden municipality where homes and businesses were inundated by the Nepean River over Sunday night. Its just devastating. They just keep on saying devastating, not again, Fedeli said. I just keep on saying Weve got to be strong, we will get through this. But you know deep down its really hitting home hard to a lot of people, she added. Perrottet said government and communities needed to adapt to major flooding becoming more common across Australias most populous state. To see what were seeing right across Sydney, theres no doubt these events are becoming more common. And governments need to adjust and make sure that we respond to the changing environment that we find ourselves in, Perrottet said. NASA satellite breaks from orbit around Earth, heads to moon View Photo WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) A satellite the size of a microwave oven successfully broke free from its orbit around Earth on Monday and is headed toward the moon, the latest step in NASAs plan to land astronauts on the lunar surface again. Its been an unusual journey already for the Capstone satellite. It was launched six days ago from New Zealands Mahia Peninsula by the company Rocket Lab in one of their small Electron rockets. It will take another four months for the satellite to reach the moon, as it cruises along using minimal energy. Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck told The Associated Press it was hard to put his excitement into words. Its probably going to take a while to sink in. Its been a project that has taken us two, two-and-a-half years and is just incredibly, incredibly difficult to execute, he said. So to see it all come together tonight and see that spacecraft on its way to the moon, its just absolutely epic. Beck said the relatively low cost of the mission NASA put it at $32.7 million marked the beginning of a new era for space exploration. For some tens of millions of dollars, there is now a rocket and a spacecraft that can take you to the moon, to asteroids, to Venus, to Mars, Beck said. Its an insane capability thats never existed before. If the rest of the mission is successful, the Capstone satellite will send back vital information for months as the first to take a new orbit around the moon called a near-rectilinear halo orbit: a stretched-out egg shape with one end of the orbit passing close to the moon and the other far from it. Eventually, NASA plans to put a space station called Gateway into the orbital path, from which astronauts can descend to the moons surface as part of its Artemis program. Beck said the advantage of the new orbit is that it minimizes fuel use and allows the satellite or a space station to stay in constant contact with Earth. The Electron rocket that launched June 28 from New Zealand was carrying a second spacecraft called Photon, which separated after nine minutes. The satellite was carried for six days in Photon, with the spacecrafts engines firing periodically to raise its orbit farther and farther from Earth. A final engine burst Monday allowed Photon to break from Earths gravitational pull and send the satellite on its way. The plan now is for the 25-kilogram (55-pound) satellite to far overshoot the moon before falling back into the new lunar orbit Nov. 13. The satellite will use tiny amounts of fuel to make a few planned trajectory course corrections along the way. Beck said they would decide over the coming days what to do with Photon, which had completed its tasks and still had a bit of fuel left in the tank. Theres a number of really cool missions that we can actually do with it, Beck said. For the mission, NASA teamed up with two commercial companies: California-based Rocket Lab and Colorado-based Advanced Space, which owns and operates the Capstone satellite. ___ Find more AP Science coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/science By NICK PERRY Associated Press POKROVSK, Ukraine (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, one day after Ukrainian forces withdrew from their last remaining bulwark of resistance in the province. Russias Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in a televised meeting Monday that Russian forces had taken control of Luhansk, which together with the neighboring Donetsk province makes up Ukraine's industrial heartland of Donbas. Shoigu told Putin that the operation was completed on Sunday after Russian troops overran the city of Lysychansk, the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in Luhansk. Putin, in turn, said that the military units that took part in active hostilities and achieved success, victory in Luhansk, should rest, increase their combat capabilities. Putins declaration came as Russian forces tried to press their offensive deeper into eastern Ukraine after the Ukrainian military confirmed that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk on Sunday. Luhansk governor Serhii Haidai said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had retreated from the city to avoid being surrounded. There was a risk of Lysychansk encirclement, Haidai told the Associated Press, adding that Ukrainian troops could have held on for a few more weeks but would have potentially paid too high a price. We managed to do centralized withdrawal and evacuate all injured, Haidai said. We took back all the equipment, so from this point withdrawal was organized well. The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian forces were now focusing their efforts on pushing toward the line of Siversk, Fedorivka and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, about half of which is controlled by Russia. The Russian army has also intensified its shelling of the key Ukrainian strongholds of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, deeper in Donetsk. On Sunday, six people, including a 9-year-old girl, were killed in the Russian shelling of Sloviansk and another 19 people were wounded, according to local authorities. Kramatorsk also came under fire on Sunday. An intelligence briefing Monday from the British Defense Ministry supported the Ukrainian military's assessment, noting that Russian forces will now almost certainly switch to capturing Donetsk. The briefing said the conflict in Donbas has been grinding and attritional, and is unlikely to change in the coming weeks. While the Russian army has a massive advantage in firepower, military analysts say that it doesn't have any significant superiority in the number of troops. That means Moscow lacks resources for quick land gains and can only advance slowly, relying on heavy artillery and rocket barrages to soften Ukrainian defenses. Putin has made capturing the entire Donbas a key goal in his war in Ukraine, now in its fifth month. Moscow-backed separatists in Donbas have battled Ukrainian forces since 2014 when they declared independence from Kyiv after the Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. Russia formally recognized the self-proclaimed republics days before its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. Since failing to take Kyiv and other areas in Ukraine's northeast early in the war, Russia has focused on Donbas, unleashing fierce shelling and engaging in house-to-house combat that devastated cities in the region. Russia's invasion has also devastated Ukraine's agricultural sector, disrupting supply chains of seed and fertilizer needed by Ukrainian farmers and blocking the export of grain, a key source of revenue for the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address, called for immediate economic aid to help the country rebuild even as fighting continues. The restoration of Ukraine is not only about what needs to be done later after our victory, but also about what needs to be done right now. And we must do this together with our partners, with the entire democratic world, he said. A significant part of the economy has been destroyed by hostilities and Russian strikes. Thousands of enterprises do not work. And this means a high need for jobs, to provide social benefits, despite the decrease in tax revenues, Zelenskyy said. In its Monday intelligence report, Britain's defense ministry pointed to the Russian blockade of the key Ukrainian port of Odesa, which has severely restricted grain exports. They predicted that Ukraine's agricultural exports would reach only 35% of the 2021 total this year as a result. As Moscow pushed its offensive across Ukraine's east, areas in western Russia came under attack Sunday in a revival of sporadic apparent Ukrainian strikes across the border. The governor of the Belgorod region in Western Russia said fragments of an intercepted Ukrainian missile killed four people Sunday. In the Russian city of Kursk, two Ukrainian drones were shot down, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. In other developments: Ukrainian soldiers returning from the front lines in eastern Ukraines Donbas region where Russia is waging a fierce offensive describe life during what has turned into a grueling war of attrition as apocalyptic. Two Russian airplanes departed Bulgaria on Sunday with scores of Russian diplomatic staff and their families amid a mass expulsion that has sent tensions soaring between the historically close nations, a Russian diplomat said. ___ Associated Press journalists Inna Varenytsia, Maria Grazia Murru and Oleksandr Stashevskyi contributed to this report from Kyiv. ___ Follow APs coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Less than a year has passed since Emily and Houston Carpenter opened Up Scale. When the hot spot restaurant opened in October, it was the couple's sophomore concept. Months later, the Carpenters have three businesses in development. Emily Carpenter previously told MySA that she and her husband didn't plan to become restaurateurs when they dipped into the culinary world by opening Little Em's, now a popular oyster bar, in Southtown. In under two years, the Carpenters have established themselves in the food scene, forming Carpenter Carpenter Hospitality. By July 2023, the pair will own a total of five restaurants, including the upcoming Go Fish Market, Restaurant Claudine, and Nineteen Hyaku. The trio of new eateries is situated within blocks of each other, off the Broadway corridor and near Pearl. In addition to sharing the same patch of San Antonio, the new restaurants are all inspired by the couple's travels through international culinary cities, where they've picked up a palette for an array of foods and a sense of good hospitality. "I can't stress enough that we do a concept when there's a hole in the market, when there's a need," Houston Carpenter adds. "We feel that all three of these are necessary." Along with being business owners, the couple recently welcomed their first child. Houston Carpenter says having a team he and his wife can depend on and build with is a lynchpin in their success. "Just like in any other business, you really need a solid team and we've invested in in that team and if you try and cut corners and not pay your team accordingly, then you're going to fail," Houston Carpenter adds. "That's huge for us, we invest in our team." As the Carpenters quickly grow in San Antonio, keeping track of their projects can be a whirlwind. Get caught up below. Courtesy, Carpenter Carpenter Hospitality Go Fish Market - 125 W Grayson Street The boutique fish market with a cafe is set to open in November. "Ideally you can come in and order fish and chips, have a glass of wine, and take home a nice piece of tuna to cook that night for dinner," Houston Carpenter says. "That goes for crawfish during season, oysters, shrimp everything you can pretty much get at a fish market, you'll be able to get in our spot." Like Little Em's, Go Fish Market will be designed in-house at Carpenter Carpenter Hospitality. Houston Carpenter says it'll be a pop of pastel like the beautiful oyster bar he and his wife erected from an abandoned Alamo Street building. While Little Em's is known for it's easy-on-the-eyes pink and white color palette, Go Fish Market will have more mint in the aesthetic. Courtesy, Carpenter Carpenter Hospitality Restaurant Claudine - 517 E Grayson Street The couple has been overhauling a home in Government Hill since February. Named after Houston Carpenter's grandmother, the restaurant will be big on Southern cooking and hospitality. Houston Carpenter says he and his wife are fine-tuning the menu. Courtesy, Carpenter Carpenter Hospitality "We're still going for that French Southern New American menu," he adds. The restaurant will be designed by Crystal Sinclair, who has received international kudos for her work at Up Scale. The Carpenters are aiming for an October opening. Courtesy, Carpenter Carpenter Hospitality Nineteen Hyaku - 1900 Broadway Houston Carpenter says their just-announced concept has been in the works for five months. Named Nineteen Hyaku as a reference to the restaurant's address at 1900 Broadway (Hyaku means "hundred" in Japanese), the concept is expected to open by July 2023. It will be housed on the lobby level of the upcoming Jefferson Bank tower. The Carpenters are "knee-deep" in working with Sinclair on the look of the restaurant and with chefs on developing a menu. Houston Carpenter describes Nineteen Hyaku as an "elevated" sushi spot with a robust menu and bar program in the works. Restaurant renderings show white oak accents throughout, mid-century modern banquette seating, and spaces to sit around the full bar and sushi-prep area. "It's going to be an elevated sushi restaurant," he says. "I like to say it's going to be a modern Japanese cuisine but with Western hospitality." Please help. Shes become important to me. I hate seeing someone who has no malice and is industrious and conscientious wind up in such a desperate state due to how our medical system places profit over people. Go to GoFundMe , or click on this button: Happy Fourth. Heres a good way to celebrate: Help out Betty Jo, who helped take care of Yvess mother. As Yves wrote: Secrets of the Moons Permanent Shadows Are Coming to Light Wired. Water ice, pronounced wooder ice. Fourth of July Crab city: Maryland Limits Male Blue Crab Harvests For The First Time Ever Amid Population Crisis DCistu Fluffy crab that wears a sponge as a hat discovered in Western Australia Guardian Climate #COVID19 Evaluation of a Wastewater-Based Epidemiological Approach to Estimate the Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infections and the Detection of Viral Variants in Disparate Oregon Communities at City and Neighborhood Scales Environmental Health Perspectives. From the Abstract: The greater reliability of wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations over clinically reported case counts was likely due to systematic biases that affect reported case counts, including variations in access to testing and underreporting of asymptomatic cases. With these advantages, combined with scalability and low costs, wastewater-based epidemiology can be a key component in public health surveillance of COVID-19 and other communicable infections. Meanwhile, here is how a serious country (Ireland) does wastewater reporting: People infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease, can shed the virus in their stool, which can then be detected in wastewater. This means that wastewater surveillance can be used to monitor the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in the population. pic.twitter.com/FcHgfesBFu HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) (@hpscireland) July 1, 2022 Theres no variant coverage, but the reporting covers the entire country and is published weekly, reliably (unlike CDC). Monitoring occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in school populations: A wastewater-based approach PLOS One. From the text: Sixteen schools (10 primary, 5 secondary and 1 post-16 and further education for a total of 17 sites) in England took part in the School wasTEwater-based epidemiological suRveillance systeM for the rapid identification of COVID-19 outbreaks (TERM) study [T]he lead/lag analysis between the weekly positivity rates in schools and community cases shows a maximum correlation between the two-time series when school data are lagged by two weeks. * * * Exacerbation of COVID-19 mortality by the fragmented United States healthcare system: A retrospective observational study The Lancet. From the Abstract: Our study demonstrates that a significant share of COVID-19 mortality in the United States, and much of the excess mortality in the United States compared with other countries, is due to our reliance on a system of market-driven healthcare. Rule #2. Universal healthcare as pandemic preparedness: The lives and costs that could have been saved during the COVID-19 pandemic PNAS. From the Abtract: The fragmented and inefficient healthcare system in the United States leads to many preventable deaths and unnecessary costs every year. Universal healthcare could have alleviated the mortality caused by a confluence of negative COVID-related factors. Incorporating the demography of the uninsured with age-specific COVID-19 and nonpandemic mortality, we estimated that a single-payer universal healthcare system would have saved 212,000 lives in 2020 alone. We also calculated that US$105.6 billion of medical expenses associated with COVID-19 hospitalization could have been averted by a Medicare for All system. But on the bright side, think of the culling! * * * Serious Adverse Events of Special Interest Following mRNA Vaccination in Randomized Trials (preprint) SSRN (norm de plume). Quoting a slab of the Abstract: Methods. Secondary analysis of serious adverse events reported in the placebo-controlled, phase III randomized clinical trials of Pfizer and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (NCT04368728 and NCT04470427), focusing analysis on potential adverse events of special interest identified by the Brighton Collaboration. Results. Pfizer and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were associated with an increased risk of serious adverse events of special interest, with an absolute risk increase of 10.1 and 15.1 per 10,000 vaccinated over placebo baselines of 17.6 and 42.2 (95% CI -0.4 to 20.6 and -3.6 to 33.8), respectively. Combined, the mRNA vaccines were associated with an absolute risk increase of serious adverse events of special interest of 12.5 per 10,000 (95% CI 2.1 to 22.9). The excess risk of serious adverse events of special interest surpassed the risk reduction for COVID-19 hospitalization relative to the placebo group in both Pfizer and Moderna trials (2.3 and 6.4 per 10,000 participants, respectively). Discussion. The excess risk of serious adverse events found in our study points to the need for formal harm-benefit analyses, particularly those that are stratified according to risk of serious COVID-19 outcomes such as hospitalization or death. Funding. This study had no funding support. From June, still germane. The paper, needless to say, generated some controversy. Members of the Brain Trust may wish to comment. By Lambert Strether of Corrente. The filibuster has been much in the news lately, either as the barrier to Democrats over-riding the Supreme Courts decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade, or as a barrier to other putative agenda items where Democrats could (notionally) get a simple majority, but not the supermajority of 60 needed to end a filibuster: packing the court, a Green New Deal, etc. Here President Biden gives nominal support to ending the filibuster: We have to codify Roe vs. Wade into law. If the filibuster gets in the way, we should provide an exception to the filibuster to deal with the Supreme Court decision. Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 30, 2022 Unsurprisingly, however, Biden declared himself impotent two days later: Pres. Biden said Congress needs to act to codify Roe v. Wade into law but that "right now, we don't have the votes in the Senate to change the filibuster." "We either elect federal senators who will codify Roe, or Republicans who will try to ban abortions nationwide." pic.twitter.com/TVsu2NqdnI CBS News (@CBSNews) July 1, 2022 Biden may be, of course, genuinely impotent just now: Senator Leahy is out of commission with a broken hip. Then too as always President Manchin and Kristen Simena would need to be brought on board. One sighs for the days when Presidents knew how to muscle the Senate: 58 years ago today, LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act into law because he played hardball and got past the filibuster. pic.twitter.com/4wlWvLTfGI Nina Turner (@ninaturner) July 3, 2022 We should, of course, not forget that the Democrat Party did not become what it is through a random process. As I wrote: The Democrat Party was constructed. It is the way that it is because thats how its leadership wants it. Its more auto-kinbaku-bi; the Democrat jouissance from tying themselves up, and rendering themselves helpless (filibuster; Parliamentarian; moderates). Its not merely pragmatic; I swear they actually get a thrill, a guilty pleasure, out of it. When you read the section on the Senate rules, you will see a fine example of auto-kinbaku-bi, albeit a bipartisan one. With that I will leave the politics of the day behind. * * * Back in 2012, I wrote a post on the filibuster: The Obama Enablers Big Lie: We Never Had the Votes, meaning the 60 votes needed to pass a cloture motion and end a filibuster. I showed there were two ways to get the votes by removing the 60 vote supermajority and replacing it with a simple majority: during a session, using tricky procedural maneuvering (the nuclear option), or at the start of a session, when the Senate bootstraps itself (the Constitutional option) That conclusion still holds, but I wish to go the same ground in more detail. First, I will go through actual sources on Senate procedure, hoisted from a long comment inspired by a question from alert reader Fraibert, (These procedures are complicated the Bourbons of Louis XVIs day would would loved them and I hope Ive gotten them right. No doubt there is an expert on Senatorial arcana in the leadership who will correct me.) I will also point out where the nuclear option has been used, and could be again, were there the political will. Next, I will go through the reasons that some conservatives give for leaving the Senate, as a deliberative body, as it is. Finally, I will introduce the concept of entrenchment, an obscure tactic Ive dubbed the thermonuclear option, which would assault the Senates very sense of itself as a continuing body. Ill conclude with a brief remark on the politics of the current situation. Senate Rules on the Filibuster Theres a lot to unpack here. First, the Senate does indeed have standing rules: The legislative process on the Senate floor is governed by a set of standing rules, a body of precedents created by rulings of presiding officers or by votes of the Senate, a variety of established and customary practices, and ad hoc arrangements the Senate makes to meet specific parliamentary and political circumstances. A knowledge of the Senates formal rules is not sufficient to understand Senate procedure, and Senate practices cannot be understood without knowing the rules to which the practices relate. So, arcane. Nevertheless, when a new Congress begins: The Senate follows a well-established routine on the opening day of a new Congress. The proceedings include adopting administrative resolutions, adopting standing orders for the new Congress. In other words, the standing rules dont simply carry over, as if they were defaults (see also Senator Byrd below at dead hand). They must be explicitly adopted at the start of a session. (I would speculate thats one reason why the Manual of the Senate is often updated..) There are, then, two occasions on which the filibuster might be altered or abolished. (In what follows, in quoting Senate rules, I will cite to the Senate Manual from the 116th Congress (2019 2020), found here). (1) When a Senate session begins, by majority vote> (the Constitutional Option). From a history of the filibuster by the Congressional Research Service: The Senate, exclaimed Senator Byrd, no longer had an effective Rule XXII [the filibuster rule]. He set about to revise Senate procedures on the opening day of the 96th Congress (1979-1980). On January 15, Senator Byrd introduced a resolution, S. Res. 9, that proposed general reforms (e.g., the installation of an electronic voting system in the chamber), as well as others focused on post-cloture procedures. However, many Republican Senators believed that the changes proposed by Senator Byrd would reduce the role of the minority in the legislative process. To promote bipartisan collaboration and compromise, the two party leaders (Byrd and GOP leader Howard Baker of Tennessee) created an ad hoc committee to develop a mutually acceptable way to consider Byrds reform proposals. The key recommendation that emerged from the discussions was for the Senate to consider separately the post-cloture reforms embedded in S. Res. 9. On February 7, Senator Byrd submitted a resolution (S. Res. 61) that dealt only with post-cloture procedures. Noteworthy is that on January 15, Majority Leader Byrd had made clear to his Senate colleagues that it was imperative for the Senate to deal with the postcloture filibuster because it thwarts the will not only of a majority but of a three-fifths majority of the Senate, which, having voted for cloture signifies its will that the debate shall come to a close and that the pending matter shall be acted upon one way or the other.315 If a unanimous consent agreement to address changes to the post-cloture filibuster was unattainable, Senator Byrd said that he would employ the constitutional optionin essence upholding the power and right of a majority of the Senate to change the rules of the Senate at the beginning of a new Congress. Moreover, he dismissed the view that the Senates rules continue from one Congress to the next unless they are changed in accordance with those rules. That [Senate] rule was written in 1959 by the 86th Congress. The 96th Congress is not bound by the dead hand of the 86th Congress. He went on to state: The Senate of the 86th Congress could not pretend to believe that all succeeding Senates would be bound by the rules that it had written. It would be just as reasonable to say that one Congress can pass a law providing that all future laws have to be passed by a two-thirds vote. Any Member of this body knows that the next Congress would not heed that law and would proceed to change it and would vote repeal by a majority vote. I am not going to argue the case any further today, except to say that it is my beliefwhich has been supported by rulings of Vice Presidents of both parties and by votes of the Senatein essence upholding the power and right of a majority of the Senate to change the rules of the Senate at the beginning of a new Congress. Note that this procedure was not carried out; Byrds threat was enough. I believe that Byrds mastery of arcana would make his views authoritative even today. (2) When the Senate is in session, by creating a new precedent (the Nuclear Option). Fortunately we have a method translated into lay language, together with proof that this technique has been used successfully twice. From the Brookings Institution: A more complicated, but more likely, way to ban the filibuster would be to create a new Senate precedent. The chambers precedents exist alongside its formal rules to provide additional insight into how and when its rules have been applied in particular ways. Importantly, this approach to curtailing the filibustercolloquially known as the nuclear option and more formally as reform by rulingcan, in certain circumstances, be employed with support from only a simple majority of senators. The nuclear option leverages the fact that a new precedent can be created by a senator raising a point of order, or claiming that a Senate rule is being violated. If the presiding officer (typically a member of the Senate) agrees, that ruling establishes a new precedent. If the presiding officer disagrees, another senator can appeal the ruling of the chair. If a majority of the Senate votes to reverse the decision of the chair, then the opposite of the chairs ruling becomes the new precedent. In both 2013 and 2017, the Senate used this approach to reduce the number of votes needed to end debate on nominations. The majority leader used two non-debatable motions to bring up the relevant nominations, and then raised a point of order that the vote on cloture is by majority vote. The presiding officer ruled against the point of order, but his ruling was overturned on appealwhich, again, required only a majority in support. In sum, by following the right steps in a particular parliamentary circumstance, a simple majority of senators can establish a new interpretation of a Senate rule. We all may be under the impression which neither Senators nor the press seem to think it is important to correct that the fiibuster is immutable and unchanging. In fact, Senate rules for the filibuster have changed often, although the speed of change with respect to political time must seem geological. From Ballotpedia: In 1964, during debate over what became the Civil Rights Act, southern Democrats filibustered for over 75 hours in an attempt to prevent the bills passage. In an effort to remedy the issue of future filibusters, Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield (D-Mont.) instituted two modifications. The first was to force cloture votes on filibuster threats; the second was to implement a two-track system. This system, instituted in 1972, provided senators the option to filibuster while the chamber considers other legislation. In 1975, the Senate again revised its rules to allow for cloture to be invoked by a vote of 60 senators, with the exception of Senate rules, which then required a two-thirds vote. Some argue that the two-track rule has lead to an increase in the use of silent filibusters. During a silent filibuster, a member does not need to speak on the floor to block a vote from happening and can even filibuster by email. A senator is not required to speak in public to prevent the passage of a bill. The senator simply needs to issue a warning that there are enough votes to support a filibuster. (The two-track system has led to a proliferation of silent filibusters, because they are now essentially without cost). More recently: Three of the most substantial legislative accomplishments of the past 12 years President Joe Bidens Covid-19 relief bill, former President Donald Trumps tax cuts and former President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act were only achieved by one party finding a way around the filibuster. Senates during the Obama, Trump, and Biden years all used the nuclear option. I do not know what procedure Mansfield used. It might have been the Constitional Option, it might not have. Justifications for the Filbuster Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow Thomas Jipping justifies the filibuster as follows: [T]hink of it in terms of a two-sided coin, one side of the coin is the filibuster, which is when senators try to end debate on a bill or a nomination but they fail. But the other side of the coin is a positive side and that is that the Senate was designed and viewed, I think, from the beginning to play a different role in the legislative process than the House. The House, it takes action and its just a simple majority of members can do whatever they want. Lots of things happen. Passions are flaring. But the Senate was designed to be more deliberative, to debate more. And so, a lot of times I like to refer to this as the Senates right to extended debate, which is part of the way the Senate does its legislative business, it always has. ( I dont think branches of government have rights, but let that pass. Also, theres nothing deliberative about a silent filibuster. Its follow me closely here silent! And: [I]ts not supposed to be easy for government to do stuff [conservative cant on big gummint removed]. Indeed, James Madison writes in Federalist 62: The mutability in the public councils arising from a rapid succession of new members, however qualified they may be, points out, in the strongest manner, the necessity of some stable institution in the government. Every new election in the States is found to change one half of the representatives. From this change of men must proceed a change of opinions; and from a change of opinions, a change of measures. But a continual change even of good measures is inconsistent with every rule of prudence and every prospect of success. To trace the mischievous effects of a mutable government would fill a volume. I will hint a few only, each of which will be perceived to be a source of innumerable others. In the first place, it forfeits the respect and confidence of other nations, and all the advantages connected with national character. An individual who is observed to be inconstant to his plans, or perhaps to carry on his affairs without any plan at all, is marked at once, by all prudent people, as a speedy victim to his own unsteadiness and folly. The internal effects of a mutable policy are still more calamitous. It poisons the blessing of liberty itself. It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood; if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated, or undergo such incessant changes that no man, who knows what the law is to-day, can guess what it will be to-morrow. Law is defined to be a rule of action; but how can that be a rule, which is little known, and less fixed? Another effect of public instability is the unreasonable advantage it gives to the sagacious, the enterprising, and the moneyed few over the industrious and uniformed [?] mass of the people. There is much to be said for what Madison urges. (One thinks, for example, of the confusion caused by the Cominterns perpetual changes of the party line pre-World War II.) However, if we grant that Madisons Constitutional architecture fulfills its ends, theres no need for a filibuster on top of whats already there. The Theory of Entrenchment as a Tactic We turn now to the thermonuclear option. Recall the concept of standing rules: The legislative process on the Senate floor is governed by a set of standing rules, a body of precedents created by rulings of presiding officers or by votes of the Senate, a variety of established and customary practices, and ad hoc arrangements the Senate makes to meet specific parliamentary and political circumstances. In The Filibuster (Stanford Law Review 49(2), 181254, 1997) Catherine Fisk and Erwin Chemerinsky make the argument that standing rules do not pass Constitutional muster, bringing forward the concept of entrenchment. 1997 it is true, but everything old is new again: One legislature cannot bind subsequent legislatures. Note that Byrd, with his dead hand trope, is making the same argument (though not in a Constitutional context). More: And: The senators responsible for enacting the rules cannot be held accountable because they are no longer members of the body. To make a homely metaphor, George Washington (apocryphally) remarked of the Senate: We pour legislation into the Senatorial saucer to cool it. That is the architecture Madison described (and the Heritage Foundation is perhaps overly comfortable within). But in todays filibuster we have a saucer that was, as it were, willed to us by a previous generation, but with a standing rule that we use a saucer of this size, this depth, this composition, and when we pour todays hot tea into it, it will crack. Plus its not dishwasher-safe. So why not change the standing rule? Here is the key point: A justiciable case. I should say that Fisk and Chemerinskys thesis is not uncontroversial (see here and here). However, Im not seeking a correct legal theory. Rather, I am suggesting that like Byrds threat to invoke the Constitutional option that the thermonuclear threat of a suit based on the entrenchment thesis would so threaten the Senates sense of itself, and its vaunted comity, that filibuster reform (note the moderation of Fisk and Chemerinskys terms) might be carried out. Certainly its another weapon in the Democrats arsenal of our democracy, and heaven knows they need one. Conclusion The Brookings Institution shows why a Senator might well wish to preserve the filibuster: Senators often speak about their principled support for the filibuster. But senators views about the rules are more often shaped by their views about policy. There would likely need to be a specific measure that majority party senators both agreed upon and cared enough about to make banning the filibuster worth it. As Republicans experience in the first two years of the Trump administration suggest, such proposals may be easier imagined than achieved. In addition, individual senators may find the filibuster useful to their own personal power and policy goals, as it allows them to take measures hostage with the hopes of securing concessions. For majority party leaders, meanwhile, the need to secure 60 votes to end debate helps them to shift blame to the minority party for inaction on issues that are popular with some, but not all, elements of their own party. Finally, senators may be concerned about the future; in an era of frequent shifts in control of the chamber, legislators may worry that a rule change now will put them at a disadvantage in the near future. In the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, for example, its entirely possible that the Democrat leadership is not unhappy with the outcome, and in addition wishes to preserve the filibuster for the time when they will be in the minority once again. These calculations are doubtless more important than procedural arcana, but since arcana define the Senate as a field of battle, it is necessary to understand them. (Natural News) Hundreds of slave laborers at Amazons sweatshop facilities have signed an open letter calling on the e-commerce behemoth to immediately cease all business operations in pro-life states so people will have time to grieve. The letter calls on the tech giant to take immediate and decisive action against the threat to basic human rights with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which apparently includes closing up shop in every red state. As part of Amazons wide-reaching efforts toward a more inclusive and diverse workforce, we believe that Amazon cannot let this recent decision go unanswered, the letter reads. We ask Amazon, the worlds best employer, to actively defend against this assault on our liberty. Even though many of the proposals made admittedly bear a larger business risk than others, Amazons disgruntled employees say these are unprecedented times since many women are no longer able to murder their unborn children unless they want to travel to another state. Just like what happened with the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19), pro-abortion Amazon employees of all genders suddenly now need space and time to grieve, express their frustrations, and protest against this assault on our rights, the letter explains. They also want Amazon to donate and match donations to bail funds and assistance groups working to expand abortion access for women and pregnant people impacted in states (Related: Many of these same Amazon employees are also calling for a book burning of all materials they do not like). Since Amazon is going full woke, will it finally go broke? Amazon also currently sells books and other materials that discuss abortion-related issues from a pro-life perspective, which these disgruntled employees are demanding be removed from the Amazon e-commerce platform immediately. The letter demands that Amazon [a]udit and remove product offerings that misrepresent the facts on abortion or encourage hate speech or violence toward abortion seekers. It also demands an audit of every political donation made by the company so that anything opposing abortion can be immediately removed from the future donations pool of financial disbursements. The employees also want Amazon to enact company-wide policy changes to ensure that not a single penny ever again goes towards anything that attempts to preserve unborn human life rather than destroy it. The most ridiculous demand in the letter from a business perspective is the one calling on Amazon to immediately halt all operations in states that enact laws that threaten the lives and liberty of abortion seekers, either by denying healthcare in life-threatening circumstances or by criminalizing abortion seekers and providers. Like many other corporations in recent days, Amazon has already caved to demands that it pay for its promiscuous female employees to travel to other states, if need be, in order to get an abortion. Amazon became the latest corporation to cover employees travel costs to seek abortion care, CNN reported back in May. The company told staff it would pay up to $4,000 in travel expenses annually for medical treatments including abortions, according to a message seen by Reuters. Other companies that have decided to do much the same thing include Dicks Sporting Goods, Citigroup, Uber, Yelp, Lyft, Match Group, Bumble, and Salesforce. I would fire the workers responsible for this disruptive behavior and remind everyone else that we are here to work and to please keep the activism on your own time and your open letters off my network, wrote someone at Breitbart News in response to the Amazon letter. Exactly, responded another. If you want to celebrate killing babies, you do it on your own time. The latest news about Amazons insanity can be found at JeffBezosWatch.com. Sources include: Breitbart.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Big Tech CEO Tim Cook of Apple praised Chinas burgeoning tech industry when he was interviewed by Chinese state-owned media outlet China Daily during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference last month. China Daily is known for being a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and responsible for spreading disinformation, especially about Chinas ongoing genocide against the Uyghur population. In his interview, Cook praised Chinas tech industry and claimed he was inspired by Chinese developers. (Related: EXPOSED: Apple CEO Tim Cook signed secret $275 billion deal with the CCP, betraying America.) Today, the iOS developer community is 30 million strong and with more than five million Chinese developers and counting, said Cook. Theres no question that China has one of the most vibrant developer communities in the entire world. When we created the App Store, no one could have guessed that there would one day be five million registered developers in Greater China alone, and many more that are working on apps, Cook continued. It just shows the creativity and vibrancy of the app economy. Chinese developers have always been at the cutting edge and I think that will continue to grow, and I cant wait to see what youre going to do next. China Daily interview latest incident proving Cooks alliance with the CCP Cooks interview with China Daily and meeting with Chinese app developers were part of his push to maintain access to Chinas deep pool of tech workers. It also highlights the kind of compromises Cook and other Big Tech companies are willing to make in order to do business in China. This is not the first time Cook has consorted with members of the CCP. Last year, he held talks with a Chinese app developer who was later appointed as secretary of the communist party. He also spoke with another developer whose Chinese photography app prohibits content that subverts state power or undermines the national solidarity of China. Apple also regularly blocks apps from the App Store that might be seen as offensive to CCP officials. The company also regularly shares the user data of its Chinese customers with government authorities. On many other occasions, Cook has heaped praise on the Chinese tech industry, which is required to comply with the CCPs many regulations and laws on national security. Cook also avoids criticizing the Chinese governments human rights record and its other abuses despite being very willing to be openly critical of American politicians and the Republican Party. This further underscores the hypocrisy of corporate America, which preaches social justice at home and turns a blind eye when it comes to profits, commented Republican Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida. Its absolutely shameful an American CEO would sit down with a communist, genocide-denying propaganda rag like China Daily. Learn more about Big Tech companies like Apple at TechGiants.news. Watch this clip and listen to Mike Davis and Steve Bannon as they talk about how Big Tech needs to be broken up. This video can be found in the channel NewsClips on Brighteon.com. More related articles: In China, Apple censors LGBT apps, but in America, Apple censors anti-LGBT publishers. Xi beckoned, they came: U.S. tech CEOs fawned over Chinese Communist premier did you feel the room shake? Twitters appointment of director with ties to Beijing raises concerns about Big Tech links to communism. SHAME! Apple censors Tiananmen Square protest songs to appease communist Chinese regime Big Tech goes all-in for communist tyranny. Apple has officially come out of the closet as a communist Chinese-run tool of tech tyranny Watch at Brighteon.com. Sources include: Breitbart.com FreeBeacon.com YouTube.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Imagine living in a country where armed soldiers crash through doors to arrest and imprison citizens merely for criticizing government officials. (Article by John W. Whitehead & Nisha Whitehead republished from Rutherford.org) Imagine that in this very same country, youre watched all the time, and if you look even a little bit suspicious, the police stop and frisk you or pull you over to search you on the off chance youre doing something illegal. Keep in mind that if you have a firearm of any kind (or anything that resembled a firearm) while in this country, it may get you arrested and, in some circumstances, shot by police. If youre thinking this sounds like America today, you wouldnt be far wrong. However, the scenario described above took place more than 200 years ago, when American colonists suffered under Great Britains version of an early police state. It was only when the colonists finally got fed up with being silenced, censored, searched, frisked, threatened, and arrested that they finally revolted against the tyrants fetters. No document better states their grievances than the Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson. A document seething with outrage over a government which had betrayed its citizens, the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, by 56 men who laid everything on the line, pledged it allour Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honorbecause they believed in a radical idea: that all people are created to be free. Labeled traitors, these men were charged with treason, a crime punishable by death. For some, their acts of rebellion would cost them their homes and their fortunes. For others, it would be the ultimate pricetheir lives. Yet even knowing the heavy price they might have to pay, these men dared to speak up when silence could not be tolerated. Even after they had won their independence from Great Britain, these new Americans worked to ensure that the rights they had risked their lives to secure would remain secure for future generations. The result: our Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution. Imagine the shock and outrage these 56 men would feel were they to discover that 246 years later, the government they had risked their lives to create has been transformed into a militaristic police state in which exercising ones freedomsat a minimum, merely questioning a government agentis often viewed as a flagrant act of defiance. In fact, had the Declaration of Independence been written today, it would have rendered its signers extremists or terrorists, resulting in them being placed on a government watch list, targeted for surveillance of their activities and correspondence, and potentially arrested, held indefinitely, stripped of their rights and labeled enemy combatants. Read the Declaration of Independence again, and ask yourself if the list of complaints tallied by Jefferson dont bear a startling resemblance to the abuses we the people are suffering at the hands of the American police state. Heres what the Declaration of Independence might look and sound like if it were written in the modern vernacular: There comes a time when a populace must stand united and say enough is enough to the governments abuses, even if it means getting rid of the political parties in power. Believing that we the people have a natural and divine right to direct our own lives, here are truths about the power of the people and how we arrived at the decision to sever our ties to the government: All people are created equal. All people possess certain innate rights that no government or agency or individual can take away from them. Among these are the right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The governments job is to protect the peoples innate rights to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The governments power comes from the will of the people. Whenever any government abuses its power, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish that government and replace it with a new government that will respect and protect the rights of the people. It is not wise to get rid of a government for minor transgressions. In fact, as history has shown, people resist change and are inclined to suffer all manner of abuses to which they have become accustomed. However, when the people have been subjected to repeated abuses and power grabs, carried out with the purpose of establishing a tyrannical government, people have a right and duty to do away with that tyrannical government and to replace it with a new government that will protect and preserve their innate rights for their future wellbeing. This is exactly the state of affairs we are under suffering under right now, which is why it is necessary that we change this imperial system of government. The history of the present Imperial Government is a history of repeated abuses and power grabs, carried out with the intention of establishing absolute tyranny over the country. To prove this, consider the following: The government has, through its own negligence and arrogance, refused to adopt urgent and necessary laws for the good of the people. The government has threatened to hold up critical laws unless the people agree to relinquish their right to be fully represented in the Legislature. In order to expand its power and bring about compliance with its dictates, the government has made it nearly impossible for the people to make their views and needs heard by their representatives. The government has repeatedly suppressed protests arising in response to its actions. The government has obstructed justice by refusing to appoint judges who respect the Constitution and has instead made the courts march in lockstep with the governments dictates. The government has allowed its agents to harass the people, steal from them, jail them and even execute them. The government has directed militarized government agentsa.k.a., a standing armyto police domestic affairs in peacetime. The government has turned the country into a militarized police state. The government has conspired to undermine the rule of law and the constitution in order to expand its own powers. The government has allowed its militarized police to invade our homes and inflict violence on homeowners. The government has failed to hold its agents accountable for wrongdoing and murder under the guise of qualified immunity. The government has jeopardized our international trade agreements. The government has overtaxed us without our permission. The government has denied us due process and the right to a fair trial. The government has engaged in extraordinary rendition. The government has continued to expand its military empire in collusion with its corporate partners-in-crime and occupy foreign nations. The government has eroded fundamental legal protections and destabilized the structure of government. The government has not only declared its federal powers superior to those of the states but has also asserted its sovereign power over the rights of we the people. The government has ceased to protect the people and instead waged domestic war against the people. The government has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, and destroyed the lives of the people. The government has employed private contractors and mercenaries to carry out acts of death, desolation and tyranny, totally unworthy of a civilized nation. The government through its political propaganda has pitted its citizens against each other. The government has stirred up civil unrest and laid the groundwork for martial law. Repeatedly, we have asked the government to cease its abuses. Each time, the government has responded with more abuse. An Imperial Ruler who acts like a tyrant is not fit to govern a free people. We have repeatedly sounded the alarm to our fellow citizens about the governments abuses. We have warned them about the governments power grabs. We have appealed to their sense of justice. We have reminded them of our common bonds. They have rejected our plea for justice and brotherhood. They are equally at fault for the injustices being carried out by the government. Thus, for the reasons mentioned above, we the people of the united States of America declare ourselves free from the chains of an abusive government. Relying on Gods protection, we pledge to stand by this Declaration of Independence with our lives, our fortunes and our honor. In the 246 years since early Americans first declared and eventually won their independence from Great Britain, we the people have managed to work ourselves right back under the tyrants thumb. Only this time, the tyrant is one of our own making: the American Police State. The abuses meted out by an imperial government and endured by the American people have not ended. They have merely evolved. We the people are still being robbed blind by a government of thieves. We are still being taken advantage of by a government of scoundrels, idiots and monsters. We are still being locked up by a government of greedy jailers. We are still being spied on by a government of Peeping Toms. We are still being ravaged by a government of ruffians, rapists and killers. We are still being forced to surrender our freedomsand those of our childrento a government of extortionists, money launderers and corporate pirates. And we are still being held at gunpoint by a government of soldiers: a standing army in the form of a militarized police. Given the fact that we are a relatively young nation, it hasnt taken very long for an authoritarian regime to creep into power. Unfortunately, the bipartisan coup that laid siege to our nation did not happen overnight. It snuck in under our radar, hiding behind the guise of national security, the war on drugs, the war on terror, the war on immigration, political correctness, hate crimes and a host of other official-sounding programs aimed at expanding the governments power at the expense of individual freedoms. The building blocks for the bleak future were just now getting a foretaste ofpolice shootings of unarmed citizens, profit-driven prisons, weapons of compliance, a wall-to-wall surveillance state, pre-crime programs, a suspect society, school-to-prison pipelines, militarized police, overcriminalization, SWAT team raids, endless wars, etc.were put in place by government officials we trusted to look out for our best interests. As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart The Erik Blair Diaries, the problems we are facing will not be fixed overnight: that is the grim reality with which we must contend. Yet that does not mean we should give up or give in or tune out. What we need to do is declare our independence from the tyranny of the American police state. (Natural News) Whistleblower Erin Olszewski, better known as Nurse Erin, joined Owen Shroyer and guest host Kristi Lee in War Room to talk about how the government is purging individuals who go against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) narrative. The FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation] has been at my door, they continue to harass me. And theres a reason behind that: Its because theyre scared of the information that I have, Nurse Erin said. They just get rid of anyone who doesnt follow the status quo. And if they continue speaking up like I have been then theyll just go after any type of income so you cant feed your families. At the same time, she said the government has been lifting the murder of babies by giving them COVID-19 vaccines unnecessarily. They dont care about the children, Nurse Erin said about the government as she narrated how she was fired from her job despite never being written up for misconduct during her entire career. (Related: Medical experts warn: Coronavirus boosters kill more lives than they save.) You build up your social media platforms that gets too big and youre being too influential, so they tore that down, too. Then she described how they went after her Linktree account and then her PayPal account. She even thinks that they will cut her Venmo shortly as well. The only thing I use PayPal for was just to be able to sell my books like signed copies of my books because they wont put them on shelves either. So its just a modern-day book burning all over again, Nurse Erin said. Harassed, discredited for telling the truth All these happened because Nurse Erin went viral for exposing hospital operations and how the corrupt healthcare system is killing patients who have or have been exposed to COVID-19. Then, they retaliated by having pro-government media assassinate her character online to discredit her. An unnamed physician at Elmhurst Hospital, where she used to work, said that she spoke from a place of ignorance, and that she used lazy and faulty conclusions based on her superficial observations to assassinate the character of people. She was also being harassed by the FBI, such as stopping her from speaking to the public about her experience in the hospital. Her hospital in New York fired her, the FBI took away her public platforms and her payment processing sites and she went on to deal with the everyday problems they were dealing her. Nurse Erin said that the FBI is basically coming at her for everything she has, but she just hopes they wont do to her what they did with Jeremy Brown a retired U.S. Army Special Forces soldier and one of the accused in the January 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol. Brown faced charges for holding on to secret national defense documents from his time in service. He was charged for unauthorized possession of the documents, as well as others that accompany previous allegations that he illegally possessed two guns and a set of hand grenades that federal agents found when they executed a search warrant at his home in Tampa. If it happens to me, I know that Ill have a good team rallying around, hopefully, but I just think that what theyre trying to do is silence us, especially people who dont shut up, Nurse Erin said. I just cant believe that this is where our country is at, especially having served it. Its such a slap in the face: for all that service, they do this. Its sad. Visit Whistleblower.news for more news about people standing up to tell the truth about evil institutions. Watch the video below as Nurse Erin shares how the government tried to harass and discredit her for telling the truth. This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: MEDICAL FASCISM: FDA conspiring with USPS to block shipments of lifesaving ivermectin. Mississippi doctor FIRED after giving life-saving ivermectin to his COVID-19 patients. Nurse Erin Olszewski: HCQ and zinc better treatments for Covid Brighteon.TV. The Sheriff Mack Show: Nurse Erin Olszewski talks about hospital murders during the pandemic Brighteon.tv. Grieving father reveals how hospital COVID protocols led to maltreatment and death of his disabled daughter. Sources include: Brighteon.com ZDoggMD.com TampaBay.com (Natural News) Representative Ilhan Omars take on the SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is even worse than her comrade AOCs (Article by Jesse Martin republished from 100PercentFedUp.com) Friday, the Supreme Court came to the decision to overturn Roe v Wade. The 1973 landmark decision that had misinterpreted the Constitution as providing a right to abortion is finally overturned. Many Democrats, including AOC and Nancy Pelosi, have been lamenting this decision. So has Squad member Ilhan Omar. Lets have a look at what Representative Omar has to say about Roe v Wades overturn, as it is certainly one of the worst takes of the century. The reversal of Roe will be recorded in the history books in the same nauseous tones as decisions like Dred Scott, Korematsu, Plessy, and Buck. This is an institution that has legitimized slavery, concentration camps, and eugenics. This decision is the same. Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) June 24, 2022 Ilhan Omar takes the right side of history fallacy to a new level as she compares the reversal of Roe to Dred Scott and Plessy. She also, seemingly confused about what nation she immigrated to, states that the Supreme Court is an institution that legitimized concentration camps. The United States is neither Nazi Germany, China, nor Russiaall countries without a free and independent Supreme Court. Additionally, Omar says that the Court legitimized eugenics, which she lumps into the bad category. This is despite the closest thing to legitimizing eugenics the Court has ever seen being the 1973 ruling of Roe which granted a constitutional right to abortion. Abortion is eugenics. The origin of abortion in the United States and many other nations was not as a way of empowering women but as a way of clearing off undesirables such as the poor, marginalized, disabled, and ethnic minorities. It is eugenics, quite simple. Finally, Omar must also understand that not only the SCOTUS upheld slavery in a time long past, but so did the executive and legislature, especially Democrats (same group who control both today.) Therefore, to condemn the Supreme Court over old qualms with slavery one must also condemn the Democrat-led institutions of the legislature and the executive today, which she is conveniently silent on. The rest of her point is just sheer nonsense. We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ? icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation. Read more at: 100PercentFedUp.com (Natural News) The U.S. is considering an additional purchase of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) clot shots for the population, this time the ones adapted for the B11529 omicron strain. A Russia Today report elaborated on the deal, saying that Washington is set to purchase additional COVID-19 vaccine doses from vaccine maker Pfizer tailored against omicron. The sale, amounting to more than $3 billion, could also include a new drug designed to protect against the more infectious yet milder strain, it added. Alongside its German partner BioNTech, the New York-based drug giant announced the deal on June 29. The two firms said they would ship an initial 105 million doses amounting to $3.2 billion. The contract, they added, also had an option for an additional 195 million doses should the federal government invoke it. BioNTech Chief Business and Chief Commercial Officer Sean Marrett said the agreement will provide additional doses for U.S. residents and help cope with the next COVID-19 wave. She added: Pending regulatory authorization, it will also include an omicron-adapted vaccine, which we believe is important to address the rapidly spreading variant. In a press release, Pfizer elaborated on the omicron-specific vaccine and mentioned that it had actually been developing two vaccine candidates. Currently under review by federal regulators, the two candidates target the BA1 and BA4/BA5 omicron sub-variants. The two companies mentioned that they had provided pivotal data on the safety and tolerability of the two vaccine candidates to the Food and Drug Administration. They also said that doses of both candidates have been manufactured in order to begin deliveries rapidly upon authorization. We believe we have two very strong omicron-adapted candidates that elicit a substantially higher immune response than weve seen to date, said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. He added that his company looks forward to discussing these data with the scientific community and health authorities with a view to introducing an omicron-adapted booster as soon as possible if authorized by regulators. Omicron has newly evolving sub-lineages that exhibit a trend of increasing potential for immune escape. We will therefore remain vigilant and are prepared to rapidly adapt our omicron-adapted vaccine candidates to emerging sub-lineages if epidemiological and laboratory data suggest, said BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin. (Related: Del Bigtree: Rise in COVID cases from new omicron subvariants is something to watch out for.) Deadlier COVID variants targeting the vaccinated will soon emerge However, Belgian virologist Dr. Geert Vanden Bossche warned that the COVID-19 vaccines such as the one by Pfizer will only make people susceptible to a deadlier strain. This variant will mainly target nations with high vaccination rates, he added. In the next two months, I expect an explosion [of this deadlier variant] in one of these highly vaccinated countries. And then, it will go very, very fast, he told Australian independent journalist Maria Zeee in a May 18 interview. You cannot play with an equilibrium that has been shaped over millions of years of evolution. Now all of a sudden, we throw a bombshell on this [natural immunity with] the mass vaccination [as if] humankind is going to reshape this whole thing. Now, the virus is going to backfire in a way that is going to be very, very serious and very substantial. Instead of injecting people with the vaccines, Vanden Bossche emphasized antiviral medications such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. My heart goes out to all these people who have been highly vaccinated. [But] the magic word for these people is antivirals. Its the only thing they can do antivirals and, therefore, early treatments. Instead of having these stupid mass vaccination campaigns, we would need to have a mass antiviral chemoprophylaxis campaign in highly vaccinated countries to dramatically diminish the infection rate in the population because that is what herd immunity naturally and normally does. Visit VaccineWars.com for more stories about vaccines targeting the omicron strain. Watch Dr. Geert Vanden Bossche warning people not to take any vaccines against the omicron strain below. This video is from the Soundpilot channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Experts say Omicron is a natural vaccine no need for any more boosters. HK experts: BioNTech Covid vaccine 32 times LESS effective against omicron. Study confirms Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is USELESS against omicron variant. Repeated COVID vaccinations compromise bodys natural ability to fend off disease, resulting in VAIDS. Dr. Geert Vanden Bossche predicts rise of DEADLIER COVID variants targeting the vaccinated in the next two months. Sources include: SHTFPlan.com RT.com Pfizer.com LifeSiteNews.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) I do not view abortion as a choice and a right. I think its always a tragedy ~ Joe Biden in a 2006 interview with Texas Monthly [16 min 44 sec mark] (Article by Justin O. Smith republished from TheBlueStateConservative.com) The Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade on June 24th, 2022 in a ruling that many of us were expecting, due to the leaked draft of Justice Samuel Alitos opinion on the matter as it pertained to Dobbs vs Jackson Womens Health Organization, which had many Americans rejoicing on the steps of the Court or wherever they stood when they heard the news. But as happy an occasion as this may seem to many, it was also a sad and tragic day that gave way to images of far too many extremely young women raging against the ruling and revealing just how deeply they had been proselytized by the demonic proponents of this sick and evil movement, that has convinced them their only path to true equality to men and achieving the fullest potential of their being is found deep in the unwritten words of the Constitution and an unfounded right to murder their unborn children. It is the most abominable thing one will ever see. In a nation that was supposedly founded on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and the Christian and Western principles that have long supported every aspect of life, including the rights of the unborn upon the quickening, we saw many of the most far-left, anti-family segment of the country crying out for a right to murder the unborn children of America. The Courts ruling had just barely hit the national newswire before the battle-lines were drawn, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez grabbed a megaphone and stood outside the Supreme Court urging protesters to call the Court illegitimate as she also stated abortionists should go into the streets to fight for abortion in this generational fight, noting that people will die as a result of this historic ruling. None of these anti-God, anti-Family heathens seem to understand that the unborn child is a separate human being from its mother and able to feel pain at around the twelve-week point of its development that the unborn child has the same Inalienable God-given Right to its own life as they do to theirs, and all that goes with it. These abortionists are a sign of the times and a long-existing immoral underbelly of the nation filled by people who want to be just as promiscuous and irresponsible as they wish, refusing to take common-sense precautions and casting off their unborn children like so much garbage, murdering babies each time a seed is planted. The feminists and other proponents of abortion disingenuously use womens rights and equality as their justification for abortion on demand, when in reality, they simply want to avoid the serious consequences of the sex act and take it as lightly as they may decide. Looking at CDC abortion statistics from 43 states and New York City in 2019, one will find that twenty-four percent of those women were having their second abortion; for eleven percent, it was their third, and for eight percent it was their fourth abortion or more. What in the world is wrong with these people? You dont want children? Dont lie down with one another unless youre wearing a condom and using the pill, or both. More specifically, too often women are left with the consequences of their promiscuous fornication and playing fast and loose with their womanly charms like some femme fatale from a bad B movie because they are just as immoral and worthless as too many young men today who have bought into the Hollywood love em and leave em useless, ignorant pretty boy, playboy image of what men surely must be attempting to bed all the women they meet as some twisted status symbol unable to properly care for themselves, much less a newborn baby. Their shallow nature requires instant gratification and refuses any restraint or discipline that may include simply saying no to a meaningless sexual encounter void of any love or commitment to their sex partner for the day, the flavor of the day. These are the same attitudes that have so many Americans seeking get rich quick schemes or contenting themselves to ride the government dole, the welfare rolls, for life. These are the lessons theyve learned from leftist indoctrination in the public schools, along with entitlement propaganda blasting across the airways daily and many other detrimental teachings that harm their development towards becoming productive people in society. Women could solve the problem by simply closing their legs and men could help by refraining from trying to bed every pretty young woman they see walking down the street. But so many do not seem to mind being the whores and whoremongers that they are murdering babies in service to the forces of evil, death, and Satan. Read more at: TheBlueStateConservative.com (Natural News) Former White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx revealed that the federal government was relying on hope that COVID-19 vaccines would prevent infection when officials publicly stated that Americans who received the jab would become immune to the virus. (Article by Natalie Winters republished from TheNationalPulse.com) The admission came during a line of questioning by Rep. Jim Jordan, who inquired to the former Trump administration official: When the government told us that the vaccinated couldnt transmit it, was that a lie or is it a guess? I think it was hope that the vaccine would work in that way, she replied. Dr. Birxs comments follow a host of studies determining that the COVID-19 vaccine doesnt confer protection as comprehensively as natural immunity. Data during the Omicron surge also showed that vaccinated people in Germany comprised the overwhelming majority of individuals contracting the variant. You were part of this effort when you were in the previous administration. And youre saying in this administration that you cant rule out the fact that our government was lying to us when they told us the vaccinated could not get the virus, Rep. Jordan continued. I dont know about their discussions that they had in the task force. So I cant tell you that, she began, adding I can tell you as a family member who had individuals that were susceptible, of course, we got everybody vaccinated. But we still used layered protection during surges. Despite being vaccinated, Dr. Birx took additional precautions because I knew potentially vaccine immunity would wane like natural immunity waned. There was evidence that every four months, reinfection was occurring in South Africa. Revelations about the questionable efficacy of the vaccine come amidst the White House, Democratic governors, and left-wing companies attempting to mandate the jab for employees and customers. Users sharing data highlighting the weakness of the vaccine on social media platforms such as Facebook have also been hastily censored by left-wing fact-checking organizations. Read more at: TheNationalPulse.com One ancient species living in the seas of the Atlantic coast has played an important role in the fight against COVID-19. Overharvesting for food, bait, and biomedical testing, as well as habitat degradation from coastal reclamation and development, threaten the world's horseshoe crab stocks. Shoreline changes designed to preserve beaches from erosion and sea level rise caused by climate change impact their spawning habitats. Horseshoe Crab's Importance The horseshoe crab is vital for human vaccine safety because its blood provides cells that the biomedical industry employs to test vaccines, notably coronavirus vaccinations, to ensure they are not contaminated with germs. They have been around for hundreds of millions of years. Horseshoe crabs have outlived the dinosaurs, and now, confront their ultimate challenge: humans. Horseshoe crabs are presently threatened with extinction due to habitat loss and over-farming, according to EuroNews. "They haven't changed in 450 million years," said Laurel Sullivan, education coordinator for the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's Coastal Programs. "Nothing about them can injure us or endanger us; they simply live their lives." However, the discovery of their life-saving powers has spawned a massive business. Every year, more than 500,000 are captured off the east coast of the United States. Nonetheless, specialists are optimistic about the future of this life-saving living fossil. "I believe they will survive," said Glenn Gauvry, president of the Ecological Research & Development Group. "Other testing procedures for medication are being developed, and fishers can use other baits, putting the animals under less strain." Also Read: What Makes Horseshoe Crab's Blue Blood Worth $60,000 a Gallon? Pharmaceutical Uses Hundreds of thousands of horseshoe crabs climb onto beaches across the mid-Atlantic region of the United States each spring, guided by the full moon, making it a cornucopia for hungry birds. According to the National Geographic, horseshoe crabs are a critical resource for pharmaceutical firms to make human medications safe. This is because the milky-blue blood of these animals is the only known natural source of limulus amebocyte lysate, a material that detects a contaminant known as endotoxin. Endotoxin, a bacterial toxin, may be lethal if even trace quantities get into vaccinations, injectable medications, or other sterile pharmaceuticals like prosthetic knees and hips. "All pharmaceutical businesses use these crabs throughout the world. When you think about it, your mind is boggled by our dependency on this primitive species," Barbara Brummer noted, New Jersey state director for The Nature Conservancy. Every year, pharmaceutical corporations capture half a million Atlantic horseshoe crabs, bleed them, then release them back into the water, where many die. This practice, along with overharvesting crabs for fishing bait, has resulted in a fall in the region's species over the last few decades. Declining Population The horseshoe crab is an important component of coastal biodiversity. They produce millions of eggs on beaches to feed shorebirds, fish, and other species, which is one of their ecological duties. Many other species, including sponges, mud crabs, mussels, and snails, use its enormous hard shell as a microhabitat. Unfortunately, this ecological relationship might be disrupted in locations with low population density. Related Article: Deadly Crustaceans: Xanthidaes Among the Most Poisonous Crabs in the World For more animal news, don't forget to follow Nature World News! Leeds City Council has introduced an email service to alert residents about the rising air pollution. This is in addition to long-established air pollution information systems like the UK government's websites. Air Pollution Air pollution is defined as contamination of the interior or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical, or biological factor that alters the inherent properties of the atmosphere. Common causes of air pollution include household combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial operations, and forest fires. Particulate pollution, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide are serious public health concerns. Both outdoor and interior air pollution cause respiratory and other ailments, as well as significant morbidity and mortality. Pollution Risk These systems have evolved significantly during the last 30 years. Pollution data had to be acquired via a free telephone service or read on our television screens via Teletext and the BBC's Ceefax in the 1990s. The internet and smartphones have resulted in an explosion of air pollution information systems, but how could these evolve in the future? A new research looks at how Londoners may learn about air pollution. It discovered that a surprisingly significant number of systems (54 in all) were already operational. Near-real-time air pollution maps, measurements on websites and apps, and the mayor's system for displaying alerts at bus stops are among them. Also Read: Study Shows How Residents from Public Housing Experiences Higher Levels of Air Pollution Improved Pollution Warning Government, meteorological, and university services are based on the concept that knowledge can assist individuals in changing their behavior. The research discovered, however, that a growing number of commercial organizations are sharing data to develop a market for purchasing personal sensors, masks, and air filters. Current systems are not without flaws. "If consumers are seeking air quality information related to their actual physical location, most services are incapable of giving it," said Kayla B Schulte, a DPhil candidate at the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science Department of Sociology at the University of Oxford who conducted the study. Professor Stephen Holgate of the University of Southampton, who was not involved in the London study, stated, "People are becoming aware of the negative impacts of air pollution, but they need knowledge on how and what they can do about it." "Any new air quality monitoring system must be based on what individuals are exposed to in their neighborhoods, including real-time fluctuations." These requirements are being met in part via community sensor networks, which enable individuals to take and exchange measurements. Another constraint is a restricted focus on communications to assist vulnerable individuals in protecting themselves when levels of air pollution rise. While this is reasonable, it risks shifting blame for the problem to those who experience the consequences. Going Straight to the Polluters To go forward, we can look to the past for guidance. The original air pollution warning system, established in Los Angeles in 1955, was somewhat different. Instead of being aimed at those who breathe polluted air, it was aimed against polluters. When the plan was adopted, enterprises began to lower boilers and employ carpooling systems, while citizens were advised to drive less and avoid burning garbage. Related Article: Satellites Capture Worsening Air Pollution in Tropical Megacities For more health and environment related news, don't forget to follow Nature World News! LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 18: Poo emojis outside Downing Street after the British Trades Union Congress (TUC) We Demand Better rally on June 18, 2022 in London, England. Unions are calling for wage rises for workers to help cope with the cost of living crisis. (Photo : Photo by Hollie Adams/Getty Images) Faecal grafts have made media coverage in current history, demonstrating guarantee in everything from COVID-19 therapeutic interventions to anti-aging studies in animal life, and yet experts claimed they are hardly exploring the possibilities. Why Building Poo Banks are Necessary for Future Purposes The procedure, which involves transferring faecal microbiomes from one fit participant to the other, is typically used within adult subjects to diagnose symptoms, such as Clostridioides particulierement virus and irritable bowel syndrome. However, analysts agree it may conceivably have been used to classify a much broader variety of infections, the news media website Science Alert, reported. Not merely that; by designing a mechanism to administer autologous faecal transplants - for which the source as well as beneficiary are about the similar person - scientists may be able to avoid complications that often arise when givers and patients are incompatible with heterologous grafts comprising at least two persons. To do the same, specialists must gather up folk's faecal sample data while they are still young and fit, then afterwards, experts will store them in cryopreservation facilities for coming generations use if service users require a transfusion thereafter. Researchers must then deposit our poop in a bank in particular instance humans really do have to pull it back. Scientists argued that while the concept may appear unconventional, it is absolutely genuine. According to Harvard University systems scientist Yang-Yu Liu, philosophically, the notion of faeces banking for autologous FMT is analogous to when couples deposit their baby's cord blood for potential strategic utilization in the coming years. Nevertheless, there is tremendous promise for stool banking, therefore researchers believed that collecting faeces collections will be considerably more likely than utilizing cord blood. Poo banking has actually operated way back with the very initial, a charitable organization stool bank aptly named OpenBiome, opening its services in 2012 in Somerville, Massachusetts. Since that day, a variety of different institutions have developed throughout the entire globe, though the majority emerged to be keeping faeces specimens for subsequent heterologous FMTs instead of autologous transplants. Nonetheless, the different methods aren't strictly completely contradictory. Also read: Forest Bathing: Mysterious Japanese Practice With Hidden Benefits The Promising Use of Human Poo Furthermore, according to the experts' latest analysis that was posted under the journal of Trends in Molecular Medicine and was led by experts in the field, Yang, together with his colleagues, explained that in essence, the very comparable approach of host assessment as well as specimen acquisition may be applied for the aim of renewing microbiota by autologous FMT. Rather than beginning from zero, current high-quality stool banks might be utilized for the concept of autologous FMT microbiome rejuvenation. There are other difficulties to address, along with how to securely keep faeces data points in long-term cryopreservation. Even if these obstacles can indeed be overcome, as well as if individuals are persuaded to deposit their faeces in a bank, researchers might be dealing at a daring grand approach for self-donated experimental care throughout the upcoming years. Meanhile co-author and Harvard University epidemiologist Scott T. Weiss, claimed that the autologous FMTs have the ability to address immunological disorders such as respiratory problems, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, as well as potentially cardiovascular disease and getting older. Researchers expect that this research may spark several long-term studies of autologous FMTs for preventive medicine. Related article: South Korea's First Homemade Covid Vaccine Approved for Ages 18 and Above Peregrine falcons in the Canadian Arctic are suffering due to a surge in precipitation, according to a new study from two Canadian universities. While rainfall is typically a boon - sustaining life and supporting plant growth across the Earth - an excess of it in northern Canada brought on by warmer summer temperatures is, according to the researchers, posing the greatest threat to peregrine falcons since the pesticide DDT. Research co-author Alastair Franke of the University of Alberta and his colleagues from the University of Quebec contend that gradual changes in Arctic temperature and increases in rainfall are linked to long-term declines in the reproduction rate of the peregrine. With historical weather data and more than 30 years of breeding data at their disposal, the researchers set up an experiment near Rankin Inlet in Nunavut province on the shores of the Hudson Bay, where a dense population of peregrine falcons is known to exist. Franke and his colleagues monitored the falcons' nests for two years using motion-sensing cameras. The resulting data confirmed their suspicions. More than one-third of the falcon chicks observed died from rain. The researchers found this to be consistent whether the chicks were raised in nestboxes or on natural ledges. "The nestlings died from hypothermia and in some cases from drowning in their flooded nests. Without constant parental care, they are most vulnerable to cold and wet conditions in the first three weeks of life," Franke said. The investigation into the falcon deaths came after researchers realized that there was still a marked population decline even after the pesticide DDT was banned in 1970. DDT residues were linked to reproductive failure in peregrines. "We knew DDT was no longer an issue and based on field observations, we wondered whether changes in climate were responsible for high mortality in recent years," Franke said. In addition to drowning and hypothermia, Franke also observed falcon chicks starving to death. "We were surprised to find that a considerable number of nestlings raised in nestboxes later died of starvation despite having been spared from the direct effects of rain," he said. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visits a coastal mangrove site to witness Suriname coastlines flood susceptibility, at Weg naar Zee, in Paramaribo, Suriname, on July 2, 2022. - Guterres currently visits the South-American country for the 43rd Regular Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), that opens on Sunday and ends on Tuesday. (Photo : Photo by RANU ABHELAKH/AFP via Getty Images) Despite academics stressing that reducing planetary heat to 1.5C is rapidly escaping from human control, researchers understand this would require a massive attempt to accomplish. However, the magnitude of decarbonisation necessary has now been accomplished - albeit unexpectedly and somewhat by mistake. Limiting Global Warming According to a recent analysis published in Nature Geoscience, worldwide carbon dioxide (CO2) outputs declined by 6.3%, or around 2,200 metric tons (MtCO2), in 2020. In his statement Tsinghua University Earth system scientist Zhu Liu and associates wrote in their journal article that this has been the highest total annual decline in carbon output, greater than the emission levels decrement of the 2009 economic meltdown (380 MtCO2), and sometimes even higher than that of the drop reconfigured at the end of World War II (814 MtCO2). However, if researchers implemented identical adjustments in a safe fashion, humans would be able to accomplish these carbon credits with substantially fewer adverse repercussions. By example, the investigators discovered the largest independent driver in emissions reductions, responsible for nearly a third of the decline, was indeed the enormous decline in transport services - automobiles as well as tractor trailers. So, rather than shutting down much of this transportation, specialists might accomplish significant cost savings by propelling it with sustainable power, Science Alert reported. As to the Australian National University climatologist Nerilie Abram, who has not been part of the research, informed the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, it is a brilliant example that it is effective to minimize the greenhouse gases, designers merely require to pick the manner they are heading to use it. Further research released this week in OECD revealed that restricting CO2 emissions to 1.5 C could minimize hazards to people by roughly 40% opposed to a 2 C forecast and up to 85% relative to a 3.66 C situation. Rachel Warren, an atmospheric expert at the University of East Anglia, and her associates utilized 21 different forms of computer simulations to evaluate water crisis, rising temperatures, illnesses, inundation, famine, even socioeconomic repercussions. Researchers determined that with every threshold of temperature, millions more individuals would be subject to catastrophic famine. However, limiting worldwide warming to 1.5 C might lower international negative ramifications by 20% relative to a 2 C future, as well as cut the number of individuals vulnerable to malaria and dengue illness by 10%. Also read: South Korea's First Homemade Covid Vaccine Approved for Ages 18 and Above How the Pandemic Helped Against Global Warming Emissions of carbon dioxide were recovered to 2019 proportions after the lockdowns, according to Liu and colleagues. Researchers propose directing global epidemic rehabilitation quantitative easing into prevention initiatives, however, note that the funds for this kind of assistance are still concentrated by natural gas expenditures. These are the kinds of structural issues that should be addressed in order to achieve long-term effects, and such adjustments are now beginning. Nevertheless, exceeding 2C might be costly to human existence, resulting in cycles of irrevocable die - offs and persistent harm to countless species, according to University of Cape Town ecologist Joanne Bentley and collaborators in The Royal Society Publishing. Regardless if the 1.5 C objective radiates outward, each quarter of a temperature of heating up contributes. The 1.5 C objective also was merely supposed to offer something real to aspire towards, it's not a mystical factual figure. Furthermore, specialists already have prevented some of the worst-case circumstances, and scientists sympathise that the humanity still have a good chance of keeping greenhouse effect below 2 degrees Celsius. "If humans eventually wind up at 2C, that's a tad nicer than where humans were two decades ago, which was 5 C.," Texas Tech University climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe told New Scientist. Related article: Forest Bathing: Mysterious Japanese Practice With Hidden Benefits A heat wave will strike the Western United States again this week and bring scorching temperatures until the next weekend, according to an AccuWeather forecast. This comes several days after the Intermountain West experienced thunderstorm activity due to a monsoonal moisture previously forecasted in the region. In the latest heat forecast, AccuWeather predicted that a heat dome could blanket the interior West and suppress the monsoon storms. This is due to the potential all-time high temperatures that will set some areas into its hottest levels recorded this year. The said climatic condition has led to rainfall in multiple areas last week. Some reports call it as a "beneficial rain" for the drought-stricken landscape, gripped by wildfires, prolonged drought, and high temperatures. In June, a "dangerous heat wave" triggered wildfires in Southern California. This has also been the case in other states in the months before. The intense heat reflects the natural disaster last year, when hundreds of people died in the Pacific Northwest and the Canadian province of British Columbia during the North America summer season, which approximately spans from June 20 to September 23 each year. Western US Heatwave AccuWeather meteorologists are expecting temperatures to "skyrocket" in the coming days with a few local communities that could experience the extreme weather. These areas could potentially reach their hottest temperatures ever recorded with an average of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat dome is expected to bring 90 degrees Fahrenheit in Montana and surpass the 100 degrees Fahrenheit record in the Southwest early this week. Meanwhile, it could affect most parts of the West and the High plains during the late part of the week. Also Read: Heat Dome Fuels Alaskan Wildfires with Temperatures over 60 Degrees Fahrenheit Jet Stream The weather forecasting company explains that a jet stream will pave the way for the heat build-up. It will force the air to sink and cause temperatures to spike, as well as limit cloud formation and precipitation. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), jet streams are thin bands of strong wind situated in the upper part of the Earth's atmosphere. The wind direction blows from west to east. However, there are instances where the wind shifts to the north and south directions. The fast-moving jet streams follow the boundaries between hot and cold air. Since they can transport warm and cold air (vice versa), the weather phenomenon has the ability to cause a change in weather pattern and temperatures. Heat-Related Illness During a heat wave, health ailments do occur and are possible to affect the health of living organisms, especially for humans and animals outdoor under the heat of the Sun. Heat-related illnesses were also mentioned by AccuWeather in its latest weather outlook on Sunday, July 3. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) enumerated the following heat-related illnesses, wherein some could lead to health complications and even death: Heat stroke Heat exhaustion Heat cramps Sunburn Heat rash The CDC acknowledged that heat stresses and all its underlying health impact are preventable. This can be done by making yourself cool in general, as well as reporting potential and confirmed cases to local authorities. Related Article: Heat Dome to Put Millions of People Under High Temperatures Across the United States A shark attack targeting a lifeguard was reported off the Atlantic coast of Long Island, New York, on Sunday, July 3. Although the victim survived, he sustained wounds on his body and was taken to a local hospital. The marine animal attack led to the closure of a popular beach in the area, as well as other two New York beaches nearby. In addition, local authorities increased other safety measures, such as shark patrol operations off the New York coast. The incident is one of the many cases of rare, yet increasing shark attacks in the East Coast of the United States in recent years. The trend has led to a myriad of theories pointing to climate and ecological factors related to the shark attacks. The Long Island incident occurred just when the Atlantic waters were starting to get warm again. This is the case for the Northeast region, as it recently underwent a rollercoaster of changing weather from severe thunderstorms to extreme heat. However, the warm weather is reportedly not surprising as the United States has entered its summer season approximately two weeks ago. Various research had pointed out that the ongoing climate crisis is pushing great white sharks and other shark species worldwide to traverse into new waters. This is mainly due to ocean warming caused by climate change and global warming. In addition, previous studies also linked the sharks' habitat loss and loss of prey to be a driving force. New York Shark Attack Lifeguard Zach Gallo was reportedly playing the role of a victim during an emergency exercise when a 4 to 5 foot long shark bit him in his chest and right hand in the waters off Smith Point Beach, facing the Atlantic Ocean. Steve Ballone, a top official from the Suffolk County, said Gallo was able to walk out alive from the water and was bandaged before he was taken to the hospital, as cited by The Guardian. Also Read: Shark Attack Reported in Lovers Point Beach, California; Shark's Identity Remains Unknown Safety Measures In spite of the non-lethal animal attack, local officials closed the Smith Point Beach and another one to the east, saying it is due to dangerous marine activity, as cited by the UK media agency. The officials also vowed to step up beach patrols, which includes the newly formed "shark patrol." The patrol was created after a fisherman previously spotted 10-foot Mako shark off the Long Island coast in May, as previously reported by CBS News and other US media outlets. Spatial Shift In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports in February 2021, scientists found that the North Pacific warming shifts a young population of marine apex predators called juvenile white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) in the waters of central California. The scientists claimed tht such spatial shift is causing a wide-range of potential conflicts, including against commercial fisheries and public safety concerns. US Shark Attacks In total, there have been 12 shark attacks in the state of New York alone as of Monday, July 4, according to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) database curated by the Florida Museum. The largest number of related cases across the US has been recorded in Florida with a total of 896 shark attacks, followed by Hawaii with 182, and California with 132 attacks. Related Article: Great White Shark Shreds Swimmer Into Pieces in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa Dog ancestry has been a mystery for the scientific community, especially when it comes to specific genetic origin and manner of domestication. However, a new study led by researchers from The Francis Crick Institute in London, United Kingdom, suggested that the discovery of an Ice Age wolf DNA revealed that dog ancestry came from at least two wolf populations. Scientists in the UK study claimed that humanity a step closer in determining the absolute origin of modern domesticated dogs. However, they were also realistic to the fact that it is still impossible to determine at this time as to where and how exactly wolves became dogs, where the latter famously become man's best friend. Dog Ancestry In a media release on June 29, The Francis Crick Institute announced that a team of international scientists consisting of archaeologists and geneticists have found the ancestry of modern dogs can be traced to at least two separate dog species. This came after the research team analyzed 72 ancient wolf genomes from Europe, Siberia, and North America dating from the last 100,000 years. The current data has surpassed previous discoveries which only ranged canine ancestral roots only as far as 15,000 to 30,000 years ago. The UK study was published in the journal Nature last week. Also Read: "Conflict Between Wolves and Humans" Becomes the Reason Behind Swedish Government's Decision to Cull Wolf Population by Half Dog Domestication Theories Prior to the new study, there have been several theories on dog domestication. These postulations show the possibility of how the once rivalry between early humans and wild wolves turned to a mutual companionship as owner and pets that we see in contemporary times. One of the leading theories is the so-called self-domestication theory, which suggested that wolves in the past took advantage of the waste materials, including food, of human civilizations. The scientific community largely supports the said theory, as cited by the University of Illinois in the United States. In particular, the theory postulates that wolves were once notorious scavengers of biodegradable products produced by forming human civilization in their infancy, relative to the annals of history. This relation turned out to be the earliest form of taming, as the theory indicated that the domestication aspect itself was accidental rather than government by Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. Physical and Behavioral Perspectives There are two main theoretical underpinnings from the self-domestication theory: behavioral and physical. In its summary, the University of Illinois said that the social hierarchies of a wolf pack diminished for those animals who stayed with human civilizations, based on a behavioral point of view. In spite of being away from the pack, isolated yet domesticated wolves had enhanced survival due to the available resources provided to them by our ancient ancestors. Meanwhile, the university's interpretation of the theory's physical standpoint suggested that the human-provided food has a lower quality due to lower energy content than the natural prey of wolves. As a result, evolution would favor a smaller body build compared to their counterparts left in the wild. A previous study published in the journal Current Biology in January suggested that dog sizes from chihuahuas to great Danes and other dog species of today were manifested by a gene mutation from ancient wolves in the past 30,000 years. Related Article: Ancient Wolf Gene Responsible for Different Sizes of Domestic Dogs Thales Australia has entered into a collaboration agreement with global defence and security peer, EXPAL Systems S.A. The new agreement aims to establish Sovereign Capability solutions in Australia for large caliber Naval munitions and fuzes in support of the Australian Defence Force and their allies. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link The new agreement will facilitate the technology transfer to Australia of Intellectual Property and support the development of new manufacturing processes that will enable the local production of critical munitions including, 5 Charge Propelling (CP) and high explosives projectiles, as well as advanced fuze solutions (Picture source: Thales) The new agreement will facilitate the technology transfer to Australia of Intellectual Property and support the development of new manufacturing processes that will enable the local production of critical munitions including, 5 Charge Propelling (CP) and high explosives projectiles, as well as advanced fuze solutions. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) currently utilises 5 naval munitions that are manufactured and supplied separately by both EXPAL in Spain, and Thales in Australia. This new agreement between Expal and Thales will not only provide the RAN greater on demand, localised access to leading EXPAL-Thales 5 technology, it will also provide greater surety of supply for critical 5 munitions capability. Expal and Thales have also agreed to an extensive research and development program, providing a roadmap to the Australian Defence Force for 5 munition technology enhancement on current and future RAN platforms including, munitions offering longer range, reduced sensitivity and precision strike capability. Corry Roberts, Vice President Land, Thales Australia & New Zealand said: Over the past 12 months we have established significant partnerships with some of the worlds preeminent munitions providers including EXPAL, to nurture technology transfer to Australia and establish local production capability of critical munitions. This is a clear demonstration of the companys long-term commitment to growing and maintaining an enduring, sustainable and resilient sovereign industrial munitions capability for the Australian Defence Force. Luis Abad, Vice President Sales, EXPAL said: We are looking forward to intensifying the cooperation with Thales Australia and providing our Naval Munitions expertise. Our complementary technologies will enhance Royal Australian Navy capabilities and optimize Australian Industrial Capability (AIC). For more than 30 years Thales Australia has built a national industrial ecosystem, including over 600 Australian suppliers, to support the delivery of sovereign munitions capability to the Australian Defence Force. Demonstrating that maximising technology transfer to Australia on major Defence projects is a significant driver of growth in building Australias sovereign industrial capability. Thales Australia has entered into a collaboration agreement with global defence and security peer, EXPAL Systems S.A (Picture source: Thales) According to information published by the Philippines News Agency on July 4, 2022, the Philippine Navy's first two patrol boat (FAIC-Ms) test-fired their Typhoon 30mm cannon in Israel. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link The Typhoon 30mm cannon in live-firing test demonstration in Israel. (Picture source: Philippine Navy) Ordered by the Philippine Navy from Israel Shipyards to eventually replace the Tomas Batilo-class fast attack crafts. Twelve were originally planned but only eight were initially funded as part of the Navy's procurement plan from 2018 to 2022. Four of the boats are built in Israel and feature missile armament using the Rafael Spike NLOS short-range surface-to-surface missile, while the other four will be built in the PN's Cavite Naval Yard under a technology transfer agreement and will only be fitted for but not with the missile system. An additional 1 unit was negotiated by the Philippine Navy, although it will not have missile systems. All are fitted with remote gun systems from Rafael. About Typhoon Weapon Station The Typhoon is a type of remote weapon station manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Israel, and it shares similar design principles and common technologies with Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station (Samson RCWS), a land-based system manufactured by the same developer. Like Samson RCWS, Typhoon is also multi-configurable. The Typhoon, and its lightweight variant, Mini Typhoon, are used by the Israeli Navy, Indian Navy, Royal Australian Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy, the Republic of Singapore Navy, Sri Lankan Navy, and Singapore's Police Coast Guard. The cannon system mounted can be an ATK, Oerlikon, Mauser, or Giat model in the 2030 mm caliber range. Between 160 and 210 rounds are carried on the mounting, depending on the caliber. The mount can traverse 120 to either side and elevate between -12.5 and 40.5. The weight of a complete system is between 690 and 750 kilograms (1,520 and 1,650 lb) without ammunition, depending on the guns and sensors mounted. HP Enterprise says it will deliver a series of servers powered by the Arm-based Altra and Altra Max by Ampere, the CPU startup run by former Intel executive Renee James. Ampere, not to be confused with the GPU processor of the same name from Nvidia, has scored some wins with cloud providers, notably Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, but it had yet to land in OEM partner. Until now. Starting in Q3 2022, HPE says it will ship ProLiant RL300 Gen11 servers, available for both outright purchase and for leasing through HPEs GreenLake consumption model. HPE says this will be the first in a series of HPE ProLiant RL Gen11 servers using 80-core Altra and 128-core Altra Max processors. The servers will provide a single-socket design and are designed for scale-out applications such as digital services, media streaming, social platforms, e-commerce, financial or online services, and cloud-based services such as IaaS, PaaS and SaaS. providers, according to Krista Satterthwaite, senior vice president and general manager for mainstream compute at HPE. These organizations are looking to transform their businesses by delivering as-a-service offerings that will help accelerate innovation and better serve their customers, she said via email. Target workloads include cloud-native microservices and/or container-based services. HPE already has its first customer: CloudSigma, a cloud IaaS and PaaS provider that offers enterprise-class cloud servers and cloud hosting in the US, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East. Satterthwaite said the Ampere-based servers comlement HPEs existing ProLiant offerings and don't compete with the x86-based versions. But she said the focus is on cloud-native workloads. These customers can expect to see high performance-per-watt, which is critical for cloud-scale data centers that are facing growing constraints in power consumption and rack space, she said. AP Italian officials in an Alpine resort town say 13 people are still unaccounted for and seven hikers were killed a day earlier by an avalanche of ice and stone unleashed when a massive piece of glacier broke off on a mountaintop Columnist Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich). Researchers who treated a group of post-surgery bladder cancer patients with the immunotherapy drug atezolizumab have found that patients whose blood contained circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), responded very well to the treatment. The study is presented today at the European Association of Urology annual congress (EAU22), in Amsterdam. The research was part of a larger Phase III trial, IMvigor010, which looked at whether giving atezolizumab for up to one year to patients following bladder removal surgery improved the patients' survival prospects, compared to a group that received no further treatment after surgery but placed in an observation group. Part of that trial involved patients' levels of ctDNA being measured after surgery, and during further treatment or observation. Although the trial found no significant difference in overall survival between the two groups in the intention-to-treat population, researchers noticed that a subgroup of patients who were ctDNA positive showed a marked improvement when they were given atezolizumab. These benefits included significantly higher disease-free survival, and significantly higher overall survival, than the observation group. This effect wasn't seen in ctDNA-negative patients. In addition, the researchers also found that patients that were ctDNA positive, but subsequently changed to became ctDNA negative after treatment with atezolizumab, ultimately had a particularly good prognosis. ctDNA comprises fragments of DNA shed from cancerous cells and tumors that are found in the bloodstream. Sometimes known as a 'liquid biopsy', it has emerged as a promising, minimally invasive biomarker in clinical oncology, but isn't yet widely used as part of a standard detection and treatment tool for any cancers. It involves tumour-specific gene sequencing for every patient, so is time-consuming and, at present, relatively expensive. We already knew that patients who are ctDNA positive have a poor prognosis compared to those who are ctDNA negative. But this is the first time we've been able to show that with immunotherapy we can actually change the course of the disease depending on a patient's ctDNA status. " Professor Gschwend, Chairman of the Department of Urology, Technical University of Munich He continued: "If we can prove that consequent drug activity is linked to ctDNA status, and that high-risk patients will benefit, that could in time change the standard treatment pathway - and ultimately bring down the average cost of ctDNA analysis. " Professor Morgan Roupret, Chairman of the European Section of Onco-Urology of the European Association of Urology, said: "The field of personalized medicine, using not only clinical but molecular indicators, is just around the corner. So, analyzing ctDNA is very interesting. It is relatively easy to do with new technology and it means we can select a subset of patients who are likely to respond." The next step will be the upcoming IMvigor 011 study, which has been redesigned as a consequence of these results. With 500 participants, the trial will further evaluate the use of ctDNA sampling, and will compare atezolizumab against placebo in only ctDNA-positive patients, post-surgery. Professor Roupret added: "Unlike in prostate cancer, where we can measure PSA as a marker of the cancer, until now we haven't had anything we can use for bladder cancer. But these robust findings show that ctDNA has great potential as a sophisticated tool to monitor patients and choose their most effective treatment. The progress of the IMvigor 011 study will be watched closely by specialists for a greater assessment of the use of atezolizumab in bladder cancer patients." In a recently published article in the journal Current Opinion in Neurobiology, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis have described how immunological alterations associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection may impact brain activities and induce acute and post-acute neurological symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Neuroinflammation and COVID-19. Image Credit: DOERS / Shutterstock Peripheral immunity and brain SARS-CoV-2, the causative pathogen of COVID-19, is known to affect the innate immune system, leading to abnormal activation of the interferon signaling pathways and induction of hyperinflammation. The state of hyperinflammation is characterized by excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which in turn can disrupt the function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In severe COVID-19 patients, excessive levels of systemic cytokines can disrupt the BBB integrity and trigger the onset of neurological symptoms. Besides the BBB, systemic cytokines can directly affect neuronal activities and cause cognitive deficits in COVID-19 patients. Evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers cytokine release in the cerebrospinal fluid, which subsequently can impair normal brain activities. Cytokines can also directly target different neural cells to alter brain activities. By targeting neural stem cells, cytokines can reduce neurogenesis and cause learning and memory deficits. Similarly, cytokines can target neurons and astrocytes to trigger glutamate excitotoxicity. Although pro-inflammatory monocytes are required for viral clearance during COVID-19, their long-term presence can promote immunopathology, leading to the development of long-COVID symptoms. In addition, these monocytes infiltrate the brain through the BBB, leading to the induction of neuroinflammation. Similarly, infiltration of virus-infected monocytes can lead to the release of viral RNA in the brain and subsequent induction of neuropathologies. Regarding adaptive immune cells, studies have shown that increased blood and lung levels of cytotoxic T cells can induce the development of specific long-COVID symptoms, including gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms. Some post-mortem studies have shown a mild-to-moderate induction in the levels of cytotoxic, CD8+, and CD4+ T cells in the brain of COVID-19 patients. Blood-brain barrier It is well-established that neurological symptoms in COVID-19 are associated with cerebral vascular dysfunction. The most common features are brain hemorrhage and ischemia. In addition, abnormal cerebral blood flow and frontoparietal hypometabolism have been observed in COVID-19 patients. All these changes are suggestive of disrupted BBB. Studies conducted on COVID-19 animal models have indicated that SARS-CoV-2 infection increases BBB permeability. The analysis of brain endothelial cells has highlighted the presence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, it is uncertain whether the virus directly targets BBB endothelial cells or it enters the brain by disrupting the BBB. In this context, studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2-mediated infection of endothelial cells is a rare event and that the infection is only possible if there is overexpression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Although SARS-CoV-2-mediated infection of BBB endothelium is a rare event, there is evidence indicating that the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 can cross the BBB in an ACE2-dependent manner. In addition, SARS-CoV-2-mediated induction in the expression of adhesion molecules, as well as antiviral and antigen-presenting genes, has been observed in the brain blood vessels. These observations indicate alterations in the BBB endothelium in COVID-19. Post-mortem analysis of COVID-19 brain tissue has shown the increased formation of string vessels (collapsed vessels incapable of blood flow) and vascular endothelial cell death. Specific viral proteins, including the main protease and spike protein, have been identified as potent inducers of string vessel formation. Brain resident immunity and COVID-19 Microglia are resident myeloid cells in the brain that are crucial for inducing immune responses to brain injury or infection. Post-mortem analysis of COVID-19 brain tissue has identified activated microglia in the brain parenchyma. Moreover, it has been observed that SARS-CoV-2 infection alters the expression of certain genes related to innate immune signaling and cell stress pathways. SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that enters the brain through disrupted BBB is recognized by the microglia, leading to activation of the brain's innate immune system and sustained induction of inflammatory response. Sustained activation of microglia can lead to pathological changes in the brain. It has been observed that microglia derived from COVID-19 patients and neurodegenerative disease patients share similar transcriptomic profiles. The spike protein-induced activation of microglia in the rat brain has been found to associate with sickness behavior, anxiety, and cognitive deficit. Overall, these observations indicate that microglia may play a role in inducing long-term neurological symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Besides microglia activation, increased levels of neurodegeneration and glial activation markers have been observed in the blood samples of COVID-19 patients. Moreover, reduced synaptic activity in the excitatory neuron increased nerve cell death, and reduced neurogenesis has been observed following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Overall, these findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2-induced alteration in neuronal functions may be associated with COVID-19-related brain pathologies. UK doctors are concerned that the COVID pandemic may have hidden a significant increase in child maltreatment. Speaking at the United Kingdom Imaging and Oncology Congress in Liverpool, Professor Owen Arthurs (Great Ormond Street Hospital, London) called for greater resources to detect abuse, especially if future COVID waves lead to new lockdown conditions. Professor Arthurs said: "Unfortunately, many of the systems which would normally pick up violence against children just didn't work during the pandemic, particularly during lockdown. Schools were closed, meaning that teachers did not come into contact with abused children, and other regular visitors to the home were restricted. Families being together for longer periods increased exposure to abusers, and potentially made it harder for a partner to report concerns. We know that violence against women increased during the pandemic; Given the evidence of a general increase in domestic violence, plus the disruption to reporting systems caused by COVID, it would be surprising if child maltreatment had not increased". The NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) reported that during the pandemic period in 2020/21, calls from adults concerned about the wellbeing of children rose by 23%, to a record high of 85,000. In addition, they report that from April 2020 to April 2021, there was a 19% increase in reported deaths of serious harm where abuse or neglect was suspected. In-depth surveys of UK children's radiologists (doctors who interpret scans such as x-rays) were unable to prove a significant increase of child abuse during the pandemic, however as Professor Arthurs said: "Radiologists generally only see the most serious evidence of abuse, where we may be looking at broken bones or internal damage. However there is a national shortage of radiologists, particularly of pediatric radiologists, and of course, many were diverted to other priorities during the COVID pandemic. We need to raise awareness amongst all staff looking after children of the need to be vigilant, especially if we face another lockdown". Dr Katharine Halliday, incoming President of the Royal College of Radiologists agreed, stating that "The 2021 Royal College of Radiologists workforce census showed an extremely serious shortfall in the numbers of pediatric radiologists putting the lives of vulnerable children at risk". insights from industry Dr. Ignacio Duran & Alex Filicevas Medical Oncologist & Executive Director Marques de Valdecilla University Hospital & World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition In this interview, Dr. Ignacio Duran & Alex Filicevas discuss the bladder cancer patient support landscape, including a review of the tools and resources available to the community, as well as key unmet needs to address. Video credit: Janssen Pharmaceuticals Watch the full discussion here Can you explain what the current patient support landscape looks like in bladder cancer? Alex Filicevas: The current patient support landscape in bladder cancer is quite varied both around the world and in Europe. In many cases, we would have patient-led organizations providing much-needed information for people affected by bladder cancer at different stages of their disease: from diagnosis; to treatment and survivorship; providing guidance and, of course, supportive information to help them in their decision-making, and working with their healthcare professional.1,2 The essential aspect that many patients raise as the most valuable to them is the peer support that is available within these groups in different formats: being able to talk to someone who has been through the same journey as you.3 It depends on where patients live.4 If patients are based in the United Kingdom, there are excellent organizations there leading the way in providing support and even engaging in research.5 If based in another country for instance, in Romania or Greece, which has the highest incidence of bladder cancer in Europe there is simply less available dedicated bladder cancer patient support.4,6,7 The World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalitions mission is to support the establishment of bladder cancer patient groups because we believe that grassroots support that can be on the ground there from the local experience and local guidance in the local healthcare setting is much more valuable for patients; we can thus do more from a global point of view.4,8 How important is the presence of patient support for you as a healthcare professional? Ignacio Duran: The key point here is that patient support changes across the spectrum of different countries. This is not fair; there is no equity, and it is very variable, so depending on where you are diagnosed, your support is going to change in a big magnitude.4 I believe that we have a lot of work to do in that concern because until now, we have mostly understood patient support in terms of medical or nursing techniques.9 There is much more to be understood regarding patient support, and we cannot leave that aside.9 What type of support is available now on a day-to-day basis? Alex Filicevas: On a day-to-day basis, the immediate support of family and friends is really important for patients where possible. When it comes to more organizational support, there is a varying degree of direct support and phone support, for example.10,11 United Kingdom Fight Bladder Cancer has a support net helpline where patients can call at any point to share and have someone listen to their concerns, and I will advise them and help them on their journey.12 There are online support networks as well. This has become increasingly valuable since the start of the pandemic because patients have lost that sort of direct interaction that, in many instances, we had in support groups.13 Are there resources where people can find information on the disease on the treatment? Alex Filicevas: A lot of information has been developed across the world to high standards, in collaboration with healthcare professionals, including the dispensing of more recent information (including patient information booklets).14 I would like to highlight something that our member organization in the UK, Fight Bladder Cancer, has developed: a fantastic suite of 10 booklets, each tackling different aspects of facing bladder cancer, from treatments to side effects and sort of a whole range of different aspects that you should think about.15 These suites are shared with healthcare professionals; urology clinics, who then can share these with patients directly - specific to the information that they need at the time.15 If someone has been diagnosed, we have to think about what they might need. It is important that patients are not overloaded with information but are only given what is specifically necessary for them at the time. Of course, they should have a point of contact if they need and require additional information. Is being able to send patients for more information to reliable resources key? Ignacio Duran: At the micro-level, help is very variable and can even depend on which region you are in and at which hospital you are being treated.4,16 As a community in Spain - and as a urological or uro-oncological community- we have a great deal of work to do to get our patients better educated.16 I think an educated patient is a happier patient: they can make decisions more appropriately; can have information to be analyzed, and can have a better idea of what their diagnosis is as well as their treatment options, and their prognosis. I think all of that really helps.17 What are the key gaps in patient support at the moment? Ignacio Duran: Access to information is probably one of the biggest gaps. Not everyone has access to a network of patients like they do in the UK, a forum for discussion, or a phone number where you can call and share your anxieties, fears or questions.5,18 Obviously, there is a lot of work to do to homogenize patient information and patient support groups. In the meantime, what we have to do as healthcare providers is to better inform and educate our patients from the medical and nursing perspective.19 What is your view on these gaps? And whats the Coalition doing to try to overcome them? Alex Filicevas: I think the biggest challenge that we currently have is access to information, and where that information exists, making sure that it is accessible to everybody or as big a population as possible.8 One of the areas where patients feel as though they have not received enough support or information to help them cope, for instance, is sexual health and intimacy. That ranges from before to after treatment. We believe that we really need to help patients better understand the impacts of treatment choice on their sexual health and performance after the treatment and also help them cope with the after-effects of the treatment and in new ways of intimacy.20 Emotional and psychological support is another area that is greatly highlighted by patient communities as an area where there is a lack of existing support: and also more holistic, more personalized support information as well.17,21 Women are a smaller population of people affected by bladder cancer but still make up a quarter of the patients affected, and a lot of information is very male-focused, and this is something that, as a community, we strive to change.22,23 How important is the emotional aspect of this issue? Ignacio Duran: For many decades, those tackling the issue have concentrated more on the medical side of things: considering the success rate of treating my patient with this particular systemic treatment.9 Doctors may be content if the patient responds to treatment or is free of disease, but many people may not think about the psychological impact. This is another point that needs to be addressed. We work alongside our psychological support groups and we have psych oncologists in the unit, but probably underutilize them for two reasons: first, because of a lack of resources and we need more people working around this,24 and secondly because patients are still quite reluctant to admit that they need that support. There is still some stigma around psychological support.25 Alex Filicevas: Not everyone recognizes that they need psychological support.26 So, making sure that we are aware of it in the healthcare setting - so the healthcare professionals can guide patients towards it - is essential.21 Can you give a few examples of existing support models for psychological support? Alex Filicevas: Patient support really varies from country to country. Even within countries, there is a very limited amount of support.4 Where it is available, it will most likely be in a healthcare setting, as Dr. Duran has mentioned: having psycho-oncologists on hand and learning from our patient communities. I think this is where collaboration can be of great value to healthcare professionals. There are changing needs at different stages of the disease as well. There are many different aspects of patient needs, and when they need that mental health and emotional support, it is important to know what kind of support is needed.9,17 How important are family members and carers, and what support exists for them? Ignacio Duran: We might term family members and carers the big forgotten. Being a family member of a cancer patient can sometimes be very difficult. This is more obvious when we are dealing with advanced diseases.27 When dealing with situations where the patient is confronting a diagnosis with a dismal prognosis; and where patients really have a very complicated relationship with their family members, these may be very complex cases. These scenarios are difficult, as patients may completely change the way they connect with their loved ones.27,28 In our clinic, we always leave the door open for support for family members. However, I think they are the last on the list of people who may receive extra help, which is probably something we should also consider changing. Alex Filicevas: We often refer to the caregivers as the unsung heroes who, quietly in the background, provide much-needed support to patients. There are the emotional needs of a patient, and there are the emotional needs of a caregiver. This makes it a very complex relationship, which requires much attention.27,28 Is there information globally available on all the patient groups and support groups that there are for patients around the world? Alex Filicevas: Broadly, for bladder cancer patient information, I would guide individuals to the world Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition website. We have all our member organizations in different countries listed there, and they have more targeted resources directly relevant to patients within those countries. We are also currently building a suite of resources that are much broader and are applicable to patient communities, as well as caregivers.14 Though we do not have caregiver information just yet, this is becoming an area of great focus for us. About Dr. Duran: As a Medical Oncologist with interests in clinical and translational research and teaching, Dr Ignacio Duran is currently working at the Medical Oncology Department of Hospital Universitario Marques de Valdecilla in Santander, Spain where he leads the GU oncology section. Dr. Duran is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM). His major interests are genitourinary tumors, neuroendocrine tumors, and anticancer clinical drug development. About Alex Filicevas: As Executive Director at World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition, Alex Filicevas is a passionate cancer patient advocate focused on driving meaningful change in cancer research, policy, and care. Alex is also President of All.Can International and a EUPATI fellow. Filicevas leads the efforts to foster an international community of strong bladder cancer patient advocates and organizations around the world, empowering patient voices across the research and care continuum. References About Janssen Pharmaceuticals At Janssen, were creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. Were the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Immunology, Infectious Diseases & Vaccines, Neuroscience, Oncology and Pulmonary Hypertension. A promising strategy to reduce the impact of viral infectious diseases, such as influenza, is the use of attenuated, live viruses as vaccines. However, the usefulness of traditional live-attenuated virus vaccines has often been limited by suboptimal immunogenicity, safety concerns, or cumbersome manufacturing processes and techniques. In addition, immune escape due to rapid viral evolution poses a further challenge for traditional influenza vaccines. Recently, a research team led by Prof. Si Longlong from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has proposed a new live-attenuated influenza vaccine approach -; generating proteolysis-targeting chimeric (PROTAC) influenza A virus as a live-attenuated vaccine by utilizing the endogenous ubiquitin-proteasome system of host cells to degrade viral proteins. The results were published in Nature Biotechnology on July 4. Given that virus replication depends on virally encoded proteins, manipulation of viral protein stability by utilizing the protein degradation machinery of the host cell may represent a potential approach to switch the viral life cycle on and off for vaccine development. Thus, the researchers designed proteolysis-targeting chimeric (PROTAC) viruses by fusing a conditionally removable proteasome-targeting domain (PTD) to influenza viral proteins. The PTD was designed to contain a proteasome-targeting peptide and a tobacco etch virus cleavage site (TEVcs) linker. It was used to selectively induce proteasomal degradation of viral proteins of interest; however, the TEVcs linker could be selectively cleaved by the tobacco etch virus protease (TEVp) to separate the viral proteins from the PTD, thus sparing them from degradation. Accordingly, the researchers engineered the genome of influenza A viruses in TEVp-expressing stable cell lines engineered for virus production to introduce the conditionally removable PTD, generating fully infective PROTAC viruses that were live-attenuated by the host protein degradation machinery upon infection. In mouse and ferret models, PROTAC viruses were sufficiently attenuated but able to elicit robust and broad humoral, mucosal, and cellular immunity. As a result, they provided broad protection against homologous and heterologous virus challenges. This PROTAC vaccine technology could also be useful for generating live-attenuated vaccines against other types of pathogens." Prof. Si Longlong from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world, with 2.2 million new cases and around 1.8 million deaths in 2020 alone. Although knowledge about the disease has improved considerably, and new therapeutic strategies can prolong the lives of previously incurable patients, the numbers clearly show that lung cancer is still a serious disease and the mortality rate is still far too high. To further reduce the number of deaths from this type of tumor, novel and improved treatments are needed. Wurzburg researchers are concentrating on radiotherapy. In combination with chemotherapy, this is still one of the most important treatment approaches. This is especially true for late-stage non-small cell lung tumors, where treatment options are rather limited. PTEN mutation is suitable as a biomarker In this type of lung tumor, radiotherapy can be ineffective. This is due to the interaction of a common, specific mutation in the PTEN gene with the DNA repair enzyme ATM, as the Wurzburg team found out. However, lung tumors, in which this mutation occurs, can be therapeutically influenced. With two experimental inhibitors, the researchers succeeded in blocking the DNA repair enzyme in the tumor cells. As a result, the tumors became sensitive to radiation again and could be killed in tumor models. Inhibitors in preclinical testing Such inhibitors have not yet been approved for use in humans, but partake in clinical trials." Dr. Markus Diefenbacher, cancer researcher from the Biocentre at the University of Wurzburg His team has published the new findings in the journal Cell and Bioscience together with a group led by radiotherapist Dr Thomas Fischer from Professor Michael Flentje's research group at the University Hospital Wurzburg. If the inhibitors pass the clinical tests, they offer a new opportunity: the PTEN mutation is suitable as a biomarker that indicates a tumor's resistance to radiation. With corresponding analyses, one could specifically identify patients who might benefit from a combination of inhibitor and radiotherapy. This could be realized quickly: patients with non-small cell lung cancer are already routinely examined for PTEN and other disease-relevant mutations. Focus on radiation dose reduction Currently, several clinical trials are looking at the impact of PTEN and ATM on treatment outcomes. "We are confident that our new findings will generate a lot of interest in pursuing this innovative strategy for the treatment of non-small cell lung tumors," says Professor Michael Flentje. Radiotherapy is a mainstay in the treatment of late-stage tumors of the respiratory tract and other organs. The Wurzburg team is therefore continuing to research new strategies and targets. One focus is on reducing the radiation dose in such a way that the desired therapeutic success is still achieved and at the same time the healthy tissue around the tumor is spared as much as possible. Sponsors of the work This research work was financially supported by the Deutsche Krebshilfe, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, the German-Israeli Foundation and the Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Research Wurzburg. Cooperation partners The results were obtained by clinical researchers, biochemists, biologists, radiotherapists and surgeons. Led by the translational research group of Dr. Markus E. Diefenbacher and the radio-oncology group of Professor Michael Flentje, collaborators from the Wurzburg pathology department (Dr. Gerhard-Hartmann and Dr. Mathias Rosenfeldt), the Robert Bosch Hospital Stuttgart (Professor Hans-Georg Kopp), the Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute for Clinical Pharmacology Stuttgart (PD Dr. Frank Essmann) and the Institute for Biochemistry II of the Goethe University Frankfurt (Dr. Christian Munch) provided significant support for the work. The Government announced today that from this Wednesday, it will accept COVID-19 jab records from Kosovo, Madagascar and Tanzania as recognised vaccination records for people arriving from overseas places. According to the Governments stringent inbound prevention and control measures, those who have stayed in any overseas place can only board a flight for Hong Kong if they are fully vaccinated and hold recognised vaccination records. (Newser) After they heard the boom at 1:15am on June 24, 2021, Jonah Handler and his mother, Stacie Dawn Fang, went out on their balcony to see if they could figure out where the noise had come from. They returned inside and sat on Jonah's bed in the ensuing silence, with Fang reassuring her 15-year-old son there was nothing to worry about. Then, at 1:22am, the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, Florida, collapsed, in a tragedy that would claim 98 lives. Jonah, now 16, was one of just a few people to survive from the upper floors of the building; after he was rescued from the rubble, he was often called "Miracle Boy" in the media. Now, a year after the collapse, the teen is speaking publicly for the first time in a long-ranging Rolling Stone piece. The article traces how those seven minutes Jonah and his mother (who did not survive) spent together became integral to the negotiation of a $1.02 billion settlement approved by a judge on June 23. For months, it seemed there would be very little money for the victims' families. Then lawyer Judd Rosen, who represented Jonah and his father, found a gap in the training of the security guard on duty. She didn't know there was a button that activated a loudspeaker through which she could have made an announcement to evacuate that would have been piped into every bedroom of the building's 136 units. (She did take action though, calling as many residents' numbers as she could.) She was employed by Securitas, the world's second-largest security companywhich, thought it denies any wrongdoing, is paying $517.5 million of the settlement. Jonah "proved that those seven minutes really would have saved lives," says Rosen. (Read the full piece, which also delves into Jonah's recovery and lingering trauma, here.) File photo shows the White House and a stop sign in Washington DC, the United States. [Photo/Xinhua] By Liu Qiang The United States is holding the world's largest naval exercise, Rim of the Pacific 2022, with 25 partner countries from June 29 to Aug 4. While the Russia-Ukraine conflict has already seriously impacted the global economy and international relations, RIMPAC 2022 will intensify the geopolitical game in the Asia-Pacific region. The US has been pushing ahead with its "Indo-Pacific strategy" using all its economic, diplomatic and military might. Since the first "Indo-Pacific strategy" report was issued in 2019, the US has intensified its efforts to build new alliances and consolidate the old ones, while strengthening its military presence in the region. To this end, it has been enhancing its combat effectiveness based on its information systems and alliance mechanisms. Also, the US is desperately trying to expand North Atlantic Treaty Organization into the Asia-Pacific or build a NATO-like bloc in the region, and has garnered the support of Japan, the Republic of Korea and Australia to further its goal using the "China threat" ploy. As for Japan, its Self Defense Force has established a "Space Operations Squadron" and cyber defense units. The country has also been trying to amend Article 9 of its pacifist Constitution to transform its defense-only forces into a truly offensive military with the constitutional sanction to attack enemy bases. Australia, too, has accelerated its military buildup through AUKUS, a strategic alliance of Australia, the United Kingdom and the US, and Quad, a US-Japan-Australia-India strategic partnership. Under the AUKUS framework, the UK and the US will help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines. The country is also building a nuclear submarine base on its east coast. RIMPAC 2022 is a real-time combat exercise and part of the US' "Indo-Pacific strategy". The drills include anti-submarine and air defense exercises, mine clearance and amphibious operations, counter-piracy exercises, diving and salvage operations, and explosive ordnance disposal, all in the name of countering the "China threat". Since China began modernizing its naval forces and improving its naval combat capability, the US has labeled it No. 1"strategic competitor" in the Asia-Pacific. Joint military drills with other countries have been an important military operation concept of the US. And the "Indo-Pacific strategy" is aimed at strengthening the US' alliances and enhancing its "comprehensive deterrence" capability. About 25,000 personnel from 26 countries, 38 surface ships, 4 submarines and more than 170 aircraft are participating in RIMPAC 2022. Through the largest naval exercise, the US wants to demonstrate to the world its power to align with other Asia-Pacific countries to target any country. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has created new divisions in the international community, and the US' Cold War mentality and desperation to build alliances have changed the international security landscape. As a result, the old international strategic order is crumbling, while a new one is yet to take shape. To contain China, the US wants to consolidate old alliances and form new ones with more kindred spirits and timid partners, as reflected in RIMPAC 2022. The core objective of the "Indo-Pacific strategy" is to deter and counter China in the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the Taiwan Straits. And in the US' eyes, military drills to deal with simulated conflicts in the South China Sea can improve its chances of winning a real military conflict in the future. China has maritime disputes with Japan in the East China Sea, with some ASEAN member states in the South China Sea, and has to deal with the Taiwan question across the Taiwan Straits. Instead of coordinating to help solve the problems, the US has been stirring up more troubles so China remains preoccupied with them while it strengthens its military presence in the region. In particular, the US has been trying to establish its maritime superiority over China. It has already held naval drills in the Asia-Pacific with Japan, France and Australia, with RIMPAC 2022 being a major demonstration of its combat capability. The "Indo-Pacific strategy" has had a severe impact on regional security and accelerated militarization in the region, sparking an arms race. And the increasing sale of arms in the region by the US has made regional arms control even more complicated. According to the US, 11 Asian countries and two Oceania countries are participating in RIMPAC 2022. The US used military tensions and maritime disputes in the South China Sea as a pretext to ensure the participation of Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand in the naval exercise. As State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe said in June, the aim of the "Indo-Pacific strategy" is to "create small circles under the pretext of freedom and openness". It "is designed to contain another country by coercing regional countries and hyping up conflicts against certain countries". In fact, "the Indo-Pacific strategy is one that causes division, instigates confrontation and undermines peace in the Asia-Pacific. It serves only the US' interests, and therefore is doomed to fail", Lieutenant General Zhang Zhenzhong said. The US is hosting RIMPAC 2022 in the name of safeguarding regional security, but in reality it is disrupting regional security. The naval exercise is a super spoiler. By stirring up trouble and coercing countries in the region to help it establish its strategic superiority over China, the US is in the ultimate analysis trying to maintain its global hegemony. The author is director of the Academic Council, and a senior research fellow at Shanghai Center for RimPac Strategic and International Studies. (Newser) Suffolk County officials closed a Long Island beach to swimming Sunday after what they described as an unprecedented shark attack that injured a lifeguard. The lifeguard, identified by CBS New York as Zachari Gallo, had been playing the role of a victim during a training exercise when the shark bit him in the chest and hand, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said in a Sunday afternoon news conference. The attack happened about 10:15am at Smith Point Beach. Bellone described Gallo as in "very good spirits," and Gallo did indeed seem that way in comments to CBS: "Couple of stitches. They cleaned it up, they took X-rays, made sure there wasn't any tooth particles or anything like that," Gallo said. "If you're going to have an encounter with a shark, this is probably the best scenario you could have," Bellone said, adding Gallo received immediate treatment from other officials already engaged in the training. "We have never had an incident like this occur. Hopefully we never will again." Bellone said there was an additional shark sighting following the attack, though it was not clear whether it was the same shark, reports the AP. The one who attacked was estimated to be 4 to 5 feet long, per Newsday. The beach is expected to reopen Monday with officials monitoring the water for sharks. Gallo, a 10-year lifeguard veteran who is married with an infant, hopes to be back on the job soon. (Read more shark attack stories.) (Newser) A stunt truck driver was killed in a crash in front of a horrified crowd at a Michigan air show on Saturday. The jet engine-powered Shockwave truck, a familiar sight at air shows across the US, spun out of control, caught fire, and rolled over while it was speeding down the runway at the Battle Creek airport, racing two planes at more than 300mph, CNN reports. Driver Chris Parnell, 40, died. The Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival says performances for the rest of the day were canceled after the accident. Police said they are investigating the crash, as is the Battle Creek fire department. Father Neal Darnell, who shared driving duties with Chris, his youngest son, said the crash was the result of mechanical failure, MLive.com reports. "We are so sad, Neal Darnell said in a Facebook post Saturday evening. "Just one month ago Chris turned 40. He was so well loved by everyone who knew him. Chris so loved the Air Show business. He was 'Living the Dream' as he said." (Read more air show stories.) (Newser) A California woman who was forced into prostitution when she was 13 has been pardoned for killing her former pimp when she was 16. In a case widely seen as a miscarriage of justice, Sara Kruzan was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 1995, the year after she shot George Gilbert Howard in a motel room, CBS reports. Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger commuted the sentence to life with the possibility of parole in 2011. In 2013, under former Gov. Jerry Brown, the conviction was reduced from first degree to second-degree murder and Kruzan was released, having served 18 years. At her trial, Kruzan testified that another pimp had threatened to kill her if she didn't kill Howard. Since the killing, Kruzan has "transformed her life and dedicated herself to community service," Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said in a statement, per CNN. "This act of clemency for Ms. Kruzan does not minimize or forgive her conduct, or the harm it caused. It does recognize the work she has done since to transform herself." The govenor's office said the pardon won't expunge the conviction, but it will "remove counterproductive barriers to employment and public service" and "restore civic rights and responsibilities," the Desert Sun reports. Kruzan has said Howard started grooming her at age 11 and sexually abused her before he became her pimp, "forcing her to have sex with 11 men on her first night on the streets in Hollywood and Orange County," writes Anita Chabria at the Los Angeles Times. Before a 2017 change in the law, "California often considered trafficked children to be willing sex workers" and the state "ignored the prison pipeline that locks up girls for being victims of abuse and trafficking," Chabria writes. She notes that in the years after Kruzan was freed, background checks became a "giant roadblock" when she applied for jobs or tried to rent apartments. (Read more California stories.) (Newser) A Russian physicist undergoing treatment for terminal cancer was taken from his hospital bed in what relatives say was a "ridiculous arrest" for treason and espionage. Dmitry Kolker, a quantum and laser specialist, died two days after officers from the FSB security service took him from a hospital in Siberia, where he was being fed through a tube, and put him on a four-hour flight to Moscow, where he was held in the Lefortovo prison. Relatives say the 54-year-old, who had pancreatic cancer, was accused of leaking state secrets during lectures to Chinese students, though the content of his lectures was approved by authorities and an FSB agent was with him when he spoke, the BBC reports. Anton Dianov, a cousin who lived in the US, tells Reuters that the treason charge was absurd. "He was a scientist, he loved his country, he was working in his country despite many invitations from leading universities and labs to go work abroad," he says. "These charges are absolutely ridiculous and extremely cruel and unusual to be levied on such a sick man. They knew that he was on his deathbed and they chose to arrest him." He says his cousin was also an accomplished concert pianist and organist, and "somebody who was producing such beautiful things could not have done what they accuse him of." Kolker's son Maxim accused the FSB and the "state machine" of killing his father, who died after being taken from the prison to a Moscow hospital, CBS reports. He said authorities became suspicious after Kolker went to an international conference in China, where he was accompanied at all times by an FSB agent. (Read more Russia stories.) (Newser) Two women were killed in separate attacks within days in Egypt's Red Sea, off the coast of Sahl Hasheesh, authorities say. The first victim was a 68-year-old Austrian woman who had been living in Egypt. After the attack Friday near the resort town of Hurghada, she was taken to a hospital, where she later died. Sources tell Reuters that hours later and some 2,000 feet away, a Romanian tourist described as being in her late 40s was found dead. The Egyptian Ministry of Environment is investigating. Romanian authorities say they are trying to identify the victim. The Jerusalem Post reports that local authorities have closed all activity in the area. (Read more shark attack stories.) (Newser) Two Russian airplanes departed Bulgaria on Sunday with scores of Russian diplomatic staff and their families amid a mass expulsion that has sent tensions soaring between the historically close nations, a Russian diplomat said. Filip Voskresenski, a high-ranking Russian diplomat, told journalists at the airport in Bulgaria's capital Sofia before the flights left that he was among the 70 Russian diplomatic staff declared "persona non grata" last week and ordered to leave the country by the end of Sunday, the AP reports. Bulgaria's expulsion decision was announced by acting Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, who took a strong stance against Russia after it invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Petkov, who lost a no-confidence vote on June 22, has claimed Moscow used "hybrid war" tactics to bring down his government. Petkov has said that Russia will retain 43 of its employees after the expulsion and noted that Bulgaria has just 12 diplomatic staff in Moscow. "Anyone who works against the interests of Bulgaria will be called to go back to the country from which they came," he said. On Friday, Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova issued Bulgaria an ultimatum to reverse its decision and threatened that Moscow would fully sever diplomatic ties. Bulgaria, which has European Union and NATO membership, has strongly backed the Wests sanctions against Moscow since it launched its war on Ukraine more than four months ago. The EU responded to Russias "unjustified threat" and said it "stands in full support and solidarity with Bulgaria." In late April, Russia cut off gas supplies to Bulgaria after officials refused a Moscow demand to pay gas bills in rubles. (Read more Bulgaria stories.) (Newser) Pope Francis has dismissed rumors he plans to resign anytime soon, and says that he hopes to visit Moscow and Kyiv after traveling to Canada later this month. Francis also told Reuters in an interview published Monday that the idea "never entered my mind" to announce a planned retirement at the end of the summer, though he repeated he might step down some day, as Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI did in 2013. Asked about rumors he had cancer, he laughed and said doctors hadn't told him anything about it. The 85-year-old revealed that his knee trouble, which has caused him to use a wheelchair for over a month, was caused by a "small fracture" that occurred when he stepped awkwardly while the knee ligament was inflamed, the AP reports. He said it is "slowly getting better" with laser and magnet therapy. Francis was due to have visited Congo and South Sudan this week but had to cancel the trip because doctors said he needed more therapy. Asked about the ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, he said he didn't have enough information to discuss it from a legal point of view but reiterated the church's strong opposition to abortion. (The pope recently met Elon Musk and four of his sons.) (Newser) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, one day after Ukrainian forces withdrew from their last remaining bulwark of resistance in the province. Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in a televised meeting Monday that Russian forces had taken control of Luhansk, which together with the neighboring Donetsk province makes up Ukraine's industrial heartland of Donbas. Shoigu told Putin that "the operation" was completed on Sunday after Russian troops overran the city of Lysychansk, the AP reports, the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in Luhansk. Putin, in turn, said that the military units "that took part in active hostilities and achieved success, victory" in Luhansk, "should rest, increase their combat capabilities." Putin's declaration came as Russian forces tried to press their offensive deeper into eastern Ukraine after the Ukrainian military confirmed that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk on Sunday. Serhii Haidai, governor of Luhansk, said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had retreated from the city to avoid being surrounded. "There was a risk of Lysychansk encirclement," Haidai told the AP, adding that Ukrainian troops could have held on for a few more weeks but would have potentially paid too high a price. The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian forces were now focusing their efforts on pushing toward the line of Siversk, Fedorivka, and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, about half of which is controlled by Russia. The Russian army has also intensified its shelling of the key Ukrainian strongholds of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, deeper in Donetsk. On Sunday, six people, including a 9-year-old girl, were killed in the Russian shelling of Sloviansk, and another 19 people were wounded, local authorities said. Kramatorsk also came under fire on Sunday. An intelligence briefing Monday from the British Defense Ministry supported the Ukrainian military's assessment, noting that Russian forces will "now almost certainly" switch to capturing Donetsk. The briefing said the conflict in Donbas has been "grinding and attritional," and is unlikely to change in the coming weeks. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.) (Newser) The Republican nominee for governor of Illinois posted a Facebook video on Monday addressing the shooting at a Fourth of July parade about two hours earlier in his state. Darren Bailey suggested praying for the victims' families and law enforcement officers, and then returning to the day's festivities, the Washington Post reports. "The shooter is still at large, so lets pray for justice to prevail and then let's move on," Bailey says in the video. "Let's celebrate the independence of this nation." In the video, Bailey stands with supporters at another parade holding "Fire Pritzker" signs. Bailey is facing Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker in November. "We have got to get corruption and evil out of our government, and we have got to elect men and women of honor and of courage to get this country and this state back on track," Bailey says. After his "move on" post was criticized on social media, per the Daily Beast, Bailey released a statement saying, "I apologize if in any way we diminished the pain being felt across our state today." (Read more Highland Park mass shooting stories.) A Soldier tests out a new training device appended to an M4 carbine during a Synthetic Training Environment Live Training System Soldier Touchpoint at Fort Hood, Texas, on June 13. (U.S. Army photo by Austin Thomas, Army Futures Command) TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa yesterday issued Royal Order (23) of 2022, establishing the Military Institution for the Development of Warfare Industries at the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF). According to the royal order, the Military Institution for the Development of Warfare Industries aims to establish and regulate activities related to military industries at the BDF, including designing, developing and modifying defence and security systems, using modern technology. It may establish factories for weapons, ammunition and military equipment, manufacture and trade in modern technologies, as well as license any related economic activities within the Kingdom. It may also develop the military industries sector through its own projects, whether under its direct management and supervision, or in partnership with various companies inside or outside Bahrain, in a manner that would serve its objectives and roles. The royal order also stipulates that the Military Institution for the Development of Warfare Industries shall have its own budget, within the BDFs budget. The BDF Commander-in-Chief shall issue the necessary systems and edicts to regulate the work of the Military Institution for the Development of Warfare Industries, as well as achieve its founding goals, including its tasks, duties, and the appointment of military and civilian employees, in addition to the Institutions administrative and financial systems. The Deputy Supreme Commander and the Commander-in-Chief shall implement the royal order, which takes effect upon its publication in the Official Gazette. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Economic cooperation and partnership has strengthened the solid long-standing Bahraini-British relations. Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa affirmed the depth of the ties between the two friendly countries. He stressed the importance of continuing to develop the Bahrain-UK partnership to create more ambitious investment opportunities that would benefit the two countries and their peoples. Shaikh Salman was speaking while meeting yesterday the Minister for Asia and the Middle East at the United Kingdoms Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Amanda Milling, who is currently on a visit to Kingdom. The Minister highlighted the importance of building on the previous achievements of the two countries fruitful cooperation, and opening up new horizons so as to achieve common aspirations and goals. They discussed topics of mutual interest, in addition to the latest developments in the global economy. Recovery progress Shura Council Chairman Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh has lauded the progress made in implementing the priorities and initiatives of the Economic Recovery Plan, which will support the comprehensive development march, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and backed by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Last groups of Bahrain pilgrims off to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj Last groups of Bahrain pilgrims off to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister Nawaf bin Mohammed Al Maawda bade farewell to the last groups of pilgrims at Bahrain International Airport before heading to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. Present were Bahrain Hajj Mission Chairman Shaikh Adnan Al Qattan and Religious Affairs Acting Director Ali Amine Al Rayyes. The minister noted that the mission had completed all requirements for Hajj contractors, praising its role in coordinating with competent authorities in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Al Maawda hailed the support provided by the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to protect pilgrims safety and enable them to perform their Hajj rituals easily. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrain has made important achievements in the development of the criminal justice system, both in legislation and in practice. This was affirmed by Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister Nawaf bin Mohammed Al Maawda who pointed out to the importance of cooperation between the executive and legislative branches. He added that the cooperation has contributed to a fundamental change in judicial field, aiming to achieve the objectives of the comprehensive development process under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Al Maawda highlighted the law on restorative justice for the protection of children from abuse, which priorities children in all decisions and procedures related to it, regardless of the entity issuing or undertaking it, in line with international standards in this regard. He noted that one important key of this law is the childs social report, which will be prepared by specialists in psychological and social fields before the High Corrective Justice Court for Children, considering continuous judicial oversight of the childs condition and monitoring of his condition during the implementation of the alternative measure. The decision made will be based on the reports submitted on his condition on whether to continue to implement the measure or punishment, or replaces it with another or have it terminated, with a periodic follow-up of his social and psychological condition and the extent of progress and improvement in his condition. OTTAWA, ON, July 4, 2022 /CNW/ - Fertilizers are an essential tool to help farmers in Canada and around the world meet the challenge of feeding a growing population. Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of up to $1,685,858 for Sulvaris in Calgary, Alberta, to further develop new technology to produce high-efficiency fertilizers made with organic carbon. Sulvaris' carbon control technology converts various forms of organic waste into high-efficiency fertilizers that are rich in nutrients and soil-building carbon and economical to use in large-scale agriculture, as well as for lawn and plants in commercial and home use. These fertilizers improve on conventional chemical fertilizers by releasing nutrients more slowly. This gives plants the ability to absorb the nutrients as they need them to develop and grow. The more efficient uptake means less unabsorbed nutrients are left in the soil, reducing the risk of them releasing harmful greenhouse gas emissions or contaminating waterways. This year, the conflict in Ukraine, a major agricultural producer, has created even more demand for Canadian crops and agricultural products, both as exports and contributions to the World Food Bank. In the longer term, climate change and a growing population will continue to challenge the global food supply, making it critical to produce more food sustainably. Supporting new on-farm, climate-smart practices is essential if Canadian farmers are going to continue making sustainable production gains. Since the release of Canada's Strengthened Climate Plan, the Government of Canada has been working to improve the environmental sustainability of fertilizer. In December 2020, a national target was announced to reduce fertilizer greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2020 levels by 2030. A new round of consultations with producer groups on ways to meet the target is being completed this summer, with high-efficiency fertilizers identified as one of the approaches. These consultations are intended to build upon the sector's work to date, and increase adoption of regional and farm-specific approaches that will reverse the trend of rising emissions from fertilizer use while maintaining the sector's competitiveness and Canada's reputation as a top producer and exporter of quality crops. The Government of Canada will continue to work with farmers across the country to support strategies and practices for adapting to climate change and for producing more quality food for a growing population. Quotes "In the wake of the conflict in Ukraine, our farmers are being called upon to play an even greater role in feeding the world, and we are continuing efforts to ensure they have access to the resources they need. Our investment in Sulvaris' innovative fertilizer technology recognizes this key on-going priority to support development of affordable and environmentally sustainable fertilizers that help our farmers improve food supply." - The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food "Research and technology continue to be our best hope in meeting the growing global demand for Canadian agriculture and food while protecting our environment. This new approach developed here in Calgary to producing high-efficiency fertilizers is an important step towards our goal of reducing greenhouse emissions while giving farmers the inputs to sustainably increase their production." - George Chahal, Member of Parliament, Calgary Skyview "Our commitment to a more circular economy by utilizing by-products from the oil and gas industry and waste biomass from the agriculture and forestry industries is prominent in our strategy to provide solutions to help meet the world's 2050 zero emission goals and increase sustainable food production through the development of our carbon-based products. By developing these products, we can reduce the intensity of GHG emissions as well as contribute to organic carbon in the soil to build healthier and more productive soils." - Rick Knoll, CEO, Sulvaris Quick Facts Sulvaris was founded in 2012 and develops proprietary technologies that transform industrial by-products into environmentally sustainable and effective fertilizer products. Canada produces 12% of the world's fertilizer supply and exports to over 75 countries every year. produces 12% of the world's fertilizer supply and exports to over 75 countries every year. Canada has an estimated 93.4 million acres of crop land that need fertilizer to replenish the nutrients drawn from the soil by plants as they grow. has an estimated 93.4 million acres of crop land that need fertilizer to replenish the nutrients drawn from the soil by plants as they grow. Canada's fertilizer industry contributes $23 billion annually to Canada's GDP and employs 76,000 workers throughout its supply chain. fertilizer industry contributes annually to GDP and employs 76,000 workers throughout its supply chain. The AgriScience Program is a federally funded initiative under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership that aims to accelerate the pace of innovation by providing funding and support for pre-commercialization science activities and cutting-edge research that benefits the agriculture and agri-food sector and Canadians. Additional Links Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Web: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada For further information: Contacts: Marianne Dandurand, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri Food, [email protected], 343-541-9229; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 1-866-345-7972, [email protected] RICHMOND HILL, ON, July 4, 2022 /CNW/ - Mazda Canada Inc. (MCI) today reported June sales of 3,419 vehicles, representing a decrease of 49.8 percent versus June 2021. Sales year-to-date (YTD) are 26,311, which is a decrease of 23.9 percent compared to the same period in 2021. JUNE 2022 HIGHLIGHTS: CX-9 records best sales month on record in June, edging out the previous high tally from June 2019 with 3.6 percent increase year-over-year (YOY). June June YOY YTD YTD YOY 2022 2021 Change 2022 2021 Change Mazda3 416 1,298 -68.0 % 4,970 6,209 -20.0 % MX-5 48 149 -67.8 % 419 789 -46.9 % Passenger Car 464 1,723 -73.1 % 5,389 8,126 -33.7 % MX-30 25 0 0.0 % 395 0 0.0 % CX-3 271 772 -64.9 % 2,828 3,487 -18.9 % CX-30 476 1,271 -62.5 % 3,705 5,995 -38.2 % CX-5 1,258 2,602 -51.7 % 11,077 14,127 -21.6 % CX-50 461 0 0.0 % 865 0 0.0 % CX-9 464 448 3.6 % 2,052 2,840 -27.7 % Light Truck 2,955 5,093 -42.0 % 20,922 26,449 -20.9 % MAZDA TOTAL 3,419 6,816 -49.8 % 26,311 34,575 -23.9 % Mazda Canada Inc. is responsible for the sales and marketing, customer service and parts support of Mazda vehicles in Canada. Headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Mazda Canada has a nationwide network of 163 dealerships. For additional information, visit Mazda Canada's media website at www.media.mazda.ca. SOURCE Mazda Canada Inc. For further information: Chuck Reimer, Mazda Canada Inc., [email protected]; Sandra Lemaitre, Mazda Canada Inc., [email protected] As per Fadnavis, National Investigation Agency (NIA) is looking into the case's international connections. Devendra Fadnavis, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, stated on Sunday that the murder of Umesh Kolhe, a 54-year-old chemist, in Amravati, was a very severe occurrence, and that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is also looking into the cases international connections. Killing is barbarous, and the Amravati tragedy is quite serious. The mastermind has been apprehended and accused. The NIA is looking into it to see whether there is any kind of global relationship. This was first reported as theft, and that is also being looked into Fadnavis stated. Irfan Sheikh, the murder suspects mastermind, and the main accused have been placed in police custody till July 7 by an Amravati district court. Irfan Sheikh, the accused, was taken into custody by Amravati police on Sunday in Nagpur. The first six suspects have been named as Yusufkan Bahadur Khan, 44; Abdul Thoufique, 24; Shoaib Khan, 22; Atib Rashid, 22; and Mudassir Ahmad, 22. Irfan Sheikh is the seventh suspect in the murder of Umesh Kolhe to be taken into custody. Possibly more people will be arrested, a police spokesman said on Sunday. When asked about the perpetrator of the Amravati murder, City Kotwali police station police inspector Nilima Araj said He was detained yesterday night (the mastermind). Hes being questioned. They have the Rehbar group, a hotline. There were several connections between them. So far, 7 suspects have been taken into custody. After the arrest of the primary suspect, there may be further arrests. Investigators currently hold the opinion that the chemists murder was reportedly carried out in retribution for a social media post endorsing BJP candidate Nupur Sharma, who had made derogatory remarks against the Prophet during a television discussion. Varanasi court today will continue hearing the Gyanvapi case. The Muslim side will keep on arguing. They claim that the case cannot be maintained, but we have stated that it can. Our legal request to allow worship there stated Vishnu Shankar Jain, an attorney arguing on behalf of the Hindus. According to a lawyer for the petitioner ladies, the Varanasi District Court postponed the hearing on the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committees argument against the maintainability of a lawsuit brought by Hindu women until July 4. The attorney for Anjuman Intezamia Masjid cited a number of decisions in support of his claim that the Places of Worship Act precludes the maintainability of a lawsuit brought by Hindu women. Muslim sides arguments, which sought to have the allegations made in the civil dispute about the Gyanvapi Mosque rejected, were not successful and will be made again today. When scheduling the hearing on the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex cases maintainability earlier, the District Judges court stated that the matter will be heard in accordance with the Supreme Courts instructions. However, the Muslim side stated that the building was a component of the fountain at the mosques wuzu khana location, while the Hindu side claimed that a Shivling (a depiction of Lord Shiva) was found inside the mosque grounds. In the meantime, a Varanasi civil court today ordered the Muslim side to submit a response to a different civil lawsuit demanding the right to pray inside a mosque. Petition has been filled to suspend 16 party legislators from the Uddhav Thackeray faction for disobeying the whip Bharat Gogawale, the chief whip of the Shiv Senas Eknath Shinde faction, has petitioned the Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly to suspend 16 party legislators from the Uddhav Thackeray faction for disobeying the whip. As per reports, 16 Shiv Sena MLAs will receive the notice, the Speakers office has informed. The suit was filed when the newly elected Speaker removed Sunil Prabhu, who is associated with the Uddhav Thackeray camp, and replaced him with Gogawale as the top whip of the Shiv Sena Legislative party. However, Speaker dismissed Shiv Sena MLA Ajay Chaudhary as the legislative party leader and reinstated Eknath Shinde in that role before of todays important trust vote for the BJP administration, which Shinde leads. This follows Sundays significant victory in which Rahul Narvekar of the BJP was chosen as Speaker. State Legislative Assemblys two-day extraordinary session follows a high-stakes political thriller in which the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) dictatorship was overthrown and replaced by a new government led by dissident Shiv Sena MLA Shinde. Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, and a group of Shiv Sena legislators met with Devendra Fadnavis, the deputy chief minister, BJP legislators, and other party officials earlier on Sunday evening to plan a strategy for the floor test. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) A 12-year-old boy who went missing while swimming off the coast of Virginia Beach was found dead Sunday afternoon, authorities said. Boats, divers and at least one helicopter assisted in the effort to find the boy, who was last seen by his family in the water around 10:30 a.m., local news outlets reported. The Virginia Marine Resources Commission and U.S. Coast Guard were also involved in the search. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Nuvance Health has announced a partnership with a top-ranked heart program in Ohio that is expected to enhance cardiovascular care in western Connecticut and Hudson Valley, N.Y. Nuvance Health Heart and Vascular Institute has become an an affiliate of Cleveland Clinics Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, which the U.S. News & World Report ranked as the No. 1 hospital in the country for heart care in 2021. This clinical affiliation will give us access to the best practices that have helped Cleveland Clinic achieve U.S. News & World Reports No. 1 ranking for cardiology and heart surgery for the past 27 consecutive years, Dr. Mark Warshofsky, senior vice president and chair of the Nuvance Health Heart and Vascular Institute, said in a statement. Announcement of the affiliation comes shortly after Danbury, Norwalk and New Milford hospitals earned awards from the American Heart Association related to their care of patients with heart failure or who suffer severe heart attacks. The Cleveland Clinic will work with clinicians and multidisciplinary teams at three Nuvance Health hospitals, including Danbury and Norwalk hospitals and Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, NY. Cleveland Clinics Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute will share clinical best practices for patient care, giving Nuvance Health patients access to their expertise, including the latest technologies and innovations in heart care, according to Nuvance. This affiliation supports our high standards of delivering quality cardiovascular care to our patients that is convenient and close to home for them, Warshofsky said. We look forward to working with Cleveland Clinic and offering our community access to their world-renowned care. The Nuvance Health Heart and Vascular Institute is now considered an exclusive Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute affiliate in western Connecticut and Hudson Valley. Nuvance said the affiliation will benefit both entities and will increase opportunities to provide new treatments and therapies to patients. Health care professionals will also be able to explore new technologies and techniques in cardiac and vascular care to improve treatment. Management of heart disease is complex, but we can advance the treatment of cardiovascular disease to benefit our communities by working together on programs like this, Lars Svensson, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of Cleveland Clinics Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, said in a statement. Our affiliation with Nuvance Health will allow for sharing of best practices, while working together to ensure the highest quality care to Nuvances patients. The Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institutes affiliate program launched in 2003. The affiliate network includes 14 hospitals across the country, with the addition of the three Nuvance Health hospitals. As affiliates, the Nuvance Heart and Vascular Institute and Cleveland Clinic remain independent, with no changes in control of physicians or staff. WEST HAVEN City officials have proposed allocating $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to prepare a multifamily home to be used for residents experiencing a housing crisis such as a house fire or escaping a domestic violence situation. Members of the City Council are asking to see data to know how serious the need is and that such a program would not overlap with existing federal programs. Ken Carney, chairman of the ARPA Committee, told the City Council at a recent meeting that the need for temporary housing in West Haven is growing. Right now in West Haven if you need a place to live because you were burned out of your home, you are put in a hotel. If youre down on your luck and need a place to stay, theres no place to stay, he said. And if someone wants to escape a domestic violence situation but has nowhere to go, he said, they may choose to stay in an unsafe situation. The proposal in Mayor Nancy Rossis plan is for the city to acquire housing units possibly through foreclosure and to renovate those units so they can be turned over to a third-party nonprofit that would manage them as temporary, emergency housing. Carney said West Haven residents would have exclusive use of the temporary apartments unless it is a domestic violence situation, in which residents would receive a unit in another municipality for their safety. Councilman Ron Quagliani, D-At Large, said he would want to see data to demonstrate that there are needs that are not being met. I dont know if our existing resources and systems in place are working and are satisfactory, he said. If theres a chance to enhance those services, it makes sense. I need to know where were at now. Carney said the city currently relies on programs funded by recurring U.S. Housing and Urban Development grants, whereas the use of one-time ARPA funds would get a permanent program off the ground. Mark Bisaccia, Community Development Association manager, said West Haven is part of a 19-municipality network overseen by a victim advocate nonprofit. Corporation Counsel Lee Tiernan said the citys first objective would be finding a location if the funds are approved by the council. Id be surprised if anybody would be against it. I think people would be proud to have it, he said. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com As the 2023 general elections approach, a former Nigerian Senator, Dino Melaye has warned against attacks on the Peoples Democratic Party,... As the 2023 general elections approach, a former Nigerian Senator, Dino Melaye has warned against attacks on the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Dino, in a video posted on Sunday on his social media handles, said those in Atikus camp will no longer be silent on people ridiculing the personality of the former Vice President. According to him, the attacks are distractions as the opposition party is working towards rescuing the nation from its current state. He said, While we are advocating for support from all Nigerians, we want to also warn seriously that we will not tolerate disparaging, ridiculing diminishing or using foul languages on Atiku Abubakar. You come for Atiku, we will come for you. We will no longer keep quiet to characters who just want to use propaganda and lies to disparage and disrespect the person and personality of Atiku Abubakar. The only business we have now is to rescue our country and it is not the business of PDP members alone but the business of every Nigerian. Buba Galadima, a chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), says the only way the south-east can get the presidency is through all... Buba Galadima, a chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), says the only way the south-east can get the presidency is through alliance with the party. The one-time ally of President Muhammadu Buhari spoke in a chat with Arise TV on Monday. NNPP and Rabiu Kwankwaso, its presidential candidate, said they have been in talks with Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), over a potential alliance ahead of the 2023 election. However, there are still speculations on if Obi or Kwankwaso will step down his presidential ambition. Meanwhile, Kwankwaso had insisted he cannot be Obis running mate. The former Kano governor had said he is handing Obi a golden opportunity with the offer of becoming NNPPs vice-presidential candidate. Speaking on the development, Galadima insisted that Kwankwaso cannot be Obis running mate, adding that the south-east has better chances of getting the presidency if they support the NNPP. The south-east people are the enemies of themselves. They are the people who jettisoned zoning in the first place. There is no morality in self interest, Galadima said. When people have self-interest, they do not care about morality. They cannot eat their cake and have it, and the only and easiest way to be president is to team up with NNPP because Kwankwaso is known to be a man of his words. The Lagos State Ministry of Education has shut the Redeemers Nursery and Primary School, Ogba, Lagos State. The Commissioner for E... The Lagos State Ministry of Education has shut the Redeemers Nursery and Primary School, Ogba, Lagos State. The Commissioner for Education, Folasade Adefisayo, announced the shutdown on Monday. It was gathered that the school was shut after a five-year-old pupil drowned during a swimming lesson. According to the commissioner, the school is yet to complete its registration. The commissioner made this known in a statement titled, Lagos State Shuts Redeemers Nursery and Primary School. The five-year-old pupil of the Redeemers school, Chidera Eze, drowned during a swimming lesson organised by the school in the Ikeja area of the state in May 2022. It was gathered that some teachers and caregivers of the school took Chidera and his colleagues for the swimming lesson at the Ivory Health Club, Ogundana Street, Ikeja. During the training, Chidera and his colleagues were said to be playing at the tip of the pool when he slipped into it. The commissioner said, The school will remain closed, pending an administrative investigation of its operations and procedures as well as the conduct of its officials in line with schools safety standards and guidelines. The investigation is sequel to the death of a five-year-old pupil, who is suspected to have drowned during a swimming lesson while in the custody of the school. The police are investigating the matter. A preliminary probe by the Office of Education Quality Assurance of the Ministry has shown that the Redeemers Nursery and Primary School, Ogba, is yet to conclude its registration and is, therefore, not yet an approved school. The Ministry is concerned about the safety of the pupils, hence the need for intervention. The school will remain closed until all the required approval processes are concluded. Parents are advised to note the closure and wait for the conclusion of the administrative investigation. President Vladimir Putin of Russia has congratulated Russian troops for achieving victory in Ukraines Luhansk region. In a meeting televi... President Vladimir Putin of Russia has congratulated Russian troops for achieving victory in Ukraines Luhansk region. In a meeting televised by Russian state media on Monday, defense minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin the Russian advances in the area. Starting June 19, [Russian] formations and military units in cooperation with units of the second corps of the peoples militia of the [self-proclaimed] Luhansk Peoples Republic (LPR) and with the support of the southern group of troops successfully carried out an offensive operation to liberate the territory of the Luhansk Peoples Republic, Shoigu said. Shoigu added that the Gorsky cauldron area, Lysychansk and Severodonetsk were surrounded within two weeks, and the Ukrainian army allegedly lost 5,469 soldiers in the battles. Putin told Shoigu that the military personnel who contributed to fighting in LPR, will be rewarded for their bravery, and that they should now rest. Other military units, including the East and West military groups, they have to fulfil their tasks, according to the previously suggested plan, Putin said. I hope everything will be successful as it happened in the [Luhansk] area, he added. Putin also praised the LPRs militia for showing heroism. My congratulations and my words of gratitude, Putin said. I congratulate you all and wish you all the best. Locally reported news and sports Stay Current with What's Happening Get the most of NNY360, register today! By providing your email address, you consent to receive emails and special offers from NNY360.com Yes; I'd vote for him No, but I'd probably still vote for him No, and I wouldn't vote for him Yes, but I wouldn't vote for him Vote View Results If you live in greater New Orleans and you havent been touched by crime directly, you might know someone who has been. If you dont know anyo Elsewhere, the Xiaomi 12 Pro Dimensity features the same specifications as the Xiaomi 12 Pro that we reviewed earlier this year. As such, the handset misses out on the Leica camera optimisations that the Xiaomi 12S features. Still, the Xiaomi 12 Pro Dimensity features the same Sony IMX707 primary camera as the Xiaomi 12S and Xiaomi 12S Pro , along with the latter's other front-facing and rear-facing cameras. Currently, Xiaomi has not confirmed whether it will offer the Xiaomi 12 Pro Dimensity outside China. The company has unveiled pricing for the device in its home market though, where it will start at CNY 3,999 with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage in black and blue colourways. Alternatively, there is a 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage option for CNY 4,499 (~US$ that comes in the same colours. CROWN POINT The line for food was long, but friendly faces weren't hard to find Sunday at the annual citywide picnic at Bulldog Park. Among the first to greet picnic-goers as they filled their plates was Crown Point Mayor Pete Land, who served up pulled pork. More than 20 workers, including city department heads, city employees and volunteers, were prepared to feed up to 2,000 people, he said. Workers grilled up hamburgers, hot dogs and Polish sausages, doled out scoops of potato salad and pulled pork, and handed out chips, drinks and dessert. Land, who served as the city's police chief for 17 years before he was selected mayor in June, said he loves his new role. "I'm totally blessed and humbled to have this opportunity to continue to serve the community," he said. Residents from all over the Region were welcome at the all-you-can-eat event. Rachel Walker and Jennifer Wagdeman, both of Crown Point, sat together with others a picnic table. Wagdeman said the event was a nice way to enjoy the weather with friends. Walker, a teacher for the Crown Point Community School Corp., said she enjoyed seeing some of her students. "I just like to come out and spend time with friends and family," she said. As he served up potato salad, Councilman Scott Evorik, R-at large, said he volunteered for the event to give back to his community and talk with constituents. Karen Marben, the city's human resources director, said she was enjoying the friendly atmosphere as she handed out bags of chips. "I like everything about this event," she said. WINFIELD The Town Council has plans to transform a former farm road into a well-traveled street feeding into the new Taft Middle School. The council took under advisement two bids for improvements to 121st Avenue. They came from Rieth-Riley, for $1,446,277 and Milestone, for $1,181,885. Money to pay for the improvements will come from the Community Crossings project fund, Clerk-Treasurer Rick Anderson said. The town received $944,423 in funding to pay for the improvements earlier this year, Anderson said. The money comes from the state's local road and bridge matching grant funds. Improvements will likely start in August or September once the contract is awarded, Anderson said. "It's an old farm road that will feed into the new Taft Middle School," Anderson said. Work will include drainage and stormwater work and upgrading the roadway's base, Anderson said. The school is paving the part of 121st Avenue that is adjacent to the property it owns. The town is paving 121st Avenue, about a mile section, from Decatur west to the town's corporate limits, Anderson said. In other business, Town Marshal Daniel Ball commended Officer Jordan Billups-Taylor for his service to the police department. The commendation came, in part, for how he handled a traffic stop at 108th and Randolph on April 5. The driver didn't have proof of identification and further investigation showed she had in her possession 93 credit cards, fake checks and a small amount of methamphetamine, Ball said. Further investigation also showed the driver has charges filed against her in Georgia, including failure to identify, possession of methamphetamine and possession of stolen credit cards. In addition to Billups-Taylor being awarded an exemplary service award, other officers were honored at a previous meeting, including Sgt. Stephen Garpow and Officers Brandon McMahon, Brandyn Misch and Skyler Hofer. Billups-Taylor also received a distinguished service award for his handling of a March 6 incident at a home in Doubletree Lake Estates East. Air passengers across the United States faced extensive flight cancellations and delays this weekend, caused by a boom in travel demand coupled with widespread staffing shortages. From Friday through Sunday, airlines that fly within, into, or out of the United States canceled more than 1,400 flights, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking website, stranding and angering some passengers headed for long-awaited summer vacations. In addition, more than 14,000 flights were delayed this holiday weekend, according to the sites data. Some airlines seemed to be struggling to handle passenger volume that approached or in some cases even exceeded prepandemic levels. On Friday, the Transportation Safety Administration screened more passengers 2.49 million people than on any other day this year. That surpassed the 2.18 travelers screened on July 1, 2019, before the pandemic. He learned from Dad, Norman Vincent Peale and especially Roy Cohn that you can get away with almost anything if you never back down and insist long enough and loud enough that youre right, and he held onto that right up to the final ride back to the White House, said Gwenda Blair, his biographer, referring in turn to Fred Trump; the author of The Power of Positive Thinking; and Senator Joseph McCarthys red-baiting chief counsel, who became a mentor to Mr. Trump. For Mr. Trump, he was being completely consistent with the way he has acted his entire life. Anthony Scaramucci, a longtime associate who served briefly in the White House before breaking with Mr. Trump, has talked in the past about Mr. Trumps power to interpret reality in whatever way suited him. But Mr. Scaramucci said he had concluded that Mr. Trump understood perfectly well that the election was not stolen and that his actions on Jan. 6 to overturn it were illegitimate. I do believe that President Trump knows that the whole thing that he is doing is a ruse, said Mr. Scaramucci. On more than one occasion throughout the campaign in 2016, he would turn to me and others and say funny things like, Why cant people realize what you guys realize about me, that I am playacting and full of it at least 50 percent of the time? That sort of joking. So he knows that this is all a lie. What the hearings have demonstrated with an array of witnesses drawn almost entirely from the presidents own allies and advisers is that if Mr. Trump did not know, he certainly had every reason to. One adviser after another, including two successive attorneys general and multiple campaign officials and lawyers, told him there was no there there, as one put it, when it came to widespread election fraud. Yet he persisted in spinning wild tales of conspiracies. While Attorney General Merrick B. Garland must weigh many factors before deciding whether to bring a case, including whether it is in the national interest to charge a former president, Ms. Hutchinsons account of Mr. Trumps actions leading up to and on Jan. 6 provided the building blocks for a possible prosecution by demonstrating that he and his advisers understood they were playing with fire. While Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, claimed in a memoir that Mr. Trump had only been speaking metaphorically when he vowed to march to the Capitol, in fact he had discussed it for days. Ms. Hutchinson first learned of the plan on Jan. 2 when Rudolph W. Giuliani, the presidents personal attorney, told her Mr. Trump would go to the Capitol and would look powerful. When a relative named Mousey returns from London Rafik had helped chase him out of Pakistan and asks for the family land that is owed to him, the clashes are intense. A scene of intentional crop destruction, an act of revenge, lands with primal force. Image Taymour Soomro, whose debut novel is Other Names for Love. Credit... Jorge Monedero Other Names for Love needs this friction. Soomro writes clean, vivid sentences and this novel has a certain elegance, but it lacks a worldview and the kind of drilling insights that would take it to another level. I did not stop, once, to pencil a curse word of admiration in the margins, which sometimes means nothing but sometimes means a lot. When the second half begins to drift, the absence of electric drive-by observation and intellection becomes more apparent. We meet Fahad years later. He lives in London, where he has found his social circle. Hes a successful writer. His partner, Alex, cooks beef daube, the dish Mrs. Ramsay serves at an important moment in Virginia Woolfs To the Lighthouse. Fahad wears gaudy clothes and piles his hair on the top of his head as if he were wearing a helmet. His father visits and tells him he looks like a woman. Fahad is again called home, this time by his mother. The family is facing ruin. But Fahad remains bitter about being sent to the West. He thinks: What if it was true? Would he go? They could clap their hands and send him away as a boy of barely 16, because he didnt suit their purposes, because he interfered with their ambitions, and clap them again all these years later and expect him to return? The feelings hed had in those earlier years in London, of rage, of wanting to punish his parents one day as theyd punished him, hed conquered them, he thought, but now he felt a premonition of their return. It would not be sporting to give away more, but Fahad returns to witness the chaos of loss and old age. He gets back in touch with Ali. Perhaps, his reeling father thinks, Fahad will write a book about him. A mass shooting near Chicago At least six people have been killed in a mass shooting at an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Ill., an affluent, mostly white suburb north of Chicago. The police said at least two dozen more people were injured yesterday. Here are live updates on the shooting. Police officers recovered a gun and are searching for a suspect. A perimeter was put in place around the downtown area. The police said the gunman had used a rifle and shot from a rooftop. By all means, at this point, this appears to be completely random, a top law enforcement official said. BERLIN For the first time in more than three decades, Germany has posted a monthly trade deficit, the most recent sign that Europes largest economy is facing stress because of interrupted supply chains and record energy prices linked to Russias war in Ukraine. Exports have been the economic engine in Germany for years, but the steep rise in the price of energy, driven by Russias moves to restrict the amount of natural gas it is delivering to Europe, has driven up the price of products made in Germany. Exports in May fell 0.5 percent from April, while imports rose 2.7 percent, leaving a gap of 1 billion euros, or roughly $1 billion, according to figures released by Federal Statistics Office on Monday. It was the first time that imports had exceeded exports since 1991, the year after the reunification of the formerly socialist East Germany with the capitalist West Germany. In Galway, most people have Claddagh rings, they hand them down, mother to daughter, father to son, Mr. Margetts said, noting that they call the design a heart and hands ring. And many have brought old rings to him for repair. Many of them have impurities in the metal so Ive had to develop a technique to work on them, he said. On Display The earliest known Claddagh ring, created by Mr. Joyce in the 1700s, went on display last month in the Galway City Museum. The gold band is worn, but its engravings are still clear. Mr. ONeill pointed out the makers initials RI (the I indicated the phonetic Latin pronunciation of Joyce, he said) and the initials LcM and MrC. We dont know who they were, he said, but this would probably have been a wedding ring for a very wealthy couple. Beekmans clientele, Mr. Rosen said, primarily features highly educated clients between the ages of 25 and 45 who are familiar with sharing models like Rent the Runway and Airbnb. And older customers, he said, particularly like the ability to schedule fittings at homes and offices in the metropolitan New York area a level of service we didnt expect to have initially, he said. Rentals generally cost 6 to 10 percent of the jewelrys perceived retail value, Mr. Rosen said. Clients may also subscribe for $89 per month, for a minimum of three months, or subscribe for one year for $890. Those members gain perks such as access to special pieces and discounted pricing for extended rentals; nonmembers may still rent from Beekman, but they cannot reserve pieces, nor do they have access to special members-only designs. Deposits are not required, Mr. Rosen said, and insurance is generally included, with some exceptions based on the duration of the rental, value of the jewelry, and location where the piece will be worn. Ms. Kietiene described the elaborate planning that was required to ferry jewelry out of the country from Kyiv, Odesa and Kharkiv. We have this brave person it was a girl, of course, because its impossible for men to cross borders with Ukraine because of the military situation who brought pieces from Chernivtsi, a city in western Ukraine, to a small Romanian city on the border. And after that we have a person with a car, who brought the jewelry from the border to Paris, and one more person who brought it from Paris to Geneva. Some refugees were in Berlin, Pforzheim [Germany], Portugal, a small town in France, Ms. Kietiene added. One girl who was in Berlin sent pieces to Geneva, but I didnt receive the parcel. I asked her to send me the tracking number. And she said, Sorry, I dont have a tracking number. I used the cheapest post because it was my last 17 euros. We received her jewelry two days before the fair closed. In the end, the booth showcased jewelry by a dozen Ukrainian designers, including established brands such as Oberig, which was founded in 2009 as a fine-jewelry label based on Ukrainian talismanic symbols, as well as up-and-coming makers like Inesa Kovalova, a Central Saint Martins graduate whose nylon and titanium designs, made from 3-D printing, recall the metalwork plants in Kramatorsk, the industrial city in eastern Ukraine where she was born. The original Covid vaccines had to withstand slow and laborious testing: Volunteers took the shots and then went about their lives while researchers tracked who got sick. But there is now ample evidence that the shots are safe. And any tweaks to the recipe could be wasted if scientists were to spend the better part of a year testing them. Instead, vaccine manufacturers have been studying volunteers blood samples in the lab to gauge their immune responses to a booster that is tailored to the first version of Omicron. The subvariant boosters have so far been through lighter testing: Pfizer has studied only how they have affected antibody responses in mice. The F.D.A. said that it would not require clinical trial data for the subvariant boosters before authorization and would rely instead on studies of boosters targeting the original version of Omicron. Some scientists said that authorizing modified vaccines without time-consuming human studies was essential to keeping up. It just seems dangerous to overly bureaucratize the rollout of an updated vaccine, said Jeremy Kamil, a virologist at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport. Moving too slowly, he said, would risk leaving older and other vulnerable people exposed to a pathogen that looks different than what the original vaccines had prepared them for. If a bank robbers grown a beard and dyed their hair, he said, its going to help your response to know what they look like today rather than when they were 14 years old. Some government vaccine advisers have said that regulators had not yet proven that updated boosters protected substantially better than existing boosters against severe Covid. Others have expressed concern that reformulating vaccines would undercut confidence in the vaccination program. For his 1985 documentary about the Statue of Liberty, the filmmaker Ken Burns interviewed two Jewish boys sitting on a bench in New York City. They were twins who had fled Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union, with their father. Like generations of refugees before them and generations since, they had arrived in the United States hoping for a better life. One of those boys, Alexander Vindman, would grow up to become a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army and director for European and Russian affairs for the National Security Council. He was also a key witness at the first impeachment trial of Donald Trump. His brother, Yevgeny, would become a colonel in the Army and serve as deputy legal adviser for the National Security Council. In recent months, as the Vindmans homeland has come under siege by Russian forces, Mr. Burns reunited with the brothers to make the Opinion Video above. In this short film, the Vindmans argue that the refugee crises in Ukraine and elsewhere demand a much stronger response from the Biden administration, including not just fully restoring a refugee system gutted by the Trump administration but expanding it further. The first person to see us was another ultrasound technician. Her voice got sharp when I asked if our baby had a heartbeat. Its not a baby, dont talk like that, she told me, as I lay on the table. Her voice softened a little, You dont have to think of it that way. For her, part of providing care was denying there was any room for grief. But when the surgeon came in, he began by expressing his condolences. He talked about our options, he talked about our baby as a baby. He answered our questions about recovery times from surgery as naturally as he did our questions about how to specify that we wanted our childs body for burial. He took our request seriously and told us that we should know that as far as he could tell, our baby had already died and it was the placenta that was still growing and putting me in danger. But if he could, he would make sure that our baby wasnt treated as just a tissue sample but as a child lost. We worked through the hospital checklists and questions as people cycled through our room asking about my blood type, my experience with anesthesia, my plans for getting home. No one asked about our plans for the baby. No one asked the babys name. No one, before or after the surgery, mentioned support groups for loss. But I had a checklist of my own, and as I lay on the gurney, I prayed that I would open my eyes again. I prayed that if I didnt, I could offer my life for the people I loved. And I hoped that this would be the first baby I could hold, even if I couldnt see the baby take a breath. Every other child I lost had been miscarried at home, too early to retrieve a body. I knew that the Trappist monks of New Melleray Abbey would send us a tiny coffin, free of charge, as part of their ministry to bereaved parents. My husband knew that, if anything went wrong, I wanted him to order an adult-size one for me. We didnt get to bury our baby. My husband didnt have to bury me. Our surgeon had been right our baby had died some time ago, and all he could find was the placenta. But while I recovered at home, we had something to know our baby by. We named this child Camillian, after St. Camillus de Lellis. He was a 16th-century gambler, who was treated so poorly by his doctors that he founded a nursing order and ultimately became a priest and a saint. Like so many Americans, I have been called into relationships with guns since I was a child and have been made to understand, even long before I could articulate it, that guns represented something essential about what it means to become a fully realized American man. My first guns were toys, followed by a pump-action Daisy BB gun that I used to shoot down green army men in my fathers garage. Then came the real guns: the .22 rifle I learned to use at summer camp in the fourth grade, the handgun my father taught me to shoot during a boyhood visit to a friends ranch in Nevada and the Colt 1911 he let me fire years later, which had been carried by my grandfather throughout his service in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. As I became older, guns were given to me as a rite of passage by my father, by my mothers boyfriend and by the United States government upon my graduation from the Border Patrol academy when I was 23. The past few years have powerfully revealed just how vulnerable and dependent we are on each other. It remains to be seen whether the solidarity we have collectively created will endure. But as Mr. Sax argues, we should experience the subtle ways a strangers smile, question or palpable stare can nurture a valuable sense of connection. Maria Clara Cobo Quito, Ecuador To the Editor: Reading David Saxs article reminded me of an experience I had in the summer of 1987 when I had just graduated from high school in Manhattan. I was working a grueling data-entry job that offered a one-hour respite in the middle of the workday for lunch. My best friend had lent me his Walkman, a newfangled contraption that allowed one to listen to music privately through headphones. During my lunch hour I would go to a nearby park and sit on a bench, enjoying myself, numbing out to the songs of my favorite pop stars. One day a woman approached me while I was zoned out on the park bench, and began to speak to me. I took my earphones off so I could hear what she was saying, and discovered that she was essentially chewing me out for wearing headphones in public. I defended myself: It doesnt hurt you! To my surprise, she answered: But it does hurt me! I was at a total loss for words. Feeling irritated at this unwelcome disruption to my lunch break, I put my headphones back on and stared at my feet until she went away. I have never forgotten that encounter. At the time I dismissed this woman as crazy. But looking back from the context of our current situation, I now suspect that it was she who was really the sane one. In May, E.P.A. proposed to restrict Pebbles use of certain waters within three important watersheds as the disposal site for mine wastes under the Clean Water Act. The agency held hearings in Alaska about the veto and is accepting public comments until Sept. 6. The veto, if put into effect, would be a major step toward blocking the current mining proposal. But without legislation from Congress and land conservation, E.P.A.s regulatory protection wont be enough. And this fight against Pebble, which started nearly two decades ago, could continue for decades longer. While supporters of the project claim Pebble could be a new economic driver for the region and Alaska and complementary to the fishery, such claims are unsubstantiated. Northern Dynasty Minerals, the company behind the project, has only completed a preliminary economic feasibility assessment for the project, and most of the design plans for the project infrastructure are still merely conceptual. And while the company has said the construction and operation of the mine would employ thousands, Bristol Bay residents have rightfully wondered whether the jobs will be substantial or permanent. Protecting the commercial fishing economy, subsistence uses, traditional activities and the cultural resources of the region from the impacts of mining operations far outweigh any of these speculative benefits. E.P.A. actions under the Clean Water Act have been historically durable, but they can be changed or undone by a future administration. In addition, E.P.A.s proposal is focused on the core of the Pebble deposit. There are other mineral prospects in the region, including many that are controlled by Pebble, that would not be regulated under the proposed action. Northern Dynasty Minerals has vowed to stay the course and continues to look at new mining scenarios and technologies that would allow it to proceed regardless of what E.P.A. proposes or approves. That is why federal legislation is also needed to address the threats posed by Pebble. Such legislation could address the interests of the State of Alaska, provide for economic resilience in Bristol Bay and permanently protect our salmon from risks like the mining of the Pebble deposit. While specific proposals are still under development, legislation could protect a large area of the region, compensate Alaska for lost mining royalty and tax revenue and would have the force of law. Our talks with the Alaska congressional delegation on this issue have been productive. Theres still a big question of the overall wisdom of a prosecution, however well justified. If, God forbid, Trump runs and wins in 2024, the first thing hell do is find any pretext to prosecute Joe Biden, and then its off to the races. If you were in Merrick Garlands shoes, what would you do? Gail: Well, if I wanted to make sure the reputation of Merrick Garland didnt suffer, Id prosecute rather than risk being remembered as the guy who wimped out. And as a matter of principle well, gee. Bret: Though, sometimes, not prosecuting is the truly gutsy thing to do. Sorry, go on. Gail: But I do think theres a danger to setting that kind of precedent at a time when the country has lost a lot of the old bipartisan values that, while frequently deeply irritating, did keep us chugging along as a nation. Youre totally right about what Trump would try to do if he got himself re-elected in 2024. Which, oh, God, involves a campaign that seems as if it might be starting any minute. The struggle inside the Republican Party appears to be about whether Trump should declare his candidacy now or have the grace to wait until after the midterm elections. Whats your prediction? Bret: It hasnt gone unnoticed in Trumps inner circle of political advisers that theres a quiet but palpable turning away from the 45th president among a lot of Republicans. Nobody wants to cross him outright, but you can sense theyre hoping he wont run and instead endorse the presumptive candidacy of Ron DeSantis. And theyre trying to win Trump over by suggesting that hed be stronger as a kingmaker than as a king limited, incidentally, to a single additional term. Gail: Hahahahahaha. Bret: Of course, from everything I know about Trump, this will just be an incentive for him to abort the DeSantis candidacy in utero, so to speak, by announcing sooner rather than later that he means to run. Of course, this also makes it much easier for Trump to say that any prosecution is politically motivated. Before Hurricane Sandy, Nhi Mundy had a good life in the financial district with her family. She and her husband, Michael Mundy, were raising three children while he worked as a photographer and she partnered with him to start An Afternoon With, a blog that featured intimate images of individuals and families in their homes. Then the extraordinary storm flooded their two-bedroom apartment. New owners bought the building, made repairs and raised the rent by nearly 30 percent. We had to let go of our lives in the city, Ms. Mundy said. The family relocated to Jeffersonville, N.Y., in the Catskills, about two hours north of the city. They got a dog, they got a cat and chickens, and they settled into a rural existence, still missing much of what they had before the storm. But why would Tiffany, acquired for $15.8 billion last year by the French luxury conglomerate LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, tuck so many valuable pieces away in an archive? Mr. Young explained the reasoning during a recent video interview from the gallery, just after escorting Ms. Picasso around the exhibition. (The conversation has been edited and condensed.) Tiffany is in the business of selling. So why hang onto such a huge archive? Ever since the company was founded, we have always maintained records, certainly designs. The oldest object in the archive is a cash book from Day 1 in 1837. The balance sheet of what was invested into the company and the goods that were sold would be kept in this ledger. But the most important purpose is for us to know about ourselves and to preserve our history for the future: to store our architecture, our product design, our packaging design, our logo design. And, of course, the archive is a rich source for our designers as they continue to evolve. We frequently look back, not to replicate but to learn where did we come from and why were certain choices made. Since the beginning of this brand, theres been quite a bit of innovation in the world of jewelry, including when we produced the six-prong setting in 1886. What is the oldest piece of jewelry in the archive? One of the earliest pieces is an Archaeological Revival necklace in gold from around 1850 to 1870. Its on display in the exhibition we feature it with the 1845 Blue Book, which is the first mail-order catalog in the United States. But part of our role at the archives is to explain that jewelry making is not a new practice for us. There are spectacular examples, very early examples, that we can refer to to point out our expertise in this field. For example, in this exhibition you see a spectacular 1870s diamond and emerald necklace. It just illustrates the fact that were not new to this practice. You can see how the Tiffany designs have evolved with the different creative leads. She served near the front lines at Fredericksburg and Chattanooga, and routinely crossed battle lines to treat civilians. She was arrested by Confederate forces in 1864 and exchanged for a Confederate surgeon four months later. After she was denied an honorary military rank at the end of the war, Union generals successfully petitioned for her to receive the Medal of Honor for patriotic zeal to the sick and wounded. Throughout her life, Dr. Walker proudly presented herself as a feminist who did not conform to gender norms. She refused to agree to obey her husband in her wedding vows and kept her last name, according to the National Park Service. She wore mens clothing during the war, arguing that doing so made her job easier. After the war, she posed for photographs in suits and a signature top hat, often with her Medal of Honor pinned to her lapel. From this point, the history of swimming pools unfolds like so many other social spaces in America. As Black people began challenging pool segregation and winning in court, white people began deserting public pools altogether. Cities closed pools rather than accept integration, and private pools boomed in white backyards across the country. Urban swimming opportunities have waxed and waned ever since, at the mercy of funding and municipal attention. Over the past couple of years, a nationwide lifeguard shortage has forced many urban pools to close or to open without adequate staffing, including more than a dozen that were shut down in Philadelphia this summer. For many Black people growing up in past decades in Philadelphia, even though it boasts the highest number of swimming pools per capita of any major city, learning how to swim was almost a matter of luck: whether you lived near a city pool, whether there were instructors there, whether your family encouraged it. If you didnt have the stuff to go to swimming in, like swimsuits and trunks and things like that, you werent allowed in, said Lynn Ruff, 58, who was one of the few in her circle of friends who learned to swim as a child. A lot of people she knew just figured swimming wasnt for us. Ms. Ruff is now a lifeguard and instructor herself, taking on the job after being laid off from a bank in her mid-40s. A grandmother of five, she insists that everyone should and anyone can learn to swim. In the off-season, she teaches swimming at a school for the blind. And yet if you look at the messaging around risks to the fetus during pregnancy, rather than the mother, the plot thickens. Women are bombarded with messaging about the risks they themselves could pose to their fetuses, said Rebecca Blaylock, the research lead of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, a charity that provides abortion and other reproductive health services. The research team at her organization, along with colleagues from Sheffield University, studied British media messaging around pregnancy. They found that media coverage overwhelmingly framed women as a vector of harm, not a population in need of protection. Fetuses were the sole focus of health outcomes. Such assumptions even affected prenatal care. We were seeing women suffering with hyperemesis gravidarum an extreme and potentially deadly form of morning sickness that involves near-constant vomiting who werent receiving appropriate treatment because their health care providers thought the medication posed a risk to their pregnancy, and who really felt they had no option but to terminate an otherwise wanted pregnancy at that point, Blalock said. The differing attitudes toward risk really fit within a larger cultural climate where women are blamed for any and all ills that may or may not befall their children, and a preoccupation with reproducing the next generation of healthy citizens Blaylock told me. That study focused on the United Kingdom. But Kate Manne, a professor of philosophy at Cornell University and author of two books on the ways sexism shapes society, said that there is a widespread assumption in the United States and elsewhere that having children is something that women are naturally or even morally destined to do. Accordingly, guiding them toward that even if that means denying them an opportunity to give informed consent to the risks is seen by some as in their best interests. (She noted that transgender men and nonbinary people can also get pregnant, but said that the norms and societal assumptions about pregnancy tend to presume pregnant people are women.) We dont tend to think of pregnancy as something that someone might very rationally decide not to do because its too much of a risk, she said. That kind of thought process is obviated by the sense that its natural and moral, and perhaps also holy, for women to do this. More than five years after his mysterious disappearance from a luxury hotel in Hong Kong, a Chinese Canadian billionaire and onetime trusted financier to Chinas political elite has been put on trial in a case that epitomizes the ruling Communist Partys efforts to rein in an earlier era of freewheeling capitalism. The Chinese authorities have not released details of the charges against the financier, Xiao Jianhua. The Canadian embassy in Beijing said in an emailed statement that the Chinese authorities had rejected several requests submitted by the embassy to attend Mondays trial. The embassy added that it was providing consular services to Mr. Xiaos family and would continue to press for consular access, but it declined to provide more information out of concern for the privacy of Mr. Xiao and his family, it said. There was no immediate indication of how long Mr. Xiaos trial would last. Chinese courts rarely find defendants not guilty, meaning that he will almost certainly be convicted and sentenced. Russias capture of the cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk, a significant victory for Moscows campaign to conquer eastern Ukraine, demonstrates the success of the Russian militarys grinding strategy based on superior firepower and incremental advances. It also raises serious questions about how long either side can keep going like this, particularly the battered and vastly outgunned Ukrainian forces, forced to rely on raw recruits and suffering heavy casualties, along with the mental strain of combat, retreat and constant Russian shelling. Russias invasion has taken a brutal toll on its own forces as well, but they continue their slow advance, and with the seizure of Lysychansk this weekend, they have taken control of the entirety of Luhansk Province, putting them in position to push on toward Ukrainian-held cities in Donetsk Province. While Ukrainian forces have made small tactical gains in the last month around the cities of Kharkiv, in the east, and Kherson in the south, Russia still maintains a significant foothold in both regions. And Russias control of the eastern city of Izium will play heavily into the next phase of its military campaign in the Donbas. To take Lysychansk and its neighboring city of Sievierodonetsk, Russian forces moved in from the north, east and west and created a pocket of territory that became indefensible toward the end of June. Now those Russian forces are in a position to attempt a similar maneuver on other Ukrainian-held cities in the coming months. Military experts believe they will reconstitute their casualty-degraded units before attacking the Ukrainian militarys strategic hub in the smaller city of Bahkmut to the south. In short, Russias likely strategy will be to create another pocket around the bigger industrial cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. Ukrainian military officials believe the next offensive will come from the direction of Popasna in the east toward Bahkmut while northern and western Russian lines simply hold Ukranians forces there in place. Google will automatically purge information about users who visit abortion clinics or other places that could trigger legal problems now that the US Supreme Court has opened the door for states to ban the termination of pregnancies. The company behind the internets dominant internet search engine and the Android software that powers most of the worlds smartphones outlined the new privacy protections in a Friday blog post. Besides automatically deleting visits to abortion clinics, Google also cited counselling centres, fertility centres, addiction treatment facilities, weight loss clinics, and cosmetic surgery clinics as other destinations that will be erased from users location histories. Users have always had the option edit their location histories on their own, but Google will proactively do it for them as an added level of protection. Were committed to delivering robust privacy protections for people who use our products, and we will continue to look for new ways to strengthen and improve these protections, Jen Fitzpatrick, a Google senior vice president, wrote in the blog post. The pledge comes amid escalating pressure on Google and other big tech companies to do more to shield the troves of sensitive personal information through their digital services and products from government authorities and other outsiders. The calls for more stringent privacy controls were triggered by the US Supreme Courts recent decision overturning the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling that legalised abortion. That reversal could make abortion illegal in more than a dozen states, raising the spectre that records about peoples location, texts, searches and emails could be used in prosecutions against abortion procedures or even for medical care sought in a miscarriage. Like other technology companies, Google each year receives thousands of government demands for users digital records as part of misconduct investigations. Google says it pushes back against search warrants and other demands that are overly broad or appear to be baseless. The PNG Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai says National Capital District (NCD) voters will only get to cast their ballots for General Election 2022 (GE22) on Wednesday. This is a delay from Monday (today) because the training and counting venues are not ready, he added. Sinai said, on Friday, that the owners of the venues had demanded upfront payment which were costly. We do not want to pretend to say we are ready when we are not, he said. We were not able secure a training centre and a counting venue. At the same time, owners want upfront payment. So, it is a lot of money and that is beyond our control. Sinai said the polling venues were allocated in alphabetical order. The polling officials have been trained and are ready to start on Wednesday, he added. Sinai said Manus had requested to start polling on July 4 and have been given approval as long as the polling was conducted and completed within the period allowed. We have sent them administrative funding and we are also working on the temporary election workers fund, returning officers and their assistants and election managers vehicle hires. I would also like to remind service providers and everyone that let us not try to mislead. Service providers must not allow any vehicle hires and accommodation over the period not expected, he added. We have put some control into this as part of our preparations for GE22. In NCD, we are still making payments and we are looking at improving our management, he added. Source: The National/One PNG News Next: NSW Blues name debutant for Origin decider ISLAMABAD, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Three terrorists were killed as the Pakistani military conducted a clearance operation in the country's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Saturday. The security forces conducted the intelligence-based operation on reported presence of terrorists in North Waziristan district of the province, the army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. During an exchange of fire, three terrorists got killed, the ISPR statement said. Weapons and ammunition were seized from the killed terrorists, according to the statement. WARSAW, Poland (AP) Phan Thi Kim Phuc, the girl in the famous 1972 Vietnam napalm attack photo, on Monday escorted 236 refugees from Russia's war in Ukraine on a flight from Warsaw to Canada. Phucs iconic Associated Press photo in which she runs with her napalm-scalded body exposed, was etched on the private nongovernmental organization plane that is flying the refugees to the city of Regina, the capital of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate An estimated 100,000 people converged on Bay City on Saturday for the third and final night of the city's annual Fourth of July fireworks. They arrived on boats and on bikes, on foot or by car. Rachel Hitz, a California resident, traveled back to her hometown of Bay City to watch the fireworks show for the first time in five years, along with her husband and two children. I have a lot of great memories growing up in Bay City, she said. And so it's just fun to come back and show my kids what I grew up with. It was the 60th anniversary of the fireworks show in Bay City, which is widely regarded as the best in the state. Many attendees were celebrating what felt like normal, pre-pandemic life. It is nice to be able to be amongst people because we need people, said Tammy Gill, of Flint. Families enjoyed the Skerbeck Family Carnival in Veterans Park before heading to the east side of the river in time to find a good spot to view the fireworks. While many come solely for the display, one Bay City native said the real prize of the Fourth of July celebration is the deep-fried Oreos. Live rock-and-roll music could be heard from every corner of Wenonah Park. Couples and kids danced along to classics like Fortunate Son, Footloose and Rock and Roll All Night, performed by Michigan-based bands Six Pack Crush and The Remedy. Several people said the music was the highlight of the celebration. Wearing black to protest Supreme Court ruling While many attendees proudly displayed their American flags for the Independence Day celebration, others were not feeling so patriotic. Madison Becker and her group of friends wore black in a sea of red, white and blue. Becker said many people around the country had decided to wear black for the holiday in protest of the U.S. Supreme Court's June 24 overturning of Roe v. Wade, which returned the regulation of abortion back to each individual state. I don't feel like I'm celebrating anything in particular, Becker said. I'm just coming out to see the fireworks. It's not about the Fourth of July like that this year. Several other women in attendance at the fireworks said it did not feel like the same holiday of liberty that they were previously proud of celebrating. I just don't feel very American right now, but I'm trying for the kids, said Shannon Branthoover, who was attending the event with her stepdad and two nephews. Being a female, Im upset about things going on but trying to be hopeful and optimistic for the future, Branthoover added. Fireworks can still unite people Becker, who was born and raised in Bay City, said that regardless of one's beliefs, the fireworks show is a tradition that can always bring people together. They're always really great, she said. And we wait for the next year to see how they top it from the year before. After the national anthem, chatter in the crowd died down and cellphone cameras were ready to record as the first firework shot into the sky. More than 3,600 shells were launched over 30 minutes from an area just south of the ball diamonds in Veterans Park. Sasha Shestko, of Bay City, who recently moved there from Austin, Texas, was a first-timer at the event. I love fireworks, she said. And I saw two new fireworks here that I've never seen before. Shestko described these as flashbangs. They erupted one after another, illuminating the dark sky and the ground below to reveal shifting clouds of smoke and awe-struck faces filling the parks. Shestko was one of the few people who stayed back in the park after the fireworks, while most flooded the exits in hopes of beating the rest of the traffic out of the city. Sleeping children, sunburnt faces and empty beer cans on the street signified a popular Fourth of July celebration at the end of a quintessential summer day. Accra, Ghana (PANA) - A delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is expected in Ghana this week as the government begins negotiations with the Bretton Woods institution for a bail out programme Photo: (Photo : Omar Marques) A child spending too much time watching the screen may be less happy than someone who prefers playing sports. Research associate Rosa Vigara of the University of South Australia stated that screen time, which refers to sitting and watching TV, playing computer games, or scrolling social media for hours on end, is detrimental because it is sedentary and usually not engaging. On average, children ages eight to 12 in the United States spend four to six hours a day watching or using screens, while teens spend up to nine hours. While screen time can be entertaining, it cannot conceal information that is not appropriate for children. Health Day News recently discovered the dangers of too much screen time for kids and teens, which can make them unhealthy. Read more: Children Exposed To 3 Hours Of Screen Time Risk Type 2 Diabetes Development, Study Says Excessive consumption of technology Vigara and her colleagues conducted a study that would determine how nearly 62,000 kids aged 4 to 9 spent their time after school. Kids who participated in this study completed questionnaires regarding their well-being. Results showed that children who played video games, watched television, and used social media after school almost always had lower levels of well-being than those who participated in after-school activities. Children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were less likely to prefer sports, take music lessons or hang out with peers than children from well-off households; hence, the study found those who had access to sports were healthier. "I would encourage parents to try to set some limits around screen use [and] encourage children to be active either before or after using screens, or offer alternative activities such as listening to music, mindful coloring, board games or puzzles if they are after some quiet activities," Vigara said. How screen time affects children's health Selecting what's best for a kid's health matters the most. Spending too much screen time exposes kids to sensitive information and risks their health. Using too many gadgets can affect their health. It can lead to poor eyesight in just one eye. Amblyopia, also known as the lazy eye, can evolve when there's a breakdown in how the brain and eye work together, whereas the brain cannot acknowledge sight from only one eye. Katie Connolly, Chief of Pediatric and Binocular Vision Services at Indiana University's School of Optometry and Clinical Associate Professor, said that lazy eye, which causes depth perceptions, can be corrected if the condition is caught earlier. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 600,000 children and teens are blind or have a vision disorder. A recent opinion article published on JAMA Network noted many children could be helped simply with glasses, but not everyone can afford it due to lack of insurance coverage and high costs. National Survey of Children's Health, funded by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, discovered that in 2016-2017, a quarter of children were not screened daily for vision problems. Limiting the child's use of gadgets sets boundaries between being entertained and knowing the limit to screen time. Parents can set boundaries for kids by giving enough time for outdoor games or physical activities. Related Article: Today's Kids Spend an Average of 9 Hours of Screen Time Every Day, Study Reveals Photo: (Photo : Getty images ) Police completed the search for the body of the tattoo artist mom from Minnesota along with her three children in Lake Vadnais in Minnesota on Saturday afternoon. Authorities believed the mom drowned herself and her three children at the lake after her husband committed suicide at their home on Friday. On Friday morning, authorities received a call about a father who committed suicide at the family's Maplewood home. While searching for the wife and the kids, the family led authorities to Lake Vadnais, with investigators eventually tracing the mom's car through her mobile phone. They found the car and the children's shoes near the lake. Authorities believed that the mom drowned herself and her three children, who were all below five years of age. The names of the deceased family members have yet to be released, but family and friends disclosed that the mother was Moly Cheng, a tattoo and beauty artist. The father was named only Kos by his sister, Pa Lee, Daily Mail reports. Recovering the bodies of the mother and children from Lake Vadnais At around 4:00 PM on July 1, authorities were called to Lake Vadnais as there was a report of a possible suicidal mother headed to the lake with her three children. Investigators believe the children went into the water with their mother in an apparent murder-suicide attempt. According to NBC, a team of more than 20 law enforcers combed the lake to search for the missing mom and kids. The body of the first child was recovered at 7:30 PM on Friday. Authorities found the body of the second child at around midnight. At around 10:40 AM on Saturday, they found the mother's body and, 20 minutes after, the body of the third child. Authorities used boats with sonar, visual searches, and the Minnesota State Patrol helicopter. Non-profit organizations Wings of Hope and Northstar Search also helped recover the bodies. Read Also: 4-Year-Old Girl Pleads for Mom's Life While Boyfriend Strangled Her in Front of Her Children Loss of three innocent lives On Friday morning, the sister of the father who committed suicide wrote on Facebook that she was bidding her nicest brother her "forever goodbye." She asked why he was making her so mad and sad at the moment and apologized for being 20 minutes late from saving him, saying that if only she had driven faster, she could have saved his life. According to commander Eric Brandt, in charge of the sheriff's office water patrol, this is one of the most difficult cases he had in his 31 years of service. As per Twin Cities Pioneer Press, Vadnais Heights Mayor Heidi Gunderson, the city council, and city staff expressed their thoughts and prayers for the family, the responding officers, and firefighters. In a statement, they said there are no words to express the sadness "associated with the loss of three innocent lives." Undersheriff Mike Martin said that those involved in the search and rescue operations would be given opportunities for counseling and stress debriefings. Dan Reidenberg, executive director of SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education) in Bloomington, urged people to refrain from speculating or rushing to judgment. Related Article: Double Tragedy: Father Kills Himself After Finding He Left His 18-Month-Old Son Dead in Car Photo: (Photo : Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) A heartbroken Connecticut family is warning other parents after their one-month-old baby dies of parechovirus, a severe viral infection that affects newborns and infants. Human Parechovirus or HPeV belongs to the family Picornaviridae, similar to the viral infection causing the common cold, rashes, or diarrhea. Ronan Delancy, born in May 2022, was a healthy full-term baby who started presenting redness on his chest after a week, per WFSB. His mother brought him to a pediatrician, who diagnosed that the baby was generally fine. But Kat Delancy wasn't assured because Ronan became more irritable and was not nursing properly. That night after the doctor's visit, Kat and her husband, Mitch Delancy, rushed to the hospital because their baby had stopped breathing and then had a seizure. Read Also: 12-Year-Old With Juvenile Arthritis Opens Up About the Loneliness of Living With Chronic Pain Ronan's Test Confirmed Parechovirus The baby had to undergo a series of tests as doctors initially could not figure out his illness. Kat recalled that the doctors tried every treatment available, but Ronan got worse. After the fourth day of hospitalization, the doctors finally figured out the right diagnosis for the baby. Kat said they had never heard of parechovirus before, and the doctors explained that it's an extremely rare virus, so most hospitals do not test for it. After the discovery, Ronan's doctors advised other doctors and stated that parechovirus "may be underdiagnosed due to lack of awareness." Dr. Ian Michelo of the Connecticut Children's Head of Infectious Diseases, who read the advice from Ronan's doctors, said that babies do not usually present any symptoms. However, some children might develop a fever, flu-like symptoms, and gastrointestinal issues. In worst cases, the baby might also develop severe brain damage, per the Connecticut Insider. Michelo said that if this was the case, the baby would have no chance of surviving. Unfortunately, Michelo is also aware that parechovirus cases have spiked this May. Preventing the Spread of Parechovirus Per the National Library of Medicine, parechovirus was first detected in 1956. Since its discovery, 19 variants of the virus have been discovered. According to the experts, one type may be present one year, while another type could be the dominant variant in the next year. Ronan's virus was HPeV-3, the more severe strain, which can lead to infant meningitis, encephalitis, or paralysis, as well as death. The Connecticut family recalled that Ronan's doctor had to kneel when he was informing the parents that their baby was very sick and there was nothing they could do about it anymore. Meanwhile, the experts said that preventing the transmission of parechovirus is similar to other safety protocols. People should wash their hands clean and avoid those who have symptoms of an illness. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) perform real-time RT-PCR tests for parechovirus and have included this in the standard febrile infant pathway. Children under five years old may also be tested if admitted to the hospital with symptoms of enterovirus-like illness. Related Article: Advocates Warn New Regulations on Sleep Products Could Fail Babies if Parents Continue Unsafe Habits Photo: (Photo : Scott Olson/Getty Images) The Chicago mom who lost her 5-month-old baby girl in a drive-by shooting last Friday, June 24, pleads for justice and the arrest of the suspects. Juanita Harris, the baby's mother, said that her daughter, Cecilia Thomas, was hit by one bullet to the head. Cecilia was sitting at the back of her father's car when a second vehicle slowly approached them and opened fire, per WLS-TV. Witnesses said Cecilia's father pulled over because he heard his daughter crying. The baby was then rushed to the Comer Children's Hospital, where she was declared dead. Read Also: Parents React as Biden Signs First Gun Law Reforms Following 30-Year Gridlock "Turn yourself in" No suspects have yet to be arrested for what happened to Cecilia. However, a 41-year-old man was said to have checked himself into another hospital because he had a gunshot wound in his eye. The police are still trying to determine if this was related to the drive-by shooting. Relatives of the victim have gathered at the Comer Children's Hospital, where one staff said she had never seen a victim like Cecilia in her 61 years. The baby is now the youngest victim of a drive-by shooting in Chicago. Cecilia was supposed to be going home to her mother on that day. In a pained voice, Harris publicly appealed to the shooters to come forward and do the right thing. "You need to turn yourself in, you know you had that gun," the mother said. Parents Shanee Edwards-Keller and Pete Keller, local activists, also appealed to the shooters. The Kellers said that they feel for Harris because they also have a 5-month-old baby and cannot imagine the thought of losing him in such a violent way. Shanee said that the persons responsible should examine the damage they've caused in the lives of the victims. She warned that the shooters would also lose their lives because "karma is a monster," per the Chicago SunTimes. Chicago shooting incidents over the holidays Meanwhile, the Chicago Police Department confirmed that there were 61 shooting incidents with ten fatalities within the holiday week, as the nation prepared to hold 4th of July celebrations. One incident involved an 11-year-old girl who was just outside the street around noontime when a vehicle approached and fired with abandon. The child was hit in the leg and is now recovering at the Comers Children's Hospital. Two teenagers were also hurt in a shooting incident 10 minutes after the 11-year-old girl was wounded. The 16-year-old boy was shot in the arm and leg while a bullet grazed the 17-year-old girl's back. They were treated at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Investigations are still ongoing about these incidents. Summer holiday gun violence often has an uptick in Chicago. However, the police noticed a decline in the past two years, per the Chicago Tribune. Superintendent David Brown said that they have been posting police officers in areas where crime rates and gun violence are higher, but they admitted there are some challenges over the holidays because other officers are on breaks as well. Related Article: Toddler Dies in Heated Dispute Between Two Brothers Over a T-Shirt Professor Anamuah-Mensah, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), has supported the call for a review of basic and secondary education in Ghana with immediate well-thought-out measures to salvage it from collapse. He said many children were not literate and numerate at their levels owing to the failure to provide the right input and resources, including well-qualified teachers with the right pedagogy. So, if you are in class three, you have to read class three books but majority are reading class one books and a few are doing class two books, he observed. We said everybody should be computer literate but if you go to some Junior High Schools (JHS), there are no computers to do anything. So, what are you teaching? Are you helping them to obtain digital knowledge? he queried. Prof Anamuah-Mensah, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), blamed the situation on the lack of proper training for teachers on the new standard-based basic school curriculum. He said even though the structure and purpose of the new curriculum carried the potential to transform basic education, the situation would remain precarious if teachers were not properly trained on the same. What is being done needs to be directed in such a way that the teachers who are teaching are very comfortable and confident in teaching what they are teaching, they are using the right approaches and pedagogies to do it, they have the resources that they need to do it and they have the support of the ministry and parents in doing their work, he said. At the secondary education level, Prof Anamuah-Mensah observed that beyond the lack of resources was a fundamental problem of the structure which had led to many students failing in examinations. He averred that because JHS was part of basic school, the students tend to think as such and, therefore, struggled to cope in Senior High School. It is like a whole new atmosphere because the curriculum is different from what they were doing, the former Vice Chancellor stressed. He, therefore, called for a restructuring of secondary education to add JHS to SHS to realign the thinking of students. From Junior High School, they will know that they are not really part of the primary school; they have moved to a higher level in the Senior School. So JHS should have similar facilities like SHS. They should have teachers qualified to teach JHS and be able to even teach SHS, he said. Prof Anamuah-Mensah acknowledged efforts by Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister for Education, to introduce a similar system and expressed his support for same. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - The Tunisian Minister of Economy and Planning, Samir Said, on Monday announced the official start of negotiations between the authorities and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Tunis We will consider those who left their monies with us first before any other pilgrim, Hajj Board Chairman Some Muslim pilgrims have expressed disappointment towards the Hajj Board after they were abandoned at the Hajj village for hours. According to them, they were expected to travel to Mecca but the board has intentionally removed their names to the final list of travellers while their passports are also being held by the Hajj Board. Most of them, believed to be part of the 2019 batch who made payment before the ban of pilgrims, are demanding a refund from the board. Last month, the Hajj boards had promised to prioritise the 2019 batch but they are yet to be airlifted, despite proof of their documentation. They said they cannot find my passport; I am broken, I dont want to cry but its not easy. We were told those who paid in 2019 are going to be among the first passengers but that did not happen. The holiness of the whole issue, probably, the process is not as holy as the activity itself. Now, I am sitting here with no hope. This time, we are not going to leave the money with them, myjoyonline.com quoted one of the pilgrims. Chairman of the Hajj Board, Sheikh Ibrahim C. Quaye earlier said some pilgrims had paid monies to the board before the ban. Such people, he explained, were expected to make an additional payment of GH7000.00 to the previous amount of GH19, 500 they paid. He also added that those who made payments before the ban will be considered first before other pilgrims. After the ban on Hajj was lifted this year, quotas of all participating countries have been drastically reduced. Ghanas quota is 3,069 instead of the 2020 quota of 6,000 pilgrims, and so we will consider those who left their monies with us first before any other pilgrim, he said But that has not been the case as many who were part of the last batch have been left out after the ban was lifted for this year's pilgrimage. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Umaro Sissoco Embalo, Guinea-Bissau President has been unanimously elected Chairman of the Authority of Heads of States and Government of ECOWAS. He takes over from Ghana's President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who has served the community for two terms since 2020. Embalo will have to grapple with the difficult political and security situation that confronted his predecessor, as well the rising cost of food in the region occasioned by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The new Chairman will also have the challenge of mobilizing the bloc to restore constitutional rule to the trio of Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali, who are under military authorities. President Akufo-Addo hands over the position with the legacy of providing strong leadership that helped the region to manage the COVID-19 crisis. Another feather in his cap was his push to maintain democratic ideals in the region, and his avowed resistance to the overthrow of constitutionally elected governments. He is widely credited with rallying his counterparts to respect term limits of their tenures. President Akufo-Addo, who chaired his last meeting of the Authority, urged the bloc to adopt a coordinated approach to address the security concerns in the region. He also impressed on his counterparts to commit to the implementation of the regional action plan against terrorism to curtail the threat of terrorism. Our determination in this end must be stronger than ever and equally unshaken must be our resolve to maintain the stability of our region and of its member states, he said The President also urged member states to focus more on agriculture to enable the region to attain food sufficiency amidst the rising prices of food occasioned by the Russian war in Ukraine. He entreated member states to stay vigilant against the COVID-19 pandemic because "the threat is still around, " pointing out that the region cannot afford another hit of the pandemic when it is presently contending with serious and destabilizing political and security threats. The management of this pandemic illustrates our organizations ability to unite our energies to face a significant common threat. However, we must continue to remain vigilant as COVID-19 is still around, he said. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Senyo Hosi, will step down at the end of July 2022. Mr Hosi, the founding CEO of the Chamber, is leaving office after 10 years of service. Under his leadership, the Chamber became recognized as one of the power houses for industry-based research and policy advocacy in Ghana. Through his efforts, and with support from the secretariat, the Chamber gained influence and showed innovation and leadership in the petroleum downstream sector. Mr. Hosi is credited for being the catalyst for key policy decisions including the petroleum price deregulation that saved the Ghanaian economy 500 million US Dollars every year in unbudgeted subsidies as well as the low Sulphur policy that introduced cleaner fuels by adopting low Sulphur petroleum standards (from 3000ppm to 50ppm). He developed the conceptual framework for the adoption of the Energy Sector Levies Act (ESLA) and the structuring and ring-fencing of the proceeds from the levies as collateral for Ghanas first energy bonds to address the energy sectors debt of about 2.5bn US Dollars. This contribution to the industry provided a remarkable turnaround for the dwindling economic fortunes of a hitherto heavily indebted energy sector. Mr. Hosi has been integral to practically all the major policy and regulatory interventions in the downstream sector. His intellect, experience and knack for innovation led to his appointment as ministerial adviser under both the Mahama (NDC) and Akufo-Addo (NPP) administrations. It has been a decade of service working with you all to defend and promote the sustainable good of our industry for the good of Mother Ghana Mr. Hosi said in his final address at CBODs Annual General Meeting. One thing has been clear: the aggregation of collective purpose is more beneficial than individual effort. I am extremely grateful to all Members and Staff of the Chambers Secretariat for the enormous support and co-operation that I have enjoyed all these years. The chairman of the board of CBOD, Ivy Apea Owusu, commended Mr. Hosi for his decade-long service to the Chamber. We cannot thank Senyo enough for his stellar advocacy on behalf of all our members, she says. Hes been an exemplary leader at the secretariat, hes contributed his intellect and passion towards the resolution of some of the many challenges we face in the petroleum downstream sector and with that we cannot over-emphasize his influence on the Ghanaian economy as a whole. We wish we could keep him forever but that is impossible. And so, for now, we wish him the very best in all his future endeavours. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Sigma Ghana, a multinational company with 24 years of experience and 4 ISO certifications, has opened a new showroom in Asafo, Kumasi. The new showroom opening forms part of Sigmas localization agenda to give customers access to a wide range of quality gas cylinders and household appliances that the company produces. Sigmas product portfolio comprises gas cylinders and accessories, irons, ACs, ovens, stoves, kettles and other household items that follow rigorous internal and world-standard quality assurance processes. In his opening remarks, Sigmas CEO, Mr Jad Jaber said; We are disrupting the existing supply chain model for the end-users by providing more efficient solutions reflected in our competitive prices, exceptional lead time to delivery, availability, after sales services, quality control, and cylinder and appliance safety. At Sigma, localization is at the core of our business model, resulting in social, economic, environmental and health impacts, he added. General Manager for Sigma Ghana, Mr Carlo Zeitounian, also stated that the newly opened showroom will serve a dual purpose; point of sale and showroom, while offering a wide range of ACs, appliances, cookers, cylinders, stoves, among other appliances designed with the end user in mind. He mentioned that the production of all products in the Sigma portfolio follow strict standards and guidelines set by international and local certifying bodies, starting with the controls upon receipt of the raw material to the production and delivery of quality products. The location was noted to be strategic to serve customers in the northern sector of the country with an existing showroom at the North Industrial Area in Accra to serve the southern sector. Attendees at the opening were given a tour of the showroom, tips on how to properly use their appliances, and safety tips on the handling and usage of LPG in their homes. Sigma Ghana since 1998 has provided professional assistance and a huge variety of options from top-quality LPG Cylinders, Air Conditions, and home appliances such as Gas Cookers and Stove, Irons, Electric Mixers, Freezers and more, at competitive prices. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghana Libyan-Arab Holding Company (GLAHCO) has taken notice of circulation in the media alleging that a Lebanese company has purchased the whole franchise of the Golden Tulip Hotels in Accra and Kumasi owned by a joint venture between the government of Ghana and Libya. GLAHCO wishes to inform the general public that, Golden Tulip Hotels have not been sold, therefore the said allegation/assertion is false. First of all, Golden Tulip Hotels is a joint venture between the Libyan Government and the Ghana Government with the Government of Ghana holding a minority stake of 40% and the 60% majority stake held by the Libyan Government. The Golden Tulip brand was operated under a Management Contract with Louvre Hotels Group (LHG) of France. The company gave indications of non-renewal of the agreement at the end of December 2021 citing recent changes in regulatory guidelines in their country of residence. The Board of Directors as part of their mandate to make decisions on the strategic direction of the company began the process of evaluating options for replacement of the Management contract with a more improved terms of engagement that offers a better return on investment in the Hotels and consequently increase value to its shareholders. Through this review process the leasing option was selected and in line with general procurement processes, companies were invited to present proposals for lease of the Golden Tulip Hotels. Four companies from four different countries namely Ghana, Tunisia, Nigeria and Lebanon expressed interest and sent through their proposals for consideration by the Board. After several months of deliberation, the Board settled on Achour Holdings, operators of Grand Lancaster chain of hotels and subsequently secured the signing of a lease agreement with the company on May 18, 2022 pending fulfilment of pre-operating conditions. The terms of the lease agreement included but not limited to the following; A primary lease term of 12 years AND NOT A SALE as alleged by the said publication. The effective date for the commencement of lease operations of July 1. 2022. The company was also required to construct a modern conference facility of 1,000 square meters for Golden Tulip Accra. It must be said that a state-of-the-art conference facility for the hotel has been one key investment needed for the hotel to improve its revenues and compete favourable on a market that has seen the entry of very reputable brands over the years. The conclusion and signing of the lease agreement meant a re-branding of the Golden Tulip Hotels to Lancaster Hotels effective from the lease start date. Consequently, the names of the hotels were changed to Lancaster Accra and Lancaster Kumasi City. Achour Holdings runs 5-star hotel in a number of countries and intend to raise the status of Lancaster Hotels in Accra and Kumasi (formerly Golden Tulip) to that level. In the Interest of Ghana and its citizens, GLAHCO as part of the agreement with Achour Holdings ensured that every employee of Lancaster Hotel is protected and will not lose their jobs and livelihood. GLAHCO therefore calls on the general public to disregard allegations of sale of government shares in Lancaster Hotels. GLAHCO reiterates its unflinching commitment to managing the affairs of Lancaster Hotels in a transparent and judicious manner. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo joined mourners at the Christ Presbyterian Church at Akropong to bid farewell to the late Mrs Emily Akuffo, former First Lady of Ghana. The President was accompanied by Mrs Frema Osei Opare, Chief of Staff; Mr Seth Acheampong, the Eastern Regional Minister and other Ministers of State and Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, Chief of Defence Staff. Former President Dramani Mahama, leading members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC); Mrs Bola Obasanjo, former First Lady of Nigeria who represented her husband former President Olusegun Obasanjo, were among the high profiled dignitaries who attended the funeral to bid farewell to the widow of his late friend and former Head of State General FWK Akuffo. The late former First Lady, a teacher by profession, who became First Lady from July 1, 1978, to June 4, 1979, was born in 1934. After the death of her husband, she spent the ensuing years at Akropong, her hometown. Reverend George O Kwapong, former Akuapem Presbytery Chairman of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana in a sermon reminded all to pay attention to some three facts of death to guide them in life. Death is blind, death is deaf and death is bulky. When death appears no one can lift it because it is heavy and cant be done away with, he said. Rev. Kwapong, therefore admonished all to always make the right decision no matter their status, political affiliation and religious background to stay in the right path. Tributes penned down by President Akufo-Addo and former President Olusegun Obasanjo described her as a woman of virtue who stood firmly behind her husband and, "became a father and mother in one for their children after the painful demise of her husband." In a tribute, the four children of the former lady praised their mother for being their strength and pillar when they lost their father some 43 years ago. The casket containing the mortal remains of the late former first lady was draped with the national colours red, yellow and green. She was interred at a private destination. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Director of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) at the University of Ghana, Prof. Peter Quartey says the government will still have to continue the collection of the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy) despite the move to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout. Prof. Quartey however, added that the government must also initiate moves to have the charges on the levy reduced. The IMF work together with governments. Initially, the policies and everything were just handed over from Washington to the respective countries, this has changed now. You have to develop your own policies and engage with the IMF and they will tell you which ones to take out, which ones to add and then you come to a consensus, based on that they will say, we will fund your programme. That is done through balance of payment support. It may take time, in the case of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka announced they were going to the IMF and today, they havent finished the process, he told TV3. The ISSER Director also warned Ghanaians against immediate expectations from the bailout adding that the process and engagements with the Fund have to take some time. Meanwhile, former President John Mahama in a Facebook post on July 2, 2022 has urged President Akufo-Addo to remove Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia as chair of the Economic Managment team as Ghana goes to the IMF for a bailout program. Mr. Mahama also says Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has lost credibility and should not be part of the team to negotiate with the IMF on behalf of Ghana. In a statement following governments decision to seek a bailout from the IMF, Mr. Mahama said Ghana should present a home-grown solution to the IMF. I welcome President Akufo-Addos decision to formally engage the IMF with the view to entering into a programme under the Fund. Though belated, it should mark an important step towards addressing the dire economic situation, which has left Ghanaians wallowing under intense suffering and hardships. Beyond the announcement of engagement with the IMF, a comprehensive home-grown programme should be fashioned out and presented to the Fund for support. It is imperative that a team of skilled and competent negotiators is put together to obtain the best set of measures with the Fund, Mr Mahama said. He added: The Finance Minister who has supervised the disastrous collapse of the economy cannot and should not be part of the team of negotiators. He has lost credibility and the trust and confidence of stakeholders in our economy. President Akufo-Addo must take a bold decision to replace his finance minister immediately with a more assured and competent person who is willing and able to work tirelessly to turn our almost hopeless situation around. In addition, given his obvious failures, the Vice President must be relieved of his responsibility as Chair of the Economic Management Team to enable the President to reconstitute the team. We must draw useful lessons from this episode and avoid cheap politicking with the economy; that can only yield the disastrous outcomes that have brought us here. Source: starrfm Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Kwabena Nyamekye, has said what the nation needs are not leaders and churches but righteousness exhibited by the citizenry through faith. He noted that although there were many churches and leaders in the country, righteous living was still an issue. The Chairman added that the change the country sought for from its leaders could only materialise through righteous living and building a righteous brand. Leadership not showmanship Apostle Nyamekye was speaking at a thanksgiving service held for the new leadership of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), led by its President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, in Accra. The Apostle said leadership was not about showmanship and accessing power to lord it over subordinates but rather a huge responsibility that hinged on righteousness. What we need as a nation are not more leaders and churches. Churches dont change nations; the only thing that brings change to a nation is righteousness, he said, and quoted Proverbs 14:34: Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. The service at the Church of Pentecost, Alajo Central Assembly, was attended by some of the elected members of the national executive of the GJA and other personalities. The GJA President was joined by the General Secretary, Kofi Yeboah; the Treasurer, Audrey Dakalu; the Organiser, Dominic Hlordzi, and the Greater Accra Chairman of the association, Charles Benoni Okine. The personalities included the Editor, Graphic, Kobby Asmah; the Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office, Commissioner of Police (COP) Maame Tiwaa Addo-Danquah; the President of the African Chamber of Mines, Kwame Addo Kufuor; the Chief of Alajo, Nii Armah Ajoor II, and the families and friends of the members of the GJA executive. Exemplary Apostle Nyamekye admonished all leaders to live exemplary lives that pleased God. He added that their main focus as leaders should be the ability to solve problems, answer needed questions and meet the needs of their followers. There is nothing private about a leader; everything a leader does is in the open and so a leader must strive to live a life that pleases God. A leader solves problems, meets the needs of the people and has the ability to respond to the needs of his people, he said. He specifically advised Mr Dwumfour to be truthful and allow God to use him to be the light in journalism and bring about the difference the profession needed. The Head Pastor of the Church of Pentecost, Burma Camp Worship Centre, Apostle Lt Col Kumi Wood, also urged the GJA executive to live lives of legacy and carry the presence of God wherever they found themselves. Once you identify as a Christian, your mission is to let God reign wherever you are, and if, indeed, journalism is the Fourth Estate of the Realm, may we do good and impactful journalism, so that from that angle we can build a strong nation, he added. New media Mr Dwumfour thanked God and all who supported him and promised a new media and Fourth Estate that was ready to play its role in the affairs of the state. He pledged to be committed to the cause of the association and use his Christian principles to chart a path for the GJA. He urged all journalists to come together to perform their gatekeeping role in the countrys democracy. We are charting a new path. In the next three months, I will unveil a policy document that will lay stress on the policies I have mentioned earlier, with their timelines. I believe with a united front, we can go places, he added. For the third time since his victory speech and inaugural address, Mr Dwumfour called on those with whom he contested the GJA Presidency to come on board for them to work together to build the new media they all anticipated. Advice When reached for her thought after the service, COP Addo-Danquah urged journalists to rally behind the new executive to help build the country. "I urge all journalists to rally behind Mr Dwumfour, put the past behind them because when they move on, the country will move on; when they work well, the country will also work well. I urge all journalists to support him to achieve whatever he has set himself to achieve with the position," she said. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National Hajj Board has said Muslim pilgrims who could not be airlifted to Saudi Arabia for the 2022 hajj will be refunded. This comes after some Muslim pilgrims expressed disappointment towards the Hajj Board after they were abandoned at the Hajj village for hours. According to them, they were expected to travel to Mecca but the board has intentionally removed their names to the final list of travellers while their passports are also being held by the Hajj Board. Addressing the matter, the Communications Director for the Hajj Board, Abdul Rahman Gomda said, some individuals could not be airlifted because of the limited quota by the Saudi authorities. He said every country is given a quota. Two years ago we had 6,000 pilgrims who were scheduled to travel. Unfortunately, COVID came. We thought it was going to be possible, but that was not possible. The Saudi authorities have a special ministry for Hajj, and they decided that Ghana should be given a quota of 3,069. Under the circumstances, not everybody will be able to go, and as a result of which you are seeing these agitations and discontentment, citinewsroom.com quoted Abdul Rahman Gomda. He said the board is working to ensure that the disappointed pilgrims get back their monies in due time. They will have their monies back. Nobody will take their monies and spend it, he concluded. 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 Church attendance and the giving of offering in the church is said to be dwindling fast due to the economic challenges facing the country. A few churches the Ghana News Agency (GNA) engaged said many members had abandoned church after the ban was lifted for in-person church activities with low offerings posing huge financial challenges to the churches. The Ghana News Agency on Sunday visited the St. Charles Lwanga Catholic Church, Abeka, where it observed that the Church, which was often filled from the main auditorium to the top extension, recorded very low attendance. The GNA also gathered that offertory had reduced to about five percent, a situation that made the Church initiate the societal offertory giving program. This encourages each society from the music ministry and choir to welfare and security enhancement societies to present their offertories to the priests in turns every Sunday. The main offering was collected pew by pew amidst dancing and singing. Checks by the GNA indicate that GHC1.00 dominated the offertory collected. The Church had also devised the trophy giving way of encouraging members to give off their best to the development of the church through the Day Born offering initiative. By this, the congregation born on each of the days within the week joined the queue and danced to give offerings and the most generous group won the trophy. The GNA also noticed that many of the women had put on already-made hair wigs, with a few having braids and others cutting their hair. In an interaction with Esinam Agboli, a member of the congregation, she said: Now we barely buy African print and fabrics to sew because that is too expensive. You buy the print; go to see a fashion designer or seamstress and they have even increased their charges now. Before you realize it, you would have spent at least 150 to 200 Cedis on one dress. So now I only buy the China or Togo-made dresses when I have money and that only costs me about GHS70 or GHS80. Ms. Theresa Naadei Mensah, a single mother of two, said: For a long time now I havent been able to buy any dress for my children not to talk of myself. So the few close friends in the church that I have, I beg them to bring those dresses looking small on them now so I can share them with my children to wear. We are even struggling with what to eat so how can we think of changing our wardrobe? Mrs. Barbara Maame-Ama Quansah, another member of the congregation, said: In these challenging economic times, you cannot spend GHS200.00 to do your hair and take it off after a month or two because you will break down with money issues. I buy the already-made wig at GHS300.00 and I can wear it for years depending on how well I maintain it. So as for the wig, we will continue to wear it. Now the men even know we wear it and it becomes normal with them, she added. Mr. Benjamin Quartey Papafio, who complained of transportation to church on weekdays and Sundays said: I have a car but now I barely drive it to church because the fuel prices are insane and I have five children to cater for. So I often park it at home, and board public transport to church. For the part of Maxwell Clottey, he said he was not deterred from going to church and being seen not joining a queue to give an offering when he did not have money. The only problem is now they have increased the lorry fare from Nii Boi Town to Fadama and so days I dont have money to board a car, I stay at home because it's too far to walk, he added. The GNA observed that some members of the congregation used cars, while others used motorbikes and bicycles. Others also rode on the benevolence of car owners in the church to drop off at a point to continue in order to reduce the transportation fare back from church to the house. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here RABAT has officially been launched as the Capital of African Culture at a glittering ceremony at the citys Mohammed V Theatre. This was the official celebration of the February 2020 decision when the Committee of African Capitals of Culture officially announced the choice of Rabat as the Capital of African Culture for 2022-2023. A large concert highlighted the jam-packed program put together by the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. The befittingly glamorous opening ceremony, supported by the Organisations such as United Cities and Local Governments United of Africa, the wilaya of Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region, the prefecture of Rabat and the City Council of Rabat, was marked by the presence of several officials, ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Kingdom. Top Moroccan artists including Douzi, the largely popular Oum, African Vision troupe, the Andalusian music choir Al-Amarti, Amar Mansouri and the dance troupe Ashtah gave thrilling performances. In an opening speech delivered on his behalf, the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid welcomed the news of Rabat being named as the capital of African culture under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. It reflects the special interest that His Majesty grants to the African dimension of the Kingdom and the importance of strengthening relations between our country and our African brothers, he said. The Minister added that the celebration of Rabat as the capital of African culture is an opportunity to present to the world the bright face of the ancient African civilization, and to highlight the deep Afro-Moroccan ties. Bensaid it further shines the spotlight on the great development that the city of lights is experiencing as one of the major African and world capitals, with a global renaissance that combines the most beautiful aspects of originality, modernity and African cultural diversity. According to the Minister, the celebration of Rabat as the capital of African culture is also an opportunity to highlight the richness and diversity of African culture, with its tangible and intangible components, through a diverse cultural, artistic and heritage program that reflects the value of this great cultural event. For her part, the Mayor of Rabat, Ms. Asmae Rhlalou, said that the capital of the Kingdom will be, for a whole year, a cultural and artistic African destination, since the activities of this celebration will continue until May 2023, and will know the presentation of the best creations in various arts. Rhlalou added that the city of Rabat is rich with its diverse tangible and intangible cultural heritage, highlighting the role played by the pioneering royal project - Rabat, the capital of lights. This magnificent project which has provided the city with state-of-the-art infrastructure, is ready to host major international cultural events. United Cities and Local Governments of Africa President, Fatimou Abdel-Malik, said her organization is at the forefront of celebrating capitals of African culture. She said they further strive to make culture in African cities a vector to reconfirm the sense of belonging and self-respect. The United Cities and Local Governments of Africa President said they take pride in promoting African creativity and beauty, as well as integrating the artistic activities and creative industries on the international arena to positively influence the continent. Abdel-Malik stressed that the choice to make Rabat the first city to be celebrated as the capital of African culture, is a recognition by the leaders of the organization of the efforts made it has made, which combine authenticity and modernity with openness to the world. She described it as a showcase for all that is done in Africa in the field of creativity, culture and arts. The program of celebrations of Rabat as capital of African culture, includes the organisation of activities and events in the fields of literature, poetry, visual arts, music, theatre, cinema, street arts, dance, digital arts, fashion shows, photography, folk arts, storytelling, circus arts, in addition to forums and intellectual meetings, among others. The different activities will be organised in all the historical spaces, public squares and all the neighbourhoods of the city of Rabat, with the participation of cultural events representative of the civil society and an important participation by different national public institutions concerned with cultural affairs. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The AMERI Power Plant relocation from Takoradi to Kumasi contract agreement will be brought to Parliament for approval after Cabinet has given its endorsement, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Energy, has said. The Minister made this known on Friday on the floor of Parliament in his response to an urgent question from Dr Kwabena Donkor, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Pru East, who wanted to know from the Minister the total cost of relocation of the AMERI Plant from Takoradi to the Kumasi Area. Dr Opoku Prempeh said the total cost of relocation of the AMERI Power Plant was not yet known, because no contract had been signed yet, even though he could give a breakdown. "We are still negotiating at the level of Volta River Authority (VRA), the Minister said. He reiterated that the contract was an international one and that it would be brought to Parliament for approval before it was even signed off finally. "I can tell you on authority that what we can do now is to initial the contract as a general agreement and bring it through Cabinet before the House," the Minister said. He said when the contract agreement was brought to the House, a breakdown of the total cost would be provided. Mr Edward Abambire Bawa, MP for Bongo, said over the weekend the Parliamentary Committee for Energy, engaged the VRA and that they were informed that the cost of relocating the plant was $34 million, and that he wanted to know from the Minister if it were so. To this the Minister replied that he was happy that the MP said it was the VRA that gave him the information, declaring that "the truth of the matter is that it is VRA that is doing the negotiations and it is VRA that will sign the contract and the Ministry existed to supply the need." He said when the AMERI Power Plant gets to Kumasi, the VRA would have 40 personnel out of 42 maintaining and operating the plant. The Government of Ghana officially handed over the operations of the AMERI Power Plant to the VRA after a transfer of ownership by the AMERI Group, to Government on January 20. The 250-Megawatt (MW) Africa and Middle East Resource Investment (AMERI) Thermal Power Plant is expected to be transported to Kumasi this year to boost and stabilise the power system in the northern sector of Ghana. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Member of Parliament for North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa has asked government to scrap the controversial Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy) since it's going to the IMF. It may be recalled that part of the campaign to convince Ghanaians to pay the e-levy was that it will prevent us from going to the Fund. However, a tweet from Gabby Asare Otchere Darko suggested that the GHc 600m estimated has not been achieved. "What options are open to government? The question should rather be: what option, if adopted, will re-inject investor confidence in our economy? Even if we find the $3-5 billion required, will that help? E-levy which was to have given us some 600m by now has done less than 60m," he tweeted. Subsequently, on Friday, 2nd July, 2022 government announced its decision to go back to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support its economic programme. Reacting to this on his Facebook page, Okudjeto Ablakwa wrote: "You gave Ghanaians two options: E-Levy or IMF. Having opted for the IMF, any honest government will scrap the unconstitutional and repugnant E-Levy immediately". "Perhaps the only positive outcome of an IMF bailout is that they wouldnt allow President Akufo-Addo to obstinately continue with his insensitive, wasteful, oligarchic 20,000 an hour chartered luxury jet travels which have cost the suffering taxpayer over GHS34million in 13 months" he added. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister for Information, has disclosed the estimated amount of money that Ghana is seeking to receive from her IMF bailout. Despite the strong opposition against the government resorting to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the 17th time since Ghana went to the IMF in 2015, President Nana Akufo-Addo has directed the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to prepare for the international financial support. Although the President and his appointees had made it emphatically clear that nothing would make them consider an IMF facility and with many Ghanaians expressing their disappointment in the Akufo-Addo administration, the Information Minister says the decision is for the good of Ghana's economy. In a statement issued in Accra on Friday 1st July, 2022 and signed by the Minister, he said, "the engagement with the IMF will seek to provide a balance of payment support as part of a broader effort to quicken Ghana's build back in the face of challenges induced by the Covid-19 pandemic and recently, the Russia-Ukraine crises". How Much Will Ghana Get From IMF? Speaking in a one-on-one interview with host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo", Kojo Oppong Nkrumah revealed that the government anticipates to receive about 2 billion dollars from the IMF. He explained that Ghana currently needs over 3 billion dollars for her recovery programme, therefore the IMF bailout will better the economy. "Right now, Ghana needs close to about 3 to 3.5 billion dollars. Out of this money, we have already got about 1 billion dollars and laid before Parliament. We are looking forward to all the MPs coming together to approve it, now that we are gradually coming out from our hardships . . . currently, the hardship is intense but we have received 1 billion to put in our coffers and use it to meet some of our obligations. We're hoping that Parliament will approve that money without making it NPP/NDC politics. "[2] The IMF window could give us 1 to 2 billion, depending on what you get and add it to 1 billion that's already with us. [3] We have our own domestic measures that we are using to raise some monies. The E-Levy is a part of it, Property Rate and Tax Exemption Bill before Parliament meant to reduce our exemptions are also a part of it. If we do all these three things, we can get the 3 to 3.5 billion to shore up the Ghanaian economy," he elucidated. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video An Air Canada jet takes off from Trudeau Airport in Montreal, Thursday, June 30, 2022. Canadian airlines and airports claimed top spots in flight delays over the weekend, notching more than nearly any other around the world. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes Parks Canada's decision to hold a series of events dubbed learn-to-camp in the heart of Montreal faced backlashes after groups working with people without a home called it a "double standard." A police officer checks for people in a tent in Montreal, on Monday, December 7, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson The worrying spread of African swine fever (ASF) in Germany continues, with two more cases confirmed on pig farms, including one close to the Netherlands border. Around 280 pigs and 1,500 piglets on a farm in Emsland in Lower Saxony were due to be slaughtered on Sunday, the state farm ministry said, according to Reuters, after the virus was confirmed on the unit, which is just a few miles from the Dutch border. This was the first outbreak in domestic pigs in Lower Saxony, which is one of Germanys most important pig farming regions. Another outbreak has been confirmed in domestic pigs on a fattening unit with 1,300 pigs in the eastern state of Brandenburg, where ASF was first confirmed in wild boar in September 2020, close to the Polish border, Reuters reported. The virus had been detected in dead animals, according to the state authorities. The animals were due to be slaughtered and epidemiological investigations into the cause of the entry have been launched, according to German pig industry body ISN. This is not the first outbreak in domestic pigs in the state in July 2021, ASF was discovered in three smaller herds in the state, while the virus has also been confirmed in more than 2,500 wild boar in the state. These fresh outbreaks follow the discovery of ASF a farm in the south German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg close to the French border in May, while ASF has also been discovered in wild boar and domestic pigs in Italy. The cases deal a further blow to Germanys prospects of regaining its lost pork export markets, including into China. Get Our E-Newsletter - Pig World's best stories in your in-box twice a week See e-newsletter example Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy "DingeBrinker" Banks $84,615 From the PokerStars Titans Event July 04, 2022 Matthew Pitt Editor Estonian grinder "DingeBrinker" came out on top of a star-studded $5,200 Titans Event online at PokerStars this weekend, and helped themselves to an impressive $84,615. The Titans Event drew in 30 unique players, who purchased 11 re-entries between them, and created a $205,000 prize pool. The compact field meant only the top four finishers won a share of that pot, resulting in many elite players busting empty-handed. $5,200 Titans Event Final Table Results Place Player Country Prize 1 DingeBrinker Estonia $84,615 2 zerodada Finland $56,762 3 Niklas "Lena900" Astedt Sweden $38,077 4 Pedro "pvigar" Garagnani Brazil $25,543 5 hello_totti Mexico 6 Lucio "WizardOffAz" Lima Brazil 7 ArtHouse2011 Ireland 8 Ben "jenbizzle" Jones United Kingdom 9 FUWI United Kingdom The likes of Andras "probirs" Nemeth, Simon "C. Darwin2" Mattsson, Jonathan "Proudflop" Proudfoot, Dominik "Bounatirou" Nitsche, and Pablo "pabritz" Brito Silva all bowed out before the final table. Steve "Mr. Tim Caum" O'Dwyer, who recently won the partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Europe Main Event, popped the final table bubble when he dusted off his stack in tenth place. Two British players were the first casualties of the final table. "FUWI" busted after getting their stack in with a pair of jacks, which were an overpair to the seven-high board, only to run into the flopped set of deuces in Pedro "pvigar" Garagnani. "FUWI"'s fellow Brit, Ben "jenbizzle" Jones then bluffed off his stack in a battle of the blinds with Finland's "zerodada." Jones opened from the small blind with jack-ten, and "zerodada" called with seven-five of spades. The flop fell deuce-five-six with two spades, and both players checked. The king of hearts landed on the turn, and Jones tested the waters with a third-pot-sized bet. The river was the queen of spade, and Jones made another third-pot-sized bet, which "zerodada" raised. Jones responded by jamming all-in for 35 big blinds in total, and "zerodada" called with their baby flush. Ireland's "Arthouse2011" was the next player leaving the Titans Event with nothing to show for their efforts. They were left with only six big blinds when Garagnani's sevens held against their king-queen. "Arthouse2011" was down to 3.6 big blinds when they found suited ace-king and moved all in. "DingeBrinker" called in the small blind with suited nine-eight. A nine on the flop and another on the turn sent the Irish grinder packing. The money bubble inched closer with the elimination of Lucio "WizardOffAz" Lima, who min-raised with suited ace-jack before calling off his last 23.5 big blinds when Niklas "Lena900" Astedt jammed from the small blind with pocket fives. Astedt won the race. "hello_totti" said goodbye in fifth place and burst the money bubble in the process. Garagnani opened to six-times the big blind, leaving himself less than five big blinds behind. "zerodada" flat-called only for "hello_totti" to squeeze all-in for 9.6 big blinds in total. Garagnani tank-folded his pocket tens, but "zerodada" called with pocket queens to discover they were flipping against ace-king. "hello_totti" flopped a king but "zerodada" flopped a set before turning quads. Garagnani crashed out a couple of hands later after jamming four big blinds from the button with king-trey and being called by "zerodada" with pocket treys. "zerodada" flopped a set, and Garagnani was gone with $25,543 in tow. Heads-up was reached when Astedt bowed out after a clash with "zerodada" left him with less than half of a big blind. That nano-stack went into the middle with nine-six, which lost to the jack-five of "zerodada." Astedt banked $38,077 for this latest final table finish. The heads-up duo battled for more than 30-minutes before something finally gave. "DingeBrinker" raised to 2.3 big blinds with king-seven of diamonds, and called when "zerodada" three-bet to eight big blinds with pocket jacks. A seven-high flop saw "zerodada" lead for around 70% of the pot, leaving themselves a shade under 34 big blinds behind. "DingeBrinker" went into the tank and emerged with an all-in bet that covered their opponent's stack. "zerodada" quickly called only for the turn to come a king. The river bricked, busting "zerodada" in second place for $56,762, leaving "DingeBrinker" to collect the $84,615 top prize. Other PokerStars Results "BoostedAAnimal" walked away with a near $40,000 score after they took down the $530 Bounty Builder HR, while both "TheRealAdiG" and "21Garold21" netted prizes in excess of $20,000. BoostedAAnimal first-place in the $530 Bounty Builder HR for $38,780* TheRealAdiG first-place in the $1,050 Sunday HR for $20,978* 21Garold21 first-place in the $109 Sunday Cooldown for $20,729* Genyss13 first-place in the $109 NLHE Sunday Warm-Up SE for $17,052 dfranco13 first-place in the $109 Bounty Builder for $15,535* foxjoke first-place in the $215 Sunday Supersonic for $13,425 Sintoras first-place in the $1,050 Sunday Supersonic for $11,849 ourstheglory first-place in the $215 Bounty Builder for $8,246* Boris "b.a. angelov" Angelov first-place in the $109 Sunday Kickoff for $5,804 *includes bounty payments Aiken, SC (29801) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. High near 90F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 73F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Moncks Corner, SC (29461) Today Scattered thunderstorms, especially during the morning. High around 90F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy skies. Low 73F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Michelle Vesey grew up soaking in her family lore about a courageous ancestor who had tried to lead a slave insurrection in Charleston and was hanged for it. She also learned it was up to them to preserve the story of Denmark Vesey. Her grandparents passed down details about how White officials had tried to erase his legacy while many Black families were afraid to speak of it. Michelle Vesey, now 60 and living in Detroit, cherished the stories. The family tradition said that a young Denmark was sold to a ship captain, worked as his cabin boy and became a skilled navigator. When the captain settled in Charleston, Denmark became a carpenter. He eventually bought his freedom. But the people who enslaved his wife and children would not allow him to purchase their freedom, even though he had the money to do so. That is what fueled his rage and inspired him to start the plan for the uprising, Michelle Vesey said. The rage just grew. The family story describes what happened next: Denmark had joined a White church, but after a falling out with the pastor, he left to help establish the African Church. He also began organizing the insurrection. After its discovery in 1822, he was hanged, drawn and quartered, then buried. His gravestone was moved so nobody could find it and make him a martyr. His home address was even moved in city records to another area of town, the family story said. Any Black person who even used Veseys name was assumed to be a co-conspirator and could face hanging. Thats why it became taboo, she said. Michelle Vesey descends from Denmarks son, Robert, who was not charged with involvement in the plot. After emancipation, he designed the first building that housed Emanuel AME Church. Another descendant, 42-year-old Melvina Smith, sees Denmark's image in the many carpenters and engineers in her family. She also sees it in their Christian faith. She said that her great-grandmother founded the Spiritual Israel Church. According to the official records of the conspirators' 1822 trials, at least one man described Denmark teaching the Old Testament story of Exodus, which tells of enslaved Israelites escaping bondage in Egypt. "He felt compelled to speak from the word of God," Smith said. "I see where he got that sense of the anger. How can you not see that God himself doesn't condone enslavement of people? But it was radical for those times." Most of the Vesey descendants they know of are concentrated in Michigan, although at least one cousin lives in Charleston. Smith said her great-grandfather, Melvin Vesey Sr., migrated as a child from Oklahoma to Michigan, likely in the 1930s. His family had hailed from Texas. The Vesey family's elders, now in their 80s and 90s, hope the next generations to preserve the story, as they have. Smith is committed to that. I want my children going forward to know the history. Its a proud story. Given such a personal connection to the region's slave history, Michelle Vesey said that she has only traveled to the Deep South a few times. The last was in 2016 when she and a busload of Vesey family came to see the new monument to Denmark in Hampton Park. We felt so proud, beaming with historic reformation, Michelle Vesey said. It was an acknowledgment for us as a family. Yet, coming to Charleston also was painful. Everywhere she went in the city, she felt her ancestors' oppression. It was surreal to walk around and be in the same places, she said. I could feel their pain amongst the beautiful sites of splendor I was seeing. Before the bus even returned home to Michigan, she heard that someone vandalized the monument. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. High around 90F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. A few clouds. Low 76F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Partisan issues seem set to dominate South Carolina's superintendent race going into the general election in November. Ellen Weaver, head of the conservative think tank Palmetto Promise Institute, secured the Republican superintendent nomination in the primary runoff on June 28. Over the past couple weeks, she said she would fight against "woke indoctrination" and rallied against critical race theory in schools. She called Kathy Maness, her opponent in the Republican primary runoff, a "liberal education union leader." Maness is head of the Palmetto State Teachers Association which isnt a union. Masking and vaccines, LGBTQ+ issues and school choice have sparked heated debates among Republican candidates across the country. Critical race theory in particular has become a lightning rod in recent elections nationwide. The academic framework analyzes how racism is ingrained in American policies and institutions; it isnt typically taught in K-12 schools. Weaver is a part of a newer generation of candidates making education more political and heated, said Gibbs Knotts, a political science professor at the College of Charleston. These candidates focus less on academic achievement or school funding, or what Knotts calls the dollars and cents of education. The only way that I can think to describe it is cultural wars being fought out in educational settings what's being taught in classes and what role prayer in school has in classes and what type of support there is for vouchers and, ultimately, public education, Knotts said. For instance, in a June 18 interview with Corey Allen, a podcaster based in Charleston who was present at the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Weaver spoke on gender ideology, COVID-19 lockdowns and political agendas in classrooms. Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal nationwide, Knotts estimates the topic will mobilize voters to the polls in November. But, he added, if Virginia is the guide, then education will probably play a close second to abortion. He doesnt expect Weaver to shift to a more moderate position in the general election. Weaver and her campaign manager Ryan Gillespie did not respond to questions for this story. Weaver secured the Republican nomination during a June 28 runoff against Maness, who bowed out of the race after Weaver received about 64 percent of the vote during the runoff. This was a reversal from the June 14 primary when Maness was frontrunner. "The voters spoke loud and clear to put parents in charge, support teachers by restoring discipline and prepare our students with the skills they need to succeed, Weaver said after her win. In the general election, she is going up against Democratic candidate Lisa Ellis, who recently stepped down as head of the teachers' advocacy organization SC for Ed, and Green Party candidate Patricia Mickel. After the results from the runoff came in, Ellis published a press release in which she emphasized her experience leading the advocacy group and her two decades working as a teacher. Without directly naming Weaver, she attacked her opponents plan as one in which public funds will be ripped away from public schools. Sign up for our Education Lab newsletter. Email Sign Up! My vision is of a public school system with equal opportunities for students in every corner of the state, and in which the best teachers are inspired to start and stay in our school districts, Ellis said. Weaver, who serves on the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee, the states education watchdog agency, has long been an advocate for using tax dollars to help parents pay for private tuition and public school choice options, such as charter schools and open enrollment. She also wants to give parents tax credits for homeschooling expenses. Among Weavers donors are a number of school choice advocates in South Carolina and beyond. John Kirtley, a venture capitalist who leads a school voucher program in Florida, and Justin Owen, head of the libertarian research organization Beacon Center of Tennessee and another advocate for school vouchers, both contributed to her campaign. Ben Navarro, founder of the Meeting Street Schools in South Carolina, also donated thousands of dollars to Weavers superintendent bid. Several GOP figures have rallied behind Weaver, including former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, who Weaver worked for many years, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott and state Rep. Russell Fry. Even with all this support, Weaver faces another issue: she does not currently hold a masters degree. State law requires one for the position of state superintendent. She's said she will have earned a masters from her undergraduate alma mater Bob Jones University by the November election. From the questions surrounding Weavers degree to the focus on nationalized issues, education experts Sherry East, head of the South Carolina Education Association, and Patrick Kelly, director of government affairs for the Palmetto State Teachers Association, which Maness leads, both expressed concerns about the state of the superintendents race. I'm really concerned that in an education election, we had a lot of money spent by a lot of individuals that could not point out Allendale or Dillon on a map if you gave them 10 tries, Kelly said, referring to out-of-state contributions. He added he was surprised that student mental health did not appear more often during debates ahead of the primary and runoff considering Gov. Henry McMaster declared it a crisis earlier this year. With South Carolina a Republican stronghold, the other superintendent candidates will face an uphill battle in the race to the general election in November. Other contests, such as the governors, will likely attract more attention, Kelly said. At the end of the day, straight-ticket voting is powerful, he said. Both Kelly and East pointed to voter turnout as key. The runoff hinged on who could draw out the most voters, and so will the November election. 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 MONCKS CORNER Lowcountry conservation groups have protected 600 more acres of mature bottomland hardwood forests and historic inland rice fields along the Cooper River. They plan to make a preserve out of the area with public access options for outdoor recreation, nature studies and research. Open Space Institute purchased 600 acres of the space at Lewisfield Plantation in 2018 for $3.64 million from the heirs of the late state Sen. Rembert Dennis. The Lowcountry Land Trust holds the conservation easement for the property so that it is permanently protected. The Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust now owns the site and will operate it moving forward. Ashley Demosthenes, president and CEO of the Lowcountry Land Trust, said the property is important for both Moncks Corner and Berkeley County. Lewisfield Plantation sits off U.S. Highway 52 near Moncks Corner, an area that is experiencing consistent growth. The conservation easement will save it from ever being developed. "It's wonderful to see that it's finally protected," Demosthenes said. Safeguarding the space has been a long-standing priority for the Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust, Director Chris Vaughn said. In a media release June 15, he said the effort would not have been possible without support from the owners, the partnering conservation groups and the S.C. Department of Transportation. Open Space Institute first purchased the property to mitigate unavoidable impacts from the DOT's Berlin G. Myers Parkway extension project in Dorchester County. To fix the traffic in that part of Summerville, crews had to impact nearby wetlands. Federal law requires building projects to avoid harming wetlands. If that's not possible, developers must pay to create more wetlands in the same watershed where the old ones were destroyed. "And so rather than purchase mitigation credits from a bank, DOT elected to help the conservation community acquire and protect this property," Vaughn said. The Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust is developing a plan for managed access to the space because they don't have a full park staff to work the area. He said people will be able to do nature walks, history tours and hikes on select days of the week. At certain times, staff may be able to make the space available for full access. None of that is set in stone. The preserve is one of the last undeveloped pieces of plantation acreage on the upper Cooper River. It is home to forests and wetlands that provide breeding and roosting grounds for birds including the threatened wood stork and northern long-eared bat. The environmental landscape of the plantation is impressive but the history of the land is just as valuable. It was the site of the Battle of Lewisfield during the Revolutionary War. Previous reports indicate British warships docked there, and Patriot Gen. Wade Hampton fought a skirmish on the land. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. GREENVILLE The colors are cheery and bright in the Jasmine Kitchen cafe, coded with splashes of yellow and green. Artfully rendered images depict signature dishes, and signs direct patrons where to order and pick up. The cafe logo follows the color palette, the phrase "seasoned with love" discretely sprinkled in. Beyond the menu of vegan Green Goddess hoagie wrap and the watermelon gazpacho, you might not know the greater mission behind it all that is, until you look up above the glass lunch counter and read the cursive phrase looming large. "Everyone deserves the opportunity to flourish." Here in this lunch spot tucked unassumingly on Augusta Street downtown in a renovated century-old home, the fulfillment of that motto is self-evident for the women who work there. They're a mix of professional chefs, employees hired from outside and those who most need the space to flourish: the victims of sex trafficking, prostitution and addiction. The kitchen, headed by professional chef Tina Hogue, is an offshoot of Jasmine Road, a two-year residential recovery program that executive director Beth Messick said is the first of its kind in South Carolina. The program, founded in Greenville in 2018 in a partnership between Christ Church, Triune Mercy Center and Bon Secours St. Francis, began with one house and five women. The idea is to give vulnerable women a place that extends beyond transitional housing and provides a stable place to live, heal through therapy, learn job skills and be prepared to enter a world they often have never trusted. The typical relapse doesn't involve drugs but rather a dysfunctional relationship that "snaps them back into the darkness," Messick said. Its usually one foot in, one foot out," she said. "'Do I trust these people? Do I really believe theyre going to do what they say? What do they want from me?' Because theyre used to transactional relationships. The program has attracted 250 applicants, well beyond its capacity. Sign up for our Greenville daily update newsletter. Sign up for daily roundups of our top stories, news and culture from the Upstate. This newsletter is hand-curated by a member of our Greenville news staff. Email Sign Up! To that end, while only a small bite, the program has recently expanded with the opening of a second house that will make room for eight more women. The finishing touches are being put on the renovation of two studio apartments that will house graduates who need to stay longer. Now the kitchen must expand, too. The need in our community is huge," Messick said. "Most of those are local ladies looking for a safe place to go. What it means in opening the second home is an expansion of Jasmine Kitchen. The cafe, across from the old Claussen Bakery building next to Greenville High School, recently freed up more space with Grace Church's $16 million purchase of former Greenville Technical College dorms it plans to transform into 121 affordable rentals. The "social enterprise" initiative of Jasmine Kitchen includes handmade jewelry, apparel and candles. The kitchen secured more efficient candle-making equipment, but operating from the basement, the ceiling was too low. The candle operation has moved to two former Greenville Tech dorms. The expansion is part of a soon-to-come capital campaign. Messick said the program hopes over the next three to five years to build a new space to accommodate expanded operations to include a bakery and a commissary kitchen for a larger catering business. The kitchen is in full stride after a challenging start. It opened in February 2020, just before the onset of the coronavirus shutdowns. After limited availability, it fully opened in January 2021. The money made is invested back into the program. The investment in the women goes beyond personal development and trickles into the local economy. The women learn culinary skills either at the Project Host soup kitchen or through Greenville Tech's culinary school. With the help of free health care provided by Bon Secours among other partners, the women get training in a "forgiving environment" as some can have lengthy petty criminal records, Jasmine Road operations director Tory Nicolay said. Here we can provide that beginning employment, where there are a lot of companies that wouldnt even consider them, Nicolay said. The kitchen program partners with local restaurants such as downtown's Passerelle Bistro to provide jobs and is looking to connect with more potential employers. Jasmine Kitchen is open for lunch Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 89F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 73F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. GOOSE CREEK Navy veteran Michael Goad kept count: He respectfully disposed of nearly 200 aged, torn and faded American flags on a June weekend. Each had been donated, turned over by their owners who wanted their destruction done the right way. Goad, who served 29 years in the service, is the current post commander of the Goose Creek VFW on Stephanie Drive. The chosen method is by fire set in a 55-gallon drum. "The procedure is rather simple, really," he said. "Every quarter we always try to have public flag disposal ceremonies. We welcome everyone to come and participate and get involved with your local veterans groups and see how the process works." The process begins where all of the veterans get into their honored military dress uniform. "The leader of the Post will say a few things about the history of Old Glory," Goad said. "Everyone that attended will engage in the Pledge of Allegiance, and afterwards people come and grab the properly folded flags, and place into the lit up barrel for it to burn to ashes and rest." The groups then render a hand salute. The Goose Creek VFW isn't the only outlet offering the service. Other veteran organizations do the same. "It is one of most sacred ceremonies in America's tradition," said Navy veteran Orval Mills, commander of the American Legion Post in Goose Creek. Many local fire departments like being conduits to make the ceremonies happen, knowing their locations are easy drop-off points. "Everyone that gives their flags to us, we just take them to the local VFW," said James Richardson, assistant chief of the Charleston Fire Department. "We recommend everyone go to their VFW or American Legion chapter and let them take care of it so they can have a proper ceremony so the flags can be laid to rest with the respect they deserve," he added. At the Goose Creek VFW, Goad said that after the fire dies down and cools the veteran's groups will take the ashes to a local cemetery where there's a military section for local veterans who have passed on. They sprinkle the ashes around an American flag and proceed into a moment of silence. Goad said the VFW will accept anyone's flag that is presented. "The flag donations come from our community. People will bring them to the fire departments, police stations, and even Volvo (the plant in near Ridgeville) factory down the street will bring their Swedish flags," Goad said. The VFW has a large blue painted box at the front of the building, to receive flags, and so does the American Legion, he added. They will also accept other honored flags, such as branch of service flag "or any other flag of that nature," he said. Goose Creek, SC (29445) Today Mixed clouds and sun this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 91F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some passing clouds. Low near 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. OMBRE GA'CHONG With a little more than one month to go before the primary election, we are seeing more political signage going up, special interest groups sp Read more The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has entered a joint venture pact with Dutch energy and commodity trader Vitol to plough an initial $50 million into projects targeted at cutting back carbon emissions in Africas biggest crude producer. The duo is setting sights on projects of high integrity and huge impact and with potential for carbon avoidance and removals, according to a statement seen by PREMIUM TIMES. NSIA and Vitol are stepping up efforts to collaborate with domestic non-governmental organisations with experience of having completed similar projects that have had proven social impact and furthered the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. The initiative aims to garner voluntary market carbon capital from the partners and the third parties in a bid to support the drive towards a more equitable energy transition on the continent and provide sustainable climate solutions for all. NSIA is committed to playing a leading role in advancing climate solutions that help to lower Nigerias carbon emission as an integral part of ESG strategy, said NSIA CEO Uche Orji. READ ALSO: NSIA expects that its partnership with Vitol will be key to establishing and accelerating carbon reduction and avoidance in Nigeria by providing an enabling platform to trade carbon credits, while channelling investments in sustainable projects to deliver emissions reduction results. Carbon credit, a tradeable permit that enables the holder to emit a particular quantity of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases, is one of the latest financial products used by the global energy industry to fight climate change. Last week, Africas seventh biggest oil producer Gabon said it hopes to sell 90 million of the 187 million carbon credits it plans to create between now and the COP27 meeting scheduled for November in Cairo. That is worth $275 million in money terms. The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has cautioned his supporters against making uncouth comments when reacting to his critics. Mr Obi made the appeal on Sunday against the backdrop of constant debates between his supporters and others rooting for their preferred candidates on different social media platforms. From being an underdog, the former Anambra State Governor, has continuously been named among the top four presidential candidates ahead of the 2023 General Elections. The three other presidential candidates with similar support base on social media giants, Twitter and Facebook, include Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (PDP). PREMIUM TIMES can confirm instances where supporters of the top presidential contenders tackled one another on Twitter, thereby making top trends in the country weekly. Possibly with this in mind, Mr Obi in the post shared on his Twitter account, @PeterObi, urged his supporters to be tolerant of other peoples views, dissent and divergent opinions & possibly learn from them. He advised them to channel their energy to ways of selling his candidacy to his critics to attain the ultimate goals for the country. READ ALSO: Sokoto man says he got death threats for supporting Peter Obi While the frustration and anger in the country is understandable, we must strive to channel that energy positively in ways that will earn the support and collaboration of others. Even as our message continues to gain broad acceptance, there are some we still need to work to convince. In expressing ourselves, we should do so with grace so as not to precipitately shut doors to future collaborations on sustainable nation-building, he said. Mr Obis tweet garnered over 24,000 and 8,000 likes and retweets respectively after about two hours on Sunday. Gunmen have abducted two Catholic priests in Edo State, Nigerias South-south. This is coming barely a week after a Catholic priest, Christopher Odia, abducted by gunmen, was killed in the state. The two priests, Udo Peter of St. Patricks Catholic Church, Uromi, and Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Center, Ugboha in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State, were abducted on Saturday. The police spokesperson in Edo, Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday. Mr Nwabuzor said the priests were attacked and abducted along the Benin-Auchi Expressway He said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Abutu Yaro, has dispatched operatives to the area to carry out aggressive and well-coordinated manhunt for the kidnappers, and for the rescue of the priests. The slain Catholic priest in the state, Mr Odia, was the administrator of St. Michael Catholic Church, Ikabigbo, Etsako West Local Government Area, and also the principal of St. Philip Catholic Secondary School, Jattu, in the State. He was abducted at his rectory while coming out for mass on June 27 and was killed a few hours later. Gunmen had similarly killed another Catholic priest, Vitus Borogo, on his farm in Kaduna, Nigerias North-west. Abduction for ransom is now one of the dominant crimes across various Nigerian cities. Politicians, entrepreneurs, clerics, and just anyone with good financial worth, including school children, are easy targets. The Methodist Prelate, Samuel Kanu-Uche, and the Methodist Bishop of Owerri were recently abducted along Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway in Abia State. Members of the church reportedly paid N100 million ransom before the clerics were released. Peeved by an endless cycle of mass killings, kidnappings and the sacking of villages by bandits in Zamfara State, the governor, Bello Matawalle, has urged citizens to bear arms to defend themselves. This is ominous. It is an act of desperation, which stems from the loss of confidence in Nigerias security machinery. But as bad as the situation is, a resort to self-help is a recipe for anarchy in an environment where law and order have broken down. It is a wake-up call to President Muhammadu Buhari and his security chiefs to re-strategise and chart a new course that will restore normalcy, not just in the state, but in all parts of Nigeria. With carnage and lamentations becoming a daily ritual, the State government directed the States Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Elkana, to give gun licenses to 9,500 residents. It has already enforced a raft of measures to counter the activities of bandits. These include closure of markets in Mada, Wonaka and Ruwan Bore districts in Gusau Local Government Area and Yandote Emirates; banning the use of motorbikes and selling of fuel in these areas. Security personnel have been ordered to shoot on sight any suspected bandit. An Intelligence Centre has also been set up, while the committee on Prosecution of Banditry Related Offences has been reconstituted. These latter measures tick all the right boxes. Indeed, life for rural dwellers in the State has become Hobbesian: farmers are regularly killed, abducted and access to their farms blocked. Women are raped, children orphaned, shops are routinely looted, and poor villagers are levied up to N5 million ransom with deadlines to pay, or they face fatal consequences. The number of internally displaced persons has spiked in Zamfara State, with serious humanitarian challenges. In June, 40 traders returning from Sokoto were abducted. Rankled by governments abysmal failure in protecting lives and property, protesting residents in Tsafe Local Government Areas blocked the major highway leading to Gusau, the State capital, from Zaria, for five hours, in October 2021. In January, protesters in Shinkafi Local Government Area attacked the palace of the Emir and homes of public office holders for the same reason. No doubt, the governor means well in his seemingly populist drive to provide security, but it will not materialise with Police Commissioner Elkanas rebuff that, I have not received any directives, and also, there is a ban on firearms licence, and we dont give licenceLet me see the directive first before I can comment. I have not seen the directive, so I cannot comment on compliance. The governors call for the licensing of residents to bear arms was also dismissed by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor. Besides, the plan runs against the grains of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. Section 214 (1) that established the Nigeria Police Force states that, subject to the provisions of this section no other police force shall be established for the Federation or any part thereof. Yet, while there is no express constitutional provision for the creation of police forces in the states of the federation, the same 1999 Constitution is being interpreted variously by the different regions and states in the country with the setting up of quasi-police and vigilante units that perform some degree of police functions, such as Amotekun, Ebube Agu, etc. This lack of explicit constitutional power incapacitates any governor in setting up a well-trained and heavily armed security outfit to fill the void in the effective policing of rural communities that are more vulnerable to banditry. The presidential ban on the licensing of firearms to residents is also debilitating. But even if the police were to grant these gun licenses, only Dane guns would be permissible, which cannot match the AK-47 and GPMG rifles, rockets launchers and other sophisticated assault weapons that the bandits wield. Allowing arms in wrong hands explains why Nigeria is now a killing field. It began in a particular region in the South in the build up to the 2003 general elections, when youths were recruited as thugs and armed for electoral victory at all cost. As polls ended, they were abandoned; and with no jobs, the guns were deployed to other uses kidnappings, robberies and assassinations, which spread like wildfire across the country. So, if the Matawalle proposal is allowed, it might mutate into another monster. The ambush and killing of 22 soldiers by gunmen in Niger State a few days ago, demonstrates further how the nation is already on a kamikaze mission. The situation should not be worsened with more arms in private hands. However, we should make no mistake about it, Matawalles audacious move sits well in some quarters due to anger and frustration, evident in the response of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, whose native town was invaded by gunmen who killed 40 worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, last month. But he lamented that the directive will be stifled by existing federal arrangement. In its review of the situation, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum warned that the resort to self-help might soon be the only option available to Nigerians if this orgy of violence and mass killings is not tamed. So daring and evil-minded are the bandits in Zamfara State that they shot down a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jet in July 2021. The attack revealed the extent to which they can go in challenging the Nigerian state. But the security collapse in the State predates Matawalles tenure. His immediate predecessor, Abdullazizi Yari was so riled by it that he called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on his domain, even if it involved his resignation as governor. A former Commissioner of Police in the State, Usman Nagoggo, once stressed that no fewer than 6,319 people were killed by bandits in Zamfara State in 2019 alone. Again, Amnesty International records that at least 371 people were killed in the State in 2018, and at least 238 of those killings took place after the deployment of the Nigerian air force. The states security conundrum is one of the upshots of Nigerias centralised policing system, which leaves large swathes of territory under the control of bandits. With a little above 300,000 police personnel, more than half of whom are attached as guards to very important personalities and public institutions, the larger society is left at the mercy of criminal gangs. As often observed, a country of about 200 million people cannot be well secured with the present police workforce. A multi-layered policing model deployed in jurisdictions like the United States, Canada, Australia and other federations is the way to go. The United Kingdom that is not a federation has 48 civilian police forces and 43 territorial police forces in both England and Wales according to the UK House of Commons Library. President Buhari should decode the augural message inherent in Matawalles bohemian perspective in tackling the States insecurity by ending his imperviousness to change, and allowing for the creation of state and community policing. It is imperative for him to note that all crimes are local. The pattern of killings demonstrates that far-flung communities where security presence does not exist are usually easy targets. Amnesty International Nigeria attested to this fact in its 2018 survey. It stated that, Amnesty International visited communities in five local government areas of Zamfara State Zurmi, Maradun, Maru, Anka and Tsafe. Although security forces were present in the state capital Gusau, researchers saw soldiers and air force personnel in only two of the villages they visited, Birane and Bagega. Every trick in the book seems to have been exhausted in a bid to neutralise the bandits. Between November 2017 and July 2018, the president ordered the deployment of troops to Zamfara thrice. In March 2021, the State was placed under a no-fly zone radar, and in September that same year, telecommunication operators shut down operations in an effort to deny the bandits service. Yet, the State remains marooned in the cauldron of insecurity. Therefore, devolving policing in Nigeria is a remedy that can no longer be avoided. The inhibitive Section 214 (1) of the Constitution has become anachronistic and overdue for amendment. It is for this reason that the 2014 National Political Conference recommended state policing. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), too, under whose platform Mr President came to power, had it as pact with Nigerians. But Buhari has demurred on this since he assumed office, thus paving the way for insecurity to spiral out of control. As Matawalle belatedly realised, the policy of appeasement of non-state actors does not work. Going inside the bush to seek a peace pact with them and the granting of amnesty, which they eventually jettisoned, gave them a false sense of triumph over the state. This gaffe should not be repeated. Therefore, the newly created Intelligence Centre and the reconstituted panel for the prosecution of banditry related offices must act with a sense of urgency on cases brought before them. Counter-insurgency is intelligence-driven. Criminals who have made life hellish for the people deserve to be arrested and prosecuted. Their civilian and security personnel collaborators should not be spared either. The punishment for a traditional ruler, found complicit in the heinous activities of these bandits, as is the case in the State, is not dethronement, but trial and conviction. A strong point needs to be made that our society is governed by the rule of law and order. Ultimately, a solution to Nigerias porous northern borders with Niger Republic, Chad and other countries in the Sahel holds the key to peace in Zamfara State. The flow of illicit firearms streaming into Nigeria through our land borders must be stopped. Consequently, for effectiveness and an enduring result, Matawalle should constantly engage President Buhari on this and construct a formidable security architecture in collaboration with Sokoto, Kaduna and Katsina all states in the North-West, also hobbled by waves of banditry and terrorism. Some suspected arsonists have razed the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigerias South-east. The incident happened at about 11:48 p.m. on Sunday. The INEC spokesperson, Festus Okoye, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. Mr Okoye said the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Enugu State, Emeka Ononamadu, reported the incident to the commission. He said the arsonists overpowered security guards at the facility and forced their way into the premises before setting the facility ablaze. Although no casualties were reported, 748 ballot boxes, 240 voting cubicles, office furniture and equipment were destroyed in spite of the best efforts of the Enugu State Fire Service deployed from Nsukka, Mr Okoye said. The INEC spokesperson said the commission was working to ascertain the status of voter registration machines for the on-going continuous Voter Registration exercise as well as uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) which were locked up in the fireproof cabinet at the commissions office. He said the incident has been reported to the police for investigation and further action. Mr Okoye said it was worrisome that the attack was coming in the middle of voter registration exercises and preparations for the 2023 general elections. He recalled that gunmen, in May 2021, attacked the commissions office in Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area of the state, near the council area where the latest attack occurred. Within the same month, the commissions office at Udenu Council Area of the state and its headquarters in the state, were also attacked by gunmen, he said. He, however, said the commission had substantially recovered from the previous attacks and resumed normal activities in those areas before the latest incident. The commission will continue to work with security agencies and the emergency services to protect our facilities, Mr Okoye added. Increased attacks Security in Nigerias South-east has deteriorated lately with attacks by armed persons reported almost on a daily basis across the region. Anambra State has witnessed some of the worst attacks in the region. The attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities. The Nigerian government has accused outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied their involvement in the attacks. The separatist group is leading agitation for an independent state of Biafra to be carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south Nigeria. The leader of the secessionist group, Nnamdi Kanu, is detained in Abuja where he is facing trial for terrorism. Mr Kanu appeared in court on June 28, in continuation of his trial. He is billed to appear in court again on November 14. Ebony Mayfield, a co-conspirator in an alleged $20 million fraud involving the founder of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, has pleaded guilty, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report. Ms Mayfield pleaded guilty to one of the eight counts filed against her by the U.S. government at the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, in Atlanta, on June 29. The fraud allegedly spearheaded by Mr Onyema was allegedly perpetrated under the guise of obtaining credit to buy aircraft for Air Peace, a frontline Nigerian airline, in the U.S. Ms Mayfield was accused of helping Mr Onyema to facilitate the $20 million bank fraud between May 2016 and February 2018 when she worked as the manager for Springfield Aviation Company LLC, owned by the Air Peace founder. U.S. prosecutors accused her of signing and submitting the false documents used by Mr Onyema to perpetrate the bank fraud in the U.S. Ms Mayfield, who was arrested on June 7, 2019, for her alleged roles in the alleged scheme, had previously pleaded not guilty to all eight charges filed against her in December 2019. Her trial was, in March this year, rescheduled to start on August 8. But weeks before the trial date, she changed her plea from not guilty to guilty when she appeared before the trial judge, Eleanor Ross, on June 29. A copy of the plea agreement she and her lawyer signed with U.S. prosecutors shows she specifically pleaded guilty to Count 5, which is a conspiracy to commit credit application fraud. The Defendant (Ebony Mayfield) admits that she is pleading guilty because she is in fact guilty of the crime(s) charged in Count 5, a copy of the plea agreement obtained by PREMIUM TIMES read in part. Likely sentence She risks up to five years jail term based on the plea agreement. Five years imprisonment is the maximum jail term provided for in Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, under which she was charged with the offence in Count 5. There are, however, indications that she would get less than five years at her sentencing already scheduled for September 21. The plea agreement said if her cooperation with the government continues to qualify as substantial assistance, prosecutors will file a motion at sentencing recommending a downward departure from the applicable guideline range. If her cooperation continues to qualify as substantial assistance after sentencing, the government said, it would again file a motion for reduction of sentence. The U.S. federal prosecutors in Northern Georgia also agreed not to bring additional charges against the defendant with the exception of charges resulting from or related to violent criminal activity based on any information provided by the Defendant in connection with the cooperation that was not known to the Government prior to the cooperation. Other penalties as Ms Mayfield pleads guilty Aside from the risk of a maximum five years jail term she faces, the plea agreement also recommends she be fined $250,000, or twice the gain or twice the loss whichever is greatest. The fine is due and payable immediately. She will also make full restitution due and payable immediately to all victims of the offence(s) and relevant conduct. The plea agreement also recommends the forfeiture of any and all proceeds from the commission of the offence and any and all property used or intended to be used to facilitate the offence. She will be subjected to a mandatory special assessment of $100, due and payable immediately. She also, by pleading guilty, gave up the right to plead not guilty, the right to be tried by a jury, and the right to appeal against her conviction. If she is not a U.S. citizen, she stands the risk of being expelled from the country after completing her jail term. The Defendant recognises that pleading guilty may have consequences with respect to her immigration status if she is not a citizen of the United States. Under federal law, a broad range of crimes are removable offences including the offence to which the Defendant is pleading guilty, the document said. But Manubir Arora, Ms Mayfields lawyer, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that his client is a U.S. citizen and as such is free from being removed from the country. Alleged Fraud Prosecutors say Mr Onyema recruited Ms Mayfield to act as a manager of his Springfield Aviation Company LLC, which he allegedly used for perpetrating the alleged $20 million fraud between May 2016 and February 2018. Springfield Aviation, according to court documents, was established by Mr Onyema in the U.S. State of Georgia in April 2016 purportedly to specialise in the wholesaling, trading/ and sale of commercial aircraft and parts. Prosecutors say Ms Mayfield was recruited as a manager of Springfield Aviation with the role of entering into aviation-related contracts on behalf of the firm, despite her lack of education, training, or licensing in the review and valuation of aircraft, including aircraft components. Between November 2016 and October 2017, prosecutors said, Mr Onyema applied for export letters of credit to cause the transfer of funds from a Nigerian bank account for Air Peace to Springfield Aviations bank account, purportedly to fund the purchase of aircraft by Air Peace from Springfield Aviation. The aircraft that was referenced in each of the export letters of credit was never owned or sold by Springfield Aviation, the prosecutors said. They added that also the defendants submitted false documents to Wells Fargo (American bank), including fabricated purchase agreements, bills of sale, and valuation documents, in support of the letter of credit to causing the disbursement of funds from Wells Fargo into Springfield Aviations account. Mr Onyema and Air Peace Limiteds Head of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, also face 36 charges at the U.S. court in connection with the alleged fraudulent scheme. But they have yet to show up or send a lawyer to represent them in court. Chiamaka Okafor is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe. The Niger State Government on Monday ordered the immediate suspension of mining activities across the state and directed security agencies to profile mining sites in areas that are prone to bandit attacks. The ban came on the heels of last weeks attack at a mine at Shiroro Local Government of the state. No fewer than 45 people including 37 security personnel were killed by the gunmen during the attack. The gunmen also abducted four Chinese workers and some civilians. The Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Matane, in a statement, said the decision to suspend mining activities in the state became necessary following increasing insecurity in mining areas recently. Following bandits attack on a mining site in Ajata Aboki Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has ordered the immediate suspension of all mining activities in Shiroro, Munya, and Rafi Local Government Areas, over continued bandits attacks, Mr Matane said. He said the suspension is until further notice. It is observed that these mining sites now attract or even accommodate criminals with prospective threats to the security of lives and property. The SSG warned that any mining operator caught engaging in mining activities in the areas mentioned would face the full wrath of the law. The State Government has directed security agencies in the State to profile all mining sites in the affected Local Governments with a view to ascertaining their genuineness. That Government would not scale down pressure on the armed bandits, kidnappers, cattle rustlers, and other criminal elements until they were flushed out of the state, Mr Matane said in the statement He urged the people of the state to be security conscious and report all suspicious characters, movements, or objects in their communities to security agents. The police in Edo State on Sunday said they arrested seven suspected cultists in the state. A police spokesperson in the state, Jennifer Iwegbu, disclosed this in a statement in Benin City. The seven suspects are said to be members of Eiye Confraternity. Ms Iwegbu, an assistant superintendent of police, listed the suspects as Andrew Owhoyavwosa, 22, Joseph Meshak, 25, Osazee Solomon, 35, Godswill Obasohan, 25, Charles Odiase, 52, and Okoh Peter, 68. They arrested six of the suspects within the Ekowe community, while one was arrested at Igbe Road in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state. The arrest is to help check cultism and cult-related killings in Edo State, Ms Iwegbu said. On the 02/07/2022, operatives of Edo state police Command, Ekiadolor sector while on routine township patrol within Ekowe community and environs, intercepted some suspected cultists at the community youth house. The suspects, on sighting the police operatives, took to their heels from the scene of their unlawful assembly. This action attracted the attention of the operatives and they gave them a hot chase, which led to the arrest of the six suspects. On the spot search conducted at the scene led to the recovery of two locally made single barrel guns, one locally cut to size single barrel gun, 30 live cartridges, one first aid box, Kolanuts, eggs, cowries, one dead chicken, seven handsets and N37,000 cash, she said. (NAN) At least nine people, including school children, were killed and 20 injured on Monday when a private bus rolled into a 200-feet deep gorge in the interiors of Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh, police said. Most of the victims were locals and were going to schools and offices. The accident occurred in the Sainj valley. Kullu Deputy Commissioner Ashutosh Garg said the Sainj-bound bus fell into the gorge near Jangla village at around 8.30 a.m. Most of the injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital in Sainj town. Eyewitnesses said the administration has been facing a tough time extricating the victims from the badly-mangled bus. People in the area began the rescue operation even before the local authorities reached the spot. Expressing grief over the accident, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said the administration had reached the spot and the injured were being taken to hospital. Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State says his recent visit to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was critical to the achievement of security in the state. Mr Soludo, in May, visited the IPOB leader in the detention facility of the State Security Service (SSS). Mr Soludo disclosed the benefits of the visit in an interview with TVC News, which was broadcast on Monday. He said the visit was in line with his plan to dialogue with disparate groups as well as community and religious leaders, with the aim of quelling the security challenges in the state. For better or for worse, discussing security or insecurity in the South-east, one way or the other, the conversation gets back to this particular group (IPOB), he said. And it is important in trying to have full coverage. That everybody is brought to the table in that conversation. And yes, I thought he (Mr Kanu) was a very critical stakeholder in this conversation: bringing peace and stability in our homeland, Mr Soludo stated. The governor said he was impressed by the IPOB leaders disposition and condemnation of the killings and general insecurity in the South-east. He said Mr Kanu has repeatedly denied IPOBs responsibility for the attacks and enforcement of sit-at-home order in the South-east. The governor regretted that several criminal gangs have emerged in the state who hide under the guise of IPOB agitators to carry out criminal activities in the state. It is evident to me that quite a number of criminal gangs have emerged because it is a lucrative criminality: kidnapping, stealing, taking peoples properties and so on and so forth, he said. Amnesty: Drop your guns, join vigilante groups Mr Soludo recalled that 21 vehicles six SUVs and 15 motorcycles were recovered last week when security agencies in the state raided criminals camp at Orsumoghu, a community in Ihiala Local Government Area of the state. He said he was surprised that the criminals mounted drones and surveillance cameras at their camp which they used to get signals of possible raids of their camps by security operatives. The governor said the operatives also recovered some notebooks from suspected kidnappers where the suspects keep records of their victims and costs of purchasing weapons. This is not agitation. This is criminality. They are just making money, he said. Mr Soludo said although his administration was winning the war against the criminals in the state, he was still open to granting them amnesty to denounce their criminal activities and be reintegrated into the society as responsible citizens. But we still appeal to them, if you repent, come. We offer you the olive branch. They can be part of the vigilante (groups) after reorientation and retraining, the governor said, noting that those who reject the offer would be exterminated by security operatives. The police have sealed off the Whole Bible Believers Church in Ondo town where 77 persons, including children, were held captive. The persons were rescued last Friday after information reached the police of likely forced confinement. They were later taken to the Police Headquarters in Akure, and two pastors of the church were arrested. Police said their investigations revealed the victims were kept in the basement of the church for several months after they were made to believe that rapture would soon take place. They were first told that it would happen in April and then it was changed to September 22. Some of the victims were said to have abandoned school to heed the call of the pastors. It was also gathered that majority of the victims were members of the church. Speaking on a TVC Breakfast programme on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami, said the children had been released to their parents after the conclusion of the preliminary investigation. She, however, said the two pastors in charge of the church were still in police custody. Ms Odunlami said the police sealed the church to prevent arson by aggrieved members of the public. The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali, has ordered the temporary redeployment of the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Adewale Olokode. Mr Alkalis order came weeks after several groups in the state called for his replacement over alleged incompetence. The police redeployed Mr Olokode to the Force Headquarters, Abuja, to act as the Provost. Julius Okoro will replace him as the new police commissioner in Osun State. This was contained in a police wireless message dated June 30, 2022, and obtained by our reporter. The police wireless message with the reference number, SJ: 1800/FDPS/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL2/10; stated that the redeployment takes immediate effect. Mr Okoro is expected to supervise the Osun election and then leave after the election. Mr Olokode will then return to his post as the police commissioner. The police signal read in part, INGENPOL has ordered the deployment of the following officers as indicated against their names: To CP Election Osun State: Compol Julius Alwari Okoro. An Osun-based Civil Societies Coalition June 1 called for the removal of the Osun police boss over alleged incompetence in the management of the security of lives and property in the state. The Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun chapter, also insisted on the redeployment of the police boss over an attack on some protesters, including a reporter with the Nation newspaper, who was shot. A faction of the APC in the state, loyal to Rauf Aregbesola, had also accused Mr Olokode of partisanship in the handling of the partys crisis in the state. The Osun 2022 election holds on July 16. Governor Gboyega Oyetola is seeking reelection on the platform of the APC, while his closest rival in the 2018 election, Ademola Adeleke, is also in the race as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). A woman has allegedly stolen her neighbours three-year-old girl in Okpoko, a community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State. The suspect, Chinwendu Umegbaka, 29, was said to have stolen the victim (name withheld), with the intention of selling her. The police spokesperson in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday. He said the police have arrested the suspect and that it was a case of child-stealing. The Anambra State Police Operatives on July 2, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. arrested one Miss Chinwendu Umegbaka, 29, a native of Isinkwo Abaomege in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on alleged case of child-stealing, he said. (Miss) Umegbaka, when arrested, initially denied knowing the whereabouts of the three-year-old girl. (But), further interrogation by the police made her confess to stealing the child with the intention of selling her, Mr Ikenga added. The police spokesperson said the child had been rescued and handed over to the parent. He said the police were investigating the incident. This is the third attack on minors within the last three weeks in the state. The latest incident comes barely 48-hours after a woman allegedly pushed her 14-year-old maid from a four-storey building in Awada, a suburb of Obosi Community in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state. Mid-June, a 34-year-old man allegedly killed a 3-year-old baby boy in Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Oyi Local Government Area of the state. Last week, a 30-year-old man allegedly killed a 45-year-old mother of two in Nkpor Agu, Ogidi Community, Idemili North Council Area of the state. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State says residents of the state consume about N4.5 billion worth of food daily just as he reiterated his commitment to food security. Mr Sanwo-Olu said this at the opening ceremony of a two-day zonal sensitisation workshop with the theme: Implementation of Food Systems Transformation Pathways in Nigeria 2022, on Monday in Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning in collaboration with Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Lagos Ministry of Economic, Planning and Budget. NAN reports that Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti are participating with Lagos as coordinating state for the South-west geopolitical zone. The governor, represented by Sam Egube, Commissioner for Economic, Planning and Budget, said that the state had decided to take the bull by the horn in guaranteeing food security for people with different agricultural and food value chains. According to him, Lagos has a rich history of economic growth and transformation. Although it covers only 0.4 per cent of Nigerias territorial land mass making it the smallest in the country. It accounts for over 60 per cent of industrial and commercial activities. Lagos is a coastal state and has an extremely limited arable land space and home to about 21 million people. Its residents consume about N4.5 billion worth of food daily and 50 per cent of beef produced in the country running into several billions in other trading activities with markets cutting across all the local government areas in the state, he said. He called for joint collaboration among South-west geopolitical zone to implement the Food Systems Transformation Pathways 2022. Mr Sanwo-Olu added that improving the food systems would influence positive changes and as well address multiple challenges being experienced in the country. He said that the state agric roadmap was a deliberate effort to develop the agricultural sector by way of interventions from the public and private sector, and international technical and donor organisations. I am aware that the need for states across the six geopolitical zones to be adequately sensitised on the implementation of the National Food Systems Transformation Pathways is the basis for this workshop. It gives me great pleasure to note that Lagos State was selected to host the South-west geopolitical sensitisation which I consider as an acknowledgment of the positive impacts our policies and efforts are making in the agricultural sector. As a state government, we will continue to provide infrastructure and incentives to support all private sector initiatives where required. History has shown that any society that is unable to provide food guarantee, its security is open to abuse and utmost danger, he said. The governor commended the efforts of the Federal Government to ensure that the food systems summit in conjunction with the United Nations is developed. I assure you that the Lagos State Government is fully committed to achieving a food secured Lagos and Nigeria through partnership with all national and sub-national entities as well as private sector and international technical and donor organisations. He urged all participants at the workshop to show commitment by sharing ideas and opinions on the selected programmes slated to kick-start implementation. Mathias Schmale, the Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator, United Nations, commended the Federal Government for its consistent efforts toward sustainable food systems in the country. Mr Schmale who was represented by Isiaka Ibrahim, UN Coordinator in Lagos, reiterated that the UN would continue to work with the government and as well strengthen collaborations with all stakeholders in support of this transformational journey. Today marks another important step in the highly anticipated transformational change we have worked for in partnership. The zonal sensitisation workshop is designed to onboard all of us as we begin to bring synergy across states and regions. The momentum at which the Federal Government is accelerating the national food systems transformation pathways is highly commendable. Today, the government has identified three critical priority actions to be addressed at all levels to achieve food security and reduce malnutrition among the most vulnerable and at-risk populations in Nigeria. They are to achieve a sustainable food system that works for all; to ensure the achievement of all SDGs in the next decade. ALSO READ: Five reasons food prices remain high in Nigeria in 2022 Olusola Idowu, the National Convener/Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, said an implementation team made up of key stakeholders had been constituted to develop an implementation plan. Ms Idowu noted that the workshop provides an opportunity to present and discuss the identified priority actions selected for implementation from January 2022. She added that it would help to define and assign roles and responsibilities for effective implementation of the priority actions. Ms Idowu noted that the workshop was being held in all six geopolitical zones concurrently from July 4 to 8, focusing on three low-hanging fruit programmes and 80 priority actions. Please, I make this passionate appeal that we all ensure that this implementation stage is truly for implementation. Wherein, we do less talk and more action so that we can impact lives of Nigerians, she said. Also, Abisola Olusanya, the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, said that food systems remained an important part of the national economy. Ms Olusanya said that an effective food system had contributed to a variety of solutions to developmental challenges. She said that there had been dialogues amongst all relevant stakeholders across the six geopolitical zones of the country since 2021 which gave birth to the National Pathways for Sustainable Food Systems. (NAN) An Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court on Monday sentenced a housekeeper, Bright Izuchukwu, to two terms of life imprisonment for raping the two daughters of his employer, aged six and seven. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Izuchukwu was charged with two counts bordering on rape. Delivering judgment, Justice Abiola Soladoye, held that the prosecution had established the ingredients of the offence against the defendant. The prosecutor did a good job in establishing the ingredients of the offences against the defendant through its witnesses. The evidence of the defence is self-serving, manifestly unreliable and untruthful while that of the survivors were consistent, cogent and convincing as they properly identified the defendant. The defendant exhibited raw wickedness, taking turns to ravish the survivors and taking advantage of his employers kindness. He has left a trace of emotional trauma on the survivors. He must be locked away for life. The defendant exhibited arrogance and nonchalance throughout the trial and lied his way through the trial showing that he is a pathological liar. The defendant is hereby found guilty as charged and consequently sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment which are to run concurrently, Soladoye held. The judge ordered that the convict should have his name entered into the register of sexual offenders of Lagos state. NAN reports that the prosecutor presented six witnesses and two exhibits at the trial. According to the state prosecution team, Olufunke Adegoke, and Abimbola Abolade, the convict committed the offence sometime between 2017 and 2018 in Festac Lagos. They submitted that the defendants unlawfully had sexual intercourse with the two survivors while their parents were not in the house. The offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2015 (NAN) The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Abubakar Lawal, has ordered investigation into the attack at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Enugu State, Nigerias South-east. Suspected arsonists, on Sunday, razed the commissions office at Ogurute, Enugu Ezike, a community in the Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, destroying 748 ballot boxes and 240 voting cubicles, among others. The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. He said police operatives put out the fire with assistance from the personnel of Enugu State Fire Service from Nsukka Office. Meanwhile, the area has been cordoned-off for preservation and further investigative actions, he said. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Lawal, vowed to unravel the cause of the incident and take necessary action, Mr Ndukwe said. Mr Lawal appealed to residents of the area to support the police with credible information in the ongoing investigation to track down the suspects. Increased attacks Like other states in Nigerias South-east, Enugu State has witnessed an increase in deadly attacks lately. The attacks have become prevalent in Igbo-Eze North and Igbo-Eze South Council Areas of the state in recent times. The tricycle and motorcycle rider associations in the two council areas have directed their members not to operate from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. They also directed all Keke and Okada operators to withdraw their services in Aguibeje and Iyionu communities in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, with effect from June 7, 2022, till further notice and requested security agencies in the state to enforce the associations resolutions. Two police officers were killed last month in Mkpamte Community, Igbo-Eze North. Also last month, arsonists, believed to be enforcing the illegal sit-at-home order in the South-east razed a cement truck in Nsukka Local Government Area of the state, near the two council areas where the attacks have been common. Again, Mid-June, a police officer was killed when gunmen attacked a police checkpoint in Ibagwa-Ani, a community in Nsukka Council Area of the state. Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi recently banned the operations of motorcycles and tricycles in some local government areas in the state 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. Mr Ugwuanyi equally declared 12-hour curfew in two council areas to check the rising insecurity, but the attacks have persisted in the areas. The attacks, mostly targeted at security officials and government facilities, have been attributed to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) which is agitating for the creation of a sovereign state for the Igbo-speaking people in the South-east. The group has denied the result. The IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is detained in Abuja where he is standing trial for terrorism. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday said it will immediately lift economic and financial sanctions placed on Mali and Burkina Faso. The leaders of the bloc who met on Sunday for the 61st Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, according to Al Jazeera, agreed to lift the sanctions after military rulers of both countries proposed a 24-month transition to democracy and published a new electoral law. According to Al Jazeera, ECOWAS Commission President Jean Brou told a news conference on Sunday that the sanctions will be lifted immediately. Borders with Mali will reopen and regional diplomats will return to Bamako. However, the heads of state decided to maintain individual sanctions, and the suspension of Mali from ECOWAS, until the return to constitutional rule, Al Jazeera quoted Kassi Brou as saying. Leaders of the regional bloc gathered to assess efforts to secure timetables and other guarantees for restoring civilian rule in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso. Mali underwent coups in August 2020 and May 2021, followed by Guinea in September 2021 and Burkina Faso in January 2022. Mr Kassi Brou said that after a protracted discussion with the coup leaders in Burkina Faso, a new proposal for a 24-month transition was more acceptable, after the heads of state rejected a proposed 36-month transition. In Guinea, however, there seems to be no resolution in sight as the military government has refused an ECOWAS mediator and announced a 36-month transition a period that African Union Chairman and Senegalese President Macky Sall has described as unthinkable. The three-year transition period was rejected by ECOWAS leaders. They told Guineas military to propose a new timeline by the end of July or face economic sanctions. The heads of state appointed Benins former President Boni Yayi as a new mediator and urged the Guinean military government to work with him and quickly propose a new timetable. Beyond that, economic sanctions will be imposed, Mr Brou said. The effect of the sanctions were deeply felt in Mali as it crippled the countrys economy, raising humanitarian concerns amid widespread suffering. The country defaulted on more than $300 million of its debt due to the sanctions, which cut it off from the regional financial market and the regional central bank. The ECOWAS mediator in Mali, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, visited the country last week. A member of his entourage told AFP news agency that Mali had made enormous progress. Malis top diplomat Abdoulaye Diop on Friday said the recent political developments were moving the country towards a lifting of the sanctions. Chiamaka Okafor is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe. The Board of Trustees of Nigerias main opposition party, PDP, has recommended a delegation to embark on a reconciliatory visit to Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike. This, the BoT said, is in view of great concern of the recent comments coming from some party members and prominent Nigerians on the choice of Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as the vice-presidential candidate. Chairman of the PDP BoT, Walid Jibrin, made this known in a statement on Sunday. He said the delegation will be headed by Atiku Abubakar, the partys presidential candidate, Mr Okowa, the National Working Committee and BoT members. Other members of the delegation include PDP governors, former governors, ex-PDP ministers and some party elders from zones and states. Mr Jibrins statement comes three days after Mr Wike, on Thursday, in Turkey, refused to grant an audience to a former Minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Waziri, who was sent to speak with him by Mr Atiku. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Wike rejected several attempts by the candidate to arrange a meeting between them since he picked Mr Okowa as his running mate. The Rivers State governor had lost the presidential ticket to Mr Atiku at the partys primary in May. A committee was set up to help choose a running mate for the latter. Even though the panel recommended Mr Wike, Mr Atiku would go ahead to pick the Delta State governor because he could not work with Mr Wike. Mr Wike has, since then, refused to speak on the telephone with Mr Atiku as well as his emissaries who were trying to have a meeting with him. Already, prominent members like Samuel Ortom, the Benue State governor and Ayodele Fayose, former Ekiti State governor, have accused Mr Atiku of being unfair to Mr Wike. They have asked the candidate to meet with Mr Wike and offer an explanation. Need for reconciliation In his statement, Mr Jibrin cautioned party members against unguarded utterances that could further plunge the party into a deeper crisis. While he described Mr Wike as a pillar of the party, he said the visit is necessary majorly because of his diligence and support towards building the party. A very important visit must be undertaken to Governor Wike It is very important to note that he is a very responsible and very obedient member of PDP, who assisted tremendously toward building the party into what it is today. We must, therefore, encourage him to never leave the party, Mr Jibrin said. Ahead of the meeting, he appealed to party members in Rivers State not to leave the party and to shun comments aimed at reducing and running down the party. The Nigerian examination body National Examinations Council (NECO), has said none of its papers in the ongoing Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) is clashing with the day of this years Eid-al-Adha, Muslim festival. The festival will hold on Saturday, July 9, 2022. NECO, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday and signed by Azeez Sani, head of the information and public relations division, said the examination body was conscious of the relevance and importance of religious festivals and has made adequate provisions for them in its examination timetable. The examination was reacting to an earlier appeal by a Muslim organisation- Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), which had on Sunday in a statement urged NECO to reconsider its position. MURIC plea In his statement on Sunday, MURIC director, Ishaq Akintola, a professor of Islamic Studies at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojoo, said the organisation acknowledges the fact that NECO was not deliberate in its decision. The statement read in part: We are fully aware that the clash was not deliberate as NECO had actually demonstrated goodwill by setting aside a whole week for Sallah celebrations (Monday, 11th July to Friday 15th July) and this reflected in its timetable. We, therefore, appeal to the NECO authorities to kindly shift the examination of that day alone (Saturday 9th July 2022) to another date in order to enable its teeming Muslim candidates to sit for their examinations. NECO replies In its statement on Monday, NECO said the clarification was necessary to ensure that Nigerians have access to correct information. The report, it said, is contrary to insinuations in some quarters that the Council has scheduled examination for 9 th July 2022, which is Sallah Day (Eid-Adha). The Council has given a whole examination free week, beginning from Friday, 8th July to Wednesday, 13th July 2022 in the On-going Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) for School-based candidates to enable Muslim faithful have enough time to celebrate the festival, NECO added. The examination body, which said that the 2022 edition of its school-based SSCE had commenced on June 27, noted that it will end on August 12. The Hubble team has released an incredibly beautiful image of a peculiar galaxy called LEDA 17532. LEDA 17532 is located approximately 520 million light-years from Earth. Otherwise known as CGCG 396-2 or 2MASX J05373599+0120038, it can be found in the constellation of Orion. This observation is a gem from the Galaxy Zoo project, a citizen science project in which hundreds of thousands of volunteers classified galaxies to help scientists solve a problem of astronomical proportions how to sort through the vast amounts of data generated by robotic telescopes, the astronomers said. Following a public vote, a selection of the most astronomically intriguing objects from the Galaxy Zoo were selected for follow-up observations with Hubble. LEDA 17532 is one such object, and was captured in this image by the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) instrument onboard the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. The Galaxy Zoo project originated when an astronomer was set an impossibly mind-numbing task: classifying more than 900,000 galaxies by eye, the researchers explained. By making a web interface and inviting citizen scientists to contribute to the challenge, the Galaxy Zoo team was able to crowdsource the analysis, and within six months a legion of 100,000 volunteer citizen astronomers had contributed more than 40 million galaxy classifications. Since its initial success, this project and its successors have contributed to more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles and led to a rich variety of intriguing astronomical discoveries above and beyond their initial goals. The success of the project also inspired more than 100 citizen science projects on the Zooniverse portal, ranging from analyzing data from the ESA Rosetta spacecrafts visit to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko to counting killer whales around remote Alaskan islands! The Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development, in Zamfara State, Faika Ahmed, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to establish Northwest Development Commission, as a means of ending the insecurity in the region. Mrs Ahmed also said the commission will help in the resettlement of tens of thousands of people that have been displaced in the region. Residents of the North-west states of Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger in central Nigeria have been troubled for years by the activities of bandits forcing them to flee their towns and abandon their farmlands. The bandits have abducted hundreds of secondary and tertiary school students and have raped several women. In the letter obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, Mrs Ahmed said the government is not doing enough in the use of non-forceful means to end insecurity in the region. The commissioner said only non-military efforts would bring about a final solution to the insecurity in the region. Thus, she argued that the establishment of the commission would ease the pains suffered by residents of the region and will end the destruction and the carnage in the part of the country. There is a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Northwest region of Nigeria and if a bold, urgent non-military intervention is not implemented, I fear the troubles we see today will pale in insignificance compared to what is to come. I know I am not a security expert Excellency but I have spent the last 4 years working for those whose lives have been upended by these conflicts and so my conclusions are informed. It is with the knowledge of all of the pain, destruction and carnage that I have witnessed, first hand, that I am calling, unequivocally for the establishment of the Northwest Development Commission, she said. READ ALSO: The commissioner said the conflict in the region left a huge economic and humanitarian scare. She said the creation of the commission would help attract the required assistance including from international bodies. This is critical because the devastating impact of this crisis on the overwhelming majority of the peoples in these states is horrific. Sadly, the region has lost a significant population of people living in the rural areas, translating into abject poverty in both rural and urban communities. Analysts believe that within the states most affected, you wont find small communities of 1000 or so people which use to be the case. All have been forced to move into bigger towns with devastating consequences for their livelihood especially agriculture with the attendant consequences on food security and poverty, she said. Aside from the glaring poverty rate in the region, Mrs Ahmed said education, agriculture, and health have been devastated by the conflict. For instance, She said students no longer go to school leading to an increase in the number of out-of-school children. As you know Mr President, farming which is the bedrock of economic activities in the Northwest is now totally derailed. This livelihood source of over 80% of the population has seized to exist. People find themselves torn between going to the farm and risking getting kidnapped or worst killed, or paying ransom to enable them to cultivate their farms, she added. Mrs Ahmed called on federal lawmakers, members of the federal executive council, and traditional and religious leaders from the region to join in the call for the establishment of the commission. North West Development Commission PREMIUM TIMES reports that a bill for the establishment of the commission passed the second reading in the Senate last year. The bill was proposed by Barau Jibrin, a senator from Kano State. While presenting the bill, Mr Jibrin said that the commission seeks to act as a catalyst to develop the arrays of potentials of the North West as well as address the gap in infrastructural development of the region., He said the infrastructure in the zone has been ravaged by terrorists, leaving a major impact on the economy of the region as it has led to severe food shortages, as well as unemployment in a region that has traditionally produced cash and food crops. Some proposed functions of the commission include: to formulate policies and guidelines for the development of the North West Zone where security shall prevail; as well as conceive, plan and implement projects and programmes for the sustainable development of the North West in the field of roads, education, health facilities, employment, industrialisation, agriculture, housing and urban development, water supply, electricity and commerce, he said. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has urged the leadership of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) to self-regulate its members as part of measures to prevent being used for money laundering and illicit financial flows (IFFs). IFF is the illegal movement of money or capital from one country to another that is illegally earned, transferred, and/or utilised. ICPC Chairman, Bolaji Owasanoye, a senior advocate, spoke at the 13th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Conference of the association held in Enugu State, according to a statement by the commissions spokesperson, Azuka Ogugwa, on Monday. REDAN is the umbrella body of the organised real estate sector (private and public) in Nigeria. It aims to ensure the availability of affordable housing for all of Nigeria. Mr Owasanoye, who was represented by the commissions Director of Asset Tracing, Recovery and Management, Adedayo Kayode, at the event in Enugu, called on the leadership of REDAN to introduce the Know-Your-Customer (KYC) principles for its clients to avoid serving as a conduit for money launderers and IFF offenders. The ICPC chairman expressed regrets that some members of REDAN were engaged by unscrupulous individuals and Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) to launder their ill-gotten wealth thereby exposing honest and patriotic members of the association to being labelled corrupt by perception. He said: It is my position that self-regulation is a way out of this quagmire for the association. REDAN should consciously draw up programmers to build the capacity of its members on modern trends in construction and also hold its members to the highest level of ethical standards. The association should introduce and enforce high ethical standards for its members to ensure their processes are not used for Money Laundering. In this regard, the Association may introduce KYC principles. He also said the theme of the event, Enhancing the Real Estate Sector through Effective Regulation and Collaborations, was in line with the commissions mandate of partnership and collaboration with relevant institutions toward building a mass mobilisation vanguard in the curbing of corruption and IFFs within the system and out of the country. Mr Owasanoye also encouraged the REDAN leadership to play a role in bringing down the mounting cost of housing construction in Nigeria as well as closing the enormous gap in housing construction by collaborating with relevant government agencies. REDAN can serve as a buffer for its members by importing building materials in large quantities which will be made available to members at a lower cost than the open market thereby forcing down the cost of housing construction in the country. The Association should also exploit the possibility of partnering with manufacturers to reduce the cost of building materials and assist in making housing affordable for all, he said. The ICPC Chairman further urged the real estate association to consider direct involvement in low-cost housing constructions nationwide to assist the Housing for All programme of the federal government. ICPC investigations He disclosed that the commission was investigating cases of fully completed but unoccupied estates in Abuja to identify developers serving as conduits for money laundering and IFFs. ALSO READ: Nigerian senator jailed seven years for money laundering He added that the commission planned to cover other major housing hubs in the country, especially Lagos and Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. He recalled the outcome of a System Study and Review of Mass Housing delivery in Abuja, Nigerias capital city, revealing underhand dealings of some members of REDAN in the governments housing programme. He said REDAN members who had been allocated huge plots of land for mass housing development in Nigeria through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) with particular responsibility to provide infrastructure after which allocations are made to the NHF contributors failed in the payment of their counterpart funding and the delivery of infrastructure to the project sites and rather resorted to offering and selling the Estate plots to the highest bidder contrary to the government policy. Mr Owasanoye urged REDAN to support law enforcement agencies in their investigations. He also advised the association to intensify its compliance monitoring of members in areas of unwholesome practices, low-quality housing deliveries and shady financial practices. For years, the real estate sector is fast becoming a grand problem where unscrupulous individuals and Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) have now found it a haven to perpetuate and launder their ill-gotten wealth. In April, the EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, vowed to fight financial crimes in the real estate of the economy. A 2020 report by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), a Transparency International (TI) affiliate, stated that cities such as Abuja, Lagos, and Port Harcourt are Nigerias major black spots for high-level capital flights, with media and court reports pointing to the involvement of criminals running fraud syndicates, drug trafficking, and property buying and development. The Lagos State Government has announced the closure of a school owned in the state by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) over the drowning of a five-year-old pupil, Chidere Eze. The pupil had reportedly drowned in May during a swimming lesson organised by the school at a private facility in the Ikeja area of the city. A statement by the government noted that further investigation into the school revealed that it was yet to complete its registration, and so was not fit to run. The statement which was signed by the Commissioner for Education, Folasade Adefisayo, noted the school will remain closed, pending an administrative investigation of its operations and procedures as well as the conduct of its officials in line with schools safety standards and guidelines. The investigation is a sequel to the death of a five-year-old pupil, who is suspected to have drowned during a swimming lesson while in the custody of the school. The police are investigating the matter. A preliminary probe by the Office of Education Quality Assurance of the Ministry has shown that the Redeemers Nursery and Primary School, Ogba, is yet to conclude its registration and is, therefore, not yet an approved school, the statement reads in part. Mrs Adefisayo said her ministry is concerned about the pupils safety, and that the school will remain closed until all the required approval processes are concluded. She advised the parents and guardians to note the closure and await the conclusion of the investigation. Backstory In May, it was reported that the school took about 15 pupils to Ivory Health Club, Ogundana Street, in Ikeja, for a swimming lesson but allegedly used an adult pool. However, according to The Punch Newspaper, the father of the drowned pupil, Anthony Eze, narrated how his child battled for survival for more than 30 minutes until he could no longer cope under the water. The pupils were said to have been taken to the adult pool while the teachers, caregivers and lifeguards were unaware that the child had drowned. Meanwhile, according to the report, the police said some officials of the school were arrested but that the investigation was still ongoing. After nearly three years as the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, I am struck by how similar Nigeria and the United States are, as nations that seek to embrace diversity, build unity, and recommit to strengthening democracy. That shared commitment produces a bond between our countries that goes beyond governments. As the United States celebrates 246 years of independence this year, we take time to recognise the key pillars of democracy. Our thoughts turn to freedom of expression and respect for human rights, the rule of law, and the role of all citizens in determining the countrys future. For Americans, celebrating Independence Day usually means reminiscing about our past and reflecting on what unites us our principles, our history, and our shared humanity. After nearly three years as the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, I am struck by how similar Nigeria and the United States are, as nations that seek to embrace diversity, build unity, and recommit to strengthening democracy. That shared commitment produces a bond between our countries that goes beyond governments. It is equally anchored in cultural and commercial relationships, as well as in people-to-people partnerships. This week, as we observe the treasured U.S. Independence Day holiday, we also welcome the Morehouse College Glee Club to Nigeria to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its performance in this country in 1972. The Glee Club will perform Nigerian and American music, and reach out to Nigerian youth and musicians. Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) like Morehouse College have a long history of educating African American teachers and professionals, as well as international students. These institutions have helped shape leaders in the United States, and across the world. For example, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr graduated from Morehouse College in 1948. Notably, Nigerias first president, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe graduated from Lincoln University in 1930, and encouraged Ghanas first president, Kwame Nkrumah, to study there as well. Influenced by the American civil rights movement, President Azikiwe, President Nkrumah, and other African leaders played critical roles in Africas independence movement. HBCUs are a pillar of strength that was born from our painful struggles for equality. The United States continues to strive to strengthen our own imperfect union. We also seek to support Nigeria on its path toward a more equitable future for all its citizens. We partner with Nigeria to strengthen health services, support educational institutions, boost agricultural production, provide security training and military equipment, and encourage entrepreneurship and private sector engagement to name a few! And in the coming year, the world will be focused on Africas largest democracy as Nigerians go to the polls. In the lead up to the election season, we are reminded of the importance of robust debate, freedom of expression, and space for the many diverse voices in Nigeria to be heard. Your voice and your actions matter. Reject vote buying and violence. Ask candidates questions about the issues you care about. Vote! As we lift up our voices and sing with the Morehouse College Glee Club this week, we celebrate a vision for our future defined by diversity, equality, partnership, and hope. Mary Beth Leonard is the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria. Nigerians would like to hear from the presidential candidates their definitive positions on issues of reform and decentralisation of policing, citizens involvement in security management, tackling terrorism, border security management, and youth unemployment. It is our duty as an electorate to demand these from the candidates. And cast our votes based on our conviction of who holds the best chance of making Nigeria great again. Security, economy, and corruption were the most outstanding issues in the 2015 and 2019 elections. Of the triune matters, security has already placed itself as the most important and alarming issue for any credible campaign in 2022-23. Increased insurgency in the days ahead will make it more relevant and urgent. Unfortunately, Nigerians did not pay attention to what the presidential candidates were saying or glossed over it in the 2015 and 2019 elections. Candidates paid lip service to insecurity, and the rhetoric was the jaundiced promises of fighting insecurity from the frontline, which meant nothing as a security strategy. The result is that in the past seven years, insecurity has continued to be the bane of Nigeria. The situation has become hopeless because it has defied all government actions to at least ameliorate it, not to talk of completely eradicating it. We are at the same place again on the eve of a general election, and this time we expect that candidates will provide comprehensive strategies for tackling insecurity to the electorate during the campaign, to allow the people make informed decision on who to vote for on the basis of their acceptance of a candidates security strategy that will be implemented when elected. This will assuage the peoples concerns and give them hope for the future. For many reasons, addressing our internal security challenges should be the thematic thrust of our presidential campaigns. It is evident that the 2023 campaigns will be about how severe internal insecurity is threatening the existence of the nation. Insecurity has had ripple effects on our economy, starting from agriculture to manufacturing. Despite heavy investment by the Central Bank fo Nigeria (CBN) in agriculture in the past seven years, agricultural productivity has been suboptimal, going by available statistics. Besides, the massive destruction of lives and properties has created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. No severe and productive activity can flourish in such an environment. Foreign direct investment has dropped or stagnated as we continue to trail behind South Africa and Egypt, despite being Africas biggest economy. The lack of investment in productive industries has widened the gulf in youth unemployment, which has aggravated social vices. As part of the medias role in the forthcoming electoral campaigns in Nigeria, they must challenge the candidates to present their plans for dealing with insecurity to the electorate. It is a public service that the traditional and online media must critically evaluate these plans and strategies by the candidates and educate the public on them to enable the electorate know what each candidate has to offer in tackling insecurity. They must organise dialogues, fora, and debates focusing on security, where the candidates would come forward with detailed, innovative, and practical ideas and solutions to the insecurity problems facing Nigeria. The media must provide a level playing field and open fora for disseminating campaign information on how each candidate will tackle insecurity without bias toward any of the candidates based on political affiliations, ideology, and patrimony. The medias primary function is to educate the public and help shape public opinion. I suggest that all media houses should devote the necessary attention to covering presidential campaign issues on insecurity without discrimination. The concern around insecurity is central to the upcoming campaigns because you cannot have democracy without either free citizens or a secure sovereign national space. The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate must go to work and develop novel and practical solutions to the issue of insecurity in the country, as he faces the danger of being viewed from the prism of the party platform. This is because it has been under the watch of the ruling party that insurgency has risen to the alarming heights were it is in recent times. Nigerians would rightly deserve to know what the candidate will do differently. This cannot be time for business as usual. The electorate needs more from any APC government, and the presidential candidate must convince them to trust him to tackle insecurity. Although it may be a hard sell, I am convinced that a good and innovative security strategy, with the passion and conviction of the presidential candidate, will go a long way in getting the buy-in of the electorate. There is no gainsaying that policing has virtually collapsed in Nigeria today Critical questions for candidates are: How do they intend to restore the peoples confidence in the Police? How will they tackle the retraining, retooling, and general welfare of the Police? The pendent issue of state police deserves an intense conversation, and the people must draw commitment to its implementation. On the other hand, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate needs a new narrative beyond the typical rhetoric on tackling security crises without any tangible and practical solution. The PDP security strategy needs to be germane to the changing context of Nigerias deplorable security crises. This strategy may be a hard sell, too, because PDP had its fair share of failings in tackling insecurity at the initial stages, allowing it to get out of hand during its time in power. The new political forces led by Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and the candidates of other parties, have their jobs cut out because they have the advantage of coming to Nigerian electorate with new thinking and of not carrying the baggage of failure in tackling insecurity, unlike APC and PDP. Their security strategy, if fresh, deep and well articulated, may enjoy the acceptance of mostly the youths, who are ready to try new things and experiment with their future. Some pertinent questions suffice: What essential elements of insecurity must presidential candidates articulate and expose to the electorate, in terms of tackling the problem in Nigeria under their presidency? What ingredients should the insecurity solution soup have? What contextual underpinnings must he consider when dealing with Nigerias insecurity? These simple questions provide the analytical framework for evaluating and assessing the level of integrity and potency of the security strategies of these candidates. The media and the electorate must critically analyse the strategies and plans of candidates to ascertain their efficacy, albeit on paper. Statutorily, many of the internal security challenges prevalent in Nigeria fall within the responsibilities and purview of the Police. The persistent neglect of the Police and its misuse have combined to debauch its capacity to meet the peoples security demands. The increasing viciousness of violence across the country further calls to question the capability of the Police to conduct its policing functions effectively. There is no gainsaying that policing has virtually collapsed in Nigeria today. We presently deploy our military across 34 of the 36 states in the country, saddling them with tasks that the Police should perform. That many Nigerians have lost confidence in the Police is an understatement and a significant challenge. For the presidential candidates, a complete reform and decentralisation of the Police must be the prime agenda in the security strategy, and this must be a focal issue in the campaign. Critical questions for candidates are: How do they intend to restore the peoples confidence in the Police? How will they tackle the retraining, retooling, and general welfare of the Police? The pendent issue of state police deserves an intense conversation, and the people must draw commitment to its implementation. Another critical issue is the porousness of our national borders, and this has exacerbated violence and criminalities because of the seamless access to sophisticated weapons across Nigerias borders and the unhindered movement of criminals into the country. Officially, Nigeria has about 84 approved land border control points but over 1,400 illegal border crossings. The stretch along the Northern boundaries with Benin Republic, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon are potential crossing points for illicit arms dealers, kidnappers, terrorists, and other criminals, due to the dry Sahel vegetation and open Savannah terrain. Having a large mass of ungoverned areas in the hands of armed bandits is a precursor to becoming a failed state. Hence government, at all levels, must assert their authorities and firm control over all forests and rural areas. How will the candidates manage this problem of ungoverned spaces to stop Nigeria from becoming a failed state under their watch? Security experts have continuously warned that unless we address the issue of border security, the success expected in the fight against banditry will remain a mirage. What will the presidential candidates do about our porous borders? The electorate must ask tough questions of the candidates on the issue of legal and illegal border control. The next issue is how to deal with ungoverned spaces and huge forests that provide havens for bandits, terrorists, and criminals across the country. Recent attacks on the Kaduna airport, KadunaAbuja trains, and swathes of Borno, Zamfara, Katsina and Nasarawa States were logistically possible because of insurgents and bandits in the Sambisa Forest in Borno State, the Kuyambana and Ajja Forests in Zamfara, Birnin Kogo Forest in Katsina and Guma Forest in Nasarawa State. In Imo and Anambra states, secessionist agitators and the unknown gunmen have made the different forests in the States their hiding places. Having a large mass of ungoverned areas in the hands of armed bandits is a precursor to becoming a failed state. Hence government, at all levels, must assert their authorities and firm control over all forests and rural areas. How will the candidates manage this problem of ungoverned spaces to stop Nigeria from becoming a failed state under their watch? The last issue is our militarys capacity and combat efficiency in terms of workforce and equipment, to deal with kinetic and non-kinetic engagements. Given the asymmetrical nature of terrorism, banditry and insurgency, the Nigerian military needs all the support it can get, especially from a president. Compared with other armies in countries with similar terrorism and insurgency issues (like Pakistan and Egypt), our military personnel pales in number and defence spending as a percentage of GDP. Nigerias military personnel is about 190,000, whilst that of Pakistan is approximately 1,495,000; and our defence spending to GDP is 0.63 per cent, while that of Egypt is 1.2 per cent. The strategies of the presidential candidates must explain to the electorate how they will deal with these anomalies. The debate on the cyclical nature of insecurity and unemployment is raging. Some argue that insecurity has helped push Nigerias unemployment levels to about 40 per cent, while others say that the high unemployment rate causes the youths to engage in all forms of criminality, insurgency, and terrorism. This chicken and egg conundrum of insecurity and unemployment is beyond the scope of this discourse; however, we assume that the presidential candidates must articulate a way of reducing both social menaces crippling our country. How they will do these should be the focal point of their campaign messages. Nigerians would like to hear from the presidential candidates their definitive positions on issues of reform and decentralisation of policing, citizens involvement in security management, tackling terrorism, border security management, and youth unemployment. It is our duty as an electorate to demand these from the candidates. And cast our votes based on our conviction of who holds the best chance of making Nigeria great again. Dakuku Peterside is a policy and leadership expert. Troops of Operation Safe Haven on Monday repelled an attack by gunmen on Gajin Bashar town in the Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State. Residents of the community told PREMIUM TIMES that they came under attack in the early hours of Monday morning. After the gunmen arrived in the village, members of a local vigilante group confronted them for several minutes before the arrival of the troops. The spokesperson of Operation Safe Haven (OSH) Jos, Ishaku Takwa told this newspaper that the assailants fled when the troops arrived in the town. We also received reports from the locals that after we repelled the attack, they saw eight dead bodies which our men did not confirm, Mr Takwa, a major, said. I called the Commander in the area to confirm, he said the troops did not see any dead body, so we cannot authenticate what we did not see, Mr Takwa stressed. He explained that their troops have four operational bases in Wase LGA. Therefore, they are always there, they had never withdrawn and they cannot leave the area. There have been increasing attacks by gunmen locally referred to as bandits in the Plateau and neighbouring states. Recently, the gunmen who are suspected to be affiliated with Islamist groups told residents of Sabon Zama, Gindin Dutse, Anguwan Tsohon Soldier, Anguwan Yuhana and Anguwan Mangu to vacate their homes or risk being attacked. When reached for comment, Ado Buba, the chairman of Wase Local Government, said he was in transit and could not speak. About 33,000 litres of petrol, worth millions of naira, were destroyed when two petrol tankers exploded in Amansea, a community in Awka North Local Government Area of the Anambra State. The incident happened at about 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that one of the affected tankers had developed a fault, which prompted another one to be brought in to transload the content. But the two tankers suddenly caught fire during the transloading of the highly inflammable content. The Chairman of Anambra State Fire Service, Martin Agbili, confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday. He said the fire was caused by a mistake from a pump operator. He described the incident as avoidable, and said the transloading should not have taken place without the presence of firefighters. Mr Agbili said some fire fighters got to the area after receiving a distress call. Immediately, we deployed our fire truck and fire fighters to the fire scene and fought the fire with our chemical foam compound and there was no loss of life, he said. He said the road had been cleared for motorists and that normalcy had returned in the area. The fire chief confirmed that one of the tankers was carrying 33,000 litres of petrol. This is happening amidst acute scarcity of petrol across Nigeria lately, especially in the countrys capital, Abuja. At the moment, petrol is sold at between N180 and N200 per litre, in many filling stations across Nigeria. The 33,000 litres of petrol destroyed in the incident were worth over N5 million, given the current price of the product across the country. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday began a two-day mock accreditation in Osun, ahead of the July 16 governorship election in the state. Some correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited selected polling units in Osun Central Senatorial District, report that the process was seamless, fast, and without hitches with the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines. At Polling Unit 5, Salvation Army School, Osogbo, registered voters that turned out for the mock accreditation exercise were promptly attended to and accredited within 20 to 45 seconds. The accreditation was done with the use of BVAS machines, with either the fingerprints or facial recognition of the voters for the accreditation. One of the INEC officials from Abuja, who spoke with NAN under the condition of anonymity, said 1, 256 voters were registered at the polling unit. According to the official, the majority of them turned up by 8:00 a.m. when the exercise started. We pasted the registered voters list for people to check for their names, and copy out their number on the list, which we searched on the BVAS. The BVAS already has the names of registered voters at this unit programmed on it. So, using their number makes the accreditation process faster, and in less than 30 seconds, we are done with a voter, the official said Similarly, at CAC Grammar School Polling Unit in Osogbo, there was a reasonable turnout of voters for the mock accreditation. Political party agents, who were at the polling unit, were seen calling their supporters and mobilising them to come out and participate in the process. INEC Hired Technical Officer, Anthony Itodo, who spoke to NAN correspondent, said the accreditation which started at 8:00 a.m. would end by 2:30 p.m. Mr Itodo noted that 62 voters were registered at the polling unit, while the process was going smoothly with 12 voters already accredited. At Olorunsogo Community Primary School, in Egbedore Local Government Area of the state, which has two polling units; unit 12 and unit 1, voters were also seen getting accredited by INEC officials. An INEC official, Bose Aderogba, who spoke on the process, said the accreditation would be conducted from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to ensure everyone that turns up was attended to. Mrs Aderogba said the first polling unit 12 had 57 registered voters and that the polling unit 1 had 2,195 registered voters. NAN observed that the exercise was without hitches at the polling units. NAN also reports that the mock accreditation exercise will take place between Monday and Tuesday, in six local government areas, and two registration areas/wards across the three senatorial districts in the state. (NAN) Page Content The Division Study Financing organizes preparatory workshops for study financing recipients who will pursuing their studies in the Netherlands Division Study Financing (DSF) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, will be organizing a week-long series workshops and information sessions. During these sessions, students will receive important information, skills, tips, tools and techniques aimed at making the transition into Dutch society, culture and higher education more manageable. Experiences and various studies have identified numerous challenges that students from the Caribbean Netherlands encounter when pursuing their studies in the Netherlands. Therefore, students participation in these workshops is mandatory. Important topics will be covered to orient and prepare students regarding the lifestyle, culture, academics, accountability, finances, guidance and the study financing requirements as well as, what to expect in Dutch tertiary level education. "The objective of the Preparatory Workshops is to prepare improve our students chances for academic success in the Netherlands by providing information and resources that will facilitate a smooth transition from St. Maarten to the Netherlands and allow students to make informed and appropriate academic plans and healthy social choices. Division Study Financing has partnered with Ms. Jacqueline Louis, CEO of IMBRACE and a dynamic team of educators, professionals, and specialists in various disciplines who have studied and worked in the Netherlands, including several current and former study financing recipients.. In the effort to provide a framework for the students' overall success, the Preparatory Workshops will comprised of interactive, hands-on sessions, geared towards the psycho-social emotional preparation, communication, social skills, adjusting to Dutch norms and values while touching on a vast realm of topics. Some of the important topics that will be covered are: Mental Health and Wellness, Test Anxiety, Adjusting expectations, Dutch Study Culture, Lifestyles in SXM vs. NL, Survival Skills, Dutch Rights & Obligations, Strategies for Academic Success, Do's Don'ts & Dangers of Life in the NL, Goal Setting & Self-Management, Home life Maintenance, among others. The Workshops will be held from Monday, July 4, through Friday, July 8, from 9 AM - 4PM and rotated between the Government Administration Building and University of St. Martin. We would like to make use of this opportunity to remind all parents and guardians of minors who will be travelling to the Netherlands, that these students must have a Court of Guardianship appointed legal guardian in the Netherlands. The deadline for students traveling to the Netherlands to complete the study financing activation process is July 15,2022. This procedure is outlined on our website: https://studyfinancing-sxm.com/study-financing-recipients/procedures/activate-study-financing/ For more information, please contact: the Study Financing Officer for the Netherlands Ms. Micaela Hart at (721) 527-3840, or e-mail micaela.hart@sintmaartengov.org or info@studyfinancing.sx BEIJING, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by China.org.cn: As a member college of "Belt and Road Initiative" Project, BITC has recruited more than 3,000 students from 93 countries. With professional courses and training rooms, experienced professors, especially various courses on Chinese language and Chinese culture, BITC is helping more and more foreign students to start up a brilliant future and career. BITC offers different kinds of scholarships to help more international students realize their dreams of studying at the college. At the first year of BITC, under the professional Chinese teachers' help, most students will pass the HSK Level 4 exam successfully, which can help them to express themselves very fluently. In few years later, they will pass the HSK Level 6 as they can understand Chinese culture better. Besides, BITC has the most advanced professional training rooms and experienced professors, which have enabled students to learn professional knowledge and to cultivate their ability of hand-on skills. In after-class hours, there are various international activities, which deepened students understanding of Chinese culture, and helped them in developing good habits. Those years of BITC study has resulted in laying a sound basis for the future development. BITC has also provided students with the opportunities to top up bachelor above degrees in Beijing Jiaotong University and other famous universities. Deabes who comes from Egypt is the most compelling case. Deabes says, upon graduation from BITC, he went back to Egypt and worked in Huawei Egypt and got a job offer only after three months (which normally requires at least 6 months). Graduates of BITC like him are the first choice for employment at Huawei. Now, he is the Digital Channel Manager of the Middle-East Regional Department. In his daily work, the professional knowledge and skills he learned at BITC can be always applied. In terms of high-quality teaching and career choice, BITC has become the first choice for foreign students from "One Belt and One Road" countries to study in China. Contact: https://admission.bitc.edu.cn/ Email: gjjyb5597@163.com SOURCE china.org.cn Surge in investments for cloud modification programs, emergence of advanced technologies, and rise in demand for mitigate environmental threats drive the growth of the global cloud seeding market. PORTLAND, Ore., July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Cloud Seeding Market by Type (Aerial Cloud Seeding, Ground Based Cloud Seeding), by Application (Increasing Precipitation, Mitigating Hail Damage, Dispersing Fog), by Flare (End Burning Flares, Ejection Flares, Automatic and Remote Based Generator, Manual Generator, Flare Trees), by Seeding Technique (Hygroscopic, Glaciogenic ): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031". According to the report, the global Cloud Seeding industry generated $120.35 million in 2021, and is anticipated to generate $192.77 million by 2031, witnessing a CAGR of 5.1% from 2022 to 2031. Download Report (245 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, Figures) at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/16912 Prime determinants of growth Increase in investment within cloud modification programs, introduction of new technologies, and rise in demand to mitigate environmental threats drive the growth of the global cloud seeding market. Moreover, rise in application of cloud seeding technologies to generate artificial rain and maintain water level in draught regions presents new opportunities in the coming years. Covid-19 Scenario The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic led to sudden shutdown of manufacturing sector, trade, transport, and local commute, which had a negative impact on the global cloud seeding market. Making prediction during the pandemic became difficult. Limited access to raw materials and operational flight to perform cloud seeding also hampered the market growth. However, the market is expected to recover at a healthy rate. Request for Customization at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/16912 The aerial cloud seeding segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period Based on type, the aerial cloud seeding segment held the highest market share in 2021, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the global cloud seeding market, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. Moreover, the same segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 5.5% from 2022 to 2031. Increase in cloud seeding application by the arrival of the private service provider propels the growth of the segment. The report also analyzes the ground-based cloud seeding segment. The hygroscopic segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period Based on seeding technique, the hygroscopic segment accounted for the largest share in 2021, contributing to nearly three-fourths of the global cloud seeding market, and is projected to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. Moreover, the same segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 5.5% from 2022 to 2031. The rise in demand to generate rainfall or accelerate the cloud condensation process to cater to freshwater shortage demands is positively impacting business opportunities. The research also analyzes the glaciogenic segment. Interested to Procure the Data with Actionable Strategy & Insights? Inquire here at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/16912 North America to maintain its dominance by 2031 Based on region, North America held the highest market share in terms of revenue 2021, accounting for more than one-fourth of the global cloud seeding market. Moreover, the same region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 6.2% from 2022 to 2031. Range of active cloud seeding operations across the U.S. and support by the government toward increasing its commercial application support the market growth. The research also analyzes regions including Asia-Pacific, Europe, and LAMEA. Leading Market Players: - Weather Modification, Inc. RHS Consulting, Limited North American Weather Consultants, Inc. Seeding Operations And Atmospheric Research Snowy Hydro Limited Mettech S.p.A AFJets Sdn Bhd Cloud Seeding Technologies 3D SA Ice Crystal Engineering Buy Complete Report Now! https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout-final/11ed8085216e1b2ddfafe4934b957aeb About Us Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States USA/Canada (Toll Free): +1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1(855)550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: www.alliedmarketresearch.com Allied Market Research Blog: https://blog.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE Allied Market Research STOCKHOLM, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Elkem has entered into an agreement with NCL (North Sea Container Line AS) who will charter in two new container ships enabling carbon neutral operations from MPC Container Ships to further improve Elkem's North Sea logistics. Enabling the use of green methanol as fuel, featuring high safety standards and backed by a strong business case, the new ships will enable higher operational efficiency and more climate-friendly transport in line with Elkem's strategy. The agreement will also enable NCL to become the first container vessel operator in Norway to put methanol-powered ships into operations. The two new-build ships will replace three of NCL's current diesel-powered vessels, which will be phased out from operations. The ships, each at a capacity of 1300 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units), will be owned by the Oslo Brs listed MPC Container Ships ASA (MPCC) in partnership with Topeka MPC Maritime AS. Both vessels are expected to be in operation from the second half of 2024. The new ships are also highly automated, enabling higher efficiency, and feature several new safety measures to eliminate the risks of injury during operations. "Elkem's mission is to provide advanced material solutions shaping a better and more sustainable future. Our operations require a significant amount of transport across the value chain, including sea transport as the most climate-friendly mode of transport for bulk goods. These state-of-the-art vessels will further increase our efficiency through increased capacity and can potentially cut net CO 2 -emissions from 45 % up to 100% through the use of green methanol. This contract with NCL and the innovative newbuilding project with MPC Container Ships ASA is a great example of how operational excellence and sustainability can go hand in hand," says Elkem's CEO, Helge Aasen. Green methanol is a fuel derived from renewable electricity and captured CO2. Compared to conventional fuels, it enables reductions of carbon dioxide emissions to around zero, reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 80%, and eliminates sulphur oxide and particulate matter emissions. Elkem is one of NCL's owners, with a 40% share. As part of its climate project portfolio, Elkem is also exploring the potential for capturing CO 2 from Elkem's Norwegian plants and turning the CO 2 into methanol for downstream use. "We in NCL are continuously working to make sea freight safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly. This is in line with our initiative Sea Change, where we aim to take the lead in making the whole industry greener, quicker. The ships, and the partnership with MPCC, will boost a significant amount of innovation and energy saving measures and are fully prepared for the green transition. A key point for us is making it cost-effective for customers, so that we make green freight the preferred choice. This agreement with Elkem is a great example," says NCL's managing director, Bente Hetland. CEO of MPC Container Ships ASA, Constantin Baack comments: "We are excited to extend our selective fleet renewal with the two newbuildings in partnership with Elkem and NCL. This newbuilding project is a proof of how innovative projects that address the important green transition of the maritime industry can be executed in a way that they are also economically attractive, if the right partners join forces. Combining NCL's regional expertise and competencies and the strive and commitment of Elkem and others on the cargo side with MPCC's unique execution capabilities and in-depth understanding of intra-regional trade and vessel designs has been the basis for this project." The project has been awarded NOK 13.7 million by Enova, owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, and NOK 60 million from the NOx fund, the Norwegian business sector's fund to reduce emissions. Elkem is among the world's most environmentally friendly manufacturers of silicon-based materials, and high performance on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors are central to the company's corporate strategy. The company recently announced a climate roadmap detailing how Elkem plans to develop its business in line with the aim of the Paris agreement of limiting global warming to well below two degrees. The company aims to reduce its total fossil CO 2 emissions by 28% from 2020-31 while growing its supplies to the green transition thereby delivering a 39% improvement of its product carbon footprint in the same period. Elkem's long-term goal is net zero emissions by 2050. For further information, please contact: Odd-Geir Lyngstad VP Finance and Investor Relations Tel: +4797672806 E-mail: odd-geir.lyngstad@elkem.com Hans Iver Odenrud Corporate Communication Manager Tel: +4795816230 E-mail: hans.iver.odenrud@elkem.com About Elkem Elkem is one of the world's leading providers of advanced material solutions shaping a better and more sustainable future. The company develops silicones, silicon products and carbon solutions by combining natural raw materials, renewable energy and human ingenuity. Elkem helps its customers create and improve essential innovations like electric mobility, digital communications, health and personal care as well as smarter and more sustainable cities. With a strong track record since 1904, its global team of more than 7,000 people has a joint commitment to stakeholders: Delivering your potential. In 2021, Elkem obtained a Platinum score from EcoVadis, which rated the company among the world's top 1% on sustainability transparency, and the company achieved an operating income of NOK 33.7 billion. Elkem is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker: ELK). www.elkem.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/elkem/r/elkem-commissions-two-climate-friendly-ships-for-north-sea-operation-from-ncl-and-mpc-container-ship,c3595964 The following files are available for download: https://news.cision.com/elkem/i/ncl-container-fartoy-bla---side-plug-in,c3067386 NCL Container farty Bla - Side plug-in SOURCE Elkem Technological advancements in lighting systems and surge in adoption in household and commercial applications to enhance ambiance and warmth drive the growth of the global energy efficient lighting market. PORTLAND, Ore., July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Energy Efficient Lighting Market by Source (High-Intensity Discharge Lamps (HID), Linear Fluorescent Lamps (LFL), Light Emitting Diodes (LED), Others), by Application (Home, Commercial, Industrial): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2030." According to the report, the global energy efficient lighting industry generated $46.2 billion in 2021, and is estimated to reach $93.3 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 8.1% from 2022 to 2030. Drivers, Restraints, and Opportunities Technological advancements in lighting systems and surge in adoption in household and commercial applications to enhance ambiance and warmth drive the growth of the global energy efficient lighting market. However, high initial equipment and installation costs restrain the market growth. On the other hand, the mass production of energy-efficient lights presents new opportunities in the coming years. Download Sample PDF (230 Pages PDF with Insights): https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/16916 Covid-19 Scenario Manufacturing activities of energy efficient lighting were stopped due to lockdown measures implemented in many countries. In addition, disruptions in the supply chain and shortage of raw materials presented challenges in conducting manufacturing with full capacity. The demand from application industries such as home, industrial, and commercial lowered down significantly due to disruptions in daily operations during the lockdown. However, the demand is estimated to grow steadily post-lockdown as daily operations are on track. The light emitting diodes (LED) segment to maintain its lead position throughout the forecast period Based on source, the light emitting diodes (LED) segment accounted for the highest market share in 2021, contributing to more than two-fifths of the global energy efficient lighting market, and is expected to maintain its lead position throughout the forecast period. Moreover, this segment is estimated to witness the largest CAGR of 8.5% from 2022 to 2030. This is attributed to price reductions in LED lights, surge in use in display back lighting, and excellent efficacy of LED lamps. The report also analyzes the segments including high-intensity discharge lamps (HID), linear fluorescent lamps (LFL), and others. Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Energy Efficient Lighting Market: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/16916?reqfor=covid The commercial segment to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period Based on application, the commercial segment held the highest market share in terms of revenue in 2021, accounting for nearly two-fifths of the global energy efficient lighting market, and is projected to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period. This is due to penetration of various energy efficient lighting solutions in the commercial sector and development of low-cost solutions by leading manufacturers. However, the home segment is projected to register the fastest CAGR of 8.3% from 2022 to 2030. This is attributed to increase in construction of residential buildings and preference for installation of energy efficient light sources such as CFL & LED bulbs and tube lights to save energy. North America generated the highest market share in 2021 Based on region, North America contributed to the highest market share in terms of revenue in 2020, accounting for more than one-third of the global energy efficient lighting market. This is due to the presence of major electrical companies in the region and development of smart energy efficient lighting systems such as halogen lights. However, Europe is estimated to manifest the largest CAGR of 8.8% during the forecast period, owing to presence of major manufacturers, stringent energy efficiency rules, and significant power consumption in industrial and residential applications. Schedule a FREE Consultation Call with Our Analysts/Industry Experts to Find Solution for Your Business @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/16916 Leading Market Players Eaton Corporation Philips Lumec General Electric Toshiba Corporation ABB Schneider Electric Advanced Lighting Technologies Australia, Inc. Nichia Corporation Bridgelux, Inc. Digital Lumens, Inc. Interested in Procure Data? Visit Here: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/energy-efficient-lighting-market/purchase-options Access AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model) at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access Avenue is a user-based library of global market report database, provides comprehensive reports pertaining to the world's largest emerging markets. It further offers e-access to all the available industry reports just in a jiffy. By offering core business insights on the varied industries, economies, and end users worldwide, Avenue ensures that the registered members get an easy as well as single gateway to their all-inclusive requirements. Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenueTrial Similar Reports We Have: Smart Homes, Buildings (Energy Efficient, Automated) Market is projected to reach $78.2 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 9.4% from 2021 to 2030. Light Control Switches Market is projected to reach $12.5 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2020 to 2030. Energy Harvesting System Market is projected to reach $1,057.7 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.5% from 2021 to 2030. Energy as a Service Market is projected to reach $112.7 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.6% from 2021 to 2030. Utility Poles Market is projected to reach $58.8 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 3.2% from 2019 to 2026. Solar Energy Market is projected to reach $223.3 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 20.5% from 2019 to 2026. Solar Simulator Market is projected to reach $364.6 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2022 to 2031. UV Disinfection Equipment Market is projected to reach $5.7 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 17.1% from 2020 to 2027. Pre-Book Now with 10% Discount: Solar Shed Light Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2030 Portable Charger Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2029 Solar Street Lighting Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 Light Towers Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021 - 2029 Solar Home Lights Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2020 - 2029 Ultraviolet Lamps Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 Tactile Switches Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2029 Xenon Flash Lamp Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212029 Energy Efficient Motor Market Global Opportunity Analysis and Forecasts, 2021 2030 About us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact us: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Toll Free: 1-800-792-5285 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-855-550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow us on: LinkedIn Twitter Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE Allied Market Research Affidea reaches 327 centres at European level, seeing up to almost 12 million patients per year The Affidea Group announces today the acquisition of Clinica Nuno Alvares and Clinica de Santa Mafalda in Portugal , two Phoenix medical centres in Deva and Alba Iulia, Romania and 3 centres in Spain - the polyclinics Infanta Mercedes Medical Centre, El Mirador Polyclinic and Colmenar Viejo Radiodiagnosis , two medical centres in Deva and Alba Iulia, and 3 centres in - the polyclinics Infanta Mercedes Medical Centre, El Mirador Polyclinic and Colmenar Viejo Radiodiagnosis Since 2018 the Company has grown its revenues by a CAGR of 16% and completed 30 acquisitions with 110 new centres added to its network. THE HAGUE, Netherlands, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Affidea Group announces today strategic acquisitions in three countries Spain, Portugal and Romania adding 7 new centres to its network and reaching 327 centres at European level, as part of its growth strategy. In Portugal, Affidea announces the acquisition of Clinica Nuno Alvares and Clinica de Santa Mafalda, two important providers of advanced diagnostics and outpatient services in the municipality of Almada, greater Lisbon area. Clinica Nuno Alvares, located in the centre of Almada, has been an important healthcare provider in the city for over 30 years, offering a wide spectrum of medical consultations, clinical analyses and diagnostics exams. Likewise, Santa Mafalda Clinic, located in the centre of Costa Caparica, has for over 30 years provided a wide range of consultations in more than 25 clinical specialties and blood analysis. With this acquisition, Affidea Portugal reaches 19 clinics at country level, 3 laboratories and more than 300 blood collection points. In Spain, the acquisition of the polyclinics Infanta Mercedes Medical Centre, El Mirador Polyclinic and Colmenar Viejo Radiodiagnosis brings to Affidea patients, in addition to Diagnostic Imaging, a wide range of over 25 specialty consultations. The centres collaborate with more than 30 medical societies, and several clinical analysis laboratories, and serve both publicly and privately funded patients. The Infanta Mercedes Medical Centre is located in one of the busiest business and residential areas of Madrid, operating in the market since 1990, while the other two centres, El Mirador Polyclinic and Colmenar Viejo Radiodiagnosis, are located in the north of Madrid and have been operating since 2011. With this acquisition, Affidea Spain reaches 40 clinics at country level. In Romania, with the acquisition of 2 Phoenix medical centres in Deva and Alba Iulia, the Affidea Romania network will increase to 38 centres. The two clinics provide medical imaging services (MRI, CT, Dexa), as well as consultations in various medical specialties. With these additions, the Affidea network reaches 327 centres at European level, working with over 11,000 professionals and seeing almost 12 million patients every year. Giuseppe Recchi, CEO Affidea Group, commented: "I am very proud of how successful we have been in pursuing our mission to be the diagnostic imaging service provider of choice for our patients, doctors and payors. We have reached a unique position as the leading pan-European diagnostic imaging provider, having expanded our scale, and being in the top 3 providers in every country where we operate. We select clinics that can complement our portfolio with their strong local reputation, medical offering and clinical specialities, which extend and strengthen our scope. Demand for quality health services is growing visibly stronger, and at Affidea, we are committed to meeting this demand, keeping at core what differentiates us clinical excellence, state-of-the-art technology and an amazing network of over 11,000 professionals, of which 7,500 are clinical staff." In June this year, Affidea was awarded the Diagnostic Provider of the Year Award at the HealthInvestor Awards 2022. In the past 5 years, Affidea has added almost 110 centres to its network, almost doubling the size of the Group. In 2022 alone, the company has expanded in 6 countries of its operations, starting in Italy with the acquisition of Promea, a reputable outpatient provider in Piedmont, followed by an outpatient clinic in Lithuania, the Brust Zentrum Zurich centre in Switzerland, Tecma Clinic, a renowned outpatient medical provider in Valencia, Spain and the three most recent ones in Portugal, Spain and Romania. About Affidea Group Affidea Group (www.affidea.com) is Europe's largest provider of advanced imaging, outpatient and cancer treatment services. Founded in 1991, the company has 327 medical centres in 15 countries, advanced diagnostics, outpatient and cancer care services for more than 11 million patients annually. Due to its high standards in patient safety, Affidea is the most awarded provider of medical imaging services in Europe. More than half of the award-winning centres with 5-stars on the Eurosafe Wall of Stars, accredited by the European Society of Radiology in Europe, are Affidea centres. SOURCE Affidea BV The aluminum foil packaging market report is segmented by End-user (food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and others) and Geography (North America, APAC, Europe, MEA, and South America). Revenue Generating Segment: The aluminum foil packaging market share growth in the food and beverage segment will be significant for revenue generation. The increase in sales of packaged foods and dairy products is the key driving factor, which is triggering the growth of aluminum foil packaging in the food and beverage sector. Factors such as the growing global population and rising health awareness drive the demand for dairy products. The aluminum foil packaging market share growth in the food and beverage segment will be significant for revenue generation. Factors such as the growing global population and rising health awareness drive the demand for dairy products. For additional insights into the contribution of all the segments - Click Now! Aluminum Foil Packaging Market: Vendor Analysis The aluminum foil packaging market is fragmented and the vendors are deploying organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market. The aluminum foil packaging market report offers information on several market vendors, including ACG, Aikou Packaging Co. Ltd., Alcoa Corp., Aliberico SLU, Amcor Plc, and Hindalco Industries Ltd., Hulamin Ltd., Plus Pack AS, Tekni-Plex Inc., and United Company Rusal Plc among others. Few vendors with key offerings are - ACG - The company offers tropical foils, CR/SF foils, and Aluminum Lidding foils. The company offers tropical foils, CR/SF foils, and Aluminum Lidding foils. Aikou Packaging Co. Ltd. - The company offers aluminum foil packaging for frozen foods, cakes, roasted foods, and others. The company offers aluminum foil packaging for frozen foods, cakes, roasted foods, and others. Alcoa Corp. The company offers aluminum foil packaging under its brand Reynolds. It offers standard aluminum foil, heavy-duty aluminum foil, non-stick aluminum foil, and others. The company offers aluminum foil packaging under its brand Reynolds. It offers standard aluminum foil, heavy-duty aluminum foil, non-stick aluminum foil, and others. Aliberico SLU - The company offers aluminum foil packaging for food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, and others. The company offers aluminum foil packaging for food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, and others. Amcor Plc - The company offers aluminum foil containers and lidding foil. The company offers aluminum foil containers and lidding foil. To gain access to more vendor profiles with their key offerings available with Technavio - Grab a sample now! Aluminum Foil Packaging Market: Key Market Dynamics Market Driver - The growing global commercial Food-service market and rising demand from the pharmaceutical blister packaging market in us are some of the key market drivers. The growing global commercial Food-service market and rising demand from the pharmaceutical blister packaging market in us are some of the key market drivers. Market Challenges - The factors such as fluctuating prices of aluminum will challenge market growth. To learn about additional key drivers, trends, and challenges -. Request a Sample Report right now! Get ready to achieve excellent business outcomes from this exclusive Aluminum Foil Packaging Market report by Technavio. The report will include highlights of the overall market which includes frequently asked questions such as - What are historical revenue figures and estimated revenue figures as well as CAGR during the forecast timeframe? What is the current trend taking place in the market space? Which are business tactics that will influence competitive scenarios along with defining the growth potential of the market? What are market drivers, restraints, and challenges impacting demand & growth of the market? Which regions & segments will garner massive revenue and emerge as market leaders in upcoming years. The competitive scenario provided in the Aluminum Foil Packaging Market report analyzes, evaluates, and positions companies based on various performance indicators. Some of the factors considered for this analysis include the financial performance of companies over the past few years, growth strategies, product innovations, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Don't wait, Make a strategic approach & boost your business goals with our Aluminum Foil Packaging Market Forecast Report - Buy Now! Related Reports: The aluminum market for packaging industry share is expected to increase by 2376.08 thousand tons from 2020 to 2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 4.19%. share is expected to increase by 2376.08 thousand tons from 2020 to 2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 4.19%. The ceramic packaging market size has the potential to grow by USD 6.74 billion during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 7.17%. Aluminum Foil Packaging Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 4.07% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 2.17 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 3.32 Performing market contribution North America at 33% Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled ACG, Aikou Packaging Co. Ltd., Alcoa Corp., Aliberico SLU, Amcor Plc, Hindalco Industries Ltd., Hulamin Ltd., Plus Pack AS, Tekni-Plex Inc., and United Company Rusal Plc Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 01: Parent market Exhibit 02: Market characteristics Exhibit 03: Value chain analysis: Metal and glass containers 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 Exhibit 09: Bargaining power of buyers 4.2 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: Food and beverage - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 5.3 Food and beverage - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 18: Food and beverage - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 19: Pharmaceutical - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 5.4 Pharmaceutical - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 20: Pharmaceutical - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 21: Others - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 5.5 Others - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 22: Others - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 23: Market opportunity by End user 5.6 Market opportunity by End user 6 Customer landscape 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 26: Geographic comparison 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 27: North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 28: North America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 29: APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 7.4 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 30: APAC - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 31: Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 7.5 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 32: Europe - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 33: MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 7.6 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 34: MEA - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 35: South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 7.7 South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 36: South America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 37: Key leading countries 7.8 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 Overview Exhibit 41: Landscape disruption 9.2 Landscape disruption Exhibit 42: Industry risks 9.3 Competitive Scenerio 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 44: Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 45: ACG - Overview Exhibit 46: ACG - Product and service 10.3 ACG Exhibit 47: ACG - Key news Exhibit 48: ACG - Key offerings Exhibit 49: Aikou Packaging Co. Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 50: Aikou Packaging Co. Ltd. - Product and service Exhibit 51: Aikou Packaging Co. Ltd. - Key offerings 10.4 Aikou Packaging Co. Ltd. Exhibit 52: Alcoa Corp. - Overview Exhibit 53: Alcoa Corp. - Business segments 10.5 Alcoa Corp. Exhibit 54: Alcoa Corp. - Key news Exhibit 55: Alcoa Corp. - Key offerings Exhibit 56: Alcoa Corp. - Segment focus Exhibit 57: Aliberico SLU - Overview Exhibit 58: Aliberico SLU - Product and service 10.6 Aliberico SLU 10.7 Amcor Plc Exhibit 63: Amcor Plc - Key news Exhibit 64: Amcor Plc - Key offerings Exhibit 65: Amcor Plc - Segment focus Exhibit 66: Hindalco Industries Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 67: Hindalco Industries Ltd. - Business segments 10.8 Hindalco Industries Ltd. Exhibit 68: Hindalco Industries Ltd. - Key news Exhibit 69: Hindalco Industries Ltd. - Key offerings Exhibit 70: Hindalco Industries Ltd. - Segment focus Exhibit 71: Hulamin Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 72: Hulamin Ltd. - Business segments 10.9 Hulamin Ltd. Exhibit 73: Hulamin Ltd. - Key news Exhibit 74: Hulamin Ltd. - Key offerings Exhibit 75: Hulamin Ltd. - Segment focus Exhibit 76: Plus Pack AS - Overview Exhibit 77: Plus Pack AS - Product and service Exhibit 78: Plus Pack AS - Key offerings 10.10 Plus Pack AS Exhibit 79: Tekni-Plex Inc. - Overview Exhibit 80: Tekni-Plex Inc. - Product and service 10.11 Tekni-Plex Inc. Exhibit 81: Tekni-Plex Inc. - Key news Exhibit 82: Tekni-Plex Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 83: United Company Rusal Plc - Overview Exhibit 84: United Company Rusal Plc - Business segments 10.12 United Company Rusal Plc Exhibit 85: United Company Rusal Plc - Key offerings Exhibit 86: United Company Rusal Plc - Segment focus 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report Exhibit 87: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.2 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 88: Research Methodology 11.3 Research methodology Exhibit 89: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 90: Information sources Exhibit 91: List of abbreviations 11.4 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 Ranked First in Credit Scoring and Domestic Leader | ASEAN SINGAPORE, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Azentio Software ("Azentio"), a Singapore-headquartered technology firm owned by funds advised by Apax Partners, is pleased to announce it has achieved high rankings across multiple categories in the IBS Intelligence (IBSi) Sales League Table (SLT) 2022, which identified prominent banking solutions that made their mark in 2021. Azentio has secured the top position at IBSi SLT Industry Leader Special Awards 2022 for Credit Scoring and Domestic Leader | ASEAN. The company has also made a strong presence in the SLT Leadership Club 2022, being announced winner in the following categories: Compliance Management CRM Data Warehousing & Business Intelligence Lending | Retail Islamic - Lending | Retail Islamic - Universal Banking | Core Several other solutions from Azentio were also positioned prominently in the report, including Digital Banking, Digital Solution, Corporate Lending, Treasury, Forex, Factoring and Asset Management. While the IBSi Industry Leader Special Awards provide an understanding of leading suppliers in each category and region, the SLT Leadership Club recognises the best-performing systems in different categories and geographies. Azentio was also recognized as a Competitive Player in the Universal Banking | Core, Private Banking & Wealth Management, and Risk & Compliance categories; Breakthrough Player in the Wholesale Banking, and Digital Banking & Channels categories; and as a Wider Focus Player in the Lending category. Commenting on Azentio's performance, Robin Amlot, Managing Editor of IBS Intelligence said, "Singapore-based Azentio Software has established itself as a powerhouse of financial software solutions in the Middle East, Africa, India and South East Asia regions, as demonstrated by its top-ranking in the IBSi SLT Industry Leader Special Awards in two categories. We congratulate the company on this performance and the depth and breadth of its portfolio, underlined by the fact that Azentio's products ranked first or second in 8 categories!" Tony Kinnear, Chief Executive Officer of Azentio, stated, "It is pleasing to see Azentio's banking business make solid progress across multiple categories in IBSi's SLT. This year, Azentio leads the Credit Scoring category with our acclaimed credit scoring software powered with AI and ML algorithms, enabling financial institutions to make faster and more informed decisions about the creditworthiness of loan applicants with greater accuracy. Azentio also debuted with its #1 ranking as Domestic Leader I ASEAN for the overall breadth and depth of its product range built specifically for the needs of the region." With a 20-year track record behind it, the IBSi SLT 2022 showcased the sales performance of banking technology suppliers, objectively ranking most sought-after products across 17 categories, with three new categories launched in this edition. It included system purchases made by over 1000+ banks across 250+ software products from 60 suppliers across the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa, APAC and ASEAN. The number of deals evaluated this year was 1,900+ reported from 134 countries. About Azentio Azentio Software provides mission critical, vertical-specific software products for clients in banking, financial services and insurance segments. The company has over 1000 clients in more than 65 countries with a team of over 2,000 employees across offices in 9 countries globally. Azentio Software Private Limited is wholly owned by funds advised by Apax Partners. About IBS Intelligence IBS Intelligence (IBSi) is the world's only pure-play financial technology focused research, advisory, and news analysis firm, with a 30-year track record and clients globally. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1712686/Azentio_Software_Logo.jpg SOURCE Azentio Software Pvt Ltd Business to continue to operate as LINA Korea New logo emphasizes mutual respect and flexibility HONG KONG, July 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb Life today announced that Jee Eun (Geannie) Cho has been appointed Country President of the company's life insurance operations in Korea that were recently acquired from Cigna. The business will continue to operate as LINA Korea. Ms. Cho, who has led the Cigna business as Chief Executive Officer since 2020, will continue to have executive operating responsibility for LINA Korea. Geannie Cho has been appointed Country President of the life insurance operations in Korea that Chubb recently acquired from Cigna. The business will continue to operate as LINA Korea. On July 1, Chubb, the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurer, completed its acquisition of the life and non-life insurance companies that house the personal accident, supplemental health and life insurance business of Cigna in six Asia-Pacific markets, including Korea. The addition of this consumer-focused business advances Chubb's strategy to expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, a long-term growth area for the company, and adds to an already sizable accident and health (A&H) business while expanding the company's Asia-based life insurance presence. Ms. Cho will report to Bryce Johns, Senior Vice President, Chubb Group and President of Chubb Life. The appointment is effective immediately. "Geannie has been in leadership roles at LINA Korea since 2011, including serving as CEO for the last two years," said Mr. Johns. "We're extremely pleased she will continue to lead this business, which she has been building and managing for a decade. Geannie knows the business, the market and the exceptional team at LINA. She has the experience and track record to lead this important business as we focus on delivering even greater value to our customers, agents and brokers, and business partners. We look forward to working with our new colleagues at LINA Korea." In conjunction with the closing of the acquisition, LINA Korea has also adopted a new corporate identity that aligns with the Chubb brand. The new LINA Korea logo, like Chubb's, can be expressed with nine different colors. These colors reflect the diversity of our people, the vibrance of our business and the customers we serve, the energy of our culture, and our respect for different ways of thinking. By adopting multiple colors, employees can also more freely express themselves. To celebrate this new beginning, LINA Korea, which is headquartered in Jongno-gu, will hold an evening lighting ceremony on July 4th. "For 35 years, LINA has been a reliable and stable presence in the Korea life insurance market. Becoming a part of the Chubb family will make us even stronger," said Ms. Cho. "Together, we will continue to offer the best insurance service to our customers, opportunities for our employees, and innovation that sets us apart." Ms. Cho has more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry. Prior to serving as CEO of CIGNA Korea, she was Chief Operating Officer and Vice President, Operations. Earlier in her career, Ms. Cho was Assistant Vice President at Sun Life Financial and a manager at MetLife. Ms. Cho holds an MBA degree from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, a Master's degree from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and a BS degree from Seoul National University. About LINA Korea LINA Korea, the first foreign life insurance company in Korea, was established in 1987 with the corporate mission to help the people we serve improve their health, well-being and peace of mind. With innovation and trust as our core values, we endeavor to provide service that is more than just an insurance policy. Today, LINA Korea ranks among the top insurers for consumer protection and financial soundness. We are continuing our story of success and innovation in the Korean market by launching GI product, dental and silver cancer plans for the first time in Korea and adopting telesales. About Chubb Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London, Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 34,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com SOURCE Chubb Life DUBLIN, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Green Coatings Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global green coatings market reached a value of US$ 81.7 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 107.5 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.68% during 2021-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end-use industries. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Green coatings refer to environment-friendly coatings that emit almost zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the manufacturing process. Some of the commonly available variants include water-based paints, high solid paints, powder coatings and radiation-hardened coatings. These coatings are manufactured using naturally sourced materials, such as vegetable oil, soybean, castor oil, milk and clay. They minimize the adverse effects of infrared and ultraviolet (UV) radiations and aid in improving the overall efficiency of the equipment. As a result, they find extensive applications across various industries, including construction, automotive, oil and gas, mining, aviation, aerospace and marine. Significant growth in the construction industry across the globe is one of the key factors creating a positive outlook for the market. Green coatings are widely applied on walls, roofs, panels, windows, door frames and interior extrusions as protective and decorative paints. They are also used on various consumer products, such as oven components, dryer drums, rooftop heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units, electronic boxes, furniture and fixtures. Moreover, rising environmental consciousness among the masses and the increasing demand for waterborne and powder-based coatings are providing a thrust to the market growth. In comparison to the traditionally used solvent-borne coatings, these variants are VOC-free, block resistant and not harmful for human health. Additionally, various product innovations, such as the development of radiation curable coatings, are acting as other growth-inducing factors. They are manufactured using plant-based sources and are processed under low energy electrons (EB) or ultraviolet (UV) radiations. Other factors, including rapid industrialization, along with the implementation of favorable government policies to promote sustainability, are anticipated to drive the market toward growth. Competitive Landscape: The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Akzo Nobel N.V., Asian Paints Limited, Axalta Coating Systems Ltd., BASF SE, Hempel A/S, Jotun, Kansai Paint Co. Ltd., Koninklijke DSM N.V., Nippon Paint Holdings Co. Ltd., PPG Industries Inc and The Sherwin-Williams Company. Key Questions Answered in This Report: How has the global green coatings market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global green coatings market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the type? What is the breakup of the market based on the application? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global green coatings market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Scope and Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Industry Trends 5 Global Green Coatings Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Type 6.1 Waterborne 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Powder 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 High Solid 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 6.4 UV Cured 6.4.1 Market Trends 6.4.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Application 7.1 Architectural Coatings 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Industrial Coatings 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 7.3 Automotive Coatings 7.3.1 Market Trends 7.3.2 Market Forecast 7.4 Wood Coatings 7.4.1 Market Trends 7.4.2 Market Forecast 7.5 Packaging Coatings 7.5.1 Market Trends 7.5.2 Market Forecast 7.6 Others 7.6.1 Market Trends 7.6.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Region 9 SWOT Analysis 10 Value Chain Analysis 11 Porters Five Forces Analysis 12 Price Analysis 13 Competitive Landscape 13.1 Market Structure 13.2 Key Players 13.3 Profiles of Key Players 13.3.1 Akzo Nobel N.V. 13.3.1.1 Company Overview 13.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.1.3 Financials 13.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.2 Asian Paints Limited 13.3.2.1 Company Overview 13.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.2.3 Financials 13.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.3 Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. 13.3.3.1 Company Overview 13.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.3.3 Financials 13.3.4 BASF SE 13.3.4.1 Company Overview 13.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.4.3 Financials 13.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.5 Hempel A/S 13.3.5.1 Company Overview 13.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.5.3 SWOT Analysis 13.3.6 Jotun 13.3.6.1 Company Overview 13.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.7 Kansai Paint Co. Ltd. 13.3.7.1 Company Overview 13.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.7.3 Financials 13.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.8 Koninklijke DSM N.V. 13.3.8.1 Company Overview 13.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.8.3 Financials 13.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.9 Nippon Paint Holdings Co. Ltd. 13.3.9.1 Company Overview 13.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.9.3 Financials 13.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.10 PPG Industries Inc 13.3.10.1 Company Overview 13.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.10.3 Financials 13.3.10.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.11 The Sherwin-Williams Company 13.3.11.1 Company Overview 13.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.11.3 Financials For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ueswwn 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: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets BEIJING, July 4 -- Recently, for the first time, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) released the naming rules of the military and civil aircraft product brands it manufactured. Eighteen series of aircraft products under eight categories, containing the fighter jet, bomber, transport aircraft, special mission aircraft, training aircraft, helicopter, general-purpose plane and unmanned aerial vehicle, are named based on the rules. Page Content Bonaire On Monday, June 27, 2022, the Honorable Ministers of Justice of Aruba; Rocco Tjon, Curacao; Shalten Hato and St. Maarten; Anna E. Richardson met in Bonaire for a Justice Tripartite meeting between the Caribbean countries of the Dutch Kingdom. The three Ministers were initially scheduled to meet with the Netherlands Honorable Minister of Justice and Security Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius in Bonaire for the Judicial Four-Country Consultation (JVO) meeting, however, it was unfortunately postponed to a later date due to Minister Yesilgoz having to cancel her attendance because of an emergency situation developing in the Netherlands. Due to the postponement, the three Ministers of Justice of the Caribbean countries decided to use the opportunity to hold the first Tripartite Justice meeting between the three countries. Though Minister Tjon, Minister Hato and Minister Richardson remain in constant contact and have met on previous occasions for multilateral events and other forums, the initiative for a structural Tripartite meeting served as a forum for regular dialogue at the Ministerial level in the field of Justice. During the meeting chaired by Minister Richardson, possible ways in which more value can be added to strengthen the ongoing cooperation efforts between the three Ministries of Justice of the Dutch Caribbean were discussed. Minister Richardson stated, I am very appreciative of my esteemed colleague Ministers of Justice for the positive response to this initiative when it was presented. Historically, the three Ministries of Justice have been cooperating with each other and assisting the various departments within the respective Ministries. As such, this working visit offers the three countries the opportunity to intensify the established working relationships and expand these relationships. Focusing on areas of mutual interest, the topics discussed during the Tripartite meeting were; Formalizing the semi-annual Tripartite Justice meeting; a proposal to incorporate investigative psychologists into the Police forces of the countries; Rehabilitation and resocialization of prisoners; Structural training and education of Justice employees through the establishment of Law Enforcement Institutes/Justice academies in the countries; Increasing the effectiveness of the countries Immigration laws through closer cooperation; the introduction of St. Maartens new weapon policy and assistance sought in weapons training of applicants; dealing with at-risk youth on St. Maarten through successful programs that have been implemented on Aruba and Curacao with support from the Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands and other partners. The three Ministers of Justice expressed their contentment with the efficient conduct of the Tripartite meeting as this now marks the start of increased cooperation and productive working relationships between the three countries. These types of forums enable us as decision-makers to directly discuss issues related to Justice and in doing so, achieve positive outcomes that benefit all three countries equally, stated Minister Richardson. Discussions are ongoing for the next JVO meeting with the four Ministers of Justice of the Dutch Kingdom with a target date of August 2022. The next Justice Tripartite meeting is scheduled to take place in October 2022 and will be hosted by the Ministry of Justice of St. Maarten with the Minister of Justice as chair of the meeting. Photo caption: Honorable Ministers of Justice of Curacao, Mr. Shalten Hato, St. Maarten, Ms. Anna E. Richardson and Aruba, Mr. Rocco Tjon KANAZAWA, Japan, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Kanazawa University report in ACS Nano the development of a nanoparticle that acts as a heater and a thermometer. Inserting the nanoparticle in living cells results in a heat spot that, by switching it on and off, enables the controlled modulation of local cellular activities. Being able to heat nano-sized regions in biological tissues is key to several biomedical applications. Indeed, many biological processes are temperature-sensitive, and the ability to locally modify temperature provides a way to manipulate cellular activity. A notable purpose is the destruction of cancer cells by heating them. Beside the need for an in-tissue local heating mechanism, it also important to be able to instantaneously measure the generated temperature. Satoshi Arai from Kanazawa University and colleagues have now engineered a nanoparticle that is both a nanoheater and a nanothermometer at the same time. They successfully showed that the insertion of a single, controllable heat spot in tissue can be very effective in modifying cellular function. The nanoparticle, called "nanoHT" by the scientists an abbreviation of "nanoheater-thermometer" is essentially a polymer matrix embedding a dye molecule (called EuDT) used for sensing temperature, and another dye molecule (called V-Nc) for releasing heat. The latter happens through the conversion of light into thermal energy (the photothermal effect, also exploited in solar cells): shining a near-infrared laser (with a wavelength of 808 nanometer) onto V-Nc results in fast heating, with a stronger increase in temperature for higher laser power. Temperature sensing is based on the thermal fluorescence effect of EuDT. When irradiated with light of one wavelength, the molecule emits light at another wavelength fluorescence. The higher the temperature, the less intense the fluorescence becomes. This inverse relationship can be used to measure temperature. Arai and colleagues tested the performance of nanoHT as a thermometer, and established that it can determine temperatures with a resolution of 0.8C and less. The researchers then performed experiments with a type of human cells called HeLa cells. They looked at the effect of heating through nanoHT, and found that at a temperature increment of about 11.4 C, the heated HeLa cells died after only a few seconds. This finding suggests that nanoHT could be used to induce cell death in cancer cells. Arai and colleagues also studied how nanoHT can be used to affect the behavior of muscles. They introduced the nanoparticle into myotube, a type of fiber present in muscle tissue. Upon heating the myotube by approximately 10.5 C, the muscle tissue contracted. The procedure worked reversibly; letting the myotube cool again led to muscle relaxation. The work of Arai and colleagues shows that local heating at a subcellular scale by means of nanoHT enables the controlled manipulation of a single cell's activity. Regarding applications, the scientists believe that "the targeted application of nanoHT has a diverse and versatile range of capabilities to regulate cellular activities that would facilitate the development of thermodynamic cell engineering." Background Fluorescence Fluorescence refers to the emission of light by a substance after which it has absorbed light (or another type of electromagnetic radiation). Typically, the emitted light has a longer wavelength, and so a lower photon energy, than the absorbed radiation. A well-known case of fluorescence happens when the absorbed radiation is in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum, invisible to the human eye, while the emitted light is in the visible region. Fluorescent thermometry is a technique for measuring temperatures through the use of fluorescent dye molecules, the fluorescence intensity of which is a strong function of temperature. The dye molecules are inserted into a material of interest; detailed knowledge of the fluorescence intensity vs. temperature dependence enables to infer the temperature of the material. (The dye molecules are excited to fluoresce by incident light; its intensity provides a measure of the local temperature.) Satoshi Arai from Kanazawa University and colleagues used fluorescence dye molecules to develop nanoHT, a nanoparticle acting as both a heater and a thermometer for nano-bio applications. Reference Ferdinandus, Madoka Suzuki, Cong Quang Vu, Yoshie Harada, Satya Ranjan Sarker, Shin'ichi Ishiwata, Tetsuya Kitaguchi, and Satoshi Arai. Modulation of Local Cellular Activities using a Photothermal Dye-Based Subcellular-Sized Heat Spot, ACS Nano 16, 90049018 (2022). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c00285 URL: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.2c00285 Images https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/fig1.jpg Figure 1. Thermodynamic Cell Engineering: Creating a tiny heat spot enables to regulate cellular functions https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/fig2.jpg Figure 2. Microscopic system for nanoheating. A) Schematic and microscopic images of nanoheater (nanoHT) (Transmission electron microscopy). B) A system to warm up a localized region at single cellular level (upper panel). A single dot of nanoHT was located within a single cell (lower left panel). Temperature gradient at microscale was generated at subcellular level (lower right panel). https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/fig3.jpg Figure 3. A nanoparticle combining photothermal heating and fluorescence thermometry functions as a localized heat spot, and is capable of inducing cell death or muscle contraction. Contact Hiroe Yoneda Vice Director of Public Affairs WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) Kanazawa University Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan Email: [email protected] Tel: +81 (76) 234-4550 About Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/en/ Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI), Kanazawa University is a research center established in 2017 as part of the World Premier International Research Center Initiative of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The objective of this initiative is to form world-tier research centers. NanoLSI combines the foremost knowledge of bio-scanning probe microscopy to establish 'nano-endoscopic techniques' to directly image, analyze, and manipulate biomolecules for insights into mechanisms governing life phenomena such as diseases. About Kanazawa University http://www.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/e/ As the leading comprehensive university on the Sea of Japan coast, Kanazawa University has contributed greatly to higher education and academic research in Japan since it was founded in 1949. The University has three colleges and 17 schools offering courses in subjects that include medicine, computer engineering, and humanities. The University is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in Kanazawa a city rich in history and culture. The city of Kanazawa has a highly respected intellectual profile since the time of the fiefdom (1598-1867). Kanazawa University is divided into two main campuses: Kakuma and Takaramachi for its approximately 10,200 students including 600 from overseas. SOURCE Kanazawa University 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: 7; Released: January 2022 Executive Pool: 3684 Companies: 46 - Players covered include Cervis Inc.; Eaton Corporation PLC; GS Global Resources (GSGR); Hartfiel Automation; Kar-Tech, Inc.; Laird PLC; Leica Geosystems AG; Lykketronic A/S; MOBA Mobile Automation AG; WIKA Mobile Control GmbH & Co. KG. and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: End-Use (Construction, Agriculture, Mining, Waste Management); Equipment (Loaders, Excavators, Graders, Dozers) Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific; Rest of World. 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- Global Wireless Mobile Machine Control Market to Reach $4.7 Billion by 2026 Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Wireless Mobile Machine Control estimated at US$3 Billion, is projected to reach a revised size of US$4.7 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7.9% over the analysis period. Loaders, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record a 7.6% CAGR and reach US$1.7 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Excavators segment is readjusted to a revised 8.1% CAGR for the next 7-year period. The U.S. Market is Estimated at $963.1 Million in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach $823.7 Million by 2026 The Wireless Mobile Machine Control market in the U.S. is estimated at US$963.1 Million in the year 2021. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$823.7 Million by the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 7.4% over the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 7.4% and 6.4% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 6.4% CAGR. Graders Segment to Reach US$1 Billion by the year 2026 In the global Graders segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 7.9% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$519.4 Million will reach a projected size of US$882.3 Million by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. 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. DUBLIN, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Smart Power Distribution Systems Market (2022-2027) by Component, Application, Geography, Competitive Analysis, and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Smart Power Distribution Systems Market is estimated to be USD 32.14 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 57 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 12.14%. Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Smart Power Distribution Systems Market stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors. There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals. As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks. Company Profiles The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in this report are ABB, Aclara Technologies, Cisco Systems, Eaton, Firecomms, Fuji Electric, 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 Smart Power Distribution Systems 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 Smart Power Distribution Systems 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 Smart Power Distribution Systems 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 Growth and Development of Grid Infrastructure Increase in Number of Oil & Gas Industries 4.1.2 Increasing Demand for Integration of Renewable Energy Sources 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 High Cost of Installation and Maintenance 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Increasing Capabilities of Power Distribution Systems with Cloud and AI 4.3.2 Smart Power Distribution Systems for Multiple Device Management 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Tripped Occurrence in Power Distribution Systems 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 Smart Power Distribution Systems Market, By Component 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Software 6.2.1 Advanced Metering Infrastructure 6.2.2 Smart Grid Communication 6.2.3 Smart Grid Distribution and Management 6.2.4 Substation Automation 6.2.5 Billing Information System 6.2.6 Others 6.3 Hardware 6.3.1 Sensors 6.3.2 AMI Meters 6.3.3 Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) 6.3.4 Protection and Control Relays 6.3.5 Others (Sensors, Protection and Control Relays, etc.) 6.4 Service 6.4.1 Deployment and Integration 6.4.2 Consultant 6.4.3 Maintenance 7 Global Smart Power Distribution Systems Market, By Application 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Commercial 7.3 Residential 7.4 Industrial 7.4.1 Automotive 7.4.2 Pharmaceutical 7.4.3 Chemical 7.4.4 Food & Beverage 7.4.5 Others (Healthcare, Marine, etc.) 8 Americas' Smart Power Distribution Systems Market 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Argentina 8.3 Brazil 8.4 Canada 8.5 Chile 8.6 Colombia 8.7 Mexico 8.8 Peru 8.9 United States 8.10 Rest of Americas 9 Europe's Smart Power Distribution Systems Market 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Austria 9.3 Belgium 9.4 Denmark 9.5 Finland 9.6 France 9.7 Germany 9.8 Italy 9.9 Netherlands 9.10 Norway 9.11 Poland 9.12 Russia 9.13 Spain 9.14 Sweden 9.15 Switzerland 9.16 United Kingdom 9.17 Rest of Europe 10 Middle East and Africa's Smart Power Distribution Systems Market 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Egypt 10.3 Israel 10.4 Qatar 10.5 Saudi Arabia 10.6 South Africa 10.7 United Arab Emirates 10.8 Rest of MEA 11 APAC's Smart Power Distribution Systems Market 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Australia 11.3 Bangladesh 11.4 China 11.5 India 11.6 Indonesia 11.7 Japan 11.8 Malaysia 11.9 Philippines 11.10 Singapore 11.11 South Korea 11.12 Sri Lanka 11.13 Thailand 11.14 Taiwan 11.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific 12 Competitive Landscape 12.1 Competitive Quadrant 12.2 Market Share Analysis 12.3 Strategic Initiatives 12.3.1 M&A and Investments 12.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 12.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 13 Company Profiles 13.1 ABB 13.2 Aclara Technologies 13.3 Cisco Systems 13.4 Eaton 13.5 Firecomms 13.6 Fuji Electric 13.7 General Electric 13.8 Honeywell 13.9 Itron 13.10 Landis+Gyr 13.11 Oracle 13.12 Schneider Electric 13.13 Siemens 13.14 Tech Mahindra 14 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8rctnm 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: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets The Blockchain Congress is a closed-door congress between investors and hand-picked blockchain projects looking to raise funds. This exclusive event comprises more than 100+ investors with a combined budgets of over 5 billion dollars and only 20 blockchain startups will be introduced to the investors, leveraging the prime and top-quality of this congress. The Global Blockchain Conference is a world-class event, bringing high quality and value to all parties, therefore the investors and especially startup projects will be carefully selected. This brings together qualified investors (VCs, Private Equity Firms, Family Offices, Crypto Funds and High Networth Individuals) with Digital Assets Startups through a series of pre-scheduled and pre-arranged one-on-one meetings and having the possibility of reaching an agreement immediately at the meeting. The Blockchain Congress also has the presence of insightful speakers in the blockchain industry. Centralize in Top CryptoTrends in 2022 Recently, the Play2earn model and Metaverse are still being predicted to be the "next big thing" in the future. At this 10th edition, the participating projects will be diverse from DeFi, Gaming, NFTs, to Metaverse. Especially, this 10th event will have 10 discussion sessions taking place throughout the event and each will discuss about the hottest and most concerned topic in the blockchain world today such as: MetaFi, Web3, the Future of NFTs, ..being presented by insightful speakers in the blockchain industry. These topics promise to bring an explosive event for the blockchain space in 2022. Vietnam, the next destination as an emerging potential market Vietnam is considered by the world as a potential market for Blockchain technology development. Of the top 200 blockchain companies in the world, Vietnam is proudly in the group of five leading countries in blockchain technology with the index of acceptance of this new technology, five times higher than in the U.S. Hence, opportunities are opening up for Vietnamese businesses. With the best growth potential in the region, Global Blockchain Congress chose Viet Nam as the next destination to fire the first shot in Asia due to its potential market for Blockchain technology development. As predicted in 2022, the number of Southeast Asia-focused venture capital funds will put more effort into early stage investments in Vietnam. Moreover, in the field of Blockchain technology, Vietnam has also emerged as an industry phenomenon with a stream of first-class projects and this is the main point why the 10th Global Blockchain will take place in this astonishing country. A highly anticipated and meaningful event for Blockchain Vietnam and Asia This first-rate event will have companionship with V2B Labs, D.Lion and Vietnam Blockchain Union as co-hosts, under the auspices of the Vietnam Digital Communications Association, a social-professional organization of people working in the field of digital media, representing and enhancing Vietnamese values in this global event. Global Blockchain Congress shows its prestige with the presence of reputable investors, which have been specified in the latest event in Dubai. The 9th event succeeded with flying colors by the participation of favored VCs/Partners such as: Octopus Network, Kyber Network, X21, VBI, YGG SEA, MoonKnight Labs, KardiaChain, Tomochain, etc, enchanting a series of start-ups to dive in and raise funds. This 10th edition, with the engagement of numerous high-valued partners (VDCA, MoonKnights), golden sponsors and qualified VCs such as GFS Ventures, YGG SEA, NewTribe Capital, CryptoClear, Binance SEA, Blockchain Founders Fund, Hobbit Investment, x21 Capital, Near Protocol, MoonKnight Labs, Bluewheel Capital, Vulcan Forged, and many other. The GBC is being highly expected to flourish and succeed, opening a gateway for entrepreneurs to spread out their projects into the crypto space. Besides the co-host and strategic partners, Global Blockchain Congress also has a presence of notable sponsors from all around the universe such as Prasaga, FOTA as global sponsors, Creo Engine, Open Food Chain as gold sponsors, Titan of Wars, Payfoot, Sazsming as silver sponsors and bronze Sponsors are Taroverse, Silverlight, bringing the greatest value for all parties involved. Attending this exclusive event by registering at: bit.ly/1st-GBC-Vietnam Visit website to learn more about the Global Blockchain Congress: https://gbc-vietnam.com/ About V2B Labs: V2B Labs is the visionary R&D firm engaged in blockchain services, a leading laboratory in researching, investing, developing solutions, technology, products and services related to blockchain, with an aim to empower blockchain transformation on a global scale. About D.Lion: D.lion Media & Solutions has its foundation based on the characteristics of Dandelions, with 360 pistils representing the 360-degree comprehensive information and solution consulting in Media Marketing Market Development for individuals, organizations, and brands of all fields. Six uplifting pedals are the symbol of the six core missions of D.lion making our Partners' value and business performance skyrocket in the same way as the Dandelions! About VBU: Vietnam Blockchain Union (VBU) under Vietnam Digital Media Association (VDCA), is the first blockchain alliance officially established and operated in Vietnam. The union brings together experts and organizations operating in the blockchain field with the mission of connecting the community and advising regulatory agencies to develop policies and legal frameworks on blockchain and digital assets in Vietnam. About VDCA: Vietnam Digital Communications Association (VDCA) is the most prestigious and official social-professional organization in the field of digital media in Vietnam. VDCA connects organizations and individuals operating in the field of digital communication, contributing to the wide-ranging application and development of digital communication in Vietnam using electronic data. SOURCE D.Lion In addition, they provide a significant number of other paid trips, and previous clients have praised the quality of service. They offer a variety of tours, such as the Private Tour of Mermaid Caves & West Oahu with Ka'ena Point Hike and Swim, the Walking Tour in Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, the National Ceremony of the Pacific and Historical Sites of Honolulu, and many more tours. These tours can be categorized as family, city, private, guided, walking, and so on. All of their clients have showered them with their love, giving them five-star reviews. One customer said, "The tour guide was amiable, informative, and knowledgeable. Service was great! I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting Oahu." Another customer added, "I have never really enjoyed the typical tours, but these guys were great! It felt more like they were sharing something with me than just reading off a script to a bunch of strangers. The guide interacted with us and was thoughtful of what we wanted to see and be a part of. Once, they even turned around so I could buy fruit from a vendor that we had passed. If you want a piece of Hawaii without the monotony of a big company just taking you for your money, I would highly recommend Tropical Hawaiian Tours." This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com. SOURCE Tropical Hawaiian Tours Pursue Dreams of Independence Allschool strives to give students the opportunity to choose their own path and forge their own dreams. With this event, Allschool is exploring Independence Day and the American Dream to inspire students to choose their own passions. Allschool believes choice is integral to good education. Educational Researcher, Dr. Marzano, has found that student choice in the classroom is tied to increased performance, effort, and interest. The Celebrate Independence Day class bundles are intended to facilitate an environment of learning-by-choice and lead to more invested learners. Free up Quality Holiday Time Quick and impactful classes are an ideal way to spend some quality time during the holiday weekend while waiting for BBQs, fireworks, or on a ride to New York for a family gathering. for a family gathering. A new survey by Cars.com reveals that 88% of American travelers plan to drive to their holiday destinations over Independence Day weekend. Allschool is the perfect on-the-go learning tool for kids who need practical stimulation on long rides. reveals that 88% of American travelers plan to drive to their holiday destinations over Independence Day weekend. Allschool is the perfect on-the-go learning tool for kids who need practical stimulation on long rides. Affordable and Accessible Holiday Choice The current 30% off deal for 'Independence Day Classes' gives everyone a chance to spend in a more meaningful way and get more for less. Suitable for any kid with an internet connection. Experience awesome learning tools, engaging teachers, and build connections with classmates from diverse culture. New Knowledge and Expanded Views With a variety of topics such as history, art, and culture, learners get a chance to expand their world views and knowledge. Open children's mind, and transform perception in a powerful way. Introducing the classes, Allschool Co-founder Jack Shan said, "The 4th of July is the perfect time to launch a series of USA-themed classes to celebrate the holiday. We hope all American kids can achieve their own independent dreams and become independent mentally and physically. Follow their own interests to live in a healthy and meaningful lives. When students choose their own path, they are more invested and engaged, and we are here to give them more choices for their education." The new series features five themed classes, each dissecting an important part of American society. American History Travel back in time and learn about the children of America from different decades Learn about the history and values of 6 past American monies American Culture Learn about different cities and their unique subcultures Explore other subcultures such as the American Deaf Community American Art Create wonderful Independence Day crafts such as firecrackers by using household items Learn to draw American-inspired fashion, and design fashion dolls American Travel Check out the Big Apple with a guided tour in Alaska , Wisconsin , and more , , and more See Lady Liberty in all her glory in New York More Special Cultural Classes Incoming The Allschool 'Celebrate Independence Day' classes are the first step in the company's mission to spotlight different cultures and highlight their qualities and differences. In the future, more special class bundles will be released in order to help learners continue to grow and explore their own interests with as many options as possible. About Allschool Allschool is an innovative online platform that delivers highly interactive small-group live classes to children worldwide. Through Allschool, learners can enjoy a variety of premium live classes including mathematics, languages, visual arts, game design, and more delivered by thousands of devoted and talented teachers from all around the world. An expert in online education, Allschool has developed a set of innovative purpose-built teaching and learning tools that bring meaningful changes to learning outcomes, allowing students to immerse themselves in a rewarding, gamified, and interactive environment that empowers them to explore and pursue their interests while making schooling fun and enjoyable. SOURCE ALLSCHOOLS PTE.LTD. DUBLIN, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Argentina Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics Databook 2022" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The social commerce market is gaining momentum along with the rise of e-commerce in Argentina. Over the last four to eight quarters, the social commerce industry has gained rapid momentum across Latin America, especially in Brazil and Mexico. The trend is also gaining momentum in other Latin American countries, such as Argentina, where the e-commerce industry has recorded significant growth ever since the outbreak of Covid-19. In parallel to the growth achieved by the e-commerce sector, buying through social media platforms has also gained popularity among consumers. Key Findings: The social commerce industry in Argentina is forecast to grow by 47.6% on annual basis to reach US$1110.9 million in 2022. is forecast to grow by 47.6% on annual basis to reach in 2022. The social commerce industry is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 39.8% during 2022-2028. The social commerce GMV in the country will increase from US$1110.9 million in 2022 to reach US$7838.0 million by 2028. While the major chunk of online shoppers still prefers buying through e-commerce platforms, the popularity of the social commerce business model is gaining ground in the country. According to Q1 2022 Global Social Commerce Market Survey, nearly 7.5% of the consumers prefer buying through social commerce, whereas the number is more than 35% for e-commerce platforms. However, with the growing popularity of the social commerce industry in Latin America, more and more consumers are expected to adopt social commerce in the country over the next four to eight quarters. The survey also revealed that close to 45% of the consumers are not able to differentiate one channel from another in Argentina. Consequently, it suggests that there is ample growth room for the social commerce industry in the country, provided that social commerce platforms can create awareness and differentiate themselves from e-commerce platforms. As more consumers shift to social commerce platforms over the next few quarters in the country, the publisher expects more global and regional players to enter the Argentinian social commerce market. Approximately 40% of the consumers in the country have made purchases through social commerce platforms. However, as the business model becomes clearer to consumers in Argentina, the adoption rate is expected to surge significantly from the short to medium-term perspective. Social networks are offering tools to small businesses to gain market share in Argentina Social media platforms offer small business owners tools to set up their virtual shops on the platform to penetrate the social commerce sector. During the global pandemic, this strategy of offering tools to businesses helped social networks to gain widespread popularity in the social commerce market in Argentina. Moreover, the shift toward online shopping among consumers has also led these social media platforms to innovate with their service offerings in the last few quarters. With the online shopping trend expected to continue among consumers in the post-pandemic era, social media platforms and networks are projected to further provide businesses with tools that can help them generate increased sales and revenues. The publisher expects this to further boost the growth of the social commerce industry in Argentina from the short to medium-term perspective. To gain trust, social commerce firms must offer a variety of payment methods that are known, reliable, and preferred by consumers The majority of the population in the country is still not comfortable buying products and services through social commerce platforms. Lack of trust in merchants, concerns surrounding data privacy, and payment methods are the crucial reasons why consumers are still not confident in social commerce. Consequently, for social commerce platforms looking to gain trust among consumers, it is imperative to provide them with a variety of payment methods that are known, reliable, and preferred by consumers. For social commerce platforms to create a sense of security among consumers regarding their data and transactions, it is crucial for firms to incorporate the notion of intermediaries or platforms that provide support when a dispute arises. In addition to this, offering local payment methods is also going to be a crucial factor in further driving the social commerce adoption among consumers as well as the overall market growth over the next four to eight quarters in Argentina. Live commerce is driving the growth of social commerce in Argentina Live commerce, largely from influencers on Instagram and Twitch, has also supported the market growth over the last four to eight quarters in the country. With these platforms and influencers having a lot of prominence in the region, consumers buy products recommended by the influencers they trust the most. Consequently, partnering with influencers who have a major influence on consumers in the region will be a key strategy to further penetrate the growing market over the next four to eight quarters. This will subsequently support the growth of the overall social commerce market in the country from the short to medium-term perspective. Report Scope: The report provides in-depth, data-centric analysis of social commerce in Argentina. Below is a summary of key market segments: Argentina Ecommerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028 Argentina Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028 Argentina Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Retail Product Categories, 2019-2028 Clothing & Footwear Beauty and Personal Care Food & Grocery Appliances and Electronics Home Improvement Others Argentina Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Segment, 2019-2028 B2B B2C C2C Argentina Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Device, 2019-2028 Mobile Desktop Argentina Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028 Domestic Cross Border Argentina Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028 Tier-1 Cities Tier-2 Cities Tier-3 Cities Argentina Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Payment Method, 2019-2028 Credit Card Debit Card Bank Transfer Prepaid Card Digital & Mobile Wallet Other Digital Payment Cash Argentina Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Consumer Demographics & Behaviour,2021 By Age By Income Level By Gender For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/t0vee1 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. 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: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets NOIDA, India, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new report published by UnivDatos Markets Insights the Energy as a Service Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 13.44% from 2021-2027. The analysis has been segmented into Service Type (Energy Supply Service, Energy Demand Service, and Energy Efficiency Optimization Service); End-User (Industrial, Commercial, and Residential); Region/Country. Click here to view the Report Description & TOC The Energy as a Service Market report has been aggregated by collecting informative data on various dynamics such as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. This innovative report makes use of several analyses to get a closer outlook on the Energy as a Service Market. The Energy as a Service Market report offers a detailed analysis of the latest industry developments and trending factors in the market that are influencing the market growth. Furthermore, this statistical market research repository examines and estimates the Energy as a Service Market at the global and regional levels. Request for Sample Pages Market Overview Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) is a delivery model that combines hardware, software, and service whereby a service provider (either traditional ESPs or new ones, such as information and communications technology (ICT) companies) offers various energy-related services rather than only supplying electricity. The rising problem of carbon emission can only be tackled by renewables and energy as a service has escalated the opportunity for decentralized energy distribution options. COVID-19 Impact The outbreak of COVID-19 had an adverse impact on the Energy as a Service market. Severe health crises across the world and several casualties led to lockdown across the globe. Hence, disrupting the installation of smart meter in developing regions coupled with the health emergency across the globe has impacted the nations financially as well as reduced the funds from investing in upgradation of smart grids. Hence, decrease the adoption of Energy as a Service in various end-user industries. The global Energy as a Service Market report is studied thoroughly with several aspects that would help stakeholders in making their decisions more curated. Based on service type, the energy as a service market is segmented into energy supply services, operational and maintenance services, energy efficiency, and optimization services. The energy supply services captured a significant share in the market owing to the increasing electricity prices, the consumers are looking to procure resilient energy supply to ensure that they can operate without the grid. As energy as a service model mainly supports renewable energy and gives the consumers the flexibility of choice on ownership, pricing, and financing. Based on end-user, the energy as a service market is classified into industrial, commercial, and residential. The commercial segment is expected to hold the extensive market share and the fastest growing market with energy service implementations being mandated across global regions in the commercial sector. This is mainly because of significant structural impacts, namely, economic growth. Furthermore, commercial consumers will have access to their energy efficiency through energy as a service that will, in turn, help them improve their energy consumption for multiple uses. Have a Look at the Chapters Energy as a Service Market Geographical Segmentation Includes: North America ( United States , Canada , and Rest of North America ) ( , , and Rest of ) Europe ( Germany , United Kingdom , Italy , France , Spain , and the Rest of Europe ) ( , , , , , and the Rest of ) Asia-Pacific ( China , India , Australia , Japan , and the Rest of Asia-Pacific ) ( , , , , and the Rest of ) Rest of the World Based on the estimation, North America holds a significant market share due to the adoption of advanced technology and rising research and development activities. The major players targeting the market include Schneider Electric Engie Siemens Honeywell Veolia Enel EDF Renewable Energy WGL Energy Johnson Control General Electric Competitive Landscape The degree of competition among prominent global companies has been elaborated by analyzing several leading key players operating worldwide. The specialist team of research analysts sheds light on various traits such as global market competition, market share, most recent industry advancements, innovative product launches, partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions by leading companies in the Energy as a Service Market. The major players have been analyzed by using research methodologies for getting insight views on global competition. Key questions resolved through this analytical market research report include: What are the latest trends, new patterns, and technological advancements in the Energy as a Service Market? Which factors are influencing the Energy as a Service Market over the forecast period? What are the global challenges, threats, and risks in the Energy as a Service Market? Which factors are propelling and restraining the Energy as a Service Market? What are the demanding global regions of the Energy as a Service Market? What will be the global market size in the upcoming years? What are the crucial market acquisition strategies and policies applied by global companies? We understand the requirement of different businesses, regions, and countries, we offer customized reports as per your requirements of business nature and geography. Please let us know If you have any custom needs. About UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI) Browse Other Related Research Reports from UnivDatos Market Insights About UnivDatos Market Insights UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI) is a passionate market research firm and a subsidiary of Universal Data Solutions. We believe in delivering insights through Market Intelligence Reports, Customized Business Research, and Primary Research. Our research studies are spread across topics across the world, we cover markets in over 100 countries using smart research techniques and agile methodologies. We offer in-depth studies, detailed analysis, and customized reports that help shape winning business strategies for our clients. Contact: UnivDatos Market Insights Ankita Gupta Director Operations Ph: +91-7838604911 Email: [email protected] Website: https://univdatos.com/ Logo : https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1225049/UnivDatos_Logo.jpg SOURCE UnivDatos Market Insights Pvt. Ltd. DUBLIN, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Healthcare Payer Services Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global healthcare payer services market reached a value of US$ 27.1 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 49.6 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 10.6% during 2021-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Healthcare payer services are outsourced by public and private payers and healthcare insurers to manage claims, audits, medical documents, member engagements, and customer relations. These services aid in improving the healthcare system performance by optimizing patient care quality and improving the overall consumer experience. They also assist in using distinctive capabilities in data and analytics, population health, pharmacy care services, and healthcare delivery and operations. Moreover, as healthcare payer solutions help clients minimize their operational costs and improve their operational efficiency, they are gaining traction around the world. The rising utilization of healthcare payer services can be attributed to the increasing need for operating business processes cost-effectively by implementing engagement and contract models. Additionally, the growing implementation of digital technologies in payer operations is augmenting the market worldwide. Apart from this, healthcare payer services offer better quality patient care, streamline the process and improve customer communication. This, in confluence with the adoption of analytics in healthcare, along with the rising number of individuals opting for healthcare insurance on account of the sudden outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is also fueling the market growth. Furthermore, these services find extensive application in billing and account management, analytics and fraud management, and human resource (HR) services and claims management. Besides this, rising mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and the increasing utilization of updated software to address current healthcare needs are anticipated to propel the market growth. Competitive Landscape: The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Accenture plc, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, Concentrix Corporation, ExlService Holdings Inc., Genpact Limited, HCL Technologies Limited, Hinduja Global Solutions Limited, HP Development Company L.P., McKesson Corporation, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated, Wipro Limited and Xerox Corporation. Key Questions Answered in This Report: How has the global healthcare payer services market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global healthcare payer services market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the type? What is the breakup of the market based on the application? What is the breakup of the market based on the end use? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global healthcare payer services market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Scope and Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Industry Trends 5 Global Healthcare Payer Services Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Type 6.1 BPO Services 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 ITO Services 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 KPO Services 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Application 7.1 Analytics and Fraud Management Services 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Claims Management Services 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 7.3 Integrated Front Office Service and Back Office Operations 7.3.1 Market Trends 7.3.2 Market Forecast 7.4 Member Management Services 7.4.1 Market Trends 7.4.2 Market Forecast 7.5 Provider Management Services 7.5.1 Market Trends 7.5.2 Market Forecast 7.6 Billing and Accounts Management Services 7.6.1 Market Trends 7.6.2 Market Forecast 7.7 HR Services 7.7.1 Market Trends 7.7.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by End Use 8.1 Private Payers 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Public Payers 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Region 10 SWOT Analysis 11 Value Chain Analysis 12 Porters Five Forces Analysis 13 Price Analysis 14 Competitive Landscape 14.1 Market Structure 14.2 Key Players 14.3 Profiles of Key Players 14.3.1 Accenture plc 14.3.1.1 Company Overview 14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.1.3 Financials 14.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.2 Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation 14.3.2.1 Company Overview 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.2.3 Financials 14.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.3 Concentrix Corporation 14.3.3.1 Company Overview 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4 ExlService Holdings Inc. 14.3.4.1 Company Overview 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4.3 Financials 14.3.5 Genpact Limited 14.3.5.1 Company Overview 14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.5.3 Financials 14.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.6 HCL Technologies Limited 14.3.6.1 Company Overview 14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.6.3 Financials 14.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.7 Hinduja Global Solutions Limited 14.3.7.1 Company Overview 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.7.3 Financials 14.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.8 HP Development Company L.P. 14.3.8.1 Company Overview 14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.8.3 Financials 14.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.9 McKesson Corporation 14.3.9.1 Company Overview 14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.9.3 Financials 14.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.10 UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 14.3.10.1 Company Overview 14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.10.3 Financials 14.3.10.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.11 Wipro Limited 14.3.11.1 Company Overview 14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.11.3 Financials 14.3.11.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.12 Xerox Corporation 14.3.12.1 Company Overview 14.3.12.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.12.3 Financials For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8o5xoe Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets 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: 17; Released: June 2022 Executive Pool: 12496 Companies: 80 - Players covered include Axon Enterprise, Inc.; BAE Systems plc; Denel SOC Ltd.; General Dynamics Corporation; Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.; Kongsberg Gruppen ASA; Leonardo S.p.A.; Lockheed Martin Corporation; MBDA France SAS; Nexter Group; NORINCO Group; Northrop Grumman Corporation; QinetiQ Group plc; Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.; Raytheon Technologies Corporation; Rheinmetall AG; Roketsan A.S.; Safran Electronics & Defense; Textron Inc.; Thales Group; The Boeing Company and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Product Type (Missiles, Munitions, Guided Firearms, Guided Projectiles, Guided Rockets, Directed Energy Weapons, Other Product Types); Technology (Infrared, GPS, Laser, Radar, Other Technologies); Platform (Land, Air, Naval) Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Rest of World. 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 Smart Weapons estimated at US$17.6 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$22.1 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.6% over the analysis period. Missiles, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 5.1% CAGR, while growth in the Munitions segment is readjusted to a revised 5.5% CAGR. Gone are the days when battles were fought in battlefields with the country having the biggest infantry coming out as the winner. Front line soldiers have since time immemorial formed the backbone of military strength. Development of early gunpowder technology and gun/arms technologies played important roles in strengthening the infantry. However, since the development of electronics weapons, the role of the infantry has been gradually declining as technology and machines gradually replaced the need for soldiers. Today the global infantry community is facing a huge problem the danger of obsolesce. For the first time in over 50 years, the infantry and its artillery are being outgunned by electronic warfare technologies and autonomous and remote land-air-naval defense capabilities. As digitalization of military technologies moves ahead at a rapid pace, even manned reconnaissance assets are being superseded in importance by intelligent unmanned assets. The last decade witnessed a slew of decisions across militaries across the world to downsize the infantry. Current infantry brigades remains poorly reoriented to maintain relevance in a future combat environment. Even with the best of training infantry brigade will remain too slow, too dependent on external support, and unable to control large swaths of land compared to machines armed with bleeding-edge technologies like AI, lasers, sensors, radars, among others. Information technology (IT) has revolutionized military operations making it smarter and more efficient and effective. Information in modern warfare is assuming a critical role. Battlespace awareness; location certainty of enemy vessels, vehicles, and artillery; real-time information acquisition and dissemination are all vitally important for seamless operations, for making precision strike decisions, and optimum engagement of battle equipment. Modern warfare is all about tactical combats based on strategic battle information. All tactical battle units need timely and relevant battlefield information such as place, position, angle and approaching velocity and speed of enemy vehicles and ships. Real-time targeting and strike requires the use of radars which provide visual intelligence. For instance, precision-guided munitions require radar guidance to launch more accurate, lethal and more dispersed attacks. Growing volume of electronic warfare equipment and the resulting decline in the number of critical nodes manned by humans bode well for the growing importance of smart weapons. Smart weapons therefore make perfect sense amid rapid transition towards digital battlefield and ongoing efforts across countries to shift the attention from expansion of the military towards modernization and quality improvements. The rise of digital battlefield is making it imperative for the military to embrace digital platforms and smart weapons to ensure operational readiness while achieving a new level of combat efficiency. Digitized battlefield remains centric to the idea of Network Centric Warfare (NCW) that represents the modern warfare and entails full integration of various stakeholders, from armed forces and intelligence agencies through to transport and disaster management. The digital battlefield relies heavily on communication and other sophisticated technologies for ensuring real-time availability of data and high situational awareness. The rapidly evolving strategic environment along with operational challenges is creating a pressing need for countries to develop mobile, modern and more responsive forces to maintain national security. Countries need to ensure high lethality required to deal with the enemy and win the war. The modern warfare and increasing use of digital technologies are prompting the military to shift the attention from analog or conventional forces towards a more modern and ready military. The scenario is driving countries to embrace sophisticated options to maintain the capability for dealing with operational and strategic challenges. The continuing shift towards digital battlefield is prompting armed forces to rely heavily on seamless flow of real-time information and smart hardware for desired combat and efficiency. Defense forces across countries are increasingly implementing digital communications and technologies to support their units and help soldiers in conducting decisive, rapid operations at different tactical and operational levels. The use of digital technologies for acquiring, exchanging and employing information in a timely manner is poised to go a long way in deciding outcome on the digital battlefield. Militaries are anticipated to bet more on situational awareness for the modern warfare. The information is required to be shared across diverse combat teams on ground, in air, in barracks and at sea for faster and informed decisions. The digital battlefield is poised to be influenced by increasing uptake of AI that is extending the military might and superiority beyond the clutches of few countries such as the US, Russia and China. These emerging technologies are anticipated to influence distribution of the military power and allow deployment of smart weapons known for high accuracy. The modern warfare and rise of digital battlefield is indicating the need for countries to shift focus beyond military expansion and embrace modern weapons and technologies. These developments are anticipated to set a perfect stage for broader adoption of smart weapons for modernization of the armed forces. 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. New York (United Nations) 04 July 2022 (SPS)- The Representative of Frente Polisario at the UN, Dr. Sidi M. Omar, denounced in a Press Release issued Today, the Moroccan obstructionism and delaying tactics that prevented the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary general to the UN, Mr. Satafan de Mistura, from visiting the occupied territories of Western Sahara as he was planning to do. The Frente POLISARIO deeply deplores that the occupying state of Morocco has once again resorted to obstructionism and delay tactics to prevent the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara from conducting his first visit to the Territory, which demonstrates beyond any doubt that the occupying state has no political will to engage constructively in the UN peace process in Western Sahara, the Press Release states. Following is the full text of the Press Release of which SPS received a copy: FRENTE POLISARIO REPRESENTATION AT THE UNITED NATIONS PRESS RELEASE [New York, 4 July 2022]: The United Nations informed today that the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Mr Staffan de Mistura, has decided not to proceed with his officially announced visit to Western Sahara. The Frente POLISARIO deeply deplores that the occupying state of Morocco has once again resorted to obstructionism and delay tactics to prevent the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara from conducting his first visit to the Territory, which demonstrates beyond any doubt that the occupying state has no political will to engage constructively in the UN peace process in Western Sahara. By obstructing the Personal Envoys intended visit to Western Sahara, the occupying state of Morocco is trying to prevent Mr de Mistura from witnessing at first hand the situation on the ground in the Sahrawi Occupied Territories and the oppression to which Sahrawi civilians and human rights activists are being subjected daily under Moroccan illegal military occupation. This is not the first time that the occupying state of Morocco seeks with complete impunity to prevent a Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara from visiting the Territory as part of his mandate as established by the UN Secretary-General and endorsed by the Security Council. Moreover, it is not the first time that the occupying state of Morocco tries to reduce an official visit by a Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara to a mere spectacle by restricting his movement and setting preconditions on where he should go and with whom he should meet during his visit to the Sahrawi Occupied Territories. The Security Council and the UN Secretary-General should therefore assume their responsibilities and hold the occupying state of Morocco accountable for its obstruction of the efforts of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, including his officially announced visit to the Territory. The Frente POLISARIO calls upon the United Nations to act with full transparency and reveal the reasons that have prevented the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara from conducting his first visit to the Territory. The lack of accountability leads only to emboldening the occupying state of Morocco to persist with complete impunity in its obstructionism that seriously undermines the prospects for relaunching the peace process with a view to achieving a peaceful, just, and lasting solution to the decolonisation of Western Sahara. Dr Sidi M. Omar Representative of the Frente POLISARIO at the United Nations Coordinator with MINURSO. (SPS) 090/500/60 (SPS) What's New for 2022? 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: 5; Released: January 2022 Executive Pool: 1118 Companies: 38 - Players covered include AGC Solar; AVIC Sanxin Co., Ltd.; Borosil Glass Works Ltd.; Changzhou Almaden Co., Ltd.; Dongguan CSG Solar Glass Co., Ltd.; Emmvee Toughened Glass Private Limited; Euroglas GmbH; f | solar GmbH; Flat Glass Group Co., Ltd.; Guangdong Golden Glass Technologies Limited; Guangfeng Solar Glass (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd.; Guardian Glass; Hecker Glastechnik GmbH & Co. KG; Henan Huamei Cinda Industrial Co., Ltd.; Interfloat Corporation; Jinjing Group; Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.; Qingdao Migo Glass Co., Ltd.; Saint-Gobain SA; Shenzhen Topray Solar Co., Ltd.; Sisecam Flat Glass; Sunarc Technology A/S; Taiwan Glass Industry Corporation; Thermosol Glass India (P) Ltd.; Xinyi Solar Holdings Ltd. and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Application (Utility, Residential, Non-Residential); Type (AR Coated, Tempered, TCO, Other Types) 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- Global Solar Photovoltaic Glass Market to Reach $35.7 Billion by 2026 Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Solar Photovoltaic Glass estimated at US$7.6 Billion, is projected to reach a revised size of US$35.7 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 28.8% over the analysis period. Utility, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record a 31.4% CAGR and reach US$24.8 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Residential segment is readjusted to a revised 27.8% CAGR for the next 7-year period. The U.S. Market is Estimated at $2.7 Billion in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach $8.8 Billion by 2026 The Solar Photovoltaic Glass market in the U.S. is estimated at US$2.7 Billion in the year 2021. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$8.8 Billion by the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 36.1% over the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 22.5% and 26.4% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 24.7% CAGR. Non-Residential Segment to Reach US$3.7 Billion by the year 2026 In the global Non-Residential segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 20.3% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$864.1 Million will reach a projected size of US$3.1 Billion by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. 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. DUBLIN, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Travel Retail Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global travel retail market reached a value of US$ 52.50 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 82.57 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 7.84% during 2021-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Travel retail refers to the sale of goods and services to international travelers during transit. The trade is usually conducted in travel environments, such as airports or seaports, where the buyer must present proof of nationality or travel to access the commercial area. The retail shops accept payments inclusive of local and national taxes and excise duties. Travel retail is also available at hotels, border ships, international aircrafts, ferries, cruises and other marine vessels on international waters. Some of the products commonly available through travel retail include beauty and personal care products, perfumes, premium alcohols, tobacco, food and beverages, fashion accessories and electronics. Significant growth in the travel and tourism industry across the globe is among the key factors creating a positive outlook for the market. Travel retail and duty-free stores are one of the major sources of non-aeronautical revenue for airports as there is an increasing preference among consumers to purchase premium and luxurious products while travelling. In line with this, the rising inclination for premium wines and spirits among international travelers is also providing a thrust to the market growth. Moreover, the advent of e-commerce travel retailing solutions is also favoring the growth of the market. Retailers are widely offering their products through websites and smartphone applications, enabling the consumers to pre-order products and conveniently collect them on arrival. Additionally, various technological advancements, such as the launch of touch screen and interactive retail kiosks, are acting as other growth-inducing factors. These self-service kiosks can engage with the passengers and provide a seamless ordering and payment solution. Other factors, including the increasing expenditure capacities of the consumers, along with the implementation of favorable government policies to promote international tourism, especially in the developing economies, are anticipated to drive the market toward growth. Competitive Landscape: The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Aer Rianta International, China Duty Free Group Co. Ltd., Dufry AG, Duty Free Americas Inc, Gebr. Heinemann SE & Co. KG, KING POWER International, Lagardere S.A, Lotte Hotels & Resorts (Lotte Corporation), LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton and The Shilla Duty Free (Hotel Shilla Co. Ltd.). Key Questions Answered in This Report: How has the global travel retail market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global travel retail market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the product type? What is the breakup of the market based on the sector? What is the breakup of the market based on the distribution channel? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global travel retail market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Scope and Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Industry Trends 5 Global Travel Retail Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Product Type 6.1 Perfume and Cosmetics 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Wine and Spirit 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 Electronics 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 6.4 Luxury Goods 6.4.1 Market Trends 6.4.2 Market Forecast 6.5 Food, Confectionery and Catering 6.5.1 Market Trends 6.5.2 Market Forecast 6.6 Tobacco 6.6.1 Market Trends 6.6.2 Market Forecast 6.7 Others 6.7.1 Market Trends 6.7.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Sector 7.1 Duty-Free 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Duty Paid 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Distribution Channel 8.1 Airports 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Cruise Liner 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Railway Station 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 8.4 Border, Downtown and Hotel Shop 8.4.1 Market Trends 8.4.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Region 10 SWOT Analysis 11 Value Chain Analysis 12 Porters Five Forces Analysis 13 Price Analysis 14 Competitive Landscape 14.1 Market Structure 14.2 Key Players 14.3 Profiles of Key Players 14.3.1 Aer Rianta International 14.3.1.1 Company Overview 14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.2 China Duty Free Group Co. Ltd. 14.3.2.1 Company Overview 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.3 Dufry AG 14.3.3.1 Company Overview 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.3.3 Financials 14.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.4 Duty Free Americas Inc 14.3.4.1 Company Overview 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.5 Gebr. Heinemann SE & Co. KG 14.3.5.1 Company Overview 14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.6 KING POWER International 14.3.6.1 Company Overview 14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.7 Lagardere S.A 14.3.7.1 Company Overview 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.8 Lotte Hotels & Resorts (Lotte Corporation) 14.3.8.1 Company Overview 14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.9 LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton 14.3.9.1 Company Overview 14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.9.3 Financials 14.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.10 The Shilla Duty Free (Hotel Shilla Co. Ltd.) 14.3.10.1 Company Overview 14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/vfyvid Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Vehicle Analytics Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global vehicle analytics market reached a value of US$ 1.84 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach US$ 7.27 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 25.77% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Vehicle analytics refers to a technology that tracks real-time information from vehicles and provides it to the user or the manufacturer. It assists in vehicle counting, tracking, brand detection, road condition inspection, and incorrect direction detection. It also aids in determining the current state of a vehicle and the driving methods used by the driver. Besides this, as it improves the efficiency and safety of the overall driver experience, the demand for vehicle analytics is escalating around the world. Digitization currently plays a pivotal role in the automotive industry as it delivers detailed information about speed, distance, emissions, resource usage, driving behavior, and fuel consumption. This, coupled with the rising sales of vehicles around the world represents one of the key factors stimulating the growth of the market. Apart from this, the increasing congestion on city streets and sidewalks has resulted in numerous safety challenges, such as distracted pedestrians and rising bicyclists. As a result, governing agencies of several countries are encouraging the adopting vehicle analytics solutions to analyze real-world data about traffic patterns and road conditions. This solution enables drivers to obtain analysis of areas with poor road conditions and bottlenecks that create traffic delays. Moreover, vehicle analytics provides alert to the owner beforehand about the potential requirement of maintenance before a breakdown can occur. This further assists in minimizing road accidents worldwide that are caused due to human negligence in the timely service and maintenance of vehicles. Besides this, the market is also impelled by the increasing utilization of these solutions to keep naval, aircraft, and ground vehicles online and avoid costly last-minute repairs. Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Agnik LLC, CloudMade (Valeo), Continental AG, Genetec Inc., IMS (Insurance & Mobility Solutions), Inquiron, Inseego Corp., International Business Machines Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., SAP SE and Teletrac Navman US Ltd (Vontier Corporation). Key Questions Answered in This Report How has the global vehicle analytics market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global vehicle analytics market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the component? What is the breakup of the market based on the deployment mode? What is the breakup of the market based on the application? What is the breakup of the market based on the End-user? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global vehicle analytics market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Scope and Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Industry Trends 5 Global Vehicle Analytics Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Component 6.1 Software 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Services 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Deployment Mode 7.1 On-premises 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Cloud-based 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Application 8.1 Dealer Performance Analysis 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Driver and User Behaviour Analysis 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Predictive Maintenance 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 8.4 Safety and Security Management 8.4.1 Market Trends 8.4.2 Market Forecast 8.5 Traffic Management 8.5.1 Market Trends 8.5.2 Market Forecast 8.6 Usage-based Insurance 8.6.1 Market Trends 8.6.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by End User 9.1 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) 9.1.1 Market Trends 9.1.2 Market Forecast 9.2 Insurers 9.2.1 Market Trends 9.2.2 Market Forecast 9.3 Automotive Dealers 9.3.1 Market Trends 9.3.2 Market Forecast 9.4 Regulatory Bodies 9.4.1 Market Trends 9.4.2 Market Forecast 9.5 Fleet Owners 9.5.1 Market Trends 9.5.2 Market Forecast 10 Market Breakup by Region 11 SWOT Analysis 12 Value Chain Analysis 13 Porters Five Forces Analysis 14 Price Analysis 15 Competitive Landscape 15.1 Market Structure 15.2 Key Players 15.3 Profiles of Key Players 15.3.1 Agnik LLC 15.3.1.1 Company Overview 15.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.2 CloudMade (Valeo) 15.3.2.1 Company Overview 15.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.3 Continental AG 15.3.3.1 Company Overview 15.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.3.3 Financials 15.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.4 Genetec Inc. 15.3.4.1 Company Overview 15.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.5 IMS (Insurance & Mobility Solutions) 15.3.5.1 Company Overview 15.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.6 Inquiron 15.3.6.1 Company Overview 15.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.7 Inseego Corp. 15.3.7.1 Company Overview 15.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.7.3 Financials 15.3.8 International Business Machines Corporation 15.3.8.1 Company Overview 15.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.8.3 Financials 15.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.9 Microsoft Corporation 15.3.9.1 Company Overview 15.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.9.3 Financials 15.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.10 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. 15.3.10.1 Company Overview 15.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.10.3 Financials 15.3.10.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.11 SAP SE 15.3.11.1 Company Overview 15.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.11.3 Financials 15.3.11.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.12 Teletrac Navman US Ltd (Vontier Corporation) 15.3.12.1 Company Overview 15.3.12.2 Product Portfolio For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ro2l0d Media Contact: 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 Investment Community Teleconference Set for August 9, 2022 at 8 a.m. ET TORONTO, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Hydro One Limited (TSX: H), the largest electric transmission and distribution utility in Ontario, plans to release its second quarter financial results the morning of August 9, 2022 before North American financial markets open. A summary of the results will be distributed by newswire and the complete MD&A and financial statements will be posted at www.hydroone.com/investors and www.sedar.com. Hydro One's management will host a teleconference with the investment community at 8 a.m. ET that same morning to discuss the results and outlook. Those wishing to listen to the teleconference should access the live webcast on the Investor Relations Events and Presentations section of Hydro One's website at www.hydroone.com/investors. A rebroadcast of the teleconference will be available following the call at the same link. Those members of the North American financial community wanting to ask questions during the call should go to this link (registration link), and you will be provided with personalized dial-in details. To avoid delays, we encourage participants to dial into the conference call fifteen minutes ahead of the scheduled start time. Other interested parties and media are welcome to participate on a listen-only basis. Hydro One Limited (TSX: H) Hydro One Limited, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is Ontario's largest electricity transmission and distribution provider with approximately 1.5 million valued customers, approximately $30.4 billion in assets as at December 31, 2021, and annual revenues in 2021 of approximately $7.2 billion. Our team of approximately 9,300 skilled and dedicated employees proudly build and maintain a safe and reliable electricity system which is essential to supporting strong and successful communities. In 2021, Hydro One invested approximately $2.1 billion in its transmission and distribution networks, and supported the economy through buying approximately $1.7 billion of goods and services. We are committed to the communities where we live and work through community investment, sustainability and diversity initiatives. We are designated as a Sustainable Electricity Company by the Canadian Electricity Association. Hydro One Limited's common shares are listed on the TSX and certain of Hydro One Inc.'s medium term notes are listed on the NYSE. Additional information can be accessed at www.hydroone.com, www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov. SOURCE Hydro One Limited DUBLIN, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "4G Equipment Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global 4G equipment market reached a value of US$ 66.6 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 203.5 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 20.46% during 2021-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. 4G equipment are fourth-generation wireless communication systems with upgraded data transmission speed and network enhancements. The equipment is categorized into Long-term Equipment (LTE) and Wi-max devices, which include macrocells, small cells, distributed antenna systems (DAS) and testing equipment. They are commonly used for applications that involve virtual presence, navigation, crisis management, telemedicine, remote education, multimedia sharing and tele geoprocessing. These devices are integrated into smart devices, such as smartphones, tablets and notebooks and are more secure than Wi-Fi spots. They also enable the users to get online without plugging into a proprietary system. As a result, they find extensive applications across various industries, including information technology (IT), telecommunication, ecommerce and retail. Significant growth in the telecommunication industry across the globe is one of the key factors creating a positive outlook for the market. Moreover, a substantial increase in the network traffic is providing a thrust to the market growth. 4G equipment provides faster internet connectivity to smartphone devices, which further enables uninterrupted access to online and live-streamed videos, movies and music. In line with this, the emerging trend of online interactive and multiplayer gaming is also contributing to the growth of the market. Various technological advancements, such as the integration of connected devices with the Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) systems, are anticipated to drive the market toward growth. In addition, 4G equipment is also widely used for operating cloud computing systems for providing access to files and applications to the enterprises in real-time. Other factors, including rising expenditure capacities of the consumers, along with extensive infrastructural development, especially in the developing economies, are anticipated to drive the market toward growth. Competitive Landscape: The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Airspan Networks Inc., Cisco System Inc, Fujitsu Limited , Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Motorola Solutions Inc. , NEC Corporation, Nokia Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson and ZTE Corporation. Key Questions Answered in This Report: How has the global 4G equipment market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global 4G equipment market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the component? What is the breakup of the market based on the application? What is the breakup of the market based on the end use? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global 4G equipment market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Scope and Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Industry Trends 5 Global 4G Equipment Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Component 6.1 Infrastructure Equipment 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Key Segments 6.1.2.1 Small Cell 6.1.2.2 Macro Cell 6.1.2.3 Distributed Antenna System (DAS) 6.1.2.4 Others 6.1.3 Market Forecast 6.2 Testing Equipment 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Application 7.1 LTE 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Key Segments 7.1.2.1 TD-LTE 7.1.2.2 FDD-LTE 7.1.2.3 LTE A 7.1.3 Market Forecast 7.2 Wi-Max 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by End Use 8.1 Logistics 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 E-Commerce 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Smartphone 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 8.4 Others 8.4.1 Market Trends 8.4.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Region 10 SWOT Analysis 11 Value Chain Analysis 12 Porters Five Forces Analysis 13 Price Analysis 14 Competitive Landscape 14.1 Market Structure 14.2 Key Players 14.3 Profiles of Key Players 14.3.1 Airspan Networks Inc. 14.3.1.1 Company Overview 14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.2 Cisco System Inc 14.3.2.1 Company Overview 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.2.3 Financials 14.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.3 Fujitsu Limited 14.3.3.1 Company Overview 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.3.3 Financials 14.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.4 Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. 14.3.4.1 Company Overview 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.5 Motorola Solutions Inc. 14.3.5.1 Company Overview 14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.6 NEC Corporation 14.3.6.1 Company Overview 14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.6.3 Financials 14.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.7 Nokia Corporation 14.3.7.1 Company Overview 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.7.3 Financials 14.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.8 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. 14.3.8.1 Company Overview 14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.8.3 Financials 14.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.9 Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson 14.3.9.1 Company Overview 14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.10 ZTE Corporation 14.3.10.1 Company Overview 14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.10.3 Financials For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/s9a3pz 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: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Automotive Chassis Systems Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global automotive chassis systems market reached a value of US$ 80.14 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 112.02 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.74% during 2021-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Automotive chassis systems are internal frames that support the vehicle's body parts and are used to grip steering systems and suspension systems. The systems are manufactured using a magnesium alloy, steel, cast iron, and ferrous metal. Backbone, monocoque, ladder, and modular are some of the common types of automotive chassis. They consist of an engine, power-suspension system, brakes, and a structurally independent frame. Automotive chassis systems are widely used to provide strength and support to various vehicular components and keep automobiles rigid and stiff. Control arms, suspension links, knuckles, and hubs are some of the major components of the automotive chassis system. As a result, they are widely used in agricultural equipment, passenger vehicles, construction equipment, light commercial vehicles (LCV), and heavy commercial vehicles (HCV). Significant growth in the automotive industry across the globe is creating a positive outlook for the market. Automotive chassis systems are widely used to enhance the safety aspect of the vehicle as they are light, aerodynamic, and ductile. Moreover, various product innovations, such as the development of naturally weighted electric-assist steering and dynamic chassis mode, are providing an impetus to the market growth. Additionally, the widespread adoption of modular and compact chassis systems due to the increasing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) is positively impacting the market growth. Other factors, such as the surging demand for fuel-efficient vehicles and the implementation of various government initiatives for emission control, are anticipated to drive the market growth. Apart from this, the rising demand for low emission and fuel-efficient vehicles and rapid technological advancements in the chassis systems by key players are contributing to the market growth further. Competitive Landscape: The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Aisin Corporation, American Axle & Manufacturing Inc, Autokiniton US Holdings Inc., Benteler International AG, Continental AG, Gestamp Automocion S.A., Hyundai Mobis Co. Ltd, Magna International Inc, Robert Bosch GmbH, Schaeffler AG and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Key Questions Answered in This Report: How has the global automotive chassis systems market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global automotive chassis systems market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the component? What is the breakup of the market based on the chassis system? What is the breakup of the market based on the vehicle type? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global automotive chassis systems market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Scope and Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Industry Trends 5 Global Automotive Chassis Systems Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Component 6.1 Control Arms 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Tie-Rods 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 Stabilizer Links 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 6.4 Suspension Ball Joints 6.4.1 Market Trends 6.4.2 Market Forecast 6.5 Cross-Axis Joints 6.5.1 Market Trends 6.5.2 Market Forecast 6.6 Knuckles and Hubs 6.6.1 Market Trends 6.6.2 Market Forecast 6.7 Others 6.7.1 Market Trends 6.7.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Chassis System 7.1 Rear Axle 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Front Axle 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 7.3 Corner Modules 7.3.1 Market Trends 7.3.2 Market Forecast 7.4 Active Kinematics Control 7.4.1 Market Trends 7.4.2 Market Forecast 7.5 Others 7.5.1 Market Trends 7.5.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Vehicle Type 8.1 Passenger Cars 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Light Commercial Vehicles 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Heavy Commercial Vehicles 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 8.4 Construction Equipment Vehicles 8.4.1 Market Trends 8.4.2 Market Forecast 8.5 Defense Vehicles 8.5.1 Market Trends 8.5.2 Market Forecast 8.6 Others 8.6.1 Market Trends 8.6.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Region 10 SWOT Analysis 11 Value Chain Analysis 12 Porters Five Forces Analysis 13 Price Analysis 14 Competitive Landscape 14.1 Market Structure 14.2 Key Players 14.3 Profiles of Key Players 14.3.1 Aisin Corporation 14.3.1.1 Company Overview 14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.1.3 Financials 14.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.2 American Axle & Manufacturing Inc 14.3.2.1 Company Overview 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.2.3 Financials 14.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.3 Autokiniton US Holdings Inc. 14.3.3.1 Company Overview 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4 Benteler International AG 14.3.4.1 Company Overview 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.5 Continental AG 14.3.5.1 Company Overview 14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.5.3 Financials 14.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.6 Gestamp Automocion S.A. 14.3.6.1 Company Overview 14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.6.3 Financials 14.3.7 Hyundai Mobis Co. Ltd 14.3.7.1 Company Overview 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.7.3 Financials 14.3.8 Magna International Inc 14.3.8.1 Company Overview 14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.8.3 Financials 14.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.9 Robert Bosch GmbH 14.3.9.1 Company Overview 14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.9.3 SWOT Analysis 14.3.10 Schaeffler AG 14.3.10.1 Company Overview 14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.10.3 Financials 14.3.11 ZF Friedrichshafen AG 14.3.11.1 Company Overview 14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.11.3 SWOT Analysis For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6hm12l Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets CHICAGO, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a research report 'Manufacturing Execution Systems Market by Offering (Software, Services), Deployment (On-premises, On-demand, Hybrid), Process Industry (Oil & Gas, Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences), Discrete Industry (Automotive, Aerospace) - Global Forecast to 2027,' published by MarketsandMarkets, the global Manufacturing Execution Systems Market size is expected to grow from USD 13.0 billion in 2022 to USD 20.0 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 9.0%. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=536 The use of hybrid deployment type for manufacturing execution systems market and an inclination towards services to fuel the growth of manufacturing execution systems market. China accounted for largest share of the manufacturing execution systems market in 2021. The growing awareness in China about the benefits of scheduling, control, and tracking of shop floor production processes through MES software is driving the growth of this market. The efforts taken by government agencies and the manufacturing sector are supporting the growth of the MES market in China. The medical devices industry is projected to hold the largest share of the manufacturing execution systems market for hybrid deployment in 2022. Hybrid deployed manufacturing execution systems are widely used by medical devices manufacturers and parts suppliers for enhanced production capabilities and to provide accuracy at a lower cost. The market for the medical devices industry is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Browse in-depth TOC on 'Manufacturing Execution Systems Market' 187 Tables 67 Figures 226 Pages Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=536 Manufacturing execution systems market in North America for aerospace industry is expected to contribute largest share in 2022 Increasing investments in the aerospace industry and government support are increasing the need for high-quality equipment for military and commercial purposes. This is supporting the growth of the aerospace segment in North America. Therefore, market in North America for aerospace industry is expected to contribute largest share in 2022. Major players in manufacturing execution systems market Siemens (US), Rockwell Automation(US), SAP(US), Dassault Systemes(France) and Honeywell International(US). Related Reports: Industrial Control & Factory Automation Market by Solution (SCADA, PLC, DCS, MES, Industrial Safety, PAM), Component (Industrial Robots, Industrial 3D Printing, Process Analyzer, Machine Vision, HMI), Industry, Region (2021-2026) Plant Asset Management Market (PAM) by Offering (Software and Services), Deployment Mode (Cloud-based and On Premises), Asset Type (Production Assets and Automation Assets), End-user Industry (Process and Discrete), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2024 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/manufacturing-execution-systems-mes-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/mes.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg SOURCE MarketsandMarkets Edition: 18; Released: June 2022 Executive Pool: 1812 Companies: 118 - Players covered include ABM; AmeriPride Services Inc.; ARAMARK Corporation; Compass Group PLC; Ecolab, Inc.; Founders 3 Real Estate Services; ISS A/S; Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc.; Medxcel; Mitie Group PLC; OCS Group Ltd.; Sodexo, Inc.; Vanguard Resources Inc. and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Service Type (Soft Services, Hard Services); End-Use (Hospitals & Clinics, Long-Term Healthcare Facilities, 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 Healthcare Facilities Management estimated at US$165.1 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$222.9 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7.2% over the analysis period. Soft Services, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 6.5% CAGR, while growth in the Hard Services segment is readjusted to a revised 8.3% CAGR. Healthcare FM market worldwide continues to grow at a promising rate. With world confronting challenges in the form of rising incidence of lifestyle related diseases, focus is shifting towards health and better lifestyle that is also expected to bear an impact on the FM market. The growing focus on healthcare sector is thus contributing to the increase in FM revenues. Specifically in regions such as Europe, where governments are slashing healthcare budgets, there is growing demand for outsourced FM services. The rising threat of lifestyle diseases is also expected to foster improvements in building designs, in order to promote comfortable, productive and active lifestyles. Increasing prevalence of chronic illnesses, rising disposable incomes of urban people, technological advancements designed to improve healthcare, rapid growth of medical tourism, and support for healthcare sector from government departments in developed and emerging economies are also supporting growth of the healthcare FM market. The market is also benefitting from the rising expenditure on healthcare and associated infrastructure, growing focus on the aspect of hygiene, and the increasing emergence and use of technologies for maintaining sustainability. Increasing priority being given to patient wellness and safety also bodes well for the market. Private healthcare institutions are generally more focused on implementing healthcare facility management. The growing demand for outsourced FM services remains a key growth driver for the overall healthcare FM market. The market is being driven in part by the increasing trend of hospitals and other healthcare units outsourcing facilities management. Several non-clinical tasks such as cleaning, property management, and disposal of medical waste are generally outsourced by healthcare institutions while they concentrate on patient care. Outsourcing is gaining pace on account of the rising patient footfall in hospitals and the increase in associated paperwork and formalities, growing healthcare expenditures, implementation of electronic health records, and the difficulty involved in ICD-10 medical coding systems. Cost savings is an important factor behind the outsourcing of facility management processes. Also driving growth are factors such as rising adoption of IoT and increasing proliferation of cloud-based solutions are expected to open up new avenues of growth in the healthcare FM market. Latest technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) and automated guided vehicles, among others enable the providers of such services to offer improved customer service. IoT provides a steady flow of data in real-time, which allows better decision making and optimization of processes. Automation is also increasingly being witnessed in energy management systems of hospitals. IoT and AI support energy flow and its optimization in healthcare facilities. There has also been the emergence of several smart products due to the growing IoT adoption. Smart technology can be used to improve door locks, HVAC, alarms, and security cameras, among others, and facilitates the use of mobile devices to control them, which makes remote management of a facility possible and less time-taking. Another factor fostering market growth is the rising use of healthcare facility management software, which enables clinics and hospitals to perform routine operations smoothly and enhance patient care. It allows healthcare facilities to use their physical resources and perform automation of management functions. This results in streamlining of processes, greater efficiency, and higher ROI. The use of such software ensures service continuity and improved outcomes. The market also gained from the COVID-19 pandemic, given the significant patient numbers and the intensity of care and services that was required for them while keeping the healthcare personnel safe. Maintenance of hygiene and cleanliness was among the most important focus areas during this crisis period. Facilities management services are of two broad types, soft services and hard services. Hard facility management services refer to those that are integrated into facility or building. These are vital to the workplace environment and cannot be removed. Hard services are known to impact all people in the facility, albeit at different levels. Heating, lighting/electrical, plumbing, fire safety systems, air conditioning, and mechanical are some types of hard services. On the other hand, soft facility management services refer to services and actions that can be changed. These services are not integrated into the facility. Appropriate execution of these services can significantly elevate the workspace. Few of the examples of soft services include building security, cleaning, landscaping, office decorating, and catering among others. Soft services category, especially cleaning and pest control segments, accounts for a major share and is likely to grow at a healthy rate driven by the growing importance of maintain clean environments given the highly contaminated surroundings of various healthcare facilities. The cleaning and pest control segment has considerable importance in the healthcare FM market, due to the high degree of contamination in healthcare settings. Cleaning is of huge significance for the healthcare sector, as maintaining a hygienic and healthy atmosphere is critical for providing proper care. While soft services continue to expand rapidly, hard services generate the most revenues for players in the healthcare FM market. The need to cut energy costs and lower operating expenditure are driving demand for hard services. Medical waste management is expected to register strong growth in the forthcoming years. Healthcare facilities produce a significant quantity of non-hazardous and hazardous waste on a daily basis that arises from the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Such waste needs to be carefully and safely managed to prevent the spread of infections and diseases and to lower impact on the environment. During the Coronavirus pandemic, the quantum of such waste that resulted from research activities, medical diagnosis and treatment, and protective measures, was significant. Effective management of such waste materials is crucial to contain the spread of the virus and such efforts are expected to positively impact 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. Non-GMO Foods Market: Trend and Challenge The rising demand for organic food products is a trend in the global non-GMO foods market. The increasing health awareness among consumers and the rising adoption of vegetarian and vegan lifestyles across the world are some of the factors that have increased the demand for foods that are formulated using organic, non-GMO ingredients. Many vendors are offering organic food products to cater to the growing demand from consumers. The rising competition from private label brands will challenge the global non-GMO foods market share growth during the forecast period. Leading retail store chains offer private label non-GMO food products that are sold at low rates. Thus, private label non-GMO food products are expected to continue to challenge market growth during the forecast period owing to factors such as shopping convenience and easy accessibility to retail store chains. Do you want to learn about other trends and challenges and their impact on the market? Request a Sample Report Non-GMO Foods Market: Five Forces Analysis Bargaining power of buyers: Consumers generally purchase non-GMO food products in high volumes. However, factors such as high product differentiation and the high price of non-GMO food products considerably limit the bargaining power of buyers. Thus, the bargaining power of buyers is expected to remain low during the forecast period. Non-GMO Foods Market: Key Vendor Offerings Blue Diamond Growers - The company offers almond-based non-GMO food products, such as Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Almond Coconut and Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Vanilla. The company offers almond-based non-GMO food products, such as Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Almond Coconut and Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Vanilla. Cargill Inc. - The company offers a range of non-GMO food products under the Cargill brand, which includes palm oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, quinoa seed, and quinoa flour. The company offers a range of non-GMO food products under the Cargill brand, which includes palm oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, quinoa seed, and quinoa flour. Clif Bar and Co. - The company offers a range of non-GMO energy bars, such as the Clif Bar Sierra Trail Mix and the Clif Bar Chocolate Almond Fudge, among others. The company offers a range of non-GMO energy bars, such as the Clif Bar Sierra Trail Mix and the Clif Bar Chocolate Almond Fudge, among others. Del Maguey Co. - The company offers non-GMO liquors, such as Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal and others. The company offers non-GMO liquors, such as Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal and others. Murray's Chicken - The company offers a range of non-GMO food products such as Murrays Whole Chicken, Murrays Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, and Murrays Chicken Wings. Get lifetime access to our Technavio Insights! Subscribe to our "Basic Plan" billed annually at USD 5000 Non-GMO Foods Market: Segmentation Analysis This report segments the non-GMO foods market by product (cereals and grains, liquor, meat and poultry, bakery products, and others), distribution channel (offline and online), and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, South America, North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, and South America). North America led the non-GMO foods market in 2021, followed by Europe, APAC, MEA, and South America. During the forecast period, the growth of the region will be driven by factors such as significant investments in expanding GMO-free food product portfolios. Find out the contribution of each segment of the market. Request a Sample Report Related Reports Yogurt Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026 Ketogenic Diet Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026 Non-GMO Foods Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 13.74% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 1.03 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 9.11 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, and South America Performing market contribution North America at 39% Key consumer countries US, UK, Germany, Canada, and Italy Competitive landscape Leading companies, Competitive strategies, Consumer engagement scope Key companies profiled Amys Kitchen Inc., Blue Diamond Growers, Cargill Inc., Clif Bar and Co., Del Maguey Co., Murray's Chicken, Natures Path Foods, NOW Health Group Inc., Organic Valley, and The Hain Celestial Group Inc. Market dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, Market condition analysis for forecast period Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. 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 market 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 Product 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 15: Product - Market share 2020-2025 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Product Exhibit 16: Comparison by Product 5.3 Cereals and grains - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 17: Cereals and grains - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 18: Cereals and grains - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.4 Liquor - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 19: Liquor - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 20: Liquor - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.5 Meat and poultry - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 21: Meat and poultry - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 22: Meat and poultry - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.6 Bakery products - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 23: Bakery products - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 24: Bakery products - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.7 Others - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 25: Others - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 26: Others - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.8 Market opportunity by Product Exhibit 27: Market opportunity by Product 6 Market Segmentation by Distribution channel 6.1 Market segments Exhibit 28: Distribution channel - Market share 2020-2025 (%) 6.2 Comparison by Distribution channel Exhibit 29: Comparison by Distribution channel 6.3 Offline - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 30: Offline - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 31: Offline - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 6.4 Online - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 32: Online - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Online - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 6.5 Market opportunity by Distribution channel Exhibit 34: Market opportunity by Distribution channel 7 Customer landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 8.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 36: Market share by geography 2020-2025 (%) 8.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 37: Geographic comparison 8.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 38: North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 39: North America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 8.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 40: Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 41: Europe - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 8.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 42: APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 43: APAC - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 8.6 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 44: MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 45: MEA - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 8.7 South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 46: South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 47: South America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 8.8 Key leading countries Exhibit 48: Key leading countries 8.9 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 49: Market opportunity by geography ($ million) 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 9.1 Market drivers 9.2 Market challenges Exhibit 50: Impact of drivers and challenges 9.3 Market trends 10 Vendor Landscape 10.1 Vendor landscape Exhibit 51: Vendor landscape 10.2 Landscape disruption Exhibit 52: Landscape disruption Exhibit 53: Industry risks 10.3 Competitive landscape 11 Vendor Analysis 11.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 54: Vendors covered 11.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 55: Market positioning of vendors 11.3 Amys Kitchen Inc. Exhibit 56: Amys Kitchen Inc. - Overview Exhibit 57: Amys Kitchen Inc. - Product and service Exhibit 58: Amys Kitchen Inc. - Key offerings 11.4 Blue Diamond Growers Exhibit 59: Blue Diamond Growers - Overview Exhibit 60: Blue Diamond Growers - Product and service Exhibit 61: Blue Diamond Growers - Key offerings 11.5 Cargill Inc. Exhibit 62: Cargill Inc. - Overview Exhibit 63: Cargill Inc. - Product and service Exhibit 64: Cargill Inc. - Key offerings 11.6 Clif Bar and Co. and Co. Exhibit 65: Clif Bar and Co. - Overview and Co. - Overview Exhibit 66: Clif Bar and Co. - Product and service and Co. - Product and service Exhibit 67:Clif Bar and Co. Key news Exhibit 68: Clif Bar and Co. - Key offerings 11.7 Del Maguey Co. Exhibit 69: Del Maguey Co. - Overview Exhibit 70: Del Maguey Co. - Product and service Exhibit 71: Del Maguey Co. - Key offerings 11.8 Murray's Chicken Exhibit 72: Murray's Chicken - Overview Exhibit 73: Murray's Chicken - Product and service Exhibit 74: Murray's Chicken - Key offerings 11.9 Natures Path Foods Exhibit 75: Natures Path Foods - Overview Exhibit 76: Natures Path Foods - Product and service Exhibit 77: Natures Path Foods - Key offerings 11.10 NOW Health Group Inc. Exhibit 78: NOW Health Group Inc. - Overview Exhibit 79: NOW Health Group Inc. - Product and service Exhibit 80:NOW Health Group Inc. Key news Exhibit 81: NOW Health Group Inc. - Key offerings 11.11 Organic Valley Exhibit 82: Organic Valley - Overview Exhibit 83: Organic Valley - Product and service Exhibit 84: Organic Valley - Key offerings 11.12 The Hain Celestial Group Inc. Exhibit 85: The Hain Celestial Group Inc. - Overview Exhibit 86: The Hain Celestial Group Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 87: The Hain Celestial Group Inc. - Key offerings 12 Appendix 12.1 Scope of the report 12.2 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 88: Currency conversion rates for US$ 12.3 Research methodology Exhibit 89: Research Methodology Exhibit 90: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 91: Information sources 12.4 List of abbreviations Exhibit 92: List of abbreviations About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. 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 VANCOUVER, BC, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Northstar Clean Technologies Inc. (TSXV: ROOF) (OTCQB: ROOOF) ("Northstar" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has scheduled its Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") for Thursday, July 28, 2022, at 11:00 am PST (2:00 pm EST). The Meeting will be held at the Company's Delta office at 7046 Brown Street, Delta, BC, V4G 1G8. The Company also announces that it has filed its management information circular and proxy (the "Meeting Materials") for the Meeting on SEDAR. The Meeting Materials are also available for download from the Company's website. The information circular in the Meeting Materials proposes the re-election of six directors for the ensuing year, the reappointment of the Company's auditors, and the approval of the Company's 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, including the approval of a 10% rolling plan for stock options and a fixed plan of 6,500,000 common shares for awards of restricted share units ("RSUs"), performance share units ("PSUs") and deferred share units ("DSUs"). As always, the Company encourages its shareholders to vote prior to the Meeting. All proxies submitted must be received by July 26, 2022. Your vote is important regardless of the number of common shares you own. As a Northstar shareholder, it is very important that you carefully read the Meeting Materials and vote your common shares. Shareholders may vote online, by telephone, by mail, or by any other methods listed in the form of proxy or voting instruction form included with the Meeting Materials. Long-Term Incentive Plan Pursuant to the Company's Long-Term Performance Incentive Plan, the Company announces that it has issued an aggregate of 355,925 RSUs and 3,559,278 PSUs to officers and key employees of the Company. The RSUs and PSUs will vest as to one-third on each of June 23, 2023, March 31, 2024, and March 31, 2025. Each RSU and PSU represents the right to receive, once vested, one common share in the capital of the Company. The number of shares earned upon the vesting of the PSUs will be determined by the performance of each individual and will be subject to approval by the Board of Directors. The Company also announces it has granted an aggregate of 260,854 stock options to directors, officers, and employees at an exercise price of $0.35 per share for a five-year term. All options vest as to one-third on each of March 31, 2023, 2024, and 2025. About Northstar Northstar Clean Technologies Inc. is a Vancouver-based clean technology company focused on the sustainable recovery and reprocessing of asphalt shingles. Northstar has developed a proprietary design process for taking discarded asphalt shingles, otherwise destined for already over-crowded landfills, and extracting the liquid asphalt, aggregate and fiber for usage in new hot mix asphalt, construction products and other industrial applications. Focused on the circular economy, Northstar plans to reprocess used or defective asphalt shingle waste back into its three primary components for reuse/resale at its Empower Pilot Facility in Delta, British Columbia. As an emerging innovator in sustainable processing, Northstar's mission is to be the leader in the recovery and reprocessing of asphalt shingles in North America, extracting the recovered components from asphalt shingles that would otherwise be sent to landfill. For further information about Northstar, please visit www.northstarcleantech.com . On Behalf of the Board of Directors, Aidan Mills President & CEO, Director Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The TSXV has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. SOURCE Northstar Clean Technologies Inc. During President Bidens visit to Middle East this month by Latheef Farook Autocratic and oppressive Saudi regime, not the people, is likely to formalize its age old secret ties with Israel during United States President Joe Bidens forthcoming visit to Middle East between July 13 and 16. This is not something unexpected of Saudi Arabia which has been having close ties with Israel for long and had been participating in all US-European and Israeli wars against Muslim countries. Implementing US-European and Israeli agenda Saudi itself waged wars on Muslim countries killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people and destroying their infrastructure. However formalizing ties with Israel is bound to have unpredictable consequences. Because Saudi Arabia, as the land of Islam, is loved by Muslims worldwide. However the House of Saud, installed in power by former British Imperial Power and Zionists in the aftermath of World War 1, remains the most oppressive regime does not represent Islam. Recognizing Israel which occupies Jerusalem, Islams third most important holy city, and its never ending atrocities on Palestinians, bound to have serious repercussions. Formalizing ties with Israel is the price that the House of Saud will be paying for removing its isolation in the global scene ever since Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed. Khashoggi was murdered and his body dismembered by a group of Saudi agents inside the countrys consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018.In 2019, a UN investigation concluded that Khashoggis murder was a premeditated extrajudicial execution In march this year the Prince Salman killed 81 people in a single mass execution .The deaths provide a glimpse at what Saudi justice looks like, in complete violation of Islam, now that Prince Salman has been emboldened by Western governments that have failed to hold him accountable for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, as well as numerous other crimes and abuses. Saudi officials completed the mass execution privately, and its refusal to allow aggrieved families to bury their loved ones speaks volumes about the absolute power and fear with which MBS intends to rule the country when he becomes king. According to a BBC report by Raffi Berg, when Joe Biden was campaigning for the presidency in 2019, he vowed to make Saudi Arabia "the pariah that they are" for killing Jamal Khashoggi. US intelligence agencies concluded that Prince Salman had approved an operation to kill Khashoggi. Soon after Mr Biden took office, the White House said the new president intended to "recalibrate" the relationship with Saudi Arabia. Since then Saudi regime has been isolated . Saudi regime has agreed to formalize its relations with Israel in return to come out of its isolation. Getting Saudi regime to formalize ties with Israel will be a great achievement for Biden- a strong supporter of Zionism and Israel. As a prelude to coming out of his isolation Prince Salman recently visited Egypt at the beginning of a regional tour which also took him to Jordan and Turkey. A Turkish court closed the case into the killing of Jamal Khashoggi on 17 June, 2022 five days before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Ankara. However Khashoggis fiancee Hatice Cengiz said Prince Salman is still a murderer. According to London based Middle East Eye .The crown prince would offer full normalization with Israel, and in return, he would expect Washington to commit its military resources to defend Saudi Arabia. One important variable is lost in this difficult equation: namely, long-lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians, who continue to exert grassroots pressure on Israel while paying a high price in human lives lost under occupation. Meanwhile Madawi al-Rasheed, a British citizen of Saudi origin and a Visiting Professor at the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics and Political Science had this to state; Saudi Arabia is using normalization with Israel as a bargaining chip to regain its privileged position in Washington. With the war in Ukraine and rising global energy prices, Crown Prince Salman is engaged in negotiations from a position of economic strength, but political and military weakness. Recent news about serious, secretive high-level talks with Israeli officials suggests it is only a matter of time before Saudi Arabia officially announces the success of these discussions, possibly during the expected visit of US President Joe Biden to Riyadh . Saudi Arabia has a great deal of economic leverage in this situation. Amid fuel shortages and rising oil prices, the crown prince is capitalizing on Saudi Arabias much-needed oil resources. Bin Salman knows that oil can be used as a weapon to put pressure on the Biden administration to rehabilitate his own image and reverse the policy of selective engagement, without giving him full recognition in Washington. Stream of propaganda Saudi Arabias normalization with Israel can be the prize to appease critical US voices that have pressured Biden to boycott the crown prince as punishment for his many reckless policies and abuse of human rights, including the war on Yemen and the authorization of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Israel is no doubt helping to rehabilitate the crown princes image, as its far-right think tanks and lobbies in Washington have increased their propaganda with a view to improving bin Salmans image. It is ironic that Israel is now Saudi Arabias greatest propagandist in Washington. Bin Salman never misses an opportunity to remind his domestic and international audiences that he does not object to normalization with Israel. In reality, it is impossible to independently assess Saudi public opinion on the matter, given the level of repression faced by those who transgress or criticize bin Salmans policies. In this regard, Bidens visit to Riyadh may be a crucial symbolic gesture; in return for more oil, the crown prince wants Biden to end speculation over his own future among a divided royal family. Militarily, the crown prince also remains very weak without the US, which has historically responded to Saudi Arabias military vulnerabilities with ad hoc support, rather than a long-term security pact. 'We feel betrayed': Activists say Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia is a breach of values.US president can still leverage his visit and call for reforms in the kingdom, activists and rights groups say Meanwhile in a June 3 article New York based columnist Umar A Farooq had this to state; Saudi activists and rights groups have condemned the upcoming visit of President Joe Biden to Saudi Arabia, saying the president is betraying his values by meeting with Crown Prince Salman, who has been accused of rights abuses including murder, torture and the killing of civilians in the Yemen war. Abdullah Alaoudh, a Saudi academic who is also the son of jailed Islamic scholar Salman al-Awda, said he and other Saudi activists felt "betrayed by Biden. President Biden came into office promising accountability for the crown prince's reign of terror. But with one fell swoop, Biden is gambling all hope of justice for MBS's countless victims like my father," Alaoudh told Middle East Eye. "It was salt in the wound when Trump bragged about 'saving [MBSs] @$$. But how is Biden any better if he kisses the ring of this murderer, this torturer, this war criminal and autocrat? "If Biden gives him the US meeting MBS so desperately wants, the bloody handshake will send a clear message to tyrants everywhere: you can always count on America to betray its values and reward bad behavior." The Project on Middle East Democracy said on Twitter that the planned visit "is a slap in the face to activists, dissidents, women human rights defenders, journalists, & everyday citizens - in Saudi and abroad - who have been imprisoned, disappeared, and murdered". DUBLIN, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Data Center Networking Market - Global Outlook & Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Rapid growth through the establishment of 5+ cloud regions by global operators year over year is boosting the spending on high capacity and highly secure network infrastructure solutions. The adoption of SDN (Software Defined Networking) has gained significant traction in the past two years and will increase among data center operators and telecommunication service providers across developing markets in APAC and Europe. We believe that the spending on SDN will intensify with 5G deployments and edge facilities growing at a staggering CAGR of over 20% during 2022-2027. Key Highlights Rapid growth through the establishment of 5+ cloud regions by global operators year over year is boosting the spending on high capacity and highly secure network infrastructure solutions. The adoption of SDN (Software Defined Networking) has gained significant traction in the past two years. It will increase among data center operators and telecommunication service providers across developing markets in APAC and Europe . We believe that SDN spending will intensify with 5G deployments and edge facilities growing at a staggering CAGR of over 20% from 2022-to 2027. . We believe that SDN spending will intensify with 5G deployments and edge facilities growing at a staggering CAGR of over 20% from 2022-to 2027. Increasing network traffic is driving innovations in the data center network space. Hyperscale data center operator Facebook is innovating its data center infrastructure through OCP on a yearly basis. Facebook introduced Wedge 400 and Wedge 400G Top of the Rack switches in November 2021 . Broadcom, and Cisco ASICs power these switches. . Broadcom, and Cisco ASICs power these switches. Cloud and content service providers will expand their network spending from core to edge data centers. In developing countries, on-premise migration to colocation facilities will reduce the spending on 1/10GbE switches and will lead to a strong growth of 25/100GbE switches across modern data center environments. The growing adoption of cloud platforms for data storage across the globe will further fuel the adoption of network infrastructure in this sector, with the cloud sector being the dominant industry. Growing penetration of technological innovation is growing the need for deployment of converged and hyperconverged network infrastructure in the market that is also helping data center operators in saving data center space and capital expenditure. Market Segmentation Over $110 billion will be spent on procuring data center network infrastructure products by cloud, social media, and content service providers worldwide from 2022-to 2027. will be spent on procuring data center network infrastructure products by cloud, social media, and content service providers worldwide from 2022-to 2027. The growing need for data security and low latency services are fueling the demand of advance network infrastructure solutions across industries such as BFSI, government, telecom, and others. The deployment of network infrastructure among on-premise data center facilities is still identified worldwide among industry verticals such as government and BFSI sectors contributing a sizable share to the growth of the market. In terms of Ethernet switches, 25GbE and 100GbE network ports witnessed strong growth in 2021. As innovations in the use of 200/400GbE switch ports continue, vendors in the market are working towards optimizing the network architecture with 800GbE switches. Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is in an Unstoppable Growth Trajectory Technological advancements have led to the installation of high-end networking solutions for supporting high bandwidth data traffic, and the need for virtualization of networking infrastructure has led to the adoption of Software Defined Networking (SDN). SDN helps the user to manage cloud-based data traffic, management of advanced technologies, agility in the data traffic, and other benefits. Key Questions Answered: 1. What will be the market size of the Data Center Network Market in 2027? 2. What are the segments covered in the report? 3. What drives the Data Center Network Market? 4. What are the latest trends in the market? 5. Which regions are covered under the Data Center Network Market? 6. Which region dominates the Data Center Network Market? 7. Who are the major vendors operating in the Data Center Network Market? Key Topics Covered: 1 Research Methodology 2 Research Objectives 3 Research Process 4 Scope & Coverage 4.1 Market Definition 4.2 Base Year 4.3 Scope of the Study 5 Report Assumptions & Caveats 5.1 Key Caveats 5.2 Currency Conversion 5.3 Market Derivation 6 Market at a Glance 7 Introduction 7.1 Network Topology in Data Center 7.2 Data Center Network Market Overview 7.3 Types of Interconnection 8 Market Opportunities & Trends 8.1 Growing Adoption of Ai & Ml 8.2 Growing Ocp Infrastructure Penetration 8.3 Adoption of Hyperconverged & Converged Infrastructure 9 Market Growth Enablers 9.1 Growth in Software-Defined Networking Adoption 9.2 Growing Adoption of Cloud-Based Services 9.3 Growing Data Center Investments 9.4 Growing Adoption of Big Data & IoT Solutions 9.5 Growth in Adoption of High-Capacity Switches 10 Market Restraints 10.1 Supply Chain Disruptions in the Market 10.2 Network Security Challenges in Data Centers 10.3 Lack of Skilled Data Center Professionals 11 Market Landscape 11.1 Market Overview 11.2 Market Size & Forecast 11.3 Five Forces Analysis 12 Industry 12.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 12.2 Bfsi Sector 12.3 Government Sector 12.4 Cloud Sector 12.5 It & Telecom Sector 12.6 Other Industry Sectors 13 Product 13.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 13.2 Ethernet Switches 13.3 Storage Networking 13.4 Routers 13.5 Other Network Infrastructure 14 Geography 14.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 15 North America 15.1 Market Overview 15.2 Market Size & Forecast 15.3 US 15.4 Canada 16 Latin America 16.1 Market Overview 16.2 Market Size & Forecast 16.3 Brazil 16.4 Other Latin American Countries 17 Western Europe 17.1 Market Overview 17.2 Market Size & Forecast 17.3 UK 17.4 Germany 17.5 France 17.6 Netherlands 17.7 Ireland 17.8 Other Western European Countries 18 Nordics 18.1 Market Overview 18.2 Market Size & Forecast 18.3 Sweden 18.4 Other Nordic Countries 19 Central & Eastern Europe 19.1 Market Overview 19.2 Market Size & Forecast 19.3 Russia 19.4 Other Central & Eastern European Countries 20. Middle East 20.1 Market Overview 20.2 Market Size & Forecast 20.3 Uae 20.4 Saudi Arabia 20.5 Other Middle Eastern Countries 20.6 Africa 20.7 South Africa 20.8 Other African Countries 21. Apac 21.1 Market Overview 21.2 Market Size & Forecast 21.3 China & Hong Kong 21.4 Australia & New Zealand 21.5 Japan 21.6 India 21.7 Rest of Apac 22. Southeast Asia 22.1 Market Overview 22.2 Market Size & Forecast 22.3 Singapore 22.4 Other Southeast Asian Countries 23. Competitive Landscape 23.1 Competition Overview 24. Network Infrastructure Vendors 24.1 Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise 24.2 Arista Networks 24.3 Black Box (Agc Networks) 24.4 Broadcom 24.5 Cisco Systems 24.6 Dell Technologies 24.7 Digisol Systems 24.8 D-Link 24.9 Enterprise Engineering Solutions (Ees) 24.10 Extreme Networks 24.11 Fujitsu 24.12 Hewlett Packard Enterprise (Hpe) 24.13 Huawei 24.14 Intel 24.15 Inventec 24.16 Juniper Networks 24.17 Lenovo 24.18 Marvell Technology 24.19 Mitac Computing Technology 24.20 Oracle 24.21 Quanta Cloud Technology (Quanta Computer) 24.22 Ruijie Networks 24.23 Tripp Lite (Eaton) 24.24 Super Micro Computer 24.25 Zte 25. Report Summary 26. Quantitative Summary 27. Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yt1f97 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: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets SAN DIEGO, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK x MARK A. RODRIGUEZ, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Plaintiff, vs. CPI AEROSTRUCTURES, INC., DOUGLAS McCROSSON and VINCENT PALAZZOLO, CANACCORD GENUITY LLC and B. RILEY FBR, Defendants. : : : : : : : : : : : : x Civil Action No. 1:20-cv-00982 CLASS ACTION RUSSELL GARRETT, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Plaintiff, vs. CPI AEROSTRUCTURES, INC., DOUGLAS McCROSSON and VINCENT PALAZZOLO, CANACCORD GENUITY LLC and B. RILEY FBR, Defendants. : : : : : : : : : : : : x Civil Action No. 1:20-cv-01026 CLASS ACTION SUMMARY NOTICE OF PROPOSED SETTLEMENT OF CLASS ACTION TO: ALL PERSONS WHO PURCHASED CPI AEROSTRUCTURES, INC. ("CPI" OR THE "COMPANY") COMMON STOCK DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN MARCH 22, 2018 THROUGH FEBRUARY 14, 2020, INCLUSIVE, INCLUDING PURCHASERS OF CPI COMMON STOCK PURSUANT AND/OR TRACEABLE TO CPI'S OFFERING CONDUCTED ON OR ABOUT OCTOBER 17, 2018 ("CLASS" OR "CLASS MEMBERS") THIS NOTICE WAS AUTHORIZED BY THE COURT. IT IS NOT A LAWYER SOLICITATION. PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY AND IN ITS ENTIRETY. YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a hearing will be held via teleconference on September 9, 2022 at 11:15 a.m., before the Honorable Cheryl L. Pollak, to determine whether: (1) the proposed settlement (the "Settlement") of the above-captioned actions as set forth in the Stipulation of Settlement ("Stipulation")1 for $3,600,000 in cash should be approved by the Court as fair, reasonable, and adequate; (2) the Judgment as provided under the Stipulation should be entered dismissing the Litigation with prejudice; (3) to award Lead Counsel attorneys' fees and expenses out of the Settlement Fund (as defined in the Notice of Pendency and Proposed Settlement of Class Action ("Notice"), which is discussed below) and, if so, in what amount; and (4) the Plan of Allocation should be approved by the Court as fair, reasonable, and adequate. In order to determine whether the date and time of the Settlement Hearing have changed, it is important that you monitor the Court's docket and the Settlement website, www.CPIAerostructuresSecuritiesSettlement.com, before making any plans to attend the Settlement Hearing. Any and all updates regarding the Settlement Hearing, including any changes to the date or time of the hearing, will be posted to the Settlement website, www.CPIAeroStructuresSecuritiesSettlement.com. Also, the information for accessing the conference is posted to the Settlement website, www.CPIAeroStructuresSecuritiesSettlement.com. IF YOU PURCHASED CPI COMMON STOCK BETWEEN MARCH 22, 2018 THROUGH FEBRUARY 14, 2020, INCLUSIVE, YOUR RIGHTS MAY BE AFFECTED BY THE SETTLEMENT OF THIS LITIGATION. To share in the distribution of the Settlement Fund, you must establish your rights by submitting a Proof of Claim and Release form ("Proof of Claim") by mail (postmarked no later than September 26, 2022) or electronically (no later than September 26, 2022). Your failure to submit your Proof of Claim by September 26, 2022, will subject your claim to rejection and preclude your receiving any of the recovery in connection with the Settlement of this Litigation. If you purchased CPI common stock between March 22, 2018 through February 14, 2020, inclusive, and do not request exclusion from the Class, you will be bound by the Settlement and any judgment and release entered in the Litigation, including, but not limited to, the Judgment, whether or not you submit a Proof of Claim. If you have not received a copy of the Notice, which more completely describes the Settlement and your rights thereunder (including your right to object to the Settlement), and a Proof of Claim, you may obtain these documents, as well as a copy of the Stipulation (which, among other things, contains definitions for the defined terms used in this Summary Notice) and other Settlement documents, online at www.CPIAeroStructuresSecuritiesSettlement.com, or by writing to: CPI AeroStructures Securities Settlement c/o A.B. Data, Ltd. P.O. Box 173056 Milwaukee, WI 53217 Inquiries should NOT be directed to Defendants, the Court, or the Clerk of the Court. Inquiries, other than requests for the Notice or for a Proof of Claim, may be made to Lead Counsel: ROBBINS GELLER RUDMAN & DOWD LLP Ellen Gusikoff Stewart 655 West Broadway, Suite 1900 San Diego, CA 92101 Telephone: 800/449-4900 ROBBINS LLP STEPHEN J. ODDO 5040 Shoreham Place San Diego, CA 92122 Telephone: 800/350-6003 IF YOU DESIRE TO BE EXCLUDED FROM THE CLASS, YOU MUST SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR EXCLUSION SUCH THAT IT IS POSTMARKED BY AUGUST 19, 2022, IN THE MANNER AND FORM EXPLAINED IN THE NOTICE. ALL CLASS MEMBERS WILL BE BOUND BY THE SETTLEMENT EVEN IF THEY DO NOT SUBMIT A TIMELY PROOF OF CLAIM. IF YOU ARE A CLASS MEMBER, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT TO THE SETTLEMENT, THE PLAN OF ALLOCATION, THE REQUEST BY LEAD COUNSEL FOR AN AWARD OF ATTORNEYS' FEES NOT TO EXCEED 20% OF THE $3,600,000 SETTLEMENT AMOUNT AND EXPENSES NOT TO EXCEED $50,000. ANY OBJECTIONS MUST BE FILED WITH THE COURT AND SENT TO LEAD COUNSEL AND DEFENDANTS' COUNSEL BY AUGUST 19, 2022, IN THE MANNER AND FORM EXPLAINED IN THE NOTICE. DATED: June 7, 2022 BY ORDER OF THE COURT UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK 1 The Stipulation can be viewed and/or obtained at www.CPIAeroStructuresSecuritiesSettlement.com. SOURCE Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP and Robbins LLP Emma joins Rolls-Royce from BMW UK where she has been General Manager, Product and Internal Communications since 2019. In this role she has been responsible for external communications for the BMW Group and its products, as well as co-ordinating and delivering internal communications within the National Sales Company. Emma first joined the BMW Group in 2014, working at the company's headquarters in Munich where she was spokesperson for the member of the BMW AG Management Board responsible for Customer, Brands and Sales. Torsten Muller-Otvos, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, "I am delighted to welcome Emma Begley to the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Board of Directors. She is ideally suited to her new role at Rolls-Royce. Her exceptional experience and proven track record will be invaluable, particularly as we continue to share the story of our bright, bold electric future." Emma began her career at the BBC before moving to Germany in 2002 to pursue a freelance career as a journalist and translator. She holds an Honours Degree in English and French and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism. She will be based at The Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood. Emma replaces Richard Carter, the company's longest-serving Board Director. Richard has made an exceptional contribution to the global success of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and he departs after a successful 14 year tenure to pursue alternative, further business interests. For further information, please visit: www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1852892/Rolls_Royce_Emma_Begley.jpg SOURCE Rolls-Royce Motor Cars TORONTO, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - The Company's results for the 2022 second quarter will be issued by press release on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, after the close of business at 5:00 p.m. ET. An Investor Conference Call will be hosted by Martin L. Juravsky, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and John G. Reid, President and Chief Executive Officer on Thursday, August 11, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. ET to review the results. The dial-in telephone numbers for the call are 416-764-8688 (Toronto and International callers) and 1-888-390-0546 (U.S. and Canada). Please dial in 10 minutes prior to the call to ensure that you get a line. A replay of the call will be available at 416-764-8677 (Toronto and International callers) and 1-888-390-0541 (U.S. and Canada) until midnight, Thursday, August 25, 2022. You will be required to enter pass code 673428# in order to access the call. If you would like to unsubscribe from receiving notices of our Investor Quarterly Conference Calls, you may do so by emailing [email protected]; or by calling our Investor Relations Line: 905-816-5178. If you have any additional questions, please contact our Investor Relations Department at [email protected] or 905-816-5178. SOURCE Russel Metals Inc. DUBLIN, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global LED Grow Light Market (2022-2027) by Spectrum, Wattage, Installation Type, Application, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global LED Grow Light Market is estimated to be USD 2.16 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 4.97 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 18.12%. Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global LED Grow Light 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 AeroFarms, Agnetix, Black Dog LED, Bridgelux Inc, CreeLED Inc, General Electric Company, Heliospectra AB, 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 LED Grow Light Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification. The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach. The analyst analyses the Global LED Grow Light 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 LED Grow Light Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies. The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry. The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report. The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies. The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's Proprietary competitive positioning tool. Key Topics Covered: 1 Report Description 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Market Dynamics 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Rising Trend of Indoor Farming Would Boost the Adoption of LED Grow Lights 4.1.2 Government Regulations Favoring Growth of LED Technology 4.1.3 Need for Energy-Efficient and Long-Lasting Lighting Technology 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 Purchasing of Good Quality LED Grow Lights Can Be Very Costly for Growers 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Retrofitting of Conventional Lighting Technologies with LED Grow Lights 4.3.2 Emergence of Vertical Farms in Urban Areas 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Absence of Standard Testing Practices for Assessing the Quality of LED Products 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 LED Grow Light Market, By Spectrum 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Narrow 6.3 Broad 7 Global LED Grow Light Market, By Wattage 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Low Power 7.3 Medium Power 7.4 High Power 8 Global LED Grow Light Market, By Installation Type 8.1 Introduction 8.2 New Installation 8.3 Retrofit 9 Global LED Grow Light Market, By Application 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Indoor Farming 9.3 Commercial Greenhouse 9.4 Vertical Farming 9.5 Turf and Landscaping 9.6 Others 10 Americas' Global LED Grow Light Market 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Argentina 10.3 Brazil 10.4 Canada 10.5 Chile 10.6 Colombia 10.7 Mexico 10.8 Peru 10.9 United States 10.10 Rest of Americas 11 Europe's Global LED Grow Light Market 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Austria 11.3 Belgium 11.4 Denmark 11.5 Finland 11.6 France 11.7 Germany 11.8 Italy 11.9 Netherlands 11.10 Norway 11.11 Poland 11.12 Russia 11.13 Spain 11.14 Sweden 11.15 Switzerland 11.16 United Kingdom 11.17 Rest of Europe 12 Middle East and Africa's Global LED Grow Light Market 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Egypt 12.3 Israel 12.4 Qatar 12.5 Saudi Arabia 12.6 South Africa 12.7 United Arab Emirates 12.8 Rest of MEA 13 APAC's Global LED Grow Light Market 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Australia 13.3 Bangladesh 13.4 China 13.5 India 13.6 Indonesia 13.7 Japan 13.8 Malaysia 13.9 Philippines 13.10 Singapore 13.11 South Korea 13.12 Sri Lanka 13.13 Thailand 13.14 Taiwan 13.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific 14 Competitive Landscape 14.1 Competitive Quadrant 14.2 Market Share Analysis 14.3 Strategic Initiatives 14.3.1 M&A and Investments 14.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 14.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 15 Company Profiles 15.1 AeroFarms 15.2 Agnetix 15.3 Black Dog LED 15.4 Bridgelux Inc 15.5 CreeLED Inc 15.6 General Electric Company 15.7 Heliospectra AB 15.8 Hortilux Schreder 15.9 Hydro Grow 15.10 Koninklijke Philips N.V 15.11 Lumigrow Inc 15.12 Luna Innovations Inc 15.13 Osram Licht AG 15.14 Shenzhen Gehl Lamps Co. Ltd 15.15 Signify Holding B.V. 15.16 Sollum Technologies 15.17 Sunlight Supply Inc 15.18 Thrive Agritech Inc 15.19 Urban Crop Solutions 15.20 Valoya Ltd 15.21 VividGro 16 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/q7z9xo Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets 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: 8; Released: June 2022 Executive Pool: 1691 Companies: 83 - Players covered include AirBoss of America Corp.; Argon Electronics Ltd.; Avon Protection Systems, Inc.; Blucher GmbH; Bruker Corporation; Chemring Group PLC; Cristanini Spa; Environics Oy; FLIR Systems, Inc.; Karcher Futuretech GmbH; MSA Safety, Inc.; Smiths Group PLC; Thales Group and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Type (Chemical, Radiological, Nuclear, Biological, Explosive); Equipment (Protective Wearables, Respiratory Systems, Detection & Monitoring Systems, Decontamination Systems, Simulators, Information Management Software); End-Use (Defense, Civil & Commercial) Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific; Rest of World. 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 CBRN Defense estimated at US$16.7 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$20.8 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% over the analysis period. Chemical, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 6.7% CAGR, while growth in the Radiological segment is readjusted to a revised 6.1% CAGR. Biological warfare is real and a perplexing threat for the world as various countries, including the US, Russia and China, have been perceived to be silently working on biological weapons and even maintaining an inventory. Depending on the causative pathogen, route of inoculation, size and immune system of affected person, these microorganisms hold an incubation period of few days to few weeks. Biological weapons can result in catastrophic, large-scale epidemics and serious medical complications or deaths. Biological warfare holds serious concerns as the technology linked with production of these weapons is comparatively affordable and is easy to access. In addition, microorganisms required for development of majority of biological warfare means are easily available. The acquisition along with dissemination of some of the restricted organisms such as Variola major is possible. It is extremely challenging to keep a tab on development of biological weapons across countries as production units associated with the approach require little space as well as are difficult to identify. Biological weapons have attracted various countries, entities, groups and individuals over the last several decades. Various countries have reported a number of acts associated with biological terrorism over the past decades, including a sarin nerve gas attack in Japan in 1995 along with failed attempts intended to kill thousands of people. The former Soviet Union had been engaged in sophisticated programs revolving around biological weapons. There are serious concerns regarding access of terrorist groups and nations to designs and materials of biological weapons. In addition, there were perplexing revelations regarding the scope and capacity of biological weapon programs in Iraq. The country created sizeable amounts of toxins and pathogens, including C. botulinum toxin and B. anthracis as well as loaded missiles and bombs with these biological agents. On the other hand, there are concerns associated with possibility of aerosol dissemination, high fatality rates and risk of secondary spread. Some of the biological agents associated with serious concerns include Bacillus anthracis, Variola major, Botulinum toxin, Yersinia pestis, Francisella tularensis and causative agents linked with viral hemorrhagic fever. While the fatality rate of pandemic influenza is around 1.9-5%, the rate associated with smallpox and untreated anthrax is alarming, at 30% and 80%, respectively. These concerns point towards a pressing need for countries to focus on effective preventive measures and strategies. Countries like the US and Russia are expected to hold frozen stocks of highly contagious biological warfare agents known to cause incurable diseases, such as anthrax. An intentional or accidental access to these biological weapons by terrorists or rogue politicians can result in disastrous consequences. There are serious concerns pertaining to specific inventories of traditional biological agents such as Ebola, anthrax and typhus. On the other hand, various countries have dedicated research and other resources towards development of genetically-engineered organisms. While several countries like Iraq are perceived to possess bioweapons, there is a serious threat from terrorist organizations that can misuse these weapons for unleashing an uncontrollable epidemic. In 1995, a terrorist group Aum Shinrikyo launched sarin gas attack inside a Tokyo subway that killed several people as well as hospitalized thousands. In addition, there were a number of failed attempts involving anthrax and botulism. While terrorist organizations can use these biological agents for pushing up their propaganda, a properly executed attack can cause havoc and large-scale disruptions. Anthrax remains the most popular choice for majority of programs targeting biological warfare as the bacteria is capable of generating lethal spores. Inhalation of these spores in specific quantities can result in a medical condition that is fatal in nature and requires urgent treatment with significant doses of a certain penicillin-type antibiotic. Anthrax spores can be easily and effectively produced in sufficient quantities and can remain effective for over 100 years under dry conditions without exposure to direct sunlight. The extended shelf life of these spores makes them an appealing option that can be delivered as widespread aerosol using a dedicated device. In addition, anthrax is safe and relatedly easy to handle. Airborne spores are infectious until they are exposed to sunlight. Moreover, anthrax is not a highly communicable option, which allows terrorists to target a specific area. While traditional biological agents such as smallpox and anthrax hold serious threats, various countries are looking beyond these options and exploiting black biology. The concept of black biology revolves around development of genetically-engineered microorganisms that can be used as biological weapons. The technology focuses on inserting specific genes into the DNA for good or malicious purposes. The concept holds serious implications as genetic maps of various deadly microorganisms like bacteria and viruses are available within the public domain and can be exploited for development of biological weapons. Researchers have recently published the whole genetic code related to cholera pathogen. In addition, the researcher community is making efforts to map genomes of a large number of microbes such as the bacteria associated with plague, anthrax and typhoid. The information can be exploited for developing clones of highly virulent species of viruses and bacteria. Moreover, misguided microbiologists can be exploited by unscrupulous clients for development of incurable designer options like penicillin-resistant anthrax and viruses capable of causing infection while remaining silent. Russian allegations pertaining to secret activities linked with biological weapons in Ukraine have reignited the debate over biological warfare and chemical weapons. Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, the former has said that Ukraine along with its allies is planning a biological or chemical weapon attack against Russian forces. Russia is accusing Ukraine of collaboratively working with the US and Germany towards development of these weapons. Such activities have been banned by the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention that has been already signed by the US, the Russian Federation, Germany and Ukraine. Biological weapons rely on microorganisms like bacteria, viruses and fungi or naturally occurring toxins. These weapons are intended to be used for inflicting disease and result in massive disruptions and deaths. Biological weapons are known to affect the military targets along with civilians without any discrimination. Considering the seriousness associated with the use of biological weapons, international laws have banned such activities. Any country engaged in development or possession of these weapons would violate the international law. On the other hand, state TV in Russia has been providing information about sites and even officials engaged in developing bioweapons. The country is accusing Ukraine of developing these weapons in laboratories with assistance from the US. While Russia claims that biological weapons are being destroyed by Ukraine for concealing its weapons program, there are countries that are considering these claims as false narratives. Russia has alleged that Ukraine and the US are working with pathogens known to cause serious infections in various laboratories. Ukraine has several public health labs engaged in R&D to find solutions for dealing with dangerous infections. A number of these laboratories receive financial and other assistance from the EU and the US. Russia's claims are partly based on the Biological Threat Reduction Program set by the US during the 1990s for mitigating the risk associated with biological weapons left in various countries such as Ukraine. The program offers financial assistance from the US towards equipment and modernization. In addition, the US Department of Defense has been collaboratively working with Ukraine for improving public health labs since 2005. The US also offers technical assistance to Ukraine and other countries for dealing with outbreaks of several infectious diseases. The US claims that these efforts are intended to mitigate the serious threat of proliferation of biological weapons, rather than development of such weapons. On the other side, Russian officials are claiming that Ukraine is trying to conceal the evidence regarding prohibited activities while making efforts to destroy bio-agents in various laboratories. Despite questions pertaining to authenticity of these claims, such allegations are perplexing and have brought back focus towards chemical and biological warfare. The presence of biological weapons could escalate the conflict further and pose serious concerns regarding misuse of such weapons. The scenario is presenting lucrative opportunities for growth of CBRN Defense which is defined as defensive equipment and technologies used against chemical weapons or biological pathogens. CBRN surveillance and countermeasures include the advancement of sensing technologies to cover airborne agents and deposited contaminants. CBRN draws expertise from information and computing systems, engineering, physics, and chemistry allowing end-to-end technology advancements. 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. STOCKHOLM, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On behalf of the charity Mercy Ships, Stena RoRo has been responsible for the construction of the Global Mercy, the world's largest civilian hospital ship. The ship has now been ceremoniously inaugurated in Dakar, Senegal. While the celebrations were still underway, the crew had already begun with the ship's first mission in strengthening African healthcare. Stena RoRo specializes in designing ships for special needs. Project management for the construction of the Global Mercy has been underway since 2013 and has involved several European, American and Asian subcontractors. Construction was carried out at the Tianjin Xingang shipyard in northern China where Stena RoRo had an international team on site for monitoring the construction process. Per Westling, managing director for Stena RoRo, was present at the inauguration of the vessel in Dakar. "For us, this marks the end of our extensive involvement in a major, multi-year project. For Mercy Ships, the inauguration marks the beginning of something new. With the Global Mercy in full operation, the organization's ability to help the less fortunate in need of care more than doubles. They are doing a fantastic job and we are very proud and happy to have been a part of it." Very special requirements Building a ship with capabilities for both sea voyages and hospital care in port is very demanding. Stena RoRo based the design on its concept for RoPax ships combined passenger and cargo ships for international travel and modified it into a pure passenger ship with hospital capabilities. Both the hull form and interior layout are specially designed, and the ship features a custom ventilation system. Particular care has been taken to minimizing vibrations and noise. "We removed car decks and built operating theatres and hospital wards instead," Per Westling explains. "The ship has space for 200 hospital patients. In port, 950 people can be accommodated and the ship is equipped with everything needed for both in-patients and those working on board, including schools and kindergartens for the volunteers' children." Training for local healthcare professionals The Global Mercy also has very modern training facilities, and they are already in use. In addition to providing surgical and other care, Mercy Ships trains healthcare professionals and strengthens the health infrastructure in the African countries in which it operates. The inauguration ceremonies for the Global Mercy were not even completed when the crew began the ship's first mission on the African continent: training more than 260 Senegalese healthcare workers in surgical and anesthesia skills, for example. The Global Mercy is the first of Mercy Ship's vessels to have been designed and built specifically for their needs. The new ship will operate alongside the Africa Mercy, which has been in service since 2007. With both ships, Mercy Ships expects to be able to conduct more than 5,000 operations each year, treat over 28,000 dental patients and train more than 2,800 local healthcare employees. A global project under Swedish management The project started back in 2013. Swedish Stena RoRo has been responsible for the design, contracting and execution of this unique and global project. French Barry Rogliano Salles, BRS, has served as the broker; detailed design was by Finnish Deltamarin; and construction has been carried out at the Tianjin Xingang shipyard in China. The Global Mercy, classified by Lloyd's Register in the United Kingdom, will sail under the Maltese flag and operate along the coast of Africa. A selection of suppliers involved in the project: ABB Azipod Propulsion systems and generators Alfa Laval Coolers Berg Propulsion Bow propeller Consilium Safety systems, fire alarm system Evac Waste management MacGregor Hull doors and gang planks Scan Marine Monitoring and inspection of interior Selectope Antifouling painting Wartsila Generator motors About the Global Mercy Global Mercy is 174 meters long, 28.6 meters wide and can accommodate 200 patients. It has six operating theatres, a laboratory, general outpatient clinics, a dental clinic and an eye clinic. The hospital section amounts to 7,000 square meters. The vessel is also equipped with very modern training facilities. In full operation docked in port, the Global Mercy will be able to accommodate up to 950 people, including crew members and volunteers from around the world. Length: 174 meters Beam: 28.6 meters Draught: 6.15 meters Gross tonnage: 37,000 tonnes Deadweight: 5,448 tonnes Total area, interior: 30,000 square meters For more information, please contact Per Westling, Managing Director, Stena RoRo AB Tel: +46 31 855154; +46 704 85 51 54 Email: [email protected] Since 1977, Stena RoRo has led the development of new marine RoRo, cargo and passenger concepts. We provide custom-built vessels, as well as standardized RoRo and RoPax vessels. The company leases about fifteen vessels to operators worldwide, both other Stena companies and third parties. Stena RoRo specializes above all in applying its technical expertise to the design and production of new vessels and the conversion of existing vessels for providing tailored transport solutions to its customers. We call this "Stenability". Since 2013, we have had responsibility for the design and completion of Mercy Ships' new hospital vessel the Global Mercy the world's largest civilian hospital ship. The ship was delivered in 2021. www.stenaroro.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/r/world-s-largest-civilian-hospital-ship-in-port-in-senegal,c3596240 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/9515/3596240/1600790.pdf World's largest civilian hospital ship in port in Senegal https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/i/africa-mercy-and-global-mercy-side-by-side-in-the-port-of-dakar-senegal,c3067588 Africa Mercy and Global Mercy side by side in the port of Dakar Senegal https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/i/gathering-on-the-quay-for-the-blessing-ceremony-in-dakar,c3067590 Gathering on the quay for the blessing ceremony in Dakar https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/i/dr-juliette-tuakli-breaks-a-vase-of-flowers-during-the-blessing-inaugaration,c3067592 Dr Juliette Tuakli breaks a vase of flowers during the blessing inaugaration https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/i/a-hospital-ward-on-board-global-mercy,c3067593 A hospital ward on board Global Mercy https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/i/tomas-fransson-stefan-sonesson-and-per-westling,c3067595 Tomas Fransson Stefan Sonesson and Per Westling https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/i/per-westling-managing-director-at-stena-roro-and-don-stephens-mercy-ships-founder,c3067596 Per Westling managing director at Stena RoRo and Don Stephens Mercy Ships founder SOURCE Stena RoRo DUBLIN, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Baby Pacifier Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global baby pacifier market reached a value of US$ 372.3 Million in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 530.5 Million by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.08% during 2021-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Baby pacifiers, also known as dummies, teethers and soothers, are rubber or plastic objects that are used to comfort and entertain babies and stop them from crying. They are made of soft, natural, and flexible materials like rubber, latex and silicone. However, silicone pacifiers are considered more durable than the ones made of latex. They are used as an effective means to calm babies during the first few months after birth when they are fussy, colic, or have a habit of suckling. Baby pacifiers are also recommended by doctors to prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). They are also considered as a transitional object that helps children relieve stress and adjust to new situations. The global baby pacifier market is primarily driven by the increasing global birth rate. This has resulted in the growing demand for various baby accessories such as baby pacifiers that offer temporary distraction, help babies fall asleep and ease discomfort during flights. The rapidly changing lifestyle and rising disposable income of individuals are also propelling the market growth. Furthermore, manufacturers are introducing innovative products that cater to the target customer. For instance, Smilo (Momma Goose Inc.), a US-based company, has launched a new line of baby pacifiers that are sized according to the baby's age and expand in the mouth for optimum support. They are also developing pacifiers that reduce the intake of air by toddlers to prevent a gassy stomach. Competitive Landscape: The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Angelcare USA LLC, Baby Shusher LLC, Doddle & Co, Handi-Craft Company, Koninklijke Philips N.V, Mam Babyartikel Gmbh, Mayborn Group Limited (Shanghai Fuxin Fine Chemical Co. Ltd.), Natursutten ApS, Newell Brands Inc., Pigeon Corporation and The Natural Baby Company LLC. Key Questions Answered in This Report: How has the global baby pacifier market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global baby pacifier market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the type? What is the breakup of the market based on the size? What is the breakup of the market based on the distribution channel? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global baby pacifier market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Scope and Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Industry Trends 5 Global Baby Pacifier Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Type 6.1 Single-piece Baby Pacifier 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Multiple-piece Baby Pacifier 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Size 7.1 Small 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Medium 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 7.3 Large 7.3.1 Market Trends 7.3.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Distribution Channel 8.1 Online 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Offline 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Region 10 SWOT Analysis 11 Value Chain Analysis 12 Porters Five Forces Analysis 13 Price Analysis 14 Competitive Landscape 14.1 Market Structure 14.2 Key Players 14.3 Profiles of Key Players 14.3.1 Angelcare USA LLC 14.3.1.1 Company Overview 14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.2 Baby Shusher LLC 14.3.2.1 Company Overview 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.3 Doddle & Co 14.3.3.1 Company Overview 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4 Handi-Craft Company 14.3.4.1 Company Overview 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.5 Koninklijke Philips N.V 14.3.5.1 Company Overview 14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.5.3 Financials 14.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.6 Mam Babyartikel Gmbh 14.3.6.1 Company Overview 14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.7 Mayborn Group Limited (Shanghai Fuxin Fine Chemical Co. Ltd.) 14.3.7.1 Company Overview 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.8 Natursutten ApS 14.3.8.1 Company Overview 14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.9 Newell Brands Inc. 14.3.9.1 Company Overview 14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.9.3 Financials 14.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.10 Pigeon Corporation 14.3.10.1 Company Overview 14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.10.3 Financials 14.3.11 The Natural Baby Company LLC 14.3.11.1 Company Overview 14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/gmvv5d 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 Kinetiko Energy Ltd (ASX:KKO) has demonstrated significant gas flow rates from its Korhaan 4 well in the Northern Karoo Basin of South Africa. Notably, the companys flow testing conducted last month delivered a stable three-day flow rate of 40,000 standard cubic feet per day despite equipment issues. With equipment issues resolved, its anticipated that K-4 can be retested and reach sustained flow rates above 100,000 standard cubic feet per day. The flowed gas from the Korhaan wells 4 and 3 along with existing nearby wells KA-03PTR and KA-03PT2 are anticipated to collectively deliver between 200,000 and 250,000 standard cubic feet per day to drive the first pilot production gas field power generation. Poised to achieve major milestone Kinetiko chairman Adam Sierakowski said: With gas flow potential established from the Korhaan wells and the capacity to induce more gas from K-5 following a technical review the company is poised to achieve a major milestone in becoming a cleaner energy solution in South Africa. The success of the Korhaan drilling program has provided enormous confidence of the capacity of the companys vast gassy compartment targets to host thousands of future gas production wells. Korhaan project summary Kinetiko has encountered significant gas formations at all four Korhaan Project wells to date with Korhaan Well 3 and Korhaan Well 4 being the standout performers. All the Korhaan Project holes were percussion drilled to intersect carbonaceous sandstone and coal geology at depths that ranged from 130 metres to 450 metres The wells are conventional and have unsophisticated completions as they are open holes that test the entire Lower Karoo section and have successfully flowed low-pressure gas. Pilot production potential Kinetiko now has now achieved gas flows to enter a pilot production phase in the near future with highly experienced Gas-to-Power partners, Vutomi Energy (Pty) Ltd. The program entails using the two historic pilot production wells KA-03PTR and KA-PT2 to join the new Korhaan wells 4 and 3 to produce gas to an in-field, containerised generator linked to the existing grid running through the adjacent farmlands. The company has ongoing discussions with additional multiple midstream customers. There is an increasing and urgent need for LNG for thermal industries and transportation, urea for fertilisers, and ammonia for mining applications and the domestic market is becoming increasingly attracted to the potential for gas sourced from within Kinetiko fields. Arecor Therapeutics PLC (AIM:AREC) will give a presentation on the Phase I clinical trial of its AT278 ultra-concentrated ultra-rapid acting insulin for diabetes at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes event in September. The biotech company said it was selected to give a presentation at the event to be held on 19-23 September in Stockholm, Sweden and online. The annual conference typically attracts more than 15,000 delegates from over 130 countries. "AT278 has the potential to be the first, and potentially only, ultra-concentrated (500U/mL [Units per millilitre]) yet ultra-rapid acting insulin, said chief executive Sarah Howell. This product offers the potential to significantly improve post prandial control whilst also reducing the injection volume and number of daily injections for the growing population of people living with diabetes who have high daily insulin needs, particularly those with type 2 diabetes. In addition, with its unique profile, AT278 is a key enabler in the development of next generation miniaturised insulin delivery devices, an expected future disrupter in the market. Arecor Therapeutics presented positive results from the Phase I trial of AT278 at the International Advanced Technologies and Treatments for Diabetes meeting in April. READ: Arecor Therapeutics drug has the potential to be best-in-class Providence Resources PLC (AIM:PVR, OTC:PVDRF) has appointed Alan Curran as the companys new interim chief executive, with James Mentons role now reverting back to non-executive chair. Curran most recently led a transformational restructuring strategy at Verus Petroleum, where he was chief executive between 2014 and 2019, Providence noted. "I am pleased that Alan has agreed to join Providence Resources as interim chief executive," Menton said. As a board, our primary objective is to progress our appraisal programme leading to a phased commercial development of the Barryroe oil and gas field. We are confident that the field can be successful and I have no doubt that, with his extensive experience in the oil and gas industry, Alan's knowledge and expertise will assist the board in optimising the Barryroe Field." Curran, meanwhile, commented: "I am delighted to be joining Providence Resources at this pivotal time for the company. As one of the largest undeveloped oil and gas fields offshore Europe, there is no doubt that the Barryroe Field presents a unique opportunity to develop a critically important Irish source of oil and gas to substitute some of the imports that will be needed to meet ongoing demand during the energy transition." Spirax-Sarco Engineering (LSE:SPX) PLC said it is in exclusive talks to buy the Vulcanic Group of Companies from Qualium, a French private equity company, for 261.7mln (225.5mln) in cash. Vulcanic is the largest supplier in Europe of bespoke industrial electric heating products. It has 10 manufacturing facilities worldwide and more than 700 employees. Almost 90% of its employees are based in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. The FTSE-100 group said Vulcanic will support the growth of its Electric Thermal Solutions (ETS) business, which is mainly focused in the EMEA region, and will complement its existing Chromalox business, which is mostly focused on the Americas region. We have been following Vulcanic for some time and believe the acquisition represents an excellent opportunity to broaden our addressable market and further deploy our industry leading technologies in Europe, said Spirax-Sarco chief executive Nicholas Anderson. In 2021, Vulcanic posted EBITDA of 17.6mln on revenues of 89.4mln. Spirax-Sarco expects the acquisition to be earnings accretive in 2022. Supermarket Income REIT PLC (LSE:SUPR, OTC:SUPIF) has announced the acquisition of a number of retail sites, alongside a newly arranged 412.1mln credit facility. In Chineham, Basingstoke, the investment company has bought a Tesco superstore along with a M&S Foodhall and an Iceland. Meanwhile, in Doncaster, it has acquired an ASDA supermarket. The deals have a combined purchase price of 82.9mln and, according to the company, will have a combined net initial yield of 4.9%. The site in Chineham spans some 18.7 acres and alongside the retail space is a 16-pump petrol station and 878 car parking spaces. The Tesco superstore has a further 12 years on its lease and is subject to five-yearly open-market rent reviews. In Doncaster, the ASDA site spans 5.2 acres. An ASDA supermarket has operated at the site since the 1970s and the store was refurbished in 2019. It has been acquired through a sale-and-leaseback arrangement, starting a new 100-year lease, subject to five-yearly rent review. Supermarket REIT, meanwhile, has arranged a 412.1mln borrowing facility comprising a 250mln five-year revolving credit facility, a 100mln three-year loan and 62.1mln 18-month loan. It is being used to refinance 255mln of prior borrowings, as well as to fund the companys continuing growth. "These acquisitions further strengthen and complement SUPR's portfolio, said Ben Green director of Atrato Capital, investment adviser to Supermarket Income REIT. Chineham Park was a rare opportunity to acquire a Tesco, an M&S Foodhall and an Iceland in a single transaction. The Asda acquisition represents the longest duration asset in the portfolio with a very long 100 year lease. The new unsecured facility is a significant milestone for SUPR, the scale and quality of the portfolio now enabling the company to finance on an unsecured basis. We are delighted with the level of financing support received from our existing and new relationship banks, affirming the robust nature of the grocery sector." Bigblu (AIM:BBB) Broadband PLC said it continues to trade in line with expectations and is well positioned for the second half of the year. Total revenue for the six months to end-May grew 13.8% to 14.9mln, with like-for-like revenue on a constant currency basis up 15.1%, while adjusted EBITDA climbed 1.4% to 2.0mln, the broadband services provider said in a trading update. The company had around 60,400 total customers at the end of May, up from about 58,300 in the year-earlier period. We are pleased with the continued progress shown by the group in the period, and the efforts we have made to improve our offering in the Nordic region provides us with optimism that this region can return to growth, said chief executive Andrew Walwyn. The company said growth in Australia remains strong and that there had been encouraging early progress in New Zealand. Overall, the company continues to trade in line with expectations, said Walwyn. EQTEC chief executive David Palumbo and chief operating officer Jeff Vander Linden joins Proactive's Sarah Lowther to talk about its recent news from Southport which involves hydrogen, an area of the business that the company is now accelerating. The interview covers the current market conditions and impacts to funding plans, and how the rest of the company's pipeline is proceeding, in the UK, France and United States. Finally, last November, the firm announced a collaboration agreement with Wood, the pair explain what they expect in the future with Wood and other partners. J Sainsbury PLC (LSE:SBRY) and Marks and Spencer Group PLC (LSE:MKS) are expected to face fierce criticism over wages of both bosses and staff this week but for completely different reasons. Both companies have been embroiled in shareholder disputes after refusing payment guarantees to employees while simultaneously handing out bumper pay packages to senior executives. M&S shareholders will vote tomorrow on whether to approve a 1.6mln bonus payout to its former chief executive Steve Rowe, which was more than the departing executive's annual wage package. The retailer cancelled its dividend last April in a bid to preserve cash after the coronavirus pandemic struck, failing to provide guarantees on when it would be reintroduced. Sainsbury's meanwhile faces renewed protests at its annual general meeting on Thursday, which will be held at its headquarters in Holborn, where shareholders will vote on top-level wage increases alongside its refusal to guarantee staff the living wage. Investors in Sainsbury's will vote on a resolution put forward by shareholders this year calling for the supermarket chain to become a living wage accredited employer. There was uproar among Sainsbury's shareholders after the supermarket refused to become an accredited living wage employer this year, despite its chief executive Simon Roberts receiving a 3.8mln pay and bonus packet for the year to March that was triple his wages in 2021. Shareholders will vote on, among a raft of other resolutions, the Sainsbury's remuneration report. Sainsburys chairman Martin Scicluna said in May that the supermarket chain had held a constructive and open dialogue with ShareAction, the campaign organisation that coordinated the resolution, and several of its shareholders. He said unequivocally that the supermarkets board does support the shareholder resolution, outlining that wages represent the supermarket chains biggest single operating cost, costing Sainsbury's more than 4bn a year. Sainsbury's argues that becoming an accredited provider of the living wage would require an outside organisation to set employee wages. Accreditation would require a third party called the Living Wage Foundation to decide on staff pay rises each year and require the supermarket to pay third-party contractors the living wage. The board does not support the shareholder resolution (Resolution 21)," Scicluna said in a statement in May, adding that since 2017 Sainsbury's had increased the pay of front-line employees by 25%. Shareholders that have pledged to vote in favour of the resolution include Aviva PLC (LSE:AV.)'s asset management arm, Coutts & Co, the Coal Pension Trustees and Global Systemic Investors. ShareAction said the motion was backed by asset manager Legal & General Group PLC (LSE:LGEN) and workplace pension scheme Nest, together with 108 shareholders and ministers and barristers. On Friday, shareholder representatives Organise and 38 Degrees met at the Sainsburys headquarters to lodge a petition with 102,764 signatures from the public calling for Sainsburys to become accredited as a living wage employer, together with a report on the companys working conditions. Sainsburys employees were quoted in the report as struggling to make ends meet amid the building energy crisis and ongoing cost-of-living crisis. One anonymous member of staff said they couldnt afford to have the heating on this year, while another called on their employer to help them survive through the storm. "Struggling to make ends meet was hard enough, now its impossible, one anonymous member of staff said. After the resolution was proposed, Sainsburys said it would lift pay for London staff in April, meaning all staff directly employed by the company would earn the real living wage. Despite this, ShareAction said the resolution remains on the ballot as important gaps remain, for example the supermarket has not extended the commitment to subcontracted staff such as cleaners and security guards. Without accreditation there is no commitment direct employees will continue to earn a wage that meets the cost of living, it said. Stockbroker Shore Capital expects to upgrade its forecasts for UK pawnbroker H&T Group PLC (AIM:HAT) once it updates the market with its next interim financial results next month. Shore Capital analyst Gary Greenwood, in a note, pulled out some of the highlights from what he described as a positive first-half trading update. Greenwood reckons a newly announced acquisition of watch business Swiss Time Services Limited will be immediately earnings enhancing, and, noted that the brokerage now expects these new developments will put material upside pressure on earnings forecasts. In the pawnbroking business, Greenwood says there is no sign of momentum slowing with volumes at record levels and c.40% above pre-pandemic levels, while loan-to-value ratios and average loan sizes having been maintained. This strong demand, in our view, reflects the impact of the cost-of-living crisis as well as the withdrawal of competition from the unsecured high-cost credit space, including through the recent closure of two of the leading home-collected credit firms. The analyst added that retail sales have been consistently strong, the gold purchasing business is buoyant, whilst foreign exchange revenues have more than doubled as international holiday travel returned. We expect the continued impressive performance of the business combined with the acquisition of Swiss Time Services to put pressure on our earnings forecasts for the current year (provisionally a 15-20% increase)," the analyst added. Shore Capital noted that H&T shares presently offer some 34% upside to the brokers view of the companys current fair value of 430p. Wizz Air Holdings PLC (AIM:WIZZ) and easyJet PLC (LSE:EZJ) are two airlines that operate in the same discount market, dealing with similar macro-conditions surrounding airports and targeting a similar customer base. However, while Wizz Air came out today and said passenger traffic grew to its highest level in almost seven years in June, easyJet is cancelling flights left, right and centre. To add to matters, and seemingly going against the grain for airlines following recent and predicted chaos at major airports up and down the country, Wizz Air said earlier last month that it was on track for a record summer. For easyJet, the problems continue to mount, with its chief operating officer Peter Bellew resigning over the airline cancelled thousands of flights this summer to limit the disruption caused to passengers (read more). So, with one airline cancelling flights, and another on course for, in its own words, a record summer, why the apparent disparity between the two? What is going wrong for easyJet? For one, no airline has cancelled more flights n recent months than easyJet, according to Which? In the first half of June alone, the provider had cut 528 flights from its schedule, significantly ahead of second-placed British Airways, which cut 106 over the same period. To make matters worse, the flight cap set to be introduced at Gatwick for the summer months means the budget airline is set to cut thousands during the peak season of July, August and September. As well as that, in the spirit of the British summer of strikes, easyJet staff in Spain will follow suit, planning three separate 72-hour strikes over the summer. Spain is arguably one of the top destinations for easyJet travellers, especially from Britain, so the decision to strike will undoubtedly cause further chaos. easyJet for some time has also always managed to achieve success on the back of its cheap service, despite it not being viewed in the most shining light by the people that use the service. And despite leading industry experts believing that no permanent damage has been to easyJet, there will surely come a point where travellers have had enough and start to look elsewhere. Now, it cannot be said conclusively, but that may be what we are seeing with Wizz Airs numbers today and that formerly easyJet passengers have heard of the raft of planned cancellations and have finally decided to look elsewhere. However, according to John Strickland, director at air transport consultancy JLS Consulting, despite the pre-planning more cancellations, external factors are largely to blame for its issues. They have needed to pre-plan more cancellations to increase resilience but have been hit by external factors such as localised ATC (Air Traffic Control) issues at Gatwick which is by far their largest airport for operations. What does this mean for the long-term future of easyJet? Despite all the current issues the airline is facing and has been facing for the most part of the year, Strickland believes that no permanent long-term damage has been done to easyJets reputation when speaking about the issue towards the end of June. easyJet is not the only airline to take a battering in current media coverage, Strickland said. It is well aware of its need to improve performance and is taking further action. For now, easyJet can weather the storm but if passengers get too frustrated and simply give up with the budget airline Peter Bellew might not be the only outgoing executive. Shares today were down 5% at 357.3p, a new five-year low. BT is forecast for a tiny amount of revenue growth in its first-quarter by Citi, though the broker says the outcome of the potential company-wide strike by the CWU will be the focus. Growth in the consumer and broadband arms will offset declines in Enterprise and GS, leading to overall revenue for the group to grow by 0.6% in the first quarter, forecasts Citi. Underlying profits (EBITDA) will grow 1.6% year-on-year (yoy) with a focus by management on improving average revenue use and churn impact from the April price increase alongside any potential cost impact from the CWU decision. Neutral in the investment view with a 185p target ahead of the announcement on 28 July. Shares today rose by 2.2% to 189.4p. AdAlta Ltd (ASX:1AD) has altered the sequence of manufacturing campaigns and toxicology studies for its main i-body platform, AD-214, in order to better align them with the priorities of potential partners and take advantage of data from a pre-clinical study of AD-214 in eye fibrosis, expected in the third quarter of this year. The company secured a six-month deferral of pre-booked manufacturing campaigns and toxicology studies, ensuring it can delay fulfilling the financial commitments for these studies and extend its cash runway. AdAltas work in developing an inhaled version of AD-214 for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is also progressing well, with preclinical studies emphasising its ability to reach and affect the smallest airways of the lungs. Range of potential partners "highly encouraging" We are highly encouraged by the range of potential partners for AD-214, including new and confirmed existing interest generated at the BIO2022 conference held in San Diego last month and several who have signed confidentiality agreements to access additional data, AdAlta managing director and CEO Dr Tim Oldham said. Meeting their varied interests could require different manufacturing and toxicology campaigns with different associated costs to those we originally had planned. By the end of the September quarter 2022, we also anticipate having significant new pre-clinical data in multiple indications and routes of administration for AD-214. While we have been focused on speed to clinical trials, it is now prudent that we make final decisions about incurring the significant costs of manufacturing and toxicology with the fullest possible data and partnering information in hand, and to that end have negotiated a deferral of the commencement of these campaigns with our suppliers. The increased interest in AD-214 follows a peer-reviewed publication of pre-clinical data which demonstrated the protective effect of AD-214 in a mouse model of kidney fibrosis. Andromeda Metals Ltd (ASX:ADN)'s James March speaks with Proactives Elisha Newell about its pending milestone in moving from explorer to an operational company, which only a small amount of ASX listed small caps achieve. As it makes this transition, March speaks about the massive amount of work being done in the background to make this happen, which has slowed newsflow coming out of its assets. However, the managing director highlights the mining approval, the completed DFS and in principal land access agreement the company has achieved at the Great White Kaolin Project in South Australia, with just environmental sign off to come. The company is also negotiating offtakes for the project. One crucial part of Andromedas make up is its technological footprint, with March explaining how the company can, in future, gain maximum value by converting its materials to nanotechnology. The new facility will be in addition to the 312.5 million senior secured project financing package. Highfield Resources Ltd (ASX:HFR) shares traded as much as 8.9% higher intra-day after signing a 23.3 million non-binding indicative term sheet for an equipment operating lease facility with Macquarie for the Muga Potash Mine in Spain. If executed, the facility will provide financing for the projects various units of underground mining equipment. The facility remains subject to contract and Macquarie completing its final due diligence and all requisite approvals. Moving into construction phase Highfield MD and CEO Ignacio Salazar said: "In addition to the 312.5 million project financing package recently announced, signing this non-binding indicative operating lease financing term sheet with Macquarie is another significant milestone for the company as it moves into the construction phase of the Muga Mine. 312.5 million facility In May, Highfield inked a project financing mandate letter with a group of experienced European mining finance lenders for a 312.5 million senior secured project financing package. The package includes a 300 million senior secured project financing facility and a 12.5 million standby cost overrun facility to finance the construction and development of its 100%-owned Muga Potash Project in Spain. A group of four international financial institutions, comprising BNP Paribas S.A., ING Bank N.V., Natixis and Societe Generale (London branch) will act as the mandated lead arrangers (MLAs). The execution of the mandate letter follows the agreement-in-principle of the non-binding indicative term sheet for the facilities, which will cover a significant portion of the pre-production investment required to complete Phase 1 construction of Muga. Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX:OBM) has strengthened its operational expertise with the appointment of Luke Creagh as chief executive officer, who will take over from interim CEO Andrew Czerw. Creagh is a mining engineer with 20 years experience in contracting and mining companies throughout Australia and internationally. Most recently, he was chief operating officer for Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX:NST) and before that served in various senior positions within Northern Star, including general manager of business development, general manager of strategy and growth, and operations manager. Highly qualified to guide Ora Banda We couldnt be happier that Luke is joining us. He has had considerable experience managing mining operations and is highly qualified to guide Ora Banda through its current operational reset plan, chair Peter Mansell said. We look forward to working with him for many years to come and are confident that, together, we can extract maximum value from Ora Bandas highly prospective land package. Creagh has a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) from the University of Queensland and holds a Western Australian first-class mine managers certificate. Before joining Northern Star, he worked as operations manager at Barminco Ltd. I am excited to be joining Ora Banda. We have highly prospective tenements supported by quality infrastructure, Luke Creagh said. I am looking forward to being a part of this team to drive value through operational execution and maximising the potential of the geology, with a focus on exploration and resource definition. Outgoing interim CEO thanked Ora Bandas board also expressed gratitude to interim CEO Andrew Czerw, who has been filling the role as the company searched for a permanent appointee. Andy, at short notice, made himself available to take on the role of interim chief executive officer and has initiated and guided the company through the operational reset plan, Mansell said. We cannot thank him enough for his hard work and commitment. Anson Resources Ltd (ASX:ASN)s recent resource expansion campaign is delivering consistent high pressures in the high-priority Mississippian Unit at the Paradox Lithium Project in Utah, USA. The company has recorded a pressure of 3,785 pounds per square inch (psi) at the Long Canyon No. 2 well. Drilling successfully targeted the large Mississippian supersaturated brine aquifer, which hosts a substantial lithium-rich zone of between 70 metres and 250 metres in thickness. Highly positive outcome The consistent high pressures delivered at the Mississippian Unit during the Long Canyon drilling correlate with historically recorded high pressures across the project area. This gives Anson confidence in a highly positive outcome from the current drilling. The results, combined with drill stem test (DST) data from historic wells within the project area, indicate that the Mississippian strata has a high permeability across a large area. The combination of permeability, high pressure as well as porosity is expected to: deliver continual strong flow at the extraction well location, over the life-of-mine of any future lithium producing operation; and indicate that the pressure will remain constant over the life of a proposed future lithium project. Executive chairman and CEO Bruce Richardson said: Our drilling at Long Canyon No. 2 has established that the pressures in both the Paradox and the deeper Mississippian Unit are very high. This is expected to allow the brine to flow from an area with a radius of 10 kilometres and is why the company is confident that the pressure will not drop or the flow will slow down over distance and time, as is known to occur with oil wells. Off to the lab The first brine samples from the Long Canyon Unit 2 well from the Mississippian Unit and Clastic Zones 33, 29,19 and 17 have been sent to certified laboratories to assay for lithium, bromine and other minerals. The companys resource expansion drilling program has now progressed to the high-priority Cane Creek 32-1 well, where drilling aims to convert a large portion of the Paradox exploration target into indicated and inferred resources. ioneer Ltd has thanked Julian Babarczy on his retirement as a non-executive director of the company, effective immediately. A long-time investor and supporter of the company, Babarczy is retiring due to a significant workload at various other listed and unlisted companies, along with personal investment activities. Babarczy had been in active dialogue with ioneer for a number of months regarding the decision, which was made with the full support of the company. A strong association Commenting on his retirement from the INR board, Babarczy said: I am proud to have had a strong association with ioneer, having worked with Bernard and James over many years, first as an investor in the company and more recently as a non-executive director. In my view, Rhyolite Ridge remains one of the best and most unique undeveloped lithium assets in the world, led by a strong and growing management team and board that is diligently progressing the project towards development. I leave the board knowing that an exciting future awaits ioneer, which in my view is set to become the leading North American lithium production asset with exceptional value and strategic positioning. "He will be missed" Executive chairman James Calaway said: Since joining the ioneer board, Julian has served as chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, and member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee. Julians experience and measured approach has helped ensure the interests of our shareholders, community and employees has been front of mind as we strive to deliver a world-class lithium-boron project at Rhyolite Ridge. It is sad to see Julian depart, he will be missed. FTSE 100 has made a strong start to the week led by oil and gas majors BP and Shell. Protestors meanwhile have blocked key chunks of UK motorways in protest at high petrol prices. Londons blue-chip index was up 67 at 7,235. Tesco said it will kick off a 150mln share buyback programme. The firm said it had appointed HSBC to repurchase shares as part of a wider plan to acquire 750mln worth of shares by April 2023. Amazon will be launching a fleet of e-cargo bikes and a team of on-foot delivery staff to replace van deliveries in some Londons ultra-low emission zones. A new hub will be opened in Hackney and contribute to roughly 5mln deliveries. There are fewer pubs in England and Wales than there were 10 years ago, research has found. Their total number dropped below 40,000 in the first half of 2022 - the lowest number on record, according to real estate advisers Altus Group (TSX:AIF). UK pawnbroker H&T Group has bought Omega watch repair provider Swiss Time for 4.3mln. It aims to to bring watch expertise in-house, improve margins and offer more to customers. Omega Diagnostics has decided on its unnamed preferred bidder to acquire its CD4 business. The potential buyer will have four weeks to complete its due diligence, with the transaction expected to be completed shortly after. IQGeo Group struck a deal with a giant American telecom network operator for one of the largest Fibre to the x and 5G build-outs in the US. The deal is for a period of three years and has a software subscription value of US$3.6mln for an initial cohort of users and service value of around US$2.1mln. DGTL said financial improvements will begin to be reflected in the first quarter of fiscal year 2023 and in subsequent filings DGTL Holdings Inc. (TSX-V:DGTL, OTCQB:DGTHF) said it has initiated a strategic restructuring of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Hashoff LLC and Engagement Labs (TSX-V:EL) Inc, as part of plans to reposition the company for scalable revenue growth and long-term shareholder equity. The company said it expects to divest $5,000,402 in liabilities and operating expenses from the restructuring, which will turn it cashflow positive in the near term. Within the first 120 days under the leadership of the new DGTL executive team, the company has proactively divested over $3,234,743 in current and non-current liabilities and an additional $1,891,500 in annual operating expenses totalling an estimated first year reduction of $5,000,402 in long-term debt and on-going operating expenses, the Vancouver-based company said. READ: DGTL Holdings subsidiary Hashoff extends social media marketing campaign with Nasdaq-listed e-sports gaming client DGTL said its board had voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of Lindenwood Associates, a New York-based strategic development and restructuring firm retained by Hashoff to assess its legal and financial viability, to commence a formal orderly wind down and subsequent dissolution of Hashoff in accordance with Section 18-801 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act. The result of the Hashoff wind down is the divestment of an estimated $1,939,053 in accounts payable and accrued expenses as well as $572,849 in contingent liabilities from the DGTL consolidated balance sheet. Meanwhile, the restructuring has produced a 50% reduction in annual operating expenses for Engagement Labs, which will now serve as DGTL's flagship social media subsidiary, with an expanded product and service offering including strategy, execution, measurement and distribution Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solutions provider. In addition, Hashoff has had $177,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans forgiven by the Small Business Association (SBA), a US federal administration agency that administers small business relief loans, while Engagement Labs had $420,000 in loans forgiven, totaling $597,000 in interest-bearing loans removed from DGTLs balance sheet. The new DGTL executive team is dedicated to restoring fiscal responsibility, accountability and sound corporate governance in order to maximize long-term value of shareholder equity, DGTL said. Reducing liabilities and post-restructure operating expenses by an estimated $5,000,402 is a major material improvement to the consolidated financial position of the company." It added that financial improvements will begin to be reflected in the first quarter of fiscal year 2023 and in subsequent filings. DGTL will host a video webinar on Wednesday July 6th, 2022 at 1:00pm ET, which will include a CEO update on the company and its current operations and future business interests. Details of the meeting are here. DGTL Holdings acquires and accelerates transformative digital media, marketing and advertising software technologies, powered by artificial intelligence (AI). DGTL - Digital Growth Technologies and Licensing - specializes in accelerating commercialized enterprise-level Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies in the sectors of content, analytics and distribution, via a blend of unique capitalization structures. Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com Dream Pops will be part of the pop-up initiative between July 1 and August 31 PlantX Life Inc. (CSE:VEGA) has announced a new partnership with Dream Pops as the latest marketing tenant at its multi-brand pop-up retail initiative, the Vegan Popup by XMarket. Located in PlantXs retail store in Venice Beach, California, the pop-up was launched in April after a successful pilot tenancy program promoting PlantX partner brands. Dream Pops is a leading frozen novelty company that manufactures plant-based, low-calorie pops and bites. The brand will receive prime placement throughout the store and in all other PlantX locations, and Dream Pops products will also be included in sampling sessions to be handed out to customers. Brands pay PlantX for the opportunity to test their products in a retail environment and enhance their brand awareness by hosting interactive community-building events. "Summer is here and we could not think of a better brand to bring into our Pop-up Initiative than Dream Pops," said PlantX CEO Lorne Rapkin. The CEO told shareholders that the group is excited to use the pop-up initiative to forge meaningful connections with other plant-based brands that have a similar ethos. Dream Pops brings a unique twist to American cult classic treats by re-imagining them with clean and better-for-you, plant-based ingredients. By hosting them in our Pop-up Initiative, we are happy to bring people a healthier, more ethical way to cool off at the beach, he added, PlantX said it has also partnered with local artists Michael Marston and Patrick Brunt to design a Dream Pops-themed dreamscapes mural that will be painted by another local artist to cover the exterior of the pop-up store. The pair create murals and living walls that incorporate growing plants. "It's a natural fit. We've long been fans of Michael and Patrick's work, and are thrilled to incorporate it into the PlantX Pop-up space this summer, said PlantX founder, Sean Dollinger. Dream Pops will be part of the pop-up in Venice Beach between July 1 and August 31. Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas Bradda Head Lithium chief executive Charles FitzRoy joins Proactive fresh from a business trip to the US where he was busy wooing some of the industry elite as a sponsor at the Fastmarkets 'Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Materials 2022 event'. He also talks in detail about positive results from its first drilling programme at the Wikieup lithium project in Arizona, US. He says the results demonstrate the presence of lithium-bearing clays. Analysts noted that Canopys management does not anticipate inflecting into adjusted EBITDA breakeven territory until FY2024 Canaccord Genuity (TSX:CF, LSE:CF) slashed its price target on Canopy Growth Corp following news of the cannabis companys plan to convert nearly C$253 million of unsecured convertible notes into equity a move analysts decried as dilutive. The investment bank downgraded its target to C$3.50 from C$4.50 and reiterated its Sell rating on the stock. Analysts noted that Canopys management does not anticipate inflecting into adjusted EBITDA breakeven territory until FY2024, due to continued industry headwinds and lower revenues. We believe the risk of continued pressure on equity valuation remains elevated as the company utilizes its cash coffers to fund sizable operating losses, or as evidenced above, the potential for sizable dilution in order to reduce its overall debt load as part of its turnaround initiatives, the analysts wrote. The Canadian cannabis company recently announced it had entered into a string of agreements with a group of its debt holders including strategic partner Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) to convert $253 million of its nearly C$600 million 4.25% unsecured senior notes into equity. This would result in Canopy issuing another 56 million or so shares, with the potential to issue around 78 million shares, Canaccord noted, and an increase of between 14% to 20% to its basic share count at the end of 2022. As we believe pressure on WEED's valuation will persist, using the high end of the potential dilutive impact of the above conversion, we have added 78 million shares into our pro forma capital structure for the company, while removing approximately C$253 million of convertible debt, analysts wrote. (As) a net result of the above capital structure changes, we are reducing our price target to C$3.50 (from C$4.50), and reiterating our Sell rating. Shares of Canopy Growth closed at C$3.63 in Toronto on Monday. --Updates share price-- Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas The analysts wrote that Cypress has proven in continuous operating runs at its pilot plant that its previously acquired direct lithium extraction processing IP leads to high lithium recoveries with minimal impurities Cypress Development Corp (TSX-V:CYP, OTCQX:CYDVF) has made further progress on a number of initiatives, including pilot plant testing of chloride leaching of claystone material and the commencement of the Clayton Valley feasibility study (FS), analysts at Couloir Capital said as they reiterated their Buy rating on the company. In a note, the analysts wrote that the companys pilot plant has yielded positive results and it has proven in continuous operating runs at the pilot plant that its previously acquired direct lithium extraction (DLE) processing IP (intellectual property) leads to high lithium recoveries with minimal impurities. Based on their analysis and valuation models, the Couloir analysts said they are also updating their fair value per share estimate to C$5.30 per share, from C$4.04 per share. The analysts said the completion of FS work on the Clayton Valley lithium project in Nevada is likely to represent a major catalyst for the company and potentially its valuation. Additionally, they said the company was able to complete the acquisition of water rights, despite third party interference that could have jeopardized the projects water allocation. Referring to the recent acquisition of Enertopia Corporation's Clayton Valley lithium claystone project, the analysts said Cypress has consolidated Clayton Valley into a larger property and increased its mineralized base, growing potential captive feedstock for future operations. Financially, they noted that Cypress had cash and working capital of $38.23 million and $38.55 million, respectively, at the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2022. The major increase in cash comes as a result of an $18.1 million bought deal financing that was completed in the quarter, significantly shoring up the balance sheet for the near-term. A current ratio of 132.46x implies the ability of current assets to sufficiently cover current liabilities, implying a sufficient liquidity position at the end of March 2022, they added. Moving forward, we expect that the key catalysts on the horizon include further progress with the FS, additional pilot plant developments around lithium recovery, and capital structure change events, the analysts said. We expect these catalysts to be material if they imply advancement of CYPs project, with the most likely valuation triggers to be related to the completion of the Clayton Valley FS. By Monday's close, Cypress had jumped by 3.74% to hit C$1.11 per share. --Updates share price-- Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com Tripoli, July 4 : Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah has stressed the importance of the Security Directorates Support Force of the Interior Ministry. Dbeibah on Sunday made the remarks during a graduation celebration of the second batch of the security forces in the capital Tripoli, Xinhua news agency reported. The Prime Minister stressed the need to support security directorates with trained graduates and cadres, the Information office of the Prime Minister said in a statement. "The Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the Police Training Institute for its efforts to conduct continuous training courses to produce qualified batches that would assist the Interior Ministry in carrying out its role," the statement said. Libyan authorities have been struggling to achieve security and peace in the war-torn country, ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Tehran, July 4 : Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani has said that the time and venue of a new round of talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal are being finalised, according to the official IRNA news agency. "The negotiations in Doha took place within a pre-determined framework," Bagheri Kani said on Sunday, adding that "the time and venue of next negotiations are being finalised in the exchanges" between Iran and the European Union (EU). He did not specify whether the next round of talks will take place in the format of Iran and the P4+1 (Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany) or will be held indirectly between Iran and the US, Xinhua news agency reported. Iran and the US held indirect talks on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Qatari capital of Doha, with the mediation of EU coordinator Enrique Mora, to address their differences over the revival of the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The Doha talks did not bear results, but Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian described the talks as "positive". Iran signed the JCPOA with the world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear programme in return for the removal of sanctions on the country. However, former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran, prompting the latter to drop some of its commitments under the pact. The Iranian nuclear talks began in April 2021 in Vienna, but were suspended in March this year because of political differences between Tehran and Washington. Accra, July 4 : Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take concerted efforts to root out terrorism in West Africa. Akufo-Addo, also Chairman of the regional bloc, on Sunday made the call in his opening speech at the 61st Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government in Accra, the Ghanaian capital. "Our region continues to be the target of indiscriminate and barbaric terrorist attacks, resulting in the massacre of many innocent victims and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the targeted countries," said Akufo-Addo. According to him, the terrorist attacks in West Africa are now not only focusing on the Sahel but also expanding to the coastal states in the subregion, Xinhua news agency reported. He urged the subregion to continue to implement the regional action plan against terrorism and coordinate other related initiatives to defeat the threat of terror and insecurity in West Africa. He added that the threats could only be quashed through concerted efforts and the collective resolve to combat the terrorists with a united front, urging the subregional bloc to be ready to go the extra mile to ensure the stability of the community and the various member states. "This will reinforce our collective response to this destabilising threat, and our determination in this end must be stronger than ever. Equally unshaken must be our resolve to maintain the stability of our region and its member states," Akufo-Addo said. The one-day summit, with ECOWAS heads of state and government in attendance, mainly focused on regional and global developments. Prayagraj, July 4 : In a heart-warming gesture, the Prayagraj police made a 12-year-old cancer patient, the Additional Director General (ADG) of the district for a day. ADG (Prayagraj zone), Prem Prakash, said that this was done to boost the morale of Harsh Dubey who is suffering from cancer. The boy, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj, was also gifted a body kit. While sitting on the chair of ADG, the 12-year-old asked questions about the police functioning and also browsed the documents. the police officers on duty also saluted him. Top police officers posed for photographs with the "little ADG". Harsh's father, Sanjay Dubey, is an e-rickshaw driver. When he noticed his son sitting on chair of ADG, the ADG Prem Prakash said, "When I came to know about the plight of the 12-year-old boy suffering from cancer through the social workers helping cancer patients in the city, I then decided to take measures to boost the morale of the minor boy." Harsh performed all works being carried out by an ADG rank police officials in his office. His father thanked senior police officials, team of doctors treating his son and social activist Pankaj Rizwani for their efforts to encourage his son for positive vibes and fast recovery. The doctors team also assured full medical assistance to the little boy. Senior oncologist of Kamla Nehru Hospital and Padma Shree awardee, B. Paul, who is also treating the boy, said, "Cancer patients must have patience and courage. Cancer is termed as an incurable disease but if right treatment on right time is offered to the patient, it can be cured." Sitapur : , July 4 (IANS) Four persons were killed and seven others injured in separate incidents of lightning strike in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur district. According to reports, Sampat, 32, and his wife Bhula Devi, 30, died on Sunday evening after they were struck by lightning while sowing paddy in a field in Semra Nagrauli village. Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), P.L. Maurya said that three other workers were injured in the incident. In another incident in Kevalpurva village, Sanjay and his daughter Shalini took shelter from the rain under a tree and were struck by lightning on Sunday evening. While Sanjay died, Shalini was injured, Maurya added. Three people, including a 12-year-old boy, were injured in Seepatpur village after lightning hit them on Sunday evening. Another unidentified person was also killed in similar circumstances. The bodies have been sent for a post-mortem examination and the injured persons have been hospitalised. The SDM said that the district administration will provide Rs four lakh as financial compensation to the kin of the deceased victims from the State Disaster Relief Fund. Kiev, July 4 : Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from their positions in Lysychansk after the key eastern city in the separatist Luhansk region fell to the Russians, the military in Kiev confirmed. In a social media post late Sunday night, the General Staff said: "After heavy fighting for Lysychansk, the armed forces of Ukraine have been forced to withdraw from their occupied positions and lines. "Given the overwhelming advantage of the Russian occupying forces in terms of artillery, aircraft, multiple rocket launchers, ammunition and personnel, continuing the defence of the city would have led to fatal consequences. In order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders, the decision was taken to withdraw." Lysychansk's fall came a week after its twin city Severodonetsk was captured by the Russian forces on June 25. Capture of the two cities means Russia now controls nearly all of Luhansk region and much of neighbouring Donetsk, the two Russian-backed separatist regions that form the industrial Donbas. Lysychansk and Severodonetsk were the last remaining Ukrainian positions in Luhansk. In his video address to the nation, President Volodymyr Zelenksy on Sunday night insisted that Ukrainian forces will return to Lysychansk, "thanks to our tactics, thanks to the increased supply of modern weapons", Ukrayinska Pravda reported. He added that "Ukraine is surrendering nothing". Regarding Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu's statement earlier in the day that his forces had captured Lysychansk and taken full control of Luhansk region, Zelenksy said: "When Moscow officials report on the situation in Luhansk Oblast, let them remember the reports and promises they made before February 24, during the first days of the invasion, in the spring, and now. "Let them make a realistic assessment of what they have achieved during this time, and the price they paid for it. Because their current reports will be reduced to dust, just as their past ones were." The President further noted that Ukrainian forces continue to gradually advance in Kharkiv, Kherson, and the Black Sea. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Shimla, July 4 : Tomato is emerging as one of the major off-season cash crops in lower and mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh. Solan, Sirmaur and Kullu districts harvests 86 per cent of the state's overall production. Off-seasonal tomato cultivation peaks during monsoon in the hills when the crop is not harvesting in plains of north India. The state annually produces 320,700 tonnes of tomato and aims to increase its production by 498,000 tonnes. Agriculture Minister Virender Kanwar told IANS for some farmers off-seasonal tomato cultivation is the main source of income. About 46 per cent of the state's total plantation is in Solan district with more than 90 per cent of the produce going to markets in neighbouring states mainly Delhi. The other tomato growing belts are Sirmaur (30 per cent) and Kullu (10 per cent), while the remaining is in Shimla, Mandi and Bilaspur districts. Most of the farmers prefer to sell their produce through local agriculture produce market committees, whileAAAAA some send directly to Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMCs) of other states. A group of farmers from Salogra have a market linkage with online retail stores like BigBasket. A sell the tomato produce through e-marketplace. At present, 22,753 farmers, many of them with small landholdings, are engaged in tomato production with an annual turnover of Rs 203 crore. Polyhouses are also being used to produce off-season vegetables, said Kanwar. CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University in Palampur has developed disease-resistant high-yielding tomato varieties. They are Palam Pink, Palam Pride, Him Pragati, Him Palam, Cherry Yellow and Palam Tomato Hybrid 1. To promote its cultivation, the university is regularly organizing capacity building programmes, benefitting over 25,000 farmers. The Minister said the government is also extending irrigation facilities and promoting rainwater harvesting. For systematic diversification of crops, the Agriculture Department has chalked out a plan for the introduction of high-yielding hybrids of vegetables, popularization of a micro-irrigation system and protected cultivation. For improvement of quality, organic and natural farming is also being promoted across the state. Subsidy to the tune of 50 per cent is being provided to the farmers for diversification of cereal crops to vegetables under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, wherein the tomato crop cultivation is also being promoted, added Kanwar. Kanpur : , July 4 (IANS) A Pakistani national has been booked for overstaying in India. According to the Kanpur police, one Alam Chand, a citizen of Pakistan, came to Kanpur in 1990 on a term visa and then settled here with his family. Although Chand claimed that he had legally obtained Indian citizenship in 2013, police said that the matter will be investigated. A complaint against Alam Chand was filed by one Alok Kumar, who claimed that Chand had illegally obtained Indian identity cards, like PAN and Aadhaar, and stayed on. Chand's son is in the Indian Air Force while the other son works in the education department. Alok Kumar said that he had informed the police several times but no action was taken. After this, he filed a petition in the court for the registration of an FIR. The court took cognizance of the matter and ordered the police to investigate the matter. In the initial investigation, the police found all the allegations to be true. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) South, Manish Sonkar, after the order of the court, said that the case of a Pakistani national hiding and committing fraud has come to his knowledge. "Police have initiated an investigation in this matter. Other investigating agencies have also been informed about the matter and based on the investigation, further action will be taken in this regard," he said. Lagos, July 4 : An investigation is underway into a case of suspected abduction of 77 people by church pastors in Nigeria's southwestern state of Ondo, a police spokesperson said. Ondo police spokesperson Funmilayo Odunlami told reporters on Sunday that two pastors were in police custody after 77 people were rescued on Friday night from the church following intelligence report gathered by police, reports Xinhua news agency. Some of the victims, mostly children, were found from an underground apartment of the church, Odunlami said. He said a preliminary probe indicates that the church pastors held their members captive through false teachings and brainwash. The pastors were said to have told the victims to obey only their "parents in the Lord" and not their biological parents, the police spokesperson said, adding further investigation has begun and the public would be informed of the outcome. In a statement on Sunday, Peter Hawkins, the Unicef Nigeria representative, commended the rescue operation. "Children should not be targets of violence in whatever guise," said Hawkins, adding a society's health is measured by how it treats its children. Chennai, July 4 : Authorities have declared a public health emergency in Puducherry's Karaikal region in the wake of a diarrhoea outbreak. In a statement, the district administration said schools will remain closed from Monday till Wednesday to clean up the water tanks in the surrounding areas. The situation, according to the district health department, is worrying as cholera have also been detected along with diarrhoea in many patients who are currently hospitalised. On Monday, Karaikal District Collector Mohammad Mansoon said: "We have taken the samples of several cases and have found the presence of Vibrio Cholera. Given the rising number of cases consequent health emergency declared, we have invoked Sec 144(2) of CrPC." He addedthat all restaurants, hotels and eateries have been directed to provide boiled RO-treated drinking water, adding that the establishments were also directed to clean and chlorinate all water tanks. The administration said that the amount of chlorination required is around 0.5 mg per litre of water. Mansoon has directed revenue, food and health inspectors to conduct surprise checks at the eateries, restaurants and hotels, as well as wedding halls and clubs, to ensure that proper hygiene is maintained. According to the district administration, around 1,600 people had diarrhoea and stomach pain-related ailments and were admitted to hospitals in the past few days. Sydney, July 4 : Floods triggered by heavy rainfall across Australia's southeast coast since last week has once again inundated Sydney and large parts of New South Wales (NSW) state, triggering the evacuation of thousands of residents. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet addressed the public on Monday, urging residents in affected areas to follow emergency instructions, reports Xinhua news agency. "I want to continue to ask people to follow the instructions of the State Emergency Service (SES). If there is an evacuation warning in place, please get ready to evacuate. If there is an evacuation order in place, please leave immediately." He said the NSW SES have received 1,593 requests for assistance overnight to Monday morning, and during the same time SES workers have performed 83 flood rescues. Across the state and in Sydney, there are currently 70 evacuation orders in place affecting over 32,000 people. Seven emergency evacuation centres have been established in the worst affected areas of the state. Rain and storm conditions are forecast to continue before easing on Tuesday. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said parts of the state would receive an additional 50 to 100 mm of rainfall, which could prompt further flash flooding. The sudden flooding is in part due to the overflow of the state's major dams which have been at 100 per cent capacity due to Australia's historically wet summer. Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the unprecedented and unrelenting floods were a "very serious situation" and were further evidence to the lived reality of climate change in Australia. "The process from here is that the NSW government needs to formally declare a disaster. We are expecting that will happen pretty soon and that will trigger a whole range of federal and state government support," Watt told national broadcaster ABC News on Monday morning. New Delhi, July 4 : The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), the country's leading industry body, marked National Doctors' Day with an awareness session: 'Transplant Surgeries & Organ Donation which was attended by eminent doctors in the city. A part of the Illness to Wellness campaign, the main goals of the session was to spread awareness and provide accurate information about organ and tissue donation and transplant procedures to enable people to live healthier, happier, and more successful lives. Anil Rajput, Chairperson of the ASSOCHAM CSR Council in his introductory remarks said: "Tech innovations such as robot assisted kidney and liver transplant, path breaking innovations in various organ care along with modern medicines are pushing the boundaries of medical science in organ transplantation procedures which are not only supporting health-care systems to respond to this increasing demand but are also helping to save precious lives globally." He stated that in India, while organ transplant surgeries are evolving significantly, yet there is a considerable gap between patients who need transplants and availability of organs. Therefore, innovation in transplant surgeries, greater use of technology and research in this area along with creating awareness on organ donation will be key to strengthening the organ transplantation system. People in India are still wary of organ transplants, so there is an urgent need of increased public awareness, stated Dr. Kalpana Nagpal, Senior Consultant, ENT (Head & Neck Surgery), Indraprastha Apollo Hospital Director, Robotics ENT (Head & Neck) Proctor & Mentor, Robotic Surgery President, Women Association of Otolaryngologists of India. "In the last five years, there has been a significant development, and robotic surgery for transplants is on the rise," she added, throwing light on how pre and post operation care is more crucial than the transplant surgery and how doctors need specific training for transplant purposes. Dr. Gaurav Kharya, Clinical Lead at Centre for Bone Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital New Delhi and Founder and Director Cellogen Therapeutics, informed that the laws pertaining to organ transplantation depend on the type of transplants and organ donation in India, especially bone marrow transplant. "There has been 90 per cent success rate of transplants in India, but we still lag in the awareness and costing in high-end treatments. This is where government should step in," he stated. Dr. M.S. Kanwar, Senior Consultant and Advisor, Department of Respiratory, Critical Care & Sleep Med. Lead, Lung Transplant, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, reveals: "Lung Transplant , whether single or double lung, has become the standard treatment option in advanced lung diseases, where quality of life has already turned poor due to breathlessness, fall in oxygen levels and inability to carry out normal physical activities among others." He added that of all organ transplants, LTx is the most challenging during and post-surgery. "There is a strong need for national level awareness campaign for organ donation to save countless patients suffering from end stage lung diseases." Talking about liver diseases, Dr. Arun Kumar Venuthurimilli, Consultant, Department of Liver Transplant and HPB Surgery, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, said: "Liver disease does not cause any obvious signs or symptoms until it is fairly advanced. So it is important to understand the causes and consequences of liver disease, which can be easily avoided by being cautious and practising healthy habits." Dr K.N. Singh, Senior Consultant, Nephrology & Kidney Transplant, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, also spoke about the importance of early detection in the case of kidney disease. "Longstanding uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension are responsible for chronic kidney disease (CKD). This can be prevented by early detection, change in lifestyle, medications and regular follow-up with your doctor. Kidney transplant is an end-stage kidney disease treatment of choice. There is need to promote cadaveric organ donation through various platform." However, due lack of awareness regarding the importance of organ donation, a large number of patients continue to suffer without a donor. For instance, around 200,000 people die due to liver-related ailments every year. Around 30,000 liver patients require a transplant surgery to survive and lead a healthy life, but only 1500 such surgeries are performed in India. The awareness session was moderated by Dr. Rajesh Kesari, Founder & Director, Total Care Control, Delhi-NCR & EC Member, RSSDI. New Delhi, July 4 : A 20-year-old man was stabbed to death here by two unidentified persons during a scuffle that broke out after the victim's vehicle hit the scooty of the assailants, an official said. The deceased was identified as Nikhil Sharma, a resident of Patparganj Village. Deputy Commissioner of Police (east) Priyanka Kashyap said an information was received in Pandav Nagar police station from Lal bahadur Shastri Hospital, Khichripur at 8.42 p.m. on Sunday regarding admission of the victim by his friend after sustaining injury in a quarrel. The victim was brought dead at the hospital. "Initial enquiry revealed that the deceased along with his friend had an altercation with one unknown scooty rider on touching of the scooty with his friend near the wine shop, Samaspur Village," the DCP said. While they were going back to their place after purchasing liquor from the shop, this unknown person who earlier had an altercation over touching his scooty came along with his associate and broke into a scuffle with them outside the gate of the liquor shop. "During scuffle, one of the two persons hit on the chest of the deceased with some pointed object to which later on he succumbed to his injury," the official said. The police have registered a case under appropriate sections of law. The accused are still at large. Thoothukudi, July 4 : Once a leading contributor to copper production in India, Sterlite copper's recent announcement to sell off the plant has left everyone stunned, particularly the people whose livelihoods were severely hit by the shutdown of the Thoothukudi plant in 2018. The company's plan to sell the plant and exit Thoothukudi has led to massive protests in over 14 villages in the district with protesters demanding the reopening of the plant and urging the Vedanta's founder to reconsider his decisions. The pro-Sterlite protesters from Pandarampatti, Sankaraperi, Meelavittan, Madathur, Kummareddiarpuram, Naduvakurichi, Rajavinkovil, Puurpandiapuram, Sillanatham, Saminatham and Ayyanadapu villages took to the street raising slogans in favour of the copper smelting plant after Sterlite Copper invited an Expression of Interest (EOI) from potential buyers for its contentious Thoothukudi unit. Several petitions have been submitted to the Chief Ministers and state offices requesting the reopening of the plant, which was a big employment generator in the region, before it was closed on charges of environmental pollution. The 400,000 Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) Copper Smelter facilities used to directly employ around 5,000 people. Although most of the permanent employees were absorbed by Sterlite and other group companies, it is the temporary employees and third-party vendors who have struggled to make their ends meet. Going by the numbers, around one-lakh families lost their livelihood after the Sterlite copper went under lock and key. Now with the EOI advertisement, many local communities have come out in support of reopening the unit. The protesters argue that the copper smelting plant was a chief source of employment for the local community, who now have to travel far from home in the search of a job. "The copper plant was the prime source of income for our family. After its closure, we have been struggling to find a decent job in the local area. We have to travel far in search of work. Even then it is difficult for us to make ends meet as the cost of surviving in big cities is high and we are paid bare minimum wages," said one of the protesters. One of the local groups leading the protest claimed that the anti-Sterlite protest that led to the closure of the plant four years ago was orchestrated by outside elements who were paid to spread false rumours about the company and malign its image. "The local community has suffered a huge loss due to the shutdown of the Thoothukudi copper plant. Lakhs of people lost their jobs and had to move to cities, far from their homes in search of work. It is all because of the ruckus created by some outsiders, who were paid to spread the rumours against the company that led to its shutdown. We now request the company and government to reopen the plant for the welfare of the local community," said one of the speakers of the local groups. The closure of Sterlite copper has not only impacted several employees but has also pushed India backward in the race for copper manufacturing. With a yearly capacity of producing 4 lakh tonnes of copper, the Vedanta-owned Thoothukudi plant contributed to 40 per cent of the country's demand for refined copper. Post closure of this unit, India's copper export plunged by 90 per cent and it became an importer of copper for the first time in 18 years. The country is now importing 2 billion USD worth of copper and bearing an export loss of over 1.5 billion USD, resulting in an overall loss of 20,000 crores to the economy. Not only this but due to the widespread application of copper and its by-product in diverse industries, the shutdown of the plant has crippled several other small and large-scale industries, creating a huge gap between demand and supply of the commodity. Sterlite was the only domestic supplier of phosphoric acid in the country, the raw material required for fertilisers. Besides, the Thoothukudi plant was also the largest supplier of sulphuric acid in the state, a chemical used in detergent and chemical industries. Prices of both the chemicals have increased after the closure of the plant. The manner in which the Taliban have been able to retain power in Afghanistan and their latest decisions show that to save millions of Afghanis from impoverishment and death, international community will have to adopt a new approach. While the nearly one-year old Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) government trundles on in the absence of international recognition, financial support and faces international backlash on its mostly anti-women and minorities decisions, reminding one of its earlier harsh tenure, the IEA government has not given up on efforts to cajole the international community whilst trying to engage with its neighbours and regional powers at an equal level. Afghan Loya Jirga Last week, a three-day assembly of Islamic clerics and tribal elders, called Loya Jirga, was held in Kabul. The assembly pledged support for the Taliban and called on the international community to recognise the country's Taliban-led government and freeze its assets. It is reported that some 70 personalities representing Afghan refugees in Pakistan and 30 others from Iran participated in the Jirga. According to the state-run Bakhtar news agency, about 3,500 religious scholars and elders from across Afghanistan were invited to attend the grand assembly. Participants of the Jirga were expected to discuss a series of issues, including reopening schools for girls from 7th grade to 12th grade, the type of government, national flag and national anthem. However, the indications are that the overwhelming majority of attendees were Taliban officials and supporters, mostly Islamic clerics. Women were not allowed to attend, a practice that started during the US-backed government in the past. The Jirga issued an 11-point statement at the conclusion, urging countries in the region and the world, the UN, Islamic organisations and others to recognise theIEA, remove all sanctions imposed since the Taliban takeover and unfreeze Afghan assets abroad. The US has frozen nearly $9 billion of Afghanistan's funds. Reportedly US officials and Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Mutaqqi held talks in Qatar last week to explore ways for unfreezing the money. It also called for mutual respect and coexistence with neighbouring countries, in the region and the world at large, stressing that "the Afghan soil won't be used against any country and Afghanistan also won't allow anyone to interfere in its internal affairs". It also supported the administration's ban on poppy plantation and drug production and its smuggling, noting that poppy cultivation, drug production and its trafficking are against Islamic teachings. The participants also described the Islamic State terror group as "insurgent, terrorist", noting cooperation with the group is against Islamic laws. The statement further described them as "Kharijite group of this age that spreads corruption in our Islamic country. Any help or association with them is illegal. And that any armed opposition against the Islamic establishment is a breach of Islamic laws and regarded as rebellion". In a surprise development, the reclusive supreme leader and spiritual chief of the Taliban, Haibatullah Akhundzada reached Kabul from his base in southern Kandahar province and addressed the gathering on July 1. His appearance added symbolic heft to the gathering. In his hour-long speech carried by state radio, Akhundzada called the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan a "victory for the Muslim world". The battle for coal Meanwhile, there are reports that the Taliban have increased the price of Afghan coal from $90 per tonne to $200 per tonne, and set custom duties at 30 per cent, hours after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced import plans for the same. The move is also aimed at rejecting allegations that it's becoming a "puppet" of Pakistan. But now, members of the regime are seeking to alter the image of the Taliban's relationship with the Pakistani government. On June 29, the spokesperson for Afghanistan's Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals, Mufti Ismatullah Burhan, told The Independent Urdu that no coal trade agreement exists between the two countries, and that the Taliban will use coal as a "pressure point" for Pakistan. Afghan newspaper Daily Hasht-e Subh also quoted warnings from expert Mirahmad Shakib that the real damage of any accelerated coal imports would not be to either country's economies but to the environment in Afghanistan. "Pakistan is plundering Afghanistan's resources in the absence of a responsible national government." Shakib said. Since it took over Afghanistan last year and the subsequent economic crisis, the Taliban government has been attempting to rely on natural resources for revenue as an answer to the country's economic crisis. The way forward The Jirga opened in the absence of women representatives and concluded without hinting at reopening schools for girls above grade six and women's right to work outside home. In its reaction to the Jirga, Human Rights Watch has said that a decision-making body, such as a Jirga that excludes women and other groups is not legitimate. While human rights advocates claim they do not anticipate and expect significant improvements from the Taliban Jirga in Kabul, Heather Barr, co-director of the Women's Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, said no one in the Taliban's Jirga could speak up and that the assembly did not reflected ethnic diversity. Reportedly, the Taliban elders have been able to keep a complete lock on decision-making since taking over the country last August, and they touted the Jirga as a forum to hear a range of voices on issues facing Afghanistan. Overall, it appears that Taliban are desperate for the international community to recognise the new Islamic Emirate at the earliest and unfreeze its assets, enabling it to plan for the future. In its first budget presented in May earlier this year, the IEA government announced a deficit of 44 billion Afghanis ($501 million), the authorities didn't elaborate or clarified how the gap between expected revenues and planned spending will be met. The Taliban are under international pressure to be more inclusive as they struggle with Afghanistan's humanitarian crises. The international community is determined to set its terms while the Taliban are adamant to dictate their own terms for any compromise, as they have been able to control the country for almost a year. It remains to be seen how it all will pan out as the Taliban are a very stubborn lot and instead of pressure, to find a common ground cajoling and being empathetic will be in favour of both the Afghan people and international community. (Asad Mirza is a political commentator based in New Delhi. He writes on Muslims, educational, international affairs, interfaith and current affairs) Mumbai, July 4 : As expected, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's government supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday won the critical 'vote of confidence' in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. In the final tally with a division of votes, the government secured 164 votes and the Opposition got only 99 votes in the 288-member Lower House. This is the second big legislative victory for the Shinde government -- sworn-in on June 30 along with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis -- in the past two days. On Sunday, the alliance candidate and BJP's advocate Rahul Narwekar was elected the new Speaker, trouncing the Maha Vikas Aghadi's Shiv Sena nominee Rajan Salvi with a comfortable margin. Fadnavis congratulated Shiv Sena-BJP Chief Minister Shinde, a disciple of late Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe, for winning the trust vote with a handsome margin. The Speaker's election followed by the trust vote for the Shinde-led government came on the second day of the 2-day Special Session of the Assembly convened by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. New Delhi, July 4 : The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to list next week, subject to the Chief Justice's approval, petitions challenging the Central government's Agnipath scheme to induct youth into all three-armed forces divisions. A counsel mentioned the petition before a vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and J.K. Maheshwari. The counsel representing the armed forces aspirants sought urgent hearing in the matter and added that the scheme should not be made applicable to those who are already undergoing the selection process. She further contended that the matter was urgent, as the career of several aspirants was at stake and pointed out that implementation of the scheme will cut short the tenure of the aspirants to 4 years from 20 years. The counsel said despite several mentionings, the registry has not given a specific date and urged the top court to give a date for hearing on the matter. Advocate M.L. Sharma also mentioned his plea seeking a direction from the top court to quash the notification issued on June 14, 2022, by the Ministry of Defence announcing the scheme. Sharma said the government can bring out any scheme but it is about right and wrong. He added that more than 70,000 are still awaiting appointment letters. After hearing the arguments, the vacation bench said: "List it before the appropriate bench after reopening". Sharma's plea said a large section of youth have started protesting against the scheme in various parts of the country. It said: "According to the impugned press note... dated 14.06.2022 after 4 years out of 100 per cent selected candidates for Permanent Commission in the Indian Army 25 per cent will be continued in Indian Army force and the rest 75 per cent will be retired /denied jobs in the Indian army. During 4 years they will be paid salary and perks, but after 4 years denied candidates will get no pension etc." Another plea has been filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari seeking a direction to set up a committee to examine the scheme and its impact on national security and the Army. The Central government has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court regarding the petitions in connection with the 'Agnipath' scheme, saying the court should hear it before taking any decision. New Delhi, July 4 : Spacetech startup Digantara on Monday launched the world's first commercial space-based weather system ROBI (ROBust Integrating proton fluence metre) on the Indian Space Research Organisations' PSLV - C53 Mission. It is India's one of the first commercial payloads that will utilise PSLV's PS-4 orbital platform, the company said. Digantara's patented, digital space weather instrument has an extremely small footprint with power consumption of below 20 megawatt. The simplicity of integration makes it ideal to place in any satellite that goes to space, irrespective of size, shape or application. This will also enable Digantara to increase the amount of empirical space weather data that will be available in quasi-real time. Digantara was started by alumni of Lovely Professional University Anirudh Sharma and Rahul Rawat, under the incubation of IIS-C Bangalore. The company was backed by Kalaari Capital with a seed funding of $2.5 million in 2021. Using the amount, the startup aggressively strengthened its capabilities for furnishing a technology demonstration of its hardware infrastructure by sending an asset to space in less than a year. "With a growing population in near Earth orbit coupled with increasing space based applications such as in-orbit refuelling, servicing, space tourism there is a need for high fidelity situational awareness to ensure effective space operations," said Anirudh Sharma, CEO of Digantara in a statement. "Just as terrestrial navigation services are essential for the ground logistic sector, serving as an infrastructure layer for various companies, we can leverage Space - MAPs capabilities towards providing an infrastructure layer for effective space operations," he added. Space weather is a complex phenomenon that arises from high energy particles, plasma, and electromagnetic waves originating from the sun or the cosmos interacting with the earth's magnetic field. A major space weather event can have significant repercussions on both space and terrestrial systems. Such an event can disrupt power grids, impact airline travel and disrupt high frequency communication systems, position, navigation and timing (GPS) systems leading to interruptions in communication and navigation capabilities here on Earth. According to estimates, a significant space weather event can result in damages of up to $3.4 trillion. A similar event recently cost SpaceX 40 of its satellites. Furthermore, European Space Agency (ESA) Swarm constellation operators observed a six-fold increase in sink rate of its satellites owing to Solar Drag. Kabul, July 4 : A Taliban commander allegedly flew his newlywed bride from Logar to Khost province in eastern Afghanistan,using a military helicopter, according to local sources. The Taliban figure was referred to as a commander of the Haqqani branch on social media, and the sources claimed that he resides in Khost and that his wife's residence is in the Barki Barak district of Logar, reports Khaama Press. The sources claim that this incident occurred in the Shah Mazar region of the Barki Barak district of Logar province. The wife of the Taliban commander is seen being transported in a military helicopter that landed near a house in a video that went viral on social media, Khaama Press reported. Furthermore, it is claimed that this commander gave his father-in-law 1,200,000 Afghanis as dowry in exchange for his daughter's hand in marriage. However, in response, the Taliban's deputy spokesperson, Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, argues that the allegations are untrue calling it a "propaganda of the enemy", and that the Islamic Emirate dismisses it. The video that was circulated on social media incited outrage among the public, who criticized the action as a misuse of public property and pointed out that it was in conflict with the Taliban supreme leader's remarks made in the Loya Jirga. New Delhi, July 4 : The Indian government on Monday warned e-commerce platforms against illegally selling wireless jammers, along with directing the general public on the proper use of wireless jammers and booster/repeaters. The Department of Telecommunication (DoT) said that the use of cellular signal jammers, GPS blocker or other signal jamming devices is generally illegal, except specifically permitted by the government. Alarmed at its open online sale, the department warned all e-commerce companies from selling or facilitating the sale of wireless jammers on their online platforms. Private sector organisations or individuals cannot procure and use jammers in India. "It has also been stated that it is unlawful to advertise, sell, distribute, import or otherwise market signal jamming devices in India, except as permitted under the guidelines," said the DoT. With regards to signal booster/repeater, the department said it is unlawful to possess, sale and/or use mobile signal repeater/booster by any individual/ entity other than the licensed telecom service providers. A mobile signal booster/repeater is a kind of amplifier, apparently used to improve cell phone signal reception. However, unauthorised use of mobile phone boosters can adversely interfere with, disrupt public telecommunication services by jeopardising the quality and coverage of such services. This not only causes inconvenience to mobile phone users but can also hamper access to emergency call services from mobile phones, which creates a risk to public health and safety, said the DoT advisory. Chennai, July 4 : The special additional excise duty on exports of crude, petrol, diesel, and aviation turbine fuel announced by the Central government recently will not have any major impact on Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), said experts. The experts also said the additional duties will more than compensate the government which had cut the excise duty on petrol and diesel in May. "With fuel export tax for refiners being reviewed every fortnight, we see limited impact on RIL's earnings, with above mid-cycle margins achievable despite the tax. However, stock implies cap at single-digit margins," said Morgan Stanley in a research report. The Centre announced the levy of additional excise duty/cess of Rs 6/litre on petrol and Rs 13/litre on diesel exports. The government also announced the levy of additional excise duty/cess of Rs 23,250/tonne on crude oil as special additional excise duty, since domestic crude producers sell to domestic refineries at international parity prices, and as a result, are making windfall gains. Similarly in the case of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) exports, a special additional excise duty of Rs 6/litre was announced. While crude prices have increased sharply in recent months, the prices of diesel and petrol have shown a sharper increase, the government had said. The refiners export these products at globally prevailing prices, which are very high. As exports are becoming highly remunerative, it has been seen that certain refiners are drying out their pumps in the domestic market, the government had said. According to the Morgan Stanley report, the government regulations implies a permanent $6-7/bbl (barrel of crude oil) lower refinery margin for RIL. "With the government looking to review the tax every fortnight, RIL can sustain refinery margins at $15/bbl or above despite the tax as refining markets remain very tight." Even a $15/bbl gross refinery margin (GRM) would imply earnings upgrades and not downgrades to Street estimates, says Morgan Stanley. However, the tax does affect multiples considering RIL had not seen government interference in the oil-to-chemical (O2C) Ain the past, it added. In its research report, Credit Suisse said the blended impact on RIL from cess on export of petroleum products is about $7-8/bbl, translating to an annualised impact of $3.5-4.0bn on EBITDA. "The key thing to note here is that this impact is not on base profits but is on the excess profits, as current refining margins are very high. In our interaction with investors, the key questions were around the duration of applicability of this cess and the time lag impact on RIL, if refining cracks were to correct but the cess continues for a quarter or two," Credit Suisse said. According to Credit Suisse, RIL was generating mid-cycle GRM of $8-9/bbl. Hence, it needs refining margins to sustain at at-least $17-18/bbl for minimal impact on the base business profitability (current GRM is high at $30/bbl+, thus, the buffer is still high). The recent cess on export of petroleum products will more than compensate the Central government that cut the excise duty on petrol by Rs 8/litre and on diesel by Rs 6/litre in May 2022, Credit Suisee said. The excise duty cut had impacted the government's tax revenue by Rs 1 trillion on an annualised basis. "As per today's notification, it imposed duty on domestically produced crude (by $40/bbl.) and on export of petrol, diesel and ATF (cess of Rs 13/litre on diesel and Rs 6/itre each on petrol and ATF). This can possibly fetch about Rs 1.4 trillion on annualized basis for the government," Credit Suisse said. The key question for oil marketing companies (OMC) is if the government will use part of this gain to compensate for loss in the marketing segment. The key variable here is sustenance of high refining margins (if crude prices drop, then the marketing losses for OMCs would drop too), Credit Suisse report said. In its report J.P. Morgan said the windfall fuel taxes adds regulatory risks to the market. The government's measures on oil/gold taxes could create a minor 'China-style' regulatory overhang on Indian equities, J.P. Morgan said. Chennai, July 4 : The Indian insurance regulator should move cautiously while making changes to the over two decade old regulations that seems to have prevented companies going belly up like several finance companies, said experts. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has made some regulatory changes and is also mulling more. The new IRDAI Chairman Debashish Panda told the life and non-life insurers that every Indian should have an insurance policy. He also told the non-life insurers that the insurance penetration should go up to 2.52 by FY27. This in turn means the Indian non-life sector would grow from Rs 2.20 lakh crore premium in FY22 to a whopping Rs 11.73 lakh crore by FY27 "Regulations are not cast in stone and well calibrated regulatory changes are required from time to time. But they have to be in line with the core principles of insurance and not in abrogation of the core principles even if insurers want it,a K.K.Srinivasan, retired Member (Non-Life), IRDAI, told IANS. "Also frequent regulatory changes can de-stabilise the market," he added. "Soon after the regulations were drawn up, they were studied by foreign sectoral experts who found them to be more than adequate," a retired IRDAI official told IANS preferring anonymity. An insurance advisory group appointed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) too did not find anything seriously wanting in the insurance regulations. The insurance advisory group was headed by R. Ramakrishnan, consulting actuary and a member of the Malhotra Committee on insurance reforms. Except for a few regulations that have been framed by the IRDAI, the insurance advisory group has found the domestic rules are in sync with international practices. The group had relied on the various reports of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) and the insurance guidelines issued by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). "The IRDAI Act specifies very clearly the two basic aims of the Act. (a) Protection of policyholders' interests and (b) Ensuring orderly growth of the insurance industry. Any change in regulations that tinker with the two basic aims of the Act are bad in law apart from being bad for the market," Srinivasan said. Referring to IRDAI Chairman's view of every Indian becoming an insurance policyholder Kamesh Goyal, Chairman, Go Digit General Insurance Ltd told IANS: "This obviously requires more investment, competition to reduce pricing leading to more employment in industry. "I find the vision simple and bold at the same time. We have seen IRDA move in this direction at breakneck speed in the last three months. Both Prem Watsa (Founder and Chairman of FairFax Financial Holdings, Canada) and I are excited with this vision and are exploring setting up both an Indian reinsurance company and a life insurance company." With insurance being a push product, reduction in prices, increasing competition are the two major ways to achieve Panda's goal. "Fundamentally insurers are pool managers of policy holders' funds. They are expected to manage the pool at minimal costs. While policy holders legitimate claims are within the purpose of the pool, exorbitant expenses of the insuranceA companies are not," Srinivasan said. According to Jasleen Kohli, Managing Director, Go Digit, the competition amongst the insurers should increase with insurance being made available to customers through every distribution channel possible with an open architecture. Kohli said there has to be an open architecture in respect of bancassurance, banks acting as agents for insurers. Currently a bank can be an agent for only three insurers which is anti-competition and policyholder unfriendly. She said there was a premium reduction of about Rs 2,000 crore for the policyholders when the IRDAI in 2019 forced some vehicle makers to empanel 18 non-life insurers. "If distribution is restricted, it will always result in higher prices for customers and poor service," Kohli said. To reduce the premium for the policyholders, the expenses of management (EOM) of insurers has to go down. Stressing that there is a definite possibility of EOM going down by at least five per cent for insurers, Kohli urged IRDAI to draw a roadmap stipulating in the next 2/3 years each insurance company should reduce their EOM by 5 per cent. A single limit of EOM, with business line wise limits is important so that savings in one business is not spent on another line, she added. Terming relaxation of solvency norms as a perilous path Srinivasan said: "Prudent investment norms ensure that insurance companies don't run amok with policyholders funds. They also ensure that insurance companies do not run into solvency issues. Not having an insurance company is perhaps better than having an insurance company with serious solvency issues." (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in) Lucknow, July 4 : The National Commission of Women (NCW) has written a letter to the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh seeking action against Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav for his tweet against suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma. Taking suo moto cognisance of Akhilesh's tweet on July 1, the NCW has asked the state government to initiate action against the SP leader under the relevant provisions of law. The NCW has also asked the state government to inform it of the action taken within three days. Akhilesh had tweeted that "not only the face but body should also apologise and punitive action should be taken for attempting to disturb harmony and peace in the country". His comment referred to the top court saying "Nupur Sharma should have apologised to the nation". Kolkata, July 4 : Noted Bengali film director Padma Shri Tarun Majumdar passed away in a city hospital here on Monday. He was 91. He was admitted to the state-run SSKM Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata on June 14, due to age-related ailments. After his condition deteriorated on Sunday evening, he was put on life support. Finally, at around 11.17 a.m. this morning, he died. Besides Padma Shri, he had won multiple honours like National Award, Bengal Film Journalists' Association Award and Filmfare Awards (East). A dyed-in-the-wool Marxist in personal belief, Majumdar has the credit of launching a number of legendary film actors and actresses like Moushumi Chatterjee, Late Tapas Paul and Debasree Roy and his own wife Sandhya Roy. The film 'Gandevata' (Human god), based on the legendary novel by Bengali writer, Tarashankar Bandopadhyay, was the first reflections of Majumdar's leanings towards Marxist ideology, where he portrayed the breakdown of socio- economic structures, impact of industrialisation and non-cooperation movement in rural Bengal. On the contrary, his films like 'Dadar Kirti', 'Bhalobasha Bhalobasha' and 'Apan Amar Apan' depicted the spirit of romanticism prevalent in then Bengali society. In many of his films, Majumdar had strongly advocated for maintaining the traditional culture of Bengali joint families. In his movies, he had made a perfect blending of rural and urban lives in Bengal. The movies directed by him were specially acclaimed for extensive and sequential use of songs by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. Norn on January 8, 1931, Majumdar was an acclaimed student in his academic life as well. He did his graduation in chemistry from Kolkata's reputed Scottish Church College. He had always been candid about his support towards the previous Left Front government. In May 2011, soon after Trinamool Congress came to power in West Bengal bringing an end to the 34-year Left Front rule in West Bengal, Majumdar too resigned from the post of advisor of Nandan (West Bengal film center in Kolkata). A pall of gloom descended over the entire Bengali silver screen world as the news of his demise spread. Many dignitories, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, expressed their condolences. Chennai, July 4 : Actor Vishal sustained an injury to his leg while shooting for an action sequence for director Vinoth Kumar's 'Laththi', leaving the unit no other option but to cancel the shoot for the day. Sources close to the unit said that on Sunday night, Vishal suffered an injury to his leg while shooting for the introduction fight sequence in the film. Sources say shooting will resume once the actor recovers. The actor had been sweating it out in the gym to make sure that he was able to convincingly pull off the intense action sequence for the film, which incidentally happens to be the last stunt sequence that remains to be filmed. This is the second time the actor is sustaining a serious injury while shooting for this film. A few months ago, Vishal had sustained multiple hairline fractures when he was shooting for high-octane action sequences for the climax portion of the same film. The fight sequences are being choreographed by stunt master Peter Hein. Vishal had to then undergo treatment for a few weeks at an ayurvedic treatment centre in Peringode, Kerala to recover from his injuries. Seoul, July 4 : South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating fell 2.2 percentage points to 44.4 per cent last week, marking the latest in a series of national surveys that gave the leader a negative rating, a new poll revealed on Monday. The negative assessment on Yoon's conduct of state affairs gained 2.5 percentage points to 50.2 per cent, according to local pollster Realmeter. Support for the ruling conservative People Power Party dipped 1.3 percentage points over the week to 43.5 per cent last week, reports Xinhua news agency. The main liberal opposition Democratic Party's approval rating rose 0.8 percentage points to 40.3 percent. The minor progressive Justice Party garnered 4.4 percent of support score last week, up 0.2 percentage points from the prior week. Another poll released on Sunday by Research View, 51 per cent of the polled said Yoon has been doing an inadequate job as President, while 45 per cent said he is handling state affairs well. In Research View's previous poll on Yoon from May 28-30, Yoon had a 53 per cent approval rating, with only 40 per cent giving a negative performance review on the new President. Previously, in a Realmeter survey from June 20-24, the disapproval rating for Yoon came out to 47.7 per cent, 1.1 percentage points higher than the approval rating. A poll by the Korea Society Opinion Institute, conducted on June 24 and 25, showed the disapproval rating at 47.4 per cent, compared with an approval rating of 46.8 per cent. New Delhi, July 4: The Russia-Ukraine conflict has opened up new windows of opportunity for different countries in various ways. As an immediate neighbour of Russia, China is trying to quickly reap as many benefits as it can. The obvious gain of course is in provisioning cheaper energy imports from Russia, which, sanctioned by the western countries, is exporting majorly to its eastern neighbours and allies. Simultaneously, China is also seeking to widen its footprint in Central Asia, Russia's traditional sphere of influence. So far, the unspoken arrangement has been a cozy one - Russia has taken care of security, while China has been active in the economic sphere. Unveiling its Belt and Road ambitions in Kazakhstan in 2013, with its promises of giant investments and credits, as well as much sought after connectivity for the five Central Asian Republics that are almost all landlocked, China's Xi Jinping quickly got all of them to sign on to the initiative. In the ensuing years, however, familiarity bred contempt. Bordering a number of them - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, it was inevitable that China clashed with them territorially. All of them ceded land to China in order to peacefully delineate their international borders. There were still other irritants, which almost routinely follow Chinese investments and infrastructure projects abroad - for instance, friction between Chinese expat workers and locals, discontent at opaque deals political elites sign with the Chinese and so on. While another point of friction was China's persecution of Xinjiang's Muslims, which included ethnic Uighurs, also ethnic Kazakh and Kyrgyz people, Covid-19 bred further discontent. Nevertheless, Chinese investments and funding have been hugely alluring. For instance, after Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Central Asia's largest and richest state, has been the second largest recipient of all Chinese overseas investments - a whopping $21.4 billion. So has Tajikistan, Central Asia's poorest state, which has been a regular recipient of Chinese investments, thanks to its strategic geopolitical location - bordering both Afghanistan and China. Kyrgyzstan, another poor Central Asian state has also been wooed equally by China - it has the largest number of Chinese Confucius Institutes at the primary education level. China has emerged the top destination for Turkmenistan's energy exports. Vaccine diplomacy also helped China assuage partial discontent. Now, with Russia's preoccupation with Ukraine, and Central Asian countries are uncomfortably confronting the question of territorial sovereignty in the post-Soviet space, China sees a new window of opportunity opening up for itself in the region, and not just in the economic space. While observers have noted that China's usual approach to the Central Asian Republics (CARS) has been on a bilateral basis, it now has instituted a more regional approach. Interestingly, it is India that has spurred this, with Delhi's plans to invite the five CARS leaders to grace its Republic Day celebrations this year in January. Because of a Covid resurgence those plans had to be scuttled and a virtual summit settled for. However, India's move galvanised Xi Jinping so that for the very first time China convened a summit of China+C5 leaders right on the eve of India's summit. Xi pledged $500 million in grants to Central Asian countries within the next three years and 50 million more doses of Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines this year. On their part, Central Asian states, already having pledged to follow a multi-vectoral policy, both to diversify their foreign policy and strategic partnerships, as well as to strike a balance between big powers jockeying for influence in the region, are now looking even more to alternatives to Russia. More recently in June, Kazakhstan hosted Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi who arrived for a third round of China + C5 foreign ministers convened in Nur Sultan, where they pledged to build a "China-Central Asia community with a shared future". Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and of course host Kazakhstan enthusiastically participated in the meeting. While on the table were the usual issues - regional stability, post-Covid economic recovery, concerted fight against the three ills of extremism, terrorism, and separatism, and of course the perennial problem of Afghanistan - there was also focus on connectivity and infrastructure. Hoping to bypass Russian territory and thereby dependence on it, China, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan have pledged to speed up the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway project; countries are also banking on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor, or the "Middle Corridor" which will connect China with Europe via Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Romania, and Poland as the European Union sanctions Russia. The pitch is to transform the landlocked states into "landlinked ones" as well as decrease their dependence on Russia. According to Kazakh political analyst Iskandar Akylbayev, "In this respect, China has its own vision towards Central Asia, as it is a transit road to Europe. And if Europe has its very negative relations with Russia, it certainly affects the supply chains of all networks, and the trade, people to people exchange, on the common and political sense. So, in this respect it's a very important time for China and Central Asian republics to find a new format to increase its economic ties, to play a stabilising role for the peace in Ukraine as well." Tajikistan is another CAR which is firmly on China's radar. China is setting up a security zone here, currently being refurbished by the Chinese special police force, apparently to keep an eye on Afghanistan, and Uighur extremists. Tajikistan, which is firmly inside the Russian orbit, has also taken a range of measures to fortify its troubled borders with Afghanistan and shore up security. President Emamoli Rahmon is stridently anti-Taliban and has allowed the Resistance Front of Ahmed Massoud on its territory, though a while ago he dispatched an envoy to Kabul. China has offered to increase investments and encourage Chinese companies to invest and do business in Tajikistan, as well as build infrastructure and connectivity projects. Bilateral trade between the two have soared this year. Tajik transport minister Azim Ibrohim described China as a "great, friendly neighbour" and Tajikistan's most important partner for trade and investment. Tajikistan is one of those that has eagerly signed on to the BRI. Most interestingly, besides all the lofty words and pontification, Wang Yi highlighted that no matter how the international landscape may evolve China will always firmly support Central Asian countries in safeguarding their sovereignty and independence and building an independent Central Asia. Of course, all countries in the region, China included, have faced at some time or are facing separatist forces. However, coming in the wake of the Ukraine crisis, the sovereignty and independence of these former Soviet republics assume special significance. With Russia firmly dependent on China, the status quo may be changing. China may be stepping up its role from the economic to the security sphere in the region. One of the important and significant outcomes of these meetings as I expect should be certainly a signal to the whole parties, for Central Asia and China that the most important thing is stability - I'm not only talking about political stability, but also economic stability, stability in terms of security, in terms of energy, and that should be the very big outcome that will symbolise regional cooperation in action." (Aditi Bhaduri is a columnist specialising in Eurasian geopolitics. Views expressed are personal and exclusive to India Narrative) (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Kathmandu, July 4 : A security guard serving in the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu committed suicide inside the premises, the mission has confirmed. The guard, an Uttarakhand native, shot himself on Sunday night while on duty but the incident came to light only on Monday morning, an Embassy official said,. "As soon as we came to know that he committed suicide by shooting himself, we informed the Nepal Police," the official added. It has been learnt that the victim was suffering from depression. An investigation into the incident is currently underway. In January 2005, two Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) guards were killed and another injured in an "accidental firing" in the Indian Embassy premises. Vadodara : , July 4 (IANS) In a shocking incident, an infant was attacked by a stray dog inside a house in Gujarat's Vadodara. In another incident on Monday, 15 people were bitten by a dog in a Surat area. Five-month-old Janhvi Tailor was bitten by a street dog on Sunday evening while she was sleeping in the cradle at her residence. The dog had somehow sneaked inside the house. The dog bit her on the head and face. She was rushed to the Gotri Government Hospital, where she got 15 stitches. Doctors from the hospital said her condition was stable. Bharat Tailor, grandfather of the toddler, told the local media that on Sunday evening, he and his wife had gone out and when his daughter-in-law had gone to fetch water, a street dog entered their ground floor house and started biting his granddaughter. Her cries made the rush and she was horrified to see the dog licking blood on the floor. In another incident in Surat, a street dog bit 15 people, including children on Monday morning in the Khwaja Dana area. Of these, 13 were being treated in the government hospital and three were shifted to private hospital. "It is a shocking incident, but unfortunately the ruling party and administration of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) is taking stray cattle and dog menace lightly," said Ami Rawat, leader of the opposition in VMC. She also alleged, "Crores of rupees have been wasted on sterilization of stray dogs, but the result is very poor and citizens become victims. The corporation should investigate the claims by the agency about the sterilization figure." "The sterilization of street dogs is followed as per the Supreme Court guidelines. Annually 5,000 to 6,000 dogs are sterilized in Vadodara. In 2014 there were 40,000 street dogs and in 2022 the population is around 20,000. The corporation is trying its best to control the dog menace and make the city safe for citizens," said Dr Hitendra Patel, Chairman of VMC Standing Committee. Chennai, July 4 : The Union Finance Ministry has urged other ministries not to include solvency ratio criteria to government owned non-life insurers to participate in the tenders for general insurance needs. In an Office Memorandum, the Department of Financial Services under the Ministry of Finance requested other Ministries not to include solvency ratio as a criterion for participation of public sector general insurers in tenders. "This would enhance competition in the bidding process without compromising on the quality of services. It is also requested to bring this to the attention of all the procuring entities and organisations under the administrative jurisdiction of your Ministry/Department," the communication said. According to the Department of Financial Services, three government owned non-life insurers - National Insurance Company Ltd, Oriental Insurance Company Ltd and United India Insurance Company Ltd - do not have the stipulated solvency ratio of 1.5 of the liabilities. Some central public sector companies and government departments include the required solvency ratio as an eligibility condition in their tenders. Pointing out that the insurance sector regulator has allowed forbearance to the three companies from maintaining the solvency ratio and allowed them to underwrite business. "It is pertinent to note that the reinsured liability is not factored into calculation of Solvency Ratio, specified by IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India), as a result of which solvency ratio of 1.5 is very high from a risk perspective," the Office Memorandum notes. Further, the government owned non-life insurers have not defaulted ever on their liabilities. The Government of India has recently infused capital in the above-mentioned companies and stands committed to provide more capital, as may be required, the Department of Financial Services told other Ministries. Kochi, July 4 : The Enforcement Directorate on Monday asked former journalist Shaj Kiran to appear before them on Tuesday in the wake of the revelations made by Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the gold smuggling case. Last month Swapna had revealed about the role of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his wife and daughter in the smuggling of currency and gold. She had confessed before a magistrate under Section of 164 (5). The name of Shaj Kiran cropped up after a phone conversation with Swapna was released. He can be heard saying that the funds of Vijayan and CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan go to the US through the Believers Church based in Thiruvalla. Kiran is also heard saying that Swapna did a mistake by saying serious things to the media against the Number 1 -- who is Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and he is very angry, especially as his daughter's name has been taken. In the audio, Kiran tells her to settle the issue by taking money. Later Swapna told the media that she had got the conversation taped and now has released it to tell the world about the happening in Kerala. Swapna also refers to Shaj Kiran in her bail petition filed before the Kerala High Court last month. She says he had approached her stating that he was close to Vijayan and Balakrishnan and threatened of dire consequences if she does not withdraw her statements and in lieu of that she should issue a fresh statement absolving Vijayan and his family. Apparently top police official Additional DGP M.R. Ajithkumar, who headed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, was moved out after it surfaced that he got in touch with Shaj Kiran a few times when he was 'brokering' a deal with Swapna Suresh, but failed. Swapna Suresh since her revelation to the ED has appeared before them for four days, and now all eyes are on Shaj Kiran's first appearance before the ED. New Delhi, July 4 : The soul of Peter Brook's work as a director, actor and writer was in his productions noted for what he called "colour-rich", as opposed to "colour-blind", casting. In his view, when the audience sits bored, listening to a recital of words with no emotion, the actor has failed. Brook once said: "People have entrusted themselves to you for two hours or more and you have to give them a respect that derives from confidence in what you are doing. At the end of an evening, you may have encouraged what is crude, violent or destructive in them. Or you can help them. By that I mean that an audience can be touched, entranced or -- best of all -- moved to a silence that vibrates round the theatre." And this, literally, brought the roof down on the opening night of William Shakespeare's 'Timon of Athens' at the once-dilapidated Bouffes du Nord theatre in Paris that he helped restore. The applause shook the building. "There were various problems on the opening night. It was a big success but the applause brought down some of the ceiling. People had bits of plaster on their heads," Brook said in an interview to Chris Wiegand, Stage Editor of 'The Guardian' newspaper in 2016. How did the turnaround happen? "I wanted that Elizabethan feeling where if you come to the theatre, you mix with all people -- not just the rich. We had people sitting on the ground from the start. Actors were in close contact with the audience, reacting immediately with them. The acting space was much further forward than it had been when it was a proscenium theatre. So we had this proximity with the audience but there was also this great, vast space reaching to the back wall -- that was important to depict Timon after his exile." Brook explained. "We put in steps coming up from the pit, so actors could make spectacular entrances. We used cubes and boxes, very rough things. The designer wanted to find how we could make clothes that were free of associations, yet true to the actors. The Bouffes is now surrounded by Indian shops and restaurants but at that time there was nothing Indian in the area. "So our designer went to the African market nearby and got all sorts of fine clothes and made simple new shapes with them. These were definitely not modern dresses, but simple clothes, to which you have no immediate connections -- such as to Elizabethan or Victorian times -- in your mind. We continue to use that approach today. "The theatre's fine acoustics enabled you to feel as if you were playing in a courtyard in the open air, yet the space also had an intimacy that made it possible for the actors to play as if they were in a film. That was the double nature of the Bouffes, and what Timon -- and any Shakespeare play -- demands. "You mustn't make it cosy and intimate at the expense of its heroic, epic qualities and you mustn't make it epic and heroic at the expense of the fact that, moment by moment, it's all about real people and real feelings," Brook said. In a 2017 interview with British art critic Michael Billingron, Brook spoke about how important it is to "swim against the tide and achieve whatever we can in our chosen field. Fate dictated that mine was that of theatre and, within that, I have a responsibility to be as positive and creative as I can. To give way to despair is the ultimate cop-out." Not surprisingly, after his productions at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and the Bouffes du Nord, his base for more than 30 years was in African villages where his actors improvised performances, and on stages both grand and in modes that his globetrotting ensemble visited refined the way theatre is looked at. Brook's landmark achievements include a nine-hour version of the 'Mahabharata', putting Shakespeare on trapezes, and directing the likes of Sir Laurence Olivier, Sir John Gielgud and Paul Scofield at the RSC. 'The Mahabharata', in fact, was staged in a French quarry in 1985 and 'The New York Times', noting its "overwhelming critical acclaim", said it "did nothing less than attempt to transform the Hindu myth into universalised art, accessible to any culture". Many post-colonial scholars, however, have challenged this claim to universalism, accusing the play of Orientalism. Author Gautam Dasgupta wrote: "Brook's Mahabharata falls short of essential Indianness of the epic by staging predominantly its major incidents and failing to adequately emphasise its coterminous philosophical precepts." Brook returned to the epic in 2016 with 'Battlefield', staged with his long-time collaborator Marie-Helene Estienne. Brook also directed musicals, the anti-Vietnam war protest play 'US', and co-created with British author Ted Hughes 'Orghast', an experimental play based on the ancient Greek myth of Prometheus, a Titan and god of fire. "I can take any empty space and call it a bare stage. A man walks across this empty space, whilst someone else is watching him, and this is all that is needed for an act of theatre to be engaged," Brook wrote in 'The Empty Space' (1968), which many directors and actors consider their Bible. For instance, Brook's 1970 version of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' for the RSC, influenced by both a Jerome Robbins ballet and the Peking Circus, was performed in a white cube of a set and boasted trapezes, stilts and a forest of steel wire. Often referred to as "our greatest living theatre director", Brook won multiple Tony and Emmy Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award, the Japanese Praemium Imperiale and the Prix Italia. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 2021 "for his valuable contributions towards art". Born in London on March 21, 1925, at age seven he acted out a four-hour version of 'Hamlet' on his own for his parents. After attending Magdalen College, Oxford, he was soon at the Royal Opera House, directing Richard Strauss's opera 'Salome' with designs by Salvador DalA. He directed Laurence Olivier as Titus Andronicus in Stratford for the RSC in 1955 and when Peter Hall became its artistic director in 1958, he asked Brook to assist him there. Brook's RSC productions included a 1962 staging of 'King Lear', a play he considered "the supreme achievement of the world's theatre" that starred Paul Scofield. Several of his shows received Broadway transfers, including the avant garde 'Marat/Sade', which won the Tony award for best play in 1964. The concept was that the Marquis de Sade was putting on a drama about the French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat, acted out by the inmates of a mental asylum. In 1970, Brook moved to Paris, where he set up his International Centre for Theatre Research. The company visited Africa, where his actors gave performances that "didn't use anything that corresponded to the theatre of the time -- we wanted to play to audiences who were not conditioned by anything. We wouldn't, even experimentally, do a play with a text or a theme or a name." 'The Man Who', which premiered in Paris in 1993, was inspired by neurologist Oliver Sacks's book 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat', which revisited the disorders of Sacks's patients. Brook's own neurological research led to 'The Valley of Astonishment', about synaesthesia, co-created with Estienne, and performed at the Young Vic in London with Kathryn Hunter among the cast. Brook married the actor Natasha Parry in 1951 and they had two children, Irina (now a director) and Simon (now a producer). Parry died in 2015. "We have lost a beacon.... He didn't just believe in the profound humanity and transformative power of theatre and Shakespeare, he put it into action. He was a true and rare practitioner and his legacy must live on in those of us who humbly follow in his eternal summer," Michelle Terry, artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe, said of Brook's passing. New Delhi, July 4 : Telecom industry stakeholders on Monday cautioned the public against the fraud related to the installation of mobile towers on their properties in the country as it prepares for 5G roll out. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and the Digital Infrastructure Providers' Association (DIPA) said that people must observe caution against certain companies, agencies, or individuals who are fraudulently approaching them, asking to deposit money in their personal or company accounts in the name of government tax for leasing their premises for installation of mobile towers. The same individuals are offering fake "No Objection Certificates" from the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology for the installation of towers, they informed. Mobile towers are installed either by telecom service providers (TSP) or infrastructure providers (IPs). The mobile towers are installed by the telecom infrastructure providers like Indus Towers, American Tower Corporation, Summit Digital Infrastructure, Ascend Telecom, Tower Vision. "IPs are taking several steps to caution the public about the frauds and have devised various modes to collect the information about potential locations through various channels such as toll-free number, website, email etc," said T.R. Dua, DG, DIPA. The industry bodies requested people to verify authenticity by visiting the websites of TSPs or IPs before accepting any offers for tower installation. "Mobile towers are quintessential to ensure uninterrupted connectivity, support various critical services and maintain communication across the states. The public suffers gravely owing to the fraud related to mobile towers," said Lt Gen Dr S.P. Kochhar, DG, COAI. This is causing a trust deficit and a sense of insecurity towards the team personnel working on the ground to build a robust communication network. "The telecom industry remains committed to providing the best quality of services to its customers. Hence, we have collaborated with DIPA to build theArequired robust infrastructure," Kochhar added. According to reports, more than 6.8 lakh mobile towers have been installed across the country and over 15 lakh towers are to be installed by FY24 as the country prepares for 5G. Panaji, July 4 : Referring to the statement of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant that Assembly Records were destroyed while shifting from old secretariat (age-old Adil Shah Palace in Panaji) to new assembly complex at Porvorim in 2000, the Congress on Monday submitted a memorandum to Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar demanding a probe into the incident. "When I became the Speaker of Goa assembly, I came to know that these records (from 1963 to 2000) were destroyed. I wanted to preserve them. But they were destroyed. I am sorry, this should not have happened. Now since 2000 we are preserving and digitising the same," Sawant had recently said. The memorandum signed by all eleven Congress MLAs has been handed over to Speaker by Deputy CLP Leader Sankalp Amonkar, Working President Yuri Alemao and Quepem MLA Altone D'Costa. "The Chief Minister has stated that the records from 1963 to 2000 were destroyed during the shifting of Assembly. Subsequently, we have read some media reports in which first the Legislative Secretary and thereafter the Hon'ble Speaker have refuted the claim made by the Chief Minister. But the Chief Minister has not given any clarification," the memorandum stated. "It is pertinent to do the fact finding on the exact intention of the Chief Minister who also held the position of the Speaker from 2017 to 2019. There are apprehensions in the minds of citizens on the safety and security of the Assembly Proceeding Records which are of paramount importance for posterity. There is fear in the minds of the people that the Assembly Records may be destroyed in an attempt to twist the historical milestones of the state," it further said. The Congress has appealed to the Speaker to constitute a House Committee, giving equal representation to all the members of the Assembly, to investigate the real intention behind the statement of the Chief Minister. "We also urge you to file a complaint before the appropriate competent authority to start an inquiry on the same," the Congress said in the memorandum. Congress MLAs have said that they will raise the issue in the upcoming Assembly session. Jaipur, July 4 : In a daring daylight robbery, around six armed robbers looted cash and gold worth around Rs one crore from a branch of Axis bank in Rajasthan's Alwar on Monday. Officials said that the miscreants came with weapons, carried the robbery within 30 minutes and escaped from there on bikes. "The Axis Bank branch located at the Rico Chowk, Bhiwadi was robbed," said Shantanu Kumar, Bhiwadi Superintendent of Police (SP), adding that the six miscreants had come on three bikes. They made the bank employees as hostages. The police are scanning the CCTVs. The bank personnel told the police that the branch opened at around 10 a.m. The robbers had their faces covered with masks and had weapons in their hands. Soon after entering the bank, the robbers rounded up the employees and forcibly took keys of the locker. They had brought bags with them and fled after keeping all the money and gold kept in the locker. SP Shantanu Kumar and other police officers were on the spot at the time of filing the report. Roads have been barricaded to catch the robbers and CCTV footages are being collected from the bank. An identification exercise is being carried out on the basis of bike and appearance, said the SP, adding that information has also been received about the route the robbers took. Police teams are making thorough probe in the right direction, he added. Further details were awaited. New Delhi, July 4 : The Centre on Monday said the use of cellular signal jammer, GPS blocker or other signal jamming device is illegal, except specifically permitted by the Government of India. "It has also been stated that it is unlawful to advertise, sell, distribute, import or otherwise market signal jamming devices in India, except as permitted under the guidelines mentioned above," the government stated. With regards to signal booster or repeater it has been stated that it is unlawful to possess, sale, or use mobile signal repeater or booster by any individual or entity other than the licensed Telecom Service Providers. The DoTA had in January warned all e-commerce companies from selling or facilitating the sale of wireless jammers on their online platforms. It is unlawful to advertise, sell, distribute, import, or market signal jamming devices in India, except as permitted under the guidelines and possess, sell, or use a mobile signal repeater or booster by any individual or entity other than the licensed Telecom Service Providers. The guidelines say that private sector organisations or individuals cannot procure or use jammers in India. July 04 : Kriti Sanon is a force to be reckoned with regarding fashion. The actress has once again stunned her fans with a new look dropped on Instagram. Kriti is giving us major boss lady vibes in a monochrome jumpsuit by the British luxury womenswear brand Safiyaa. The jumpsuit is worth Rs 110635. Sharing the photos, she wrote, Black and white make moments together.. And classy attires too! All attention was on the actress as she graced the red carpet of Femina Miss India 2022 held in Mumbai. The Black off-shoulder Takayama jumpsuit features a bellara ivory harness. The tight-fitted bodice showed off Kritis well-toned body. Her tresses were slicked back in a top bun with bangs left to the side. Styled by Sukriti Grover, the look was accessorized by beautiful round diamond studs from KAJ Fine Jewellery. She was decked up in nude lip shade, mascara, blush and black eyeshadow. Kriti is currently one of the busiest actresses in Bollywood, with several movies in the pipeline. Shehzada, a Rohit Dhawan directorial, will feature the actress alongside her Luka Chuppi co-star Kartik Aaryan. Comedy-horror thriller, Bhediya, directed by Amar Kaushik, will star Kriti and Varun Dhawan in lead roles. She will also be seen in the action Thriller Ganapath Part 1, alongside Tiger Shroff, which will premiere towards the end of this year. Apart from this, she also has Adipurush, a Hindu Mythological movie with a budget of 500 crores. Chennai, July 4 : Ex-paramilitary officers in Tamil Nadu have opposed the state government's decision to scrap the 5 per cent reservation for them in the recruitment of police sub-inspectors and constables. In a recent notification issued by the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board (TNUSRB), it was mentioned that the 5 per cent reservation that was in place for former Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel stands cancelled. The board in the notification issued for recruitment to 3552 posts, stated that reservation was only for ex-army personnel and not for CAPF personnel. This has come as a major setback for the ex-BSF, CRPF, CISF and other para-military forces personnel who were expecting to get into the Tamil Nadu police through the 5 per cent reservation. While speaking to IANS, R. Karvendhan from Madurai, who has served 21 years in the BSF and has retired from the force, said, "I was preparing hard for the TNUSRB examinations, but suddenly the notification came which has dealt me a severe blow." The Union Home Ministry had in an office memorandum in 2012 advised states to extend the reservation benefits given to ex-army personnel to retired CAPF personnel. The TNUSRB had been offering the 5 per cent reservation for former CAPF officials much before the Home Ministry notification. However, now the TNUSRB in a statement said that the reservation is only for the ex-armed forces personnel and not for former CAPF personnel. Speaking to media persons on Monday, Seema Aggarwal, chairperson of TNUSRB, said, "Tamil Nadu government has so far been offering jobs to retired paramilitary force personnel by mistake and we have rectified it now. Henceforth only retired armed forces personnel will be provided jobs under the 5 per cent reservation in TNUSRB." All India BSF Ex-Servicemen general secretary, B. Shanmugaraj came out strongly against the Tamil Nadu government decision cancelling the reservation. In a statement on Monday, he said that while Kerala and other states are providing an exemption from paying property tax, the Tamil Nadu government has cancelled an existing benefit of 5 per cent reservation in police jobs which was condemnable. Panaji, July 4 : Against the backdrop of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's statement that Goa Assembly records were destroyed while shifting from old secretariat to a new complex at Porvorim in 2000, Congress on Monday submitted a memorandum to Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar demanding a probe into the incident. "When I became the speaker of Goa Assembly, I came to know that these records (from 1963 to 2000) were destroyed. I wanted to preserve them. But they were destroyed. I am sorry, this should not happen. Now since 2000, we are preserving and digitisation of the same is done," Sawant had recently said. The representation signed by all eleven MLAs of the Congress has been handed over to the Speaker by Deputy CLP Leader Sankalp Amonkar, Working President Yuri Alemao and Quepem MLA Altone D'Costa. "Chief Minister has stated that the records from 1963 to 2000 were destroyed during the shifting of Assembly. Subsequently, we have read some media reports in which first the Legislative Secretary and thereafter the Hon'ble Speaker have refuted the claim made by the Chief Minister. But the Chief Minister has not given any clarification on it," memorandum stated. "In view of the above it is pertinent to do the fact finding on the exact intention of the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant who also held the position of the Speaker from 2017 to 2019. There are apprehensions in the minds of Citizens on the safety and security of the Assembly Proceeding Records which are of paramount importance for posterity. There is fear in the minds of the people that the Assembly Records may be destroyed in an attempt to twist the historical milestones of the State," it further said. Congress has appealed to the Speaker to constitute a House Committee, giving equal representation to all the Members of Legislative Assembly, to investigate the real intention behind the statement of the Chief Minister. "We also urge you to file a Complaint before the appropriate competent Authority to start an inquiry on the same," Congress stated in a memorandum. Congress MLAs have said that they will raise the issue in the upcoming Assembly session. --IANS sanjay/shb/ Attachments area Chitradurga : , July 4 (IANS) A case of stabbing has taken a communal turn in Chitradurga district of Karnataka. The police have stepped up security and are keeping a close watch all over the city in view of the seriousness of the issue. It is suspected that the incident took place to avenge the killing of Hindu tailor Kanhaiah Lal in Rajasthan's Udaipur. However, the police have clarified that there is no communal angle in the incident. Samiulla, a resident of Aluru was repeatedly stabbed by a Hindu youth on Saturday. Balekayi Srinivas, President for Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has alleged that there is a role of BJP and Hindu organizations in the stabbing case. There is a BJP MLA behind the incident, he said. Samiulla, the local Muslim leader has been admitted to a private hospital where he is recovering. The accused youth had stabbed him in the Hiriyur police station limits. Balekayi Srinivas has alleged that the accused Hindu youth participated in Maha Ganapathy Utsav and was an activist of Bajrang Dal. The attempt to murder has been made with an intent to spread communal hatred. "The constituency is represented by a woman BJP MLA (Poornima Srinivas). Accused Hindu youth is supported by BJP leaders. The investigation has to be conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA)," Balekayi Srinivas said. The family members of Samiulla said that there was no enmity between the Hindu youth and the victim. Samiulla had questioned the accused for staring and two hours later he was stabbed, the family said. The police who took up the case for investigation, nabbed the accused Hindu youth on Sunday. The accused is identified as Nutan, an orphan, the police said. However, Chitradurga police have ruled out the possibility of communal angle in the incident. Superintendent of Police K. Parashuram said that the investigations have not indicated any communal angle in the incident. Accused Nutan is not a Bajrang Dal activist and victim Samiulla had supported BJP in the last elections. The accused had stabbed him for being questioned by Samiulla, SP Parashuram explained. Further investigation is on. Bhimavaram : , July 4 (IANS) New India should be the India of the dreams of freedom fighters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday here. He said that when India is celebrating 75 years of its Independence, it is the responsibility of all the countrymen to fulfil the dreams of freedom fighters. "Our new India should be the India of their dreams. An India - in which the poor, farmers, labourers, backward, tribals all have equal opportunities," he said while addressing a public meeting here to launch the 125th birth anniversary celebration of legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju. The Prime Minister launched the year-long celebrations with the unveiling of a 30-feet bronze statue of Sitarama Raju. Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Union minister for tourism and culture G. Kishan Reddy, former Union minister and Telugu superstar K. Chiranjeevi were present. Paying rich tributes to Sitarama Raju, he said the great tribal fighter challenged the British with the slogan 'Dum hai to rok lo' (Stop me if you can). "Today the country is also facing various challenges. With the same spirit and courage, 130 crore countrymen, with unity and strength, are telling every challenge - 'Dum hai to hamain rok lo (stop us if you can)." The Prime Minister said that he is feeling privileged to get the opportunity to salute the great land of Andhra Pradesh with such a rich legacy. He noted that the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav coincides with the 125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju and 100 years of Rampa Rebellion. Modi said he bowed to the memory of the great "Manyam Veerudu" Alluri Sitarama Raju and paid him tributes on behalf of the entire country. He also expressed happiness at meeting the members of the family of the great freedom fighter. He noted that to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Sitarama Raju, the government has taken up restoration of his birth place at Pandrangi, renovation of Chintapalli police station and construction of Alluri Dhyana Mandir at Mogallu. "These works are symbols of the spirit of Amrit Mahotsav. Today's programme reflects the pledge of making everyone aware of the heroic deeds of our freedom fighters," he said. The Prime Minister stated that the freedom struggle is not just a history of a few years, few areas, or of a few people. "This history is the history of sacrifice, tenacity and sacrifices of every nook and corner of India. History of our freedom movement is a symbol of the strength of our diversity, culture and of our unity as a nation," he added. Terming Alluri Sitarama Raju a symbol of India's culture, tribal identity, valour, ideals and values, the Prime Minister remarked that from the birth of Sitaram Raju Garu to his sacrifice, his life journey is an inspiration to all of us. He dedicated his life for the rights of tribal society, for their happiness and for the freedom of the country. "Alluri Sitarama Raju represents the spirit of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' that has been uniting the country," the Prime Minister said. Modi said that India's spiritualism gave Alluri Sitarama Raju a sense of compassion and kindness, a sense of identification and equality for the tribal society, knowledge and courage. Noting the youth of Alluri Sitarama Raju and those who laid down their lives at the Rampa Rebellion, the Prime Minister emphasised that their sacrifice is a source of energy and inspiration for the entire nation even today. "Youth of the country led the freedom struggle. Today, this is the best opportunity for the youth to come forward for the development of the country. There are new opportunities, avenues, thought processes and possibilities in New India today and our youth is taking up the responsibility of realising these possibilities." The Prime Minister said Andhra Pradesh is the land of heroes and patriots. Here there were freedom heroes like Pingali Venkayya, who designed the national flag, Kaneganti Hanumanthu, Kandukuri Veeresalingam Pantulu and Potti Sriramulu. He claimed that during the last 8 years, the government has worked relentlessly for the welfare of the tribal community of the country. For the first time since Independence, tribal museums are being set up to showcase the tribal pride and heritage in the country. "Alluri Sitarama Raju Memorial Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum" is also being built in Lambasingi near Visakhapatnam. SimilarlyNovember 15, the birthday of Bhagwan Birsa Munda has been demarcated as Rashtriya Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas. The Prime Minister said that the foreign rulers perpetrated maximum atrocities on the tribal community and tried to destroy their culture. The Prime Minister said today tribal art and skills are getting a new identity through the Skill India Mission. 'Vocal for Local' is making tribal art skills a means of income. Decades old laws which prevented tribal people from cutting forest produce like bamboo, we changed them and gave them rights on forest produce, he said. Similarly, the number of forest products for MSP procurement increased from 12 to more than 90. More than 3,000 Van Gan Vikas Kendra and More than 50,000 Van Gana Self Help Groups are connecting tribal products and art with modern opportunities. Aspirational Districts Schemes will greatly benefit tribal districts and, on the education front, more than 750 Eklavya Model schools are being established and education in Mother tongue is being promoted under National Education Policy. Chennai, July 4 : Tamil Nadu Police on Monday rescued a five-day-old baby girl, who was stolen from Pollachi government hospital. The Coimbatore district police traced the baby to Palakkad. Police arrested Shameema, 34, and her 15-year-old daughter from Koduvayoor in Palakkad district this morning and handed over the infant to its mother. Coimbatore Superintendent of Police, V. Badarinarayanan, while speaking to media, pointed out: "We examined visuals from nearly 250 surveillance cameras to trace the accused and the new-born. The priority of the police was to rescue the infant safely and hand it over to the mother. Police accomplished the mission with the help of hospital authorities, Railway, and other government departments." The SP said that 12 special teams of the police were pressed into service. Police found that the accused travelled from Pollachi to Coimbatore by bus and from Coimbatore to Palakkad by train. The team traced the accused to a house at Palakkad and took Shameema and her 15-year daughter into custody along with the infant. According to Coimbatore Police Superintendent, who led the investigation, Shameema had two daughters and a son and was separated from her husband Hakkim. She was in a relationship with another person called Manikandan. She had lied to Manikandan that she was pregnant after he expressed a desire to have a child. Police said that the woman stole the infant to present Manikandan as their baby. The police team said that the mother of infant Y. Divyabharathi received the child with tears. The child was stolen from her bed between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Sunday morning. The infant was born in early hours of June 29 after the mother was admitted on June 27. Mumbai, July 4 : 'Bigg Boss 15' fame Ieshaan Sehgaal and Miesha Iyer will soon be seen in a new music video titled, 'Baarishein'. This is a romantic song shot in Dubai. Ieshaan and Miesha will be seen romancing each other in the track. Post Bigg Boss, this is their first project together. The two closely bonded on Bigg Boss 15 and have admitted to being in a serious relationship. When asked about shooting the song in Dubai, Ieshaan said: "Well, while shooting the song, it was absolutely fantastic. We were shooting in Dubai. "Honestly, I always wanted to shoot in Dubai as it is my favourite destination and apart from that this was the very first project featuring me and Miesha post Bigg Boss so we are very excited for this." Elaborating on his experience while shooting for the song, he added: "All the chemistry that Miesha and I had in Bigg Boss, we have showcased it in Baarishein." "We are really proud of it as we've been working really hard, so yes this is really special for us and it's going to be special for the fans as well as they will be witnessing our chemistry for the very first time on screen post the show." Baarishein features Ieshaan Sehgaal and Miesha Iyer. It is directed by Shabby and the music is by Bhagirath Bhatt and Bhavik Patel. The song is sung by Nihal Tauro and it is slated to release on July 7. Kolkata, July 4 : The 2024 Lok Sabha polls will not be an election to select a new government at the Centre but to reject the BJP, West Bengal Chief Minister and All India Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee said on Monday. Speaking at a conclave here, the Chief Minister referred to the recent trend of "bulldozer politics," and said that the people of India will pay back the BJP in the same coin by bulldozing them out of power. "The misuse of power by the BJP is bulldozing people and democracy. But in 2024, the people of India will bulldoze them out of power. The 2024 Lok Sabha polls will not be between BJP and the opposition, rather it will be BJP versus people of India. That is why I am saying that those polls will not be the election for selection but election for rejection of BJP," she said. She also took a jibe at the BJP over the latter's frequent attacks against her for encouraging dynasty politics by promoting her nephew and Trinamool Congress' national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee. "Why is Abhishek targeted? Did not Sheikh Hasina take over the baton from her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman? Haven't people of Uttar Pradesh accepted Akhilesh Yadav after his father Mulayam Singh Yadav?" she questioned. Banerjee alleged that it was something more than financial considerations that the BJP offered to the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs used for toppling the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government. "I will not spell out more details. It can be 'M' and it can be 'W'. Now it is for all to understand. I have all the information but I will not say anything more. At times silence speaks more. Everything will be revealed at some point of time or the other," she said. She denied that there was violence in West Bengal after the 2021 assembly polls. "This is all propaganda by the BJP and its confidant media groups. Of the 21 people killed in violence, 16 of them were Trinamool Congress activists. Four of them were killed in BSF firing. Now all these have been included in the post-poll violence. The BJP's national president J.P. Nadda is responsible for spreading such lies." Reacting to her allegations, BJP's spokesman in West Bengal Shamik Bhattacharya said that the chief minister is actually scared of the growing popularity of the BJP throughout the country. "That is why she says such things. The 2024 Lok Sabha polls will prove that the public support is with the BJP on a much larger scale," he said. Bengaluru, July 4 : Karnataka High Court Justice H.P. Sandesh on Monday lashed out at the authorities saying that he received transfer threat as a result of his remarks against the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). While looking into the bail plea of the accused who was caught red-handed accepting bribe at the Bengaluru Urban District Commissioner's office, Justice Sandesh said that he is ready to be transferred. "I am ready for it for the good of people. Your ACB ADGP (Seemanth Kumar Singh) seems to be a powerful person. Somebody has told this to my colleague. I have been informed about it by a judge. The threat of transfer will be recorded in the order," Justice Sandesh stated. "I don't fear anyone. I am ready to bell the cat. I have not accumulated property after becoming a judge. I don't care if I lose the position. I am the son of a farmer. I am ready to till the land. I don't belong to any political party. I don't adhere to any political ideology," he remarked. The counsel for the government in the case informed the bench headed by Justice Sandesh that the information regarding 'B-reports' (closure reports) had already been given to the division bench. Earlier, the bench had directed the authorities to submit all closure reports filed till date. The court had underlined that the ACB had been turned into a collection centre. Closure reports are filed on those who were caught red-handed taking bribes, the bench stated. "The second accused in the DC office raid case was appointed on contract basis for the job of collection of money. You have been filing B-reports on those who were caught red-handed. Why are you not furnishing details to me, while the information has already been given to the division bench?" Justice Sandesh questioned the counsel for ACB. "Are you protecting the public or tainted persons? The black coat is not for the protection of the corrupt. The corruption has become a cancer and it should not reach the 4th stage. The officers are being extorted after threatening them with search warrants," Justice Sandesh noted. "What should be done when the fence eats up the crop? The service records of ACB ADGP have not been produced before the court. You have reached a stage of issuing threats to the judge. The whole state is mired in corruption. If Vitamin M (money) is there, you (ACB) will protect anyone," he said. The bench directed the DPAR Secretary to present before the court. The ruling BJP had transferred Bengaluru Urban District Commissioner J. Manjunath following the previous observation by the bench. Hyderabad, July 4 : The second single titled 'Inthandham' from the Dulquer Salmaan-starrer 'Sita Ramam' is out. The makers, who released the second single from the movie, wrote: "Our beautiful Sita is finally here to mesmerise you", as they shared the video. They released the lyrical video for their second single, Inthandham, after teasing with a promo. In the music video released, Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur's captivating chemistry worked its charm. This song's elegant orchestration added sophistication, and S.P.B. Charan's vocals are pleasantly hypnotic. The song, which was written by Krishnakanth, depicts the lovely love affair. The music composed by Vishal Chandrashekhar will be among the most valuable components. 'Oh Sita Hey Rama', the first song, which was released earlier, quickly rose to the top of the charts. For this romantic saga funded by Aswini Dutt under the Swapna Cinema banner, director Hanu Raghavapudi selected the conflict of 1965 as the setting. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Patna, July 4 : After brutal lathi-charge on residents of two localities and Jan Adhikar Party workers, party chief Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav slammed BJP MLAs and said why people of Patna should vote for them. Pappu Yadav along with his supporters sat on dharna along with the residents of Rajiv Nagar and Nepali Nagar in central Patna where the district administration has launched anti encroachment drive for the second consecutive day on Monday. "The district administration has imposed Section 144 in the area, arrived with 2000 force and started a brutal lathi-charge on innocent residents who were protesting against them to save their belongings. I want to tell 6 MLAs of the BJP. I don't know why the people of Patna vote for such people. They disappeared during the pandemic and now they are enjoying the situation in Rajiv Nagar and Nepali Nagar," Yadav said. "The district administration is claiming that the residents illegally constructed the houses. I want to say that majority of them have papers. They are paying municipal taxes and electricity bills," Yadav said. "The way they have beaten elderly women, children and other residents here in extremely brutal manner, is like a scene of terror. I also sustained injuries on my leg and went to hospital. I will file a criminal case against the SDO of the area," Yadav said. Meanwhile, Patna DM Chandrashekher Singh said: "We have imposed Section 144 in the area and are taking action against those assembled in a group of 5 persons. Some of them violated the rule in the morning. We have done the photography and taken action against them after identification." "So far, 26 violators have been arrested. We will also take action against those who are behind this. WhatsApp groups are also under the radar. The demolition drive is going in 40 acres of land. They have no documents," Singh said. New Delhi, July 4 : A 7-year-old girl was allegedly raped in east Delhi, and the hunt is on for the unknown perpetrator, police said on Monday. Deputy Commissioner of Police, East, Priyanka Kashyap said a PCR call was received in Laxmi Nagar police station regarding sexual assault of a minor girl. As per the initial enquiry, the police found out that the incident took place when the girl was playing outside her place of residence. "One unknown person came to her, took her to an abandoned place, and sexually assaulted her," the DCP said. Based on the complaint, the police registered an FIR under appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act. The DCP said they have zeroed in on the suspect, but he is still at large. Islamabad, July 4 : A woman was raped by the conductor of a private bus during her travel from Bhakkar to Karachi, media reports said. Jampur police have registered a rape case and arrested the suspect, Dawn reported. According to the FIR registered on a complaint by the woman, a resident of Punjgraeen in Bhakkar district, she was travelling to Karachi by a bus of Adil Shah Company when the vehicle stopped at a hotel for passengers' refreshments. She was sleeping when other passengers got off the bus. The conductor found her alone in the bus and raped her. On receiving a call on the emergency number, Jampur police reached a roadside hotel near Jampur where Karach-bound buses stop for a halt. The police inspected the bus and recorded the statements of the woman as well as eyewitnesses. They arrested the suspect who was later identified as a resident of Muzaffargarh. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of the incident and directed the Punjab IGP and the additional IG to furnish a report on the incident within 24 hours. It's not a rare incident in which a woman has been subjected to rape during travel. On June 30, a woman was gang-raped by two train guards when she was travelling on a Rawalpindi-bound train. She had disembarked from the train in Faisalabad, Dawn reported. In an earlier incident, a 25-year-old woman was gang-raped by the staffers of a Karachi-bound train on the intervening night of May 27 and May 28. Five suspects were arrested in the case. LUDZIDZINI - His Majesty King Mswati III says terrorism is something that is not encouraged worldwide. The King said people should live in harmony so that they could be able to develop their economies. The Monarch was responding when asked about the Commonwealths stance as far as terrorism was concerned. The question was: How does the Commonwealth seek to deal with terrorism, as Eswatini Government has declared Swaziland News Editor Zweli Martin Dlamini and Swaziland News as terrorists. Dlamini and Swaziland News (Pty) Ltd were classified as terrorist entities by Prime Minister Cleopas Sipho Dlamini last Thursday. Interjected However, one of the media officer interjected and asked the journalist to stick to the Kings report on his visit to Rwanda and Singapore. Buta ngeluhambo lwase Rwanda nase Singapore hhayi lokunye, said the media officer in vernacular, loosely translating to mean: Stick to the Kings visit to Rwanda and Singapore. It should be noted that in his reports, the King mentioned that the Commonwealth and its member States were committed to joining hands in recovering economies which were affected by COVID-19 and other problems, which he, however, did not mention. It is a fact though that apart from COVID-19, Eswatinis economy has been hugely affected by the ongoing political impasse which has seen public and private properties worth millions of Emalangeni being burnt down by unknown arsonists. Arson The arson attacks on the private and public properties have seen many people losing their jobs since the beginning of the calls for change. In a recent interview with Newzroom Africa, Dlamini declared his newspaper as a prodemocracy newspaper, which he said represented the views of the prodemocracy movement. He also stated that the stance by government was just propaganda which was aimed at silencing him and instilling fear among the prodemocracy movement. He stated that even though his newspaper was registered in South Africa, he would continue to hold the Government of Eswatini accountable. Even though the question was incomplete as a result of the interjection, the King said he was not yet informed about events that took place (in Eswatini) while on his work visit to Rwanda and Singapore. He stated that as things stood, he might take the question as a briefing from the journalist who seemed aware of the latest developments. However, he said in general, terrorism was not encouraged worldwide. He stated that the Commonwealth was also concerned about terrorism as all people deserved to live in harmony so that they could be able to work towards improving their economies. The King also reported about the increase of Commonwealth membership from 54 to 56 countries. He stated that new members were Togo and Gabon. The Monarch said the main focus was on strategies aimed at strengthening relationships in dealing with the effects of COVID-19, among other challenges on the economies. He stated that the commonwealth was committed to dealing with social issues which had been identified on the African continent and overseas during the pandemic. He said COVID-19 had resulted in many job losses and deaths across the globe, something he said was not good at all. The King said as Commonwealth member States, they also felt that strengthening technology, which became more effective in the economic drive during the course of COVID-19, could be the best solution. He stated that developed countries were willing to share their experiences with their member States so that they could not lose momentum. Meeting The King stated that there were many programmes shared during the course of the meeting. He also announced that Africa was left with two years to take over the secretariat from the other regions in the next elections. The King was welcomed by the prime minister, some Cabinet ministers, members of the royal family and the general public at the King Mswati III International Airport. The Monarch then proceeded to Ludzidzini Royal Residence where he reported about his first work visit to the two countries after two years due to COVID-19. Also noted was that security personnel were littered along the road leading to the international airport. Two helicopters were flying over the convoy. Hong Kong, July 4 : Another major Chinese developer has defaulted on its debt, dealing a new blow to the ailing real estate sector in the world's second largest economy, media reports said. Shanghai-based Shimao Group failed to pay the interest and principal on a $1 billion bond due Sunday, according to a company filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange, CNN reported. The bond had no grace period for the principal, according to its offering document. It is the first missed debt repayment on a dollar bond by Shimao, which has been grappling with mounting financial stress for months. China's real estate sector has been lurching from one crisis to another since 2020, when Beijing started cracking down on excessive borrowings by developers in a bid to rein in their high debt and curb runaway housing prices, CNN reported. The problems escalated significantly last fall when Evergrande -- the second largest property developer in China -- began scrambling to raise cash to repay lenders. The embattled firm is China's most indebted property developer with some $300 billion in liabilities. It was labeled a defaulter by Fitch Ratings in December. According to Moody's estimates earlier this year, Shimao Group has a large amount of debt maturing in 2022, including $1.7 billion worth of bonds held by international investors, 8.9 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) worth of bonds held by Chinese investors, and "sizable" offshore bank loans, CNN reported. Founded by entrepreneur Hui Wing Mau in 2001, Shimao develops large-scale residential projects and hotels across the country. It owns Shanghai Shimao International Plaza, one of the tallest skyscrapers located in the heart of Shanghai. In March, the company estimated that its 2021 net profit had plunged about 62% from a year earlier, mainly because of the "harsh" environment facing the property sector. It then delayed the release of its 2021 results, citing the lockdowns in Shanghai. "Due to the significant changes to the macro environment of the property sector in China since the second half of 2021 and the impact of Covid-19, the Group has experienced a noticeable decline in its contracted sales in recent months, which is expected to continue in the near term until the property sector in China stabilizes," Shimao said in the filing on Sunday. Since Evergrande's insolvency, a series of high-profile developers in the country have defaulted on their debts, including Fantasia and Kaisa, CNN reported. Beijing, July 4 : Chinese internet and tech giants on Monday signed an initiative to ban cryptocurrency and digital collectibles (NFTs), along with a promise not to establish secondary marketplaces. According to the South China Morning Post, Tencent and Ant Group joined a self-driven industry initiative to ban cryptocurrency and fight speculation. Platforms that sell digital collectibles "shall require real-name authentication of those who issue, sell and buy" the assets and "only support legal tender as the denomination and settlement currency", according to the document signed by China's biggest tech firms. "Do not contain financial assets or unlicensed financial products, including securities, insurance, credit and precious metals, in blockchain-supported goods," it added. In April this year, the National Internet Finance Association of China, the China Banking Association, and the Securities Association of China issued a joint statement to prohibit the use of NFTs in the issuance of financial assets. The new initiative called on tech firms not to "set up a centralised marketplace" for bidding, matching, or anonymous NFT trading. The Chinese government banned Bitcoin mining in July last year. It has plans to launch its central bank digital currency (CBDC) called the digital Chinese yuan (e-CNY). The country banned all cryptocurrency transactions last September and barred foreign crypto exchanges from operating within the country in 2018. New Delhi, July 4 : A 53-year-old man, who used to work as a Blueline bus driver in the national capital during 2000 and was involved in a fatal hit-and-run case, was arrested after 22 years, an official said on Monday. The accused, identified as Somkar, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, had been absconding for the past two decades. Dy. Commissioner of Police (North District), Sagar Singh Kalsi, said they had received a tip off on July 2 that Somkar would come to Upeda village, near Hapur bypass in Uttar Pradesh, to meet someone. The police constituted a team and laid a trap with the help of technical investigation. "The suspect was apprehended from Upeda village. On sustained enquiry and checking of police records, the police found that the accused Somkar was declared a proclaimed offender by the Tis Hazari Court in 2013. The accused was involved in an accident on Mall Road in which the victim had sustained serious injuries, and had later succumbed in a hospital," the DCP said. "Initially, the accused attended a few court proceedings, but later he stopped. To evade court proceedings, he vacated his rented accommodation in Delhi," DCP Kalsi said. After fleeing from the national capital, he changed his appearance and started worshipping in a temple in Hapur, UP and later became the main priest of that temple, the official added. Vijayawada, July 4 : Andhra Pradesh Police on Monday arrested three Congress leaders for releasing black balloons at Gannavaram airport during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit. Some Congress leaders released the balloons as a mark of protest during Modi's brief visit to Andhra Pradesh over the Centre not granting special status to the state. The balloons were released near the airport when the helicopter carrying the Prime Minister had taken off for Bhimavaram. After landing of his special aircraft at Gannavaram airport, the Prime Minister left for Bhimavaram in West Godavari district by a helicopter to launch 125th birth anniversary celebrations of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju. Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who were at the airport to receive Modi, also left for Bhimavaram by another helicopter. Taking serious note of the incident, police launched an investigation. They found that Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) secretary Rajiv Ratan released the balloons. Since the area around airport was declared a no-fly zone in view of the PM's visit, the release of balloons which came closer to the helicopters is being treated as a serious security lapse. A case was registered against Rajiv Ratan, who is reported to be absconding. A police team was on the lookout for him. Meanwhile, police have arrested three Congress leaders for releasing the balloons. State Congress leader Sunkara Padmasri was also detained by the police when she reached the airport raising slogans of 'Modi go back'. Holding a placard and raising slogans, she tried to move towards passenger terminal but was stopped and whisked away by police. She alleged that both Modi and Jagan Reddy betrayed Andhra Pradesh over the issue of special status. After the incident, police further stepped up security around the airport when Modi returned from Bhimavaram. Mumbai, July 4 : Nationalist Congress Party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has been elected the new Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, here on Monday. State President and the NCP Legislative Party leader Jayant Patil proposed the name of Ajit Pawar for the august post which was announced in the House. Pawar, 62, will now lead the combined Opposition -- Congress, Shiv Sena and other parties against the new Chief Minister Eknath Shinde - supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party - in the government. His election came even as the Opposition wanted a tough and experienced leader of stature for the critical post given the recent major political upheavals that saw the collapse of the 31-month-old 3-party Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance regime headed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on June 30. A farmer by profession, the B.Com graduate Ajit Pawar is the nephew of NCP President Sharad Pawar, who leads one of the state's important political clans. He started his political career with the sugar and banking cooperative sector in 1982, when his uncle Pawar Sr was emerging as a major force in state politics, and under his tutelage, soon became an important leader in his own right. Mumbai, July 4 : TV actors Zain Imam and Reem Sameer Shaikh talk about the 6-year leap that their show 'Fanaa - Ishq Mein Marjawan' is going to take and how their equations will change in the fictional drama. While Reem, who is seen as Paakhi, finds out that she is pregnant with Agasthya's (Zain Imam) child and decides to leave everyone to take care of her baby. Six years pass by, and Agasthya becomes a business tycoon, whereas Paakhi lives in a small town with her six-year-old daughter Tara (played by Riddhi Sharma). Talking about the interesting twist in the show, Reem says: "I am really excited about the new chapter in our storyline. Fans have always showered immense love on our show, and I am sure they would be excited to see Paakhi in the role of a young mother too." "While shooting the new track, we are having a great time working with little Riddhi Sharma aka Tara. I truly believe that we have collectively built a great chemistry and hope that audiences will keep loving the show as our story takes this leap." Zain, shares his experience playing Agasthya in the show: "As an actor, it has been quite challenging yet exciting for me to deliver multiple shades of the same character within a short span of time. Agasthya will be much more evolved as a person in the upcoming storyline, and I promise our viewers will enjoy watching his new persona." Fanaa - Ishq Mein Marjawan airs on Colors. Chennai, July 4 : The Madras High Court on Monday refused to stall the AIADMK General Council meeting slated for July 11. A bench of Justices M. Duraisamy and Sunder Mohan made it clear that the order passed by them at 4.40 a.m. on June 2 was only with respect to the meeting held on that day, and directed the advocate of AIADMK State Council member, M. Shanmugham, to approach the single bench of the court, if necessary. It also provided time till Thursday for senior counsel Vijay Narayanan, representing party leader and former Chief Minister K. Palaniswami, to file counter-affidavits to new applications. The counters are to be filed to a series of three applications taken out by Shanmugham in his original appeal pending before the court. One of the three applications was to stall the July 11 General Council meeting of the party, the second was to stay the appointment of A. Tamilmagan Hussain as the Presidium Chairman, and the third was to punish the top leadership of the party for having allegedly defied the June 23 order of the division bench. Senior counsel P.H. Aravind Pandian, representing senior party leader and former Chief Minister, O. Panneerselvam, told the court that the appointment of Hussain as Presidium Chairman amounted to contempt. He also argued that the announcement of the next General Council meeting by the Presidium Chairman was in defiance of the court order. Pandian also contended that the division bench had, on June 23, made it clear that no decision should be taken on any issue but for the 23 draft resolutions approved by Panneerselvam. However, the party leaders went ahead to appoint Hussain, whose name was proposed by Palaniswami, as the Presidium Chairman. The bench adjourned the hearing to Thursday as the Supreme Court was also slated to hear an appeal filed by the Palaniswami faction against the division bench's June 23 order. New Delhi, July 4 : Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday informed that 90 per cent of India's adult population has been fully vaccinated with both vaccine doses against Covid-19. Calling the occasion an extraordinary feat, he tweeted, "What an extraordinary feat! With PM @NarendraModi Ji's mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Prayas, India achieves complete vaccination of 90 per cent of its adult population. Way to go! We will win the battle against the pandemic together!" In the age group of 18-44 years, a total of 55,83,57,087 first doses and 50,22,61,478 second doses have been administered so far. The number of precaution doses administered in this group stands at 32,40,839, as per the health ministry report. India's Covid-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 197.98 crore (1,97,98,21,197) as per provisional reports till 7 a.m. on Monday. This has been achieved through 2,58,55,578 sessions. So far, more than 3.69 crore adolescents have also been administered with the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, said the ministry. Meanwhile, India on Monday recorded 16,135 new cases of Covid-19 infection along with 24 deaths due in the past 24 hours. An increase of 2,153 cases has also been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in the same period. The total active cases of Covid infection have risen to 1,13,864, the health ministry data showed. Bhubaneswar, July 4 : More than 15,000 rape cases have been registered in Odisha during past three years, from 2019 to 2022, Minister of State (MoS) for Home, Tusharkanti Behera told Odisha Assembly on Monday. While giving a written reply to a question asked by Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja, the Minister said a total of 15,713 rape cases have been registered between 2019 and 2022 in Odisha. Of the total cases registered, in 10,129 cases women were the victims while 5,584 sexual assaults cases against minors were reported, he said. While 4,585 rape cases were registered in 2019, 4,630 cases recorded in 2020. The state has witnessed a steep rise in the rape cases in 2021 with 5,198 cases. This year till April, Odisha has registered 12,300 rape cases, Behera said. Our of the total rape ceases reported in the period, 1,635 minor rape cases were registered in 2019, while the state had witnessed 1,646 minor rape cases in 2020 and 1871 in 2021. In 2022 (till April), 868 rape cases have been registered of which 432 cases are sexual assaults against minors. Similarly, the state has also registered 3,756 dowry torture and 341 dowry homicide cases in 2019, whereas, 320 dowry homicide and 3,759 dowry torture cases were reported in the next year (2020), Behera informed the House. In 2021, 293 dowry homicide and 4,953 dowry torture cases against women were reported in Odisha. Moreover, 1,442 dowry torture and 85 dowry related homicide ceased registered till April of 2020, he added. The state has witnessed a steep rise in non-dowry related torture against women during the last three years. While 2,532 such cases were reported in 2019, the cases increased to 3,153 in 2020 and 4,889 in 2021. Besides, 1,430 non-dowry torture cases against women were recorded in Odisha during first four months of the current year. Chennai, July 4 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has written to Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to immediately intervene and secure release of the 12 fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday. Of the 12 fishermen arrested, seven were from Tamil Nadu, while the remaining five hailed from Puducherry. Stalin, in his letter, mentioned that the innocent Indian fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy along with their mechanised boat. The fishermen had resumed fishing after the 60-day ban on June 15 and their arrest has led to a sense of insecurity and fear in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, he said. He also requested the minister to take up the matter with the Sri Lankan government through proper diplomatic channels. KASHEWULA Two years after being saved from about eight years of house confinement, the two virgin sisters are back in isolation. Hleziphi (37) and Ncobile (35) Mphaphu are two sisters who had been living in house confinement for eight years since 2012 as their right and responsibility to adhere to a vision that came through their mother. In the vision, they were ordered to remain in the house until their husband arrived. This publication broke the story on October 21, 2019, and reported that the two sisters remained indoors as a fulfillment of their religious purpose. The duo resides at KaShewula, Mnyamatsini area and fellowship in the Shembe Nazareth Church. Mother Their mother had shared with this publication that her two children were virgins. According to the mother, she heard a voice through a dream from their god. She claimed that it informed her to seclude the duo from the world and serve him until the right time for them to become wives - a time which to this day had not been revealed. When explaining the womens confinement, the mother said it was called kugoma, meaning a sacred time for women to be set apart from the world and be confined in a room until their god appeared to them in a dream to inform them when to return to the world. She said this was done by women who were ready for marriage. She further revealed that the room they were staying in was called emgoncweni. According to the mother, the two virgin women stayed in their room and were not allowed to do anything except to pray and communicate with their god. Within a week of breaking the story at the time, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Themba Masuku, together with a team of officials from his office, the police, health officers and members of the Emergency Medical Services and members of the Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe) arrived at the Mphaphu homestead to rescue the virgins. They were taken away to a health facility and help through counselling was offered. The DPMs Office even built a two-roomed house for the virgins and provided groceries. About three years later, a visit back to the Mphaphu homestead last Friday found their elder brother, Sabelo, who welcomed this publication into their home. Sabelo offered this publication a chair and grass mat to sit on. He was asked the opportunity to meet with the two virgins and see how they were doing. He went inside their hut. About five minutes later, he returned and told this publication that the two women were not in the right spiritual frame to meet with people from the outside world. Nonetheless, he employed to rather engage with this reporter. My sisters are well and alive. They are in their hut. We have had many people who come here and we have been explaining to them countless times about our situation and we are now tired, Sabelo said. The brother maintained that the sisters were living as they did before the DPM and his delegation came to offer assistance. However, this time around, he was skeptical with disclosing information as he politely stated that he could not share any more. He highlighted though, that the family needed assistance with foodstuff as they only survived by the grace of God. Paralysed He added that the younger sister was now paralysed and could not walk. He disclosed that the elder sister could not live a normal life and attend church services and leave her younger sister behind. Sabelo mentioned that their mother passed on in 2019 and life became difficult. However, he said they were able to make ends meet through the assistance of good Samaritans who came by and offered any form of assistance in food and money. Communications Officer in the DPMs Office Mihla Khumalo expressed shock on the latest discovery about the virgins. Khumalo said the office of the DPM would once again pay a visit to assess the situation and then act. New Delhi, July 4 : The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine a plea moved by AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami (EPS) against the Madras High Court order, which stayed the passing of resolutions in AIADMK General Council meeting last month. Senior advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan mentioned the plea before a vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and JK Maheshwari and urged the court for an urgent hearing in the matter. He contended the high court held an extraordinary sitting at midnight at the residence of one of the judges on the bench and an order was passed restraining the General Council from passing any resolutions. Counsel, representing M. Shanmugham of the opposing O. Paneerselvam group on caveat, said there was no urgency to list the matter during the court's vacation. Counsel contended that contempt petitions were filed due to breach of court's directions. Vaidyanathan submitted before the top court that this is judicial interference with a political party's internal functioning. He added, contempt petitions, alleging violation of the interim order, have been filed and were scheduled for consideration before a division bench of the high court on Monday. After briefly hearing arguments advanced by counsel, the top court agreed to list the matter on July 6, subject to the approval of the Chief Justice. Last month, a division bench of the high court passed an order restraining the AIADMK General Council from passing any resolutions. The high court's order was passed in an intra-court appeal filed by AIADMK General Council member Shanmugham, challenging a single judge-bench's order, declining to restrain the party from making any amendments to its bye-laws. The dispute is connected with the changing of the dual-leadership structure of AIADMK, where Paneerselvam (OPS) and EPS, were leading it as Coordinator and Joint Coordinator, respectively. The EPS group pressing for unitary leadership. Thiruvananthapuram, July 4 : The Kerala Assembly on Monday witnessed curious scenes when the Congress-led opposition sought to move an adjournment motion on the 'bomb' attack of the CPI-M party headquarters last Thursday, but Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan sought to play down the incident and asserted that the "real culprits" will be found. If there were any lapses on the part of the police, it will be found out, he added. Seeking leave for the motion, Congress legislator P.C. Vishnunath said that they have to bring out this in the Assembly as no one from the treasury benches failed to raise the matter. He also noted that in the wake of the attack, several Congress offices were attacked because just five minutes after the incident, Left Democratic Front convenor E.P.Jayarajan blamed opposition party workers. Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan said that the law and order situation in the state has deteriorated and the worst affected have been his Congress workers. "It's been four days since the 'bomb' was hurled by a person on the party office which comes under the most guarded places in the capital city. Surprisingly on the day this took place, the customary police jeep which is always there was not there. Why this happened?" he asked. "How could Jayarajan say in five minutes time that the Congress was behind this. Even more surprising was the statement from top party leader P.K. Sreemathi (who was in the party office) who said that there was a huge deafening noise. I had to call up our leader to ask if we sent a ballistic missile," Satheesan said, sending members into splits of laughter. In his response, Vijayan, however, decided to attack his arch-rival and State Congress President K. Sudhakaran, who also hails from his home town Kannur, and recalled all his previous. "He (referring to Sudhakaran without taking his name) knows everything about bombs and a leading English magazine in the yesteryears had carried out a detailed article on bombs, which referred to him," he said. Vijayan went on to add that they are not a party which attacks party offices. "When the office of Rahul Gandhi was attacked in Wayanad, we took instant action, when the Congress office was attacked in Kottayam, we arrested those who did it. In the attack on our state headquarters, we do not want to just come out with some culprit. The police will definitely bring the real culprit to book and that's why there has been a delay. We will also examine if there was any lapse on the part of the police," he said. Following this, the motion was put to vote and failed to pass. Satheesan, then leading the entire opposition out of the house, said they are really thankful to the government for taking up this discussion for a discussion. "Vijayan has not been able to give any answers to our questions. The government is rattled due to the various revelations and all this attacks of our offices is done with the full knowledge of Vijayan's office," he alleged before the walkout. Guwahati, July 4 : Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation (BRLF), under the Union Rural Development Ministry and Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) signed a MoU to implement a high-impact project aiming to transform the socio-economic condition of 40,000 households belonging to tribals in western Assam, officials said on Monday. Officials said that the "Transforming the Lives of Bodoland Tribes" project in four years period aimed at increasing the income levels through livelihood development initiatives (Land and water development with an increase in agriculture and off-farm activities) of Scheduled Tribes and Adivasis of Bodoland. The officials said that BRLF and BTC aimed to bring about accelerated progress in one of the most backward regions in Assam with a special focus on the development of the Bodo, tribal and Adivasi people in the field of livelihoods, natural resource management, education, and aims to create capacity through nurturing of robust people's institutions at the grassroots. BTC Chief Executive Member, Pramod Boro, on Monday said that the project would improve the lives and livelihoods of the local tribal and other communities of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) by increasing the income levels through agricultural productivity, creation of water resources, and irrigation infrastructure, livestock productivity and other off-farm activities such as promotion of handlooms. BRLF CEO, Pramathesh Ambasta, said the implementation strategy of this project envisages that Civil Society Organisations would provide facilitation support to the Gram Panchayats and front-line government functionaries for participatory planning and provide on-site technical support for better implementation of the planned interventions. The BTC was constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in 2003 after the signing of the Memorandum of Settlement on February 10, 2003 between the Central and state governments and the Bodo Liberation Tigers outfit, to fulfil economic, educational and linguistic aspiration and the preservation of land rights, socio-cultural and ethnic identity of the Bodos and to speed up the infrastructure in BTR areas. According to the official, the MoU between BTC and BRLF was signed on June 30 by Anurag Goel, Principal Secretary, BTR Government, and Pramathesh Ambasta, CEO, BRLF. The BTR in western Assam comprises five western Assam districts of Tamulpur, Chirang, Baksa, Udalguri and Kokrajhar, bordering Bhutan and West Bengal. New Delhi, July 4 : Global travel technology company Amadeus on Monday said that Air India, recently acquired by Tata Group, has adopted its full-stack solutions as part of the carrier's revitalisation. Air India is implementing the full Amadeus 'Altea PSS' suite, including components ranging from revenue management, revenue accounting, retailing, and merchandising, website, mobile and frequent flyer programme management. The platform delivers a modern and efficient reservations solution to customers and travel partners. The advanced system will also equip Air India with technology that will enhance its operational efficiency, the company said in a statement. "We are adopting several cutting-edge technology solutions to transform Air India's customer experience. Amadeus Altea PSS is the first of many such initiatives to transform Air India," said Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India. Air India has a fleet of 117 aircraft, and in addition to a robust domestic network, the carrier occupies a unique international footprint ranging across geographies, including North America, Europe, and the Middle East. "India is an important market for Amadeus and we have our second largest R&D centre located there. This will enable close innovation with Air India. Our advanced technology solutions will provide the building blocks for Air India to deliver smooth experiences for its passengers," said Cyril Tetaz, Executive Vice President, Altea, Amadeus. In 2019, Amadeus helped connect over 1.9 billion people to local travel providers in over 190 countries. The Tata Group acquired Air India from the Indian government last year. The group already has Vistara and Air Asia under its fold. In January 2022, the Centre handed over the management control of national carrier Air India to a subsidiary of Tata Sons. New York, July 4 : Willingness to give away money could be linked to the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease, suggests a study. Sixty-seven older adults who did not have dementia or cognitive impairment completed a laboratory task where they decided whether to give money to an anonymous person or keep it for themselves. They also completed a series of cognitive tests, such as word and story recall. Those who gave away more money performed worse on the cognitive assessments known to be sensitive to Alzheimer's disease, according to the study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. "Our goal is to understand why some older adults might be more susceptible than others to scam, fraud or financial exploitation," said Duke Han, Professor at University of Southern California. "Trouble handling money is thought to be one of the early signs of Alzheimer's disease, and this finding supports that notion," he added. Earlier research that tested the link between altruism and cognition relied on self-report measures, such as asking older adults whether they would be willing to give money in certain scenarios. The present study used real money to examine the link. "To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the relationship using a behavioural economics paradigm, meaning a scenario where participants had to make decisions about giving or keeping actual money," said Gali H. Weissberger, lecturer in the Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. The team recruited 67 adults for the study, who were paired with an anonymous person completing the study online. They were then given $10 and instructed to allocate it however they wished, in $1 increments, between themselves and the anonymous person. The older adults also completed a series of neuropsychological tests, including several that are commonly used to help diagnose Alzheimer's disease in its early stages. Participants who gave more away scored significantly lower on the neuropsychological tests known to be sensitive to early Alzheimer's disease. There were no significant performance differences on other neuropsychological tests. However, more research is needed to confirm the nature of the relationship between financial altruism and cognitive health in older adults, including with larger and more representative samples. But, "if a person is experiencing some kind of change in their altruistic behaviour, that might indicate that changes are also happening in the brain", Weissberger said. --IANS rvt/vd A New Delhi, July 4 : In a shocking revelation, the DTC employees who were arrested in bribery case have claimed to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that AAP MLAs used to put pressure on them for transfer and posting in DTC. When contacted, CBI officials were tight-lipped over the issue. A source told IANS that AAP MLA Mukesh Ahlawat and Sanjeev Jha even wrote letters in this regard. "We were interrogating the DTC employees when they revealed this. There are a number of AAP MLAs who put pressure on them. So far two names have come out -- Mukesh Ahlawat and Sanjeev Jha who wrote letters for the transfer and posting of DTC drivers. this is what has been claimed by the DTC employees," a source told IANS. The CBI on Wednesday (June 29) arrested Kirti Bala Malik, the depot manager, Shakil Ahmed Khan, the deputy CGM of DTC, posted with Sector 3 Rohini, his former PA Sunil, a retired official of DTC Mahender, a retired Assistant Traffic Inspector (ATI) Saffuzzama and Jeetu another official of DTC in connection with a bribery case of Rs 91,000. The accused were indulging in illegal activities in the matter of appointment of consultant in DTC in lieu of undue advantage of varying amount. "During investigation, the CGM and depot manager were caught accepting bribe of Rs 91,000 in lieu of appointment of two candidates as consultant in DTC. Five other accused including bribe giver were also caught," CBI had said. The CBI had also conducted search operation at several locations including Delhi, Gurugram, Sonipat at the premises of the accused. Rs 40 lakh cash was recovered from the premises of the said CGM and depot manager. (Atul Krishan can be approached at atul.k@ians.in) Chennai, July 4 : NRI Tamil filmmaker Leena Manimekalai has courted controversy after the poster of her latest documentary 'Kaali' showed Goddess Kaali, revered by millions, smoking a cigarette. This has sparked outrage on social media and many are calling for the arrest of the filmmaker. Netizens have come out stating that the poster is an insult to the Hindu community and that the filmmaker must put out an unconditional apology or face legal action. The micro-blogging platform Twitter is trending with the hashtag #ArrestLeenaManimekhalai with the netizens letting out their ire against the filmmaker. The poster of the documentary which was shared by Leena Manimekalai on Twitter depicts a woman dressed in the costume of Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette. The poster also shows the actor cast as Kaali in addition to her trident and sickle wielding the LBGTQ+ community's rainbow flag. Soon after she shared the poster on Twitter, the director was at the receiving end, and the social media users asked the Aga Khan Museum where the film was launched to take it down immediately. Several people have appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the PMO to take action as the poster was blasphemous to Hindus. The director however tweeted and said "The film talks about the events when Kaali appears in an evening and takes a stroll in the streets of Toronto. Once you watch the movie you will change the hashtag from #ArrestLeenaManimekalai to a love you Leena Manimekalai'. The filmmaker also tweeted in Tamil and said that she has nothing to lose and wanted to be a voice that speaks without fear of anything. In another tweet, she said , "If the price is my life, I will give it." A police complaint has been filed against the director. Advocate Vineet Jindal filed the complaint against the director for the poster of Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette. The lawyer in his complaint mentioned that the poster was objectionable and offensive. He said that such instances should not be tolerated and legal action should be taken against her. In a tweet, Vineet Jindal said that he had filed a complaint and the Delhi police have registered an FIR against the director Leena Manimekalai. He said, "The way this lady has portrayed Goddess Kaali smoking and having an LGBT flag in the background is completely offensive and objectionable. Whatever it is, it could be controversy, it could be a way to escalate their name. But one thing, I must tell you is that this should not be tolerated and legal action should be taken against her. I have filed a complaint against this lady and the Delhi police have lodged an FIR against her." Hyderabad, July 4 : After the failure of 'Acharya', Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi's fans eagerly await his return as they have high hopes from his upcoming film 'Godfather'. The film's creators, who had earlier teased fans with back-to-back updates, unveiled a stunning first-look poster on Monday. The first-peek taser opens with a black vintage Ambassador car. Actor Sunil greets Chiranjeevi, who is dressed in a sharp black outfit. The background music emphasises Chiranjeevi's signature flair as he exits the car, his salt-and-pepper appearance emphasising his elder statesman status. Directed by Mohan Raja, the film's cast includes Nayanthara as the lead actress. Salman Khan will also be seen in an important role in the movie. Gushing about the other versatile actors they have handpicked to play key roles in the movie, the makers said they will showcase Satya Dev in a role that will feature negative shades. Although it is an official remake of the massively successful Malayalam film 'Lucifer', the producers have pledged to create a storyline that portrays Chiranjeevi in exactly the way his fans want him to be seen on the big screen. Produced by Konidela Production Company and Super Good Films, the film will feature the music of the celebrated composer Thaman. New Delhi, July 4 : The Delhi High Court on Monday adjourned till July 27 the hearing on the bail pleas of JNU student-activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots. After the special bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar was informed by Umar Khalid's counsel that senior advocate Trideep Pais has contracted Covid-19, arguments on the bail pleas were posted for hearing on July 27. Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and President of Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, moved their appeals to the high court challenging the trial court's orders which denied them bail in the alleged conspiracy case. Imam and Khalid are facing charges in connection with the inflammatory speeches which allegedly fuelled the violence, as per the police. On April 7, a lower court denied bail to Rehman, who is also a member of the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC), who was arrested and charge-sheeted for his alleged involvement in the riots. The court said it will conclude the hearing of Umar Khalid first which will be followed by others. Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat on March 24 dismissed the bail application of Khalid in the case in which he was arrested on September 13, 2020. Denying bail to the former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) scholar, the court had observed that the contention that he is a researcher and his bent of mind can be assessed from his doctoral thesis on welfare aspects of tribals of Jharkhand and other writings is not a relevant consideration while deciding the bail application. Khalid and Sharjeel Imam are among the nearly dozen accused people involved in the alleged larger conspiracy case linked with the Delhi riots 2020, as per the Delhi Police. The riots broke out in the national capital in February 2020 as clashes between the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and pro-CAA protesters took a violent turn. The violence, which coincided with then US President Donald Trump's maiden trip to India, saw more than 50 people lose their lives while over 700 were injured. New Delhi, July 4 : More than 85 per cent of social media and internet intermediaries feel that the harsh compliance mandates in the new IT Rules 2021 would negatively impact the ease of doing business in India, a new report showed on Monday. From the originator traceability to keeping a threshold of 5 million users to be designated as a significant social media intermediary in India, the industry stakeholders surveyed during the report expressed concerns over several portions of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines & Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, introduced by the IT Ministry in February last year. The report, titled 'IT Rules, 2021: A Regulatory Impact Assessment Study', by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and The Dialogue, recommended enabling a progressive intermediary liability regime, instilling procedural safeguards for assisting law enforcement agencies, and furthering a uniform and transparent content blocking regime. On the content takedown timelines, Rajya Sabha MP Dr Amar Patnaik said during a panel discussion that "takedowns must be graded, cannot compare differing forms of harm and put them in the same (regulatory) basket". In the latest draft, the IT Ministry had reiterated that the resident grievance officers of a social media intermediary shall, within 24 hours, acknowledge any complaints of users related to the removal of content, suspension, blocking and removal of account of the user, redress the problem within 72 hours, and dispose of it within 15 days. Industry stakeholders surveyed during the study expressed concerns over the infeasibility of originator traceability mandated in the IT Rules 2021, the many ramifications imposing personal liability on chief compliance officers may have, and the impact due diligence requirements will have on entry barriers and the ease of doing business. A majority of intermediaries and cybersecurity experts said that it was technically impossible to introduce traceability on end-to-end encrypted platforms without breaking the encryption technology itself. "Majority of the intermediaries noted that in a country like India with a population of 1.3 billion setting a threshold of 5 million users to be designated as a significant social media intermediary is quite onerous from an economic standpoint," said the report. While the government published the FAQs last year which was a step in the right direction, a detailed Standard Operating Procedure must be published by the government explaining the criteria for calculation of the threshold and guiding the executive's power to mandate any intermediary to comply with the additional due diligence mandates, the report stressed. "Majority of the intermediaries dealing with large amounts of user generated content noted that there is a need for grading the takedown orders according to the degree of harm to enable sufficient time for assessing the genuineness of the requests," according to the findings. The republished draft by the IT Ministry has also revealed the plan to form an appeals panel that can reverse content moderation decisions by Big Tech companies like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. In republished draft changes to IT Rules 2021, the IT Ministry (MeitY) stated that the new amendment "will not impact early stage or growth stage Indian companies or startups". This brings relief to home-grown platforms like Dailyhunt, ShareChat, and Koo. The IT Ministry has sought public comments on the draft proposal in a 30-day time-frame. The IT rules also require big social media platforms to help the government trace the originator of messages in special cases. "The intermediary shall respect the rights accorded to citizens under the constitution," read the draft. MBABANE Some magistrates are said to be reluctant to sign warrants of arrest, as these later make it to social media platforms and in turn compromise their security. In the wake of the spate of arson attacks and law enforcement agents being shot, this publication has gathered that some magistrates have become reluctant to sign the warrants of arrest, inclusive of those for search and seizure. A warrant is a document issued by a legal or government official authorising the police or another body to make an arrest, search premises, or carry out some other action relating to the administration of justice. These documents are issued according to the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act. Meanwhile, it has been gathered that the judicial officers have in the past raised concerns over their security as the threats spiraled to their immediate families. Security It is worth noting that magistrates are not afforded any security and are often seen moving about in various places on their own, unlike judges who are accompanied by police officers when engaging in errands in town. Judges also enjoy protection when in the confines of their residence from a private security company. On the other hand, the Chief Justice (CJ), Bheki Maphalala, enjoys protection by members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), who guard his residences and also form a cavalcade when he is on transit. Meanwhile, according to impeccable sources within the Judiciary, some of the magistrates have raised concerns over their protection, following that a number of warrants have been posted on various social media platforms. When posted on social media platforms, these warrants have drawn the ire of some sectors of society who may be against the arrest of that individual, resulting in threats being made against the judicial officer who issued the warrant and their immediate families. The judicial officers who this publication engaged raised concerns that their safety was being disregarded, despite that the political climate did not permit this, given their involvement in cases emanating from some of the arrests emanating from the political landscape. They claimed that once they issued the warrants of arrest and or search and seizure, they circulated on social media, wherein members of the public accused them of being partial and or being against the people. Surety This, they claimed, had been raised in various platforms and they were yet to get surety that executing their duties would not threaten their lives and their immediate families. The judicial officers claimed that in one of the interactions wherein they raised their concerns, a suggestion of constant patrols within their residences was made. This, they claimed, was not good enough as the political situation in the country rendered them targets. Until their security concerns were addressed, some magistrates said they would have difficulty signing warrants, especially if they were of a political nature. The officers cited a number of incidents wherein warrants which dated back to the height of political unrest in the kingdom, including those issued for the arrest of legislators in Hosea Constituency Member of Parliament (MP) Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza, Ngwempisi Constituency MP Mthandeni Dube and former Siphofaneni MP Mduduzi Gawuzela Simelane, made their way to social media. A recent warrant of arrest that has been circulated on social media was issued in the Hhohho Region on June 20, 2022. The search warrant was issued against political activists residing in the Hhohho Region. It insinuated that the political activists were either involved in a charge or an offence, suspected in a commission of an offence, were in reasonable grounds believed to be concerned in the execution of an offence or may afford evidence of the suspected commission of a crime. Pursuant to the allegations and concerns raised by the judicial officers, a questionnaire was sent to the Acting Registrar of the Supreme Court, Siphiwo Masuku. She was informed that this publication was pursuing an article subsequent to allegations that judicial officers were no longer keen to sign warrants of arrest and also those of search and seizure. Masuku was informed that the reason advanced by some of the judicial officers was that their security was compromised as the legal documents found their way to social media platforms. In light of this, her assistance was sought to establish if any judicial officers had expressed concerns over their security after warrants they had signed were published in social media platforms. She was also questioned on what was being done to ensure that their safety was not compromised while they executed their duties and what was being done to ensure that they were safe. Masuku was also asked if the concerns of leaking official documents had been addressed within the Judiciary and what was a long-lasting solution to the concerns said to be raised by the judicial officers. Confirmed The questionnaire was sent on Saturday evening to Masuku and she confirmed receiving of it as she recited the queries brought to her attention on Saturday. However, she said they would need time to respond. On the other hand, Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said the issue would be raised in relevant structures. When asked if it would not affect their line of work as some investigations needed the warrants, Vilakati said: I cant discuss that with the media as it is an operational matter. It is worth noting that the police rely on magistrates when seeking search and seizure warrants and want certain individuals to offer evidence in their investigations. It is also worth noting that the concerns by some of the judicial officers are against the backdrop of security personnel being killed by unknown assailants. Last Monday, this publication reported that a police officer under the Traffic Department was shot by an unknown gunman. The police officer, Sibusiso Matsebula, was killed about 500 metres from his duty station - Matsapha Police Station, as the daring gunman shot him at Sigodvweni at about 7pm. The gunman reportedly cocked his gun in front of street vendors before assassinating Matsebula. His death was subsequent to a request made by Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Vilakati two Saturdays ago. Vilakati made a request to the public for any information that would assist with an investigation into the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting and injury of police officers. She said members of the public who might have any information that would lead to the arrest of those involved in the shooting (of police officers) could contact Manzini Regional Crime Branch Officer (RCBO) Thabo Hlophe on his mobile phone number 7606 8570 or the Desk Officer, Mphatsi Shabangu, at cellphone number 7604 3738. This was after a female officer, Zinhle Mavuso, from northern Hhohho, was shot dead while her colleague was shot in the chest. This incident happened in the wee hours of Saturday on the outskirts of the Manzini Central Business District (CBD). Gunshots During this attack, it was said at least 14 gunshots were fired at the motor vehicle that was being used by the two officers to patrol around the area, to ensure that the heavy plant machinery used by two construction companies was safe from the arson attacks currently being witnessed countrywide. The heavy plant machinery is said to belong to Inyatsi Construction Group and Stefanutti Stocks and is parked at two different sites close to the interchange road being constructed. On the other hand, Matsebula was the third State security agent to have been shot dead by unknown gunmen. Last month, a member of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) was shot dead by gunmen who attacked him at his home where he was reportedly holding a home cell prayer at New Village in Manzini. Another attempt at killing police officers was witnessed last month when two traffic police officers were aimed at by gunmen while they were inside the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) caravan. The REPS caravan is normally parked at the cooling station for trucks at Mangwaneni, just before descending the Malagwane Hill. The cooling station is situated along the MR3 Public Road, behind the prime ministers residence. The shooting incident happened at around 11pm and one of the police officers was shot on the chin while going about his duties inside the caravan and had to be admitted to a healthcare facility. His colleague escaped without injuries. CM Eknath t paid homage at Hutatma Chowk Memorial after winning the vote of confidence in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, on Monday Image Source: IANS News CM Eknath t paid homage at Hutatma Chowk Memorial after winning the vote of confidence in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, on Monday Image Source: IANS News Mumbai, July 4 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said he was 'oppressed and suppressed' for long and treated in an unfair manner that ultimately resulted in the major revolt that led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government headed by former CM Uddhav Thackeray. In his maiden address to the Assembly after winning the crucial vote of confidence - 164 in favour and 99 against - Shinde recalled that the recent political happenings did not occur in just one day and was the culmination of many past instances when he was short-changed. "There are many people here, like (Shiv Sena MLA) Sunil Prabhu, and others who have witnessed how I was treated and suppressed for long," said Shinde, at times becoming emotional and sad. He harked to NCP President Sharad Pawar, and how he had reportedly said that NCP-Congress leaders were unwilling to work under Shinde, and then he (Sharad Pawar) insisted that the Sena President Thackeray should assume responsibility as CM. However, after the MVA came to power, Shinde mentioned how senior leader Ajit Pawar - the new Leader of Opposition - had told him that an 'accident' had taken place in the Shiv Sena and Congress-NCP was never against him (Shinde) becoming the CM. In November 2019, the Shiv Sena joined the MVA alliance of Nationalist Congress Party-Congress which collapsed on June 30, 2022 after 31 months in office. Hinting at a grudge even during the previous Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena regime, Shinde said he was promised the post of Deputy CM, and even BJP's Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had assured him of a 'good post' soon - which never materialised. "I was continuously harassed in the MVA, treated unfairly even during the assembly elections. So, I rebelled against all the injustice. I have got justice now. Even if we are martyred, we shall not retreat," Shinde asserted. He said that after the rebellion (June 20), the group of MLAs supporting him were branded as 'traitors', but said "we are not traitors, and fought for justice just as Balasaheb taught us." He described the two-and-half years in the MVA government as "not a very happy experience", with people writing against Veer Savarkar and talking against Balasaheb Thackeray. Shinde also elaborated on his fondness for the Sena where he grew politically under the guidance of Thane's Anand Dighe and then Balasaheb Thackeray, terming the party as "my family where I spent my life". "I never hankered for any position. I am grateful to the BJP. Our natural alliance is with BJP. I tried to tell this to Uddhav Thackeray five times. The MLAs were asking how to remain in power with those who are anti-Hindutva. We are the Shiv Sainiks of Balasaheb and Dighe," said Shinde. "We will now establish the 'aam aadmi and people raj'. In the next elections, we shall win 200 seats," said Shinde. In his speech, the BJP's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis extolled Shinde's virtues, his long political career, contributions and many sacrifices which were ignored for long. Taunting at the trolls who roasted him for his 'Mee Punha Yaeen' (I will return) slogan of 2019, Fadnavis said: "I have indeed returned, and this time brought even Eknath Shinde with mea!" However, now, he would take his sweet "revenge" by 'just forgiving' the trolls and critics who severely lampooned him for so long. To the rants by some Opposition MLAs shouting "ED, ED" at some MLAs during the vote of confidence, Fadnavis shot back, saying "its correct that the new government is formed by ED - Eknath and Devendra." He also took a swipe at Thackeray, without taking his name, saying there was a 'deficit in leadership' in the previous regime, but now strong and dedicated leaders (Shinde-Fadnavis) would be available 24x7 to serve the people. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in) Patna, July 4 : After two days of demolitions in Patna's Nepali Nagar and Rajiv Nagar, the Patna High Court on Monday stayed the action in the two localities, which, according to authorities, are illegal and encroach on government land. Directing a stop to the demolition for two days, the court has also directed Patna Distict Magistrate Chandrashekher Singh to appear before it. It has also directed the district administration to immediately release all the persons arrested on Sunday and Monday. The district administration has arrested 26 persons on the charge of stone pelting on a police party during the anti-encroachment drive. According to the District Magistrate, Rajiv Nagar and Nepali Nagar were developed illegally by land mafias. While the registries of lands of these localities have been completely banned, still, many people have got the registry done from other places or took power of attorney of the land. The lands belong to the Bihar Rajya Awas Board and local land mafias illegally sold government land to innocent people, he said. The district administration had served legal notices to every resident to vacate the land a month ago. However, local residents claimed that they are own legal registry of lands and are also paying municipal taxes, electricity, and power bills for more than 20 years. If the land belongs to Bihar Rajya Awas board, how did they get government facilities like power supply and house tax was accepted, they asked. Meanwhile, BJP MLA Sanjiv Chaurasia has questioned the demolition drive, saying that District Magistrate has not given any of the documents he had demanded. "I went to the affected area and demanded the documents under which the demolition drive was initiated from the District Magistrate but he denied them. "As per the 1995 Patna high court order, the state government was directed to give adequate compensation to the land owners. The current rate of compensation is Rs 27 par Katha land. Besides, the authority has to give proper reasons for acquiring the land followed by its utilisation," Chaurasia said. London, July 4 : Elena Rybakina advanced to the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time in her career after a hard-fought 7-5, 6-3 win over Petra Martic of Croatia here on Monday. It took Rybakina, the No. 17 seed, one hour and 20 minutes to overcome the world No. 80 Croatian in a match that was tighter than the 7-5, 6-3 scoreline suggested. The 31-year-old Martic recovered from a 0-3 deficit in the first set, claiming four games straight to take a 4-3 lead. But helped by her power hitting, the Kazakhstani recovered to level in the eighth game and secured the 46-minute opener in the 10th game. Rybakina seized the ascendancy when she broke Martic's serve for a third time in the sixth game of the second set, closing out the victory with a forehand winner on her first match point. She will face either Alize Cornet or Ajla Tomljanovic in the quarterfinals. The result takes Rybakina one round further than on her 2021 debut when she made the last 16 and puts her into her second career major quarterfinal following Roland Garros 2021. The 23-year-old becomes the second Kazakh to reach the last eight at SW19 following Yaroslava Shvedova, who made that stage in 2016. Rybakina extended her head-to-head lead against Martic to 2-0, having previously defeated the Croat 7-6(5), 7-6(2) in the 2020 Dubai semifinals. That victory was part of the 21-4 record with which she started that year, a surge that took Rybakina into the Top 20 just before the Covid shutdown. Kolkata, July 4 : Triggering fresh controversy, West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee on Monday appointed turncoat legislator, Krishna Kalyani as the Chairman of the Assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Although Kalyani, the MLA from Raigunj assembly constituency in North Dinajpur district, officially continues to be an elected BJP legislator, several media reports, and video clippings of news channels show Kalyani joining Trinamool Congress in October last year. Already, a petition filed by the BJP is pending in the Calcutta High Court demanding disqualification of party legislators joining the ruling Trinamool Congress after the 2021 Assembly elections. The post of the PAC Chairman became vacant after Mukul Roy, officially still a BJP legislator, resigned from the chair on health grounds on June 27. While appointing Kalyani as the new PAC Chairman, the Speaker observed that like Roy, there is no concrete evidence that Kalyani has joined the Trinamool, and hence, he will be considered a BJP legislator. The post of PAC Chairman, as per tradition, is always held by any legislator from the opposition bench. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, who recently threatened to take legal steps if Kalyani is made the PAC Chairman, refused to make any comment on this issue on Monday. "He is appointed by the assembly Speaker... so go and ask him," he said. However, BJP state spokesman, Shamik Bhattacharya said that Banerjee has proved that he has just confined his role as a Trinamool legislator and could not get himself upgraded as the Speaker. "Our struggle against such an act both within the court and outside will continue," he said. CPI-M Central Committee member and the former leader of Left legislative parties in the Assembly, Sujan Chakraborty said that such actions are contrary to the traditions and sanctity of the Assembly. "Krishna Kalyani got elected as a BKP legislator in the 2021 Assembly elections and then he joined Trinamool Congress. He was not initially a member of PAC. But first he was given a backdoor entry to the committee and then made its Chairman," he said. Not a single Trinamool leader was ready to speak on this issue, saying that they have nothing to say on the Speaker's decision. Ahmedabad, July 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched 'Digital India Week 2022' on the theme 'Catalyzing New India's Techade' nationwide at Mahatma Mandir here. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Rajiv Chandrasekhar were present on the occasion. During the event, a number of innovative digital initiatives were unveiled by the Prime Minister to make the benefits of public welfare easily available to the citizens through technology. The Prime Minister inaugurated 'IndiaStack Global', 'My Scheme', 'Meri Pahechan', 'Digital India Bhashini', 'Digital India Genesis', 'Chips to Startup Program' and 'Catalyzing New India's Techade E-Book' at the event. PM Modi shared many success stories of digital India during the inauguration. He said, India has set an example of how revolutionary the correct use of technology is for the whole of humanity as the Digital India Campaign. "I am glad that this campaign, which started eight years ago, has been expanding itself with the changing times. The country which does not adopt modern technology with time, is left behind. India has been a victim of this during the Third Industrial Revolution. But today we can proudly say that India is leading the world in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Industry 4.0," he said. He said, "Just remember the situation 8-10 years ago, there was a line to take birth certificate, to submit bills, for rations, for admission, for result and certificates. India removed so many lines by becoming online. Now even a street vendor uses the same digital payment system which a mall's showroom uses. I saw a video where a beggar was using digital payment QR code." Counting the benefits of digital India during pandemic, Modi said, "More than Rs 23 lakh crore has been sent directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries in the last 8 years through DBT. Due to this technology, Rs 2.23 lakh crore has been saved from falling into the wrong hands. The system got rapid and transparent due to digitisation. We reduced the corruption of middle man by introducing digital platforms. There was a day when during my tenure as CM in Gujarat, we discussed opening post office accounts for widows, and it created so much chaos." "We transferred thousands of crores of rupees to the bank accounts of crores of women, farmers, labourers at a single click. With the help of One Nation-One Ration Card, we have ensured free rations to over 80 crore people. We run the world's largest and most efficient Covid vaccination program. When whole world struggled for Covid certificates, Indians get it on their phones within minutes of getting the vaccine and some people are asking questions like why Modi's photo was there on the vaccine certificate?" Talking about fintech, PM said, "FinTech's endeavour is truly a solution by the people, of the people, for the people. The technology is India's own, i.e. by the people. This facilitated the transactions of the countrymen. Around 2,200 transactions get successfully done per second through UPI. Our GIFT city of Gandhinagar is going to be a leading FinTech hub in upcoming days, that's my promise." Today, India is working towards the goal of taking electronics manufacturing to over 300 billion in the next three to four years, PM Modi said, adding India wants to become chip maker from chip taker. Investment in India to increase production of semiconductors is increasing rapidly. Srinagar, July 4 : The Army rescued an injured Amarnath pilgrim and moved him towards safety when he fell from his pony after performing the darshan at the holy cave, officials said on Monday. Satyanarayan Toshneya, 50, hailing from Akola, Maharashtra was coming back from holy cave after darshan along with his daughter and wife on a pony. "Near Brarimarg, the pony got disbalanced and the pilgrim fell down, approximately 100 ft towards the river. The individual sustained severe head injury and fractures in chest," army said. "Army troops, along with Mobile Rescue Team rushed to the spot and evacuated the individual to Medical Aid Post of Army, Bararimarg. He was provided with first aid at MAP and helicopter was called immediately and the individual was evacuated from Bararimarg helipad. He is accompanied by his Daughter." The Army said he has been shifted to Srinagar for further treatment. Jaipur, July 4 : Six days after Kanhaiya Lal's murder, Udaipur city began reopening on Monday as the district administration relaxed the curfew from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for 12 hours. Also, Internet services resumed after 136 hours. On Monday, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat reached Kanhaiya Lal Sahu's family members. Shekhawat met his son and wife and consoled them. Shekhawat said that the negligent working of the state government and the police are responsible for this murder. Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had also scheduled a visit to Udaipur on Monday where she will make a night halt and will return to Jaipur on Tuesday. She will also meet the bereaved family. Bharatiya Janata Party state president Satish Poonia will visit Udaipur to meet Kanhaiya's family on July 6. Kolkata, July 4 : The trespasser who stayed overnight at the residence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hoodwinking the security personnel, had earlier tried to sneak into the state secretariat Nabanna at Mandirtala in Howrah district. The Kolkata Police on Monday disclosed the identity of the trespasser while presenting him at a lower court in Kolkata, which sent him to police custody till July 11. The arrested person has been identified as Hafizul Mollah, a resident of Hasnabad in North 24 Parganas district. A senior police officer confirmed that Hafizul Mollah made a similar failed attempt to trespass into the state secretariat Nabanna before. However, he was released after being cautioned. Meanwhile, a high-level meeting was conducted at Nabanna on Monday in the wake of the security breach at the Chief Minister's residence. The meeting chaired by Chief Secretary H.K. Dwivedi was attended by the Director (Security), Vivek Sahay, and Commissioner of Kolkata Police, Vineet Kumar Goyal. Sources aware of the proceedings of the meeting said that the Sahay faced the ire of the Chief Secretary because of the security breach at Banerjee's house. Dwivedi also ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter and said that disciplinary proceedings will be initiated against anyone found guilty of negligence towards duty that resulted in the security lapse. Some of the police officers deputed for the Chief Minister's security will be replaced immediately. Meanwhile, the investigating team is now trying to find out the motive behind Mollah entering the Chief Minister residence. According to city police sources, during interrogation, Mollah repeatedly claimed that he entered the Banerjee's house mistaking it as Laalbazar, the Kolkata Police headquarters. However, the probe team did not subscribe to the idea. Srinagar, July 4 : Jammu and Kashmir's National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday announced that they will contest the next Assembly elections in the UT jointly. Addressing media here, NC President and the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) Chairman, Dr. Farooq Abdullah said: "We will contest the elections together. There is a political party that said that they have left the alliance. "The truth is that they were never part of the alliance. They had come to break us from within." His reference was to the Peoples Conference (PC) headed by Sajad Gani Lone who had initially joined the PAGD, but later left the grouping. PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, who addressed reporters separately, said: "We intend to contest the elections together as it is the will of the people that we should strive together for the restoration of our lost dignity." Responding to a question, Abdullah said elections can be held whenever the government wants. About the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, he said Kashmiris have over the years ensured that the Yatra is held peacefully and smoothly. Asked about the government's decision to have the national flag hoisted on every home under the 'Har Ghar Pe Tiranga' programme, Abdullah said: "The government can hoist the flag on every house, but it would be great if the people fly the national flag on their own." The PAGD was formed in the aftermath of abrogation of Article 370 and downgrading of the state to a Union Territory in August 2019. The alliance comprises of 5 parties - the NC, the PDP, the Awami National Conference, the CPI-M and the J&K Peoples Movement - and seeks restoration of Article 370 and statehood to J&K. Kolkata, July 4 : After going through a stormy campaign session in the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections on behalf of the BJP, Bollywood superstar Mithun Chakraborty went into hibernation. On Monday, he announced his comeback in active politics before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections at a press conference at the state headquarters of the BJP in Kolkata. "I was inactive for some time because of health reasons. But I am fit now. So, I came to Kolkata today and had a meeting with the state BJP president, Sukanta Majumdar. I will work on specific assignments given to me by the party leadership, which I am unable to disclose now," he said. Commenting on the results of the BJP in the 2021 West Bengal assembly polls, he said that in his opinion the BJP's performance was more than satisfactory. "Hitting the bull's eye at the first chance is not always possible. So, to my opinion, there is no reason to be disheartened by the results, since lots of battles are there in the near future," he said. According to him, his comeback to active politics was prompted by his intention to do something positive for the society. "In my personal capacity, I always tried to return something to society against what I got from it. But somewhere now I feel that effort cannot be enough unless you are in a position of power. And whatever I want to do in politics is to serve the society. Personally, I have nothing to gain from politics," he said. In his early days as a student of Scottish Church College, Mithun Chakraborty got involved with the Naxalite movement. During the height of his stardom, he was extremely close to Bengali Marxist and former West Bengal minister, late Subhash Chakraborty. After the 2011 West Bengal elections, which marked the end of the 34-year Left Front rule, he got close to the West Bengal chief minister, Mamata Banerjee and in 2014 he was also nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Trinamool Congress. However, differences developed between him and the Trinamool Congress over the Saradha chit fund scam and in December 2016 he resigned from the Rajya Sabha. The actor-turned politician had joined the BJP on March 7, 2021 at a mega rally in Kolkata in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) today (July 4) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with GE Digital to accelerate the digital transformation of the Emirates manufacturing sector. This will be done by leveraging innovative solutions to strengthen the UAEs position as a global hub for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), according to a joint statement from ADDED and GE. The agreement was signed by Sameh Abdulla Al Qubaisi, Director General of Economic Affairs at ADDED and Dr Dalya Al Muthanna, President of GE in the UAE and Global Chief of Strategy & Operations for GE International Markets, following the Make it in the Emirates Forum as part of the UAE's plans to boost the industrial sector. ADDED and GE Digital will collaborate to adopt circular economy strategies to drive a more productive, competitive, advanced, and innovative sector while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants. The partnership with GE is a testament of our efforts to ensure that Abu Dhabis smart and circular economy is supported by strong alliances and clear objectives. The manufacturing sector is the largest non-oil Gross Domestic Product contributor, with an estimated AED 83.5 billion added to Abu Dhabis GDP. Such initiatives with strategic global partners will guide the industrial sector towards playing an even greater role in economic diversification, and thus multiplying contributions to the economy, Sameh Abdulla Al Qubaisi, Director General of Economic Affairs of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, said. Abu Dhabi is incentivising manufacturers by empowering them as they transition to Industry 4.0 technologies. We will continue to support and pave the way for the industries of the future based on sustainable, smart, innovative methods and practices, he added. Through this agreement, GE Digital will provide its expertise to accelerate the pace of technological transformation in the industrial sector and share best practices for designing and launching incentive packages to advance the shift towards applications of the Industry 4.0, support the UAE Sustainability and circular economy initiatives, the statement said. GE Digital will also work closely together with ADDED to provide skillset development programmes to increase diversified technical knowledge in the manufacturing community, aligned with Abu Dhabi Governments vision to upskill human capital and enable a future-ready workforce, it added. The UAEs manufacturing sector plays a pivotal role in the diversification of the national economy, with Abu Dhabi accounting for 40% of that and having invested more than AED 51 billion over the past 15 years to establish a robust industrial infrastructure. Such initiatives by ADDED and GE Digital serve to expedite the adoption of circular manufacturing operations and implement the efficiencies of technology offered by Industry 4.0 advancements. GE will provide advisory services on designing a program aligned to support the digital transformation of the sector. Through its continuous digital transformation, the manufacturing sector in the UAE is in a strong position to drive greater productivity and efficiency, lower total cost of ownership, and increase profitability. We are pleased to partner with ADDED to advance Abu Dhabi and UAEs position as a global hub for the Fourth Industrial Revolution by leveraging innovative solutions while also contributing to nurturing a knowledge economy. Additionally, we will work together with ADDED to drive the adoption of circular manufacturing operations for a more sustainable future for all, Dr Dalya Al Muthanna, President of GE in the UAE and Global Chief of Strategy & Operations for GE International Markets, said. With the digitalisation of the industrial space across all sectors, GE is fostering a culture of innovation across the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and Pakistan. Its advanced technological solutions and the Industrial Internet of Things is helping to serve customers better while meeting the growing needs of the region. GEs innovation, research and learning centers, in collaboration with its partners, play a key role in building and empowering local capabilities to prepare for a new digital industrial era.--TradeArabia News Service Hyderabad, July 4 : Telangana's ruling TRS received a jolt on Monday when the Mayor of Badangpet Municipal Corporation and two corporators joined the opposition Congress. Mayor Parijatha Narsimha Reddy, along with corporators Santosha Srinivas and Peddabavi Sudershan Reddy joined the Congress, in the presence of party leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi. State Congress President A. Revanth Reddy and other party leaders were present. Parijatha was elected Mayor of the newly-created urban body on the outskirts of Hyderabad after defecting to the TRS from the Congress along with few other corporators. Alleging that she was being sidelined in the TRS, she sent her resignation to party's Ranga Reddy district chief and MLA Manchireddy Kishan Reddy. She stated that depsite her sincere efforts to work for the TRS, the party leaders in Maheshwaram Assembly constituency and Badangpet Corporation were sidelining her. After meeting Rahul Gandhi along with the Mayor, two corporators and other leaders, Revanth Reddy said the Congress would continue its fight against wrong policies of both the BJP government at the Centre and the TRS government in the state. He said Gandhi suggested them to stand by the people in the fight against both the Central and Telangana governments. Revanth Reddy said that as a party which carved out Telangana state, the Congress also has the responsibility to save the state. He said while Narendra Modi government has burdened the common man with steep and indiscriminate hike in prices of petroleum products, the TRS government headed by KCR has pushed Telangana into a debt trap, alleging that not only has the development of Telangana come to a standstill but the state is on the verge of going bankrupt. Beijing, July 4 : Moscow supports expanding the UN Security Council (UNSC), but not by admitting Germany and Japan, Russian Ambassador to China, Andrey Denisov, said on Monday. In his address at the plenary session of the UN World Peace Forum in Beijing, Denisov, whose key statements have been published on the embassy's social media accounts, he claimed that the Security Council has become a place where "the Western colleagues carry out propaganda, presenting their views as the ultimate truth", RT reported. Therefore, he argued, there is a pressing need to reform the UN. "Our country is in favour of expanding the composition of the UN Security Council on the basis of a broad consensus. To do this, it is necessary to increase the share of African, Asian and Latin American states," Denisov said, explaining that this would make the council "more democratic". He added that Russia is open to the idea of membership for India and Brazil, but not Germany and Japan, "since this will not change the internal balance in any way", RT reported. His remarks followed multiple calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to strip Russia of its membership, amid Moscow's military operation in his country. The US, however, has repeatedly made it clear that Russia will remain a permanent member of the UNSC, as there is no way to exclude the country. There have been discussions about increasing the number of permanent Security Council members since the approval of the UN Charter in 1945. Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan have made the strongest demands, the report said. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War New York, July 4 : The Senate House Committee probing ex-President Donald Trump's alleged involvement in the Capitol Hills riots of January 6, 2021 or the "Insurrection", could mark out multiple criminal referrals, including that of the former President, the panel's vice-chair, Republican Liz Cheney, said in an interview broadcast on Sunday. "We'll make a decision as a committee about it," the Wyoming Republican told ABC News when asked about the prospect of referring Trump for prosecution and saying "yes" when asked whether a referral of Trump was possible. "The Justice Department doesn't have to wait for the committee to make a criminal referral, and there could be more than one criminal referral," Cheney said. The January 6 committee has been split on the issue of criminal referrals, even as members are in wide agreement that Trump committed a crime when he pushed conspiracies about the 2020 Presidential elections. Cheney said it is probable that the panel would take a stance on whether Trump should be prosecuted. "We may well as a committee have a view on that," she said, adding, "If you just think about it from the perspective of what kind of man knows that a mob is armed and sends the mob to attack the Capitol and forth incites that mob when his own vice-president is under threat?" The US is 'confronting a domestic threat' in Donald Trump, Cheney said. Her remarks came on the back of explosive testimony heard by the panel from a former top aide in White House, Cassidy Hutchinson, who recalled being told of Trump's anger when informed by his Secret Service detail he couldn't accompany protesters to the Capitol on January 6, according to CNN TV News network. Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, the other Republican serving on the January 6 committee besides Cheney, told CNN that Cassidy's testimony had "been inspiring for a lot of people", and that more witnesses have come forward since her explosive revelations last week. "There will be way more information," he said. On the "State of the Union", Kinzinger said he didn't want to "get into who or any of those details" about potential new witnesses, but noted that "everyday we get new people who come forward" to the committee. In her testimony, Hutchinson said she was told by former White House deputy chief of staff Tony Ornato that Trump tried to grab the steering wheel of the car and lunged at Secret Service agent Bobby Engel on January 6 when he was told they were going back to the West Wing and not to the Capitol. Since then, Hutchinson's sworn testimony has been questioned by some Trump allies, not speaking under oath. But two Secret Service sources told CNN that stories had circulated about the incident -- including details that are similar to how Hutchinson described it to the January 6 committee. The Secret Service has said the agents involved in the described incident, some of whom were already interviewed by the panel, will be made available to testify again under oath. When asked if Ornato would testify before the committee, Kinzinger responded that "there's information I can't say yet". "But certainly, we could say that Cassidy Hutchinson has testified under oath. We find her credible and anybody that wants to disparage her... now that was a firsthand account... they should also come and testify under oath." "What she said is what she heard. At no point did she say she was in the Beast with the President and saw this happen," Kinzinger pointed out, noting that no one has come forward to dispute the fact that Trump wanted to go to the Capitol on January 6. Key points from the Jan 6 insurrection hearings "It's very chilling, and I think certainly we will continue to present to the American people what we've found," Cheney recalled. She said the committee had evidence corroborating Trump's fury at being told he couldn't go to the Capitol on January 6. "The committee has significant evidence on a whole range of issues, including the President's intense anger," she said, adding, "You will continue to see in coming days and weeks additional detail about the President's activities and behaviour on that day." What the criminal referral could look like? California Democrat Adam Schiff, who also serves on the January 6 panel, told CBS on Sunday that he believes there is evidence that Trump "engaged in multiple violations of the law and that should be investigated". Cheney, who has experienced significant blowback from fellow Republicans for her denunciations of Trump and her role leading the investigation into the January 6 riots, insisted the proceedings are not meant to politically disqualify Trump from running for President again. Instead, the hearing is meant to give the American people an account of what happened that day, even as she acknowledged there wasn't a "single thing" she's learned that made her less concerned about Trump returning to the White House. "A man as dangerous as Donald Trump can absolutely never be anywhere near the Oval Office ever again," she had said. CNN had previously reported that Trump is anxiously mulling when, exactly, he should announce a 2024 presidential run -- a decision that has become even more pressing as he tries to reclaim control of his image following the spate of damaging revelations by the January 6 committee. Cheney, fighting for political survival, seeks crossover support from Wyoming Democrats. Cheney, who is facing an uphill climb in her bid for reelection in Wyoming, said the Republican Party would not survive if Trump is selected as the GOP presidential nominee in 2024. While she refused to rule out a presidential bid of her own, she said her focus is currently elsewhere. "I haven't made a decision about that yet, and I'm obviously very focused on my reelection, I'm very focused on the January 6 committee, I'm very focused on my obligations to do the job I have now. And I'll make a decision about '24 down the road," she said. Schiff predicts how the next hearing could play Schiff said on Sunday the committee's next hearing will focus on connections between the Trump White House and various organisations that were present at Trump's January 6 rally in Washington ahead of the attack on the Capitol. "Our very next hearing will be focused on the efforts to assemble that mob on the mall," the California Democrat said, adding, "Who was participating, who was financing it, how it was organised, including the participation of these White nationalist groups like the 'Proud Boys', the 'Three Percenters' and others." The select committee has not announced a date for future hearings, and Schiff did not offer any further information on dates or potential witnesses. The Congressman said this on Sunday during an appearance on CBS News' 'Face the Nation', setting the stage for the second month of the panel's summer hearing slate. "And so, we'll be presenting the information we have. We haven't answered all the questions that we have. We continue our investigation into precisely the issue you're describing," he said, adding the panel held six hearings last month, and more are expected after Independence Day in July. Who are the 'Proud Boys' at the centre of the Capitol Hill riots? The Proud Boys describe themselves as a "pro-Western fraternal organisation for men who refuse to apologise for creating the modern world". The Oath Keepers is a loosely organised group largely composed of former law enforcement and military personnel, according to the Justice Department. Prosecutors have hit members of both groups with seditious conspiracy and other charges for their actions surrounding the Capitol riots. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), chairman of the January 6 committee, had indicated in June that investigators have evidence to show the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers were in contact with members of Trump's inner circle. New Delhi, July 4 : Delhi on Monday reported considerable decline in fresh Covid infection in last 24 hours, at 420 against 648 reported the previous day, while there was one more death, as per the government health bulletin. Meanwhile, the Covid positivity rate has risen marginally to 5.25 per cent, while the number of active cases stands at 2,938, out of which the number of patients being treated in home isolation stands at 2,348. With 749 patients recovering in the last 24 hours, the total number of recoveries has gone to 19,08,223. With new Covid cases, the total caseload of the city has jumped to 19,37,433 while the death toll has reached 26,272. The number of Covid containment zones in the city stands at 364. A total of 8,002 new tests -- 6,872 RT-PCR and 1,130 Rapid Antigen - were conducted in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 3,91,23,969 while 9,701 vaccines were administered - 518 first doses, 1,470 second doses, and 7,713 precaution doses. The total number of cumulative beneficiaries vaccinated so far stands at 3,50,82,798, according to the health bulletin. New Delhi, July 4 : The Director General of National Investigation Agency (NIA), Dinkar Gupta, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the latter's residence on Monday. While the purpose of the meeting has not been disclosed yet, it is said that it was a courtsey call. However, according to some sources, they discussed the crucial updates on the barbaric killings that took place in Rajasthan's Udaipur, and in Maharashtra's Amravati. The meeting lasted for around 35 minutes. After coming out of Shah's residence, Gupta refused to comment on what took place during the meeting. He was also tight-lipped over the developments in the cases pertaining to Udaipur and Amravati. He also didn't say anything on the possibilities of any connection between the two incidents. Amaravati, July 4 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release the resource gap grant of Rs 34,125.5 crore. He submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister at Gannavaram Airport in Vijayawada before seeing him off. Modi visited Bhimavaram in West Godavari district to launch 125th birth anniversary celebrations of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju. In the memorandum, Jagan Mohan Reddy appealed to the PM to release pending arrears. The Chief Minister also demanded the Centre to pay Rs 6,627.28 crore towards the dues from Telangana discoms to the Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation. He also urged the Prime Minister to consider the revised estimates of the Polavaram Project and give approval for Rs 55,548.87 crore. Jagan Mohan Reddy reminded Modi that the ration given to the state under the National Food Security Act is not rational and this is causing serious damage to the state, and requested him to take appropriate measures to amend it. The Chief Minister also appealed for adequate financial support for newly-established medical colleges in the state and also requested clearances for Bhogapuram Airport. He also urged the PM to allocate iron ore mines to Andhra Pradesh Development Corporation (APMDC). He reiterated the demand for special status to the state saying this would help the state to recover from the impact of bifurcation. Chandigarh, July 4 : Punjab Police on Monday got transit remand of four accused, including two shooters, in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case, from a Delhi court. The four accused, whose transit remand were accepted, are Priyabarat alias Fauzi, the alleged main shooter, Kashish alias Kuldeep, Deepak alias Tinu, an aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who was brought by Delhi Police on a production warrant, and Keshav Kumar, who allegedly provided a vehicle and other help to the escaping shooters. An application was filed by the Special Prosecutor to grant the transit remand to the accused. The court observed that as persons arrested have been accused of committing cognisable offence, thus their transit remand for one day was granted to produce them before the court concerned as early as possible. It also said that the medical examination of the accused be conducted as per rules and guidelines laid down by the apex court. If accused need any medical facility, the investigating officer is directed to ensure that the accused get the medical help within time, the court said. Moosewala was shot dead in Punjab on May 29. New Delhi, July 5 : The Indian High Commission in Canada, following a controversy over poster of a documentary 'Kaali' that was showcased at Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, has urged the organisers to withdraw all provocative material. In a statement, the High Commission said that they have received complaints from leaders of the Hindu community in Canada about "disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods on the poster of a film showcased as part of the 'Under the Tent' project at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto." "Our Consulate General in Toronto has conveyed these concerns to the organisers of the event," read the statement. "We are also informed that several Hindu groups have approached authorities in Canada to take action. We urge the Canadian authorities and the event organizers to withdraw all such provocative material," it added. The controversy erupted after filmmaker Leena Manimekalai shared the poster of the film on social media that depicts a woman dressed as Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette in the poster. Jaipur, July 5 : In a series of decisions taken by the Rajasthan government to promote Khadi and Khadi workers, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has approved the draft of "Khadi Workers Economic Incentive Scheme". Along with this, he on Monday also approved Rs 9 crore for extending financial assistance to Khadi workers in the year 2022-23. With this, over 20,000 Khadi workers of the state will get "adequate" remuneration, the state government said in a statement, adding that it "will help improve their living conditions". Under the scheme, Khadi thread makers and weavers of the state will be provided "additional" incentive per gundi or per square meter in addition to the rates fixed by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). Apart from this, workers engaged in Khadi organisations and societies will also be able to get incentive per square meter on the items produced by such organisations and societies. An expenditure of Rs 36 lakh will be incurred for the manufacture of software, computer operators and other works including data entry. "The Khadi and Village Industries Board will invite applications from the workers through Khadi Institutions/Committees, and the incentive will be transferred directly in the bank account of the beneficiary". It is noteworthy that the Chief Minister had announced the "Khadi Workers Economic Incentive Scheme" in the budget 2022-23, aiming to provide adequate remuneration to the workers of the Khadi sector. Javascript Error Javascript is deactivated in your browser. To use all functions on this portal, for example the login, Javascript must be activated. Please activate Javascript in your browser settings. Al Buraimi Industrial City, which falls under the umbrella of Oman's public establishment for industrial estates (Madayn) has signed an investment contract with Al Pharabi Company for Veterinary and Agricultural Medicines to set up a manufacturing plant at its Al Buraimi Industrial City. Once operational, the new facility will begin manufacturing of veterinary and agricultural medicines, vitamins, food supplements and feed additives, said a statement from Madayn. This project will come up on a 6,000 sqm area at an investment of RO2 million ($5.17 million). The contract was signed by Said bin Abdullah Al Balushi, Director General of Al Buraimi Industrial City, and Jamal bin Said Al Ojaili, the Al Pharabi Company for Veterinary and Agricultural Medicines Director. The plant will be able to produce more than 200 types of pharmaceuticals for veterinary use, vitamins and food supplements, and will present an added value for Al Buraimi Industrial City and the Sultanates market, stated Al Balushi. The products will also be exported to the companys agents in a number of Arab and African countries, thus contributing to the national economy, he added.-TradeArabia News Service The fourth acquisition of the Viennese investor group this year is signed and sealed: JPI Hospitality Investors Club has secured the vintage hotel Hotel Milano in Madonna di Campiglio at an altitude of 1600 metres in the midst of the Brenta Dolomites. Hotel Milano located at Piazza Righi, 10 i... Photos: JP Immobilien [] Stoneweg Group has added three Directors to its Board, and appointed Yvan Mermod and Rafael Cerezo to the newly created roles of CFO and CIO respectively. It follows a strong period of growth since Stonewegs inception in 2015, and the arrival of these highly experienced industry professionals is a [] Take-up of space in Dublins industrial and logistics market in the first-half of 2022 totalled 1.3 million sq ft according to new data from Savills Ireland. After a strong Q1, 438,000 sq ft of industrial and logistics space transacted in Q2 2022, well below the five-year quarterly average of... [] A new Cheba Hut shop has made its debut to 306 W Holly St, Bellingham, WA 98225. The toasted sub shop offers over 30 signature sub sandwiches, as well as a variety of Rice Krispy treats, salads, and munchies along with a full-service bar. Drinks like the Dirty Hippie, Hot Box, and Cheba Rita are all Cheba Hut signatures while the beer will feature a mix of national and local favorites including Chuckanut Brewery, Kulshan Brewing Company, Aslan Brewing Company, Wander Brewing, and Gruff Brewing. This Bellingham location is one Ive personally been looking forward to for a long time, said Chief Relationship Officer, Seth Larsen. Doug and Kristin are the perfect franchise partners for the job. We know this is going to be a huge success. Owners Doug and Kristin Engerman share over 30 years of experience in the fields of technology entrepreneurship and interior design. They were introduced to a Cheba Hut shop through their daughter while visiting her at the University of Colorado-Denver. The couple immediately fell in love with the brand and decided it would be a hit in the Bellingham community. Our location is unique because we are opening in the former Rocket Donuts building, says Kristin Engerman. This is a very well-known and loved location. We are excited because this is the first time Cheba Hut is opening a shop in Washington state, says Doug Engerman. The food and the vibe is a match for the Old Town community that embraces the cannabis culture and provides an amazing workplace that is accepting and inclusive for everybody. Cheba Hut has been escaping the established and getting toasted since its founding in 1998. The brand has broken the mold of mundane fast-casual concepts and set itself apart by becoming the first marijuana-themed sandwich joint (pun intended). Cheba Hut is dedicated to combining locally sourced ingredients with a chill, eclectic environment where genuine food is served by genuine people. For more information about Cheba Hut of Bellingham, visit the restaurants official website, https://chebahut.com/ or follow them on Facebook and Instagram. ABOUT CHEBA HUT: Cheba Hut has been escaping the established and getting toasted since 1998. Breaking the mold of mundane fast-casual concepts by becoming the first marijuana-themed sandwich joint, Cheba Hut is dedicated to providing customers with delicious and memorable sandwich and munchie options in a chill, eclectic environment where made-to-order food is served by genuine people. Cheba Hut's fun and authentic dining experience includes a full-service bar and highlights its menu because its not about getting high, its about epic food and legendary service! Blue Glass Hoop Earrings We believe that as Ladybug grows and sells more products, we'll be able to help give more business to our suppliers, and the chain goes on. Ladybug Glass Hoop Earrings was created by husband and wife Sim and Nechama Woitovich, who share a love for glass jewelry and wanted to provide stylish and stunning hoop earrings made from glass. Nechama thought of the idea in early 2022, and with her husband's help, they made their dream a reality. In June 2022, they launched the Ladybug Glass Hoop earring website. When someone logs onto the Ladybug website, they are greeted with gorgeous images of earrings from their product line. Currently, there are thirteen different colors of glass hoop earrings available, and more are constantly being released. Over the next few weeks, the site will offer a wide range of handmade glass hoop earrings in a rainbow of colors, perfect for any outfit or occasion. This collection is inspired by nature with a sunny yellow, ice blue, and aquamarine, the color of ocean waves. Some fun going-out options include a pair of earrings that goes from clear to hot pink under black lights. The glass hoop earrings are handblown by Sim in the family's glass shop. The shop is located in Highland Park, New Jersey, and local people can come down to the shop for glassblowing lessons. With over five years of experience working with glass, Nechama and Sim are confident that they will provide customers with the best glass hoop earrings on the market. So whether someone is looking for a new pair of everyday earrings or something special for a night out, Ladybug Glass Earrings has something for everyone. Ladybug's business model is geared towards supporting small businesses. Ladybug hoop earrings use only ethically sourced materials, including shipping materials. In addition to being ethically sourced, all their materials such as glass, gemstones, findings, earring backs, and posts are from companies in the United States. "The rising tide raises all ships," Sim says is the best way to sum up how they do business. "We believe that as Ladybug grows and sells more products, we'll be able to help give more business to our suppliers, and the chain goes on." Being that Ladybug does all their manufacturing gives them complete control of the hoop earrings production process from start to finish. Once the raw materials arrive in their shop, it is blown and shaped into the finished products. Packing and shipping happen on-site as well. So from start to finish, the process is completed with the utmost love and care. For more information, visit glasshoopearrings.com. We are extremely proud of Heritage Woods and White Oaks at Huntley and White Oaks at McHenry receiving Best Memory Care Facility in Crystal Lake recognition, says Rod Burkett, CEO of Gardant Management Solutions. Heritage Woods and White Oaks at Huntley and White Oaks of McHenry managed by Gardant Management Solutions have been recognized as Best Memory Care Facilities in Crystal Lake, IL for 2022 by MemoryCare.com for their commitment to providing memory care programs that seek to delay or halt cognitive decline while providing a safe environment and the opportunity for a social, independent lifestyle. Heritage Woods and White Oaks at Huntley Heritage Woods and White Oaks at Huntley is a Gardant senior community that has a tranquil setting by a large pond in a modern residential development off Illinois Route 47, conveniently next to a fire station and minutes from Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital. Amenities promote dignified lifestyles, including multiple activity, recreation and lounging areas, a therapy room, a salon and spa, a library/computer room and a country store. Residents receive ongoing health monitoring and nursing assessments, as well as medication reminders/assistance when needed. White Oaks at Huntley is the communitys dedicated 30-bed memory care neighborhood which has its own landscaped courtyard and living, dining and activity areas. Memory care residents benefit from 24-hour support by licensed nurses, as well as quarterly service plan meetings with staff and family members. What Residents Are Saying About Heritage Woods and White Oaks at Huntley Families praise the outstanding staff at Heritage Woods and White Oaks at Huntley. A residents loved one says, "They have done an excellent job of communicating with family members and have handled the COVID crisis with creativity, doing their best to help us visit our loved ones in person or virtually. They treat Mom as their own which makes all the difference. Reviews: 4.58 out of 5 stars; 43 reviews Phone: (847) 669-5185 Address:12450 Regency Pkwy., Huntley, IL 60142 Web: http://www.hw-huntley-alf.com White Oaks at McHenry White Oaks at McHenry is an inviting senior living community located just blocks from the beautiful Fox River. It provides secure yet comfortable accommodations for seniors facing Alzheimers and other memory loss conditions. All care providers receive dementia care training to ensure residents obtain the compassionate and caring services needed to maintain meaningful and dignified lives. Its caregivers are available 24 hours a day to help residents with medication management as well as assistance with activities of daily living, such as grooming, dressing and hygiene. Daily activities are specifically designed to promote self-expression, foster socialization, and spark memories. Three daily meals, as well as housekeeping and laundry services, are included, and scheduled transportation is available upon request. Residents have full access to on-site amenities, including a TV lounge, activity room, theater, general store, beauty salon and library. What Residents Are Saying About White Oaks at McHenry Residents enjoy the communitys homelike environment and caring staff. One family member states, "White Oaks is an exceptional memory care community. My aunt is a resident and has been since it opened. We love the care she receives. The apartments are spacious and warm and the staff is kind and helpful. Reviews: 4.29 out of 5 stars; 37 reviews Phone: (815) 344-2970 Address: 4605 W. Crystal Lake Rd., McHenry, IL 60050 Web: http://www.whiteoaks-mchenry.com We are extremely proud of Heritage Woods and White Oaks at Huntley and White Oaks at McHenry receiving Best Memory Care Facility in Crystal Lake recognition, says Rod Burkett, CEO of Gardant Management Solutions. This recognition is due to the dedicated efforts provided by the staff and management teams at these communities throughout the year, and it is indicative of their dedication to serving residents and committing to ongoing quality improvement. We are extremely thankful every day for their compassion and dedication! When determining Best Memory Care Facilities to highlight, MemoryCare.com uses data-driven research to identify and develop the best resources in all aspects of memory impairment and care. MemoryCare.coms team is comprised of doctors, aging experts, medical experts, and a Board of Directors, who all contribute to analyzing key care quality metrics, such as resident satisfaction ratings, facility features, affordability and, most importantly, first-hand reviews from families. Their data has highlighted that Heritage Woods and White Oaks at Huntley and White Oaks at McHenry are not only two of the best but have provided their residents with a level of care that far exceeds generally accepted care standards. ### ABOUT GARDANT MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS Gardant Management Solutions was built on the foundation that operating communities with dignity, compassion and enriched services would drive financial results. Our expertise in developing & operating environments that inspire vitality in our residents will create tangible business value for you. We applaud both Heritage Woods and White Oaks at Huntley and White Oaks at McHenry for achieving the recognition of Best Memory Care Facility in Crystal Lake for 2022. We appreciate their commitment to quality improvement and to our mission of enriching the lives of residents by providing them with the Love, Compassion, and Dignity they deserve in addition to the personal assistance, help with medications, and support services they need. ABOUT MEMORYCARE.COM MemoryCare.coms mission is to support older adults living with memory impairment and their families by using the latest, data-driven research and collaborating with memory care experts to provide resources that are accessible to all who are in need. Whether you are in the early stages of memory or cognitive impairment or care for a loved one in the later stages, MemoryCare.com has tools that can help. For more information, please visit http://www.memorycare.com. Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band at Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club We are very excited to have Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band for two fabulous nights of jazz at Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club to celebrate their 25-year anniversary!" Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club Features 4x-GRAMMY Award-Winner & 11x-GRAMMY Award Nominated Drummer, Composer & Bandleader BRIAN BLADE & THE FELLOWSHIP BAND on Friday August 12 & Saturday August 13 at 7:00 P.M. Renowned & critically acclaimed drummer Brian Blade is easily one of the most versatile and soulful musicians in Jazz and has been a long-standing member of legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorters band since the age of 30. One of jazzs most distinctive and sought-after drummers states NEW YORK TIMES. Brian Blade is one of the finest drummers of his generation- hes at the top of the list whether playing with extreme sensitivity or going full-throttle raves THE GUARDIAN. Formed in 1997, Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band celebrate their 25th anniversary at Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club. They released their eponymous Blue Note debut in 1998, but the bond among the musicians goes back even further. Brian Blade, the bands namesake and Drummer, first met Pianist Jon Cowherd in 1988 while attending Loyola University in New Orleans, and they met Bassist Chris Thomas in the Crescent City a year later. With Myron Walden (Alto Saxophone and Bass Clarinet) and Melvin Butler (Tenor Saxophone) the Fellowship Band unified their bond - we think of the band as a collective instrument, Cowherd says. Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band's latest release was in 2017 with their sublime and acclaimed fifth album, Body and Shadow, a succinct nine-track meditation on lightness/darkness that arrives like a balm for the soul, ebbing and flowing with grace, subtlety and no shortness of beauty. Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band have released five critically acclaimed albums: Brian Blade Fellowship (1998), Perceptual (2000), Season of Changes (2008), Landmarks (2014), Body and Shadow (2017). "It's a profoundly important band, and Blade is widely acknowledged as one of the top drummers in jazz," says DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE. Brian Blade has recorded with an exceptional list of top musicians, including: Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell, Ellis Marsalis, Marianne Faithfull, Emmylou Harris, Billy Childs, Bob Dylan, Norah Jones, Kenny Garrett, Joshua Redmond, Antonio Sanchez, John Scofield, Dianne Reeves, Elvis Costello, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Chick Corea, Michael Brecker, Roy Hargrove, Billy Childs, Bill Frisell, Sarah McLachlan, and many others. We are very excited to have Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band for two fabulous nights of jazz at Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club to celebrate their 25-year anniversary!" says Suzanne Bresette, the Managing Director of Programming at Jimmy's Jazz and Blues Club. "Brian is considered one of the greatest jazz drummers of all-time. It is an honor to have him at Jimmy's celebrating the 25-year anniversary of the Fellowship Band." Tickets for 4x-GRAMMY Award-Winner & 11x-GRAMMY Award Nominated Drummer, Composer & Bandleader BRIAN BLADE & THE FELLOWSHIP BAND on Friday August 12 & Saturday August 13 at 7:00 P.M. are available on the Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club Brian Blade Event Page. Jimmys Jazz & Blues Clubs 2022 Schedule of Shows currently includes 7 NEA Jazz Masters, 37 GRAMMY Award-Winning Artists, 35 Blues Music Award-Winners, and a comprehensive list of talented musicians with 500+ GRAMMY Award Nominations amongst them. Visit Jimmy's Online Event Calendar for Jimmys Jazz & Blues Clubs 2022 Schedule of Shows. Subscribe to Jimmys Email Newsletter to stay informed on new jazz and blues artist announcements, tickets, special offers, Jimmys Sunday Jazz Brunch, and much more. ABOUT JIMMYS JAZZ & BLUES CLUB The mission of Jimmys Jazz & Blues Club is to provide guests a one-of-a-kind, world-class experience featuring serious jazz and blues music served with exceptional southern-inspired cuisine. Jimmys Jazz & Blues Club features a spectacular and visually breathtaking environment engineered to deliver the highest quality acoustics while utilizing state-of-the-art production, sound and lighting technologies. Jimmys Jazz & Blues Club is located within a beautifully restored 1905 building at 135 Congress Street in the heart of historic downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire. For more information visit http://www.jimmysoncongress.com or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JimmysJazzBlues. PRIVATE EVENTS AT JIMMY'S JAZZ & BLUES CLUB An architecturally breathtaking center of arts and culture in the heart of historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Jimmys Jazz & Blues Club offers a rare and spectacular venue to host important corporate functions, weddings, intimate or large-scale social gatherings, private parties, and memorable celebrations. The team at Jimmys Jazz & Blues Club has put their heart and soul into creating a stunning full-service event space with new state-of-the-art production, sound & lighting technologies delivered with outstanding next-level culinary experiences. Our high-touch approach with professional and experienced event staff ensures that everything is tailored to exceed your expectations. To start a conversation about hosting your event at Jimmys Jazz and Blues Club, please call us at 888-603-5299, email us at events@jimmysoncongress.com, or fill out The Jimmy's Private Event Contact Form. Schneider Tree Care: Celebrating Independence Day and the Fulfillment of Their American Dream. "I think everybody with a drive and desire to start a small business should do so. And there's unlimited potential in this country." - Erich Schneider, CEO & Visionary, Schneider Tree Care. According to a survey by Pew Research Center, about 36% of U.S. adults have fulfilled their American dream. Celebrating the milestone of 26 years in business, Schneider Tree Care is the embodiment of the American dream. Two brothers, Erich and Kurt Schneider, grew up in farm country, served in the U.S. Air Force and became successful entrepreneurs, together. The company they built has grown into a powerhouse, providing tree and shrub care services to commercial and residential properties in North and South Carolina, with four locations, three franchises and 80 employees. "I think everybody with a drive and desire to start a small business should do so. And there's unlimited potential in this country. The environment is very friendly to businesses, but you can't go into a business with the idea that I'm going to make a lot of money and not have to work. You have to go into a business with the idea that I'm going to serve." - Erich Schneider, CEO & Visionary, Schneider Tree Care Erich and Kurt Schneider were raised in a rural community in northern New York State, where they harvested trees on their property. They chopped countless cords of wood to heat the family home and their father's engine shop. Growing up, the brothers graduated high school and each joined the U.S. Air Force to serve their country. During their service, they learned self-discipline, how to carry out assigned tasks, how to follow orders and submit to authority. Their military training also helped them understand that the world was much bigger than the little town they grew up in. After their military service, the Schneider brothers decided to build a business together. Since they had a close connection with trees since childhood, they decided to start their business in the tree-care industry. "So we did this tree job, and the first one went really well. The next one went pretty well and the third went pretty well. And eventually, it came to the point where we were working six days a week, 15, 16 hours a day. And that was 26 years ago." - Kurt Schneider, President & COO, Schneider Tree Care. Today, after a rich legacy of 26 years and a lot of hard work, Schneider Tree Care has: Four locations in NC & SC Three franchises 80 employees This Independence Day, the Schneider Tree Care team is proudly celebrating the fulfillment of their American dream. They feel privileged to work on some of the most beautiful properties in the region and keep the urban environment green. Founded in 1996, Schneider Tree Care is committed to providing its customers with the tree service they need to enhance their properties' curb appeal and keep them safe. They work for residential, municipal and commercial properties in the Greenville, SC, Spartanburg, SC and Charlotte, NC metro areas, providing trimming and pruning, tree removal, tree and shrub healthcare and emergency tree services. To learn more about Schneider Tree Care, contact the company directly at (864)-244-3088. Zain Bahrain, a telecommunications industry innovator in the kingdom, has launched a new feature via its app and portal showing how fast the telecom attends to various customer interactions. The first of its kind in the kingdom, the page will present to the public the average 'time to serve' they can expect from Zain Bahrain's Customer Care team across channels. The feature aligns with Zain's strategy to provide a best-in-class customer experience. These real-time predicted service times are shown for all our retail and customer care channels, including Live Chat, WhatsApp, iMessage, email, the call centre, Retail Shops, eShop, and smart branches. Fast and excellent service Zain Bahrain CEO, Duncan Howard said: "We aim to provide our customers with fast and excellent service in our Customer Care and Retail channels. By showing the expected waiting times for our digital and traditional channels, customers can choose the most convenient service channel." Zain Bahrain Director of Customer Care, Abdulla Salmeen said: "Ensuring that Zain Bahrain remains conveniently accessible to the public is an integral part of our strategy. Our customers tend to be highly tech-savvy and prefer digital services. This new feature adds convenience by offering direct access to digital channels while strengthening our commitment and customer experience innovation, which is what our loyal customers expect from us." The page is in line with Zain's strategy towards providing the best-in-class customer experience, showcasing the telecom's investments in enhancing its communication channels and streamlining its access to the public.-- TradeArabia News Service Published on: 4 July 2022 At a ceremony in Florence, Dr Zhang was recognised for her work launching the Queen Mary Social Venture Fund (QMSVF) in 2020 and its impact since. Led by students, the scheme invests in student-led social enterprises, taking start-ups of all shapes and sizes to tackle the challenges in our society today. It was the first scheme of its kind in the UK when launched. The initiative aims to empower the next generation of social entrepreneurs and investors from diverse backgrounds. Despite only running for two years, the scheme has already delivered some notable success stories. Student investors have reached out to over 200 social ventures, organising events and forums with nearly 600 attendees. One investee, a company called Biophilica that turns green waste into leather-like materials, has recently raised 1.2m in early-stage funding. In keeping with Queen Marys unrivalled commitment to inclusivity and social justice, the QMSVF empowers students and recent graduates from diverse backgrounds. This is especially important as those from diverse backgrounds are disproportionately disadvantaged when it comes to succeeding in the world of start-ups. Over three quarters (77%) of the QMSVFs student investors are from ethnic minorities and 38% are women. The Fund has, to-date, invested in and supported four social ventures, all founded and co-founded by female entrepreneurs. The QMSVF is part of Queen Marys Student Knowledge Exchange Through Community Hubs (SKETCH) programme in which students provide pro bono consultancy and venture capital services to East London local communities, start-ups, third sector organisations and beyond. Dr Joanne Zhang, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Deputy Director of Education in Queen Marys School of Business and Management, said: I am truly humbled and honoured by the award. Benjamin Franklin famously said, tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn. QMSVF simulates a real-life social venture fund, adopting an authentical learning approach; I am thrilled to see that the programme helps cultivate students entrepreneurial knowledge, skills and mindsets regardless of their career paths in future. Former students involved with the QMSVF have since spoken of the skills they gained and how it helped prepare them for life after education. Katherine Toledo Macedo, a former Business and Management student, said: I received job offers and had many examples from QMSVF to share with recruiters regarding my knowledge and skills. I applied for one graduate job and one internship and got both! One of the offers I received was from a QMSVF external partner, who I worked with during my time on the programme. The Triple E Awards is one of very few for entrepreneurship and engagement within higher education. It is a global recognition of these efforts, with fierce competition for awards from universities around the world. British pop star Harry Styles canceled Sunday's concert in Copenhagen, Denmark, after a mass shooting at the nearby Field's shopping mall left three people dead. ADVERTISEMENT Police arrested the 22-year-old alleged gunman hours later. Neither the number of people injured nor the circumstances that led up to the shooting were immediately known. "I'm heartbroken along with the people of Copenhagen. I adore this city. The people are so warm and full of love. I'm devastated for the victims, their families, and everyone hurting. I'm sorry we couldn't be together. Please look after each other," Styles tweeted Sunday. People.com said the 28-year-old artist was scheduled to perform at Royal Arena on Sunday night as part of his Love On Tour. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Uneasy US tries to fete a July 4 marred by parade shooting Independence Day celebrations in the United States have been rattled by a shooting that left at least six people dead at a parade in Illinois Police say a gunman on a rooftop opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago, killing at least six people, wounding at least 30 and sending hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror Dragon Oil, Dubai governments exploration and production firm, has renewed its contract with Turkmenistans Turkmen Oil for a further period of 10 years from May 2025. The total value of the contract is $1 billion of which $500 million will be paid in cash, while the remaining $500 million will be allocated over the next 13 years. This includes the company's commitment towards the support of the Turkmen government's projects, community development, education, public health and some benefits of the co-production. Moreover, Dragon Oils investments, during the contract extension period, are expected to reach another $7-8 billion to support expansion and development programmes. Future production levels Future production levels would range between 60-70 thousand barrels per day. The cumulative production of crude oil is expected to reach 350 million barrels until the year 2035. The signing ceremony of the agreement was held in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, with the presence of Engineer Ali Al-Jarwan, CEO of Dragon Oil and a few members of the company's executives. The Cheleken complex, located in the East Caspian Sea in Turkmenistan, is the main producing asset of Dragon Oil, and consists of two major offshore oil and gas fields, Lam and Zhdanov, which have been successfully developed and maintained since 2000, in addition to one more potential complex, which all located around 10-40 kilometres off the coast of the Chiliken Peninsula and at water depths of 10 to 30 metres. Production facilities Over the past 22-year period, Dragon Oil has spent $8.1 billion on wells drilling and setting up the appropriate production facilities to aid a sustainable production, with cumulative production of 437 million barrels of crude oil. Since 2018, Dragon Oil has shifted production from natural depletion of conventional oil to production supported by water injection, artificial lifting and lately gas injection. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) and Chairman of Enoc and Dragon Oil, expressed his delightness with the announcement of the extension of the partnership contract, which confirms the companys solid commitment to strengthening its presence in Turkmenistan, emphasising that the company aspires to support the current expansion plans while continuing to work during the forthcoming period to launch several sustainable explorations within this promising market, creating long-term benefit for all. New investments Al Tayer added that the relationship between the UAE and Turkmenistan is developing significantly and progressing at a steady pace with the increase of new investments that contribute to the development and consolidation of relationship between the two parties in various economic and investment fields. He pointed out the depth of relationship between the two countries through the investments made by Dragon Oil, which has worked for nearly 20 years in the field of oil and gas exploration in the Caspian Sea, to achieve mutual benefit through fruitful cooperation. Al-Jarwan said: "We welcome the signing of the contract extension agreement, which represents a constant commitment by Dragon Oil towards its profitable investments in the oil and gas sector in Turkmenistan," adding that the agreement will allow offering more investments and completion of plans to increase the production capacity of the company. A milestone Al-Jarwan continued: "The signing of this contract also marks a milestone in Dragon Oil's journey in a sustainable strategic growth and within the plan to complete growth and expansion in its operating markets, including Turkmenistan, Egypt and Iraq, by continuing to intensify exploration work, develop fields and repair wells, to increase production capacity to 300 thousand barrels per day by 2026 compared to around 160 thousand barrels per day at the present time, according to its strategies and ambitions, which requires the development of existing assets and the acquisition of new opportunities. Al-Jarwan pointed out that Dragon Oil (Turkmenistan) Ltd has recently provided the operational concession to improve the performance of each sector, including drilling, maintenance and well intervention. The integrated work teams will continue to contribute to the maximisation of production for the benefit of both the Dragon Oil Company and the government of Turkmenistan. Over the past decade, Dragon Oil has evolved from a single-origin oil and gas company operating in Turkmenistan only, to a global operator and an international exploration and production platform, with production and exploration assets in Egypt, Iraq, Algeria and Afghanistan. It follows a strategy that relies on innovation and the use of the latest technologies in order to diversify its portfolio in order to achieve sustainable development and make it more worthwhile for its shareholders.-- TradeArabia News Service Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 76F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 69F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. On the eve of 4th of July, the U.S. Embassy of India celebrated the 246th Independence Day of the United States of America in New Delhi. Photographer / Multimedia Editor Has been working as a photojournalist since 2007, before moving into newspapers, he worked with an NGO called Project HOPE. He then went to work for the Press and Sun-Bulletin in New York, and then in New England working for the Brattleboro Reformer. HARTFORD Police are investigating a shooting that sent a man to the hospital early Monday morning. At around 2:15 a.m., officers were called to Hartford Hospital for a reported gunshot victim arriving for treatment, Lt. Aaron Boisvert said in a news release. The victim, a man in his 30s, was wounded by gunfire. His injury was not life-threatening, according to Boisvert. Police determined that the shooting took place near an apartment building on Wethersfield Avenue. The Hartford Police Departments Major Crimes and Crime Scene divisions are investigating the incident. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Hartford Police Departments Tip Line at 860-722-TIPS (8477). Ron Chapple / Getty Image / HARTFORD A local woman was shot and killed in the early mornings hours of the Fourth of July, according to the Hartford Police Department. Officers were called to a multi-family home on Shultas Place at around 2:15 a.m. for a reported shooting. At the scene, officers found the Hartford woman unresponsive, Lt. Aaron Boisvert said in a press release. Saudi Arabia's King Salman, through a royal decree, has appointed Princess Haifa bint Mohammed bin Saud bin Khalid Al Abdulrahman Al Saud as the new Deputy Minister of Tourism at excellent rank, reported SPA. She had previously served on the board of directors of the General Authority of Civil Aviation as a representative of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage. Princess Haifa has expressed her pride in the precious royal trust, describing it as great step and support towards exerting more efforts in order to achieve the goals of the Ministry of Tourism within the framework of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, reported SPA. Following the appointment yesterday, Princess Haifa took tyo the Twitter to express her thanks and gratitude to King Salman and HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense "for the royal trust in her appointment as Deputy Minister of Tourism at excellent rank." She described it as great step and support towards exerting more efforts in order to achieve the goals of the Ministry of Tourism within the framework of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. She obtained her bachelors degree in business administration from the University of New Haven, US, in 2008, and her masters in business administration and management from the London Business School in 2017. Russian troops have begun to reinforce their positions in key cities and regions in the south of Ukraine as they prepare for an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive, even as the Kremlin's forces press their onslaught in the Donbas region in the east. The British Defense Ministry said on July 17 that Russia was moving troops and equipment between Kherson, Mariupol, Melitopol, and Zaporizhzhya, where Russia occupies Europe's largest nuclear plant. Given the pressures on Russian manpower, the reinforcement of the south whilst the fight for the Donbas continues indicates the seriousness with which Russian commanders view the threat, the British statement said. The comments come the same day that Britain's top military commander, Admiral Tony Radakin, told the BBC in an interview that Russia had lost some 50,000 killed or wounded soldiers in its invasion and that nearly 1,700 tanks have been destroyed. He cautioned, though, that any speculation the setbacks would lead to the quick downfall of Russian President Vladimir Putin was "wishful thinking." A Ukrainian military official, meanwhile, said Russia was preparing for the next stage of its offensive in Ukraine following orders from Moscow to step up military operations, with a main goal of fully capturing the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east, known as the Donbas, but with attacks occurring in the central, northeast, and south of Ukraine as well. "It is not only missile strikes from the air and sea," said Vadym Skibitskiy, a spokesman for Ukrainian military intelligence. "We can see shelling along the entire line of contact, along the entire front line. There is an active use of tactical aviation and attack helicopters. 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, Western military aid, worldwide reaction, and the plight of civilians and refugees. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. "There is indeed a certain activation of the enemy along the entire front line.... Clearly preparations are now under way for the next stage of the offensive." Kyiv has said in recent days that its forces are themselves preparing for a massive counteroffensive to reclaim land previously lost, especially in the south. Claims and counterclaims on both sides in the conflict are difficult to immediately verify. On July 17, Russian missiles hit industrial and infrastructure facilities in and near the strategic southern city of Mykolayiv. The mayor, Oleksandr Senkevych, said the missiles struck a key shipbuilding center in the estuary of the Southern Bug River. There was no immediate word on casualties. The Ukrainian military's General Staff said on July 17 that Ukrainian troops thwarted Russian attempts to advance toward Slovyansk, the key Ukrainian stronghold in the eastern region of Donetsk, and other attacks elsewhere in the region. Moscow announced on July 16 that it would step up its military operations in Ukraine. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu gave "instructions to further intensify the actions of units in all operational areas, in order to exclude the possibility of the Kyiv regime launching massive rocket and artillery strikes on civilian infrastructure and residents of settlements in Donbas and other regions," the Defense Ministry said. Ukraine says at least 40 people have been killed in Russian shelling of urban areas in the last three days. Russian missiles hit an industrial and infrastructure facility in the city of Mykolayiv in southern Ukraine, Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych said on July 17. There was no immediate information about casualties. Also on July 17, relatives and local residents attended the funeral of 4-year-old Liza Dmytriyeva in the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsya. Liza, who had Down syndrome, was killed in a missile strike on central Vinnytsia on July 14 that killed 24 people, according to Ukrainian authorities. More than 200 others were wounded, including Liza's mother, who remains in an intensive-care unit in grave condition. Three people were killed in a Russian strike in the northeastern town of Chuhuiv in the Kharkiv region, regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said on July 16. Speaking in his July 16 evening address, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pledged that his country would "endure." Zelenskiy said Ukraine had "withstood Russia's brutal blows" and managed to take back some of the territory it lost since the start of the war, and will eventually recapture more occupied land. A Ukrainian official suggested that Crimea, which most of the world still recognizes as part of Ukraine but was annexed by Russia in 2014, could be a target for U.S.-made HIMARS missiles, recently recently received and deployed by Kyiv. "If any other state, be it Ukraine or NATO countries, believes that Crimea is not Russian, then this is a systemic threat for us," former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on July 17. Any outside attack on the region will prompt a "Judgment Day" response, he said. On the diplomatic front, the European Union was set to discuss a tightening of sanctions against Russia on July 18. Brussels is expected to hold initial sanctions discussions, but not make a same-day decision, a senior EU official was quoted as saying by AFP. With reporting by Reuters and AFP Tens of thousands rallied in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, on July 3 to urge reforms that would bring the Caucasian country closer to joining the European Union. An EU summit told Georgia in June that it had to improve its media freedom, judiciary, and electoral system to become an EU candidate. The protesters called on Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili to resign. They also voiced support for Ukraine as it continues to face an invasion by Russia. Maryam ended her pregnancy two years ago using abortion pills. Her husband supported her. The couple already have a boy and a girl, and they decided they did not want a third child. Abortion pills are not easily accessible in Iran due to government restrictions. Maryam obtained misoprostol through a pharmacist who was recommended by a friend. I was lucky as I knew the pill was not fake, she told RFE/RL. Women who seek an abortion in Iran often rely on the black market to obtain abortion pills that are often counterfeit or expired and ineffective. They also use underground abortion services by doctors and midwives that sometimes operate in unhygienic conditions. Among them is Neda, who failed to end her pregnancy with an abortion pill. She then went to a gynecologist who she was told performed abortions. The doctor treated me like a criminal and didnt offer any help, she told the moderate Sharq daily in April. Finally, she said, she found a midwife who helped end her unwanted pregnancy. The surgery was supposed to be with anesthesia, but it lasts only for 20 minutes regardless of how long [the procedure] takes. The [suction] device was in my body for 45 minutes and I cant even describe the excruciating pain I endured, she said, describing the mental and physical suffering she went through. The government is now tightening abortion restrictions, making it even harder for women to terminate unwanted pregnancies. The steps are being taken in line with a law aimed at boosting the countrys population that was adopted in November 2021 despite widespread criticism by medical professionals, womens rights advocates, and UN human rights experts. The "rejuvenation of the population and support of the family" imposed further restrictions on abortions and banned the free distribution of contraceptives by the public health-care system. Under the law,therapeutic abortions are decided by a panel made up of a judge, a doctor, and a forensic expert that could result in fewer exemptions. Last week, the Health Ministrys head of the Youth Population Department, Saber Jabbari, announced that aiding and abetting abortion is a crime and that medical staff involved will face heavy fines and a ban on practicing medicine. If a [doctor] is involved in an abortion, his medical license will be revoked even due to a single intentional abortion, Sabberi was quoted as saying by the semiofficial ISNA news agency. Following the announcement, Tehran Governor Mohsen Mansuri called for the intensification of coercive measures against centers that help women terminate their unwanted pregnancies. Mansuri said earlier this week that such centers can be easily found with a simple search on the Internet, adding serious work is needed to deal with them so as to raise the cost for those who perform abortions. He said every year 380,000 abortions are conducted in the country, saying the majority are illegal and criminal. The UN, citing Iranian government estimates, has said that each year between 300,000 to 600,000 abortions are performed in the country. Health workers and others have warned that the new restrictions are likely to create health complications for women by further limiting their access to safe abortions. The UN said last week that restricting abortion access does not stop people from seeking the procedure, "it only makes it more deadly." The warning came after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a 1973 decision legalizing abortion. Data clearly shows that criminalizing the termination of a pregnancy does not reduce the number of women who resort to abortion, a group of UN rights experts, including the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, warned in November, calling on Iran to repeal the population law. Instead, it forces women to risk their lives by undergoing clandestine and unsafe procedures, they said. A woman who had an abortion in the Iranian capital about a decade ago told RFE/RL that her gynecologist performed it in his office. I knew that he was a professional, but I was still worried that something bad could happen and that he would not be able to save me on his own. Now when I think what women will have to go through because of the [tightening] of restrictions, my whole body shakes, she said. A Tehran-based journalist who did not want to be named said women from the lower class are likely to be most affected by the restrictions. They cant afford to buy contraception or reliable abortion pills, he said. Nahid Khodakarami, the head of Irans Association of Midwives, warned that the population law is dangerous and counterproductive due to the health risks it creates for women. It only takes a few percent of women [seeking abortions] to get counterfeit medicine. Under such circumstances, the possibility of losing their uterus, fertility, and all kinds of physical complications is no longer far from conceivable. In fact, a law that seeks to increase fertility will not only not succeed with this approach, but it may also have the opposite effect, she wrote. She said Iranians cannot be forced to have more children amid a severe economic crisis that has left many struggling to make ends meet. How can a woman who cannot pay her rent think about having children, she asked. Iranian activist and former political prisoner Atena Daemi says that about 40 people in Ward 6 of Qarchak Prison, south of Tehran, are suspected of having tuberculosis. Writing on Twitter, Daemi added that about 100 prisoners are kept in this ward and that the prisoners suspected of having tuberculosis have been tested. Daemi, who spent five years in prison over her activism, maintains contact with prisoners. On June 27, Daemi published a post on her Instagram page and wrote that a prisoner in the women's ward of Qarchak Prison was infected with tuberculosis and the prison authorities were not paying attention to her condition. "After the protest of the prisoners, this person had been taken to quarantine for a few days. But she was returned to the prison again, and after that at least three other people in this prison were infected with tuberculosis," Daemi added. According to human rights activists, Qarchak Prison currently holds about 1,500 prisoners. Before becoming a prison for women, the site was a poultry farm and then a drug-rehab camp for men, and according to the official announcement of the prison authorities, it only has a capacity of 1,200 prisoners. Activists and political prisoners have warned repeatedly about the poor hygiene at Qarchak Prison and what they describe as a lack of attention to the health of the prisoners. Last year, the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders warned of the appalling conditions at Qarchak Prison and called for an immediate reaction from the Office of the UN High Commission for Human Rights and the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran. With writing and reporting by Ardeshir Tayebi Ukrainian leaders told a major international summit that their devastated country needs $750 billion for a three-stage reconstruction plan following Russias full-scale invasion and destruction of its cities and infrastructure. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said on July 4 at the start of the two-day Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, Switzerland, that Kyiv believes a substantial source of funding for the recovery should come through assets confiscated from Russian oligarchs, which he estimated at $300 billion to $500 billion. "We believe that the key source of recovery should be the confiscated assets of Russia and Russian oligarchs," he told the conference. "The Russian authorities unleashed this bloody war. They caused this massive destruction, and they should be held accountable for it." President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, speaking through a video link from Kyiv, said rebuilding his country is the "common task of the whole democratic world" and would be a service to all nations. "Reconstruction of Ukraine is the biggest contribution to the support of global peace," Zelenskiy said. Some 1,000 people are expected to attend the summit, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and the prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Poland. The conference -- with participants from national governments, the private sector, and international organizations -- had been planned before Russias February 24 invasion of Ukraine, with the original agenda to focus on Kyivs progress on the path toward governmental reforms. It is not intended to be a pledging event but instead will focus on setting out the priorities for a rebuilding process set to begin even before the war ends. Shmygal, in a rare trip outside of Ukraine since the start of the war, said direct damage to infrastructure so far from the Russian attacks amounts to at least $100 billion. He added that Kyiv is planning a three-stage recovery process. A first stage will be focused on fixing things that affect daily life, such as municipal water supplies. Second would be a "fast recovery" stage to be launched as soon as fighting ends and would include items such as temporary housing, hospitals, and schools. A third stage would be aimed at transforming the country over the longer term. Zelenskiy said the Ukrainian reconstruction plan represented "the most ambitious project of our time." "Reconstruction of Ukraine is not a local task of a single nation. It is a common task of the whole democratic world," he said. "We are uniting the democratic world...The outlook of free people always prevails." Swiss President Ignazio Cassis, co-host of the event, stressed the need to support Ukraine "in this time of horror, wanton destruction, and grief." Cassis said it was crucial "to provide the people of Ukraine with the prospect return to a life of self-determination, peace and a bright future." Von der Leyen told the conference that "we know their fight is also our fight." That is "why we work in these days to help Ukraine to win this war," she said. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told Reuters on the sidelines of the conference that Russia needed to be held accountable for the damage caused by its "appalling war." "We are looking at options for the deployment of Russian assets," she said, echoing Shmygal's comments on the use of oligarch funds. "At the same time we are doing what we can to get the Ukrainian economy restarted -- getting those grain exports out of Odesa, making sure we are supporting Ukrainian industry and business to get going," she added. With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP Iranian authorities have temporarily cut off access to the countrys banking system for Iranians abroad to prevent cyberattacks, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported. IRNA said on July 4 that "the restrictions were applied on the recommendation of the competent authorities and in order to deal with cyber threats." The news agency did not specify the "competent authorities" but added that the action "only concerns a limited number of banks that have the most connections abroad to banking systems, including online banking and mobile banking applications." Iran has faced a number of cyberattacks in recent years. It has also faced accusations that it has orchestrated cyberattacks on rival nations, including Israel and Saudi Arabia. On June 27, one of Iran's biggest steel companies was forced to halt its operations until further notice after being targeted by a cyberattack. The Khuzestan Steel Company said in a statement that experts had determined the firm was unable to continue production due to technical problems following cyberattacks. In 2021, an attack on the electronic-transaction system used to distribute subsidized fuel paralyzed more than 4,000 gasoline stations across the country and resulted in long lines of angry motorists unable to use their government-issued smart cards. Iran was also targeted about a decade ago by the Stuxnet computer worm, which is widely believed to have been engineered by the United States and Israel to sabotage the countrys nuclear program. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his military to continue its offensive in eastern Ukraine after the Kremlins forces captured control of nearly all of the Luhansk region as they steamrolled through the Ukraines Donbas territory. Putin on July 4 declared that Russian forces "must carry out their tasks according to previously approved plans" and said they should continue to advance throughout the region "as has happened in Luhansk." 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, Western military aid, worldwide reaction, and the plight of civilians and refugees. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Ukraine's forces withdrew from the bombed-out city of Lysychansk late on July 3, prompting Russia to claim full control of the eastern Luhansk region, although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed to regain the lost ground. "If the commanders of our army withdraw people from certain points at the front, where the enemy has the greatest advantage in fire power, and this also applies to Lysychansk, it means only one thing -- that we will return thanks to our tactics, thanks to the increase in the supply of modern weapons, he said in his nightly video on July 3. After failing to take the capital, Kyiv, Russia revised its military focus on Ukraine's east with the goal of capturing the Donbas, which is composed of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. The General Staff of the Ukrainian military said on July 4 that the Russian forces were currently focusing their efforts on pushing toward the line of Siversk, Fedorivka, and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. The Russian Army has also intensified its shelling of the key Ukrainian strongholds of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk deeper in Donetsk. On July 3, six people, including a 9-year-old girl, were killed in the Russian shelling of Slovyansk and another 19 people were wounded, local authorities said. Kramatorsk also came under fire on July 3. Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin that the Russian military had taken the entire territory of Ukraines eastern Luhansk region, the Russian Defense Ministry said, according to TASS. In acknowledging the withdrawal from Lysychansk, Ukraines military command said it had decided to pull back to save the lives of its soldiers. Luhansk regional governor Serhiy Hayday told Reuters on July 4 the withdrawal from Lysychansk had been "centralized" and orderly, and was necessary to save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers who were in danger of being surrounded. "In terms of the military, it is bad to leave positions, but there is nothing critical [in the loss of Lysychansk]. We need to win the war, not the battle for Lysychansk," Hayday said. "It hurts a lot, but it's not losing the war, he said, adding that he expected Slovyansk and the town of Bakhmut in particular to come under attack. "Still, for them goal No. 1 is the Donetsk region. Slovyansk and Bakhmut will come under attack; Bakhmut has already started being shelled very hard, he said. Meanwhile, on the diplomatic front, Zelenskiy and Prime Minister Denys Shmygal spoke to a conference in the Swiss city of Lugano about the need for the international community to support Ukraine as it attempts to rebuild from the destruction caused by the war. Shmygal, in a rare trip outside of Ukraine since the start of the conflict, told the summit that "we believe that the key source of recovery should be the confiscated assets of Russia and Russian oligarchs," which he estimated at $300 billion to $500 billion. "The Russian authorities unleashed this bloody war. They caused this massive destruction and they should be held accountable for it." Zelenskiy, speaking via video link from Kyiv, said the reconstruction efforts in his country were a service to the entire globe. "To rebuild Ukraine is to restore the principles of life, to restore the spaces of life, to restore what makes people human," he said. With reporting by Reuters, AP, TASS, and dpa Canberra, July 4 (UNI) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during his visit to Ukraine pledged more military aid to the war torn country, BBC reported on Monday. Albanese met President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv during a surprise trip to the war torn capital. He earlier toured the towns of Bucha and Irpin, and described the situation over there as "war crime". The Australian aid package, worth 100m Australian dollars ($68m; 56m), includes drones and 34 additional armoured vehicles. In a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Kyiv, Albanese said Australia will support Ukraine for "as long as it takes". The extra aid announced brings total Australian assistance to Ukraine to about $390 million. Albanese also announced sanctions and travel bans on 16 more Russian ministers and oligarchs and an end to imports of Russian gold. The prime minister lit a candle for civilians buried in a mass grave in Bucha, where Russian forces are accused of committing atrocities. Australia is also considering reopening its embassy in the country, following the lead of other nations such as the UK and US. Albanese joins a long list of world leaders who have visited Ukraine since the war began. The unannounced visit came after a week-long trip to Europe, where Albanese attended a NATO summit in Madrid and met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. UNI ACL Way back in the year 1979, young Leibish Polnauer, then a diamond polisher, travelled to London only to find the factory at which he worked had been shut down. But, luckily he found an advertisement from the royal crown jeweler Garrards seeking a 6-carat pear-shaped diamond and he made the phone call that would change his life forever. Garrards needed 80 pear-shaped diamonds in two weeks, and Leibish said that he would provide them though he did not have any stock of his own. Leibish Polnauer kept his promise to Garrads so much for Leibish Polnauers entrepreneurship! And the rest, as they say, is history. Now, about four decades later, Leibish Polnauer- Founder- President still steers Leibish & Co, which strives to be a premier supplier of natural Fancy Color diamonds in all colors, sizes, and price ranges. Here, in an interview with Rough&Polished, Leibish Polnauer puts forth his candid views on the natural diamond industry as well as the lab-grown diamond sector. Some excerpts: What is the present demand position for natural high-end colored diamonds from your company? Considering the present global geopolitical situation, do you think the demand for natural diamonds is still regular as in earlier times? The current demand is stronger that the supply. The demand and sales of natural colored is stronger than last year and sales of Leibish are up. With colored diamonds and jewelry collections becoming more expensive, what is the demand and price situation in the US market? The demand for Pinks and Yellows is strong, all pinks - specially Argyle goods - are rare and very strong in demand price. In yellows, Fancy brownish yellow, FLY, YX, FY selling very well. Your companys signature style is well known globally for its exclusivity. What is the latest from your company, especially with colored diamonds? Our program - Design Your Own - is hot seller and our internet jewelry sales of fancy color and gemstone jewelry is up 100 %. According to you, what is the current demand situation for high-end white & color diamonds as an investment vehicle? Top quality Important diamonds with IF and FL clarities make sales fast and people starting to look at them as a long term investment. Though colored lab-grown diamonds (LGDs) are a different category, will they affect the natural colored diamond sales and demand? Lab Grown diamond are biggest scam this industry ever seen. Customers are lured in to spend a bit less than a natural diamond, but in the end, they get a product of no resale value. As we sell only real natural diamonds our sales are growing. LGD does not affect us at all. As LGDs are popular among the GEN Z (who are the future consumers) how will this impact natural diamond demand? What future do you foresee for natural/mined diamonds? The sales of LGD are less than 10% of the total market. The future of real diamonds is greater than ever. Many manufacturers, as well as retailers, are now involved in both natural diamonds and LGD business. How do you think this will span out going forward? The margin of sales in LGD is 200 %. That drives the retailers to push LGD. But in a few years, this new customer will come back for an upgrade and will be told that their stone is worthless. Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished Patna, July 4 (UNI) BJP on Monday sought support from opposition parties in Bihar for NDA presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu coming in the state on Tuesday, saying a tribal woman should be supported by all for top post of the country. Bihar Labour Minister and senior BJP leader Jeevesh Kumar told media persons here that all opposition parties in Bihar should support NDA presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu, who is coming to the state on Tuesday for campaigning. Murmu is a tribal woman and also a dynamic personality who should be extended support by all opposition parties in Bihar, he added. Kumar, also in-charge of NDA for the presidential election in Bihar, said that women legislators of opposition parties were willing to extend their support to Murmu. It would be a good gesture if as women, they extended support to the candidature of Murmu, he noted. The Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda deserved kudos for their choice to make Murmu, the NDA presidential candidate. It was their commitment to give respect to a tribal woman by choosing her as the presidential candidate of NDA, he pointed out. UNI KKS ARN Margaret Alva to contest Vice Prez polls 18 Jul 2022 | 4:18 PM New Delhi, July 18 (UNI) Former Union minister and former Governor Margaret Alva, the Opposition's candidate for Vice Presidential polls, will file her nomination papers on Tuesday. see more.. Modi walks in, Manmohan in wheelchair 18 Jul 2022 | 3:50 PM New Delhi, July 18 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday voted in Parliament House to elect the next President of India, with the latter coming in a wheelchair and looking very feeble. see more.. Bhumi Pednekar's birthday plan will touch your heart! 18 Jul 2022 | 3:50 PM Bhumi is not only known for her powerful performances, but is also known as a climate change advocate who spearheads the hugely lauded social media initiative Climate Warrior that aims at raising awareness towards protecting nature. see more.. Modi, Manmohan vote 18 Jul 2022 | 2:33 PM New Delhi, July 18 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday cast their votes in Parliament House to elect the next President of India. see more.. Soldier kicking man at fuel station Colombo, July 4 (UNI) The Sri Lankan Army has launched an investigation after a video went viral on social media showing one of its officers kicking a civilian at a fuel station crowded with motorists desperate for petrol and diesel. The incident took place at Yaggahapitiya in Kurunegala district. The attacker has been identified as a Lt. Colonel of the Army, the Daily Mirror reported on Monday. Army spokesman Brigadier Nilantha Premaratne said a group of men who were at the filling station had interrupted its operations. They were also reported to have hurled abuses and interrupted the duties of the army and police on duty. The European Space Agency (ESA) said an asteroid that was originally considered "the riskiest asteroid known to humanity" because it may strike the Earth in the next few decades won't do so. The asteroid in issue, 2021 QM1, was formerly dreaded by specialists due to estimates showing it had a probability of colliding with Earth on April 2, 2052. It is believed to be around 50 meters wide, Jerusalem Post reported. Here's Why Asteroid 2021 QM1 Became A Threatening Space Rock The Mount Lemmon observatory discovered asteroid 2021 QM1 for the first time in August last year, and numerous further sightings from other telescopes later verified its existence. However, the rock appeared to be more troubling the more telescopes that looked at it. At first, it looked increasingly likely that the asteroid would pass "dangerously near" to Earth in the next 30 years with each new observation. Scientists were concerned about the calculations because an asteroid 160 feet broad would result in destruction comparable to the nuclear weapon unleashed by the U.S. on Hiroshima at the end of World War II. "These early observations gave us more information about the asteroid's path, which we then projected into the future," said Richard Moissl, ESA's Head of Planetary Defence, in a statement. According to Moissl, the asteroid traveling around the sun in the future were visible to the researchers, adding that the asteroid may pass perilously near Earth. "The more the asteroid was observed, the greater that risk became," Moissl added. ALSO READ: Potentially Hazardous Giant Asteroid Bigger Than London Eye to Whiz Past Earth Monday The asteroid vanished for several months in the light of the sun as its orbit drew it closer to our star, the anticipated collision risk being uncomfortably high. The space rock would be too far away and too dim to be seen by the majority of ground-based observatories by the time it returned to a darker sky, astronomers understood, Space.com reported. They turned to the Very Large Telescope for assistance since it had a good chance of finding the rock because of its 26-foot-wide (8-meter) mirror. It was still a difficult task. When 2021 QM1 had a magnitude of 27, the telescope was able to find it. The sun, which is the brightest object in our sky, has a magnitude of minus 27, for reference. The brightest stars in the sky have a magnitude of about 0 (the magnitude scale reverses the actual brightness of objects). ESA Takes Off Asteroid From Danger List Unfortunately, Digital Trends said there was still another issue. Not only did a future impact appear likely, but the asteroid also passed near the sun in the latter months of 2021. As a result, it was difficult to view the asteroid for a few months afterward. Astronomers had to act quickly to monitor the asteroid once it was out of the sun's glare but before it got too far away to be seen again since it was swinging away from Earth. The observations made 2021 QM1 the smallest asteroid ever seen. But with the new information, scientists could more precisely determine the asteroid's orbit and concluded that it wouldn't collide with Earth. The asteroid was taken off the ESA's danger list, which is excellent news for mankind. The less positive news is that we may still require those planetary defense systems in the future since there are 1,377 other asteroids on the list. RELATED ARTICLE: Major Astronomy Events in July 2022: Summertime Comet, Meteor Showers to Join Milky Way in Night Sky This Month Check out more news and information on Space in Science Times. (Photo : Anna Tarazevich from Pexels) A new study was able to consolidate 95,000 datasets of cancer biopsy images. This collection is the largest recorded case of prostate cancer that will utilize the learning process of a specialized artificial intelligence algorithm in diagnosing and grading the said condition in real-world patients. The research will be presented at the annual meeting of the European Association of Urology (EAU22). The work is part of the wider search for large-scale solutions that use the capability of AI programs for global health advantage, including prognostication, diagnostics, and therapy against prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer and the State of Urologists Today, many countries lack pathologists that specialize in urology. Because of this, the scientific community aims to develop AI-powered models to help experts determine prostate cancer's status at an early stage. However, the main issue with this approach is that many facilities have methods to characterize the condition. For example, the scan images and other samples are prepared differently by AI systems from one clinical laboratory to the other, giving the scientists much harder work than easing the process. Scholars developed the universal application from the Karolinska Institutet. The team collaborated with experts from Finland's University of Turki, Netherlands' the Radboud University Medical Center, and Google Health to provide an AI model that will go head-to-head in competition with approximately 1,300 separate developers. The mission is to assemble an algorithm that would be able to grade prostate cancer tumors. The training of the AI software involved 10,000 scan images in the initial phase. Most of the results provided by the developers outmatched the performance of general pathologists and were comparable to the performance of uropathology specialists. ALSO READ: New Anti-Crime AI Algorithm Predicts Activities One Week Ahead With 90% Accuracy, Reveals Bias in Police Work AI Algorithm Developed to Help Provide DIagnosis and Solutions for Prostate Cancer Karolina Institutet's Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics expert Kimmo Kartasalo, who also served as lead of the study, explained that grading prostate cancer is the key step to selecting the most appropriate treatment for the patient, but this approach is subjective and varies in between assessments of separate pathologists. The new AI model could dive further into the assessment, and these opinions would offset standardized grading and minimize the impacts of the lack of available pathologists, Kartasako continued. Fellow Karolinka specialist Nita Mulliqi and colleagues used 95,000 biopsy image datasets for their model to have a bigger perspective of the condition and to train well against other entries participating in the project. This collection equates to more than three years of study held by a single uropathologist's works. Most cases in the dataset were gathered from Stockholm over four years, starting in 2012. It also included images from other partner facilities located in Europe and Australia. With the diverse records presented to the system, the AI is expected to learn and grasp accurate information during the early-stage diagnosis and obtain sufficient solutions from other complexities such as rare cancer types and conditions that mimic the illness, EurekAlert reports. RELATED ARTICLE: AI Software Helps to Discover New Genome Family in Gut Microbiomes Through Protein in Seafood-Poisoning Bacteria Check out more news and information on Artificial intelligence in Science Times. Ghana confirms first two cases of Marburg virus disease 18 Jul 2022 | 4:38 PM Accra, July 18 (UNI/Xinhua) Ghana has confirmed the country's first two cases of Marburg virus disease (MVD), the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has said. see more.. Indian Army chief in Bangladesh 18 Jul 2022 | 4:05 PM Dhaka, July 18 (UNI) The army chiefs of Bangladesh and India, General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed and General Manoj Pandey, met here on Monday on the latter's first visit abroad after taking charge. see more.. Russia to take part in G20 summit: Kremlin 18 Jul 2022 | 3:54 PM Moscow, July 18 (UNI/Sputnik) Russia will take part in the G20 summit in one way or another, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, adding that the schedule of bilateral meetings is not yet agreed. see more.. Wildfires in Spain kill one: Reports 18 Jul 2022 | 3:19 PM Madrid, July 18 (UNI/Sputnik) The massive wildfires in Spain have already spread to over 20,000 hectares (49,421 acres) of forest and claimed one life, media reported on Monday, citing municipality data. see more.. Rio Vista Fire Department A child was able to swim ashore in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta but three Oakland adults who had been with the child remained missing Sunday evening despite a search by authorities who had been alerted to a possible drowning, officials said. Sacramento County Sheriffs deputies received a call about a possible drowning at Brannan Island State Recreation Area at 1:30 p.m. On arriving they were told the child had made it out of the water and did not need medical attention. But three adults who had been with the child were unaccounted for, according to Sgt. Rod Grassmann, public information officer for the Sheriffs Department. Dr. Abraar Karan, an infectious disease doctor at Stanford, suffered the same fate as many people in January. Despite being vaccinated and boosted, he had COVID-19 during the surge of the highly infectious omicron variant of the coronavirus. Then, in May, he performed a routine test one day before work and found himself infected with the coronavirus yet again. Earlier in the pandemic, scientists held out the hope that hybrid immunity the dual protection afforded by having been both infected with the virus and vaccinated against it would provide the strongest shield against subsequent reinfection. The theory largely held true for versions of the virus that were less infectious than omicron. But when omicron and its super infectious subvariants came along, the strength and durability of that immunity became far less certain. These days, even vaccinated and boosted people who were infected as recently as Januarys omicron surge are finding themselves testing positive for the coronavirus a second or even third time. Some of this is due to the evolving nature of the virus and some is the result of less vigilant behavior, said Dr. Bob Wachter, the chair of medicine at UCSF. Many people assume they cant get reinfected so soon, he said, when thats likely not the case. People who got COVID in January/February, or in March/April, may believe that they have this get out of jail free card, and it doesnt actually work that well, he told The Chronicle last week. Theyre going to be vulnerable and probably not acting as though theyre vulnerable. Fortunately, far fewer are ending up in the hospital, because vaccines are still protecting against serious illness. Still, research suggests that BA.4 and BA.5, the latest subvariants of omicron sweeping the country, are very good at evading immunity, even for those who were vaccinated and had the original BA.1 version of omicron just a half-year earlier. Other research suggests vaccinated people remain slightly less likely than the unvaccinated to get infected with an omicron subvariant after having had the original version. The original omicron had itself proved better at escaping hybrid immunity than previous variants, and infection-induced immunity gained from having had omicron waned more quickly than that from previous variants, according to the World Health Organization. But the two latest editions of omicron have mutations that make them substantially different from the original omicron enough so that some scientists believe BA.5 should be given its own Greek letter name and even more adept at evading prior immunity. Both BA.4 and BA.5 harbor a similar set of mutations that have been linked to a heightened immune evasion, Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said in his COVID-19 podcast. In addition, there is mounting evidence that previous infection with BA.1, the original omicron variant, doesnt offer much in the way of protection against infection with BA.4 or BA.5. He pointed to real-world examples of countries that had very high rates of BA.1, such as South Africa, that have very high rates of BA.4 and BA.5. 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. That doesnt mean infection from omicron doesnt produce any resistance, experts said; its just not as strong as with previous variants. Ravindra Gupta, a virologist at the University of Cambridge, told Nature that the antibodies produced by a BA.1 infection after vaccination seem to be better at blocking the ancestral strain of COVID-19 than newer versions. So far, vaccines still have proved to protect relatively well against severe disease and death, though experts encourage booster shots and second boosters for the elderly to ensure that deep-seated protection doesnt wane. But scientists say BA.4 and BA.5s ability to reinfect may keep cases high well into the summer. I think the likeliest outcome (of BA.4 and BA.5 taking over) is a stable plateau or moderate increase in cases over the next several months. And a lot of reinfections, Wachter said. Danielle Echeverria is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Evacuation orders and road closures were lifted near the 904-acre Rices Fire in Nevada County Monday. The wildfire, fueled by dry vegetation and drought-stressed trees, was 75% contained as of Monday evening, Cal Fire reported. Hundreds of people have been displaced by the fire after evacuation orders forced people to flee their homes last month. Firefighters have so far been successful in preventing the blaze from crossing the Yuba River. Fifteen firefighters and one civilian have been injured so far in combating the Rices Fire, and 13 structures destroyed, according to Cal Fires incident report. Jason Fagone (he/him) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jason.fagone@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfagone Everything happens so much, a Twitter bot once wrote ten years ago, and I am constantly thinking about that now as Americas oligarchy attempts to fling the country into a new dark age. And then I think about something the author Michelle Belanger wrote more recently: Treat your anger like a job. Clock in, do something substantive and with intention, and then clock the hell out. Make your rage sustainable by ensuring you are not consumed by it. Everything happens so much, but it behooves us to keep each other from being lost in the muck. So, in the hope that this tip can inspire you to find strength where you can, Im going to let you in on one thing that helps me remember why anything matters. I go to Wolfes Lunch. Its a pocket-size diner squished between Potrero Hill and the Design District, with a clientele of mostly construction workers and some office folks. In the hazy gray light of a San Francisco summer, the building can look to be the color of just-turned avocado. According to the current owner, Sung Yun, the original owner opened the place in 1948 and named it after himself. The business has since passed hands twice, but the name remains. The menu is a mish-mash that will look familiar to fans of Arts Cafe in the Sunset or Kennys in Santa Clara. There are Denver omelets ($8.99) served with toast and plastic packets of grape jelly, hamburgers ($5.99) simply dressed with iceberg lettuce and tomato slices, cloudy bowls of miso soup ($2.50) and bulgogi ($14.00). The kimchi fried rice ($12.99) is a comfort, with Spam-scented steam that billows out at your face as it hits the table. The coffee is just OK, but its hot and thats the sum of what counts in this context. The staff are mostly older Korean women, and they break my heart with how kind they are to every single person who walks in. Their emotional labor pays off it hits me right where it hurts, brings me back to an idealistic sense that theres love to be found in every pocket of the world. In this environment, when I bring the rare companion to eat floppy omelets with me, I find it easier to be honest. As our forks scrape through our hash browns, I voice my worries and doubts about the world, other humans, myself. We struggle to describe the bones lodged in our throats. In a world of jagged planes, a person can be soft here. So my advice, if you want it, is to seek out that place, that thing, that person that reminds you of why youre here. Eat breakfast. Then clock back into the fight. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Some ways you can help, for a start: Find out if your local reproductive health clinic is looking for escorts who can provide a kind face to incoming patients amid potential gauntlets of anti-abortion protestors. The advice and first-hand experience in that Bust story I linked is really helpful. If you just have a little cash to spare, send some to the West Alabama Womens Center, which operates in a state where performing an abortion is punishable with life in prison. Theyre currently working to transport patients out-of-state to get the care they need. If you have more than just a little cash, commit to a monthly donation to the National Network of Abortion Funds, which grant financial assistance, travel, lodging, and many other types of support to abortion seekers around the country. Funds like this often see a flurry of donations after big news events, but run dry when public interest wanes. This Fourth of July should be marked as a requiem. In 1857, a Supreme Court with a majority of Southerners decided that Dred Scott was not human. Rather, that Black people were chattel akin to livestock with no right to control over their own bodies. For years, the South had been agitating to secede. This Supreme Court decision so shocked the North that now it, too, was in a frame of mind that our country was of two distinct sets of values. Thus, the Civil War began. The overruling of Roe v. Wade is eerily parallel. The court (now with a majority of Southern-ethos sympathizers) decided that 50% of our population does not have the right to control over their own bodies. The South is again ready to secede. Make no mistake about this; witness the Texas Republican platform. This decision has so shocked the rest of us, that we no longer recognize our country. It puts us in a frame of mind that we truly are two countries. I do not want to see the blood war that right-wing militias are thirsting for. I would rather the matter be decided with a nationwide referendum. Maile Melkonian, Visalia, Tulare County Start the impeachments Even a cursory reading of the Constitution punctures the myth that the Supreme Court is co-equal with the dominant legislative and executive branches. Rather, the Constitution reveals the Supreme Court to be the minor and toothless branch of our government. The court is completely dependent on Congress for funding and upon the executive branch to enforce its decisions. Moreover, the number of its justices is not fixed and can be changed at any time, and its members can be impeached anytime the legislative branch determines their behavior to be not good. In other words, for purely political reasons. There now exists a compelling political reason for the legislative branch to use its impeachment power against Supreme Court justices. The compelling reason is that the Supreme Court has called into question the legitimacy of the entire government, whose primary purpose is to protect the long-established rights of we, the people. Governments that take away long-established rights do so at their own peril, a fact we that we the people will be celebrating on July 4. Andrew Majeske, Davis Teach about injustice While vacationing in Hawaii and sitting on an idyllic Maui beach, my husband and I laughed about the work involved in packing beach gear as a couple nearby told us that they were packing for home in San Francisco. We said we had a week before returning to Arizona. The woman replied, Oh, I was born in an Arizona camp. In a split second I mentally questioned what camp? In a split second I thought of German concentration camps as my husband was born in Berlin. But in Arizona? I had just visited the Heard Museum in Phoenix, which has an exhibit of Indian schools that were horrible places for indigenous children and could be considered camps. Finally, I realized that the woman was born in a World War II internment camp for Japanese American. I knew about California, but Arizona? Now, I know that some 47,000 persons of Japanese heritage were imprisoned in Arizona at Gila River and Poston. Belatedly, I want to face our collective responsibility to acknowledge these events to say: Im sorry this happened to your family. Thanks for sharing your story, which is striking and unforgettable. Please continue to teach our American history, which includes many incidents of racial injustice. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Images of San Franciscos homelessness crisis often show its unsheltered residents living in tents crowding sidewalks or RVs lining residential streets, with national critics pointing to the city as the epitome of the crisis. But the city of Sacramento actually has more unsheltered homeless people and a higher share of them compared with its population than San Francisco, according to just-released data. Within the city limits of Sacramento, just over 5,000 unsheltered people those living in vehicles and tents were counted in a new homelessness report, compared with about 4,400 people in San Francisco. But with Sacramentos population of 525,000 versus San Franciscos 874,000, that works out to a rate of 952 per 100,000 in Sacramento versus 503 per 100,000 for San Francisco. The total count of homeless people in the city of Sacramento was not available. San Francisco is unique in the Bay Area because its both a city and a county, which makes it difficult to compare to other cities and counties. But comparing San Francisco to Sacramento County which includes the city of Sacramento, adjacent suburbs and unincorporated areas also highlights just how much the inland area is struggling with its homelessness crisis. In Sacramento County, overall homelessness, including people who are sheltered and unsheltered, increased 67% since 2019 to about 9,278 individuals in 2022. In San Francisco, those numbers dropped 3.5%, to 7,754. Sacramento Countys population 1.6 million is larger than San Franciscos. Sacramento County isnt the only Northern California county that leapfrogged past San Francisco in terms of its homeless population. Alameda County, which saw a 22% jump in its homeless population to 9,747 out of 1.7 million people, was also ahead of San Francisco. But Sacramento was long seen as a more affordable place than the Bay Area and without the same acute level of homelessness. Sacramento County officials have tried to meet the need by increasing shelter capacity, placing more people in permanent supportive housing and setting aside more money to tackle homelessness, but the efforts havent been able to keep up with the pace of people becoming homeless. The recently released numbers from the the Point in Time count, the official federally mandated tally on two nights in February, show the reach of an affordable housing crisis that has extended beyond Californias most expensive cities. Experts and the head of Sacramentos homelessness coordinating organization attributed the increase to a rise in rents that stretched an already short affordable housing supply. By comparison, officials said San Francisco, grappling with the issue for longer, was successful in bringing down its numbers in part because it has unique dedicated local funding to get new shelter and housing. Sacramento is experiencing this crazy influx of housing costs going up and of very limited supply of deeply affordable housing, said Tomiquia Moss, CEO of regional homelessness nonprofit All Home. Poverty has been moving east. ... Residents of Sacramento, the city and the county, have found it harder and harder to stay housed in those communities. Most people surveyed in Sacramento Countys count, first reported by the Sacramento Bee, said they became homeless prior to the pandemic. Experts say housing costs are the major driver of homelessness. In Sacramento County, median rent for a one-bedroom rose 30% from $1,005 in January 2019 to $1,302 in January 2022 according to real estate listings website Apartment List. The opposite occurred in San Francisco, where median one-bedroom rents dropped 16%, from $2,642 to $2,225, during the same time period. Lisa Bates, CEO of Sacramento Steps Forward, the lead organization coordinating homelessness services between nonprofits, the city and county of Sacramento, said the more affordable area appealed to remote workers from the Bay Area during the pandemic, which increased housing costs and crunched an already short affordable housing supply. Sacramento County needs 78,000 more affordable units to meet the needs of low-income households, the report said. In Sacramento County, the number of individuals reporting a disability and/or being chronically homeless more than doubled since 2019. The rates of families and veterans who are homeless dropped. The crisis has worsened for many despite investments to tackle it. Over the past three years, Sacramento County helped more than 9,000 people get into permanent housing and increased shelter capacity by 57%, Bates group reported. That kept the percentage of people living unsheltered, in tents or cars, around 70% of the homeless population, even though overall numbers grew. San Francisco made more progress. Though more than half of all homeless people in the city were unsheltered, that number was about 15% lower than in 2019. City officials attributed the drop to a significant increase in housing and shelter resources, including a 24% rise in available shelter beds. During the pandemic, San Francisco quickly set up outdoor shelters for tents and vehicles and moved about 3,800 people into shelter-in-place hotel rooms. 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. Moss said one reason for San Franciscos success is a steady stream of homelessness funding from voter-approved tax measure Prop. C. The Chronicle recently found the city had doled out about $155 million of the funds. Most counties dont have that dedicated local funding, and it put the city ahead in terms of putting resources to the solutions that we know work, she said. Prop. C and federal relief funding helped beef up the homelessness departments budget to $1.1 billion in the fiscal year that ended June 30. San Francisco already used some Prop. C money to contribute to a 1,000-bed shelter expansion and buy two hotels for permanent supportive housing. Moss also said San Franciscos law that provides tenants facing eviction with a right to counsel helped prevent people from becoming homeless. She cited a report from the Eviction Defense Collaborative that found 59% of people represented were able to stay in their homes last year. Sacramento County has used some of the same interventions, but with fewer resources. The countys budget for homelessness was $181 million this past fiscal year, which included a $50 million influx from federal relief funds. The city spends around $33 million a year on the issue, Bates said. Bates and Moss said multiple solutions are needed to address Sacramentos crisis emergency rental assistance to prevent people from becoming homeless, shelters to get them off the streets and permanent housing to end homelessness. Like San Francisco, Sacramento has used state and federal programs to buy hotels for permanent supportive housing, with more in the works, and shelter more than 2,000 people in hotel rooms. Sacramento took note of San Franciscos swift work to set up alternate outdoor shelters, Bates said, but is further behind in the process. The city of Sacramento worked for six months on a comprehensive plan about where to put shelter or housing sites and is starting this week to open some, and the county is doing the same. The county recently passed a local homelessness action plan and stepped up outreach to landlords to encourage them to rent to people with housing vouchers. The homelessness coordinating agency is investing more than $12 million into creating a better system to connect people to services. We need more resources coming, Bates said, but we need to be sure were organizing and deploying them in the most effective manner. Mallory Moench (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@mallorymoench Take a stroll down Montgomery Street in San Franciscos Financial District during a weeknight and youre not likely to see sights common in other more suburban neighborhoods: people walking their dogs or ushering their broods of children into buildings while weighted down with grocery bags filled with dinner fixings. Thats partially because, despite the downtown area seeing a notable increase in housing units in recent years, there is seemingly low demand when units hit the market. Data from the real estate listing database MLS shows that, since 2018, for the three ZIP codes that cover the Financial District and the areas north and south of it, units tended to spend more days on the market than in other parts of the city, and sell for a lower median list price. Those ZIP codes are 94108, which covers a swath of California Street, Nob Hill and Chinatown down to Market Street; 94104, which is bounded by Market Street to the south and Kearney and Battery to the west and east; and 94105, which covers the area south of Market Street running to the Embarcadero and stretching south toward Oracle Park. In 2018, properties in the Financial District area sold for a median price of $1.2 million, despite listing for a median of $1.3 million. They also spent more than twice the median days on the market, compared to units that sold throughout the city that year. Units listed in 2019 and 2020 in that area also were more likely to sell for below their original list price, and spent a median of 62 and 70 days on the market, respectively. That was compared to a median 17 days on the market citywide in 2019, and 22 days in 2020. In 2021, the median sale price of $1.15 million inched closer to the median list price of $1.24 million in the downtown area, although days listings spent on the market stayed about the same at 69 compared to 16 citywide. iframe title="Median number of days on the market, for residential units downtown and citywide" aria-label="Split Bars" id="datawrapper-chart-h9y9i" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/h9y9i/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="277"> Part of the reason why, industry experts suggest, is because single-family homes remain the most desirable and overbid properties in San Francisco. The majority of these (downtown) places, almost all of them are condos, said Adam Brinklow of Front Steps San Francisco Real Estate, who provided the MLS data. Over the last 10 years single family homes have been the huge driver and in the highest demand, especially for people looking to raise a family in the city. Which tends to be why many people who live in the downtown core are middle aged and older, established professionals who have already raised a family. People like John Dunlap, who has lived in a building at Third and Market for four-and-half years. Dunlap said his building has been home to professional athletes, Trump and Biden administration appointees, banking executives and other established types, along with some families. The proximity to museums and cultural institutions like the Mechanics Institute, bike rides along the Embarcadero and transit make it a more than comfortable location, Dunlap said. While housing remains scarce in parts of the downtown core, compared to other areas of San Francisco, it has been increasing. The area dubbed Downtown by The San Francisco Planning Department roughly bounded by Van Ness Avenue, Market Street, and Sacramento Street running to the Embarcadero saw a net increase of 8.7% in housing units between 2010 and 2021. The area roughly bounded by Kearny and Market streets, Pacific Avenue and the Embarcadero that comprises the Downtown Community Benefit district has about 350 units spread across 11 locations, said the nonprofit groups director Robbie Silver. Despite the tight squeeze in one of the oldest areas of the city, the 8.7% increase was one of the highest rates in the city. Of the citys 15 planning districts plus the Presidio, Treasure Island and Golden Gate Park area, downtown came in fourth in net gains in housing units during the past decade, behind only the Richmond District, South of Market and the Northeast chunk of the city that includes North Beach, Chinatown and Fishermans Wharf. The South of Market area came in second with a 9.4% net increase in units, much of that in the form of high rise towers like the 392 unit condo complex Mira SF on Folsom Street, and the nearby Lumina tower at 201 Folsom Street Garrett Frakes of real estate sales and marketing firm Polaris Pacific said much of the condo and rental market near downtown is focused on that area south of Market Street that sweeps from near the Embarcadero and going south to the ballpark. There are, a series of very significant both rental and condo towers that enjoy the lifestyle of the waterfront and retail opportunities, he said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. But after the recent completion of the Mira tower, there arent many more new units coming on the market in that area, Frakes said. Construction is just not moving forward, he said, attributing that to rising construction costs among other issues. Nearby, the area most San Franciscans think of as South of Market what Frakes described as low-rise streets lined with Muffler shops and tech companies has some housing stock, including lots of rental properties. Units in that area lost around 30% of their value during the pandemic, said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Vesta Asset Management. That has climbed back by about half and units are mostly full again, Griffiths said, but rents are still below what they were compared to markets in more residential parts of the city. Back in the downtown core, the 8.7% increase over the past decade equated to more than 35,000 units of housing. More people living in downtown, or adjacent to it, would fit with Mayor London Breeds plan to urge more people, including office workers, to spend more time in the area. But while other major metro areas have seen the number of people swiping into office settings increase, San Francisco has lagged behind. Silver and his group have focused on putting on events and drawing people to the area after the offices shutter to give it more of a neighborhood feel and hurry the districts revival. More people living there might help move the area in that direction, but for Dunlap, who already lives there, the neighborhood feel isnt hard to find. After hours theres a lot going on, he said, noting the plentiful selection of restaurants and small shops tucked away in places like Maiden Lane along with their buildings architectural flourishes. I would welcome more residents and more housing down there, to give the area more a neighborhood feel and voice in the city, Dunlap said. If buildings are going to be no longer used for business or office reasons ... theres no reason that they should languish. Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice LONDON (AP) Breakfast food giant Kellogg Co. lost a legal bid Monday to block new anti-obesity measures in England banning the promotion of sugary cereals. The U.S. company that makes Coco Pops, Frosted Flakes, Frosties and Rice Krispies had challenged the U.K. government over regulations taking effect in October restricting the promotion of foods high in fat, sugar or salt. A High Court judge rejected the companys argument that the regulations don't take into account the nutritional value of milk added to cereal. Judge Thomas Linden said that mixing a breakfast cereal that's high in sugar with milk does not change the fact that it's high in sugar. Kellogg's argument that its cereals like Crunchy Nut Clusters and Milk Chocolate Curls somehow become healthy products if they are consumed with milk is wholly unconvincing, as the addition of milk does not alter the nutritional profile of the products themselves," the judge wrote. Under the regulations, unhealthy foods will be banned from high-profile locations in supermarkets such as checkouts, shop entrances and aisle ends. There will also be restrictions on how they're displayed in online supermarket search results. More rules taking effect next year will ban buy one, get one free offers and other multibuy promotions. Kellogg U.K.s managing director, Chris Silcock, said the company is disappointed but doesn't plan to appeal. By restricting the placement of items in supermarkets, people face less choice and potentially higher prices," he said, urging the government to rethink the regulations amid a cost-of-living crisis. Air passengers across the United States faced extensive flight cancellations and delays this weekend, caused by a boom in travel demand coupled with widespread staffing shortages. From Friday through Sunday, airlines that fly within, into, or out of the United States canceled more than 1,400 flights, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking website, stranding and angering some passengers headed for long-awaited summer vacations. In addition, more than 14,000 flights were delayed this holiday weekend, according to the sites data. Some airlines seemed to be struggling to handle passenger volume that approached or in some cases even exceeded pre-pandemic levels. On Friday, the Transportation Safety Administration screened more passengers 2.49 million people than on any other day this year. That surpassed the 2.18 travelers screened July 1, 2019, before the pandemic. The experience was frustrating for some passengers on U.S. carriers. On Saturday, 1,048 or 29% of Southwest Airlines flights were delayed, as were 28% of American Airlines flights, according to FlightAware. United Airlines and Delta Air Lines had similar problems, with 21% and 19% of their flights also delayed. On Sunday, the middle of the holiday weekend, travelers seemed to be getting a respite from the worst of the problems. Obviously, if its your flight that is delayed or canceled, its a disaster, said Robert W. Mann Jr., a former airline executive who now runs the airline consultancy R.W. Mann & Co. In a typical month, Mann noted, about 20% of flights are delayed or canceled. But this holiday weekend, he said, about 30% of flights were delayed or canceled a 50% increase. Its a little bit worse than usual, he said. Adding to the pressure on air carriers this weekend was a glitch in the pilot-scheduling system at American Airlines that enabled pilots to drop thousands of flight assignments for July. The airline said Saturday that it did not anticipate any operational impact because of the glitch. But the Allied Pilots Association, the union for American Airlines pilots, said that the airline had unilaterally reinstated the dropped trips without the agreement of the pilots. The union said it was pressing the airline to pay an inconvenience premium to pilots affected by the scheduling system problems. In a nod to mounting passenger frustrations this summer, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian issued an apology last week. I know many of you may have experienced disruptions, sometimes significant, in your travels as we build our operation back from the depths of 2020 while accommodating a record level of demand, Bastian wrote in a post on LinkedIn. He added: Though the majority of our flights continue to operate on time, this level of disruption and uncertainty is unacceptable. In an email, Morgan Durrant, a spokesperson for Delta, said the airline was managing the compounding factors of bad weather and air traffic control delays, which affect the availability of flight crews. The airline was working around the clock to make Deltas operation as resilient as possible to minimize the ripple effect of disruptions, Durrant said. Even so, some operational challenges are expected this holiday weekend. As the holiday weekend progressed, however, the spate of flight problems began to abate. By Sunday evening, Delta had canceled just 1% of its flights, and just 15% of Southwest Airlines flights had been delayed, according to FlightAware. Southwest said Sunday that it was delivering a safe, reliable experience across our network today with currently, less than 10 total cancellations for the day. American Airlines and United Airlines did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) A San Francisco couple that parked their car for decades on a paved part of their property in front of their home has been banned from doing so unless they want to risk steep fines. KGO-TV reported Monday that city officials sent a letter to Judy and Ed Craine telling them they can't park on the pavement on their property on a hilly street even though they have for 36 years. With the letter came a notice of a $1,542 fine and the threat of a $250-a-day fee for continued parking on their property. In this age of endless spam and scam calls, I dont pick up my phone for anyone unless I recognize the number. Which is why, when my friendly neighborhood Bay Area credit union called, I picked right up. Ive learned from painful personal experience that when the credit union is calling, theres usually a fraud issue, and the sooner its dealt with the better. What I didnt know, but gradually learned over the course of the half hour phone call, was that the person on the other end of the line was not actually a helpful employee from the credit union. He was a scammer who was using every tool in his arsenal to take control of my bank account. Hours later, when it was all over, a representative from my credit unions fraud department the real representative, not a scammer said that stigma is a major problem around fraud. People dont talk about falling for scammers tricks because its embarrassing. It feels like were constantly warned about how to spot and avoid scams, so when it does happen to us, its easy to blame ourselves. But like sex education, talking about the scams weve experienced can dispel the stigma, making all of us savvier and harder to dupe. So in the interest of public service, heres how the scammer (almost) got me, and what I should have done: How to spot a bank fraud scam It started with the worst possible news: Someone had hacked into my bank account and attempted to transfer out the funds. The credit union employee needed me to confirm my account username and then he would have me verify the transactions. Red flag No. 1: Your bank never needs your login credentials. They already have access to your account info. The login info is just for you. But, I figured, this was an unverified login to my account that he was checking, and he wasnt asking for my password, so maybe this was part of the procedure? I handed the username over. Big mistake. Never "provide your account information over the phone unless you initiated the call, warns the California Attorney Generals Office in its guide to protecting banking info. Next, the scammer spent a long time having me verify some fraudulent transactions. No, I told him, I was not in Utah and had not logged into my account today. No, I had not transferred any funds today. I apologized to him for being distracted. I had been remotely attending a work meeting when he called and was split between flagging my co-workers that I was busy with the bank and listening to his instructions. The fraud department rep later told me that scammers count on this distraction, which makes it harder for you to catch their suspicious behavior and questions. Lot of fraud education says to be wary of anyone pushing you to act fast, but this scammer was very kind and patient, encouraging me to take my time. I believe this was also part of the script: The fraudulent transactions were about gaining my trust (and making me forget I had already given him half my login info). At the same time, I logged into my bank and looked for a record of these transactions but couldnt find them. When I asked the scammer about this, he said that they wouldnt show up as pending because theyd been flagged as potential fraud. At this point, reader, you may be screaming at your screen wondering why I didnt hang up right then and there. I dont know. I saw the red flags, but instead of adding them up and drawing the very obvious conclusion that I had been duped, I clung to anything the scammer said that had even the slightest ring of truth. Next, the scammer said he would void the transactions and lock my account to boot out any unauthorized logins. He gave me a temporary password which I dutifully copied down. And then and this was the key part of the scam he asked for my password so that he could void the credentials. Finally, all the math added up. Yeah, Im not going to do that, I said. And the line went dead. How to clean up after a scam attempt My first action after the scammer hung up was to call my credit union for real this time. Unfortunately, their call center was slammed, and after waiting on hold for 30 minutes, I selected the save my place in line option and drove to the nearest branch. This turned out to be the best decision I could have made. At the branch, a representative was able to verify that no unauthorized person had logged into my account. She also walked me through how to change my username for online banking, so the scammer wouldnt even have that. I changed both my username and password, even though I hadnt given my password away, just to be safe. We also set up two-factor authentication, which is kind of a pain but ensures that I have an extra safeguard to verify any login attempts. I showed the representative my call log with the incoming call that appeared to be from the credit union. The person on the line used a technique known as spoofing, in which fraudsters make their phone call appear as if its coming from someone else, often a trusted source. The bank rep reported the spoofing attempt to their fraud department. According to Federal Trade Commission data, imposter scams, in which the scammer imitates a friend, relative or authority, were the most common type of scam last year, accounting for $2.3 billion in losses, nearly double 2020s figure. Im used to spam calls from local area codes coming in, but I never answer them. This was the first time Id received a spoofed call that appeared to be from an institution I knew. If you think a phone call might be legitimate, tell the caller you will contact your bank or credit union and call the phone number listed on your account statement or on the back of your bank card, the state Attorney Generals Office says. If its a legitimate call from your bank, someone will be able to help you when you call back, and youll know for sure that youre speaking with the right person. How scammers get your info Still, I was troubled by how the scammer knew both my name and where I banked. After my visit to the branch, a representative from the fraud department got in touch and talked about best practices to avoid scams in the future. They reassured me the credit union was watching my account for any suspicious activity. When I asked how the fraudster had known my name, phone number and bank info, she said most of that information can be obtained from a compromised card reader anywhere I used my debit card. The thought was chilling, especially since Ive had my debit card info skimmed before and now use my hand to cover the PIN pad whenever I need to enter a PIN. But apparently cloning a debit card isnt the only thing compromised card readers can be used for. Still: Alls well that ends well. The scammers never got past obtaining my username, and that username is useless now. Ive beefed up my online security and learned a valuable lesson. And if the worst thing to come out of this ordeal is that I get a little egg on my face? Then it wasnt so bad at all. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) Two people are dead and a third is in critical but stable condition after a robbery and related standoff Saturday in the Sioux Falls area, officials said. Police said two people were shot at a business in Hartford, just outside the city, around 9:30 p.m. One of the victims, a 60-year-old Hartford man, later died at a hospital, according to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. The second victim, a 45-year-old Colton man, was in stable but critical condition on Sunday morning, said Sioux Falls police Cpt. Josh Phillips. The suspect in the shooting fled the scene. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Three men are missing and presumed dead in California after a child was caught in a river current and they swam out in an attempt to rescue him, authorities said. The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that the boy was swept away at a popular boating and swimming destination called Three Mile Slough. The American Cancer Society of Michigan, state authorities say, was a fake charity. And not even a good fake. It was not in Michigan, for one thing. When the group applied to the IRS to become a tax-exempt nonprofit in 2020, it listed its address as a rented mailbox on Staten Island in New York City. It was not the American Cancer Society, either: In fact, the real American Cancer Society had already warned the IRS that the leader of the sound-alike group, Ian Hosang, was running a fraud. The IRS approved the group anyway. Soon after, it also approved another operation run by Hosang: the United Way of Ohio, which was also registered to the Staten Island address. Hosang, 63, is now accused by prosecutors in New York of operating a long-running charity fraud that has astounded nonprofit regulators and watchdogs and raised concerns about the IRS ability to serve as gatekeeper for the American charity system. Not because the alleged scheme was so good. Because it was terrible. And it worked. Hosang a convicted stock market fraudster once accused of dangling a man out of a building got the IRS to approve 76 nonprofits, often despite glaring red flags of potential fraud. His operations stole the names of better-known charities. They claimed to be located where they obviously were not. HIROKO MASUIKE/NYT But the IRS kept saying yes. And in doing so, the agency has attracted scrutiny of its new fast-track system for approving charities an innovation implemented to deal with backlogs and budget cuts that now denies only one application in 2,400, according to agency statistics. Nobodys watching the store, said Nina E. Olson, who was the IRS in-house national taxpayer advocate from 2001 to 2019 and warned repeatedly about the decreased level of vetting. Theyre the gatekeeper to this whole universe of charitable subsidies. And if the IRS is not doing its job as a gatekeeper, then youve got real problems. The agency declined to answer questions about Hosangs case, citing taxpayer privacy laws. It also declined to make officials available for in-person interviews, but it released a written statement saying that the fast-track approval system continues to reduce taxpayer burden and increase cost effectiveness of IRS operations. Hosang, was indicted in the New York City borough of Brooklyn in May, on charges of grand larceny, identity theft and conducting a scheme to defraud. He has pleaded not guilty. The Brooklyn district attorney said he stole about $152,000 in donations that flowed through 23 of his nonprofits. Hosang did not need to do much to promote the groups; the money came in through online giving platforms that let users choose among IRS-approved charities. Hosang, prosecutors said, spent the money on mortgage payments, credit card bills and at liquor stores. I did very wrong. I know that, Hosang said in an emotional interview with The New York Times at his home in Staten Island. His voice breaking, Hosang said he had changed his life after a near-death spike in blood sugar in 2020, which he took as a sign from God. He said he wanted to make restitution for what he had done. DAVE SANDERS/NYT But, Hosang pointed out, every one of his charities had been approved. If you file something with an agency, he said, and they approve it, do you think its illegal? Hosang was born in Trinidad, grew up in Brooklyn, and graduated from New York University in 1984 with a degree in finance. He wound up on the ugly side of Wall Street accused of running pump and dump operations that conned customers into paying high prices for low-quality stocks. Prosecutors later said Hosang and his associates recruited salesmen on the subway, rewarded them with marijuana and worked with an associate of the Gambino crime family. Once, when a rival visited to complain, investigators said, Hosang and the mob associate dangled him out the window of the ninth-floor office. In 1997, he was barred from the industry by a self-regulatory body then called the National Association of Securities Dealers. In 1999, he pleaded guilty to federal charges of fraud and money laundering. Hosangs attorney, Yusuf El Ashmawy, said Hosang cooperated with authorities and helped convict 150 people. He spent about two years in federal prison, according to federal records. After his release, Hosang focused on a new business. In 2014, federal records show, he asked the IRS to approve tax exemption for a new nonprofit: The American Cancer Society for Children, Inc. It wasnt connected to the American Cancer Society. I got sidetracked. My son passed away, Hosang said in the interview at his home, explaining how he had turned to setting up charities. It was not a stable mind at the time. He began running the operation at a time when the agency was already ill-prepared to detect signs of fraud in new applicants. The first problem, according to former IRS officials: Tax law does not prohibit nonprofits from impersonating better-known nonprofits by using sound-alike names. The second: There are no systematic checks for a history of fraud. You could be Jesse James or John Dillinger, said Marcus S. Owens, who headed the agencys tax-exempt section until 2000 and now represents charities at the law firm Loeb & Loeb. Theres nothing that says you cant apply for tax-exempt status from a jail cell, having been convicted of charity fraud. Still, former officials said, the IRS bureaucracy once offered a powerful weapon against potential fraudsters. Examiners who suspected fraud could slow down applications by asking for financial records, plans for the future or information about their officers. The requests were often a bluff of sorts, intended to deter applicants from proceeding, even though the agency had little power to block them if they pressed ahead. Congress hasnt given the IRS authorization to issue rules to make sure charities are not run by crooks, Owens said. The agency, in its written statement, said that employees reviewing new applications have been trained to identify fraud. Hosang still got through. Between 2014 and 2018, the agency approved 17 of his applications for groups with American Cancer Society in their names, according to IRS records. That caught the attention of the real American Cancer Society. The group began contacting state attorneys general, who often have the power to shut down fraudulent nonprofits in their jurisdictions. That worked in North Dakota, Washington and California, but the state-by-state approach was slow. In 2018, the American Cancer Society decided it needed a national approach. It wrote to the IRS, laying out the pattern it had identified in Hosangs groups. It feels a little like Scooby Doo, said Meghan Biss, a former IRS lawyer who represented the American Cancer Society. It shouldnt have been that hard to figure out who the bad guy was. Using the exact same mailing address? I am the American Cancer Society of, like, 19 different cities? she said, adding, That didnt raise flags to anyone? American Cancer Society officials said they never heard back from the IRS. But then, in 2020, the agency approved four new groups connected to Hosang: The American Cancer Society of Michigan. And of Detroit. And of Green Bay. And of Cleveland. Same Staten Island mailbox. Sometimes you can get away with things, Biss said. Not because you were so smart but because the people who were supposed to be watching out were not. As it turned out, Hosang had switched to using a new IRS process for smaller charities. The new program was established in 2014, in response to budget cuts and a scandal in which the agency was accused of targeting conservative groups for undue scrutiny. The new EZ application stripped 11 pages of questions down to three, nine boxes to check and a small blank for groups to describe their mission. There was little room for IRS officials to mire suspected scammers in bureaucracy. The denial rate for new charities which had been as high as 1 in 53 applicants in the old system fell to 1 in 2,400 in this one. One 2019 study by the agencys taxpayer advocate found that 46% of the applicants it approved were not actually qualified, usually because their charters did not conform to charity law. It also noted that the mission statements were often so vague as to be useless. In 2021, federal records show, the IRS approved groups whose mission statements were, in their entirety, CHARITABLE ACTIVITY, NON-PROFIT and Need to fill in (possibly a forgotten note to self). Hosang switched to the fast-track system in 2019, according to agency records. His mailbox in Staten Island was the same. The red flags were still red: Among the directors listed in these supposed charities, there was a long-dead classmate from NYU, a long-estranged friend from Wall Street, and at least one person who appeared to be imaginary, living on a street in Brooklyn that does not exist. But, despite the American Cancer Societys warning, Hosang was even more successful than before: In two years of using the fast-track system, Hosang got the IRS to approve 56 new charities. Zachary Weinsteiger, at the nonprofit-rating group Charity Navigator, said his groups analysts had noticed the pattern in the IRS data and said it became almost comic, like a single miscreant fooling the same border guards with bad disguises. One guy coming in, in a bunch of dollar-store costume pieces, Weinsteiger said. He keeps crossing the border, and everyone keeps thinking hes a different person. But Weinsteiger said Hosangs success highlighted an unsettling problem. The entire regulatory system for U.S. charities rests on the IRS vetting process. Its approval signals to state governments and potential donors that a charity is legitimate. It signals to internet giving platforms that a charity is worth including. It would be very expensive to do background checks on all the charities the IRS has already approved, since there are 1.4 million of them, said Ted Hart, CEO of Charities Aid Foundation America, one of several online giving platforms that allowed donors to give to Hosangs groups after they were approved. Hosang stole more than $3,000 through their platform, according to the indictment in May. We need to be able to trust this list of charities approved by the IRS, Hart said, or donors will be misled again. When the fast-track process was created, the agency said it would free up personnel to examine existing nonprofits. Instead, as the services manpower has shrunk, those examinations have declined by 45% since 2013, according to IRS figures. State charity regulators have asked the Federal Trade Commission to ban charities from impersonating better-known groups. In Congress, Reps. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., and Fred Upton, R-Mich., have introduced a bill that scraps the EZ form and fast-track system entirely. This form is doing damage, said Ben Kershaw of Independent Sector, a nonprofit association that supports the bill. It needs to be stopped now. In New York, Hosangs lawyer said he is in plea negotiations with prosecutors and intends to make full restitution. Hes in no shape to go to jail, El Ashmawy said. Hes hurt by this. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Currently Reading Alert: Police say 5 people killed, 19 hospitalized in shooting at July 4th parade in Highland Park near Chicago Currently Reading Alert: State media say a man has been rescued two days after ship sank south of Hong Kong, rescue chance 'slim' for 26 others MECOSTA, OSCEOLA, LAKE COUNTIES The 2022 Camp 911, hosted by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program is scheduled to take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 27 at the Big Rapids Department of Public Safety building, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Big Rapids. Registration will be 8-9 a.m., with activities from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., which will involve learning, prizes and fun. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) A Happy Valley man was rescued after a 700-foot fall from the Old Chute area near the summit of Mount Hood, authorities wrote in a news release Sunday. Around 6:30 a.m. Saturday, a 43-year-old man climbing up a popular route up the mountains western face lost his ice axe and tumbled down the steep and icy mountainside, the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office reported. NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) Ethiopias leader reported a massacre Monday allegedly by rebels in a restive region where a rebel group opposed to his government is accused of targeting civilians amid fighting with government troops. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's office didn't provide fatality figures, but the Amhara Association of America told The Associated Press, quoting sources on the ground, that it believes between 150 to 160 people might have been killed in the attacks. The AP wasn't able to independently verify casualty figures by the association, which said ethnic Amhara people were targeted and the killings started early in the day. Shene group members fleeing from attacks by (government) security forces are inflicting danger on citizens in West Wellega, Abiy said in a tweet Monday, adding operations are underway to chase the rebels. Citizens in the Oromia regions Qellen Wellega area have come under a massacre. The prime minister's announcement came three weeks after hundreds of civilians belonging to the Amhara community were killed in the same region in attacks blamed on the OLA, which the government refers to as Shene. The rebel group denied that accusation, instead accusing government forces and a local militia of carrying out the attacks. Phone communication into the remote area has been cut since midday. The killings will pile pressure on Abiy's government to do more to protect civilians as a wave of ethnic unrest persists in Africa's second most populous country. Attacks targeting minorities living across the country have increased in recent years because of political, historical, and ethnic tensions. Ethnic Amhara, the second-largest ethnic group in Ethiopia but a minority in other regions, have been targeted repeatedly. Several dozen were killed in attacks in the Benishangul Gumuz and Oromia regions over the past three years alone. Last month, witnesses told the AP that more than 400 civilians were killed in a June 18 attack against ethnic Amhara in the Oromia regions Tole area. Addison Bethea was collecting scallops on Florida's Gulf Coast ahead of the July Fourth weekend when she felt something latch onto her leg. The 17-year-old was swimming in water that was only five feet deep on Thursday, but she immediately knew that whatever was wrapped around her thigh had put her in danger. "I was like, that's not right," Bethea told ABC's "Good Morning America" program. "And then I look, and it's a big old shark." Bethea was bitten twice by a large shark near Keaton Beach, Fla., and was pulled away only after her brother grabbed her and kicked the animal away, the teen's father said in a Facebook post. The Taylor County Sheriff's Office confirmed in a statement that a "juvenile was bit by an undetermined type of shark, described as approximately nine feet long." Although the 17-year-old from Perry, Fla., survived the attack, she suffered "devastating damage to the soft tissue in her right leg," according to a statement from Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, where she was being treated. After Bethea had emergency surgery to restore blood flow to the leg, the medical center said in a Monday statement that it would amputate Bethea's leg "just above the right knee" on Tuesday. "Right now we are addressing each issue day by day but the long term outlook for her leg is not good," Shane Bethea, her father, wrote Saturday in a Facebook post. Shark attacks were on the rise in 2021 after three consecutive years of decline, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File. The increase from 2020 is largely attributed to coronavirus-related restrictions, the museum's data shows. Florida is home to the most cases of unprovoked shark attacks in not just the United States but the world. Researchers say 28 out of the 73 unprovoked attacks last year came from the Sunshine State, representing 60% of the U.S. cases and 38% of worldwide incidents. The Florida attack came the same day that a man swimming on Jones Beach on Long Island may have been bitten by a shark, according to authorities. Medics who treated the 57-year-old man's laceration on his right foot identified it as a possible shark bite, causing the Nassau County Police Department to increase patrols on beaches during the holiday weekend, WNBC reported. Authorities closed Long Island's Smith Point Beach after a shark bit the hand and chest of a lifeguard there, according to the Guardian. He was treated at a hospital, the outlet reported. When Bethea first realized a shark was biting her leg, she tried "poking it in the eyes and punching it," wrote Shane Bethea. Michelle Murphy, the teen's mother, went so far as to tell WOFL in Orlando that her daughter "was fighting the shark." "I remember from watching the Animal Planet to like . . . punch [it] in the nose or something like that," Addison Bethea told "Good Morning America" from her hospital bed. "And I couldn't get around to his nose the way he bit me." As the shark attack was unfolding, her brother, Rhett Willingham, a firefighter and emergency medical technician, raced into the water to help her. Willingham was stunned to see the blood surrounding his sister - and the shark that would not let go. "So then I swam over there, grabbed her, and then pushed them all, kind of trying to separate them," Willingham told ABC. "And he just kept coming. So I grabbed her, swam backwards and kicked him and then yelled for help." Bethea's father said Willingham put the teen's leg in tourniquet to help stop the bleeding "and kept her awake, ultimately saving her life." The family noted that a good Samaritan in a boat brought the sister and brother back to the beach, where she was soon airlifted to Tallahassee, about 80 miles away. "The nerve on the back of the thigh was damaged severely," her father wrote on Facebook. "There is an unreal amount of damage to her thigh area." Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett described the incident to WCTV as "a tragedy." Victor Blanco, an agent with the University of Florida's Taylor County Extension Service, noted that it was possible based on reports from witnesses and authorities that a bull shark attacked Bethea. "They prefer shallow coastal water, which means they can often come into contact with humans," Blanco wrote. "Bull sharks are often considered to be the most dangerous sharks to humans because of their aggressive tendencies and ability to migrate up rivers." While Blanco emphasized that shark attacks are extremely rare, the sheriff's office has posted safety reminders to residents on social media in the days since the incident. "Swimmers and scallopers are cautioned to be alert, vigilant, and practice shark safety," the sheriff's office wrote. "Some rules to follow are: never swim alone, do not enter the water near fishermen, avoid areas such as sandbars (where sharks like to congregate), do not swim near large schools of fish, and avoid erratic movements while in the water." The hospital stressed that while Bethea "has a long journey to recovery," she was in good spirits and appreciative of all the support she has received since the attack. Shane Bethea praised his daughter's toughness through everything, saying she was "cracking jokes about beating up the shark" and asking for a Wendy's Frosty when she was extubated. But he acknowledged the severity of a situation that could leave his daughter without a leg. "We just ask that you continue to keep her in your prayers. She is a trooper but she has an extremely long road mentally and physically ahead of her," he wrote on Saturday. "Keep us in your prayers as well because this is our baby girl." The medical center on Monday said Bethea plans to "be back in the ocean once she heals." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DEMING, N.M. (AP) A legal representative of the Fort Sill Apache tribe seemed pleasantly surprised by the prevailing mood at a public scoping meeting for a proposed gaming facility and other developments on a patch of land in Luna County. I applaud you folks here today, the tribes attorney, Phillip Thompson, said during the recent meeting. Ive been to some rancorous meetings about casinos in California and other parts of the country where, you know, we were looking for the back exit. No one spoke in opposition to the project at a meeting soliciting community input, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported. Those who came to the microphone had questions about the project and potential economic development, and one man even offered business advice for the future casino. Luna County stood at 11.5% official unemployment in May and typically sees double-digit rates, while county and city populations have dwindled in recent years. The tribe currently operates Apache Homelands, a restaurant, cigarette shop and convenience store with a museum next to a pecan orchard alongside Interstate 10 in Akela, 20 miles east of Deming. Construction has been underway since last fall on an expanded retail facility that will offer shower and laundry facilities, electric vehicle charging stations and expanded retail operations. The project, branded Chiricahua Plaza, is nearly 10,000 square feet (929 square meters) in size and is anticipated to be completed late in 2022. A wastewater treatment plant designed to recycle greywater for irrigation and non-drinking uses is also under construction. Last week's event was a scoping meeting at which Thompson, alongside tribe chairwoman Lori Gooday Ware and project manager Brady Jones, presented plans for future developments and solicited public input as part of an approval process for gaming facilities that requires sign-offs from the U.S. interior secretary and New Mexicos governor. The proposed developments include a gaming facility within the existing building that will feature up to 100 Class II slot machines, parking facilities that will accommodate RVs and trucks, enhanced tribal offices and cultural facilities. The tribe projects the Akela project will create more than 160 jobs in the construction phase, averaging $46,000 in yearly wages and nearly $25 million in economic activity. After that, it anticipates 60 operational jobs at $34,100 in average wages, and to stimulate the economy by $16.4 million with $1.1 million in tax revenue. The tribe has also studied potential impacts for a potential hotel and other attractions at the location. The project seeks to establish an economic base for the small, federally recognized tribe descended from Chiricahua and Warm Springs Apache peoples taken as prisoners of war and removed from the southwest to Florida, Alabama and eventually Oklahoma. Fort Sill Apache, named for the location of their captivity, was recognized by the United States in 1976 and granted approval of a reservation in New Mexico in 2011 after long and complex litigation. Thompson said the tribe is negotiating a land swap with New Mexico, exchanging land it owns in Albuquerque for land adjacent to the Akela development. Efforts to establish gaming facilities at Akela have also been subject to challenges from the National Indian Gaming Commission, the state and federal governments. Among the issues raised is that the tribes government is based in Oklahoma and had few economic links to New Mexico. Thompson addressed that at the beginning of his presentation, explaining that the tribe is the recognized legal successor for Apache groups that lived in southwest and northern New Mexico and part of Arizona, before their removal by the United States after the bands surrender in 1886. Thompson said the tribe aimed to establish their homelands once more in New Mexico and provide its citizens with community and economic opportunity. Rebecca Lescombes, a Libertarian candidate for the Luna County Board of Commissioners, asked the representatives how many of the jobs would be designated for tribal members versus local residents as well as housing needs. Jones, the project manager, said the Fort Sill Apache is very small and employs workers from outside the tribe. The public comment period ends July 27. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PARIS (AP) French President Emmanuel Macron rearranged his Cabinet on Monday after losing his parliamentary majority, and called on his new government to stand strong" amid Russia's war in Ukraine and "transform the heavily indebted French economy. The new government includes familiar faces from Macron's centrist alliance and the center-right, but none from the far-left and far-right parties that are now the main opposition forces in France's National Assembly. At a Cabinet meeting after the announcement, Macron urged ministers to stand strong in the context of a war that has a profound impact on many things. I think it wasnt sufficiently taken into account in Frances public debate." His government plans to present a bill addressing growing public concerns about soaring cost of living, but his opponents say Macron is out of touch with the day-to-day pain of inflation. After France spent heavily to help the economy weather pandemic shutdowns and soften the blow of high energy prices worsened by Russias invasion of Ukraine, Macron warned Monday that "progress can rarely be financed with unsupported debt or at least unsustainable debt. He said the government would focus on environmental challenges and great demographic transitions" and work with local officials, companies and citizens to transform profoundly our collective action." One of Macron's most controversial plans is to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 or 65. His government argues it's needed to avoid bankrupting the state in a country with one of the world's highest life expectancies. Macron's chief political rivals oppose the plan as threatening France's social model. The government reshuffle comes six weeks after Macron appointed Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to lead a new government coalition at the outset of the presidents second term. Macron and French presidents before him had set a rule before the parliamentary vote: Only ministers who retain their seats will remain in government posts. Three out of Macron's 15 ministers failed to be reelected and were replaced Monday. Christophe Bechu is the new environment minister, an important job as the EU pushes for more aggressive emissions cuts, and came under quick criticism from activists who questioned his credentials. Francois Braun is now in charge of the health ministry, a high-profile post as COVID-19 cases spike anew. In addition, Damien Abad, the minister of policies for the disabled who is under investigation for rape and sexual misconduct, has been replaced by Jean-Christophe Combe, former director general of the French Red Cross. Allegations of sexual misconduct against Abad emerged just days after Borne, only the second woman in French history to have been appointed prime minister, announced her new government. Abad firmly denies the allegations. The allegations were particularly embarrassing for the new prime minister and the president, who both claim to be champions of womens rights and have pledged zero tolerance for sexual misconduct. Two other ministers who have been accused of rape kept their jobs. Macrons Together! alliance won the most seats in the National Assembly in the election last month, but fell 44 seats short of a majority in Frances most powerful house of parliament as voters opted for the leftist Nupes coalition and the far-right National Rally of Marine Le Pen. With the most seats at the National Assembly, his government still has the ability to rule, but only by bargaining with legislators. To prevent the deadlock, Macrons Renaissance party and allies may try to negotiate on a case-by-case basis with lawmakers from the center-left and from the conservative party. ___ Barbara Surk reported from Nice. KAYSVILLE, Utah (AP) An 8-year-old suffered critical injuries when she was struck by a vehicle while participating in a July 4 parade in Kaysville, north of Salt Lake City, police said Monday. The girl was in the parade as part of a cheerleading program and was hit by a vehicle belonging to the organization, Police Officer Lexi Benson told KUTV-TV. CHICAGO (AP) At least five people are dead and 19 were taken to hospitals after a shooting at a July Fourth parade in a Chicago suburb, police said. The shooting in Highland Park disrupted the annual parade just after it began at 10 a.m. Highland Park Police said in a statement that five people were killed and 19 people were taken to hospitals. It was unclear if the five dead were among the 19 hospitalized. At noon police said authorities were still searching for the suspect and called it an active incident. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the parade began around 10 a.m. but was suddenly halted 10 minutes later after shots were fired. A Sun-Times reporter saw blankets placed over three bloodied bodies. Several witnesses told the newspaper that they heard gunfire. Hundreds of parade-goers some visibly bloodied fled the parade route, leaving behind chairs, baby strollers and blankets. Police told people: "Everybody disperse, please. It is not safe to be here." Video shot by a Sun-Times journalist after the gunfire rang out shows a band on a float continuing to play as people run past, screaming. A photo posted to social media appeared to show pools of blood near upturned chairs in downtown Highland Park. Gina Troiani and her son were lined up with his daycare class ready to walk onto the parade route when she heard a loud sound that she believed was fireworks until she heard people yell about a shooter. "We just start running in the opposite direction," she told The Associated Press. Her 5-year-old son was riding his bike decorated with red and blue curled ribbons. He and other children in the group held small American flags. The city said on it's website that the festivities were to include a children's bike and pet parade. Troiani said she pushed her son's bike, running through the neighborhood to get back to their car. In a video that Troiani shot on her phone, some of the kids are visibly startled at the loud noise and they scramble to the side of the road as a siren wails nearby. "It was just sort of chaos," she said. "There were people that got separated from their families, looking for them. Others just dropped their wagons, grabbed their kids and started running." Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a tweet that he is "closely monitoring the situation in Highland Park" and that Illinois State Police are assisting. The ISP said in an email that it was assisting in the response to an active shooter reported around 10:24 a.m. The Lake County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter that it is assisting Highland Park Police "with a shooting in the area of the Independence Day parade route." The sheriff's office directed an AP reporter to contact Highland Park Police. The Police Department said no one was immediately available to comment. Debbie Glickman, a Highland Park resident, said she was on a parade float with coworkers and the group was preparing to turn onto the main route when she saw people running from the area. "People started saying: 'There's a shooter, there's a shooter, there's a shooter,'" Glickman told the Associated Press. "So we just ran. We just ran. It's like mass chaos down there." She said she didn't hear any noises or see anyone who appeared to be injured. "I'm so freaked out," she said. "It's just so sad." Officials from the Benzie-Leelnau District Health Department were honored for their service by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. During the the Michigan Premier Public Health Conference in June, Lisa Peacock, former health officer for the district, was selected as this 2022 recipient of the Roy R. Manty Distinguished Service Award, according to a press release from the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department. It is strongly believed that the Roy R. Manty award should remain the highest individual award given by the local public health community, said Norm Hess, executive director at Michigan Association for Local Public Health. (Roy R. Manty's) philosophy may be stated as helping the helpless, correcting the correctable and assisting all people to fulfillment through good health. Lisa is a true servant of public health. She has served her community, through many challenges, with grace, professionalism and a steadfast commitment to the best of public health. The release noted Peacocks nomination, which showed progression in public health. Peacock has served as nurse practitioner providing gynecological care to women of all ages, a clinical instructor, a school nurse, and as a staff nurse and nurse practitioner at a medical facility serving pediatric patients and their families. Lisas sheer dedication to promoting the health of the community is evidenced by her achievements and the success of each agency she supported over the last 28 years, said Dr. Josh Meyerson, medical director for the health department. We are so fortunate that her vision and enthusiasm for public health touched our agencies. Lisa has always been an exemplary professional and an empathetic chief. According to the press release, since beginning her career in 1991 as a staff nurse at Munson Medical Center, Peacock dedicated her personal and professional life to enhancing health. Peacock continued her career in public health with the Grand Traverse County Health Department, serving as a program coordinator for adolescent health and then as an administrator overseeing the maternal and child nursing division. Peacock joined the Health Department of Northwest Michigan in July 2010 as a nurse practitioner/family and community health supervisor, and within five years was named health officer overseeing agency operations for the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department through a shared staffing arrangement, the release states. I was so honored to be nominated for this incredible award, and now to be selected as the recipient, I am truly at a loss for words," Peacock said. "None of the successes noted of our agencies would have been possible without the unrelenting support, dedication and passion for public health demonstrated by our incredible staff at both agencies. To my colleagues and staff both in the agencies I served and across the state, I thank you for the guidance and steadfast support. The Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department also was commended during the conference, along with every other health department across Michigan for dedicated service, support and resiliency. Each agency was honored with the Directors Award. Dan Thorell, interim health officer for the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department, accepted the award on behalf of the department. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Amber Heard's lawyers have asked a judge to throw out the $10.35 million verdict against her in the defamation case filed by ex-husband Johnny Depp, arguing that the verdict was not supported by the evidence and that one of the jurors may not have been properly vetted by the court. In post-trial motions filed Friday, Heard's attorneys call the jury's June 1 award of $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages to Depp excessive and indefensible. They ask the judge to set aside the verdict and dismiss Depp's lawsuit or order a new trial. Immediately after the verdict, the judge reduced the compensatory damages to $350,000 under a state cap. Depp sued Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. Depp's lawyers alleged he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned him by name. The six-week televised trial turned into a spectacle that offered a window into their dysfunctional marriage. Much of the testimony focused on Heard's claims that she had been physically and sexually abused by Depp. Heard described more than a dozen alleged assaults, including a fight in Australia where Depp was shooting a Pirates of the Caribbean sequel in which Depp lost the tip of his middle finger and Heard said she was sexually assaulted with a liquor bottle. Depp said he never hit Heard and that she was the abuser. Depp had to prove that he never assaulted Heard, that her op-ed piece defamed him and that she wrote the article with actual malice. In their post-trial motions, Heard's legal team argued that to find that Heard had actual malice, Depp would have had to show that at the time Heard's article was published, she did not believe she had been abused. Instead, the evidence overwhelmingly supported Ms. Heard believed she was the victim of abuse at the hands of Mr. Depp, Heard's lawyers say in their motion. Heard's lawyers also ask the judge to investigate potential improper juror service," alleging that one of the jurors who was chosen to serve on the jury was listed as being born in 1945 in documents given to the attorneys before the jury selection process, but is listed as being born in 1970 in publicly available information. This discrepancy raises the question whether Juror 15 actually received a summons for jury duty and was properly vetted by the Court to serve on the jury, Heard's lawyers said in their motion. Depp's attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The jury also awarded Heard $2 million in her counterclaim against Depp, finding that that Heard was defamed by one of Depps lawyers, who accused her of creating a detailed hoax that included roughing up the couples apartment to look worse for police. In some ways, the trial was a replay of a lawsuit Depp filed in the United Kingdom against a British tabloid after he was described as a wife beater. The judge in that case ruled in the newspapers favor in 2020 after finding that Heard was telling the truth in her descriptions of abuse. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) Frankfurter-munching phenom Joey Jaws Chestnut put a protester in a chokehold while gobbling his way to a 15th win Monday at the Nathans Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, powering down 63 hot dogs and buns at the annual exhibition of excess. In a decisive chowdown comeback, women's record-holder Miki Sudo downed 40 wieners and buns to win the women's title after skipping last year's frank fest because she was pregnant. A spectator wearing a Darth Vader mask rushed the stage, momentarily disrupting the competition. Chestnut put the protester in a brief chokehold before contest officials hurried over and escorted the intruder away. Another protester in a white stormtrooper mask had also snuck behind the competitors and hoisted a sign saying, Expose Smithfield's Deathstar. Smithfield manufactures Nathan's famous hotdogs. After the altercation, Chestnut went back to the task at hand: Devouring more hot dogs. Monday marked the contest's return to its traditional location outside Nathans flagship shop in Brooklyns Coney Island neighborhood. The event was relocated in 2020 and last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Its beautiful to be back here in front of a throng of spectators, Chestnut told ESPN after his feat, which the 38-year-old managed while wearing a surgical boot because of a leg injury. It hurts, but I was in the zone for a little bit. I was ignoring it, said Chestnut, but the pain eventually slowed his pace in the 10-minute competition. Last year, the Westfield, Indiana, resident topped his own record by consuming 76 franks and buns. Sudo, of Tampa, Florida, set the womens record at 48 1/2 weiners and buns in 2020, before taking last year off while expecting. She and Nick Wehry a fellow competitive eater whom she met through the Nathans contest in 2018 welcomed son Max on July 8, 2021. From dad's arms, the baby watched his 36-year-old mother notch her eighth Nathan's win. She told ESPN afterward that she hoped he would someday take a message away from it. I want to set an example, she said, to do things that you love and push yourself to your absolute limits and, when things get difficult, to still give it a try. And, you know, you might actually just come out victorious. Sudo then took over parenting duties while Wehry tried for the men's title. In conjunction with the spectacle, Nathans donates 100,000 franks to the Food Bank for New York City. ROME (AP) A judge in southern Italy on Monday ordered film director Paul Haggis released from detention at his hotel while prosecutors decide whether to pursue their investigation of whether he allegedly had sex with a woman without her consent over two days, his lawyer said. Michele Laforgia told The Associated Press that his client, who is also a screenwriter and an Academy Award winner, that Haggis was still in Italy. The ruling was made by Judge Vilma Gilli, based in Puglia, which is the region that forms the heel of the Italian peninsula. The Canada-born Haggis, 69, was detained by police on June 19 in Puglia after a woman told authorities that he had non-consensual sex with her over two days while he was in Italy to participate in an arts festival in the tourist town of Ostuni. He had proclaimed his innocence, according to the lawyer. Laforgia said in text messages that the judge had ruled there were neither signs of violence nor abuse found on the woman, who prosecutors have described as young and foreign and by Italian media as a 28-year-old Englishwoman. The courthouse was closed Monday evening and Gilli couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Corriere della Sera, quoting from the judge's ruling, said she concluded there was an absence of constrictive violent behavior by Haggis. The judge also noted in the ruling that the woman's decision to be with Haggis in his lodgings was spontaneous, the Italian daily said. It was Gilli who on June 22, after a closed door hearing, had ordered Haggis to remain in detention while the investigation continued. Prosecutors didn't immediately say if they would move to drop the investigation or pursue it after the judge's ruling. Asked if the case might be closed, Laforgia replied let's see what the prosecutor's office will do at this point. Haggis, who resides in the United States, has had other legal problems. In recent years, four women in the United States have alleged sexual misconduct by him. BEIRUT (AP) Lebanon's caretaker prime minister on Monday criticized the militant group Hezbollah for sending three unmanned aircraft over an Israeli gas installation last week, saying it was an unnecessarily risky action. Najib Mikatis comment came two days after Hezbollah launched three drones over the Karish gas field in the Mediterranean Sea. The Israeli military said on Saturday said that it has shot down the three drones, before Hezbollah issued a statement saying they were unarmed and were sent on a reconnaissance mission. The mission was accomplished and the message was received, Hezbollah said. Lebanon claims the Karish gas field is disputed territory under ongoing maritime border negotiations, whereas Israel says it lies within its internationally recognized economic waters. Lebanon believes that any actions outside the states framework and diplomatic context while negotiations are taking place is unacceptable and exposes it to unnecessary risks, Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib said, citing Mikatis statement. Israel and Hezbollah are bitter enemies that fought a monthlong war in the summer of 2006. Israel considers the group its most serious immediate threat, estimating it has some 150,000 rockets and missiles aimed at Israel. The incident in the Karish gas field took place soon after U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein recently visited Lebanese and Israeli officials, as talks were advancing. Mikati on Saturday told reporters that Lebanon had received encouraging information regarding the border dispute, but refused to comment until after he receives a written official response to the suggestions by the Lebanese side. Negotiations between Lebanon and Israel to determine their maritime borders commenced in October 2020, when the two sides held indirect U.S.-mediated talks in southern Lebanon. Since taking over the mediation from late 2021, Hochstein has resorted to shuttle diplomacy with visits to both Beirut and Jerusalem. The two countries, which have been officially at war since Israels creation in 1948, both claim some 860 square kilometers (330 square miles) of the Mediterranean Sea. Lebanon hopes to exploit offshore gas reserves as it grapples with the worst economic crisis in its modern history. EDWARDSVILLE Madison County officials this week discussed the COVID vaccine and if parents should contact their childs pediatrician before getting the shot. On Friday, the Health Department Committee discussed COVID vaccines for children under 5 years old. The big news is that the FDA and CDC gave the green light to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for children 6 months to 5 years old, Chairman Kurt Prenzler said. On June 21, the Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the vaccine. Prenzler asked the committee if the Health Department should recommend parents get the advice of their childs pediatrician before being vaccinated. He said he attended the Health Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday and asked its members the same question. He said the reason he brought it up was the censorship surrounding COVID, especially when vaccines first became available. Mainstream and social media censored the public as well as physicians who asked questions or had differing opinions, Prenzler said. The advisory committee had a very robust discussion, he said. All thought it was a good idea for parents to check with a pediatrician. A couple said they didnt want to create any barriers. Prenzler thinks its a good idea for parents to do a discount double check to make sure the vaccine is right for their child and their medical needs. Health Department Interim Director Amanda Pruitt said the county received 300 doses of Pfizer (three shots) and 100 doses of Moderna (two shots.) Board member Victor Valentine of Edwardsville asked if the county was the only agency providing this vaccine. Pruitt said no, there were a couple of pediatric providers also offering the vaccine. Prenzler said one of things he learned is under federal law pharmacies are not allowed to administer vaccines to children under 3 years old. County Board member Terry Eaker of Bethalto said as the board and as the public health department we have taken a stand where we dont recommend (the vaccine) either way. But, this is something that parents need to talk to their physicians about, Eaker said. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) A man who was convicted in a violent Tennessee home invasion robbery that took place 11 years ago has been sentenced to more than 120 years in prison, prosecutors said. A criminal court judge has sentenced Giorgio Lakeith Jennings to 132 years in prison, including 126 years without the possibility for parole, the Shelby County district attorney's office said in a news release Saturday. MEXICO CITY (AP) A Mexican army patrol was surrounded and attacked in the town of Altar, Mexico's president said Monday, on the same day a family of seven were killed on the country's Gulf coast. Altar, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) south of Sasabe, Arizona, has long been known as a staging ground for immigrant smuggling and is reportedly controlled by a faction of the Sinaloa cartel. OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) A 13-year-old girl who went missing from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for more than a week has been found in Oregon and the man accused of kidnapping is detained in jail, authorities said Monday. FBI agents on Saturday helped arrest Noah Madrano, 41, on accusations of luring the girl from Canada to the U.S., according to an email from the media office of the FBI in Portland. The girl from the Canadian city of Edmonton was found in Oregon City, Oregon. Madrano was being held on state charges, the email said. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) A Mississippi Supreme Court has ruled that a death row inmate will not be allowed to seek additional DNA testing on crime scene evidence from the shooting deaths of two college students nearly 30 years ago. Willie Jerome Manning, now 54, remains in the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman. He was convicted in 1994 on two counts of capital murder in the December 1992 killings of Mississippi State University students Jon Steckler and Tiffany Miller in Oktibbeha County. In 2013, shortly before Manning was scheduled to be executed, the U.S. Justice Department said there had been errors in FBI agents testimony about ballistics tests and hair analysis in the case. Mannings attorneys asked the Mississippi Supreme Court to stop the lethal injection, and justices voted 8-1 to delay the execution to allow the testing of evidence. Manning's attorneys said they hoped DNA testing would exonerate their client, who has maintained his innocence. In 2014, they sent a rape kit, fingernail scrapings and other items to a laboratory. One of the attorneys, Rob Mink of Jackson, said the objective of the testing was to answer whether any DNA was attributable to Manning. In the ruling Thursday, a majority of state Supreme Court justices wrote that Manning received allegedly inconclusive results after six years of fingerprint analysis and DNA testing. Manning's attorneys asked an Oktibbeha County circuit judge for permission to send items to a more specialized lab. The judge denied that request, and a majority of justices on Thursday agreed with the judge's ruling. "If additional testing had been granted and another individuals DNA profile was discovered from the crime scene evidence, no proof has been shown that it would change the outcome of Mannings case," Justice Robert Chamberlin wrote for the majority. Mink told The Associated Press on Friday that he is disappointed in the ruling. We're considering right now what options he has for additional relief, Mink said. The ruling noted that during the trial, Manning's cousin testified that Manning confessed to shooting the two students. The bodies of Steckler and Miller were found in rural Oktibbeha County, and Millers car was missing. The car was found the next morning. Prosecutors said Manning was arrested after he tried to sell items belonging to the victims. Justices Leslie King and Jim Kitchens dissented from the majority ruling Thursday. King wrote that any potential harm in waiting for additional DNA testing at a specialized lab is surely minimal considering that Manning has been sentenced to death. Manning is Black, and Steckler and Miller were white. During Mannings trial, an FBI agent testified that some hair found at the crime scene was from an individual of the Black race, but that did not mean the hair came from Manning. In closing arguments, a prosecutor mentioned the hair fragments as a way to implicate Manning because he was a member of the African-American race, wrote King, the only Black justice currently on the Mississippi Supreme Court. A 2013 letter from the FBI said the agent's testimony in 1994 included information about DNA testing of hair that contradicted what was known about such testing nine years later, Mink said. GLEN BURNIE, Md. (AP) The mother of a newborn girl who was found abandoned in the woods has been sentenced to 18 months of incarceration but may be able to serve much of the time in a residential facility. The Capital newspaper reports that Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge Stacy McCormack last week sentenced Olivia Dee-Rose Thompson to 10 years in jail, suspended after 18 months. Thompson's lawyer, Debra Saltz, said the judge left open an opportunity to reconsider Thompsons sentence. McCormack scheduled a hearing in August to weigh the possibility of Thompson being released to a residential treatment program if she successfully completes a specialized program at a detention center that offers mental health case management services for female inmates with a history of mental illness, trauma or addiction. Thompson, 20, was charged with attempted murder and child abuse after a passerby discovered a newborn infant in the woods off the Baltimore and Annapolis Trail last July. When questioned by police, Thompson said she placed the infant outside her Glen Burnie home almost immediately after giving birth in her bathroom, saying she did not know she was pregnant. Saltz said Thompson was scared of her parents finding out about her pregnancy, and that she had been taken advantage of by the infants father. The baby girl was outside for about five hours and was covered in ants, Assistant States Attorney Anastasia Prigge said last month, arguing for Thompson to be sentenced to 10 to 18 years. Prigge said the baby is doing well, and her father was seeking custody of the child. .Maryland is a Safe Haven state, meaning it allows distressed parents who are unwilling to care for infants to safely give up custody at a hospital or police station with no questions asked. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BANGKOK (AP) Myanmar's military government on Monday hosted its first high-level regional meeting since the army took power last year, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and counterparts from Mekong Delta nations attending. State broadcaster MRTV reported that Wang met with his colleagues from Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam in the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation group meeting, held under the theme Solidarity for Peace and Prosperity in the central city of Bagan, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The TV report showed Wang and the other foreign ministers bumping elbows in a show of solidarity before the start of the meeting, but did not provide further details. The grouping is a Chinese-led initiative that includes the countries of the Mekong Delta, a potential source of regional tensions due to an increasing number of hydroelectric projects that are altering the river's flow and raising concerns about ecological damage. China has built 10 dams along the upper stretch of the Mekong, the part it calls the Lancang. China has been criticized for the dams, which affect water levels and downstream fisheries that are important to several Southeast Asian nations economies. Military government spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun said last Friday that the ministers were expected to sign several agreements. He said the presence of the foreign ministers was a recognition of Myanmars sovereignty and its government. China is Myanmars biggest trading partner and an old ally. Beijing has invested billions of dollars in Myanmars mines, oil and gas pipelines and other infrastructure and is its major arms supplier, together with Russia. Many in Myanmar suspect China of supporting the military takeover, and Beijing has refused to condemn the armys power grab. China says it follows a policy of non-interference in other countries affairs. Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government, which opposes the ruling military council, protested the Bagan meeting, saying any such efforts in partnership with Myanmars military violate the will of the people and undermine community building. It said that holding the meeting in Myanmar is in direct opposition to a peace plan by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Myanmar's rulers have stymied ASEAN's efforts to organize a meeting with ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was recently moved to solitary detention. Suu Kyi's ouster in February 2021 triggering widespread peaceful protests that were violently suppressed and evolved into armed resistance, and the country has slipped into what some U.N. experts characterize as a civil war. A statement by Chinas Foreign Affairs Ministry said Wang met Sunday with Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, who is also ASEAN's special envoy to Myanmar. The statement said Wang told Prak Sokhonn that China expects to work with ASEAN to push Myanmar in pursuit of political reconciliation and encourage it to restart a democratic transition and realize the vision of returning power to the people. It said China supports Myanmar in exploring the development path that suits its own national conditions. The state-run newspaper Myanma Alinn Daily reported that Wang also met Sunday with Myanmar Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin to discuss the implementation of bilateral projects and achieve closer collaboration. Wang told Wunna Maung Lwin that China will assist Myanmar in safeguarding its legitimate interests and national dignity in the international arena, according to Chinas official Xinhua News Agency. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) A satellite the size of a microwave oven successfully broke free from its orbit around Earth on Monday and is headed toward the moon, the latest step in NASA's plan to land astronauts on the lunar surface again. It's been an unusual journey already for the Capstone satellite. It was launched six days ago from New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula by the company Rocket Lab in one of their small Electron rockets. It will take another four months for the satellite to reach the moon, as it cruises along using minimal energy. Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck told The Associated Press it was hard to put his excitement into words. It's probably going to take a while to sink in. It's been a project that has taken us two, two-and-a-half years and is just incredibly, incredibly difficult to execute, he said. So to see it all come together tonight and see that spacecraft on its way to the moon, it's just absolutely epic. Beck said the relatively low cost of the mission NASA put it at $32.7 million marked the beginning of a new era for space exploration. For some tens of millions of dollars, there is now a rocket and a spacecraft that can take you to the moon, to asteroids, to Venus, to Mars, Beck said. Its an insane capability thats never existed before. If the rest of the mission is successful, the Capstone satellite will send back vital information for months as the first to take a new orbit around the moon called a near-rectilinear halo orbit: a stretched-out egg shape with one end of the orbit passing close to the moon and the other far from it. Eventually, NASA plans to put a space station called Gateway into the orbital path, from which astronauts can descend to the moons surface as part of its Artemis program. Beck said the advantage of the new orbit is that it minimizes fuel use and allows the satellite or a space station to stay in constant contact with Earth. The Electron rocket that launched June 28 from New Zealand was carrying a second spacecraft called Photon, which separated after nine minutes. The satellite was carried for six days in Photon, with the spacecraft's engines firing periodically to raise its orbit farther and farther from Earth. A final engine burst Monday allowed Photon to break from Earth's gravitational pull and send the satellite on its way. The plan now is for the 25-kilogram (55-pound) satellite to far overshoot the moon before falling back into the new lunar orbit Nov. 13. The satellite will use tiny amounts of fuel to make a few planned trajectory course corrections along the way. Beck said they would decide over the coming days what to do with Photon, which had completed its tasks and still had a bit of fuel left in the tank. Theres a number of really cool missions that we can actually do with it," Beck said. For the mission, NASA teamed up with two commercial companies: California-based Rocket Lab and Colorado-based Advanced Space, which owns and operates the Capstone satellite. ___ Find more AP Science coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/science LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) A campaign to legalize marijuana for medicinal use in Nebraska is in danger of missing its signature goal to qualify for the November general election ballot, organizers said. Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana still needs to gather thousands of signatures ahead of Thursday's submission deadline set by the state, campaign leaders said. PHOENIX (AP) Authorities have now identified two men who were fatally shot at a Phoenix bar and grill and said one of the victims was a security guard. Phoenix police said 35-year-old Jordan Davis allegedly denied 34-year-old Daniel Stuart entry into the bar early Sunday. That led to a physical altercation where Davis was allegedly shot by Stuart. Police said a third person identified as another security guard at the bar allegedly returned fire with Davis at Stuart. When officers arrived on the scene around 1:30 a.m., they reported finding Davis in the bars parking lot with a gunshot wound. Davis was rushed to a hospital where he later died of his injuries. Police said Stuart fled the scene on foot and later went to a hospital for treatment of multiple gunshot wounds and he also died. Police detained the third security guard and said he was cooperating with authorities investigating the fatal shootings. Detectives spoke to multiple witnesses who were in the bars parking lot and pieced together what led up to the shooting. Police said the case will be submitted to the Maricopa County Attorneys office for a review. The Beaumont Police Department is searching for a Beaumont man, who they believe is connected to more than one serious crime investigation. Mikale Rashad Bolton, 20, is facing two aggravated robbery warrants, according to the Beaumont Police Department. The warrants were issued after officers received a call for an aggravated robbery shortly after 8 a.m. June 25 in the 3100 Block of French Road. Police believe Bolton approached a man in his vehicle in a parking lot, displayed a firearm and forced the man to give him his vehicle. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FAIRFIELD Police say no arrest has been made in the investigation of a shooting at a Southport restaurant two weeks ago, but records show the incident was not the first time officers have been called to Wafu Asian Bistro. In the months leading up to the incident, police were called to Wafu multiple times for a variety of infractions including public urination, underage drinking and a bouncer allegedly pepper spraying a crowd. Since the shooting, the state Department of Consumer Protection has suspended the establishments liquor permit indefinitely, citing several instances of dangerous and unlawful conduct. In a letter to DCP in which he requested the suspension of the liquor license, Fairfield Chief of Police Robert Kalamaras said investigators learned that the bistro was hosting a large party called Sin City. While investigating the incident, police looked at the restaurants Instagram account, which shows flyers for several DJ events and videos showing what appears to be the restaurant converted into a gentlemens club, Kalamaras said in the letter. Wafu in Southport remains closed, and its owners, who also own the Wafu in Westport, have not responded to requests for comment. Fairfield and Westport police said they received several 911 calls reporting shots fired at Wafu on June 19. Arriving officers said a large crowd was dispersing from inside the restaurant and employees told police they heard shots following an altercation. One man was struck, as well as the tile backsplash at the end of the bar at head level where patrons were said to have been seated at the time, Kalamaras wrote in a report. Video surveillance showed that once the shots were fired, many patrons fled. At least two people could be seen exchanging gunfire about 10 shots in the parking lot, Kalamaras wrote in the report. He said a nearby business and a parked vehicle were also struck by bullets. Police found that several surveillance cameras inside the restaurant did not work, according to Kalamaras. They were looking for anyone who may have cellphone footage of the encounter to contact police. No gunshot victims were found at the scene, but shortly after, Bridgeport Hospital notified police it was treating an adult man with a gunshot wound to the arm who said he was shot in Southport, officials said. Police said days later that the victim was not cooperating with the investigation. A few days later, Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull suspended the restaurants liquor permit. The agency noted a handful of incidents this year. According to public records, the calls to police go at least as far back as October. At that time, records show, the Liquor Control Division of DCP requested the police departments assistance with an investigation into underage drinking at the bistro. An unannounced inspection was conducted where two underage volunteers were sent inside to try and purchase alcohol. According to the report, those volunteers showed their valid Connecticut drivers licenses, which indicated they were not yet 21, and were each served an alcoholic beverage. Then, in March, officers did another underage drinking check with DCP, records show. In it, three plain clothes officers in Wafu identified multiple people who appeared to be below the drinking age. Records show the decision was made to send uniformed officers into Wafu, who instructed staff to stop the music and turn the lights on. Officers then identified 11 people who were under 21, the majority of them students from Sacred Heart University. According to police, there have also been incidents of assault at the restaurant. On Feb. 4, police were called to respond to a fight between patrons. Later that month, police were called after multiple reports of people being pepper sprayed, reports show. That night, they say, police arrived on-scene to find multiple victims on the ground suffering from the effects of what was later identified as pepper spray. Police said victims told them they were waiting in line to get into Wafu when the crowd began aggressively pushing toward the buildings entrance. In his letter, Kalamaras said the victims were allegedly sprayed by the bouncer at Wafu, as evidenced by a body camera the bouncer wore at the time. He said the Fairfield Police Department has submitted a warrant for review charging the bouncer with third-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment and second-degree breach of peace. Police records show that officers were called to Wafu several times in March aside from the underage drinking investigation. On March 17, they say, two officers posted there issued two citations for public urination. Both those people told the officers that they were instructed by staff to go to the bathroom outside. Notably, records say, there were no exterior portable toilets. According to the report, officers called the fire marshal, who found that 282 people were inside the building, over the maximum 170 allowed. Officers also noted there appeared to be 200 people waiting in line to get inside. Kalamaras said the Fairfield Fire Department had the establishment cleared out, and allowed patrons to re-enter until the establishment was within capacity and in compliance. A week later, reports say officers issued four more citations to men for public urination, all of whom told officers they were told to go to the bathroom outside. The most recent police response at Wafu prior to the shooting took place on June 18. Records show that police were called to Wafu on a report of an individual bleeding from the mouth. Kalamaras said officers located the subject as a passenger in a vehicle being operated without the headlights on. He said the driver of the vehicle was arrested for DUI and the passenger, who was also under the influence, was transported to the hospital with serious injuries, suspected to be a victim of an assault. In his letter, Kalamaras said Wafu has also hosted regular college night events, which drew a large number of underage students. He said police were notified by Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University about the parties, and of reports of many underage students returning to campus intoxicated from Wafu. Regardless of our enforcement and our investigative efforts to address the quality of life issues that the Wafu Asian Bistro has created, they have failed to take steps to comply with Connecticut State liquor laws, he said at the end of the letter. Evidenced by violations in succession within a six month timeframe for serving alcohol to minors. The business owners failure to comply with laws and regulations has resulted in a shooting and serious physical injury to a patron, which could have resulted in a homicide. joshua.labella@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Monday accused Congo of supporting rebels opposed to his government, escalating tensions with a neighbor who in turn accuses Rwanda of supporting violent rebels who recently captured a town in eastern Congo. Kagame said in a televised address that his country is concerned by alleged Congolese support for the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, or FDLR, a Congo-based rebel group that includes fighters accused of taking part in the 1994 genocide. Relations between Rwanda and Congo have frayed in recent weeks after the M23 rebel group last month took the Congolese town of Bunagana at the Uganda border and Congolese authorities charged that Rwandan troops had invaded Congo. Rwanda has long denied supporting M23, disputing the accounts of conflict observers, U.N. experts and others. M23 is made up mostly of ethnic Tutsi fighters from Congo who say their government hasn't honored past commitments to reintegrate them into the national army. Congolese authorities deny allegations they support the FDLR. But Kagame charged Monday that Congo is actively arming the FDLR, whose fighters are accused of killing dozens in a 2019 attack in the northern Rwandan town of Kinigi, a tourist area. Its on record and with facts. (Congo) is supporting FDLR, and unfortunately with the knowledge of MONUSCO," he said, referring to U.N. peacekeepers on the ground. It wasn't immediately possible to get a comment from MONUSCO. Kagame accused Congo of trying to involve Rwanda in their internal issues, and wondered how long his government will resist such provocation. He spoke of the rights of Congolese Kinyarwanda speakers living in eastern Congo, saying Congolese authorities have a obligation to address the grievances of the M23 rebels. They have recently been behaving like spoilt children. They cause trouble and then start crying foul," he said of Congolese authorities. Regional leaders under the East African Community bloc are working toward deploying a peacekeeping force in eastern Congo's restive provinces. It remains unclear when the force, which would be authorized to disarm insurgents, will be deployed. Congo has said it opposes putting Rwandan troops in Congo as members of such a force. Kagame said Monday he was fine with that. A pre-Accreditation Workshop for Arabic-speaking experts on Customs Valuation from the WCO Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region was held in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) from 26th to 30th June 2022, with the support of ZATKA, Saudi Tax and Customs Authority. The Workshop was organized with the objective of enlarging the pool of Arabic-speaking Expert Trainers to facilitate capacity building activities, on behalf of the WCO for its Members, in the field of Customs Valuation. Eleven selected candidates from seven Member Administrations of the region, namely Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Palestine, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, worked intensively to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and techniques during the week. The participants who successfully completed the pre-accreditation Workshop will be invited to the next stage of the WCO expert accreditation process, including a mission on the field as a pre-accredited WCO expert in the area of Customs valuation. Fully accredited experts will be expected to support future WCO Capacity Building activities. PHOENIX - For most of her life, Marshelle Barwise viewed the U.S. Supreme Court as soberly dedicated to protecting the rights of all Americans, especially for those who aren't White men. Then the court overturned Roe v. Wade. Although Barwise personally opposes abortion, she disagreed with the rolling back of the nationwide right to an abortion and saw it as yet another example of how American democracy is broken. "There's so much divisiveness even within our own government, how can we trust it? Everything is so divisive," said Barwise, 37, a new mom who works in financial sales and considers herself politically independent. For years, she has dutifully voted, believing in a democratic system that's supposed to represent everyone. Yet, she said, it seems as if a powerful few are making decisions that don't match what a majority wants - or are failing to take any action at all. "We have all gone through where we've heard people say all the right things, and then they get in a position of power, and they do everything opposite - or a segment, a small portion, just enough to appease or hopefully get re-elected," she said. With Congress gridlocked and presidents facing challenges when they act on their own, the Supreme Court - historically the most apolitical branch of government - has seemingly become the one most capable of quickly reshaping society. Across the battleground states of Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin, many people who oppose the abortion decision said they didn't expect Roe to fall because it had been in place for nearly five decades and, while controversial, had woven itself into American society. It was considered settled law, so its sudden demise was unsettling for many - and made them worry about what could follow. The ruling catapults abortion into a top issue in all three states, where races are underway for governor and U.S. Senate. While the court is supposed to focus on legal reasoning, not public opinion, the June 24 ruling does not match the views of most Americans. Fifty-six percent of adults opposed overturning Roe, according to a recent Marist College poll conducted with NPR and PBS NewsHour after the court issued its decision. Of those polled, 57% said they think the court's decision was mostly based on politics, while 36% said they considered it mostly based on the law. "They're supposed to be unbiased. They're supposed to look at the law as it is, instead of what political interests might have in mind," said Timothy Oxley Jr., 31, a statistical programming analyst from Columbia, S.C., who was visiting Atlanta this week. "They're there to work for the people, not their own interests. And I feel like that's what they're doing more than anything these days." One year ago, 60% of adults approved of the job the Supreme Court was doing, according to a survey by Marquette University Law School. There was little difference between the views of Republicans and Democrats. By May - soon after a draft of the Dodds v. Jackson Women's Health Organization opinion leaked - approval of the court had dropped by 16 points, to 44%, according to a follow-up survey by Marquette. That poll showed a dramatic partisan split, with 71% of Republicans approving but 28% of Democrats doing the same. The abortion ruling came amid a string of high-profile decisions, including ones expanding gun rights and curtailing the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to curb carbon emissions. On Thursday, the court agreed to consider whether state lawmakers have the sole authority to determine how federal elections are run and where congressional district lines go. Many of the recent rulings issued - but especially the overturning of Roe - elated conservatives and enraged liberals, sparking protests and condemnation from lawmakers, celebrities, corporations and civic groups who said they worried the court was becoming another political branch of government. After the court spent decades expanding the rights of many Americans, including by allowing same-sex marriage and protecting voting rights, many were stunned to see a right rolled back. "It's just going to be really interesting to see what happens in terms of people's respect for the Supreme Court going forward. I've always just held it in such reverence and don't at this point," said Emily Moore, a school speech pathologist from Middleton, Wis., who was outraged by the abortion decision. Wisconsin clinics have stopped offering abortions because of an 1849 law that bars abortions unless the life of the woman is at stake. Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, has asked a court to invalidate that law. Moore, 59, said she is glad Democrats are fighting these restrictions, but she is pessimistic about the possibility for change in her state. "I vote every election, and I'm going to keep voting and keep trying," she said. "I know that it might not make a difference, given how things are gerrymandered, but Democrats win statewide elections in Wisconsin, so every vote counts." While many liberals see the decision as one that tramples on a long-established right, many abortion opponents see it as one that has corrected a disastrous legal error. Gary Schmitz, who has long gathered with other abortion opponents outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Madison, Wis., said he didn't consider the latest decision to be any more political than Roe. "That was political, too, if what we got now is political," he said. One of his compatriots, Julia Haag, said she saw the recent abortion decision much as Brown v. Board of Education, the 1954 decision that overturned the 1896 ruling that allowed racial segregation in schools and other public places. "They've gone back when they've made mistakes and righted it," she said. "They needed to right this." Lailah Shima of Madison said the court has been growing more political for decades, but the problem has worsened in recent years. She was frustrated in 2016 when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., refused to hold a hearing for President Barack Obama's nominee to the court, Merrick Garland. She was further galled when McConnell put President Donald Trump's three nominees on fast tracks. "That was just like a blatant assault on democracy," she said. "It was just ridiculous, right? It's horrifying how they can pretend to be democratic." Jalissa Johnson, an Atlanta entrepreneur, said the abortion decision and one released Thursday that some say undermines Miranda rights concerned her as a Black woman. While Black Americans have made progress over the last century, she said, many still feel unrepresented by their government. "We still are not equal," she said. "And because that was not the agenda of our nation, in any sense, in this beginning. The purpose was to elevate White Americans or the White majority. So, fighting for equality is a ... problem that we have today." Johnson said that she is "morally not a believer in abortion," but she does "believe in freedom and the right to choose." In Georgia, Republicans are trying to enforce a ban on abortions after about six weeks. In Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, just signed into law a ban on abortions after 15 weeks, and Republicans may try to enact other restrictions. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, has said a law from the mid-1800s that makes it a crime to provide abortions could be applied. "I feel like a lot of it goes back to race in the olden days, like they kind of want to go back to the 1900s where women were in the kitchen," said Kacie Mearse, 20, a Democrat who was spending time with a cousin in Glendale, Ariz., the same afternoon that Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. Mearse doesn't typically closely follow the court's work but paid attention to the abortion ruling, which she views as a rollback of her rights. She doesn't trust the court and thinks many justices prioritize their own political and religious beliefs over the broader American public. "Everyone should be treated the same and have the same rights," she said. She added, "They don't really care about me. They just care about themselves." She felt more hopeful about the direction of the country in 2020, when she voted for Joe Biden for president and Mark Kelly for U.S. Senate. Nearly two years later, she feels as underrepresented as ever in Congress, an institution that feels far away and disconnected from her everyday life as a middle-school teacher. She wishes lawmakers spent more time expanding rights for all Americans. "Everyone is equal, and I feel like some people in the Congress and the government try to make some races and genders above everybody else," she said. Alfredo Gutierrez, a one-time Democratic state Senate majority leader in Arizona, has fought for civil rights, most recently on behalf of undocumented immigrants, nearly all his 77 years. It's a cause that has taken him from the fruit fields of southern Arizona alongside Cesar Chavez in the late 1960s to the streets to help persuade voters to recognize Martin Luther King's birthday as a holiday in the early 1990s. Along the way, Gutierrez revered the Supreme Court for its tradition of expanding rights even as his admiration gave way to cynicism about the confirmation process. Now, after the abortion ruling, he sees the court as a political instrument. "At every step along the way, it has been a step of inclusion, it has been a step of bringing people into the circle to determine the future of this country," he said. "And it has been a step of extending rights ... to make equality the most common thread of our being as a country. And that's why the court has, until now, remained the most admired, the most respected entity in all of governance in this country. And that's what they destroyed." Gutierrez worries what the ruling could mean for the future of same-sex marriage, contraceptives and guns. He has lost hope that Congress can or will do anything to help. His faith in the Democratic Party and its leaders was also worn away over time, deepening after Obama's promise on comprehensive immigration reform was never fulfilled. After spending decades registering young people to vote, he stopped doing so during the 2020 election. "I don't believe in them anymore," he said. "It's cumulative - it's got to hit you upside the head more than once before you conclude that there's just no point in doing this." - - - Marley reported from Madison, Wis., and Brown reported from Atlanta. The Washington Post's Scott Clement contributed to this report. LONDON (AP) British military authorities are trying to find out who hacked the armys social media accounts over the weekend, flooding them with cryptocurrency videos and posts related to collectible electronic art. The investigation was launched after authorized content on the armys YouTube account was replaced with a video feed promoting cryptocurrencies that included images of billionaire Elon Musk. The Armys Twitter account retweeted a number of posts about non-fungible tokens, unique digital images that can be bought and sold but have no physical counterpart. Aaron Favila/AP CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Voters started casting ballots on Monday in Papua New Guineas general elections to decide the coalition government that will rule one of the South Pacifics most populous and diverse nations for the next five years. The leading contenders to lead the new government are current Prime Minister James Marape and his predecessor who resigned in 2019, Peter ONeill. On "No Demo Reno," design expert Jennifer Todryk is on a mission to help people perk up their homes without the chaos of major construction or tons of cash. "You can stick to the original floor plan," she insists. "You can save yourself the money and the stress that comes with a gut renovation." And in the latest episode, "Out of the Gray," it's clear that the homes she's helping just need a bit more personality. Her first project is for a family of five, Naz and Umer Ayub and their three children. They moved from California to Frisco, TX, to a lovely but generic home. They want to make it feel like their own, and Todryk tells them she's up to the challengeand can do it all on their budget of $85,000. The second family she helps are the Camberes, a young couple who have $10,000 to $15,000 to spend on their back patio, hoping to turn it from a junk-filled storage area to a luxurious lounge area reminiscent of Tulum, Mexico. As Todryk shows them how to make a big difference with minimal cash and effort, it might get your own renovation wheels turning. Take a look! Spice up a gray-and-white palette This formerly gray and white living room has been amped up with pops of color. HGTV The Ayub house has an impressive living room with a lovely two-story corner fireplace and a soaring ceiling, but it's gray, gray, gray with a few white "accents" here and there. As popular as the neutral gray-and-white palette is right now, Todryk believes it gets boring fast. "Let's play a game where we touch everything that's gray," she exclaims as she begins going around the room touching everything in sight. Todryk suggests brightening the room with pops of both color and texture such as green plants, wood accents, and long, flowing drapes in vivid navy. With a multicolored rug on the floor that ties it all together, the room warms right up. Use curtain weights Drapes that don't hang right HGTV As Todryk hangs the curtains, which are not for privacy but to add color, flow, and texture, she notices something weird about the hems. "See the bottom of that curtain there? How it kind of flares out and looks all wild and crazy?" she asks. "That's how my hair looked when I cut it short." Luckily, there's a solution for this. "I'm going to get some curtain weights," she continues. "They go behind the curtains, and they pull them down, so you get that beautiful, straight, magazine-worthy curtain." White on white no longer flies in a kitchen White kitchen with dark flooring and a textured range hood HGTV While a white-on-white color scheme is still alive and well in many a kitchen, Todryk chalks up this look as a big fail because it's so dull. So that's definitely something she'll have to address in the kitchen without overhauling too much of the space. "To break up the monotony of a white-on-white kitchen, a dark floor is a great way to do that," says Todryk as she holds up black hexagonal tiles. "It's going to provide a lot of fun contrast, and this hexagon shape is going to give me a lot of grout lines, and it's going to naturally draw your eye down to that floor." She also removes the microwave from above the stove (why would anyone put it there in the first place?) and has a craftsman construct a shapely range hood in its place, which she covers with plaster she applies herself for a more rustic, textured look. Voila! The boring white-on-white kitchen now sparkles with personality. If your cabinets are in good shape, sell them Jennifer Todryk photographs cabinets to sell online. HGTV There's nothing wrong with the Ayubs' kitchen cabinets. They just disappear into the rest of the all-white kitchen. Since this is a no-demolition show, Todryk is not about to destroy perfectly good cabinets. "These cabinets are great quality," she says. "They just don't want them anymore." So she photographs them in place, where they show much better, then she has the cabinets carefully removed. She posts them for sale online. "Just because it's not good for this client doesn't mean someone else won't want them. They're worth something," Todryk says. Sure enough, she gets $1,300 for the cabinets, which she will use for a custom tile backsplash. It's a win for all: the Ayubs, the buyers of the cabinets, and the environment! Try a low-maintenance living wall Patio before HGTV The Camberes obviously can no longer have a fishnet with neon-colored plastic fish hanging on it. Todryk has something more sophisticated and tropical in mind: a living wall. Living walls look gorgeous, but they require high maintenance. Keeping the right moisture level and all those sideways-growing plants alive can be quite the challenge. So Todryk takes more of a horizontal approach to the living wall. She attaches open shelving, then selects leafy, draping plants that do well in the shade and "take up a lot of real estate" on the shelves. She arranges the plants on the newly installed shelves and adds natural and organic accessories like driftwood and coral. Hey, they were plants once, too! The result is a living wall that looks great but is much easier to care for. Todryk has transformed this tired, old patio, all for $12,000. Patio after HGTV The post 'No Demo Reno' IDs a Kitchen Castoff That May Be Worth $1,300: Do You Have It? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, July 3, 2022 _____ FLASH FLOOD WARNING The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... East Central Chelan County in north central Washington... * Until 800 PM PDT. * At 451 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain in the Chelan area. Between 0.5 and 1 inch of rain has fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...Radar. IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Chelan, Chelan Falls, Manson, Stayman, and Azwell. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, July 4, 2022 _____ FLASH FLOOD WARNING The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... Eastern Ferry County in northeastern Washington... Central Stevens County in northeastern Washington... * Until 215 PM PDT. * At 1117 AM PDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...Radar. IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Kettle Falls. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded roads. Find an alternate route. Flooding is occurring or is imminent. It is important to know where you are relative to streams, rivers, or creeks which can become killers in heavy rains. Campers and hikers should avoid streams or creeks. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, July 4, 2022 _____ AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY Flood Advisory National Weather Service Spokane WA 401 PM PDT Mon Jul 4 2022 ...FLOOD ADVISORY HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A FLASH FLOOD WARNING... The Flood Advisory is replaced by a Flash Flood Warning for the Muckamuck burn scar in Okanogan County in north central Washington. The threat of flooding continues and a Flash Flood Warning is now in effect. Please refer to that bulletin for more information. The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... The Muckamuck Burn Scar in... Central Okanogan County in north central Washington... * Until 545 PM PDT. * At 401 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain over the Muckamuck Burn Scar. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms in and around the Muckamuck Burn Scar. SOURCE...Radar. IMPACT...Flooding of areas in and around the Muckamuck Burn Scar. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Conconully and Alder Campground. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... The affected areas are in and below the Muckamuck burn scar north of Conconully, including the North Fork Salmon Creek Road. Some drainage basins impacted include North Fork Salmon Creek, Ray Creek, and Center Creek. Moderate to high intensity rainfall on the burned area may cause flash flooding, mud slides and rock slides. Campers, hikers residents, and motorists in and below the Muckamuck burned area should take immediate precautions to protect life and property. Flooding is occurring or is imminent. It is important to know where you are relative to streams, rivers, or creeks which can become killers in heavy rains. Campers and hikers should avoid streams or creeks. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather Equinix India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Guidance, the nodal agency of Government of Tamil Nadu for promotion and facilitation of the aforesaid upcoming project at Siruseri, Tamil Nadu. As part of its expansion and growth strategy in India and to extend its operations in Chennai, the company has taken 5.95 acres of land on a long-term lease at State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd (SIPCOT) IT Park. It is strategically located in the Siruseri area, which is known as the IT Corridor of Chennai, with large and upcoming IT parks and well-established telecom networks. 1000 crores in phases over the next 10 years. The project is expected to create employment of about 90 skilled people from various industries such as electrical, mechanical, IT and operations. In addition, during the 2-3 years construction phase, the site will employ 250 - 400 skilled and unskilled workers per day. The project includes building a world class data center with an ultimate capacity of 24MW IT load. The company estimates to invest over1000 crores in phases over the next 10 years. The project is expected to create employment of about 90 skilled people from various industries such as electrical, mechanical, IT and operations. In addition, during the 2-3 years construction phase, the site will employ 250 - 400 skilled and unskilled workers per day. Manoj Paul, Managing Director, Equinix India, said, India is a strategic market for Equinix. Our investment in Chennai to drive digital infrastructure growth in India is part of our commitment to the market. With multiple favourable factors, Chennai has emerged as a hub for data centers and we are excited for a MoU with the Government of Tamil Nadu. Thanks to the Industries Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, SIPCOT and Guidance Tamil Nadu for their support of Equinix's growth into Chennai. We believe that with the necessary infrastructural support, regulatory facilitation and uninterrupted power supply, we can build a successful data center in Chennai particularly from an employment generation standpoint while delivering the best in class digital infrastructure to customers. Equinix Inc., is the worlds largest data center provider comprising of Colocation and Interconnection as core products/services. The company has more than 227 data centres in 63 cities across five continents. Platform Equinix is home to rich business ecosystems, connecting more than 10,000 companies, including more than 1,800 network providers and more than 2,900 cloud IT providers to grow their businesses, improve application performance and safeguard their digital assets. Ever heard of a sectoral regulator giving targets for the industry as a whole and also for the individual players? Well, it happened in the insurance sector with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India's (IRDAI) Chairman Debasish Panda, at his meeting with the heads of non-life and reinsurance companies at Hyderabad on Friday. "The IRDAI is now looking at the market developmental role. All these years, the Authority was carrying out the regulatory role," a senior industry official told IANS preferring anonymity. Pointing out the low penetration of the non-life sector in the country - about 1 per cent- two decades after opening up the sector, Panda said the global average of insurance penetration is 4.16 per cent. He said the target penetration rate is 2.52 per cent by FY27 and it means the Indian non-life sector would grow from Rs 2.20 lakh crore premium from FY22 to a whopping Rs 11.73 lakh crore by FY27. Panda also listed out the target for all the non-life insurance companies. At the meeting Panda sounded like a consultant or a CEO of an insurance company but certainly not like a sectoral regulator. Target the low hanging fruits, he told the insurers and also cited a couple of low hanging ones. For instance, he said the balance in the 45 crore Jan Dhan accounts - that started with zero balance some years back- is now about Rs 1.5 lakh crore. Similarly, the central government gives Rs 6,000 per annum to small and marginal farmers. Asking the industry to chalk out strategies to tap these segments which in turn would increase insurance penetration amongst the rural segments, Panda said there should be an information technology interface between the insurers and the bankers. The regulator also said, once the software interface between the two organisations is there, then the certificate of insurance could be sent to the policyholders. He said nominees of many policyholders who had died of Covid were not aware of the insurance policy taken by the deceased from the banks. Panda said the IRDAI will involve itself in sorting out the regulatory issues by taking up the matter with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) if need be. The IRDAI Chairman also told the industry captains that the Authority is on mission mode on the following: -developing and implementing risk based supervisory with a knowledge partner; -establish framework for risk based capital in two to two-and-half years time; -strategies for implementing applicable IFRS/Ind AS accounting standards; -developing an ecosystem for InsureTech and -strengthening the policyholder grievance redressal mechanism and naming it as Bima Bharosa. Panda also said onboarding of new players will be made easy with a 'no objection certificate' from IRDAI to go to the Registrar of Companies to incorporate the company will be automatic. He said a two member facilitation cell at IRDAI will be formed. The cell will handhold the investors. The IRDAI Chairman also said a new intermediary channel 'Bima Vahak', a community centric one will be formed. The channel will be women centric and technology enabled. "Dont just conduct meetings conduct smart meetings". Philips Smart Meeting Series Video Conferencing & Audio-Conferencing products with never-before features launched in India. Speech Processing Solutions (SPS) is an international technology company and a global leader in dictation solutions. More than four million users worldwide work with speech-to-text solutions developed by SPS and sold under the Philips brand. Solutions include Smart Meeting Series products like video-conferencing & audio-conferencing devices, workflow and speech recognition software, as well as hardware products. These smart solutions save users time and allow them to focus on their core tasks, making their business more efficient, customer-centric and profitable. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, SPS has regional offices in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium and Austria, as well as a network of more than 1000 distribution and implementation partners worldwide. To browse all SPS products and solutions, visit www.philips.com/speech Keeping abreast with innovations, few selected models in the e Smart Meeting Series are compatible with SEMBLY Meeting Assistant. This is an exciting AI technology helping customers by creating automated meeting minutes and insights. The motto of Sembly is Focus on your meeting, we take care of the rest We are pleased to say, that the cooperation with Sembly AI gives us new market opportunities by offering the best of both worlds. We provide best-in-class conference microphones and pair them up with a smart meeting assistant solution, which creates an automatic transcript, summary, and action list of every meeting. Our unique solutions help busy professionals save time and conduct meetings more efficiently than ever before explains Dr. Thomas Brauner, CEO of Speech Processing Solutions. We are especially excited about the complementary nature and synergy between our two teams which is expected to boost both of our companies top and bottom lines. The Philips products seamlessly integrate with the included Sembly SaaS to provide more value to our end customers continues Gil Makleff, CEO and Co-founder of Sembly AI. A cross-platform breakthrough: No matter if you are working with Zoom, Google Meet, Teams or Webex, our smart meeting assistant joins your meetings as an attendant and does the note-taking for you adds ArtemKoren, Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder of Sembly AI. Users can easily forward the meeting summaries, for example to colleagues who happened to have missed the meeting. Michael Weis (Director-Business Development Global Retail) SPS is very honored and grateful that Philips Smart Meeting Series has entered the Indian market with the efforts of CEECO. Philips Smart Meeting Series products are committed to breaking the geographical and physical space constraints, saving the cost of business travel for enterprises and their employees, improving the efficiency of meetings, and presenting clear voice and image information for school teachers and students. We believe that Philips Smart Meeting Series will bring you a good experience in work, study and even life! Ceeco Technologies (Ceeco) is a value-added distribution company headquartered in New Delhi, India with regional offices in Bangalore and Mumbai and sales teams spread across many cities in India. Ceeco specializes in Audio-Visual, UCC, VC, and Wireless Collaboration products and solutions, and has a strong network of dealers and partners across India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal. To browse all our products and solutions, visit www.ceeco.in Ceeco announced today the launch of Philips range of Smart Meeting series products in the Indian market. The range of products will include a comprehensive range of Philips Video-Conferencing & Audio-Conferencing products like Fixed and PTZ VC cameras, All in One Video-conferencing & Audio-conferencing solutions, Speakerphones etc. targeted towards institutional customers in corporate, government, education and other similar segments. Sanjeev Bhasin (Managing Director) Ceeco remarked on the Philips Smart Meeting Series launch: We are very excited to introduce this innovative product range in India and other regional markets mentioned above. Philips quality and brand name presents a strong and viable option to video conferencing and audio-conferencing users, customers and trade partners alike. Philips Smart Meeting devices have been designed keeping user convenience in mind and their collaboration with Sembly Meeting Assistant puts them ahead of the pack by a distance. We are confident that customers will place their trust in Philips brand. Tata Power has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Tamil Nadu government to invest about Rs 3,000 crore to set up solar cell, module manufacturing unit in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. The MoU outlines the commitment made by both parties to stimulate clean energy transition and employment in the state. The investment in the plant will be made over a period of 16 months and will directly and indirectly create over 2,000 jobs, with majority of them being women employees, Tata Power said in a statement. The MoU was signed by S Krishnan, additional chief secretary to government of Tamil Nadu, Industries Department, and Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power, in the presence of state chief minister M K Stalin and senior officials of the state. India has opportunity to spearhead the usage of clean and green energy solutions to meet its energy requirements. Tata Power Solars new production facility, being set up with the support and assistance of Tamil Nadu government, will help to meet the rising demand for clean energy solutions in the country apart from providing huge employment opportunities," said Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power, said The new plant in Tamil Nadu will integrate Mono-PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell) Bifacial Technology with future n-type technology of Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contacts (TOPCON) and will produce High Wattage Modules with industry-leading efficiencies. For the smooth navigation of equipment, the facility will implement Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) which use lasers and cameras for transporting parts. Another highlight of the technological advancement in the plant will be the implementation of Industry 4.0 standards - a fully interconnected factory comprising smart manufacturing tools and technologies. Tata Power Solars Tamil Nadu facility will be the second such manufacturing unit after Bengaluru. As one of the largest solar manufacturers in India, the company operates a world-class manufacturing unit in Bangalore, with a production capacity of 635MW of modules and 500 MW of cells. Governors Tom Wolf from Pennsylvania and Asa Hutchinson from Arkansas along with Lt Governors Garlin Gilchrist from Michigan, and Eleni Kounalakis from California made an aggressive pitch before a group of more than 100 Indian businesses travelling to the US to attend the annual Select USA Investment Summit in the American Capital FREMONT, CA: Bipartisan groups of governors and high-ranking officials of the USA have endorsed good bilateral relations with India. They have also pushed for investment from the Indian corporate sector, which they claim brings foreign direct investment and skills and local job creation in the US. The governors of Pennsylvania and Arkansas and the lieutenants of Michigan and California made aggressive pitches to a group of more than 100 Indian businesses attending the Select USA Investment Summit in the American Capital. These top State level elected officials stated during remarks at a reception held at the well-known India House by India's ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, that Indian businesses add value to their state economies, bring in new skill sets, and most importantly, create highly sought-after jobs. Over 155 Indian businesses have invested USD 22 billion. About the unicorns that appeared every week, the Pennsylvania Governor mentioned that India is a dynamic nation, and it is a sleeping giant. The Republican governor expressed his pride at having retained his affection and admiration for India throughout the years. Democratic governor of Arkansas claimed that both parties favour the relationship between the US and India. The Governor also mentioned that large amounts of foreign direct investment from Indian firms, such as Welspun Mahindra Group, Infosys, TCS, and Wipro, which employ thousands of people from Arkansas, have helped Arkansas. Wipro only recently announced that 400 Arkansans would be employed at a new, massive service facility. So, the Government respects the significant investments that have been made. Another example of an Indian company investing in its Arkansas business as well as in kids promoting STEM education in our state is Tata Consulting Services (TCS). STEM refers to science, technology, engineering, and math fields. Lt. Gov. of Michigan remarked that Michigan is already home to several significant Indian-American businesses, such as Mahindra, Tata Group, and Wipro. In Michigan, where they benefit from a strong business climate, a cost of living that is ten per cent less expensive than the national average, a highly skilled and devoted workforce, and an incredible quality of life that my counterparts will appreciate you saying is unmatched across the United States of America. If California were a nation, it would have the fifth-largest economy in the world. Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis of California exhibited confidence in the future of the state's ties with India. California has more Indian Americans living there than any other state. They make up 6.4 per cent of the population of the San Jose Sunnyvale Santa Clara census tract in regions like Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Silicon Valley. This relationship will expand further as long as trade between California and India overall keeps expanding despite the pandemic. Commerce between the subnational government and India increased from over USD10 billion before COVID-19 to USD12.5 billion in 2021. Almost 300 Indian-owned businesses are functioning in California that employs more than 8,000 people and generate more than USD980 million in pay annually. So, from the Golden Gate to the India Gate, the connections between California and India are solid and only gaining strength, whether it is between Silicon Valley and Bangalore or Hollywood and Bollywood. Sandhu welcomed the top governors, Lt Governors, and other top officials from the US Government and emphasized the strength, resilience, and competitiveness that Indian companies in the US contribute to the US. They develop capability and technological know-how while producing jobs in the neighbourhood. Sandhu welcomed the top governors, Lt Governors, and other top officials from the US Government and emphasized the strength, resilience, and competitiveness that Indian companies in the US contribute to the US. The Board of Trustees of Oregon State University approved Jayathi Murthy as the institutions next president FREMONT, CA: Jayathi Murthy became the first woman to hold the position of dean at the UCLA School of Engineering and Applied Science, where she currently holds the position. She also lectures in the UCLA department of mechanical and aerospace engineering. She will hold the position of president of Oregon's largest public institution for the first time as a woman of colour. Murthy is glad to join the university and expresses her gratitude to the universitys outstanding faculty, staff, and leaders, as well as their dedication to inclusive excellence, student success, and extensive experience and leadership in online education. She also remarked that OSU is well-positioned to address the many challenges in how higher education will be best provided in the years to come. Murthy and Charles Martinez were competing for the OSU leadership position. The College of Education at The University of Texas in Austin is led by Martinez. Before this, he worked for more than 20 years in Oregon, holding several posts at the University of Oregon. The board of trustees invited Murthy and Martinez to OSU's main campus in Corvallis late last month to oversee a more transparent and honest hiring procedure. The OSU board selected Murthy without opposition. OSU Board of Trustees Chair remarked that Dr Murthy is the ideal leader and person to lead this extraordinary university, which is experiencing great momentum. The university's dedication to and advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusive greatness will grow under Dr Murthy's leadership, as will OSU's incredible impact in Oregon, the United States, and around the world. Murthy emphasized her belief that Oregon State will survive the pandemic and become a national leader. She added that, in her direction, the institution will enhance its investment in research infrastructure. One of Murthy's main areas of study in UCLA's engineering school was improving access for marginalized people. She stressed her plans to implement it at the University. As an educator and administrator, Murthy stated that advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion is a strongly held conviction of mind and is important to my work. She also mentioned her experience being the only girl engineering student since she was 16. Murthy pledged to make certain that all OSU students have access to top-notch student support services, including advising and financial aid. Murthy will begin working at OSU in September in her new position. Becky Johnson, the university's interim president since May 2021, will be replaced by her. One of Metas senior European executives has slammed Australian news outlets claiming they are using the money they received under bargaining laws to pay down debt and reward shareholders, as a senior Google executive claimed his company didnt understand how the code worked. Australian Treasury is preparing to run a series of roundtables to evaluate the effectiveness of its framework, which was introduced last February to force Google and Meta into negotiations with media outlets for use of their content. The tech giant executives shared very different views on the company experience with the creation of the laws. A Meta executive has criticised the way media has handled money while a Google executive said no one understands how the media bargaining laws work. Credit:Getty John Severinson, head of partner development at Meta, said the laws did not encourage collaboration between media and tech companies. The government should encourage the development of new business models. One of the learnings from Australia is that it doesnt solve - or attempt to solve - the underlying issue in that the business model of journalism online is broken and needs to transition to a new reality, Severinson said. Hospitality businesses are increasingly turning to third-party recruitment apps to find temporary shift workers as critical staff shortages plague the industry, but some venues say reliance on the apps is not sustainable. Recruitment app Supp a platform for businesses to advertise temporary shifts to hospitality workers said the number of available shifts had quadrupled since January to about 16,000 per month. Hospitality One venue manager Jonathan Mooney said the Supp app has helped him fill shifts amid staff shortages in recent months. Credit:Joe Armao Supp co-founder and chief executive Jordan Murray said the five-year-old start-up had seen a 40 per cent increase since January in the number of hospitality workers using the app to find work. The growth is driven by the skill shortage, the rising cost of living and the change in work preferences toward more flexibility, Murray said. All this reaching out across political divides really is starting to get out of hand. The latest example is former Julia Gillard staffer Tony Hodges joining the almost overnight success that is Christopher Pynes lobbying shop Pyne and Partners. Hodges, readers might recall, was briefly the most famous man in Australian politics in early 2012 after he was responsible for a tip-off that brought Invasion Day protesters at Canberras Parliament House to a nearby restaurant called, would you believe, The Lobby, where their bete noir, then opposition leader Tony Abbott, was attending a function with Gillard. Christopher Pyne Credit:David Solm The ensuing debacle ended with Gillard being whipped out of the venue by her, well, enthusiastic security detail, producing one of the more enduring images of her tenure as prime minister. But Pyne, who admits he made much of the incident at the time, as manager of opposition business in the house, says thats all in the past as he and Hodges embark on whats sure to be a successful working relationship. Black River arrived wrapped in black plastic with a yellow rose attached, a somewhat creepy publicity ploy echoing the modus operandi of the Blue Moon Killer who haunts its pages. Operating in western Sydney, the BMK has already struck twice and Strike Force Satyr is well into their investigation when a third body is found in the grounds of the prestigious (fictional) Prince Albert College in western Sydney. This is the scenario for a gripping police procedural by former journalist and private-school alumnus Matthew Spencer, who draws from his own experience to follow the case from two perspectives. Theres that of the police, including the no-nonsense green-eyed Detective Sergeant Rose Riley, and theres that of journalist Adam Bowman, the son of a former teacher at Prince Albert, which he also attended as a boy. And its no ordinary school either, as Bowman wryly observes, its patrician, blazered and slap-bang in the centre of the western sprawl. Matthew Spencers novel Black River is imbued with an acute sense of Sydney. Bowmans a likeable, solitary chap weighed down by a predictable penchant for alcohol and a family tragedy. So when his editor at The National (the only remaining broadsheet in Australia) asks for some background to the most recent gruesome discovery at the school, he not only knows his way around the 160-hectare site and the waterway that threads through it, but also its complex history. As Bowman walks the creek on the campus, he recalls how his father told him about the First Fleet party that made it to the headwaters of the Parramatta, eating lorikeet and crow soup. And its this experience of place that gives Black River both its resonance and its depth. Its also a book that cries out for a map (I read it with Google Maps open) as the action shifts from the smug bars and cafes of Surry Hills, where Bowman works, to Balmain where he lives, while casting a caustic glance sidewards at the glass casino in Barangaroo pilfering the sky. While other people might look to the east, to the harbour and the big bays, Bowman prefers to look west, to the scars of industry and the way the light plays on the shimmering scales of the serpent river that appears to connect the three crimes. Juho Kuosmanen loves trains. Long before he read Rosa Liksoms 2011 novel Compartment No. 6, the Finnish director had travelled around Russia on local lines, taking pictures in odd places. Its the best way to travel, especially in Russia, because you do these long trips and you meet interesting people, he says. You just dont talk to people on plane journeys. Compartment No. 6, the inspiration for his latest film, was about exactly that: two unlikely travel companions thrown together in a small space for several days. As soon as he read it, he wondered first if he dared try to adapt it and, secondly, whether he could shoot it on a moving train. Seidi Haarla as Laura in Compartment No. 6. Credit:Sami Kuokkanen The resulting film, which was indeed largely shot on moving trains, shared the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in 2021. The story is simple enough. Finnish Laura (Seidi Haarla) is studying Russian in Moscow, where she is the younger companion to sophisticated Irina, a professor of archaeology and centrepiece of a sparkling intellectual set that gathers regularly in her apartment. When Irina pulls out of a trip to Murmansk, north of the Arctic Circle, to see some recently discovered ancient petroglyphs, Laura decides to go anyway. I think she tries to please Irina, says Kuosmanen. She wants to say oh yes, I saw them and it was really amazing! Even if, deep down, she feels nothing. She finds herself sharing a sleeping compartment with young Ljoha (Yuriy Borisov), on his way to Murmansk to take up a job at a smelter. Ljoha has clearly had a skinful before boarding and is full of objectionable slurred opinions: he is a deplorable, Russian-style. He certainly cant imagine why anyone would be interested in looking at a bunch of old rock paintings. You look so serious all the time, he sneers at Laura. Youll get old too fast and be covered in wrinkles. It is only as they chug into the Arctic that their mutual hostility starts to thaw. South Africa: Commonwealth Parliamentary meeting underway The Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) is currently hosting the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region Budget Committee Meeting. The delegation, who arrived in Gauteng on Sunday for the three-day meeting, is made up of Parliamentarians from seven African countries, including the Speaker of the Parliament of KwaZulu-Natal, Nontembeko Boyce. Countries represented in the meeting include Botswana, Bomo State of Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria and Tanzania. In 2021, the Speaker of the Gauteng Legislature, Ntombi Mekgwe was elected as the Treasurer of CPA Africa Region, a position she will occupy until 2024. The Treasurer is responsible for management of the finances of the Region, the duty she discharges through the Budget Committee and the Program Planning and Finance Sub-Committee. During the current Budget Committee Meeting, the following will be considered: Review the annual plan and assess its consistency with the objectives of the Region; Where relevant, review the existing policies with a view to assessing their relevance to the changing environment; Review the proposed itemized activities with a view to assessing their propriety with regard to the proposed volume of operations in the budget, and whether the resources requested are proportional and consistent with the Secretariats departmental activities; and Recommend the budget to the Executive Committee. The Meeting has an important task at hand which is to consider and adopt the Mid-Year Financial Performance Report for the period ending 30th June 2022. The diligence, accuracy, and punctuality at which this shall be done contributes immensely to the Mission for CPA Africa Region which is to promote and protect the interests and perspectives of CPA Africa Region Parliaments and countries into the Commonwealth and to promote gender equality, and good governance. In line with the repositioning and repurposing of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL), the delegates will visit the Hector Peterson Memorial and tour the Mandela Museum. The Constitution of South Africa calls us to Recognise the injustices of our past, honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land and respect those who have worked to build and develop our country, the Gauteng Legislature said in a statement. Concurringly, the vision of the GPL is to be a progressive legislature that fosters confidence in democracy and improves the quality of life of the people of Gauteng and a mission to build a capable and robust legislature with the capacity to fulfil its constitutional mandate. The visit to these two sites is in fulfilment of this Constitutional obligation and to put the Gauteng legislature at the centre of legislative sector reforms, the Legislature said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-07-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes and authorities warn more are likely to be affected over the course of the week as large parts of the NSW coast brace for another wet day. There are 71 evacuation orders in place, affecting 30,000 residents across the flood-affected areas. Those in parts of Lower Portland, Pitt Town, Agnes Banks and South Maroota were told to leave their homes in the early hours of Monday. The streets of Windsor were deep underwater on Monday. Credit:Brook Mitchell Concerns for the Hawkesbury and Nepean regions remain as heavy rainfall is expected to continue. Damaging winds and rain of up to 100 mm are predicted to lash Sydneys CBD on Monday, while Penrith could receive up to 150 mm. There are major flood warnings for the Nepean, Hawkesbury and Colo rivers. Authorities warned on Sunday that river levels could peak well above flooding seen in the last three major events. For an industry obsessed with cashmere, leather, suede and viscose instantly rendered redundant by a single drop of water, fashion is obsessed with getting us wet. Models pony-walking with dewy skin and drenched hair arranged across their shoulders, or diving into swimming pools while dripping with diamonds in sequinned evening gowns are regular features of runway shows and magazine editorials. French fashion house Chanel opened its most recent ready-to-wear show with models trading their two-tone pumps for knee-high gumboots worn with tweed socks and tights, while British brand Burberry showed trench coats for the umpteenth time, but designers arent entirely to blame for putting water inVogue. Movies are the overflowing dam of seductive imagery, filled with slick raincoats and umbrellas that always open at the first attempt, where wet is wonderful and runny noses are saved for off-screen. Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in The Notebook and Andie MacDowell with Hugh Grant in Four Weddings and a Funeral. Credit: Without movies, we would never have had the wisdom of Derek Zoolander rain down on us in Zoolander (2001) that, Moisture is the essence of wetness, and wetness is the essence of beauty. Moist movie moments mostly occur during a romantic climax. Think Noah (Ryan Gosling) with a white shirt pressed against his skin and Allies (Rachel McAdams) clinging blue dress beneath storm clouds in The Notebook (2004); Carrie (Andie MacDowell) in a boxy slate coat delivering one of the worst lines in movie history to Charles (Hugh Grant) in Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), with the obligatory wet white shirt pressed against his skin: Is it still raining? I hadnt noticed. Few, if any, surprises emerged with the first drop of census data this week. Especially for the keen observers of social trends. Social changes rarely happen quickly. Some notable exceptions apply here, of course, such as marriage equality. But we saw the increase in same-sex marriages coming, because of legislative change that enabled it; it was predictable. Changes to who we are and how we live are generally incremental and can be seen coming, as things like immigration and population ageing undergo planned or expected progression. Trends, after all, point to where social phenomena is heading because they show the path issues have taken over time. Its no surprise that the majority of Australians have a connection to another country, either by birth or through their parents. India and Nepal emerging among the fastest growing countries of origin was foreshadowed by migration statistics, years in the making. A man charged under Australias foreign interference laws says money he donated to a hospital, alongside former federal minister Alan Tudge, was not an attempt to curry favour with the politician but to combat anti-Chinese sentiment among the public at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a court has heard. Di Sanh Duong, a former Liberal Party candidate, was charged by federal police in November 2020 with preparing an act of foreign interference after making a $37,450 donation to the Royal Melbourne Hospital at the height of the pandemic. Federal investigators say the donation was a preparatory act to exert influence on Australian politicians. Federal minister Alan Tudge (left) was presented with a donation by Di Sanh Duong (right) in 2020. On Monday, Melbourne Magistrates Court heard claims that Duong originally wanted to donate masks during widespread shortages, to combat incidences of racism directed at Chinese Australians at the outset of the pandemic, but instead he decided to donate money. According to several conversations captured in telephone intercepts and read out in court by Duongs barrister, Neil Clelland, QC, Duong told associates between February and June 2020 that the donation was intended to show the Australian community we care. The NSW government has launched legal action against rail unions in an attempt to halt a planned escalation in industrial action across the states railways later this week. Premier Dominic Perrottet said the government had triggered proceedings in the Fair Work Commission on Monday morning after negotiations with rail workers had again broken down. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet. Credit:Brook Mitchell, Janie Barrett The Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) had earlier warned that it would ramp up protected industrial action this week as it remains at loggerheads with the government over the future of NSWs new intercity train fleet and a new pay deal covering members of five other unions. Perrottet said rail workers insistence on continuing industrial action after the government made concessions to union demands to modify the new intercity trains was proof that their strategies were politically motivated. North Ryde University site State Government authorities forecast that a fourth university for NSW would be built in Sydney, probably at North Ryde. They said the Government had to act quickly to avoid chaos in the tertiary education system due to the phenomenal increase in students wishing to enter universities. The decision of the University of Sydney to restrict entry of medical students next year and of students in all other faculties from 1963 emphasised the seriousness of the position. Canadian vaccine passes test The Salk poliomyelitis vaccine imported from Canada has now passed all safety tests. The Minister for Health, Dr D. A. Cameron said arrangements were being made for the vaccine to be bottled and distributed to State authorities. As the Government felt it should not distribute an imported vaccine unless it could accept full responsibility for its potency and safety, the Canadian vaccine was subjected to tests at several laboratories in Melbourne, Dr Cameron said. Wests gravest crisis since 1945 The west was facing its most grave and perilous crisis since 1945, Canadian Prime Minister Mr John Diefenbaker said. Tension reminiscent of 1914 and 1939 was mounting [and] he blamed the danger on the Russian Premier, Mr Khrushchev. The world horizon was again darkened by signs of Communist threats and intransigence, but the knowledge of the awfulness of nuclear war must exert a restraining influence on the Kremlin, he said. Thanks for reading our live coverage of flooding across Sydney and NSW. The east coast low moved north today, pushing heavy rainfalls onto the Hunter and Newcastle regions, and authorities are warning the danger is not over yet. We will be back tomorrow with more live updates, but heres a wrap of todays major events: Tugboat crews are planning to tow the damaged cargo ship Portland Bay into Port Botany on Wednesday if the weather eases. The ship was saved last night by the three tugboats, but an attempt to tow it further out to sea for repairs failed on Monday night, when a thick steel cable linking the ship and a tug snapped under strain. Clean up crews are working to clear mountains of sand and debris from some of Sydneys most iconic beaches after one beach lost almost 30 metres of its breadth in this weeks storms. The Bureau of Meteorology cancelled the severe weather warning for the Hunter region, while warning the Mid North Coast and the Northern Tablelands to brace for continued heavy rain. Evacuation orders were issued and remain in place in Windsor, Shanes Park, Bulga, Broke, McDonald River and Webbs Creek. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be touring flood-ravaged areas with NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet tomorrow. We will continue our live coverage in the morning. Until then, stay safe and stay across any emergency updates for your area. Good night. A prolonged dispute between the NSW government and rail unions risks blowing out the cost of a new metro rail line under Sydney Harbour by hundreds of millions of dollars and delaying the mega project by another six months. The government on Monday launched legal proceedings in the Fair Work Commission after negotiations with rail workers again broke down over the weekend amid warnings of further industrial action this week. In a letter from the Crown Solicitors Office to Fair Work, marked sensitive and seen by the Herald, the government claims industrial action will cause significant loss to the NSW economy and increase the cost of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest rail line by $246 million. Premier Dominic Perrottet and Transport Minister David Elliott inspect the Sydney Metro City tunnels last year. Credit:James Gourley A separate affidavit - signed on Monday - from a senior Sydney Metro executive outlining a range of scenarios for the project warned further delays could see costs escalate by more than $1 billion. A trio of Liberal women have emerged as frontrunners to replace Marise Payne in the Senate amid growing expectation in the Liberal Party that the former foreign minister will step down after the NSW state election in March 2023. Discussions are also under way about who could replace former prime minister Scott Morrison in the seat of Cook if he chooses to walk away with a number of candidates touted. Former foreign minister Marise Payne is expected to quit before her six-year term expires. Credit:Steven Siewert The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age spoke to nine current federal and state parliamentarians from NSW and their unanimous view was that Payne, who took on the behind-the-scenes role of shadow cabinet secretary after the election loss, would not serve a full six-year term in the new parliament. Payne entered federal parliament in April 1997 and her place on the Liberal Senate ticket is all but certain to go to another member of the moderates faction. Singapore: Australias ambassador to China has met with Chinas vice-foreign minister in Beijing, days before the countrys foreign ministers are due to cross paths at the G20 in Bali. The meeting between Graham Fletcher and Xie Feng paves the way for a potential meeting between Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Chinas top envoy Wang Yi at the Bali foreign ministers summit from Thursday. China and Australias foreign ministers Wang Yi and Penny Wong. Credit:AP/Getty Wong and Wang narrowly avoided each other in the Pacific in May and June with each paying visits to Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands and Fiji as Beijing attempted to push through a regional security deal. Chinas regional military ambitions were one of a dozen disputes between Australia and China that led to high-level diplomatic contact being frozen for more than two years. But that relationship has shown signs of improvement since Defence Minister Richard Marles met with a lower-ranked Chinese Defence Minister in June. A meeting between Wong and Wang would be the highest level contact between equivalent Australian and Chinese ministers since September 2019. Bonaire:--- The Honorable Minister of Justice Anna E. Richardson paid a courtesy visit to Fundashon Krusada (Krusada Foundation) during her working visit to Bonaire which began on Monday, June 27, 2022, with the first Justice Tripartite meeting between the Caribbean countries of the Dutch Kingdom; Aruba, Curacao, and St. Maarten. The Krusada Foundation provides guidance to former substance abusers, former inmates, and at-risk youth. The foundation carries out projects for former inmates with a resocialization purpose and a halfway program aiding them in their transition from prison back into society. The Director of the Krusada Foundation, Mr. Junny Josephina has been leading the program for the past 6 years however, the program has been in existence for more than 20 years. The layout of the foundations halfway housing is a neighborhood concept. The setting and environment allow clients the opportunity to work towards healthy socialization and independent living in the near future. The foundation provides a workshop where goods such as furniture are built by inmates of the prison of Bonaire, as well as other clients of the program. There is also a greenhouse where plants and vegetables are grown. The products of these two work programs are sold to the community. This commercial aspect to the work program creates a stable extra source of income for the clients and the foundation. Director Josephina is quite passionate about this program and the positive support it gives to persons who have served time, and need the skills and support to transition back into society. In support of Minister Richardsons pursuit to establish and offer inmates of the Point Blanche Prison and the Miss Lalie Youth Correctional Centre the same support, Director Josephina is planning a trip to St. Maarten within short to explore possible locations and assist in the development of programs that will allow for a pilot program to be launched at the soonest. Minister Richardson stated, Id like to thank Mr. Josephina and the Krusada Foundation team for sharing the positive work the foundation carries out and for being open to the possibility of establishing such an entity that would aid in the strengthening of St. Maartens Justice and Social sectors. There are grant opportunities for programs such as these, and as Minister of Justice, I intend to explore funding on every possible level to help bring these much-needed programs into operation on St. Maarten. THE HAGUE/SABA:--- The visit of the Saba Island Council to the Netherlands was generally perceived by the delegation members as very positive and conducive to the relations with the Netherlands, especially in terms of bringing forward Sabas issues and discussing solutions in the interest of the people. On Friday, July 1, the Island Council closed off its yearly working visit to the Netherlands. The delegation, consisting of Chairman Jonathan Johnson, Island Council Members Carl Buncamper, Vito Charles, Eviton Heyliger, Esmeralda Johnson, and Hemmie van Xanten and Island Registrar Akilah Levenstone, had a busy schedule with many meetings and location visits. During these visits, we can highlight our issues, explain why we need solutions and how to go about that. It is a yearly opportunity to express our concerns and to discuss solutions, said Esmeralda Johnson. The main goal of our travels to the Netherlands is to continue to raise awareness for the Saba issues. The physical distance between Saba and the Netherlands is big and we are not always on the mind of The Hague. When we are here, we can address our issues. Often after our visit, we see increased attention and solutions, said Vito Charles. Networking It is absolutely important to be here for the connections, the networking, and to build a relation of trust. By being here and discussing Sabas issues, we can help remove obstacles before decisions are taken. For years, Saba has been speaking with one voice, jointly bringing forward the issues that are important for Saba. That contributes to the good relations with The Hague, said Hemmie van Xanten. It is always important to make your presence known. Let your counterparts know that you are working on behalf of your constituency and to make their voices be heard. The visits open doors. Over the years we see that they are more open to listen to us. This is especially important in the relations with the Dutch Parliament, said Eviton Heyliger. Added value The visits of Dutch delegations to Saba are important but equally important are our visits as Island Council to the Netherlands. These visits definitely have an added value and lead to a better understanding of how things work, contribute to more comprehension of each others positions, and teach us how to prepare for talks, said Carl Buncamper. In general, we talked a lot about the basic services that Saba should have. Having these services in place is difficult because of our small size and secluded location. It is important to seek attention for these issues because our citizens should not have to suffer for that, said Johnson. Pillars The delegations visit was based on several pillars, explained Buncamper: healthcare, representation in The Hague, changes to the WolBES and FinBES laws, developing of people with a distance to the labor market, housing, and the banking/notary issue. The lack of notary services has been a constant source of concern and has been pointed out by the Island Council time upon time. I find it is taking too long to get us a notary. It needs to be addressed badly, not from today, but yesterday. People have died without having their last will notarized, said Heyliger. Housing The delegation visited Bazalt Wonen, the housing cooperation that is already active on Saba, to talk about the Housing Vision. The Island Council wants the people to have better access to affordable housing and, rental and social housing. It is extremely hard to build, buy a house on Saba, and it is getting more and more expensive. We have a shortage of affordable housing due to the very expensive mortgages, and there is a lack of affordable social and rental housing. We need to see this addressed. There is a role for the Dutch Government and the Public Entity Saba to solve this, said Charles. The Housing Vision can help to pinpoint the problems and solutions and indicate the roles of the national and local government. The 18 social housing units that become available hopefully at the end of the year wont solve the shortage, because we have about 70 families on the waiting list, said Heyliger. He said it was also important for people to be able to build their own homes. We talked about how we can solve that, for example with soft loans, and assistance of the Netherlands with the construction of the homes foundation and cistern, said Heyliger. Fuel prices At the Authority Consumer and Market ACM, the delegation talked about the rising energy prices, in particular the large increase in the electricity bill, and how to reduce these costs. We talked about ways to bring down the cost for example by introducing more solar power, said Van Xanten. We are very concerned about the rising fuel prices, and we believe there should be a structural solution for this. We need this addressed in the short term, said Charles. He said he was in favor of a system with a certain range for electricity prices with a high and low threshold, in combination with subsidies. VNG congress The delegation spent two days in Hoorn where the members attended the Year Congress of the Association of Dutch Municipalities VNG. The VNG can also help to be Sabas voice in The Hague and in the relations with other municipalities, said Buncamper. The VNG will lobby more for us, and that will surely be beneficial for us because the VNG lobby is very powerful, said Johnson. She said at the VNG congress, the delegation learned a lot about services and programs on a municipal level. Attending the VNG congress is not only good for networking, but it also allowed the delegation to reflect on areas where Saba struggles and to see that for many challenges, there are solutions. We dont have to reinvent the wheel, Buncamper said. Momentum Johnson spoke of a momentum. I see change happening, slowly but surely. The agreement on the Saba Package is a very positive development. We were well-received in the Netherlands. We had a listening ear and a lot of understanding for our issues, she said. Heyliger said that overall he was very pleased with the visit. You keep carrying out the duty on behalf of the people and give content to the cooperation with the Netherlands, he said. The Saba delegation during its visit to the Netherlands did so unified, with one voice. BONAIRE:--- On Saturday, June 18th, 2022, State Secretary Her Excellency Drs. Alexandra van Huffelen visited the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) office in Bonaire. The DCNA made use of the opportunity to request her urgent attention to the conservation of the biodiversity hotspot in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The six Dutch Caribbean Islands are well known for their beautiful and diverse nature, whilst at the same time, their conservation has not been sufficiently addressed. The current support from the Netherlands is mainly directed to the BES islands. And, as nature does not have any borders, it is of the utmost importance that the Kingdom provides support to all the six Dutch Caribbean Islands in nature conservation plans and projects such as DCNAs Dutch Caribbean Climate Action Plan. DCNA's Treasurer, Mr. Norman Kuiperi, of the Aruba National Park Foundation, and board member Mr. Paul Stokkermans, of the Carmabi Foundation from Curacao, together with DCNA's Director, Mr. Tadzio Bervoets, gave a presentation to Her Excellency highlighting DCNAs work, including the challenges and threats the Protected Area Management organizations on each of the islands are facing, in their efforts to conserve and safeguard nature in the Dutch Caribbean. The lack of sustainable funding, policy support, and adequate spatial planning hamper conservation management efforts. Amongst the most significant threats include poorly regulated (coastal) development, waste and wastewater management, as well as overgrazing, overfishing, the impact of invasive species, and of climate change (warming of the seas, changing weather patterns, and rising sea levels). Constructive discussions were held on the above topics, including climate change, and DCNAs Dutch Caribbean Climate Action Plan, which was launched in May of 2022. This plan provides concrete recommendations for all six islands on both climate adaptation and mitigation strategies in order to combat climate change effects. Sustainable development and combating climate change require an integrated approach that prioritizes the protection of nature, energy independence, sustainable tourism, and a diverse blue economy. Most importantly, this needs to be a joint effort where the countries work together to strengthen each others effort and determination. WILLEMSTAD:--- Through the traditional paddle transfer of Captain Tom from the Compagnie in de West (CidW), rotation 39, duties were transferred to his successor Major Rian from rotation 40. The CidW is a permanent unit of the Royal Netherlands Army, in the Caribbean region, that can provide support for the three main tasks of the Netherlands Forces in the Caribbean. The departing unit consists of soldiers from the 11th Airmobile Brigade from Schaarsbergen (The Netherlands). During the last months this company executed several exercises, she contributed to the maritime event Velas Latinoamerica Curacao and they were on standby during a storm passage along with the ABC islands. Captain Tom, therefore, looks back on a good period of time. A few moments ago I turned over the command of the CidW to my successor. Tomorrow we will return to the Netherlands. I am looking back on 4 intense months, a valuable period of time, through which we as a unit grew tremendously. I would like to thank everyone for the pleasant cooperation and wish our successors the best of luck! The new Commander of the CidW, Major Rian, anticipates the coming 4 months. As of today, I received the leadership over CidW-40. With a complete new composite company from various units of the Operational Support Command Land (OOCL), we are taking on this great challenge. I am sure that with all our specialists we can be of great added value in the Caribbean region, and I look forward to the cooperation with our colleagues from the Royal Netherlands Navy. Lastly, I would like to thank the personnel of CidW-39 for the fabulous reception on-site and I wish you a very nice leave. The OOCL is a unit within the Royal Netherlands Army, in which all operational support has been brought together. These are units of a specialist nature in various fields. In this way, the CidW-40 has an engineering capacity that ensures the construction and maintenance of complete (military) infrastructure. Think hereby of roads, buildings, bridges, water, gas, etc. For this, it has an extensive range of construction vehicles and tools. In addition, a reconnaissance unit is also part of this rotation. This unit is specialized in conducting reconnaissance in a military area of operations, but can also be deployed for surveillance and security tasks. Both units support the emergency services and authorities on a regular basis. Supporting the local authorities is also one of the main tasks of the Netherlands Forces in the Caribbean. In the first weeks, the new company will prepare itself for the upcoming rotation. They do this by organizing team-building activities and completing an internal training program. PHILIPSBURG:--- On July 8th, 2022 Eugene Middelhof will be saying goodbye to the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard. Since July 2017 Eugene Middelhof holds the position of Deputy Director of the Coast Guard. In his position, he managed the various business processes within the organization such as the management consultation and the GMR. As Deputy Director he was the chairman of the consultation with the Joint Participation Council (Gemeenschappelijke Medezeggenschapsraad). He has ensured that this body is properly secured by the Coast Guard. In addition, he has devoted himself to other important facets within the organization such as integrity, safety, and the environment, as well as filling various positions within the staff of the Coast Guard. During the past 5 years, Eugene has devoted much energy and passion to the Coast Guard and has given his full interpretation of the creed Samen Sterk with his heart and soul. The staff and personnel of the Coast Guard thank Eugene for his input and wish him much luck in his further career. Contributed / Getty DANBURY A New Hamshire motorcyclist and his passenger were both seriously injured in a crash on Interstate 84 Sunday afternoon, according to an incident report from state police. At around 4:15 p.m., a 20-year-old Danbury woman was driving a Honda Civic west on Interstate 84 in the off-ramp at exit 5 while a New Hampshire man drove his motorcycle nearby. A report from state police released Monday said the motorcyclist cut across all three lanes of the highway and into the off-ramp, striking the back of the Honda Civic. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD Diane Phanos was only president of the Stamford teachers union for six years, but her involvement in the organization goes way beyond that. In fact, after Phanos accepted her first teaching job in Stamford in 1972, it only took about a year before she was advocating for other teachers as a building representative for the union. Ive devoted my life to this job, Phanos said Thursday, her last day as Stamford Education Association president and the same day she officially retired from education. By the end of her tenure, the 72-year-old Phanos represented roughly 1,450 Stamford teachers. Before she left, the half-Greek, half-Polish Stamford native sent a goodbye letter to city educators summing up her time as president. Together we endured the mold crisis and numerous significant facilities issues leading to health concerns, the COVID pandemic and transitions to virtual instruction, bargaining contracts, the threat of a two year freeze on our salaries and the most recent school scheduling issues, she wrote. One of the most important moments in her presidency occurred after the COVID-19 pandemic began, Phanos said, when she was faced with a tricky proposition. Amid a budget crisis and the prospect of cutting 136 positions, she was asked to freeze salaries for teachers across the district. While some teachers pleaded with her to accept, and save positions from being slashed, Phanos never wavered. Diane was the one who said, Absolutely not, said John Corcoran, the new president of the SEA. We just kept standing our ground under Dianes leadership. According to Corcoran, only one teacher was eventually laid off, as the school district found savings elsewhere. On Thursday, Phanos defended her decision. Even though she received plenty of positive comments from teachers, Phanos said she always remembers the negative ones. When she refused to take the pay freeze, some teachers were very upset with her, Phanos said, fearing they would lose their job. Unfortunately, I remember those, Phanos said. The now retired SEA president began her teaching career in Stamford at the now defunct Riverbank Elementary School in North Stamford. Her first year was also the first year of school integration, when minority students were bused to schools in whiter neighborhoods in an effort to make each school more diverse. Phanos was at Riverbank for 11 years, teaching second, fifth and sixth grades. Once the school was closed, she got a position as a sixth grade teacher at Roxbury Elementary School. She stayed in that position until 1991, when sixth grade was changed to a middle school grade. Phanos had to apply for a position as a sixth grade teacher, but she never got it. She recalled a conversation with a principal at the time when she was told, No one wants you because of your involvement in the union. Instead, she took a job as a fourth grade teacher at Roxbury, where she stayed until 2016, when she ran unopposed for president of the SEA. Before becoming president, Phanos served a number of roles for the union, including executive board member, chair of negotiations, chair of the grievance committee, assistant secretary treasurer and treasurer. She also ran unsuccessfully to become the SEA president in the mid 2000s. Her ascension to union president was unlikely. For years, the position had usually gone to men from the middle and high schools. Phanos, on the other hand, came from the elementary school environment. After her first term ended in 2019, Phanos ran again unopposed. Hopefully that means people were happy with what I was doing, she said. During her tenure, Phanos has been a common sight at SEA offices, often working at night and on weekends. It really is a big job, she said. Thinking back on her time as president, Phanos recalled a number of moments in which she was able to convince central office administrators to compensate teachers who had to miss time because of serious health conditions. Theyre big successes for me because Im going to bat for people, she said. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Phanos spent multiple days meeting with human resources and teachers in an effort to grant educators accommodations through the Americans with Disabilities Act to work from home to mitigate their chances of contracting the virus. That was a major challenge and you hear heartbreaking stories and you try to solve them, she said. Her time as president was divided almost exactly in half between two superintendents: Earl Kim and current Superintendent Tamu Lucero. Lucero was unavailable to comment in person for this story, but did congratulate Phanos on her retirement in one of her weekly messages. I want to take a moment to officially celebrate and recognize Diane Phanos who has served as our (SEA) president for the past six years, Lucero wrote. I first met Diane when she was a teacher at Roxbury. I want to thank her for her many years of service both in her SEA leadership role and as a teacher for over 50 years. Diane, you will be missed. Corcoran will now step into her shoes, and he said hes learned plenty from watching Phanos work over the years. Diane ... did a great job of leading us through the pandemic and negotiating a contract a couple years ago, Corcoran said. Thinking back on her teaching and union career, Phanos said she had the chance to go into an administrative role in the school system at one point. But she was never interested in that type of position. I never really wanted to evaluate teachers and I think thats because of the strong union person I am, she said. ignacio.laguarda@stamfordadvocate.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD A former White House attorney who nearly bludgeoned his wife to death with a flashlight wants to delay paying her a $30 million settlement. The attorney for Michael J. Farren asked Superior Court Judge Robert Genuario in Stamford on Monday to stop Mary Margaret Farren from collecting on a $28.6 million civil settlement until her clients U.S. Supreme Court appeal is heard. Michael Farren, 63, who served as an attorney for both Bush administrations, is serving a 15-year prison term at the Garner Correctional Institution in Newtown, for the attempted murder of his wife during a violent, prolonged and vicious domestic assault in their New Canaan mansion in 2010. The state Appelate Court upheld the civil jurys December 2013 decision. Farren, who is not due for release until March 2029, now hopes the highest court overturns the ruling. What he is trying to do is block further attempts to execute judgment, Mary Margaret Farrens attorney, Paul Slager said following the hearing on Monday. He has money in a variety of places and to stop any further efforts in that regard. Genuario said he needed a few days to reach a decision. Michael Farren did not attend the 15-minute hearing and was not present during the civil or criminal trials. Part of Farrens appeal focuses on him not being present for the civil trial. However, Slager has said Farrens legal shenanigans involved putting himself in Hartford Hospital for having suicidal ideations on the eve of the trial to avoid having to defend himself. The Appellate Court ruled the Stamford trial court did not know he had been committed to the hospital. His attorney, Emily Gianquinto, told the judge on Monday he had the authority to make a stay in the case until the U.S. Supreme court makes a ruling. But Slager, told Genuario he did not have the authority to delay his client from collecting the settlement. He said the Appellate Court already denied Farrens appeal and now his attorney is going behind the higher courts back. But Gianquinto told Genuario, Mr. Farren has exercised his right to take his appeal further. They lost that, Slager said. And they are essentially seeking to appeal the decision of the Appellate Court with your honor, which is wholly improper. Slager said Farren has been withholding the money from his client since the settlement was awarded more than two years ago. Based on the justice that happened here, this is one after the next, after the next, after the next, in a series of delays, Slager said. This is only the latest in a long string of attempted delays. Gianquinto said after the hearing Mary Margaret Farren has collected some of the settlement money, but she was not sure how much. jnickerson@scni.com; Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (134) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (347) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (440) Jan 2014 (546) Feb 2014 (476) Mar 2014 (525) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (470) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (441) Oct 2014 (471) Nov 2014 (496) Dec 2014 (535) Jan 2015 (535) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (579) Apr 2015 (657) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (921) Nov 2015 (802) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (864) May 2016 (947) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (967) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (808) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (934) Jul 2019 (949) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (848) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (787) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (811) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sep 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (693) Jan 2022 (694) Feb 2022 (654) Mar 2022 (740) Apr 2022 (745) May 2022 (748) Jun 2022 (701) Jul 2022 (401) Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca says that he has made the stage evaluation of the Cabinet members based on ten objective criteria and the "stability of the team of ministers" offers the guarantee that the Executive will continue to act "responsibly" for continuing the modernization of Romania. "We had the political stability and the support of the Ruling Coalition, Parliament and the President of Romania, which made it possible to provide Romanians with security, protection and the country with the path to development," Ciuca said on Monday. He specified that he made the stage evaluation of the ministers based on ten objective criteria "related to the expectations of the Romanian citizen and society". "The support of Romanians is the foundation on which we can build further, and the stability of the team of ministers guarantees that we will continue to act responsibly to achieve the objectives of our citizens and to continue the modernization of Romania," he added. AGERPRES President of the National Red Cross Society of Romania, Crown Custodian Margareta, sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of the organization's 146th anniversary, declaring herself impressed with the mobilization of Red Cross volunteers and the way Romanians have shown that they care about Ukraine refugees. "Today we celebrate 146 years of humanitarian and civic activity and just as many years of constant involvement for the good of those in need. The Romanian Red Cross was especially engaged this year in the humanitarian tragedy in Ukraine, which left millions without a place to call 'home'. A cruel, life-sacrificing conflict that shatters dreams and sends the tradition and generational heritage of a nation crumbling. In the face of this drama, we have one ally alone: kindness - to soothe suffering, bring light in the darkest moments and restore dignity," Her Majesty Margareta wrote on Monday on Facebook. The Crown Custodian notes that this year's experience shows the "inspiring force" of volunteering. "Hundreds of thousands of people in our communities have shown us once again that together we can help our fellows in need. I am impressed with the mobilization of the Romanian Red Cross volunteers and the way the Romanian people have shown that they care about their fellow humans. A big thank you to those who showed their sincere generosity, to the partners of the Romanian Red Cross and to those who chose to donate, thus proving that humanity has no borders. Many happy returns to the Romanian Red Cross!," Princess Margareta added. The Romanian Red Cross Society celebrates on Monday 146 years of activity. Founded in 1876, the humanitarian association has been present every day, for 146 years, at the side of the people, in times of crisis, epidemic, pandemic, famine, war or natural disaster, impartially offering help and constantly demonstrating its commitment to vulnerable people in any situation. The last years, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and, more recently, by the armed conflict in Ukraine, have required an exemplary mobilization of forces from the Romanian Red Cross and have shown that the people's capacity to get involved is invincible when they pursue a common goal: bringing relief and hope. AGERPRES The Public Finance Ministry raised on Monday 1.348 billion RON from banks through two benchmark bond issues, the National Bank of Romania announced. Thus, the Ministry borrowed 825.3 million RON through a 23-month bond issue at an average yield of 8.75 ppa, and another 523 million RON through an issue with a maturity of 85 months, at a yield of 8.80 ppa. An additional bidding session is scheduled for Tuesday, through which the Finance Ministry plans to raise another 120 million RON for the yields set on Monday. AGERPRES COVID-19 test centers will be put back into operation, accessible especially at the end of the week, Minister of Health Alexandru Rafila told a press conference on Monday, in the context in which 7,726 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were registered between June 27 and July 3, an almost double number compared to the previous week. "What should a person with COVID symptoms do? Get tested at the family doctor. We are also putting back into operation those test centers that will be accessible to people, especially on weekends, where they can go to have a sample taken, if they have symptoms, after which they either remain under observation at the family doctor, who can prescribe them a treatment, or go to an assessment center. Or, in case of a more serious evolution, they go to the hospital," said the minister. Rafila mentioned that the recommendations regarding the use of face masks in closed spaces, hand hygiene and the ventilation of public spaces are maintained. At the same time, he stressed that these measures are not imposed, but represent recommendations. "Nobody imposes anything. These are just recommendations, so that we can have a quiet summer, take our holidays, and avoid the situation of not being able to go on vacation, because we or family members get sick. The use of face masks in enclosed spaces or public transport and the avoidance of congestion are already known measures, as is hand hygiene. Local authorities should consider regular sanitation of public transport. (...) We should ensure the ventilation of public spaces as it is one of the most effective ways to reduce transmission. It costs nothing, it just takes initiative and rigor," he said. The Minister of Health added that he discussed last week with the public health directorates about a possible increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections, and on Monday a teleconference took place with the representatives of the Bucharest public hospitals, the Ambulance service, and the Public Health Directorate. The topic of discussion was to ensure the conditions for the hospitalization of infected people, including those in need of care for other conditions as well. "This should not in any way affect access to health services for the general population," he said. Hospital managers may require the wearing of face masks inside the units to prevent the transmission of nosocomial infections. At the same time, according to him, the outpatient centers in the country have sufficient quantities of antivirals (Favipiravir, Molnupiravir, Remdesivir), but also monoclonal antibodies. "I believe that a responsible and balanced approach is the key to success, and probably in the second half of August we can consider that we are overcoming this mini-wave - or wave, we will see, depending on the amplitude - of the pandemic. These are normal measures which we want to be able to take whenever there is a threat to public health," Rafila emphasized. According to him, vaccination is still recommended for vulnerable people. "We are also looking forward to seeing if the two vaccine producers using recombinant RNA technology can validate their products for the Omicron strain and if, indeed, these products influence transmission, because we are extremely interested in reducing transmission, so that in the autumn, Romania, together with other countries, can benefit from a new vaccine formula that will be adapted to the circulating strains," added Rafila. AGERPRES The peak of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Romania could be reached between August 14 and 21, two weeks after the estimated period for the rest of the European Union, Minister of Health Alexandru Rafila told a press conference on Monday, in the context in which 7,726 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were registered between June 27 and July 3, a number almost double compared to the previous week. Rafila mentioned that there are two scenarios regarding the evolution of future infections. According to the first scenario, the peak of the wave would be reached between August 7 and 10, and according to the second scenario, the peak will be reached towards the end of August - beginning of September, with a total of about 10,000 daily cases."It remains to be seen whether these things will be confirmed in this way. From what I have read, for other states, as well, the presumption is that the peak of this wave in Europe will be somewhere at the end of July. We have a difference of about two weeks. from the rest of the European Union and because of that a probably reasonable scenario will be between August 14-21, but these are purely informative data, they do not represent any kind of commitment, because no one can know exactly what will happen. We are talking about a very mutable virus in which last year's main feature was the change in transmissibility. Fortunately, with the decrease of pathogenicity," said the minister.The Health Minister added that the Omicron variant is still dominant and that there are also cases of infection with the BA 5 variant."The Omicron strain is still dominant. 100% of all sequences are with the Omicron variant. We have also recorded cases, but we do not yet have a conclusive statistic about BA 5. (...) As this BA 5 variant becomes dominant internationally, there is no evidence of a higher severity. Higher transmissibility - yes, but not a higher severity. BA 5 re-infections are common, including for people who have been infected with Omicron, so with another subvariant," Rafila also said.In this regard, he argued that in the last 90 days in Romania there have been about 20% cases of reinfection. Rafila noted that about five months had passed since the January-February wave, and for most those vaccinated with three doses, at least six months had passed since the administration of the serum."It is clear that there is an evasion of the immune response and, basically, this Omicron subvariant, BA 5, causes infections in both vaccinated and people who have passed through the disease. So we estimate an increase in the next period, without having the possibility of an extremely rigorous prediction," said the minister. As many as 7,726 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were recorded in the June 27- July 3 week in Romania, with almost 75,000 RT-PCR and rapid antigenic tests performed, the Health Ministry informed on Monday. Of the new cases, 1,307 were in re-infected patients, who tested positive more than 90 days after the first time they recovered from the disease. As of Monday, 2,927,187 cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus were confirmed in Romania. - Hospitalisations - As many as 922 people with COVID-19, including 125 children, are hospitalised in Romania at specialist care facilities. Out of the total number of hospitalised patients, 52 patients, including one minor, are in intensive care. Of the 52 patients admitted to ICU, 25 are unvaccinated against COVID-19. - Deaths - According to the ministry, 16 Romanians, 11 men and five women, infected with SARS-CoV-2 is reported dead in the week. Deaths by age groups: one in the age group 60-69 years, nine in the age group 70-79 years, and six in the age group over 80 years. All deaths were in patients with commorbidities. Of the deceased patients, four were vaccinated and 12 were not vaccinated. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 65,755 people diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 infection have died in Romania. AGERPRES Q I recently enjoyed breakfast at the newly opened Hatchd restaurant. The avocado toast topped with egg whites and served with fresh fruit was delish. Do you think they would share this recipe? Angelina Moehlmann, Crestwood A The Avoca Toast served at Hatchd STL comes to the table with a beautiful dish of fresh blueberries and strawberries. The presentation adds to the enjoyment of eating this popular item from the extensive breakfast and lunch menu. Its easy enough to make for a weekday breakfast at home. The tasty avocado mash on toasted whole-grain bread topped with shreds of mozzarella cheese, soft scrambled egg whites and pico de gallo works great for lunch and dinner, too. If breakfast for dinner is a thing for you, put this dish in rotation. Without the benefit of any kind of press on this dish, its become one of our top sellers, says owner Joshua Shurma. Its something of a pop culture food. Everybody eats avocado toast. When it became very, very popular just about every restaurant brunch menu added some version of avocado toast. We go with the egg whites on top because they look good with the green of the avocado and the pico de gallo. Its also a healthy choice that tastes good, Shurma says. We go through at least 60 avocados a week. We buy them close to ripe. We have a daily schedule to pull out eight each day and let them ripen further, he says. The newest breakfast and lunch eatery in Princeton Heights opens seven days a week at 7 a.m. and closes at 2 p.m. On Sundays, Hatchd serves a brunch menu all day. The extensive menu of breakfast specialties and lunch options is so much fun to read. Shurma is an avid punster, and he appreciates that skill in others. The Wishful Shrinking name came from the marketing and graphics specialist Bridget Mahoney at Kuna Meats, which is locally owned, he says. Its important to us to support local companies. We also pour Ronnoco coffee which originated here in St. Louis. The restaurants Facebook page lets people know what specials will be on the menu. Shurma recently posted fresh pineapple pancakes with house-made bacon-maple syrup topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with powdered sugar. The second floor features an event space, the Eclore Room. The Shurmas are developing a catering menu that will soon be up online. Stay tuned for that, and try Avoca Toast soon. Hatchd STL 6931 Gravois Avenue 314-448-1642; hatchdstl.com To request a recipe Would you like to request a recipe from a restaurant that is still open in the St. Louis area? Send your request along with your full name and the city you live in to reciperequest@post-dispatch.com. MONDAY, July 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) Researchers studying genes involved in Alzheimers disease have identified a new gene, called MGMT, that increases risk for this common dementia in women. This is one of a few and perhaps the strongest associations of a genetic risk factor for Alzheimers that is specific to women, said co-senior study author Lindsay Farrer, chief of biomedical genetics at Boston University School of Medicine. For the new study, a team from the University of Chicago and Boston University School of Medicine looked for genetic links using two unrelated datasets and different methods. One dataset was from a large family of Hutterites, a central European group whose isolated culture and small gene pool have made it a popular focus for studying genetic determinants of disease. All the people studied for Alzheimers in this data were women. The team also analyzed genetic data from a pool of 10,340 women who lacked APOE4. That gene, a well-known Alzheimers risk factor, is carried by about 60% of people with European ancestry and about 26% of the general population. For both sets of data, the new gene MGMT was significantly associated with developing Alzheimers disease. This finding is particularly robust because it was discovered independently in two distinct populations using different approaches," Farrer said. "While the finding in the large dataset was most pronounced in women who dont have APOE4, the Hutterite sample was too small to evaluate this pattern with any certainty. Alzheimers disease is the most common cause of dementia and affects more than 5.8 million people in the United States. This study highlighted the value of founder populations for genetic mapping studies of diseases like Alzheimers, said co-senior study author Carole Ober, chairwoman of human genetics at the University of Chicago. Additional study will be needed to understand why MGMT influences Alzheimers risk in women. The authors noted that the study demonstrates the importance of searching for risk factors that may be specific to one gender. The findings were published June 30 in Alzheimers & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. More information The Alzheimers Association has more information on Alzheimers disease. SOURCE: Boston University School of Medicine, news release, June 30, 2022 COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) Cash-strapped Sri Lanka on Sunday extended school closures for one week because there isn't enough fuel for teachers and parents to get children to classrooms, and the energy minister appealed to the country's expatriates to send money home through banks to finance new oil purchases. A huge foreign debt has left the Indian Ocean island with none of the suppliers willing to sell fuel on credit. The available stocks, sufficient for only several days, will be provided for essential services, including health and port workers, public transport and food distribution, officials said. Finding money is a challenge. Its a huge challenge, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera told reporters. He said the government has ordered new fuel stocks and the first ship with 40,000 metric tons of diesel is expected to arrive on Friday while the first ship carrying gasoline would come on July 22. Several other fuel shipments are in the pipeline. But he said authorities are struggling to find $587 million to pay for the fuel. Wijesekera said that Sri Lanka owed about $800 million to seven fuel suppliers. Last month, schools were closed nationwide for a day due to fuel shortages and had remained closed for the last two weeks in urban areas. Schools will remain shut until Friday. Authorities also announced countrywide power cuts of up to three hours a day from Monday because they cant supply enough fuel to power generating stations. Sweeping power cuts have been a blight on Sri Lanka's economy for months, along with severe shortages of essentials including cooking gas, medicine and food imports. Wijesekera said the main problem is the lack of dollars and appealed to some 2 million Sri Lankans working abroad to send their foreign exchange earnings home through banks instead of informal channels. He said workers remittances, which usually stood at $600 million per month, had declined to $318 million in June. According to the Central Bank, the remittances the nations main foreign exchange earner dropped from $2.8 billion in the first six months of 2021 to $1.3 billion in the same period this year for a decline of 53%. The drop came after the government last year ordered the mandatory conversion of foreign currency. It said that black-market premiums have led people to hoard foreign currency. Sri Lanka's has been getting most of its fuel needs from neighboring India, which provided it with a credit line. The government said it was also negotiating with suppliers in Russia and Malaysia. Sri Lanka has suspended repayment of about $7 billion in foreign loans due this year out of $25 billion to be repaid by 2026. The countrys total foreign debt is $51 billion. The economic meltdown has triggered a political crisis with widespread anti-government protests erupting across the country. Protesters have blocked main roads to demand gas and fuel, and television stations showed people in some areas fighting over limited stocks. In the capital, Colombo, protesters have been occupying the entrance to the presidents office for more than two months to demand President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation. They accuse him and his powerful family that included several siblings holding top government positions of plunging the country into the crisis through corruption and misrule. JEFFERSON CITY A major fuel supplier in Missouri says it is opposed to the spread of illegal gambling at convenience stores and gas stations where its brand is being sold. Phillips 66, which supplies petroleum products to wholesale distributors who, in turn, deliver the product to retailers across the state, said in a statement to the Post-Dispatch that the company does not sanction the presence of the slot machines that have become ubiquitous in Missouri. We expect the operators of these branded stations to abide by local and state laws. We do not condone illegal gambling or any other illegal activities, Phillips 66 spokesman Bernardo Fallas said in an email. The video gambling machines have appeared in numerous Phillips 66 stores, as well as other outlets, in recent years as lawmakers have failed to approve a law that would clamp down on illegal gambling. Operators, including Wildwood-based Torch Electronics, argue their games are legal under Missouri law because a player can press a button that shows the outcome of a wager before the player moves forward. These no-chance games are not gambling, the operators say, because the player has the option to know whether they will win or lose. But the player must play their losing hand for the chance to win again, making the pace of play similar to slot machines, critics say. Because the machines are unregulated, machine revenues dont go to public education, there are no rules for acceptable payouts, and there are no state gambling addiction resources funded by machine revenues. Among the companies supplied by Phillips 66 is Truesdale-based Warrenton Oil, owner of FastLane convenience stores and other Missouri businesses. The company has joined with Torch in a lawsuit against the Missouri Highway Patrol, which has been investigating illegal gambling at gas stations and liquor stores. The companies are seeking an injunction barring officials from removing their machines from stores. Attorneys are due in Cole County court for a status hearing on that case in August. Meanwhile, charges were filed in another case involving illegal slot machines. On Tuesday, the Newton County prosecuting attorney accused a gas station manager and a slot machine supplier of misdemeanor gambling charges after a highway patrol investigator found actual, casino-style slot machines at a Neosho station run by Vinod Kumar. Jasminder Singh of Bentonville, Arkansas, also was charged for supplying the machines. The action in Newton County comes as prosecutors in other counties are beginning to file lawsuits against slot machine operators. So far in 2022, charges related to the devices have been filed in Adair, Barry, Christian, Lincoln, Scott and Schuyler counties. LUGANO, Switzerland (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday the reconstruction of his war-battered country is the common task of the entire democratic world," as his prime minister laid out a $750 billion recovery plan once the guns of Russia's invaders fall silent one day. As Russian forces continued their crushing advance in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, Zelenskyy spoke by video message to the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Switzerland about the needs of the country that has been on an up-and-down march toward democracy since the end of the Cold War and now faces widespread devastation. The reconstruction of Ukraine is not a local project, is not a project of one nation, but a common task of the entire democratic world all countries, all countries who can say they are civilized," Zelenskyy told hundreds of attendees in Lugano. Restoring Ukraine means restoring the principles of life, restoring the space of life, restoring everything that makes humans humans." British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said such a recovery would require a sort of Marshall Plan for Ukraine to help it rebuild. Such ambitions, Zelenskyy said, will require wide-scale construction, funding and security in all of our country which will be forced to continue living beside Russia. The task, which is already under way in some areas that were liberated from Russian forces, aims to leverage outside expertise, government funds and work of Ukrainians to rebuild hospitals, schools, government buildings, homes and apartments but also water pipes, gas lines and other battered infrastructure. Today, were all united in our defense. Tomorrow in our reconstruction, said Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who attended in person. He presented a recovery plan that meets immediate needs even as the war continues followed by a fast recovery when it's over, and then longer-term requirements. Shmyhal said the cost of the recovery plan is estimated at $750 billion, and insisted a key source of funding should be the confiscated assets of Russia and Russian oligarchs. He cited unspecified estimates that such sums total $300 billion to $500 billion now. "The Russian authorities unleash this bloody war. They caused this massive destruction and they should be held accountable for it," Shmyhal said. Valdis Dombrovskis, vice president of the European Union's executive branch, said using such confiscated Russian assets would involve criminal law, so the legal obstacles weren't resolved, but we think its important that according to the principle of aggressor pays its also Russias assets which are directed to the reconstruction of Ukraine. Earlier Monday, a leading Swiss nongovernmental group called out Switzerland as a safe haven for Russian oligarchs and as a trading hub for Russian oil, grain and coal. Public Eye urged the Swiss executive branch to use all levers at its disposal to stop the financing of this inhuman aggression, a reference to Russia's war that has killed thousands of people, driven millions from their homes, and rippled through world economy by driving up food and fuel prices. It said Switzerland has been over the years a popular refuge for Russian business magnates to park their assets. The group said firms use Switzerland as an unregulated commodity trading hub and exploit a lack of transparency about financial dealings in the country. There was no immediate response from the Swiss government. The group welcomed Switzerlands humanitarian engagement for Ukraine through the conference but called on the government to strictly implement international sanctions on Russian elites and their government, and better regulate its trading hub. Switzerland is a major international financial center and its government has traditionally touted Swiss neutrality which is enshrined into law and Switzerlands role as an intermediary between hostile countries and as a host of many international and U.N. institutions. The Swiss Bankers Association has estimated that the assets of Russian clients deposited in Switzerlands banks total 150-200 billion Swiss francs (about $155-$210 billion), making the country a key repository of Russian money abroad. Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU, has largely joined the blocs sanctions against Russia. The website of the Swiss federal economics department says that as of May 12, a total of 6.3 billion francs have been frozen in Switzerland in connection with Russias war in Ukraine. In its call for transparency and better regulation in Switzerland, Public Eye said that as a safe haven for oligarchs close to the Kremlin and as a trading hub for Russian oil, grain and coal, Switzerland bears a big political responsibility. The conference in lakeside Lugano brings together hundreds of representatives from government, advocacy groups, the private sector, academia and U.N. organizations and scores of Ukrainian ministers, lawmakers, diplomats and others. It builds upon a multi-year, multi-country discussion about reform in Ukraine even before the war began but this time the focus is recovery from the war. Environmental groups want to help Ukraine build back better. Lobby groups Solar Power Europe and Wind Europe, together with their Ukrainian counterparts, urged Ukraine to set a target of producing at least 40% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, bringing it in line with European Union targets. According to the International Energy Agency, Ukraine generated less than 10% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2019, the last year for which data was published. Most of Ukraines electricity comes from nuclear power and burning coal. A small group of Greenpeace activists staged a media stunt by pretending to set up a fake wind turbine on the banks of Lake Lugano, as part of a call with Ukrainian NGOs to support sustainable energy development in the country whose infrastructure has been widely damaged. WASHINGTON U.S. officials said Monday the bullet that killed veteran Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was likely fired from an Israeli position. But they said it was too badly damaged to reach an absolute determination, and that there is no reason to believe she was deliberately targeted. State Department spokesman Ned Price, announcing the results of the probe, said independent, third-party examiners had undertaken an extremely detailed forensic analysis of the bullet that killed her after the Palestinian Authority handed it over to them. The results, announced ahead of President Joe Bidens visit to the region next week, were unlikely to lay the matter to rest. The Palestinians reiterated that Israel was to blame, while Israel said its own investigation would remain open and did not address the U.S. conclusion that its troops were likely responsible. Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian-American correspondent who was well known and respected throughout the Arab world, was shot and killed while covering an Israeli military raid on May 11 in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian eyewitnesses, including her crew, say Israeli troops killed her and that there were no militants in the immediate vicinity or any exchange of fire at the time she was shot. Israel says she was killed during a complex battle with Palestinian militants and that only a forensic analysis of the bullet could confirm whether it was fired by an Israeli soldier or a Palestinian militant. It has strongly denied she was deliberately targeted, but says an Israeli soldier may have hit her by mistake during an exchange of fire with a militant. An Associated Press reconstruction of her killing lent support to witness accounts that she was killed by Israeli forces. Subsequent investigations by CNN, the New York Times and the Washington Post reached similar conclusions, as did monitoring by the office of the U.N. human rights chief. U.S. lawmakers have pressed the Biden administration to demand a full investigation and accountability, and anger over the killing is hanging over Bidens upcoming trip to the region. U.S. security officials examined the results of separate Palestinian and Israeli investigations and concluded that gunfire from IDF positions was likely responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh, Price said in a statement, referring to the Israeli military by its acronym. The U.S. found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Price said. He gave no further details on how it reached its conclusion. The probe was undertaken by the U.S. Security Coordinator in the region, which was established in 2005 to assist with peace efforts at the time. It advises Palestinian security forces and coordinates between Israel and the PA. Israel presented the findings as part of its own investigation, something that was likely to anger the Palestinian Authority. The PA handed the bullet over to U.S. officials while insisting it was still adamantly opposed to any cooperation with Israel. The Israeli military said that while the bullet remained in the custody of U.S. officials throughout the process, it was examined by Israeli experts in a forensic laboratory in Israel. Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi, the army chief of staff, ordered the investigation be continued using all available means, the military said in a statement. It said any decision on whether to launch a criminal investigation would only be made after the operational investigation is completed. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said the IDF investigation was unable to determine who is responsible for the tragic death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, but it was able to determine conclusively that there was no intention to harm her. He did not address the U.S. conclusion that the bullet that struck her was likely fired from an Israeli position. The Palestinian Authority and Al Jazeera accused Israeli forces of deliberately targeting Abu Akleh within hours of her death. Nabil Abu Rdeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said the PA holds Israel fully responsible for Abu Aklehs killing and will not accept any manipulation of the results of the Palestinian investigation. The PA administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and cooperates with Israel on security matters. Rights groups say Israeli investigations of the shooting deaths of Palestinians often languish for months or years before being quietly closed and that soldiers are rarely held accountable. The Israeli rights group BTselem dismissed the U.S. announcement as a whitewash. All investigations published so far conclude that Israel is responsible," it said. It is not clear on what grounds does the U.S, State Department seek to dismiss her killing as the result of tragic circumstances and not as a crime for which those responsible should be held to account. Abu Aklehs family issued a statement saying the U.S. announcement was insulting to Shireens memory. All available evidence suggests that a U.S. citizen was the subject of an extrajudicial killing by a foreign government that receives billions of dollars in American military aid each year to perpetuate a prolonged and entrenched military occupation of millions of Palestinians, they said. Abu Akleh, who was 51, was an on-air correspondent for Al Jazeeras Arabic-language service who rose to fame two decades ago during the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, against Israeli rule. She documented the harsh realities of life under Israeli military rule now well into its sixth decade with no end in sight for viewers across the Arab world. Israeli police drew widespread criticism from around the world when they beat mourners and pallbearers at her funeral in Jerusalem on May 14. An Israeli newspaper last month reported that a police investigation found wrongdoing by some of its officers, but said those who supervised the event will not be seriously punished. Jenin has long been a bastion of Palestinian militants, and several recent deadly attacks inside Israel have been carried out by young men from in and around the town. Israel frequently carries out military raids in Jenin, which it says are aimed at arresting militants and preventing more attacks. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war and has built settlements where nearly 500,000 Israelis live alongside nearly 3 million Palestinians. The Palestinians want the territory to form the main part of a future state. Peace talks broke down more than a decade ago, and with Israel now in a new election campaign, they are unlikely to resume anytime soon. Lapid, the caretaker prime minister, supports a two-state solution with the Palestinians, but right-wing parties that oppose Palestinian statehood dominate the Israeli political system. ___ Krauss reported from Ottawa, Ontario. Associated Press reporter Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Independent political candidates rarely get much traction in American elections, and odds are that will be the fate of John Wood, the newly announced independent running for Missouris open U.S. Senate seat. Wood is backed by former Republican Sen. John Danforth as a centrist alternative to the eventual Republican nominee. Danforth has made no secret of his dismay over the populist transformation of his party generally and specifically that of his previous Missouri protege, Sen. Josh Hawley and he clearly hopes his Wood gambit would help move the GOP off the ideological cliff. At a minimum, it is likely to create headaches for whichever of the current crop of Republicans ends up with the Senate nomination. That is to the good, given the unfitness of the frontrunners: a disgraced ex-governor, a demagogic state attorney general and two congressional enablers of former President Donald Trump, whose criminality and psychosis becomes clearer with each House hearing. Independent breakaways are the chance parties take when they become so extreme that they repel their more reasonable members. Danforth was a prominent establishment Republican for almost two decades in the Senate, retiring in the mid-1990s. This was well before the tea party movement and, later, Trump pushed the party to the right-wing fringe. In recent years, Danforth has become a vocal advocate for returning the GOP to the center-right party it was during his tenure. He has called his previous support for Hawley the worst mistake I ever made in my life. If that doesnt sound like the best testament to Danforths judgment, the candidate he now endorses (potentially to the tune of $20 million via a super PAC he controls) looks to be a sounder choice, at least from the perspective of traditional conservatism. Wood is a Republican former federal prosecutor who was recruited by Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., to be senior investigative counsel on the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. In an interview with KCUR-FM of Kansas City, Wood bemoaned the possibility that Missouri Republicans would nominate former Gov. Eric Greitens, whose recent campaign commercial is a violent fantasy about hunting mainstream Republicans. Wood said he wants to give voters a third option of a conservative, but someone in the mainstream [who] will help bring our country back to something resembling normal. Wood also offers himself as an alternative to Democratic candidates who support what he called the out of step agenda of President Joe Biden. Which, of course, offers little enticement for voters who proudly support that agenda. But if Woods candidacy reminds citizens of both parties what a normal conservative political campaign is supposed to look like and highlights just how abnormal and extreme the current crop of GOP candidates has become that alone will constitute a valuable public service. The United States is expediting the delivery of 35 patrol boats for river, port and coast patrol and protection. Most of these ae 12 and 14-meter patrol boats that can be obtained and shipped quickly. Some of these are several of the twelve larger Mk VI patrol boats that the U.S. Navy is in the process of retiring. The United States had earlier (2020) agreed to supply Ukraine with 16 new Mk VI boats. That order has since been increased to 18 but all of those will not be delivered until 2026. The U.S. Navy may accelerate the retirement of its twelve Mk Vis, which were all built between 2015 and 2017 but are no longer needed. After 2014 the United States agreed to provide assistance in rebuilding the Ukrainian Navy. In 2020, the United States agreed to sell Ukraine sixteen Mk VI patrol boats. The U.S. proposed that these boats each be armed with two 30mm autocannon RWS (remote weapons systems) operated from inside the boat, behind the armor that would protect the crew from machine-gun fire and shell fragments. Each boat would also have an IFF (Identify, Friend or Foe) transponder similar to that used on combat aircraft. The U.S. also offered radar and an electro-optical FLIR (heat sensing) radar that would make the boat capable of spotting and identifying anything within eyesight of the crew. There would also be a LRAD (Long Range Acoustic Device) that would enable a crewmember to send a focused beam of sound out to five kilometers so that they could deliver verbal information or commands to anyone within range. The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard have found LRAD very useful. The MK VI can also launch inflatable boats from the rear for boarding parties and American sailors have demonstrated the use of small UAVs from the Mk VI. Also on offer is a two or four cell launcher for anti-ship missiles. Thats a lot of firepower for a 72-ton, 26-meter (85 foot) long boat with a ten-man crew (plus space for eight passengers), top speed of 82 kilometers an hour and an endurance of about 28 hours cruising at 45 kilometers an hour. The Mk VI manufacturer also offers a maintenance, spare parts and tech support package that the Ukrainians probably know by reputation is good at keeping American made vessels easily repairable with spare parts delivered quickly and tech support available long-distance via the Internet. This would be essential for these boats as they would probably be heavily used. Ukraine might substitute some of the American RWS with Ukrainian models, which are competitive in durability and effectiveness. Ukraine also has a local ship electronics industry which could also provide competitive items for what the U.S. is offering. Ukraine was desperate to rebuild its fleet after 2014. The Ukrainian Navy initially, in 1991, consisted of nearly 70 former Soviet Black Sea fleet warships. The problem was that most of the officers on these new ships were Russians who did not want to change their nationality. Many simply went back to Russia, others accepted Ukrainian citizenship but that often proved superficial. In 2014 when Russia seized Crimea they also grabbed most of the fifty ships of the Ukrainian fleet. This was aided by many of the ethnic Russian officers agreeing to return to the Russian Navy. The only major ship Ukraine held onto was a Cold War era Krivak class frigate and a few dozen smaller patrol ships that were stationed at other Ukrainian ports outside of Crimea. By taking Crimea Russia was now in possession of several major naval bases and shipyards. With the loss of Crimea Ukraine not only lost its fleet but also most of its ability to build a new one. There were still several Ukrainian commercial shipyards that remained outside of Crimea and these were put to work producing the new Gurza-M class armored gunboats. Twenty of these 52-ton boats are to be built but by 2022 three of these were in service with a fourth undergoing sea trials. Construction of more Guzra-Ms was halted by the 2022 Russian invasion. This increased the urgency and importance of obtaining the similar, but larger and faster American Mk VI boats. Three of these are arriving in 2022 with more to follow as fast as they can be completed or obtained from those the U.S. Navy is retiring. Russia is building some new corvettes and frigates and a few of these are being assigned to the Black Sea Fleet. By the time of the 2022 invasion Ukraine had a few gunboats and support craft while Russia had about 20 warships and several functioning shipyards in Crimean Peninsula. The U.S. also offered Ukraine larger warships, including recently retired American ships that are refurbished for another decade or so of service with an allied navy. Ukraine, like Russia, had budget problems but Ukraine also has NATO friends and still wants to join NATO, something Russia threatened to go to war with Ukraine to prevent. Since 2014 Russia has been at war with Ukraine so threatening more war may not be a wise move by Russia. That did not stop the Russians from invading in 2022 and that resulted in the loss of a Russian 10,000-ton cruiser (the flagship of the Black Sea fleet) and a growing number of smaller vessels. After Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Turkey invoked a 1930s treaty governing transit of warships into the Black Sea via the deep-water entrance, which is Turkish territory. The Mk VIs can be delivered via the Romanian port of Constanta, which has a river/canal connection with the North Sea. This port is near Ukraines Snake Island, which was captured by Russian forces soon after the invasion began. Since then, the Russian garrison and resupply ships have been under constant attack. The Russians finally withdrew on June 12th and Ukrainian forces reoccupied it. Snake Island is about 35 kilometers from the Ukrainian port of Odessa. NATO aircraft and satellites provide constant surveillance over the waters between Snake Island, Odessa and the Crimea. Ukrainian firepower, including anti-ship missiles provided by NATO. Delivering the Mk VI boats via Constanta could still be threatened by Russian Kilo class subs based on Crimea. Only one of the four Kilos in the Black Sea is operational. The other three undergoing repairs and required maintenace in Crimea shipyards. If Ukraine can obtain enough GMLRS guided rockets from the United States, these can attack Black Sea fleet ships in Crimea. Six GMLRS rockets are carried and launched from HIMARS vehicles. PERTH, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / July 4, 2022 / Tempus Resources Ltd ("Tempus" or the "Company") (ASX:TMR, TSX.V:TMRR, OTCQB:TMRFF) is announces that it has granted an aggregate of 3,342,857 incentive stock options (the "Stock Options") under the Company's stock option plan to directors, officers and consultants of the company. The exercise terms of the Stock Options are as follows: 642,857 Stock Options excercisable into a fully paid ordinary shares of the Company at an exercise A$0.11 price expiring 6 April 2024; and 2,700,000 Stock Options excercisable into a fully paid ordinary shares of the Company at an exercise A$0.12 price expiring 29 June 2025. In addition, the Company announces it has issued 444,445 fully paid ordinary shares to the Bridge River Indian Band under the terms of an exploration agreement associated with the Elizabeth Gold Project in British Columbia. This announcement has been authorised by the Board of Directors of Tempus Resources Ltd. For further information: TEMPUS RESOURCES LTD Melanie Ross - Director/Company Secretary Phone: +61 8 6188 8181 About Tempus Resources Ltd Tempus Resources Ltd ("Tempus") is a growth orientated gold exploration company listed on ASX ("TMR") and TSX.V ("TMRR") and OTCQB ("TMRFF") stock exchanges. Tempus is actively exploring projects located in Canada and Ecuador. The flagship project for Tempus is the Elizabeth-Blackdome Project, a high-grade gold past producing project located in Southern British Columbia. Tempus is currently midway through a drill program at Elizabeth-Blackdome that will form the basis of an updated NI43-101/JORC resource estimate. The second key group of projects for Tempus are the Rio Zarza and Valle del Tigre projects located in south east Ecuador. The Rio Zarza project is located adjacent to Lundin Gold's Fruta del Norte project. The Valle del Tigre project is currently subject to a sampling program to develop target geological anomalies identified through geophysical work. Forward-Looking Information and Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Tempus's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein may include, but are not limited to, the ability of Tempus to successfully achieve business objectives, and expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of Tempus to control or predict, that may cause Tempus' actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein and the other risks and uncertainties disclosed under the heading "Risk and Uncertainties" in the Company's Management's Discussion & Analysis for the quarter and nine months ended March 31, 2022 dated May 16, 2022 filed on SEDAR. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although Tempus believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Tempus does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to Tempus or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice. Neither the ASX Exchange, the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Tempus Resources Ltd View source version on accesswire.com: BURLINGTON, ON / ACCESSWIRE / July 4, 2022 / Murchison Minerals Ltd. ("Murchison" or the "Company") (TSXV:MUR)(OTCQB: MURMF) is pleased to announce that further to its press release dated June 2nd, 2022, the Company has closed the CAD $5.35 million non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") as detailed below. The Company issued 10,166,666 Hard Dollar units ("HD Units") at a price of $0.09 per HD Unit, 20,195,002 Quebec flow-through units ("QFT Units") at a price of $0.105 per QFT Unit and 16,557,954 Quebec Charity flow-through units ("QCFT Units") at a price of $0.14 per QCFT Unit, to raise aggregate gross proceeds of CAD $5,353,589. Each Unit was comprised of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half of a common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant") and each FT and QCFT Units were comprised of one flow-through common share of the Company (a "FT Common Share") and one-half of a Warrant. Each whole Warrant shall be exercisable to acquire one additional Common Share at a price of $0.18 for a period of 18 months expiring December 30, 2023. In the event that, the 20-day volume weighted average price of the Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange ("Exchange") is greater than $0.225 ($0.24 for the HD Unit), the Company may give notice to the holders of the Warrants that the Expiry Time of the Warrants has been accelerated and the Warrants will expire on the 30th business day following the date of such notice to subscribe for and purchase the number Common Shares of the Company set forth above on the basis of one Common Share at a price of $0.18 for each Warrant exercised. All securities issued under the Private Placement are subject to a four-month hold period until October 31, 2022, in accordance with applicable securities laws. Proceeds from the private placement will be directed towards exploration at the Company's 100%-owned HPM nickel-copper-cobalt property in Eastern Quebec, working capital and administrative expenses. Mr. Troy Boisjoli, Murchison Minerals President, CEO, and Director comments: "Murchison is very pleased to have the continued support of strategic investor, Mr. Michael Gentile, and Murchison's largest shareholder and Director Mr. Donald K Johnson. This is truly an exciting time for the Company as we are preparing to move forward with our summer drill program at our HPM nickel-copper-cobalt project in Quebec - where our focus will be on developing the Barre de Fer Zone towards a maiden resource and developing a robust portfolio of high-priority, de-risked targets for future drilling." Notable Investment and Involvement: Strategic Investor Michael Gentile, CFA Mr. Gentile is considered one of the leading strategic investors in the junior mining sector, owning significant positions in over 15 small-cap mining companies. Mr. Gentile is currently a strategic advisor to Arizona Metals (AMC-V) and Geomega Resources (GMA-V) as well as being a director of Northern Superior Resources (SUP-V), Roscan Gold (ROS-V), Radisson Mining Resources (RDS-V) and Solstice Gold (SGC-V). Mr. Gentile recently co-founded Bastion Asset Management, an investment management firm based out of Montreal, Quebec and was previously a Senior Portfolio Manager with Formula Growth Limited. Following closing of the Private Placement, Mr. Gentile owns 6.85% (14,947,268 common shares) of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares, and on a partially-diluted basis (including 7,473,634 warrants), Mr. Gentile will own 9.93% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares. SIDEX The Company is also pleased that SIDEX, that became shareholder in March 2021, has increased its holding in the Company by acquiring an additional 2,222,222 Units in the Private Placement. SIDEX is an initiative of the Qubec government and the Fonds de Solidarite FTQ whose mission is to invest in companies engaged in mineral exploration in Quebec to diversify the province's mineral base, promote innovation and new entrepreneurs. GloRes Securities Inc Murchison was also pleased to have the assistance of Ritu Gupte, CEO & President of GloRes Securities Inc. as lead finder for the Quebec Flow-Through portion of the Private Placement. Ms. Gupte has a tremendous network and was able to attract the involvement of high-value funds. Insiders Participation: Donald K. Johnson, OC, Murchison Minerals Director, and Largest Shareholder Mr. Johnson acquired an additional 7,944,444 Units for aggregate investment of $715,000 to maintain his current ownership in the Company at approximately 30%. A director of Murchison also acquired 142,857 FT Units in the Private Placement. The Private Placement constituted a "related party transaction" as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), as insiders of the Company acquired an aggregate of 7,944,444 Units and 142,857 FT Units. The Company is relying on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as the fair market value of the participation in the Private Placement by insiders does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The Company did not file a material change report in respect of the related party transaction at least 21 days before the closing of the Private Placement, which the Company deems reasonable in the circumstances to complete the Private Placement in an expeditious manner. The Private Placement was approved by all independent directors of the Company. Finders Fee The Private Placement is subject to final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. Finder's fees and Finder's warrants totaling $149,150 and 1,230,471 respectively were paid in relation to the Private Placement. Finder's warrants had same terms and conditions as the Warrants. All securities issued under the Private Placement are subject to a four-month hold period until October 31, 2022, in accordance with applicable securities laws. HPM Summer Exploration Program Based on the Preliminary modelling at the BDF Zone, (April 4th news release) the Company is now in a position to move forward with resource expansion and delineation during this summer's drill program at the BDF Zone. Murchison will be leveraging the past work competed at the BDF Zone - which until now, had not previously been modelled - to significantly advance the project forward. The summer exploration program will also consist of a prospecting component, where prospecting crews will be in the field mapping and evaluating high-priority targets defined by previous and ongoing aerial EM surveys. The proceeds from today's announcement will allow the Company to achieve the two key objective from this summer's exploration program at the HPM property in Quebec: define a near-surface nickel-copper-cobalt mineral resource at the BDF Zone, and de-risk high-priority targets for future drilling. About Murchison Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: MUR, OTCQB: MURMF) Murchison is a Canadianabased exploration company focused on nickel-copper-cobalt exploration at the 100% - owned HPM Project in Quebec and the exploration and development of the 100% - owned Brabant Lake zincacopperasilver project in northacentral Saskatchewan. The Company also holds an option to earn 100% interest in the Barraute VMS exploration project also located in Quebec, north of Val d'Or. Murchison currently has 218.2 million shares issued and outstanding. Additional information about Murchison and its exploration projects can be found on the Company's website at www.murchisonminerals.ca. For further information, please contact: Troy Boisjoli, President and CEO or Erik H Martin, CFO Justin LaFosse, Director Corporate Development Tel: (416) 350a3776 [email protected] ForwardaLooking Information Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking information that involves substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. This forward-looking information is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company, including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, and dependence upon regulatory approvals. FLI herein includes, but is not limited to: future drill results; stakeholder engagement and relationships; parameters and methods used with respect to the assay results; the prospects, if any, of the deposits; future prospects at the deposits; and the significance of exploration activities and results. FLI is designed to help you understand management's current views of its near- and longer-term prospects, and it may not be appropriate for other purposes. FLI by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such FLI. Although the FLI contained in this press release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities of the Company that actual results will be consistent with such FLI, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such FLI. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such FLI contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. Unless otherwise noted, this press release has been prepared based on information available as of the date of this press release. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the FLI or information contained herein. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in FLI. Assumptions upon which FLI is based, without limitation, include: the ability of exploration activities to accurately predict mineralization; the accuracy of geological modelling; the ability of the Company to complete further exploration activities; the legitimacy of title and property interests in the deposits; the accuracy of key assumptions, parameters or methods used to obtain the assay results; the ability of the Company to obtain required approvals; the results of exploration activities; the evolution of the global economic climate; metal prices; environmental expectations; community and nongovernmental actions; and any impacts of COVID-19 on the deposits, the Company's financial position, the Company's ability to secure required funding, or operations. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed in the disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, which are available at www.sedar.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Murchison Minerals Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com: PUTEAUX, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News: ORPEA (Paris: ORP) has just made a second drawdown of 650,000,000 euros. The amounts drawn in the first (250,000,000 euros) and the present drawdowns correspond to the totality of the A1 and A3 Loans (the characteristics of which were described in the Press Release of June 13, 2022). The drawn funds will be used to finance and refinance general corporate purposes of the Group (including, but not limited to, debt service and capital expenditures) as well as all the fees, costs and expenses owed under the Financing Agreement. ORPEA reminds that it has granted the following security interests to the lenders: A Dailly assignment of intra-Group loans financed by drawing on the Loans; First-ranking pledges on: 100% of the share capital of CEECSH (the CEECSH Pledge); and 100% of the share capital of ORESC 25 S.a.r.l (ORESC Pledge), which holds 100% of the shares of its subsidiary CLINEA (the ORESC Pledge, and together with the CEECSH Pledge, the Pledges). The assets being pledged as security represent 25% and 32% of the Groups turnover, respectively. Following certain reorganizations to be carried out within the Group, the pledges over CLINEA France and the Groups activity in Germany will represent 25% and 16% of consolidated turnover respectively. The company's other main obligations are set out in the press release of 13 June. Regarding the C Loan, amounting 1.5 billion maximum, the placement of this line of credit will initially take place with its main banking partners. Depending on their level of commitment to the facility, discussions will be extended to other creditors of the Company. The amounts of this financing remaining available to date are lines A2, A4 and B for an amount of approximately 829 million. The Company is therefore continuing with the execution of the financing agreement as envisaged and will continue to inform the market on the next steps of its implementation, in compliance with its legal and regulatory obligations. About ORPEA (www.orpea-corp.com) Founded in 1989, ORPEA is one of the world leaders in Dependency care (nursing homes, assisted living, post-acute and rehabilitation hospitals, mental health hospitals, home care services). ORPEA is listed on Euronext Paris (ISIN code: FR0000184798) and is a member of the SBF 120, STOXX 600 Europe, MSCI Small Cap Europe and CAC Mid 60 indices. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220704005407/en/ Investor Relations ORPEA Benoit Lesieur Investor Relations Director [email protected] Investor Relations NewCap Dusan Oresansky +331 44 71 94 94 [email protected] Media Relations Image 7 Charlotte Le Barbier +33 (0)6 78 37 27 60 [email protected] Laurence Heilbronn +33 (0)6 89 87 61 37 [email protected] Source: ORPEA Hong Kongs Victoria Harbour shines brighter than ever with a special edition of A Symphony of Lights this July alongside the new museum HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- After five years in the making, the prestigious Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) opened yesterday (3 July), as the latest addition to Hong Kongs arts and cultural offerings and the West Kowloon Cultural District. Joining a host of other landmark attractions on the storied Victoria Harbour waterfront, such as the newly opened M+ and recently renovated Hong Kong Museum of Art, the HKPM not only elevates the citys lineup of renowned museums but also enriches its diversity of the arts and culture scene. Whats more, the much-loved A Symphony of Lights will bathe Victoria Harbour in lights, music and colours with an enchanting special edition every night in July. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220630005443/en/ The exterior of Hong Kong Palace Museum. Photo credit: Hong Kong Palace Museum A must-visit museum full of priceless treasures Located on the western tip of the West Kowloon Cultural District, the HKPM joins M+, Asias first global museum of contemporary visual culture, the Xiqu Centre for Chinese opera and Freespace contemporary performance venue, to take the area to new heights. Visitors can look forward to a wide array of captivating exhibitions, shows, activities and events that deepen and diversify the citys cultural offerings. The HKPM is a must-visit attraction for arts and culture lovers, and a treasure trove of rare artefacts. For starters, it houses one of the worlds most impressive collections of Chinese ceramics and more than 900 works of art on loan from the esteemed Palace Museum in Beijing among the largest and finest the Palace Museum has ever made to another cultural institution outside the Mainland since its establishment. The HKPM also displays 13 precious pieces borrowed from the Louvre as a testament to the museums role as an East-meets-West Centre for International Cultural Exchange. Dane Cheng, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, said: We are delighted to welcome the Hong Kong Palace Museum to Hong Kongs artistic and cultural landscape and the West Kowloon Cultural District. Exciting, dynamic and constantly evolving, the district is brimming with activities and discoveries that underscore Hong Kongs reputation as a leading destination for arts and culture lovers. We believe this world-class museum will generate even more interest for Hong Kong as an arts and cultural destination and solidify the citys position as a centre for international cultural exchange. Enhanced A Symphony of Lights illuminates new landmarks across Victoria Harbour including Star Ferry With Hong Kongs dynamic skyline as a canvas, A Symphony of Lights show takes viewers on a multimedia journey that celebrates the citys culture and innovative spirit. At 8pm every night through July, the captivating spectacle will feature new elements, including a fleet of 6 Star Ferries adorned with glittering light installations, and expand to include new landmarks, such as the HKPM and M+. With an array of distinguished arts and cultural venues and enhanced nightly light shows, visitors can now immerse themselves in a one-day adventure by the waterfront in the refreshed West Kowloon Cultural District. Located on the western tip of the West Kowloon Cultural District, the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) is the latest addition to Hong Kongs arts and cultural offerings, and is a treasure trove of rare artefacts. A special edition of Hong Kongs nightly A Symphony of Lights show features new elements at 8pm every night through July. Images can be accessed via: https://assetlibrary.hktb.com/assetbank-hktb/action/browseItems?categoryId=810&categoryTypeId=2&cachedCriteria=1 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220630005443/en/ Media Ms Candice Leung Email: [email protected] Source: Hong Kong Tourism Board BROOKFIELD, NEWS, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookfield Infrastructure Partners will hold its second quarter 2022 conference call and webcast on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. (ET). Results will be released that morning before 7:00 a.m. (ET) and will be available on our website at https://bip.brookfield.com/bip. Participants can join by conference call or webcast: Conference Call Please pre-register by conference call: https://register.vevent.com/register/BI29199682e89f4f478a930bfbc9a37e32 Upon registering, you will be emailed a dial-in number, direct passcode and unique PIN. This process will bypass the operator and avoid the queue. Webcast Please join and register by webcast: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/y3c83sf3 Brookfield Infrastructure is a leading global infrastructure company that owns and operates high-quality, long-life assets in the utilities, transport, midstream and data sectors across North and South America, Asia Pacific and Europe. We are focused on assets that have contracted and regulated revenues that generate predictable and stable cash flows. Investors can access its portfolio either through Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (NYSE: BIP; TSX: BIP.UN), a Bermuda-based limited partnership, or Brookfield Infrastructure Corporation (NYSE, TSX: BIPC), a Canadian corporation. Further information is available at https://bip.brookfield.com/bip. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners is the flagship listed infrastructure company of Brookfield Asset Management, a global alternative asset manager with approximately US$725 billion of assets under management. For more information, go to www.brookfield.com. For more information, please contact: Source: Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP TORONTO, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Fresh Restaurants (Fresh) announced that it is now offering its friendly, plant-based dining in the heart of Torontos Danforth neighbourhood, marking its eighth location and the start of an accelerated expansion plan for the growing brand. Fresh opened its first location, Fresh on Bloor, in 1995. Today, Fresh is at the forefront of the plant-powered movement in Canada, and has grown into the countrys largest iconic plant-based restaurant brand, offering crave-worthy food and invigorating juices. Their latest location on the Danforth is located in Carrot Common and boasts a 30-seat patio. I feel a very strong connection to the Danforth community and Carrot Common, and being a pioneer with them in Torontos vegan community, said Ruth Tal, Founder, Fresh Restaurants. A big thank you to all of our team members and our community for getting us to this place in our journey. Were committed to delivering plant-powered and approachable dishes, contributing positively to the neighbourhoods where we operate. Were excited to be here on the Danforth. It feels like home. Located at the corner of Danforth and Jackman Avenues, Fresh on Danforth will deliver a cozy locale with light and bright colours featuring its signature botanical oasis, perfect for getting together with family and friends for lunch, grabbing takeout after a busy day, or ordering delivery while working from home. As with each of its locations, Fresh on Danforth will also feature a variety of goods from BIPOC and women-led businesses, hand-picked by Freshs Executive Chef, Jennifer Houston. Fresh is proud to open our latest location in the Danforth, which is a vibrant community filled with opportunities to introduce our brand to new guests, said Randall Papineau, Vice President, Growth & Operations, Fresh Restaurants. The Danforth location also represents a key milestone in our growth plan as we continue to seek and find the perfect neighbourhoods to plant our roots. Fresh is continuing its momentum and is preparing for several additional openings in 2022-2023 and beyond. This winter, Fresh will proudly open their ninth location at York Mills and Leslie with a retail space, an ordering kiosk, and delivery available through the Fresh app. In early 2023, Fresh on Spadina will relocate around the corner to The Well, Torontos newest neighbourhood block. These are just a few of the exciting things ahead for Fresh in the coming years. As a growing brand with a relentless desire to innovate, Fresh will also launch its lineup of fresh raw cold-pressed drinks known as Hydrators for the Danforth location this summer. Fresh on Danforth is now open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily at 320 Danforth Ave., Toronto. Fresh is more than just food its a feeling. Visit freshplantpowered for more information. About Fresh Restaurants For 30 years, Fresh has been at the forefront of the plant-based movement and has grown into Canada's largest iconic plant-based restaurant brand, offering crave-worthy food, invigorating juices, and nourishing power shakes. Fresh advocates for a positive plant-centric, planet-friendly approach to eating by encouraging people to embrace their fruits and vegetables. Fresh's vision begins and ends with great food and drinks, inspired service and memorable experiences. For more information, visit freshplantpowered.com or follow us on Instagram @freshrestaurants. Media Contact Alessandra Seca | Account Director, Blue Door Agency[email protected] Source: Fresh Restaurants Company also provides bi-weekly MCTO status update Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 4, 2022) - Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (CSE: EMH) (OTCQB: EMHTF) ("Emerald" or the "Company") has reported financial results for the year ended December 31, 2021, and an update on strategic corporate activities subsequent to year-end. The Company continued to operate as a recreational and medical cannabis business in Canada throughout 2021. Details of these operations and results are provided in Emerald's audited financial statements and management discussion and analysis for the 12 months ended December 31, 2021, which are available on the Company's website and SEDAR. On November 29, 2021, the Company announced that it intended to exit its prior business and pivot to a pharmaceutical development focus. It stated it intended to seek purchasers for its recreational and medical cannabis business assets to further strengthen its capital position and would initiate significant cost cuts, including the termination of the bulk of its workforce, to decrease its monthly net burn. On December 21, 2021, the board of directors of Emerald (the "Board") engaged Vantage Point Advisors, Inc. ("Vantage Point") of San Diego, California to carry out a thorough review of companies in Canada and the United States engaged in the pharmaceutical development of cannabinoid-derived product candidates that may be interested in carrying out a strategic merger with the Company to facilitate the Company's transition from the recreational and medical cannabis business. The Board asked Vantage Point to focus on this sector as the Board has significant experience, and numerous contacts, in the areas of cannabinoid science and pharmaceutical development. Events Subsequent to the Reporting Period Strategic process Early in 2022, Vantage Point identified and analysed 21 companies and presented a short list of ten companies to the Board. Pursuant to discussions between Vantage Point and the Board, the short list was decreased to seven companies and Vantage Point reached out to each of these companies to determine whether there was interest in a strategic transaction with the Company. In Q1 2022, the Board met with and carried out initial due diligence with respect to several potential targets. The Board conducted an initial due diligence review and financial analysis of all the targets with the assistance and advice of Vantage Point. Proposed plan of arrangement As a result of the strategic process described above, on May 11, 2022, the Company entered into an arrangement agreement (the "Arrangement Agreement") with Skye Bioscience Inc. ("Skye") with respect to a transaction to be completed by way of a Plan of Arrangement (the "Arrangement") whereby Skye would acquire all the issued and outstanding shares of the Company. Under the Arrangement, Skye will issue the Company's shareholders 1.95 shares of Skye's common stock (the "Exchange Ratio") in exchange for each Company share. Skye is a San Diego-based pharmaceutical company developing proprietary, synthetic cannabinoid derivatives to treat glaucoma and other diseases with significant unmet needs and is listed on the OTCQB under the symbol SKYE. Based on the number of outstanding shares as of the date of the Arrangement Agreement, it is expected that Skye would issue approximately 416M Skye shares to the Company's shareholders. Upon the closing of the Arrangement, current Skye stockholders would own approximately 54% of the common stock of Skye and former shareholders of the Company would own approximately 46% of Skye's common stock. All stock options and warrants of the Company will be exchanged for replacement options and warrants of Skye on identical terms, as adjusted in accordance with the Exchange Ratio. Each of the Board of Directors of the Company and Skye unanimously approved the Arrangement and recommend that their respective shareholders vote in favour of the Arrangement. Evans & Evans, Inc. has provided an opinion to the Board of Directors of the Company stating that as of the date of the opinion and based upon and subject to the assumptions, limitations, and qualifications set forth therein, the Exchange Ratio to be received by the holders of the Company's common shares pursuant to the Arrangement is fair from a financial point of view to such holders. The proposed Arrangement is subject to approval by each company's common shareholders and by the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Completion of the Arrangement is subject to other customary terms and conditions and to listing Skye's common shares on the CSE. The Company expects to hold a shareholder meeting to approve, among other matters, the Arrangement on August 19, 2022, and the Arrangement is anticipated to close in the third quarter of 2022. Discontinuation and realization of prior operations Since January 1, 2022, the Company has focused on winding down its prior operations in a manner intended to reduce operating costs. At its Victoria, BC operation, the lease on one of the Company's facilities expired on February 28, 2022, and the lease for the remaining facility expired on May 31, 2022. The Company continues to rent both facilities on a month-to-month basis in order to maintain its Health Canada-issued license under the Cannabis Act to produce and sell cannabis products. The Company fully wound down all operations at the Victoria facilities as of June 1, 2022. The Company is pursuing the sale of its licenses, brands and processing equipment in relation to its Victoria locations. At its St. Eustache, QC operation, growing and processing of cannabis continued until June 30, 2022. In the first quarter of 2022, the Company retained agents to assist in the sale of the cannabis production operation as a continuing operation. The Company has not yet entered into a binding sale agreement with respect to this facility and the selling process is ongoing. Throughout the discontinuation process, the Company retained its cannabis sales agreements with the various provinces and continued to sell newly produced and inventoried cannabis dried flower and oils at a reduced volume until June 30, 2022. On April 14, 2022, the Company entered into an agreement with the landlord for its Metro Vancouver greenhouse facility under which the lease obligation related to the facility, which extends to 2047, would be terminated effective December 31, 2022, in exchange for transfer to the landlord of the non-leased equipment owned by the Company at the site facility. The Company also has an option to terminate early. On April 28, 2022, the Company entered into an amending agreement with FlowerPod LLC, amending the December 28, 2021, binding term sheet payment schedule to US$0.75 million on closing and a US$0.75 million promissory note bearing 10% interest per annum. The Company continues to retain the two-year interest-bearing promissory note issued by FlowerPod on May 6, 2021, in the amount of US$0.35 million. Selected Financial Information The financial information presented for the years below was derived from financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS and is expressed in Canadian dollars. Reported in (000s) 2021 ($) 2020 ($) Total revenue 11,896 14,261 Net loss attributable to the Company (39,406) (42,952) Net loss per share (basic and diluted) (0.19) (0.22) Total assets 40,892 98,274 Total liabilities 7,242 26,168 Cash & cash equivalents 18,512 25,998 Bi-weekly MCTO Status Update The Company is also providing a default status report in accordance with the alternative information guidelines set out in National Policy 12-203 -- Management Cease Trade Orders. On April 28, 2022, the Company announced that it had applied for a management cease trade order ("MCTO") with the British Columbia Securities Commission on the basis that the Company would be unable to file its annual financial statements and management discussion and analysis for the year ended Dec. 31, 2021, by the applicable filing deadline. The MCTO was issued on May 3, 2022, and restricts all trading in securities of the Company, whether direct or indirect, by certain insiders of the Company. The Company's audited financial statements and management discussion and analysis for the 12 months ended December 31, 2021, were filed on June 30, 2022. In accordance with the terms of the MCTO, the Company is also required to file its interim financial statements for the period ended March 31, 2022, no later than five business days after completion of the annual filings. The Company confirms that since the date of the original announcement: (i) other than stated above with respect to the anticipated completion date of the annual filings, there has been no material change to the information set out in the original announcement; (ii) there has been no failure by the company in fulfilling its stated intentions with respect to satisfying the provisions of the alternative information guidelines set out in NP 12-203; (iii) there has not been any other specified default by the company under NP 12-203; and (iv) there is no material information concerning the affairs of the company that has not been generally disclosed. The Company confirms that it will continue to satisfy the provisions of the alternative information guidelines set out in NP 12-203 so long as it remains in default of the requirement to file the annual filings. Emerald expects to report financial statements and its management discussion and analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2022, by July 8, 2022. Please visit www.emeraldhealth.ca for more information or contact: Moe Jiwan, Chief Operating Officer 1(800) 757 3536 Ext. #5 Emerald Investor Relations (800) 757 3536 Ext. #5 [email protected] Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements and are subject to important risks, uncertainties and assumptions, both general and specific, which give rise to the possibility that actual results or events could differ materially from our expectations expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to: the timing for the meeting of the shareholders of the Company to approve the Arrangement, the anticipated closing of the Arrangement, the continued wind down of the Company's cannabis operations, the sale of the Company's licenses, brands and processing equipment in relation to its Victoria, BC locations, the sale of its facilities in St. Eustache, QC, the termination, including the early termination option, of the lease for the Company's Metro Vancouver greenhouse and the timing for the filing of the Company's financial statements and management discussion and analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2022. We cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to the risks that the Company may not obtain the necessary consents and approvals or satisfy the necessary conditions precedent to complete the Arrangement, that the Company may not be able to enter into agreements to sell its assets in Victoria, BC or St. Eustache, QC at all or on terms that are acceptable to the Company and that it may not file its financial statements and management discussion and analysis within the time period stated as well as the risk factors described in Emerald's annual financial statements, management's discussion and analysis and other regulatory filings. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent management beliefs regarding future events, many of which, by their nature are inherently uncertain and beyond management control. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent our expectations as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are presented for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to obtain a better understanding of our anticipated operating environment. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Emerald undertakes no obligations to update or revise such statements to reflect new circumstances or unanticipated events as they occur unless required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/129881 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 4, 2022) - Plant&Co. Brands Ltd. (CSE: VEGN) (FSE: VGP) (OTCQB: VGANF) ("Plant&Co." or the "Company"), a modern health and wellness company curating delicious plant-based foods, is pleased to announce that it has closed the first tranche of its non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of unsecured convertible debentures (the "Debentures") for total gross proceeds of $1,295,000. "I want to thank our strategic investors in this round for supporting our vision of building a stable of emerging brands," said Sean Black, Chief Investment Officer of Plant&Co Brands. "This capital allows us to accelerate that vision and gives us the runway required to demonstrate what this management team can deliver via organic & inorganic growth. The terms of this deal being an above market-price convertible debenture demonstrates the market support for this management team despite the current challenging times for many companies attempting to raise capital. With the support and confidence of shareholders alike, we are now funded well beyond our plans and path to profitability enabling us to accelerate organic or inorganic growth." Each Debenture has a principal amount of $1,000, a 24 month term earning interest at the rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum payable quarterly after the Closing Date, maturing on the date that is the second anniversary of the first date that the Debentures are issued (the "Maturity Date") and are convertible at the holder's option into common shares of the Company every three months after the closing date (the "Closing Date"), but prior to the Maturity Date, into common shares at a conversion price equal to (a) C$0.20 per common share if converted in the first 12 months after the Closing Date; or (b) C$0.25 per common share if converted after the first 12 months after the Closing Date, provided that not less than 25% of the outstanding principal, and any interest amounts owed, is converted (the "Conversion Price"). On the Maturity Date, any outstanding principal amount of the Debentures, plus any accrued and unpaid interest, shall be paid in cash. All securities issued in connection with the closing of the Private Placement are subject to a four-month and one-day statutory hold period in accordance with applicable securities laws. The proceeds of the Private Placement will be used for general working capital purposes. In connection with the closing of the first tranche of the Private Placement, the Company paid $17,550 to Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. as a finder's fee. The Company expects to close a second tranche of the Private Placement by July 8, 2022. About Plant&Co Plant&Co. Brands Ltd. (CSE: VEGN) (FSE: VGP) (OTCQB: VGANF) is a modern health and wellness company curating delicious plant-based foods. It offers a growing number of plant-based food products through its brand portfolio of Holy Crap Foods, YamChops 'a plant-based butcher', LumberHeads Food Co., and Heal Wellness. For more information please visit: www.HolyCrap.com , www.YamChops.com , www.LumberHeads.com, www.HealWellness.ca , and www.PlantandCo.com. Plant&Co. Brands Ltd. Shawn Moniz Chief Executive Officer FOR FUTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: [email protected] (833) 375-2682 Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include management's expectations related to the accretive nature of the Acquisition as well as the future performance of the Company or of Heal Wellness, management's anticipated growth of Heal Wellness through existing and new locations being established throughout 2022 and 2023, the successful sourcing of suitable new Heal Wellness locations by the Company, the success of the Company's discussions with respect to the potential of expanding the Heal Wellness stores via corporate and franchise locations, and any announcements related thereto, the introduction of new Heal Wellness products, as well as the Company's continuing search for accretive opportunities in 2022. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Plant&Co. described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedar.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/129904 This is the first clinical trial approved in China for presbyopia drugs and Arctic Vision's study marks the first patient enrollment in a Phase III clinical trial for presbyopia drugs in China. ARVN003 is expected to be the first approved drug for presbyopia in China. SHANGHAI, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Arctic Vision, a China-based biotech company focused on innovative ophthalmic therapies, today announced that the first patient has been enrolled in a Phase III clinical study evaluating ARVN003, a proprietary pilocarpine formulation leveraging its micro dosing platform Optejet, as a treatment to temporarily improve vision in adults with presbyopia in China. The Phase III study is double-masked, placebo-controlled, randomized, and multicenter trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of ARVN003 in achieving temporary improvement of vision in adults with presbyopia. It is the first clinical trial approved in China for presbyopia drugs and Arctic Vision's study marks the first patient enrollment in a Phase III clinical trial for presbyopia drugs in China. Presbyopia is a physiological condition that makes it difficult to read and work in near distance. It is caused by the hardening of the lens and weakening of the ciliary muscle and often occurs with aging. Pre-presbyopia typically affects people between the ages of 35 and 45; early presbyopia affects people between the ages of 45 and 52; and late presbyopia, also known as absolute presbyopia, affects people over the age of 52. Today, nearly a quarter of the world's population is affected by presbyopia. With China's rapidly ageing population, the nation is seeing a year-on-year increase in the number of people suffering from presbyopia. Latest data revealed more than 390 million people in China are diagnosed with presbyopia in 2021. Current treatment options for presbyopia include presbyopic reading glasses, contact lenses and surgery. However, due to limited treatment options and inadequate scientific understanding of the disease, many presbyopia patients in China do not receive intervention or vision correction in time. Untreated and escalated, presbyopia adversely impacts vision, quality of work and life, and the psychological well-being of middle-aged and elderly people. It might also increase financial burden on families and society. Professor Jia Qu, the Principal Investigator and renowned leader in China's ophthalmology sector President of Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University said, "With China's rapidly aging population and a growing number of younger presbyopia patients, there is exponential demand for effective, safe, and convenient presbyopia treatments. We are excited to lead China's first clinical study of presbyopia medication and look forward to the approval of ARVN003 in the near future." Dr. Qing Liu, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer at Arctic Vision added, "ARVN003's significant clinical progress is encouraging. This clinical achievement follows the successful dosing of the first DME patient in Asia with (Feng Mai) or Arcatus (ARVN001), and is testimony of the strength of Arctic Vision's proprietary microdose array print (MAP) technology in the public eye health sector. We strive to make ARVN003 the first approved presbyopia drug in China, and benefit more presbyopia patients with innovative and diverse treatment options that will help them see and live better." Arctic Vision obtained an exclusive license in August 2020 for the development and commercialization of ARVN003 (MicroLine) in Greater China and South Korea from Eyenovia, a U.S.-based clinical-stage biopharma company. In May 2021, Eyenovia announced positive results from the first Phase 3 MicroLine study, VISION-1, in the U.S. In that trial, the primary endpoint was achieved with MicroLine 2% statistically superior to placebo, determined by improvement in high contrast binocular distance corrected near visual acuity measured in low light conditions two hours after treatment. About ARVN003 ARVN003 is a proprietary pilocarpine formulation leveraging microdosing platform Optejet for the pharmacologic treatment for presbyopia. Pilocarpine ophthalmic solution is known to constrict the pupil and improve near-distance vision by creating an extended depth of focus through its small aperture effect. The administration of pilocarpine uses high-precision microdosing platform Optejet to provide improvement in near vision while enhancing tolerability and usability. About Optejet Optejet uses high-precision piezo-print technology to deliver approximately 8L of drug, consistent with the capacity of the tear film of the eye. The volume of ophthalmic solution administered with the Optejet is 80% less than that delivered using conventional eye drops, thus reducing overdosing and exposure to drug and preservatives. Eyenovia's patented microfluidic ejection technology, MAP is designed for fast ocular surface delivery, where medication is dispensed as an array of microdroplets to the ocular surface in approximately 80 milliseconds, faster than the ocular blink reflex. Ease of use and successful delivery of medication by Optejet has been demonstrated in more than 85% of the attempts after basic training in a variety of clinical settings compared to 40 50% with conventional eyedroppers[i]. Additionally, its smart electronics and mobile e-health technology are designed to track and enhance patient compliance. [i] Pasquale LR, Lin S, Weinreb RN, et al. Latanoprost with high precision, piezo-print microdose delivery for IOP lowering: clinical results of the PG21 study of 0.4 g daily microdose. Clin Ophthalmol. 2018 Nov 28; 12:2451-2457. About Arctic Vision Arctic Vision is a China-based ophthalmic biotech focusing on breakthrough therapies, with a leading portfolio covering pre-clinical stage to commercial stage products. Our vision is to provide innovative therapies in China, Asia and globally to address unmet clinical needs and benefit ophthalmic patients at large. Arctic Vision is supported by top-tier life sciences investors and led by an elite team of ophthalmic industry veterans with substantial regional and global experiences in R&D and commercialization of ophthalmic products. For more information, please visit https://www.arcticvision.com View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/arctic-vision-announces-first-patient-enrolled-in-phase-iii-clinical-trial-of-arvn003-for-presbyopia-301580214.html SOURCE Arctic Vision Business to continue to operate as LINA Korea New logo emphasizes mutual respect and flexibility HONG KONG, July 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb Life today announced that Jee Eun (Geannie) Cho has been appointed Country President of the company's life insurance operations in Korea that were recently acquired from Cigna. The business will continue to operate as LINA Korea. Ms. Cho, who has led the Cigna business as Chief Executive Officer since 2020, will continue to have executive operating responsibility for LINA Korea. On July 1, Chubb, the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurer, completed its acquisition of the life and non-life insurance companies that house the personal accident, supplemental health and life insurance business of Cigna in six Asia-Pacific markets, including Korea. The addition of this consumer-focused business advances Chubb's strategy to expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, a long-term growth area for the company, and adds to an already sizable accident and health (A&H) business while expanding the company's Asia-based life insurance presence. Ms. Cho will report to Bryce Johns, Senior Vice President, Chubb Group and President of Chubb Life. The appointment is effective immediately. "Geannie has been in leadership roles at LINA Korea since 2011, including serving as CEO for the last two years," said Mr. Johns. "We're extremely pleased she will continue to lead this business, which she has been building and managing for a decade. Geannie knows the business, the market and the exceptional team at LINA. She has the experience and track record to lead this important business as we focus on delivering even greater value to our customers, agents and brokers, and business partners. We look forward to working with our new colleagues at LINA Korea." In conjunction with the closing of the acquisition, LINA Korea has also adopted a new corporate identity that aligns with the Chubb brand. The new LINA Korea logo, like Chubb's, can be expressed with nine different colors. These colors reflect the diversity of our people, the vibrance of our business and the customers we serve, the energy of our culture, and our respect for different ways of thinking. By adopting multiple colors, employees can also more freely express themselves. To celebrate this new beginning, LINA Korea, which is headquartered in Jongno-gu, will hold an evening lighting ceremony on July 4th. "For 35 years, LINA has been a reliable and stable presence in the Korea life insurance market. Becoming a part of the Chubb family will make us even stronger," said Ms. Cho. "Together, we will continue to offer the best insurance service to our customers, opportunities for our employees, and innovation that sets us apart." Ms. Cho has more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry. Prior to serving as CEO of CIGNA Korea, she was Chief Operating Officer and Vice President, Operations. Earlier in her career, Ms. Cho was Assistant Vice President at Sun Life Financial and a manager at MetLife. Ms. Cho holds an MBA degree from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, a Master's degree from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and a BS degree from Seoul National University. About LINA Korea LINA Korea, the first foreign life insurance company in Korea, was established in 1987 with the corporate mission to help the people we serve improve their health, well-being and peace of mind. With innovation and trust as our core values, we endeavor to provide service that is more than just an insurance policy. Today, LINA Korea ranks among the top insurers for consumer protection and financial soundness. We are continuing our story of success and innovation in the Korean market by launching GI product, dental and silver cancer plans for the first time in Korea and adopting telesales. About Chubb Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London, Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 34,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chubb-life-appoints-jee-eun-cho-to-lead-lina-its-newly-acquired-life-insurance-operations-of-cigna-in-korea-301580022.html SOURCE Chubb Life HONG KONG, July 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb Life today announced that Jack Chang has been appointed President of the company's life insurance operations in Taiwan that were recently acquired from Cigna. Mr. Chang is currently President of Chubb Life Taiwan. In his new role, Mr. Chang will have executive operating responsibility for Cigna Taiwan and will lead the integration, subject to regulatory approval, of the Chubb Life and Cigna Taiwan insurance operations in this market. During the integration period, Rose Huang, the current Chief Financial Officer of Chubb Life Taiwan, will serve as President of Chubb Life Taiwan. Upon completion of the integration, the combined business will operate under the Chubb Life brand in Taiwan. On July 1, Chubb, the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurer, completed its acquisition of the life and non-life insurance companies that house the personal accident, supplemental health and life insurance business of Cigna in six Asia-Pacific markets, including Taiwan. The addition of this consumer-focused business advances Chubb's strategy to expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, a long-term growth area for the company, and adds to an already sizable accident and health (A&H) business while expanding the company's Asia-based life insurance presence. Mr. Chang will report to Brad Bennett, Senior Vice President, Chubb Group and Chief Operating Officer, Chubb Life. The appointment is effective immediately. "Jack is an experienced industry executive with a deep understanding of the insurance market in Taiwan," said Mr. Bennett. "That experience, along with his proven track record as a leader and manager, positions him well in his new role integrating the Cigna and Chubb Life businesses and continuing to build Chubb's life insurance presence in this important market. I look forward to working with Jack and welcome all of our new colleagues from Cigna at this exciting moment for our business in Taiwan and across the region." Mr. Chang has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry in Taiwan. He joined the company in 2021 as President of Chubb Life Taiwan. Prior to joining Chubb, he was Chief Partnership Officer at AIA Taiwan. He has also served as General Manager at TCB Life, where he was responsible for the general management and strategic direction of the joint venture between TCB Holding and BNP Paribas Cardif. About Chubb Life Chubb Life is an international life insurer, primarily focused on Asia, that provides protection and savings-oriented life insurance products to individuals and groups. Chubb Life serves the needs of consumers through a variety of distribution channels, including primarily captive agents, but also through banks, retailers, brokers, independent agents and direct marketing. Chubb Life has operations in eight Asian markets Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Myanmar, New Zealand, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam as well as Latin America. About Chubb Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London, Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 34,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chubb-life-appoints-jack-chang-to-lead-newly-acquired-life-insurance-operations-of-cigna-in-taiwan-301580023.html SOURCE Chubb Life (Tribune News Service) San Diego Navy officials are scrambling to alleviate the shortfall of child care providers for the more than 4,000 military children waiting for spots in its base day care centers, according to Navy Region Southwest officials. Staffing shortages brought on by the pandemic have impacted a military child care system that was already strained before COVID-19 hit, according to Janet Hooten, the child and youth program manager at Navy Region Southwest in San Diego. Before the pandemic, military families in San Diego could expect to wait more than a year to have a child placed in a Navy Child Development Center for care, Hooten told the Union-Tribune. Hooten declined to say how long military families might wait today for a spot. She said the tiered-priority system means not everyone will wait in the same line. However, she said any military member up for orders that could send them to San Diego should get on the waiting list now. "We encourage every family to put their child on the waitlist as soon as you know you will be leaving (the current duty station)," Hooten said. "You don't have to wait until you have orders in hand." In 2020, the Navy signed a deal with Coronado Unified School District to lease an under-utilized preschool for Navy child care. While that opened about 200 spots for kids, it only made a dent in the waitlist. Military child care is subsidized by the Defense Department. There are day care facilities on military bases as well as in-home day care providers. But with spots full, service members have to seek costlier alternatives elsewhere and the situation outside the military system is also strained, according to a University of San Diego study published in April. The military offers a fee assistance program for these families, but it does not cover the full cost, Hooten said. Navy Region Southwest, which also manages the child care centers on local Marine bases, is short about 400 providers including the staff needed for two new centers yet to open at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Another new center at Naval Base Point Loma is due to open in 2023, and increased pay for military child care workers is part of next year's proposed Pentagon budget. In San Diego, the Navy is offering financial incentives to address its staffing shortfall. Accreditation fees for new hires are covered by the Navy, as are sign-on, referral and retention bonuses. The Navy is holding a hiring fair at the Scottish Rite Center in Mission Valley on Friday, where it will screen, interview and make offers to candidates for both its base child care and recreation centers. Military families needing assistance with child care, or to get on the wait list, can do so at militarychildcare.com. 2022 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit sandiegouniontribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The U.S. Navy will start offering up to $100,000 in cash for tips leading to the seizure of weapons, drugs and other smuggled goods in the waters of the Middle East. The expected announcement of the program on Tuesday comes about a week before President Joe Bidens visit to the Middle East, where regional tensions persist over Irans possible ambitions for nuclear weapons and its arming of rebel groups. The 5th Fleet, based in Manama, Bahrain, is specifically looking for tips on people smuggling illegal weapons or illicit narcotics, as well as information on people planning attacks on U.S. forces, a spokesman for Naval Forces Central Command said. By adding this incentive to voluntarily report tips, we think this can enhance our awareness and vigilance of whats happening in the waters of the region, Cmdr. Timothy Hawkins, NAVCENT and 5th Fleet spokesman, told Stars and Stripes. This is the first time that the 5th Fleet is opting into a military program used in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria to trade money for information, Hawkins said. The U.S. Navy says that militant attacks and weapons seizures have increased in recent years in the busy shipping lanes of the Middle East. Iran has been accused of transfers of rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and missiles to Houthi rebels in Yemen, despite a United Nations Security Council arms embargo. The 5th Fleet intercepted 9,000 weapons last year, three times the number seized in 2020, U.S. 5th Fleet commander Vice Adm. Brad Cooper told Stars and Stripes in April. In the region, the most serious threat is Iran, Cooper said in an interview. Iran and the various armed groups that it backs have also been accused of seizing ships, laying mines, and launching rockets at a U.S. guided-missile destroyer in Yemen as well as oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. In an incident last month, a U.S. Navy warship shot warning flares at Iranian Revolutionary Guard speedboats that buzzed within 50 yards of it in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. 5th Fleet will offer the rewards through the Department of Defense Rewards Program, which means that U.S. citizens are not eligible for the program, Hawkins said. Tipsters could receive their award from the Navy in cash or items such as boats or food, Hawkins said. The 5th Fleet will be responsible for vetting the tips, which can be sent either via a website or a phoneline operated by Arabic, English and Farsi speakers, Hawkins said. The U.S. militarys attempts at gaining information via cash rewards in Afghanistan and Iraq continually ran into serious issues, said Jonathan Schroden, a military operations analyst at the Center for Naval Analyses. These programs often had tipsters providing false information in an attempt to get the U.S. military to arrest their rivals, often did not have enough resources to keep up with the volume of tips, and sometimes did not lead to results, Schroden said. If youre not able to mitigate these challenges, your tip line will become useless or at worst counterproductive, Schroden said. This article first appeared in the Stars and Stripes Mideast edition, March 30, 2005. It is republished unedited in its original form. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment have been in southeastern Afghanistan for the past month. From Forward Operating Base Orgun-E and two smaller installations, they've been patrolling a large, mountainous rural area connected by the most basic of roads. Last Wednesday and Thursday, 1st Platoon from Company A, with the help of a mortar section from the battalion, visited a pair of remote settlements reachable only by air or off-road vehicle. In this case, that meant a nine-Humvee convoy. The Vicenza, Italy-based soldiers spent about 4 hours driving through rough terrain to reach the village of Naka, where they checked out the local clinic and met with the mayor and police chief. In getting to the village, they passed through a narrow gap in the mountains where two U.S. soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division died in separate incidents while on patrol in the past year. Air support was provided by a pair of A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, Marine Huey helicopters and Army Black Hawk helicopters at intervals during the two-day mission. After spending a cold night at the government compound in the town of Zarwuk, soldiers looked for potential sites for police checkpoints with the local mayor before returning to their home base. Find more historic Stars and Stripes articles covering the Wars on Terror on stripes.com On July 4, 1876, in Hamburg, South Carolina, about 40 members of the local all-Black unit of the state militia paraded down Main Street to celebrate the centennial of America's independence. At about 6 p.m., two young white men in a horse-drawn buggy rode toward the troops and demanded to pass through. Capt. D.L. "Dock" Adams asked the white men Henry Getzen and his brother-in-law Thomas Butler to go around the marchers on the 150-foot-wide grassy street. Getzen refused, asserting he wouldn't move to the side "for no damned" Black people, using a slur. After a short argument, the troops stepped out of the way. Four days later, more than 200 armed white men many of them "Red Shirts" from paramilitary rifle clubs arrived in Hamburg with a former Confederate general demanding that the militia unit disarm. A standoff led to an all-out bloody battle, which became known as the "Hamburg Massacre" and saw seven Black men murdered and several more wounded. The massacre spurred additional racial violence in the South in advance of the 1876 presidential election, which ultimately led to more than 90 years of white control and segregation in the region. Hamburg, founded in 1821 by an immigrant from its namesake in Germany, was a town of about 500 residents, most of them formerly enslaved African Americans. The town was across the Savannah River from Augusta, Ga., a city of more than 30,000 people. Two days after the July 4 incident, Butler's father, a prominent local planter, filed charges in Hamburg against Adams for "obstructing the public highways." The town's Black magistrate, Prince Rivers, set a trial for the next Saturday, July 8. The Butlers returned with their lawyer, former Confederate general M.C. Butler (no relation), who had lost a leg in the Civil War. The former general demanded that the militia give up its weapons, but the militia refused. M.C. Butler drove his buggy to Augusta and told some of "the boys" he "might need their assistance after awhile to disarm the negroes," The New York Times reported. That afternoon, more than 200 white men from Georgia and South Carolina gathered in Hamburg carrying pistols, rifles and shotguns. About 40 Black men, including 25 from the militia, retreated inside the town armory, a brick building near the railroad bridge from Augusta, where the white men took up positions. At 7:30 p.m., the white men fired the first shots. "The windows were aimed at and were soon riddled with bullets," The Times reported. Militia members returned fire. At about 8 p.m., a bullet fired by a militia trooper from the roof struck young Thomas McKie Meriwether in the head. "The ball entered the brain, and he fell dead almost without a groan. His death added to the exasperation of the whites, and it was determined to take the armory at all hazards," The Times wrote. By dark, the militia was running short on ammunition, and many of those inside the armory began escaping. At 10 p.m., "a negro attempted to jump a fence in the rear of the building, but was seen and in an instant fell dead, his head being literally honeycombed with bullets," the Times wrote. He was James Cook, the town marshal. Another Black man, Moses Parks, was also killed trying to escape. At about 11 p.m., Butler and other White men entered the armory and gutted the building. After finding and capturing a few men hiding there, they began breaking into houses and dragging out Black men. "Each fugitive when found was greeted with a yell and marched to a tree, where the other prisoners had been carried," The Times reported. "The moon and the torches gleamed on bright barrels, glittering bayonets and eager and determined faces." More than 25 men were captured. At about 2 a.m., guards surrounding the prisoners in a "dead ring" began calling out names. The first to be called was militia Lt. Allen Attaway, who "begged hard for his life," the Charleston News and Courier reported. "A volley of five or six shots was his only reply, and he fell a corpse in the road." David Phillips "was next called and disposed of in the same way and then Albert Myniart, a ball being fired into each man," the Courier wrote. Hampton Stephens "was then called and told to run. He leaped over a low fence at the roadside as Phillips had done before and was shot before he had gone 5 paces." Nelder Parker was shot in the back and died the next day. Pompey Curry's name also was called. "I knew what was coming, and I was running and dashed off through the high weeds at right angles," he told the Courier. He was wounded as he escaped. Finally, the Times reported, the white guards "mounted their horses and rode rapidly away, and by 3 o'clock not a sound could be heard in the village where for six hours the work of death had been going on." Congressmen called for an investigation. Rep. Joseph Rainey, R-S.C., the first African American in the U.S. House, asked, "In the name of my race and my people, in the name of humanity and of God, I ask whether we are to be American citizens, with all the rights and immunities of such, or vassals and slaves again?" M.C. Butler issued a statement blaming the clash in Hamburg on "the system of insulting and outraging of white people, which the negroes had adopted there for several years. Many things were done on this terrible night which of course cannot be justified, but the negroes sowed the wind and reaped the whirlwind." On Aug. 1, Republican President Ulysses S. Grant called the Hamburg killings a "disgraceful and brutal slaughter of unoffending men." Grant ordered federal troops to South Carolina and other Southern states to protect Black citizens in the coming presidential election. The Hamburg Massacre ignited a reign of terror against Black voters in the South. (That September, white attackers massacred as many as 100 Black people in nearby Ellenton, S.C.) Adams testified to Congress that during the battle he heard white attackers shouting, "By God! We will carry South Carolina now. About the time we kill four or five hundred men, we will scare the rest." That November, Democrat Samuel Tilden of New York and Republican Rutherford B. Hayes of Ohio were locked in the closest presidential election in U.S. history. South Carolina, Louisiana and Florida all of which experienced violent intimidation of Black voters filed competing slates of electors. An electoral commission gave the election to Hayes by one electoral vote. In a compromise with Democrats, Hayes soon withdrew federal troops from the South, opening the door to the return of white power and racial suppression that continued into the late 1960s. A coroner's jury in Aiken, S.C., charged 94 white men with murder in the Hamburg Massacre and other racial attacks in the state. None were ever prosecuted. Two of those charged were M.C. Butler and Benjamin "Pitchfork Ben" Tillman, leader of the notorious Edgefield County Red Shirts. Butler and Tillman later became U.S. senators from South Carolina. Hamburg no longer exists. A historical marker near the battle site calls the massacre "one of the most notable incidents of racial and political violence in South Carolina during Reconstruction." History shows the Hamburg Massacre, sparked on the day Americans celebrated 100 years of freedom, helped kick off an escalation of racial violence during an election that ultimately led to the destruction of the freedom and rights of Black Americans in the South for nearly another century. (Tribune News Service) Presidents of West Africas regional bloc agreed Sunday to lift economic and financial sanctions on Mali after the nations military leaders agreed to a return to democracy by 2024. The Economic Community of West African States, or Ecowas, also said Burkina Faso has decided on a 24-month transition to civilian rule. The bloc urged Guinea to submit a timeline for a transition to democracy by the end of July, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, president of the Ecowas Commission, told reporters in Ghanas capital, Accra. Malis presidential election should be held in March 2024 and Ecowas demands the non-participation of the transitional authorities, in the vote, a statement said. The countrys ruling junta had passed legislation that paved the way for its interim authorities to run in the next presidential vote. Burkina Faso is now expected to hold a vote on July 1, 2024, Ecowas said. Both countries remain suspended from the regional body, Brou said. Guinea, the worlds top bauxite producer, and its new mediator, Thomas Boni Yayi, former President of Benin, now have about four weeks to submit a new date for elections or face sanctions, he said. West Africa has seen a surge in military takeovers, with army commanders ousting elected leaders in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso in the past year. Ecowas and the West African Monetary Union placed stiff and damaging sanctions on Mali, Africas third-biggest gold producer, earlier this year after it defied international pressure to hold elections. The International Monetary Fund cited the sanctions as a factor in its decision to lower its forecast for that economys expansion to 5% this year from an initial projection of 5.5%. Ecowas held off on implementing similar sanctions on Burkina Faso and Guinea to enable the two nations to submit new transition plans during the summit. The bloc on Sunday also elected the president of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, as its new chairman and Gambian diplomat, Omar Alieu Touray, as president of the Ecowas Commission. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. CANAZEI, Italy Thunderstorms hampered Monday the search for more than a dozen hikers who remained unaccounted for a day after a huge chunk of an Alpine glacier in Italy broke off, sending an avalanche of ice, snow and rocks down the slope. Officials put the known death toll at seven. I hope the numbers stop here, said Veneto Gov. Luca Zaia, whose region in northeast Italy borders the Dolomite mountain range including the Marmolada glacier. He spoke in the resort town of Canazei, where a morgue was set up in the ice rink. Another regional leader, Maurizio Fugatti, said 14 people remained unaccounted for by Monday afternoon: 10 Italians, three from Czechia and one from Austria. Local officials later said that Austrian consular officials had made contact with the Austrian. We were contacted by families because these people didnt return home, said Fugatti of the Trentino-Alto Adige Alpine region. In the mountains parking lot, four cars remained whose occupants hadnt been traced two cars had license plates from Czechia; one vehicle was from Germany and the fourth was from Hungary. At least three of the dead were Italians, authorities said. Italian news reports said one of the deceased was from Czechia, which is more widely known in English as the Czech Republic. One of the Italians was Filippo Bari, 28, who snapped a selfie with the Marmolada glacier in the background only minutes before the avalanche, his brother, Andrea, told state TV in Canazei where he came to identify the body. Although an expert mountain hiker, his brother said his family always told him to be careful in the mountains, above all in these temperatures. He said the selfie was sent only 20 minutes before the avalanche and that his brother, who had a partner and a 4-year-old son, was smiling. He passed away doing what he loved. On Sunday, officials said nine people were injured, but on Monday told reporters in Canazei that eight were injured, including two in grave condition. Zaia said the hospitalized included two Germans and a 40-year-old patient yet to be identified. The avalanche came roaring down when dozens of hikers were on excursions, including some of them roped together. Looking grim after meeting with families of some of the dead, Italian Premier Mario Draghi, demanded that action be taken so such a tragedy doesnt happen again. This is a drama that certainly has some unpredictability, and certainly depends on environmental deterioration and the climate situation, Draghi said, echoing several experts who said an avalanche triggered by a glaciers breakup couldnt be forecast. Marmolada glacier has been shrinking for decades, and scientists at the government CNR research center have said it wont exist within 25-30 years. Today, Italy cries for the victims, all Italians embrace them with affection, Draghi said. The government must reflect on what happened and take measures, so that what happened has a very low probability of happening again or being avoided entirely. The detached portion of glacier was massive, estimated at 200 meters wide, 80 meters tall and 60 meters deep. Zaia likened the avalanche to an apartment building (sized) block of ice with debris and Cyclopean masses of rock. I cant say anything else other than the facts, and the facts tell us that the high temperatures dont favor these situations, Zaia told reporters. Italy is in the grips of a weeks-long heat wave, and Alpine rescuers said that the temperature at the glaciers altitude last week topped 50 F when usually it should hover around freezing at this time of year. What exactly caused a pinnacle of the glacier to break off and thunder down the slope at a speed estimated by experts at around nearly 200 mph, wasnt immediately known. But high temperatures were widely cited as a factor. The atmosphere and climate, especially below 3,500 meters, is at a complete imbalance thanks to the new climate that weve been registering, and unfortunately these events are probably destined to repeat themselves in the coming years, said Renato Colucci from the Institute of Polar Sciences in the state-run Council of National Research (CNR). Jacopo Gabrieli, another glacier expert with CNR, told state television that the long heat wave, spanning May and June, was the hottest in northern Italy in that period for nearly 20 years absolutely an anomaly. Operators of rustic shelters along the mountainside said temperatures at the 2,000-meter (6,600 foot) level recently reached 24C (75 F) - unheard of in a place where excursionists go in summer to keep cool. The glacier, in the Marmolada range, is the largest in the Dolomite mountains in northeastern Italy. People ski on it in the winter. But the glacier has been rapidly melting away over the past decades, with much of its volume gone. The Mediterranean basin, which includes southern European countries like Italy, has been identified by U.N. experts as a climate change hot spot, likely to suffer heat waves and water shortages, among other consequences. Pope Francis, who has made care of the planet a priority of his papacy, tweeted an invitation to pray for the avalanche victims and their families. The tragedies that we are experiencing with climate change must push us to urgently search for new ways that are respectful of people and nature, Francis wrote. DEmilio reported from Rome. POKROVSK, Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, one day after Ukrainian forces withdrew from their last remaining bulwark of resistance in the province. Russias Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in a televised meeting Monday that Russian forces had taken control of Luhansk, which together with the neighboring Donetsk province makes up Ukraines industrial heartland of Donbas. Shoigu told Putin that the operation was completed on Sunday after Russian troops overran the city of Lysychansk, the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in Luhansk. Putin, in turn, said that the military units that took part in active hostilities and achieved success, victory in Luhansk, should rest, increase their combat capabilities. Putins declaration came as Russian forces tried to press their offensive deeper into eastern Ukraine after the Ukrainian military confirmed that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk on Sunday. Luhansk governor Serhii Haidai said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had retreated from the city to avoid being surrounded. There was a risk of Lysychansk encirclement, Haidai told the Associated Press, adding that Ukrainian troops could have held on for a few more weeks but would have potentially paid too high a price. We managed to do centralized withdrawal and evacuate all injured, Haidai said. We took back all the equipment, so from this point withdrawal was organized well. The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian forces were now focusing their efforts on pushing toward the line of Siversk, Fedorivka and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, about half of which is controlled by Russia. The Russian army has also intensified its shelling of the key Ukrainian strongholds of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, deeper in Donetsk. On Sunday, six people, including a 9-year-old girl, were killed in the Russian shelling of Sloviansk and another 19 people were wounded, according to local authorities. Kramatorsk also came under fire on Sunday. An intelligence briefing Monday from the British Defense Ministry supported the Ukrainian militarys assessment, noting that Russian forces will now almost certainly switch to capturing Donetsk. The briefing said the conflict in Donbas has been grinding and attritional, and is unlikely to change in the coming weeks. While the Russian army has a massive advantage in firepower, military analysts say that it doesnt have any significant superiority in the number of troops. That means Moscow lacks resources for quick land gains and can only advance slowly, relying on heavy artillery and rocket barrages to soften Ukrainian defenses. Putin has made capturing the entire Donbas a key goal in his war in Ukraine, now in its fifth month. Moscow-backed separatists in Donbas have battled Ukrainian forces since 2014 when they declared independence from Kyiv after the Russian annexation of Ukraines Crimea. Russia formally recognized the self-proclaimed republics days before its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. Since failing to take Kyiv and other areas in Ukraines northeast early in the war, Russia has focused on Donbas, unleashing fierce shelling and engaging in house-to-house combat that devastated cities in the region. Russias invasion has also devastated Ukraines agricultural sector, disrupting supply chains of seed and fertilizer needed by Ukrainian farmers and blocking the export of grain, a key source of revenue for the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address, called for immediate economic aid to help the country rebuild even as fighting continues. The restoration of Ukraine is not only about what needs to be done later after our victory, but also about what needs to be done right now. And we must do this together with our partners, with the entire democratic world, he said. A significant part of the economy has been destroyed by hostilities and Russian strikes. Thousands of enterprises do not work. And this means a high need for jobs, to provide social benefits, despite the decrease in tax revenues, Zelenskyy said. In its Monday intelligence report, Britains defense ministry pointed to the Russian blockade of the key Ukrainian port of Odesa, which has severely restricted grain exports. They predicted that Ukraines agricultural exports would reach only 35% of the 2021 total this year as a result. As Moscow pushed its offensive across Ukraines east, areas in western Russia came under attack Sunday in a revival of sporadic apparent Ukrainian strikes across the border. The governor of the Belgorod region in Western Russia said fragments of an intercepted Ukrainian missile killed four people Sunday. In the Russian city of Kursk, two Ukrainian drones were shot down, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. In other developments: Ukrainian soldiers returning from the front lines in eastern Ukraines Donbas region where Russia is waging a fierce offensive describe life during what has turned into a grueling war of attrition as apocalyptic. Two Russian airplanes departed Bulgaria on Sunday with scores of Russian diplomatic staff and their families amid a mass expulsion that has sent tensions soaring between the historically close nations, a Russian diplomat said. Associated Press journalists Inna Varenytsia, Maria Grazia Murru and Oleksandr Stashevskyi contributed from Kyiv. LUGANO, Switzerland Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday the reconstruction of his war-battered country is the "common task of the entire democratic world," as his prime minister laid out a $750 billion recovery plan once the guns of Russia's invaders fall silent one day. As Russian forces continued their crushing advance in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, Zelenskyy spoke by video message to the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Switzerland about the needs of the country that has been on an up-and-down march toward democracy since the end of the Cold War and now faces widespread devastation. "The reconstruction of Ukraine is not a local project, is not a project of one nation, but a common task of the entire democratic world all countries, all countries who can say they are civilized," Zelenskyy told hundreds of attendees in Lugano. "Restoring Ukraine means restoring the principles of life, restoring the space of life, restoring everything that makes humans humans." British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said such a recovery would require a sort of "Marshall Plan" for Ukraine to help it rebuild. Such ambitions, Zelenskyy said, will require wide-scale construction, funding and security "in all of our country which will be forced to continue living beside Russia." The task, which is already under way in some areas that were liberated from Russian forces, aims to leverage outside expertise, government funds and work of Ukrainians to rebuild hospitals, schools, government buildings, homes and apartments but also water pipes, gas lines and other battered infrastructure. "Today, we're all united in our defense. Tomorrow in our reconstruction," said Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who attended in person. He presented a recovery plan that meets immediate needs even as the war continues followed by a "fast recovery" when it's over, and then longer-term requirements. Shmyhal said the cost of the recovery plan is estimated at $750 billion, and insisted a key source of funding "should be the confiscated assets of Russia and Russian oligarchs." He cited unspecified estimates that such sums total $300 billion to $500 billion now. "The Russian authorities unleash this bloody war. They caused this massive destruction and they should be held accountable for it," Shmyhal said. Valdis Dombrovskis, vice president of the European Union's executive branch, said using such confiscated Russian assets would involve criminal law, so the "legal obstacles" weren't resolved, "but we think it's important that according to the principle of 'aggressor pays' it's also Russia's assets which are directed to the reconstruction of Ukraine." Earlier Monday, a leading Swiss nongovernmental group called out Switzerland as a "safe haven" for Russian oligarchs and as a trading hub for Russian oil, grain and coal. Public Eye urged the Swiss executive branch to "use all levers at its disposal to stop the financing of this inhuman aggression," a reference to Russia's war that has killed thousands of people, driven millions from their homes, and rippled through world economy by driving up food and fuel prices. It said Switzerland has been over the years a "popular refuge" for Russian business magnates to park their assets. The group said firms use Switzerland as an "unregulated commodity trading hub" and exploit a lack of transparency about financial dealings in the country. There was no immediate response from the Swiss government. The group welcomed Switzerland's "humanitarian engagement" for Ukraine through the conference but called on the government to strictly implement international sanctions on Russian elites and their government, and better regulate its trading hub. Switzerland is a major international financial center and its government has traditionally touted Swiss "neutrality" which is enshrined into law and Switzerland's role as an intermediary between hostile countries and as a host of many international and U.N. institutions. The Swiss Bankers Association has estimated that the assets of Russian clients deposited in Switzerland's banks total 150-200 billion Swiss francs (about $155-$210 billion), making the country a key repository of Russian money abroad. Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU, has largely joined the bloc's sanctions against Russia. The website of the Swiss federal economics department says that as of May 12, a total of 6.3 billion francs have been frozen in Switzerland in connection with Russia's war in Ukraine. In its call for transparency and better regulation in Switzerland, Public Eye said that "as a safe haven for oligarchs close to the Kremlin and as a trading hub for Russian oil, grain and coal, Switzerland bears a big political responsibility." The conference in lakeside Lugano brings together hundreds of representatives from government, advocacy groups, the private sector, academia and U.N. organizations and scores of Ukrainian ministers, lawmakers, diplomats and others. It builds upon a multi-year, multi-country discussion about reform in Ukraine even before the war began but this time the focus is "recovery" from the war. Environmental groups want to help Ukraine build back better. Lobby groups Solar Power Europe and Wind Europe, together with their Ukrainian counterparts, urged Ukraine to set a target of producing at least 40% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, bringing it in line with European Union targets. According to the International Energy Agency, Ukraine generated less than 10% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2019, the last year for which data was published. Most of Ukraine's electricity comes from nuclear power and burning coal. A small group of Greenpeace activists staged a media stunt by pretending to set up a fake wind turbine on the banks of Lake Lugano, as part of a call with Ukrainian NGOs to support sustainable energy development in the country whose infrastructure has been widely damaged. WASHINGTON U.S. officials said Monday the bullet that killed veteran Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was likely fired from an Israeli position. But they say it is too badly damaged to reach an absolute determination, and that there is no reason to believe she was deliberately targeted. State Department spokesman Ned Price, announcing the results of the probe, said independent, third-party examiners had undertaken an extremely detailed forensic analysis of the bullet that killed her after the Palestinian Authority handed it over to them. The results, announced ahead of President Joe Bidens visit to the region next week, were unlikely to lay the matter to rest. The Palestinians reiterated that Israel was to blame, while Israel said its own investigation would remain open and did not address the U.S. conclusion that its troops were likely responsible. Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian-American correspondent who was well known and respected throughout the Arab world, was shot and killed while covering an Israeli military raid on May 11 in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian eyewitnesses, including her crew, say Israeli troops killed her and that there were no militants in the immediate vicinity or any exchange of fire at the time she was shot. Israel says she was killed during a complex battle with Palestinian militants and that only a forensic analysis of the bullet could confirm whether it was fired by an Israeli soldier or a Palestinian militant. It has strongly denied she was deliberately targeted, but says an Israeli soldier may have hit her by mistake during an exchange of fire with a militant. An Associated Press reconstruction of her killing lent support to witness accounts that she was killed by Israeli forces. Subsequent investigations by CNN, the New York Times and the Washington Post reached similar conclusions, as did monitoring by the office of the U.N. human rights chief. U.S. lawmakers have pressed the Biden administration to demand a full investigation and accountability, and anger over the killing is hanging over Bidens upcoming trip to the region. U.S. security officials examined the results of separate Palestinian and Israeli investigations and concluded that gunfire from IDF positions was likely responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh, Price said in a statement, referring to the Israeli military by its acronym. The U.S. found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Price said. He gave no further details on how it reached its conclusion. The probe was undertaken by the U.S. Security Coordinator in the region, which was established in 2005 to assist with peace efforts at the time. It advises Palestinian security forces and coordinates between Israel and the PA. Israel presented the findings as part of its own investigation, something that was likely to anger the Palestinian Authority. The PA handed the bullet over to U.S. officials while insisting it was still adamantly opposed to any cooperation with Israel. The Israeli military said that while the bullet remained in the custody of U.S. officials throughout the process, it was examined by Israeli experts in a forensic laboratory in Israel. Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi, the army chief of staff, ordered the investigation be continued using all available means, the military said in a statement. It said any decision on whether to launch a criminal investigation would only be made after the operational investigation is completed. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said the IDF investigation was unable to determine who is responsible for the tragic death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, but it was able to determine conclusively that there was no intention to harm her. He did not address the U.S. conclusion that the bullet that struck her was likely fired from an Israeli position. The Palestinian Authority and Al Jazeera accused Israeli forces of deliberately targeting Abu Akleh within hours of her death. Nabil Abu Rdeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said the PA holds Israel fully responsible for Abu Aklehs killing and will not accept any manipulation of the results of the Palestinian investigation. The PA administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and cooperates with Israel on security matters. Rights groups say Israeli investigations of the shooting deaths of Palestinians often languish for months or years before being quietly closed and that soldiers are rarely held accountable. The Israeli rights group BTselem dismissed the U.S. announcement as a whitewash. All investigations published so far conclude that Israel is responsible, it said. It is not clear on what grounds does the U.S, State Department seek to dismiss her killing as the result of tragic circumstances and not as a crime for which those responsible should be held to account. Abu Aklehs family issued a statement saying the U.S. announcement was insulting to Shireens memory. All available evidence suggests that a U.S. citizen was the subject of an extrajudicial killing by a foreign government that receives billions of dollars in American military aid each year to perpetuate a prolonged and entrenched military occupation of millions of Palestinians, they said. Abu Akleh, who was 51, was an on-air correspondent for Al Jazeeras Arabic-language service who rose to fame two decades ago during the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, against Israeli rule. She documented the harsh realities of life under Israeli military rule now well into its sixth decade with no end in sight for viewers across the Arab world. Israeli police drew widespread criticism from around the world when they beat mourners and pallbearers at her funeral in Jerusalem on May 14. An Israeli newspaper last month reported that a police investigation found wrongdoing by some of its officers, but said those who supervised the event will not be seriously punished. Jenin has long been a bastion of Palestinian militants, and several recent deadly attacks inside Israel have been carried out by young men from in and around the town. Israel frequently carries out military raids in Jenin, which it says are aimed at arresting militants and preventing more attacks. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war and has built settlements where nearly 500,000 Israelis live alongside nearly 3 million Palestinians. The Palestinians want the territory to form the main part of a future state. Peace talks broke down more than a decade ago, and with Israel now in a new election campaign, they are unlikely to resume anytime soon. Lapid, the caretaker prime minister, supports a two-state solution with the Palestinians, but right-wing parties that oppose Palestinian statehood dominate the Israeli political system. Krauss reported from Ottawa, Ontario. Associated Press reporter Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem contributed to this report. WASHINGTON One soldier led his unit through a deadly ambush in 1968. Another defended a besieged fire base in 1972. A third directed airstrikes after a crash landing in 1971. And a fourth single-handedly cleared a trench of enemy troops in 1966. President Joe Biden on Tuesday awarded four Army veterans Spc. 5th Class Dwight Birdwell, Maj. John J. Duffy, Spc. 5th Class Dennis M. Fujii and Staff Sgt. Edward N. Kaneshiro the Medal of Honor, the nations highest recognition for combat valor, for their actions in the Vietnam War. Its just astounding when you hear what each of them had done, Biden told the 250 guests who gathered for the ceremony in the White House. They went far above and beyond the call of duty. Its a phrase always used, but it takes on life when you see these men. Each of the men had their previous medals for gallantry upgraded and Kaneshiro, who died during combat in 1967, was honored posthumously. Kaneshiros son, John Kaneshiro, accepted the award on behalf of his father. Its been a long journey to this day for these heroes, Biden said. More than 50 years have passed since as young men these soldiers first proved their mettle but time has not diminished their astonishing bravery, their selflessness in putting the lives of others ahead of their own and the gratitude that we as a nation owe them. More than 3,500 service members have received the Medal of Honor since its inception for each of the service branches in the 1860s. Biden said Tuesdays recipients were able to receive medal upgrades due to ongoing reviews of the contributions made by Asian Americans, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders during the Korean and Vietnam wars. Birdwell, a Native American, and Fujii, a native Hawaiian, stood stoically as the president draped the medal around their necks. Duffy, dressed in his military uniform, loudly stomped onto the platform where the president stood to receive his medal, drawing laughs from Biden and the audience. Its not about me, Im just part of the story, Duffy said Sunday about the award. Its about the young gentleman who wants to join the military and find a career choice, which I did as a 17-year-old. Its [about] inspiring him that anyone can do this. Spc. 5th Class Dwight Birdwell: Thats what I was trained to do Birdwell sped to Tan Son Nhut Air Base with his unit expecting a fight with a small, unexperienced contingent of Viet Cong guerrillas. But the attack on the vital military installation near Saigon on Jan. 31, 1968, went far beyond a mere skirmish. Hundreds of enemy soldiers had descended on the base in one of the first assaults of the Tet Offensive, a campaign of surprise attacks on the South Vietnamese army, U.S. troops and their allies. Birdwells unit found itself in the middle of a horseshoe ambush, caught in a crossfire of 700 enemy troops on one side and 300 on the other. Gunfire ripped through the air, piercing bodies and vehicles. One of the bullets hit Birdwells tank commander and without hesitation, Birdwell pulled him to safety and took over the commanders seat, according to the Army. Thats what I was trained to do, he said. I was trained to do my best and part of doing your best is to become a leader in a time of need and there was no one else left to do it. If I didnt do it, who would? So it was me. Birdwells decision to assume control made him a target of the North Vietnamese. They were very effective that day of shooting those in command positions in the head, he said. He vividly remembers the unique whining sound of bullets whizzing by him. The closer they got, the more they whined, he said. Sometimes I was scared, Birdwell said. But its what I was trained to do. Its what I was told to do. He provided situation reports to his squadron leader and fired every weapon at his disposal, launching volleys from the tanks cannon, machine gun and his rifle until all the ammunition was spent. Birdwell then dismounted and found his way to a downed American helicopter, retrieving two M60 machine guns and ammunition. With another soldier, Birdwell continued the firefight from the top of a tank until the enemy blew his gun out of his hands. The explosion wounded Birdwell in the face and torso. The injuries did not stop Birdwell from staying in the fight. He refused evacuation multiple times, at one point disembarking from a rescue helicopter packed with other wounded men just before takeoff. Birdwell rejoined the battle to collect more ammunition for his comrades from damaged vehicles. He then led a small group of soldiers behind enemy lines, took cover behind a tree and threw hand grenades until reinforcements arrived. Birdwell stayed on the battlefield to help with casualties and only left when he was ordered to seek care for his own injuries. Throughout the entire engagement, Birdwell repeatedly placed himself in extreme danger to protect his team and to defeat the enemy, according to the Army. Birdwells actions that day previously earned him the Silver Star, the third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. Other members of his unit had lobbied for an upgrade for years. Its overwhelming, Birdwell said of receiving the Medal of Honor. It brings honor and credit to my creator, it brings credit to the Cherokee people, it brings credit to the U.S. Army, 25th Infantry Division, those I served with, those who were killed that day or were terribly maimed as well as their families. At least the families know that we did our job. Five months after the air base attack, Birdwell earned another Silver Star for putting his life on the line to rescue Americans stranded in an enemy-occupied village. He again exposed himself to enemy fire to load wounded troops into a damaged personnel carrier and returned for more rescues after seeing them to safety. Birdwell left the Army on Dec. 29, 1968, and pursued a career in law, rising to chief justice of the Cherokee Nation Judicial Appeals Tribunal. He is now a practicing attorney in Oklahoma City. Chuck Hoskin Jr., principal chief of the Cherokee nation, said Birdwell is the first Native American to earn the Medal of Honor for fighting in Vietnam. Were tremendously proud of Dwight Birdwell as a fellow Cherokee, Hoskin said. He represents thousands of Cherokees over the generations who have served for or alongside this country in conflict for things that are important, just as Dwight did. Birdwell credits his upbringing in the Cherokee nation for prompting him to join the Army in high school and giving him the courage to put his life on the line for the United States. A lot of the older veterans from prior wars instilled in me the idea that youve got to serve and dont bring any dishonor to us or the Cherokee people, Birdwell said. So I wasnt going to break. Maj. John J. Duffy: You volunteered, you trained, now do your job The siege of Fire Support Base Charlie in Kontum Province of South Vietnam began April 14, 1972. North Vietnamese soldiers first surrounded the encampment where Duffy was serving as a senior adviser to South Vietnamese paratroopers. Then the enemy unleashed a 24-hour bombardment. Duffy, a Special Forces officer, could have left the base two days earlier. A battle that day had given him a concussion that he said felt like three hangovers separated by whipped cream, and killed the battalion commander and destroyed the battalion command post. Duffy was offered an evacuation but refused. I was a one-man team, he said. You had to have Americans to control the American air assets so there was no way that I was going to leave with the Vietnamese still there fighting. If I left, they would have been killed, destroyed without much effort. Duffy was also given specific orders before he deployed to the base: Fight to the death. As a veteran of two previous combat tours, Duffy knew air support was crucial for defending the base. So Duffy moved close to the enemys anti-aircraft guns and started calling in airstrikes nearly 200 of them. Fragments from a rifle round punctured Duffys skin but he again refused to leave the battle. I was never frightened, he said. You volunteered, you trained, now do your job. It's that simple. I was doing what I was trained to do, and I was good at it and I knew I was good. So I was confident. When you're confident, you're in control and if you're in control, you're not going to panic. Duffy continued to put himself in the line of fire to direct aircraft at enemy positions even as the North Vietnamese launched a massive barrage of artillery. His targeting efforts eventually silenced the barrage, if only temporarily. The respite gave Duffy an opportunity to survey the damage, ensure wounded South Vietnamese troops were moved to safety and distribute their ammunition to other defenders. The enemy resumed its attack on the base with a burst of another 300 artillery rounds. In the late afternoon, ground forces stormed in from every direction. Duffy shifted from position to position to coordinate strikes and treat wounded South Vietnamese soldiers, spotting targets for artillery observers while dodging bullets. When enemy forces advanced within 10 meters of him, Duffy directed American aircraft to launch runs on his position. They killed the battalion commander and almost killed myself, he said. In the early hours of April 15, the enemy rushed the South Vietnamese battalion and inflicted more casualties. Duffy helped hold off the ambush and with the enemy in pursuit, led the remaining service members, many of them heavily injured, on a nighttime escape down a mountain. At the evacuation site, Duffy marked a landing zone for a helicopter and fended off the enemy for an hour. He was the last man to board the helicopter, remaining behind to adjust aircraft covering the evacuating troops until the last possible moment. They wanted me to get on first. I said, Ill be the last man out, Duffy said. I had the radio, there was no other choice. As the helicopter lifted off, Duffy caught a South Vietnamese soldier falling off the aircraft and tended to a wounded helicopter gunner. Duffy previously received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Armys second-highest award for valor in combat, for his actions on April 14-15, 1972. He later pursued a career in publishing, founded an investment firm and became a Pulitzer Prize-nominated poet. Duffy is reluctant to be called heroic for his performance on Fire Support Base Charlie, preferring to instead heap praise on the bravery and heroism of the airmen. Without them, Duffy was just a rifleman with some radios, he said. He later paid homage to the men in a poem, writing, It is the lonely mission, the forward air controller. His are the eyes above the battle. His is the link to those below. The ode was inscribed on a memorial in 2008 to forward air controllers in Colorado Springs, Colo. Was I heroic? Well I survived, I was lucky, Duffy said. Yeah, if you want to call that heroic, Ill go for it. Spc. 5th Class Dennis M. Fujii: I had never, never seen anything like that Fujii was serving as the crew chief of a medevac helicopter when a group of seriously wounded Vietnamese troops called for rescue from a position of heavy fighting in a Laos valley on Feb. 18, 1971. The helicopter made several passes over the battlefield, thick with smoke from artillery and mortars, before attempting to land. We started taking so much ground fire, I had never seen it in Vietnam. All the years I was there I had never, never seen anything like that, Fujii said in a video interview the Army posted in 2018. Fujii deployed to Vietnam in 1968. A torrent of enemy fire ripped through the helicopter as it finally managed to touch down. Fujii and the rest of the crew piled screaming Vietnamese troops onboard as fast as they could but as the aircraft attempted to lift off, mortar rounds brought it crashing to the ground. Fujii scrambled off the helicopter with two other medics and sought cover in a nearby bunker. A mortar exploded near Fujii as he ran, injuring his shoulder. The second mortar hit was far more damaging. A piece of shrapnel flew into Fujiis eye as he dashed out of the bunker to another rescue helicopter arriving on the scene. Temporarily blind and dazed, Fujii fell back and watched helplessly as his crew, carrying two injured pilots, jumped in the aircraft. I knew that there was no way I could make it from where I was into the chopper, he said. And the longer I stayed there and waited, I was putting everybody at risk so I just waved the bird off. Fujii did not think the departing helicopter would survive the barrage of artillery but it did. As the chopper slowly disappeared into the distance, Fujii realized he was all alone. It scared me, he said. It scared me because the enemy wasnt hiding, they were all out in the open. Plans to go back for Fujii were deemed too dangerous. He remained the lone American on the ground and spent the night and the next day providing first aid to injured South Vietnamese troops. As night fell on Feb. 19, the enemy launched a ruthless artillery assault on the Vietnamese unit. Fujii found a radio and called in American helicopters to help defend the outmanned South Vietnamese allies. For 17 hours, Fujii repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire as he left the security of his entrenchment to better observe enemy troop positions and to direct airstrikes against them, according to his Distinguished Service Cross citation. At times, the fighting became so vicious that Specialist Fujii was forced to interrupt radio transmittal in order to place suppressive rifle fire on the enemy while at close quarters, the citation read. The South Vietnamese unit held on through the night. The next day, an American helicopter successfully landed to airlift Fujii and other injured military personnel from the area. But the rescue was short-lived. Enemy fire forced the air ambulance to make an emergency landing at another South Vietnamese base about 2 miles away. Fujii had to wait two more days for another ride out, finally departing on a helicopter on Feb. 22 to receive medical care. The ordeal initially earned Fujii the Silver Star, later upgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross. Fujii returned to his native Hawaii a week after his heroic acts and joined the Hawaii Army National Guard and the Pacific Army Reserve. He went on to work as a utilities and logistics technician at the Johnston Atoll Wildlife Refuge Island in the North Pacific. Reflecting on his service years later, Fujii said he had no regrets about joining the military and fighting in Vietnam. Id do it all over again, he said. I thought it was part of a young mans obligation to our country. After all, freedom doesnt come lightly and it doesnt come cheap, and I thought that I should do my fair share. Staff Sgt. Edward N. Kaneshiro: He was just serving his country Kaneshiro and his infantry squad entered the village of Phu Huu 2 on Dec. 1, 1966, on a search-and-destroy mission. Some teams from the platoon deployed to the hamlet while Kaneshiro directed his team to scour the more open terrain in the east. None of them were aware that North Vietnamese troops had fortified the village with a camouflaged trench and bunker system teeming with a vastly larger force. The enemy, seeing an opportunity for an ambush, opened fire. The hail of bullets killed the platoon leader and the point man, struck four others and pinned down the squads, according to the Army. Kaneshiro rushed his troops toward the sound of gunfire. He saw most of the firepower coming from the main trench and realizing it had to be subdued to give troops a chance at survival, asked his men to cover him. Alone, he crawled forward to attack the enemy. With his body pressed to the ground, Kaneshiro lobbed a series of grenades over the top of the trench. One fell into a bunker and killed the gunner who had started the firefight, silencing his machine gun. Kaneshiro then jumped into the trench himself. He swept through 35 meters of the ditch, using his M16 rifle to destroy one enemy group and grenades to kill two others. By the time Kaneshiro single-handedly cleared the trench, survivors of the other squads were standing and preparing to move the dead and wounded. Kaneshiros actions enabled the orderly extrication and reorganization of the platoon, which was the beginning of a larger action that ultimately led to a successful withdrawal from the village, according to his Distinguished Service Cross citation. Kaneshiro served in Vietnam until March 6, 1967, when he was shot and killed while trying to evacuate a fallen comrade. He was born in Hawaii and grew up working on his familys farm alongside 16 siblings. After stints with several civilian employers, Kaneshiro enlisted in the Army in 1959 and served in noncombat roles in Japan and South Korea. He was 38 years old at the time of his death and left behind his wife, Mitsuko, and five children. Mitsuko, who died on April 10 at the age of 90, did not speak of her husband after his death. But she will be buried next to him at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii on July 22, Kaneshiros birthday. The grief was so profound and growing up it was sort of like an unspoken thing not to mention him because it was so, so tragic for her, said Naomi Viloria, Kaneshiros daughter. Viloria was 8 when her father was killed and only remembers snippets of his personality quiet and humble, with a love for fishing and photography. John Kaneshiro, Kaneshiros infant son, remembers nothing at all but believes his fathers military service subconsciously inspired him to join the Army and then the Army Reserve. The Kaneshiro siblings spent decades pushing for the Medal of Honor to be awarded to their father. Viloria said she was overwhelmed when Biden called her with the good news. My whole body was shaking, Viloria said. Sometimes I try to imagine what [my dad] went through, like would I be able to do that? Its very inspiring that he was just fearless or maybe he had fear but did it anyway. That takes a lot of courage, to do that alone. Since he was so humble, I believe in his mind he was just serving his country. Maj. Gen John B. Richardson, commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, said Kaneshiro embodied the Armys values of honor, duty to country and fighting for your fellow man by putting your own life at risk. He put deeds behind those words, Richardson said. We can now carry his story back to todays troopers and share with them that these arent just words, these are actions and thats what makes us the greatest Army in the world. A shooting that left at least six people dead at an Independence Day parade in a Chicago suburb rattled Mondays celebrations across the U.S. and further rocked a country already awash in turmoil over high court rulings on abortion and guns as well as hearings on the Jan. 6 insurrection. The parade in Highland Park began around 10 a.m. but was suddenly halted 10 minutes later after shots were fired. Hundreds of parade-goers some visibly bloodied fled the parade route, leaving behind chairs, baby strollers and blankets. Authorities asked residents to shelter in place while they search for the suspect. On a day that we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we are instead mourning the tragic loss of life and struggling with the terror that was brought upon us, Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering said. News of yet another mass shooting came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together. It was supposed to be a day for taking off work, flocking to parades, devouring hot dogs and burgers at backyard barbecues and gathering under a canopy of stars and exploding fireworks. The Fourth of July is a sacred day in our country its a time to celebrate the goodness of our nation, the only nation on Earth founded based on an idea: that all people are created equal, President Joe Biden tweeted earlier on Monday. Make no mistake, our best days still lie ahead. These are precarious times: An economic recession lurks, and the Highland Park shooting will weigh on a national psyche already raw from mass shootings like those seen recently at a Texas elementary school and a New York supermarket. Sharp social and political divisions have also been laid bare by recent Supreme Court decisions overturning the constitutional right to abortion and striking down a New York law limiting who may carry a gun in public. Independence Day doesnt feel like much of a celebration when our basic rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are on the chopping block, New York Attorney General Tish James, a Democrat, tweeted. Today, I encourage you to imagine what this nation could be if and when we live up to our values. However, many had reason to gather and celebrate for the first time in three years amid easing coronavirus precautions. Nathans Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest returned to its traditional location in Brooklyns Coney Island neighborhood after two years elsewhere thanks to the pandemic. Its beautiful to be back here, Joey Jaws Chestnut told ESPN after winning the mens competition by downing 63 hot dogs and buns even as he momentarily put a protester who rushed the stage in a chokehold. Miki Sudo chomped 40 franks to win the womens event. Colorful displays were scheduled to light up the night sky from New York to Seattle to Chicago to Dallas. However, others, particularly in drought-stricken and wildfire-prone regions of the West, will forgo them. Fireworks were the suspected cause behind a fire in Centerville, Utah, that led to the evacuation of dozens of homes and the cancellation of some of its Independence Day events, officials said. It was a different matter in Phoenix, which is again going without fireworks not because of the pandemic or fire concerns but supply-chain issues. In emotional ceremonies across the country, some will swear oaths of citizenship, qualifying them to vote in the upcoming midterm elections. During a ceremony for naturalized citizens held at Mount Vernon, the Virginia home of George Washington, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told 52 people originally from 42 different countries that they were essential to building a strong labor force. Immigrants strengthen our workforce, and, in the process, help drive the resiliency and vitality of our economy, Yellen said in remarks prepared for the Monday event. For many, July 4 was also a chance to set aside political differences and to celebrate unity, reflecting on the revolution that gave rise to historys longest-living democracy. Theres always something to divide or unite us, says Eli Merritt, a political historian at Vanderbilt University whose upcoming book traces the fraught founding of the United States. But he sees the Jan. 6 hearings probing last years storming of the U.S. Capitol as a reason for hope, an opportunity to rally behind democratic institutions. Even though not all Americans or their elected representatives agree with the committees work, Merritt is heartened by the fact that its at least somewhat bipartisan. Moral courage as a locus for Americans to place hope, the willingness to stand up for what is right and true in spite of negative consequences to oneself, he said. That is an essential glue of constitutional democracy. Calvan reported from New York, and Foody from Chicago. Associated Press reporters Michael Tarm and Roger Schneider in Highland Park, Ill., Fatima Hussein in Washington, Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, S.D., Amy Beth Hanson in Helena, Mont., and Jennifer Peltz in New York contributed to this report. (Tribune News Service) Jenkins Twp., Pa., Air Force veteran Ralph Edwards is determined to see that his brother, who was killed in Vietnam, is posthumously awarded either the Bronze Star or the Silver Star medal. Edwards' brother John died in a firefight on March 4, 1966, while giving cover to fellow Marines who were trying to retreat from an ambush during Operation Utah. He had just turned 20 years old. Ralph Edwards, 71, who is battling cancer, said he hopes to live long enough to see his brother given the honor. He said he feels government bureaucracy and the "administrative fog of war" has denied his brother the award all these years. "He was head to head with heavy machine gun fire. Because of it, other people are alive today," Ralph Edwards said. "It takes a lot of guts to take on heavy machine gun fire." Ralph Edwards, who served 23 years in the Air Force, said he's been in contact with the office of U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Moosic, but efforts to get the military to award his brother a Bronze Star or Silver Star have yet to yield any results. Determined to learn more about his brother's heroics, Ralph Edwards even got in touch with his brother's superiors on the battlefield from the war. John Edwards' platoon leader Hubert Yoshida, 83, of Morgan Hill, California, said John Edwards deserves at least a Bronze Star. Yoshida admits he didn't know the whole story of John Edwards' actions that led to his death until several years ago when he decided to write a book about Operation Utah. "I knew he had been killed, but I didn't know the circumstances because so many were killed at that time. This award was dropped through the cracks. I probably should have been more diligent. But I wasn't aware of what he had done until I started to write this book," Yoshida said in a phone interview last week. The decision to write the book came after Yoshida found a letter John Edwards' father wrote him after Yoshida sent him a sympathy letter in 1966. "Fifty years later I reread that letter," Yoshida said. "The letter from Edwards was a motivator to write the book." While researching for the book, Yoshida said it became clear "we all saw a piece of" Operation Utah, "but we never saw the whole battle." He's hoping to change that with his book. Yoshida shared some excerpts of his book, which includes extensive parts about John Edwards. "I wrote a letter to his family explaining the circumstances of his death and expressing my condolences. I received a letter back from his father expressing how proud he was of his son. At that time, I was a young man. I was married but did not yet have children. I kept that letter and I reread it so many years later, having raised my own son now. I can better appreciate how devastated a parent must feel over the loss of a son at such a young age," Yoshida wrote. Staff at Cartwright's office said the congressman is working with the military to properly recognize John Edwards. "Congressman Cartwright fully supports the efforts of Capt. Ralph Edwards to see his brother's unit-saving valor and sacrifice in Vietnam officially recognized, and he requested an update from the Marine Corps on the status of the case this week, while stressing the importance of the case and a resolution of it," said Wendy Wilson, Cartwright's director of communications. "After reviewing elements of the case record, relatively recent communications about it from the Marine Corps, the current regulations and application criteria for valor recognition, and the Marine Corps stance on satisfying all of the requirements, our office is now working with both the Marine Corps and Mr. Edwards to resubmit an Award Nomination Package that will result in the official recognition of the heroism of Lance Cpl. John Jay Edwards that his brother and father have sought for so many years." John Edwards is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Hanover Twp. next to his parents, Frank and Jacqueline Edwards, both World War II veterans. The slain Marine spent most of his formative years in Kingston before his parents moved the family when he was around 15-years-old. He graduated from Immaculate Conception High School in Lock Haven with dreams of entering the Marines. He enlisted after graduation. Due to his father's decorated military status and political connections, John Edwards got stationed in Key West, Florida, to serve with a Marine Corps honor guard, a much safer assignment than others his age, his brother said. "He did not want to do that. He joined the Marine Corps to fight. He volunteered to go to Vietnam much to the concern of my parents and grandparents," Ralph Edwards said. In Vietnam, John Edwards was assigned to 1st Platoon, Hotel Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. John Edwards and his unit were "involved in some of the most intense fighting of the war" during the battle that killed him, Yoshida wrote in an affidavit recommending him for the Bronze Star. To be eligible for a Bronze Star a service member must display "heroic or meritorious achievement or service" while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States or an opposing foreign force, according to the Marine Corps. To justify this decoration, the accomplishment or performance of duty must be above what is normally expected and sufficient to distinguish the individual among those performing comparable duties. Ralph Good, John Edwards' squad leader in Vietnam and a Bronze Star recipient, has also penned an affidavit to testify about John Edwards' bravery in Vietnam. "He was absolutely fearless in combat," Good wrote. "I am sure he knew exactly what he was doing by engaging that machine gun and he was willing to pay whatever it cost to protect his fellow Marines." bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com (c)2022 The Citizens' Voice (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) Visit The Citizens' Voice (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) at citizensvoice.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Cabra man Ciaran Stone (48) had been finding it difficult to come to terms with seeing his ex-partner and her new boyfriend together at his local club A father-of-two who pushed his ex-partners new boyfriend to the ground, causing him to break his elbow, in a row at a GAA club has been spared a criminal record. Ciaran Stone (48) had been finding it difficult to come to terms with seeing the two together at his local club when he got into a struggle with the man. The victim suffered an unfortunate fall, landing on his elbow, a court heard. Judge Bryan Smyth applied the Probation Act, leaving Stone without a recorded conviction, after he paid 3,340 in compensation and medical expenses to the victim. A restorative justice report was also positive, the judge noted, and although the case was serious, Stone had dealt with it very fairly. READ MORE: Debt collector who threatened to have mans throat slit terrifies female tenant READ MORE: Members of notorious Tallaght burglary gang caught on CCTV smashing up gardas home Stone, a college estate supervisor from Dunard Road in Cabra, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Dublin District Court heard the accused and victim were socialising at St Finbarrs GAA Club, Cabra, on September 12, 2020. There was a heated debate and both men stepped outside to settle the argument. A struggle ensued, the accused pushed the other man to the ground and he suffered a fracture to his right arm, which required surgery. Stone had been in a relationship with a woman. After that ended, she and the other man began a new relationship, the court heard. Stone regretted the assault, was mortified and had no previous convictions. The accused had a responsible job that required garda vetting, his solicitor said, asking the judge not to convict Stone. The former journalist was given a suspended sentence and fined over the incident during which she called gardai "gangsters" and claimed they "covered up murder" The former journalist was given a suspended sentence and fined over the 2020 incident in Wicklow during which she called gardai "gangsters" and claimed they "covered up murder". She was convicted following a hearing at Bray District Court last September and subsequently lodged an appeal. The matter came before Wicklow Circuit Court today in order to fix a date for the appeal hearing. Judge Patrick Quinn was told that the case lasted from 10am until 7pm in the evening and that no evidence was called by the defence. The court was informed that it is the defence's intention to call evidence for the appeal hearing. Judge Quinn said it will "take as long as it takes" and listed the matter for hearing in October, adding: "I will sit at 10am and see how we get on". O'Doherty was not present herself for the brief hearing at Bray courthouse this morning but was legally represented. She is appealing her conviction for public order offences which occurred on a footbridge in Kilmacanogue, Wicklow, on August 28, 2020. The anti-lockdown campaigner was handed a two-month suspended sentence and fined 750, having been convicted of using threatening behaviour, refusing to give her name and address, as well as resisting arrest. She and a number of her supporters were hanging banners on the bridge when the incident occurred. Last year her case at the district court heard that she called gardai "gangsters", "thugs", "traitors", and told them they "covered up" paedophilia and murder. The words used by O'Doherty were described as "atrocious" by the sentencing judge David Kennedy. Her solicitor, Brendan Maloney, argued that she was not lawfully arrested under the correct section of the public order act. He also submitted that gardai should have explained the consequences of not giving her name and address, and that her holding a railing did not constitute resisting arrest. This was rejected by the presiding judge who said that O'Doherty walked away from the garda while he was speaking and didn't allow him to finish. "Clearly he wasn't given the opportunity and she wouldn't have listened anyway," Judge Kennedy said. "She was in a mind not to give out her name and address. She wasnt happy about being arrested. She did grab something to prevent being removed, which constitutes resistance," he added. The appeal hearing is due to take place on Monday, October 17. Sgt Heneghan said that on the night, she was approached by a Rose Joyce (53) who said that she was staging the event "for a son who was released from prison earlier that day. At Ennis District Court, Sgt Claire Heneghan told the court that she observed flashing disco lights, very loud music with most of the 30 to 40 people consuming alcohol at St Endas, Beechpark on the outskirts of Ennis at 10.37pm when she first called to the address on February 8th 2021. Sgt Heneghan said that on the night, she was approached by a Rose Joyce (53) who said that she was staging the event "for a son who was released from prison earlier that day. In court, Ms Joyce - who lives at the address - denied saying this and also denied staging an organised event at the halting site in breach of Covid-19 health regulations when such gatherings were banned. The country was in a Covid-19 Level 5 lockdown at the time and Judge Alec Gabbett convicted Ms Joyce of staging the event in contravention of Covid-19 regulations and fined her 200. Judge Gabbett said that Sgt Heneghan had been more than fair to Ms Joyce on the night. He said: When Sgt Heneghan called at 10.37pm the party was at half throttle and Sgt Heneghan had asked Ms Joyce to turn the music down but when she returned at 11.37pm the party was at full throttle. Judge Gabbett said that when Sgt Heneghan called at 11.37pm the party was still going hard and heavy. Sgt Heneghan said that she called at 11.37pm, the disco lights were still flashing and the music was still very loud. Sgt Heneghan stated that she returned after Gardai received numerous complaints about loud music at the address. Sgt Heneghan said that she directed that the party cease and people were to leave. The sergeant said that she was satisfied that an illegal organised event was taking place in breach of Covid-19 regulations. Sgt Heneghan told the court that Ms Joyce - represented by solicitor, Tara Godfrey - told her that she would have the music turned down but said she wasnt doing anything wrong as it was all the one family. However, the Garda Sergeant said that despite the request that the party cease, it continued for a number of hours until the early hours. Sgt Heneghan told the court that she issued a Fixed Charge Penalty Notice to Ms Joyce the following day and it remains unpaid resulting in the issuing of the court summons. Judge Melanie Greally said the incident at Oberstown had involved a considerable amount of damage to state property and taken place over a prolonged period A man who was one of four detainees who caused 120,000 in damage to the Oberstown Children's Detention Centre in 2016 has been handed a four-year sentence. Philip McCabe (23) and Luke Cronin (22) both pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal damage at Oberstown Children's Detention Centre on September 20 and 21, 2016. McCabe of Cherry Orchard Court, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 also pleaded guilty to one count of driving a car without permission on July 17, 2017 at Palmerstown Woods, Clondalkin and three counts of burglary from separate businesses in the Finglas area on April 30, 2019. Judge Melanie Greally said the incident at Oberstown had involved a considerable amount of damage to state property and taken place over a prolonged period. She noted both defendants had been juveniles at the time and there had been a considerable delay in the prosecution. The judge handed McCabe a four-year sentence for the criminal damage and two-year sentences on each of the other counts. She adjourned Cronin's sentencing to July 8 to review a psychological report. The court heard that both McCabe and Cronin of Bakers Road, Gurranbraher, Co. Cork, along with two others, were involved in an incident of disorder which lasted several hours and resulted in damage to furniture, IT equipment, the kitchen and staff room at the detention centre. Pieter Le Vert BL, prosecuting, told Judge Greally that the prosecution had been delayed due to the retirement of some investigating gardai and staff members at Oberstown. No victim impact statements were submitted. Both defendants have a history of substance abuse. McCabe has 118 previous convictions and is currently serving a five-and-half year sentence for robbery with a release date in 2025. Cronin has 43 previous convictions, primarily for public order offences. He is currently in custody on another matter. Simon Matthews BL, defending McCabe, said it had taken a long time, but McCabe was now on the right path. While the criminal damage charge was serious, Mr Matthews said it dates back to 2016. McCabe had been involved in an accident on May 1, 2020 which caused serious injuries and memory loss. Counsel said McCabe's criminality was linked to his addiction issues. McCabe also suffers from mental health difficulties. Mr Matthews said McCabe is in a relationship and has a young child. McCabe is also at risk of becoming institutionalised due to the amount of time he has already spent in custody. Carol Doherty, BL, defending Cronin, said Cronin was a juvenile at the time of the offence and had a history of substance abuse, which a psychological report linked to issues during his education. Cronin is a father of one child and in a stable relationship with his partner. In relation to McCabe, the court had previously heard evidence about the three counts of burglary. These incidents involved the theft of small amounts of cash and some criminal damage. McCabe made full admissions to gardai. On the charge of driving a car without permission faced by McCabe, the court heard that the victim discovered her car had been removed from outside her home in the early hours of July 17, 2017. Gardai spotted the vehicle and pursued it. The car subsequently crashed at Blackditch Drive and the occupants fled the scene. DNA taken from the driver's side of the car identified McCabe. The vehicle itself was a write-off. McCabe co-operated fully with gardai, but could not initially recall the incident. He maintained that he only drove the vehicle. Judge Greally said McCabe was a young man, who had expressed a wish to live a more constructive life and maintain his relationship with his child. She said there is a risk that he could become institutionalised at a young age. She backdated the sentences imposed on McCabe to July 8, 2021 and ordered they should run concurrently with his current sentence. Woman left terrified as heavy opens her front door, enters her home and asks for arrears in rent to be paid A heavy from well-known criminal Martin Foleys Viper Debt Recovery company who was convicted for threatening a tenant that he would have his throat slit over rent arrears, is back in operation again after entering a womans home in Co. Meath. Alan Nulty received a three-year suspended sentence at Wexford Circuit Court in January after making threats to a man, including that he would get someone to smash your head with a hammer while attempting to collect 4,000 in rent arrears. However, it seems Nulty is up to his old tricks again after he and two other men arrived unannounced at a womans home in Navan last month. Its understood Nulty entered the premises while the others remained outside the front door. The woman was too scared to speak about the incident but a close family friend told the Sunday World, Nulty is a big guy so he didnt have to be physically intimidating, his presence alone was enough to terrify the woman especially as she had her kids in the house with her. He didnt exactly threaten her but told her they were there at her landlords request to collect rent arrears, she did explain that while she had fallen around a year behind in her rent there were genuine personal reasons for this, but he didnt appear to listen and told her that unless it was sorted she would receive another visit. Martin The Viper Foley The woman was absolutely petrified and is still very shaken up over the whole thing but after speaking to a local councillor she summoned up the courage to make an official complaint to the guards. Local gardai have stepped up drive-by patrols on the house, the source added. Under the Residential Tenancies Act it is illegal for a landlord or their agents to enter the property without the tenants permission or arrive unannounced at the property unless there is an emergency situation such as a fire or flood. Entry without permission is a breach of the landlords obligations and if it happens repeatedly the tenant can refer a dispute against the landlord to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). Pat Nelis, a long-term advocate for those involved in rent disputes, said: If a tenant falls behind in rent payments they can be given a 28-day notice of termination which they are entitled to challenge. If the RTB finds in the landlords favour then they still have to go to the district court for a termination order. What certainly cannot happen is that the landlord sends in the heavies straight away, and that is what is happening here. It has been a fairly prevalent thing in Dublin for a while and is now being done country wide and it is illegal full-stop, but quite often tenants are too scared of the heavies to report it. Navan-based Independent councillor Alan Lawes said: From speaking to the woman, while Nulty didnt openly threaten her, he didnt have to as she was terrified at being on her own in the house with a complete stranger who just opened the front door and walked in. He made it clear that she would be paid a return visit if she didnt sort out the arrears. I would be aware through your paper what happened in Wexford and showed a copy of your coverage of that case to the lady from which she identified Nulty as the man who came uninvited into her house, sat down on her sofa and began talking to her about her rent arrears. What really amazes and worries me is that a landlord would resort to this way of doing things, it is just plain wrong. In January, Wexford Circuit Court heard that Nulty had told Nigel Doolin, a tenant in a rented property in Cromwellsfort, that he would have his throat slit while he walked his dog if he didnt come up with 4,000 in rent arrears. Alan Nulty uttered the threat, and another that he would get someone to smash your head with a hammer. Garda Emer OReilly told the court that on arriving at the property, she spoke to landlord David Allen, who claimed that he was owed 4,000 in rent by his tenant, Nigel Doolin. He also said that he had called in the debt recovery agency. The accused, Alan Nulty, was present too and he stated that he was there to recover property to cover the debt. The garda heard a recording of a man with a Dublin accent, who turned out to be the accused. The recording was made through the door of the house by Doolin. As well as the hammer threat, the recording also picked up a warning that the tenant would have his throat slit while he was out walking his dog. The judge described the incident at Cromwellsfort as an insidious crime with disturbing aspects to it and he decided to take a couple of days to formulate his decision. When the case was re-called, the judge remarked that the tenant had been threatened in a very serious way. What Nulty said was delivered in such a way as to make it believable and Doolin was rightly terrified. It was noted that no actual violence occurred. The seriousness of the incident was marked by the recording of a three-year jail term. However, this sentence was suspended in full once Nulty agreed to raise 5,000 to be offered to the man he attempted to intimidate. The M-Vac has already solved several cold-case killings in the US and brought perpetrators to justice Advances in DNA technology and the passage of time may unravel some of the mysteries surrounding the killing of Sophie Toscan du Plantier (pictured) in 1996 A DNA retrieval system for rough surfaces is being examined for use by gardai in the renewed Sophie Toscan du Plantier investigation. Use of the M-Vac has already solved several cold-case killings in the US and brought perpetrators to justice. The naked battered body of 17-year-old Krystal Beslanowitch was discovered outside Salt Lake City, Utah, on a cold morning in December 1995, exactly a year before Ms Toscan du Plantier was murdered in very similar circumstances. Ms Beslanowitch suffered at least 16 blows to her head with rocks. In 2013, 18 years later, new technology was used to extract DNA from the porous rock interiors. The results provided 30 times the amount of DNA the original swabs had provided. In September 2016, Joseph Michael Simpson was found guilty of the murder and was sentenced to life in prison. Krystal Beslanowitch, whose murder was solved thanks to the M-Vac system Jared Bradley, president of M-Vac Systems, said his companys extractor device vacuums up DNA like a carpet cleaner. Once you start getting into porous, rough, more difficult surfaces, then swabbing and other physical methods even sponges cant physically get down into the nooks and crannies where the DNA material might be, he explained. A University of Illinois Chicago study determined that swabs lost between 60-80pc of the DNA material somewhere between location and processing in a lab. If you cant collect it, you cant detect it, Mr Bradley said. Even though lab equipment is incredibly sensitive, if you cant collect it on the front end, it doesnt matter. You cant produce something out of nothing. But every human sloughs off 400,000 cells per day. So in the process of that, even if theyre extremely careful, if theyre in a crime scene, theyre most likely depositing DNA somewhere. The M-Vac was designed to collect e-coli and salmonella in food cases, showing how minuscule its function can be. It was only later discovered to produce impressive results in forensics cases. The FBI tested the system on different substances and surfaces and discovered that, at a minimum, the M-Vac collected five times more than what swabbing was able to do. On some fronts, such as carpet, it was 180 times more effective. In the case of Ms Beslanowitchs murder, the M-Vac produced 42 times more DNA, and produced a clear profile of the perpetrator. READ MORE: New witness statements and DNA technology lie behind Sophie Tuscan du Plantier case review READ MORE: Ian Bailey says he is delighted Gardai are to review murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier READ MORE: Gardai to conduct full review into west Cork murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier In another case, the system exonerated a man who was wrongly accused. In 2010 a family of four from San Diego disappeared. Three years later, a man riding his motorcycle in the desert discovered two shallow graves in each of which was an adult and a child. The murder weapon, a sledgehammer, was also found in one of the graves. M-Vac produced profiles of two unidentified individuals from the graves, leading to the freeing of a man who had been accused of the killings. In another case, a womans body was found in Florida, having been bludgeoned with a torn-away house step. As with Ms Toscan du Plantier, her skull had been heavily damaged. The French filmmaker was beaten to death with a rock in Toormore near Schull, Co Cork, on December 23, 1996. You can imagine how rough and porous those steps are, said Mr Bradley. So the swabbing was negative, but we flew down there with the system and produced a good DNA profile. So this guy is now in prison, and thats a huge win. In the case of Sharon Shawn Meyers, whose body was found gagged and blindfolded in a bath in Salt Lake City, the police didnt have any suspects or any ability to get DNA off the blindfold or gag. But after 39 years, the M-Vac extracted cells from where the killer tied the gag knot. He turned out to be Patrick McCabe, the apartment manager. "Any kind of evidence youre having difficulty getting a profile from, whether it be the sticky side of tape, rocks, bricks, rope if traditional methods are not solving it and not getting a good enough profile, then those are perfect candidates for the M-Vac system, Mr Bradley added. Whats a piece of s**t like you doing bothering a beautiful Irish woman like Gemma ODoherty? Eamonn Deegan was arrested in Dublin on Thursday and conveyed to Clonakilty in Cork where he was charged under sections 10.1 and 10.6 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. Appearing before Judge James McNulty at Clonakilty District Court, under his Irish name Eamonn ODuidhegeannain, Deegan was charged with harassment of Ms OLeary between June 3 and 7, 2019 in Dunmanway, Co Cork. He was remanded on bail in his own bond of 1,000 to appear before the court again later in June. Ms OLeary recorded the phone calls she received during the period concerned. Fiona OLeary ran as an independent In a recording of one of the phone calls made to Ms OLeary on June 7, a caller, who identified himself as Legion can be heard telling her: I know your address, its up on the internet. Its public knowledge. Its up on the internet. Whats a piece of s**t like you doing bothering a beautiful Irish woman like Gemma ODoherty? Youre dirt with your f*cking dyed hair and your alco husband. Youre nothing! Theyre [the gardai] are going to send me to prison because I rang you, are they? Youre a public figure, I can ring you anytime I want. An activist oh f*ck, listen bitch Ill drive down, Ill be there in four hours if thats what you want. Thats right Im threatening to come down you asked me to come. When Ms OLeary asked the caller what his name was, he replied: My name is Legion. He continued: Why dont you f**k off back to the north of England, you c*nt? READ MORE: Dublin man who planted hidden camera in ex wife's home admits Ive destroyed her life READ MORE: Debt collector who threatened to have mans throat slit terrifies female tenant READ MORE: Dublin dad spared criminal record after breaking mans elbow in GAA club row When Ms OLeary responded that the caller was a very angry man, he replies: I am really angry. Ive been in prison three times. Why dont you f*ck off back to your own country? Just keep your nose out of politics. Look after your f**k up family of freaks! I think your family needs to be sent to a vet or something. Again Ms OLeary told the caller he was a very angry man to which he responds: I am really angry and violent as well. I despise you, thats my problem. Ms OLeary, a well-known voice for the autistic community, had run as an Independent candidate in Cork South West in 2016. A carer and mother to five children, two of whom are on the autistism spectrum, Fiona was herself diagnosed as being on the spectrum at the age of 42. I am glad that someone has finally been charged in connection with the phone calls I received, Ms OLeary told the Sunday World. But it has taken far too long and the process to get to this point has been far harder on me than it should have been. Insider says much of the drug supply into Portlaoise is arriving through the prisons kitchen and is now suspected of being almost exclusively controlled by cartel-aligned inmates such as Keating and a high-profile dissident inmate. Keating is serving 11 years for his role in the plot to shoot James Mago Gately Jailed Kinahan cartel chief Peadar Keating has been sacked from his job in the kitchen of Portlaoise Prison as jail bosses try to stop the flood of illegal drugs into the facility. Sources have told the Sunday Worldthat Keating was given the boot after eight inmates in C-Block suffered suspected overdoses in the past two weeks. Insiders say much of the drug supply into Portlaoise is arriving through the prisons kitchen and is now suspected of being almost exclusively controlled by cartel-aligned inmates such as Keating and a high-profile dissident inmate. Our source said: Consideration was given to moving the dissident but the whole place would blow if they did. Things are on eggshells in Portlaoise at the moment. But he wont be leaving C-Block hes too big a player. Staff have been threatened and assaulted in Portlaoise Prison Similarly, the source said authorities at the jail are attempting to be diplomatic in how they handle Keating because of concerns over the level of influence he has within the Kinahan-aligned grouping. Described in court as a "senior member of the cartel, Keating has assumed the mantle of leader of the Kinahan inmates on C-Block since his arrival in the prison. Keating is doing an 11-year-stretch after admitting in July last year to directing the activities of a criminal gang involved in the failed attempt on Hutch associate James Mago Gately in 2017. Keating is serving 11 years for his role in the plot to shoot James Mago Gately The murder plot was foiled when Estonian hitman Imre Arakas was arrested and a weapon seized after the assassin travelled to Ireland for the hit. Our source said: Peadar was fired from the kitchen by the Governor but management are wary of backlash from the prison population when it comes to dealing with such big players. Making a wrong decision could cause uproar with the amount of drugs in here, the tension thats causing and the number of serious players that are in here. Peadar Keating Prisoners have also claimed to officers that an attempted assault on republican Sean Connolly by two associates of recently-freed killer Brian Rattigan last week also had its origins in drugs. The row, the inmates have claimed, relates to the seizure of 30,000 worth of drugs and phones by prison officers from a tea trolley in the common area of the dissident republican E-Block in April this year. Following the seizure, a republican inmate was kicked off E-Block by his paramilitary bosses and later transferred to A-Block. Our source said: Prisoners think it [last weeks assault] came from over in E-Block over the inmate being blamed for that seizure. Threats were being made against his family on the outside to get stuff in. The drugs on that trolley were worth 30,000 at least. In the wake of the assault on Connolly, Rattigans former associates staged a dirty protest in their cells after being booted off the C-Block. It was a half-hearted effort, our source said. Over before it started and menial stuff really. They wanted to come back and werent happy. The degree of control being exercised by cartel inmates and dissident republicans in Portlaoise is now causing serious concern among officers on the prison landings. The source said: The place is flooded with drugs and staff are being threatened and assaulted. Its a very serious situation. We previously revealed how Kinahan cartel inmates are now in control of two blocks in the prison A and C. At the top of the pile in A-Block is Lee Canavan and a second cartel killer, who cannot be named as he is before the courts on separate serious charges. Lee Canavan Canavan was jailed for life for the murder of Daithi Douglas in May 2021 and is also a suspect for the brutal Gary Hutch killing in Spain that led to the deadly Hutch-Kinahan feud. Cartel inmates on this landing have also offered their protection to Garda killer Aaron Brady. Meanwhile, on C-Block, Peadar Keating is backed up by David Duffy. Duffy is serving five years for his role in the plot to kill Gately. Portlaoise, traditionally a republican prison, is now considered the preferred prison for accommodating criminals convicted of cartel-linked crime. Although it has been reported that the Kinahan mob have had their ability to make regular payments to cartel inmates and their families curtailed by the sanctions imposed by authorities, its understood this has not led to a breakdown of the gangs structure behind bars. The reaction to Daniel Kinahan being sanctioned by the US isnt what you might have thought, one source said. Inmates made a few jokes about it but it hasnt caused them any real concern. There is power and protection in being part of a group like the Kinahan-aligned inmates behind bars. And its the group they stay loyal to, not the men at the top who are thousands of miles away in Dubai. Revenue intercepted and seized a record 800kg of cocaine, valued at 56 million, last year as it was being brought into Ireland. The increase in cocaine seizures during the Covid pandemic can be attributed to changes in trade patterns, Revenue officials say. Revenue intercepted and seized a record 800kg of cocaine, valued at 56 million, last year as it was being brought into Ireland. The figure is eight times higher than that seized the previous year, and it is believed that changes to importation flows allowed customs officers to detect major drugs hauls more easily, The Irish Times reports. Drug smugglers prefer to conceal cocaine shipments in legitimate trade flows, Revenue Commissioner Gerry Harrahill told a recent Oireachtas Committee meeting. He said a reduction in trading during the pandemic made Revenue's job much easier because it allowed officers to readily identify abnormal importation patterns. Another element is the ongoing investment by all agencies in developing intelligence. Intelligence has a long gestation. Work that may start on a case or programme today may not come to fruition for two years, he said. A Revenue spokeswoman told The Irish Times that customs officers routinely profile imports and exports using X-ray equipment. Smugglers are resilient and resourceful in terms of smuggling methods and concealment techniques, and have the capability and resources to adapt their methodologies quickly, she explained. A joint Garda and Revenue operation in February 2021 led to the seizure of cocaine weighing 170kg which arrived at Ringaskiddy, Co Cork after being transported in South American shipping containers. A further 500kg of the Class A drug was found disguised as charcoal in shipping containers at Dublin Port in August. And while Revenue data shows that cocaine seizures so far this year are still higher than pre-Covid levels, it remains unlikely that last years record haul will be matched. As of June 8 2022, Revenue has seized cocaine weighing just under 90kg and worth approximately 6.2 million across 59 separate hauls. Street battle | Shocking video showing bare-chested men brawling in Galway is probed by gardai Eoghans sister Susan told mourners that her brother was naturally energetic, relentless in his curiosity and fiercely sociable, eager to explore the world around him and explore he did. Eoghan Byrne from Skerries, Dublin, was killed in a hit-and-run in Vancouver, Canada. Mourners at the funeral of Eoghan Byrne at St Patrick's Church in Skerries. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin Colin Keegan Eoghan Byrne, the young Dublin man who was killed in a hit-and-run in Vancouver, has been remembered as a hero brother who was eager to explore the world. Friends and family of the 24-year-old gathered for his funeral mass at St Patricks Church in Skerries, north Co Dublin, this afternoon. He had been living in Vancouver for a number of months when he was struck by a car as he walked with a friend in the Kitsilano neighbourhood on June 19. He died at the scene. Eoghans sister Susan told mourners that her brother was naturally energetic, relentless in his curiosity and fiercely sociable, eager to explore the world around him and explore he did. Eoghan was the middle child of three to his parents Eugene and Mary. Susan said he was the perfect brother to her and their younger brother James. As a brother he could be fiercely annoying but incredibly fun, like any brother he done his best to annoy me from time to time, once deciding to make a smoothie in the Nutribullet at 1.30am in the morning but he was kind, caring and protective too, she said. On James first night home from the hospital a seven-year-old Eoghan, so excited for his new role as big brother, sat down at the kitchen table, took out an A4 sheet and proceeded to draw an upstairs and downstairs floor plan of the house, detailing where the sitting room, bathroom and kitchen was so the new baby wouldnt get lost. Eoghan Byrne from Skerries, Dublin, was killed in a hit-and-run in Vancouver, Canada. He was the perfect brother, keeping me on my toes while also having my back, he was mine and James first friend and now forever our hero. Susan spoke of all Eoghan had achieved in his short but full life. She spoke of his time in school, receiving honours such as being elected head boy in his final year of secondary school and winning transition year person of the year. She also told mourners of his kindness, generosity of spirit and gentleness, explaining how he travelled to Lourdes in France to volunteer with the sick and elderly. He also went spent one of his summers in college working in a camp in the US for adults with additional mental and physical needs. Throwing himself into the unknown for the benefit of others, he truly believed in helping everyone and he didnt just speak about it, he did it. What an example to set from such a young age, he was truly a man of his word, she said. Eoghan studied genetics in Trinity College Dublin, with Susan describing him as the brightest Byrne, with the most incredible mind. One of his friends described him as effortlessly popular, who drew good people to him. His friends were a reflection of him, kind, outgoing yet unassuming people, he loved nothing more than being with you, his tribe, travelling around the world or just driving around the town, Susan said. A friend of Eoghans recalled to mourners the last week the two had spent together in Vancouver, describing the time as a gift. On our last night together, we brought our camping chairs down to Kitsilano beach and with the beautiful view, we reminisced about school, college, all the fun times we had, he said. We spoke about our plans for the future all the places we were excited to explore, and all the people he was looking forward to visiting him in Vancouver. We also spoke of the things we achieved in life. Eoghan was a very modest guy but he told me he was proud of the life he had. He was proud to have been head boy in school, he was proud of his degree from Trinity College, he was proud of the life he had built for himself in Vancouver. He was proud seeing the people he loved having their own adventures in life. Susan finished with a quote from Benjamin Franklin: Wish not so much to live long as to live well. She added: Eoghan didnt live nearly long enough but there is no doubt in our minds that he lived tremendously well. He said Mr Varadkar and others in his party, Fine Gael, need to "end the Jekyll and Hyde approach to constitutional change" Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard has said Irish unity is too important an issue to "constantly flip-flop on" as he hit back at claims from Tanaiste Leo Varadkar that a border poll would not be "appropriate" at this time. Speaking to BBC Good Morning Ulster, South Down MP Mr Hazzard said the approach of the Conservative party to Brexit shows the importance of planning for future political outcomes. "I don't know of a single person who is advocating for an Irish unity referendum today, tomorrow or next week," he said. But he said Mr Varadkar and others in his party, Fine Gael, need to "end the Jekyll and Hyde approach to constitutional change". A Citizen's Assembly on the issue of Irish unity should "lead the way" for Irish unity along with the Irish government, he added. It's after South Antrim MLA Declan Kearney said Mr Varadkar's comments were "lacking in ambition and politically weak". Leo Varadkar On the same programme, DUP MP Sammy Wilson agreed a poll would be divisive. "Sinn Fein want to increase division in Northern Ireland and that's why they're pushing a referendum," he said. The Belfast Agreement makes it clear the conditions for a referendum haven't been met and people in Northern Ireland "don't want" this constitutional change, the East Antrim MP added. Provisions for a possible border poll on Irish reunification are included in the peace agreement, which states the Northern Ireland secretary must call a border poll if it at any time it appears "likely" to that a majority of people in Northern Ireland would vote for a united Ireland. The DUP's aim is to have stable government in Northern Ireland while fighting against the "divisive impact" of the Northern Ireland protocol, Mr Wilson said. On Sunday, Mr Varadkar described the aspiration to a united Ireland as a "legitimate one" but said a border poll would "not be appropriate or right" at this time. He told BBC NI's Sunday Politics show that the focus should be on getting the Northern Ireland Assembly "up and running" and said the "tests around when a border poll can and should happen" needed to be clarified. During Sunday nights episode, the girls got whisked away to the infamous Casa Amor to meet six new boys while the boys stayed in the original villa where they mingled with six new girls. Chaos is on the cards in tonights Love Island as two boys get their heads turned in the villa. During Sunday nights episode, the girls got whisked away to the infamous Casa Amor to meet six new boys while the boys stayed in the original villa where they mingled with six new girls. The new ladies were quick to impress the guys, and it looks like two Islanders are ready to ditch their couples as a dramatic sneak peek teases some steamy smooches. In the evening, Dublin man Dami Hope, who is currently coupled up with Indiyah, sneaks up to the terrace with Casa Amor bombshell Summer and the pair share a flirty exchange. Would you say Im your type? Summer asks him before Dami responds: Yeah, I wouldnt really be up on the terrace if you werent my type. Summer then asks the microbiologist to read her mind, to which he says: You fancy me. You feel like there is a bit of chemistry between us. You wanna kiss me. You wanna share a bed with me tonight. You still definitely want to kiss me. FIRST LOOK First kisses are happening left, right and centre after Andrew and Dami make mad moves #LoveIsland pic.twitter.com/eai81hQZhX Love Island (@LoveIsland) July 4, 2022 Summer and Dami then lock lips on the terrace, much to the disgust of viewers who were rooting for him and Indiyah to make it to the Love Island finals. One fan even threatened to file a complaint with TV watchdog Ofcom about the 26-year-old's actions, slamming him as a demon. Meanwhile, real estate agent Andrew appears to betray Tasha, who hes been with since the shows first episode, by getting to know Coco. After getting dared to kiss her by the boys, Andrew whisks her off to the terrace for a chat where he tells her Youre a bit of me. Youre definitely the girl I want to get to know, he adds. Coco responds: Okay. What about Tasha? And Andrew says: What about Tasha? Coco admits that she enjoyed their kiss and Andrew asks: Would you like to do it again, do you reckon? She responds by saying: Do you wanna do it again? and Andrew leaps at the chance to give her a kiss. But will the boys regret their actions or will they follow their hearts and stay true to themselves while the girls are away from the villa? Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on Virgin Media Two and Virgin Media Player. The need for a public apology has been raised as Whakatanes council nears a solution to the controversial tidal pool at The Heads. Councillor Nandor Tanczos has suggested elected members admit to the community that the pools original plan was a mistake, and apologise. At a projects and services committee meeting on Thursday, Whakatane District Councils community experience general manager Georgina Fletcher reported the council had received professional advice regarding improvements to the tidal pool at Wairaka Centennial Park. Advised improvements are the removal of the two centre steps and resurfacing the concrete installation of two new steps over the top of the existing end steps; and for the steps to be 3.720 metres long with a minimum 250mm step and 185mm rise. It includes the installation of two ramps, one for children to access the water from the water play area and another to access culturally significant rock, Himoki. The next step is for staff to meet with the tidal pool community reference group to discuss the proposed improvements. The recommended improvements are a direct result of themes established from the community consultation hui. These themes were Te Mana o te Wai, connectivity to the water, water play and access, maintain access to the water area, preserve a natural state of the area, cultural input with new appropriate signage and access to Himoki rock. We hope to be in a position to report back to the next projects and services committee meeting with the agreed improvements and pricing for the improvements, Fletcher said in her report. Tanczos said it had been a while coming, but he was really pleased to see that the council had found a way forward. I continue to get feedback about this issue. One of the things Ive been hearing is that many people in our community feel that we have never fronted up to the fact that we made a mistake. I think its really important for us as the political leadership of this council to actually acknowledge and say to our community, we messed up, were sorry, were fixing it, but we accept that we made a mistake. Councillor Gavin Dennis asked that, in light of Tanczos comments, the community wanted council to show some leadership on the matter, once the reference group had approved the plan, that it be brought back to councillors for approval. Councillor Julie Jukes agreed. I think we do need to show leadership on this if were going to get blamed for it - and we are being blamed for it. We have to take responsibility for it, as Councillor Tanczos has said, which I agree with. While it may be an operational matter, I believe it is another significant one that should be coming back to the council for approval. Fletcher said it was not the normal course of business for technicalities to be approved by the council, but she appreciated that there had been a lot of public interest in this matter so she would keep councillors updated. Meeting chairman Gerard van Beek said Councillor Lesley Immink, who was not able to attend the meeting, sent in a question about the budget for the remedial works and when they would be likely to get on with them. Fletcher said, from memory, the long-term plan budget was in the vicinity of $70,000. As she had yet to go back to the reference group, she was unable to give a date at this point but would be able to confirm some further detail at the next meeting. Councillor Alison Silcock asked to also receive information on what the costs had been to date. A team of 18 Bay of Plenty doctors, nurses and support staff will form part of a new national health care network which has launched to help reduce waiting times for skin cancer treatment. Tauranga based Skinspots, which operates five skin cancer clinics across Bay of Plenty region, will be the first GP-led practice to join with the countrys largest melanoma diagnostic service, MoleMap. Doctors and nursing staff from Skinspots will provide surgical and non-surgical skin cancer treatment within MoleMaps new satellite surgical clinics in Tauranga and other centres - which will be capable of treating thousands of patients around New Zealand each year. The move is expected to increase specialised skin cancer surgical capacity within the healthcare sector as well as reducing the time between diagnosis and treatment for newly diagnosed cancer patients. Skin cancer, including non-melanoma and the more deadly melanoma, is New Zealands most common cancer with an estimated 90,000 non-melanoma skin lesions diagnosed each year. New Zealand also has the worlds highest rates of melanoma with 4000 new cases and over 350 Kiwis dying from this form of cancer every year. The national cost of treating skin cancer is set to reach $295 million within three years. MoleMap, which has over 300,000 patients across New Zealand and Australia and is set to significantly increase in size over the next three years - providing new skin cancer treatment options on both sides of the Tasman. To provide greater support for the mental health of patients and their whanau, the company will also offer counselling services for those diagnosed with skin cancer. An advanced training programme will also upskill its international network of melanographers who are qualified registered nurses to provide non-surgical treatment options at the point of diagnosis - for a range of precancerous skin lesions. Dr Franz Strydom, Skinspots founder and MoleMap chief medical officer New Zealand, says melanoma can be cured in 98 per cent of cases if diagnosed early. He says when diagnosed at a later stage, melanoma becomes more difficult and expensive to treat with a greater chance of treatment failure . Unlike most other forms of cancer, the development of melanoma can often be identified and tracked on the surface of the skin - providing the opportunity to excise it before it spreads to other parts of the body . As a result, early detection would more likely result in early treatment and a positive outcome. The new health care model developed by MoleMap is designed to allow expedited and empathetic treatment for this patient cohort, he says. Dr Strydom says while New Zealand has the worlds highest melanoma mortality rates, very few general practitioners specialise in assessing and treating skin cancer. Michelle Aquilina, MoleMap CEO, says the strategic expansion programme is a significant milestone as it marks the evolution of a Kiwi medtech startup into a fully integrated, international health care provider. Michelle Aquilina. She says the company has developed a new treatment model which will allow them to provide the surgical capacity that can be rapidly scaled up to meet patient demand. For over a quarter of a century, MoleMap has been at the forefront of skin cancer diagnosis in countries with high mortality rates of the disease. That experience has shown us that a patient-centric healthcare model is essential to widening access to specialist treatment and improving outcomes for those with this form of cancer. By integrating detection and treatment, we can extend our service from ongoing surveillance and teledermatology diagnosis through to treatment - effectively closing the loop on skin cancer prevention and streamlining the patient journey, she says. Aquilina says the first stage of the expansion strategy will see the strategic growth programme open up to seven Australiasian dermatology and GP led clinics specialising in the treatment of skin cancer as part of the MoleMap group each year. She says doctors from will operate in centres around the country to provide surgical procedures to patients - providing resource flexibility in urban and rural centres around New Zealand, closely followed by Australia. The first of the specialised skin clinics to be brought into the MoleMap group will be the Bay of Plenty practice Skinspots. The HCPs from the clinic will form part of our hub and spoke model where skin cancer treatment is extended beyond the region into satellite clinics - which are part of our existing network. We will also look to recruit other GPs from around the country who have experience and expertise in treating skin cancer and connect them with a large number of patients referred from our diagnostic services. This model will allow doctors to concentrate on patient care - while we take care of the administration, she says. Raising eligibility thresholds will provide a helping hand to more than 90,000 New Zealanders currently denied access to legal aid, Justice Minister Kiri Allan says. The Government is committed to driving through legislative changes to strengthen our legal aid system. Enshrining changes in legislation and regulations is necessary to give effect to Budget decisions and will help future-proof the legal aid system, ensuring improved access to justice for thousands of people who could not otherwise afford a lawyer. "Our legal aid scheme is an important part of New Zealand's justice system. "However it has come under strain in recent years, with settings largely unchanged since 2011 and the number of people eligible for legal aid decreasing, and projected to continue falling. "Concerns have rightly been raised about the low eligibility threshold for a single applicant this is currently just over half of what a fulltime worker on the minimum wage receives the $50 user charge, debt repayment and interest on legal aid grants. "To address those issues we are implementing changes to the Legal Services Regulations 2011 and the Legal Services Act 2011, giving effect to $148.7m of funding in Budget 2022." The changes are: increasing the income eligibility thresholds by 15 per cent from January 1, 2023, making 93,000 more people eligible for civil and family legal aid in the first year, removing the legal aid user charge, payable by most civil and family legal aid recipients, removing interest on repayment of unpaid legal debt, increasing the debt repayment thresholds by 16.5 per cent for debt established from January 1, 2023, relieving financial pressures for around 16,000 low-income and vulnerable New Zealanders, and increasing the civil and family legal aid eligibility thresholds and debt repayment thresholds by an additional 1.9 per cent per year with the last increase on July 1, 2025. We know how scary the justice process can be for people, especially when they are facing unnecessary barriers. These changes will mean real help for those needing legal assistance, says Allan. A 12 per cent increase in the hourly rate of legal aid lawyers came into effect July 1. The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. UMS was started by SubJunk, an official developer of PMS, in order to ensure greater stability and file-compatibility. To see a comparison of popular media servers, click here Universal Media Server supports all major operating systems, with versions for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. The program streams or transcodes many different media formats with little or no configuration. It is powered by MEncoder, FFmpeg, tsMuxeR, AviSynth, MediaInfo, VLC and more, which combine to offer support for a wide range of media formats. Supported Devices: AC Ryan PlayOn!HD Apple iPhone Asus O!Play Brite-view CinemaTube DirecTV HR Freebox HD LG Smart TV Upgrader LG TVs Nokia N900 Panasonic TVs Philips Net TV Philips Streamium Popcorn Hour Samsung TVs Sharp TVs Sony TVs Sony PlayStation 3 Vizio Smart TVs XBMC Media Center Yamaha A/V receivers Apple iPad Apple iPod Boxee D-Link DSM Freecom MusicPal Google Android Microsoft Xbox 360 OPPO Blu-ray players Philips Aurea Philips PFL Pioneer Kuro Realtek media players Samsung smart phones Showtime Sony Blu-ray players Sony A/V receivers Sony Network Media Players Western Digital WD TV Live Xtreamer What's New This release fixes some important bugs and adds the Estonian language. Changes since 11.1.0 General Fixed failed database update for some users (#3051) (thanks, vrtlspd!) Fixed Docker startup crash (#3050) (thanks, vrtlspd!) Document HLS-MPEGTS-H264-AAC transcoding option Translations via Crowdin Added Estonian (23%) (thanks, Junk Knuj and Tanel K!) Dependencies What just happened? Most people hold one of two opinions about Apple co-founder Steve Jobs: he was either a brilliant, genius entrepreneur who left an indelible mark on the tech industry thanks to the products his company produced, or he was a tyrannical, manipulative man who was terrible to those around him. But regardless of whether you love or hate him, even today, more than a decade after his death, Jobs is receiving awards. The latest is the highest US honor that can be given to a civilian: the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Biden administration announced seventeen recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Friday. Jobs is one of three to receive the award posthumously, the others being John McCain and Richard Trumka. The award is presented to those who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors. The White House's bio of Jobs reads, "His vision, imagination and creativity led to inventions that have, and continue to, change the way the world communicates, as well as transforming the computer, music, film and wireless industries." "People with passion can change the world for the better." SJ. Hard to believe it's been 10 years. Celebrating you today and always. pic.twitter.com/x2IUnlO7ta Tim Cook (@tim_cook) October 5, 2021 Jobs died on October 5, 2011, at age 56, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He had resigned from Apple just six weeks before his death. The awards will be presented at the White House on July 7, 2022. The Biden administration never revealed who will be collecting Jobs' award, though it's likely to be his wife of 20 years, Laurene Powell-Jobs. Other Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients include actor Denzel Washington, former US Republican Gabrielle Giffords, and Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles. Is China on its way to AI domination? According to new research released this week by the Center for Security in Emerging Technology, or CSET, China is progressing toward its goal of becoming a global powerhouse in artificial intelligence by 2030, thanks to chips developed by U.S. companies. US AI Processors Based on 97 publicly available documents of the Chinese military's procurement of AI processors, nearly all of them were created by American firms Nvidia, Xilinx (now AMD), Intel, or Microsemi, according to the researcher's findings. "We could not find any public records of Chinese military units or stateowned defense enterprises placing orders for high-end AI chips designed by Chinese companies, such as HiSilicon (Huawei), Sugon, Sunway, Hygon, or Phytium," the researchers wrote. The aforementioned U.S.-designed chips, according to Defense One, are reportedly produced in huge quantities by Asian firms such as the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company in Taiwan and Samsung in South Korea. Defense One noted that Nvidia's graphics processor units(GPUs) are the market powerhouse in the world for chips used to power sophisticated artificial intelligence applications. "High Barriers to Entry" Even though the Chinese government has invested a lot of money in creating its chips, the research claims that "high barriers to entry," such as a dependence on inherent expertise and highly sophisticated technology, have prevented Chinese enterprises from materializing their AI domination. The Biden administration has retained the restrictions that the Trump administration put in place in 2020 to prevent American semiconductor designs from entering China. However, that hasn't prevented the Chinese military from acquiring chips through a number of means, such as purchases made through Chinese intermediaries and the creation of dummy corporations, according to CSET. "Public equipment contracts indicate that the Chinese military purchases U.S.-origin equipment through intermediaries, including both officially licensed distributors and shell companies, not directly from U.S. semiconductor vendors," the research team wrote. The authors added that chips are difficult to trace on their own. When they're in transit, they lack a readily apparent signature despite being highly advanced physical inputs to AI development. The researchers suggest that the Commerce Department cooperate with partners to check intended end-users and block their export, as well as to determine better which chips may be most pertinent to the Chinese military's AI projects. Seven Chinese military suppliers that are not included in U.S. end-user export control regimes have been found by CSET researchers. They added that other security challenges could be resolved via an open-source analysis. Read also: Did Chinese Military Researchers Find An Effective Strategy to Counteract Elon Musk's Starlink in Case of Possible Threat? Can the U.S. Government Limit Its Chips from China? Limiting Chinese military advancements in AI and other cutting-edge technologies, according to CSET, will entail the U.S. government to adopt "novel forms of export control" measures that go well beyond the current emphasis on end-uses and end-users. Further, they called on the U.S. government to enhance its "own situational awareness" by better utilizing open-source data and exchanging pertinent export data with partners and allies. Related Article: SpaceX Starlink Poses Risks? Chinese Military Claims It Can Allow US to Dominate Cyberspace This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Newsweek CEO Dev Pragad is facing multiple accusations. On June 30th, Thursday, Court research indicates Newsweek's parent company digital media publisher IBTimes filed a lawsuit against Pragad, alleging that his deceit actually started in 2018 when he was entrusted to manage the company, and he has been scheming to take over the company ever since. The damning lawsuit alleges that when IBTimes ran into legal troubles in 2016, Pragad seized on that "opportunity" and convinced those around him to morph the magazine into an entity he controlled. That motive, the lawsuit alleges, was recently evidenced by Pragad using the Newsweek newsroom to launch scathing attacks on Johnathan Davis, the other shareholder of Newsweek. The actions of Dev Pragad, who publicly champions Newsweek's journalism independence and integrity, begs the question - is he two-faced? The IBTimes lawsuit appears to suggest so - that Pragad has engaged in a carefully calculated and deceitful plan to deceive the world, including Harvard University, the Poynter Institute, and his own newsroom, and portray himself as the owner and savior of the newspaper - which he allegedly isn't, according to the suit. Newsweek Newsroom Hijacked by Pragad Earlier in 2022, Pragad began to voice his threats against the other shareholder of Newsweek, Johnathan Davis, and threatened to leverage Newsweek's reporters against him if he did not give Pragad the company. In a text message exchange that this correspondent has seen, an anonymous source shared a recent conversation with Pragad, in which the Newsweek CEO told a friend that he is "inseparable from Newsweek" and he will "detonate a nuclear bomb and kill [Davis and his associates]." He further bragged that he has "a lot of lawyers," and that his adversaries would be like "puppies in front of a machine gun" because "I am a PhD." Pragad continued with the "nuclear bomb" threats a few days later: "This is nuclear bomb. Don't engage if you don't know how to deal with a nuclear bomb. If it goes off, it will nuke everyone. And it's the end. I don't want that to happen and for this to happen unintentionally coz some silly people who don't know what they are doing start tinkering. There is nothing they can do. It will just blow up on their face if they try to do anything. This may trigger a congressional investigation in Olivet. I'm so close to congress and senators and they love what I'm doing at Newsweek. They are all watching so closely along with world leaders." As reported earlier today by HNGN, Dev Pragad went on to say that he would release a damaging article against Davis, against the church that Davis attends, and against Olivet University, where Davis' wife worked, saying, "I'll go to the media about Olivet University raid by DHS for human trafficking to protect myself." In April 2022, Pragad followed through with his threat. Newsweek authors Naveed Jamali and Tom O'Connor ran a peculiar story titled "Christian University at the Center of Federal Trafficking and Fraud Probe," which reported on federal authorities visiting the campus of the small, California-based bible college. Oddly enough, the actual event took place more than one year before Newsweek wrote the article, making it particularly untimely for an organization with "News" in its name - yet, the timing perfectly matched Pragad's threats, the lawsuit alleges. And with no other media writing about the event, neither at the time of the event nor after Newsweek's publishing, the newsworthiness of and motives behind the article are called into question. "You should be aware that your CEO Dev Pragad is attempting to leverage the newsroom and yourselves for his personal advantage in a corporate shareholder dispute," Davis, the Newsweek shareholder, said at the time to Newsweek. "He has said publicly and privately said that he wants my shares and full control of the company." Upon hearing this serious claim, Newsweek failed to confirm or even investigate the claim, instead claiming Pragad was "unreachable" despite being the CEO of Newsweek itself. Pragad himself did take on the role of an investigative reporter, though. Immediately following the article, the CEO of Newsweek was seen reaching out to various former students who attended the university. Utter Newsroom Corruption Apparently unhappy with the results of his first article, with Davis firmly undaunted in relinquishing any share of the Newsweek ownership or his board position, Pragad and his newsroom attempted again to do harm to Davis again and to target Davis' church. This time, Jamali teamed up with Alex J. Rouhandeh, a purported "national security reporter," to write "Chinese Pastor's Arrest Ordered as Feds Circle Olivet Christian Sect" on June 27. This time, the article focused on an individual who graduated from the university nearly a decade ago in 2014 and was charged with selling Chinatown-like knockoff bracelets online for "$50 to $100." The incident allegedly happened in 2019, even less time than the topic of their first article, with a full three years passing between it and the "news" article. Jamali and Rouhandeh apparently strained to connect the story to Olivet, the church denomination targeted by Dev Pragad's ongoing attacks, with the most notable revelation being the journalists' own admission about the lengths to which they would go to influence the agencies they were speaking to. The North Carolina Secretary of State's office, the prosecuting agency, stated in the article that it "was unaware of Lan's connection to Olivet until Newsweek sought comment on the link in May." Tellingly, the article stayed on as the main headline story of the Newsweek.com homepage for hours, even being published as the top story in Newsweek's newsletter the next day. Despite the G7 meetings, Ukraine's escalating war, and the historic overturning of Roe v. Wade, Newsweek editors Jamali and Nancy Cooper deemed this to be the most important story in the world on June 27, 2022. While it was supposed to be a heavy-hitting piece, readers saw right through it. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The most-awaited Apple USB-C transition is now expected to happen. Rumors claim that this change will be experienced by the charging case of the upcoming AirPods Pro 2. (Photo : Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images) People are seen behind the Apple logo in Apple's flagship London retail store on Regent Street on December 27, 2006 in London, England. With many stores open for the first time since Christmas Eve, bargain hunters are searching for the best buys as the post-Christmas sales get under way. Previously, this new wearable device was expected to be launched in April 2021. However, the iPhone maker didn't release it on that date. Now, new speculations believe that Apple might unveil the AirPods Pro 2 model in the 3rd or 4th quarter of 2022. According to Phone Arena, once these new earphones arrive, they will have a new charging case with a USB-C port. Apple USB-C Transition Update The Verge reported that the European Union requires Apple to integrate USB-C ports into its smartphones and other gadgets. (Photo : Photo by Stephen Lam/Getty Images) A pair of the new Apple AirPods are seen during a launch event on September 7, 2016 in San Francisco, California. Apple Inc. unveiled the latest iterations of its smart phone, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, the Apple Watch Series 2, as well as AirPods, the tech giant's first wireless headphones. Also Read: Apple's 35W Dual-Port USB-C Charger Gets Featured In Leaked Images EU officials added that the iPhone has until 2024 to comply. Now, it seems like Apple will start its USB-C transition before 2022 ends. Aside from the upcoming AirPods Pro 2 charging case, the tech giant manufacturer might also integrate the required charging port into its upcoming iPad 10th Gen, which is expected to be launched in October. The new iPhone 15 (estimated to arrive around September 2023) is believed to receive the USB-C charging port as well. But, other rumors are claiming that Apple might use another method so that the EU will allow its iPhone 15 sales. iPhone 15 Might Go Portless? Of course, integrating the USB-C charging port is not the only way that can allow Apple to continue selling its devices in EU countries. Rumors claimed that Apple could also design the new iPhone 15 as a portless device. This is quite efficient since the EU clarified that gadgets without charging ports can still be sold in Europe. But, the arrival of a portless iPhone 15 is still uncertain, given that the MagSafe still has no data-transfer support. If you want to see further details about the rumored portless iPhone 15, you can click this link. In 2021, some engineering students showed that Apple's iPhone USB-C swapping is a complex procedure. On the other hand, Brazil wants the Apple USB-C transition as well. For more news updates about the USB-C transition of Apple and its other business activities, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Apple is Currently Testing USB-C iPhones for EU Compliance - Source Says This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Nissan LEAF electric vehicle (EV) deliveries in the United States have massively slumped in the first quarter of 2022 compared to its performance at the same time in 2021. The flagship EV of Nissan, the all-electric Leaf, is seeing worrying delivery figures these days. (Photo : Michael Dodge/Getty Images) MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 11: People inspect he new Nissan Leaf vehicle on July 11, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. The Nissan LEAF was launched in Australia on Wednesday, with Nissan's local manufacturing plant makes exclusive parts for the electric vehicle. Nissan LEAF EV Deliveries Q2 2022 A news story by Inside EVs reports that the deliveries of Nissan this year saw a downtrend from last year. The Japanese carmaker only shipped a total of 172,612 vehicles in the second quarter of 2022. And it is far from its performance in 2021. The news outlet notes that the deliveries of Nissan in the second quarter of 2022 are down by 38.4 percent from the shipments of the renowned automaker in 2021. Meanwhile, the deliveries of its all-electric flagship, the Nissan LEAF, also drastically saw lower deliveries in the last quarter than a year ago. (Photo : CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images) The Nissan Leaf electric car is pictured at the Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo on October 25, 2019. If we're going to be more precise, the Japanese carmaker only shipped over 3,200 LEAF EVs in the last quarter. And as such, the latest numbers are roughly 32.3 percent lower than in 2021. In addition, the deliveries of LEAF in the second quarter only captured roughly 1.9 percent of the total sales of Nissan in the US. But in terms of passenger cars, it still gets a 5 percent slice of the pie. Nissan LEAF EV Deliveries 2022 If we are going to zoom out on the sales figures of the Nissan LEAF, the carmaker has already sold around 7,600 units of its flagship EV in 2022. And so far, that's approximately a 1.4 percent increase from its 2021 performance. (Photo : Michael Dodge/Getty Images) MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 11: A charging device for the the new Nissan Leaf vehicle is seen on July 11, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. The Nissan LEAF was launched in Australia on Wednesday, with Nissan's local manufacturing plant makes exclusive parts for the electric vehicle. But despite that, Nissan has already sold a whopping 173,332 LEAF EVs in the US since it reached the American territory more than a decade ago, or in December 2010, to be more exact. Read Also: Nissan Ambition 2030: Plan for EVs, Clean Energy Plans Coming This Decade 2023 Nissan LEAF But regardless of the sales performance of the LEAF, Nissan recently announced the pricing details of its all-new 2023 LEAF last June. And according to a recent report by CNET, the all-new Nissan flagship EV is way more expensive than its predecessor. The all-new 2023 LEAF starts at a $28,895 price, which already includes the $,1,095 destination fee. CNET notes that it is a $470 price increase from the 2022 release. It is worth noting that the new Nissan LEAF is now available at dealerships near you. Related Article: Nissan Altima 2023 Gets Refreshed Design | Bigger Infotainment Touchscreen, Decent Gas Mileage, and More This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Teejay Boris 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Is it possible to grow plants in the dark without the presence of the sun? Life as we know it is dependent on photosynthesis. Plants need sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide for them to flourish. However, scientists are breaking away from the bounds of photosynthesis by attempting to grow plants with solar panels. Poor Efficiency of Photosynthesis Professor Robert Jinkerson of the University of California, Riverside, noticed an engineering issue when he saw the poor efficiency of photosynthesis. If more energy can be extracted from each square inch of sunlight, less land will need to be used for food production in general. According to Jinkerson in a statement with Wired, the ultimate goal is to change how humans think about cultivating crops and practicing agriculture. According to Wired, solar panels are way more effective than plants at converting sunlight into energy, which then can be used to produce crops in the dark using electricity. Jinkerson and his team said that utilizing solar panels can power electrocatalysis - a process that generates a liquid used by plants, yeast, and algae as a substitute for sunshine, in a newly-published scientific study posted in the journal Nature Food. Read also: IKEA to Sell Solar Panels in the US - Here's How to Get One Growing Plants in the Dark The scientists used a solar-powered device that creates acetate, a chemical that can be diluted in water and fed to plants. The research team used this mixture together with mushrooms, algae, and yeast to grow a variety of commonly produced plants such as rice, tomato, and many more. According to Wired, it is not particularly surprising that the algae and yeast both thrived on the acetate combination because researchers are already aware that these organisms can consume acetate. However, what was fascinating about the study was that the crop ate the acetate and continued to grow in spite of being placed in total darkness. Does that mean we can all just grow plants in the dark now? Well, not exactly. After the plants had grown for a little while, Jinkerson and his colleagues dissected and examined them to see if they held any carbon molecules from acetate. It was only then that they discovered that the plants were consuming the acetate. Although plants can theoretically grow on acetate, they hardly flourish on it, and in the worst case, it can be toxic to them. This means it will be long before any typical commercial crops can be grown in the dark. However, Wired noted that this approach might be useful for vertical farms, which currently incur high electricity costs for the LED lights that fuel their plants' photosynthesis. Jinkerson said that it would be more energy-efficient for vertical farms to use electricity o produce acetate rather than lighting if scientists could figure out how to develop plants that can survive on acetate. Related Article: Australian Scientists Test Printed Solar Panels to Power Tesla Electric Car This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A wave of remembrance at the incense burner at Inha University... "You have to stop the second attack" Questions about Alzheimer's Disease or related disorders can be sent to Dana Territo, author of "What My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer's Disease," at thememorywhisperer@gmail.com. Librarian of Congress James Billington points to a correction in the rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, in 2010 at the Library of Congress in Washington. The battle between suburban offices and their hard-hit city CBD cousins is intensifying amid employees ongoing desire to remain working closer to home as part of the now-normal flexible model. This shift is borne out in the rise in leasing and investment activity in the metropolitan office markets, where the number of deals is eclipsing those completed in the capital cities. Marginally lower rents of an average $800 per square metres for A-grade space, partly due to higher incentive offerings of an average 35-40 per cent, ease of transport accessibility and car park spaces are part of the push to the fringe and suburban sectors. The office tower at 203 Pacific Highway, St Leonards, Sydney, which is owned by the Centuria Office REIT While vacancy rates in some areas of Sydney and Melbourne suburban areas, also called the metropolitan market, are nearing double digits, developers are showing a preference to be away from the CBD. The research also shows that a move to online viewing is happening for legacy television viewers who are choosing to watch their shows live or on catch up through apps such as 9Now, 10Play and 7Plus. So, what shows actually deliver ratings gold? Sevens coverage of the concert for Queen Elizabeth IIs Platinum Jubilee is among its highest ranked programs of the year so far. Credit:AP But the commercial TV networks arent just fighting for viewers against each other. Data from the Australian Communications and Media Authority published last week said there are more adults watching streaming services such as Netflix, Stan and Binge, than watching free-to-air television. From Ash Bartys historic Australian Open win to Shane Warnes memorial and the Queens Platinum Jubilee , its been a big year so far for the commercial television networks. As the annual TV ratings war clocks over to the second half of the year, the battle is getting heated. And for the two biggest networks Nine and Seven it will be a tight finish. Buying broadcast rights is expensive, but if the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were anything to go by, major sport events bring people back to the big TV screen. Its the reason why the free-to-air broadcasters are asking the government to review legislation to make sure sports are free for Australians. Ash Bartys win at the Australian Open was an example of just how well a sport event can perform for a network. It wasnt just the highest rated Australian Open womens final since the measurement provider OzTAM began, but 241,000 viewers live-streamed on 9Now. That makes up nearly 7 per cent of Nines national audience for the match (3.6 million viewers) and broke streaming records. Ash Barty after her Australian Open victory in January. She has since announced her retirement from tennis. Credit:Eddie Jim Sevens coverage of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics gave it the early ratings push it needed to kick off the year, out-rating rival programs in the same timeslots. Seven said at the time that the two-week event gave its app 7Plus an extra 100,000 registered users. Nines recent broadcast of the State of Origin was also indicative of the shift to internet viewing. The first match of the State of Origin was watched by 2.9 million but its live audience on 9Now was up 52 per cent compared to the same match in 2021. Almost half a million viewers were watching Queensland defeat NSW through an app, compared to 280,000 viewers the previous year. The second State of Origin match, which ran last week, was watched by 3 million Australians, and 394,000 of those watched online. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size So many books and so little time. The good thing about winter, though, is that those of us in cooler climes are not so inclined to go out. Ergo, more time to stay in and relish a good read. There are plenty of good reads looming this month. From Carmel Birds memoir for book lovers and a collection of essays by the remarkable Patrick Radden Keefe to the latest novel by Claire G. Coleman and Chris Womersleys return to the world of Cairo, there really is something for everyone. Here is a selection of 10 books that should be on your reading pile. The Booklist is a weekly newsletter for book lovers from books editor Jason Steger. Get it delivered every Friday. Credit: Telltale, Carmel Bird Transit Lounge, $32.99, July 1 If you love books, the prolific Carmel Birds latest is one you should relish. Partly an exploration of books that have influenced her and partly a memoir prompted by the reading of the books in her library during the pandemic, its an attempt to find some sort of pattern to her work, and also perhaps a pattern to her life. Whatever, its endlessly fascinating and is beautifully published as a handsome hardback. Fiction, she writes, is a tissue of lies. Lies in an attempt to construct a different world of truth. Hard to argue with that. Advertisement Credit: Lapvona, Ottessa Moshfegh Jonathan Cape, $32.99, July 5 When James Ley reviewed Moshfeghs last novel, he wrote the sardonic intelligence of Moshfeghs novels is backed up by her ability to craft smartly conceived and carefully layered narratives with a facility that would seem to border on outright precocity. She has become something of a cult author, renowned for her amoral narrators. Lapvona is a village in medieval times that has been through the worst of the plague, but one that is subject to horrors galore. Benighted young Marek has the toughest upbringing and then falls foul of the governor and the priest. A post-pandemic allegory? Perhaps. Credit: Lying Beside You, Michael Robotham Hachette, $32.99, June 29 Its hard to top Michael Robotham for his sheer criminal consistency. Want a great thriller that will keep you fixated until the last word? Hes your man. His latest brings back Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac, his teenage offsider who is like a human lie-detector. The set-up? Twenty years ago Cyrus brother slaughtered their parents and sisters; now hes getting out of jail. Then, two women go missing ... and youre hooked. Credit: Advertisement Rogues, Patrick Radden Keefe Picador, $36.99, July 7 Keefe is the New Yorker writer best known for his books Empire of Pain, which exposed the Sackler familys deep involvement in the opioid plague, and Say Nothing, about the Troubles in Northern Ireland. This selection of his long-form work from the magazine includes pieces on drug lord El Chapo, a man who delved deeply into the mystery of the Lockerbie bombing, and Mark Burnett, the man who created The Apprentice and resurrected Donald Trump as an icon of American success. Great long-form journalism. Credit: Friends Like These, Meg Rosoff Bloomsbury, $16.99, July 5 The American writer and long-time London resident burst onto the YA scene with her brilliant 2004 novel, How I Live Now. Since then, she has written a further nine books, including this tale of Beth who gets a coveted internship at what I assume is The New York Times after a story she stumbled on was picked up by the national media. Its one of those summer-of-discovery novels, but its handled in Rosoffs characteristic witty, sharp and stylish way. Rosoff has also written a novel for adults, Jonathan Unleashed, and finished her equally brilliant friend Mal Peets final novel, Beck, after his death. Credit: Advertisement The Diplomat, Chris Womersley Picador, $32.99, June 28 Remember Womersleys novel Cairo, which revolved around the eponymous block of apartments in Fitzroy, the motley group who lived there, and the theft of Picassos Weeping Woman from the National Gallery of Victoria? Well here comes the taciturn painter from that novel, Edward Degraves, back in town after doing a runner to London with Gertrude now freshly dead; hes carting round her ashes and clean after a spell in detox. Its all about dealing with the people and ghosts from the past and finding a way forward. Credit: The War Game, David Horner Allen & Unwin, $45, July 5 What with Russias invasion of Ukraine and the concern with Chinas ambitions in our region, war is a topic not far from the minds of politicians and the military these days. Historian David Horner, emeritus professor at ANU and a prolific author, offers a perceptive study of the decision to go to war, the conduct of those wars and Australias relationship with its allies. In the years between 1914 and 2003, Australia went to war nine times, Horner writes, and to understand why we need to focus on the decisions of the political leaders, and in particular the prime ministers. Credit: Advertisement Enclave, Claire G. Coleman Hachette, $32.99, June 29 There are echoes aplenty in Colemans allegorical novel. If you liked Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale or Charlotte Woods The Natural Way of Things, this one is clearly for you. Christine lives with her family in Safetown, the enclave of the title, where everything is ordered and you do what youre supposed to. The workers who make their lives pleasant are brought in from the outside, but no one goes out there until Chris does the unthinkable she falls for a worker, who is both black and a woman. Then she makes a run for it. Credit: The House of Fortune, Jessie Burton Picador, $34.99, July 12 Eight years after Burtons bestselling The Miniaturist comes at last a sequel that returns us to the Herengracht house in Amsterdam where Nella Oortman lived after she made her disastrous marriage to Johannes Brandt. But the years have passed Nella is 37 and things have taken a turn for the worse. She would like her niece, Thea, the daughter of Johannes sister Marin, to make a profitable marriage that might save the familys dwindling fortunes. But Thea is in love with Walter Riebeeck, a set designer at the city playhouse. How can Nella justify putting Thea through what she experienced all those years ago? Credit: Advertisement Depending on your current level of body positivity, designers at the menswear shows in Milan and Paris delivered thrilling or terrifying glimpses of the season ahead. Wearing loafers without socks or crumpled linen is no longer enough to seem fashionable. Unless youre willing to feel the heat in a pair of double-zipped leather shorts with an exposed jockstrap and suit jacket with cut-outs, are you even trying? The menswear shows break boundaries: Short shorts at Prada; Shooting from the hip at Mowalola; Jockstraps and bralettes at Thom Browne. Credit:AP, Getty Once dominated by a procession of staid suiting, designer brands have embraced the playfulness of gender fluidity and eccentric extremities of womens luxury brands. Bikini tops, exposed underwear, mini-skirts and copious cut-outs are now familiar territory for unsmiling male models. At Prada, the former domain of slim suiting and black ties, co-designers Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, mixed basics with sixties check coats, boyish ribbed knits and high-waisted, groin-grazing shorts. Anthony Albanese imposes new sanctions on Russia Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss CCTV footage from outside a NSW courthouse is set to play a role in a defamation case brought by a supporter of former NRL player Jarryd Hayne against the Seven Network over claims he spat in the direction of a woman who has accused Hayne of sexual assault. Mina Greiss, who attended Newcastle District Court on May 6 last year to support Hayne, is suing Seven over an online story, Facebook post and tweet labelling him a grub who allegedly stared down and spat towards the woman outside court after Hayne was jailed for at least three years and eight months for sexual assault. Jarryd Hayne outside court in March 2021. Credit:Edwina Pickles Haynes conviction was ultimately quashed by the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal. He was released from custody in February and faces a retrial next year. Sue Chrysanthou, SC, acting for Greiss, told the Federal Court in Sydney on Monday that her client had received messages and threats and abuse following the publications and there had been a huge response to [Sevens] ... social media posts. That is where we will leave our live coverage of the NSW floods for Monday. Thanks for following along. We will be back tomorrow with more live updates, but heres a wrap of todays major events: A three-person tugboat crew saved the state from disaster on Monday, after a stricken cargo ship carrying hundreds of tonnes of fuel oil lost its engine in a storm and drifted powerlessly towards the cliffs of the Royal National Park. Emergency services have turned their attention to Sydneys south-west as surging waters threatened homes along the Georges and Woronora rivers on Monday evening. Rapid river level rises were observed upstream of Liverpool, prompting the Bureau of Meteorology to issue a flood warning for Liverpool and Milperra, and the NSW SES to immediately order residents in low-lying parts of the area to evacuate. Australian Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt says the floods affecting parts of Sydney will not be declared a national emergency at this stage. A declaration at state level would trigger federal and state disaster support measures including payments for affected households and infrastructure repairs. The Bureau of Meteorology updated its severe weather warning for the central NSW coast to include damaging winds and heavy rainfall. Major flood warnings are in place for the Hawkesbury and Nepean rivers. Michael Greenway and his family evacuate their home at Richards. Its likely they wont return home after this flooding event, he says. Credit:Brook Mitchell And if youre searching for something to read this evening, consider this story by environment reporter Laura Chung, and photographers Brook Mitchell and James Brickwood: flood-affected residents ponder future after third flooding event in a year. We will continue our live coverage in the morning. Until then, stay safe and stay across any emergency updates for your area. Good night. Former state Liberal Party director John Ridley has called for the men-only Athenaeum Club to open its doors to women or become irrelevant, after young fogeys were found to be the most resistant to change. The exclusive club, on Collins Street in Melbourne, commissioned a confidential survey this year of 700 members, which found younger men were more conservative and opposed to change. Footage of an hour-long briefing last month, leaked to The Age, showed it remained a divisive proposition. The Collins Street entrance to Melbournes Athenaeum Club. Credit:The Age Forty-four per cent of surveyed members supported welcoming women into the club, and 51 per cent supported starting a discussion about the possibility. More than 60 per cent wanted to open up more areas of the club to female guests, create a partner pass, or build relationships with women-only clubs. It is not the first time the club has tested the issue. Ridley resigned from the club in protest in 2009 after trying to open the Athenaeum to women. Former Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Graeme Samuel and ex-Collingwood president and broadcaster Eddie McGuire also pushed for change. Britain, the United States, France and Canada all reopened their much larger missions in April and May. Australias embassy is co-located with Canadas. Australia was the first of its key allies to close its embassy in Afghanistan, which angered some officials within the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, the overseas spy agency, because it meant they lost their presence on the ground to gather vital intelligence. While Kyiv is still being hit by a Russian missile every few weeks, many like-minded countries have assessed that it is safe to reopen their embassies since Russia appeared to give up on capturing the city more than two months ago. A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the Australian government was looking closely at when we can move our embassy back to Kyiv. As the Prime Minister has said, Australia would like to have a presence on the ground in Ukraine, the DFAT spokesperson said. There are a number of operational, security and safety issues to take into account and we are considering all of those factors. Michael Shoebridge, the head of the defence program at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said the balance of risk has shifted in Ukraines capital. Its certainly more dangerous than other parts of the world, but it seems secure enough to have an embassy there, he said. This is a critical part of solidarity with the Ukrainian people. If were right and this conflict is going to be extended, we need a presence that is going to enable us to engage directly with the Ukrainians. Loading Shoebridge said Canada and Australia would deploy similar risk assessments and the Canadians appear to have made the right decision. Its hard to see a reason that the Canadian risk assessment and ours are so different in their result. Its much easier to understand why the Canadians have reopened their embassy than to understand why we havent, he said. We dont want first out and last back as our brand. Australians are seen as engaged as international actors and that involves accepting risk. If you were in Baghdad during the Iraq surge or in Afghanistan for the decades of that conflict, there was a persuasive insecurity which was much more obvious and thats just not the case in Kyiv. Herve Lemahieu, research director at the Lowy Institute, said it was always difficult striking the right balance between protecting diplomatic staff and letting them do their jobs, but if you look at Australias decisions we tend to be more risk-averse than other countries and I think thats sometimes to our detriment. Australia was one of the first western countries to close its embassy in Kabul, and on the one hand you could say we had a lot of foresight but on the other hand it would have been wiser to keep it open longer and to process all the humanitarian visas, he said. My understanding was the closure of the Kabul embassy was a real logistical impediment to getting people out. According to multiple current government sources, Australia has been reviewing whether to reopen the embassy in Ukraine for more than a month and some officials cant understand why it cant be reopened using similar security protocols to Canada. There are questions as to why it is taking so long, one senior government source said, who is not authorised to speak publicly. Loading Foreign diplomats who spoke on the condition of anonymity also questioned the decision not to reopen. Journalists for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age recently spent almost a week in Kyiv and were able to move freely through the city. Nearly all major international media outlets have journalists permanently based in Kyiv and regularly report on visits by foreign leaders. Australia's security agencies took a conservative approach to Albanese's visit when compared to trips made by other leaders in recent weeks. While several international outlets reported Albaneses visit in real time, the federal government imposed a 36-hour media blackout on Australian reporters travelling with the PM to Kyiv, who were told they couldnt take any electronic devices into the country. They were also told that unlike previous prime ministerial visits to places such as Afghanistan, a US-led coalition force is not in place to provide overarching security. Politics sometimes defies geography, but rarely for long. Last time I looked, NATO stood for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Theres a hint there about the geography of its membership and its operational focus. NATOs new 10-year Strategic Concept that identifies China as a challenge has been greeted by Australias government almost as a panacea for our anxieties about our largest trading partner, who also happens to be the greatest perceived threat to our national security. But do NATOs glossy brochures justify Australias displays of relief? The answer is no, and perhaps yes. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol at the NATO summit in Madrid, Spain. Credit:AP Soviet communists were not the only loser in the fall of communism in Europe. The other big loser was NATO. NATO had been credible when the Soviet Union challenged Europe. Of course, it was the US underwriting that credibility. The joke at the time that 250 million Americans protected 300 million Europeans against 280 million Soviet citizens underscored the importance of the US and the inability of the Europeans to protect their borders. Nonetheless, NATO was successful. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, NATO lost its raison detre, and understandably struggled to identify a meaningful role for itself. Adventures in conflicts like Libya only served to highlight NATOs desperation for relevance and its military inadequacies. This is the first reason for the blur of activity we are now seeing. The government judges such repairs are both necessary and urgent. Consider the building sense in recent weeks that the pandemic might be continuing a little more than we had all hoped. Against that background, Mark Butlers announcement last week of a speedy review into Australias approach to vaccines is the prudent response. Imagine if, after all its howling, Labor simply repeated Scott Morrisons mistakes? But it is prudent, too, for a government that does not want to be distracted from its other aims by a crisis it could prevent. Which is the second reason: as far as the government is concerned, such repairs are the necesssary precursor to so much of what it actually wants to do: the things that will really take time. It is worth remembering, in this context, that Albanese has always argued his agenda was larger than it seemed. I dont think thats quite right. Many of the solutions the Labor opposition proposed were very deliberately contained. But if you look instead at the agenda in terms of the problems Labor implicitly promised to fix which is what voters often hear, however restrained the language politicians use then the agenda is huge. Imagine delivering a successful referendum on the Uluru Statement from the Heart, getting aged care and childcare onto reasonable footing, and maintaining the required momentum on climate change to deliver more than the inadequate target for emissions reduction Labor has set itself: its a lot. Third, the governments time is limited. It is easy to mistake the early period of government as salad days. You are busy, but three years stretch out ahead. You believe there is time to learn. But there isnt, really. The decisions being made now about the structure of the public service, the personnel involved in reform processes and the founding assumptions that shape the reviews you are commissioning will dictate much of what is possible later. Also, the reality of elections means that we are, at most, two-and-a-half years away from the unofficial start of the next campaign. Loading Together, these mean the government lacks the luxury of sequencing. It would be lovely to engage in repair, followed by review, followed by considered action. What we are witnessing right now is all three, mixed in together. Right now, the different energies of the Albanese government make sense. It is acting both quickly and steadily. The apparent contradictions are compatible. In previous eras, the political challenge would be to segue to the next phase, of steady change alone, and lengthy conversations with the voting public about necessary reforms. But then perhaps that is just another deceptive dream of snapback, as though the past is a destination we can still reach. Rome: A large chunk of an Alpine glacier broke loose on Sunday and roared down a mountain in Italy, sending ice, snow and rock slamming into hikers on a popular trail on the peak and killing at least six and injuring nine, authorities said, warning that the toll might climb. A local Civil Protection official, Gianpaolo Bottacin, was quoted by the Italian news agency ANSA as providing the toll, but stressing that the situation was evolving and that there could be perhaps 15 people missing. A large chunk of the glacier in Italys Alps near Trento in the Dolomite ranges broke loose, unleashing an avalanche that killed at least six hikers and injured eight others. Credit:Soccorso Alpino/AP In late evening local time, the National Alpine and Cave Rescue Corps tweeted a phone number to call for family or friends in case of failure to return from possible excursions to the glacier. Rescuers were checking licence plates in the parking lot as part of checks to determine how many people might be unaccounted for, a process that could take hours, Corps spokesman Walter Milan told The Associated Press by telephone. Canazei, Italy: Helicopter crews and drones flew over the Italian Alps on Monday searching for 14 people missing after part of a mountain glacier collapsed, killing at least seven people in a disaster that experts have linked to rising temperatures. Much of Italy has been baking in an early-summer heatwave and scientists said climate change was making previously stable glaciers more difficult to predict. A rescue helicopter hovers over the Punta Rocca glacier near Canazei in the Italian Alps on Monday. Credit:AP Sundays avalanche took place on the Marmolada, which at more than 3300 metres is the highest peak in the Dolomites, a range in the eastern Italian Alps straddling the regions of Trento and Veneto. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said the disaster was linked to environmental factors. It was pandemonium, he said. People were covered in blood tripping over each other. The New York Times named one of the dead as 76-year-old Nicolas Toledo, who was in a wheelchair and had not wanted to attend the parade, but his disabilities required that he be around someone full time and his family had not wanted to miss the event. We were all in shock, his granddaughter Xochil Toledo said. We thought it was part of the parade. A stretcher is seen after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade. Credit:Nam Y. Huh At least one of those killed was a Mexican national, a senior Mexican foreign ministry official said on Twitter. The shooting comes with gun violence fresh on the minds of many Americans after a massacre on May 24 killed 19 schoolchildren and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and a May 14 attack that killed 10 people at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. US President Joe Biden offered the full support of the federal government to the community. Jill and I are shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day, he said. In his statement, Biden referred to bipartisan gun-reform legislation he signed recently but said much more needed to be done and added: Im not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said grief would not bring back the victims and prayers alone would not stop the terror of rampant gun violence. There are no words for the kind of monster who lies in wait and fires into a crowd of families with children celebrating a holiday with their community, he said. A Lake County police officer walks down Central Ave in Highland Park on Monday, Credit:Brian Cassella Grief will not bring the victims back, and prayers alone will not put a stop to the terror of rampant gun violence in our country. Children waving American flags, riding tricycles or enjoying a ride in a wagon pulled by adults froze as people in the crowd screamed while gun shots rang out, according to a video posted on social media. The video showed a marching band suddenly breaking formation and running away, and other images of people leaving their belongings behind as they sought safety. Witness Amarani Garcia, who was at the parade with her young daughter, told the American ABC TV affiliate she heard gunfire nearby, then a pause for what she suspected was reloading, and then more shots again. There were people screaming and running. It was just really traumatising, Garcia said. I was very terrified. I hid with my daughter actually in a little store. It just makes me feel like were not safe anymore. A Chicago Sun-Times columnist posted a picture of a pool of blood at the foot of a bench. Everyone was running, hiding and screaming, the channels website reported CBS 2 Digital Producer Elyssa Kaufman saying. It sounded like a string of about 20 firecrackers that were let off inside of your mental garbage bin, it was that loud, Jeff Leon, 57, told CNN, estimating the gunfire lasted less than a minute. So, I didnt immediately react, I thought it was just how people are on the fourth. A 36-year-old native of Highland Park who wanted to be identified only as Sara, told Reuters she had attended the annual parade most years since her childhood. Terrified parade-goers fled Highland Parks Fourth of July parade after shots were fired, leaving behind their belongings as they sought safety. Credit:Chicago Sun-Times via AP Not even five minutes after, very shortly after, the police and firetrucks part of the parade had gone by I heard pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, she said, adding that she first thought they were muskets some times used in parades. I looked and there were no muskets. The popping didnt stop ... again it went pop, pop, pop, pop, pop and I turned and I said those are gun shots, run! Hundreds of parade-goers some visibly bloodied left their belongings behind. Dozens of baby prams, some bearing American flags, abandoned childrens bikes and a helmet bedecked with images of Cinderella were abandoned. Blankets, lawn chairs, coffees and water bottles were knocked over as people fled. High-profile shootings in the US The latest high-profile shooting in the United States happened on July 4, when a gunman opened fire on parade-goers in a Chicago suburb. Other notable episodes of gun violence in recent weeks: VESTAVIA HILLS, ALABAMA At least two people died and another was hospitalized on June 16 after a shooting at St. Stephens Episcopal Church in a Birmingham suburb. Police said a suspect is in custody. DUNCANVILLE, TEXAS Police shot and killed a man who fired gunshots June 13 at a Dallas-area gymnasium where at least 150 children were attending a day camp. CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE Three people died and 14 people were injured in a shooting June 5 in front of a restaurant. Three people have been arrested. PHILADELPHIA Three people died and 11 others were injured June 4 on a busy block in Philadelphia during a melee that began with a fistfight and was followed by random gunfire. Two men are in custody in two of the deaths; other people have also been arrested in connection with the melee. DAYTON, OHIO A jail inmate being treated at a hospital shot and killed a security guard June 1, pointed the weapon at others and killed himself in a parking lot. TULSA, OKLAHOMA A gunman killed his surgeon and three other people at a medical office June 1. The gunman killed himself as police arrived. UVALDE, TEXAS An 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School on May 24 in the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade. More than 15 other people were wounded. Law enforcement killed the attacker. CHICAGO A shooting killed two people and injured seven others on May 19 just blocks from the Magnificent Mile shopping district. Two men have been charged. LAGUNA WOODS, CALIFORNIA One person was killed and five others injured May 15 after a man opened fire on Taiwanese parishioners in Southern California. Authorities have said the gunman was motivated by hatred for Taiwan. He has been charged with murder and other counts. BUFFALO, NEW YORK A gunman opened fire May 14 at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood, killing 10 people and injuring others. He has been charged with federal hate crimes that could carry the death penalty if he is convicted. The shooting is likely to rekindle the American debate about gun control, and whether stricter measures can prevent mass shootings that happen so frequently in the United States. Joaquina Kalukango, the Tony Award-winning star of Paradise Square, will take the stage this evening for NBC's Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular. The event will air tonight, 8pm-10pm ET/PT, on NBC and will stream on Peacock. An encore presentation will follow, 10pm-11pm ET/PT on NBC. Kalukango will perform an arrangement of "My Country Tis of Thee" and "America the Beautiful" during the signature moment of the fireworks display, Macy's Golden Mile, where thousands of golden-hued shells will create a dramatic cascade effect stretching for more than a mile across the East River. This moment has previously been performed by such vocalists as Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Clarkson. Paradise Square, now running at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, is set in the Five Points neighborhood of New York City circa 1863 and is about a community that survives the war years and Draft Riots with raucous dance contests in neighborhood bars and dance halls. About Kalukango's performance, TheaterMania critic Zachary Stewart writes, "Besides the dancing, the reason to see Paradise Square is Kalukango, who delivers a powerful performance as a woman trying to hold her fragile world together through what feels like the end times." Also joining NBC's 4th of July festivities will be Lin-Manuel Miranda, James Monroe Iglehart, Kaila Mullady, Dizzy Senze, and Anthony Veneziale from the cast of Freestyle Love Supreme, as well as Moulin Rouge! The Musical cast members Jacqueline B. Arnold, Jessica Lee Goldyn, Tasia Jungbauer, and Jeigh Madjus. Press Release June 30, 2022 Statement of Sen Sonny Angara "The past six years of the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte were some of the most challenging in the country's history. But with a strong political will and outstanding management skills, President Duterte tackled the drug menace head on and made good on his promise to make the country a safer place for Filipinos. The Duterte administration, with its heralded economic team, saw the country enjoying a high credit rating and investments in critical infrastructure that has benefited Filipinos across the country and will continue to benefit future generations. In spite of the overwhelming problems that came with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Duterte administration was able to navigate a path towards recoverysomething that his successor, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. can build upon in his six years in office. President Digong can now enjoy his life in retirement knowing that he has left the country in good hands and that the new administration will build on his legacy. We are also confident that our new President Marcos will lead the country to new heights. With the votes of over 31 million Filipinos behind him, President Bongbong can be assured of the support of a strong majority of the country for his policies and programs, many of which have already been laid out in the past weeks. The President has chosen a strong economic team that will build on the gains of the Duterte administration and steer the economy towards recovery. In taking on the agriculture portfolio, President Marcos has also demonstrated his commitment towards addressing the numerous problems of this sector and in increasing the yields of our farmers and fisherfolk, all the with the goal of achieving food security for all Filipinos. We look forward to working with President Marcos and his administration, as well as with his equally competent Vice President Sara Duterte. Together with the entire nation, we pray for the success of the Marcos administration." Red Hot Chili Peppers with special guest, Post Malone, set to return to New Zealand for two massive stadium shows in early 2023. Performing in Auckland at Mt Smart Stadium on January 21 before heading South to Dunedins Forsyth Barr Stadium on January 26. The tour marks the return of guitarist and all-round cosmic musician John Frusciante to the group, as they perform their career-spanning hits alongside tracks from their new album. Joining the New Zealand tour is multiplatinum selling superstar Post Malone. Among the best-selling music artists globally with over 80 million records sold across four career albums, Stoney (2016), Beerbongs & Bentleys (2018), Hollywood's Bleeding (2019) and Twelve Carat Toothache (2022). Robert Irwin, son of the late crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin, has our jaws hitting the floor in his first ever fashion shoot with Stellar Magazine. Stellar hit the nail right on the head, saying the shoot features Robert as weve never seen him before, and crikey, we are here for it! People line up to get their children vaccinated at a clinic in Montreal on Nov. 25, 2021. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press) 2nd Laval University Professor Suspended for Questioning the Need to Vaccinate Children for COVID A second professor from Laval University in Quebec City has been suspended for questioning the need to vaccinate children against COVID-19. Nicolas Derome, a professor of molecular biology, was suspended for the same reason and under similar circumstances as his colleague Patrick Provost, a professor of microbiology, infectious diseases, and immunology. Derome and Provost both participated in activities organized by Reinfo COVID, which describes itself as a collective of nurses, physicians, scientists, and citizens seeking to generate debate about how the pandemic has been handled by the government. Derome gave an online presentation organized by the collective in late November 2021, in which he said children were not at high risk for complications from COVID-19. He said there had been zero serious cases among the 0 to 17 age bracket, with or without comorbidity, with his presentation slide indicating the data came from Quebecs public health institute (INSPQ) and expert assessments. A review of the INSPQ data for the first four waves, covering Feb. 23, 2020, to Dec. 4, 2021, reveals there were 73 ICU admissions for individuals between age 0 and 19. The data does not indicate if the admissions were because of COVID or with COVID. These 73 ICU admissions represent an average of 1.6 percent of total ICU admissions across age groups during the four waves covered. Derome also said children between 1 and 14 years old were 15 times more likely to die from a road accident than from COVID, and noted there had been no deaths for the 5 to 19 years olds. This information is very important to have in order to make a free and informed choice regarding this vaccination campaign for kids 5 to 11, he said at the start of his presentation. A current review of data for the first four waves shows one death occurred for the 1019 age group during the third wave. A separate INSPQ chart reviewed on deaths and presence of comorbidities shows no deaths reported for the 19 and under category with the mention that percentages are not reported when the total number is less than 5. Derome said, quoting published literature, that children have a better innate response to defend against COVID, which explains why they suffer less serious outcomes. The professor also quoted from the U.N. children agency UNICEF, which said at the time that the World Health Organization (WHO) did not recommend COVID vaccines for children, due to lack of trials and little to no safety data for that age group. Since then, the WHO has said that the Pfizer vaccine can be safely administered to children from 5 years of age and that both Pfizer and Moderna are licensed for use in children above 12. The professor also raised the issue of the waning efficacy of vaccinesnot only against infection, but hospitalizationsby quoting White House COVID adviser Anthony Fauci. Derome gave his presentation when Quebec had just started its vaccination campaign for 5- to 11-year-olds. Derome was contacted by The Epoch Times but was not available to comment. Laval University said when contacted that it would not comment on the personal situation of its employees. At the time Deromes video was published, Laval spokesperson Andree-Anne Stewart told Radio-Canada that his remarks in no way reflect the stance of Laval University and its faculty of science and engineering regarding the health crisis. Like all members of the teaching staff, professor Derome is held to all the rigour and scientific integrity required by this function, Stewart said. Sliding Into Dictatorship On Dec. 7, 2021, Deromes colleague, Patrick Provost, said in a scientific panel organized by Reinfo COVID that, based on provincial data, there is more risk of hospitalization for children from the vaccines than from COVID-19 itself, in addition to not having a portrait of mid- to long-term side effects. Provost was suspended for eight weeks without pay in mid-June for his comments. Its likely that Derome received a similar penalty. Reinfo COVID posted a letter on its website presumably from Provost asking, on behalf of Laval University, that the video of the panel he participated in be taken down, or else he could face further sanctions, including being fired. The collective refused, citing the need for the public to be aware of the utility, efficacy, risks, and ethics of vaccinating children. Reinfo said it would try to help the professors, noting: If universities gag their professors, as do different professional orders, were sliding into dictatorship. Academic Freedom The suspensions of Derome and Provost have added fuel to the debate about academic freedom in Quebec, which just last month adopted a law to protect it. Those situations at Laval University confirm that it was necessary to legislate on this issue and the law stipulates that every university must, within a year, write a policy and put in place a committee to monitor the implementation of the policy and review the complaints related to academic freedom in universities, Higher Education Minister Danielle McCann said in a statement to The Epoch Times. The law also emphasizes that academic freedom must be practiced in conformity with norms of scientific rigour. The professors have the support of their union, which has filed a grievance, and of the larger union federation its affiliated to. Independently of what we can think of comments or statements made by a colleague, heads of the university have no legitimacy to intervene in the content of comments made by those colleagues, says an email sent by the Laval teachers union (SPUL) to its members. The leadership of Laval University made a wrong call and hurts the principles guaranteeing the functioning of the University and academic freedom, SPUL president Louis-Philippe Lampron said in a tweet. The Epoch Times reached out to SPUL but didnt hear back by publication time. A provincial university professors labour union federation to which the SPUL is attached, the FQPPU, said the suspension of the two professors was even more serious and surprising since it occurred after the province passed the law on academic freedom. The conformity to the consensus of a scientific community is in itself not a sufficiently precise norm to justify a disciplinary sanction against a professor who exercises his academic freedom, the FQPPU said in a statement. It said its the duty of colleagues and other academics to refute or point out weaknesses in remarks or works presented. In an institution that respects academic freedom, its by refutation that professors and others participating in teaching and research must push back against comments which drift away from the knowledge validated by proven methods. James Topp gives instructions to a group of supporters walking with him on the last day of his trek in Ottawa on June 30, 2022. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times) James Topp Mulls Whether to Keep Going After Protest March From Vancouver to Ottawa Veteran James Topp completed his Vancouver-to-Ottawa trek last week in protest of COVID-19 vaccine mandates, but he is now assessing whether to re-embark on the journey and head further east. I know that I had intimated that this might go on a bit longer, and Im not ruling it out, Topp told The Epoch Times in an interview on July 3. However, there are a number of personal considerations that need to be made. Topp says he needs to have a personal internal conversation, as do his team members, before deciding what to do next. Until this more in-depth reflection is completed, Topp says he wont reveal his plans. Topp left Vancouver on Feb. 20 and walked the 4,300 km across the country to Ottawa, arriving last week. James Topp (c) walks with supporters towards the War Monument in Ottawa on June 30, 2022. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times) As a civilian in the RCMP and a military reservist, he was affected by two separate mandates. While the RCMP mandate has been suspended, the military one is still in force. Topp is facing military charges for speaking out publicly against the mandates. Future Plans Topp arrived at the National War Monument in Ottawa on June 30 with over a thousand supporters walking behind him. The journey ended with Topp kneeling in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. If Topp ties up his shoes and chooses not to march east, he says it may not end his advocacy work. The veteran is considering getting involved with the Canadian Citizens Coalition, an umbrella organization of various groups advocating for civil liberties. This is also something that weighs heavily on my mind, Topp said in reference to continuing advocacy. Topp counted as a major accomplishment the meeting he was able to have with MPs in Ottawa on June 22. This is something I think is an antidote to an imbalance right now, he said. Surreal Experience Topp has met many Canadians along the way who greeted him, thanked him, and offered support. The Epoch Times witnessed many vehicles pulling over with drivers coming to shake hands with Topp during his 27 km walk from Dunrobin to Bells Corners, Ontario, on June 29. Thank you. We really appreciate what youre doing, a tearful lady told Topp during a rest stop. Walking with #JamesTopp and Dr Paul Alexander right now. Short break. Lady comes up and gives heartfelt thanks to Topp. @CanadaMarches pic.twitter.com/1jwxDIlfD9 Noe Chartier (@NChartierET) June 29, 2022 As Topp and a group of 20 supporters walked by a construction site in Kanata, one young worker said James Topp is a legend! In fact, youre all legends, and James is the leader! These sporadic events became the norm as Topp got closer to downtown Ottawa, with supporters growing from hundreds to over a thousand walking behind him. It was a pretty surreal experience, I kind of wasnt prepared for it. I had anticipated there would be some level of interest, but in another way, I was also not prepared for that level of involvement in it, Topp said. Im still in a state of letting it all sink in, he added. This is probably the most remarkable experience of my life, so its not like anything I could just take on board without a little bit of reflection. Gasoline prices at an Exxon gas station behind an American flag in Edgewater, New Jersey, on June 14, 2022. (Mike Segar/Reuters) Americans Change July 4 Plans Due to Gas Prices: Poll A significant proportion of American citizens have been forced to change their Fourth of July plans because of high gas prices, according to a recently released Emerson College Poll. One in three respondents of the poll has changed their travel plans due to rising fuel costs, the poll states. Eighteen percent changed their plans due to issues with plane travel. The national average gas price across the United States remained elevated at $4.807 per gallon as of July 4. Though this is marginally down from the record $5.016 per gallon set on June 14, it is still $1.677 higher than the same time last year. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, is predicting gas prices to continue declining for a couple more weeks, according to Morningstar. But beyond that, it would be hard to make a prediction as factors like hurricanes could push up prices once more, he added. The American Automobile Association (AAA) is expecting 47.9 million people to travel 50 miles or more between June 30 and July 4. Though this is 3.7 percent higher than in 2021, it is marginally lower when compared to 2019. In addition to gas, rising food prices will also make this years July 4 celebrations quite expensive. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, U.S. consumers will have to shell out $69.68 for a summer cookout for 10 people, up 17 percent, or around $10, from last year. Biden and Gas Prices The Biden administration has recently pivoted from blaming the high gas prices on Russia to oil producers and gas stations. In a July 2 tweet, Biden demanded that companies running gas stations and setting prices bring down the price you are charging at the pump and to do it now. An average gas station is estimated to have a profit margin of just 1.4 percent. Most of the profits made by the gas stations are on markups of products sold at their convenience stores. In a series of tweets on July 3, California gubernatorial candidate Michael Shellenberger blamed the Biden administration for the elevated gas prices. Yesterday, Biden accused gas stations of over-charging, but their prices reflect the price of gasoline set by the market, and the market reflects the lack of supply which was created by Biden killing both oil & refinery expansion, he wrote. On May 12, the Interior Department blocked a proposal to open up over a million acres in Alaska for oil and gas drilling. The Environmental Protection Agency blocked plans to expand an oil refinery in the U.S. Virgin Islands, two days later, Shellenberger pointed out. A man walks past the entrance of the bilingual Lycee of Buea, capital of south west Cameroon, one of the two regions of the country in the grip of a violent crisis on September 24, 2019. (Reinnier Kaze/AFP via Getty Images) At Least 32 Villagers Massacred in Ethnic Attack in Cameroon Simmering tensions between two struggling communities in a remote area of southwestern Cameroon over the ownership of a fertile piece of land degenerated into a bloodbath on June 25, leaving at least 32 people dead. In recent years, Bakinjaw and Mavastwo communities in the Akwaya district in Cameroonhave both claimed ownership of the disputed Ufambe fertile farmland. But the latest squabbles suddenly turned violent because of a war of secession raging in the area. About 100 heavily armed secessionist fighters broke into the home of an elected representative, where several people were gathered for a family funeral, and immediately started firing at the crowd, army spokesman Cyrille Serge Atonfack said in a June 28 statement. In the process, they set his home ablazealongside the coffin containing the remains of the peoples representatives brother, before retreating under pressure from the defense and security forces who had just arrived [at] the scene to intervene, Atonfack wrote. Violence has wracked the Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon since lawyers and teachers went on strike in 2016 in peaceful protest against a government they charge is attempting to wipe out the cultural values of the community. The Cameroon military has accused Anglophone separatists of masterminding the massacre. Ferdinand Adawa Ugbe never lived to see the cocoa plantation he planned to set up on the Ufambe farmland, in his native village of Bakinjaw. The 40-year-old businessman was among those shot and killed when a group of marauding gunmen, allegedly hired by the rival Oliti community, stormed his village. He promised to come and see me in August so we can finalize our plans of setting up a cocoa farm on that fertile land, a sibling of Ugbe who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, told The Epoch Times. I was filled with a lot of anger and revenge when I learned of his death, he said. I cried like a baby, seeing my brother lying on the floor lifeless. Someone who was full of life and joy. The attackers were burning everywhere, shooting at random. At least 32 villagers, among them five Nigerians, were either shot at close range, slaughtered, or burned alive, while several others were wounded. Devastated and enraged, the villagers came out en masse and in a spontaneous revolt, to fiercely retaliate in their own way the attack of the terrorist horde, which finally retreated into the surrounding forests, Atonfack said. Four of the attackers were killed, with several others injured and on the run, he said. He added that government troops have been kept on high alert in the region, in order to prevent new attacks while operations are underway to find the assailants. A local chief in the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, confirmed that prior to the assault in Bakinjaw, rumors of the neighboring Olitis plan to use armed separatists to attack the village had gone viral. Attackers Promise to Return On April 29, the Olitis of Mavas attacked Bakinjaw farmers on that same piece of land and killed three, wounding two others, the official told The Epoch Times. He said many villagers are still missing following the June 25 confrontations. The dead were buried in mass graves. Some of the corpses were dumped in the pit toilets, he told The Epoch Times. The entire village has been deserted. There are rumors that the invaders promised to come back and finish the job they just started. The leaders of the Anglophone secessionist movements didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times request for comment. The claimed hiring of Anglophone separatist fighters for revenge attacks by rival villages is new, and signals a grim twist in a conflict that has seen more than 6,000 people killed, close to 1 million displaced, and hundreds of thousands of children deprived of education. The killings come amid the release of a report by Human Rights Watch that accuses the rebels of serious rights abuses. In a June 27 report, the rights group claimed the rebelswho claim to be fighting for the liberation of Anglophone Cameroonianskidnapped, terrorized, and killed civilians across the English-speaking regions with no apparent fear of being held to account by either their own leaders or Cameroonian law enforcement. Abuses are continuing, and this is part of the wider pattern of abuses by separatist fighters across the Anglophone regions, Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior central Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch, told The Epoch Times in a text message. Unlawful killings, torture, kidnappings, and attacks against educationthese are the types of abuses we documented in our latest report, she wrote. We are particularly concerned by attacks against education, students, teachers, and schools are being targeted, and these attacks are depriving an entire generation of children of their fundamental right to education. Government forces also have been carrying out abusive counter-insurgency operations across the regions since 2017. They [Cameroon government soldiers] have committed a series of very serious abuses: burning of villages, destruction of property, killing of civilians, torture, and arbitrary arrests and detention, and even sexual violence, Allegrozzi wrote. In such a climate of impunity, she insists justice is needed to ensure accountability for these abuses. Pursuing the military solution wont fix the problem. The crisis is likely to continue unless the path of justice is undertaken by the authorities and also by the separatist fighters who need to stop committing abuses against civilians. Australia Continues Migration Scheme With Priority Processing for Hongkongers After the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong, Australia introduced immigration measures to lower the threshold for Hong Kong residents to immigrate to Australia and prioritized the applications in the category of skilled workers. The Australian Government introduced the immigration scheme Hong Kong stream for Hong Kong residents in July 2020. Under the scheme, temporary visas for skilled workers and university graduates for Hong Kong residents who are holders of the British National Overseas (BNO) passport would be extended for 5 years. Also, the Government announced new pathways for Hong Kong residents to gain permanent residency by listing Hong Kong as an independent group in the categories of independent skilled worker visas and skilled workers in remote areas visas. Furthermore, the Australian Government indicated that the highest priority to Hong Kong residents immigrant visa applications is in the category of skilled workers. However, the Labor Party won the general election this year, replacing the Morrison government in June. According to local Chinese media reports, the new government has indicated that it will continue to prioritize Hong Kong residents visa applications. Also, the safe harbor immigration scheme will continue. What would happen to an applicant who has a criminal record due to alleged violations of the Hong Kong national security law? The spokesperson for the Australia Immigration Department emphasized that an immigrant visa application would not be automatically denied if an applicant has a criminal record. Nevertheless, all applicants must satisfy the requirement of good moral character. If there is a concern about an applicants good moral character, the adjudicating officer will take into account the applicants personal circumstances, the nature of the alleged offense, and the risks to the Australian community. Kevin Yam, who is an Australian citizen born in Hong Kong as well as being a practicing solicitor in Hong Kong, believes that there is more that the Australian Government can do for Hong Kong people. According to Yam, he knows many Hong Kong people have given up immigrating to Australia because it is more difficult to apply for immigration to Australia, than to the United Kingdom and Canada. He also believes that in post-pandemic Australia, there will be labor shortages in various industries. To alleviate these shortages, he believes that Australia can afford to increase the immigration quota for professional workers from Hong Kong and cut the procedural red tape even more to speed up the processing of these applications. Arrived international travellers walk through the Melbourne Airport International arrivals hall in Melbourne, Australia, on Nov. 1, 2021. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images) Australia to Lift COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for Overseas Travellers Australia will remove COVID-19 vaccine mandates for international travellers and tourists on July 6. Following advice from Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly, the Australian government has made changes to the Biosecurity Act, allowing overseas passengers to enter the country without declaring their vaccination status. Apart from flight passengers, the changes will also apply to travellers coming to Australia by sea. At the same time, the Australian government will no longer require unvaccinated visa holders to get a visa travel exemption. However, passengers are still required to wear masks on international flights to Australia. Home Affairs Minister Clare ONeil said the removal of vaccination requirements would benefit travelling Australians and international tourists and workers as well as reduce delays at airports. As more and more of us travel internationally and we get more confident in managing our risk of COVID, our airports are getting busier, ONeil said. Removing these requirements will not only reduce delays in our airports but will encourage more visitors and skilled workers to choose Australia as a destination. I know anyone who has travelled internationally since the borders have opened will find this as one less thing to worry aboutespecially as more Australians get back to travelling overseas. People check-in for flights at Melbourne Airport in Melbourne, Australia, on Nov. 23, 2020. (Daniel Pockett/Getty Images) Currently, the Digital Passenger Declaration (DPD), which was implemented in September 2021, requires international travellers coming to Australia to provide a range of information, including their contact details, vaccination status, and where they had been in the past 14 days. Additionally, travellers are subject to quarantine and testing requirements. Australians Urged to Get Booster Shots The news that international tourists will no longer need to declare their vaccination status comes as Australia deals with the winter wave of COVID-19 infections. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler is encouraging people to get booster shots if they are eligible. There is pressure on our hospitals with more than 3,000 people in hospital today with COVID, and were still seeing around 300 or more deaths every week with COVID, he said. We are not through this virus yet. Meanwhile, Queenslands health authorities have announced there will be no change to the states mask rules despite increasing community pressure to bring back mask mandates. I dont have any recommendations from the chief health officer here in Queensland to do that, Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette DAth said. But we do remind people as we go through this third wave that they can make those decisions (about when to wear masks) for themselves. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is seen as he visits Maidan square in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, July 3, 2022. Mr Albanese made a 12 hours long visit to Kyiv meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) Australian PM Visits Ukraine, Pledges Millions More in Military Aid Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made an official visit to Ukraine, meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and promising nearly $100 million (US$68 million) worth of military equipment to the country for its continued defence. Albanese made the 12-hour visit to Ukraine on June 3, visiting several locationsincluding Bucha, Irpin, and Hostomelthat the Ukrainian government says experienced some of the worst atrocities of the Russian invasion. Ukrainians claim to have found mass graves in all three civilian areas. However, Russia has denied all allegations. The Australian prime minister called the scenes devasting and said the targeting of civilian residential buildings in Irpin was a war crime. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tours damaged residential areas in Irpin on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, July 3, 2022. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) In a July 4 statement, Albanese called Russias brutal invasion a gross violation of international law and praised President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine for the defence of their country. I saw first-hand the devastation and trauma it has inflicted on the people of Ukraine, he said. I pay tribute to the courage, resilience, bravery, and determination of you as the leader of Ukraine, of your defence force, but importantly as well of your entire population who are determined to stand up to a bully which is breaching international law without any provocation or any excuse. Australia stands ready to continue to support the government and the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes for Ukraine to emerge victorious in defence of your national sovereignty and your homeland. President Zelenskyy thanked Albanese for his visit and for the military aid Australia had already provided. Our defenders highly appreciated, in particular, the Australian Bushmaster armoured personnel carriers and other specific assistance from Australia, he said. I am grateful to Australia for its firm, unyielding position on this issue. $100 Million in Military Equipment The Australian prime minister also announced the government would be increasing its foreign aid to Ukraine following a request from the Ukrainian president. Currently, Australia is the largest non-NATO contributor to Ukraines national defence. The new package will provide AU$99.5 million in military assistance, which will include 14 M113 armoured personnel carriers, 20 Bushmaster-protected mobility vehicles, and drones supplied from Australias defence industry. Australia will also contribute to NATOs Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package Trust Fund and give $8.7 million (US$6 million) to assist Ukraines Border Guard Service to upgrade border management equipment, improve cyber security, and enhance border operations in the field. In total, this will bring Australias total contributions to the war effort to approximately $388 million. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is seen as he visits Maidan square in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 3, 2022. Albanese made a 12-hour-long visit to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) Further, Ukrainian imports to Australia will now be duty-free, akin to the trade measures taken by both the UK and European Union. Australia will also join its alliesCanada, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United Statesin banning imports of Russian gold to reduce its ability to fund the invasion. Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko told ABC Radio National on July 4 that Australia was punching well above its weight in terms of the countrys support for Ukraine. My president said, look, this is really amazing that Australia has been doing so much but being so far away from Ukraine. Everybody in Ukraine is very impressed that theres support coming from Australia and the Australian people, he said. President Zelinskiy was extremely happy to see him. The ambassador also noted how pleased the Ukrainian armed forces are with the military capabilities that Australia has provided for the nations defence. The Bushmasters are very good, he said. They have performed very well out there and the M113s. FILE PHOTO: The TikTok logo is pictured outside the company's U.S. head office in Culver City, California, U.S., September 15, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Blake Australian Senator Questions Local TikTok Boss After CEO Admits User Data Accessible in China Australian Senator James Paterson has written to the local boss of Chinese-owned TikTok following reports that the music apps data was being accessed in mainland China. The senator cited comments from TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew claiming that China-based employees, can have access to TikTok U.S. user data in his correspondence to the U.S. Senate. In Patersons letter to Lee Hunter, the Australian general manager of the app, the senator asked for clarification on whether local user data was accessible to TikTok (and ByteDance) staff in mainland China and how the company could protect the data if the Chinese Communist Party made a direct request for accesswhich it can under its controversial 2017 National Intelligence Law. Paterson was the chair of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security and is now the shadow minister for cybersecurity and countering foreign interference. Ive written to @tiktokaustralia following revelations in the US that user data is accessible in mainland China, putting it within reach of the Chinese government. Australian TikTok users deserve to know whether their private information is equally exposed pic.twitter.com/6Wn4fEZGXF James Paterson (@SenPaterson) July 3, 2022 TikTok is a hugely popular short-format video app that allows users to create, share, and view 15-second videos, often featuring singing, dancing, or comedy. It was started in China as Douyin in September 2016; within a year, it had 100 million Chinese users. Read More Ban Chinas TikTok Now The app was relaunched as TikTok internationally in September 2017. Attracting dozens of A-list celebrity users and partnerships with the NBA, NFL, and Comedy Central. Soon, TikTok became one of the most popular apps in the world. By 2020, TikTok reported nearly a billion active users worldwideless than four years after its launch. Scrutiny of Chinese Apps Continues Meanwhile, Patersons letter comes after a report found that Beijings takeover of Hong Kong undermined any claim that fellow Chinese social media app WeChat could protect user data. This erosion of legal autonomy [in Hong Kong] is important because WeChat has structured its operational architecture, terms of service and company structure on the consensus that Hong Kong is a more compatible legal jurisdiction to the international community, the report from Canberra-based Internet 2.0 said. WeChat has a focus on Chinese-speaking communities and has evolvedparticularly in Chinainto a multifaceted platform that offers payment services, video gaming, ordering at restaurants, and even shopping online. Overseas, WeChat has around 1.5 million users in the United States, 600,000 in Australia, and 1.3 million users in the United Kingdom. Lorenzo Puertas contributed to this article. In the evening of July 1, 2022, a number of the exhibits in Victoria Park celebrating the 25th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong were blown down, leaving only the banner with words "Hong Kong" lying on the pedestal. (Yan Wu/The Epoch Times) Bad Weather Welcomes Xi Jinpings Visit to Hong Kong; Same Happened to Former CCP Leaders Chinese Leader Xi Jinping encountered stormy weather during his latest visit to Hong Kong. However, he is not the only one. All previous leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had suffered violent storms during their visits to Hong Kong. Tropical Storm on Xis Visit Xi Jinping visited Hong Kong on June 30 and July 1, 2022, to participate in the inauguration ceremony of the new Hong Kong government and related activities for the 25th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong. However, the local weather was not too compromising for his visit. According to the Hong Kong Observatory, on the evening of June 29, a tropical depression in the central,South China Sea, made its approach towards Hong Kong. Affected by it, Hong Kong experienced squally showers and thunderstorms on the June 30, with intense winds blowing offshore and at elevated locations. Precipitation reached 64.9 mm (2.6 inch) on June 30, while Tropical Depression Chaba intensified into a tropical storm. On July 1, Hong Kong experienced gusty winds and heavy rain. In the afternoon, rainfall in Hong Kong generally exceeded 30 mm (1.2 inch) per hour. At 7:10 in the evening, the Hong Kong Observatory issued the typhoon signal No. 8, and the average wind speed in Hong Kong was forecast to reach 63 kilometres (39 miles) per hour or more. Affected by the severe weather, at least seven media outlets lost the opportunity to report on the spot. In the evening, a number of the exhibits in Victoria Park celebrating the 25th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong, were blown down, leaving only the banner with words Hong Kong, lying on the pedestal. In the evening of July 1, 2022, a number of the exhibits in Victoria Park celebrating the 25th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong were blown down, leaving only the banner with words Hong Kong, lying on the pedestal. (Yan Wu/The Epoch Times) Exhibition Banners were damaged by storms near the Chinese University of Hong Kong on July 2, 2022. (TM Chan/The Epoch Times) Exhibition Banners were damaged by storms near the Chinese University of Hong Kong on July 2, 2022. (TM Chan/The Epoch Times) Hu Jintao Met with Typhoon In 2012, CCP leader Hu Jintao suffered similar treatment when he visited Hong Kong. At that time, it was the 15th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong, and Hu visited Hong Kong from June 29 to July 1, to attend relevant activities. In the early morning of the second day after Hus arrival in Hong Kong, typhoon Doksuri followed. On its approach, Hong Kong had gusty winds with heavy rain. At the same time, there were several squally thunderstorms on June 30. During the typhoon, more than one hundred trees and many scaffolding collapsed in Hong Kong. Many billboards crumbled, and the roof of a factory building podium collapsed during the torrential rain. In addition, a sampan capsized under huge waves on the sea. Several commemorative activities in Hong Kong were forced to be cancelled, and Hus itinerary was adjusted accordingly. He had to visit Hong Kong, Kowloon and other places in the rain, and the inspection time of the CCP garrison in Hong Kong was brought froward by a day. Even so, the officers and soldiers under inspection were all wet. Jiang Zemin Hit by Rare Weather Twice On May 8, 2001, Jiang Zemin, former leader of the CCP, went to Hong Kong to attend the annual meeting of Fortune Global Forum Hong Kong, hosted by Fortune magazine. On the day he arrived in Hong Kong, the temperature was as high as 32.2 degrees Celsius (90.0 degrees Fahrenheit), and it was unbearably hot. The next afternoon, Jiang left Hong Kong and returned to Beijing. After the group boarded the special plane for about 20 minutes and was about to take off, there was suddenly heavy rain, with intense winds, lightning, and thunder coming altogether. Hong Kongs Oriental Daily News published a report the next day, citing the proverb Scare in Storm and Rain within Cloud Nine. The article said, Jiang Zemin visited Hong Kong three times and encountered severe weather on two occasions. When he left Hong Kong yesterday, due to severe weather, there were horrific scenes in just that half hour. There was a plane over the mainland China, fifty kilometers (30 miles) away from the Hong Kong Airport, struck by lightning three times which damaged its windshield. Another flight encountered turbulence, injuring three people, and the airport was placed on first level alert. Nearly five hundred people were given a scare, with their journey being delayed. On the same page it also reported several other accidents caused by severe weather. The iron windows and glass of a residential unit in Tai Po, Hong Kong, got loose in the wind and the rain, and fell from the 27th floor to the street, injuring two passers-by. Forty-five secondary school teachers and students, participating in an ecological study activity in a country park, were trapped on top of a mountain by the strong wind and rain, and were rescued later. There was also a rare accident In the Kwai Chung Container Terminal due to the strong wind, and about fifty stacked containers were blown over. The last severe weather reported by the Oriental Daily was in 1997, when Britain officially handed over Hong Kong to CCP. On July 1 of that year, Jiang Zemin went to Hong Kong to preside over the handover ceremony. On that day, It seemed to have pierced a big hole in the sky, and he was met with heavy rain pouring down. The Hong Kong Observatory issued a black rainstorm and landslide warning on that day, with a single-day rainfall of 122.6 mm (4.8 inch), the highest July 1 rainfall recorded since the handover of Hong Kong. Lawyers from the Criminal Bar Association, which represents barristers in England and Wales, set up a picket line outside the Old Bailey in central London, on the first day of a strike over legal aid funding on June 27, 2022. (PA) Barristers Insist Money Is There for UK Government to End Strike One of the leaders of the union which has taken barristers in England and Wales out on strike has said the money is there for the government to solve the dispute and end the strike. The Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, has said barristers will receive a 15 percent pay rise for legally aided work from the end of September. But the vice-chairwoman of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), Kirsty Brimelow QC, said that offer doesnt go near resolving the dispute, which has paralysed criminal courts around England and Wales for a second week. Brimelow told Sky News: The government actually isnt offering 15 percent. What its offering is 15 percent which will reach barristers in around a year or two years time, because the increase would relate to new cases only. She insisted: The money is there. The government saved 240 million [$292 million] on legal aid during the pandemic, and its also profited since 2010 by selling off the courts and reducing judges sitting days, its profited in over 200 million since then. Brimelow added: Currently we have a backlog of about 58,000 cases, and so the concern of the criminal bar and one of the reasons why the criminal barristers are taking this action is because there just simply are unlikely to be sufficient barristers left in two years time. Brimelow pointed out one in four junior barristers had given up practising criminal law over the past five years as legal aid cuts dug into their incomes. Barristers Earnings Collapsed During Pandemic She said: Legal aid has been slashed by 40 percent since 2016, and so the 15 percent doesnt go anywhere near to reverse some of those cuts. It also doesnt address the 23 percent collapse in barristers earnings during the pandemic. Raab has said the barrister strike is regrettable and would only delay justice for victims. But the chairman of the CBA, Jo Sidhu QC, has blamed the governments refusal to negotiate for the fact that those victims of crime and defendants who want to prove their innocence wont see their day inside court. Among the trials facing disruption is that of Sgt. Maj. Kirtland Gill, 40, a British Army soldier who was due to go on trial on Monday at Southwark Crown Court accused of selling or transferring ammunition, conspiracy to sell or transfer ammunition, and possession of a prohibited weapon. The two-day strike began across England and Wales on June 27, and on Monday three days of industrial action begins, with the CBA threatening to down tools for an extra day next week. The CBA said the turnout in its ballot on industrial action was 81.5 percent, and 53 percent of those who voted were in favour of a strike. Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc, pauses while playing bridge as part of the company annual meeting weekend in Omaha, Neb., on May 6, 2018. (Rick Wilking/Reuters, File Photo) Berkshire Hathaway Buys 9.9 Million More Occidental Shares, Has 17.4 Percent Stake Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc said it has bought another 9.9 million shares of Occidental Petroleum Corp., giving it a 17.4 percent stake in the oil company. Berkshire paid about $582 million for the shares, which it bought between Wednesday and Friday, according to a Friday night filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Buffetts company is Occidentals largest shareholder, now owning 163.4 million shares worth about $9.9 billion. Its stake is about 60 percent larger than that of Vanguard, the next largest shareholder, according to Refinitiv data. Berkshire also owns warrants to buy another 83.9 million Occidental shares for $5 billion. Occidentals share price has more than doubled this year, benefiting from Berkshires purchases as well as rising oil prices following Russias invasion of Ukraine. The Berkshire investment has prompted market speculation that Buffetts Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate might eventually buy all of Occidental. In a June 23 research report, Truist Securities analyst Neal Dingmann saw a good chance of a Berkshire takeover once Occidental became an investment-grade credit, saying a purchase would help diversify Berkshires energy portfolio. Occidental has been reducing debt, which swelled when it bought Anadarko Petroleum Corp for $35.7 billion in 2019. Berkshire bought $10 billion of Occidental preferred stock to help finance that purchase, and obtained the warrants at that time. It also had a $25.9 billion stake in oil company Chevron Corp at the end of March. Berkshires share price has fallen 8 percent this year, compared with a 20 percent decline in the Standard & Poors 500. Buffetts company owns dozens of businesses, including the BNSF railroad, Geico car insurer, and its namesake energy business, as well as stocks including Apple Inc and Bank of America Corp. By Jonathan Stempel and Akriti Sharma The year 2019 was an extraordinary year for Mavis and her family. As a Hongkonger who emigrated to Canada this was particularly harsh to swallow. She was then 10 months into her pregnancy and was expecting the arrival of the new-born anytime soon. Just as life and work of the two siblings (Mavis and her younger brother, Gary) were getting on the right track, the news that Gary was diagnosed with bone cancer, upended all those and made her feel completely devastated. Coupled with all the news received daily via the mobile apps about the social unrest in Hong Kong, Mavis was doubly worried. She said to her herself, I am in Canada for a stable environment, what can I do for Hong Kong people who are behind bars? Very quickly an idea popped up in her mind Gary started to have severe pain in his foot 3 years ago, which was then diagnosed as being caused by a tumour in his foot, a symptom of bone cancer. (Courtesy of Marvis) Three years ago, Gary started to feel discomfort in his feet. The pain was so severe and soon became unbearable. He went to the hospital for an examination and found that there was a tumour in his foot, and he was indeed suffering from bone cancer. He was only 28 years old and was supposed to be in his prime. Amputation at such an age, even if he survived, trying to find a job with only one leg would be difficult. Mavis herself used to work as a buyer at a health care products chain. While looking for suitable health care products for her younger brother, she had a new plan on her mind, Why dont I open a department store so that I can help my younger brother find health products, and help him solve the problem of finding a job? Gary had no choice but to undergo amputation. (Courtesy of Marvis) A Success Story of Life After Trauma After recovery from bone cancer, Gary proved himself to be a vivid example of how young people can overcome physical and mental difficulties and re-join society, Gary used to work in catering, but after being hospitalized with bone cancer, he was no longer able to do his old job, and he had to face the harsh reality of needing to amputate a limb, all of which brought huge changes to his life. Mavis felt sorry for the difficulties which her brother faced and used her past skills to find suitable health care products for him, and to take care of him in life as much as she could. During Garys rehabilitation after surgery, she found some deep-sea fish oil from Norway, which has anti-inflammatory properties that could relieve his pain. Mavis shared, What happened to him really needed encouragement from those around him. Our family supports him and takes care of him all the way. Gary (R), a Hong Kong native who moved to Canada, faced the blow, and his familys never give up spirit became his prime motivation to recover. (Courtesy of Marvis) Gary is recovering day by day, and after installing a prosthetic limb, he can now return to work. (Courtesy of Marvis) It was a great relief to Mavis that Garys condition was improving day by day. However, the next problem was how could he re-join society. To tackle this, Mavis decided to quit her full-time job, and start a company to help her family solve the employment issues. With this she would be more flexible to take care of her young daughter too. She encouraged her younger brother to start anew and learn to step into a new field, His own will is paramount, and his willingness to step out to society again is equally important. The whole new future will be vastly different from the past, but we just made him feel, rest assured, there will always be someone he can call upon. Mavis helped Gary find health products, among them this deep-sea fish oil from Norway. (Courtesy of Marvis) On her brothers birthday this year, Maviss birthday wishes are all telling him to eat fish oil. (Courtesy of Marvis) Gary, pictured here at a market stall earlier this year (2022), bounced back and started again with the help of his family. (Courtesy of Marvis) From the initial online department store platform to opening a physical store, Mavis moved forward step by step, and invited her younger brother to participate. He can do some background work, such as some technical support, website, or update programming, and the likes. He can also do customer service and other work, which is a significant role change for him. Later, after Gary installed a prosthetic limb, he coul move more easily, and even helps the store deliver goods. Mavis is very gratified that her younger brother can start afresh after suffering all those blows of life. Each Product Should Have a Story of its Own One of the objectives of Maviss physical stores is to sell products with stories, hoping to break the monopoly of large groups. In the past when Mavis worked as a buyer, she found that the current way of operating health care product chain stores, was not the way she preferred. Chain stores are actually selling business rather than selling products. They are mainly trying to get investors to join in. For her, selling products with their own stories is more important. When looking for a product, she would like to know the thinking behind each brand, from material selection to production. She gave an example. A few years ago, she met Kimature, a skin care brand, made in Hong Kong. Its ace product is the white orchid skin care product series. She contacted the founder of the brand, Kim, and was even more moved after learning about the story behind it. Bringing the taste to Canada and hoping that Made in Hong Kong will be famous overseas too. Mavis hopes to be an agent for brands with ideas and stories, such as Kimature, a skincare brand made in Hong Kong, is the ace product of her Department Store. (Courtesy of Marvis) Mavis named the shop Truly Healthy (Organic Living Market), intended to express an attitude towards life. (Courtesy of Marvis) At first, Mavis just started with an online community site to share health and lifestyle products from all over the world. Later she decided to open a physical store. She named it Truly Healthy (Organic Living Market). In that way, Mavis wanted to express an attitude towards life. She felt that many high-quality products could not be bought on big shopping sites, and people did not necessarily buy from big brands. The way that the big brands monopolise the market is definitely not healthy. Now when people are getting used to shopping online, many local brick-and-mortar stores may disappear. Especially after the pandemic that had swept the entire world, Mavis cherished the existence of physical stores even more. Physical stores are rooted in the community. We want to reach customers directly, not just placing an order by pressing a button. It can also be turned into a small market inside the store, which from time to time, we can invite the person in charge of a brand to come and introduce the product and communicate directly with the customers. Because her younger brother needed health care products during his recovery from cancer, Mavis personally contacted the technical team developing deep-sea fish oil in Northern Europe and decided to invest in a production line. (Courtesy of Marvis) Another development of Mavis work is the direct investment in the NNP Epax fish oil line. (Courtesy of Marvis) From Skin Care to Fish Oil to Lifeboat Scheme Another development direction started by Mavis is, direct investment in production lines. Her brothers cancer recovery experience also prompted her to have a better understanding of the efficacy of deep-sea fish oil. She personally contacted the technical team and obtained the authorisation from Northern Europe as their exclusive agency. By chance, from an initial starting point of helping her brother, she now has a new line in her career growth, for which Mavis is equally optimistic. Now Mavis decides to use her status as an employer to give support to the Lifeboat Scheme to help immigrants from Hong Kong. She herself came to Canada to study since her second year in the secondary school education. Since then, she studied and worked in Canada all the way, and has already fully integrated into the local environment. However, she has never forgotten her roots as a Hongkonger. In between study years, during her holidays she would go back to Hong Kong to visit relatives. She also took the initiative to set up the Hong Kong Student Union during her time in university, recruited volunteers to promote Hong Kong culture, and offered language classes to teach foreigners Cantonese. She feels that Hong Kong people even when residing in foreign countries have a mission to preserve Hong Kongs culture, in whatever forms possible. Mavis (second from right) feels that Hong Kong people in foreign countries have a mission to preserve Hong Kongs culture through various forms. (Courtesy of Marvis) Mavis shared that the store was fortunate to have the support of members of Congress and the mayor for helping local and Hong Kong people to promote their brands and was awarded a certificate of commendation in May 2022. (Courtesy of Marvis) After the Hong Kong national security law came into effect, the Canadian government launched the Lifeboat Scheme in early 2021, by relaxing work permits and immigration applications, as well as issuing special 3-year work permit visas for eligible Hong Kong people. All these can eventually transition to permanent resident status. When Mavis heard about the news, she also hoped that she could offer help to Hong Kong people who wanted to emigrate to Canada. To do that she posted job openings online, to recruit Hong Kong people to work in Toronto. The employees working in her store now, all came through the Lifeboat Scheme. She did not know them before, and she accepted them with just trust in her heart. Mavis believes that nowadays, more and more people are leaving Hong Kong, and it really takes courage for anyone to start over in a new place. Now that she is opening a shop, she will try her best to help young people who have left Hong Kong, for as long as she can afford to hire. This all starts from mutual care for each other, and it is also the spirit of mutual assistance among Hong Kong people overseas. Mavis hopes that the store can become a meeting point for Hong Kong people, as well as helping young people who have left Hong Kong, and take care of each other. (Courtesy of Marvis) After three years of entrepreneurial experience, Mavis has survived the most difficult days, and is gradually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. After the pandemic, Toronto finally lifted its lockdown in March this year (2022), cancelled the mandatory mask in public order, resumed market trading and all other activities. The store jointly operated by Mavis and her younger brother, has also begun to flourish. Now Truly Healthy runs two small shops, located in Markham and Mississauga, respectively. Mavis specially placed a round table in the shop to welcome regular customers to chat and hope that the shop will become a gathering place for Hong Kong people, as it is a way to encourage everyone to integrate into the community as soon as possible and start a new life. An inspirational & educational documentary about the groundbreaking NASA mission. NR | 53m | Documentary | 2019 Filmmaker Steven C. Barber has been on a patriotic and inspirational tear over the last decade and a half or so, with standout films such as 2009s Unbeaten, and 2015s Return to the Philippines, the Leon Cooper Story. So, it wasnt much of a surprise to learn that he has also been involved in a documentary about Americas astronauts. After all, the Space Racethe twentieth-century competition between the United States and the Soviet Union aimed at demonstrating superiority in the field of space flightwas such a major facet of the Cold War. The Space Race began not with a U.S. victory, but with a Soviet one. Although the U.S. government had been planning to launch the worlds first artificial satellite, the Soviets beat them to the punch with its successful launch of Sputnik 1 (Sputnik meaning satellite in Russian) in October of 1957. Not one to be outdone, the President of the United States at that time, Dwight D. Eisenhower, successfully appealed to Congress to establish a civilian organization dedicated to space science endeavors. Thus, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was born in 1958. President John F. Kennedy gives his famous Moon Speech in Apollo 11. (Vanilla Fire Productions) By the time John F. Kennedy took over the reins of the U.S. presidency in 1961, NASA had made many inroads in space science technology. His famous 1962 Moon Speech at Rice University in Texas, drummed up support for NASAs new Apollo Program and stated his ambition for the United States to be the first country to land men on the moon. As he explained, We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard. From there. the film covers numerous spaceflight exercises that NASA performed during the lead-up to the first lunar landing. These were conducted to see how the human mind and body would react to extended periods of time in spacecraft, as well as disembarking different spacecraft and performing various tasks in the vacuum itself. We see how the first Apollo mission ended in tragedy for its three astronauts and how there were several unmanned Apollo missions following that (to be on the safer side). During this period, NASA re-engineered its spacecrafts schematics based on mistakes it had learned from the Apollo 1 disaster. Apollo 11. (Vanilla Fire Productions) Whats also covered is Steven C. Barbers fascination with astronauts, particularly the ones of the Apollo 11 mission. He couldnt believe that there hadnt ever been a memorial built to honor that famous mission. So, he took it upon himself to commission a team of sculptors in order to create one. But would they be able to get the massive monument finished by the time the Apollo 11 missions fiftieth anniversary commenced in 2019? Like many of Barbers other documentaries, this is a highly entertaining film that also manages to be educational at the same time. While some documentaries can be a little too flighty while attempting to wow audiences, and others too stilted and boring, this one skillfully treads the line between these two pitfalls. Sculptor Mark Lundeen in Apollo 11. (Vanilla Fire Productions) Apollo 11 also features fantastic archival footage and interviews from people both past and present, who shed light on the various facets of the monumental Apollo 11 mission. Its an inspiring film that shows what a nation can do when its various constituent elements put aside their differences in the pursuit of a much greater vision. Apollo 11 Director: Todd Hillman Stars: Jim Lovell, George Lundeen, Steven C. Barber Running Time: 53 minutes MPAA Rating: Not rated Release Date: Not listed Rated: 4 stars out of 5 Watch on Epoch Cinemavisit the link here. Follow EpochTV on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Craig James, former clerk of the British Columbia legislature, leaves B.C. Supreme Court during a break from his trial in Vancouver, on Jan. 26, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck) Crown Wants Jail Term for Former Clerk of the BC Legislature for Breach of Trust The Crown is asking for a jail term for the former clerk of British Columbias legislature who was found guilty of fraud and breach of trust over expenses he claimed. The conduct of Craig James was a departure by the most senior officer of the legislature, which Crown attorney Brock Martland told the court deserves unequivocal denunciation. Martland says there are situations where conditional sentences are granted, and while they often involve high dollar amounts, they usually come with a guilty plea. He says the Crown would like to see James jailed for a year or serve a term of house arrest. Defence lawyer Gavin Cameron told the judge that James has suffered enough as he asked for a conditional sentence, saying incarceration would be a disproportionate response. James, who is 71, was found guilty in May of fraud and breach of trust related to inappropriate personal expenses, including claiming a newly purchased suit and shirts as work attire. He was found not guilty on three other counts, including one related to a $258,000 retirement benefit. Migrants are apprehended by US Border Patrol and National Guard troops in Eagle Pass, Texas, near the border with Mexico on June 30, 2022. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images) DHS to Enforce Remain in Mexico Policy for Several More Weeks, Warns Migrants Not to Come: Mayorkas Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on July 3 that his department will continue to warn migrants to not show up at the U.S.Mexico border, as the current Remain in Mexico policy isnt going away for several weeks. Appearing on CBSs Face the Nation, Mayorkas was asked whether the border enforcement agencies have the manpower and resources needed to handle thousands of people who departed on Friday and are moving toward the U.S. border. He responded by blaming exploitative smugglers who use false information to motivate migrants to illegally cross the border. We have said repeatedly and we continue to warn people not to take the dangerous journey, Mayorkas told CBSs Margaret Brennan, noting that his department is working with our partners to the south to break up very often migrant caravans. We continue to enforce immigration law, as is our legal responsibility. These migrants receive false information from smugglers. They put their lives, their life savings, in the hands of these exploitative organizations, these criminal organizations that do not care for their lives and only seek to make a profit. Brennan pressed Mayorkas about the effectiveness of the Biden administrations methods, pointing out that even last weeks tragedy, during which 53 illegal immigrants were found dead in a tractor-trailer in San Antonio, didnt seem to deter people from coming to the border en masse. Those words are not being heardpeople are moving right now, so the efforts to stop the root causes are not stopping them, she said, referring to President Joe Bidens strategy to address the root causes of migration in Central America. Are you predicting that this is only going to get more significant from here, that were going to go beyond the record surge in migrants? Mayorkas answered, No, Im not predicting that at all. Were working with our partners to the south because this is a regional challenge that requires a regional response. He was also asked about the fate of the Trump-era Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), which requires foreign nationals who claim to be asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their cases are being processed. On June 30, a divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Biden administration has the authority to end MPP, which is commonly known as the Remain in Mexico policy. According to Mayorkas, MPP will continue to be enforced for now because it takes time for the lower court to lift its injunction that prevents the Biden administration from ending the protocol. In light of the favorable Supreme Court ruling, we have to wait for that ruling to reach the district court that issued an injunction preventing us from ending Remain in Mexico,' he told Brennan. So we have several weeks to go before the district court lifts its injunction, and until then, we are obligated by the district courts ruling to continue to implement the Remain in Mexico program, and we will do so in accordance with law. In a 54 decision, the Supreme Court ruled against Texas and Missouri, which had argued that the Biden administration violated the federal immigration law by rescinding MPP. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined the three liberal justices in the majority. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the case was wrongly decided and will only make the border crisis worse. He said he agrees with the dissenting opinion penned by Justice Samuel Alito, who said the government cant guarantee that those who have already been released into the United States for later processing will show up for their scheduled asylum hearing to decide if they qualify for asylum. In fiscal year 2021, the Border Patrol reported more than 1.7 million encounters with aliens along the Mexican border, Alito wrote. When it appears that one of these aliens is not admissible, may the Government simply release the alien in this country and hope that the alien will show up for the hearing at which his or her entitlement to remain will be decided? Congress has provided a clear answer to that question, and the answer is no. The Department of Justice (DOJ) building in Wash., on Feb. 1, 2022. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) DOJ Files Charges Against Baller Ape Club NFT Promoter in Rug-Pull Scam According to a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) statement, six people have been charged in cryptocurrency-related fraud cases, including Non-Fungible Token (NFT) scams. DOJ has announced criminal charges against the Baller Ape Club NFT collections creator for involvement in the rug pull scam. A Vietnamese national, Le Anh Traun, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering. According to the report, after the first day Baller Ape Club NFTs were publicly sold, Tuan and his co-conspirators engaged in what is known as a rug pull, ending the purported investment project, deleting its website, and stealing the investors money. Traun collected close to $2.6 million from the Baller Ape NFT scam. He then converted the money into different cryptocurrencies and moved them across multiple blockchains. If convicted, Traun may face up to 40 years in prison. Last year, the NFT market generated $25 billion in sales. However, the DOJ did not prosecute any single NFT fraud case. These cases serve as a crucial reminder that some con artists hide behind trendy buzzwords, but at the end of the day, they are simply seeking to separate people from their money, said U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison for the Central District of California. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to educate and protect potential investors about traditional and trendy investments. The other cases reported by the DOJ include a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that raised almost $100 million and a fraudulent initial coin offering that stole $21 million from misled investors. The department also reported a crypto commodities scheme where the offender promised 600 percent returns to investors. He wooed investors with meetings at Hollywood Hills homes he did not own, using a fake team of armed security guards to generate a false image of wealth and power. By Bibhu Pattnaik 2022 The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Although we sometimes slip into calling this holiday the Fourth of July instead of Independence Day, that name diminishes its meaning. After all, its an anniversary of one of the most important events in American history, the Declaration of Independence, which was the beginning of the freedom the United States has enjoyed for almost two and a half centuries. During the Golden Era of Hollywood (19341954), costume films, especially historical dramas, were popular. However, filmmakers often opted for 19th-century stories and settings because the costumes were not only flattering and, in many ways, simpler than earlier modes, but in addition, there were simply more costumes the studios could reusemaking dressing extras and supporting characters inexpensive. One of the few Golden Age movies about the American War for Independence is Drums along the Mohawk, a 20th Century Fox production from 1939. In the 1930s, 20th Century Fox was one of the smaller Hollywood studios and it didnt have the budgets of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. or Warner Bros. However, by the decades end, the highly profitable Shirley Temple films had helped the studios bottom line, so it could afford to rent big name stars like Claudette Colbert and Henry Fonda. A Studio portrait of Henry Fonda, circa 1935. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Following the lives of one young couple in colonial America, this story shows how the struggle for independence required great sacrifice from every citizen in the colonies. On such selfless sacrifice our nation was founded. Historic Fiction The story begins with the marriage of Gil Martin (Fonda) and Lana Borst (Colbert). Lana leaves the comfort of her wealthy familys home for her new husbands rustic farm in Deerfield. Its just a small claim in central New Yorks Mohawk Valley, but Gil and Lana are determined to make it a success. However, the locals anticipate trouble from hostile Seneca Indians, who are allied with their political enemies, the British-sympathizing Tories. When the Martins are clearing more of their land, Indians attack, and all the locals must seek shelter at the nearby fort. The Martins crops and cabin are burnt to the ground, so they go to live and work at the large farm of a gruff yet caring widow, Sarah McKlennar (Edna May Oliver). All the inhabitants of the Mohawk Valley must sacrifice, fight, and band together to win the new lands liberty. Claudette Colbert in a moment from the trailer for Drums Along the Mohawk. (Public Domain) This film was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and directed by John Ford. Like most Ford films, it was loosely based on historical events. The script, written by Sonya Levien and Lamar Trotti, was adapted from the 1936 novel of the same name by Walter D. Edmonds. Fords first Technicolor production, this film optimized the colorful palettes visual impact by filming on location in Utah. The finished film was highly successful, earning a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination for Edna May Oliver. The most common changes to facts in Drums along the Mohawk involve the rearrangement of geography and the timeline of events. Perhaps the most obvious deviance from history is the lack of British troops among the colonials attackers. Indians in full warpaint and American Tories are the primary enemies of the Continental Army, while the British, the most predictable foe, are conspicuously absent. This is because of the timing of this films production. When it was made in 1939, England had just joined the war against Nazi Germany. Although the United States wouldnt join World War II for two years, Americans sympathized with the British peoples struggle for survival against the German forces. According to HistoryOnFilm.com, Ford had little desire to show the British as villains when they were fighting for their lives against the Nazis. One Mans War Most war films, no matter which military conflict they depict, focus on combats big picture. They close-up on the generals and strategists of either or both sides, while the average soldier is merely a faceless player in the grand scheme of far range action footage. Its quite another story in Drums Along the Mohawk. It focuses on one mans experience in a war. Although this is the Revolutionary War, General George Washington is never seen, and he is only mentioned in passing. The King of England isnt the foe; even Caldwell (John Carradine), the local Tory leader who lurks behind the attackers with his menacing eye patch, is beyond Gils scope. The only enemy Gil Martin knows is the Tory or Indian coming at him in the moment. One of the most pivotal battles which takes place during the course of this film is the Battle of Oriskany, an important conflict during the Saratoga campaign on Aug. 6, 1777, involving only North American troops. Instead of showing Gil Martin and his comrades fighting in this bloody fray, the film focuses on his wife, anxiously awaiting his safe return. When he finally does limp home in the rain, badly wounded, he emotionally tells her the awful details of the fight. His firsthand account brings the battle to vivid life, as though every member in the audience were awaiting the safe return of a soldier fighting in that battle: I heard a crackling, like a stick breaking. All of the sudden, the fellow next to me stopped talking and fell over on his side. Then I heard a whistle; shots rang everywhere. Somebody shouted wed been ambushed. Somebody told me to lay down, and then I saw themall smeared with paint, yellow and red, every color. In back of them Tories with green coats. I got down back of a log and aimed at a fellow. He leaped straight up in the air and fell forward on his face. After that we just kept shooting as fast as we could load, for I dont know how long. Adam Hartman came over beside me; his musket was broken. He had a spear. He kept grinning. I remember thinking, Hes having a good time. He likes this. Pretty soon he pointed off. I saw an Indian coming toward us, naked. I tried to load, but it was too late. Adam stood up and braced his spear. The Indian came down. I never saw a fellow look so funny, so surprised. He just hung there, with his mouth open, looking at us, not saying a word. I had to shoot him. There wasnt anything else to do. I had to! The 1936 historical novel upon which the movie Drums Along the Mohawk was based. A Pretty Flag Since the war in this film is fought on such a local level, the settlers find out about their sides victory in a very matter of fact announcement from their military reinforcements. However, this provides an opportunity for a moment of early patriotism. One of the settlers (Russell Simpson) sees the original Betsy Ross flag being held by one of the soldiers and says, So thats our new flag. The thing weve been fighting for. Thirteen stripes for the colonies, and thirteen stars in a circle for the Union. Looking on serenely, Lana says to Gil, Its a pretty flag, isnt it? Then, one of the local soldiers (Ward Bond) boisterously grabs the flag and says, Hey, soldier, let me take that flag a minute. We did a little fighting around here ourselves! He scrambles up the forts central tower and mounts the flag. The camera focuses on individual, awe-filled faces as the strains of Let Freedom Ring swell in the background. According to IMDbs list of Goofs, its highly unlikely that the settlers wouldnt have seen the American flag by then, since it had been the official flag of the young country for four years. However, thats missing the point of this conclusion. Old Glory has always been more than just a national flag to patriots; its a symbol of freedom. Even though the settlers of the Mohawk Valley had lost property, loved ones, and life in the Revolutionary War, they realized it was worth it when they saw the flag. That flag represented freedom, equality, and dreams for the greatest nation on earth. After gazing at the flag, Gil tells Lana, Well, I reckon wed better get back to work. Theres gonna be a heap to do from now on. She nods and smiles, and we know that the work of rebuilding their farm is not too great a task for them. They will be building a home and life for themselves and their children in a new, wonderful nation. May every American alive today remember the Founding Fathers dream for the United States whenever they look at the Star-Spangled Banner. Long may she wave! Expert: Green Agenda Causing US Power Grid to Be Incredibly Vulnerable Every U.S. region could be at risk for significant power outages this summer as companies rush to convert to non-fossil fuel and non-nuclear energy sources, an analyst says. I think the entire country is incredibly vulnerable, because the entire country is facing a huge energy shortage and I dont think there is any place that is truly safe, Daniel Turner, founder and executive director of Power the Future, told Fox News on July 4. Turner said that states that have caved to pressure to switch to green energy sources, including wind, solar, and hydroelectric power, could suffer this year. The areas of the country Id be most concerned about are the ones that already have inherent weaknesses, he told the outlet. Texas, California, New Mexico, New York, all of New England. These are areas whose policies and political decisions have weakened their electric grid. Countries and U.S. states that have pushed green energy mandates by government action havent been successful, he said. And you can measure that on multiple levels of success, in terms of what theyve actually purported to or claim that they would produce in terms of electricity, reliability, cost, he added. In terms of actual construction, or cost to the consumers. Midwest States Earlier this year, some power companies, grid operators, and other groups have warned about brownouts and rolling blackoutsespecially in the Midwestern states. A recent generation capacity auction has revealed that the Midwest could fall short of needed generation capacity to serve the summer peak load under certain conditions, the SouthEastern Illinois Electrical Cooperative wrote in a recent letter. In the event that this happens, your Cooperative would be directed to disconnect a portion of the load in order to prevent an electric grid failure. Amid possible shortfalls, some Michigan firms have called on consumers to tell officials to keep power companies online. We need your help to keep the lights on in Michigan this summer and beyond, Thumb Electric Cooperative General Manager Dallas Braun wrote on Facebook in a recent post. Electric reliability is at risk today and demand is projected to grow. As soon as this WEEK Michigan regulators are considering closing down more power plants in Michigan. Please join ME in telling them that reliability matters and that they shouldnt prematurely close these plants. Meanwhile, the Midcontinent Independent System Operators (MISO) seasonal assessment said that Michigan could face power shortages this year, according to JT Smith, MISOs executive director, in media interviews last month and in May. His groups seasonal assessment warned that capacity shortfalls in both the north and central regions of MISO and leaving those areas at increased risk of temporary, controlled outages to preserve the integrity of the bulk electric system, Smith told NPR. MISO, meanwhile, will take steps to implement controlled power outages across Michigan. Thats a step the operator has never taken before, it said. MISO operates the power grid for some 42 million people in 15 U.S. Central states from Minnesota to Louisiana and the Canadian province of Manitoba. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said on June 20 that forecast demand in MISO could reach an hourly peak of 118.2 gigawatts (GW) under normal conditions this summer and 125.2 GW in extreme conditions. To meet that peak demand, MISO expects to have 143.2 GW of capacity available this summer. One gigawatt can power about a million U.S. homes on average, but as few as 200,000 on a hot summer day. Michigan is going down the same route that before it New Mexico has gone, California has gone, Turner told Fox on July 4. Reuters contributed to this report. G7 Leaders and Scholars Criticize CCP for Shredding Hong Kongs Autonomy and Economy Chinese Leader Xi Jinping, traveled to Hong Kong on July 1, 2022, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Chinas takeover of Hong Kong in 1997. In his speech at the inauguration ceremony of the sixth chief executive of Hong Kong, Xi repeatedly mentioned one country, two systems, praising how great it is, but this received criticism from Hong Kong scholars. Foreign ministers of the G7, and the High Representative of the European Union, issued a joint statement, describing that instead of electing a candidate, it has become the handpicking of the city leader. Its process is a continuation of attacking the dynamic system and fundamental freedoms of Hongkongers. The groups showed serious unified concerns about the erosion of civil rights and autonomy in Hong Kong. Some scholars said the entire speech was about making one country, two systems a meaningless slogan. They commented that according to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) playbook, the two systems will eventually become one country. Eliminate Anything That Stands in Their Way In Xis 32-minute speech, he mentioned one country, two systems 21 times, versus the times he mentioned Hongkongers, or self-governance, which was only once. Interestingly, Xi mentioned patriots five times. Meanwhile, Xi talked about the Basic Law of Hong Kong but followed it with total governing power, four times. Current Affairs Commentator, Stephen Siu Yeuk-yuen countered Xis comment during his online show, If CCP becomes the owner of the total governing power, then no Hong Kong compatriots will become their own masters. Not a single Hongkonger. Professor Chung Kim-wah, former assistant professor in the Department of Applied Social Science at the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong, criticized the entire speech of Xi, What Xi said is just an empty shell and there is no substance to one country, two systems. CCP is switching around its words to suit whatever it needs. It still hopes it can fool some people by throwing out the these words. Chung said CCP is still fantasizing about Hong Kong being an international city and a global finance hub, with no democracy, no freedom, and no rule of law. They are only thinking about how they can maximize their gains, while crushing Hong Kongs economic values. Commentator Stephen Siu Yeuk-yuen said, CCP will do whatever they want, keep whatever benefits them, and eliminate anything that stands in their way. CCP Has Damaged the One Country, Two Systems Xi also mentioned the status of Hong Kongs economy, said Hong Kongs complete democratic openness is famous around the world, and the city is the top place for its golden investment environment. However, as stated by G7, Xi forgot that Hong Kong is no longer famous around the world other than for being completely crushed by the CCP. Ironically, western countries shared their opinions as soon as John Lee Ka-chiu, a former policeman was appointed as the new Chief Executive of Hong Kong in May 2022. The opinions were unanimous. CCP has damaged the one country, two systems principle. The Council of the European Union had expressed regretfully, that the electoral system in Hong Kong has been diminished by the so-called new perfected election system, which is a step to further disintegrating the policy: It shreds the already limited democratic elements in the city, which is the opposite of the promise the Basic Law represents. Edwin J. Feulner, founder and former president of the Heritage Foundation, said Hong Kong politics is being manipulated by Beijing, and that Hong Kong has lost more political freedom and autonomy over the past two years, making the city almost identical to other major Chinese cities. In the surveys conducted by the Heritage Foundation, Hong Kong used to be top ranked for having a high degrees of economic freedom for 25 years in a row. The city was surpassed by Singapore in 2020 and was kicked out of the list by 2021, as its ranking became inclusive of Chinas. Mainland China is ranked at the bottom of the index at 107, which is considered an economic system that is mostly unfree. Hong Kong Medical Expert Says COVID Vaccine May Cause Heart Disease Medical experts say they saw an increase of almost 50 percent in the number of requests for cardiovascular imaging tests in Hong Kong in 2021. A survey of cardiologists and radiologists found that a majority suspected that the increase was related to COVID-19 vaccinations. The 15th Congress of Asian Society of Cardiovascular Imaging (ASCI 2022), co-organized by the Hong Kong College of Radiologists and Hong Kong College of Cardiology, held a press conference on June 23. The organizers conducted an online survey of 80 cardiologists and 46 radiologists in May this year to determine the clinical observations of three cardiac catheterization tests, including computerized tomography coronary angiogram (CTCA) and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in 2021. The survey found that the majority of doctors agreed that the number of cardiac imaging examinations in 2021 had risen compared to 2020, with an increase of about 11 to 30 percent for CTCA and CMR. Cardiologists said this phenomenon is related to COVID-19 vaccination as the main cause of CTCA referrals was chest pain related to vaccination, and the main cause of CMR referrals was heart failure related to vaccination. Forty-three percent of the doctors surveyed said that more than half of the CTCA test results were abnormal, with mild to moderate aortic stenosis being more common. Eighty-seven percent of cardiologists pointed out that more than half of the patients with moderate to severe coronary artery disease were newly diagnosed COVID-19 patients. The most common CMR abnormalities found were myocardial ischaemia, myocardial infarction, and decreased left ventricular systolic function. According to cardiologist Dr. Chan Wing Sze, the findings of the survey indicate that heart disease may be related to the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination. Some other Asian countries were also affected by COVID-19 but the number of heart screening tests decreased relatively, while the numbers in Hong Kong are still increasing. Radiologist Dr. Cheung Chi Wai said that artificial intelligence (AI) has been introduced internationally to assist in cardiac imaging examinations to save analysis time. In the UK, AI technology can accurately analyze the results of heart scans and predict the risk of future heart disease or the progression of the patients condition, and can complete a 20-minute manual analysis in two seconds. He believes that using AI in clinical diagnosis will significantly help doctors. The European regulator said that a side effect of the vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna was myocarditis. Myocarditis and pericarditis will be officially listed in the UK and Europe as side effects associated with the COVID vaccine, a decision already made by U.S. regulators in June 2021. According to the European Medicines Agency, these side effects are more common in young men. The European Medicines Agency also advises people to look out for symptoms associated with myocarditis after vaccination, including chest pain, shortness of breath, and a strong or fluttering heartbeat. The survey found that most cases occurred within 14 days of receiving the vaccine. Wong Yee was a proactive Hongkonger during the 2019 anti-extradition protests before getting arrested by the National Security Police. She is now in Vancouver as an asylum seeker, no longer living in fear. Wong said CCP has destroyed the future of the Hong Kong youth. (Photo by Melodie Von, NTD) Hong Kong Exile Fled to Canada for Asylum, Says CCP Destroyed the Future of Hong Kong Youth Wong Yee, an exile who used to frequent anti-extradition protests as a backup for her comrades, has recently fled to Vancouver, Canada. Wong recalled protesters daily terrors, You will always be wary of whether the police will suddenly show up right next to you, subdue you and arrest you. That anxiety has always been in the mind of every protester on the streets of Hong Kong. In the interview, Wong condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for tarnishing the future of Hong Kong Youth. Wong revealed why her family still didnt know the real reason for her leaving Hong Kong, They thought I had a job opportunity in Canada. They were expecting my return in a couple of years. Unfortunately, that was far from the truth. Wong left because she was arrested by the national security police, due to assisting Hongkongers fleeing overseas. Once she was granted bail, she left for Canada and applied for political asylum. During Wongs recollection, she shared that she had been proactive in the Hong Kong anti-extradition movement since 2019. Later that year, she became a full-time supporter, to back up young people who were affected by the movement until 2021. One day in 2021, Wong was arrested at her home by the Hong Kong National Security Police. She was accused of secession, and with money laundering to help Taiwan become independent from China. For the rest of the following year, she had to report to the police station frequently. After a while, the Hong Kong Police lowered her bail conditions, so traveling overseas was no longer restricted. She then left Hong Kong and arrived in Vancouver in February 2022. However, there was a catch: Wong, although she could leave Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Police were still investigating her crimes of violating the national security law: they insisted they would not drop the charges against her. Wong told the Epoch Times interviewer that being an exile at a young age for Hongkongers is not easy. The lack of life experience, skills, and money are often hurdles for people who flee from the national security law. Being a Backup is Considered Secession Wong commented on the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong Handover to CCP, There is nothing to celebrate. We can all see that Hong Kong is about to reach its end. We can only pray for safety for the rest of the 25 years. At first, when CCP took over Hong Kong, Beijing claimed that the rule of law, lifestyles, freedom, autonomy, and democracy would not change for 50 years. To Hongkongers who have become exiles, July 1 is a sad day. They couldnt stay in Hong Kong to witness the bad; They could only pray for Hongkongers from afar and hope that they could continue to live their best possible life, under the current circumstances. Wong said with a deep sigh. She said everyone knows Hong Kong has been torn apart. Where is Our Future? Looking back on supporting her Hong Kong comrades, also commonly known as siblings or brothers and sisters among Hong Kong protesters, Wong Yee said she had met with a lot of Hong Kong siblings who had been arrested or jailed. When she was backup support for the protest arrestees, Wong witnessed their markings of blood, being beaten, or disabled features from their arrests. That was the moment when she began to truly understand and aid them well. One of the siblings was beaten by the police with his head covered with a bag. He had fractures in several places, was blinded in one eye; He had not received proper medical treatment, and yet remains in solitary confinement to this day. He is alone with four walls every day. He has no one to talk to, it is a living hell for him. Wong also came across youngsters who remained cooperative when being arrested and subdued, but the police would keep on beating them with batons until their blood shed. The police would then lie in court, saying he used his baton because the person was resisting the arrest. Having witnessed all kinds of injustice, Wang Yee expressed her thoughts, Our crime is being young and having expectations from our society. That is why we are thrown in jail. The CCP tarnished young Hongkongers future. We have no plans, no future, because of the regime. Wong continued, As a Hongkonger, we dont have much hope or future to talk about. The saddest part is we are supposed to have our rights and opportunities, but they have been taken away by the Hong Kong government. See Something. Say Something Wong Yee shared that at the time she was just trying to help as many protesters as she could. It was her basic traits and truth as a human being. If it was in China and you were seen helping people, you would be the one who gets sued. Helping others is part of being human: it is your responsibility to help the weak and the old. That is just basic moral value of a human being. Canada equals safety; pro-communist loyalists are the unwanted rats in the alley. Having been in Canada for the past few months, safety is the most she feels, The Canadian government allows their people to voice their opinions freely. The Canadian Police Force is here to help maintain order and protect the protesters, unlike the Hong Kong Police Force. Whenever we have an assembly or protest here in Canada, Chinese loyalists might still show up, but they are a lot more subtle, unlike the ones in Hong Kong. If they walk around and chant Hail the CCP, they will have to zoom away like rats in the alley. We dont have to be terrified of them here in Canada. What Are Wong Yees Final Words? Hongkongers have experienced enough of the CCPs evil doing. We should be encouraging each other and moving forward as one. We have lost too much already. Nvidia Drive Pegasus, the world's first AI supercomputer for level 5 robotaxis, on display at the CES consumer technology trade show in Winchester, Nevada, on January 9, 2018. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) How the Chinese Military Is Buying American AI Chips: Report Despite measures to limit U.S. technology exports to the Chinese military, chips designed by U.S. companies still end up in the hands of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), according to a report by the Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) at Georgetown University. For the report, researchers combed through over 66,000 publicly available PLA purchase records during the eight-month period from April to November 2020 and identified 97 unique, high-end artificial intelligence (AI) chips ordered by the PLA. Nearly all of them were designed by U.S. firms Nvidia, Xilinx (now AMD), Intel, and Microsemi. The CSET report, released last month, also noted that the researchers couldnt find any public records of the PLA purchasing the high-end AI chips from any Chinese companies, including HiSilicon (Huawei), Sugon, Sunway, Hygon, and Phytium. These AI chips are critical components to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for the intelligentization (the addition of artificial intelligence to a system, according to Kaikki.org) of its military and to the regimes goal to gain dominance over the global AI design and manufacturing market. Even though the CCP has poured tens of billions of dollars into its own semiconductor industry, Chinese companies, lacking intrinsic knowledge and highly specialized equipment, still cant catch up to U.S. design firms, while South Koreas Samsung and the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company remain the titans of global semiconductor fabrication, the report says. To obtain the U.S.-designed AI chips, the CCP has been bypassing the limitations imposed by recent U.S. export controls. Dodging Export Controls The Biden administration has maintained Trump-era controls designed to curtail technology exports to military end users in China. These controls, however, dont apply to items made outside the United States. Since most AI chips are made in South Korea and Taiwan, the end-user controls have very little power to limit purchases from Chinese entities, the report indicates. Moreover, the Department of Commerce maintains an entity list through which the U.S. government can deny orders placed by hostile entities. About 500 Chinese firms are on the entity list. However, none of the seven Chinese intermediary suppliers (for the PLA) who ordered the 97 high-end AI chips found by the CSET researchers are on the list. And based on prior CSET research, a fraction of the PLAs AI vendors are named in key U.S. export control and sanctions lists. The seven intermediary suppliers are based in Beijing, Tianjin, Zhengzhou, Hangzhou, and Xian, and they are affiliated with the Chinese military through organizations including the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, PLAs Strategic Support Force,, and others. Meanwhile, some of these Chinese intermediary suppliers for the PLA are licensed distributors of U.S. chips. The CSET report gives the example of Tianjin-based Sitonholy (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., which is listed as a partner on Nvidias website. It won a contract to supply Nvidia-designed Titan V graphics processing units to the PLAs Academy of Military Sciences in April 2020. On its website, Sitonholy claims to be an elite-level partner of Nvidia and an officially authorized distributor of Nvidia products in China. In addition to the Chinese military, Sitonholys clients include 80 percent of universities in China working on AI. CCPs MilitaryCivil Fusion Strategy Prior CSET research has highlighted that, nationwide, Chinese consumers import the majority of the countrys AI chips overwhelmingly from the United States, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. The CCPs militarycivil fusion strategy is making it almost impossible for U.S. regulators to distinguish between military and nonmilitary end users in China, which is the basis of the majority of U.S. export controls. The fusion model allows the Chinese military to bypass U.S. export controls and have covert access to U.S. technology and equipment through its civil counterparts. The authors propose that the United States expand its collection of open-source intelligence and adopt new export control measures based on features specific to high-end chips. The researchers also found that the PLA uses front companies to get what it needs. For example, in August 2020, Beijing Hengsheng Technology Co. Ltd., which specializes in smart processors and high-performance computing, won a contract to supply Nvidia TX1 and Xilinx Virtex-7 processors to a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The two email addresses listed as points of contact for Beijing Hengsheng Technology in public financial records are registered for dozens of other technology consulting companies based in Beijing. The Chinese market accounts for 25 percent of global AI chip consumption, the report says, with AI chips sold to China in 2021 amounting to an estimated value between $2.5 billion and $5 billion. For major U.S. chip companies, more than a quarter of their revenues derived from China in 2021, as shown in the table below. A table shows select U.S. semiconductor company revenues from China. (CSET report/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) Curtailing the CCPs access to U.S. technology has associated political and economic costs, the researchers point out. Another challenge would be whether, or how, to compensate for the loss of Chinese market access. One solution, the report says, could be to provide U.S. companies with viable alternatives to the Chinese market. The CHIPS for America Act of 2022 offers significant incentives for semiconductor companies to build fabrication facilities in the United States. University of Toronto psychology professor Jordan Peterson speaks at an event in Sherwood Park, Alta, on Feb. 11, 2018. (The Canadian Press/Jason Franson) I Would Rather Die: Jordan Peterson Refuses to Delete Tweet After Twitter Suspension Renowned Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson says he wont abide by Twitters absurd rules after being temporarily suspended from the social media platform and required to delete a tweet to restore his account. I penned an irritated tweet in response to one of the latest happenings on the increasingly heated culture-war front, Peterson said in a video released on July 1, in which he criticized woke moralists and challenged the logic of the punitive measure he was subjected to. In his tweetshared as screenshots by his daughter, MikhailaPeterson responded to a New York Post article on actor Elliot Pages transgender character in the Netflix series Umbrella Academy. Peterson wrote Remember when pride was a sin? and referred to the actor as Ellen Pagethe name the actor was known for before gender transitionand said a criminal physician had removed Pages breasts. Wow. @jordanbpeterson got a twitter strike. No more twitter until he deletes the tweet. Definitely not a free speech platform at the moment @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/YuBTwnjz5W Mikhaila Peterson (@MikhailaFuller) June 29, 2022 Suspension On June 28, Twitter said that the University of Toronto professor emeritus had violated its rules against hateful conduct, and suspended his account. In the suspension notice shared by Peterson in the video, Twitter said that users may not promote violence against, threaten, or harass other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease, and Peterson was given the option of deleting the tweet. By deleting the tweet, Twitter said it means that users acknowledge that your Tweet violated the Twitter Rules. The suspended account would be restored within 12 hours after the tweet was deleted. I would rather die than do that, Peterson said, adding that the offending tweet didnt fit in the category of having promoted violence or threatened others. Peterson added that even if his tweet could be regarded as harassing others, he said Twitter didnt specify what he had actually done wrong, and he was left to speculate on the possibilities. This is a big problem, he said, in that such things matter when the accusations start flying. So what did I say that might constitute harassment? he asked. Exploring the possible reasons for his suspension in his video, Peterson analyzed the tweet in detail and defended his writing of Remember when pride was a sin? as merely a factual statement. Under the old rules, applicable even a decade ago, pride was a sin, and had been recognized as perhaps the cardinal sin for thousands of years previously, he said. In recent years, the word pride has been associated with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) community and others who spoke out about their sexual orientation or gender identity. Governments around the world have endorsed the words usage through celebrations like Pride month. I dont see that sexual orientation or sexual desire of any sort, is something to celebrate or to take pride in, Peterson said. And so what I said was merely a fact. Naming Peterson said that the probable cause for his suspension was that he referred to Elliot Page by the actors birth name, Ellen. However, by correctly referencing the actoreither as him, they, or Elliot, instead of Ellen,Peterson said it would have made it impossible for him to articulate the actors mastectomy. He was definitely Ellen at some point in the past, Peterson said. When precisely was it incumbent on me to switch my terminology in regard to Elliot-slash-Ellen, so that I was not engaging in hateful conduct? And so it was impossible to communicate what had happened to my audience without apparently running afoul of the impossible and absurd rules that now hypothetically govern morality itself, in the days of the degenerated, postmodern, and Marxist ethos that we must stillno matter how impossible it isabide by, or else. The Epoch Times contacted Twitter for comment on Petersons suspension but didnt immediately hear back. Israels Caretaker Prime Minister Lapid Holds First Cabinet Meeting TEL AVIV, IsraelIsraels caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid held his first Cabinet meeting on Sunday since taking over as leader, promising a functional government despite the political instability that is sending Israel to its fifth elections in less than four years. Lapid, sitting next to his predecessor power-sharing partner Naftali Bennett, also warned that Israel would take any step necessary to defend itself after it shot down three unmanned aircraft launched by the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah. Lapid took over last week as prime minister as part of an agreement forged last year that created the coalition government. Bennett led it initially but stepped down following a series of defections and legislative defeats. Parliament dissolved itself, triggering new elections and handing power to Lapid. Israel will head to the polls again on Nov. 1, when Lapid will seek to convince voters to adopt his vision and deny former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was ousted last year after more than a decade in power, a chance to return to lead the country. Bennett will not run in November. In the coming months our goal, of this whole table, is to run the government as if there is no election campaign. The citizens of Israel deserve a functioning government at any given moment, Lapid said. Lapid faced his first challenge on Saturday, when Hezbollah launched its unmanned aircraft toward an area where an Israeli gas platform was recently installed in the Mediterranean Sea. The move appeared to be an attempt by Hezbollah to influence U.S.-brokered negotiations between Israel and Lebanon over their maritime border, an area that is rich in natural gas. Hezbollah continues its path of terrorism, undermining Lebanons ability to reach an agreement on the maritime border. Israel will continue to protect itself, its citizens and its assets, he said. Lapid, who served as foreign minister under Bennett, will use his months as caretaker leader to prove to Israelis that he is prime minister material. He travels to Paris this week for meetings and then next week hosts U.S. President Joe Biden, a potential pre-election boost. The upcoming election, as in the previous four, will likely be a referendum on Netanyahus fitness to lead at a time when he is on trial for corruption charges. He denies wrongdoing, but several political parties have refused to join a government led by him, complicating efforts to form coalitions and end the political turmoil. By Tia Goldenberg Competitive eater Joey Chestnut poses for photos with 76 hot dogs at a weigh-in before the Nathan's Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest in New York on July 1, 2022. (Julia Nikhinson/AP Photo) Joey Chestnut Is Chomp Champ Again in July 4 Hot Dog Contest NEW YORKFrankfurter-munching phenom Joey Jaws Chestnut gobbled his way to a 15th win Monday at the Nathans Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, powering down 63 hot dogs and buns at the annual exhibition of excess. In a decisive chowdown comeback, womens record-holder Miki Sudo downed 40 wieners and buns to win the womens title after skipping last years frank fest because she was pregnant. Joey Chestnut (L) and Miki Sudo pose with 63 and 40 hot dogs, respectively, after winning the Nathans Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest in Coney Island, New York, on July 4, 2022. (Julia Nikhinson/AP Photo) A spectator wearing a Darth Vader mask rushed the stage, momentarily disrupting the competition. Chestnut put the protester in a brief chokehold before contest officials hurried over and escorted the intruder away. Another protester in a white stormtrooper mask had also snuck behind the competitors and hoisted a sign saying, Expose Smithfields Deathstar. Smithfield manufactures Nathans famous hotdogs. After the altercation, Chestnut went back to the task at hand: Devouring more hot dogs. Monday marked the contests return to its traditional location outside Nathans flagship shop in Brooklyns Coney Island neighborhood. The event was relocated in 2020 and last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Its beautiful to be back here in front of a throng of spectators, Chestnut told ESPN after his feat, which the 38-year-old managed while wearing a surgical boot because of a leg injury. It hurts, but I was in the zone for a little bit. I was ignoring it, said Chestnut, but the pain eventually slowed his pace in the 10-minute competition. Last year, the Westfield, Indiana, resident topped his own record by consuming 76 franks and buns. Sudo, of Tampa, Florida, set the womens record at 48.5 weiners and buns in 2020, before taking last year off while expecting. In conjunction with the spectacle, Nathans donates 100,000 franks to the Food Bank for New York City. A sign outside a petrol station shows the price of petrol breaking through the two Australian dollar (1.46 USD) a litre mark in Melbourne, Victoria, on March 3, 2022. (William West/AFP via Getty Images) JP Morgan Makes Dire Prediction on Future Oil Prices Analysts with JP Morgan Chase said the price for a barrel of oil could more than triple if Russia decides to cut its output amid record-high gas prices. The current price for a barrel of oil stands at around $110, but that could increase to a stratospheric $380 per barrel if Russia acts to cut output, JP Morgans analysis wrote in a note, according to Bloomberg News. It is likely that the government could retaliate by cutting output as a way to inflict pain on the West, the analysts wrote in what they described as a worst-case scenario. The tightness of the global oil market is on Russias side. JP Morgan analyst Natasha Kaneva said that Russia cutting production by 3 million barrels a day would push global prices to $190 per barrel. And the worst-case scenario, she added, would be if Moscow cut 5 million barrels per day, which could send the price to $380. Since the start of the Ukraine conflict on Feb. 24, Western nations have hit Russia with punishing sanctions. However, Russia supplies much of Europe with oil and natural gas. The United States, meanwhile, has blocked all Russian oil exports since March. JP Morgans analysts added that if the West continues to target Russias oil industry, the Kremlin may not play along. The most obvious and likely risk with a price cap is that Russia might choose not to participate and instead retaliate by reducing exports, the note said, according to Bloomberg. Data from AAA shows that the nationwide average for a gallon of regular gas currently is hovering around $4.81 as of Sunday, a slight decline of about 10 cents from the previous week. US Response Last week, when asked about how long Americans should expect to pay high gas prices, President Joe Biden claimed that they will continue to be elevated as long as the conflict takes to resolve. As long as it takes so Russia cannot in fact defeat Ukraine and move beyond Ukraine, Biden told reporters on June 30. This is a critical, critical position for the world. Here we are. Why do we have NATO? I told Putin that in fact, if he were to move, we would move to strengthen NATO. We would move to strengthen NATO across the board. White House economic adviser Brian Deese said that Americans should pay high prices because it is about the future of the liberal world order, and we have to stand firm. Biden also attempted to shift the blame to gas stations for the higher prices, writing on Twitter: My message to the companies running gas stations and setting prices at the pump is simple: this is a time of war and global peril. Bring down the price you are charging at the pump to reflect the cost youre paying for the product. And do it now. He did not provide any examples of how gas stations could bring down the price. Its also not clear if he was writing to individual gas station owners, companies, or individuals who own many franchises. A day later, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby defended the Twitter post in a Sunday morning interview with Fox News. If everybody cooperates on this, we can bring the price down at least by about a dollar a gallon, Kirby remarked, so hes working very, very hard to do this because he knows the impact that high gas prices have on the American household. First responders work the scene of a shooting at a Fourth of July parade on July 4, 2022 in Highland Park, Illinois. ( Jim Vondruska/Getty Images) 6 Dead, 24 Injured During Mass Shooting at Chicago-Area July 4 Parade Multiple people are feared dead after a mass shooting during a Fourth of July parade in a Chicago suburb, officials said. Six people were killed and at least 24 hospitalized in a parade in downtown Highland Park, officials told media outlets Monday. Numerous law enforcement officers are responding and have secured a perimeter around downtown Highland Park, the statement said. Witnesses told local media that crowds of people fled the scene after shots were heard. The Lake County Sheriffs Office confirmed that a shooting took place and told people to stay away. The office did not confirm the number of victims. A video posted by a reporter showed people watching the parade before gunshots were heard, causing people to flee. Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering wrote on Twitter that residents should avoid the downtown area, saying that there is a significant police response. Highland Park Police are responding to an incident in downtown Highland Park, she wrote. Fourth Fest has been canceled. Please avoid downtown Highland Park. More information will be shared as it becomes available. First responders work the scene of a shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Ill., on July 4, 2022. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images) Witnesses Speak One witness, Miles Zaremski, told CNN that he heard 20 to 25 shots being fired. At least one person was seen bloodied on the ground, he said. People started saying, Theres a shooter, theres a shooter, there a shooter, Debbie Glickman, a witness, told The Associated Press. So we just ran. We just ran. Its like mass chaos down there. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) confirmed that he was attending the parade at the time of the shooting, saying hes safe. Schneider did not provide any other details. Today a shooter struck in Highland Park during the Independence Day parade. My campaign team and I were gathering at the start of the parade when the shooting started, Schneider wrote in a Twitter post. My team and I are safe and secure. We are monitoring the situation closely and in touch with the Mayor. Schneider said he heard that several people died in the incident. The lawmaker appeared to suggest more gun-control measures are needed. Hearing of loss of life and others injured, the lawmaker added. My condolences to the family and loved ones; my prayers for the injured and for my community; and my commitment to do everything I can to make our children, our towns, our nation safer. Enough is enough! Before the shooting, police in Chicago said that over the Fourth of July weekend, more than 50 people were shot, including nine fatally, across the city. The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence says that Illinois has the eighth strictest gun laws in the United States. Meanwhile, Chicago has among the strictest gun laws of any city in the United States. Reuters contributed to this report. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves speaks on COVID-19 testing in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on Sept. 28, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) Mississippi Governor Plans to Bring Culture of Life to State Following Supreme Court Ruling Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves is promising a home for every single baby in his state, where he aims to create a culture of life following the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The fact of the matter is this entire court battle was never about winning a court case. It was always about creating a culture of life, Reeves, a Republican, said on Fox News Sunday on July 3. Thats exactly what were doing here in Mississippi, and thats what we as pro-life Mississippians and pro-life Americans have to continue to do, he continued. We have to prove that being pro-life is not simply about being anti-abortion. And in our state, were enacting policies to do exactly that. One of the things that Mississippi will do is to invest in pregnancy resource centers, according to Reeves. Were going to convince those moms that yes, those lives are precious, and there are people in this world and there are people in the state of Mississippi who love not only the moms but also the babies, he said. Were looking to do everything we can to help create a forever home for every single baby in Mississippi and we believe we will save lives by doing so. Mississippi is at the center of Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, the Supreme Court case that led to the overturning of Roe on June 24. The court also upheld a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Three days later, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch enacted the states trigger law, which is set to ban nearly all abortions beginning on July 7. Anti-abortion protesters have demonstrated outside the Jackson Womens Health Organization, nicknamed the Pink House, in Mississippi for decades. (Matt McGregor/The Epoch Times) Trigger Law However, the Jackson Womens Health Organization, Mississippis only abortion clinic, has filed a lawsuit in Hinds County Chancery Court to block the ban, citing a 1998 Mississippi Supreme Court ruling that said the right to an abortion was granted by the states Constitution. We are dealing with that, Reeves said about the lawsuit. The chief justice of the Supreme Court has appointed a special judge to hear that case because the four chancellors in Hinds County, which is the court of jurisdiction, recused themselves, and so we are expecting a hearing sometime early this week on that particular case. Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph has appointed Judge Debbra K. Halford to preside over the case. A hearing is currently scheduled for July 5. I do expect for the states law to be upheld in the state court and I do expect our trigger law to go into effect, Reeves said. Unless there is an injunction which forces us not to enforce it, then, of course, were going to enforce the law. Reeves warned that physicians in Mississippi could lose their licenses if they are found to provide medication abortions using telemedicine. In our state, the enforcement is done by the State Board of Medical Licensure, he said. We have a State Board of Medical Licensure here which actually oversees the practice of medicine in our state. And they ensure that any physician that is practicing, whether its through telemedicine or otherwise, that any physician that practices in our state is practicing not only based upon the standards of care that we require in our state, but also based upon state law. And so, if a physician is attempting to practice medicine in the state of Mississippi, and theyre violating our law, then our State Board of Medical Licensure will pull their license. Reeves also said he doesnt think that any state legislation making an exception for rape will advance to his desk. Theres a lot of effort, particularly in Washington and other places, mainly by the Democrats, to try to talk only about the real, small, minor number of exceptions that may exist, he added. If the far-left really believe what they want you to believe, if they really believe that the American people were with them and were for abortion on demand, then they wouldnt be talking about all of these exceptions and minor numbers. Commuters arrive at the closed Central Station during a planned industrial action by workers at Sydney and NSW Trains in Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 21, 2022. All trains across Sydney and NSW have been cancelled. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins) More Industrial Action to Cause Extensive Train Delays in New South Wales New South Wales commuters are likely to face extensive delays in their train services the coming Wednesday and Friday as the transport union threatens further strike action, which has been criticised by the government as being politically motivated. Up to 75 percent of peak-hour rail services have been reduced later this week after the NSW Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) boycotted South Korean-built trains over safety concerns, and pushed for better wage and working conditions. In response, the Perrottet government has offered the union $264 million to upgrade the new intercity fleet, a one-off $3,185 (US$2,170) payment to rail workers, and two separate pay rises in the next 12 months. But the union resisted, demanding to divide negotiations over the modifications and wages into a two-step process, instead of combining them in a single deal. NSW Transport Minister David Elliott on July 1 said the two-step process is not fair on the taxpayers, who deserve certainty of service provisions in relation to the running of the trains. Enough is enough, were drawing a line in the sand, he said in a press conference on Friday. Elliot told 2GB that the train strike action is the most politically motivated industrial action since the sacking of Gough Whitlam. He said the unions are trying to use the strikes to motivate people to vote Labor and put pressure on the Perrottet government. This is an act of shame and dishonour to the Labor movements, he said. They want to complain about their working conditions where their working conditions are pretty solid. The state election is scheduled for March 25, 2023. Other Strikes The state saw a teachers strike on Thursday, with the teachers union demanding a pay rise of between 5 and 7.5 percent. On Tuesday, thousands of nurses also walked off the job to call for higher staffing ratios and a pay rise of 7 percent to cope with the soaring cost of living. The industrial action planned for next Wednesday and next Friday come despite NSW having raised its wage cap for public sector workers by 3 percent, the highest in the country. RTBU Secretary Alex Claassens earlier said that people need to understand that we are doing this for them. We want a safe train. We want to address safety first and then our working conditions and then wages. This train is a sub-standard train bought from South Korea that is just not safe. It was designed to be driver-only, no guards on the train. We now have got a commitment the guards are there to stay, but we have got to modify the train so they can do the job to keep people safe. Until we see it in writing and somebody actually signs the document, we have got nothing, Claassens said. Elon Musk's Twitter profile on a smartphone placed on printed Twitter logos on April 28, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters) Musk Breaks Silence on Twitter With Photo Alongside the Pope Elon Musk ended his unusual period of Twitter silence on July 1, reemerging with a picture of himself meeting with Pope Francis. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO is often active on the social media platform, which he has offered to buy in a transaction worth around $44 billion. But he had not posted anything to his account since June 21. Honored to meet @Pontifex yesterday, wrote Musk, with a photo where he can be seen standing next to Pope Francis. Musks four teenage sons were also pictured. The location or other details of the meeting were not immediately known. The new post broke the billionaires nearly two-week-long silence: he didnt post or respond to a single tweet. During the period of absence, he superseded 100 million followers on Twitter, joining a handful of individuals who reached the milestone on the microblogging platform. Unlike others who have amassed a massive following on Twitter, Musk is usually a prolific user. He had made about 21 posts and retweets each day over the five weeks leading up to June 16, according to Axios. On that day, SpaceX employees wrote an open letter complaining about Twitter posts from Musk, the companys chief executive, for being a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment, The New York Times reported. Musk is among a slew of tech giants leaders that Pope Francis has met. The head of the Catholic Church has previously met with Apple chief executive Tim Cook, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and former Google boss Eric Schmidt. Twitter Deal Musks is still in the process of purchasing the social media platform. On June 21, Musk said there were still a few unresolved matters with his plan to buy Twitter when asked about the deal at the Qatar Economic Forum. The issues include Musks doubts about the number of spam users, shareholder approval, and debt financing. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) dated June 17, Musks acquisition of the social media platform has been unanimously approved by the board, which recommended that stockholders vote for the adoption of the merger agreement. Andrew Moran Contributed to the report. New Brunswick Cabinet Minister Blasts Air Canada for Cancellation New Brunswicks education minister is lashing out at Air Canada, saying the airline is incompetent because it decided on the weekend to cancel a Monday flight that would have taken him and four officials to a meeting in Regina. Dominic Cardy posted a series of tweets Saturday, saying the cancellation announced earlier that day means New Brunswick will not have representation at this years meeting of the Council of Ministers of Education. Cardy followed up by calling for deregulation of Canadas airline industry. Im speaking for myself, he wrote. I hope Canadians start asking why we pay more for flights than anyone in the world, in exchange for terrible service. Paying for unavailable services isnt left versus right. Its called being ripped off. His comments sparked an online debate, with some people asking the minister why his delegation had to attend in-person rather than taking part in a Zoom call, which would save taxpayers money. In response, Cardy said he doesnt run the council, and he doubled down by suggesting that incompetent and coddled airlines that take money for services they know they cant deliver could be committing fraud. Air Canada could not be immediately reached for comment. One online commenter suggested Cardy should try booking a flight on another airline. Checking for other tickets on other airlines had crossed my mind, but thanks for the pro tip, the minister tweeted. The comment elicited this response: Your sass is top notch! Air Canada announced last week it would cut more than 15 per cent of its schedule in July and August more than 9,500 flights due to an air transport system bogged down by surging demand. Also last week, Calgary-based WestJet Airlines confirmed it is flying 32 per cent fewer flights in and out of Toronto Pearson International Airport in July than it did before the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent weeks, the airline industrys logistical problems have led to the long lineups, snarled connections and cancelled flights at many Canadian airports. As for Cardys call for deregulation, one sarcastic observer suggested deregulating several other industries and public institutions, including everything from soup to baby formula, health care and lets go back to the Middle Ages! Cardys reply was blunt: That all sounds exceedingly stupid. But you do you. Its not the first time Cardy has taken aim at Canadas airlines. He called for deregulation On June 11, saying Atlantic Canadians pay rip-off fares for late and cancelled flights. Atlantic Canada has worst commercial airline service of any place Ive lived, including Bangladesh and Nepal, he tweeted. (The) Canadian government needs to deregulate the airline industry, like most countries did decades ago. By Michael MacDonald Platform Focused on Clean, Traditional Content Launched in New Yorks Middletown MIDDLETOWN, N.Y.A platform dedicated to promoting clean and traditional content has opened in Orange County on Independence Day, receiving a warm welcome from the citys mayor and other local officials. Its a perfect day: Fourth of July, were celebrating the diversity of America and the freedoms that we havefreedom of religion, freedom of speechand all those freedoms that we have that are being expressed in this building, Middletown Mayor Joseph DeStefano said in a speech at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the companys newly outfitted three-story building. Literally translated to a clean world, social media platform Ganjing World aims to be a clean digital ecosystem where people can browse a rich variety of information, free of concerns about what they see or view, according to its CEO, James Chiu. We want people to be able to stay with us, and we want them to feel safe, and we want them to bring their kids here, because its a safe and clean place, Chiu told The Epoch Times. He sees Ganjing World as an alternative to the existing social media platforms, which, he said, are commercially driven and programmed to hook people in, even when doing so could be psychologically harmful. James Chiu, CEO of Ganjing World, in Middletown, New York, on July 4, 2022. (Larry Dye/The Epoch Times) Chiu wants the new platform to do the opposite: to bring positive energy and convenience to peoples lives. Content the platform currently features includes curated articles and original videos offering daily insights in news, culture, arts, education, health, and life. The platform is currently only in Chinese, but plans to launch an English version soon, with apps for both Android and iOS to come. For its Chinese users, the content, in part, provides uncensored information on events in China and exposes atrocities by the Chinese Communist Party. It also gives a voice to the Tuidang movement, which encourages and helps people to quit the CCP and affiliated organizations. Nearly 400 million Chinese people have chosen to renounce their Party membership so far. James Chiu (C), CEO of Ganjing World, at the platforms ribbon-cutting ceremony in Middletown, New York, on July 4, 2022. (Larry Dye/The Epoch Times) The company, which recently relocated from California, was founded by Chinese dissidents who fled the persecution of Falun Gong under the Chinese communist regime. Launching the platform on July 4 is more than a coincidence, said Chiu, noting that the free speech the platform promotes is one of the foundational values of America. We want people to deliver the message that they want to deliver as long as its clean, its pure, and its useful, he said. James Chiu, CEO of the Ganjing World, in Middletown, New York, on July 4, 2022. (Larry Dye/The Epoch Times) DeStefano, the city mayor, welcomed Ganjing World to Middletown, calling it a win for our city and a win for our region. Theres nothing more I can ask, as a city mayor, than to have people be direct and honest with me, and help when necessary, he told The Epoch Times. And honesty, the two-way-street transparency, its all there. So, for me, I couldnt ask for a better group of people to come into our community. He described the platforms family-oriented concept as a safety valve allowing people to use the internet with confidence. The company will thrive. And if the company thrives, Middletown will thrive with it, he said. City attorney Alex Smith expressed a similar view. I think its a great mission, he told The Epoch Times. With negative and hateful messaging prevalent on the internet, he said, for someone to try to present a different face seems a positive step. You cant force it on people, but you can convince people that this is the right thing to do. It sounds like this is a good start, he told The Epoch Times. Jasper Fakkert, editor in chief for The Epoch Times, also congratulated the opening of the platform at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Its so hard these days to find a platform dedicated to truthful, clean, and traditional content, he said. The Epoch Times applauds the launch of the platform and looks forward to finding ways to collaborate. New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (R) is greeted by her British counterpart Boris Johnson as she arrives for a meeting at Downing Street in London, England, on July 1, 2022. (Leon Neal/Getty Images) New Zealand and UK PMs Strengthen Ties and Announce Working Holiday Visa Changes New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Downing Street on Friday to strengthen ties and promote common interests in the Indo-Pacific. The prime ministers agreed to improve trade and travel mobility through the recently settled free trade agreement (FTA) and changes to visa schemes for young people. I am delighted we have concluded the upgrade to our Working Holiday/Youth Mobility Scheme, which will allow more UK and New Zealand citizens to travel and work in each others countries for longer, Ardern said. The visas have been expanded to include people aged 30 to 35, and the length of stay extended to three years. A joint statement said the decision to enhance the visa showed the scale of mutual interests that underpinned the relationship of both democracies. UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said the improved visa schemes would give more young people in both countries opportunities to develop skills, make deep connections, and contribute to their host country. Travelling, living, and working overseas can be a wonderfully enriching experience. The UK loves to welcome Kiwis on their travels here while thousands of Brits have made the similarly life-changing journey to the southern hemisphere, Patel said. Ardern and Johnson also agreed to a new fast-tracked customs process for trade, aimed to benefit exporters accessing both markets. It builds on the New Zealand-UK FTA that was signed in February. The signing earlier this year of an FTA with the UKone of our largest trading partnersprovides a platform for our business and economic ties to further grow, Ardern said. New Zealand Welcomes Shift Towards Indo-Pacific The prime ministers also discussed significant challenges and opportunities facing the world today, such as security and defence, climate change, and online safety, and how the two countries can jointly respond. Both governments reiterated unequivocal condemnation of Russias invasion of Ukraine, while New Zealand also welcomed UKs security focus tilting towards the Indo-Pacific. We also reaffirm our support for freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea and beyond, the prime ministers said in the joint statement. Both countries also underscore the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues via dialogue. Both leaders also noted the 25th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong to China and reiterated grave concerns about the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong. Ardern will be visiting Australia on July 4 for five days, flying directly from Europe as her trade missions to various countries continue. Australia is our second-largest trading partner, with two-way trade accounting for over NZ$22 billion (US$13.7 billion) in the year to December 2021, and is the first export market many New Zealand companies look to, she said in a statement. Tanks containing natural gas are seen at a storage facility of Erdgas Ostschweiz AG company in Schlieren, Switzerland, on March 5, 2022. Picture taken with a drone. (Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters) No Guarantees Swiss Will Always Have Enough Gas, Minister Says ZURICH Swiss businesses would be first to have energy rationed in the event of supply shortages, Energy Minister Simonetta Sommaruga told the SonntagsZeitung, warning that the government cannot guarantee there will always be enough gas to go around. Landlocked Switzerland gets its gas via trading hubs in neighboring countries in the European Union, so disruptions there would also affect Switzerland. Switzerland has relatively low demand for gas, which covers around 15 percent of total energy consumption. Around 42 percent of gas is used to heat households, and the rest in industry and in the service and transport sectors, according to government data. However, it is nonetheless reliant on imported oil and gas. That is why no one can guarantee that there will always be enough gas for everyone, Sommaruga told the SonntagsZeitung in comments published on Sunday. Swiss Environment, Energy and Transport Minister Simonetta Sommaruga addresses a session of the Swiss federal parliament at the Bundeshaus in Bern, Switzerland, on May 2, 2022. (Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters) Her remarks came after the Swiss government outlined plans on Wednesday to address a possible shortage of natural gas this winter and said it could resort to rationing should other measures prove insufficient. In the event of a shortage of both gas and electricity in Switzerland, energy would first be rationed for businesses. Sommaruga said there would initially be restrictions for escalators or neon signs, for example, adding that the government wants to spare households the longest. Wary of supply chain vulnerabilities and conflicts such as the one in Ukraine, the Swiss government is also considering expanding its emergency food reserves to make sure the country is not hit by shortages of coffee, grain, and sugar. Neighbouring Germany moved last month to stage two of its three-tier emergency gas plan after Russia reduced deliveries via the Nord Stream 1 pipelinea step before the government rations fuel consumption. Former political staffer Brittany Higgins speaks to the media as she leaves the Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices after meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Sydney, Friday, April 30, 2021. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins) No Room for Media to Influence Jurys Judgement on Sexual Assault Cases: Legal, Media Experts Legal and media experts in Australia have weighed in on the high-profile sexual assault trial of former Liberal Party staffer Brittany Higgins, saying the media should have no room in the jurys judgment in order to have a fair trial outcome. The comment comes after the Australian Capital Territory Supreme Court delayed Higgins trial until October, citing concerns that journalist Lisa Wilkinsons speech at the Logies could prejudice the trial. Wilkinson won the award for her reporting of Higgins allegation in which the former Liberal staffer accused her colleague of sexually assaulting her at the Parliament house in 2019. In her speech, Wilkinson mentioned and praised Higgins as a sexual assault survivor, although the man has pleaded not guilty to the charge of sexual intercourse. Brittany Higgins and Lisa Wilkinson attend the Marie Claire International Womens Day breakfast at est. on March 8, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images) Publicity Could Prejudice Trials Joseph Fernandez, Adjunct Associate Professor at Curtin Universitys School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry, told The Epoch Times that there is absolutely no room for the media to participate in the jurys judgement. None whatsoever. He said the media serves only to inform people as to what is going on in the courts, and that intense or distorted publicity can influence juries and prejudge a persons guilt or innocence. The sentiment was echoed by Jason Bosland, Director of the Centre for Media and Communications Law at Melbourne Law School, who told The Epoch Times that media coverage could also interfere with a criminal trial by influencing the recollection or reliability of witness testimony. While Bosland declined to comment on the Brittany Higgins case directly, he stressed that a fair trial is conducted based on admissible evidence before an impartial tribunal and is not influenced by extraneous media reporting or commentary. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA MAY 28: Lisa Wilkinson speaks during B&T Changing The Ratio 2018 at Belvoir Street Theatre on May 28, 2018, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images for B&T) Consent: The Heart of The Issue Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor of Law and Criminal Justice at the University of South Australia, argued that despite the publicity around the case, the actual situation could be far more complex. Sarre, whos been a law professor for 35 years, told The Epoch Times that in mild legal crime cases such as robbery or drug trafficking, the main issue is finding out the identity of the person behind the crime. But in most sexual assault cases, its about what independent mindset was playing out at that particular episode. The question is not so much whether or not the woman is to be believed, but whether or not there is consent in those sorts of relationships and how that consent will play out, he noted. The bottom line is that if the jury said the man accused believed Higgins was consenting, and its believed that both were a bit drunk, then the accused would not be found guilty. Its a very difficult thing, the law professor added. I dont think its helpful to say we have to believe all victims because a lot of them will be going to the court in those circumstances for reasons other than the fact that they were assaulted. Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins at the National Press Club in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 9, 2022. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images) Whats Behind the Intense Media Attention? Curtin Universitys media professor Fernandez argued the publicity around the case of Higgins is a result of the widespread #MeToo movement in Australia and globally. Another factor, he said, was because the allegations concerned events that allegedly occurred on Parliaments premises, which is a place that makes laws. Also, it attracted more attention because the political stakes were very high and also because of alleged cover-ups as to what happened. The case became a flashpoint for a wider problem that of rampant sexual assault and sexual harassment of women, especially by those in positions of power and influence. Fireworks explode above the Mount Rushmore National Monument during an Independence Day event attended by President Donald Trump in Keystone, S.D., on July 3, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Noem Wants to Bring Back the July 4 Fireworks to Mount Rushmore The skies of Mount Rushmore will not be filled with colorful fireworks this year, but South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has not given up hope for next year. The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has denied the governors request for the past two years. But Noem said, we will not be deterred. As Americans all across our great country make preparations to celebrate their Independence Day, we have once again been denied the opportunity to celebrate at our nations enduring symbol of freedom, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Noem said in a statement. We have submitted a request for 2023 and will continue asking the Biden Administration to work with us to give the people the celebration they deserve. The NPS said in a March letter that the fireworks could damage the park and interfere with park activities. The light display would also create a clear and present danger, in terms of wildfire risks, NPS officials said in their letter. Additionally a fireworks event would likely require dedicated transportation for the visitors, as occurred in 2020, NPS officials said in their denial letter. In the event of an emergency, evacuation would be hampered and pose a safety risk to attendees. Current trends indicate COVID is not a factor in denying the permit. It remains a source of uncertainty. The fireworks would also interfere with programs planned by NPS, officials said. The first fireworks in more than a decade happened at Mount Rushmore in 2020. Noem called Mount Rushmore the best place in America to celebrate our nations birthday in March and criticized President Joe Biden. Last year, the President hypocritically held a fireworks celebration in Washington, D.C., while denying us our own event, the governor said. By Kim Jarrett Roman Balmakov (L) and Dr. John Abramson (R) in an interview on EpochTV's "Facts Matter" program aired on June 24, 2022. Nonsensical System: Dr. John Abramson on Conflicts of Interest Among Big Pharma, Medical Journals, and Regulators According to Dr. John Abramson, pharmaceutical companies, medical journals, and federal health agencies have conflicts of interest that would harm the public tremendously. The problem has been demonstrated by how clinical trial data is being handled, said Abramson, a Harvard Medical School lecturer and an expert in litigation. Its a system that is inherently nonsensical, Abramson said in a recent interview with EpochTVs Facts Matter program. Abramson explained that Big Pharma funds most of the clinical trials, and its influence could allow the data to be presented in a way that is in their best interestselling more products. However, peer-reviewed medical journals dont have complete data access and cant guarantee the integrity of those studies. Government agencies also play a role in advancing Big Pharmas agenda. These factors could lead doctors to prescribe or patients to accept a medical product without knowing its full risk. Tabulated Data Drug companies prepare a clinical study report for a major clinical trial, but the data in the report is tabulated, said Abramson. Medical students and doctors are being taught that they have to practice evidence-based medicine, meaning the articles that are published in peer-reviewed journals, and the recommendations in clinical practice guidelines, need to be followed by good doctors, said Abramson. What theyre not taught is that the peer-reviewers dont get to see the actual data from the clinical trial. They just get to see the data that is summarized in the journal article manuscripts that are submitted. Abramson said drug companies fund 86 percent of the clinical trials that are conducted in the United States, and those manuscripts are typically written with the help or control of the drug companies to put the best light on their drugs to present the data in a way that will have the greatest impact in prescribing their drug. This is why were having the problems of recalls and drugs that dont turn out to be as good as they say. Abramson played an important role in the investigation of Vioxx, a drug made by Merck and Co. pharmaceutical company. The investigation later led to the largest drug recall in history. He said the experts who write the clinical practice guidelines couldnt see the actual data from the clinical trials either. Who Funds Clinical Trials Clinical trials, that is, the study of a pharmaceutical product in humans, are essential to develop or approve a new medical product, such as a drug or a vaccine. According to clinicaltrials.gov, a website maintained by the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as of July 3, there are 1,234 clinical trials, or interventional studies, relating to COVID-19 that have been conducted in the United States. Among them, 177 were funded by NIH or other federal agencies, 510 were funded by the pharmaceutical industry, and 582 were funded by individuals, universities, or organizations. The National Library of Medicine told The Epoch Times via email that multiple groups could fund a clinical trial so that a study may be counted twice. For clinical trials funded by individuals, universities, or organizations, the money may actually come from Big Pharma. Its reported that universities relied upon Big Pharmas grants for most of their medical research. For individuals, universities, or organizations, another donation source is philanthropic organizations, such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation announced in May that it would donate $125 million to help end the COVID-19 pandemic, which is in addition to more than $2 billion that the foundation has already committed to the global COVID-19 response. A significant part of the $2 billion has gone toward COVID-19 vaccines. The doctors and the insurers and the health policy people dont understand the extent to which the drug companies are perpetrating the illusion that what theyre presenting is science, when in fact, its marketing, said Abramson. Its their version of the science, but its not independently vetted. Medical journals have their conflicts of interest in not demanding the full data, said Abramson. They dont want to demand data because they want to be an attractive site for the big drug trials so that they can then sell the reprints back to the drug company. Abramson said in the case of Vioxx, the New England Journal of Medicine, one of the most reputable journals in the nation, peer-reviewed and published a study in 2003 and sold about 900,000 reprints of the article. The study claimed that Vioxx is effective and safe while the drug could cause a severe heart attack, blood clot, or stroke. The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors didnt respond to a request for comment. Over a dozen renowned medical journals are members of the organization. Retracted Studies In May 2020, Lancet, another world-famous medical journal, retracted a study on the effectiveness of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine against COVID-19. The study claimed that these drugs had no evidence of benefit but increased the risk of in-hospital death with COVID-19. The Guardian reported that the study had temporarily halted global trials of for COVID-19. The Lancets editor-in-chief Richard Horton told the Guardian that he was appalled by the retraction, This is a shocking example of research misconduct in the middle of a global health emergency. Horton once wrote that perhaps half of scientific literature might simply be untrue. Afflicted by studies with small sample sizes, tiny effects, invalid exploratory analyses, and flagrant conflicts of interest, together with an obsession for pursuing fashionable trends of dubious importance, science has taken a turn towards darkness, Horton wrote. In July 2020, when schools considered how to return children to school in September, the New York Times reported on a South Korean study claiming children between 10 and 19 years old can spread the virus as adults do. Later on, it came out they admitted they could not define what direction transmission was happening within their study, so they had to issue a correctionalso the New York Times [did a correction] a month later, Immunologist Steven Templeton told The Epoch Times last year. But the damage had already been done after this highly publicized report and other stories were published; schools had been closed, and people had decided to go remote, Templeton said. Retraction Watch, an organization focusing on retracted medical studies, found that over 200 articles relating to COVID-19 have been retracted globally, including preprint studies. Sickening Dr. Abramson was a family doctor for 20 years. After he realized the medical journals were being increasingly influenced by the drug companies, he left his family practice and wrote a book Overdosed America in 2004. Later, he spent 10 years in national pharmaceutical litigation consulting with the Justice Department and the FBI. I got to understand exactly how the drug companies work, some of which I can share in the book and can share now, because the cases were heard in open court and the documents unsealed, said Dr. Abramson. In February, he published a new book titled Sickening: How Big Pharma Broke American Health Care and How We Can Repair It. What I learned about how the drug companies routine operating procedures involve keeping their data confidential so that they cant be held to the standards of independent scientific analysis. Thats what sickening is, said Abramson. A whistleblower has alleged that a contractor of Pfizer had falsified data, employed inadequately trained vaccinators, and was slow to follow up on adverse events reported in Pfizers phase III trial for COVID-19 vaccine. Brook Jackson, a former clinical trial overseer for a contractor holding trials of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine, sued Pfizer and two contractors in January 2021. She claimed they concealed violations of both their clinical trial protocol and federal regulations, including falsification of clinical trial documents. Due to Defendants scheme, millions of Americans have received a misbranded vaccination which is potentially not as effective as represented, Jackson alleged. In May, Pfizer asked the court to throw out the lawsuit. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a trade group representing pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies in the United States, referred The Epoch Times to their Principles on Conduct of Clinical Trials (pdf). The principles said the pharmaceutical companies are committed to the transparency of clinical trials that are sponsored by our member companies. As sponsors, we are responsible for receipt and verification of data from all research sites for the studies we conduct; we ensure the accuracy and integrity of the entire study database, which is owned by the sponsor, the document added. Regulator Cheerleading Abramson said federal health agencies sometimes played a cheerleading role for Big Pharma, such as in the case of COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccine makers are pushing their data on the government. Theyre doing press releases so that the public thinks they know, and doctors think they know, whats going on because of how the news reports press releases. But that information is not accurate, said Abramson. The key here is that the government has been cheerleading, in my opinion, too much. Theyve gone out over their skis. And theyve promised safety when the studies havent been long enough to be safe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acknowledges that COVID-19 vaccines have two-months of safety data but claims they are safe. The clinical trials showed no serious safety concerns within eight weeks following vaccination. This is an important milestone, as it is unusual for adverse effects caused by vaccines to appear after this amount of time, stated CDC. And theyve made efficacy claims that are consistent with a drug companys press releases and claims, but not a thorough independent analysis of the data. So I think the government has played a role in not being rigorous enough about the data, said Abramson. Abramson said hes not an anti-vaxxer and believes the evidence shows the benefit of vaccination. Cardiologist and epidemiologist Dr. Peter McCullough is one of the loudest voices doubting the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. He said the claim that COCID-19 vaccines could reduce hospitalizations and deaths is a complete false narrative. None of the vaccines have had clinical trials done versus placebo with that composite endpoint, McCullough told The Epoch Times last month. Whats happened over time is a false narrative thats developed from observational data. McCullough said there were many biased analyses by investigators, doctors, and those in the biopharmaceutical complex trying to promote the vaccines. Abramson also found it hard to understand why regulators approved and recommended the second booster based on observational data. Why the FDA [the U.S. Food and Drug Administration] and CDC relied on Israeli observational data to approve the second booster completely escapes me, said Abramson. On March 29, FDA authorized a second booster dose of either the Pfizer or the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for people over 50 and immunocompromised individuals. Abramson said when Israel approved a second booster without data, it was a perfect situation to run a randomized controlled trial on hundreds of thousands of people to see if a booster really works. But Pfizer chose not to do that. They chose to do an observational study, said Abramson, adding that FDA did not insist on a randomized control trial in Israel, and even extended the booster to people over 50 years old. Neither CDC nor FDA responded to a request for comment by press time. Abramson said that people are learning that the benefit of Paxlovid was exaggerated and the original study only applied to high-risk people. Paxlovid is an oral antiviral medication used to treat COVID-19 that was developed by Pfizer. But that discovery has been going on for a long time. The data have been hidden, and the doctors dont understand it. And this is a huge problem that is driving up the cost of health care that is harming American itself, thats impeding doctors and other health care professionals from practicing the job that theyve committed their lives to practice, and harming the public tremendously. Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. Harry Lee Follow Harry Lee is a New York-based reporter for The Epoch Times. Contact Harry at harry.lee@epochtimes.com The Centerville Noon Optimist Club's Avenue of Flags program has grown to more than 3,500 businesses and homes. (Courtesy of Centerville Noon Optimist Club) Ohio Communitys Avenue of Flags Program Inspires American Spirit Patriotism lives year-round in Centerville American flags line the streets of Centerville, Ohio, on Independence Day as a parade highlights the largest single-day festival in Ohio. In this city 15 miles south of Dayton and 45 miles north of Cincinnati, the Americana Festival represents a patriotic tradition reflective of a Norman Rockwell painting illustrating a simpler time, yet the annual event is only part of the communitys passion for Americas heritage. On five flag holidays (Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day), volunteers from the Centerville Noon Optimist Club place three-by-five-foot U.S. flags on 10-foot poles in the front yards of homeowners and business owners. The Avenue of Flags has become as beloved as the Americana Festival in this community of 24,240. What started as a small project of 33 flags in one neighborhood in 2005 has evolved into 3,500 flags across Centerville and Washington Township on flag holidays. The Americana Festival in Centerville, Ohio celebrated its 50th year on July 4, 2022. (Courtesy of Americana Festival) Funds raised from Avenue of Flags subscribers are donated to childrens organizations in the community. The Centerville Noon Optimist Club is the largest Optimist Club in the world. The organization awards around $20,000 worth of scholarships each year. One of the tenets of The Optimist Creed is to promote patriotism. Our motto is Friend of Youth, said Tom Novak, a co-chairman of the Avenue of Flags and a 27-year member of the Centerville Noon Optimist Club. The Avenue of Flags illustrates both goals because the flags provide a sense of pride in the community, and the funds raised from the program go directly to the young people. Volunteers deliver and pick up the flags. There are 83 teams, including volunteers from Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Centerville High School wrestling team. Even subscribers have become volunteers. Centerville is also home to the countrys largest chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America, a nonprofit organization that supports patriotism, troops all over the world, U.S. veterans, and fellow mothers and parents of service members. Blue Star Mothers is among the volunteer teams for the Avenue of Flags. Flags are distributed and collected around each holiday. They are made in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. When the program grew so large that the Centerville Noon Optimists were unsure where they would store the flags, Sinclair Community Colleges Centerville campus stepped up, Novak said. The Centerville Noon Optimists have helped six neighboring communities launch their own Avenue of Flags programs. Members who have moved out of state have created an Avenue of Flags in their new town. The Avenue of Flags is especially inspiring because patriotism is on display in neighborhoods and downtown streets, Novak said. One of the most awe-inspiring images you can see is the American flag waving in the wind. By name alone, Centerville reflects the definition of Americana, which is things associated with the culture and history of America, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. There are five communities called Centerville in Ohio. Centerville has the largest collection of early stone houses in the state of Ohio. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Walton House Museum in Centerville, Ohio is one of the citys stone buildings dressed up for Independence Day. (Jeff Louderback/Epoch Times) Surveyed during George Washingtons presidency in 1796, the community we know as Centerville was settled by pioneers such as Aaron Nutt, Benjamin Archer, and Benjamin Robbins. It was Robbins who named the fledgling town Centreville after his hometown, Centreville, New Jersey, and because it was located between two rivers and was central to other communities such as Dayton and Lebanon. The U.S. Post Office changed the spelling to Centerville around 1900. Aaron Nutt Sr. was one of Centervilles early settlers. He served as a Revolutionary War riding spy, and his cottage was built on land provided by President James Monroe for his contributions to Americas independence. At one time, as many as 100 stone buildings stood in Centerville and Washington Township. Today, around 25 remain, including Nutts cottage in the historic district on Main Street. The stone buildings are among the businesses and homes that are dressed up for Independence Day and the Americana Festival. At the citys Fourth of July celebration this year, the Americana Festival hosted a parade commemorating its 50th anniversary. The event debuted in 1972 as a sidewalk sale for downtown Centerville merchants. It became so popular that a festival was born. Now, the celebration draws more than 75,000 people and is the largest single-day festival in Ohio. Mark Ryan, who owns a real estate agency located in the downtown historic district, hosts an annual party during the festival and decorates his building with American flags and banners. Centerville is a place where patriotismand the principles and values on which America was foundedare still appreciated and celebrated, Ryan said. We love that we live in a community with a small-town feel that has an Independence Day festival and parade, and American flags on just about every street. It serves as a reminder of another era a long time ago. Centervilles 50th Americana Festival was started with a community concert at Stubbs Park on July 3, 2022. (Courtesy of City of Centerville) Dave Paprocki was born and raised in Centerville, graduated from Centerville High School in 2002, moved away, and then returned to his native town. He serves as the Americana Festivals publicity chair. When I was a kid, I remember how excited I felt the days leading up to Independence Day, driving through town and seeing all of the buildings getting dressed up with flags, banners, and anything red, white, and blue, Paprocki said. At a time when our country is divided, the festival represents a time when 75,000 people from all walks of life celebrate their city and country, and Centervilles patriotic heritage. General view of the launching ceremony of China's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, named after Fujian Province, at Jiangnan Shipyard, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), in Shanghai, China, on June 17, 2022. (Li Tang/VCG via Getty Images) Chinas New Aircraft Carrier Lacks Fighter Jets Commentary China launched its new Type 003 aircraft carrier Fujian on June 17 in Shanghai, touting that its electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) is on par with the latest U.S. Ford-class aircraft carrier. However, to support the claim that the EMALS catapult of Type 003 is really effective, a considerable number of carrier-based aircraft are required for take-off and landing testswhich is precisely a major deficiency of the Fujian and the embarrassment of the Chinese navy. China currently lacks sizable carrier-based aircraft such as carrier-based fighter jets, airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, electronic-warfare (EW) aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), and military transport aircraft. Is J-15B Ready for the Type 003 Aircraft Carriers EMALS? Though equipped with advanced EMALS catapults, the Fujian lacks enough fighter jets and other carrier-based aircraft, which is one of its most vulnerable points. A J-15 fighter jet lands on Chinas Liaoning aircraft carrier during a drill at sea on April 24, 2018. (AFP via Getty Images) Chinas jet fighter J-15, a reverse-engineered copy of the former Soviet Sukhoi Su-33, is currently Chinas only carrier-based fighter jet. The J-15B is rumored to be a production-ready CATOBAR (catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery) variant of the J-15 as part of the air wing of the Type 003 carrier. The Liaoning and the Shandong aircraft carriers have conducted the takeoff and landing training of the J-15 on the traditional ski jump-assisted short takeoff launch systems. Being the heaviest carrier-based fighter in service, the J-15 has difficulty taking off from the ski-jump deck of these two carriers, and it cannot take off with a full load of fuel and weaponry; otherwise, it may face the risk of falling into the sea. The empty weight of the J-15 is about 17.5 tons (38,581 lbs). Its closest international approximation would be the U.S. F/A-18E Super Hornet, whose empty weight is about 14.6 tons (32,187 lbs). U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets multirole fighters and an EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft (2nd R) on board USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) aircraft carrier as it sails in the South China Sea on its way to Singapore on Oct. 16, 2019. (Catherine Lai/AFP via Getty Images) The Russian navy ordered the MiG-29K as a replacement for the Su-33 in 2009, with the weight of the Su-33 being one of the reasons it has been retired. In May, Chinas first aircraft carrier Liaoning conducted drills in the Philippine Sea and Okinawa waters, with the J-15 taking off and landing multiple times. Pictures taken by the Japanese Self-Defense Force show that the J-15 only carried air-to-air missiles, apparently to ensure the safety of takeoff and landing, but revealing that the Liaoning and the Shandong could not carry out sea or ground attacks and had no naval combat capability. The launch of the Fujian aircraft carrier should give the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) some hope that if the electromagnetic catapult works, the J-15 may be able to take off with a full load of fuel and weaponry, which will significantly increase its combat capability. However, even if it were true, the Type 003 aircraft carrier would still need several years of field testing, and the core catapult test would require many carrier-based aircraft. In 2020, the CCP revealed that the J-15B, an advanced variant of J-15, was under development and ready to join the Fujian air wing. According to the Chinese regimes state-run mouthpieces, the catapult connecting rod is installed in the J-15Bs nose part, and some structural and material reinforcements have been carried out, hoping that the EMALS catapult can solve the J-15s overweight issue. It also abandoned the Russian-made engine and switched to the domestic WS-10 engine. However, amid the state-run medias recent boasting about the Fujian, its noteworthy that the J-15B that was expected to accompany the carriers launch did not appear in the media. China has a total of 34 J-15 fighter jets as of August 2021, according to Japans 2021 defense white paper. From open sources and publications, the Liaoning is said to be capable of carrying 24 fighter jets, the Shandong is capable of carrying 32, while the Fujian is capable of carrying 40. It seems there arent enough jets for testing and training on the three carriers China now has. When the Liaoning was dispatched again in May this year, a maximum of nine jets were visible on the deck. The Chinese navys dilemma is that it has to hasten the production of J-15B for the Fujian while continuing with the production of J-15 for the other two carriers. Additional equipment and carrier-based aircraft cannot be shared among the three carriers. In addition, the Fujian requires regular maintenance. Once it is back at the shipyard, a series of carrier-based aircraft can only be on standby on land. The Fujian Has No Complete Air Wing Yet The standard air wing of the U.S. aircraft carrier is generally composed of 80 to 90 aircraft, including 48 F/A-18E/F or F-35C fighters, four to six E-2 Hawkeye airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft, four to six E/A-18 Growler electronic warfare aircraft, anti-submarine, and transport aircraft, and search and rescue helicopters. Three F/A-18E Super Hornets fly in formation over the aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), USS Nimitz (CVN 68), and their strike groups along with ships from the Republic of Korea Navy, as they transit the Western Pacific on Nov. 12, 2017. (Aaron B. Hicks/U.S. Navy/Handout via Reuters) The Chinese navys Type 003 is far from a complete air wing. First of all, its J-15B has no official launching date yet. Another potential fighter jet, known initially as the FC-31, now renamed the FC-35, is still being developed. Chinas carrier-based AEW should be the Shaanxi KJ-600, which has not been officially released. The CCPs carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft is said to be the J-15D, an improved variant of the J-15. The use of carrier-based helicopters has just started, and it will also take time to form a complete auxiliary fleet. With the numerous land-based and carrier-based testing and training of the various aircraft, it may take at least three to five years for the Chinese navy to form a complete aircraft carrier fleet. If any of the tests fail to meet the requirements, it will take an even longer time. Conclusion China boasts of having three aircraft carriers. But two are copies of former Soviet Union-era technologies, which are considered obsolete, and the third is a copy of U.S. technologies. However, except for the electromagnetic catapults deliberately hidden on the Fujian, there is nothing special about the latest carrier. It is still at the initial stage of imitating U.S. technology. The CCPs various types of carrier-based aircraft seem to have fallen behind schedule and have not yet been ready, which is one of the major issues with the testing of Type 003 EMALS catapults. The Chinese navys task of copying the U.S. aircraft carrier has just begun. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A man holding a child walks in front of a screen showing a live broadcast of Chinese leader Xi Jinping speaking during a swearing-in ceremony for Hong Kong's new chief executive, John Lee, on July 1, 2022, in Hong Kong, China. Hong Kong celebrates the 25th anniversary of its handover from Britain to China on July 1. (Anthony Kwan/Getty Images) Hong Kongs 25th Anniversary Celebration Commentary As Hong Kong, or perhaps more accurately its government, prepared to celebrate a quarter century as a special autonomous region (SAR) of China and the inauguration of a new chief executive, Beijings hand-picked candidate John Lee, the atmosphere was more one of manufactured gaiety than genuine joy. District councils and sundry patriotic organizations put up gaudy decorations. At the same time, the media speculated about whether Chinese leader Xi Jinping would or would not show up, reminding this observer of the line from the nursery rhyme the stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hope that Saint Nicholas would soon be there. If so, commentators said, it would be the first time in over two years that Xi had appeared outside Chinathough how much Hong Kong ought to be considered outside China is questionable, and indeed sometimes the press added outside mainland China as clarification. In any case, Xi was already on record for affirming his deep feelings for Hong Kong, with a Peoples Daily article headlined Hong Kongs Development is Always Close to My Heart, presenting a compilation of his statements that highlighted his care for the SAR over the decades. Putting an end to the suspense, Xi arrived, though not by plane but via high-speed rail, greeted by an enthusiastic albeit carefully vetted group waving identical tiny flags. He didnt stay long, inspecting the citys high-tech area, attending a banquet, and then taking the train back to the mainland. He came back the next day for John Lees inauguration, where he made a speech that, in true Orwellian fashion, praised the one country, two systems policy that he had brutally destroyed and declared that there is no reason to change such a good system, and it must be adhered to in the long run. Hong Kongs unique status and advantages must be maintained while upholding the central authorities jurisdiction and the administration of patriots. Xi quickly returned home after skipping the traditional flag-raising ceremony due to heavy rains. Police have installed water-filled barriers outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, where the inauguration ceremony of the newly-appointed Chief Executive John Lee will take place in Hong Kong on June 27, 2022. (Kin Cheung/AP Photo) Hong Kong officials extolled the many good things that had happened since 1997, when dignitaries stood gamely in the perhaps symbolically pouring rain as the British flag was pulled down and the Chinese flag raised. Typical was a statement by Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po expressing confidence in the future development of what he described as a critical juncture of maintaining stability while seeking prosperity. Although delicately admitting that the city had experienced some turbulence in the past, it had, said Chan, quickly returned from chaos to stability with the passage of the National Security Law (NSL). To ensure future prosperity, he advised, Hong Kong must further integrate itself into Chinas overall national development. In fact, the 2019 demonstrations Chan alluded to were but the culmination of escalating levels of popular protest ever since Beijing, soon after assuming jurisdiction, began to erode the pledges it had given Britain in the handover agreementin 1999 when Chinas rubber-stamp legislature, the National Peoples Congress, overruled the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeals judgment on the right of abode; in 2003 over a proposed national security law; in the 2014 Umbrella Movement when Beijing reneged on its promise for direct elections; and finally in the 2019 uprising when up to 2 million people took to the streets to oppose a bill that would allow the extradition of Hong Kong residents to the mainland to be tried under its harsh and opaque legal system. Their efforts failed, resulting in the 2020 NSL that punished advocates of secession, subversion, terrorist activities, and collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security. Conveniently ambiguous, the law in effect allowed for prosecution for almost anything the authorities deemed to endanger national security, including people whose only offense was that they had contributed to a fund to defray the legal expenses of those already arrested before the law went into effect. As banners floated aloft, the atmosphere at ground level was more somber. The mood ranged from sullen to fearful, apprehensive, and resigned to indifferent. Many pro-democracy activists had fled the country or been arrested, the latter including the 90-year-old Cardinal Joseph Zen, though he was later released on bail. Cardinal Joseph Zen, the recipient of the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom, speaks at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundations ceremony in his honor at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 28, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) The trial of a group of top democratic politicians and campaigners known collectively as the Hong Kong 47 is scheduled to begin later this year. The former chief of the Hong Kong Bar Association, a UK citizen, left out of concern with the NSL, and two British judges resigned from the high court for similar reasons. The annual commemoration for the victims of the June 4, 1989, Tiananmen massacre could not be held, with religious and human rights authorities urging people to hold quiet remembrances in the privacy of their own homes rather than risk arrest. Symbolic affirmations that Beijing, not the people of Hong Kong, were the arbiters of the acceptable abounded. Among the most meaningful was the removal of the Pillar of Shame sculpture from the campus of Hong Kong University at Christmastime 2021. When its Danish creator requested the monuments return to the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre, no shipping company was willing to undertake the task. Two other universities quickly followed suit: The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) removed its Goddess of Democracy, and Lingnan University tore down a bas-relief memorializing the 1989 crackdown. When CUHK students placed flowers where the Goddess had stood, and lit candles spelling mourn, the universitys administration, citing potential national security law breaches and exploiting the campus for political purposes, dissolved the schools student union. Descending to the level of the absurd, a stamp issued to commemorate Hong Kongs 25th handover changed the color of the students school uniforms from yellow to white, presumably due to its association with the 2014 Umbrella Movement: the bright yellow umbrellas that the protestors used to shield themselves from tear gas attacks resulted in the use of the color itself arousing suspicion. In another example of historical nihilism, school textbooks to be used from fall 2022 state that Hong Kong was never a British colony since the Qing government did not recognize the treaties of cession. The document, of which original copies survive, bears the governments signature and seal. Students will also learn in their new textbooks that external forces instigated the 2019 social unrest, which threatened national security. The president of the Hong Kong Lawyers Association, Chan Chak-ming, declared that the NSL was not particularly harsh since it did not impose death penalties. And despite the offices of Hong Kongs remaining independent media and human rights organizations being raided by police, their files seized, and their personnel arrested, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam stated that the SAR has freedom of the press. Her successor, John Lee, who ran unopposed, is apt to be more rather than less strict. His background of 35 years in police work has not predisposed him to sympathy for human rights, with the outspoken Chris Patten, Hong Kongs last governor under British rule, declaring that Lee wouldnt know what the rule of law was if it hit him in the eye with a plastic baton. Chinese leader Xi Jinping (right) and Hong Kongs new chief executive, John Lee, at a swearing-in ceremony in Hong Kong, China, on July 1, 2022. (Justin Chin/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Lee has announced his intention to fast-track additions to Hong Kongs Basic Law in an effort to cover any gaps not yet covered by the NSL and to ban fake news, interpreted by Hong Kong Watch CEO Benedict Rogers, now living in London, as a euphemism for any news the government dislikes. The major question is whither Hong Kong. Carrie Lams and Chan Chak-mings views notwithstanding, there is general agreement that Hong Kongs once-vibrant civil society is dead. In the words of a long-time resident, Hong Kong is being treated like a naughty pupil being made to stand in a corner as long as the teacher pleases. People are leaving if they can. Although the numbers are not enormous, she adds, those who emigrate tend to be from the professional and intellectual strata, with those remaining either apolitical or unable to move for personal or business reasons. In a best-case scenario for the government, mainland professionals, who have never had the rights that Hong Kong people enjoyed and therefore will not protest their absence, will fill the places left by those who have emigrated. How much this will affect Hong Kongs ability to further integrate itself with the mainland while simultaneously maintaining its status as a leading financial center remains to be seen. Hong Kong has consistently declared itself open for business, but how many investors will come is a major unknown. Many financial analysts see the Hong Kong Stock Exchange as overly dependent on Chinese capital, with Chinese companies accounting for almost 80 percent of its market. Londons Financial Times quoted former HKEX board member David Webb saying, They shouldve done much more over the last 30 years to promote Hong Kong as the Asian financial hub and not just a mainland Chinese financial hub. Should the Chinese financial bubble burst, as has been predicted for some years, the contraction will have severe consequences for Hong Kong. A general view of the Central financial district during sunset in Hong Kong, China, on March 11, 2021. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Although some businesses have left or have transferred assets elsewhere, most seem willing to stay put and even cooperate. These include corporations that style themselves champions of liberal values, such as Disney, whose streaming service dropped an episode of The Simpsons when it launched its platform in Hong Kong. The offending segment showed a large sign in Tiananmen Square that read, on this site in 1989, nothing happened. When the government was concerned that few voters would go to the polls for a patriots-only election whose results were never in doubt, many big businesses hastened to cooperate. For example, Big Four accounting giant KPMG offered employees a day off after certifying that they had cast their ballots. And the Asia chair of the prestigious American law firm Davis Polk and Wardell pronounced himself honored to speak at a Hong Kong government forum commemorating the passage of the NSL, having publicly endorsed it a year before by saying that at the heart of everything Hong Kong governments success is the rule of law. It is difficult to believe that an official of an internationally renowned law firm regarded the NSL as the rule of law. The official was later shamed into withdrawing, saying, again incredibly, that his agreement to participate did not reflect an endorsement or support of any topics discussed or individuals or organizations involved. The latter is likely to triumph in a conflict between ethics and profit. However, there will be a cost: Homogenization with the mainland while somehow insisting that Hong Kong can remain unique is logically impossible. Blessed with scenic beauty, an ideal geographic location, and state-of-the-art infrastructure, Hong Kong will continue to be a center for international commerce, albeit perhaps at a lower level than before. But as an expat who has decided to stay lamented, its human core is rotting. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. (LR) Emma Stanford, Chief Jonathan Welker, and Sgt. Robert Tarczewski and his partner K9 Tag in Palm Coast, Fla., in June 2018. (Courtesy of Carmen Stanford via The Center Square) Patriotic Pups: How One 11-Year-Olds Idea Led to a Statewide and National Movement In 2018, 11-year-old Emma Stanford and her Gold Star family from Palm Coast, Florida, mentioned to their local sheriff her desire to find a canine companion. He then sent a member of his K-9 unit to her home and it was love at first woof. Now 14, her efforts led to a new statewide program created through a law enacted this year to support retired police dogs. And her nonprofit EmmaLovesK9s is inspiring others nationwide to help raise money to support police dogs in their local communities. Joining Gov. Ron DeSantis last month as he signed a bill into law creating the Care for Retired Police Dogs program, she said as soon as she learned about the lack of funding for retired police dogs, she wanted to help. The retired dogs have served us and our communities and I believe that they deserve the best possible care, she said. (LR) Sgt. Robert Tarczewski, Emma Stanford, Sheriff Rick Staly, and Chief Jonathan Welker in Palm Coast, Fla., in June 2022. (Courtesy of Carmen Stanford via The Center Square) In Florida we back the blue, and that includes the K-9s that are often the first to go into a dangerous situation, DeSantis said when he signed the bill. After dedicating their lives to protecting and serving our communities, it is important that we ensure that these K-9s are cared for by providing the resources necessary for handlers or adopters to afford their veterinary care. Its the first program of its kind to help fund medical bills for retired police dogs in Florida and is believed to be the first in the United States. The law might not have happened if she hadnt first met Flagler County Sheriff Chief Jonathan Welker and Sgt. Robert Tarczewskiand his K-9 partner, Tag, a German Shephard. Soon after, she got her own German Shepherd, Sniper. After she found out how much it cost handlers to care for retired dogs, she asked Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly how she could help. He told The Center Square hed never thought about the cost to care for retired dogs in his 47-year career. Each dog costs about $3,000 a year, he says, without serious medical issues. Many sheriffs offices dont have the manpower or funding to purchase and take care of police dogs. And those that do dont have the funds to take care of retired dogs. Working dogs have formed such a bond with their handlers that when they retire, due to age or medical or physical conditions, their handlers take them home. And up until now, theyve been bearing the costs themselves. One of his sergeants has two retired dogs, he says, which cost between $4,000 and $6,000. When he learned how expensive it was, he immediately changed department policy to pay a stipend to handlers. But Emma wanted to do more and began raising money for Flagler County Sheriff K-9s, including raising enough to build a new shed, purchase equipment, and a range of other things. So far, shes raised over $10,000, her mother says. But Emma still wanted to do more, so she contacted her local state representative, Stan Killebrew. He told The Center Square hes never had an 11-year-old constituent contact him before. Usually, people contact him expressing support or opposition to a bill, he said, but Miss Emma contacted me with an idea to help police dogs. Earlier this year, Killebrew introduced a bill to provide medical funding for retired police dogs. The legislature passed it, DeSantis signed it into law, and it went into effect June 13. The program, housed under the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, allocates $300,000 in recurring funds to cover medical costs of retired police dogs. Through it, owners of eligible retired dogs will be reimbursed up to $1,500 for annual veterinary costs. Killebrew says it will go a long way to help dogs that are beat up after they serve and they need medical attention. Police dogs are often dual trained in narcotics and tracking to apprehend suspects. They undergo rigorous training, wear a range of protective gear and often are first to go into dangerous situations. Oftentimes theyre sent into the woods or a house where someone may be armed, he said. Theyll defend their handler, even taking a bullet for them. K-9 plushies Cash and Loki. Cash, a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois, is trained in patrol, tracking and narcotics in Lehigh Township, Pennsylvania. He is funded solely by fundraisers and donations. Loki, a yellow Labrador, is a narcotics and tracking specialist in Kent County, Maryland. (Courtesy of Carmen Stanford via The Center Square) With the rise of fentanyl flooding Florida streets, Staly told The Center Square that his handlers carry NARCAN for themselves and their dogs. Dogs can overdose just like people, he said. One of his dogs is trained to sniff out bombs and explosives. Another just recently helped find a missing resident suffering from dementia who was lost in the woods, he said. Hes never met anyone like Emma before who as an 11-year-old helped create state law to help take care of canines, he told The Center Square. It just goes to show, if you have the will power and the drive you can support your community, and in this case the four-legged canine and local sheriffs and police officers. She wants to be the first female canine handler in the Flagler County Sheriffs Office, he said of Emma. Many handlers rely on donations to help cover costs, and theyre contacting EmmaLovesK9s from all over the country for help. Dogs like Cash, a Belgian Malinois, trained in narcotics detection in Lehigh Township, Pennsylvania, for example, relies on donations coming from her nonprofit. Shes also raising money for working or retired dogs in other parts of Florida, Georgia, Iowa, New Jersey, Nevada, and other states. She hopes to help police dogs in all 50 states and that other state legislatures will adopt similar legislation to Floridas. By Bethany Blankley Saanich Police joined by Victoria Police and RCMP respond to gunfire involving multiple people and injuries reported at the Bank of Montreal during an active situation in Saanich, B.C., on June 28, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Chad Hipolito) Police Clear and Reopen Area Around Scene of BC Bank Shooting Police in Saanich, B.C., say theyve cleared and reopened the area around a local bank that was the scene of a deadly shooting last week. Saanich police issued a tweet saying the crime scene at the Bank of Montreal on Shelbourne Street has been released and reopened to all traffic. Six police officers were injured in last Tuesdays shootout, and the 22-year-old twin brothers suspected of being behind the incident were killed. Victoria Police spokesman Bowen Osoko says three officers from the department were injured during the shootout. He says one remains in hospital but all face a long road ahead. Saanich Chief Const. Dean Duthie had said last week that three of the departments officers remain in hospital, including one who is in intensive care, while another will require more surgeries. On Saturday, the RCMP identified 22-year-old twins, Mathew and Isaac Auchterlonie from Duncan, B.C., as the two suspects who were killed during the shootout with police outside the bank. Pope Francis waves to the crowd from the window of his studio overlooking St.Peter's Square at the Vatican on July 4, 2021. (Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo) Pope Francis Responds to Reports Saying Hell Resign Soon Pope Francis on Monday responded to reports that he is planning to resign from his position in the near future, amid reports that he is gravely ill. Speaking to Reuters, Francis denied that he is going to resign and noted hes planning to visit Canada this month and says he wants to visit Moscow and Kyiv in the near future. He also suggested to the news agency that hes not gravely ill with cancer, joking that his personal doctors didnt tell me anything about it before dismissing it as court gossip. All of these coincidences made some think that the same liturgy would happen, Francis added. But it never entered my mind. For the moment no, for the moment, no. Really. Francis did say that he would resign one day if his health made it too difficult to carry out his duties running the Catholic Church. His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, resigned in 2013the first time a pope has done so in more than 500 years when Pope Gregory XII stepped down in 1415. The current pope, however, did not indicate when he would resign. Francis, 85, has been confined to a wheelchair since March of this year. In late June, he was seen at another Vatican event while using the medical device. Both Francis and the Vatican have said its because he suffered a knee injury. Children play onstage as Pope Francis, seated in a wheelchair following knee treatment, holds an audience as part of the Festival of Families 10th World Meeting of Families, at Paul-VI hall in The Vatican on June 22, 2022. (Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty Images) Francis also gave details of his knee ailment for the first time in public, telling Reuters that he had suffered a small fracture in the knee when he took a misstep while a ligament was inflamed. I am well, I am slowly getting better, Francis said, adding that the fracture was knitting, helped by laser and magnet therapy. Francis also stated that he had an operation on his colon due to diverticulitis, a condition that entails the infection or inflammation of pouches that can form in the intestines. It (the operation) was a great success, he told the news agency, adding that it was not related to cancer. Also in the interview, the pope said he wanted to go to Moscow first before visiting Kyiv amid the monthslong Russia-Ukraine war. I would like to go (to Ukraine), and I wanted to go to Moscow first. We exchanged messages about this because I thought that if the Russian president gave me a small window to serve the cause of peace and now it is possible, after I come back from Canada, it is possible that I manage to go to Ukraine, he told the outlet. The first thing is to go to Russia to try to help in some way, but I would like to go to both capitals. Reuters contributed to this report. Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu's report during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on July 4, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Putin Declares Victory in Embattled Donbass Region of Luhansk POKROVSK, UkraineRussian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, one day after Ukrainian forces withdrew from their last remaining bulwark of resistance in the province. Russias Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in a televised meeting Monday that Russian forces had taken control of Luhansk, which together with the neighboring Donetsk Province makes up Ukraines industrial heartland of Donbass. Shoigu told Putin that the operation was completed on Sunday after Russian troops overran the city of Lysychansk, the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in Luhansk. Putin, in turn, said that the military units that took part in active hostilities and achieved success, victory in Luhansk, should rest, increase their combat capabilities. Putins declaration came as Russian forces tried to press their offensive deeper into eastern Ukraine after the Ukrainian military confirmed that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk on Sunday. Luhansk governor Serhii Haidai said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had retreated from the city to avoid being surrounded. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu during a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of Unknown Soldier in Moscow, Russia, on June 22, 2022. (Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) There was a risk of Lysychansk encirclement, Haidai told the Associated Press, adding that Ukrainian troops could have held on for a few more weeks but would have potentially paid too high a price. We managed to do centralized withdrawal and evacuate all injured, Haidai said. We took back all the equipment, so from this point, withdrawal was organized well. The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian forces were now focusing their efforts on pushing toward the line of Siversk, Fedorivka, and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, about half of which is controlled by Russia. The Russian army has also intensified its shelling of the key Ukrainian strongholds of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, deeper in Donetsk. On Sunday, six people were killed in the Russian strikes of Sloviansk and another 19 people were wounded, according to local authorities. Kramatorsk also came under fire on Sunday. An intelligence briefing Monday from the British Defense Ministry supported the Ukrainian militarys assessment, noting that Russian forces will now almost certainly switch to capturing Donetsk. The briefing said the conflict in Donbass has been grinding and attritional, and is unlikely to change in the coming weeks. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made capturing the entire Donbass a key goal in his war in Ukraine, now in its fifth month. Moscow-backed separatists in Donbass have battled Ukrainian forces since 2014 when they declared independence from Kyiv after the Russian annexation of Ukraines Crimea. Russia formally recognized the self-proclaimed republics days before its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged the withdrawal, but vowed that Ukrainian forces will fight their way back. A Ukrainian serviceman sits next to a destroyed tank at an abandoned Russian position near the village of Bilogorivka not far from Lysychansk, Lugansk region, on June 17, 2022. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images) If the command of our army withdraws people from certain points of the front where the enemy has the greatest fire superiority, in particular this applies to Lysychansk, it means only one thing: We will return thanks to our tactics, thanks to the increase in the supply of modern weapons, Zelenskyy claimed. In its Monday intelligence report, Britains defense ministry pointed to the Russian blockade of the key Ukrainian port of Odesa, which has severely restricted grain exports. They predicted that Ukraines agricultural exports would reach only 35 percent of the 2021 total this year as a result. As Moscow pushed its offensive across Ukraines east, areas in western Russia came under attack Sunday in a revival of sporadic apparent Ukrainian strikes across the border. The governor of the Belgorod region in Western Russia said fragments of an intercepted Ukrainian missile killed four people Sunday. In the Russian city of Kursk, two Ukrainian drones were shot down, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. By Francesca Ebel Workers leave Hazelwood Power Station after their final shift in Hazelwood, Australia on Mar. 31, 2017. (Scott Barbour/Getty Images) Queenslands Mining Firms Boycott States Industry Plan Over Exorbitant New Coal Taxes Queenslands major mining bodies have rebuffed the state governments launch of its industry plan in response to the states decision to hike coal taxes. Under the new royalty regime, which comes into effect from July 1, miners would need to pay more royalties (20 percent) on each tonne of coal sold for more than $175 (US$119.00) since the start of the new financial year on Friday. Additionally, the government would take 30 percent of revenue earned above $225 a tonne, and 40 percent for prices above $300 per tonne. Prior to the governments new 30-year mining industry launch on Monday, the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) and the Queensland Exploration Council have refused to attend the event. QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane described the new tax introduced as the worlds highest coal royalty taxes, which had undermined everything the new industry plan had been set up to achieve. A glossy document doesnt change that one bit, he said in a statement on Monday. We have to look at what the government does, not just what it says. Macfarlane further warned the exorbitant new taxesdone behind closed doors and without consultation risks jobs and threaten investments in all Queensland commodities, not just coal. We took the Treasurer at his word that the State Government was committed to removing barriers to growth for the resources sector, just as we took him at his word there would be no new or increased taxes in this term of government, he said. Landscape view of the open-cut coal mine at Muja, near Collie in Western Australia. (Philip Schubert/Adobe Stock) Fears New Tax Will Damage Queenslands Coal Industry Analysts, meanwhile, have warned that the tax jump could go far beyond the Palaszczuk governments $1.2 billion forecast and will be a detriment to Australias global coal industry. Edgar Basto, president of BHP, Queenslands biggest producer of coal told The Australian on June 22 that the cost of doing business in Queensland is already high, and further cost pressures will discourage investment, operational growth, job creation and local business spending across the state. A new tax damages Queenslands reputation as a stable place to invest and will make it harder for the state to compete against other global jurisdictions in attracting major new investment that would deliver longer-term value to communities and the state economy. The new royalty regime, however, has been praised by environment groups, but they too are criticising the 30-year plan over a delay on methane emission cuts from mines until 2027. Lock the Gate Alliance spokesperson Nick Holliday said mining methane emissions must be controlled for Queensland in order to achieve the climate change target. If the mining industry doesnt reduce its emissions, then other sectors like agriculture and transport will effectively be forced to cut emissions faster to cover for mining, he said in a statement. It will mean Queensland businesses doing more while multinational mining giants get off scot-free. AAP contributed to this report. NR | 1h 34min | Documentary, Biography, Film | 13 August 2021 (USA) Have you ever heard of Donald Rugoff? If you havent, dont feel uninformed or out of the loop. Unless youre in your mid 60s or older and grew up in New York City with a passion for independent film, theres really no reason you should know his name. Or is there? Ive been a serious movie fan since my preteen years and a professional critic for over a quarter century, and I had no idea who Rugoff was before watching this documentary, and its kind of my job to know these types of things. Donald Rugoff (L) in his office with Robert Downey in the 1960s from the documentary film Searching for Mr. Rugoff. (The Life Images Collection/Bob Peterson/Getty Images) While he does have a basic entry on Internet Movie Data Base (imdb.com), theres no mention of Rugoff on Wikipedia, a website where even the most untalented and marginal of celebrities receive attention. Cinema 5 Correctly surmising there were enough established followers of the 1950s and early 1960s European New Wave movement living in or near New York, Rugoff modified a handful of theaters hed inherited from his father. Referred to collectively as the Cinema 5 organization, it was solely dedicated to what is now commonly referred to as an Art House chain. Having a solid foundation of steady patrons makes for a good start, but it wouldnt be enough to sustain a fledgling small business over the long haul. Rugoff had an uncanny knack at picking winning titles that would play in his theaters, but again, this would not ensure long-term success. He still had to get the uninitiated and the curious viewers into the seats and, for a good long stretch, he did so in spades. Directed and narrated by former Cinema 5 employee Ira Deutchman (now a producer and Columbia University professor), Searching examines Rugoffs early years, his heyday as a film marketer and influencer, and the mysterious last days that he spent in Edgartown on Marthas Vineyard. Deutchman also chooses a non-linear narrative, something unusual for documentaries. Rugoff was different things to different people, or rather, he altered his personality based on what he was looking to achieve. The consensus opinion of him by his former employees (including Deutchman) was that he was mercurial. Not the Greatest Employer During job interviews, he exuded charm and wit, but when on the clock, his employees were treated as disposable minions and rarely able to please him. This practice led to a revolving door workforce. It is worth pointing out that all former interviewed employees relished their experience working for Rugoff. and many still harbor fond memories of him. They also had uniformly negative comments regarding Rugoffs hygiene and slovenly table manners. Ira Deutchman (L) interviewed by cinematographer Peter Gilbert for the documentary film Searching for Mr. Rugoff. (Deutchman Company Inc.) To the ticket-buying public, Rugoff was an innovative visionary: a counterculture version of P.T. Barnum who greatly valued ambience and overhauled his theaters to look more like modern art museums than the generic, cookie-cutter mega-chains of the time (and now for that matter). He had a staff artist (bankrolled by the studios) create 3D window-box displays for each new release in an effort to heighten the movie-going experience. By the end of the 1960s, Rugoffs unqualified success in what has always been regarded as a boutique niche market, led to personal relationships with the highest-profile European filmmakers of the time including, but not limited to, Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Costa-Gavras, Lina Wertmuller, and Alfred Hitchcock. These artists realized that Rugoff was integral in providing their films with greater exposure both with the public and the press, and successful runs in his theaters would likely spill over into other secondary markets. Costa-Gavras credited Rugoffs marketing efforts for the success of Z from 1969, propelling it to become the first foreign-language film to garner a Best Picture Oscar nomination. Although Z lost in that category, it did win Best Foreign Language Film and Best Film Editing Academy Awards. It was in the mid-1970s that things began to go south for Rugoff; Cinema 5 became the target of a hostile takeover by a competing chain. For over a decade, Rugoff was able to stave off what would be the inevitable, eventually bankrupting himself in the process. After the dust settled, he got married a second time to a woman of considerable means, left New York, and wound up on Marthas Vineyard. If there is anything to find fault with in Deutchmans movie, it would be his fracturing of the narrative and delivering morsels of his own investigation piecemeal throughout the film. Given his own history, just how Rugoff spent his final years was in line with what preceded it and the mystery-thriller elements of this portion of the story loses some of its oomph when broken up. It would have been far more effective to present this section intact as an epitaph. Legacy The influence Rugoff had on the movie industry in general and the modern independent film movement specifically cannot be overstated. New Line Cinema founder Bob Shaye and Landmark Theater chain founder Gary Meyer lavish appropriate praise on Rugoff and, had Harvey Weinsteins personal bad choices prematurely ended his and his brother Bobs careers, he would have likely said there would have been no Miramax Studios without Rugoffs bravura pioneering. Deutchmans film goes far in bringing Rugoffs life story to light, but its not going to be enough. This man, whatever his personal faults and shortcomings, changed the movie industry as we know it, and he deserves far more recognition and appreciation than he has received up to this point. At the very least, Rugoff should be given his own dedicated page on Wikipedia. Its mindboggling to think what modern society values and what it chooses to ignore. Promotional ad for the documentary film Searching for Mr. Rugoff. (Deutchman Company Inc.) Searching for Mr. Rugoff Director: Ira Deutchman Documentary Running Time: 1 hour, 34 minutes MPAA Rating: NR Release Date: Aug. 13, 2021 Rating: 4.5 out of 5 A general view of the headquarters of the Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia's main security agency, in Moscow on March 23, 2021. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP) (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images) Second Russian Scientist From Siberian City Detained on Treason Charges With China: TASS MOSCOWRussia has detained a second scientist in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk on suspicion of state treason in the space of a few days, the TASS news agency reported on Saturday, citing a source close to the investigation. Anatoly Maslov, a chief scientist at an institute of theoretical and applied mechanics in Novosibirsk, a city around 2,800 km (1,750 miles) east of Moscow, was detained and transferred to a prison in the Russian capital in an investigation by the FSB intelligence agency, TASS reported. Maslov is suspected of providing data that is a state secret, TASS quoted the source as saying, clarifying that the data was related to hypersonics. Several Russian media outlets reported that Maslov was arrested on June 28. Reuters could not immediately verify those reports and a lawyer for Maslov could not immediately be reached. Maslovs arrest comes in the same week that Dmitry Kolker, a doctor of physics and mathematics at Novosibirsk State University, was detained on state treason charges for allegedly collaborating with Chinas security services. A number of Russian scientists have been arrested and charged with treason in recent years for allegedly passing sensitive material to foreigners. Critics of the Kremlin say the arrests often stem from unfounded paranoia. State treason is punishable by up to 20 years in jail. Visitors look at the original copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights at the National Archives in Washington in this file photo. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Schools Should Teach Declaration of Independence, Not CRT: 1776 Action News Analysis We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. These wordsand the rest of the Declaration of Independencestill resonate today, 246 years after Americas Founding Fathers penned them, spelling out simple concepts that are too often hidden in the hearts of oppressed individuals around the world: that all men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. Among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The government may rule a land only through the consent of the governed, the declaration states, and in 1776, the people of this land no longer consented to British rule and declared independence. It was no accident that after its inception, the United States quickly became a leader on the world stage. Its a direct result of the values espoused in the founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4, 1776, and the U.S. Constitution, signed on Sept. 17, 1787, according to Adam Waldeck, president of nonprofit 1776 Action, which aims to stop the anti-American indoctrination of children. The group was formed in response to President Joe Biden terminating the 1776 Commission after coming into office. They were revolutionary ideas that changed the world for the better, and that is what we celebrate on the Fourth of July. If we want to continue that tradition of freedom, human equality, and opportunity for everybody, we need to be teaching every generation the story of the country they live in, Waldeck told The Epoch Times. That includes lessons on the founding documents. But theres a very well-funded and organized effort all over this country that has made way too much headway in teaching young Americans that their country is bad, they shouldnt be proud of it, that its unfairand its a recipe for the country falling apart, he said. Education Indoctrination Political leaders have long known that education is a way to steer the future. Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction, former President Ronald Reagan once said. We didnt pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day, we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our childrens children what it was once like in the United States where men were free. While in office, President Donald Trump created the 1776 Commission to ensure that students learned about the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitutional Convention, among other parts of U.S. history. Immediately smeared as racist by our dishonest, activist media, the 1776 Commission was abolished by President Biden just hours after he was sworn into office, the 1776 Action website reads. Waldeck said, It was a sign that the left was in charge, and this war on history and the story of America was something they were going to make central to their whole existencethat we shouldnt be proud of America and we are a systemically bad country. Before long, he founded 1776 Action. In a way, were like air-cover for parents who want to stop radical indoctrination in classrooms, Waldeck said. School Boards Drive the Conversation The group discovered one reason education has moved toward new curriculums such as critical race theory (CRT) and transgender education is because many decisions are made at the school board level, and people hadnt been paying attention. People dont even know who their school board members are, Waldeck said. They tend to be nonpartisan elections. You dont really know where theyre coming from and where they stand on these types of things. The group has developed a 1776 Pledge to get candidates on the record, showing their support or lack of support for CRT and other controversial curricula. The pledge requires candidates to promise to restore honest, patriotic education that cultivates in children a profound love for what our country stands for. Candidates will promote a curriculum that teaches that all children are created equal and have equal moral value under God, the U.S. Constitution, and the law. Theyll prohibit curricula that pit students against one another on the basis of race or sex and prevent schools from politicizing education by prohibiting curricula that require students to protest and lobby during or after school. Voters can ask any type of candidate to sign the pledge so voters can understand their position. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who served as Trumps secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem have touted the pledge. Noem was the first candidate to sign it in May 2021. Since then, nearly 500 candidates have signed the pledge, including Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who kept the pledge after his election by signing an executive order on his first day in office banning the teaching of divisive concepts, including critical race theory. Carsons son, Benjamin Carson Jr. is on the board of 1776 Action, and now, Kathy Barnette has been named national spokesperson for the group. Barnette ran in a high-profile U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania against Dr. Mehmet Oz. I signed their pledge as a candidate, and I saw that on the gubernatorial side, others were signing their pledge. They are getting in front of people and getting people to pay attention, and that is what we need, Barnette told The Epoch Times. Schools should teach traditional U.S. civics, such as analyzing the founding documents and understanding our role as a republic, she said. Our schools are under assault, Barnette said. I remember when [President Barack] Obama was in office and he said that he, along with others, are going to fundamentally change our country. And from then to now, its become very clear that one of the main avenues that they intend to use to fundamentally change our country runs through our schools. First, we saw it in higher education, and now we see it as young as K through 12, and they are very adamant. According to Barnette, as an ideology that encourages separation between students, critical race theory will make our country racist again. My whole lifetime, Ive seen improvement and people working together, moving forward, she said. All of a sudden, I honestly feel like were being dragged back in time. Its time to push back on CRT and restore honest and patriotic education so that future generations can reap the benefits enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, according to Waldeck. South Koreas GDP Could Soar by Joining IndoPacific Economic Framework: Report South Korea joined the U.S.-led IndoPacific Economic Framework (IPEF) that aims to counter the Chinese Communist Party, a move which could increase the countrys GDP in the long-term despite a reduced economic dependence on China, economists said. In May, South Korea became a member of the IPEF, joining 12 other nations including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and India. The other nations are Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Together, these nations share a third of the worlds population and 40.9 percent of its GDP, according to South Koreas Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Resources. The move to join the IPEF is expected to reduce South Koreas economic dependence on China but there are some challenges, says a report by the Economic Research Institute under the National Federation of South Korean Economists cited by the influential Maeil Business Newspaper on June 12. The report said that IPEF membership would bring both positive and negative effects on South Koreas economy. The report said there may be some negative impacts on Koreas economy in the short term if IPEF member countries restrict the import and export of strategic commodities to China, referencing minerals including uranium, raw materials for batteries such as lithium and cobalt, and electrical and electronic products including semiconductors and telecommunications. However, despite reducing foreign trade with China, South Korea could find positive and corresponding advantages, such as an expansion of domestic industries and a boost in exports to other regions, the report said. Led by middle and high technology industries in recent years, South Korea has found itself more able to replace China in fields such as chemicals, general machinery, automobiles, electrical appliances, and machinery. In those industries, the export similarity index of Korea and China soared from 0.347 in 2011 to 0.390 in 2021, according to the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade. An index closer to 1 means more competition and similarity in export structures between two countries. A South Korean employee of Hynix Semiconductor walks past a logo of the company at a branch in Seoul on Jan. 21, 2010. (Jung Yeon-Je /AFP via Getty Images) After participating in the IPEF, South Korea will curb exports of strategic industries to China and shore up domestic enterprises with policies to trigger technological innovation, the report said. The economists estimate that in this case, Koreas GDP will rise by up to 4 trillion won (about $30 billion) from last year, an increase of 2.12 percent from 2021. This may contribute to the positive effects of replacing China in some markets, offsetting negative results from downsized exports to China. But in retaliation, China may restrict IPEF members exports of goods to the country, so the Korean government needs to grant domestic enterprises preferential policies to enable GDP to grow by up to 1.17 percent, otherwise GDP may fall by 0.451.61 percent, the report said. Its also crucial for lawmakers to support tax system research and development and companies returning from abroad, which would prompt Korea to take over the regional market that China previously occupied, the report suggested. Police tape on New York's Upper East Side on June 30, 2022, where police say a 20-year-old woman was fatally shot Wednesday night while she pushed her infant daughter in a stroller. (Jennifer Peltz/AP Photo) Stroller-Pushing NYC Moms Alleged Killer Held Without Bail NEW YORKThe ex-boyfriend of a New York City woman who was shot dead as she pushed their infant daughter in a stroller has been ordered jailed without bail, with prosecutors describing the killing as a premeditated execution. Isaac Argro, 22, appeared Saturday evening in Manhattan Criminal Court on charges of second-degree murder and second-degree weapons possession. Prosecutor Brittany DeCesare told Judge Eric Schumacher that on the night of the killing, Argro dressed in all black and wore a ski mask as he paced back and forth waiting to shoot Azsia Johnson, his estranged girlfriend. This case can only be described as a premeditated execution, DeCesare said, according to The New York Post. The defendant persuaded the victim to meet after work and under the guise that he wanted to give the deceased items for their 3-month-old daughter. Argros defense attorney declined to comment. Johnson, 20, was shot around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Lexington Avenue and 95th Street on Manhattans Upper East Side. She was pronounced dead at a hospital. The 3-month-old in the stroller was not hurt, but was taken to a hospital for medical evaluation, police have said. Authorities allege Argro called Johnsons family after the shooting to ask where his child was and threatened that another unidentified person was next, the Post reported. Johnsons family has said Argro routinely abused the mother of his child, beating her during her pregnancy and threatening to kill her. Argro is set to return to court Thursday. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (R) and Joseph Percoco, executive deputy secretary, stand at a press conference in Albany, N.Y., on April 26, 2013. (Mike Groll, File/AP Photo) Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Cuomo Aides Bribery Appeal in Pay-to-Play Scheme The Supreme Court agreed to review the corruption convictions of Joe Percoco, a longtime aide to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in a case that may call into question the legality of honest-services fraud prosecutions. Over the opposition of the Biden administration, the high court decided on June 30 to hear Percoco v. United States, court file 21-1158. As is their custom, the justices didnt provide reasons for their decision to accept the case. Percoco was convicted in 2018 on two counts of conspiracy to commit honest-services fraud for taking in upward of $300,000 from companies that hoped to gain influence with the Cuomo administration. He was sentenced to six years in prison, but was released two years early in 2021. He had been executive deputy secretary in the governors office, but at the time of the payments that the government characterized as bribes, he had temporarily stepped down from the position to run Cuomos reelection campaign. The Biden administration stated in a brief (pdf) that despite formally leaving state employment, Percoco held onto and used his [governors office] telephone, desk, and office, where he continued to conduct state business. Percoco made it clear that he had a guaranteed position with Cuomos administration after the election. Percoco claims innocence, arguing that because he wasnt a government official at the time he accepted the funds, no corruption was involved. He attacked the idea of honest-services fraud in the petition (pdf) he filed with the high court on Feb. 17. Fiduciary Obligation Public officials have what lawyers call a fiduciary obligation to act in the best interests of the public, while private citizens do not, the petition states. When a public official accepts money to convince the government to do something, we call him a crook, it reads. But when a private citizen accepts money to convince the government to do something, we call him a lobbyist. Federal law makes it a crime to engage in honest-services fraud, which it defines as a scheme or artifice to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services. Although the law was created to combat government corruption, its application isnt limited to just government officials, and it can cover private citizens as well. The phrase honest services isnt defined, which has allowed the courts to decide on the laws reach. For honest-services fraud to take place, someone must pay a bribe and someone must be harmed by it. The thinking behind the law is that the person accepting the bribe owes a duty to someone else, such as the citizenry. Percoco argues that his is a case in which federal integrity prosecutors [were] running amok and getting away with it. In the case, the federal appeals court held that private citizens can owe a fiduciary duty to the public and therefore be guilty of honest-services fraud. The appeals court found that if a jury concludes that a private person exercises enough de facto influence over government decisionmaking or that state officials sufficiently rely on him, the jury can send him to prison for bribery even if he had no official title, no official power, and no official duties. This expansion of federal bribery law is both wrong and dangerous, Percoco wrote in his petition, noting that the Supreme Court should stop this pernicious theory in its tracks. The high court is expected to hear oral arguments in the case in its new term, which begins in October. TAICHUNG, TaiwanAlthough June 29 was a working day, it didnt stop Shen Yun Performing Arts from filling the house in the afternoon and evening as art professionals and business people brought their families, staff, and friends to attend. Wow! The entire venue is full and there are no empty seats. Todays performance went very well, said Li Hsun-Ming, president of the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce in Central and Latin America. He felt the loving-kindness in human nature from the performance. Shen Yun Performing Arts International Companys curtain call after the performance at Chung Shan Hall in Taichung city, Taiwan, on the afternoon of June 29, 2022. (Annie Gong/The Epoch Times) This was Mr. Lis first experience with Shen Yun. After the performance, he expressed that there is a divine power protecting human beings and people cant do things that are against the conscience of God. Mr. Li said that he was particularly moved by one of Shen Yuns dance dramas, set at a military hospital in mainland China. How can human beings use money to buy human organs! Its not right! I feel very sad about this. The dance tells us that people just have to be good and honest and not to do things that are against our conscience, only then can we have peace in this world and humans can live happy and joyful lives. Li Hsun-Ming, president of Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce in Central and Latin America, watched Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Chung Shan Hall in Taichung city, Taiwan, on the afternoon of June 29, 2022. (Annie Gong/The Epoch Times) Chung Ho-kuang, chairman of the Southern Brick Company, traveled from Kaohsiung to attend the performance. He said that from the dynamic backdrop to the body language of the artists, everything is very profound and penetrating, all the techniques were top-notch. By watching the show, I feel that Ive seen so much and have been enriched spiritually as well. Mr. Chung said: [Shen Yun] is a force that leads to goodness, and the entire performance has a strong positive energy that lifts peoples spirits, which he believes is helpful to people and society after having been through more than two years of pandemic restrictions. He emphasized that Shen Yun can lead people to positive development in all aspects. Chung Ho-kuang (L), chairman of Southern Brick Company, watched Shen Yun Performing Arts with his brother at the Chung Shan Hall in Taichung city, Taiwan, on the afternoon of June 29, 2022. (Annie Gong/The Epoch Times) Shen Yun Helps Pass on the Legacy of a Lost Culture Huang Chin-tsai, chief of ceremonies of the Lions Clubs International 300-G1 District, watched Shen Yun for the second time. He marveled at the wonders of classical Chinese dance. Mr. Huang used to practice martial arts and enjoys Chinese traditional culture. This is critical to ensure a lost culture is being passed on to future generations. Each performer is highly skilled and is able to bring [traditional Chinese culture] into full play. This is a miracle, said Mr. Huang. Huang Chin-tsai, chief of ceremonies of Lions Clubs International 300-G1 District, watched Shen Yun Performing Arts with his brother at the Chung Shan Hall in Taichung city, Taiwan, on the afternoon of June 29, 2022. (Annie Gong/The Epoch Times) Shen Yun Demonstrates the Essence of Chinese Culture Wang Chih-shao, a real estate company general manager, was impressed by Shen Yun. After watching the performance in the evening, he said: This is not only a visual treat but a feast for the soulits extraordinary! Mr. Wang explained: The Communist Party has done everything possible to persecute Shen Yun and Falun Gong, because the Communist Party is fake and cruel, and Shen Yun is just the opposite. Shen Yun fully promotes the good aspects of Chinese culture in the showI think the show has demonstrated the essence of Chinese culture to the fullest. Mr. Wang expressed his gratitude to Shen Yuns artistic director: You present the performance by using martial arts, classical Chinese dance, and traditional values from Chinese culture. You are truly incredible! Wang Chih-shao, a real estate company general manager, watched Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Chung Shan Hall in Taichung city, Taiwan, on the evening of June 29, 2022. (Annie Gong/The Epoch Times) Mr. Wang added that it is everyones responsibility to carry forward the good aspects of Chinese culture, especially the spiritual and artistic aspects of Shen Yun, are something we must come to value. Shen Yun Shows the Beauty of the Arts As soon as the show began, I felt so moved that I just wanted to cry, said Li Shih-hua, a company director in Taichung. Thinking back to the last time she experienced Shen Yun, Li recalled: In the past six years, I saw that Shen Yun was loved by audiences all over the world. This year, watching Shen Yun with my children is a wonderful feeling, it also brought me peace. All of the physical movements, expressions, and costumes they [the performers] presented made us appreciate the cultural heritage of Chinas 5,000 years, Ms. Li commented. Through Shen Yuns effort to pass on this legacy, more people will come to know how beautiful this art is and how meaningful this performance is. Company director Li Shih-hua and her two children at Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Chung Shan Hall in Taichung city, Taiwan, on the evening of June 29, 2022. (Annie Gong/The Epoch Times) Ms. Li proudly said that her son has told her that he would like to see Shen Yun next year, proving that Shen Yuns positive energy can affect people, whether it is an adult or a child. Ms. Li deeply hopes that such positive energy can be passed on to audiences all over the world. Reporting by Epoch Staff in Taichung. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. People watch the Macy's 4th of July Firework Show over the Brooklyn Bridge in New York on July 4, 2019. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters) Telling the RINOS From the CHINOS for the Fourth of July Commentary Almost all of us know what a RINO isRepublican in Name Onlythe kind of Republican that votes with Democrats on key issues such as immigration and election integrity or virtue-signals by marching in support of obvious profiteers masquerading as civil rights organizations such as Black Lives Matter. But at this patriotic time of year, it strikes me that there is something or someone even worse, to whom I give the highly imperfect acronym CHINOS. The CH stands for Chinameaning, of course, the Chinese Communist Party, not the peopleand the I stands for Iran (more of that in a moment). Maybe N for North Korea, though that might be a stretch even for some CHINOS. (You could say O for open borders, but that would really be RINOS.) What I mean by CHINOS are those who, even on the Fourth, tend to side, overtly or covertly, with China and/or assume China will prevail in the global struggle and go along with its interests, almost always for reasons of greed but occasionally for reasons of ideology. Now, not all RINOS are CHINOS, nor are all CHINOS RINOSthat would be impossible since the vast majority of Democrats are CHINOS to begin with. As the New York Post just now once again reminds us, Hunter Biden is a prime example of a Democrat CHINO. His father might even be called CHINO-in-chief, since, as many recall, just before he threw his hat in the presidential ring and had to reverse himself, Joe Biden blithely told his fellow Americans Chinas not our enemy, ignoring every human rights atrocity of the communist regime from genocidal labor camps to forced organ transplants, not to mention Chinas imperialistic actions across the world, in favor of his family business. But what about Republicans? How do we tell the RINOS from the CHINOS? Of course, many overlap, such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), but indeed some arent both. An example is Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who was in that tiny minority of Republican senators to vote to convict Trump in the second impeachment trial. The Republican Party of his state, unsurprisingly, wasnt amused and censured him. Hes definitely a RINO, but still not a CHINO, not completely anyway. How do I know this? In May, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced the Iran China Accountability Act (S.4290), whose summary at Congress.gov reads: This bill prohibits the use of funds to enter into any negotiation with Iran regarding an Iran nuclear agreement until the President makes specified certifications concerning the actions of China and Iran. Specifically, the President must certify that China has ceased incarcerating Uyghur individuals in the Xinjiang region. Additionally, the President must certify that, among other actions, Iran has terminated all agreements involving the receipt of funds from China and all ties and transfer of cash to Iranian proxy forces, including Hamas. Further, any Iran nuclear agreement that the United States enters into must certify the destruction of any and all Iranian nuclear and missile capabilities, weapons, infrastructure, chemical weapons, and offensive cyber activity. Such agreement shall be deemed a treaty requiring advice and consent of the Senate. Blackburn gave the following statement to The Epoch Times regarding her proposal: The Obama-Biden Iran Deal has always been a failure. The Biden administration should not re-enter a deal that legitimizes the Iranian regimeespecially while they continue to fund terrorism, endorse Communist Chinas dangerous government, and facilitate genocide. This legislation will stop taxpayer dollars from enabling the Biden White House to back this corrupt regime. Kudos to Blackburn, although such legislation is largely symbolic at this point, as Im sure the senator knows. It would never be signed into law by the current administration. Nevertheless, you would think most, if not at all, Republicans would sign on in support. Unfortunately, they didnt. Those who did were Sens. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) andyou will not be surprised nowCassidy. Many wereand I guess still aremissing from the list. Does that mean they are CHINOS, secret or otherwise? Its hard to say, but we should all keep our eyes and ears open. What harm would it have been to sign to support such a bill, symbolic though it may be? (Most of what Republicans propose in the Senate has to be symbolic until the election.) As for Cassidy, his not being a CHINO, or at least pretending hes not, doesnt nearly ameliorate his ridiculous and pompous stand on impeachmentat least for me. I wouldnt dream of voting for him were I a citizen of his state. But significantly, for the Fourth of July, if youre a patriot, understanding, actually discerning, who is or isnt a CHINO is important information to both know and act upon. Our futures depend on it, just as much as knowing who is or isnt a RINO, possibly more. We should bear in mind and follow this paraphrased advice from the greatest writer of all time (initials WS), Neither a RINO, nor a CHINO be. (I couldnt find a good paraphrase for For loan oft loses both itself and friend. But thats also true.) And, speaking of CHINOS, we shouldnt forget as we stare up at the night sky on the Fourth, watching the red, white, and blue display, the Stars and the Stripes in full glory unfolding above us that, as we have known for years, our most patriotic fireworks are usually Made in China. Enough already. Blackburn is on the right track. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Mugshot of suspect Mikeal Deshawn Archambault of The Colony, Texas. Archambault was charged in June 2022 with making a terrorist threat against the U.S. Supreme Court. (Denton County Jail) Texas Man Arrested for Threatening to Use AK-47 Rifle Against Supreme Court After Roe v. Wade Reversal A Texas man was arrested and charged in connection with a terrorist threat he allegedly made against the Supreme Court on social media hours after the court overturned the 1973 abortion precedent Roe v. Wade. Mikeal Deshawn Archambault, 20, of The Colony, a suburb of Dallas in Denton County, Texas, allegedly posted on Twitter: Im finna kill everyone in the SUPREME COURT with my ak47[.] Finna is a contraction of fixing to, as in, intending to. The post at the account @moseswrld was time-stamped late June 24, hours after the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in the Mississippi abortion law case, Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization. The post quickly went viral but the account has since been deleted. Archambault was booked into the Denton County Jail on June 25. Records show he was released the next day on a $25,000 surety bond. The Colony Police Department said in a July 1 statement that it was contacted June 24 by the FBI regarding online threats of violence towards The Supreme Court. Police searched the suspects residence but didnt initially locate him. In conjunction with the FBI, Detectives from The Colony Police Departments Criminal Investigative Division conducted an investigation and obtained probable cause for an arrest warrant. Officers went back to the subjects residence, located the subject and placed him under arrest for Terroristic Threat, according to the statement. The charge against Archambault came as threats related to controversial Supreme Court decisions have ramped up in recent weeks. The justices themselves have been personally threatened. Supreme Court Marshal Gail Curley has accused Maryland authorities of not doing enough to protect the justices and of not enforcing anti-residential picketing laws to halt the boisterous protests at their homes. Although Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has pushed back against Curley, Hogan and Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin have both called on the U.S. Department of Justice to do more to protect the courts members. Nicholas John Roske, 26, of Simi Valley, California, was arrested for allegedly planning to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. According to the FBI, Roske said he wanted to kill Kavanaugh to prevent him from voting to overturn abortion rights and gun control laws. A federal grand jury in Maryland indicted him on June 15. He entered a plea of not guilty. A group calling itself Janes Revenge has declared open season on pregnancy counseling centers across the nation. It has claimed credit for a series of violent recent attacks on the pro-life centers. Texas Sheriff: Open Border Is Transforming America to Marxist State GOLIAD, TexasSheriffs in Texas are experiencing the effects of the border crisis in their counties every daywhether its armed cartel operatives smuggling illegal immigrants, vehicle pursuits resulting in crashes and deaths, or drug overdose deaths from fentanyl brought across the southern border. In Goliad, Sheriff Roy Boyd sits 200 miles from the TexasMexico border, between McAllen and Houstona major transport corridor of illegal immigrants and illicit goods. As a 29-year law enforcement veteran in the region, Boyd said hes never seen a border crisis so bad or border-related crime so egregious. Theres no end to it, he told The Epoch Times on June 23. He monitors 16 cartel-operated sites in his county that are currently dormant, but have been used to stash illegal immigrants on their way to Houston. Currently, its mostly carloads of illegal immigrants being smuggled straight through his county to the city. Its a movement of individuals from Third World countries, all over the place, into our country. But the farther you get into it, the more you realize its all done by designand its at the design of the federal government. Were in a transformation of America from a free Republic to moving to something thats more of a Marxist state. Since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, border authorities have apprehended more than 3.2 million illegal border crossers, according to Customs and Border Protection data. An additional 800,000 or so have been detected, but evaded capture. When asked how allowing millions of people from more than 160 countries through the southern border results in the transformation to communism, Boyd harkened back to the 1960s and President Lyndon B. Johnsons war on poverty. LBJ sold the war on poverty to the Democratic National Party and the DNCs response was, Why would we give those people something for nothing?' Boyd said. LBJ responded by saying hed have them voting Democratic for 200 years, Boyd said, paraphrasing an infamous quote that has been widely attributed to the former president. This is nothing but a replication of the soft enslavement of people through entitlement, Boyd said. Because if you understand psychology and you look at the history of things, this is how it functions. Once it starts, its hard to stop. Trevor Loudon, a communism expert and contributor to The Epoch Times, said in a previous interview that the communists main enemy is the United States. And if you cant bring it down through nuclear weapons, you bring it down through illegal immigration, which is maybe just as effective in the long run, he said. This is an orchestrated, communist assault on America, to destroy Americas borders, to create confusion in America, to overwhelm the system politically. Loudon said an additional 15 million to 25 million Democratic voters would ensure perpetual Democratic control of government. You will have a one-party state in America. And that is the plan. That is why they are doing this, he said. This is Marxist. This is Leninist. And this goes back to American politicians cooperating with hostile foreign powers in the destruction of America. And their No. 1 weapon is illegal immigration and overwhelming the border. Traditionally, noncitizens have voted about 80 percent Democratic and 20 percent Republican, according to a 2014 study by Old Dominion University. We find that some non-citizens participate in U.S. elections, and that this participation has been large enough to change meaningful election outcomes including Electoral College votes, and congressional elections, the study concluded. Non-citizen votes likely gave Senate Democrats the pivotal 60th vote needed to overcome filibusters in order to pass health care reform and other Obama administration priorities in the 111th Congress. Now, the number of non-Hispanic illegal aliens entering the United States is increasing at the same time that Hispanics are skewing more Republican, as evidenced by Rep. Mayra Floress recent win in south Texas. While its illegal for non-U.S. citizens to vote in federal elections, theres been a push for years for municipal elections to accept noncitizen voters, including visa holders. Loudon pointed to Eliseo Medina, a labor union activist and former immigration consultant to President Barack Obama, as a main driver of the illegal immigration movement. [If] we reform the immigration laws, it puts 12 million people on the path to citizenship and eventually voters, Medina said in 2009 at the Americas Future Now progressives conference in Washington. Can you imagine [even] if we get 8 million new voters that care about our issue and will be votingwe will create a governing coalition for the long term, not just for an election cycle. Fourteen municipalities currently allow noncitizens to vote, including 11 in Maryland, two in Vermont, and one in San Francisco. A recent court ruling quashed a New York City law that would have allowed at least 800,000 noncitizens to vote in municipal elections. New York City Mayor Eric Adams allowed the measure to become law on Jan. 9. I believe that New Yorkers should have a say in their government, which is why I have and will continue to support this important legislation, Adams said in a statement at the time. I believe allowing the legislation to be enacted is by far the best choice, and look forward to bringing millions more into the democratic process. Hans von Spakovsky, manager of the Heritage Foundations Election Law Reform Initiative and former member of the Federal Election Commission, said allowing noncitizens to vote cheapens and diminishes the concept of citizenship. The whole point of the open borders crowd is to do two things: one, extinguish the line between legal and illegal aliens in this country. And second, to frankly get rid of the whole concept of citizenship, Spakovsky said in a previous interview. Biden has said he wants a pathway to citizenship for all illegal immigrants in the United States. Boyd said the Biden administration is working hard to purge conservative and constitutional thinkers at the federal level and replace them with people with a socialist mindset. But always remember, as Stalin said, the aim of socialism is communism, Boyd said. He said his focus remains in Goliad to protect his county and make it an unwelcoming place for criminals. The sheriffs in the region try to work together to help each other to fight this massive wave of criminal activity, he said. We dont deal with immigration, were not tasked with it, were not authorized with it, we dont want anything to do with it. But were fighting all the felonies that are being brought to our doorstep as a result of the national policy thats causing this problem. And to be quite honest with you, I have no faith in the federal government. My faith is in our Lord and Savior. One day, were going to meet the end and were going to have to answer for what it is weve done, and so I want to have a good answer when I get there. The Prions of Idiocy Commentary One of the very few valuable institutions created in Britain in the past half-century or so is the Open University. This has allowed people who had cut their education short, for whatever reason, to attain a university degree over four or five years by correspondence course and a few weeks of attendance every year with face-to-face teaching by academic staff as near as possible to their homes. The standard was extremely high: higher, indeed, than in many other universities. The requirements were rigorous and demanded that students devote almost all their spare time to study. The Open University long resisted the decline in academic standards elsewhere and the fashionable nonsense that did so much to bring it about. But now, the Open University has capitulated to the zeitgeist: It has issued trigger warnings to students of its English literature course, including about such works as Hamlet. Who could be triggered by Hamlet? I suppose habitual or temperamental ditherers might be offended or distressed by the mirror held up by the play to their foible. Perhaps fops also wouldnt like the ludicrous character of Osric, or gravediggers would be offended by the jocularity of the gravediggers in the fifth act, a depiction harmful to their dignity and self-esteem. (Recently, I overheard some gravediggers in a large cemetery in France: They were indeed jocular, but theres no commentary or portrayal more wounding than that which is accurate.) Why has the Open University, which for so long resisted fashionable absurdity, collapsed in this way into a spineless heap? Ideologists are inherently totalitarian, especially when a still small voice tells them that their opinions are vulnerable to criticism. Shrillness then becomes the mental white noise with which they drown out their own doubts. They cant allow any corner of the world to escape their attention. Uniformity will both demonstrate their correctness andif it lasts long enoughmake criticism unthinkable. Just as the white noise of shrillness once did, so will perpetual silence eventually allay their doubts. Surrender is wrought by cowardice and, slightly less dishonorably, by boredom. What intelligent person wants to spend his life disputing evident absurdity? Behind the concept of trigger warnings, of course, is a whole hinterland of psychological and sociological rubbish, which it would be tedious to have to clear away. I think in this context of The Walrus and the Carpenter, in Through the Looking-Glass: The Walrus and the Carpenter Were walking close at hand. They wept like anything to see Such quantities of sand: If only this were cleared away, They said, it would be grand. If seven maids with seven mops Swept it for half a year, Do you suppose, the Walrus said, That they could get it clear? I doubt it, said the Carpenter, And shed a bitter tear. There are one of two possible responses (other than outright opposition) to the Augean stable of ideological folly. The easiest thing to do in both cases is to give in to the monomaniacs; but the first response is to go into what Germans in the time of Hitler called inner emigration, that is to say, to try to find a niche in which to get on with ones life undisturbed by the surrounding idiocy and viciousness: for example, by laying low and taking up an interest that flies below the ideological radar. This method cant be 100 percent successful, because the ideological monomaniacs demand not merely the absence of dissent from their ideology, but also some proof of positive adherence to it: for example, by signing up to policies on equality, inclusion, and diversity. By signing up to such self-contradictory nonsense, of course, the person who seeks inner emigration feels soiled; he has undermined his own probity. But at least, or so he hopes, hell then be free of interference. This hope is usually dashed because, to quote another poem: that is called paying the Dane-geld; But weve proved it again and again, That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld You never get rid of the Dane. In other words, the ideologist always comes back for more self-abasement: Today its transgenderism, tomorrow it will bewhat? The glories of incest or the social necessity and benefit of infanticide? It doesnt matter: The aim isnt improvement, its the exertion of power, for one of the cultural or psychological characteristics of the age, at least among the educated, is the belief that, in human relations, everything is a matter of power and therefore only power counts or is to be trusted. Another way of dealing with the ideologists is to obey the old slogan that if you cant beat them, join them. People, therefore, join up to what is, in effect, a new secular religion. And since most people who do so arent out-and-out villains or opportunists, they have to persuade themselves that they actually do believe the tenets of the new religion; and, as is often the way with converts, they become fanatics, not merely to persuade themselves, but to expunge their wicked past in which they werent believers and were quite possibly mockers. Management is a little like a religion as well. Ive noticed the terrible effect that joining management has on professional people who previously had always seemed good and sensible to me. Within weeks of being absorbed into management, although they may well have sworn that they would never be co-opted into its ways, they start to speak a strange hieratic language and claim to believe passionately in what theyre doing: for example, sacking people or closing down a department. Theyre like the Fore people of New Guinea, who used to eat their deceased relatives brains, thereby becoming infected with a molecule called a prion that led to dementia and death, passing through a phase of fatuous laughter. The prions of idiocy seem to have infected universities above all. This is a serious matter because the university tower isnt so much ivory as a water tower that exerts pressure on the whole water system. University idiocy soon becomes political and social idiocy, of which only a certain amount can be withstood without severe damage and even total collapse. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. CHICAGOCole Porter, Richard Rodgers, and Oscar Hammerstein turned down the opportunity to adapt George Bernard Shaws 1913 Pygmalion play into a musical comedy. It was too wordy, they said, and not romantic. It would never work as a musical. Indeed, Shaws drawing-room comedy of class differences in which Henry Higgins teaches Eliza Doolittle to use proper English didnt look to be a promising idea for a musical. Shaw seemed more interested in exploring how social classes are differentiated through the use of language rather than the mechanics of love. But perhaps there was a love story in it, thought librettist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe. After all, Shaw titled the play Pygmalion after the Greek myth in which a sculptor falls in love with his marble statue. And so they decided to take up the challenge, and in so doing they created an extraordinary combination of story and music, developing what some have called the perfect musical. Thats why, since its premiere on Broadway in 1956, My Fair Lady continues to play over and over again. The latest revival of the show originated in the Lincoln Center Theatre in New York City and is now touring in major cities in America. As such, it is now in a terrific new incarnation at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago. With the story once again about Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who comes to the attention of Professor Henry Higgins, the new revival is faithful to the original production. Higgins bemoans the coarseness of Elizas speech and makes a proposal to Colonel Pickering, a retired officer interested in linguistics, that within six months he could pass off Eliza as a respectable lady by teaching her to speak proper English. Shereen Ahmed (C) as the street-smart flower girl Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. (Joan Marcus) In reviving the show, its director, Bartlett Sher, did have a problem: How would he present a show for a new audience without offending contemporary sensibilities? Sher solved that issue by turning Henry Higgins from just an arrogant snob into a more childlike man and making Eliza a bit less of a pushover. The Glorious Aspects Thankfully, not a note of the glorious music has been changed. When, in so many musicals today, were lucky if a show has one or two good songs, My Fair Lady features more than a dozen remarkable numbers. And its not just that the songs advance the story and are delicious in their own right, but that the songs perfectly delineate the characters of the show, which the actors do a great job of portraying. As Eliza, Shereen Ahmed soars with a lovely soprano. When she sings Wouldnt It Be Loverly, we know how downtrodden she has been; when she sings I Could Have Danced All Night, we feel her exultation; and With Just You Wait, her anger is palpable. As Higgins, Laird Mackintosh does a nice job of portraying the arrogant elitism of the misogynist professor, delivering a very funny A Hymn to Him (Why Cant a Woman Be Like a Man). Kevin Pariseau is a charming Col. Pickering, who is concerned with whether Higgins is a man of good character where a woman is concerned. Martin Fisher as Elizas father, Alfred P. Doolittle, a dustman who enjoys his drink, is a delight as he rails against living a life of middle-class morality. You can immediately size up the mans character the moment you hear him sing With a Little Bit of Luck and Get Me to the Church on Time. In addition, Sam Simahks lovelorn Freddy Eynsford-Hill, who promises to wait until forever for Eliza, delivers a glorious rendition of On the Street Where You Live, and Leslie Alexander is engaging as Higginss mother who sides with Eliza to put her son in his place. Leslie Alexander (L) as Mrs. Higgins, Shereen Ahmed as Eliza Doolittle. (Joan Marcus) Integral to the production is an exceptional orchestra, led by John Bell, giving a fantastic musical score the great sound it deserves. Adding to the exhilaration of the show is choreographer Christopher Gattelli who creates elegant dance moves for the ensemble. Furthermore, the show looks as good as it sounds. Michael Yeargans dollhouse set is an elegant backdrop for the action, and costume designer Catherine Zuber elegant threads are so stunning that at one point they received applause from the audience. At the Ascot: Shereen Ahmed as Eliza Doolittle in forefront with some of the ensemble in My Fair Lady. (Joan Marcus) Although the adaptation of the musical was turned down by other composers for its lack of romantic interest, Lerner and Lowe succeeded in making it a love story by ending the show with Ive Grown Accustomed to Her Face. The composing duo not only made My Fair Lady one of the most beloved musicals of its time, but for our time as well. My Fair Lady Cadillac Palace Theatre 151 W. Randolph St., Chicago Tickets: BroadwayInChicago.com Runs: 2 hours, 50 minutes Closes: July 10, 2022 Gen. Lord Dannatt, the former chief of the general staff, poses for a photograph after taking part in a photograph to commemorate 100 years since the end of the World War I, at Royal Hospital Chelsea in London, on Oct. 16, 2018. (Leon Neal/Getty Images) Troop Cuts Will Put British Army at Breaking Point: Former Army Chief The UK governments decision to go ahead with planned troop cuts despite the war in Ukraine is madness and will put the British Army at breaking point, a former army chief has warned. At the NATO summit in Madrid last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government will increasing its defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP by the end of the decade. But the government said it is still going ahead with the decision to cut the army by 10,000 soldiers over the next few years, which was set out in last years Integrated Review. Gen. Lord Dannatt, former head of the British Army, said on July 3: Its a mere fact of life well break the remainder of our army if our army is not large enough to do what the government of the day wants us to do. You cant make people work endlessly with too small numbers. So numbers in the terms of our land forces really, really matter. he told Sky News. Dannatt urged the government to reverse the cuts, as the army will have to play its part in deterring Russian aggression, he said. The retired general added, When it comes to old-fashioned fighting, numbers do matter and to have an army of only just over 70,000, 30 percent down from where we were 10 years ago is going to leave us woefully short if we find that weve got to maintain large number of troops at high readiness forward-deployed in Eastern Europe. Perverse Johnsons promise to increase the defence budget was made after he came under pressure from senior Cabinet ministers and military chiefs to boost defence spending. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on June 28 that the UK needs to boost its investment in defence before it is too late. In a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), he said more action is needed to reverse the cuts made by successive governmentsboth Conservative and Labourfollowing the Cold War to cash in on the so-called peace dividend. Also speaking at the event, the new head of the British Army, Gen. Sir Patrick Sanders, said any further cuts to the size of the armywhich is set to shrink from a target figure of 82,000 troops to 72,500would be perverse. But Downing Street defended the governments record on defence funding, insisting the benefits of new technology and kit outweighed cuts in the number of soldiers. The prime ministers official spokesman said it would be wrong to focus solely on numbers when we can see the impact that the latest technologies, equipment, training, intelligence are having. PA Media contributed to this report. People walk past signage in the design of Ukraine's national flag with the message "We Support Ukraine" outside the Canadian embassy in Beijing on March 3, 2022. (NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images) War Advances Ukrainian EU Membership, Potentially Undermining EU on China Commentary As European countries rally to better support Ukraine in fighting off the invasion of its homelandwith admittedly mixed resultsEuropean Union candidacy for Ukraine has yet again become a topic of conversation. Last month, the EU gave Ukraine official candidacy status, beginning formal talks about possible membership. Yet Ukraines membership in the EU could spell serious trouble for the organization in the futureif this process is not handled delicately. A Ukraine fit to be in the EU would be ideal. European countries have largely failed, with some exceptions, to provide the military and financial aid Ukraine needs and deserves. The EU needs to do moreand do better. Western European powerhousessuch as France and, above all others, Germanyhave been particularly weak. A divide between western and eastern EU member states is appearing, with the latter having taken a more realistic view of Russia and its future behavior after the Ukraine war concludes. Germany and France, meanwhile, seem intent on trying to ignore the ever more clear warning signs. However, Ukraine is not trouble-free. Much has been said comparing Russian actions in Ukraine to possible Chinese actions (and invasion) of Taiwan. It is becoming clear that greater leverage on the Chinese regime is needed to discourage it from acting rashly and doing something shortsighted, like launching an invasion. That means raising the potential cost of any such invasionto the level where the damage would be so great as to overshadow any potential positives. To do so, EU member states need to be able to act together. The EU, the worlds largest trading power, has immense economic power and is Chinas most important trading partnerbut a lack of cohesion often undermines its strengths. We have seen the same with the Russia-Ukraine situation, in which one country, Hungary, manages to slow down, reduce, and weaken EU responses. Hungary and countries like Greece have been used the same way by China to weaken EU responses to Chinese acts of aggression or violations of international law in the past. The EU is structured so that unanimity is needed for major decisions. Dictatorships know this well. Both Russia and China have used it by targeting one or twooften smallercountries, making them feel dependent on them, and then ensuring that those countries veto any real action against them. French President Emmanuel Macron (R), Romanian President Klaus Iohannis (L), Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi (C), Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (2nd L), and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 16, 2022. (Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP) How will Ukrainian membership in the EU impact this situation? It is true that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has grown into arguably the greatest European statesman of our generation, has issued strong declarations of support for Taiwan. Likewise, even though language has been muted, Kyiv is certainly aware that Beijing is, to a large extent, funding Moscows invasion of Ukraine. Domestically, China shows clear support for Russia. Upon conclusion of the war, with Ukraine hopefully returning to its 2014 borders and Russia defeated strongly enough to discourage further military adventures, it is unlikely that the current or future administration of Ukraine will forget the Chinese regimes behavior. The Ukrainians are likely to adopt a more realist position on China, much like Eastern Europe did with Russia. So what is the problem? If the Chinese regime ever attempts an invasion of Taiwan, it will use an aircraft carrier sold to it by Ukrainebut the sale would have taken place long ago. However, until the COVID-19 pandemic, Ukraine was one of the worlds largest weapons exporters to China. It is not bound by the EUs weapons embargo. In fact, almost 40 percent of its weapons exports go to China. Airmen and civilians from the 436th Aerial Port Squadron palletize ammunition, weapons, and other equipment bound for Ukraine during a foreign military sales mission at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Jan. 21, 2022. (U.S. Air Force/Mauricio Campino/Handout via Reuters) Ukraine has also been considered very unsafe for Chinese asylum seekers. Many have faced almost farcical bad asylum or extradition hearings, during which their guaranteed rights under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) were utterly ignoredshowing a country keen on appeasing Beijing. In fact, in the late 1990s, Ukraine followed Belarus in signing an extradition treaty with China, helping China gain legitimacy for its long-arm policing in a greater swatch of Europe. Ukraine is no angel, or at least it was not in the past. Therefore, for the EU, the question now is not only how the current administration acts or feels, but how will likely future administrations act on the issue of China. And what is the general position of the population that elects these administrations? Years after this war is concluded and Russia is neutralized, the EU will start to face the real main threatcommunist China. Can we trust that Ukraine will not, like Hungary, become another Trojan horse, weakening the EU and its ability to defend itself? I sincerely hope these fears are unfounded, but they must be considered. After all, the damage was done by Hungary, if not fatal, is so severe that a similar Trojan horse cannot be allowed, no matter what. This time around, EU leaders need to think ahead and realize that the quality of its members is what matters, not the quantity. Bigger is not always better. Lets pray these concerns are unfounded, and we can welcome Ukraine into the EU as soon as possible. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Richard Keefer holds a folded U.S. flag at the USS Hornet Museum in Alameda, Calif., on June 28, 2022. (Ilene Eng/NTD Television) What It Means to Fold an American Flag ALAMEDA, Calif.When most people see the American flag, they associate it with freedom but may not know that there is a process to folding the flag, with a special meaning behind each fold. Richard Keefer, a docent at the USS Hornet Museum, spoke with NTD Television about flag folding and its significance. Keefer was a pilot during the 1960s. Now, as a docent, he teaches the younger generation about U.S. military history, which includes flag folding. Keefer said that the flags he folded were usually for fallen soldiers. There is a script that we use thats given to use as a recommendation, that basically says were sorry for your loss, but on behalf of the president of the United States, Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of the Marine Corps, we feel your pain; [on] behalf of a grateful nation wed like to accept the flag for your deceased person, Keefer said. Keefer recalls his first time folding an American flag for a Navy corpsman. He was embedded with the Marine Battalion in Vietnam and, on the day he was killed, saved about 47 of his Marines and died in the same action. He got a silver star for that, he said. His station had no Honor Guard at the time, so they had to form one to hold a funeral for the fallen. Im looking at a young woman who was about 19 years old with a baby he had never seen. Its very vivid in my mind right now, and it was a very, very tough thing for me to get out and choke out, but I managed to get through it okay, Keefer recalled. Keila Hurtado and Richard Keefer prepare to fold a U.S. flag at the USS Hornet Museum in Alameda, Calif., on June 28, 2022. (Ilene Eng/NTD Television) Flag folding consists of 13 folds, each with a meaning and a verse. Each fold is careful, precise and aligned. When you finish with the folds, it has to look a certain way. You cannot have any white showing, for example, or red showing on the fold, Keefer said. It all has to be the star field, or the canton field of the flag, so that it represents the final fold, which is the respect of God. By the 13th fold, the flag should look like a triangle. Keefer said the triangle represents the hats the sailors and army folk wore during the Revolutionary War. The flag is then presented with both hands to the Honor Guard, with the long side facing out and the point facing oneself. Keefer says presenting the point first is disrespectful. Now he educates the public about U.S. history and what freedom means to him. That is something that is given to you by people that died, for you to have that privilege in this country, Keefer said. Keila Hurtado, a recent graduate and a teacher, has been fascinated with history since she was young. During the pandemic, she regularly visited the USS Hornet and learned from Keefer how to fold a flag. It was a very emotional experience for me. And also, as he was teaching me, I was sweating, I was making sure I made the right folds, and every time I kept getting it wrong; I was like, Richard, whats going on? But he was really patient with me, Hurtado said. Keila Hurtado reads a script as Richard Keefer folds a U.S. flag at the USS Hornet Museum in Alameda, Calif., on June 28, 2022. (Ilene Eng/NTD Television) She is motivated to get the perfect fold. To me, its very hard because you have to get all the folds right. But I try to think about the people that I love and the people who served this country, in order to motivate me even more to get that fold right. I want to do it for them and for my loved ones as well. Usually the folding is done in midair with at least two people, or six at a gravesite. Keefer said the USS Hornet offers slightly different flag presentations depending on the service requested. Heres what each fold for the U.S. flag means, according to the National Flag Foundation: First fold: A symbol of life. Second fold: Our belief in eternal life. Third fold: Pays honor and tribute to the veteran departing our ranks, who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace. Fourth fold: Our weaker nature as citizens trusting in God; it is to Him we turn for His divine guidance. Fifth fold: An acknowledgement to our country. In the words of Stephen Decatur, Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong. Sixth fold: Where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag. Seventh fold: A tribute to our armed forces, through which we protect our country and our flag against enemies. Eighth fold: A tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor our mothers, for whom it flies on Mothers Day. Ninth fold: An honor to womanhood, for it is through their faith, love, loyalty, and devotion that the character of men and women who have made this country great have been molded. Tenth fold: A tribute to fathers, for they have given their sons and daughters for the defense of our country. Eleventh fold: In the eyes of Hebrew citizens, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Twelfth fold: In the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Thirteenth fold: The flag is completely folded, and the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, In God We Trust. The beneficial effects of food order on glucose levels were so powerful that researchers deemed them comparable to the effects of drugs targeting postprandial glucose Mean glucose levels were 1 mmol/L lower when carbs were consumed last compared to the typical meal, in which protein, fat and carbs are consumed at the same time Eating carbohydrates last is best and may reduce insulin and glucose levels compared to consuming them first You can consume the same foods same calories, same total carbs, same nutrients and have drastically different metabolic effects depending on what you eat first The order that you consume the proteins, fats and carbohydrates in your meal matters, with significant differences found when carbs are consumed first versus last. Which is better for your metabolic health? What you eat is quite possibly the most important strategy for optimizing your metabolic health and reducing your risk of diseases like Type 2 diabetes. However, the order in which you eat your food also matters, such that you can consume the same foods same calories, same total carbs, same nutrients and have drastically different metabolic effects depending on what you eat first. In the video above, Dr. Jason Fung, a nephrologist (kidney specialist) and author of several books, including The Diabetes Code: Prevent and Reverse Type 2 Diabetes Naturally, explains how you can get a more beneficial response, including reducing insulin and glucose, by frontloading protein and fats in your meal and leaving the carbs for later.1 Eat Carbs Last for Better Health Its previously been found that consuming whey protein prior to a meal reduces postmeal glucose levels.2 Building on this, a pilot study by researchers with Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City revealed that food order also has a significant impact on postprandial (or post-meal) glucose and insulin levels.3 The study included 11 overweight or obese adults with Type 2 diabetes, who fasted for 12 hours overnight and then consumed the same meal on two separate days, one week apart. All that differed was the order of the meal. On the first day, the subjects ate carbohydrates, consisting of ciabatta bread and orange juice, first. Fifteen minutes later, they consumed the protein component (skinless grilled chicken breast) and vegetables (a salad with Italian vinaigrette dressing and steamed broccoli with butter). A week later, the food order was reversed, with the vegetables and protein eaten first, followed by the carbohydrates last. Better outcomes were achieved when the carbs were consumed last. Specifically, postmeal glucose levels decreased by 28.6%, 36.7% and 16.8% after 30, 60 and 120 minutes, respectively when vegetables and protein comprised the first part of the meal. Postprandial insulin levels were also significantly lower in this scenario. The beneficial effects of food order on glucose levels were so powerful that the researchers deemed them comparable to that observed with pharmacological agents that preferentially target postprandial glucose.4 Moreover, the reduced insulin excursions observed in this experimental setting suggest that this meal pattern may improve insulin sensitivity, they suggested, adding: In contrast to conventional nutritional counseling in diabetes, which is largely restrictive and focuses on how much and what not to eat, this pilot study suggests that improvement in glycemia may be achieved by optimal timing of carbohydrate ingestion during a meal. Food Order Matters in Prediabetes Worldwide, 463 million adults have Type 2 diabetes, a number thats expected to increase to 700 million by 2045 and doesnt account for the many others who have prediabetes, which increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.5 Approximately 1 in 3 U.S. adults, or 96 million, have prediabetes, more than 80% of whom dont know they have it.6 Changing food order presents a novel, simple behavioral strategy to reduce glycemic excursions in prediabetes, according to a study published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism.7 The study involved 15 participants with prediabetes who consumed the same meal on three days in random order: Carbohydrate first, followed 10 minutes later by protein and vegetables (CF) Protein and vegetables first, followed 10 minutes later by carbohydrate (PVF) Vegetables first followed by protein and carbohydrate (VF) Total glucose was decreased by 38% following the PVF meal compared with CF, while incremental glucose peaks were attenuated by more than 40% in the PVF and VF meals, compared with CF. The CF meal pattern demonstrated marked glycemic variability whereas glucose levels were stable in the PVF and VF meal conditions, the researchers noted,8 explaining that simply by altering food order to consume carbohydrates last it could help to mitigate the metabolic effects of carbohydrates.9 Consuming Carbs Last Benefits Type 1 Diabetes Even among children with Type 1 diabetes, consuming carbohydrates at the end of the meal was beneficial. Twenty patients with Type 1 diabetes aged 7 to 17 years were included in the study.10 They consumed two meals in random order. For the first meal, the protein and fat components were consumed first, followed 15 minutes later by the carbohydrates. In the other meal, protein, fat and carbohydrates were consumed together, the way they would be in a typical meal. Mean glucose levels were 1 mmol/L lower when carbs were consumed last compared to the typical meal. Fung explained:11 This might mean a lot of things, including you need less insulin, which might lead to less weight gain overall because we know that those high glucose levels, those high insulin levels, are going to drive weight gain. This actually has massive implications for the way we need to structure our meals. If eating the exact same number of calories, eating the exact same food, but simply switching the order means that we can face 40% less glucose, that means we may be able to prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes. We might be able to take less medications. We may be able to lose weight, because again that lower level of insulin is going to cause less weight gain. And what it means is that you really have to frontload your meals so that youre taking your protein, and your fat and your vegetables right upfront and leaving the carbohydrates to the end. For best results, he says, wait about 10 minutes after consuming the protein and fats before you eat the carbs, similar to the way you might eat an appetizer before your next course. The Timing of Your Meals Also Matters As science is increasingly showing, what you eat is not the only factor in how food affects your health. Along with food order, the timing of your meals is another important factor. Fung is a big proponent of fasting, or what I like to refer to as time-restricted eating (TRE). The answer for Type 2 diabetes, he believes, is to stop feeding your body sugar and burn off the sugar already in your cells, and the most effective way to do this is TRE. In our past interview, he explained that metabolic treatments such as TRE are the only way to resolve diabetes: It really gets to the point that you cannot follow this old paradigm [of drug treatment] because youre going to fail Remember, the glucose goes into the cell, and insulin resistance is when the glucose doesnt go out of the cell. So, for years weve used this paradigm of lock and key. That is, the cell is sort of gated off. Outside the cell theres blood, and when insulin comes around it turns the key, opens the gate and glucose goes in. So, if insulin is there, why is the glucose not going in? You can measure the insulin and the insulin level is high. You can look at the insulin receptor, the gate is completely normal. So, [conventional medicine] said something like, Well, maybe theres something gumming up the mechanism. Its stuck in the lock so it doesnt open properly, therefore the glucose cant get into the cell. Theres a huge problem with this sort of paradigm, because if that is happening, the cell has no glucose and should be starving. You should be losing lots of weight; youd have a very thin liver. All your fat should just melt away, because if you think about untreated Type 1 diabetes, where you dont have enough insulin, thats exactly what happens. The cell literally starves and everything just wastes away But thats not whats happening here. In Type 2 diabetes you see that people are generally obese, they have large abdomens Whats happening instead is that its actually an overflow syndrome. The cell cant accept any more glucose because its jam packed full of glucose already. Thats the reason you have insulin resistance. Insulin is trying to move glucose into the cell but the cell is full So, its really an overflow mechanism Thats also why your liver is full its a big fatty liver. The liver is busy trying to get rid of all this glucose by turning it into fat Now, if Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance are the same sort of thing, its really about too much sugar. Thats the bottom line. And if you understand that the whole problem is too much sugar, then the solution is not to use more insulin to jam more glucose into an already full cell. The key is to get rid of it all. So, what you want to do is: 1) Dont put more sugar into your system, because you have too much sugar in already, and 2) Burn it off. Limit Your Eating Window to Six to Eight Hours Per Day While fasting may sound intimidating, TRE is manageable as it involves limiting your eating window to six to eight hours per day instead of the more than 12 hours that most people do. TRE promotes insulin sensitivity and improves blood sugar management by increasing insulin-mediated glucose uptake rates,12 which is important for resolving Type 2 diabetes. In another study, when 15 men at risk of Type 2 diabetes restricted their eating to even a nine-hour window, they lowered their mean fasting glucose, regardless of when the eating window commenced.13 A 2022 review also highlighted many of the benefits of TRE for the prevention of Type 2 diabetes, reveling that it:14 Produces mild weight loss of 1% to 4% Reduces fasting insulin Improves insulin sensitivity in people with prediabetes or obesity Improves glucose tolerance Reduces oxidative stress So simply by restricting your eating window to six to eight hours per day, and consuming carbs at the end of your meal, you may be able to improve your metabolic health significantly. This isnt to say that food quality doesnt matter, particularly when it comes to ultraprocessed foods. Linoleic acid (LA) in seed oils commonly known as vegetable oils plays a major role in producing chronic diseases like diabetes.15 Linoleic acid is found in virtually every processed food, including restaurant foods, sauces and salad dressings, and even healthy foods like chicken and pork. So in addition to embracing TRE and optimizing food order, reducing LA is essential for diabetes prevention and management. John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House on June 21, 2022. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) White House Defends Bidens Twitter Post on Gas Stations White House officials on Sunday defended President Joe Bidens demanding gas stations bring down the price for a gallon amid widespread criticism. I think anybody that knows President Biden knows hes plain-spoken and he tells exactly what hes thinking in terms that everybody can understand, former Pentagon spokesman and now National Security Council coordinator for the White House John Kirby told Fox News Sunday after he was shown a Twitter post from Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos, who asserted that Biden was engaging in misdirection or has a deep misunderstanding of basic market dynamics. On Saturday, Biden wrote that my message to the companies running gas stations and setting prices at the pump is simple: this is a time of war and global peril. Bring down the price you are charging at the pump to reflect the cost youre paying for the product. And do it now. From the presidents post, its not clear how gas stations would be able to bring down the price without taking significant losses. Kirby told Fox News that he rejected Bezoss criticism of the Twitter post. The American people are facing pain at the pump, clearly now, we are at $5 a gallon. The president is working very, very hard across many fronts, Mike, to try to bring that price down, Kirby remarked before citing Bidens meetings with Group of Seven leaders in Europe as well as the release of oil from the U.S. Strategic Reserve. If everybody cooperates on this, we can bring the price down at least by about a dollar a gallon, Kirby said, so hes working very, very hard to do this because he knows the impact that high gas prices have on the American household. Like Biden, Kirby did not provide an example of how companies could cooperate together to bring down the price. According to auto club AAA, the average price currently stands at about $4.81 per gallon of regular unleaded gas. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also issued a Twitter response to Bezoss post: Its not surprising that you think oil and gas companies using market power to reap record profits at the expense of the American people is the way our economy is supposed to work. She did not elaborate on how petroleum companies manipulate markets. The Biden administration in recent weeks has shifted from blaming the high gas prices on Russia to blaming oil companies and gas stations, claiming that companies are engaging in price-gouging. In one instance last month, Biden issued a letter to top oil firms, including ExxonMobil and Chevron, demanding they lower gas prices. Biden, meanwhile, is planning to visit top oil producer Saudi Arabia as part of a broader trip to the Middle East that includes Israel later this month. When asked about whether Biden will press the Saudis on raising oil production, Kirby declined to comment. UPDATE: This article has been updated to include details of John Kirbys new White House role. Actor Johnny Depp takes a break during his trial at the Fairfax County Courthouse, in Fairfax, Va., on May 25, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) Johnny Depp Ordered to Pay $38,000 to ACLU After Winning Case Against Ex-wife Amber Heard Actor Johnny Depp won his defamation battle against his ex-wife Amber Heard last month, with the jury awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. But now, Depp owes the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) $38,000 for the attorneys fees in complying with a subpoena for evidence he used in his defamation case. Depps lawyers had subpoenaed documents from the ACLU to use for the case, demanding 1,900 documents of records spanning six years. According to a report, the ACLUs lawyer Stephanie Teplin argued that $86,253.26 was reasonable reimbursement for production costs and expenses. However, Johnnys lawyers called the ACLUs demand exorbitant and unreasonable. The judge on Friday cut the demanded price and settled it for $38,000. The Johnny Depp-Amber Heard case began on April 11 and was heard in Fairfax County, Virginia, because The Washington Posts online edition servers are based in the county. By Bibhu Pattnaik A participant stands near a logo of World Bank at the International World Bank Annual Meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, on Oct. 12, 2018. (Johannes P. Christo/Reuters) World Bank Approves New Pandemic Preparedness Fund for Poorer Countries The World Bank approved the establishment of a new fund on June 30 to help low- and middle-income countries in pandemic preparedness, with more than $1 billion already pledged for the fund. The Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) aims to address critical gaps in pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR) to strengthen regional and global capacity. According to the World Bank, the fund will bring additional resources for PPR, incentivize countries to increase investments, enhance coordination among partners, and serve as a platform for advocacy. The World Bank is the largest provider of financing for PPR with active operations in over 100 developing countries to strengthen their health systems, World Bank Group President David Malpass said in a statement. Financial commitments to the FIF include contributions from the United States, the European Union, Indonesia, Germany, the UK, and Singapore. The fund, expected to be launched this fall, was developed under the leadership of the United States, Italy, and Indonesia as part of their G-20 presidencies. Washington has already pledged $450 million to support the FIF. Citing data from experts, U.S. President Joe Biden said that more than $10 billion is needed each year to fill international financing gaps for health security and pandemic preparedness. Biden said he has requested an additional $4.75 billion in mandatory and discretionary funds from Congress to greatly enhance the funds effectiveness and catalyze commitments from others. Let me be clear, protecting the United States from infectious disease threats cannot be accomplished with incremental increases in annual global health spending alone, he said in a statement. Additional financing is needed to make new progress against infectious diseases we will face, on top of continued demands for the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, and sustained support for longstanding global health investments and health systems. The World Bank will serve as the FIFs trustee and host the secretariat, while the World Health Organization (WHO) will lead as its technical partner. Theyll work closely with donors to develop the detailed scope and design of the FIF in the coming weeks. WHO will play a central role in the FIF, providing technical leadership for its work in close collaboration with the World Bank to realize this ambitious vision, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. NORWALK Superintendent Alexandra Estrella was pleased to announce the citys public schools saw the graduation rate increase in 2021 after four years of decline, but she wont be satisfied until every student in the district graduates with their class. Having experienced graduation these past few days has not only given us an opportunity to celebrate the great things that our educators have accomplished for our children but also allowed me to reminisce a little bit about those students that were not able to cross that stage, Estrella told Board of Education members during a recent meeting. According to the latest numbers available, the Class of 2021 graduated 87.8 percent of its students, an increase of 2.2 percent from 2020. The graduation rate in the district had fallen about 2 percent each year since 2017 when 93 percent of students graduated. Data for the Class of 2022 is not yet available. We cant rest until we reach 100 percent because every percentage point below 100 means that that is the number of students that will be behind, Estrella said. As we continue to move forward and strive for excellence that we keep in mind that we have to ensure that all of our students cross that stage. Estrella acknowledged that a 2.2 percent increase may not seem significant, she reflected on the gains made for certain subgroups such as Black students, special education students and multi-lingual learners. In 2020, about 81 percent of Black students graduated high school in Norwalk. The next year, the rate jumped to 85 percent. For multi-lingual learners, 70.8 percent graduated in 2021 compared with 62 percent the year before. Special education students saw their graduation rate increase from 59.9 percent in 2020 to 69 percent in 2021. This is significant because it demonstrates how our efforts, particularly in looking at disproportionality across the district, were starting to have a positive impact in the achievement of our students, Estrella said. Am I happy for our successes? Absolutely. Am I satisfied? Absolutely not. Three of the districts four high schools saw their graduation rates increase from 2020 to 2021. The Center for Global Studies held steady at 98.4 percent. P-TECH graduated 100 percent of its students in 2021. Brien McMahon saw an almost 1 percent increase in 2021 while Norwalk High saw its graduation rate increase by nearly a half percent. Almost every student demographic saw an increase in graduation rates between 2020 and 2021 except for female students, students not eligible for free and reduced lunch, and non-high needs students. In each case, the graduation rate dropped by less than one percent. More female students graduated in 2021 than male students, but male students closed the gap by nearly 5 percent compared with 2020. I want to make sure we take into consideration great accomplishments we have acquired but yet the work we have to do to continue to ensure that all of our students regardless of their language and developmental needs, their specialized programming needs, their social economic background, their race or any other factor that they all are able to achieve within our organization, Estrella said. emily.morgan@hearstmediact.com Question: I know that our constitution prevents our government from taking away life, liberty, or property, but what can you explain what liberty means in this context? Is is just not locking you away in some jail somewhere, or does it consist of more than this from a legal perspective? The Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which is applicable to the states via the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, reads, No person shall be...deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.... Under the umbrella of due process are both substantive and procedural due process. Procedural due process applies to individuals being deprived of life, liberty, or property, and references the procedures that are required in order to deprive a person of any of those things. Your question about liberty is an important one. The issue has been addressed by the Supreme Court of the United States, and those cases can help illustrate the meaning of the word liberty. In answering your question, it is necessary first to discuss what liberty really is under the Constitution of the United States, and, secondly, to explain when the procedural requirements of the due process clause come into effect - in other words, when a person might be entitled to the processes required by law following a deprivation of liberty. The word liberty itself is fairly vague, the meaning of which is, of course, difficult to define in a legal sense. Liberty has been interpreted before essentially to mean liberty in the aggregate. To begin with, lets look at what liberty means. It means freedom, and is an essential right that a person has. The word most commonly is used to mean being able to exercise a freedom, to take an action, or even think a certain way - without being prevented from doing so, and without being forced to do so. Liberty is not limited simply to being imprisoned. Liberty includes more than simply being free from bodily restraints, such as being imprisoned, but also includes things that a free people can do. For instance, the right to enter into contracts and to be gainfully employed are both aspects of liberty. Perhaps the most practical explanation of liberty involves the exercise of fundamental rights. Rights that are fundamental under the Constitution include the right to free speech, which is perhaps the most recognizable fundamental right we have, and the right to vote, perhaps the second most recognizable fundamental right. Also encompassed in the definition include other fundamental rights, such as the right to free association, and the right to be free from restraints on travel. Liberty is broader than simply not being incarcerated. For instance, when a person is facing involuntary commitment to a mental institution, that person faces the deprivation of his or her liberty. It is important to note here that the actual procedure required for the deprivation of what has been deemed to be liberty may very well depend on the liberty interest and the parties involved. With regard to commitment to a mental institution, a different type of procedure is required depending on whether the person who may be committed is an adult or a juvenile. Understanding what liberty is, however, is not enough. Although a liberty interest, such as a fundamental right, might be involved, the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment might not come into play until a person has been deprived of it. Thus, the next issue one must understand with relation to the due process clause is the meaning of that deprivation. Luckily, it is far simpler to define what a deprivation is under the Constitution. A deprivation of liberty essentially includes two things. First, a person is denied a freedom granted him, either in the Constitution or in some other law. Secondly, a person is deprived of his liberty when he or she loses freedom of action, where the loss is significant in nature. Under these two considerations of deprivation, it is not difficult for anyone to make an argument that a deprivation occurred. Nonetheless, the procedures required by law are not required until such a deprivation happens. Have questions for Brendan Bukalski? E-mail him at askthelawyer@gmail.com, or write him, c/o The Edwardsville Intelligencer, 117 N. 2nd St., Edwardsville, IL 62025. Editor's note - the answers provided in this column are general in nature, and should not be relied upon as legal advice or interpreted as creating an attorney-client relationship. As a general rule, all specific legal problems should be handled by an individual's personal attorney. Any submissions to the author are subject to being published and to being modified prior to publication. FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) Flags at Kentucky state buildings will be lowered to half-staff Tuesday morning in honor of three officers who were killed when a man with a rifle opened fire on police attempting to serve a warrant, Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday. Flags will remain at half-staff until sunset Thursday in remembrance of Floyd County sheriffs deputy and Martin City fire Chief William Petry, Prestonsburg police Capt. Ralph Frasure and Prestonsburg police Officer Jacob Chaffins, Beshear said in a news release. The three were killed Thursday night in an hourslong standoff at a home in Allen, a small town in the hills of Appalachia in eastern Kentucky. A German shepherd police dog named Drago was also killed and several other law enforcement officials were wounded in the shooting, officials said. Lance Storz, 49, was taken into custody after the shooting, authorities said. Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt told reporters Friday that four deputies initially responded to the home, then called for backup when they were shot at. The sheriff said Storz surrendered after negotiations that included his family members. Hunt had told local media the deputies were serving a court-issued warrant Thursday evening related to a domestic violence situation. Storz was arraigned Friday. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder of a police officer and was jailed on a $10 million bond. One of the charges was originally attempted murder of a police officer, but a judge said at the hearing that was upgraded to murder after Chaffins died. Hunt told news outlets Sunday that officers were performing a welfare check after a call from a relative of Storzs wife about possible abuse. Floyd County Judge-Executive Robbie Williams said the officers did not know they were walking into an ambush and the shooter had a field of fire of more than 200 yards (180 meters), the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. There was one single-lane road leading into his home and the home was in an elevated position. This created a nearly unbreachable position, Williams said. The officers performed valiantly, and did everything in their power to neutralize the suspect and attempt a surrender, Williams said. Upon surrender, the reality and magnitude of what just occurred began to sink in and our community was going to be forever changed, Williams said. Funeral services have been set for this week for the slain officers, Beshear said. MEXICO CITY (AP) Four months before scheduled municipal elections, Nicaraguan riot police have taken over the city halls of five municipalities that had been in the hands of an opposition party. Kitty Monterrey, president of Citizens for Freedom, a political party disallowed by the Nicaraguan government before presidential elections last year, confirmed the police occupations in San Sebastian de Yali, El Cua, Murra and El Almendro. Oscar Gadea Tinoco, mayor of Pantasma and member of Citizens for Freedom, also said that police occupied his town Saturday. All mayors offices legitimately elected under the flag of Citizens for Freedom, have been taken by the regime, Monterrey said Monday via Twitter. She demanded that President Daniel Ortega respect the well-being of the officials and mayors who were removed from office. Citizens for Freedom had won each of those town halls in the 2017 elections. But headed into last years presidential election, President Daniel Ortega showed little tolerance for the opposition. Authorities locked up seven leading opposition figures who could have challenged Ortega for the presidency. Instead, Ortega coasted to a fourth consecutive term in elections the United States and European Union dismissed as a farce and the opposition figures remain in detention. The Nicaraguan government had not commented on the takeovers. Noel Moreno, the deposed mayor of San Sebastian de Yali in northwest Nicaragua, said some 50 heavily armed riot police and members of Ortegas Sandinista National Liberation Front entered town offices early Monday. The seat remains under control of riot police, said Moreno, adding that he was not there when the police arrived. He was not sure if town staff remained inside or had been moved. He said Sandinista town council members had already named themselves mayor and vice-mayor and raised the Sandinista flag. The takeovers appeared to have been similar in the other municipalities. In Pantasma, Gadea Tinoco said that Sandinista councilwoman Carmen Obando was named as his replacement. The argument was that Citizens for Freedom was no longer a recognized entity because Nicaraguan electoral authorities had canceled its status last year. After the party was canceled, Monterrey was also stripped of her Nicaraguan nationality and accused of being in the country illegally. She fled into exile in Costa Rica. Of Nicaraguas 153 municipalities, Ortegas Sandinista Front now controls 140. Two allied parties control the other 13. The opposition organization Open Ballot Boxes, a citizen election monitoring network, denounced the absence of democratic conditions. They demanded that municipal workers well-being be respected. They dont want anyone to participate in these elections, Moreno said. In a statement, Monterrey called the takeovers a very serious attack against popular will and municipal autonomy. With these actions the regime is confirming that it has no interest in rehabilitating the electoral path or even trying to maintain an appearance of legality in the next municipal elections, she said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AKRON, Ohio (AP) A Black man was unarmed when Akron police chased him on foot and killed him in a hail of gunfire, but officers believed he had shot at them earlier from a vehicle and feared he was preparing to fire again, authorities said Sunday at a news conference. Akron police released video of the shooting of Jayland Walker, 25, who was killed June 27 in a pursuit that had started with an attempted traffic stop. The mayor called the shooting heartbreaking while asking for patience from the community. It's not clear how many shots were fired by the eight officers involved, but Walker sustained more than 60 wounds. An attorney for Walker's family said officers kept firing even after he was on the ground. Officers attempted to stop Walker's car around 12:30 a.m. for unspecified traffic and equipment violations, but less than a minute into a pursuit, the sound of a shot was heard from the car, and a transportation department camera captured what appeared to be a muzzle flash coming from the vehicle, Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett said. That changed the nature of the case from a routine traffic stop to now a public safety issue," he said. Police body camera videos show what unfolded after the roughly six-minute pursuit. Several shouting officers with guns drawn approach the slowing car on foot, as it rolls up over a curb and onto a sidewalk. A person wearing a ski mask exits the passenger door and runs toward a parking lot. Police chase him for about 10 seconds before officers fire from multiple directions, in a burst of shots that lasts 6 or 7 seconds. At least one officer had tried first to use a stun gun, but that was unsuccessful, police said. Mylett said Walkers actions are hard to distinguish on the video in real time, but a still photo seems to show him going down to his waist area and another appears to show him turning toward an officer. He said a third picture captures a forward motion of his arm. In a statement shared Sunday with reporters, the local police union said the officers thought there was an immediate threat of serious harm, and that it believes their actions and the number of shots will be found justified in line with their training and protocols. The union said the officers are cooperating with the investigation. Police said more than 60 wounds were found on Walkers body but further investigation is needed to determine exactly how many rounds the officers fired and how many times Walker was hit. The footage released by police ends with the officers' gunfire and doesn't show what happened next. Officers provided aid, and one can be heard saying Walker still had a pulse, but he was later pronounced dead, Mylett said. The chief said an officer firing at someone has to be ready to explain why they did what they did, they need to be able to articulate what specific threats they were facing ... and they need to be held to account. But he said he is withholding judgment on their actions until they give their statements. A handgun, a loaded magazine and an apparent wedding ring were found on the seat of the car. A casing consistent with the weapon was later found in the area where officers believed a shot had come from the vehicle. State Attorney General Dave Yost vowed a complete, fair and expert investigation" by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and cautioned that body-worn camera footage is just one view of the whole picture." Akron police are conducting a separate internal investigation about whether the officers violated department rules or policies. The officers involved in the shooting are on paid administrative leave, which is standard practice in such cases. Seven of them are white, and one is Black, according to the department. Their length of service with Akron police ranges from one-and-a-half to six years, and none of them has a record of discipline, substantiated complaints or fatal shootings, it said. Demonstrators marched peacefully through the city and gathered in front of the Akron justice center after the video was released. NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in a statement that Walkers death wasn't self-defense, but was murder. Point blank. Late Sunday, police in full riot gear fired a dozen tear gas cannisters to disperse a handful of protesters outside the justice center, WKYC-TV reported. Walkers family is calling for accountability but also for peace, their lawyers said. One of the attorneys, Bobby DiCello, called the burst of police gunfire excessive and unreasonable, and said police handcuffed Walker before trying to provide first aid. How it got to this with a pursuit is beyond me, DiCello said. He said Walkers family doesnt know why he fled from police. Walker was grieving the recent death of his fiancee, but his family had no indication of concern beyond that, and he wasn't a criminal, DiCello said. I hope we remember that as Jayland ran across that parking lot, he was unarmed, DiCello said. He said he doesnt know whether the gold ring found near the gun in the car belonged to Walker. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The U.S. Navy's Mideast-based 5th Fleet is starting to offer rewards for information that could help sailors intercept weapons, drugs and other illicit shipments across the region amid tensions over Iran's nuclear program and Tehran's arming of Yemen's Houthi rebels. While avoiding directly mentioning Iran, the 5th Fleet's decision to offer cash and other goods for actionable intelligence in the Persian Gulf and other strategic waterways may increase pressure on the flow of weapons to the Houthis as a shaky cease-fire still holds in Yemen. Already, the Houthis have threatened a new allied task force organized by the 5th Fleet in the Red Sea, though there's been no attack by the Iranian-backed forces on the Navy in the time since. Meanwhile, the 5th Fleet says it and its partners seized $500 million in drugs alone in 2021 more than the four prior years combined. The 5th Fleet also intercepted 9,000 weapons in the same period, three times the number seized in 2020. Any destabilizing activity has our attention, Cmdr. Timothy Hawkins, a 5th Fleet spokesman, told The Associated Press. Definitely we have seen in the last year skyrocketing success in seizing both illegal narcotics and illicit weapons. This represents another step in our effort to enhance regional maritime security. The 5th Fleet's new initiative launches on Tuesday through the Department of Defense Rewards Program, which saw troops offer cash and goods for tips on the battlefields in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere after al-Qaida launched the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Since ground fighting has largely halted across the region, the 5th Fleet decided to try to use the program as it patrols the waterways of the Middle East. Hawkins said operators fluent in Arabic, English and Farsi would man a hotline, while the Navy also would take tips additionally online, in Dari and Pashto. Payouts can be as high as $100,000 or the equivalent in vehicles, boats or food for tips that also include information on planned attacks targeting Americans, Hawkins said. It's unclear if the 5th Fleet's uptick in seizures represents a return to shipping after the coronavirus pandemic or an increase overall in the number of illicit shipments in the region. Traffickers typically use stateless dhows, traditional wooden sailing craft common in the Mideast, to transport drugs and weapons. One destination for weapons appears to be Yemen. The Houthis seized Yemens capital, Sanaa, in September 2014 and forced the internationally recognized government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition armed with U.S. weaponry and intelligence entered the war on the side of Yemens exiled government in March 2015. Years of inconclusive fighting has pushed the Arab worlds poorest nation to the brink of famine. A truce that began around the holy Muslim month of Ramadan appears for now to still be holding. Despite a United Nations Security Council arms embargo on Yemen, Iran long has been transferring rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, missiles and other weaponry to the Houthis. Though Iran denies arming the Houthis, independent experts, Western nations and U.N. experts have traced components back to Iran. Asked about whether new seizures could increase tensions with Iran, Hawkins listed the weapons and drugs the Navy hoped to intercept under the program. Thats what were after, the commander said. Thats not in the interest of regional stability and security. Iran's mission to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment. The U.S. Navy and Iran continue to have tense encounters in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes. The rewards program marks the latest initiative under 5th Fleet Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, who also launched a drone task force last year amid tensions with Iran. Cooper's other effort, the Red Sea task force, has drawn criticism from the Houthis in the past. The rebel group, which has repeatedly denied being armed by Iran, did not respond to a request for comment on the new Navy program. However, Ali al-Qahom, a Houthi official, tweeted last week that the rebels are monitoring increased U.S. activity in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf waters. Because of this, defense and confrontation options are open, he said. They and their diabolical projects have no place in the region. ___ Associated Press writer Ahmed Al-Haj in Sanaa, Yemen, contributed to this report. ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. The cold hands of death visited the Hausa branch of the Nigeria film industry, Kannywood. Nura Mustapha, a movie director was confirmed dead by his colleagues late yesterday. On this note, veteran actor, Ali Nuhu and other family, friends and fans of the deceased have since registered their emotions with condolence messages to the bereaved families. Mustaphas demise was said to have come as a surprise to many as the film director reportedly rested in his bed a night earlier looking hale and hearty. According to customs and traditions of the lslamic faith, the deceased was buried in its accordance. In his tribute, Baba Sheik said: Nura Mustapha was very healthy yesterday and today until his death hours ago. Innalillahi wa innailaihi Rajuun. ' In a post on his Facebook page, Ali Nuhu said, May Allah have mercy on Nura Mustapha. Another actor, Lawan Ahmed said, Innalillahi wainnailaihirrajiun May Allah accept the life of Nura Mustapha who is Director of Izzar. May Allah forgive his shortcomings amen, may Allah make us die with faith when our time comes amen. Zarah Abdullahi writes, Innalillahi wainna ilaihirrajiun Allah has given the director of the film Izzar so Director Nura Mustapha who is dead may Allah have mercy on you and forgive you. Mushin Ibrahim penned Wayes death is a significant loss to Kannywood. I believe he's the most prolific director today. May Allah forgive his shortcomings and ours, main. Mustapha was the Director of the Hausa educational series,' Izzar So.' New York, June 30, 2022 Angolan authorities should drop criminal defamation and insult investigations into journalists Escrivao Jose, Oscar Constantino, and Fernando Caetano and ensure that investigative journalism is not criminalized, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. The three journalists each told CPJ that they are facing ongoing legal processes over criminal defamation and insult complaints about their work. The spate of spurious criminal defamation cases against journalists in Angola shows that politicians and powerful figures are allergic to public scrutiny and are taking advantage of colonial-era laws to criminalize journalism, said Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator, in Johannesburg, South Africa. Prosecutors must stop pandering to elites who want to keep citizens in the dark and should refuse to entertain such cases in line with a 2010 resolution by the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights urging African Union members states to abolish criminal defamation and insult laws. Convictions for criminal defamation carry prison terms of up to 1.5 years and a fine set by a judge; insult convictions carry one year and a fine, according to the penal code and Nelson Custodio, a local lawyer who represents both Caetano and Constantino, and who spoke to CPJ via messaging app. CPJ has recently reported on several other criminal defamation cases against journalists in Angola. On June 6, investigators with the police criminal investigation service in the capital, Luanda, sent a summons to Jose, editor of the privately owned newspaper Hora H, and on June 13 they questioned him in relation to defamation and insult complaints filed by Bento Bento, the ruling Peoples Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) first secretary in the capital, according to news reports and the journalist, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app. Bentos complaints stemmed from a March 29 report by Hora Hs affiliated online video outlet, in which Jose covered corruption allegations involving a land deal by Bento, Jose told CPJ. Authorities released Jose after classifying him as arguido, or a formal suspect in criminal proceedings, a necessary step to possibly being charged with a crime or arrested. Jose told CPJ that Hora H had sought Bentos comment more than a month before publishing their story. Instead of any reply to our questions, Bento chose to intimidate journalists by using his political weight to sue us, Jose said, adding that this was the 24th criminal defamation suit he had faced over his work. He said most of those cases were unresolved, and some had closed without a formal prosecution. CPJ called Bento and contacted him via messaging app for comment but he did not answer. Separately, on June 20, a judge in the province of Kwanza Sul held a hearing in criminal defamation and insult cases against Constantino, a reporter for the Catholic Church-owned broadcaster Radio Ecclesia, according to news reports and Constantino, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app. That case stemmed from complaints filed by Morais Antonio, the former president of the provincial electoral commission, over a 2020 report by the journalist about Antonios resignation amid an alleged sex scandal, according to those sources. Constantino has been classified as arguido in that case since 2021, he told CPJ. He said his court appearance in the case is scheduled for July 6, when he expects to learn whether he has been convicted. The public prosecutor had asked for the charges against Constantino to be dropped because of a lack of evidence, according to news reports and Custodio. Antonio told CPJ by phone that he believed Constantino went beyond the facts in his reporting and accused the journalist of failing to publish his reply to the allegations. Constantino told CPJ he stood by the reporting, which he said was based on Antonios resignation letter. Antonio also filed separate criminal defamation and insult complaints against Caetano, a correspondent for the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Voice of America and the news website Club K in Kwanza Sul province, over a December 2017 report by Club K about alleged corruption in the management of the provincial electoral commission, the journalist told CPJ by phone. Caetano said he was notified of his status as arguido in the case in November 2021. That 2017 report was published under someone elses byline, and featured a photograph that was later reused in an unrelated report written by Caetano in December 2019, Caetano told CPJ. He said he was not the author of the 2017 report and had no say in the photo in the 2019 article, adding, This is a good example of how easily journalists can get sued in Angola for next to no reason. Antonio told CPJ that Caetano must prove that he was not the author of the 2017 report, as the photograph was the same and Caetano was the only Club K reporter in the province. If it is not him so who is it? Antonio said, noting that the 2017 article alleged that he had embezzled money. Caetano had his first court hearing in that case in March, according to Custodio. The case was adjourned and a date for the next hearing had not been set by June 29, Custodio said. Kwanza Sul public prosecutor Mario Sacuiema told CPJ in a phone interview that he could not comment on Constantino or Caetanos cases, and confirmed that a date for Caetanos next court hearing had not been set. Boris Johnsons Special Envoy for Religious Freedom or Belief, Fiona Bruce MP, has claimed to be frustrated by the US Governments policy regarding Nigeria. Ms. Bruce did so on 28 June, while commenting at a fringe event of the UK Governments International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion and Belief, at which the Baroness Caroline Cox (HART), Dr. Joel Veldkamp (CSI) and the Revd. Canon Hassan John (Anglican Church of Nigeria) gave testimony from a recent fact-finding visit to Nigeria. Last November, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken removed Nigeria from the State Departments list of Countries of Particular Concern regarding systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom. This concession to the Nigerian authorities came on the eve of Blinkens visit to Abuja, in which he strove to shore up Washingtons preeminent position there in the face of challenges from China, Russia and Boko Haram and related anti-western terrorist groups. Despite fierce condemnation from human rights defenders in Nigeria and abroad, Nigeria has not been restored to the CPC list. The UK Special Envoy noted that prior to accepting her current post, she had co-authored an influential report by British parliamentarians entitled Unfolding Genocide?, which documents a pattern of violent attacks against Christian communities by Fulani Muslim militias in Nigerias Middle Belt region. I think it influenced at the time [the US] putting Nigeria on the CPC More rain forecast as waves swamp coastal roads PHUKET: Traffic police are urging motorists to drive with caution, especially on coastal roads along beachfronts after two roads were swamped by large waves pushing debris across the road surface yesterday (July 3). weathermarineSafety By The Phuket News Monday 4 July 2022, 09:46AM Officers were called to the beachfront road in Kalim, north of Patong, to clear the road of excess water and debris after large waves battered the shore there. At the northern end of the island, officers were called to clear excess water and debris from the northbound section of Thepkrasattri Rd passing along the Sai Kaew beachfront just before the bridge heading off-island. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) this morning re-issued its weather warning for strong wind-waves in the upper Andaman Sea, with waves averaging two to three metres in height, reaching up to three metres in thundershower areas. All ships should proceed with caution and keep clear thundershowers, the warning noted. Small boats in the upper Andaman Sea should keep ashore until July 6, the warning added. Previous weather advisories issued over the weekend warned of heavy downpours across the Gulf of Thailand and across the Eastern, Northeastern and even Northern regions of Thailand, attributed to fallout from Typhoon Chaba, which has lashed the coast of Southern China. People were warned to beware thunderstorms, strong winds, heavy to very heavy rain and accumulated rain which may cause flash floods. Phuket Marine Chief Nachaphong Pranit has issued his own advisory, ordering all small boats to stay ashore and all larger vessels to heed weather warnings and ensure all safety equipment on board is in working order. Chief Administrative Officer of the Phuket Provincial Office (Palad) Somprat Prabsongkhram late yesterday issued an order for all disaster officials on the island to monitor the situation in their respective areas and be on alert to take action where necessary. Phuket airport runway repairs cause delays, diverted flights PHUKET: All flights at Phuket International Airport were suspended yesterday afternoon (July 3) while emergency repairs were made to the runway. tourismtransportSafety By Eakkapop Thongtub Monday 4 July 2022, 08:30AM Long delays for passengers as repairs were made to the runway. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Long delays for passengers as repairs were made to the runway. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Long delays for passengers as repairs were made to the runway. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Long delays for passengers as repairs were made to the runway. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Pilots first reported at around 12:40pm that a section of the runway where aircraft land was damaged, explained Pakin Sirichan of Airports of Thailand (AoT) Phuket. All flights were suspended while an inspection was carried out, and confirmed that a patch of runway measuring four square metres had been damaged, he said. The suspension left five flights in a holding pattern waiting to land, Mr Pakin added. The runway was then closed from 1pm-1:30pm while emergency repairs were made, after which the five flights were allowed to land, Mr Pakin said. However, the runway designated Runway 27 despite the airport having only one runway was closed to all traffic again from 5pm to 7pm as it needed more comprehensive repairs to allow normal operations to resume, Mr Pakin explained. Pilots of all inbound flights and flight operators at Phuket airport were informed of the temporary closure ahead of time to allow any changes in flight schedules, he added. The Phuket News was informed that some flights were diverted to Krabi. Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew arrived at the airport yesterday evening to be briefed on the situation. Many flights had been delayed, leaving many passengers to wait patiently at the airport. Normal operations at the airport resumed at about 7:20pm, but by that time the flights that had been delayed had to be scheduled to take off or land while allowing the other flights scheduled for throughout the night to continue. Some passengers had to wait hours. Governor Narong expressed his appreciation of how the situation was handled. After being informed, a Vice Governor came down first and then I came down to help, Governor Narong said. The staff had resolved the problem excellently. It must be appreciated when an abnormality is found and the problem is resolved immediately, he added. I would like to commend all operators, Governor Narong said. Ukraine leader accuses Russia of terror in missile strike that killed 21 KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday (July 1) accused Russia of engaging in state terror as he blamed Moscow for missile strikes on a southern resort town that left 21 dead and dozens wounded. UkraineRussian By AFP Saturday 2 July 2022, 11:20AM Body bags containing the remains of some of the 21 civilians killed by a Russian missile strike lie in front of a damaged residential building in the village of Serhiyivka on July 1. Photo: Press service of the State Emergency Services of Ukraine Missiles slammed into an apartment building and a recreation centre in the town of Sergiyvka about 80km south of the Black Sea port of Odessa, which has become a strategic flashpoint in the now more than four-month-old war. The attacks took place a day after Moscow abandoned positions on a strategic island in a major setback to the Kremlins invasion. The dead included a 12-year-old boy, Zelensky said in his daily address to the nation, adding that some 40 people have been injured and that the death toll could rise. I emphasise: this is an act of deliberate, purposeful Russian terror and not some kind of mistake or an accidental missile strike, Zelensky said. Three missiles hit a regular nine-storey apartment building, in which nobody was hiding any weapons, any military equipment, he added. Regular people, civilians, lived there. Sergiy Bratchuk, Odessa deputy chief of district, said on Ukrainian television the strikes were launched by aircraft that flew in from the Black Sea and fired very heavy and very powerful missiles. INHUMAN Germany swiftly condemned the violence. The cruel manner in which the Russian aggressor takes the deaths of civilians in its stride and is again speaking of collateral damages is inhuman and cynical, said German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. The attacks follow global outrage earlier this week when a Russian strike destroyed a shopping centre in Kremenchuk, central Ukraine, killing at least 18 civilians. President Vladimir Putin has denied his forces were responsible for that attack and Moscow made no immediate comment on the Odessa strikes. On Friday, Zelensky hailed a new chapter in its relationship with the European Union, after Brussels recently granted Ukraine candidate status in Kyivs push to join the 27-member bloc, even if membership is likely years away. Our journey to membership shouldnt take decades. We should make it down this road quickly, Zelensky told Ukraines parliament. The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, addressing Ukrainian lawmakers by video link, said membership was within reach but urged them to work on anti-corruption reforms. Norway, which is not an EU member, on Friday announced US$1 billion of aid for Kyiv including for reconstruction and weapons. And the Pentagon said it was sending a new armament package worth $820 million, including two air defense systems and more ammunition for the Himars precision rocket launchers the United States began supplying last month. BORSHCH WAR In a decision that immediately inflamed tensions further between Kyiv and Moscow, the UNs cultural agency inscribed Ukraines tradition of cooking borshch soup on its list of endangered cultural heritage. Ukraine considers the nourishing soup, usually made with beetroot, as a national dish although it is also widely consumed in Russia, other ex-Soviet countries and Poland. UNESCO said the decision was approved after a fast-track process prompted by Russias invasion of Ukraine. We will win both in the war of borshch and in this war, said Ukraines Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko on Telegram. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova quipped: Hummus and pilaf are recognised as national dishes of several nations. Everything is subject to Ukrainisation. PHOSPHORUS BOMBS On Thursday, Russian troops abandoned their positions on Snake Island, which had become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance in the first days of the war, and sat aside shipping lanes near Odessas port. The Russian defense ministry described the retreat as a gesture of goodwill meant to demonstrate that Moscow will not interfere with UN efforts to organise protected grain exports from Ukraine. But on Friday evening, Kyiv accused Moscow of carrying out strikes using incendiary phosphorus munitions on the rocky outcrop, saying the Russians were unable to respect even their own declarations. In peacetime, Ukraine is a major agricultural exporter, but Russias invasion has damaged farmland and seen Ukraines ports seized, razed or blockaded sparking concerns about food shortages, particularly in poor countries. Western powers have accused Putin of using the trapped harvest as a weapon to increase pressure on the international community, and Russia has been accused of stealing grain. Ukraine on Friday asked Turkey to detain a Russian-flagged cargo ship that Kyiv alleged had set off from the Kremlin-occupied port of Berdyansk. While heavy fighting continued in eastern Ukraine, officials said schools in the Ukrainian capital would re-open at the start of the school year on Sept 1 for the first in-person classes since lessons went online after the invasion began. Olena Fidanyan, head of Kyivs education and science department, said territories adjacent to the schools will be checked for explosives and school bomb shelters will be restocked with essential supplies. A bloke in Chile was accidentally overpaid 286 times his salary, and instead of returning the money, he got the f**k outta there. The unnamed man, an employee of Consorcio Industrial de Alimentos, was accidentally paid 165,398,851 Chilean pesos (roughly $284,934 NZD) instead of 500,000 pesos (roughly $861), according to News18. The bloke initially let his work's HR department know about the muck up, and he was obviously asked to pay the money back, which he promised he would. The company tried calling the bloke after they realised he still hadn't returned the money, to which he didn't pick up. Later, he did call back, saying he overslept and would go to the bank to return the money that day. But he must've had a change of heart and did what most would be tempted to do. He abruptly handed in his resignation and did a runner. Where's he now? Nobody knows. The company haven't been able to contact the bloke since, and now they're taking legal steps to get the money back. Ballsy move! Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Rain. High near 27C. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch.. Tonight Showers and thundershowers this evening will give way to steady rain overnight. Low 19C. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Peter Gay is the executive director of North Attleborough Community Television Inc. North TV. The views expressed in his column are not necessarily those of North TV. Reach him at pgay@ northtv.net . Welcome Guest! You Are Here: BEIJING (AP) A Chinese-born Canadian tycoon is being put on trial in China, Canada's government said Monday, five years after he vanished from Hong Kong during an anti-corruption crackdown. Xiao Jianhua was due to stand trial Monday, a government statement said. It said Canadian diplomats were monitoring this case closely and provided unspecified services to Xiaos family. It said no other information would be released due to privacy considerations. Xiao, the founder of Tomorrow Group, vanished from a Hong Kong hotel in January 2017 amid an upsurge of prosecutions of Chinese businesspeople accused of bribery and other misconduct. Authorities have never confirmed whether Xiao was detained or disclosed possible charges. A foreign ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, said Monday he wasn't aware of the situation. Xiao's disappearance came as the ruling Communist Party was stepping up efforts to pressure people wanted in corruption cases to return from abroad to stand trial. It fueled fears Beijing might be abducting people abroad. At that time, Chinese police were prohibited from operating in Hong Kong, which has a separate legal system. The government of Chinese President Xi Jinping has tightened control over Hong Kong since then, prompting complaints it is violating the autonomy promised when the territory returned to China in 1997. The ruling party imposed a national security law in 2020 and has imprisoned pro-democracy activists. In 2015, five people connected with a Hong Kong publishing company that sold books critical of Chinese leaders vanished from the territory and reappeared on the mainland. Before his disappearance, Xiao had a fortune estimated at $6 billion, according to the Hurun Report, which follows China's wealthy. An official of Chinas securities regulator said in February 2017 that Chinese people abroad who were accused of misconduct would be captured and returned. Hong Kong police investigated Xiaos disappearance and said the subject crossed the border onto the mainland. But an advertisement in the Ming Pao newspaper in Xiaos name the same week denied he was taken against his will. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Jerseyvilles living room got a major addition Saturday as the WOW Furnishings and Events Center held a grand opening at its 309 N. State St. location adjacent to the Germania Brewhaus. Its only been a few months since Germania Brewhaus opened in Jerseyville. Now the Brynildsen family has added the adjacent WOW Center, which will use Germania for the new venue's bar and beverages area. Germania has coffee shops that are like a living room for the community, and this is an extension for bigger parties, said Barbie Brynildsen, who co-owns the WOW Center with her husband, Bryan. We started at the end of April," she said. "July is pretty heavily booked. We are doing a lot of showers and birthday parties, and we also have weddings starting up in October. Brynildsen said the WOW Center is ideal for family and class reunions, weddings, and anything for which you need a gathering space. The center can accommodate about 150 people with space for a dance floor, and an adjacent room is being developed as a ceremony site so an entire wedding and reception can be held under one roof. We are excited to be part of the Jerseyville community. It's a great little town; people are excited to have us here, and we are excited to be a part of it, Brynildsen said. They also have a great Chamber of Commerce that is working with the local businesses, which is awesome to see. Jerseyville resident Jamie Green was happy to help welcome the WOW Center on Saturday. I love that there is always stuff going on for adults and kids around here and that this facility is really going to add to it, Green said. The event area is a great space and we are frequent fliers at Germania. Every time we come through here there is something new open or a special thing going on. Jamie Kuehnel, who runs Germania for the owners, said the community has been extremely supportive of both the beverage and the new reception establishments. Between the coffee shop and the event space weve seen a huge outpouring of support from the community, Kuehnel said. We now have a place for everybody to come and hang out, so just have fun and enjoy the space. Saturdays grand opening also featured Riverbend Axe Throwing and a patriotic theme with the inclusion of the U.S. Veterans Foundation. We started out just doing hunting and fishing trips free to the veterans, we send them to places all over the United States, said foundation CEO John Kadell. Weve started a new program for recovery where we send veterans to martial arts gyms for a year completely free to them. Visit Facebook for more information about Germania Brewhaus which also has locations in Alton, Godfrey and East Alton, and the WOW Furnishings and Events Center. EDWARDSVILLE Eight zoning requests were approved and two postponed during a busy meeting of the Madison County Zoning Board of Appeals last week. The approved requests, which must go through the Building and Zoning Committee before being voted on by the full County Board, include a request for a campground, a bar/restaurant and workers at a home business. Ronald and Rita Christlieb, owners of property at 7645 Possum Hill Road, Worden, had requested a special use permit to allow an overnight campground on the site. There had been several letters in opposition. SBK Group LLC, on behalf of owners Ronald and Larry Blake, had requested a special use permit to allow an eating and drinking establishment in an existing structure in a B-4 Wholesale Business District at 5528 Maryville Road in Chouteau Township. Kent and Margaret Barnett, owners of property at 758 Birch Street, East Alton, had requested a variance to build an accessory structure 25 feet tall, instead of the maximum 20 feet allowed in an R-3 Single Family Residential District in Wood River Township. Mike and Michele Riffel had requested a variance to construct an attached garage at 12157 Cedar Hills Drive, Highland, that would be 25 feet from the east property line instead of the required 50 feet. The property is zoned A Agriculturual. Jill Bertels, on behalf of Bertels Land Inc., had requested the rezoning of about one-half acre of a dual-zoned lot to R-3 Single-Family Residential from A Agricultural at 4568 Seiler Road, Dorsey, in Moro Township. Billy Marquez had requested a special use permit to have a private parking lot and a Type B Home Occupation with six employees rather than one normally allowed to operate a cleaning company from his home at 3122 Harvard Place, Collinsville. Joshua Kirbach on behalf of Weber Living Trust, owner of 5446 Chain of Rocks Road, Edwardsville, had requested rezoning of 2.88 acres to PD Planned Development District from B-3 Highway Business District. Mark Frey and Gail Frey, owners of 4164 Illinois 160, Highland, had requested rezoning of 1.62 acres to PD Planned Development District from R-2 Single Family Residential. All were approved and will move to the Building & Zoning Committee. Two hearings were postponed. Blake Tourville had requested a variance at 8702 N. Illinois 159, Dorsey, to construct an accessory building 4 feet from the south property line instead of the required 15 feet. The property is zoned A Agricultural. The request was postponed because there appears to be a property line discrepancy, and Tourville and a neighbor will have a survey completed before it is brought to the ZBA again. A reque4st by I-55 RV Park & Campground LLC on behalf of owners Jeffrey and Pamela Bladdick, for a special use permit for 4260 Blackburn Road, Edwardsville, to operate a trailer/RV park was delayed because of questions regarding an intergovernmental agreement between Edwardsville, Madison County and the Illinois Department of Transportation regarding a nearby intersection. The issue was cleared up during a conference call two days after the meeting, and is good to go according to Building & Zoning officials. The property is zoned A Agricultural. Scranton, PA (18503) Today Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 82F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight A few showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 66F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. If FTSE chief executives wore badges in solidarity with counter staff at the Halifax, almost all would read he/him. A crashing irony of the row over pronouns at the mortgage lender is that it coincided with a reduction in the already tiny number of women at the head of elite UK companies. When Alison Brittain announced her retirement from Whitbread, their modest ranks there have never been more than ten in the top 100 were depleted again. Sign of the times: If FTSE chief executives wore badges in solidarity with counter staff at the Halifax, almost all would read he/him Even the minuscule minority of women who get to the top are subjected to disgusting sexism. Amanda Blanc, the boss of Aviva, and Dame Emma Walmsley at GSK have fielded chauvinistic questions from male private shareholders. Both, along with Alison Brittain, have also been targeted by activist investors, who seem to have a knack for homing in on the few companies led by women. Academic research suggests male share analysts and they are mainly men are more aggressive in their questioning of female chief executives. Our own analysis of pay packages in the FTSE 100 has found the women are paid, on average, much less than the men albeit still very large sums. Banking is riddled with gender inequality. Women are hugely under-represented in the high echelons of the mainstream lenders, and in fin-tech. Fewer than 2 per cent of financial institutions' CEOs are female, according to the IMF. In the UK, two major lenders, NatWest and Nationwide, have women chief executives, as does challenger bank Starling, which is in that context not too bad. Finance and banking has been run by men and shaped, probably unconsciously, to meet male needs. Loans and savings products are often inflexible and not best suited to female lifestyles which are more likely to involve time out or part-time work. When NatWest chief executive Alison Rose conducted a study of female entrepreneurs, she found women still do not start up and expand their own businesses at anywhere near the same rate as men. Her report suggested 250billion of value could be added to the economy if women's entrepreneurial verve were fully deployed. That would go a long way in bouncing back from the post-pandemic slump, but female-run businesses still face difficulty raising venture capital funds. Rose set up a 1billion fund to back female-led firms: a male banker might not even have thought to commission the research. The IMF found a higher proportion of women in senior roles is associated with greater resilience in banks. In other words, they lack the testosterone for a reckless takeover spree, an affair, a corporate jet and a scallop kitchen, with billions of toxic off-balance sheet debt on the side. It is hard to imagine a female Fred Goodwin. The inequality and the macho culture that contributed to the financial crisis will not be solved by badge-wearing. Nor will the contempt for customers endemic in the banks. Wearing a woke badge is no substitute for genuine respect. Perhaps the Twitter team is too young to remember, but it is only 14 years since Halifax or HBOS as it was then known was bailed out by taxpayers and a mere five since it paid the money back. Some of those taxpayers are now being smeared as too bigoted to bank with Halifax. So too are some of the private shareholders who lost in the near collapse. If the hat fits: GSK boss Emma Walmsley GSK's plans to build a new life science campus in the UK moved a step closer after it secured project partners. The asset management arm of Swiss investment bank UBS has linked up with London-based property developer Reef Group to create a joint venture that will construct the campus in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The venture will deliver 900m of investment for the site, which will be one of the largest of its kind in Europe. The campus should create 5,000 new highly skilled jobs as part of chief executive Emma Walmsley's plan to revitalise GSK's credentials as a life science innovator. GSK will sell 33 acres of land to develop the new campus, which is due to open in 2025. It will be built next to GSK's existing research and development hub in Stevenage. 'The campus will add laboratory space and facilities for new companies to locate here,' said Tony Wood, GSK's chief scientific officer. Budget airlines Ryanair and Wizz Air saw a jump in passenger numbers in June as travellers packed for holidays abroad after two years of pandemic. Ryanair said it carried 15.9million passengers last month, up from 5.3million a year ago and beating June 2019's pre-pandemic figure of 14.2million. Likewise, Wizz Air saw passenger numbers more than double to 4.3million in June, from 1.6million a year earlier, and ahead of the 3.6million passengers it carried in June 2019. Recovery: Ryanair and Wizz Air have both seen a big jump in passengers last month The surge comes despite mass flight cancellations and disruption at airports in the UK and Europe in recent weeks, amid a wave of strikes and post-Covid staffing shortages. Ryanair said that only 2 per cent of its 9,000 flights scheduled over the last weekend had been affected by an initial wave of strikes by cabin crew unions in Belgium, Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. However, July may turn out to be more turbulent for the Irish airline as some of its cabin crew staff in Spain have threatened further strike action to demand better working conditions. The company said it expected 'minimal (if any) disruption' from the 12 more days of strikes planned in Spain for 12-15, 18-21 and 25-28 July Ryanair's load factor - which measures how full an airplane is - reached 95 per cent in June for the first time since the start of the pandemic. The low cost airline expects to fly 15 per cent more passengers this summer than in the same season of 2019, and to carry a record 165million passengers in the year to March 2023. It comes as boss Michael OLeary said fares will increase in the coming years as soaring fuel costs and environmental charges take their toll. Meanwhile, capacity at Wizz Air also improved to 86.1 per cent, from 64 per cent in June last year. The Hungarian airline said it would be reintroducing its fuel hedge policy given the ongoing price volatility. Last month, it reported widening losses of 642.5million in the year to the end of March, despite a surge in bookings, as costs rose. Wizz Air shares were down 1.8 per cent in morning trading. This coming Wednesday, July 6, Doras will host an information and discussion event on the theme of hosting refugees in the community. People from Tipperary and throughout the region are invited to the event takes place from 6-8 pm at the Limerick Strand Hotel and it is free to attend. Doras are extending a welcome to individuals and groups interested in hosting refugees, including Family Resource Centres and other community groups. The open session will cover everything that a host needs to consider such as vetting and agreements, relationships, services, support, and training, as well as good practice in hosting refugees. It will also be an opportunity to meet other hosts. Speaking in advance of the event Doras CEO John Lannon said: "We've seen over the years how time and time again Irish people are prepared to rise to humanitarian challenges overseas and at home. The war in Syria brought to the fore the concept of community sponsorship, the idea of communities coming together to host refugees. Last year we were asked to respond to the crisis facing Afghanistan. "Now similar is happening around Ukraine. Internationally this is seen as a more sustainable model of people coming together to support the different needs of refugees beyond just accommodation. It's about social supports, helping people integrate around education, health, culture, sport, and feeling part of the community. "It helps us move beyond the dysfunctional direct provision system, where people can be isolated from communities. Instead, community hosting creates more supportive communities where everyone benefits. "That's why we're working with groups around Ireland to develop and support this model, and we're keen for everyone who is interested or involved to come together and join the conversation about how you might do this in your local area. There's no commitment to do anything by attending the event, but it will be a good conversation where we can come together to see what we can do to offer friendship and support to some of the most vulnerable in our society". For people in the Mid-West who are already hosting Ukrainian refugees or are involved in supporting refugees in other ways, this is an ideal opportunity to learn more and to meet with others who are doing the same. The event will be in English but there will be Ukrainian translators available on the night. Registration is free via Eventbrite 'hosting refugees in the community' or email info@doras.org. With an ever-increasing focus on the sustainability of its business operations, Hankook has revealed its new Alphatread hot-retreading factory in Hammelburg, Germany. The retreading business for commercial vehicle tires makes an important contribution to the companys sustainability efforts. The new facility was set up due to increased demand following a series of multi-million-dollar investments by the tire maker. ') } // --> ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> The hot-retreading production area is situated on a 2,000m2 plot that makes up part of the 15,000m2 facility. Hankook says the total area can be increased to 20,000m2 if required, enabling long-term plans to be made for the Hammelburg site. Since taking over Reifen Muller in 2018, Hankook has continued to focus on factory retreading under the Alphatread brand name for the commercial vehicle side of its business. With the completion of the new plant, we can meet the increased demand for hot-retreaded tires, said Manfred Zoni, TBR sales director at Hankook Reifen Deutschland. Compared to the old factory we have been able to almost double our production capacity. We can now produce up to 100,000 hot-retreaded tires each year. Alongside state-of-the-art technology, the decision to exclusively use A-carcasses helps to make Hankook Alphatread profiles the highest quality. Hankook recognizes the ever-increasing challenges of our fleet and dealer partners across Europe, added Guy Heywood, vice president of truck and bus tire marketing at Hankook Tire Europe. To deliver more cost-effective, safe and environmentally friendly solutions, we are investing in our retread range and production facilities. We aim to offer more dimensions and to focus with our fleet partners on extracting all of the value Hankook builds into our Premium new truck tires. Hankook and Reifen Muller revealed the new production facilities to guests at the beginning of June 2022. Manfred Zoni, Guy Heywood and Uwe Muller, the managing director of Reifen Muller Runderneuerungswerke, led a tour that demonstrated the production sites manufacturing processes, the Hankook SmartLife Solutions concept and other benefits of hot-retreading. This included showing how every Hankook commercial tire can not only be regrooved but also retreaded several times because of 5-9mm of base rubber beneath the tread. Once again the level of violence continues to outpace historic highs. At last count, the number of local murders at this time last year was only 73 . . . That number was the 2nd highest in KCMO history. Overnight, two more killings added to the total. Here is more info . . . Homicide - Dropped off at Research Hospital Approximately 3:30 am officers were dispatched to Research Hospital on a call of a shooting victim being dropped off at the Emergency Room. That victim, an adult male, was declared deceased by medical staff. Detectives are interviewing the people that came in with the victim at this time to determine exactly where the shooting occurred. That investigation is on going and detectives ask that if anyone has any information about this they are urged to contact the Homicide Unit directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. A reward of up to $25,000 is available for information leading to an arrest in this case. ############## Homicide 5700 block of Mersington At 3:45 am officers were dispatched to the area of 57th and Swope Parkway on a sound of gunshots call. At the same time officers on an unrelated call nearby also heard the sound of gunshots and directed officers to the area. While officers were on the way a shooting call was reported to 911 at a residence in the 5700 block of Mersington. When officers arrived they were directed to the back of a residence there. They located the victim, an adult male, unresponsive. He appeared to have been shot. Officers summoned EMS into the scene who declared the victim deceased at the scene. Multiple people who were at the scene when officers arrived have been detained for further investigation. Detectives advised they are not looking for any additional suspects at this time. If anyone has any information and has not been in touch with detectives they are asked to contact the Homicide Unit directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is no indication that this shooting is related to the shooting victim that arrived at Research Hospital 15 min before. ################# Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Kansas City police investigating two separate homicides to start July 4th KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City Police Department is investigating two deadly shootings that occurred early Monday. First, at approximately 3:30 a.m., officers were called to Research Hospital when a shooting victim was dropped off at the emergency room. Medical staff declared the man deceased. Man found shot to death in backyard near 57th, Mersington Kansas City police are investigating after a man was found shot to death in the backyard of a home near 57th Street and Mersington Avenue early Monday.Police said officers were called at 3:45 a.m. to the area of 57th Street and Swope Parkway on a sound of gunshots. 2 homicides early Monday morning in Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Two people total were killed in two separate shootings early Monday morning in Kansas City. Police responded at 3:45 a.m. to the area near 57th Street and Mersington Avenue on a shooting call. Arriving officers were directed to the back of a home, where they found the shooting victim unresponsive. Kansas City police investigate 2 separate homicides overnight KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department detectives are investigating two separate homicides overnight. At 3:45 a.m. Monday, officers were called to the area of 57th Street and Swope Parkway due to the sound of gunfire. While officers were en route, a shooting was reported at a residence at 57th Street and Mersington avenue, according to KCPD. Developing . . . We've been watching the reporting on this topic and wanted to wait until all of the info was available and the injury count was complete. The upshot . . . GUNFIRE JUST RUINED KANSAS CITY'S BILLION DOLLAR P&L DISTRICT INVESTMENT!!! Another important fact . . . Local media helpfully omits that the violence erupted after a pretty decent concert by Rod Wave with Moneybagg Yo, Big Latto, Sleazy & Friends. Even worse for downtown residents who aren't fans of hip-hop . . . Kansas City police said at least 15 vehicles were either broken into or had items stolen from them late Sunday near the Power & Light District. Now back to the big picture . . . For years, shootings had been confined to nearby parking lots & faraway streets. But now rising local violence occurs in the midst of downtown's crown jewel. Make no mistake, this is a HORRIFIC SETBACK for historic taxpayer investment inside the loop. It's doubtful that people are going to pay $3,000 - $6,000 per month to reside in luxurious living space that's right next to a war zone. Commercial real estate also continues to suffer from the pandemic and many employers might question: Is it worth it to risk the fate of employees by returning to the central biz district that's clearly in disarray??? Here are the basics . . . Four people, including a juvenile, were shot early Monday near the Power & Light District after a concert at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. The shooting occurred just after midnight near the T-Mobile Center at 13th Street and Grand Boulevard. Police investigating separate reports of nearby vehicle break-ins heard the gunshots and responded, Sgt. Jacob Becchina, a Kansas City Police Department spokesman, said . . . Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Shooting, break-ins and robbery occur around T-Mobile Center after concert KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It was a busy night for Kansas City police. Detectives are investigating a triple shooting, a slew of car break-ins and an armed robbery that all occurred within a few blocks downtown. Four shot overnight in Power & Light District KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Four people were shot overnight at the Power and Light District in Kansas City, Missouri. About 1:30 a.m. officers were investigating a report of several vehicles broken into near the Power and Light District in a parking lot. Shooting, break-ins and robbery occur around T-Mobile Center after concert KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It was a busy night for Kansas City police. Detectives are investigating a shooting, a slew of car break-ins and an armed robbery that all occurred within a few blocks downtown. Four wounded in shootings in downtown Kansas City early Monday Four people were wounded in shootings early Monday in downtown Kansas City, police said.Authorities said about 1:30 a.m., police were in the area of 13th Street and Grand Boulevard when someone reported car break-ins.Officers then heard gunshots and found four victims. Police said two of the victims were not seriously hurt. 4 shot at Power & Light District to start 4th of July holiday KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The number of people shot early Monday morning outside the T-Mobile Center in the Power & Light District is now four, including a girl under 18. Officers responded just after midnight to gunshot sounds outside the T-Mobile Center while investigating separate incidents of car break-ins nearby. Developing . . . The Jackson County contender and rising star activist endures a tragic sign of hatred this July 4th holiday weekend. Here's his press release on the incident . . . HOMOPHOBIA IN THE HEARTLAND: JUSTICE HORNS COUNTY CAMPAIGN BANNER DEFACED WITH HOMOPHOBIC SLUR KANSAS CITY, Mo. (July 3rd, 2022) Justice Horn, candidate for Jackson County Legislature sign defaced on July 3rd in Midtown Kansas City, Missouri. Justice Horn is the first openly gay person of color to seek this county seat and if elected, would be the first openly gay county offical in the state of Missouri. Justice is no stranger to hostility as hes received open threats during the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, which also includes the defacing of a Black Lives Matter mural last year here in Kansas City at our Briarcliff location in the Northland. Justice Horn: This one hurt and Im not going to pretend like it didnt. I grew up facing these same slurs as a bullied kid and thankfully moved past that pain, but these words still hurt even as an adult running for office. Im not immune to this kind of hurt and pain, but I am going to try and be. I felt the need to talk about this because I want people to know that we as queer people still face homophobia and hate, even in whats considerd a liberal city. We cant let our lack of knowing the realities that exist today make things like this okay and normal - because they arent. We can change this by standing up and challenging this. As a openly gay person of color running to represent this community, this has proved all the more reason that I should be running and that I should be in this race. Im going to keep my head high and prove whoever did this wrong. I hope the community that I love will stand with me on this one because we cant let hate win here in Kansas City. Crissy Dastrup (Close friend of Justice Horn and was with him): "Answering a call from my 14 year old queer daughter that Justice's banner had been defaced was a jolt to my system. The two of them are close. So for her to see him be degraded so openly was heartbreaking. Not only did she watch her hero take a blow by a homophobic coward (on her grandmother's fence no less), she was also forced to consider the hostility and hate in this world toward the queer community." Justice Horn will hold a press conference at the site of the defaced banner on Tuesday, July 5th at 9 AM CST at 4644 Campbell St. Kansas City, MO 64110 Date: Tuesday, July 5, 2022 Location: Site of the banner 4644 Campbell St. Kansas City, MO 64110 ################### Developing . . . Dr. Fahad Razak, scientific director of the science table, says the new wave "does not look like it has the intensity in terms of amplitude or pace of what we saw with the start of the Omicron wave." - Supplied Photo Police are looking for a man after a man in his 40s was shot on The Danforth Sunday evening.The gunfire happened near Danforth Road and Main Street at about 8:30 p.m. In Kramatorsk direction, after firing artillery, the enemy crossed the Siversky Donets River and now gains a foothold in the areas of Lysychansk and Bilohorivka. This is stated in the latest report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the Russian invasion as of 06:00 on July 4, published on Facebook. There were no significant changes in Volyn, Polissya, and Siversky directions. In Siversky direction, the aggressor fired artillery and helicopters from the territory of Kursk region to strike the positions of Ukraines Defense Forces in the areas of Vasylivske, Bilopillia, Bachivsk, and Vovkivka, Sumy region. In Kharkiv direction, the enemy troops, with the support of the army aviation, focus their efforts on restraining the actions of Ukrainian troops and preventing them from going on the offensive. In the direction of Prudianka locality, the Ukrainian soldiers resolutely suppressed the enemy's assault attempt. In order to disrupt the control and communication system of Ukraines Defense Forces, the enemy actively uses radio-electronic warfare systems. In Slovyansk direction, the enemy units try to establish control over the localities of Bohorodychne, Mazanivka, and Dolyna through assault operations. Fighting continues. The enemy regroups its troops to resume the offensive. For this purpose, a battalion tactical group was redeployed from the area of Izium in the direction of Snizhkivka, and additional tube artillery units were deployed. In Donetsk direction, the main efforts of the enemy groups are focused on gradually pushing the units of Ukraines Defense Forces to Siversk Fedorivka Bakhmut line. In Bakhmut direction, the enemy intensified artillery shelling of the Ukrainian positions along the contact line. The invaders launched massive rocket strikes in the areas of Pokrovske, Berestove, Spirne and in the area of the Vuhlehirsk TPP. With the support of artillery, the enemy goes on the offensive in the areas of Vasylivka, Berestove, Spirne, Klynove, and Mayorsk, has no success. In Avdiivka and Kurakhove directions, the occupiers assaulted the direction of Pobieda and Marinka localities. The enemy's attack aircraft launched missile strikes in the areas of the eastern outskirts of Avdiivka and Maryinka. In Novopavlivsk and Zaporizhzhia directions, the enemy systematically opens fire to restrain the units of Ukraines Defense Forces and prevent their redeployment to other directions. In the Southern Buh and Tavriysky directions, the aggressor's main efforts are focused on trying to regain lost positions in the areas of Ivanivka, Potiomkyne, and Myrne, and preventing the Ukrainian troops from carrying out counteroffensive actions in Kherson and Mykolayiv regions. The enemy reinforces its positions in Novovoskresenske district. As part of the logistical support of the troops, 17 wagons with ammunition were moved from the temporarily occupied Crimea to the Kalanchak railway station (Myrne, Kherson region). Three Kalibr sea-launched cruise missile carriers are on alert in the Black Sea. The Ukrainian aviation and missile and artillery units continue to strike ammunition depots and clusters of Russian manpower and military equipment. ol At least 345 children have been killed and 644 have been injured in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in late February. The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office said this in a Telegram post, Ukrinform reports. "More than 989 children have been affected in Ukraine as a result of full-scale armed aggression by the Russian Federation. According to the official information provided by juvenile prosecutors, 345 children have been killed and more than 644 have been injured, the report says. Most casualties were recorded in the Donetsk region (345), Kharkiv region (185), Kyiv region (116), Chernihiv region (68), Luhansk region (61), Mykolaiv region (53), Kherson region (52), and Zaporizhzhia region (31). On July 3, a 9-year-old girl died in enemy strike on the city of Sloviansk, the Donetsk region. On July 3, Russian troops once again shelled the city of Bakhmut, the Donetsk region. A 2-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl were injured. In addition, Russia's daily air and artillery strikes damaged 2,102 educational institutions across Ukraine. Of which, 215 were completely destroyed. As Ukrinform reported, on July 3, the city of Sloviansk in the Donetsk region was subjected to the biggest shelling in recent times. According to preliminary data, one child was among those six killed. iy Russia is seeking to completely destroy Ukraine. The Kremlin is not going to limit itself to capturing Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine, said this in an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Ukrinform reports. Budanov noted that he does not consider "statements made by someone from some countries" about the enemy's plans. "We focus on our own information," he said. According to him, the Main Intelligence Directorate was the first to inform about "what and how will happen". "Therefore, I can say with full responsibility that Russia's plans are the complete destruction of Ukraine, absolutely complete. Moreover, any insinuations that maybe Donbas is enough for them, I will ask you not to even put such questions to me. We will not trade territories, Budanov said. On February 24, Russia began a new stage of the war against Ukraine - a full-scale invasion. The Russian forces have been shelling and bombarding Ukrainian cities, towns and villages, torturing and killing civilians. The defense forces of Ukraine are fiercely resisting the Russian invaders. As of July 4, Ukrainian defenders eliminated about 36,200 Russian troops. iy The risk of direct participation of Belarus in the war on the side of Russia will grow proportionately to the possible successes of the invasion force on the territory of Ukraine. This was stated by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba in an interview with LB.ua, Ukrinform reports. "First of all, Russia is already using Belarusian territory. If we are talking about the Belarusian army, I think that this risk will grow in proportion to the possible successes of the Russian army on the territory of Ukraine. As long as the Belarusian army clearly understands that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are capable of seriously slamming them, they will postpone their action in every possible way. As of now, they are clearly aware of this," the foreign minister said. Read also: Belarusian forces training to set up pontoon crossings Commenting on the current diplomatic contacts with Belarus, the head of Ukrainian diplomacy noted that "these are very, very limited contacts." "We have an ambassador in Belarus, we have an embassy in Belarus, and they have an embassy in Kyiv. These are the only channels of communication. That is, everything is very dry and official, but if you think that there is a daily mailbox bursting with letters, this isnt the case," stated the head of Ukrainian diplomacy. As reported, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, announced on July 3 that Belarus supports Russia and is building a "union state" with the Russian Federation. According to him, a "unified group of armed forces" was created in the union of Belarus and Russia a long time ago, and the participation of Belarus in the "special operation" was determined by him a long time ago. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Russian military have ruined about 80,000 objects in Ukraine since the Russian invasion started, including over 2.1 thousand educational institutions and about 800 health facilities. The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his speech at the Ukraine Recovery Conference, which had opened in the Swiss city of Lugano, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Russias aggression is still underway, and about 80,000 objects have already been ruined, which is dozens of millions of square meters in area. Looking at such losses, we must see not simply the walls broken, the church destroyed, the halls or rooms burnt down, but millions of human lives that will never be the same as they were before, Zelensky noted. In his words, over four months since the full-scale war started, Russia has destroyed 2,103 educational institutions in Ukraine. This is the deliberate destruction of educational space, the space in which children get socialized and people learn to be people, Zelensky said. According to the President of Ukraine, Russia has also destroyed 799 medical infrastructure facilities in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. In his opinion, striking hospitals and maternity homes is Russias demonstration that it is allegedly able to destroy the very possibility of civilization for Ukraine, the basic humanity that exists in every normal country. All of this is Russias deliberate tactics: these are not simply strikes but a stake in ideological confrontation. The terrorist state hopes such destructions will allegedly prove the inability of democratic systems and the European choice of our nation to give people not only normal but life in general, Zelensky stressed. Zelensky also mentioned the systemic destruction of residential areas in Ukrainian settlements by Russian troops and Russias continuous missile terror against civilians. mk The Ukrainian Armed Forces have begun to use HIMARS multiple rocket launcher systems in the Zaporizhzhia region. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said this in a Facebook post, Ukrinform reports. "Combat work of HIMARS. Zaporizhzhia direction. Beautiful, fast, accurate," the report reads. The General Staff also published photos of the operation of HIMARS systems in the Zaporizhzhia region. On June 23, Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that U.S.-made HIMARS systems have already arrived in Ukraine. On June 25, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valeriy Zaluzhny said that the M142 HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems are already defending Ukraine. HIMARS can launch one ATACMS missile with a range of 300 km or six missiles with a range of up to 70 km. Greek private companies that provide Russia with tankers to transport oil are, in fact, pulling it out of the oil embargo. This was stated by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba in an interview with LB.ua, Ukrinform reports. In the seventh package of EU sanctions, we want to see Russia cut off from world maritime trade, said Kuleba. This means, first of all, banning ship operators from providing their tankers to the Russian Federation. It so happened that, at least according to the latest data that I had, the largest operators, largest suppliers of tankers to transport Russian oil by sea are Greek private-owned companies. Theyre not government-owned companies, so I don't blame the Greek government. These are private Greek companies are the largest suppliers who are essentially pulling Russia out of the oil embargo. That's a fact," said Kuleba. He added that in the seventh package of sanctions, Ukraine also expects to see Russian banks completely disconnected from SWIFT, as well as transactions with Russian gold embargoed. "Also, personal sanctions, so that they would be hurt. They, their families, their mistresses, everyone should be hurt," the minister added. As reported, in late May, the European Union introduced the sixth package of sanctions against the Russian Federation, the main element of which was the ban on Russian oil transportation by sea. As noted by the EU governing bodies, the step will allow the European Union to abandon 90% of Russian oil by the end of 2022. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine From the port of Mariupol, the invaders carry rolled metal and grain on small river-sea vessels to loading platforms in "neutral" waters off Kerch coast, and then transport cargo farther on through Syria. As Ukrinform reports, Petro Andriushchenko, adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, reported this on Telegram. "The Mariupol port is preparing for transshipment of stolen grain. A fourth vessel has already been spotted in the port's water area...At the same time, our sources report on the scheme of exporting rolled metal and grain from Mariupol through Syria. Everything stolen by river-sea class small vessels will be taken to transshipment points (de facto large cargo platforms equipped with cranes) anchored in "neutral" waters off the coast of Kerch. There, from these small ships, cargo is loaded onto larger ships bound for Syria," Andriushchenko wrote. He noted that the stolen goods are further transported to Syria under fictitious paperwork alleging that the ships were loaded in other countries ports: "in particular, Turkey is mentioned (needs clarification)." The travel time from Mariupol to the platform is about eight hours, which makes it possible to ensure a high pace of transportation. The mayor's advisor added that the invaders are actually stealing from agricultural holdings and farmers. "Harvesting crops is allowed only to those who are actively collaborating with the Russians, and for others it all boils down to outright blackmail on the condition that they harvest their crops exclusively for covering own needs," Andriushchenko explained. As Ukrinform reported, the main priority of the invaders in Mariupol is the city port on the Sea of Azov. The occupiers are trying to restore operations in the seaport as soon as possible. The main fuel depot for the needs of the Russian military is expected to be set up here. Also, the exports of rolled metal, grain, and coal and the import of fuel and military equipment will be accelerated. The occupation administrations of the city and port were tasked in the first decade of July to ensure the full restoration of the port. Major exports from Mariupol include scrap metal, grain, and coal, while main imports are primarily fuel and military equipment. On June 24, the self-styled prime minister of the unrecognized "DPR," Vitaly Khotsenko, arrived in Mariupol, ordering that the entire stock of rolled metal be taken out of the city within a month. Russia's aggression caused one of the biggest humanitarian disasters in Mariupol. The city was almost completely destroyed as a result of enemy shelling and bombing. The United Kingdom will host the next Ukraine Recovery Conference, which is to be held in 2023. UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said this at this year's Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, Switzerland, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. She emphasized that her state and the democratic world community will support Ukraine despite all the difficulties, no matter what the cost. Truss said that this would be a new Marshall Plan for Ukraine and it must be implemented by Ukrainians themselves. Europe has a special responsibility for the future fate of Ukraine and an opportunity to make more intensive efforts for its development and recovery after the country was officially granted the status of a candidate country for membership in the European Union. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, Switzerland, on Monday, July 4, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "Europe has a special responsibility and a strategic interest to be at Ukraine's side every step of the way. Ukraine wants to be part of our European Union. And we want Ukraine to become a member. Ukraine is highly motivated to work with us in this direction and we will do our utmost to support these efforts," she said. According to her, the path towards a stronger Ukraine and the path of European integration are one and the same. "Through the reconstruction platform, the European Commission can offer its extensive expertise in running programs that combine reform and investments. In addition, we have been working closely with Ukraine for a long time. And this work will only intensify now that Ukraine has formally become a candidate to join our Union," she added. When the hall greeted her remark about Ukraine acquiring the status of a candidate country with applause, von der Leyen addressed Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk, "redirecting" this applause to them, because the status acquired by Ukraine is a merit for all branches of government and all citizens of Ukraine. "The Kremlin's goal is the military, political and economic destruction of Ukraine. They want to undermine Ukraine's very existence as a state. We cannot and we will not let this happen," she said. She recalled that since the beginning of the war, the European Union has mobilized around EUR 6.2 billion in financial support. European partners are aware that more money is needed right now, and this money is going, it is already coming to Ukraine. "We can never match the sacrifices Ukrainians are making every day. Ukraine's youth are giving their life to turn vision into reality. They are fighting for a free and independent Ukraine. They are fighting for the respect of international laws and values. Their fight is our fight, too. And while we work in these days to help Ukraine win this war, we must also make sure that Ukraine wins the peace that will come. Slava Ukraini [Glory to Ukraine]!" she said. Its up to Ukraine to decide when it will sit down at the negotiating table with Russia. Western partners will not push Kyiv. "Its an open question how exactly the war will end. The war is now being waged on the battlefield, but there must be a prospect for negotiations. Its only up to Ukraine to decide when it will sit down at the negotiating table," President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier said, ZN.UA informs citing Steinmeier's interview with ZDF. But Germany is ready to support Ukraine so that our country approaches the start of negotiations with a strong position. "We need to ensure that Ukraine has something to agree on, to make it strong before the negotiations begin. We will not push Ukraine. Its up to Ukraine to decide when to embark on this path," he noted. The President of Germany recognizes the territorial integrity of Ukraine within the borders of 1991, including the territories of Donbas and Crimea currently occupied by Russia. Read also: Zelensky discusses increasing defense support with Steinmeier "Ukraine has to restore its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence throughout its territory," Steinmeier added. In the interview, he also stated that Russian president Vladimir Putin was destroying his country by unleashing a full-scale war. According to the German president, "several difficult years" may lie ahead. ol On July 4, a two-day Ukraine Recovery Conference starts in the Swiss city of Lugano. As an Ukrinform correspondent reports, a comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of Ukraine will be unveiled at the conference which brings together high-ranking Ukrainian and foreign officials. The conference will include a business forum and panels on recovery in the main areas of the economy and social sphere. The following topics are on the agenda: Plan for the recovery and development of Ukraine (within the framework of President Zelensky's United 24 initiative) and contributions of international partners to Ukraines recovery Recovery methods, priorities, and principles; social, economic, environmental and infrastructural recovery from damages and losses caused by war Reforms that are possible or necessary to implement in the current situation Chair of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk and members of Parliament, several Ukrainian ministers, high-ranking officials of the EU, international financial institutions, and human rights organizations have already arrived in Lugano. More than 40 countries and more than 20 international organizations are invited to participate in the conference. On July 2, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine would present its national view on reconstruction at the conference in Switzerland. At the opening ceremony, he will address the event participants via video link. As reported, Ukraines GDP decline this year may reach from 30 to 50%, and tax revenues will drop by approximately 50-80%. The conference in Lugano will be the first in a series of events to help Ukraine recover from the consequences of the war with Russia. Photo credit: Olha Tanasiychuk, Ukrinform ol President Zelensky has shown bravery and leadership in the face of Russias brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine. President Zelensky has shown bravery and leadership emblematic of his people in the face of Russias brutal and illegal invasion. My visit to Ukraine sends a clear message that democratic nations like Australia will stand with the Ukrainian people in their time of need, Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese posted on Twitter. President @ZelenskyyUa has shown bravery and leadership emblematic of his people in the face of Russias brutal and illegal invasion. My visit to Ukraine sends a clear message that democratic nations like Australia will stand with the Ukrainian people in their time of need. pic.twitter.com/lHVPJvPx7y Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 4, 2022 As reported, on July 3, Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese made a visit to Kyiv. He also visited Bucha, Irpin and Hostomel liberated from the Russian invaders in Kyiv region and held talks with President Zelensky. ol NATO's peacekeeping mission can guarantee peace in Ukraine on Kyiv's terms. Thats according to Polands ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party leader Jarosaw Kaczynski, who spoke with residents of Kielce in southern Poland, Ukrinform reports with reference to Radio Poland. Answering the question of what the conditions are for Ukraine's victory in the war with Russia, Kaczynskiy emphasized that, in military terms, Kyiv should receive very serious assistance in the form of artillery and reconnaissance equipment. "Ukraine needs weapons, and there are some problems with that," the PiS leader noted. Touching on the military and political aspects of Ukraine's victory in the war with the Russian Federation, he emphasized that he tied this with the introduction of the NATO peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. "If we want peace to be truly ensured and on conditions worthy of Ukraine, then it wont do without the introduction of a NATO peacekeeping mission. Will it happen? If someone knows the details of these cases and I do then they understand that it is not ruled out, but also rather unlikely," Kaczynski stated. He did not rule out that Russia's war against Ukraine will drag for a long time or it will be frozen with or without a ceasefire. "Id like to emphasize that this peacekeeping mission wont be there to fight with the Russians... This mission is to tell the Russians: everythings over," the PiS leader emphasized. In his opinion, Russians stand no chance in direct confrontation with Ukrainians, as their moral and psychological condition is much worse. As reported, during the joint visit of the Prime Ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to Kyiv on March 15, the then Deputy Prime Minister of Poland for Security Affairs Jarosaw Kaczynski voiced the idea of introducing a NATO peacekeeping contingent to Ukraine. After that, he reiterated a few more times that this option should remain on the agenda. Kaczynskis proposal has not yet found support among NATO allies. In lateJune, Kaczynski resigned from the post of Deputy Prime Minister for Security Affairs, which he had held since October 2020. Due to Kaczynskis active role, the law on the protection of the fatherland was passed in Poland, providing for doubling the number of military servicemen to 300,000, and increasing the nations 2023 defense budget to 3% of GDP. War is a national idea of the Russian Federation, while Ukraine is fighting on the path to peace and shooting for survival. The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his video address to the Japanese university community, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. We cannot lay down our weapons, because otherwise we will disappear. As a state, as a nation, simply as people. Russia has chosen the path of war, Ukraine is fighting on the path to peace. Russia is shooting for destruction, Ukraine is shooting for survival. War is a national idea of the Russian Federation. The national idea of Ukraine is peace, Zelensky told. In his words, for more than four months, people have seen, heard and read the news with the headlines War in Ukraine. According to Zelensky, such abbreviation may distort the global picture of events and the essence of things, everyones perception of what is happening in Ukraine, and it can replace the truth. This is a war in Ukraine, which the Russian Federation started, which the Russian Federation continues, and which the Russian Federation does not want to stop. Ukraine is defending its own land, its sovereignty, its territory. Ukraine is fighting for peace. This is a cruel paradox of the 21st century, and for us these are realities, the President of Ukraine stressed. Zelensky called on Japanese students to look around, explaining that what seems so ordinary and familiar to them is actually a huge blessing. The sky without missiles and bombs, houses and buildings not destroyed and not damaged, loved ones and simply all their fellow citizens not injured and alive. All this is a great blessing. And even more. All this is a miracle for us today, Zelensky noted. With weapons in their hands, Ukrainians defend themselves, so that this miracle becomes a reality for them again, Zelensky emphasized. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine mk Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson has visited the liberated areas of Kyiv Region, namely Bucha and Borodianka. The relevant statement was made by Kyiv Regional Military Administration Head Oleksii Kuleba on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. The Swedish delegation came to a place near Church of St. Andrew the Apostle in Bucha, where a mass grave of people tortured and murdered by Russians was found. Andersson also saw with her own eyes the houses destroyed and damaged by the Russian world in Borodianka. According to Kuleba, the Prime Minister of Sweden recalled President Zelenskys words that Ukrainians are fighting not only for Ukraine but for the civilized world and democratic values, and this is absolutely true. The head of Kyiv Regional Military Administration expressed gratitude to Sweden for its consistent assistance and support for Ukraine. A reminder that such settlements as Irpin, Bucha and Hostomel, and the entire Kyiv Region were liberated from Russian invaders in early April 2022. mk Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has met with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson in Kyiv. The head of state said this in a Telegram post, Ukrinform reports. "Pleased to meet Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson! This is her first visit to Kyiv and it is very productive. Thank you for your solidarity with Ukrainians and the support for our course towards full-fledged accession to the EU in the future," Zelensky said. Andersson is on a working visit to Ukraine. As part of her visit, she visited the towns of Bucha and Borodianka in the Kyiv region, earlier liberated from Russian invaders. The European Union has not yet reached an agreement on the content of the seventh package of sanctions against Russia or on the date for its adoption. Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said this at a joint briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Monday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. She said that Sweden is ready to adopt new packages of sanctions against Russia. Commenting on whether this can be done before the summer vacation, she said that there are different opinions in the European Union on this matter. Andersson emphasized the importance of fully implementing these sanctions, so that there were no loopholes to contravene them. She noted that Sweden is ready to include an embargo on the purchase of natural gas from Russia in the seventh sanctions package. She added that Sweden does not depend on Russian gas, whereas other countries have different circumstances. On June 3, the EU adopted the sixth package of sanctions against Russia and Belarus. Ukraine is also working with the European Union on the seventh package of sanctions against Russia. Ukraine and Sweden have signed a joint statement on defense cooperation and sectoral cooperation in the fields of nuclear energy, energy efficiency, as well as financial support for Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this at a briefing with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson in Kyiv on Monday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "Today we approved a joint statement. This is the first document in the history of bilateral relations between our countries. The joint statement sets out key issues for both states. In particular, it concerns defense cooperation, sectoral cooperation in the fields of nuclear energy, energy efficiency, and financial support for Ukraine," he said. According to Zelensky, the issue of developing tougher sanctions against Russia was discussed at the meeting with Andersson. Both parties also discussed the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. Zelensky expressed hope that Sweden will join this process. He noted Sweden's experience in the field of energy saving, energy efficiency and implementation of the environmental agenda. Zelensky clarified that this concerns the issue of waste treatment. He invited Sweden to join the construction of waste treatment plants in Ukraine. Zelensky also informed Andersson about the situation on the front line, existing threats and successes of the Ukrainian military. Zelensky thanked Sweden for supporting Ukraine's efforts to join the European Union in the future, as well as for humanitarian aid and support for Ukrainian refugees. Andersson is on a working visit to Ukraine. As part of her visit, she visited the towns of Bucha and Borodianka in the Kyiv region, earlier liberated from Russian invaders. Pope Francis says he may visit the capitals of Ukraine and Russia following his trip to Canada late this month. Thats according to Reuters, Ukrinform reports. "I would like to go (to Ukraine), and I wanted to go to Moscow first. We exchanged messages about this because I thought that if the Russian president gave me a small window to serve the cause of peace ... Pope Francis added that he would like to visit both capitals." When the Vatican first asked about a trip several months ago, Francis said Moscow replied that it was not the right time. But he hinted that something may now have changed. No Pope has ever come to Moscow so far. According to Vatican News, Pope Francis will be visiting Canada July 24 through July 30. As Ukrinform reported, the pontiff expressed willingness to visit Ukraine, at the same time noting that for such a visit, the right moment has to be chosen so as not to do more harm than good. Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson brought to Ukraine a copy of the letter of King Charles XII dated 1711 with instructions on the recognition of Zaporizhzhia Sich as an independent state. At a joint briefing with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, Andersson said that she had brought a special gift to Ukraine a copy of a letter of King Charles XII, dated 1711, from the National Archives of Sweden. "In the letter, he gives instructions to the Swedish ambassador to recognize Zaporizhzhia Sich as an independent state, as a subject of international law, so that there is no oppression from the Moscow tsar. I think it fits very well in the current political context. Already at the beginning of the 18th century, our king was impressed by Cossacks and Cossack democracy," said the Prime Minister of Sweden. One of Sweden's successful projects in Ukraine 300 years later is local self-government and grassroots democracy, the official added. Zelensky demonstrated the document and read a fragment from its translation: "For the article on the freedom of Ukraine and all Cossacks to be implemented as soon as possible, for their long-time freedom, ownership of their land, and former borders to be returned to all of Ukraine and the Zaporizhzhia Army led by incumbent commander Pylyp Orlyk, for this people to become an independent state from now on and not to ever submit to or be protected by the king." As reported, Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson is on a working visit to Ukraine on July 4. As part of her visit, she visited Bucha and Borodianka, Kyiv region, liberated from the Russian invaders. In August 2021, the original Latin-language version of the Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk was delivered to Ukraine from the National Archives of Sweden for the first time. ol ANKARA, Jul 4 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jul, 2022 ) :Australia has abolished the mandatory declaration of COVID-19 vaccination status for travelers beginning this week, officials said on Monday. In a statement, Health Minister Mark Butler said people will now be able to travel to and from Australia without being required to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status from July 6. "The Australian government makes decisions on COVID-19-related issues after considering the latest medical advice," said Butler. However, travelers will still comply with any remaining COVID-19 requirements of airlines and shipping operators, as well as other countries and states and territories. "This currently includes wearing masks on inbound international flights. State and territory orders mandating masks on domestic flights also remain in place," said the minister. - New Zealand opens work visas Meanwhile, New Zealand on Monday also announced to open work visa applications for people offshore after two years to overcome the skilled worker shortage in the country. Announcing the decision, Immigration Minister Michael Wood called it another significant step forward and said this is the third and final stage of the new simplified Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) policy, which will allow migrants offshore to apply for a work visa to come and work in New Zealand for an accredited employer. "We know a major constraint on business currently is access to skilled labor. This is happening the world over, but the Accredited Employer Work Visa will play a role in increasing the available pool of labor to fill skilled work shortages," Wood said. According to the minister, the work visa application will process within 20 days as they are planning to fully open their international border from the end of this month. Last month, New Zealand started welcoming visitors from around 60 countries for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic over two years ago. Highland Park, United States, July 4 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jul, 2022 ) :A shooter opened fire during a parade to mark US Independence Day in the state of Illinois, killing at least six people, officials said. "At this time, two dozen people have been transported to Highland Park hospital. Six are confirmed deceased," Commander Chris O'Neil of the city's police told journalists. The suspected shooter, who is still at large, has been described as a white male aged 18-20 with longer black hair, O'Neil said. "All individuals are still urged to shelter in place at this time," he added. Nancy Rotering -- the mayor of Highland Park, which is located near Chicago -- gave the same toll and condemned the holiday violence. "On a day that we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we're instead mourning the tragic loss of life and struggling with the terror that was brought upon us," she said. Both officials said the shooting began at around 10:14 am (1514 GMT). Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the state police and the local sheriff's office, are assisting with the response. Highland Park announced that all July 4 festivities had been canceled as a result of the violence, as did nearby Evanston. "While there is no known threat to Evanston residents, the shooter is still at large; therefore, cancelations are taking place in an abundance of caution," the city said. - 'Enough is enough' - US Representative Brad Schneider, who was at the parade, said on Twitter that "a shooter struck in Highland Park during the Independence Day parade." "Hearing of loss of life and others injured. My condolences to the family and loved ones; my prayers for the injured and for my community," he wrote, adding: "Enough is enough!"The shooting is part of a wave of gun violence plaguing the United States, where approximately 40,000 deaths a year are caused by firearms, including suicides, according to the Gun Violence Archive website. The debate over gun control -- a deeply divisive issue in the country -- was reignited by two massacres in May that saw 10 Black supermarket shoppers gunned down in upstate New York and 21 people, mostly young children, slain at an elementary school in Texas. Siversk, Ukraine, July 4 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jul, 2022 ) :The Ukrainian army retreated from the strategic city of Lysychansk Sunday, as Russia claimed a major victory by seizing control of the entire eastern Lugansk region. The Ukrainian withdrawal followed weeks of fierce fighting and marked a decisive breakthrough for Moscow's forces more than four months after their invasion and after turning their focus away from the capital Kyiv. Lysychansk had been the last major city in the Lugansk area of the eastern Donbas region still in Ukrainian hands and this frees up Moscow's forces to advance on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in neighbouring Donetsk. President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier denied Russian claims of Lysychansk's fall before the Ukrainian army announced the retreat on Sunday evening. "The continuation of the defence of the city would lead to fatal consequences" in the face of Russia's superiority in numbers and equipment, the army said in a statement. "In order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders, a decision was made to withdraw. "Unfortunately, steel will and patriotism are not enough for success -- material and technical resources are needed." Russian forces seized Lysychansk's twin city of Severodonetsk last week following weeks of intense fighting. The latest blow to Ukrainian resistance came after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday pledged further military support including armoured vehicles and drones during a meeting with Zelensky in Kyiv. In an address late Sunday, Zelensky vowed Kyiv would fight on and ensure the military had "the most modern weapons". "It requires many negotiations, but we will ensure such a supply. Ukraine will reach the level when the fire superiority of the occupiers will be leveled." ISLAMABAD, Jul 4 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jul, 2022 ) :Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Monday said malicious campaign run by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the state institutions was a brainchild of Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi. Fawad Chaudhry and Dr Shireen Mazari had confessed that Bushra Bibi was spearheading the campaign against the state institutions by peddling fake narrative on the social media, the minister said while responding to the PTI leaders' news conference held earlier in the day. She said the PTI leaders' news conference was in fact a confession that Bushra Bibi was not only behind the venomous campaign against the institutions, but also coined the idea of awarding certificates of sedition to political opponents. Marriyum said both the PTI leaders did not only confirmed that the (viral) audiotape was of Bushra Bibi, but also it was her personal opinion to link the political opponents' statements with sedition. The minister it had been confirmed that Bushra Bibi led the campaign against institutions and it was her who had been instigating her party's spokesmen to use abusive language against opponents in their "unethical" press conference. She said Bushra Bibi was pushing the narrative of "treachery and foreign conspiracy" by hiding in her abode at "Money Gala." Political opponents were being abused by Bushra Bibi from everywhere with the aim to hide her unprecedented corruption, she added. She said the PTI had also confessed that the treason cases were filed against political opponents to conceal Bushra's corruption. However, the champions of foreign conspiracy narrative were now caught begging and apologizing to the country whom Imran Khan accused of the regime change conspiracy. The minister said Imran Khan was seeking apology from that country by imploring 'let the bygones be bygones '. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday said the government was ensuring early completion of power projects including 1320 megawatts Shanghai Electric Power, 1236 megawatts Punjab thermal, 720 megawatts Karot Hydro Power, 330 megawatts Energy Limited and 330 megawatts HUBCO Thal Nova Thar coal power project ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jul, 2022 ) :Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday said the government was ensuring early completion of power projects including 1320 megawatts Shanghai Electric Power, 1236 megawatts Punjab thermal, 720 megawatts Karot Hydro Power, 330 megawatts Energy Limited and 330 megawatts HUBCO Thal Nova Thar coal power project. He said the government would complete on priority basis the projects criminally delayed in the past. In tweets on social media platform Twitter, he said today the Federal cabinet was informed in detail by the Power Division about the recent loadshedding in the country. The criminal negligence of the government of Pakistan Tehreek i Insaf (PTI) delayed the power projects of 3963 megawatts which were to be completed by 2020-21. Due to non completion of these projects, people were suffering from loadshedding, he stressed. President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered Russian troops to press their offensive deeper into the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine after Moscow's forces seized the strategic city of Lysychansk Sloviansk, Ukraine, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jul, 2022 ) :President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered Russian troops to press their offensive deeper into the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine after Moscow's forces seized the strategic city of Lysychansk. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told Putin at a meeting that Moscow's forces were now in full control of the Lugansk region. In a sign there would be no let-up in the fighting and that Russia now had its eyes on the entire Donetsk region, Putin told Shoigu that troops stationed there must continue their operations. "Military units, including the East group and the West group, must carry out their tasks according to previously approved plans," Putin said. "I hope that everything will continue in their direction as has happened in Lugansk so far." The Ukrainian army said on Sunday it was retreating from Lysychansk to preserve the lives of its troops who were outnumbered and outgunned by Russian forces. With the war now well into its fifth month, Ukraine told a reconstruction conference in Switzerland on Monday that it would already cost $750 billion to rebuild the country. "The key source of recovery should be the confiscated assets of Russia and Russian oligarchs," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told leaders of dozens of countries in Lugano. In a video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described rebuilding Ukraine as the "common task of the whole democratic world" and the "biggest contribution to the support of global peace." - 'Most modern weapons' - The loss of Lysychansk over the weekend prompted Zelensky to step up calls for an increased supply of weapons from the West so Kyiv can keep up the resistance and regain lost territories. After giving up on its initial war aim of capturing Kyiv following tough Ukrainian resistance, Russia has focused its efforts on securing control of the Donetsk and Lugansk areas which make up the Donbas region. Moscow's capture of Lysychansk -- one week after the Ukrainian army also retreated from the neighbouring city of Severodonetsk -- frees up Russian forces to advance on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in Donetsk. Lugansk region governor Sergiy Gayday said on Telegram that there was still fighting in the town of Bilogorivka outside Lysychansk. "We keep defending a small part of the Lugansk region so that our army could build protective redoubts," he added. In his address late Sunday, Zelensky vowed Kyiv would fight on and ensure the military had "the most modern weapons". "Ukraine will reach the level when the fire superiority of the occupiers will be levelled." In a symbolic boost, the Ukrainian flag was raised on Snake Island, an rocky outcrop in the Black Sea, after Russia withdrew from the strategically important Ukrainian territory last week. In Sloviansk, about 75 kilometres (45 miles) west of Lysychansk, there were few people on the streets on Monday, the day after Russian strikes that left at least six dead, among them a nine-year-old girl, and 19 injured. In the large downtown market largely ravaged by a fire caused by a Russian strike, a few vendors offered basic goods while others cleared charred debris. Vendors and residents who spoke to AFP, some still in shock, expressed concern for the days and weeks to come, as sounds of shelling were heard again. The city of Siversk, 30 kilometres west of Lysychansk, also saw overnight shelling, residents and an official told AFP. - Reconstruction - But Zelensky's address Sunday evening was defiant, predicting Ukrainian troops would "win back" territory in the Donbas just has they had in other regions earlier in the war. On Monday, leaders from dozens of countries and international organisations met in the Swiss city of Lugano with the aim of hashing out a roadmap for Ukraine's reconstruction. Lugano is not a pledging conference but will instead attempt to lay out the principles and priorities for a rebuilding process aimed to begin even as the war rages. "Ukraine can emerge from this on a path towards a stronger and more modern country," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. But for residents in Bucha -- a Ukrainian town synonymous with war crimes blamed on Moscow's forces after their retreat in April -- fear remains even as talk begins of reconstruction. "We're going to bed without knowing if we'll wake up tomorrow," said Vera Semeniouk, 65. "Everyone has come back, is starting to repair houses, many are putting in new windows. It would be terrible if it started again, and we had to leave everything again."Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, making her first visit to Ukraine, visited Bucha on Monday. Rebuilding Ukraine was the "common task of the whole democratic world", Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday, insisting the recovery of his war-torn country would serve world peace Lugano, Switzerland, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jul, 2022 ) :Rebuilding Ukraine was the "common task of the whole democratic world", Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday, insisting the recovery of his war-torn country would serve world peace. "Reconstruction of Ukraine is the biggest contribution to the support of global peace," Zelensky said, speaking via video link to an international conference in Switzerland on rebuilding his nation. The two-day conference, held under tight security in the picturesque southern Swiss city of Lugano, had been planned well before Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24. It had originally been slated to discuss reforms in Ukraine before being repurposed to focus on reconstruction. Lugano is not a pledging conference but will instead attempt to lay out the principles and priorities for a rebuilding process designed to begin even as the war rages. Zelensky said the aim of reconstruction was "the most ambitious project of our time". But he told the leaders from dozens of countries, international organisations and the private sector that the colossal investments that would be needed were not for Ukraine alone. "Reconstruction of Ukraine is not a local task of a single nation. It is a common task of the whole democratic world," he said. "We are uniting the democratic world... The outlook of free people always prevails." Zelensky's Swiss counterpart and conference co-host, Ignazio Cassis, stressed the importance of supporting Ukraine "in this time of horror, wanton destruction and grief". It was vital, he said, "to provide the people of Ukraine with the prospect of a return to a life of self-determination, peace and a bright future". While Zelensky was unable to leave Ukraine to co-host the event with Cassis, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal attended, in a rare trip outside Ukraine since the war began. Five other government ministers were also among the around 100 Ukrainians who made the journey, although Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reportedly had to cancel at the last moment due to illness. In all, around 1,000 people were scheduled to participate in Lugano, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and the prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Poland. "We know that their fight is also our fight," Von der Leyen told the conference. "(That is) why we work in these days to help Ukraine to win this war," she said. "We must also make sure that Ukraine wins the peace that will come for sure." Authorities in Uzbekistan said on Monday 18 people died in clashes in the autonomous Karakalpakstan region when mass protests erupted last week over planned constitutional changes affecting the territory's status Tashkent, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jul, 2022 ) :Authorities in Uzbekistan said on Monday 18 people died in clashes in the autonomous Karakalpakstan region when mass protests erupted last week over planned constitutional changes affecting the territory's status. The unrest, pitting protesters against security forces, represented the most significant challenge yet to the rule of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev since he rose to power from the post of prime minister in 2016, when long-serving mentor islam Karimov died. The size of the protest on Friday was unprecedented for the Karakalpakstan region and possibly Uzbekistan. The Church in Australia holds the second and final assembly of the Fifth Plenary Council to reflect on the proposals that emerged from its first assembly in October 2021. By Vatican News staff reporter The Fifth Plenary Council of Australia is reaching its final stage this week with its second assembly in Sydney running from 4-8 July. A four-year process The Council, which is the most important national Catholic gathering in the country since 1937, was convened by the local bishops in 2016 with the aim of renewing the life and mission of the Church in Australia, heeding Pope Francis invitation to dialogue with society, in the light of the significant changes that have taken place over the past decades, and also of the findings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse in the Church. The preparation process began in 2018, with the launch of Dialogue and Listening meetings involving in, a synodal manner, bishops, priests, religious and laypeople, to give a picture of the reality of the Church in Australia today, but also of the concerns and aspirations of Australian Catholics. It was followed in 2019 by a second phase of "Listening and discernment", to identify the issues to be included in the Council's Agenda which has identified six thematic areas, including conversion, prayer, formation, governance, structures and institutions. Themes discussed These themes were discussed by a first Assembly which had to be postponed and was subsequently held online due, to the COVID-19 pandemic in October 2021. Delegates listened to victims and survivors of abuse in the Church recalling the great wounds and failures of the Church and the continuing need to discern pathways of true healing and renewal. They also heard from Aboriginal peoples, reaffirming the need for reconciliation with Australian Indigenous communities, as well as the need for justice and for the healing of the land through an integral ecology'. In responding to the questions on the Agenda, the Council Members considered ways of living as Church today, focusing on what it can offer the world on the one hand, and on how the world can inform the ways and structures of the Church, on the other. They reflected on questions of leadership and governance in light of Pope Francis call for the Church to be more synodal. A key theme of the Assembly was missionary discipleship as well as the call to go out to the margins of society. Participants discussed how a missionary Church might connect with those who feel distant from the community of faith. Another highlight of the Assembly was the call to conversion and fidelity, as well as to imagination and renewal. A recurring theme was also the need for ongoing processes of ecclesial listening which can form and inform how the Church lives out its mission today. Read also 11/10/2021 Plenary Council calls for more listening in Australian Church After a three-year preparatory process, the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia kicked off last week gathering approximately 280 delegates from across the country who met virtually ... Over 30 Motions In this second session in Sydney, the 277 Council Members will discuss and vote over 30 Motions contained in a Framework document published early in June resulting from the proposals that emerged in the first assembly. The gathering was officially launched on Sunday with a 'Welcome to Country' ceremony that included an apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander First Nation peoples. Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB opening the session At the Councils opening session introduced on Monday morning by its president, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, delegates were invited to carry a deep consciousness of who we are as the People of God, called to discipleship in the Australian context. In his address, the prelate acknowledged the failure of the Church to live up to this calling. This week we will acknowledge again, in sorrow and in shame, the damage our failures have caused in the lives of many people. The challenge ahead means ensuring that when people engage with the Church they experience healing, hope and safety: that they experience the compassion and mercy of God, he said. Guided by the Holy Spirit Looking ahead to the deliberations, Archbishop Costelloe also admitted that things may not turn out as people planned. [ None of us is perfect and none of us I suspect is free from the tendency to presume that the way we see things must be right and must be Gods way and that therefore those who see things differently must be mistaken or not as wise and full of insight as we are. It is this reality of our giftedness and our frailty, which helps us understand why we must speak boldly, and listen humbly. ] However we should not doubt that the Spirit, in spite of our weakness and frailty, has responded to our prayer over the course of our journey so far, he said. It is the Holy Spirit" who will take the Council to a new place by the end of the week, and into a future in which, through Gods grace, we can be the signs and bearers of Gods love for all people that the Lord is calling us, as his Church, to be". In his address, Archbishop Costelloe also welcomed those attending the Council as observers, including Archbishop Charles Balvo, Apostolic Nuncio to Australia; Cardinal Charles Bo SDB, Archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar; Cardinal John Dew, Archbishop of Wellington, New Zealand; and Rev. John Gilmore, President of the National Council of Churches in Australia. The dioceses of Uromi and Kafanchan, respectively, call for prayers for the quick and safe release of Frs. Peter Udo and Philemon Oboh, who were kidnapped by armed persons on Saturday in Edo State, and for Fr. Emmauel Silas, who was abducted in Kaduna on Monday. By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ Two Catholic priests were kidnapped over the weekend in Edo State, in the latest instance of abductions of members of the clergy in Nigeria, where authorities have had a long-running battle with insecurity. According to reports, gunmen kidnapped Fr. Peter Udo of St Patricks Catholic Church Uromi, in Esan North East, and Fr. Philemon Oboh of St Joseph Retreat Center, Ugboha, in Esan South East local government area on Saturday, after attacking the car they were in along the Benin-Ekpoma expressway. It was reported that the priests had attended a programme in Benin and were on their way back to Uromi when the incident occurred. This latest abduction comes barely a week after another Catholic Priest, Fr. Christopher Odia, was kidnapped and killed by his abductors in the same state. Search for the abducted priests Confirming the report of the kidnapping, a spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command said that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ugboha police Division has called to inform that one Rev Father Amos Abhulimen on Saturday came to the station to report the kidnap of the two Rev Fathers. Based on the report, said the spokesperson, the state Commissioner of Police Abutu Yaro, has dispatched a team of policemen as a reinforcement to the men of Ugboha division to go for the rescue of the two Catholic Priests unhurt and get the kidnappers arrested. Read also 27/06/2022 Nigeria: Catholic priests killed in Edo and Kaduna The Catholic Dioceses of Auchi and Kaduna mourn the deaths of Fr. Christopher Odia and Fr. Vitus Borogo, who were killed in the Nigerian states of Edo and Kaduna over the weekend. Another priest kidnapped in Kafanchan In another similar development, the diocese of Kafanchan announced the kidnap of Fr. Emmanuel Silas, who was seized in the early hours of Monday. A statement signed by Fr. Emmanuel Uchechukwu Okolo, the Kafanchan diocese Chancellor, said it is with great pain that we announce to you the kidnapping of our priest, Rev. Fr. Emmauel Silas. The sad event is believed to have occurred in the early hours of July 4, 2022, when he could not turn up for morning Mass. According to the statement, Fr. Silas was abducted from the parish rectory at St. Charles Catholic Church, Zambina, in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The Chancellor called for the prayers for the quick and safe release of Fr. Silas, and assured that the diocese would use every legitimate means to ensure the release of the priest. May Jesus crucified on the Cross listen to our prayers and hasten the unconditional release of His Priest and all other kidnapped persons, said the statement. South Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world and the government struggles to provide even the most basic healthcare to its people. In Nyang, at the healthcare center supported by CUAMM, the staff tackles emergencies that would otherwise be impossible to solve. By Francesca Sabatinelli - Nyang South Sudan is paying the price of its youth. The country, which celebrates 11 years of independence from Khartoum on 9 July, is one of the poorest and most underdeveloped in the world. Its where more weapons than food are traded and infrastructure that is necessary for the very survival of its own people does not exist. Healthcare is one of the nation's most dramatic challenges, and in many remote regions, even basic facilities are almost non-existent. Read also 04/07/2022 South Sudan: Life in a cattle camp In a country where millions are in need of humanitarian assistance to survive, cattle camps represent an important, if tiny, economic reality that provide communities with ... Local people face daily emergencies, such as the current risk of a new cholera epidemic, following the news, two months ago, of an outbreak in Unity State in the Bentiu Camp for Displaced Persons, one of the venues Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin, is scheduled to visit on 6 July. The risk has now spread to neighboring Lakes State, where the infection is likely to arrive together with the many displaced persons on the move. At the Government Health Center in Nyang, Yirol East County, a vaccination campaign is to kick off next week, supported by a massive information campaign. The Nyang health center in Yirol East, South Sudan A desperate plea for help and support The 19 health workers at the Nyang Center, supported by Doctors with Africa CUAMM, are increasingly worried about the people, dozens of kilometers away, who will be very difficult to reach. Remoteness from health centers represents one of the most critical aspects of the problem, as it is often inevitably the reason for the lack of prevention and early intervention efforts. Like in Thian, in the same county, where the only existing health facility is so dilapidated, children are not vaccinated and any small physical problem can lead to death. Another serious concern regards the lack of staff as a growing population places a heavy burden on the few workers present in Nyang, imposing impossible shifts. "There is need for help and support," pleads Dr. Abraham Taban, a County Health Officer who adds snakebites to the list of illnesses such as cholera, diarrhea, pneumonia and HIV, all of them deadly realities for the people of South Sudan. A never-ending emergency The Health Center in Nyang is engaged in a perpetual emergency. In addition to receiving 80 to 120 outpatients a day, malnourished children are taken into its wards, prenatal and birth care, support for HIV patients and vaccinations are provided. All this is done without adequate drugs or space for beds. Robert Chekata, CUAMM's health coordinator in Yirol East, highlights the impact of international events on South Sudan's problems. "The war in Ukraine has repercussions on the delivery of food by the World Food Programme to the people who are hospitalized at the Nyang center. Its the only food they get if their families cannot provide. And right now there are malnourished patients here. This is just one of the many challenges we face." Yemenis fill their jerrycans with water at a camp for IDPs in the northern Haijah province (AFP or licensors) Pope Francis expresses satisfaction for the extension of a truce in Yemen, prays for victims of a landslide in Brazil, and applauds the Beatification of two Capuchin monks in Lebanon. By Linda Bordoni Pope Francis on Sunday expressed satisfaction for a two-month extension of a truce in war-stricken Yemen. Speaking after the Regina Coeli prayer, and after having appealed for concrete negotiations to find a solution to the war in Ukraine, the Pope said he is happy to hear that a two-month truce between the Yemeni government and the countrys Houthi rebels has been extended. Thanks be to God and to you! I hope that this sign of hope can be a further step to put an end to that bloody conflict that has generated one of the worst humanitarian crises of our days, he said. Read also 05/06/2022 Pope to government leaders: Please do not lead humanity to ruin' Pope Francis reiterates a heartfelt appeal to national leaders to seek a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine, which continues to rage over 100 days since Russia's invasion, ... The fighting erupted in 2014 when Iran-backed Houthi rebels descended from their northern enclave of Sadah and took over the capital of Sanaa, forcing the government to flee. A Saudi-led coalition entered the war in early 2015 to try to restore the government to power. More than 377,000 are estimated to have died during the conflict that has caused the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. Please, Pope Francis continued,let us not forget to think of the children, the children of Yemen: hunger, destruction, lack of education, lack of everything. Let us think of the children. Prayer for landslide victims in Recife, Brazil Pope Francis also turned his attention to those affected by extreme weather events in Brazil, assuring his prayers "for the victims of the landslides caused by the torrential rains that occurred in the metropolitan region of Recife." Over 100 people have been killed in flooding and landslides triggered by torrential rain in northeastern Brazil. Officials said some are still missing. Thousands of houses and shacks have been washed away. A view of the landslide in the community of Bola de Ouro, Brazil Beatification in Beirut of two Capuchin martyrs The Pope also recalled the Beatification on Saturday of two Capuchin Friars Minor in Beirut. They are Blessed Leonardo Melki and Blessed Thomas George Sale, priests and martyrs, killed in hatred of the faith in Turkey in 1915 and 1917, respectively. These two Lebanese missionaries, in a hostile context gave proof of unwavering trust in God and self-sacrifice for their neighbor. "Let their example strengthen our Christian witness," he concluded, noting that they were both young not even 35 years old and asking for an applause for the new Blesseds. In a wide-ranging interview with American journalist Philip Pullella of Reuters, Pope Francis covers topics such as the recent US Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the possibility of resigning, the decision to postpone his planned Apostolic Visit to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and his hopes for a trip to Moscow and Kyiv. By Vatican News staff reporter Pope Francis has responded to the U.S. Supreme Courts decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which returned power to regulate abortion to the individual states, saying he respected the decision, but had not studied it enough to comment on it from a juridic point of view. I tell you the truth. I dont understand it from a technical point of view, he explained, adding, I have to study it because I dont really understand (the details of) the ruling 50 years ago and now I cant say whether it did right or wrong from a judicial point of view. However, he said, I respect the decisions. The science and morality of abortion The Pope went on to consider the question of abortion itself, saying, Leaving that [the Supreme Court decision] aside, lets go back to the issue of abortion, which is a problem. He said it is important to look at what science has learned in the past few decades: In this we have to be scientific, see what science tells us today. Science today and any book on embryology, the one our medical students study, tells you that 30 days after conception there is DNA and the laying out already of all the organs. He asked, Is it legitimate, is it right, to eliminate a human life to resolve a problem? He insisted, Its a human life - thats science. The moral question is whether it is right to take a human life to solve a problem." Indeed, is it right to hire a hit man to solve a problem? Pope Francis made the remarks in an hour-and-a-half-long interview with Reuters correspondent Philip Pullella, published on Monday. The Holy Father also emphasized the importance of a pastoral approach to Catholic politicians who support abortion, saying, When the Church loses its pastoral nature, when a bishop loses his pastoral nature, it causes a political problem. That's all I can say. Rumours of impending resignation The interview, conducted in Italian with no aides present, covered a wide variety of topics, including swirling rumours that the Pope might be planning to resign, possibly during an upcoming trip to LAquila. The Italian city, as Pullella notes, is associated with Pope Celestine V, who resigned in 1294; and with Benedict XVI, who is thought to have foreshadowed his own resignation when he laid his pallia on Celestines tomb during a visit to the city in 2009. All of these coincidences made some think that the same liturgy would happen, Pope Francis said. But it never entered my mind. For the moment no, for the moment, no, really. However, he said, when the time comes that I see that I cant do it [run the Church, because of bad health] I will do it [resign]. The Pope noted, That was the great example of Pope Benedict. It was such a very good thing for the Church. He told popes to stop in time. He is one of the greats, Benedict. When asked directly when he might resign, Pope Francis responded, We dont know. God will say. Cancer rumours Pope Francis denied rumours that cancer had been found during an operation last year to remove part of his colon. Yes, they took out 33 cm of my colon, the sigmoid colon, for diverticulitis. It went well. It took more than six hours of anaesthesia and thats why I dont want to have surgery here [on the knee], because anaesthesia leaves traces. [The operation] was fundamentally successful, a great success. When asked about reports that the doctors discovered cancer during the operation, the Pope replied, laughing, They didnt tell me about it. They didnt tell me. They explained everything to me well - full stop. No [cancer]. He denounced reports to the contrary, saying, That is court gossip. The court spirit is still there in the Vatican. And if you think about it, the Vatican is the last European court of an absolute monarchy. The Popes knee The Pope went on to give further details of the specific health issues, explaining, Its a ligament that became inflamed, and because I walked badly and this walking badly moved a bone, [this caused] a fracture there and thats the problem. Now, he said, I am well; I am slowly getting better I am slowly improving and technically the calcification has already occurred, thanks to all the work done with the laser ... and magnet therapy. Now, he said, I have to start moving because theres a danger of losing muscle tone if one doesnt move. Its getting better; it gets better. Papal journeys Health issues with his knee forced the postponement of his trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, a trip that would have taken place this week. Pope Francis said the decision to postpone the trip caused him great suffering. I suffered so much for not being able to do this trip, but the doctor told me not to do it because I am not able to do it yet. However, he said, I will do the one to Canada because the doctor told me, With 20 more days you will recover. But [they told me] this trip [to Africa] is a health risk. Thats why I stopped it. A visit to Russia? With regard to possible future travels, Pope Francis said, I would like to go [to Ukraine], and I wanted to go to Moscow first. We exchanged messages about this because I thought that if the president of Russia gave me a tiny window, I would go there to serve the cause of peace. Now, he said, Its possible, after I come back from Canada; it is possible that I [might] manage to go to Ukraine. The first thing is to go to Russia to try to help in some way, but I would like to go to both capitals, that is, Kyiv and Moscow. The Pope noted that, with Russia, there is still that very open dialogue, very cordial, very diplomatic in the positive sense of the word, but for the moment its OK; the door is open. A summary of the first part of Philip Pullellas interview was published by Reuters on Monday, with future installments expected on Tuesday and Wednesday. A rescue helicopter flies over the glacier that collapsed on the Marmolada range in the Dolomites (AFP or Licensors) Pope Francis asks for prayers for victims of an avalanche in northern Italy and warns against disregarding the effects of climate change. By Linda Bordoni Pope Francis has asked the faithful to join in prayer for the victims of an avalanche triggered by the melting of a glacier in northern Italy, highlighting the effects of climate change. A tweet sent from his @Pontifex account on Monday invoked prayers for all those killed and affected by the tragedy on the Marmolada glacier, in which at least 6 people died and 9 were injured. Rescue operations continue as scores of hikers are still believed to be missing. "The tragedies we are living because of climate change must push us to urgently find new paths that are respectful towards people and nature, the Pope tweeted. The avalanche Some 17 people remain unaccounted for a day after a huge chunk of an Alpine glacier broke off and slammed into hikers in northern Italy on Sunday afternoon. Nationalities of the known dead haven't been disclosed, and conditions were too dangerous Monday morning for rescue crews with dogs to resume the search for those missing or to bring down the bodies. Drones are reportedly being used to look for any of the missing as well as verify safety. Rescuers said conditions downslope from the glacier, which has been melting for decades, were still too unstable to send back teams of people and dogs to dig into tons of debris. Heat wave Geologists said it is not known what caused a pinnacle of the glacier to break off and thunder down the slope at a speed estimated at some 300 kph, but the heat wave gripping Italy since May was being cited as a likely factor. Experts agree that it would have been impossible to predict when or if a serac - a pinnacle from a glacier's overhang - could break off, as it did on Sunday. The glacier, in the Marmolada range, is the largest in the Dolomite mountains in northeastern Italy. It has reportedly been rapidly melting away over the past decades, with much of its volume gone. Experts at Italys state-run CNR research center estimated a couple of years ago that the glacier wont exist anymore within 25-30 years. Pope Francis hails the news of a two-month extension of a truce in war-stricken Yemen. In New York, members of the United Nations Security Council also voice their appreciation for this sign of hope. By Nathan Morley In New York, the UN Security Council welcomed the extension of the two-month truce which they said had led to real and tangible benefits for the Yemeni people. Furthermore, there has been a considerable drop in civilian casualties since it first went into effect on April 2. Now, the UN hopes that the peace could be translated into a lasting ceasefire and a wide-ranging and inclusive political settlement under their auspices. Read also 05/06/2022 Pope hails extension of truce in Yemen Pope Francis expresses satisfaction for the extension of a truce in Yemen, prays for victims of a landslide in Brazil, and applauds the Beatification of two Capuchin monks in ... As part of the truce, both sides have agreed to halt all military operations inside Yemen and across its borders and conduct two commercial flights a week from Houthi-controlled Sanaa to Jordan and Egypt. There is also a requirement to allow fuel vessels into a Houthi-controlled port. It is estimated that number of civilians killed and injured fell by more than half in the first month of the truce. However, nineteen civilians have been killed in Yemen during the ceasefire, mostly by landmines or unexploded ordnance. The country has been devastated by a conflict that escalated in 2015. Since then, fighting had reportedly left more than 120,000 people dead and left the economy on the brink, leaving about 16 million people affected by inadequate food consumption. Last year, the UN said that of the countrys 30 million population, 12.9 million needed food supplies. Roughly 3.3 million children and women needed special nutrition. A senior UNICEF official says humanitarian aid is flowing into previously inaccessible areas in northern Ethiopias embattled Tigray region. He says lifesaving aid is reaching hundreds of thousands of people in need thanks to the governments humanitarian truce with the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front. Researchers at Ghent University in Belgium estimate as many as half a million people have died from war, starvation, and other indirect causes in Tigray. This, since Ethiopian military forces invaded the region November 4, 2020, in response to attacks by the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front. In an interview with VOA from his office in Addis Ababa, UNICEFs representative in Ethiopia, Gianfranco Rotigliano, says there has been a change since the government truce was declared in March. He says 170 trucks rolled into previously blockaded areas in April and expects that number to increase to more than 1,000 trucks a month. Rotigliano describes the needs as immense. He says more than five million people in Tigray require international aid, as well as an additional seven million people in the conflict-affected Amhara and Afar regions. We have great needs in terms of repairing infrastructures that were looted, that were destroyed and the, you know the lack of supplies in certain areas makes it also very difficult for children to get health services, to get immunization. Many schools are closed so children cannot go to school and there are more risks for exploitation and sexual abuse in the region, he said. UNICEF estimates nearly 400,000 children in northern Ethiopia are malnourished. It says 80,000 severely malnourished children have been treated for this life-threatening condition this year, compared to 36,500 during the same period last year, indicating a seriously deteriorating situation. Rotigliano tells VOA priority needs include food, seed, and fertilizers, as well as cash to pay civil servants, doctors, nurses, and other essential workers who receive no salary. He says another critical issue is fuel, which is in short supply. This is a big problem because fuel is not an issue of Ethiopia. It is a global issue. As you know, with the war in Ukraine, the price of fuel has gone up and the actual supply of fuel has decreased. So, this is a big issue that we have, that we are facing now, he said. Rotigliano warns the distribution of lifesaving aid to millions of people in Tigray will be severely affected if fuel supplies run out. U.N. agencies estimate 100 trucks carrying food, medicine, non-food items and fuel must arrive in Tigray every day to meet the regions humanitarian needs. Independence Day celebrations in the United States Monday were marred by a shooting at a parade in the Midwestern city of Highland Park in the state of Ilinois that left at least six people dead.Police said two dozen other people were hospitalized after the shooting in the city of 30,000, about 40 kilometers north of Chicago.Gunfire broke out just 10 minutes after the parade began around 10 a.m. Monday, and people ran for cover.Police said they were searching for the shooter and urged everyone to shelter in their homes."On a day that we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we're instead mourning the tragic loss of life and struggling with the terror that was brought upon us," Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering said.The latest mass shooting comes on the day that many Americans consider the most patriotic on the U.S. calendar.The Fourth of July holiday celebrates the 13 original colonies' decision to renounce British rule and form the United States. Representatives of the colonies voted for independence on July 2, 1776, and two days later, they approved the Declaration of Independence, a document that explained the vote.Modern celebrations include parades, picnics, political speeches and fireworks. This year's celebrations mark a return to normal activities in most locations after more than two years of coronavirus restrictions and precautions. Events that had been canceled for the past two years resumed this year, including Independence Day celebrations in Baltimore, Maryland, and a hot dog eating contest in Brooklyn's Coney Island neighborhood, a long-standing July Fourth tradition for New Yorkers. Americans also returned to traveling in large numbers. The automobile association AAA predicted 47.9 million people would drive 80 kilometers or more from home over the holiday weekend. The group also forecast that 3.55 million Americans would fly during the holiday weekend. The mass of flyers is testing airlines and airports, which have struggled to keep up with demand all season long, leading to flight cancellations. U.S. President Joe Biden tweeted Monday that "the Fourth of July is a sacred day in our country it's a time to celebrate the goodness of our nation, the only nation on Earth founded based on an idea: that all people are created equal." The Declaration of Independence includes the famous passage "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." While the country's founders fought for those rights, they did not apply at the time to Black people, who had to wait until the adoption of the 13th amendment in 1865, when slavery was abolished. Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted a Fourth of July barbecue for military families on the South Lawn of the White House Monday afternoon. In the evening, they are expected to watch the fireworks display at the National Mall, considered one of the country's largest. Some information in this report came from the Associated Press. Anthony Albanese made a surprise visit to Ukraine Sunday after attending the NATO summit in Madrid. The Australian prime minister lit a candle for civilians buried in a mass grave in the town of Bucha, near the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, where Russian soldiers are accused of committing atrocities. He said Australia shared the communitys desire to seek justice for the victims. Albanese also went to Irpin, another town scarred by war, where he spoke to reporters as he saw the devastation. Here we have what is clearly a residential building, another one just behind it, brutally assaulted, he said. This is a war crime. It is devastating. These are livelihoods and indeed lives that have been lost. Albanese also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Australia is sending more military aid to Ukraine, including more than 30 additional armored vehicles and drones. Canberra is also imposing additional sanctions and travel bans on 16 Russian government ministers and oligarchs and ending Australian imports of Russian gold. Michelle Grattan, chief political correspondent for The Conversation, an online news service, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that Prime Minister Albaneses visit to Ukraine was significant. I think it is very important visit because it does underline the solidarity that Australia is showing in this situation, terrible situation. said Grattan. I think that people will welcome this new commitment that the prime minister has made of military equipment. The Australian government is also considering reopening its embassy in Ukraine. Albanese joins a long list of world leaders who have visited the country since the Russian invasion began in February. He entered Ukraine from Poland, traveling on an armored train. He was shadowed by Ukrainian special forces. Several thousand Ukrainian refugees have been granted temporary asylum in Australia. Australian authorities are urging more than 30,000 residents in Sydney and its surrounding neighborhoods to evacuate or prepare to do so as more rain and flash floods are expected. Speaking at a news briefing Monday, the Prime Minister of New South Wales Dominic Perrottet said that 64 evacuation warnings and 71 evacuation orders have been issued in the southeastern Australian state. Residents have been also advised to avoid any non-essential travel, including on public transport as some roads are underwater and others are at risk of being flooded unexpectedly. Australias Bureau of Meteorology warned Monday that Sydney could see up to 120 millimeters of rain during the day. The bureau reported 200 to 350 millimeters of rain in some neighborhoods of Sydney over the past two days. The bureau has warned of flood risks along the Nepean River, because of rising waters. Sydneys Warragamba Dam overflowed overnight Sunday, Australian water authorities said. The reservoir behind the dam provides Sydneys main water supply. A Chinese-born Canadian billionaire who disappeared from a Hong Kong hotel in 2017 goes on trial in China Monday, the Canadian Embassy in Beijing said in a statement. Global Affairs Canada, our home office, is aware that a trial in the case of Canadian citizen Mr. Xiao Jianhua will take place Monday, the statement said without specifying the location or charges against him. Canadian consular officials are monitoring this case closely, providing consular services to his family and continue to press for consular access, the statement said. Xiao, the founder of Beijing-based Tomorrow Group was born in China and was known to have links to Chinas Communist Party echelon. Hiss disappearance came as the Chinese government was prosecuting businesspeople accused of bribery and other misconduct, in an anti-corruption campaign said to be spearheaded by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xiao vanished at a time when Chinese police were prohibited from operating in Hong Kong, which has a separate legal system under one country, two systems framework in place after the territorys handover from Britain to China. Chinese authorities have not confirmed or denied whether Xiao was detained, neither have they disclosed possible charges against him. The 2016 Hurun China list of richest people, the countrys equivalent of the Forbes list, ranked Xiao as the 32nd wealthiest person in China with an estimated net worth of $5.97 billion. Some information in this report came from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and The Associated Press. The West African bloc ECOWAS has lifted economic and financial sanctions against Mali's military government after it vowed to hold elections in February 2024. The move was welcomed by many Malians who have been struggling under the restrictions and the global rise in fuel and food costs. Early Monday morning, Bamakos grand marche, or central market, slowly comes to life. On Sunday evening, regional bloc ECOWAS announced the immediate lifting of economic and financial sanctions against Mali following a summit in Accra, Ghana. The sanctions, imposed in January after military leaders delayed elections until 2026, were lifted after leaders announced a new election timetable in June with elections in 2024. Mali is a landlocked country and depends on its ECOWAS neighbors for trade. The economic sanctions prohibited the trade of goods and closed borders between Mali and its neighbors, with exceptions for food, fuel and medicine. Moussa Souare sells clothing in Bamakos grand marche out of a small kiosk. He says his merchandise comes from Senegal, Benin and Nigeria all countries that were cut off from Mali during the sanctions. Taking a small break from speaking to clients, he says the sanctions made an already difficult situation worse. Everyone works a little bit here and there to make a living, he says. Especially here, its a poor country. Our merchandise, its not made here. We dont have those factories here. In Bamakos ACI 2000 neighborhood, a group of motorcycle taxi drivers gathered near a roundabout waiting for dispatches. Seydou Coulibaly says he only began driving a motorcycle taxi, which pays little, because of a lack of available work in Mali. He says he hopes the lifting of sanctions will open up the country to more investment, and more jobs. He says the sanctions were implemented, and we had a lot of difficulties. Different products became expensive, and there was also the rise in gas prices. Though fuel was not subject to sanctions, gasoline prices have risen in Mali recently as they have worldwide. Political analyst and political science professor Kalilou Sidibe says that though the lifting of sanctions is a turn in the right direction, its too early to say how the 2024 elections plan will play out. For the moment, he says, the sanctions have been lifted. But the international community is watching the government. How will they proceed? How will concrete progress be made on the ground? Its only after all of this that confidence can be re-established, he says. The military government, which first took power in a 2020 coup, originally promised elections in February of 2022. It delayed elections in December 2021, citing lack of security. Sidibe added that the management of Malis rampant insecurity will be an important issue for the junta and their ability to hold elections as promised. With the lifting of sanctions, ECOWAS member states ambassadors will be able to return to Bamako. During the summit, ECOWAS leaders also agreed to a 24-month transition to civilian rule in neighboring Burkina Faso, which has also been under military rule since January. Burkina Faso and Mali have both seen increasing Islamist violence under military rule. Australias Prime Minister announced new support for Ukraine this weekend during a surprise visit. Plus, Ukraine withdrawals from a key eastern city. And while some say Russia has adapted to enemy drones, others say they still have a role to play. Hurricane Bonnie traveled parallel to Mexicos coast Monday after becoming the third hurricane in the region this year. Bonnie was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane Sunday evening from a tropical storm after its sustained winds increased to 130 kilometers per hour. It first hit land as a tropical storm on the Caribbean coast near the Nicaragua-Costa Rica border. Nicaraguas army said two people were killed in the storm because of flooding. Officials in El Salvador said one person died from torrential rains. The storm has now crossed over Central America and into the Pacific, becoming the third hurricane of the eastern north Pacific season. It is not expected to make landfall in Mexico as it travels parallel to the coast. Mexicos meteorological service, however, has warned the storm could cause strong winds and rains, mudslides and flooding. The storm had sustained winds early Monday of 150 kilometers per hour and was centered 370 kilometers southeast of Acapulco, Mexico. It is forecast to move away from Mexicos coast on Wednesday. Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters. French President Emmanuel Macron replaced several ministers Monday, in a Cabinet reshuffle that was expected after his ruling alliance lost its majority in parliament. Macron appointed French Red Cross director Jean-Christophe Combe as the new minister for solidarity and for the disabled, replacing Damien Abad, who is under investigation in a sex scandal. Abad has denied any wrongdoing. While the foreign, finance and defense portfolios remained unchanged, Macron made several changes in other key positions. Macron appointed Laurence Boone, the chief economist of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), as new Europe minister to replace Clement Beaune, a key negotiator for Brexit, who becomes the new transport minister. Christophe Bechu, mayor of the city of Angers, was appointed as environment minister, in place of Amelie de Montchalin, a Macron loyalist who lost her seat in the June 19 parliamentary elections. The health and environment ministers were also replaced after failing to retain their seats. While Macrons alliance won the most seats in the parliamentary polls, it lost its majority and will now need to build coalitions to advance legislation. Political analysts saw the elections outcome as a major defeat for Macron, who had easily secured a second presidential mandate in May, defeating far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Germany and Ireland on Sunday told Britain there was no legal or political justification for Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plan to override parts of the Brexit deal governing trade with Northern Ireland. The British parliament is considering a new law which would unilaterally change customs arrangements between Britain and Northern Ireland that were initially agreed as part of its exit deal from the European Union. Britain says the changes are necessary to ease the overly burdensome requirements of the divorce deal, designed to prevent goods flowing into EU member Ireland via British province Northern Ireland. Johnson says the checks are creating tensions that threaten the region's 1998 peace deal. But, writing in the Observer newspaper, foreign ministers from Germany and Ireland rejected that argument. "There is no legal or political justification for unilaterally breaking an international agreement entered into only two years ago," Germany's Annalena Baerbock and Ireland's Simon Coveney said. "The tabling of legislation will not fix the challenges around the protocol. Instead, it will create a new set of uncertainties and make it more challenging to find durable solutions." Johnson's government says its preference remains to find a negotiated solution with the EU, but that Brussels needs to be more flexible to make that possible. The EU says it has put forward a range of possible solutions. "We urge the British government to step back from their unilateral approach and show the same pragmatism and readiness to compromise the EU has shown," Baerbock and Coveney said. The legislation, known as the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, passed its first parliamentary hurdle last week, but is expected to face stiffer tests before it becomes law with many parliamentarians opposed to breaking a treaty obligation. It is next due to be debated in parliament on July 13. Butterflies and waxbills flit through the Enchanted Valley just outside Rio de Janeiro's Tijuca Forest National Park. There are fruit trees, a nearby waterfall and a commanding view out over the Atlantic Ocean. But for decades something was spoiling the idyll: the stench of raw sewage. Electricity arrived in the late 20th century to the low-income Enchanted Valley community which drew its name from a nearby residential project but the utility never connected it to the city's sewage network. Waste was contaminating the local environment and putting residents' health at risk. So the community set out to solve the problem on its own by building a biodigester and artificial wetland to process all sewage generated by its 40 families. Starting full operations in June, it is the first independently built biosystem for an entire Brazilian favela, according to Theresa Williamson, executive director at Catalytic Communities, a nonprofit that supports the underserviced neighborhoods. And it could serve as an example for rural hamlets across Brazil. According to official data, 45% of Brazilians' sewage isn't collected. The Enchanted Valley project was years in the making. The president of the residents' association, Otavio Barros, brought a group of tourists to a downhill waterfall in 2007. When they wanted to bathe in its waters, he told them they couldn't; all the community's sewage flowed through that cascade. The seed of an idea was planted, though, and he started drumming up support. "It was harder back then to make people aware, show that everyone would benefit," he told The Associated Press as he walked through the community. He found allies among researchers of Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, where he had been working as an administrative assistant. They secured money from Rio state's foundation for the support of research to complete a first phase in 2015, and more recently German and Brazilian nonprofits Viva con Agua and Instituto Clima e Sociedade to connect every home, with additional funding from Catalytic Communities. Barros labored alongside five other residents for months, including some three weeks of breaking through rocks to create a pathway for new pipes. They lead to the domed biodigester, where sewage is ingested by anaerobic microorganisms. Remaining fluids then proceed to snake beneath the constructed wetland, getting cleansed by fertilizing the plants above. The full price of the system was about $42,300 (220,000 reais). That's one-quarter what it would have cost to run pipes through the forest down to the existing sewage network at sea level, according to Leonardo Adler, founding partner of Taboa Engenharia, which oversaw the technical side of works. The federal government has a plan to improve sewage treatment throughout Brazil, which it is pursuing through private concessions of large urban areas. But that approach doesn't help small, isolated communities like Enchanted Valley, where the smell of sewage is now gone and its nearby waterfall is clean for bathing. "I'm very happy because it was a very arduous stage to manage to bring in partners, involve the community to capture the sewage and return it to the environment clean," Barros said. "It's part of a dream becoming reality. We have others for the Valley." An official investigation into a recent chlorine gas tank explosion in the southern Jordanian port city of Aqaba found negligence was the cause of the incident, considered one of the countrys deadliest in recent years. While observers say the government response was quick, allowing the gas leak to be contained and brought under control, lower-level administration needs reform and revitalization. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya says the probe into the June 27 explosion in Aqaba showed that senior port officials bear responsibility for "negligence, lack of caution or disregard for rules and regulations," according to the investigative report. Consequently, the directors of the Jordan Maritime Commission and the Aqaba Company for Ports Operation and Management, along with other officials, have been fired. Al-Faraya also says the report would be referred to the prosecutor-general for further investigation. As a large tank of liquefied chlorine gas was being loaded by a crane in Aqaba port, a cable snapped, sending the tank crashing to the ground and exploding, releasing huge plumes of toxic yellow smoke. Thirteen people were killed, and some 250 others were hospitalized. Al-Faraya says the tanks weight was three times more than the cable load capacity. He added that the required safety measures for dealing with such hazardous material were not in place. He said no safety attendant was on the deck at the time to check the loading and unloading procedures. Minister of State for Media Affairs Faisal Shboul says the governments response to the incident was professional and immediate in containing the danger. He commended Aqabas hospitals, saying only eight of the injured are still receiving treatment. Observers in Jordan say that while the government response was swift, they are concerned by this and other incidents, including the deaths of at least six COVID-19 patients in March 2021 after oxygen supplies at a government hospital in Al-Salt ran out. Jordanian analyst Amer al-Sabaileh, a nonresident fellow at the Washington-based Stimson Center, tells VOA these point to troubling signs in the bureaucratic structure. In Jordan, we are having all signs of a kind of crisis within the bureaucratic system. This is not the first in Aqaba," he said. "We are not tackling something new, but this crisis in the bureaucratic system is taking the form of a rolling snowball, which means it keeps giving us a time that there is a lack of discipline, professionalism. The bureaucratic system is collapsing, unfortunately. If there is no serious intervention now, we will witness new incidents. Jordanian analyst Osama al-Sharif tells VOA that those who served in Aqaba port were likely appointed by someone in government at some point in time. Who put them in these positions if they are not qualified to lead or they have the experience? This goes to many other companies where the government appoints people and has a say. Today, its Aqaba. Tomorrow, it will be something else. And people tend to forget. There have been so many investigative committees. This time, they had to review it because people actually died. And there was so much pressure locally and internationally because this is a very important strategic business the ports, he said. Al-Sabaileh and others are calling for administrative reforms in the bureaucratic structure to revive the spirit of institutions. People with the right skills are needed, as are evaluation, monitoring and follow-up for institutions to respond competently to a crisis in a steadfast manner, he suggests. Lebanon's foreign minister said Monday any interference in US-mediated talks to demarcate its maritime border with enemy state Israel is "unacceptable." His comments came after Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement launched three unarmed reconnaissance drones Saturday towards the offshore Karish gas field and Israel said it shot them down. "Any act that falls outside the framework of the state's responsibility and the diplomatic track within which negotiations are taking place, is unacceptable and exposes [Lebanon] to unnecessary risks," Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said after meeting the prime minister, Najib Mikati. Hezbollah, a powerful Shiite Muslim political and military movement, claimed it had "accomplished" its mission, but Israel's Prime Minister Yair Lapid said the move undermined chances for a maritime border deal. Bou Habib on Monday called on "all parties to show a spirit of supreme national interest and commit to... supporting the state in the negotiation process," in a veiled message to Hezbollah. "The ongoing negotiations held with the assistance of the U.S. mediator are in advanced stages," Bou Habib said, adding that the Hezbollah operation was launched without official state consent. The maritime border dispute between Lebanon and Israel returned to the fore last month after Israel moved a production vessel into Karish, parts of which are claimed by Lebanon. The move forced the Lebanese government to call for the resumption of U.S.-mediated negotiations that had hit a wall last year over demarcation disputes. Hezbollah for its part threatened Israel and the company that owns the production vessel against proceeding with extraction, saying it was ready to stand in the way. Lebanon is now waiting for a response from Israel after relaying its maritime border position to U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein who visited Beirut last month at the request of authorities. Myanmar's military government on Monday hosted the first high-level regional meeting since the army took power last year with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and counterparts from Mekong Delta nations. State broadcaster MRTV reported that Wang met with his colleagues from Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam at the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation group meeting held under the theme "Solidarity for Peace and Prosperity" in the central city of Bagan, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The TV report showed Wang and the other foreign ministers bumping elbows in a show of solidarity before the start of the meeting, but did not provide further details. The grouping is a Chinese-led initiative that includes the countries of the Mekong Delta, a potential source of regional tensions due to an increasing number of hydroelectric projects that are altering the flow and raising concerns of ecological damage. China has built 10 dams along the upper stretch of the Mekong, the part it calls the Lancang. China has been criticized for the dams upstream on the Mekong River which affect water levels and downstream fisheries that are important to several Southeast Asian nations' economies. Military government spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun said last Friday that the ministers were expected to sign several agreements. He said that the presence of the foreign ministers was a recognition of Myanmar's sovereignty and its government. China is Myanmar's biggest trading partner and an old ally. Beijing has invested billions of dollars in Myanmar's mines, oil and gas pipelines and other infrastructure and is its major arms supplier, together like Russia. Many in Myanmar suspect China of supporting the military takeover, and Beijing has refused to condemn the army's power grab. China says it follows a policy of non-interference in other countries' affairs. Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government, which opposes the ruling military council, protested the Bagan meeting, saying any such efforts in partnership with Myanmar's military violate the will of the people and undermine community building. It said that holding the meeting in Myanmar is in direct opposition to a peace plan by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Myanmar's rulers have stymied ASEAN's efforts to organize a meeting with ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was recently moved to solitary detention. Suu Kyi's ouster in February 2021 triggering widespread peaceful protests that soon erupted into armed resistance, and the country slipped into what some U.N. experts characterize as a civil war. A statement by China's Foreign Affairs Ministry said that Wang met Sunday with Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn who is also the ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar. The statement said Wang told Prak Sokhonn that China expects to work with ASEAN to push Myanmar in pursuit of political reconciliation and encourage it to restart the democratic transition process and realize the vision of returning power to the people. It said that China supports Myanmar in exploring the development path that suits its own national conditions. The state-run newspaper Myanma Alinn Daily reported that Wang also met Sunday with Myanmar Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin to discuss the implementation of bilateral projects and closer collaboration. Wang told Wunna Maung Lwin that China will assist Myanmar in safeguarding its legitimate interests and national dignity in the international arena, according to China's official Xinhua News Agency. Phan Thi Kim Phuc, the girl in the famous 1972 Vietnam napalm attack photo, on Monday escorted 236 refugees from Russia's war in Ukraine on a flight from Warsaw, Poland, to Canada. Phuc's iconic Associated Press photo in which she runs with her napalm-scalded body exposed, was etched on the private nongovernmental organization plane that is flying the refugees to the city of Regina, the capital of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Phuc, 59, a Canadian citizen, said she wants her story and work for refugees to be a message of peace. With her husband, Bui Huy Toan, she traveled from Toronto to board the humanitarian flight. The refugees, mostly women and children from across Ukraine, are among thousands of Ukrainians that Canada has provided humanitarian visas in the wake of Russia's invasion of their country. Millions of Ukrainians have fled since Russia attacked on February 24. Almost 5.5 million have registered with humanitarian organizations in Europe, according to the United Nations. Canada is among many Western countries offering Ukrainian refugees safe haven. The founder of the NGO Solidaire, Argentine philanthropist and pilot Enrique Pineyro, piloted the Boeing 787. Oscar Camps from the Spanish organization Open Arms was also aboard. AP photographer Nick Ut took the Pulitzer Prize-winning photo of Phuc and other children fleeing a napalm attack in south Vietnam in June 1972. An Ondo State police spokesperson, Funmilayo Odunlami, said police were talking with parents and relatives of the 77 rescued worshippers on Monday, trying to determine what happened at the church. Police on Friday raided the basement of the Whole Bible Believers Church, following a tip by a parent who told authorities her children were missing. The police freed 54 adults and 23 children. Odunlami said they were believed to be waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ, following a sermon by a church pastor. Odunlami said police arrested two church leaders after the raid. She said they have denied the allegations of kidnapping. "The pastors still claim that they were having a seven-day program. The one who claimed that Jesus was to come by September said it was what God told him; but, we want to ask more questions from the parents that are around; we want to first of all get this information clear from the parents." Odunlami said the state's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has taken over the case and will update the public on what it finds. The U.N. Childrens Fund in Nigeria praised authorities for the rescue mission, and for saving the youngsters in particular. Peter Hawkins is UNICEFs Nigeria country director. "It's about the basic freedom to be able to do what a child needs to do, wants to do. And at the end of the day, the psychosocial impact on those children is going to be profound and would need to be carefully managed. For those badly affected who might have been abused, we don't know." The rescued victims remained with state police Monday. Authorities say they will be reunited with their families once investigations are concluded. UNICEF is urging more evaluation of the children before returning them to their homes. Pope Francis has dismissed rumors he plans to resign anytime soon, and says that he hopes to visit Moscow and Kyiv after traveling to Canada later this month. Francis also told Reuters in an interview published Monday that the idea "never entered my mind" to announce a planned retirement at the end of the summer, though he repeated he might step down some day as Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI did in 2013. He revealed that his knee trouble, which has caused him to use a wheelchair for over a month, was caused by a "small fracture" that occurred when he stepped awkwardly while the knee ligament was inflamed. He said it is "slowly getting better" with laser and magnet therapy. Francis was due to have visited Congo and South Sudan this week but had to cancel the trip because doctors said he needed more therapy. He said he was on board to travel to Canada July 24-30 and said he hoped to visit Russia and Ukraine sometime thereafter. Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Sanna Irshad Mattoo from Kashmir has been stopped by the Indian authorities from flying to Paris, where she was set to attend a book launch and take part in a photography exhibition featuring her photos from Kashmir. A Kashmir-based freelance photojournalist and documentary photographer, Mattoo won the Pulitzer Prize in May 2022 in the Feature Photography category for her work published by Reuters. She shared the award with three other Reuters photographers, for their coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Mattoo said she was stopped at the Delhi airport Saturday, despite holding a valid French visa. The immigration officials stopped me from boarding the flight in New Delhi. I am not allowed to travel abroad, they said. I asked them why I was being stopped. They said they did not know the reason, Mattoo told VOA by phone. I was going to take part in a book launch and photography exhibition, for being one of the 10 winners of the Serendipity Arles Grant 2020. My photos will be on display there, she said. I am unhappy that I cannot fly to Paris to attend this festival... Serendipity Arles Grant-organized festival where some other photographers and artists are taking part, too. Six Indian winners of the Serendipity Arles Grant 2020 were invited to Paris by the organizers to take part in the festival. Mattoo reportedly is the only recipient of the grant to be stopped from flying to France by the Indian authorities. There was another winner who was allowed to take the same flight today. But I was stopped I do not know why I am not being allowed to leave the country, she said. On Twitter, Mattoo shared photos of her passport and boarding pass stamped with Canceled Without Prejudice by the Delhi airport immigration officials. Despite VOAs several attempts to find out why Mattoo was stopped from flying to France, the Indian home ministry didnt provide an explanation. However, a junior official at the immigration desk at the ministry in New Delhi said officials who are authorized to speak to the media were not available. VOA also sent email inquiries to the head of the immigration authority at the ministry but did not get a response. Media rights activists have criticized the Indian governments action against Mattoo. CPJ calls on authorities to allow Kashmiri photojournalist Sanna Irshad Mattoo (@mattoosanna) to travel freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said. Numerous Kashmiri journalists have reported significant difficulties in traveling abroad to CPJ, particularly to attend panels and award functions. ... The travel bans are part of a systematic pattern of harassment against Kashmiri journalists, who have increasingly faced arbitrary arrest, frivolous legal cases, threats, physical attacks, and raids since August 2019, the media rights group tweeted. The Indian government must immediately end its practice of barring Kashmiri journalists from foreign travel. Julie Posetti, vice president of global research at the International Center for Journalists said, This is starting to feel like a pattern of harassment used against Indian journalists who are critical of the [Narendra] Modi administration with connections to the international community. Sanna is not the first Kashmiri journalist to be denied the right to travel without justification, but she is the first Pulitzer Prize winner I know of to be grounded at the border. We saw the same situation in Rana Ayyubs case in March when she was briefly detained at Mumbai airport and prevented from flying to London to speak at an event organized by ICFJ and Doughty Street Chambers before a court upheld her right to travel, Posetti told VOA during a phone call. In March, Ayyub, a prominent Indian investigative journalist and a fierce critic of Modi and the Hindu nationalist ideology of his Bharatiya Janata Party, was stopped in Mumbai from boarding an international flight for Europe where she was going to take part in journalism-related programs and speak about the intimidation journalists face in India. After Ayyub filed a court petition challenging the government-imposed ban on her foreign travel, however, she was allowed to fly to Europe six days later. The unjustified restriction of the movement of journalists is not just an attack on their right to free movement, its an attack on press freedom, Posetti added. In recent years, a number of Indian journalists and activists, including some from the Indian-administered Kashmir region, alleged they were barred from international travel by the Indian authorities. In April this year, Aakar Patel, the former head of Amnesty International in India and a vocal critic of Modi, reportedly was stopped from taking a flight to the U.S. because of a 3-year-old legal case against the rights groups Indian office. In 2019, Kashmiri journalist Gowhar Geelani was stopped by immigration officials at the New Delhi airport from flying to Germany. At least two other journalists also were prevented by Indian authorities from flying abroad in recent years. Quoting unidentified sources, the Indian Express news website reported that several journalists from the Indian-administered Kashmir region are on the no-fly list that is prepared by the Indian authorities, and they cannot travel abroad. Russian President Vladimir Putin declared victory Monday in Ukraine's eastern Luhansk province as Ukrainian troops retreated from their last stronghold in the city of Lysychansk. Moscow's forces immediately turned their attention to fighting in the adjoining Donetsk province. It is part of the industrialized Donbas region Putin has sought to take control of during his invasion of Ukraine, now in its fifth month, after failing earlier to topple the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy or capture the capital, Kyiv. Ukraine said Russian forces are now trying to advance on Siversk, Fedorivka and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, about half of which is controlled by Russia. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in a televised meeting Monday that Russian forces had taken control of Luhansk. In turn, Putin said that the military units "that took part in active hostilities and achieved success, victory" in Luhansk, "should rest, increase their combat capabilities." Ukraine's Luhansk governor, Serhiy Haidai, told The Associated Press on Monday that Ukrainian forces had retreated from Lysychansk to avoid being surrounded. "There was a risk of Lysychansk encirclement," Haidai said, explaining that Ukrainian troops could have remained a while longer but would have potentially sustained too many casualties. "We managed to do centralized withdrawal and evacuate all injured," Haidai said. "We took back all the equipment, so from this point, withdrawal was organized well." Haidai told the Reuters news agency that there was nothing critical in losing Lysychansk, and that Ukraine needed to win the overall war, not the fight for the city. "It hurts a lot, but it's not losing the war," he said Monday. The Ukrainian General Staff said that Russian forces, aside from pushing toward Siversk, Fedorivka and Bakhmut, are also shelling the key Ukrainian strongholds of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, deeper in Donetsk. Ukrainian authorities said that on Sunday, six people, including a 9-year-old girl, were killed in the Russian attack on Sloviansk, and another 19 people were wounded. Kramatorsk was also shelled Sunday. The British Defense Ministry intelligence briefing Monday called the conflict in Donbas "grinding and attritional" and said it is unlikely to change in the coming weeks. The Russian army has a massive advantage in firepower, military analysts say, but not any significant superiority in the number of troops. Ukraine is hoping to counter the Russian onslaught in Donbas with the ongoing resupply of munitions from Western nations, including the United States. Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address Monday that his country needs economic aid to start rebuilding, even as fighting continues. "The restoration of Ukraine is not only about what needs to be done later after our victory, but also about what needs to be done right now. And we must do this together with our partners, with the entire democratic world," he said. Earlier Monday, Zelenskyy spoke via video at a conference in Lugano, Switzerland, focusing on what it will take to rebuild Ukraine. "Reconstruction of Ukraine is not a local task of a single nation," he said. "It is a common task of the whole democratic world." Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told the two-day conference, which began Monday, that Ukraine's recovery was "already estimated at $750 billion." The conference brings together leaders from dozens of countries as well as international organizations and the private sector. Also Monday, Zelenskyy met with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, who traveled to Kyiv to show support for Ukraine. Bach vowed that the Ukrainian flag would "fly high" at the 2024 Games in Paris and said the IOC would triple its funding for Ukrainian athletes to ensure they could compete. Zelenskyy said 89 athletes and coaches have died in the war with Russia. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Russia said Monday it will not be sending kind words to mark the Independence Day holiday in the United States. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that congratulations can hardly be considered appropriate and cited what he called the unfriendly policies of the United States. The U.S. has opposed Russias war in Ukraine, sending weapons and helping train Ukrainian forces while also leading efforts to impose sanctions against Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated previous U.S. leaders on the holiday, including former Presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted his wish of peace and prosperity to U.S President Joe Biden and the American people on Monday. I appreciate the leadership assistance of the United States in Ukraines defending of common values Freedom, Democracy and Independence, Zelenskyy wrote. Some information for this report came from Reuters. Two Russian airplanes departed Bulgaria on Sunday with scores of Russian diplomatic staff and their families amid a mass expulsion that has sent tensions soaring between the historically close nations, a Russian diplomat said. Filip Voskresenski, a high-ranking Russian diplomat, told journalists at the airport in Bulgaria's capital Sofia before the flights left that he was among the 70 Russian diplomatic staff declared "persona non grata" last week and ordered to leave the country by the end of Sunday. Bulgaria's expulsion decision was announced by acting-Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, who took a strong stance against Russia after it invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Petkov, who lost a no-confidence vote on June 22, has claimed Moscow used "hybrid war" tactics to bring down his government. Petkov has said that Russia will retain 43 of its employees after the expulsion and noted that Bulgaria has just 12 diplomatic staff in Moscow. "Anyone who works against the interests of Bulgaria will be called to go back to the country from which they came," he said. On Friday, Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova issued Bulgaria an ultimatum to reverse its decision and threatened that Moscow would fully sever diplomatic ties. "I intend to urgently raise before the leadership of my country the issue of the closure of the Embassy of Russia in Bulgaria, which will inevitably lead to the closure of the Bulgarian diplomatic mission in Moscow," she said in a statement. The expulsion, which has severely strained diplomatic ties, is the greatest ever number of Russian diplomats expelled by Bulgaria, which has European Union and NATO membership. Bulgaria has strongly backed the West's sanctions against Moscow since it launched its war on Ukraine more than four months ago. The European Union, which Bulgaria has been a member of since 2007, responded to Russia's "unjustified threat" and said it "stands in full support and solidarity with Bulgaria." In late April, Russia cut off gas supplies to Bulgaria after officials refused a Moscow demand to pay gas bills in rubles, Russia's currency. Bulgaria's defense minister was also ousted in early March for referring to Russia's war as a "special military operation," the Kremlin-preferred description. Last week marked the seventh anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark ruling that legalized same-sex marriage across America, overriding bans in more than a dozen states and granting gay and lesbian wedded couples the same rights and legal protections that married heterosexuals enjoy. The months and years leading up to the high court's 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges saw an impassioned outcry from LGBTQ rights opponents, who argued same-sex marriage would destroy the traditional family and the institution of marriage itself. In the years since, evidence to support such dire predictions has been hard to find. U.S. marriage rates were declining long before same-sex couples gained the right to wed. To the extent the trend has continued since 2015, researchers point to a slew of economic and sociological factors other than same-sex unions. Meanwhile, an ever-growing number gay and lesbian people have embraced wedlock. The U.S. Census Bureau's most recent data, from 2020, showed more than 570,000 households belonged to married same-sex couples, equating to more than 1.1 million people. "We finally have the same rights as other couples who love each other," said Jill Spragio, an administrator at a New Orleans, Louisiana-based information technology company, speaking with VOA. Spragio and her partner married the year before the Obergefell ruling, in Illinois, where same-sex marriage was already legal. "But we weren't recognized as married in Louisiana until the Supreme Court's decision in 2015," she said. "We just wanted to be treated the same as our heterosexual married friends. Now, if one of us gets sick, the hospital can't throw us out of the room, and we can make decisions for each other as spouses. We can be entitled to our partner's Social Security if we survive them. I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but it is." Opponents of the decision, however, insist allowing gay marriage has done harm. "My concern is that it's damaged the institution of marriage and families, of course," Mathew Staver, Chairperson of the Liberty Counsel, told VOA, "but it's also damaged our Constitution. It's a decision with no legal foundation, and a house built on sand will eventually fall." Marriage as stability Molly Bourg, who works in the food and beverage industry in New Orleans, was a senior in college at the time of Obergefell v. Hodges. Bourg, who prefers non-gender specific pronouns, said the ruling changed their thoughts about what was possible in their life. "I didn't even come out as gay until after the decision," Bourg told VOA. "Once something is legal it feels more socially acceptable. Before that, though, I felt like, 'Why put myself out there just to be rejected by the community I grew up in?'" Bourg remembers, for example, watching their siblings lean on their family for support during high school and college breakups. "Meanwhile when I had my first heartbreak, I remember having to struggle through it alone because I was too scared to tell anybody," they said, noting it's just one of the many ways life was more difficult for someone in the LGBTQ community. Today, however, with same-sex marriage legal across the country, things feel more normal, said Bourg. "My partner and I can talk about life and marriage plans that are two or three years down the line just like everyone else," they said. "It feels safe and domestic, and I like having that security. I imagine anyone would." Increasingly vocal minority Polls show Americans increasingly back same-sex marriage. According to Gallup's annual Values and Beliefs poll, conducted in May, 71% of Americans say they support the right of gay and lesbian people to wed. This is a record high, up from 70% the year before. When the poll was first conducted by Gallup in 1996, only 27% of the country supported same-sex marriage, indicating a steady shift in the public's perception of such unions even among Republican voters. "I hope they have all the rights of a traditional family," said Jillian Dani, a Republican voter from Merritt Island, Florida, who added she believes the U.S. Constitution leaves it to the states to decide such matters. The Gallup poll revealed one group that still opposes gay marriage: Americans who say they attend church weekly. Only 40% of regular churchgoers say they are in favor of same-sex unions. "I don't think Obergefell had any effect on the institution of marriage and it had no effect on me," said Judi Thompson, a self-proclaimed supporter of former President Donald Trump from Garland, Texas. "I just think the decision was disgusting, to be honest. According to God's law, marriage is between a man and a woman, and I'd like to see the Supreme Court correct its earlier decision." Preparing for battle The Supreme Court recently hinted that Thompson could get her wish. In last month's contentious decision on abortion, the high court's energized conservative majority overturned nearly 50 years of precedent and ruled that individual states can decide whether to allow or ban the procedure. Many LGBTQ people and their allies worry the Supreme Court won't stop with abortion. They fear the same reasoning used to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortions nationwide, will be used to overturn decisions that expanded rights for other groups, as well. Justice Clarence Thomas bolstered this theory in his concurring opinion last month overturning Roe. "In future cases, we should reconsider all of this court's substantive due process precedents," he wrote, "including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell." The Supreme Court's 1965 ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut set forth the right of married couples to use contraceptives. In 2003, in Lawrence v. Texas, the high court struck down state laws across America that penalized sodomy. "I think it's a matter of when not if they start coming for us, one case at a time," said James Knoblach, a member of the LGBTQ community and vice president for a public relations and digital marketing firm in New York City. "You saw it in Thomas' opinion, and I wouldn't put it past this illegitimate court to go as far as criminalizing homosexuality in their bid to turn our democracy into a theocracy." Bourg from New Orleans agreed. "Thomas didn't just mention Obergefell," they said. "He mentioned Lawrence v. Texas, as well. They're not just looking to deny us marriage, they're looking to criminalize what goes on in the bedroom, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has publicly said he'd defend an anti-sodomy law if it was brought to him." The LGBTQ community's fears are well founded, said Staver from the Liberty Counsel. "Reversing Obergefell is inevitable," he said. It will fall, Staver believes, because of what he calls a "baseless decision from Justices who imposed their own ideology untethered from the Constitution," but also because of the harm he feels it does to the families in America. "There is no constitutional right to same-sex marriage, and, because of that, Obergefell is doomed," he said. "And that's a good thing because same-sex marriage permanently deprives children of a mother or father, and it casts a negative view on the absent gender." According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, however, "no legitimate research has demonstrated that same-sex couples are any more or any less harmful than heterosexual couples." The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry affirmed in a 2013 study that "current research shows that children with gay and lesbian parents do not differ from children with heterosexual parents in their emotional development or in their relationships with peers and adults." Still, many in the LGBTQ community are preparing for the worst. "You could feel it in last month's Pride Parade," explained Knoblach of New York City, referring to the LGBTQ celebrations held annually throughout the month of June. "There was a defiance in the crowd you don't usually feel a sense there is a fight coming and we're not going to back down." Outside of parades, individuals like Bourg and their partner are also preparing. "We've already discussed general options if Obergefell and other decisions are overturned," Bourg said. "I have no doubt if that's the case, then my home state of Louisiana will be outlawing same-sex marriage." This would set up a very difficult decision for Bourg and many LGBTQ people like them. "Louisiana is my home. My family is here. And if the Supreme Court stays in this direction, I will have to choose between my family and my home, or having a chance to marry the person I love. That's ... heartbreaking." For the first time in two years, Saudi Arabias holy city of Mecca is showing signs of normalcy as an estimated 1 million pilgrims gather for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic prompted countries to close their borders. Clothed in white robes and gathered around the cube-shaped Kaaba, which they are still not allowed to kiss or touch, the first international visitors since 2019 have traveled to complete one of Islams five pillars, the hajj. In 2019, Mecca was filled with 2.5 million pilgrims from around the world. In 2020, 10,000 kingdom residents were allowed to partake at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Even last year, only 60,000 fully vaccinated Saudi residents and citizens were able to participate in this sacred tradition. Weekly global COVID-19 cases are at about the same level this year as last, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, but deaths are sharply lower and millions more people are vaccinated. That has allowed Saudi Arabia to open the hajj this year to 850,000 international visitors for the five days of worship and rituals. But while there are no requirements to wear a mask or socially distance, Saudi Arabia says pilgrims must be younger than 65, must be vaccinated against the coronavirus, and must receive a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of traveling, The Associated Press reported. In order to be accepted for this years hajj, pilgrims had to fill out an online application and enter a raffle. Every Muslim who can financially afford it must make at least one pilgrimage to Saudi Arabias holy city of Mecca, health permitting. Believers travel from around the world to gather around the Kaaba on the eighth and 12th days of the final month of the Islamic calendar to pray. Schools in Sri Lanka will be closed for another week, beginning Monday, officials, say. The cash-strapped country is in a financial crisis and is struggling to pay its bills, including for food, medicine, and fuel. Officials say there is not enough fuel to transport teachers and students to their classrooms. Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera is asking the countrys ex-patriates to send money home through banks to finance new oil purchases. Wijesekera said workers remittances usually total $600 million a month, but dropped to $318 million in June. Sri Lanka owes about $800 million to seven fuel suppliers, according to an Associated Press report. Some information in this report came from The Associated Press. A group of young off-duty Ukrainian soldiers gathered at a military distribution center to enjoy a rare respite from the fighting that has again engulfed their fractured home in eastern Ukraine. As they shared jokes and a pizza, artillery explosions could be heard a few kilometers away a reminder of the looming battle that threatens to unfold here in the city of Slovyansk, which was occupied by Russian proxy fighters in 2014. "Everyone knows that there will be a huge battle in Slovyansk," said one of the soldiers, who could not be named for security reasons. Now, eight years after their city was last occupied, the war has returned. Slovyansk could become the next major target in Moscow's campaign to take the Donbas region, Ukraine's predominantly Russian-speaking industrial heartland. Russia's defense minister said Russian army forces and a separatist militia on Sunday captured the city of Lysychansk and now control all of eastern Ukraine's Luhansk province. Slovyansk, located 70 kilometers (43 miles) to the west in Donetsk province, came under rocket attacks Sunday that killed an unspecified number of people, Mayor Vadym Lyakh said. Another soldier interviewed earlier by The Associated Press, a 23-year-old accountant who joined up when the invasion began, said Ukrainian forces simply do not have the weapons to fight off the superior arsenal of the approaching Russian army. "We know what's coming," he said with a sad smile. These soldiers were still teenagers when pro-Russian separatists captured and held the town for three months. The brief occupation in 2014 terrorized Slovyansk, where dozens of officials and journalists were taken hostage, and several killings took place. Fierce fighting and shelling broke out when the Ukrainian army laid siege to the city to recapture it. "Actually, the war never left Slovyansk. It didn't leave people's heads," said Tetiana Khimion, a 43-year-old dance choreographer who converted a fishing store into a hub for local military units. "On the one hand, it is easier for us because we know what it's like. On the other hand, it is more difficult for us since we've been living like this for eight years in a suspended condition." Slovyansk is a city of splintered loyalties. With a large retired population, it is not uncommon to hear older residents express sympathy toward Russia or nostalgia for their Soviet past. There is also distrust of the Ukrainian army and government. After a recent shelling of his apartment block, one resident named Sergei said he believed that the strike was launched by Ukraine. "I'm not pro-Russian, I'm not pro-Ukrainian. I am somewhere in between," he said. "Both Russians and Ukrainians kill civilians everyone should understand that." On Thursday, a group of elderly residents couldn't hide their frustration after a bomb blast slashed open their roofs and shattered their windows. Ukraine "says they are protecting us, but what kind of protection is this?" asked one man, who did not provide his name. After 2014, Khimion said, it became easier to know "who is who" in Slovyansk. "Now you can easily see: These people are for Ukraine, and these people are for Russia." She said not enough was done after 2014 to punish people who collaborated with Russian proxies to prevent a repeat of the situation. "That is why we cannot negotiate, we need to win. Otherwise it will be a never-ending process. It will keep repeating," she said. The mayor of Slovyansk reflects the city's new trajectory. Taking his cues from Ukraine's wartime leader, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vadym Lyakh has decorated his office with Ukrainian flags, anti-Russian symbols, portraits of national poets even a biography of Winston Churchill. But before 2014, Lyakh was part of a political party that sought closer ties with Russia. He said while pro-Moscow sentiment in the city has faded in part because of the horrors witnessed in 2014 there are still "people who are waiting for the return of the Russian troops." As the front line moves closer, attacks on the city intensify. Three-quarters of its pre-war population has fled, but the mayor said too many residents are still in Slovyansk, including many children. He encouraged them to evacuate while he spends his days coordinating humanitarian aid and strengthening the city's defenses. Lyakh said he cannot allow himself to relax, even for a few minutes. "It is emotionally difficult. You see how people are dying and being harmed. But nevertheless, I understand that this is my job. More and more, Lyakh is among the first responders at the scene of bombardments. Associated Press journalists following the mayor recently witnessed what authorities described as a cluster bomb attack on a residential area. One person was killed and several others wounded. The mayor says that shelling now occurs at least four or five times a day, and the use of cluster munitions increased in the past week. Although he remains optimistic that Ukrainian forces can keep the enemy at bay, he is also clear-sighted about his options. "Nobody wants to be captured. When there is an imminent danger of the enemy troops entering the city, I will have to go," he said. One morning last week, Lyakh paid a visit to an apartment building that was shelled overnight. Most of the windows were blown out, doors were broken wide open, and a power line was severed. The same building was bombed in 2014, leaving a gaping hole on the sixth floor, and many residents suffered broken bones. Andrey, a 37-year-old factory worker who has lived in the building for 20 years, recalled the bombing and occupation. He said separatist forces "did and took what they liked." People in his circle have different opinions about Russia. "Those who have suffered understand what this 'Russia world' means: It means broken houses, stolen cars and violence," he explains. "There are those who miss the Soviet Union, who think we are all one people, and they do not accept what they see with their own eyes." In the eight years since the separatists retreated, he said, life markedly improved in Slovyansk. The statue of Vladimir Lenin that once stood in the central square has been removed. Water and power supplies were renovated. New parks, squares and medical facilities were built. "Civilization was returned to us," Andrey said. At a military distribution hub where they go to unwind, the young soldiers talk wistfully about their lives before the invasion. "I had a great car, a good job. I was able to travel abroad three times a year," said the former accountant, who plans to stay in Slovyansk with the others to defend the city. "How can we let someone just come and take our lives away from us?" Khimion's husband is on the front lines, and she put her teenage daughter on a train to Switzerland as soon as the invasion began. "I have been deprived of everything a home, husband, child what should I do now?" she asks. "We are doing everything we can to stop (the offensive), to keep it to a minimum ... But to be afraid is to abandon this place." At the entrance to the city, a monument bearing Slovyansk's name is riddled with bullet holes from 2014. It has been painted over several times. It now bears the national colors of Ukraine, and a local artist has painted red flowers around each perforation. Residents of Slovyansk wonder some with hope, many in fear if the sign will soon be painted yet again, in the red, white and blue of the Russia flag. Sudan's leading general said Monday the country's military will withdraw from negotiations meant to solve the ongoing political crisis after a coup last year, allowing civil society representatives to take their place. In televised statements aired on Sudan's state television, General Abdel-Fattah Burhan also promised that he would dissolve the sovereign council that he leads after a new transitional government is formed. The council has governed the country since the military took power in a coup last year. Since the coup, the U.N. political mission in Sudan, the African Union and the eight-nation east African regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development have been trying to broker a way out of the political impasse. But talks have yielded no results so far. Pro-democracy groups have repeatedly said they will not negotiate with the military, and they have called for it to immediately hand the reins to a civilian government. Burhan did not specify any dates or who would replace the military at the negotiating table. After the ruling council is dissolved, he said, the army and the powerful paramilitary known as the Rapid Support Forces will be placed under a new governing body responsible for the country's defense and security. Sudan has been plunged into turmoil since the military takeover upended its short-lived transition to democracy after three decades of repressive rule by former strongman Omar al-Bashir. The military removed al-Bashir and his Islamist-backed government in a popular uprising in April 2019. Burhan's statements come after a deadly week for the country's pro-democracy protesters. On Thursday, nine people were killed and at least 629 injured by security forces in anti-military demonstrations, according to the Sudan's Doctors Committee, which has tracked protest casualties. Sudanese military authorities have met the near-weekly street protests since the coup with a crackdown that has so far killed 113 people, including 18 children. Western governments have repeatedly called on the generals to allow peaceful protests but have also angered the pro-democracy movement for engaging with the leading generals. Chinese forecasters said Typhoon Chaba weakened into a tropical storm on Monday, but more heavy rain is expected in the central and eastern parts of the country in the coming days. The eye of Chaba was in the southern region of Guangxi as of Monday morning and it was moving at a speed of 10 to 15 kilometer per hour into Hunan and Hubei provinces, Chinese authorities said. Late Sunday, Chinas Central Meteorological Observatory lifted the typhoon blue warning as Chaba was downgraded. The Observatory said heavy rain and strong winds are expected in Guangdong province, the Guangxi region, and Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Henan, and Shandong provinces from Monday to Wednesday. Typhoon Chaba made landfall in southern China Saturday afternoon, after lashing Hong Kong Friday with high winds and heavy rains that damaged buildings and uprooted trees. The Observatory has warned that more extreme weather, including heavy flooding, is expected in the southern region of the country through August. Heavy rains and flooding are not unusual for China, but forecasters say climate change is partly to be blamed the increasing frequency of severe storms. Ukraines Ambassador to Turkey said Turkish customs officials have detained a Russian cargo ship carrying grain shipped from a Russian-occupied area of Ukraine. Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar said Sunday the ship was at the entrance of Turkeys Karasu port, and that Ukraine hoped Turkish officials would confiscate the grain. Ukraine has accused Russia of stealing grain from territories it has taken over since launching its war in Ukraine in late February. Ukraine had previously asked Turkey to detain the Russian-flagged Zhibek Zholy cargo ship, according to an official and documents viewed by Reuters. Russia denies the allegations. Some information for this report came from Reuters. U.S. officials have concluded that a gunshot from Israeli positions likely killed Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank in May. But the State Department said Monday there was no reason to believe her shooting was intentional. In a statement, State Department spokesman Ned Price said independent forensic analysts overseen by the U.S., could not reach a definitive conclusion regarding the origin of the bullet that killed Abu Akleh, a Palestinian American. Price said ballistic experts determined the bullet was badly damaged, which prevented a clear conclusion as to who fired the shot. Abu Akleh was a veteran correspondent who was well known throughout the Arab world. She was shot and killed while covering an Israeli military raid on May 11 in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian eyewitnesses, including her crew, had said Israeli troops killed her and that there were no militants in the immediate vicinity. The Palestinian Authority had given the bullet to U.S. investigators over the weekend but was opposed to any Israeli role in the investigation. Israel said the journalist was killed during a battle with Palestinian militants, but strongly denied she was deliberately targeted. Israel acknowledged, however, that an Israeli soldier may have hit her by mistake during an exchange of fire with a militant. U.S. security officials had examined results of both Palestinian and Israeli investigations, Price said, and concluded that gunfire from Israeli positions was likely responsible for the death of the journalist. The U.S., he said, "found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an (Israel Defense Forces)-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad." Eighteen people were killed and 243 wounded during unrest in Uzbekistan's autonomous province of Karakalpakstan last week, Uzbek authorities said on Monday the worst bout of violence in the Central Asian nation in 17 years. Security forces detained 516 people during the protests, which broke out over plans to curtail Karakalpakstan's autonomy, but have now released many of them, the National Guard press office told a briefing. On Saturday, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev dropped plans to amend articles of the constitution concerning Karakalpakstan's sovereignty and its right to secede. He also declared a monthlong state of emergency in the northwestern province. Official reports said protesters had marched through the provincial capital, Nukus, last Friday and tried to seize local government buildings. According to the prosecutor general's office, 18 people died "from grave wounds" sustained during the clashes. Russia's RIA news agency quoted the head of the National Guard as saying the toll comprised 14 civilians and four law enforcement officers. Two exiled opposition politicians in contact with people on the ground told Reuters they believed the real figure was much higher. It was not possible to independently establish the death toll. Karakalpakstan situated on the shores of the Aral Sea, for decades an environmental disaster site is home to the Karakalpaks, an ethnic minority group whose language is distinct from Uzbek, although related. Karakalpaks are not Uzbeks. ... They have their own traditions, culture and law, Aman Sagidullayev, Norway-based leader of the pro-independence Alga Karakalpakstan Party, told Reuters, accusing the government of waging a punitive operation. Muted reaction A group of opposition politicians and activists who call themselves the government of Karakalpakstan in exile published an appeal to Mirziyoyev. They called for the release of arrested demonstrators, the dissolution of the Karakalpak government and new elections, and a review of the actions of law enforcement agencies, including "the unjustified and disproportionate use of force that led to human victims, torture and arbitrary detention." They complained of discrimination against their language and the "silencing and distortion" of the region's history. Russia, with which ex-Soviet Uzbekistan has close ties, said the matter was Uzbekistan's domestic affair. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was confident authorities there would succeed in normalizing the situation and said issues should be solved by "legal means" rather than rioting. The European Union called for "an open and independent investigation into the violent events in Karakalpakstan." Mirziyoyev's office said he had discussed the matter with EU Council President Charles Michel and that the unrest had been incited by "criminal elements." An exiled Uzbek opposition politician, Pulat Ahunov, told Reuters that the curfew imposed for the duration of the state of emergency and tight security seemed to have stabilized the situation, but there was still a risk of ethnic clashes. There are an estimated 700,000 Karakalpaks among Uzbekistan's 34 million people, most of them in the autonomous republic. Geographic and linguistic proximity has led many to seek work and sometimes relocate to neighboring Kazakhstan. Some observers believe Tashkent's miscalculated attempt to curtail Karakalpakstan's autonomy Mirziyoyev himself has criticized local MPs for not telling him about public opposition to it may have been a bid to preempt any upsurge in separatism against the background of the war in Ukraine. In 2005, Uzbek security forces crushed armed protests in the city of Andizhan, with 173 people killed in the clashes, according to official reports. The government at the time blamed the crisis in Andizhan located in the opposite, eastern part of Uzbekistan on Islamist extremists. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to win back territory with the help of advanced weapons after his forces withdrew from Lysychansk, the last remaining Ukrainian-held territory in the eastern Luhansk province. In his nightly address Sunday, Zelenskyy said Russia was focusing its firepower on the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, and that Ukrainian forces would respond with long-range weapons supplied by Western allies such as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System from the United States. The fact that we protect the lives of our soldiers, our people, plays an equally important role. We will rebuild the walls, we will win back the land, and people must be protected above all else, Zelenskyy said. Ukraines military said Sunday it decided to withdraw its remaining fighters from Lysychansk because continuing defense efforts in the face of superior Russian troop numbers and equipment would lead to fatal consequences. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly urged allies to help bolster its arsenal with more advanced weapons to help them match up against Russias military. Since failing early in its four-month invasion of Ukraine to topple Zelenskyy or capture the capital, Kyiv, Russia has focused on taking control of the Donbas region, which includes Luhansk and Donetsk provinces. Ukraine retains control of several cities in Donetsk. Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai told Reuters there was nothing critical in losing Lysychansk, and that Ukraine needed to win the overall war, not the fight for the city. It hurts a lot, but its not losing the war, he said Monday. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin that the Luhansk Peoples Republic as the pro-Russian separatist government that claims control over Luhansk calls itself has been liberated, Russias Defense Ministry said on Telegram. As Army General Sergei Shoigu reported, as a result of successful combat operations, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, together with units of the Peoples Militia of the Lugansk Peoples Republic, have established full control over the city of Lisichansk and a number of nearby settlements, the largest of which are Belogorovka, Novodruzhesk, Maloryazantsevo and Belaya Gora, the ministry said in its post, using the Russian spelling of Lysychansk. Meanwhile, Russian officials said blasts Sunday in a Russian city bordering Ukraine killed at least three people. Dozens of residential buildings were damaged in the explosions in Belgorod. Russian lawmaker Andrei Klishas has called for a military response. The death of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Belgorod, Klishas posted on Telegram, are a direct act of aggression on the part of Ukraine and require the most severe including a military response. Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on the Russian claims about the Belgorod explosions. Recovery plan Switzerland is hosting a conference Monday and Tuesday focusing on what it will take to rebuild Ukraine. The meeting in Lugano brings together leaders from dozens of countries as well as international organizations and the private sector. Ukrainian Ambassador to Switzerland Artem Rybchenko said the conference would help produce a roadmap for his countrys recovery. Zelenskyy is expected to address the gathering by video, while Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal made a rare trip outside of Ukraine to attend in person. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to win back territory with the help of advanced weapons after his forces withdrew from Lysychansk, the last remaining Ukrainian-held territory in the eastern Luhansk province. In his nightly address Sunday, Zelenskyy said Russia was focusing its firepower on the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, and that Ukrainian forces would respond with long-range weapons supplied by Western allies such as the U High Mobility Artillery Rocket System from the United States. The fact that we protect the lives of our soldiers, our people, plays an equally important role. We will rebuild the walls, we will win back the land, and people must be protected above all else, Zelenskiyy said. Ukraines military said Sunday it decided to withdraw its remaining fighters from Lysychansk because continuing defense efforts in the face of superior Russian troop numbers and equipment would lead to fatal consequences. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly urged allies to help bolster its arsenal with more advanced weapons to help them match up against Russias military. Since failing early in its four-month invasion of Ukraine to topple Zelenskyy or capture the capital, Kyiv, Russia has focused on taking control of the Donbas region, which includes Luhansk and Donetsk provinces. Ukraine retains control of several cities in Donetsk. Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai told Reuters there was nothing critical in losing Lysychansk, and that Ukraine needed to win the overall war, not the fight for the city. It hurts a lot, but its not losing the war, he said Monday. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin that the Luhansk Peoples Republic as the pro-Russian separatist government that claims control over Luhansk calls itself has been liberated, Russias Defense Ministry said on Telegram. As Army General Sergei Shoigu reported, as a result of successful combat operations, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, together with units of the Peoples Militia of the Lugansk Peoples Republic, have established full control over the city of Lisichansk and a number of nearby settlements, the largest of which are Belogorovka, Novodruzhesk, Maloryazantsevo and Belaya Gora, the ministry said in its post, using the Russian spelling of Lysychansk. Meanwhile, Russian officials said blasts Sunday in a Russian city bordering Ukraine killed at least three people. Dozens of residential buildings were damaged in the explosions in Belgorod. Russian lawmaker Andrei Klishas has called for a military response. The death of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Belgorod, Klishas posted on Telegram, are a direct act of aggression on the part of Ukraine and require the most severe including a military response. Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on the Russian claims about the Belgorod explosions. Recovery plan Switzerland is hosting a conference Monday and Tuesday focusing on what it will take to rebuild Ukraine. The meeting in Lugano brings together leaders from dozens of countries as well as international organizations and the private sector. Ukrainian Ambassador to Switzerland Artem Rybchenko said the conference would help produce a roadmap for his countrys recovery. Zelenskyy is expected to address the gathering by video, while Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal made a rare trip outside of Ukraine to attend in person. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Willy Monteiro Duarte was beaten to death after coming to aid of friend. Marco and Gabriele Bianchi have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Willy Monteiro Duarte, a 21-year-old Cape Verdian-Italian beaten to death by a gang near Rome in September 2020. The verdict was greeted by applause in the courtroom in Frosinone on Monday as the Bianchi brothers yelled and cursed at the officers taking them away, reports Italian news agency ANSA. Two accomplices of the Bianchi brothers, Mario Pincarelli and Franceso Belleggia, received sentences of 21 and 23 years in jail respectively for their role in the murder, reports La Repubblica newspaper. Monteiro Duarte died following a brutal assault, in a hail of punches and kicks to the head, after he had stepped in to defend a friend in a fight in Colleferro on 6 September 2020. Willy Monteiro Duarte The Bianchi brothers, both mixed martial arts (MMA) practitioners, rejected all accusations of their part in killing Monte Duarte, a cook who grew up in the nearby town of Paliano and had recently received Italian citizenship. In October 2020 Italy's president Sergio Mattarella conferred a posthumous gold medal for civil valour on Monteiro Duarte in recognition of his "exceptional selfless fervour and extraordinary determination" in defence of a friend in difficulty, in an attempt to "favour a peaceful solution to a heated discussion." Cover photo: Gabriele and Marco Bianchi Taxi drivers to protest in centre of Rome on 5 July. Italy's taxi drivers have confirmed a nationwide 48-hour strike on Tuesday and Wednesday in protest over the government's competition bill. Trade unions representing cab drivers are protesting against liberalisation of the sector amid claims that deregulation would favour multinationals over independent drivers. "The strike will act as a watershed regarding the fate of taxi drivers" - reads a statement from the unions - "It is a firm and unshakable response addressed to those who think of selling off our work and the public service function we perform." Taxi drivers are set to hold a large demonstration in the centre of Rome on Tuesday, from Piazza della Repubblica to Piazza Madonna di Loreto, from 10.00-14.00. The protest will lead to disruption to traffic and buses in Rome, while the two-day strike is expected to cause difficulty for those travelling to and from airports. 16 still missing after chunk of glacier collapses from Marmolada peak. At least six people have been killed after part of a mountain glacier collapsed in the Italian Alps on Sunday, leaving nine injured and 16 missing. The avalanche of snow, ice and rocks occurred on Marmolada, the highest mountain in the Dolomites, between the north Italian regions of Trento and Veneto. Italy's premier Mario Draghi sent his "deepest condolences" to the families of the victims, four of whom have been identified: three Italians and one Czech citizen. A man and a woman have yet to be identified, according to news agency ANSA, which reports that the missing hikers include Italians, Germans, Czechs and Romanians. The terrifying moment a mountain glacier collapsed in the Italian Alps on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of at least six people. #Marmolada https://t.co/mw8yhUAHpL Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) July 3, 2022 The incident occurred amid unseasonably high temperatures in the mountains, which registered a record 10C on Saturday, with experts blaming global warming for the melting of the glacier. Normally the temperature at this time of year on Marmolada, the tallest mountain in the Dolomites at 3,300 metres, would be below freezing. Dramatic footage showed the collapse of the serac - the term for the pinnacle of the glacier - tumbling down the mountain at 300 km/h near the Punto Rocca hiking trail where mountaineers were climbing. #RT, grazie: +39 0461 495272 e il numero da chiamare per segnalare il mancato rientro di amici e familiari da possibili escursioni durante la giornata odierna sul ghiacciaio della #Marmolada. Non utilizzare il numero per avere informazioni generali. pic.twitter.com/cTCiPRTJf5 Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico (@cnsas_official) July 3, 2022 The Alpine Rescue has set up an emergency number to report any people missing from Marmolada. The number - (0039) 0461/495272 - is active in Italian and English and must be used exclusively to report the non-return of friends and family. Fire in north Rome park fuelled by heatwave and strong gusts of wind. A large wildfire broke out on Monday in Parco del Pineto, a regional park in the north of Rome, between Pineta Sacchetti and Monte Mario. The blaze started in the early afternoon and spread quickly along the Valle dellInferno valley due to strong winds, according to local news reports. A large fire has broken out in Parco del Pineto in north Rome. #incendioroma https://t.co/qhJEi2Cguq Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) July 4, 2022 Firefighters and police are at the scene and the park has been evacuated, with local residents complaining of "unbreathable" air. The cause of the fire is not yet known. Parco del Pineto, which has been an urban regional park since 1989, is home to hundreds of species of wildflowers, birds and animals. The blaze comes exactly a week after a vast wildfire broke out in the Casalotti area near the Via Aurelia on the north-west outskirts of the Rome. Photo Roma Zona Nord - Facebook Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share Four months of fighting in Ukraine has brought staggering levels of destruction, from bridges to homes, hospitals and shopping malls. A recent estimate from the head of the European Investment Bank put the cost of rebuilding at more than $1 trillion. Share with The Post: Whats one way youve felt the impact of inflation? ArrowRight With millions of citizens displaced and the countrys infrastructure in ruins, Ukraine will be unable to support itself for years, possibly decades, to come. An impoverished or dysfunctional state the size and importance of Ukraine on Europes border would be vulnerable to future aggression and a source of economic and political instability. Preventing such an outcome will require the democratic world to finance much of the countrys reconstruction, just as the US did in Europe after World War II with the Marshall Plan. Even as the conflict rages, Western governments would be wise to begin that effort now. With Russia showing little sign of easing its assault on Ukraines cities, providing weapons and support to Ukraines military remains the Wests priority. Yet delaying civilian reconstruction until the war is over would be a mistake. Significant areas of the country are largely free from fighting; leaving them depressed will only discourage the return of refugees and prolong Ukraines dependence on foreign aid. Western support for reconstruction projects will also help the war effort, by allowing the Ukrainian government to focus on providing basic services and keeping its troops supplied. Advertisement While it makes little sense to rebuild a structure that will just be shelled again, there is plenty Ukraines allies can do now. Building pontoon bridges and other temporary vital infrastructure can help move millions of pounds of grain out of the country. Farmers and agribusinesses need support for planting this year as well as stronger storage facilities, such as the temporary grain silos promised by the Biden administration along the border with Poland. Where feasible, the reconstruction of residential areas should be accelerated. Prefabricated housing for those internally displaced by the war and for returning refugees is needed to restore some normality. In areas where violence has sufficiently subsided, outside experts can help to de-mine swathes of Ukraines land (the agriculture ministry has estimated that 30% of farmland is occupied or unsafe). Large numbers of Ukrainians cant return to their homes until those areas are secure. Beyond emergency reconstruction work, foreign governments should help Ukraine lay the foundation for sustainable future growth. That includes diversifying away from fossil fuels, upgrading nuclear facilities, building renewable energy resources, and further integrating into Europes electricity transmission grid. It will also mean improved access to financing for small- and medium-sized businesses. Advertisement Perhaps the biggest challenge about the reconstruction process will be paying for it. While many governments and international financial institutions will be involved, it makes sense for the EU which has just made Ukraine a candidate for membership to lead this process. A few principles should guide it. First, while loans will be part of any aid package, saddling Ukraine with too much debt just risks a crisis down the road. Like the Marshall Plan, Ukraines reconstruction should be predominantly funded by grants, on the condition that Ukraines government and business match a fraction of the funds. As part of any negotiated settlement to the war, Russia should have to pay some kind of long-term tithe just as Iraq paid to Kuwait after the first Gulf War though simply redistributing seized Russian assets is legally dubious and a dangerous precedent. A key international conference on reconstruction starting Monday is an opportunity for Ukraines partners to hash through these issues and at least agree on a common platform and priorities. Finally, maintaining public support for the reconstruction effort will require Western governments to ensure that funds are properly spent. Judicial and institutional reforms will help ensure a more stable business environment and encourage investors to return. An effective anti-monopoly committee and improved regulatory environment will help weaken oligarch influence. Rebuilding Ukraine can serve as a potent symbol of unity within the democratic world and a message for future aggressors. Getting that work underway as soon as possible is critical to holding down costs, limiting waste, and helping Ukraines people realize a brighter future. 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 Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share Floods, droughts and food shortages are just some of the effects of climate change, while exploitation and corruption drive social injustice around the world. Governments tackling these issues are realizing that to solve them, they need first to define and measure them. Some are turning to so-called taxonomies that establish which economic practices and products are harmful to the planet and which arent. The idea is that the price of goods and services must reflect the human and environmental cost of both production and disposal, which in turn would spur much needed change. But designing a code is fiendishly difficult. 1. What are taxonomies? Theyre essentially systems for organizing information, and form the basis of codes for sustainable corporate conduct and investing. Those that already exist focus mostly on environmental risks, and are based on research by scientists backed by the United Nations. When the 2015 Paris climate accord was struck, its roughly 200 signatories acknowledged that action must be taken. The average global temperature is already 1.1 degree Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than it was before the industrial revolution. Scientists say the limit is 1.5 degrees Celsius, beyond which lies climate catastrophe. Taxonomies provide a detailed guide for which activities jeopardize climate goals and which support them. Advertisement 2. Which jurisdictions have taxonomies? The European Union has set a global benchmark with its taxonomy, on which a technical group began work back in 2018. The EU has since been followed by Colombia, China, Japan and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The UK is also working on its own version of one. Based on work by the EU and China, the International Platform on Sustainable Finance is focusing on establishing some uniformity through a Common Ground Taxonomy, which covers areas such as agriculture and manufacturing. If definitions diverge too much, that could hamper efforts to channel funding to sustainable businesses and meet climate goals. 3. What does the EUs taxonomy cover? Right now, it addresses climate change mitigation and adaptation. It covers 170 different economic activities that combined represent around 40% of the EUs listed companies operating in industries responsible for almost 80% of direct greenhouse gas emissions. There are four more environmental objectives to go, including biodiversity, and also a social taxonomy in the works. Companies are being required to report on how well they aligned. Advertisement 4. How do they work elsewhere? There are more than 20 under development around the world, according to the IPSF, and theyre starting to diverge. The EU for example has established minimum social safeguards and criteria reflecting the principle of do no significant harm, but these arent universally used. 5. Will all businesses have to comply? Which companies or business activities will be included and by what deadline is currently under review. Larger listed corporates are first in line in the EU, where companies including those in the financial industry will be required to identify how much of their business corresponds to the lists, so investors can direct their money to those with the highest degree of alignment. But requiring disclosure from all companies irrespective of size is at present unrealistic; its too complex and costly, with lack of data a constant obstacle. Advertisement 6. How do you know which companies are aligned? Calculating how much of sales, operating profit and capital expenditures are eligible to be aligned with the EUs taxonomy is difficult. Data is tough to obtain and financial institutions, for example, cant use estimates. To help both investors and companies, the EU is developing a central database of information, and the IPSF has created a tool to map sales that are eligible, though it warns this isnt an indicator of environmental performance. 7. Will it work? A recent survey by the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System found that, of two dozen financial regulators, 20% are using taxonomies and another 60% plan to use, or are considering using, one. But in a sign of what may come, the EUs taxonomy became mired in controversy over the inclusion of some gas and nuclear plants to temporarily meet demand for energy, a situation worsened by the war in Ukraine. Two committees of European lawmakers rejected plans in June to label gas and nuclear power as green and the European Parliament is scheduled to debate the issue, with a vote possible in July which could torpedo their addition to the list of sustainable economic activities. 8. What are the risks? Some trade organizations have warned regulations are so complex that theres a risk investors will steer clear of companies, even low emitters, depriving them of financing to clean up. But organizations like the UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warn failure isnt an option. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share The global eradication of smallpox more than 40 years ago was one of the greatest achievements in public-health history, vanquishing a cause of death, blindness and disfigurement that had plagued humanity for at least 3,000 years. But, on the downside, it also led to the end of a global vaccination program that provided protection against other pox viruses. That includes monkeypox, which has been spilling over from its animal hosts to infect humans in Africa with increasing frequency since the 1970s. Monkeypox now represents a serious, evolving threat after sparking outbreaks in dozens of countries this year, mostly in Europe, demonstrating again how readily an infectious agent that emerges in one country can quickly become an international concern. 1. Whats monkeypox? Monkeypox is a misnomer resulting from the fact that it was first discovered at the Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen in 1958, when outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research. While monkeys are susceptible to it, just like humans are, they arent the source. The virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus, which includes the variola virus, the cause of smallpox; the vaccinia virus, which is used in the smallpox vaccine; and cowpox virus. Monkeypox is less contagious than smallpox and the symptoms are milder. About 30% of smallpox patients died, while the fatality rate for monkeypox in recent times is around 3% to 6%, according to the World Health Organization. Advertisement 2. What does monkeypox do? After an incubation period of usually one to two weeks, the disease typically starts with fever, muscle aches, fatigue and other flu-like symptoms. Unlike smallpox, monkeypox also causes swelling of the lymph nodes. Within a few days of fever onset, patients develop a rash, often beginning on the face then spreading to other parts of the body. The lesions grow into fluid-containing pustules that form a scab. If a lesion forms on the eye, it can cause blindness. The illness typically lasts two to four weeks, according to the WHO. The person is infectious from the time symptoms start until the scabs fall off and the sores heal. Mortality is higher among children and young adults, while people whose immune system is compromised are especially at risk of severe disease. Pregnancy also carries a high risk of severe congenital infection, pregnancy loss, and maternal morbidity and mortality. 3. How is it normally transmitted? Advertisement Monkeypox doesnt usually spread easily between people. Contact with the virus from an animal, human or contaminated object is the main pathway. The virus enters the body through broken skin, the respiratory tract or the mucous membranes in the eyes, nose or mouth. Transmission from one person to another is thought to occur through respiratory particles during direct and prolonged face-to-face contact. Vertical transmission from mother-to-unborn baby has also been documented. It can also happen through contact with body fluids or lesion material, or indirectly through contact with contaminated clothing or linens. Common household disinfectants can kill it. 4. Whats unusual this time? There have been multiple chains of human-to-human transmission occurring, including in sexual networks, in countries in which monkeypox isnt normally present. Advertisement Cases dont involve recent travel to places in West and Central Africa, where the disease is endemic. Although anyone can get monkeypox, most cases occur in men. In endemic areas of Africa, it was thought that was related to hunting practices, whereas in the current outbreak, most individuals are men aged 21 to 40 years who have sex with men, people with multiple sexual partners, or people who practice condomless sex. Flu-like symptoms havent always preceded the rash, and some patients first sought medical care for lesions in the genital and perianal region. In some cases, the lesions are mostly located at these sites, making them hard to distinguish from syphilis, herpes simplex virus, shingles and other more common infections, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Advertisement Close skin-to-skin contact during sex is the primary mode of transmission among men who have sex with men. Semen from four patients in Italy collected around the time their symptoms appeared was positive for monkeypox DNA in three of the cases. Its not yet known whether the fluid alone can transmit the infection. 5. Has monkeypox virus mutated? The monkeypox virus might be undergoing adaptive changes to make it better suited to the human host. Analysis of the genetic sequence of the virus collected from patients in Europe indicates that the current outbreak in non-endemic countries is caused by a strain that likely diverged from the monkeypox virus that sparked a 2018-19 Nigerian outbreak, according to a June 24 study in Nature Medicine. The authors, from Portugals National Institute of Health in Lisbon, identified some 50 genetic changes or differences compared with the original strain, including several mutations the authors associate with increased transmissibility. The changes are roughly 6-to-12 times more than scientists would expect based on the observed evolution of orthopoxviruses, they said. The strain belongs to the West African clade, or branch on the evolutionary tree, that usually has a case-fatality rate of less than 1%. (That compares with 10% for a second clade called Congo Basin, which appears on the US governments bioterrorism agent list as having the potential to pose a severe threat.) Advertisement 6. How fast is it spreading? From just a handful of cases in Europe in early May, more than 6,100 cases, mostly in men, were reported across the region, as well as in the Americas, the Middle East, Asia and Australia by early July. One death was reported in an immunocompromised person. Experts told a WHO meeting that monkeypox had been circulating undetected in Europe since at least April. Preliminary research estimates that among cases who identify as men who have sex with men, the virus has a reproduction number greater than 1, which means more than one new infection is estimated to stem from a single case. A UK study found anonymous sex has proved to be a barrier to effective contact tracing, with only 28% of men able to provide the names of recent sexual contacts. This may challenge efforts to stem transmission ahead of LGBTQ pride celebrations occurring in major cities around the world. Data from outbreaks in Canada, Spain, Portugal, and the UK suggest venues where men have sex with multiple male partners are helping to drive spread. 7. Where does monkeypox come from? Advertisement The reservoir host or main carrier of monkeypox disease hasnt yet been identified, although rodents are suspected of playing a part in transmission. It was first diagnosed in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a 9-year-old boy. Since then, most cases in humans have occurred in rain forest areas of West and Central Africa. In 2003, the first outbreak outside of Africa occurred in the US and was linked to animals imported from Ghana to Texas, which then infected pet prairie dogs. Dozens of cases were recorded in that outbreak. 8. Is monkeypox a pandemic threat? A meeting of the WHOs Emergency Committee on June 23 determined that, at present, the event doesnt constitute a public health emergency of international concern. Just over a week later, Hans Kluge, the WHO Regional Director for Europe, intensified a call for governments and civil society groups to scale up efforts to prevent monkeypox from establishing itself across a broader area, after cases in the region tripled in two weeks. Small numbers of cases have been reported among household members, heterosexual contacts, and non-sexual contacts, as well as among children. Where information is available, close to 10% of patients were reported to have been hospitalized either for treatment or for isolation purposes, and one patient has been admitted to an ICU, Kluge said. Advertisement 9. How is it treated and prevented? The illness is usually mild and most patients will recover within a few weeks; treatment is mainly aimed at relieving symptoms. For the purposes of controlling a monkeypox outbreak, the CDC says smallpox vaccine, antivirals, and vaccinia immune globulin can be used. Vaccination against smallpox can be used for both pre- and post-exposure and is as much as 85% effective in preventing monkeypox, according to the UK Health Security Agency, which is offering the Imvanex smallpox vaccine to close contacts of a person diagnosed with monkeypox. It lists cidofovir and tecovirimat as antiviral drugs that can be used to control outbreaks. Tecovirimat was approved by the European Medical Association for monkeypox in 2022 based on data in animal and human studies but isnt yet widely available, according to the WHO. Newer vaccines based on non-replicating versions of the vaccinia virus have been developed. Bavarian Nordic A/S, the only company with an approved vaccine specifically for monkeypox, will supply the US with more than 4 million doses of its Jynneos immunization in 2022 and 2023, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Some states have begun immunizing people at risk of the disease. The main way to prevent infection is by isolating patients suspected of having monkeypox in a negative pressure room and ensuring health staff wear appropriate personal protective equipment. 10. Is there a test for monkeypox? Yes. Monkeypox is diagnosed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to detect viral DNA in specimens collected from the scabs or swabs of a patients lesions. In the US, these are available at state health departments and the CDC. (Updates to add pregnancy risk in section 2.) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share WARSAW, Poland Phan Thi Kim Phuc, the girl in the famous 1972 Vietnam napalm attack photo, on Monday escorted 236 refugees from Russia's war in Ukraine on a flight from Warsaw to Canada. Phucs iconic Associated Press photo in which she runs with her napalm-scalded body exposed, was etched on the private nongovernmental organization plane that is flying the refugees to the city of Regina, the capital of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Kim, 59, a Canadian citizen, said she wants her story and work for refugees to be a message of peace. With her husband, Bui Huy Toan, she traveled from Toronto to board the humanitarian flight. The refugees, mostly women and children from across Ukraine, are among thousands of Ukrainians that Canada has provided humanitarian visas in the wake of Russias invasion of their country. Millions of Ukrainians have fled since Russia attacked on Feb. 24. Almost 5.5 million have registered with humanitarian organizations in Europe, according to the U.N. Canada is among many Western countries offering Ukrainian refugees safe haven. The founder of the NGO Solidaire, Argentine philanthropist and pilot Enrique Pineyro, piloted the Boeing 787. Oscar Camps from the Spanish organization Open Arms was also aboard. AP photographer Nick Ut took the Pulitzer Prize-winning photo of Kim and other children fleeing a napalm attack in south Vietnam in June 1972. GiftOutline Gift Article Listen 2 min Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share HONG KONG Search and rescue officials recovered 12 bodies from the area where a Chinese ship was split in half and sunk by a typhoon, while a fourth sailor was reported rescued, authorities announced Monday. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight The engineering vessel Fujing 001 and its 30 crew members were carrying out work on wind power projects when the vessel was caught in Typhoon Chaba on Saturday and snapped in half. Chinas Guangdong Maritime Search and Rescue Center said the identities of the bodies were still being confirmed and the rescued sailor was in a normal physical condition. Hong Kongs Government Flying Service rescued the first three survivors. Cyrus Szeto, an air crewman officer who participated in the search on Saturday, told RTHK on Monday that the rescue was extremely difficult and the team had to improvise its tactics. Advertisement The vessel was severely tilted so there were no space for us to stand, Szeto said. We would normally hoist each survivor up one by one, but because there was no time, we hoisted up the two survivors, including myself, together at once. Wing Li, a helicopter pilot from the service, told RTHK that they would not give up the search and rescue mission. There were previous cases that managed to recover survivors after a period of time like this case, Li said. So we will try our best. The scope of search and rescue has expanded to the northeast direction, Li said, adding that it was difficult to accurately calculate the possible location of the missing crew members as the wind kept changing course. Vic Chiang in Taipei contributed to this report. GiftOutline Gift Article "The trip was worth it to his hosts in Israel and Saudi Arabia who each got what they wanted ... It is unclear what the U.S. got from this trip," said Randa Slim, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share BEIRUT Lebanons caretaker prime minister on Monday criticized the militant group Hezbollah for sending three unmanned aircraft over an Israeli gas installation last week, saying it was an unnecessarily risky action. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight Najib Mikatis comment came two days after Hezbollah launched three drones over the Karish gas field in the Mediterranean Sea. The Israeli military said on Saturday said that it has shot down the three drones, before Hezbollah issued a statement saying they were unarmed and were sent on a reconnaissance mission. The mission was accomplished and the message was received, Hezbollah said. Lebanon claims the Karish gas field is disputed territory under ongoing maritime border negotiations, whereas Israel says it lies within its internationally recognized economic waters. Lebanon believes that any actions outside the states framework and diplomatic context while negotiations are taking place is unacceptable and exposes it to unnecessary risks, Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib said, citing Mikatis statement. Advertisement Israel and Hezbollah are bitter enemies that fought a monthlong war in the summer of 2006. Israel considers the group its most serious immediate threat, estimating it has some 150,000 rockets and missiles aimed at Israel. The incident in the Karish gas field took place soon after U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein recently visited Lebanese and Israeli officials, as talks were advancing. Mikati on Saturday told reporters that Lebanon had received encouraging information regarding the border dispute, but refused to comment until after he receives a written official response to the suggestions by the Lebanese side. Negotiations between Lebanon and Israel to determine their maritime borders commenced in October 2020, when the two sides held indirect U.S.-mediated talks in southern Lebanon. Since taking over the mediation from late 2021, Hochstein has resorted to shuttle diplomacy with visits to both Beirut and Jerusalem. The two countries, which have been officially at war since Israels creation in 1948, both claim some 860 square kilometers (330 square miles) of the Mediterranean Sea. Lebanon hopes to exploit offshore gas reserves as it grapples with the worst economic crisis in its modern history. GiftOutline Gift Article But the EPA wanted to consider it as part of its review of the Pinjarra expansion to better assess the cumulative impacts of multiple mining operations on the forest over which Alcoa has a 700,000-hectare lease from Mundaring to Collie. The company says it will only mine 8 per cent of the lease which has jarrah forest. Meanwhile, South32 intends to clear 4399 hectares near the country town of Boddington, which would provide 150 more jobs and allow it to maintain its currently approved mining rate of 18.8 million tonnes per year and annual refinery production of 4.7 million tonnes. Wilderness Society WA campaigns manager Patrick Gardner and WA Forest Alliance convener Jess Beckerling on Mount Vincent Credit:Peter de Kruijff The plans have drawn concerns from environmentalists and recreational forest users as tourism in towns like Dwellingup rises. Only 35 kilometres from the Perth suburb of Armadale are popular walking trails at Sullivan Rock. A short walk up the trail you can see the approaching mining, which could come closer if Alcoas expansion is approved. The state government recently announced a ban of native timber logging in the state from 2024, but clearing trees for mining purposes will be exempt. WA Forest Alliance convenor Jess Beckerling said the forest that would be lost to bauxite mining had high conservation values. South32s Worsley footprint from 1988 to 2020 has seen the mine move right next to Boddington. The town is just over 100 kilometres from Perth. Credit:Google Earth The Northern Jarrah Forest was identified as one of a handful of Australian ecosystems most at risk of climate collapse in the latest report by the UNs panel of experts on climate change, she said. To do more damage as this proposal would clearly do would be an unforgivable act of self-sabotage for our state and set conservation efforts back decades. The forest home to threatened species like black cockatoos, woylies and mainland quokkas is part of the globally significant South West biodiversity hotspot. Wilderness Society WA campaigns manager Patrick Gardner wants the EPA to go further than its two individual environment reviews of the South32 and Alcoa expansions by doing a strategic assessment, similar to one undertaken in the Exmouth Gulf. The prognosis by the IPCC [of forest collapse] sits uncomfortably alongside the state agreements that sanction this massive volume of native forest clearing, he said. Those agreements are in urgent need of review and modernisation to help protect what little native forest we have left. Loading Operations underpin thousands of jobs Alcoas mining operations in WA support about 3750 jobs across its sites, two port operations, and three refineries. Federal Liberal Canning MP Andrew Hastie said the company was an important employer for the Peel region, but important social, environmental and strategic factors needed to be considered. I have heard from locals in Dwellingup who are concerned about what impact the close proximities of the expansion could have on their community, he said. The region has also enjoyed the growth of adventure and nature-based tourism in recent years, with the support of all levels of government. It is important that we dont undermine the progress of the growing tourism industry and the jobs it brings. On the question of expanding raw bauxite exports, I am concerned that we do not undermine the long-term viability of our own strategic industries and the jobs they support. We refine almost 7 percent of the worlds alumina here in WA. We dont want to lose that capacity. The rehab conundrum South32 has purchased private land with similar forest values to what it intends to clear as an offset and both companies rehabilitate mine sites by planting trees where operations have taken place. Alcoa went from planting east coast eucalypts and pines to native species like jarrah and marri from 1988. The companys rehabilitation practices have evolved to the point it keeps the topsoil it takes from the ground and puts it back after mining. Some of the forest cleared for Alcoas Willowdale mine is easily seen from public roads. Credit:Peter de Kruijff But Curtin University forest ecology and environmental management adjunct associate Professor Grant Wardell-Johnson said any further expansions of bauxite mining would be a backward step, with the fragmentation of the forest by the spiderweb of mining a big concern. Logging is bad enough because thats effectively mining the timber resource, but mining the substrate takes out the whole ground system, he said. In a drying climate and a dropping water table, the jarrah forests in the north could see the water table hit bedrock by the middle of the decade. Once the water table hits bedrock, then the jarrah forest is surviving only on the rain as it falls rather than tapping into a supply of water constantly, he said. Professor Wardell-Johnson said miners should just plant shrubs and no jarrah at all. You wont make the water table rise again, but you will slow down the loss of that water table, he said. A South32 spokesman said it was working hard to be responsible stewards of the environment and treat natural resources with care so they were available for future generations. He said clearing would be avoided for areas of high environmental value. We are committed to continually improving our sustainability performance and minimising the impact of our operations and aim to create enduring social, environmental and economic value, the spokesman said. In 2021 we updated our internal environment standard with new minimum performance requirements for land disturbance and rehabilitation activities. We have committed to continually rehabilitating land we clear as a result of our operations, helping to re-establish flora and fauna habitat. Where there is any residual impact, we will offset habitat loss through direct and indirect offset packages. The period to comment on the public environment review of South32s Worsley expansion closes August 15. Public consultation for a similar review for Alcoa is due to open soon. During her recent trip to Malaysia, Minster for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong said she wanted Australias full diversity to be reflected in the Albanese governments approach to diplomacy. Not only does that mean better engaging with our migrant story a timely statement given the recently released census data revealed more than half of all Australians are first- or second-generation migrants but also incorporating a First Nations perspective in our approach to international relations. Senator Penny Wong in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Credit:Farhan Iqbal Speaking in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, Wong echoed her election statements about building on the knowledge and experience of First Nations Australia: The time has come for Australias full story to be told: our modern diversity and the rich heritage of First Nations peoples. Developing a First Nations foreign policy is arguably the biggest development in Indigenous relations in decades. NAIDOC week is an opportune time to ask what is a First Nations foreign policy, and how does it differ from Australias approach in the past? Marrickville locals have no sooner lost local-lad-made-good Anthony Albanese to The Lodge in Canberra than another high-profile home owner, Annabel Crabb, has hatched plans to trade up from the neighbourhood. The author and ABC political commentator has listed the grand Edwardian terrace, which she shares with her lawyer partner Jeremy Storer and their three kids, with a $2.5 million guide to move to a slightly larger family home, albeit still in the inner west. Annabel Crabbs kitchen featured in half a dozen early episodes of her ABC series Kitchen Cabinet. Word of the couples upgrade leaked within days of their historic home hitting the market, no doubt thanks to the distinctive images of the Crabb-designed kitchen that featured on half a dozen early episodes of the ABC series Kitchen Cabinet. Or maybe it was the Well Hello doormat, which is the name of her recently released book based on the Chat 10 Looks 3 podcast Crabb and now former 7.30 host Leigh Sales have hosted for almost a decade. London: Anthony Albanese has pledged $100 million more to Ukraines war effort after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky face-to-face in a historic first trip by an Australian prime minister to the war-torn country, boosting Australias aid efforts higher than that of some European allies. Albanese, completing a week-long trip to Europe to attend a NATO summit in Madrid, made a surprise visit to the Ukrainian leader at Kyivs Presidential Palace, announcing Australia would gift the nation 14 more armoured personnel carriers, 20 more Bushmaster vehicles and drones in a new assistance package. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Credit:AP The additional $100 million of military support brings Australias total spending to almost $390 million more than any other non-NATO country and more than some 30 nations in that grouping. On his way home to Australia after returning from Kyiv via a 12-hour train journey back to Poland, Albanese praised the Ukrainian leaders bravery and leadership emblematic of his people in the face of Russias invasion. Kyiv: Russian forces tried on Monday to press their offensive deeper into eastern Ukraine after taking control of a key stronghold. The Ukrainian military confirmed its forces had withdrawn from the city of Lysychansk, the last bulwark of Ukrainian resistance in the Luhansk province, one of the two regions that make up the countrys eastern industrial heartland of Donbas. The Russians also control about half of Donetsk, the second province of Donbas. Russian troops and Chechen soldiers pose of a photo in Lysychansk, Ukraine on Sunday as Russia claimed the city. Credit:Telegram/Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov/AP The General Staff of the Ukrainian military said the Russian forces were currently focusing their efforts on pushing toward the line of Siversk, Fedorivka and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. The Russian army also has intensified the shelling of key Ukrainian strongholds of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk deeper in the Donetsk region. Allentown, PA (18103) Today Humid with limited sunshine. Scattered showers and thunderstorms, most widespread later in the afternoon. Watching for heavy downpours and possible localized flooding. May be dry for much of the morning/ midday.. Tonight An evening shower or thunderstorm; otherwise, mostly cloudy and muggy. There might be some clearing late. Bill Cain's terse, tense thunderclap of a play premieres here trailing a slew of rave reviews from American productions: it's not hard to see why. This is as potent and unforgiving an examination of the collateral damage of war that you're ever likely to encounter. It's both forensic and deeply human, and a cracking piece of theatre. You'll need a strong stomach, but we live in a world where hiding one's head in the sand increasingly feels like the wrong moral choice. Cain ingeniously uses the concept of Dante's circles of Hell from the Divine Comedy's "Inferno" section to process the story of a young American soldier accused of atrocious war crimes while in Iraq. If that sounds grim, well it is, but the invention of the writing and structure (a disembodied voice announces each ever more hopeless circle as the soldier's life is gradually picked apart), the excellence of Guy Masterson's production and the sheer quality of the acting ensure that this is more than just a horror-trawl through the underbelly of man's inhumanity to man. The play interrogates the question of who ultimately takes responsibility for things done in wartime is it the soldiers on the ground, some of whom may be pre-damaged by life before they even see combat, or officials higher up the food chain and does so with clarity and a sense of carefully controlled fury. If the piece engages more on an intellectual than an emotional level, it's because what the soldier Reeves is accused of having done is so repulsive that it becomes increasingly hard, at least to this viewer, to sympathise with him, especially once the ambiguities of the situation begin to get stripped away. Joshua Collins, who previously played this role in New York, is painfully convincing, giving Reeves a slack-jawed, dead-eyed intensity that haunts as much as it unsettles. The three other actors Samara Neely Cohen, David Calvitto and Daniel Bowerbank all play a couple of roles apiece and they are all spot on. The differences between the characters are very subtle which reinforces the impression that each figure may be a variation on a theme in Reeves's fevered psyche. Neely Cohen is particularly impressive as a pair of women who attempt to help him, or at least connect with him, and as a calmly implacable prosecutor. Staged in the round, the production forces the audience to bear witness as much as just observe (indeed, in the courtroom scene or circle you may find the prosecutor or defence attorney directly addressing you, particularly if you're on the front row): non-engagement is not an option. A clinical central disc (design: Duncan Henderson) is the only set but a myriad of moods and locations is conjured up by Tom Turner's truly stunning lighting, and a moody but unobtrusive soundscape by Jack Arnold. The play is perhaps a little long: despite the brilliance of Collins' performance, the final death scene feels unnecessarily protracted, and the only time when the text verges on exploitative. It's never an easy watch, but it's an essential one. Disturbing, infuriating and often downright horrible. Also, highly recommended. Paines Plough has announced a UK tour for Amy Trigg's one woman show, Reasons You Should(n't) Love Me, and a London run at the Kiln Theatre. The play, which follows a woman with spina bifida navigating her twenties, was joint winner of the inaugural Women's Prize for Playwriting in 2020. Trigg commented: "I'm absolutely thrilled to be taking Reasons You Should(n't) Love Me on tour and to be returning to the Kiln, where it all began! To be able to revisit Juno's story and reach a wider audience is an absolute treat I can't wait to see how different audiences respond to Juno's tale of love, joy, and embarrassing moments. Also, I haven't been on tour since 2020, so I'm really looking forward to revisiting some of my favourite theatres, and discovering new ones. And coffee shops! Hit me up with coffee shop recommendations. The best hot chocolate in town, please. Sorry, this probably isn't what you wanted for this quote... See you on tour!" The production, presented by Paines Plough in association with the Women's Prize for Playwriting, 45North and Kiln Theatre, opens in Newcastle on 7 September 2022, before heading to Canterbury, Colchester, Brighton, Aldershot, Maidenhead, Barking, Lyme Regis, Bracknell, Norwich, Doncaster, Washington, Middlesbrough, Manchester, Tunbridge Wells, Havant and Luton. The tour will culminate with a three-week engagement at the Kiln (5 to 26 November 2022), where it staged its world premiere back in May 2021. Randy Bachmans six-string saga thats almost 60 years old reached a cheerful final chord on Canada Day. It was at the Canadian embassy in Tokyo Friday when he was reunited with the orange 1957 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins electric guitar he first ogled in a Winnipeg music shop in 1964. He eventually bought the instrument for $400 and performed with it during his days with the Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive before it was stolen from his hotel room in Toronto in 1977. "My girlfriend is right there," said Bachman, 78, as the Gretsch guitar on which he wrote American Woman, These Eyes and other hits was handed to him by TAKESHI, a Japanese musician who had bought it at a Tokyo store in 2014 without knowing its history. "It made my whole life. It was my hammer and a tool to write songs, make music and make money," Bachman told The Associated Press before the handover. - - - The Gretschs journey begins in 1964, Bachman said in an interview with the Free Press last August, prior to the Unite 150 concert at Shaw Park, where he performed with his old Guess Who bandmate Burton Cummings. This was well before Bachman came up famous riffs for American Woman or These Eyes with the Guess Who. He was just another teenager with rock n roll dreams and was in awe of another Winnipeg guitar legend, Lenny Breau. Japanese musician Takeshi, left, hands Bachman his old guitar in Tokyo on Friday. The artist agreed to return it to Bachman in exchange for a similar one. Bachman searched and found another Gretsch guitar made the same week as the one that disappeared in 1977. (Eugene Hoshiko / The Associated Press) Breau also played an orange Chet Atkins Gretsch, Bachman recalled, and he wanted one just like it. "Every Saturday, I would take the bus and get off on Kennedy, and go to Hudsons Bay, upstairs at the Paddlewheel and Id meet Neil Young there," Bachman said, adding they would chat about their Friday night gigs with Cummings. Bachman was with Chad Allan and the Expressions, Young fronted the Squires and Cummings played the piano with the Deverons. Theyd make their way along Portage Avenue and check out record shops and music stores and would eventually stop at Winnipeg Piano, which in 1964 was at the corner of Portage and Edmonton Street. "We would always stop at Winnipeg Piano, look in the window and gaze at the orange Gretsch guitar there and dream about it," Bachman said. "We would look in the window, literally, for an hour looking at it sideways, up and down like it was a new car." The guitar was a big step up in quality for Bachman and so was its $400 price tag, a fortune for a 19-year-old whose main income was from community hall shows. "I had to work so hard to get it. I had a paper route. I babysat my cousins. I mowed lawns and I worked at the North Main car wash from six in the morning till six in the evening for $10," he said. "This guitar meant everything to me." He eventually got the money to buy it and only a few months later, Bachman would play the guitar on a recording of Shakin All Over with Chad Allan and the Expressions, but the single was labelled as "Guess Who?" as a publicity stunt. The bands name stuck and the band would become one of Canadas most successful rock acts. Bachman would play the Gretsch on These Eyes, American Woman and dozens of other Guess Who songs, and later with Bachman-Turner Overdrive in the 1970s. Canadian rock legend Randy Bachman, right, and Japanese musician Takeshi embrace each other after Bachman reunites with his stolen Gretsch guitar during the Lost and Found Guitar Exchange Ceremony Friday at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. Bachman was reunited with his beloved guitar nearly a half-century after it was stolen from a Toronto hotel. (Eugene Hoshiko / The Associated Press) - - - Bachman would eventually buy dozens guitars over the years his black Gibson Les Paul from the late 1960s that he says is worth a million dollars is part of the collection at the National Music Centre museum in Calgary but he cherished that orange Gretsch because of the effort it took to buy it. He would take extreme measures to prevent it from being stolen on tour. "Id carry with me 16 pounds of a tow-truck chain and two gigantic locks, so if I had to leave the hotel room, Id put it in the bathroom, wrap the chain through the handle of the guitar case and around the toilet twice and put two locks on it," he said. "If anyone wanted to steal that guitar, theyd have to rip the toilet out." He says one day a roadie put the guitar in a Toronto hotel room in 1977 and five minutes later the orange Gretsch was gone. "I cried for three days. It was part of me," Bachman told The Associated Press on Canada Day. "It was very, very upsetting." - - - The search for the orange Gretsch would become a 40-plus year obsession for Bachman, who would go on to purchase almost 400 Gretsch guitars from pawn shops and guitar dealers over the years hoping to find it. Bachman said he and TAKESHI are now like brothers who own guitars that are twin sisters. They are participating in a documentary about the guitar on which they plan to perform a song, Lost and Found, together. (Eugene Hoshiko / The Associated Press) "It becomes my mid-life crisis, my compulsion to find my Gretsch," Bachman said, who filled the basement of his old home in White Rock, B.C., with them. "I had a wall of white Gretsches, I had a wall of orange ones, I had a wall of blond ones." The Gretsch Foundation would eventually purchase many of Bachmans Gretsch guitars and they were part of a museum exhibition in Nashville in 2016. Still, that orange Gretsch eluded Bachman, even though he offered a big reward for it in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. Bachman began mentioning the guitar on YouTube videos he put together with his son Tal in 2020 and a fan, along with 21st-century technology, led to a new lead. A video from 1976 of BTOs Looking Out for No. 1, which has Bachman playing that orange Gretsch just weeks before it was stolen, proved to be the starting point in the new search, Bachman said. The fan, William Long, used a small spot in the guitars wood grain visible in old images as a "digital fingerprint" and tracked the instrument down to a vintage guitar shop in Tokyo. A further search led him to a YouTube video showing the instrument being played by a Japanese musician, TAKESHI, in December 2019. After receiving the news from Long, Bachman contacted TAKESHI immediately, and recognized the guitar in a video chat they had. "I was crying," Bachman said. "The guitar almost spoke to me over the video, like, Hey, Im coming home." TAKESHI agreed to give it to Bachman in exchange for one that was very similar. So Bachman searched and found the guitars "sister" made during the same week, with a close serial number, no modifications and no repairs. Canadian rock legend Randy Bachman sings as he plays with his reunited Gretsch guitar during the Lost and Found Guitar Exchange Ceremony on July 1 at Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. (Eugene Hoshiko / The Associated Press) "To find my guitar again was a miracle, to find its twin sister was another miracle," Bachman said at the Tokyo handover. TAKESHI said he decided to return the guitar because as a guitar player he could imagine how much Bachman missed it. "I owned it and played it for only eight years and Im extremely sad to return it now. But he has been feeling sad for 46 years, and its time for someone else to be sad," TAKESHI said. "I felt sorry for this legend." He said he felt good after returning the guitar to its rightful owner, but it may take time for him to love his new Gretsch as much as that one. "Its a guitar, and it has a soul. So even if it has the same shape, I cannot say for sure if I can love a replacement the same way I loved this one," he said. "There is no doubt Randy thought of me and searched hard (for the replacement), so I will gradually develop an affection for it, but it may take time." The Free Press | Newsletter Applause A weekly review of the Winnipeg arts scene, delivered every Thursday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Bachman said he and TAKESHI are now like brothers who own guitars that are "twin sisters." They are participating in a documentary about the guitar on which they plan to perform a song, Lost and Found, together. They also performed several songs at Fridays handover, including American Woman. Bachman said he will lock the guitar up in his home so he will never lose it again. "I am never ever going to take it out of my house again," he said. With files from The Associated Press Alan.Small@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @AlanDSmall If you value coverage of Manitobas arts scene, help us do more. Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism. BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project. Any Black man or woman outside of Africa who finds him- or herself in Canada, is in the best place possible, says artist Yisa Akinbolaji at a first-ever Canadian Black Artists United (CBAU) exhibition event at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights on June 26. "Any Black man or woman outside of Africa who finds him- or herself in Canada, is in the best place possible," says artist Yisa Akinbolaji at a first-ever Canadian Black Artists United (CBAU) exhibition event at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights on June 26. Such a bold declaration was born out of confidence acquired over decades of experience, dedication and a deep understanding of the meaning of his craft. Prominent art historian and Ottawa-based Senator Patricia Bovey later buttressed Akinbolajis sweeping statement, declaring that "Canada is a better, richer, happier place for how it has opened its doors to people from far and wide and allowed their cultures to thrive here." Bovey delivered a speech as a guest of honour at the Winnipeg event, titled Four Artists, One Voice, Different Experiences. The event was led by Akinbolaji and fellow artists Bola Oriyomi, Congolese-born Xavier Mutshipayi and Tolu Toludare, who are all co-founders of CBAU. Works of arts of various sizes, themes, mediums and interpretations showcasing the stories and experiences of Black people all over the world were prominently on display. It was a presentation of bright colours and mosaics which captivated the audience and revealed the richness and depth of Black arts, culture and traditions. The event was a culmination of more than 25 years of dedicated pursuit of one mans dream of promoting Black arts and culture in Canada. It all started without fanfare in 1997 when Akinbolaji arrived in Winnipeg on a brief visit while on sabbatical from his teaching job in Lagos, Nigeria. While here, he was invited by a curator friend to an event put on by the Manitoba Society of Artists, which coincidentally was preparing to mark its 100-year anniversary at the time. At the event, Akinbolaji was encouraged by other artists to showcase his works; after obliging, he staged an exhibition. His paintings attracted so much interest that he was talked into extending his stay in Winnipeg and, as they say, one thing led to another. His lecturer job in Lagos soon became a thing of the past when he quit and relocated to Winnipeg permanently. JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A painting by Xavier Mutshipayi is displayed at the Canadian Black Artists United exhibition at the Canadian Human Rights Museum. Oriyomi, another established artist, has made a name for herself as a performer, dancer, drummer and writer who promotes the Yoruba culture from the Western part of Nigeria. She says the exhibition was held as an opportunity to showcase Black arts and culture. "It is held to encourage other talented Black individuals who are yet-to-be-discovered who also may not think they are artists, but in reality they are within Manitoba and Canada at large." Oriyomi who has taken her story-telling repertoire called Folkorama to other locales such as North Dakota, Morden and Thompson insists there are important lessons about African and Black traditions which her stories and dramatizations can teach Canadians. It was the quest to broaden the understanding of Black-African art in Canada that led to the founding of CBAU about 10 years ago in Winnipeg. "The organization was inspired over 20 years ago by the need of many immigrant, Black artists who reached out to me to ask how we could promote Black and African arts and culture," Akinbolaji explains. "They kept approaching me as they claimed that my name kept popping up in any place where they inquired about Black arts, paintings, etc." By this time in 2001, Akinbolaji had been elected as a historic president of the Manitoba Society of Artists, a position he held until 2003. Oriyomi describes Akinbolaji as a "good organizer," an understatement considering his long list of achievements and accolades. They include exhibitions Who is In and Who is Out; My Language, Space; My Black-Etched Pot; and Dance Out of Injustice. Akinbolajis major solo exhibitions have been held in Canada, the United States and Nigeria. In Canada, the public galleries in which his works have been exhibited include the Joseph D. Carrier Gallery, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Franco-Manitoban Cultural Centre and Mennonite Heritage Centre Gallery. Akinbolajis works and paintings hang on the hallways and walls of buildings belonging to the province of Manitoba, Canada Life Insurance, Cargill Limited, the University of North Dakota as well as private collections, including several diplomats around the world. He has also been featured on the cover of Art Business News for his recognizable technique. However, Akinbolaji thinks all these achievements will count for nothing if he cannot bring his dream of lifting Black and African artists to fruition. "What you have seen here (at the event) today is just a seed. As a farmer needs the land to plant his seed and watch it grow into many crops, so do we artists also need the space and environment to practice our craft and spread our wings. We are not stopping here. Our dream is to acquire an expansive site where we can own a gallery for Black artists to exhibit and display their works as long as they like," he says. The Free Press | Newsletter Applause A weekly review of the Winnipeg arts scene, delivered every Thursday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Additionally, we plan to turn this event into a seasonal affair and make it a permanent fixture on Winnipegs arts scene. Considering the long, cold winter months in Manitoba we plan to keep the arts scene alive with indoor events such as exhibitions and an Arts Talk which would allow Black artists to come forward and tell their stories." Akinbolaji also believes that with professionalism, hard work and discipline, Black artists can make a living for themselves in Canada. This is why he never stops encouraging his fellow Black artists to develop their own unique style and brand, which is what he believes will make them stand out from the crowd. To that end, he has developed an art tool called Remoglue, a water-based flexible gun which he has perfected for use in his contemporary paintings. "I love mystery more than magic because mystery does not have an answer. That is the reason Im fascinated at the thought of the origin of the universe or the dexterity at which a tiny insect could weave complex silk," Akinbolaji says. "My passion for experimentation and knowledge of materials have resulted in my own unique, base-medium (Remoglue) to the advantage of my current creations. Since this new process expresses my playfulness, it is not unusual for viewers to perceive abstraction within the reality that I present until they have arrived at the intended destination with me." At the June 26 event, Sen. Bovey said the beauty and power of Black and African arts and culture are slowly being exposed to Canada, and hailed the efforts of the CBAU in raising awareness among Canadians. Bovey added that everywhere she has been around the world, Black artists have proven good enough to compete with their peers from other parts of the world, and that Winnipeg must count itself lucky to call itself home to such a talented group of Black artists. fpcity@freepress.mb.ca This story was written for the Reader Bridge as part of a partnership with New Canadian Media. HALIFAX - A new study of the distribution of the endangered great white shark in Canadian waters says an underwater detection network suggests the population remains stable but is not growing. Ocearch team members work to remove a hook from a shark on board a shark research vessel in LaHave, N.S., Friday, Oct. 4, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Riley Smith HALIFAX - A new study of the distribution of the endangered great white shark in Canadian waters says an underwater detection network suggests the population remains stable but is not growing. That runs counter to worries the ocean's greatest predators are increasingly prowling the region perceptions fuelled by a suspected attack last August on a woman in the waters off Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island and cellphone videos the same month depicting a shark chewing a seal carcass. Shark-tracking apps have also become popular, as the Ocearch group has operated in the region for several seasons tagging animals and allowing the public to follow the creatures online as they migrate into the northwest Atlantic from July to November. However, work by a consortium of leading great white shark experts studying the animal's behaviour says sightings in Canada aren't translating into increased detection by underwater acoustic networks that pick up signals from tagged animals. The collaborative study published last month in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences says that when the increased number of tagged sharks and the bigger array of detection systems are taken into account, the number of great whites in Canadian waters appears to be holding steady. It says while there have been theories of increased numbers of great whites on the basis of sightings, "we found limited corroborating evidence." A great white shark known as "Jamison" is shown in a handout photo. A new study of the distribution of the endangered great white shark in Canadian waters says an underwater detection network suggests the population remains stable but is not growing. That runs counter to worries the ocean's greatest predators are increasingly prowling the region - perceptions fuelled by a suspected attack last August on a woman in the waters off Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island and cellphone videos the same month depicting a shark chewing a seal carcass. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Massachusetts Shark Research Program, Atlantic White Shark Conservancy "There was no systematic increase in the proportion of the tagged population visiting Canadian waters, which has remained relatively constant during the years where an appreciable number of animals had been tagged (2016 onward)," says the study. The document is co-authored by Heather Bowlby, the lead researcher at the federal government's Canadian Atlantic Shark Research Laboratory, Megan Winton of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy in North Chatham, Mass., and Gregory Skomal of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. The vast majority of the sharks were tagged off Cape Cod between 2009 and 2021, with about three per cent of the sharks tagged in Canadian waters in 2018 and 2019. Of the total 227 tagged sharks, only about a quarter make the annual trip to Atlantic Canadian waters, according to the study of the past decade's migrations. Bowlby said in a recent telephone interview that when the scientists accounted for increases in monitoring, they found a "consistent proportion of the total number (of sharks) tagged" were showing up on the acoustic networks that receive their signals. For example, the data shows that in the Bay of Fundy in 2016, the 70 acoustic receivers deployed in the area detected three great whites, while four years later, with three times as many receivers, nine great whites were detected even though more sharks had been tagged. Over the last five years, the study found, between 11 and 19 per cent of acoustically tagged sharks were detected in Canadian waters. Bowlby said the paper's main purpose is "build the foundation" to describe the critical habitat for the great white sharks in the region. She said observations on the shark's behaviour collected from satellite tags that can track the shark's depths has raised important questions about prevailing views that temperature and other environmental aspects of the ocean are the only factors in the animals' location. She noted the tags show the sharks were diving to depths of about 50 metres in coastal locations during the summer months, and seemed to undertake this behaviour regardless of temperature ranges of the water. The data also indicated that most of the sharks coming into Canadian waters from Cape Cod are younger, swimming long distances to hunt prey that includes seals. 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. Bowlby has a nuanced message on how swimmers and other recreational users of Nova Scotia's waters should react to the presence of the sharks. She said that since the research shows no "appreciable" increase in the sharks' abundance in Canada, recreational users of the Atlantic region's beaches are not at greater risk. However, Bowlby says "the great white is a powerful marine predator, and a bit of prudence is warranted sometimes." Paul D'Eon, the director of the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service, said in an interview Monday that even in the late 1970s, when he was beginning his 48-year career with the service, he heard fishermen tell anecdotes of catching great white sharks. He's come to believe little has changed over the decades. "I think the risk is extremely low," he said. "It's more reasonable to be injured in a drive to the beach than in being attacked there by a shark." Nonetheless, the lifeguard service has a policy on shark sightings where water is cleared for a minimum of two hours following a sighting at a patrolled beach. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2022. Business in the Refinery District, a new residential development in the citys south end, is finally booming. Business in the Refinery District, a new residential development in the citys south end, is finally booming. Fifteen years ago, Hopewell Development Corp. bought the land between Pembina Highway, Bishop Grandin Boulevard, Waverley Street and Chevrier Boulevard for about $12 million, with aims to turn the 138-acre property into a commercial and box retail area akin to the Kenaston Commons. But after the recession of 2008 and with the retail plan looking grim, the idea shifted and the company moved toward a plan where residential real estate was key. That took time and a considerable investment by the developer. New roadways, full servicing and the removal of truckload after truckload of lime mud, a non-toxic residue left behind by the lands previous user the Manitoba Sugar Co. cost more than $60 million, and took two to three years, Hopewells chief operating officer Blair Rafoss said. "It was a big risk to do as much as we did," Rafoss said. But it was a necessary one: without those investments, the land was a hard sell to would-be developers, and Rafoss said the company had to set "the best mouse trap possible" for those interested parties. Once that work was done, the company marketed the land in a zoned, serviced and subdivided state. But Rafoss, who joined the company a decade ago, said there was still no way to predict how it would be received. Now there is less concern. More than 45 acres worth of land have been sold to developers for residential real estate, equal to more than 2,300 individual units split between townhome and multi-family properties which are in varying states of development. Today, the company plans to close a deal on a 250-unit assisted living facility with local firm Marwest, which takes care of a 3.5-acre parcel north of the developments central roundabout. It had to go there in part because the planned residential area on the propertys east side was sold out, Rafoss said. And the two completed apartment buildings are fully leased with 350 total tenants. A major reason for the increased interest in the site is one the company cant take credit for, Rafoss said: the citys investment in the nearby rapid transit corridor. He said that opened many eyes to what was around the development, including the University of Manitoba, making it a more appealing place to live. RAYMOND S.C. WAN ARCHITECT Everything is on the table, says Blair Rafoss, chief operating officer for Hopewell, which created the Refinery District 15 years ago. High-end restaurants, local restaurateurs, a boutique grocery pharmacy, hair or nail salons. It would be nice to find a little brewpub. Another element thats boosted the residential side, he said, is the progress being made in the office and commercial side of the development. The company has leased land for an already-completed "flex office" building, a nondescript, one-storey property which is split into subsections and rented to businesses to be modified to suit their needs. An asset management firm has already moved in, and there are plans in the future to add at least two more of these flex buildings to the "district." The initial trickle of retail and consumer-facing commercial spaces has begun as well, including the anchor property, a 60,000-square-foot GoodLife Fitness facility. The gym, which also includes an indoor pool, has been complete since before the pandemic, but only opened this spring, delayed by the pandemic. There is also a Shell gas bar open. Next for the district, Rafoss said, would be a return to a revised version of the propertys original concept, with Hopewell which has offices in Winnipeg, Calgary, Toronto and Phoenix, Ariz. turning to the consumer retail side once more. CBRE will be brokering those deals. 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. "Everything is on the table," Rafoss said. "High-end restaurants, local restaurateurs, a boutique grocery, pharmacy, hair or nail salons. It would be nice to find a little brewpub." That was always in the plan, but Rafoss said the development needed to have the "doors," ie: residents, to convince retailers to come on board. There are plans to build three commercial buildings in the next 12 months, and the company is taking a "national approach" to retail. "We want to cast the widest net possible," Rafoss said. Developers which have already bought parcels include Marwest, Ironclad, and the B.C.-based Seymour Pacific, Rafoss said. In total, Rafoss anticipates the construction of five to seven buildings within the next eight months, including residential and commercial properties. ben.waldman@winnipegfreepress.com Shelli Fryer was wide awake at 2:54 on Canada Day and hoped the stack of messages piling up in recent days could help her close her eyes. Saanich Police joined by Victoria Police and RCMP respond gunfire involving multiple people and injuries reported at the Bank of Montreal during an active situation in Saanich, B.C., on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito Shelli Fryer was wide awake at 2:54 on Canada Day and hoped the stack of messages piling up in recent days could help her close her eyes. The 59-year-old Langford, B.C., woman said she's been having trouble sleeping since Tuesday when she was among those held hostage during a violent bank shooting in Saanich. The messages pouring in since then, she said, have offered some of the comfort she's sought and commended her bravery during the ordeal. "There is just so much love I'm getting from all these strangers," she said in a telephone interview. "It's overwhelming." Six officers were shot and 22-year-old twin brothers identified as Mathew and Isaac Auchterlonie from Duncan, B.C., were killed in the shootout with police on Tuesday outside the Bank of Montreal in Saanich. Police have said multiple explosive devices were found in a vehicle linked to the men. Officers are still investigating the possibility of a third suspect. Fryer has been mentally replaying Tuesday morning's events ever since. She pulled her blue Ford Bronco into the bank's parking lot for an 11 a.m. appointment with the manager about a loan. Within a minute or two of sitting down in his glass-panelled office, Fryer said they heard a loud boom. "The manager said 'we're being robbed'. He knew right away." The 17 women and five men in the branch that day all got on the grey floor immediately, Fryer said. She described the suspects as wearing all black including balaclavas, gloves, jackets, vests, body armour and pads covering the calves from the knee down. One suspect came up to the bank manager and said "vault," she recalled. "He stared right at me twice. For 20 seconds," she said. "But I couldn't see his eyes. I couldn't see his mouth. I couldn't see any skin tone whatsoever." The manager tried to hand over the keys but the suspect pointed towards the vault and they walked off together, leaving Fryer in the room. She waited for the gunman to come back for her. "I think he forgot about me," she said. Fryer got down on the floor and called the police. Her phone's call log shows she dialed 911 at 11:04 a.m. She whispered a description of the situation into the phone, fearing all the while she'd draw attention to herself by breaking the "eerie silence" that had descended on the branch, she said. She left the phone on so the 911 operators could hear what was going on, turned down the volume so the suspects couldn't hear if emergency personnel spoke and covered the phone with her long pink skirt so it wouldn't be visible, she said. For what "felt like an eternity," she said there was "dead silence." Fryer said she felt little fear and experienced no dramatic moments as she hid behind a chair she doubted offered much protection. "It was actually more like, 'I think we're gonna get out of this,'" she said. "I need to get the police though here. I'm just gonna let the police know. If the police get here, it will be OK." But then an "almighty hail of gunfire" rang out, she said, gasping at the remembered shock. That's when she ran and hid alone under a shelf in the manager's office while others took shelter in a filing room. Fryer said that while she felt the urge to panic with one half of her brain, the other half was reminding her to "just breathe." "'The worst thing that's going to happen is, those shots will go right through the drywall and you're going to be hit,'" she remembered thinking. Fryer's phone shows her call with 911, and the ordeal, lasted one hour, 26 minutes and five seconds. While Fryer's recollections of the attack are sharp, she said the rest of the day passed in a blur of police interviews, arrangements to retrieve her car and finally a meal of Asian food with her daughter. The trauma of being held hostage comes in waves, she said. Fryer has spoken with police and victim services about how she feels, and she said she's been told it will take time to process what she's been through. "It's back and forth, you know? It's like grief. You go through the whole stages, right? Sometimes you may never hit the last stage." But in the quiet moments, Fryer said she most often remembers seeing police walk through the bank door and hearing their concern for those trapped inside. "The first words each and every officer said to us was, 'I'm sorry this is happening to you.' Even when they just came in from the gunfire," she said. "... And much, much later we find out that six of their brothers-in-arms had been shot and injured." She feels "horrible" and "guilty" because she didn't think about asking the officers whether any police had been injured, she said, though she and others inquired after the welfare of civilians. "And each and every one of their energy and body language walking in and out of the crime scene did not give us any reason to even think to ask, 'were any officers injured?'" Saanich police Chief Const. Dean Duthie said three of the officers remain in hospital, including one in intensive care, while another will require more surgeries. Fryer was born in Chicago and came to Canada when she was seven. Her experience with the police last week has made her feel "extra proud" to be Canadian, she said. Since Tuesday when she started talking about her experience at the bank, Fryer said apart from strangers she's also got messages from people whom she knew in another lifetime. She got an email from her first roommate with whom she lived while working her first job after graduating high school when she was 18. "We lived together for like eight years, and I was a bridesmaid at her wedding. I haven't seen her since 1989. She reached out. Isn't that funny?" she said. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "This is going to be life changing in many ways for me and I'm very grateful now because it could be very cool." Fryer has also been able to find levity -- such as what to do with the outfit she was wearing on Tuesday at the bank - a long sleeve shirt, pink maxi skirt and pink high-heeled sandals. "I'm going to throw it out," she said. "I've had it for so long anyway. Or I should frame it. I really liked it too, though." She even plans to return to the bank, whose employees she said showed incredible professionalism under duress and whose manager she described as unflappable. "I have to finish my appointment," she said with a laugh. "I sat down for two minutes. We got interrupted." This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2022. Compensation for First Nations children and families who experienced discrimination in the Child and Family Services system is expected to flow next year, following a $20-billion final settlement agreement with the federal government. Compensation for First Nations children and families who experienced discrimination in the Child and Family Services system is expected to flow next year, following a $20-billion final settlement agreement with the federal government. Assembly of First Nations Manitoba regional chief Cindy Woodhouse announced the settlement deal in a news release on Monday. It is subject to approval by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and the Federal Court. 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 AFN, the federal government and other parties signed a historic agreement-in-principle in December 2021 outlining $20 billion in compensation for First Nations children and families impacted by the discriminatory funding practices of the federal CFS program and its improper implementation of Jordans Principle. The parties also signed an agreement-in-principle to reform the program, outlining an additional $19.8 billion. Efforts toward a final agreement on long-term reform continue, the AFN release said. Details on compensation eligibility and the application process will be made available at a later date. The final settlement agreement will be filed with the tribunal for approval in the coming weeks. A motion to approve the settlement is scheduled to be heard at the Federal Court in September. The agreement will include a distribution protocol and outline specifics on who will be eligible, among other details, the release said. "First Nations children deserve to be surrounded by love and live free of discriminatory government policy, and after three decades of advocacy and months of negotiations, Im proud to say on behalf of the AFN that we have reached another historic milestone for our children and their and families" Woodhouse said in the release. "Weve held our children in our hearts and prayers throughout negotiations, reaching an agreement that we believe fairly upholds the 2019 orders of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and broadens the scope of First Nations children and families eligible to seek compensation where they experienced discrimination in the federal First Nations Child and Family Services program and the narrow implementation of Jordans Principle." Most city councillors, like the majority of Winnipeggers, drive to work, and those commutes help make driving the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the city. Most city councillors, like the majority of Winnipeggers, drive to work, and those commutes help make driving the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the city. Despite the citys plan to slice emissions in the coming decades, one city hall perk makes it hard for councillors to abandon their cars a free parking pass. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) says the option of free parking makes it easy to decide to drive to work. "One of the biggest inconveniences of commuting to work downtown is finding that parking spot," he said. "So not only is it tempting from a financial perspective, because you already have a spot paid for, but also you have the convenience of knowing that theres going to be a spot for you as soon as you pull in." But Allard is an exception, having relinquished his free parking pass in 2018. In January that year, Allard, who chairs the public works committee that oversees transit, pledged to take the bus to work every day for a month to get a better understanding of the bus system. When the month came to an end, he decided to say goodbye to his parking pass and instead walk, bike and take the bus as much as possible. "I kind of fell in love with the mode shift and the bus and, using different modes of transport in my everyday life," he said. "And I found that it didnt make sense anymore for me to have this parking spot because I wasnt using it." A Free Press survey of city councillors found Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski), who is blind, is the only other councillor who has turned down the parking pass. Though several councillors who responded to the survey said they try to take transit, walk or bike when possible, most indicated the nature of their work, which often requires travelling to meetings across the city in addition to time spent at city hall, makes it hard to give up driving. "Much of my ward that requires my attention to attend to are in areas with poor public transit supports," said Coun. Shawn Nason (Transcona) in an email. "Demands of the job sometimes make it necessary to bring (a) car in order to attend multiple meetings or events off-site, which is expected of councillors," said Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital). Couns. Jeff Browaty, Kevin Klein, John Orlikow, Vivian Santos and Jason Schreyer, as well as Mayor Brian Bowman, did not respond. Under city policy, the mayor and councillors are offered a free, dedicated parking space near city hall, an annual surface parking card and a monthly $550 transportation allowance, which is to be used for mileage expenses or taxis. Many more city workers receive parking passes. Researchers at SecondStreet.org submitted a freedom of information request to the city and found nearly 400 city employees are offered parking passes. The city offers employees the option of a partially subsidized monthly bus pass called the eco-pass which allows staff to take the bus at a 30 per cent discount. Between 250 and 300 city staff purchase an eco-pass each month, the city said in a statement. While parking for free at work has long been considered a business standard nationwide, some advocates suggest the time has come to rethink the policy and instead give incentives for low-emission commuter options. All told, residential vehicle use makes up 32 per cent of the citys greenhouse gas emissions, according to 2011 City of Winnipeg data. Thats in part because more than three-quarters of Winnipeggers drive to work, and about 80 per cent of those trips are made alone, according to Statistics Canada. By contrast, 16 per cent of Winnipeggers commute on the bus, and just seven per cent use active transportation. Mel Marginet is part of the sustainable transportation team at the environmental non-profit organization Green Action Centre. Over the past few decades, she said "its become sort of ingrained to offer free parking for employees," be it through subsidized parking passes or big on-site parking lots. But at the Green Action Centre, Marginets team hopes to encourage businesses to do things differently. "Theres no such thing as free parking," she said. "The message that that sends is that youre considered an employee of value if youre driving to work; if there isnt something of equal value to those who are not driving to work, I would question why." Parking reimbursement for municipal staff cost the city $425,297 in 2021 alone, city staff said in an email. By contrast, the city has spent $27,539 on its share of the eco-pass program in the last three months. There is no option to transfer the value of the parking pass to other modes of transportation. Allard said he would prefer to see the city and other employers offer a more flexible transportation benefit to staff. Offering a commuting budget, for example, that could be applied to transit, bikes, or parking if employees so choose, would ensure all commuting options are fairly compensated. "Flexibility would allow for Winnipeggers to do what we hope to be able to encourage them to do by providing transportation options, whether thats taking the bus, biking, walking, being passengers in vehicles, taking up the occasional car-share," he said. At the Green Action Centre, flexibility is a priority. Staff are offered transit passes or an equivalent dollar value for other modes of transportation. For some, that money is spent on parking, but others choose to spend the benefit on bike maintenance, running shoes, and other means of getting to work. 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. Ultimately, changing the way people get to and from work is about interrupting long-held habits and behaviour, Marginet said. With gas prices on the rise and a pandemic prompting the restructuring of the workday, Marginet said people are ready to start rethinking their daily commute. "You have so many people for whom the price to fill up their gas tank has more than doubled in a very short amount of time just as theyre being expected to go back to work and go back to doing all of the in-person things. Its really kind of hitting people just the incredible personal cost of this," she said. Statistics Canada shows the average price of gas jumped 43 per cent in the last year. With Canadians dedicating almost 20 per cent of their spending to transportation in 2019, the costs of daily driving are set to keep rising. "It would be very disappointing to not encourage or reward employees who are making a healthier, more sustainable, climate friendly choice," Marginet said. "If youre offering a privilege to people who drive, you should at least be offering something of equal value, or perhaps more value, if you want to look at getting your employees to shift their mode of travel." julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca Manitobas physician watchdog has revoked the licence of a Winnipeg doctor after he was found guilty of several counts of misconduct, including failing to maintain professional boundaries with a female patient. Manitobas physician watchdog has revoked the licence of a Winnipeg doctor after he was found guilty of several counts of misconduct, including failing to maintain professional boundaries with a female patient. In a decision dated June 2 and posted on the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitobas website, a CPSM panel determined Dr. Shamoon Hasham Din breached an undertaking that required him to have a female chaperone present when treating female patients, created false and misleading medical records, provided medical care to pediatric patients whom he was not allowed to care for, failed to maintain professional boundaries with a female patient and displayed an "unwillingness to inability" to be governed by the regulatory body. The misconduct occurred over a six-month period in 2020-21. Din pleaded guilty to the first three counts and not guilty to the latter two. The law firm that represented Din, MLT Aikins, would not comment on the matter. The college registrar, in a statement accompanying the decision, said Din has "demonstrated an incapacity or unfitness to practice medicine." "The actions by Dr. Din are irresponsible and reprehensible and are destructive for public trust in the medical profession," the statement reads. "There would no doubt be a risk of harm to the public if Dr. Din was permitted to continue to practice." The college also ordered him to pay $40,000 over four years. The college did not answer a list of submitted questions, instead referring the Free Press to the panels decision and statement posted on its website. Its the second time the college took action against Din, now 45. He was temporarily suspended in 2018 after he had an inappropriate relationship with a teen patient. This case comes amid an ongoing Free Press investigation into the CPSMs handling of physician misconduct and the provincial governments unwillingness to update legislation that critics say fails to protect patients. Patients who were victims of alleged sexual assault by a different physician are outraged by the colleges secrecy, saying patients should be informed when physicians face misconduct complaints including those potentially involving criminal offences. While critics agree the decision to strip Dins licence was the right one, they question why the college allowed the doctor to continue practising after the 2018 matter involving the teen. They say the second round of violations some of which were reported by a patient raise concerns about the CPSMs ability to monitor doctors who commit wrongdoing, and the colleges reliance on patients to flag concerns. "His behaviour was so unprofessional and unethical that I wonder whether (the college) gave serious and adequate consideration to whether he was a fit person to practise medicine," said Arthur Schafer, founding director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba, speaking to Dins previous discipline case. In 2018, Din pleaded guilty to professional misconduct relating to having an inappropriate relationship with a girl who was 16 when he became her family doctor in October 2015. Starting the next July and continuing for seven months, Din prescribed her medication that he didnt properly document, sent her more than 1,000 "salacious and manifestly unprofessional and inappropriate" text messages and bought her expensive gifts, according to the college. The girl ended up in hospital after she overdosed on anti-anxiety medication he had prescribed her. The college suspended him for a year and, when Din resumed his practice, required him to adhere to several conditions, including: requiring he have a female chaperone present when treating female patients; requiring he post "conspicuous signage" about the chaperone requirement in the reception and exam rooms; banning him from communicating with patients outside work; and requiring a practice supervisor be present at the clinic at all times and that the supervisor report to the CPSM about Dins compliance with the conditions. He later breached those conditions, a fact that came to light when a patient raised concerns. In March 2021, a female patient contacted the college about Dins "inappropriate communications" with her, according to the colleges findings. The communications involved Din texting her late at night, including sending one text that read: "Hoping ur rockin it killin shahwtyyyyy." The colleges final decision letter states that the panel was "unable to conclude" whether that text or others "were of a sexual nature." Din has not practised since the college initiated its investigation. The CPSM later determined Din also falsified medical records relating to the presence of a chaperone for 36 female patients, treated female patients without a chaperone present and he never had chaperones present for virtual patient visits amid the pandemic. He also was not allowed to treat pediatric patients as his licence did not qualify him to, but he still did. "Either they have an inadequate policy or they are enforcing it inadequately," Schafer said of the CPSMs compliance monitoring. While it remains unclear what steps the college took to monitor compliance beyond requiring a "practice supervisor" to report issues to the CPSM Schafer said one step would have been to send in a "fake" patient to check on Din. He questions why it took a patient complaint for the breach revelations to come to light. "I think we need some public accountability on the part of the CPSM," Schafer said. Brandon Trask, an assistant professor of law at the University of Manitoba, said the reliance on patients to act as a defacto watchdog is particularly concerning since patients may be unaware their physician has previously been disciplined (they would have to look up the physicians profile on the CPSMs website) or is under investigation (the college does not release information about physicians under investigation). "To just rely on public complaints is problematic when the public is not necessarily fully informed," Trask said. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. He also questioned whether the college reported the matter of falsifying documents to police. Paul Harte, a medical malpractice lawyer based in Toronto, said he is not surprised to find the breaches slipped under the colleges radar. Harte said self-regulating professions in this case, doctors overseeing doctors are inherently flawed in that they protect physicians interests over patients safety. He and other critics have called on the province to change legislation governing the CPSM to force the physician watchdog to be more transparent. Health Minister Audrey Gordon has refused to comment on this matter. "Who is looking out for those patients?" Harte asked. "Who is going to fix the system?" katrina.clarke@freepress.mb.ca In September 2019, Anroup Patti saw an Instagram post that would change her life, and the life of a married couple Mat Arye, a software engineer, and Jeremy Tse, a financial analyst from New York. Opinion In September 2019, Anroup Patti saw an Instagram post that would change her life, and the life of a married couple Mat Arye, a software engineer, and Jeremy Tse, a financial analyst from New York. Patti, a speech-language pathologist, was scrolling through Instagram when she saw a photo by local photographer Sunny Szpak-Holly. The woman in the photo was smiling, with a beautiful fall day as the backdrop. She held a letter board that read, "This stork will be delivering a special bundle for a deserving couple, May 4, 2020." The caption went into more detail about how the woman had decided to have a baby for another family. "I had just had my daughter in April of 2019 and I was very intrigued. I thought it was fascinating and just became curious about what it all entailed," Patti said of the photo, and the womans journey. She reached out to Szpak-Holly, who is her family photographer and friend, and was put in touch with the woman in the photo. Not long after, Patti began to take baby steps into the process of becoming a surrogate herself. "Im going to say that its just the way the algorithms work, but all of a sudden on my social media I was getting it was sort of like a survey, asking if I wanted to fill out a questionnaire about surrogacy." So, she did. Patti, a mother and stepmom of four kids aged three to 17, was moved by her own experience. When she and her husband were trying for their youngest, the process took longer than they had wanted. She suffered a miscarriage and two early losses before having her daughter in 2019. "I really wanted my children so badly. When I was looking at surrogacy and filling out the questionnaire I just kept thinking how difficult it felt for us to have our daughter, and how we were able to do it without any medical intervention really, and how there are so many couples that are unable to do that," she explained. Her husband was floored when she told him she was thinking about becoming a surrogate. "He kept on saying I cant believe that youre doing this in a good way," she said. "It was really, really amazing that he was on board." Patti spoke to her stepdaughters who were also supportive. She was sent the profiles of three couples and was asked if she would be willing to carry a child for any of them. The family sat down together, and decided together. "We watched all of the profiles and Mat and Jeremys was the last one," she explained. "I think we were all on the fence when we watched the first two and then we saw Mat and Jeremys and we said Yep, thats them. We thought they were so grounded and so authentic, and we just sort of fell in love with them." Arye and Tse had been on a surrogacy journey for nearly four years. The couple, who live in Manhattan, have been together for 10 years and married for five. They have always wanted to be dads. They did a lot of research on adoption and surrogacy, and what would be the best way to add to their family. Ultimately, the pair landed on doing surrogacy in Canada, as Tse is Canadian. "Starting from the beginning, it was just more research and understanding what the paths are towards building a surrogacy arrangement," Tse explained, adding that the pair went to a conference in New York and learned of the different ways of structuring a surrogacy arrangement. The conference focused on the steps of doing it in an ethical way that protects all parties. "What they recommend as an ethical path is to have a surrogate, to have an egg donor and then us, so this way it kind of creates a separation between the woman carrying the baby and the woman whose genetic materials are used, theyve found that is one way that makes things quite straightforward in this arrangement," Tse said. We have been extremely lucky; we have a good relationship with Anroup and her husband and her kids. We connected with her and her family in a really deep way. Mat Arye The couple used a few different agencies to find an egg donor (a woman from Toronto) and surrogate, as well as a clinic that would perform the medical procedures. Because the laws on surrogacy in Canada are more restrictive than in the U.S., Tse described the agencies sort of like dating websites, where couples and surrogates and donors use profiles to find one another. "We have been extremely lucky; we have a good relationship with Anroup and her husband and her kids. We connected with her and her family in a really deep way," Arye said, noting that Patti made sure to include the couple in each appointment and milestone throughout her pregnancy. "We can only say that were lucky," added Tse. "I hope that everyone has the same experience that we have if they want to." Baby August was born two weeks early on June 11 at St. Boniface Hospital. "It was a really good experience. They were very accommodating, very understanding of our very unique situation. We were always treated with respect, we were never doubted as to whether we should be there," Tse said. "It was wonderful," echoed Arye. The couple and baby August will remain in Winnipeg for at least another month, while they finalize paperwork, including amending Augusts birth certificate. The Free Press | Newsletter Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "The one challenging aspect of getting a birth certificate for a baby born through surrogacy is that the province of Manitoba initially registers the baby with our surrogate as mother, so we have to go through a court order process to get both of our names on the birth certificate," Tse said. The plan is to go home to New York once the paperwork is done. Once theyre settled, theyd like to start meeting other surrogacy, same-sex, and queer families to grow their network and community so August will grow up being able to share his experience with others. The families have become close friends and plan to remain in each others lives. When Arye and Tse set out to have a family, they did so with intention and in a way that would have everyone involved throughout their lives, and the Patti family shares the same sentiment. "I just feel so privileged to be a part of their story and it seems very surreal being on the other side of it, watching them as a unit and a family," Patti said. "Its so beautiful seeing them and watching them come into parenthood." shelley.cook@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @ShelleyACook The U.S. Supreme Court, amid decisions radically expanding gun rights and removing a womans constitutional right to abortion, has toppled almost 200 years of law protecting Native American tribal independence and sovereignty. Opinion The U.S. Supreme Court, amid decisions radically expanding gun rights and removing a womans constitutional right to abortion, has toppled almost 200 years of law protecting Native American tribal independence and sovereignty. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled individual U.S. states have authority over tribes within their borders. In a 5-4 decision defining the scope of the 2020 McGirt ruling, Justice Brett Kavanaugh writes: "The court holds that Indian country within a states territory is part of a state, not separate from a state. The decision specifically had to do with the issue of state jurisdiction of criminal law on tribal lands, but comes with massive ramifications. Simply put, it means, in the 20 states where tribal reservations exist, U.S. state law now supersedes Indigenous law. In the United States, tribes are generally independent, with governments that administer their own justice, health and education systems in collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Tribal authorities are virtual partners; with state and tribal law often carrying similar weight in the eyes of the federal government. This was the original vision of the Supreme Court for how Indians should be treated, emerging from the famous "Marshall trilogy" cases in the 1830s. Then-chief justice John Marshall wrote in 1832: "Indian nations had always been considered as distinct, independent political communities, retaining their original natural rights, as the undisputed possessors of the soil." While Marshalls decision wasnt followed for decades ignored famously by president Andrew Jackson, who hated Indigenous Peoples this decision was one of the finer moments in U.S.-Indigenous relations, facilitating a measure of economic and political independence for tribes (something even First Nations in Canada desire). For nearly two centuries, federal law has guided the ways U.S. citizens legally interact with Indigenous nations, creating a consistency and fairness in the basic recognition Indigenous peoples have decision making power over their own recognized territories. Now, this is in peril, with tribal nations falling to the mercy of state governments most of whom have combative relationships over issues such as gaming, resources and land. Its a brutal decision with potentially devastating consequences. Even Republicans disagreed, with conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch publicly calling out his colleagues. Writing in dissent, Gorsuch said the decision will be a "grim result for different tribes in different states One can only hope the political branches and future courts will do their duty to honour this nations promises even as we have failed today to do our own." Now, conceivably, a state government can legally claim tribal lands by arguing it is in the states interest.States can also pass laws to force tribal businesses to come under their control and pay tax to non-Indigenous peoples instead of tribal governments. States can even send their police to tribal communities to carry out demands and force their decisions to carry the day. Anyone who knows how Republican-controlled state legislatures work in Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, North and South Dakota will know how impactful this change can and undoubtedly will be. It has been tried before. The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court is precisely what the federal government led by Pierre Trudeau tried in 1969, with the infamous "white paper on federal Indian policy." It sought to download control over First Nations onto provincial authorities, erase treaties from history and deny First Nations rights and law. 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 took 10 years of activism, but Ottawa eventually realized this change was illegal and unconstitutional, undermining the very principles Canada claimed to base itself upon. The United States, too, will one day realize this same error with this Supreme Court decision and the others the court made this week but this has yet to pass. Until that day, a lot of hate, division and struggle will come before justice will emerge. Over one tumultuous month, a group of conservative justices hell-bent on overturning laws not suiting their political taste have tossed aside the rights of Indigenous peoples, a womans right to control her body and damaged attempts to limit gun violence. At least one conservative is right: its a grim result. niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca ER patients at Manitobas largest hospital face compromised care and the potential for neglect in the waiting room as chronic nursing staff shortages continue, one front-line worker says. ER patients at Manitobas largest hospital face compromised care and the potential for neglect in the waiting room as chronic nursing staff shortages continue, one front-line worker says. Over the Canada Day long weekend, night shifts at Health Sciences Centre emergency department were reportedly desperately understaffed and additional nurses had to be brought in from the downtown Winnipeg hospitals intensive care units, while managers also stepped in to cover. Paramedics were not asked again to cover for the lack of nurses in the department, Shared Health confirmed Monday. (The hospital made that request of already stretched-thin paramedics during a particularly busy weekend last month.) One HSC ER nurse said patients are inevitably waiting longer and are being neglected as a result of the understaffing. "Weve just accepted that we are working dangerously understaffed and we work minute by minute to survive," said the ER nurse, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, fearing for her job if she were to speak out publicly. "Patient care was most certainly compromised over the weekend due to lack of staff. Patients are being neglected. Not to any fault of the nursing or support staff, but simply because there isnt enough resources. "We are stretched so thin we cannot provide even the most basic human care in some instances. There is no incentive to retain highly trained staff. Subsequently this weekend, patients suffered, and their conditions worsened because care could not be provided to them in a timely manner." In a statement, a Shared Health spokesperson stated staff shortages at HSCs adult emergency department have been well-documented and continued over the long weekend. "As you know, these challenges are not unique to our facility, as hospitals throughout the country are experiencing similar issues," the statement reads. "As we have on previous weekends, call-outs occurred to both regular and part-time staff, as well as those in the casual pool. On-shift staff were approached to work overtime. Critical care nurses were also reassigned at various points to assist in the adult ED and managers were working in the department to support staffing needs." Shared Health didnt provide figures when asked how many ER nurses were working per shift at the HSC over the long weekend. In a move to further rely on additional non-specialized nurses to treat trauma patients, resuscitation training for some licensed practical nurses at HSC begins this month, Shared Health confirmed last week. More than a quarter of ER nurses at HSC have left those positions. In a statement issued on June 28, a Shared Health spokesman wrote the nurse staffing vacancy rate was then 26.6 per cent in the HSC emergency department. 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. "Education standards for LPNs in Manitoba are amongst the highest in the country, allowing them to play an important role in the provinces health-care system including in emergency departments and qualified to perform to a higher scope of practice. This includes work in resuscitation and trauma," the spokesman stated. "Extending opportunities to LPNs to participate in orientation training for resuscitation and trauma reflects our support for these valuable staff by providing them with opportunities to work to their full scope of practice. The training of these nurses will be done in stages, with a few LPNs scheduled to participate in resuscitation training (in July)." Each nursing shift at HSC is supposed to have at least 24 ER nurses. Even when day-shift staffing is close to normal, an increasing number of sick calls tend to come at night largely due to the mental and physical exhaustion nurses experience during their 12-hour shifts at the inner-city hospital "due to the abundance of violence in this city," the experienced ER nurse said. "Night shift is its own special breed. Knowing the potential patients we may face, coupled with a lack of resources and support, its just too much to do for any amount of time," she continued. "Its hard to continue to go to work when at the end of the day you feel as though you have failed your community members." katie.may@freepress.mb.ca In the 1920s, nearly 8,000 Mennonites left Canada for Mexico and Paraguay in search of a new home that would give them the freedom, which they felt Canada no longer could. Mennonite Heritage Villages (MHV) newest exhibit, Leaving Canada: The Mennonite Migration to Mexico, explores this migration from several angles and we ask why this migration matters to us in Canada today? In the 1920s, nearly 8,000 Mennonites left Canada for Mexico and Paraguay in search of a new home that would give them the freedom, which they felt Canada no longer could. Mennonite Heritage Villages (MHV) newest exhibit, "Leaving Canada: The Mennonite Migration to Mexico," explores this migration from several angles and we ask why this migration matters to us in Canada today? Life in Canada changed after these traditionalist Mennonites left for Latin America. While sometimes entire congregations moved, others like the Old Colony excommunicated those who chose to stay. Those who remained had to rebuild their communities and churches and learned to accommodate the new way of life in Canada. While the migrations to Mexico and Paraguay were large, most of the "Kanadier" (Canadian) Mennonites who had arrived in the 1870s remained in Canada. The departure of many traditionalists, together with the assimilative effects of the public schools and urbanization, and the arrival of the "Russlander" (Russians) from the Soviet Union, led to greater Mennonite integration into Canadian society. MENNONITE HERITAGE ARCHIVES This school notebook belonged to Cornelius D. Klippenstein from Altbergthal, Manitoba. The cover displays photographs of the 1915 military parade in Winnipeg. It is difficult to measure the effect of the public schools on the Mennonite community but after traditionalist Mennonites left Canada, public education was accepted by those who remained. This group included the Manitoba Bergthaler, Kleine Gemeinde, Holdman, about half of the Sommerfelder and Chortitzer, and a small part of the Reinlander church. The Russlander also began arriving from the Soviet Union in 1923 and they too did not oppose public education. Although similar in origin to the Kanadier, they differed significantly in their religious and cultural practices. Instead of relying on private schools to instill religious values, they incorporated other ways of doing so. This increased acceptance of programs like childrens Sunday Schools and organized youth groups shifted the Mennonite religious landscape in Canada. In these ways, many Mennonites in Canada began thinking of themselves more as "Canadians" over the next decades and their ethnic identity and Mennonite religious distinctions became less important. Additionally, other markers of integration into the mainstream, like a vast increase in Mennonite military participation from the First World War to the Second and more Mennonites moving to urban centres, indicate that by the 1930s and 1940s, Mennonites in Canada had become much more integrated into the mainstream. Traditionalist Mennonites left Canada in the 1920s because they feared adopting public schools would lead to this very loss of religious and cultural identity. Isaak M. Dyck, minister of the Old Colony church in Manitoba, made a direct connection between these two issues. Looking back on the migration to Mexico that he had helped lead, he emphatically stated: "If we shared our schools, our churches would not remain separate what the school is, the church will become." (Isaak M. Dyck, "Auswanderung von Kanada nach Mexiko, ano 1922," p. 115) "Leaving Canada" is an exhibit produced in partnership by MHV, the Plett Foundation, and the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada. 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. Upcoming events: MHVs grounds and Livery Barn Restaurant are open seven days a week! The restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the grounds are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thursdays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 9 - Heritage Classic Car Show: Classic cars, up and down the Village Main Street. Enjoy dedicated workmanship and interesting stories. July 11-15 Pioneer Day Camp: children ages 5-7 July 18-22 Pioneer Day Camp: children ages 8-10 July 28, 7 p.m. Leaving Canada Speaker Series: "Putting Down Roots in Mexico," by Kevin Dyck, Curator at Museo Menonita in Cuauhtemoc, Mexico. Free event, register at mhv.ca. HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) A gunman on a rooftop opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago on Monday, killing at least six people, wounding at least 30 and sending hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror, police said. Terrified parade-goers fled Highland Park's Fourth of July parade after shots were fired, leaving behind their belongings as they sought safety, Monday, July 4, 2022, in Highland Park, Ill. (Lynn Sweet/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) A gunman on a rooftop opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago on Monday, killing at least six people, wounding at least 30 and sending hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror, police said. Authorities said a man named as a person of interest in the shooting was taken into police custody Monday evening after an hourslong manhunt in and around Highland Park, an affluent community of about 30,000 on Chicagos north shore. The July 4 shooting was just the latest to shatter the rituals of American life. Schools, churches, grocery stores and now community parades have all become killing grounds in recent months. This time, the bloodshed came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together. It definitely hits a lot harder when its not only your hometown but its also right in front of you, resident Ron Tuazon said as he and a friend returned to the parade route Monday evening to retrieve chairs, blankets and a childs bike that he and his family abandoned when the shooting began. Its commonplace now, Tuazon said of what he called yet another American atrocity. We dont blink anymore. Until laws change, its going to be more of the same. Empty chairs sit along the sidewalk after parade-goers fled Highland Park's Fourth of July parade after shots were fired, Monday, July 4, 2022 in Chicago. (Lynn Sweet/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) The shooting occurred at a spot on the parade route where many residents had staked out prime viewing points early in the day for the annual celebration. Dozens of fired bullets sent hundreds of parade-goers some visibly bloodied fleeing. They left a trail of abandoned items that showed everyday life suddenly, violently disrupted: A half-eaten bag of potato chips; a box of chocolate cookies spilled onto the grass; a childs Chicago Cubs cap. Theres no safe place, said Highland Park resident Barbara Harte, 73, who had stayed away from the parade fearing a mass shooting, but later ventured from her home. Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen said a police officer pulled over Robert E. Crimo III about five miles north of the shooting scene, several hours after police released the man's photo and an image of his silver Honda Fit, and warned the public that he was likely armed and dangerous. Authorities initially said he was 22, but an FBI bulletin and Crimo's social media said he was 21. Blood pooled at Port Clinton Square in Highland Park, after a shooting at a July Fourth parade, in a Chicago suburb, Monday, July 4, 2022. (Lynn Sweet/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) Police declined to immediately identify Crimo as a suspect but said identifying him as a person of interest, sharing his name and other information publicly was a serious step. Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli said at a news conference several of the deceased victims died at the scene and one was taken to a hospital and died there. Police have not released details about the victims or wounded. Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said the five people killed at the parade were adults, but didnt have information on the sixth victim who was taken to a hospital and died there. One of those killed was a Mexican national, Roberto Velasco, Mexicos director for North American affairs, said on Twitter Monday. He said two other Mexicans were wounded. A Fourth of July parade-goer runs for cover after gunfire was heard at the parade Monday morning, July 4, 2022, in a suburb of Chicago. (Lynn Sweet/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) NorthShore University Health Center received 26 patients after the attack. All but one had gunshot wounds, said Dr. Brigham Temple, medical director of emergency preparedness. Their ages ranged from 8 to 85, and Temple estimated that four or five patients were children. Temple said 19 of them were treated and discharged. Others were transferred to other hospitals, while two patients, in stable condition, remained at the Highland Park hospital. It is devastating that a celebration of America was ripped apart by our uniquely American plague, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at a news conference. Empty chairs sit along the sidewalk after parade-goers fled Highland Park's Fourth of July parade after shots were fired, Monday, July 4, 2022 in Chicago. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) Im furious because it does not have to be this way... while we celebrate the Fourth of July just once a year, mass shootings have become a weekly yes, weekly American tradition. The shooter opened fire around 10:15 a.m., when the parade was about three-quarters through, authorities said. Highland Park Police Commander Chris ONeill, the incident commander on scene, said the gunman apparently used a high-powered rifle to fire from a spot atop a commercial building where he was very difficult to see. He said the rifle was recovered at the scene. Police also found a ladder attached to the building. Law enforcement search in a building after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade in downtown Highland Park, a Chicago suburb on Monday, July 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Very random, very intentional and a very sad day, Covelli said. President Joe Biden on Monday said he and first lady Jill Biden were shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day. Biden signed the widest-ranging gun violence bill passed by Congress in decades, a compromise that showed at once both progress on a long-intractable issue and the deep-seated partisan divide that persists. Police tape hangs at corner of Central Avenue and Green Bay Rd., in Highland Park, a Chicago suburb, Monday, July 4, 2022, after a mass shooting at Highland Park Fourth of July parade. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) As a word of an arrest spread, residents who had hunkered in homes began venturing outside, some walking toward where the shooting occurred. Several people stood and stared at the scene, with abandoned picnic blankets, hundreds of lawn chairs and backpacks still where they were when the shooting began. Police believe there was only one shooter but warned that he should still be considered armed and dangerous. Several nearby cities canceled events including parades and fireworks, some of them noting that the Highland Park shooter was still at large. The Chicago White Sox also announced on Twitter that a planned post-game fireworks show is canceled due to the shooting. More than 100 law enforcement officers were called to the parade scene or dispatched to find the suspected shooter. A police officer reacts as he walks in downtown Highland Park, a suburb of Chicago, Monday, July 4, 2022, where a mass shooting took place at a Highland Park Fourth of July parade. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) More than a dozen police officers on Monday surrounded a home listed as an address for Crimo in Highland Park. Some officers held rifles as they fixed their eyes on the home. Police blockaded roads leading to the home in a tree-lined neighborhood near a golf course, allowing only select law enforcement cars through a tight outer perimeter. Crimo, who goes by the name Bobby, was an aspiring rapper with the stage name Awake the Rapper, posting on social media dozens videos and songs, some ominous and violent. In one animated video since taken down by YouTube, Crimo raps about armies walking in darkness as a drawing appears of a man pointing a rifle, a body on the ground and another figure with hands up in the distance. A later frame shows a close-up of a chest with blood pouring out and another of police cars arriving as the shooter holds his hands up. A Lake County police officer walks down Central Ave in Highland Park on Monday, July 4, 2022, after a shooter fired on the northern suburb's Fourth of July parade. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune via AP) In another video, in which Crimo appears in a classroom wearing a black bicycle helmet, he says he is like a sleepwalker I know what I have to do, then adds, "Everything has led up to this. Nothing can stop me, even myself. Crimos father, Bob, a longtime deli owner, ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Highland Park in 2019, calling himself a person for the people. Highland Park is a close-knit community of about 30,000 people located on the shores of Lake Michigan just north of Chicago, with mansions and sprawling lakeside estates that have long drawn the rich and sometimes famous, including NBA legend Michael Jordan, who lived in the city for years when he played for the Chicago Bulls. John Hughes filmed parts of several movies in the city, including Ferris Buellers Day Off, Sixteen Candles and Weird Science. Law enforcement search after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade in downtown Highland Park, Ill., a Chicago suburb on Monday, July 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Ominous signs of a joyous event suddenly turned to horror filled both sides of Central Avenue where the shooting occurred. Dozens of baby strollers some bearing American flags, abandoned childrens bikes and a helmet bedecked with images of Cinderella were left behind. Blankets, lawn chairs, coffees and water bottles were knocked over as people fled. Gina Troiani and her son were lined up with his daycare class ready to walk onto the parade route when she heard a loud sound that she believed was fireworks until she heard people yell about a shooter. In a video that Troiani shot on her phone, some of the kids are visibly startled at the loud noise, and they scramble to the side of the road as a siren wails nearby. We just start running in the opposite direction, she told The Associated Press. Law enforcement search as they walk into a building after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade in downtown Highland Park, Ill., a Chicago suburb on Monday, July 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Her 5-year-old son was riding his bike decorated with red and blue curled ribbons. He and other children in the group held small American flags. The city said on its website that the festivities were to include a childrens bike and pet parade. Troiani said she pushed her sons bike, running through the neighborhood to get back to their car. "It was just sort of chaos, she said. There were people that got separated from their families, looking for them. Others just dropped their wagons, grabbed their kids and started running. 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. Law enforcement search the area after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade in downtown Highland Park, Ill., a Chicago suburb on Monday, July 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Debbie Glickman, a Highland Park resident, said she was on a parade float with coworkers and the group was preparing to turn onto the main route when she saw people running from the area. People started saying: Theres a shooter, theres a shooter, there's a shooter, Glickman told the AP. So we just ran. We just ran. Its like mass chaos down there. She didnt hear any noises or see anyone who appeared to be injured. Im so freaked out, she said. Its just so sad. ___ Foody contributed from Chicago. Associated Press writers Mike Balsamo in New York, David Koenig in Dallas, Jeff Martin in Woodstock, Georgia, Fabiola Sanchez in Monterrey, Mexico, Jim Mustian in New Orleans, Bernard Condon in New York, and Martha Irvine and Mike Householder in Highland Park contributed reporting. Reconstruction of Highway 43 and Mankato Avenue is going smoothly, with plans for the roundabout at the intersection of Highway 61 and Highway 43 to be done mid-August. This will be the first roundabout finished in the stretch of four. With few or no issues occurring, the project is on schedule. Community members may have noticed more back-up than usual with the addition of temporary traffic signals at the intersection, but as the project moves further along and the roundabout comes together this congestion will decrease. Workers are currently putting in curbs for the two-lane roundabout and will start paving the road the week of July 11. As the project moves along, public feedback has helped ease any concerns and issues. More information, like education on navigating roundabouts, can be expected within the coming months to make the transition easier for drivers. MnDOT spokesman Mike Dougherty recently held presentations at Bluff View Estates and Sugar Loaf Senior Living to answer questions, and says there will be more outreach in the near future. Construction is never a pleasant experience, but we want to help people learn about it and make it part of their discussion, said Dougherty. If people have constructive ideas, we are always willing to listen. Dougherty said the traffic back-ups that came with the construction and transitions were not to anyones satisfaction, including MnDOTs, but with more experience driving through the area and more education, these issues should lessen. Traffic patterns need to be established, said Dougherty. Once people drive through these roundabouts, I think they will have a better appreciation for them. Businesses in the construction area along with the Winona police and fire departments will also continue to inform the public on navigation changes and updates. Project manager Kyle Pedersen spoke on how the project is difficult for many at times, but ultimately important for the safety and wellbeing of the community. The Highway 43 project is a challenging construction effort, but one that will provide many improvements for safety and traffic when its done, said Pedersen. We have dozens of skilled workers and subcontractors, who take pride in their work. We just ask for continued patience from motorists in the work zone to be sure we all are safe. After the first roundabout is complete, workers will continue down Mankato Avenue, with hopes of the roundabouts being complete in November. The candidates for the Dodge County Sheriff position are scheduled to a debate on July 20 in Beaver Dam. It is the first debate that has been agreed upon by both candidates Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt and challenger Mark Colker. Schmidt said that he agreed to any and all debates a month ago. A representative for Colker said last Friday that Colker is also planning on attending. The debate, or primary candidates forum, will be held in the American Legion, 300 Beichl Ave., Beaver Dam, beginning at 7 p.m. on July 20. The candidates for the Dodge County Sheriff position are the only local election on the ballot. The two Republican candidates for sheriff are listed on the ballot for the Aug. 9 partisan primary. Schmidt is seeking his third term as sheriff. Colker has worked as a police officer and sheriffs deputy in the past and is currently a booking and security associate for the Winnebago County Sheriffs Office. The two candidates have been posting on Facebook over the last several months. Last week, Schmidt released open records he had requested from agencies who have employed Colker. These included disciplinary records from 2002 when Colker was a Waupun police officer and was let go from the police department. Colker was also placed on the Brady List by the Winnebago County District Attorneys Office, according to the records. The Brady List contains the names and details of law enforcement officers who have allegedly sustained incidents of untruthfulness, criminal convictions, candor issues, or some other type of issue placing their credibility into question. Colker responded via a video posted recently where he claimed that he never pushed a boy and said that an investigator felt the boy was being deceptive about alleged abuse. I was already gone from the agency when this investigation was concluded, and magically it painted me as a liar, Colker said in the video. Another officer told three different stories and the suspect told two versions of the story and failed a lie detector test. I told the same story twice with no variation and I was painted to be a liar, he said. Colker also said that he had not had any other complaints in law enforcement until this March, which led to his being placed on the Brady List. He said that it stems from two incidents that Schmidt brought up and that he (Colker) was under investigation from March until last month. Colker said the first incident involved accusations of child abuse in which he was actually a complainant in 2006. The second accusation was for being untruthful in 2002 when he was hired. Colker said that with limited information the D.A. in Winnebago County deemed that he was wrong in the incident and that he holds a non-sworn position now because of being on the list. If I was truly this liar and someone who used excessive force, I wouldnt have been able to make it 24 years in my career, Colker said. The full documents can be seen on Schmidts campaign website and Colkers video can be seen on his Facebook page. New Head for Wits Functions and Events Thembelihle Dlamini, a former Vice-President of the SRC, takes over the reins. A true Witsie, Dlamini who took over as Head of Functions and Events at Wits in May 2022, first stepped foot at the University as a student. Upon completing her Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing degree, Dlamini started working as an account manager for a media agency servicing various clients, providing project and event management support as well as developing and executing marketing strategies. In 2013 Dlamini returned to Wits this time as a student development practitioner in the Student Governance Office and Leadership Development Unit, responsible for managing student clubs, societies and organisations on campus. In the nine years at Wits, Dlamini spent most of her time as project manager working alongside the Dean of Student Affairs where, among other responsibilities, she managed a range of events, led campaigns and liaised with the student population. As a student, Dlamini served as the Vice-President of the SRC (2008-2009) and in 2021 she was among Wits Covid-19 heroes serving as the main point of contact for students. In her new role Dlamini has hit the ground running with the Universitys Centenary Campaign, the Wits 2033 Strategy as well as contributing to the Universitys Advancement Division while pursuing her masters in commerce. She brings with her great energy, new and creative ideas to steer the division forward. I am thrilled to lead the Functions and Events department and look forward to actualising what it truly means to stand: For Good. I continue to carry with me the spirit and ethos of Wits that I hope to transfer not only to my colleagues but every individual who through Wits Functions and Events, will truly have a memorable Wits experience, says Dlamini. #Wits100 Coming out of a pandemic students and staff have been away from campus and it is important for the department to foster a new spirit of oneness and celebration in the centenary year, coordinating and executing memorable event to celebrate the triumph over a pandemic, Wits role in global research as well as 100 years of academic excellence. Dlamini joins at the peak of Wits100 events, lectures, and engagement initiatives. She and her team have a huge task ahead to commemorate Wits; milestone and to casting light into the next 100 years of impact. Letter of Complaint sent to the UNDP regarding its support for MMSEZ Civil society has voiced its strong criticism of the decision by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support the heavily coal-dependent industrial zone in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MM-SEZ) in Limpopo. By way of an open letter served today on Dr Ayodele Odusola, Resident Representative for UNDP South Africa, the signatories to the letter have condemned the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the UNDP and the MM-SEZ SOC (state-owned company) on the basis that this joint China-South Africa industrial mega-project, located in the UNESCO Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, violates every principle of sustainable development which the UNDP purports to serve and have further slammed the agency for the failings of its grievance mechanisms. In the MoU announced on the 17 March 2022, the UNDP declares its support for the MM-SEZ in order to tackle South Africas triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment. By contrast, several thousand organisations and persons who have registered as interested and affected parties contend that the MM-SEZ will worsen poverty, inequality and unemployment in Limpopo by grossly aggravating water insecurity; climate change vulnerability; pollution and environmental degradation; the disease burden in an impoverished rural community; job losses in other collaterally damaged sectors of the economy and the national fiscal debt load. In the letter, the cohort of NGO and academic signatories argue that the MoU lends this fundamentally flawed project undeserved credibility that is being used to attract investors and deflect criticism. The MMSEZ project, from conception to completion, violates many rights of indigenous and local communities in Limpopo. Natural Justice works substantively with these communities and is aware of the struggles the communities have suffered relating to their land, their culture and heritage. It is unacceptable that the UNDP, a human rights body, may be connected to these abuses because of an MoU it signed with the state-owned company. Not only that, but it is also very disappointing that the complaints mechanism of the UNDP is unable to effectively stop the abuses. States Jacqueline Rukanda for Natural Justice. The UNDP is legitimising this dirty project and the consequences are real and damaging adds Dr. Louis Snyman of Wits Centre for Applied Legal Studies. It is the lost opportunity that disappoints us most, adds Living Limpopos Lauren Liebenberg. The UNDPs support for governments Operation Phakisa for the Biodiversity Economy wouldve turbo-charged roll-out in the province of a genuinely viable, sustainable and transformative development plan. Instead, without prior consultation, it announces its backing for coal exploitation and coal-based heavy industry, which will forever destroy our rich natural capital endowment in the Vhembe, along with its economic potential for its rural custodians. The letter calls upon the UNDP to demonstrate its commitment to human rights and environmental legal standards, as well as its own principles, by retracting the MoU and officially communicating its retraction. Open letter to UNDP re MMSEZ. For media enquiries, please contact: To apply the concepts and approaches of social work in its programs involving families, Jinjiang Women's Federation, in 2015, initiated the Bailanhua Family Service Station Social Work Project in Jinjiang, a city in Southeast China's Fujian Province. The project offers comprehensive services to families, and it is a relatively and highly effective carrier of innovative community governance. Innovating Family Work As of October 2021, the Bailanhua Family Service Station Social Work Project has held 1,036 activities, and it has offered services to more than 150,000 people. Why did Jinjiang Women's Federation initiate the project? In 2014, Fujian Women's Federation urged women's federations across the province to improve their work involving families. "We conducted investigations to find ways to innovate our work. The Four O'clock Schools Project impressed us," Qiu Yujing, one of the founders of the Bailanhua Family Service Station Social Work Project, and director of the general office of Jinjiang Women's Federation, tells Women of China. The Four O'clock Schools Project was initiated in 2013 in Jinjiang. Its purpose is to help parents, especially those who are migrant workers, care for their children after school. Organizers arrange for the children to read or participate in extracurricular activities, and the services are paid for through government funding. As of 2014, there were 15 such schools serving more than 2,000 students. "We decided to learn from the successful experiences of the Four O'clock Schools Project. We can initiate a project that offers comprehensive family services," says Qiu. Supported by the municipal Party (Communist Party of China) committee and the municipal government, Jinjiang Women's Federation commissioned Jinjiang Qihang Social Work Service Center to operate the Bailanhua Family Service Station Social Work Project. In June 2015, the first family service station was established. Satisfying Residents' Needs Xu Qingxin, President of Jinjiang Women's Federation, tells Women of China that Bailanhua Family Service Station Social Work Project has always applied a demand-oriented approach, and that approach has become a feature of public services for women, children and families in Jinjiang. Before the first family service stations opened, Jinjiang Women's Federation conducted surveys to learn about and understand the needs of residents in various communities in Jinjiang. The federation selected three types of communities commercial communities, where residents are mainly migrants to Jinjiang, communities with residents from different backgrounds, and communities for relocated rural residents as trial project areas. The family service stations are open six days a week. Huang Fang, head of Jinjiang Qihang Social Work Service Center, tells Women of China the center made service plans when it began implementing the project. To learn the needs of families, the center's social workers conducted surveys through questionnaires and interviews in various communities. Wu Fang'e, a resident of Wangcuo Community, in Jinjiang, says her son attends the Four O'clock School, and some of the teachers help him with his studies after school. Since the family service station was established, Wu and her son have been able to attend activities there together. The services for children offered by the Four O'clock School are still available at the station, and more activities are organized for all residents. Wu can learn to make pastries and handicrafts from her neighbors at the station. Huang classifies the project's services into four categories: Promoting women's development, protecting women's rights and interests, caring for children, and promoting harmony within the family. The project offers training to help unemployed women learn domestic-service skills. It conducts various activities to promote the protection of women's rights and interests, and it works with volunteers' groups to organize jumble sales of materials donated by residents. The income of the sales has been used to help children in need. Contributing to Social Governance In addition to providing services to families, Bailanhua Family Service Station Social Work Project has been playing a role in primary-level social governance. Huang says social organizations are an important force in innovative social governance at the primary level. Some organizations can integrate social resources and unite other social organizations. Such organizations play an important role in providing social services and helping defuse social problems. In September 2021, numerous cases of COVID-19 were reported in Xiamen and Putian, both cities in Fujian. To prevent the spread of the epidemic, Jinjiang Women's Federation quickly urged Jinjiang Qihang Social Work Service Center to adjust the regular services of the project. Eighty-five of the project's social workers and volunteers participated in epidemic prevention and control efforts in the communities. They helped community workers register information of returnees from medium- or high-risk areas, and they provided psychological guidance to residents through a hotline. The Bailanhua Family Service Station Social Work Project promoted the establishment of a service mechanism involving social workers, women's federation workers and volunteers in Jinjiang. The mechanism helps coordinate the work of social workers, social organizations and communities, and it integrates social resources, in Jinjiang's efforts to satisfy the needs of women, children and their families. Photos Supplied by Interviewee (Women of China English Monthly May 2022 issue) Li Yuyu, member of an acrobatic motorcycle team, puts on make-up before a trial performance in Puyang, central China's Henan Province, April 27, 2022. A total of 16 women motorcyclists from Puyang Acrobatic Art School formed an acrobatic team in March 2021. They have been practicing hard in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for most women motorcyclists in a Globe of Death. Their motorcycle show is an art performance combining dance, magic, acrobatics and motorcycle racing. [Xinhua/Wu Gang] CCTV: At the recent High-level Dialogue on Global Development, many leaders of participating countries said that Chinas Global Development Initiative (GDI) meets the development needs of relevant countries and will continue to support the GDI. Can you brief us on the progress of the GDI and plans on the work going forward? Zhao Lijian: Since President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Development Initiative (GDI) last September, the initiative has received positive and warm responses. More than 100 countries and many international organizations, including the UN, have supported the GDI and nearly 60 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI set up by China on the UN platform. As you said, at the recent High-level Dialogue on Global Development, leaders of many countries spoke highly of the GDI, saying that it well meets the urgent development needs of all countries, developing countries in particular, and provides a feasible pathway for accelerating the realization of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. At the meeting, President Xi Jinping proposed a host of pragmatic steps for cooperation to promote global development. After the meeting, China released a list of 32 deliverables, which is part of Chinas initial action to implement the GDI. Leaders at the meeting highly commended this and expressed their willingness for cooperation. Looking ahead, China will work together with the international community to actively implement the outcomes of the Dialogue, encourage the international community to focus on development issues, increase input in global development cooperation, advance practical cooperation in key areas as set out in the GDI including poverty alleviation, food security, COVID-19 response and vaccines, development financing, climate change and green development, industrialization, digital economy and connectivity, develop a project pool and enhance knowledge sharing on development. The GDI follows the spirit of open and inclusive partnership. We welcome the participation of all countries and international organizations, UN agencies in particular and developed countries included, so as to create the strongest synergy for accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. MASTV: A representative of Palau said at the closing ceremony of the UN Ocean Conference on July 1 that Taiwan representatives were not allowed to be part of our delegation simply because they hold Taiwanese passports, adding that Palau views this as a violation of its sovereign rights and the UN shouldnt have excluded the 23 million people of Taiwan from the conversation. Representative of the US said that no committee should have pressed them to remove those individuals from their delegation. Do you have any comment on this? Zhao Lijian: This is the third time that I have answered this question. The Taiwan authorities have tried several times to make an issue out of this. Is it because they are proud of the way they tried to wedge into the conference? There is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China. The one-China principle is a basic norm in international relations and an established international consensus. Based on the one-China principle, Taiwan has no right to attend as a delegation the activities of the UN and its special agencies and those of intergovernmental international organizations limited to sovereign countries. These principles and consensus will not change just because certain countries have endorsed and emboldened the Taiwan authorities. The failure of the Taiwan authorities to get into the conference was inevitable. Such a disgraceful act only exposes themselves to international ridicule. Shenzhen TV: NASAs administrator Bill Nelson said in an interview with German media the other day that Chinas space program is a military space program and China might be planning a takeover of the moon. He also said that China stole designs and technologies of other countries and one task of Chinas space station is to learn how to destroy other countries satellites. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: This is not the first time that the NASA administrator has lashed out at China in disregard of facts. Some US officials have spoken irresponsibly to misrepresent the normal and legitimate space endeavors of China. China firmly rejects such remarks. As the head of US space administration, the official must be quite familiar with the disreputable history of US space program, including its role in creating space junk, stoking space arms race and disrupting global strategic stability and its enormous threat to the peaceful use of outer space. In recent years, the US openly defined space as a war-fighting domain. It has been accelerating efforts to build a space force and space command, developing and deploying offensive space weapons, hindering the negotiation process for a legal instrument on arms control in outer space, and enhancing military cooperation with its allies in outer space. In the meantime, the US has obstructed space cooperation, willfully imposed sanctions on space agencies of other countries, and passed legislation to limit space cooperation and exchanges with China. The international community has long seen through the hegemonic and double-standard nature of US actions and the hypocrisy of its rhetoric. China always advocates the peaceful use of outer space, opposes the weaponization of and arms race in outer space, and works actively toward building a community with a shared future for mankind in the space domain. Chinas space exploration is about meeting our legitimate national economic, social, scientific and security needs. Progress in Chinas space endeavors is achieved through our own independent efforts. Our rights, interests and achievements shall not be unfairly questioned or discredited. We urge the US to step up to its responsibility as a major country, reflect on and rectify its negative moves and statements about outer space, and make its due contribution to safeguarding enduring peace and security in space. AFP: Japan lodged a protest to China after a Chinese naval vessel sailed near the disputed Senkaku Islands. Whats Chinas response? Zhao Lijian: Diaoyu Dao and its affiliating islands have been part of Chinas territory. The activities of Chinese vessels in the adjacent waters are legitimate and lawful. The Japanese side has no right to point fingers over these activities. Kyodo News: This morning Russian navy vessel also sailed in the contiguous zone around Senkaku Islands. I wonder whether China and Russia acted in concert this time? Zhao Lijian: I made Chinas position very clear just now. I suppose what you said is your own interpretation. If you are interested in Russias action, maybe you or your colleagues could take this question to the Russian side. Reuters: Earlier today the US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said at a forum that he hopes the Chinese foreign ministry spokesmen would stop repeating Russian propaganda by accusing NATO of starting the war in Ukraine and telling lies about American biolabs. Whats the Chinese foreign ministrys comment? Zhao Lijian: It is the US, not China, that has been spreading disinformation and telling lies. On Ukraine, China has always made its judgement independently on the basis of the history and the merits of the issue. There are plenty of facts and evidence of the USs overseas biolabs, including its biolabs in Ukraine. The international community has deep concerns over this, and the US owes the world an explanation. Why hasnt it opened up Fort Detrick and its overseas biolabs for international independent investigation? Why is the US being the last country refusing to establish a verification mechanism for the Biological Weapons Convention? Hubei Media Group: The freight transit yard of the China-Laos Railways Vientiane South Station was recently completed and put into operation, which symbolizes the success in railway connectivity between China, Laos and Thailand. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: Indeed, the inauguration of the freight transit yard of the China-Laos Railways Vientiane South Station means faster, easier traffic on China-Laos-Thailand land-sea intermodal logistics transport channel. It means that to the north, the China-Laos Railway can now reach Chinese city hubs and connect with the China-Europe Railway Express network; and to the south, it can reach Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. This transforms Laos from a land-locked country into a land-linked hub enjoying unprecedented opportunities. As of June 30, the China-Laos Railway, which started operation at the end of last year, has transported four million passengers and nearly five million tonnes of goods, including 800,000 tonnes of cross-border goods. More than 20 Chinese provinces and cities have opened cross-border freight train services using the railway, which carry more than 100 varieties of goods including fruits, solar and electronic products and reach destinations in over ten regional countries including the Laos and Thailand. The China-Laos Railway is becoming an accelerator of regional connectivity and a new engine driving economic cooperation. It has been welcomed by countries across the region. It stands as a vivid example of the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and ASEAN countries and a strong testament to their joint efforts to implement the Global Development Initiative. Over the past nine years since the inception of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has signed BRI cooperation documents with 149 countries, the Laos included, and 32 international organizations. We have launched over 3,000 cooperation projects with investments totaling almost one trillion dollars. Under the impact of COVID-19 and other factors, the world economy is struggling to recover and the challenges posed by lack of investment and funding have become more pronounced for developing countries. We welcome the participation of more regional countries in the relevant cooperation to share in the opportunities and dividends of connectivity. The seventh Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers Meeting has just been successfully held today in Myanmar. China is ready to work with the Laos and other member states of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation mechanism to follow through on the outcomes of the meeting, continue to pursue its founding purpose for win-win cooperation and common development, and build an area of demonstration for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, in order to bring more benefits to the people in regional countries and provide a stronger boost to regional stability and prosperity. Xinhua News Agency: The recent success of the 14th BRICS Summit chaired by China received warm response at home and abroad. Whats Chinas plan with the rest of its BRICS chairship? Zhao Lijian: Not long ago, the 14th BRICS Summit was held successfully. Leaders of the five countries gathered virtually to hold in-depth exchange of views on enhancing BRICS cooperation, safeguarding world peace and promoting common development, reaching broad common understandings. The Summit delivered a series of pioneering, guiding and institutional outcomes, which marks the beginning of a new journey in BRICS cooperation. As the curtain fell on the successful Summit, the BRICS China Year has just passed the halfway mark. As the chair, China will continue to advance the BRICS agenda this year as planned. In the latter half of the year, we plan to hold about 80 meetings and other events. In July for instance, we will hold important ministerial meetings in such fields as communications, anti-corruption, labor and employment, and activities in various sectors and at various levels including intellectual property, think tanks, and media. China looks forward to working hand in hand with fellow BRICS countries to act on the outcomes and common understandings reached at the Summit, further consolidate the BRICS strategic partnership, deepen practical cooperation across the board, constantly strengthen institution building, and inject strong impetus into high-quality BRICS development. Peoples Daily: Serbian Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin said in a recent interview that NATO wants Serbia to engage in a conflict with Russia, but Serbia will not do that, nor will it become a NATO foot soldier. If NATO truly believes respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is the most important principle in international politics, then it should apologize for bombing the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Whats your comment? Zhao Lijian: The Serbian Minister has made a good point, as he has spoken the mind of many countries. It is not just to Serbia that NATO owes an apology. Over the past decades, the US-led NATO used humanitarian intervention as a pretext to launch the Kosovo War, interfere in Iraq, Libya and Syria, and justify its 20-year-long occupation of Afghanistan. Preliminary statistics show that the wars NATO waged or took part in after 2001 alone led to the deaths of 900,000 people, including 400,000 civilians, as well as the displacement of tens of millions of refugees. NATO claims to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity and calls itself a defensive alliance, but what it does is the exact opposite. NATO is attempting to replicate the crisis and bloc confrontation it created in Europe in the Asia-Pacific. This is a particularly alarming development. Regional countries and the international community need to stay vigilant and firmly say no to this. The following questions were raised after the press conference: What is Chinas comment on the recent incidents in Nukus, capital of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan some days ago? Zhao Lijian: China has noted the incidents in Uzbekistan. As Uzbekistans friendly neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner, China supports the Uzbek government in maintaining national stability, and believes that under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Uzebekistan will maintain tranquility and unity. According to reports, on June 30, the Ecuadorian government and the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) signed a peace agreement, which basically ended the recent protests and demonstrations in the country. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: China and Ecuador are comprehensive strategic partners. China welcomes the peaceful settlement of the differences by relevant parties and the maintenance of stable social order in Ecuador through dialogue and negotiation under the framework of the constitution and law. It is well-known that the United States is among the countries with a diverse range of climatic conditions. Beaches? Yes, there are many of those around here. Deserts? You also have those! Due to the existence of two main climate zonesthe Continental Zone, which spans a significant part of the nation, and the Maritime Zone, which covers the east coastthe United States experiences a wide range of temperatures. The combination of latitude and the predominant winds is responsible for this zone discrepancy. Below are the ten coldest states in the US based on average temperature: 1. Alaska - 28.1F Heavy snowfall on a winter day in Anchorage, Alaska. Editorial credit: Valentin Martynov / Shutterstock.com Unsurprisingly, Alaska does better than any other US state when it comes to cold weather. Situated in North Americas extreme northwestern corner, Alaska, more than any other state in the Union, has the benefit of being quite closer to the North Pole. The winters in Alaska are lengthy, icy, snowy, and partly cloudy, while the summers there are chilly and mainly cloudy. The warm season lasts for 3.7 months, where with an average high temperature of 67F and a low temperature of 55F, July is the years hottest month in the state. The cold season lasts for 4.0 months, where with an average low temperature of 13F and a high temperature of 24F, January is the years coldest month. The severe weather patterns in Alaska are strongly influenced by ocean currents. The states western coast is influenced by the Alaska Current, while the states Arctic coast is influenced by a westward-flowing cold ocean current. The interior portions of Alaska experience a continental climate that is influenced by the strong cold winds from northern Canada and Siberia, which is responsible for the extremely cold temperatures in these areas. 2. North Dakota - 41.1F A snowstorm passes through Fargo, North Dakota, in winter. Due to its position at the farthest end of the Midwest region of the United States, North Dakota is one of the coldest areas in the entire continental United States. North Dakota experiences a continental climate with very hot summers and severely cold winters. It is to be noted that North Dakota has mostly flat terrain with very little vegetation. This makes it very convenient for the strong cold Arctic winds to move southwards into the state, resulting in extremely cold temperatures. With an average of fifty days below freezing in the winter, the average temperature varies from 2 F in the north to 17 F in the south. The average annual rainfall and snowfall of North Dakota are 19 inches of rain and 39 inches of snow, respectively. It gets an estimated 201 sunny days per year on average. In North Dakota, the three most pleasant months of the year are June, August, and July. 3. Minnesota - 41.8F Minneapolis, Minnesota in winter. The climate of Minnesota is greatly influenced by its location in the countrys Upper Midwest region and its closeness to Lake Superior on its northeastern side. Lake Superior plays a vital role in moderating temperatures in the northern portion of Minnesota, where the winters are severely cold and long and where there are possibilities of frosts also during the summer months. Moreover, Minnesota experiences a continental climate with extremely cold winters and hot summers. Mid-June to early September is the greatest time of year to travel to Minnesota for warm-weather activities. There are 3.9 months of warm weather with an average daily high temperature of more than 71F. With an average high of 83F and a low of 65F, July is the hottest month of the year. With an average daily high temperature below 36F, the cold season lasts about 3.3 months. January is the coldest month of the year, with an average low of 10F and a high of 24F. 4. Maine - 41.9F Winter storm waves crash over the seawall causing coastal flooding and road damage in Wells, Maine. Editorial credit: Arthur Villator / Shutterstock.com Maine experiences a humid continental climate with hot, wet summers and long, severely cold winters. The states northern and western portions experience much colder winters, while the temperatures in the states coastal areas are moderated by the Atlantic Ocean. With an average daily high temperature exceeding 68F, the warm season lasts for 3.9 months. In Maine, July is the hottest month of the year, with an average high of 79F and a low of 59F. With an average daily temperature below 34F, the cold season lasts for 3.3 months. January has the lowest average high and low temperatures throughout the year, at 8F and 23F, respectively. 5. Wyoming - 42.3F A herd of elk in Teton Mountain Range and National Park in Wyoming. Wyoming experiences a semi-arid and continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. Wyoming witnesses greater seasonal temperature changes, and its climate is greatly influenced by the state's topography. The states highlands and mountainous areas receive about 200 inches of snowfall, while the lowlands get about 50 inches of snow. Additionally, the Chinook winds lead to quite warm temperatures in some areas. January is the coldest month and July is the hottest in the state. Rarely does the temperature fall below 14F or rise over 94F. The full month of June and the period from mid-August to late-September are the ideal times of year to travel to Wyoming for warm-weather activities. 6. Montana - 42.6F A train passes through a frozen valley in Montana. The climate in Montana is greatly influenced by its topography. The states eastern portion consists of plains, Badlands, and isolated mountain ranges experiencing a semiarid continental climate with severely cold winters. The Continental Divide does not allow the warmer air from the Pacific to flow eastwards and the dry continental air to move westwards. Therefore, the area located to the west of this divide experiences a Pacific coastal climate, with cool summers and mild winters. The short, warm, and mainly clear summers in Montana contrast with the frigid, snowy, and occasionally foggy winters. December is the coldest and July is the hottest month in the state. Rarely does the temperature fall below -8F or rise over 94F. Early July through mid-August is the ideal time of year to travel to Montana for warm-weather activities. 7. Vermont - 43.2F Base ski lodge in Stowe, Vermont. Vermont experiences a humid continental climate with mild summers and snowy winters. The cold winds from the Arctic regions greatly influence the winter temperatures of Vermont. 3.7 months of the year are considered the warm season, with daily maximum temperatures typically exceeding 70F. The hottest month of the year is July, which has an average daily high temperature below 38F with a range of 81F to 62F. With an average low of 14F and a high of 29F, January is the coldest month of the year. Mid-June to mid-September is the greatest time of year to travel to Vermont for warm-weather activities. With an annual snowfall of 89.25 inches, Vermont is also the snowiest state in the United States. 8. Wisconsin - 44F Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in winter. The climate of Wisconsin is greatly influenced by Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, which bound parts of the state on two sides. The long, snowy, and freezing winter experienced by the state is because of the influence of these two Great Lakes. The states northern and western portions receive about 160 inches of snowfall, whereas the rest of the state gets around 40 inches of snowfall. The coldest month of the year is January, with an average low of 14F and a high of 28F. The hottest month of the year is July, with an average high of 82F and a low of 63F. Mid-June to early September is the greatest time of year to travel to Wisconsin for warm-weather activities. 9. Idaho - 44F Boise, Idaho in winter. Even though the western boundary of Idaho is about 530km away from the Pacific Ocean, Idahos climate still witnesses maritime influence during the winter months. The maritime influence moderates the winters in Idaho. However, the maritime influence is not much prominent in the states eastern portion, which experiences a semi-arid continental climate with much extreme seasonal temperature differences. With an average high of 92F and low of 62F, July is the hottest month of the year, and January is the coldest with an average low of 25F and high of 38F. Late June to early September is the ideal time of year to visit Idaho for warm-weather activities. 10. New Hampshire - 44.2F Wilton, New Hampshire, after a big winter storm. With warm, wet summers and very cold, snowy winters, New Hampshire has a humid continental climate. The Atlantic Ocean greatly moderates the climate of the states southeastern part, which experiences mild winters, whereas the states northern and mountainous areas that receive the cold winds from the Arctic experience severe cold temperatures. New Hampshire receives an average yearly snowfall that ranges from 150cm to more than 250cm. The coldest month of the year is January, with an average low of 21F and a high of 34F. The warmest month of the year is July, with an average high of 79F and a low of 63F. Late June through mid-September is the ideal time of year to visit New Hampshire for warm-weather activities. Even if these ten states are among the coldest in the US, winter is all about discovering the most incredible places, so make sure to travel to all of them. For tourists, each of these states offers a variety of winter attractions throughout the year. So, make use of the US winters. Council miss Ty Pawb report deadline ahead of Scrutiny Committee meeting Wrexham Councils Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee (EBIS) are set to probe the performance of Ty Pawb at a meeting on Wednesday, but have only just got key reports. Traditionally councillors have the reports well before meetings to ensure they can digest them, and understand issues before putting together questions for officers and Lead councillors. Such reports are key for those who are external to the council as many do take an interest on what is and is not being done ultimately by those spending tax payers money, as well as being custodians of the culture and heritage of an area. Wrexham Council often speak of raising standards, looking to excel with best practice and being open and transparent. Part of that is communicating with people locally. The Councils constitution says meeting reports and documents should be circulated to councillors where available three clear days before a meeting. By convention that also has included publication on the councils website to all. Again, by convention we have historically been told a clear day should not include the day of the notice nor the day of the meeting itself, and also excludes bank holidays and weekends. For the meeting on Wednesday it could be argued circulation, if not publication, should have been on Thursday. Some best practice around the UK recommends that period should be at least five or even seven days before a meeting, however that has never been taken up locally. On Friday we, and others, queried where the reports were with further questions this morning. Some reports emerged early in the afternoon before being pulled, and the final documents only emerged after 4pm. Crucially we are told councillors were left in the same situation as members of the public with no clue what was going on with no report going to them before the three clear days window. The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 indicate the reports could be considered, if deemed urgent: (6)An item of business may not be considered at a meeting of a principal council in Wales unless either (a)a copy of the agenda including the item (or a copy of the item) is published electronically at least three clear days before the meeting, or, if the meeting is convened at shorter notice, at the time it is convened, or (b)by reason of special circumstances, which must be specified in the minutes, the chair of the meeting is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency. Notice periods have been a periodic hot topic at Wrexham Council with similar working days deadlines for questions submitted by public and members to Executive Board meetings with zero leeway given on the cut off date regardless of how urgent they are. It is unclear if the report will be accepted by the EBIS committee on Wednesday, or if a similar standard to question deadlines is held. As this is an unusual situation it is unclear if the committee will question the Lead Officer and Lead Member to outline what has gone wrong and why, and what has been done to ensure it does not happen again. The four documents for the Ty Pawb Performance 21/22 can now, finally, be viewed on https://moderngov.wrexham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=139&MId=5810&LLL=0 (Top pic: Marty outside the Guildhall back in 2016 when we highlighted the odd timeframes involved in asking public questions at Executive Board meetings. Since then the Constitution has been improved, and instead of the deadline now being Wednesdays at noon, it is now five clear working days before the meeting. Generally meetings are held on Tuesdays, so for this months meeting questions would have had to be in the Tuesday the week before tomorrow in this case, for the meeting on the 12th. You wont know what is on the agenda until Wednesday afternoon, so to submit questions on the contents of reports before the Executive Board, you would still require the skills of Emmett Lathrop Brown, PhD) Free-range eggs to be sold in community thanks to entrepreneurial flair of local pupils Local primary school children have reached the grand final of a competition which aims to find and encourage the most promising young business talent in Wales. Pupils from Ysgol Acrefair are one of the top 12 teams that have made it into the Enterprise Troopers final which will be live streamed to a panel of judges at Cardiff Metropolitan University this month Enterprise Troopers is an annual competition run by Big Ideas Wales, the Welsh Governments Youth Entrepreneurship Service, and showcases the enterprising capabilities of 5-11 year olds from primary schools across the country. Inspired by the true life of Kwabena Darko, a young boy from Ghana that turned a small loan into a thriving farm in the story One Hen, Ysgol Acrefairs team set out to leave a lasting legacy for following year groups by setting up their business of the same name. In an effort to raise money to purchase chick-eggs, the One Hen team asked for cake donations and held a crowdfunding event before reinvesting their money into two more businesses to increase their profits, including a book-themed tuck shop selling scrambled snakes and Gruffalo cakes during book week. The team made enough money to purchase their chick-eggs which hatched safely in their classroom. Over the coming months learners cared for their new chicks before rehoming them with a local farm who has agreed to deliver any free-range eggs the chicks produce back to the school who will then sell the free-range eggs to the community. Ysgol Acrefair learners raised enough money to also set up a year six bank account to leave behind for next years learners to start a business of their own. It was the learners compassion, as well as confident entrepreneurial skills, that impressed judges at this years Enterprise Troopers competition. Speaking about the innovative competition introducing young learners to entrepreneurship, Ceri Halley, a teacher at Ysgol Acrefair said: Our year six learners really wanted to build a business that would leave a legacy. They have not only left that lasting legacy through One Hen and a year six bank account but have proven themselves to be capable entrepreneurs and compassionate and confident learners who will surely thrive in secondary school. While all our chicks were successfully rehomed with a nearby farm, the legacy of One Hen will live on in Ysgol Acrefair and next years year six learners will look up to our current year six learners as a source of inspiration. We look forward to taking part in the Enterprise Troopers initiative again as it is such a thrilling and exciting way to introduce learners to valuable skills like costs, budgeting, idea development and team work. Associate sponsor NatWest Cymru were a part of the panel of judges and got to see first-hand the business ideas presented by Welsh primary school children. Cheryl Gourlay, National Enterprise Manager from NatWest Cymru said: There are so many exciting business ideas launched by the learners this year, making it a very difficult competition to judge. Seeing the children present their innovative ideas with confidence and clarity is testament to their hard work, and each team should be very proud of what they have accomplished. As a business, we are very proud to support young learners to explore their entrepreneurial skills year upon year through the Enterprise Troopers competition and we look forward to following their academic and entrepreneurial journeys in the future. Self-catering bodies to meet Welsh Minister over punitive tax changes Three trade associations representing professional self-catering businesses in Wales are to meet a Welsh Government Minister to try to thrash out a solution to what they describe as punitive tax changes due to be introduced next April. Wales Tourism Alliance, The Professional Association of Self Caterers UK and UK Hospitality Cymru have warned that the tax changes could force as many as 30% of self-catering businesses to close or sell up. They hope to meet Rebecca Evans, Minister for Finance and Local Government, early next month. Their mission is to protect real Welsh self-catering businesses as the Welsh Government proposes stricter rules on accommodation qualifying for business rates rather than council tax. Currently, self-catering properties in Wales must be available to let for a minimum of 140 days in any 12-month period, and actually let for at least 70 days to qualify for business rates rather than council tax. Under the new proposals, properties must be available to let for at least 252 days and actually let for at least 182 days to qualify for business rates an increase of 160%. From April 2023, a self-catering business not meeting the new threshold would incur council tax as a second home, instead of business rates. Welsh county councils will have the power to increase council tax on all these businesses by up to 300%. The Welsh Government has opted to press on with the tax plans despite receiving evidence of damaging impacts from the three trade associations who surveyed more than 1,500 self-catering businesses across Wales. In a joint letter to the Welsh Government, the associations say they are hugely disappointed that their evidence had been ignored. This all-Wales, one size fits all approach takes no account of the different kinds of businesses that operate in a seasonal Welsh tourism year, they say. Nor does it respond to the fact that the problem this proposes to solve does not affect the whole of Wales, something the Welsh Government has, itself, recognised. Our data shows that more than 30% of professional, local self-catering businesses will face having to sell or close because of this legislation. These are not second home owners. We are now asking the Welsh Government to formally sit down with us to review and agree what the essential and justifiable exemptions and mitigations might be, in order to ensure that real businesses are not caught in the consequences of this new threshold. The associations are asking for a transition period of two or three years to introduce the changes, up to 18 exemptions and dispensations for businesses carrying out repairs and refurbishment, property improvements or being forced to close due to ill-health or caring responsibilities. They also want self-catering businesses to have an appeal process against the 182-day threshold in exceptional circumstances. They raise important questions about how councils plan to tax properties that it currently doesnt know about, such as those relying solely on online listings with global companies. Other queries surround how letting days will be calculated, what is the commercial rate for letting a property, Council Tax rating on businesses with multiple units and taxing pop-up businesses. The exemptions the three associations are calling for are: July 19 will be the first anniversary of what Conservative government Prime Minister Boris Johnson dubbed Freedom Day, as he tore up almost all COVID safety measures. Speaking for the ruling elite, Johnson declared that a largely vaccinated population meant that it was time to live with COVID. On that date, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) more accurate record of total UK deaths where COVID is mentioned on the death certificate, 155,502 had already died due to the governments criminal herd immunity policy. By June 17 this year almost 200,000 people (199,422) were reported dead from COVID in Britain. Office for National Statistic data table showing the 199,422 COVID deaths reached on June 17. [Photo by screenshot (https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk)] As the ONS Daily deaths with COVID-19 on the death certificate by date of death data gives a lag in reporting of at least 11 days as it is based on death registrations, 200,000 deaths may have already been reached. With no mitigations in place, COVID spreads without hindrance, while evolving into more dangerous variants. The latest wave of COVID is being spread by the now dominant Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5. BA.4 and BA.5 make up more than half of all new COVID cases in England. The latest surge is part of a global wave of cases, amid a warning from the World Health Organisation that more than 100 countries have reported an increase. In what is already the fifth COVID wave to hit Britain, infections shot up by more than a third (34 percent) with the number of people estimated affected reaching 2.3 million in the week ending June 25. This equated to one in 30 people in England, (with 56.4 million of Britains almost 67 million population vaccinated)a sharp increase over the estimated 1.8 million people infected the previous week. Sarah Crofts, ONS head of analytical outputs for the COVID-19 infection survey, said, This rise is seen across all ages and regions of England. The number of cases has fuelled an increase in the seven-day average of people of hospitalised for COVID. It has reached close to 7,400, a 45 percent increase over the level reached in early June. The continuation of the current trend will mean hitting the high hospitalisation levels seen during the devastating Delta wave. For months no daily data on COVID infections and deaths have been made available by the government. On July 2, Dr. Joe Pajak, a Public Governor at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, published a tweet noting, Reminder: in the absence of official UK #Covid data: hospital admissions increasing for weeks, hospital numbers rising for weeks, intensive care admissions rising for weeks, deaths now also rising; and today, @Join_ZOE reports infections still rising. Living with #CovidIsNotOver. He reported, England 01 Jul 2022: 1,572 admissions [on 29 June]: highest in 9 weeks. 9,389 in hospital: highest in 9 weeks. 132,638 cases in 7 days: highest in 9 weeks. 219 mechanical ventilation beds: highest in 8 weeks. 473 deaths in 7 days: highest in 5 weeks. Every part of the UK has seen a significant increase in COVID cases in the last two weeks. The highest infection rate is presided over by Nicola Sturgeons Scottish National Party government. Scotland has a population of just over 5 million, but last week approaching 300,000 people (288,200) were infected with COVID. This equates to one in 18 people, up from the 250,700 infected (or one in 20) the previous week. A sharp rise was recorded in Labour Party-run Wales where 106,500 people, or one in 30, is infected, up from 68,500, or one in 45. In Northern Ireland, infections rose to an estimated 71,000 people, or one in 25, and up from 59,900 (one in 30). Everything is being done to play down the surge. On June 24, Dr. Helen Salisbury, a BMJ columnist and member of Independent SAGE wrote of the now knighted former deputy chief medical officer for England, Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, Disappointed to hear Jonathan Van Tam equating Covid with flu and saying he doesn't wear a mask. In pursuit of their goal of reopening the economy, the ruling elite rejected all scientific advice and lessons of the initial waves. Super-spreader events of tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of people have been encouraged. Data shows that the current surge began after mass gatherings took place during the queens jubilee weekend events last month. Among other super-spreader events are the many music festivals going ahead this summer, including Glastonbury held over five days from June 22 with at least 200,000 in attendance. Many attendees reported contracting COVID. According to the UK-wide data released last Thursday, the highest numbers of new infections nationally are among under-18s, with 550 infections per 100,000 people. Among the 18-34 and 35-54 age groups, a festivals attending demographic, there was a marked increase in COVID cases in June, with both recording more than 400 cases per 100,000. This weekend the Pride event went ahead in London with an estimated more than 1 million on the streets. This will be followed by enormous crowds gathering in August for the Notting Hill Carnival and at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. However, Professor Tim Spector, lead scientist behind the ZOE Covid Study told the Independent, Events like Glastonbury will drive up cases but the question is how much do they account for. Weve relaxed everything, most people dont think theres a Covid problem at the moment, most people dont wear masks, or even worry about cold-like symptoms. Were heading towards a quarter of a million cases a day. The question is whether it stops and comes back again, everyone is predicting an autumn wave but I dont think anyone predicted this summer wavethats the difference. None of the modelling allowed for this, it didnt take into account the effect of BA.5 variant which is dominant now. The National Health Service (NHS) is already unable to cope with the backlog of people requiring treatment. In February 2020, the month before the pandemic forced the Johnson government into a first lockdown, there were 4.43 million people on a waiting list for care. Latest figures for April 2022 show 6.48 million are now waiting for treatment. Spector warned, Having our NHS, which already on its knees, working like its in the middle of winter, were getting up to 1,000 hospitalisations a day now, its not good news, that figure is going to go up. In a further interview with the Independent July 1, he said of the BA.5 Omicron sub-variant, This variant is particularly good at immune escape, causing an increase in reinfections in people in spite of vaccines and natural immunity, particularly over the past few weeks. There will definitely be disruption this summer, we know four in 100 people have this [variant] for longer than a month, and many people end up long-term sick. Foremost among those involved in the tearing up of every mitigation was Dr. Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency. The outcome of this savage policy cannot be concealed, with Harries telling the BBC's Sunday Morning programme, It doesnt look as though that wave [BA.4 and BA.5.] has finished yet, so we would anticipate that hospital cases will rise. And its possible, quite likely, that they will actually peak over the previous BA.2 wave. She added, without recommending any new safety measures, that people should still go about their normal lives but in a precautionary way. The Guardian noted, At its peak in April, the BA.2 wave in England hospitalised more than 2,000 people a day, making it more dangerous than the first Omicron wave in January. From July 7, the Department of Health and Social Care is axing special sick pay arrangements for NHS staff off work with COVID. During the pandemic the government allowed staff special sick pay if they had to isolate because of COVID, including receiving 12 months full pay if they were suffering from Long COVID. NHS staff with Long COVID will now only receive six months full pay and six months half pay. NHS Employers chief executive Danny Mortimer said, This is a sensible step given where we are now in relation to the pandemic as we learn to live with Covid over the long term Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Kiev yesterday, in the latest of a series of trips to the Ukrainian capital by proponents of the US-NATO proxy war against Russia, including British PM Boris Johnson and top officials of the Biden administration. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at press conference, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, July 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) As with those who preceded him, Albaneses visit above all served a political purpose. It was a display of the recently-elected Labor Party governments full-throated support for the US-led confrontation with Russia, and for American imperialisms wars and military preparations all over the world. Albanese touched down in Kiev just days after attending a NATO summit in Madrid. At that gathering, the US-dominated military alliance adopted a new strategic document explicitly labeling Russia and China as threats to its interests and calling on member-states to ready themselves for high-intensity, multi-domain warfighting against nuclear-armed peer-competitors. The Labor government has been at the forefront of the campaign to link the proxy war against Russia with the US confrontation with China. Speaking at the summit, Albanese declared that it was necessary to continue the de facto war against the Putin regime to send a message to China in the Indo-Pacific. The remarks dovetailed completely with the US war strategy, which sees the confrontations with Russia and China as two fronts in a single conflict, aimed at establishing American hegemony over the geo-strategically decisive and resource-rich Eurasian landmass. During its first six weeks in office, Albaneses government has engaged in a whirlwind of foreign policy engagements in the Indo-Pacific. The prime minister and his top colleagues have visited a host of nations in the region, cajoling and in some instances threatening them to line up behind the Biden administration. Albaneses Ukraine visit underscored Labors full alignment with the other front of the US war program. In Kiev, the Australian PM declared that his administration would back the Ukranian regime for as long as it takes for Ukraine to emerge victorious. He denounced the Russian military operation, launched in February, as a brutal invasion It is unprovoked, it is against international law, it is against the UN charter. The statements, like all of those from US-NATO aligned leaders, were dripping in hypocrisy. Australia has participated in every predatory, US-led war of the past 70 years, from the bombing of Korea to the decimation of Vietnam and the illegal, neo-colonial occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. The Labor government is continuing the efforts of its conservative predecessor to bury Australian war crimes perpetrated in Afghanistan. These included dozens of killings of civilians and prisoners, along with torture and other crimes against humanity. No one has been prosecuted, and the previous Labor government, which presided over the vast majority of the crimes, together with the military high command, has been fully exonerated. In addition to a two-hour meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, Albanese was taken on a tour by the Ukranian president of areas that had been bombed and had been the scene of purported atrocities by Russan forces. This included Bucha, where hundreds of bodies were found in early April. Albaneses decision to visit the site is significant. It has served as one of the key human rights pretexts for the intensification of US-NATO involvement in the Ukraine crisis. As the WSWS has previously reported, the Bucha incident remains shrouded in mystery. Nobody has outlined a plausible motive for the Russian forces to have perpetrated the massacre. The neo-Nazi Azov Battalion, which has been integrated into the Ukranian armed forces, was the first to enter Bucha after the Russian withdrawal, and to discover the corpses. Albanese, ignoring all of this, as well as Australias own record of bombings and mass killings in Iraq and Afghanistan, declared: Clearly, civilian areas have been targeted by Russian forces as part of this illegal and amoral war. The entirely unproven allegations of war crimes have been used to threaten Russian President Vladimir Putin with a direct war and regime-change. Above all, Albaneses remarks were aimed at covering up the content of the war. Putins reactionary invasion was provoked by a 30-year eastward expansion of NATO and the transformation of Ukraine into a garrison state on Russias border. Ukrainian forces are being directly trained by US and British military personnel, while the CIA and other western intelligence services are active on the ground. Albaneses visit, like the previous trips of British PM Johnson and other senior European and American leaders, itself underscored the fact that Kiev is effectively under the control of the US, NATO and its security forces. The NATO powers have funneled tens of billions of dollars of weaponry to the Ukranian regime. The Biden administration alone has pledged more than $50 billion in military and economic aid over the past four months. Albanese told Zelensky that he would increase Australias contribution by $100 million. This includes the provision of 20 Bushmaster trucks and 145 other armored vehicles. There are also calls in the Australian press for Albanese to dispatch M777 howitzers and other heavy artillery. The latest Australian contribution comes on top of deliveries by the previous Liberal-National Coalition government, with Labors full support. These included rifles, ammunition, hand grenades and US-made Javelin anti-armour missiles, to be used directly against Russian forces. Albaneses announcement takes the total Australian military aid to Ukraine to $390 million. Previous packages were directly flown by Defence C-17 aircraft, in a complex and costly logistical exercise. As in the US, vast sums are being committed to NATOs dirty war in Ukraine, but there is no money to meet the social needs of the population. In addition to its support for US aggression, the first acts of the Labor government have been to insist on the need for working people to make sacrifices. Labor has declared that it will slash key areas of social spending, including health, aged care and disability services, to pay for a national debt approaching one trillion dollars, accrued primarily through massive handouts to big business during the pandemic. At the same time, there will be no increased taxes on the wealthy, who are instead receiving tax cuts, while military spending will be over half a trillion dollars this decade. The program of war abroad, in other words, goes hand in hand with a war against workers at home. Along with widespread anti-war sentiment, there is an emerging movement of the working class against the onslaught on wages and conditions, amid a soaring cost of living, expressed in recent strikes by nurses, teachers and rail staff. These developing struggles are the basis for a fight against the militarist policies, which threaten world war, and the capitalist system that is the source of the danger. Under the title, Stop the war! 100 billion euros for education and health, instead of rearmament! the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) organized an online discussion with students at Humboldt University (HU) in Berlin last Monday, in which about 60 people participated. It was the first of two campaign events by the IYSSE university group for the elections to the student parliament (StuPa) at Humboldt University. IYSSE candidate Gregor Kahl emphasized the importance of the election campaign: The Trotskyist youth and student organization was building a socialist movement against fascism and war, he said. The IYSSE was the only slate running that had placed the fight against militarism at the centre of its election campaignand this at a university that plays a central role in the ideological preparation for war, he said. Recently, in an open letter to the HU presidium, IYSSE StuPa representative Sven Wurm had demanded it finally end its support for the right-wing radical and violent professor Jorg Baberowski. The open letter and the announcement of the online event had met with a great response among students. Amid the daily escalation of the Ukraine war and the unprecedented rearmament of the Bundeswehr (Armed Forces), Kahl said, the fight against German militarism was gaining a burning relevance. The IYSSE invited Christoph Vandreier, leader of the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) and author of the book Why Are They Back? Historical Falsification, Political Conspiracy, and the Return of Fascism in Germany, to deliver the introductory report. Vandreier emphasized that the threat of nuclear war was greater than ever before. He explained that the brutal war in Ukraine was a proxy war of the NATO powers against Russia, which they had prepared and provoked for years. Since the Maidan couporchestrated by Germany and the US and carried out by far-right forcesthe right-wing Kiev regime had been waging a war against the Russian-speaking population in eastern Ukraine, he said. The reactionary invasion by the Russian military, Vandreier explained, was, at the same time, an expression of the historic bankruptcy of Russian nationalism and must be firmly rejected. What was necessary was the struggle for the unity of the Ukrainian, Russian, European and international working class. Meanwhile, German imperialism, Vandreier concluded, was using the war to initiate the most extensive rearmament campaign since Hitler, once again marching militarily throughout Eastern Europe. The ideological preparation for war by HU professors such as Herfried Munkler and Jorg Baberowski now formed the basis of German government policy. The long struggle by the IYSSE against historical revisionism and militaristic ideology, which was now being advanced at the HU by a new generation, was therefore of crucial importance, he concluded. Following these introductory remarks, a lively discussion developed on central questions of the struggle against war and for the unity of the international working class. One participant asked how workers could end the war and prevent a further escalation toward a world war. Another raised the question of how the cultural level and class consciousness of the working class could be raised to meet the tasks of the present epoch. A third emphasized the immense danger of nuclear weapons and imperialist war propaganda. Gregor Kahl pointed to the example of the October Revolution, in which the Russian working class and peasantry, under the leadership of the Bolshevik Party, overthrew the capitalist class, making the most important contribution to ending World War I. The first successful conquest of power by the working class, which found continuation internationally, for example, in the November Revolution in Germany, should be studied in detail by workers and young people, he said. Christoph Vandreier emphasized that workers in Greece had refused to load a shipment of weapons to Ukraine and workers in Italy had gone on strike against price increases and war policies. The ICFI and its youth organization support the strikes of the working class, as they would be an important step towards an international anti-war movement. On the question of culture, Vandreier explained that as capitalism began to decay, so did the level of culture. A society in which fewer and fewer individuals owned more and more was incompatible with cultural development. Concepts such as postmodernism and irrationalism flourished on the basis of this intellectual degradation, of which Baberowskis work was a particularly sharp expression. The assertion that there was no causality in history represented a rejection of all science, Vandreier said. IYSSE candidate Helmut Wolff recalled that IYSSE resolutions against Baberowskis falsification of history and against right-wing attacks on critical students were always passed with large StuPa majorities. Wolff provided a powerful account of the experiences at Berlin schools, which were being driven to the brink of collapse by the austerity policies of the Social Democratic Party-Left Party-Green Senate (state executive) in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. With a scientific and international plan in place of the official profits before lives policies, the virus could be defeated within a few months, he said. Vandreier concluded that without the working class intervening, the conflict would undoubtedly escalate into a world war, nor would the pandemic be ended. Just as the international revolution had ended World War I over 100 years ago, he said, so today the intervention of the working class must put an end to the Ukraine war and overthrow the capitalist war profiteers. The International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) and its youth and student organization IYSSE arm the working class with an international and socialist perspective. Gregor Kahl called on students to vote for the IYSSE on July 12, to support the IYSSEs struggle against militarist ideology at universities and to defend it against right-wing attacks and the actions of the university leadership. The IYSSEs next event in Germany will take place on Thursday, July 7, 2022, at 18:30. Register here. On May 28, The New Indian Express, a major Indian daily, citing highly placed government sources, reported that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments Ministry of Culture has plans to fund a project designed to trace the purity of races in India. The study, it said, would be undertaken by the Anthropological Survey of India, some scientists at the Lucknow-based Birbal Sahani Institute of Paleo Sciences (BSIP), and prominent archaeologist, Vasant Shinde. The Express quoted Professor Shinde, currently adjunct professor at the Bangalore-based National Institute of Advanced Study and director of the Rakhigarhi Research Project, as stating during a phone interview, We want to see how mutation and mixing of genes in the Indian population has happened in the last 10,000 years. Genetic mutation depends on the intensity of contact among populations and the time that this process takes. We will then have a clear-cut idea of the genetic history. You may even say that this will be an effort to trace the purity of races in India. The article adds that the project was originally conceived in 2019. It should be noted that the statement by Professor Shinde, who is an archaeologist, not a geneticist or a biological anthropologist, that genetic mutation depends on the intensity of contact among populations is inaccurate. Mutations occur independently, not from contact between populations. Contact results in gene flow, not mutation. Furthermore, it is well established that genetic diversity creates what is termed hybrid vigor, which tends to inhibit the expression of genetic diseases, thus improving the health of a population. Inbreeding, on the contrary, tends to expose genetic diseases, rendering a population less healthy. In response to the article, on May 31 the ministry tweeted that the report is misleading, mischievous and contrary to facts. It further stated, The proposal is not related to establishing genetic history and [to] trace the purity of races in India as alluded in article. It did not, however, specifically disavow the statement by Professor Shinde. Shinde himself has subsequently complained that his statements were twisted and fabricated and criticized the articles use of the term racial purity. He further stated that It is a known fact that no race on the earth is pure due to peoples movements and mingling. It is notable that in his statement Shinde still employs the concept of race, implying that such groups had purity at some time in the past, which has subsequently been diluted. To add further confusion, the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI), the presumed principal authority in such matters, has reportedly declined to participate in the proposed study. However, the government has responded that a genetic study will be conducted by AnSI but will not be aimed at assessing racial purity. Its purported goal is not made clear. Not satisfied with these ambiguous denials, over a hundred Indian scholars wrote an open letter to the ministry sharply criticizing the project. It stated, [T]he notion of tracing the purity of races, whether in India or elsewhere, is extremely worrisome. A plan to do so would be both absurd and dangerous. The group urged the ministry to issue public disavowals of any present or future project related to race, especially one for studying racial purity. Among other points made in the letter, the signatories reject the idea of racial purity, since it implies that some groups are less or more pure than others. Furthermore, Racial stereotyping of humans has been discarded, and there should be no attempt to revive the concept in India. The signatories warn that one guaranteed outcome [of such a project] will be the exacerbation of disharmony among Indians. As of this writing, the Indian government has not responded to the scholars letter. Model of a DNA molecule [Photo by Wikimedia Commons] Human populations have been moving and mingling from time immemorial. Any genetic configuration of a particular population at a given time and place is merely a momentary snapshot of this ever-changing mosaic. Genetic studies in conjunction with archaeological and linguistic data can be used to trace the ebb and flow of populations through time and space. However, no particular genetic configuration of a population has any historical permanence. Furthermore, genetic studies have repeatedly shown that genetic diversity within groups is greater than that between groups, rendering the concept of racial purity meaningless. The very concept of race is a social construct which has no scientific validity. Attempts to define racial purity harken back to the concepts of racial superiority and inferiority promoted by the Nazis and to the totally discredited science of eugenics. Any proposed attempt to define rigid racial distinctions among Indias population of over a billion people, even if honestly undertaken, would quickly run counter to well-established scientific research that has demonstrated the immense diversity of Indias current inhabitants with respect to genetics, language, and culture. In reality, any such attempt should be viewed with extreme skepticism, likely having as its true purpose the serving of political rather than scientific goals. The current Hindu-supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which came to power in India in 2014, has demonstrated time and again that it uses racial, cultural and religious distinctions to divide the working class in order to defend capitalist rule, especially now under conditions of a rapidly deepening world crisis. This includes continual efforts to incite communal tensions and scapegoat, humiliate and terrorize Muslims, as in the recent state violence visited on Muslims who protested against statements by two top party officials denigrating the Prophet Mohammad. The BJP and their far-right Hindu allies depict Muslimswho compromise almost 15 percent of Indias population and have been living in South Asia for more than 1,300 yearsas outsiders and invaders who must acknowledge that India is a Hindu nation. Towards this end, they have mounted multiple campaigns to purify India of Muslim influence. This includes everything from purging Hindi of Persian-derived words and renaming cities like Allahabad, to the building of a temple to the mythical Hindu god Lord Ram at the former site of the Babri Masjida historic mosque razed by Hindu fanatics in 1992 at the instigation of top BJP leaders. It also should be noted that a BJP government study into racial purity in India would be very much in line with the Hindu rights long history of promoting religious obscurantism and scientific quackery. Among other outrages, the Modi government has sanctioned the teaching of astrology and palmistry at universities and colleges accredited by the Education Ministry. In 2015, at the 102nd annual conference of the Indian Science Congress, the countrys premier scientific congress, the Modi government organized a session on the supposed achievements of ancient Indian civilization, which included claims, based on purported readings of the Vedas, that ancient India had airplanes and even rocket ships. Similar claims were made at the next four congresses, causing an outcry among genuine scientists and finally forcing the congress authorities to impose procedures to better vet the scientific quality of proposed papers. The science is clear. The concept of race has no validity. In the current historical context, the proposed study, no matter how it is couched or soft-pedaled, has the most reactionary consequences. At a time when the unity of the working class is vitally important, all such actions to divide workers based on whatever distinctions must be firmly rejected. 25 years ago: Pathfinder lands on Mars On July 4, 1997, the Pathfinder spacecraft landed on Martian soil seven months after its launch, dazzling and inspiring millions of people all over the world. The stream of photographs and data sent back proved the extraordinary success of its mission and demonstrated the power of modern science and technology to solve the most complex problems. A photo of the Martian surface from Pathfinder [Photo by NASA/JPL] After a week on the surface of Mars, Pathfinder transmitted more than 1,700 photographs of the landscape and conducted dozens of experiments. Its diminutive rover, named Sojourner Truth by scientists at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, had inched its way across the Martian surface and examined not only the soil, but the chemical composition of several rocks. Indications of the presence of water at some point in the planets evolution had attracted mission scientists to the Ares Vallis flood plain as a landing site. Analysis of Pathfinders photographs revealed patterns in the positioning of the rocks suggestive of water movement of enormous proportions. What happened to the water remained a mystery, but its presence held out the possibility that life in some form once existed on Mars. The contradictions of modern social life found sharp expression in the Pathfinder mission. The US space program had been hit by budget cuts and, more generally, declining interest within the ruling class in any project that did not generate immediate and substantial profits. More recent developments, such as the failure of NASAs 1993 Mars Observer, made the Pathfinder project into something of a make-or-break mission. Operating on a shoestring budget, Pathfinder scientists scored an astounding success and, in the process, reawakened public interest in space travel and exploration. Other technological advances, including the development of the personal computer and the internet, encouraged and to a certain extent made possible this reawakening. On the day of Pathfinders landing alone, NASA websites recorded over 100 million hits. Spectacular images of the Mars landing and color panoramas of the planets surface were carried virtually instantaneously into millions of homes. Thus, the Pathfinder mission demonstrated the expanding capacity of technology to satisfy the healthy curiosity of human beings about the nature of the universe. 50 years ago: Ceasefire in Northern Ireland collapses after British soldiers kill five On July 9, 1972, a ceasefire between the occupying British army in Northern Ireland and the Provisional Irish Republican Army fell apart after British troops shot and killed five unarmed Irish civilians in Belfast. Among the victims was a 13-year-old girl. Two others, also teenagers, belonged to the youth wing of the IRA and two were bystanders who attempted to aid the wounded. The Springhill massacre, as it became known, followed the Bloody Sunday massacre in January when 26 civilians were killed. In both cases the killings were carried out by the hated British parachute regiment known for their brutality and violence against Irish civilians. A memorial for the victims of the Springhill massacre [Photo by Wikimedia commons] The ceasefire was short-lived having been announced only earlier that same week when IRA leaders traveled to England for a secret meeting to negotiate with the Tory government of Prime Minister Edward Heath. The plans of the IRA Provisionals to cut a deal with the British occupation was a massive betrayal of the Irish working class, Catholic and Protestant. The working class in Ulster (northern Ireland) was facing the most brutal repressions British imperialism had to offer. In the past year, the Heath government had suspended democratic rights for Irish Catholics, imprisoning and torturing without trial thousands suspected of supporting the IRA, removed the Stormont parliament, imposing direct rule of the North from London, and oversaw several massacres of unarmed civilians by the British Army. Like the 1921 agreement that ended in the partition of Ireland, any agreement in this context between the IRA and British imperialism would have only imposed further divisions between the Irish Protestant and Catholic workers. The International Committee of the Fourth International responded to the ceasefire proposal with a statement calling for a break with Irish nationalism in favor of socialist internationalism and unity with workers of all nations and faiths. Ulster and the consequences of direct rule have once again shown that no other class and no other party can substitute itself for the proletariat and that any attempt to do so must result in defeat and the reimposition of capitalist rule, the ICFI statement declared. It continued, In Ireland North and South the revolutionary leadership will only be trained and built in a fight for a program which unites the working class to strike mighty blows together with those being struck by the workers in Britain. The families of the victims of the Springhill massacre campaigned for an inquest into the killings which would clearly prove the guilt of the British military for the murders. No one has ever been held responsible for the killings. 75 years ago: Trial of Nazi war criminals for mass killings in the Balkans On July 8, 1947, the so-called Hostages Trial of senior Nazi military commanders accused of perpetrating war crimes in the Balkans and Greece began. The hearings were the seventh of twelve subsequent Nuremberg Trials, organized by the US, Britain and the Soviet Union, after the proceedings relating to the Nazi political leadership and military high command. The courtroom in the Hostages Trial The 12 defendants in the Hostages Trial were accused of a litany of crimes during World War II. They were summarized by the prosecutors as the mass murder of civilians and the taking of civilian hostages in Greece, Albania, and Yugoslavia; the plundering and destruction of villages and towns in those countries, along with Norway; the murder of prisoners, including those arbitrarily designated as partisans, as well as torture and deportation to concentration camps. The defendants included Wilhelm List, who had served as the Nazi militarys commander in chief of south-east operations, and Maximilian von Weichs, who had been the commander of the German 2nd Army during its Balkan campaign. Together with their ten codefendants, they were accused of overseeing the murder of hundreds of thousands of civilians, as part of the German war of plunder in the Balkans and other territories. This included collaboration in the Holocaust. After a seven-month trial, most defendants were convicted of various offenses and received custodial sentences. Notably, however, the court set several precedents, undermining the prosecution of war crimes. The presiding judges found that the partisan forces in south-east Europe during World War II could not be lawful combatants, with associated protections. This meant that their resistance could be deemed as unlawful and they could be subjected to extraordinary punishments, including execution without trial as war criminals. The tribunal also ruled that under certain circumstances, the killing of hostages could be a legitimate act of war, as could reprisals against civilian populations. These rulings expressed a significant shift in the trials that had been held by the Allied powers following World War II. The judges effectively repudiated the Nuremberg Principles, established in the trials of the Nazi political leadership, which had determined that the killing of hostages, along with attacks on civilian populations, constituted war crimes regardless of the context. This watering down of the definition of war crimes occurred as the US embarked upon aggressive Cold War policies, aimed at securing the hegemony of American imperialism on a world stage. This involved a rejection of the wartime alliance with the Moscow Stalinist bureaucracy and an aggressive bid for dominance in Europe. Two of the 12 defendants were acquitted, and another was discharged due to medical issues. The nine others received sentences between 15 years and life imprisonment. All of them were released between 1951 and 1953, as part of amnesties for Nazi war criminals issued by the US-backed government in West Germany. 100 years ago: Irish Civil War begins On July 5, 1922, the Battle of Dublin ended after forces of the Irish Free State, who supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, defeated units of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) opposed to the treatywhich required an oath of allegiance to the British Crown and ceded control of foreign policy to British imperialism. The battle marked the beginning of the Irish Civil War of 1922-23. A group of 200 IRA men had occupied the Four Courts government center on April 14. Leaders of Sinn Fein, the nationalist movement which had fought the British in the Irish War of Independence (1919-21), had been furiously attempting to reach a compromise on the treaty that would be acceptable to all factions, but the British refused to cooperate. The Four Corners government center in Dublin, under bombardment. Supporters of the treaty won the elections of June 16 and constituted the Free State government. As the nationalist movement split into opposing factions, the British, particularly Colonial Minister Winston Churchill, began applying pressure on the new government and its Prime Minister Michael Collins, to oust the IRA from the buildings. This intensified after the IRA assassinated Sir Henry Wilson, a northern Irish politician and British military leader, who had played a particularly brutal role in suppressing the anti-British insurgency from 1919 on. After an ultimatum, on the night of June 27 government troops began a bombardment of the Four Courts with artillery donated by the British. The IRA soldiers surrendered on June 30 but not before a massive explosion destroyed the Irish Public Records office, including records that dated to the Norman conquest of Ireland. Bitter street fighting, particularly on OConnell Street, continued in Dublin for the next five days. The IRA was supplemented by volunteers, including many women, from the Irish Citizen Army, which held the YMCA building as a defensive position. The Republicans evacuated it after the Free Staters, under the cover of armored cars, brought up heavy artillery, effectively ending the battle. This article was originally posted on Twitter. In an interview last week on the podcast Jung & Naiv, Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andrey Melnyk once again defended the Ukrainian fascist, anti-Semite and Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera. This comes as no surprise. Melnyk is a known Bandera admirer. This time, however, Melnyk went further than usual. He not only praised Bandera as a freedom fighter, but denied that OUN (Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists) units Bandera commanded carried out mass murder, saying, There is no evidence that Bandera troops murdered hundreds of thousands of Jews. Melnyks statements are on the level of Holocaust deniers. The Banderites involvement in pogroms, mass shootings of Jews and the Nazi war of extermination against the Soviet Union is an incontrovertible historical fact. When journalist Tilo Jung confronted Melnyk about the crimes committed by Bandera, the Ukrainian ambassador defended them, saying, I will not tell you today that I dissociate myself from this. And thats it. Jung earlier quoted a leaflet that the OUN distributed as the Nazi Wehrmacht entered Lviv: People, you must know this: Muscovites, Poles, Hungarians and Jews, these are your enemies. Destroy them, you must know that. Your leadership, your leader, Stepan Bandera. Melnyks statements not only expose the Ukrainian government, which worships Bandera and the OUN despite their genocidal crimes, erects statues and renames streets and squares in his honor. It also sheds light on the essentially fascistic character of the ruling class in Germany, which 81 years after the invasion of the Soviet Union is again massively rearming and taking a leading role in the NATO proxy war in Ukraine against Russia. Melnyk is a central figure in this. He is a welcome guest on talk shows to drum up support for more German arms deliveries to Ukraine. When Chancellor Scholz announced the massive German rearmament in the Bundestag on February 27, Melnyk was a guest of honor. The German governments silence on Melnyks recent remarks is not simply a scandal. It is part of a deliberate campaign to rehabilitate fascism and ultimately Hitler himself. In 2014, far-right Humboldt Professor Jorg Baberowski told Der Spiegel: Hitler was no psychopath, and he wasnt vicious. He didnt want people to talk about the extermination of the Jews at his table. Baberowski is also courted and defended by politicians and the media. The SGP (Socialist Equality Party of Germany) and the IYSSE warned at the time that the relativization of the historical crimes of German imperialism serves the preparation of new wars and new crimes. This is now proving true. It is high time to draw the necessary conclusions from the return of militarism, fascism and war and join the fight to build a powerful socialist anti-war movement of the international working class. The unprecedented global outbreak of monkeypox is deepening throughout the world, raising concerns among scientists and physicians internationally that another pandemic is now unfolding alongside the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 1, a record 781 new cases were identified worldwide, more than half of which were in Spain, bringing the seven-day rolling average to 402 cases per day, a 10-fold increase since May. Over the past four weeks, the number of infections worldwide has risen more than sixfold to 6,229 total cases, with 6,178 confirmed and 51 suspected infections. There are now 459 official infections in the US, an almost 20-fold increase over the past four weeks. The global outbreak has quickly expanded to 67 non-endemic countries and territories across every part of the globe. Spain, England and Germany have each surpassed more than 1,000 confirmed cases, while the US has 459. Given the Biden administrations laggard response to the unfolding crisis, public health advocates and infectious disease experts believe that the US will soon catch up with its European counterparts. Daily monkeypox cases in Spain, England, Germany, and the US. Source @antonio_caramia As of Sunday evening, 32 states and the District of Columbia have reported monkeypox infections since the first case was identified six weeks ago. The states leading in the number of confirmed infections are California (95), New York (90), Illinois (53) and Florida (50), given their immediate connections to international travel and population density. Public health authorities have affirmed that official figures are certainly undercounts, as medical professionals are missing cases due to a lack of widespread testing and unfamiliarity with the signs and symptoms of the disease. Over the weekend, a TikTok video went viral in which a young woman named Halle shared her experience attempting to get tested for monkeypox, revealing how totally unprepared the American health care system is for this growing outbreak. After contacting two urgent care centers and two primary care physicians who were unaware of the monkeypox outbreak and even the disease itself, she was told to return to work and prescribed antibiotics. A dermatologist she was to consult with canceled her appointment and told her to contact the CDC. Halle noted, I called the CDC. The CDC says, Call your PCP [primary care provider]. The lady I talked to at the CDC had no idea what she was talking about and couldnt answer any of my questions. I have not been able to get tested anywhere. Doctors have refused to see me, and I have this mysterious and painful rash all over my face, chest, arms and back The CDC has no idea what they are doing, nobody is educated, not even doctors, and doctors will refuse to see you, treat you or test you. And the CDC does nothing about it. White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha recently commented on the monkeypox outbreak in his typically complacent manner, stating, We as a global community have known about it for decades. We know how it spreads. We have tests that help identify people who are infected. We have vaccines that are highly effective against it. Jhas first pronouncement on monkeypox is as false and empty as his threadbare refrain regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, We have the tools. In reality, while the tools may exist, they are not being deployed and managed in a coordinated fashion due to the decades-long dismantling of public health, which has been starkly revealed and exacerbated during the coronavirus pandemic. James Krellenstein, a co-founder of the HIV treatment advocacy group Prep4All, gave the opposite assessment of Dr. Jha to The Hill, stating bluntly, Weve been sort of screaming for a month about how bad the diagnostic situation is for monkeypox. And that really was a clear error, preventable, and its very clear that this administration has not learned lessons from early COVID. David Harvey, Executive Director of the National Coalition of STD Directors, told The Hill, Where we have lagged is streamlining testing, making vaccines available, streamlining access to the best therapeutics. All three areas have been bureaucratic and slow, and that means we havent contained this outbreak. These comments only begin to get to the heart of the matter. The entire public health infrastructure is underfunded and in complete disarray, meaning the mistakes made previously will continue unless serious measures are taken to restore the edifice. The inability to fund one of the most important social functions of government while making available all resources for permanent war is not simply a mistake of omission or want; it is a deliberate and bipartisan policy decision made on behalf of the corporate-financial oligarchy. At the global level, the World Health Organization IHR Emergency Committee met on June 23 and refrained from formally declaring the global monkeypox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), opting to wait for an unspecified period of time until more data is accrued. This decision draws comparisons to the WHOs delayed response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was not declared a PHEIC until January 30, 2020, at which point there were already 7,818 confirmed cases in 19 countries throughout the world. Not until March 11, 2020, did the WHO formally declare the coronavirus a pandemic. As the WHO continues to drag their feet, modeling estimates predict dire consequences as the number of cases continues to rise exponentially. The results of a recent modeling study published on June 21, 2022, in The Conversation by Adam Kleczkowski, a professor of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Strathclyde, offered four scenarios for how the monkeypox outbreak could play out in the UK. The second scenario, which estimates that monkeypox infections in the UK could reach as high as 60,000 cases per day by the end of the year, appears to be the most plausible given the current exponential trajectory. As Kleczkowski noted, The size of the outbreak is already well beyond the most prominent 201719 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (760). It is possible that large gatherings, including raves and festivals, have created new transmission clusters. This is in line with projections made by data scientist J. Weiland that without any mitigation measures the total number of monkeypox cases worldwide could reach 100,000 by August and 1 million by late September. As the global monkeypox outbreak continues its assault everywhere, the demand for resources will likely soon outstrip the available supply of vaccines and therapeutics. Bavarian Nordic, a small Danish company, is the manufacturer of Jynneos, the only vaccine developed against the monkeypox virus. On Friday, the company announced that US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) had ordered an additional 2.5 million doses of liquid frozen Jynneos. With previous orders from BARDA, a total of 4.4 million doses are being delivered to the US in 2022 and 2023. The current stockpile is around 56,000 doses, with 300,000 more expected in the next several weeks. However, Bavarian Nordics manufacturing capacity for the monkeypox vaccine has been reduced due to the partial shutdown and planned expansion of its facilities since last August. As a result, the rest of the world will have to wrangle over the limited doses of vaccines (enough for possibly 2.5 million people) available to them. According to the New York Times, the vaccine production facility is not expected to reopen until late summer at the earliest, and any additional vaccines would not be available for at least six months. That means the company would only be able to produce, at most, less than five million doses of the two-dose Jynneos regimen for the rest of the world through 2022. Professor Angela Rasmussen, a research scientist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, observed that the current supply of monkeypox vaccines is certainly not enough to vaccinate everybody whos going to be at risk. In Europe, Spain has been the first to initiate vaccination of high-risk individuals. Last week, the country received 5,300 doses from the European Commissions Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), out of 109,090 doses they procured from Bavarian Nordic. The vaccines will be administered through a ring vaccination program where close contacts of cases at risk of contracting the virus, including health care personnel, will be targeted. The European Medicines Agency is also eyeing the use of the smallpox vaccine Imvanex, which provides nearly 85 percent protection against monkeypox. However, the safety profile of earlier generation smallpox vaccines can have significant consequences for certain individuals, including possible damage to the heart. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky reported last week that the public health agency had activated its Emergency Operations Center to meet the outbreaks evolving challenges. New York City and Washington D.C. have offered a limited supply of the vaccines to residents that meet high-risk criteria, such as men who have sex with men, sex workers or workers at an establishment where sexual activities occur. However, while the current outbreak is primarily spreading within this section of the population, all of society is vulnerable to infection and it is only a matter of time before it begins spreading through all demographics. The family and friends of 22-year-old Joseph Nagle of Comstock Park, Michigan held a vigil on Thursday evening at the location where he was shot and killed by an Allegan County Sheriffs deputy on June 16. The group created a memorial to Nagle on 26th Street near 136th Avenue and wore shirts that read #justice4joey. It has now been two weeks since the killing of Nagle, who police say was shot during a traffic stop that involved a physical altercation with the Sheriffs deputy shortly after 10:00 p.m. in a rural part of Allegan County. The young man was a FedEx driver and, according to an ex-girlfriend, a student at Grand Rapids Community College. In the lead-up to the vigil, Josephs mother Kelly Nagle told Channel 3 that her sons body still has not been released. She also questioned why the deputy used lethal force instead of a taser, since Nagle was unarmed, as the Michigan State Police (MSP) have confirmed. Ms. Nagle made a statement at the vigil: I want to know why. I dont want any other family to go through this again, ever, she said. She added, My sons life mattered. God has a plan. It took somebody like Joey. We gotta get change, theres something wrong here, theres something horribly, horribly wrong here. Kelly Nagle continued: Some kind of change, something has to come out of this. And if they needed my star athlete, my golden boy to do it, we needed it. This had to happen. The case is currently being investigated by the Michigan State Polices Fifth District Special Investigations Section (SIS). So far, there has been little transparency in the SIS investigation into the killing. A week after the shooting, on June 23, SIS detectives released a meager four-paragraph summary of the investigation so far. According to the report, shared in a tweet, the deputy pulled Nagle over originally for suspicion of impaired driving. The report goes on: Indicators of impairment were observed during the performance of sobriety tests. When Nagle was advised he was under arrest, he immediately began fighting the deputy. During this altercation, the deputy fired a single gunshot that hit Nagle in the chest area. The Michigan State Police also announced that the deputys name will not be made public in order to protect the integrity of this investigation. The report does not explain in what way the release of the deputys name would compromise the investigation. The SIS report concludes: Detectives continue seeking information and evidence to ultimately turn over a professional and thorough report to the Allegan County prosecutors office. We ask again for the publics patience and understanding as these types of investigations take time to complete. The question naturally arises regarding the potential conflict of interest in the Michigan State Police investigation being reviewed by the county prosecutors office. This will not be the first time such a conflict has come to public attention in Michigan. The same question arose in the investigation into the killing of Patrick Lyoya by a police officer in Grand Rapids on April 4, as well as the nonfatal shooting of DeAnthony VanAtten in East Lansing on April 25. In the Lyoya shooting, the county prosecutor refused to recuse himself, although more than two months later a charge of second degree murder was brought against the officer, Christopher Schurr. In Ingham County, where VanAtten was shot, the policy is for reviews of police shootings to be submitted to the office of the Michigan Attorney General. So far, the Allegan County Prosecutors office has not commented on the case and a decision on charges has not been made. In both the Lyoya and VanAtten shootings, video evidence has been released to the public which reveals the reckless and violent behavior of the police. In the killing of Joseph Nagle, since the Allegan County Sheriffs Office says no bodycams or dashcams are used by the department, it is likely the public will never know what really happened on the night of June 16. The SIS report has confirmed that no cameras were present. The day after the shooting, Allegan County Sheriff Frank Baker explained to WOODTV that his office has only just begun outfitting deputies with cameras. Baker went on to say that only 25 to 30 percent of his patrolling deputies had received the cameras at the time Nagle was killed. He further explained the delay in comments to News Channel 3. He said the camera vendor would only be able to train deputies in their use by August of this year. In addition, the area where Nagle was shot and killed is a rural part of the Grand Rapids area. Fox 17 interviewed a couple who live nearby and were awakened that night by their dogs reacting to the gunshot. The husband told reporters that neither he nor his wife actually saw the incident itself. Given the lack of video evidence and eyewitness testimony, the Michigan State Police told News Channel 3 that its investigation will consist of interviews and any physical evidence that may exist. Presumably, this means that most of its information will come from the same deputy who killed Nagle. Joe Nagle was a well known high school wrestler from the area. He was on the wrestling team at Comstock Park High School, and in 2018, during his senior year, he qualified for the state wrestling tournament. However, Nagles ex-girlfriend Courtney Riva told WOODTV, Joey wasnt a fighter. He only wrestled on wrestling mats and that was it. ABCs 13 On Your Side program spoke with another of Nagles friends shortly after the shooting. He said, Joey worked very hard, man. He worked very hard, and he was always trying to make people laugh. He always told me he loved me whenever we got off the phone, and Yeah, that dude, he lived to work. He worked hard. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has appealed to the High Court against his extradition order. Home Secretary Priti Patel signed off on his removal to the United States on June 17. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange being taken from court in London, Wednesday May 1, 2019. [AP Photo/Matt Dunham] Such an appeal would likely begin to address the real issues of democratic rights at stake in the more than a decade long persecution of Assange, which the US government and British courts have largely contrived to exclude from proceedings thus far. His wife Stella Moris told ABC radio last month that the appeal would include evidence of CIA assassination plots, including plans to poison Assange while he was claiming asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Writing for The Scotsman, legal scholar Dr Paul Arnell of Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen explained that this stage of the case could examine whether his right to freedom of expression is sufficiently important to bar his extradition, and whether the US request for him was motivated for reasons of his political opinions. In a parallel case in Spain Assanges lawyers are pursuing company UC Global, which provided security at the Ecuadorian Embassy, for spying on Assange and his associates on behalf of US intelligence. Last month, judge Santiago Pedraz sought to summon former CIA director and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in connection with kidnap and assassination plots against the WikiLeaks founder revealed by Yahoo last September. The British states complicity in this ongoing manhunt was highlighted by Pompeos visit to the UK last week. Patel tweeted a photo of them together with the caption, Delighted to host my friend, former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the Home Office. Moris commented, Pompeo is not part of the Biden administration, so protocol-wise Patel's tweet is very odd and diplomatically awkward. Pompeo is avoiding a summons to testify before the Spanish High Court about plans to assassinate Assange issued earlier this month. Pompeo pursued Assange for his exposure of US imperialisms criminal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was in London to advance another. Patel continued, Our nations stand shoulder to shoulder to uphold and respect our shared values and right now that could not be clearer than in our steadfast support for Ukraine against Putins aggression. In a speech to the Policy Exchange, Pompeo called on the UK to support US aggression against China, repeating the Wuhan lab lie alleging Chinese responsibility for the COVID pandemic. The UK High Court must agree to hear Assanges appeal before it can proceed. British judges have already refused to give the WikiLeaks founder a hearing during his case. Prior to the matter being sent to Patel, Assange appealed an earlier decision of the High Court in favour of the US to the Supreme Court. It issued a one-line refusal to hear the case in March, meaning it passed straight into Patels hands. If the High Court does the same with this latest appeal, Assanges legal team has indicated they will pursue other avenues up to the European Court of Human Rights. But the Johnson government is already busy with efforts to close off this avenue. Last month it put the abolition of the Human Rights Act before parliament, in preparation for its replacement with a British Bill of Rights. One element of Tory efforts to weaken human rights protections are plans to override the power of the EHRC, citing a commitment to sovereignty including asserting the primacy of British courts. Opposition to the legislation focused on the recent decision of the ECHR to pause some deportations of asylum seekers to Rwanda, pending a British judicial review process. But this is only one example among many of the carte blanch sought by the government to pursue its criminal agendaand moving ahead with Assanges extradition ranks high in its wish list. Any appeals, moreover, mean months of legal arguments and hearings during which time Assange will remain incarcerated in Belmarsh maximum security prison in London, where he has now been held for over three years. The government deliberately placed Assange, a journalist, in a facility used to hold prisoners considered dangerouswith extremely strict restrictions on visits and access to the outside worldto damage his mental and physical health. This was underscored by his brutal treatment after Patel announced her decision to extradite. Claiming to be concerned for his health and risk of self-harm, Belmarsh prison had Assange stripped naked and placed in a bare cell. He was then denied visitors over the weekend. During the main extradition hearings held in 2020, psychologists testified to the compromised state of Assanges mental health and the danger of a suicide attempt, confirming warnings of psychological torture made by UN special rapporteur on torture Nils Melzer and campaign group Doctors for Assange. The evidence provided the basis for an initial decision, now overturned, not to extradite, because to do so would be oppressive to Assange. Professor of neuropsychiatry Michael Kopelman told the original extradition hearing in September 2020 there was a very high risk of suicide and that it is the imminence of extradition and/or an actual extradition that will trigger the attempt. Moris said last month that Assange had recently told her he would kill himself if extradited to the US. Events were held around the world over the weekend to mark the WikiLeaks founders 51st birthday, his tenth under some form of incarceration in Britain, whether trapped claiming asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy or held in prison. Longstanding supporters sent messages of support, including veteran Australian investigative journalist John Pilger, who tweeted, Since I met Julian more than a decade ago, I have watched this heroic man pursued and persecuted by those who hide their extremism behind democratic facades. He has exposed them, and we are grateful. I salute my friend on his birthday. Italian journalists and a previous co-worker with Assange Stefania Maurizi noted, Tomorrow is Julian Assanges birthday. In 2011 he invited me to his 40th birthday party: he was under house arrest, then 7 years in an embassy, now in Belmarsh. For my newspaper, Ive partnered with Wikileaks since 2009: last time I met him as a free man? 28 Sept 2010. In a statement for Double Down News, Moris indicted the UK and US governments: At every stage, the law has been abused in order to victimise Julian The position of the UK right now is that it will extradite a publisher to the country who conspired to murder him. She continued, How much did the UK government know? How far was the UK government willing to go along with the US governments plans under the CIA directorship of Mike Pompeo? These are questions which remain unanswered. This Sunday, at 3 p.m., the Socialist Equality Party (Australia) will hold an online public meeting, Oppose British extradition order: Fight to free Julian Assange! The SEP explains, The persecution of Assange is an attack on the mass opposition among workers and young people to these war policies. It is intended as a precedent for broader frame-ups and victimisations. This is being pursued, as part of a turn to authoritarian forms of rule, directed against a resurgence of working-class struggle, including major strikes in Britain, the US and Australia. At this meeting, Socialist Equality Party speakers from Australia and Britain will outline the need for a stepped-up campaign for Assanges freedom. As with the struggle against war, securing Assanges freedom requires the mobilisation of the international working-class, the only constituency for democratic rights. Jul. 2ALBANY An Atlanta resident who pleaded guilty for his role in a check-cashing scheme targeting Publix grocery stores in Georgia, Florida and Alabama has been remanded to federal custody. Brandon Lamont Bell, 37, pleaded guilty to possession of counterfeit and unauthorized devices on June 23. Bell faces a maximum of 10 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Bell was remanded to federal custody at a petition for action on conditions of pretrial release hearing before U.S. District Judge Louis Sands. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 29. "Check-cashing schemes using stolen bank information is not a minor offense the harm it causes people and businesses can warrant federal prosecution and will not be ignored by our office," U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary said. "Our office is working with local, state and federal law enforcement partners to protect people and businesses from fraudsters." "This case is another example that clearly shows criminals are continuously looking for ways to steal from financial institutions," Clint Bush, resident agent in charge with the United States Secret Service in the Albany resident office, said. "In this case, not only were financial institutions defrauded, but United States citizens were violated by having their bank account information stolen for the purpose of committing fraud. "The United States Secret Service, along with our state, local and federal law enforcement partners will continue to investigate, arrest and support the successful prosecution of the criminals who choose to commit this and other types of financial fraud in our community and around the nation." According to court documents, Georgia State Patrol and Tifton Police Department officers were conducting a road check at the Interstate 75 Northbound Exit 61 ramp (the intersection of Old Omega Road and Magnolia Drive in Tifton). During the course of the encounter with Bell and other occupants of the vehicle, and the subsequent United States Secret Service investigation, agents discovered a check-cashing scheme involving Bell and other co-defendants targeting Publix Supermarkets in Georgia, Florida and Alabama. Inside the vehicle, officers found 114 fictitious checks printed with 19 genuine bank account routing numbers, a printer and electric cords, nine counterfeit driver's licenses and 18 VISA gift cards. Bell admitted that he possessed with the intent to defraud more than 15 counterfeit and unauthorized access devices. The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, GSP and the Tifton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit is prosecuting the case. The British army is investigating an apparent hack after its official Twitter and YouTube accounts were compromised on Sunday. News of the breach was first reported by Web3 is Going Great . According to the blog, both accounts were simultaneously compromised to promote two different cryptocurrency scams. Although it has since been scrubbed, the armys verified Twitter account was briefly changed to look like a page for The Possessed , a project involving a collection of 10,000 animated NFTs with a price floor of 0.58 Ethereum (approximately $1,063). During that time, the account tweeted out multiple links to a fake minting website. Its possible the hack is part of a broader campaign to leverage the recent popularity of The Possessed. On Saturday, the projects official Twitter account warned its followers of another verified account that was similarly hacked to promote a NFT scam using The Possessed brand. British army YouTube channel Over on YouTube, the armys channel has been made to look like a page for Ark Invest . As of the writing of this article, the channel is livestreaming videos that repurpose old footage of Elon Musk, Jack Dorsey and Ark CEO Katie Wood discussing cryptocurrency. The clips feature an overlay promoting double your money Bitcoin and Ethereum scams. According to Web3 is Going Great , a similar scheme netted scammers $1.3 million this past May . Its unclear who is behind the attacks. We are aware of a breach of the armys Twitter and YouTube accounts and an investigation is underway, an army spokesperson told The Guardian . We take information security extremely seriously and are resolving the issue. Until the investigation is complete it would be inappropriate to comment further. The The "immigrant float" in Huntington Beach, California, in 2016. (Photo: Courtesy of Dipti Barot) It was the summer of 2016. The presidential election was months away but the fever pitch of divisiveness and overt anti-immigrant racism from the Donald Trump campaign was in full swing. In my conservative hometown of Huntington Beach, California, MAGA flags flew high and Trump banners festooned million-dollar houses. Going back home to visit felt dreadful. It was at this moment that my father decided he wanted to manifest his vision of sponsoring an immigrant float in the annual Huntington Beach 4th of July parade. Billed the oldest and largest parade west of the Mississippi, the event can draw half a million people to my hometown in a patriotic display like few others. Wedged somewhere between the marching bands and baton twirlers, the decorated military veterans, the classic convertibles with politicians perched atop their back seats, the Shriners with their fantastic little hats and tiny cars, and the NRA members, my Dad, originally from India, came to the U.S. when he was 30, dreamed of a giant immigrant float that would proudly proclaim his love for his adopted country. My family thought it was a terrible idea. I love Huntington Beach. It is home. From taking part in teddy bear picnics in Ms. Sweets first grade class, to my friendship with Marianne, the librarian at the Main Street branch, who introduced my teen self to the joy of travel memoirs, Huntington Beach made me who I am. Were there not-so-wonderful things about growing up there as a brown girl with immigrant parents? Sure. There was the cashier at the grocery store who, between ringing up the milk and the bananas, asked me whether I had accepted Jesus Christ as my lord and savior. I replied, I am sure he was good guy, but no." Or the kid from my school who backed into my car and then jeered at me and my sari-clad mom before asking for my license and registration, if I had any. Story continues Or the time when, years after leaving, I drove past my high school and a blonde teen in a big red truck pulled out and screamed from the window, Go home Paki! which confused me because I was home, and that was my high school, the one whose marquee had once displayed my name as student of the month. Who did she think she was? And why are racists always so bad at geography? I love Huntington Beach, warts and all, but I did everything I could to deter my father from serving us up as targets on an immigrant float in the summer of 2016. The cultural and political moment felt terrifying, and there was an undeniable uptick in racist attacks across the country. I pleaded with Dad to save this idea for another day, another year perhaps another lifetime. He would not budge. Well be fine, he insisted. All he wanted to do was thank America for what this country had given him. Who could have a problem with that? There was, however, more going on under the surface. He was dealing with the unbearable grief from the loss of his only son, my brother, just two years earlier. He needed to find something to feel good about as he took stock of his suddenly shattered life and the things that had once given it meaning. The float was much more than a gesture of patriotism. It was a way to make sense of the whys and wherefores of a life that took him across oceans and enabled him to sponsor all of his family and their families and their families families to settle in the U.S. At that time, we were up to about 200 people who had become U.S. citizens because of the lives of him and my mom lives now punctuated by unbearable grief. So we decided, amidst our legitimate concerns about safety, that we had to support him. We had to find a way to make it happen. The author's dad, Surendra P. Barot, on a decorated bike riding next to the immigrant float. (Photo: Courtesy of Dipti Barot) The author's dad, Surendra P. Barot, on a decorated bike riding next to the immigrant float. (Photo: Courtesy of Dipti Barot) All that was available at that late stage was a big red double decker party bus, the kind that people use for drunken bachelor party pub crawls. We found a way to cover up the giant photo of the chesty blonde barmaid serving jugs of frothy beer, and we proceeded to decorate the immigrant float. We invited relatives who lived in the area whom my parents had sponsored and brought to this country, as well as local neighbors and friends who were immigrants from other countries. We printed little leaflets that read, Thank You America on them with blurbs about the people on the float, what country they were from, and why they were thankful to America. We wanted to remind people that unless you were indigenous, you came from somewhere else. A few days before the parade, local police contacted Dad because someone posted online about a big immigrant bus in the parade and they wanted to question him about what he was planning to do. They tried to dissuade him from moving forward, saying that they could not make any promises about our safety and that it might be better to cancel the immigrant float. Dad refused. He reassured them that a local friend who was a retired officer would accompany the float as security. They acquiesced and warned us to be careful and be hyper aware of all of our surroundings and happenings. And so on the morning of July 4th, 2016, under sunny skies, looking out at the endless blue of the Pacific, in the pre-parade float lineup on Pacific Coast Highway, behind a horde of energetic young gymnasts, Dads immigrant float made its debut. Giant banners wrapped the bus, proclaiming in red, white and blue, Thank You America, and Nation of Immigrants. A huge garlanded portrait of my brother hung at the back end of the bus he brought up the rear and watched our back. Dad simultaneously paraded his thanks and his grief. Both floors of the bus were filled with family and friends from all walks of life, from all corners of the world, and they waved American flags and flags from their countries of origin. The float looked like America. The float was America. With good friends on either side of the bus whose sole job was to look out for threats, and a heightened sense of anxiety twinned with excitement as we sat atop the bus, we turned the corner into the heart of Huntington Beach, the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street, and held our breath to see how we would be received by the throngs of parade goers. We were a hit. It would take a few beats before people could take in exactly what this float was all about, but once they did, the cheering and clapping overwhelmed and warmed our hearts. People of all ages and backgrounds would run up to the float and excitedly share with us where they were from, or when their grandparents came to this country, and how thankful they were to see a float like ours. We saw people read the banners and their faces would instantly transform, sometimes with tears, and the clapping would commence. We provided a large swath of butcher paper on the side of the bus and passed out Sharpies for people to write messages on the float and tell us where they were originally from. The back of the float, featuring a garlanded photo of the author's brother, Hitesh S. Barot, and his wife and three sons standing in front of it. (Photo: Courtesy of Dipti Barot) The back of the float, featuring a garlanded photo of the author's brother, Hitesh S. Barot, and his wife and three sons standing in front of it. (Photo: Courtesy of Dipti Barot) My favorite reaction was a large, shirtless, beefy young man who came running up to the float, his face reddened from too much sun, or beer, or both, and screamed in a thick eastern European accent, I love you! I love you! I love you! and blew us kisses as we passed by. It was my highlight of the day. Our Thank You America Immigrant Float rolled its way down the parade route without incident. And of course, Dad was right. All he wanted to do was thank America, and remind people this was a nation of immigrants, during a time when some people were doing everything they could to pretend that it wasnt. It turned out nobody had a problem with that. Did we occasionally spy a limp thumbs down as we passed by? Sure. But the avalanche of positivity and acceptance that greeted the immigrant float made such moments virtually imperceptible in that sea of fluttering flags and cheering humans. When we tipped the driver at the end of the route, he expressed his appreciation for us. I usually drive around a bunch of drunk people and take them from bar to bar, he told us. But today, I felt like I did something that mattered something that I was proud of and Id be honored to do this again any day for you all. It was a special moment to crown all the special moments that came before it. Ive been thinking about our immigrant float a lot lately when a white supremacist opened fire in Buffalo, when militia members were arrested on their way to disrupt a Pride celebration, as the highest court in the land marches into our bodies and our bedrooms, amidst hearings that show us how easily lies can lead to insurrection. The divide in our country between neighbors, families and friends seems to grow wider every single day. I felt that perhaps the window for an immigrant float rolling down Main Street in Huntington Beach has been shut forever. I brought it up to my Dad. Imagine doing an immigrant float like that now? We could never do that today! I said. Wed have rocks thrown at us, or worse. He immediately shook his head, and said with certainty, No, it would be okay. Most people are good and decent. We would be fine. I stared at him in wonder, in bemusement, in confusion, vehement in my disagreement. I dont know what it is like to be an immigrant. To leave everything you know and come to a place that is not yours, often with nothing lining your pockets but debt. To have hope and faith in perfect strangers, and trust that it will all work out that it will all be okay. To believe that help will be on the way if you need it, even if you dont know it. It is a leap of faith that crosses the boundaries of my imagination. My fathers belief in our hometown, my fathers faith in the people of this country, his belief in the goodness of his neighbors, his ability to build bridges even with the ones who fly blue lives matter flags, even with the ones who are anti-vaxxers, is something that is hard for me to understand. I wish I shared his certainty that most people are good and decent. I wish I could easily believe that we will all be fine. I wish I could see America through his immigrant eyes. Dipti S. Barot is a primary care doctor and freelance writer in the San Francisco Bay Area. Follow her on Twitter at @diptisbarot. Do you have a compelling personal story youd like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what were looking for here and send us a pitch. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. More From HuffPost Personal... Warning: This post contains spoilers for Stranger Things 4: Volume 2. The series finale of Stranger Things will allow for more bathroom breaks in between Vecna's rampage of Hawkins kind of. Creators Ross and Matt Duffer shared that the forthcoming Season 5 finale, while "feature-length," will not be as long as Season 4's, which clocked in at two hours and 22 minutes. During an interview with Josh Horowitz on his Happy Sad Confused podcast published Monday, the Duffer Brothers said they expect the series finale to be "at least two hours." "The only reason we don't expect it to be as long is because if you look at it, it's almost a two-hour ramp-up before our kids really get drawn into the supernatural mystery," Matt said. "You get to know them, you get to see them in their lives, what they're struggling with, adapting to high school, and so forth. Steve's trying to find a date, all of that. None of that obviously is going to be occurring in the first two episodes of [Season 5]." STRANGER THINGS. Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in STRANGER THINGS. Netflix Millie Bobby Brown in 'Stranger Things' "For the first time ever," he continued, "we don't wrap things up at the end of [Season] 4, so it's going to be moving. I don't know that it's going to be going 100 miles an hour at the start of 5, but it's going to be moving pretty fast. Characters are already going to be in action. They're already going to have a goal and a drive, and I think that's going to carve out at least a couple hours and make this season feel really different." The brothers joked that the series finale will be "Return of the King-ish," referencing the third and final installment of The Lord of the Rings film, which clocks in at three hours and 21 minutes. The finale will feature "like, eight endings," they joked. And, in reassuring news, the creators confirmed that Season 5 will be set entirely in Hawkins following a Season 4 that spanned California and Russia. "We wanna go back to a lot of the things we did in Season 1," Matt said. "A lot of the original groupings and pairings that we had in Season 1 there's something nice about coming full circle." Story continues STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield, and Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Tina Rowden/Netflix 2022 Tina Rowden/Netflix Natalie Dyer, Joe Keery, Gaten Matarazzo, Maya Hawke, Sadie Sink, and Caleb McLaughlin in 'Stranger Things' While the brothers know precisely how the series will end, they're not quite sure how to actually get there yet. "It's dangerous as a writer to be writing hours and hours and not know where you're going," Ross said. "I'd rather leave some of that middle journey vague and fuzzy." "But so long as you know where that destination is, it sort of gives you that clarity. It's like that lighthouse blinking in the distance ... while a lot of Season 5 is actually pretty blurry, the last 30 minutes of it are pretty clear in our heads. So if we can make the journey entertaining, I think that we have an end that will hopefully satisfy. You can't satisfy everyone, but the hope is that it's something that feels right for this story." The brothers also teased that the death of beloved Hellfire Club president Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) will have "huge repercussions" amongst the survivors. Yes. Sorry. Eddie is definitely dead, the Duffers confirmed, squashing all hopes of a Martin Brenner-esque resurrection. Max (Sadie Sink), however, is alive, but "brain dead, blind, and all of her bones are broken," the brothers said. Sink recently told EW that filming Max's near-death scene in the hands of Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) was an emotional experience. "It really is just so sad," Sink said. "When you're putting yourself in that moment and then you're with someone like Caleb [McLaughlin], who I've known since I was very little, sometimes things can feel very real on that set. It was very emotional." Stranger Things Season 4 is available to stream on Netflix. EW's Ultimate Guide to Stranger Things is available online or wherever magazines are sold. Related content: Ni Kuang, the prolific Hong Kong writer behind the Wisely series of sci-fi novels as well as over 300 film screenplays including the classic martial arts films One-Armed Swordsman and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and the Bruce Lee hits Fist of Fury and The Big Boss, has died. He was 87. The South China Morning Post reported that Ni died Sunday at his home in Hong Kong. Local media reported that the cause of death was skin cancer. In a double blow to Hong Kongs cultural landscape, Ni died on the same day as legendary director and screenwriter Alex Law. More from The Hollywood Reporter A giant of Chinese literature, Nis shadow looms large over the genres of science fiction, wuxia fiction and martial arts, but he also wrote extensive non-fiction pieces, newspaper columns, satirical pieces and dabbled in the romance and detective genres. It has been reported that Ni wrote more than 300 novels in addition to all the screenplays he completed during his life. He created scores of memorable characters among them the adventurer Wisley, the martial artist Chen Zhen, Dr. Yuen, the first modern Chinese superhero Inframan, and Fang Kang the one-armed swordsman portrayed by the late Jimmy Wang. Born in Shanghai in 1935, Ni was one of eight children in a middle-class family living in the French Concession area of the city. He was an avid reader in his youth, devouring Chinese classics such as Journey to the West, Dream of the Red Chamber and Water Margin. As a teenager he became a cadre of the Chinese Communist Party, working as a prison guard among other roles. In 1957, he offended a CCP official and made a dramatic escape from Inner Mongolia, where he was stationed, back to Shanghai where he paid people traffickers to smuggle him to Hong Kong. Story continues In Hong Kong, Ni worked as a laborer, and by chance entered a writing competition in a local newspaper. His writing career began in the popular wuxia genre period action stories featuring sword-wielding warriors with added supernatural elements. Ni switched to science fiction in the early 1960s, creating the first Wisely story, Diamond Flower, in 1963. The Wisely stories were set in the near future of Hong Kong, with the wealthy protagonist Wisely traveling the world solving mysteries and encountering all manner of people, villains and even aliens. In all, Ni wrote 150 Wisely stories, and the series was adapted for radio, television and the big screen numerous times, with several actors playing Wisely including Chow Yun-fat, Andy Lau and Samuel Hui. From left: Fists of Fury (1972), The 36th Chamber of Shaolin aka Master Killer (1978) and The Big Boss (1971). - Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection Courtesy of Everett Collection Ni began his screenwriting career in 1967 when he was invited by director Chang Cheh to write the script for the wuxia film One-Armed Swordsman. The film was a huge hit, leading to Ni becoming one of Hong Kong cinemas most in-demand writers. He was closely associated with the Shaw Brothers Studios, penning a huge number of their biggest hits during the studios golden era of the late 1960s and 1970s. Nis most famous film work was uncredited. He created Bruce Lees character of Cheng Chao-an and the story for The Big Boss (1971) but the eventual writing credit was given to director Lo Wei. Ni was also the writer of the Lee film Fist of Fury (1972), creating the character of Chan Zhen and providing the story, but once again Wei took the credit. Chan Zhen would become an enduring character and be played by numerous actors in remake and reboot films and TV series including Jet Li and Donnie Yen. Notable other Ni-written films from the 1970s include the superhero film The Super Inframan (1975) and the kung fu classic The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) which would influence the American rap group the Wu-Tang Clan. Nis film and television output slowed in the late 1980s and the 1990s. A vocal critic of communism and the CCP, he emigrated to the U.S. in 1992 in anticipation of the 1997 handover of Hong Kong back to China. He returned to Hong Kong in 2006. At the 2012 Hong Kong Film Awards, Ni received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Click here to read the full article. The post Red Hot Chili Peppers Announce Australian, New Zealand Tour Dates with Post Malone appeared first on Consequence. Red Hot Chili Peppers have announced an early 2023 leg of tour dates in Australia and New Zealand. Whats more, Post Malone will appear as a special guest opener at each of the shows. Coming as part of the bands expansive Unlimited Love World Tour, the run includes stadium shows in Auckland, Dunedin, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth in January and February 2023. A ticket pre-sale begins July 8th, before going on sale to the general public on July 11th via Ticketmaster. Fans are encouraged to sign up for the bands newsletter for access to the pre-sale. Red Hot Chili Peppers and Post Malone previously teamed up during the 2019 Grammy Awards, where they performed Dark Necessities. Since then, Posty has further embraced his inner rock star by covering bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Chili Peppers launched the European leg of their world tour in Spain last month. Later this month, theyll embark on a run of stadium shows in North America alongside The Strokes, HAIM, and other special guests. Tickets to the North American dates are still available here. Check out the bands complete tour itinerary below. Before linking up with Chili Peppers down under, Post Malone will embark on a North American headlining tour of his own in September. Tickets for the Twelve Carat Tour can be purchased here. Editors Note: Check out Consequences recent cover story on Red Hot Chili Peppers, where Anthony Kiedis and Flea discuss the bands reunion with guitarist John Frusciante, their new album Unlimited Love, and world tour. Red Hot Chili Peppers 2022-2023 Tour Dates: 07/03 Leuven, BE @ Rock Werchter 07/05 Cologne, DE @ RheinEnergieStadium > 07/08 Paris, FR @ Stade de France ~ 07/12 Hamburg, DE @ Volksparkstadion > 07/23 Denver, CO @ Empower Field at Mile High * 07/27 San Diego, CA @ Petco Park * 07/29 Santa Clara, CA @ Levis Stadium + 07/31 Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium + 08/03 Seattle, WA @ T-Mobile Park ^ 08/06 Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium % 08/10 Atlanta, GA @ Truist Park ^ 08/12 Nashville, TN @ Nissan Stadium ^ 08/14 Detroit, MI @ Comerica Park ^ 08/17 E. Rutherford, NJ @ Metlife Stadium ^ 08/19 Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field ^ 08/21 Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre ^ 08/30 Miami, FL @ Hard Rock Stadium ^ 09/01 Charlotte, NC @ Bank of America Stadium ^ 09/03 Philadelphia, PA @ Citizens Bank Park ^ 09/08 Washington, DC @ Nationals Park ^ 09/10 Boston, MA @ Fenway Park # 09/15 Orlando, FL @ Camping World Stadium ^ 09/18 Arlington, TX @ Globe Life Field ^ 09/25 Louisville, KY @ Louder Than Life Festival 10/07-09 Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits 10/14-16 Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits 01/21 Auckland, NZ @ Mt. Smart Stadium ! 01/26 Dunedin, NZ @ Forsyth Barr Stadium ! 01/29 Brisbane, AU @ Suncorp Stadium ! 02/02 Sydney, AU @ Accor Stadium ! 02/07 Melbourne, AU @ Marvel Stadium ! 02/13 Perth, AU @ Optus Stadium ! Story continues > = w/ A$AP Rocky and Thundercat ~ = w/ Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals and Thundercat * = w/ HAIM and Thundercat + = w/ Beck and Thundercat ^ = w/ The Strokes and Thundercat % = w/ The Strokes and King Princess # = w/ St. Vincent and Thundercat ! = w/ Post Malone Red Hot Chili Peppers Announce Australian, New Zealand Tour Dates with Post Malone Alex Young Popular Posts Subscribe to Consequences email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox. Two women were killed in shark attacks in Egypt's Red Sea over the weekend, prompting officials to close off a stretch of the coastline. The Egyptian Ministry of Environment said in a statement Sunday that the women were attacked by a shark while swimming in the Red Sea near the resort town of Hurghada. The governor of the wider Red Sea Governorate, Maj. Gen. Amr Hanafi, has issued an order to suspend all water activities in the vicinity of the deadly attacks, according to the ministry. MORE: Teenage girl speaks out after surviving shark attack at Florida beach The ministry said a committee of specialists has been formed to investigate the circumstances of the incidents and any scientific reasons behind them. The group "is still completing its work to find out precisely the reasons for the behavior of the shark that attacked the two victims," according to the ministry. It was unclear whether the same shark was involved in both attacks. "The Ministry of Environment regrets the accident and extends its deepest condolences to the families of the two victims and extends its sincere thanks and appreciation to all concerned parties for their support," the ministry added. MORE: How to stay safe from shark attacks this summer The ministry did not release the identities of the two women; however, The Associated Press reported that one was a 68-year-old Austrian woman and the other was a Romanian tourist. ABC News has reached out to the foreign ministries in Austria and Romania for comment. Shark attacks in Egypt's Red Sea coastal region have been relatively rare in recent years. In 2020, a 12-year-old Ukrainian boy lost an arm and an Egyptian tour guide lost a leg in a shark attack while snorkelling off the coast of Sharm El-Sheikh, another Red Sea resort town. 2 women killed in shark attacks in Egypt's Red Sea, officials say originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Lauren Ash is paying tribute to her Canadian roots. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images) Lauren Ash celebrated Canada Day as a Californian. Last week, the Canadian "Superstore" actress, originally from Belleville, Ont., took to Instagram to share a makeup-free, sun-soaked, poolside photo. In the snap, she's seen posing in a black tank top and shorts while holding her dog Peaches and a can of LaCroix, at her Los Angeles home. "Day before Canada Day and Ive reached peak Californian," the 39-year-old captioned the post for her more than 282,000 followers. Fans quickly met Ash's photo, wishing her a happy Canada Day, and praising her for embracing her Canadian roots. "Meh, sorry but once a Canadian always a Canadian, girl! Maple syrup runs in your veins," one fan penned, while another added, "Love that you're always embracing your Canadian girl roots! Happy Canada Day! PS, you look so happy and healthy." "Youll always be Canadian! Were all born with a maple leaf birthmark hidden somewhere on our bodies," someone else joked. "Just throw an 'eh' at the end of a sentence and you'll be Canadian-ized again!" another commented. One person wrote: "Canadian girls do it best, never forget it!" "Youre Canadian?! Youre even better now!" added another. Ash took to Instagram again on "Canada Day eve," with a selfie posing with her fellow Canadian "Superstore" castmate, Mark McKinney, who is originally from Ottawa. "Twas a beautiful Canada Day Eve last night indeed. Reunited and it felt so good! Missed you like crazy, @mark_dmckinney!" she wrote. "Canada Day eve, love that! You look amazing. So glad to see you two are friends!" one fan replied. "Makes my Canadian heart happy," another person chimed in. Someone else commented: "My inner Canadian is screaming right now. Love this so much!" "Two Canadian gems," wrote another, while one fan added: "What an iconic duo. Us Canadians have to stick together! Love to see it." Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Congress "must pass" new immigration laws, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Sunday while defending the administration's policies amid renewed scrutiny of the high amount of migration at the southern border. "Because the border has been a challenge for decades, ultimately Congress must pass legislation to once and for all fix our broken immigration system," Mayorkas told ABC "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz. Mayorkas' defense comes after 53 migrants were found dead in a tractor-trailer in San Antonio, Texas, late last month, which Mayorkas called a "tragic result" of a "dangerous journey." Four men have been charged in the deaths. MORE: 4 charged after 53 found dead in Texas tractor-trailer On "This Week," Mayorkas said that the U.S. was working with regional allies in Central and South America beyond pushing for legislation, which remains a dim prospect in Congress. "These are remarkable, distinct times," Mayorkas said. In lieu of new laws, "we have a multi-faceted approach, not only to work with our partner countries but to bring law enforcement to bear to attack the smuggling organizations in an unprecedented way," he said. "We are doing so very much." Raddatz pressed Mayorkas, noting that a legislative fix on immigration was unlikely given partisan gridlock on the issue -- and, she said, the administration's warning to migrants to not try to cross the border was either not being heard or not being heeded. PHOTO: Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas speaks during the 90th Winter Meeting of USCM on Jan. 20, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong/Getty Images, FILE) "Fifty-three people lost their lives in the most horrific of conditions," Mayorkas said of the migrants who died in San Antonio. "We continue to tell people not to take the dangerous journey. We are enforcing our laws. And we are working with countries including our close partner Mexico, but with Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, to really address the migration that is throughout the Western Hemisphere." Still, Raddatz cited a historic high in May for southern border crossings: 240,000. Story continues "I think that we are doing a good job. We need to do better," Mayorkas acknowledged. "We are focused on doing more, and we are doing it with our partners to the south." "You have Congressman Henry Cuellar saying that only about 30% of the Border Patrol are doing missions at checkpoints and the border because the other 70% are tied up at detention centers. How do you fix that?" Raddatz pressed. MORE: Death toll rises in San Antonio migrant truck incident "We are pressing this issue vigorously and aggressively to address the number of encounters that we are experiencing at the southern border," Mayorkas responded. He touted the administration's recent win before the Supreme Court, which ruled last week that the White House can end the Trump-era "Remain in Mexico" policy that made migrants seeking asylum stay outside the U.S. during adjudication. Mayorkas argued that policy "has endemic flaws and causes unjustifiable human tragedy." "We need to wait until the Supreme Court's decision is actually communicated to the lower court, to the federal district court and the Northern District of Texas ... So, we have to wait several weeks for that procedural step to be taken," he said. PHOTO: Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas speaks during the third day of the 2022 National Action Network's Annual Convention on April 08, 2022 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images, FILE) As for the migrant deaths in the tractor trailer in Texas, Mayorkas said he didn't want to comment on the facts of the case as they were still emerging. He declined to say whether or not the vehicle had been "waved through" a checkpoint. "The smuggling organizations are extraordinarily sophisticated. They are transnational criminal organizations," he said. Raddatz followed up, asking: "What good are these checkpoints if a truck like that gets through, full of migrants?" Mayorkas said the "checkpoints are part of a multilayered approach." "In fiscal year 2022 alone we've stopped more than 400 vehicles and saved and rescued more than 10,000 migrants," Mayorkas said. "But this is why we continue to communicate that the journey -- the dangerous journey should not be taken. We are enforcing our laws and people lose their lives at the hands or exploitative smugglers." Mayorkas calls for new immigration law amid renewed scrutiny and tragedy at the border originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Editor's note: This page recaps the news from Ukraine on Friday, July 1. KYIV, Ukraine At least 21 people were killed and 30 injured in a Russian missile strike early Friday in southern Ukraines Odesa region, authorities said, a day after Russian troops abandoned their positions on an island off the coast of Odesa that has become a symbol of the Ukrainians' stiff resistance. Sergei Bratchuk, a spokesman for Odesa's military administration, said the missiles were launched by aircraft in the Black Sea and struck a nine-story apartment building. At least two of the dead were children and three other kids were rescued from the rubble. Video of the attack before daybreak showed the charred ruins of buildings in the small town of Serhiivka. Ukrainian authorities interpreted the attack as payback for Russian troops being forced off Snake Island, a tiny rocky outcrop south of Odesa and just 30 miles from European Union nation Romania's closest coastal city. Moscow, however, called its Thursday withdrawal a "gesture of goodwill" over allegations it is blocking grain exports from Ukrainian ports. Ukrainian civilians are being killed and injured every day by Russian missile strikes and artillery shelling. On Monday, at least 18 people were killed and dozens injured in a missile strike on a shopping mall in Kremenchuk, in central Ukraine. About 1,000 people were in the mall at the time and at least 20 are still missing. USA TODAY ON TELEGRAM: Join our Russia-Ukraine war channel to receive updates straight to your phone MAPPING AND TRACKING: Russia's invasion of Ukraine Latest developments Russian President Vladimir Putin has handed full control over a major oil and natural gas project partly owned by Shell and two Japanese companies to a newly created Russian firm, a bold move amid spiraling tensions with the West over Moscow's military action in Ukraine. An international film festival in the Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary kicked off Friday amid controversy following a protest by Ukraine against the scheduled screening of a Russian movie, Captain Volkonogov Escaped. Story continues Russian forces deliberately dropped two 1,000-plus-pound bombs on the Mariupol theater that was being used as a shelter March 16, resulting in a mass killing of civilians that amounted to a war crime, according to evidence cited in a report Thursday by the rights group Amnesty International. WNBA star Brittney Griner's trial for drug charges in Russia began Friday, but experts say it will probably lack legitimacy. Read more here. In this photo provided by the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office, a damaged residential building is seen in Odesa, Ukraine, early Friday following Russian missile attacks. Russian missile that killed 18 not designed to avoid civilian casualties The Russian missile used in the deadly strike on the shopping mall in Ukraine on June 27 was designed to attack ships, a senior defense official said Friday. The missile did not have the accuracy needed to avoid civilian casualties in an urban environment. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe intelligence assessments, described Russia's use of the anti-ship missile as reckless, and Russian commanders could have expected it to kill or wound civilians. The attack killed at least 18 people. Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY US to send additional $820M in aid to Ukraine, including missile systems The United States will send $820 million more in aid to Ukraine, including missile systems, officials announced Friday. Included in the package are two systems called NASAMS, a Norwegian-developed anti-aircraft system currently used to protect airspace around government buildings in Washington. The Pentagon will also provide additional ammunition for HIMARS rocket systems given to Ukraine in June. The newest round of aid brings the U.S.' total commitment to about $8.8 billion to Ukraine, $7 billion of it since Russia invaded Ukraine in February. Biden vows US, NATO allies will stand with Ukraine 'for as long as it takes' Speaking in Madrid, President Joe Biden vowed Thursday the U.S. and its NATO allies would back Ukraine "for as long as it takes" in its war with Russia. Russia is paying "a very, very heavy price" for its decision to invade Ukraine, Biden said, during a news conference in Madrid at the close of a six-day trip to Europe, which included a summit of NATO leaders. "I don't know how it's going to end," Biden said of the war, "but it will not end with a Russian defeat of Ukraine." Francesca Chambers and Michael Collins, USA TODAY Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine updates: At least 21 dead in Russian missile strike near Odesa Bachelorette Alum Chase McNary Is Engaged to Girlfriend Ellie White: 'It Was Always You' Chase McNary/Instagram Chase McNary found his happy ending. On Instagram Saturday, the former Bachelorette contestant announced his engagement to girlfriend Ellie White. He shared the news alongside moments from the romantic proposal occurring in Breckenridge, Colorado, including a shot of himself getting down on one knee. "It was always you @elliefwhite," he captioned the post. McNary, 33, received many congratulatory messages from fellow Bachelor Nation stars. "Let's gooooooo! Congrats," Chris Bukowski said as Becca Tilley wrote, "Congratulations Chase!!!!!" Josh Murray also expressed his "love" for the couple's milestone while Blake Horstmann wrote: "Ermerghrd congrats duuude!" RELATED GALLERY: The Celebrity Engagements of 2022 "Congratulations Y'all!!! But be honest, she knew this was coming," Wells Adams joked. "I mean, that's a 'I'm getting a fat diamond today' hat if I've ever seen one. ." Like McNary, White also announced the pair's engagement on Instagram. "Take me off the roster," she wrote. " Forever his ." Bachelorette Alum Chase McNary Is Engaged to Girlfriend Ellie White: 'It Was Always You' Chase McNary/Instagram Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Haut Bas designer further spoke about the "friggin best moment" on her Instagram Story, saying she is "overwhelmed with the amount of love and peace" she currently feels. "Chase came into my life and literally everything changed. The amount of love and respect I received from this man was something I had never fully experienced before," she wrote. "He held my hand through so many life changes and gave me the freedom and support during my journey to becoming the woman I always wanted to be." White added, "I knew it was Chase, and I think everyone that knows and loves me knew it too. I can't wait to spend forever growing by this man's side... I'm going to be a damn good wife if I do say so myself." Story continues Bachelorette Alum Chase McNary Is Engaged to Girlfriend Ellie White: 'It Was Always You' Chase McNary/Instagram McNary previously competed for JoJo Fletcher's heart on season 12 of The Bachelorette, airing in 2016. He was eliminated in week 9, and she ultimately accepted a proposal from frontrunner Jordan Rodgers. The pair wed on May 14 at the Sunstone Winery in Santa Ynez, California. McNary, for his part, publicized his relationship with White in May 2020. "When you find a real one and have to lock her down," he wrote at the time. "@elliefwhite I am excited for this new chapter together!" Nearly a year-and-a-half after confirming that a Frasier revival is in the works at Paramount+, Kelsey Grammer has shared an update on the timetable for its premiere. During a Monday appearance on CBS The Talk, Grammer was asked where things stand with actually shooting the Frasier revival, and the five-time Emmy winner said, There have been some conversations about [starting in] maybe October, maybe a little later. More from TVLine He went on to note that he has other projects in queue that may shoot first, But were in the final stages of the final script for the first episode of Frasier, and it looks pretty good, he said. The Frasier reboot is IN the works and almost into production says @KelseyGrammer. pic.twitter.com/gXQnhuuCIl The Talk (@TheTalkCBS) July 4, 2022 Almost exactly a year ago, during an interview with WNBC New York, Grammer said that the revival had reached out to David Hyde Pierce, Jane Leeves and Peri Gilpin about reprising their respective roles as Niles, Daphne and Roz. (John Mahoney, who played Crane patriarch Martin, died in February 2018. We deal with that some in the first episode, Grammer said.) TV Characters Never Seen Pierce, for one, very recently indicated that his involvement is TBD. That whole time of my life [doing Frasier] is deeply important to me. And I would never disrespect that in such a way as to say just offhandedly, Oh, no, thanks. Im not going to do that again. Its too valuable to me, he told Vulture last month. But by the same token, because its so valuable to me, I also wouldnt do it just to do it. And I believe it can be done without me, too finding new stories to tell, in the same way that Frasier did after Cheers. Story continues Teasing the revivals premise, Grammer said last summer that the title character who was first seen in Boston on Cheers, before relocating to Seattle for his spinoff is going to change cities again. There are some surprises there. Hes like the George Bailey of television, Grammer quipped. He thinks hes gonna go off and do one thing, and sure enough his life takes him in another direction and he ends up rich beyond his dreams. Best of TVLine Get more from TVLine.com : Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Newsletter Click here to read the full article. Each week, this series shares MarionMade! stories of our many wonderful people, places, products and programs in the greater Marion community. To read more positive stories of Marion, or to share some of your own, visit us at marionmade.org or on social media. Ernst Stuckeys family had moved to Prospect in the 1880s. The family owned a meat market near the train tracks next to the fire station. His father, John, and his brother, Rudolph, were butchers and firemen. His sister, Emma, taught English at the local German school. An undated photo of Ernst and Ella Stuckey. Ernst Stuckey grew up in Prospect. After he married they moved to Marion and had five children. They strongly believed in the value of higher education. Ernst met his wife, Ella, while they worked summer jobs at a hotel in Charlevoix, Michigan, around 1912. Ernst graduated from Western Reserve (now Case Western Reserve). Ella graduated from Michigan State Normal School (now Eastern Michigan University.) The couple married in 1917 and settled in Marion. Ernst served in the U.S. Army in 1918 in France as a quartermaster. Ella taught school in Marion. After the war, with a growing family, Ernst worked as an accountant and business manager at Frank Brothers Department Store. They moved to Cherry Street and lived in their home there for 30 years. Their children attended Marion City Schools. Four girls and one boy enjoyed running around town, riding the trolley, and visiting the local soda shop. Lucille (Lucy), Kathryn (Kay), Virginia (Ginny), Barbara (Bobby), and John were a popular family who enjoyed many activities, including card games, scouting and playing musical instruments. While the Great Depression added challenges, Ernst and Ella rose to meet them. Ernst worked two or three jobs to make ends meet. Ella managed a busy household and made all of their clothes. Their relatives who owned the butcher shop often bartered goods since no one had cash. No matter how tight times were, education was a priority. If you were a Stuckey, you went to college, recalled Dr. Erlandson, a grandson. The Stuckey family celebrated Ernst and Ellas 50th anniversary at their sons home in Marion in 1967. From left to right: Kathryn (Kay) Erlandson, Virginia (Ginny) Smoot, Lucille (Lucy) Spetnagel, Ella Stuckey, Ernst Stuckey, Barbara (Bobby) Ehrlich, and John Stuckey. Always a competitive family, two of the girls went to Miami University and two went to its rival, Ohio University. Their brother went to Ohio Northern University. The four girls became teachers while John became an attorney in Marion. Story continues World War II caused upheaval. Kay worked at a factory shipping tank parts to the front. As she spoke some German, she also supervised German POWs who worked at the plant. Lucy and Kay moved back in with Ernst and Ella to have their babies while their husbands were serving overseas. John married a teacher from Ohio Northern. His bride, Lois, taught at Silver Street Elementary (now Hayes) and raised their children in Marion. Teaching and education remained woven throughout the family tree. Kay, taught special education for 20 years, encouraging some of her students to attend college. Lucy taught music in Kingsport, Tennessee. Ginny was an artist and taught school as well. Barbara taught school in Ohio and Indiana in the early years of her marriage. The love of education continued on throughout the next several generations as well. Ginnys daughter, Karen, became school superintendent of a system in Reno, NV. Kays son, Dr. Stephen Erlandson, married Linda, a teacher. Their son has a Ph.D. in educational technology and is currently a curriculum specialist and online educational consultant. Their daughter, who has masters degrees in education and school psychology, now teaches at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario, Canada. While the sisters and their families eventually moved out of the area, they remained close. For many years they would visit together in Marion or on Lake Erie with their parents. After Ernst, Ella, and brother John passed away, the sisters and Johns wife, Lois, made sure to get together as often as possible. Dr. Stephen and Linda Erlandson started the Ernst and Ella Stuckey Scholarship Fund at Marion Technical College. Pictured left to right are Dr. Bob Haas, vice president of academic affairs and student services/chief strategy officer at Marion Tech; Tami Galloway, vice president of the Marion Tech Foundation Board; Linda Erhlandson; Dr. Stephen Erlandson; Michelle Miller; Mike Stuckey, director of the Marion Tech Foundation. In 1981, the five women with spouses, children, grandchildren, and eventually great-grandchildren, began a tradition of gathering for biannual reunions in Gatlinburg, TN. The family came from Ohio, seven other states, and Ontario, Canada. The reunions continue despite a pause during the COVID-19 pandemic. In tribute to the founders of their family, Stephen and Linda Erlandson started the Ernst and Ella Stuckey Scholarship Fund to help local students attend Marion Technical College. We cant think of a better way to honor their memories than by helping others pursuing their educations to succeed, said Erlandson. This article originally appeared on Marion Star: MarionMade!: A tradition of education in a family with Marion roots You are the owner of this article. Naomi Ishisaka: Even in liberal WA, the Catholic Church has too much influence on abortion access The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that public policy in a pluralistic society must affirm the constitutional right of privacy of the individual to make reproductive choices. You can read more about the history of the Leagues position on this issue by going here https://bit.ly/3ADmRur. Recently, the League of Women Voters of the United States president, Dr. Deborah Turner, and CEO Virginia Kase Solomon issued the following joint statement in response to the 6-3 Supreme Court decision of Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which overturns the constitutional right to abortion as recognized for nearly 50 years in the landmark cases of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey: Todays ruling strips women and those who may become pregnant of their bodily autonomy and will have devastating and immediate consequences across the country. While the courts opinion was expected, its harm is extreme and real. When women and those who can become pregnant can no longer make reproductive decisions for their own bodies, they are no longer equal individuals in our democracy. This harm will exacerbate societal inequalities and fall disproportionately on people of color and low-income communities already facing egregious obstacles to health care. The decision foreshadows the erosion of other well-established constitutional rights including marriage equality, access to contraception and the right to engage in private, consensual intimate conduct. The dissenting justices get it exactly right: Todays majority opinion is an assault on the constitutional guarantee to equal protection of the laws and the right to due process. With this decision, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other historically marginalized communities have no guarantees that their civil rights will be protected. The League of Women Voters stands in our power with our reproductive partners and all persons who fear the dangerous consequences of this decision. We will use our anger to fight in the legislatures, in the courts and in the streets. We call on our elected leaders at the state and federal levels to act swiftly to restore bodily autonomy to all people. Women hold the power to create a more perfect democracy. We will not stand by as constitutional rights are stripped away, one by one. Womens rights are human rights, and we will continue to fight until the right to abortion is restored. Our lives depend on it. The League of Women Voters of Yakima County stands in solidarity with the League of Women Voters of the United States in support. To the editor At last, a respite from political discourse. Some people who know me wonder about my obsession with brown spirits. I will deny vehemently that I have a drinking problem, but will readily admit that I do go a little overboard on collecting. Even though my cultural roots run deep into Scotch/Irish ancestry, my lineage traveled through parts of the South, mainly Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee. Now any respectable whisky (whiskey) aficionado knows that the distillation of bourbon (a truly American spirit) has certain requirements that differ greatly from rye, Scotch, Irish, Tennessee, Canadian, Japanese or blended American whiskeys. All bourbons are whiskey, but not all whiskeys are bourbon. Having had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout Kentucky, where 95% of bourbon is distilled, aged and bottled, my wife and I have realized that we have become bourbon snobs. I write this not to flaunt my knowledge of bourbon, but instead to encourage those with an interest in American history to explore how closely the history of bourbon is tied to the history of our country. Immigration, migration, taxation, scandals, politics, great fortunes won and lost, all tied to the history of bourbon. Grab a book, a dram and enjoy! Cheers! RON LIVINGSTON Yakima For those whove dismissed the proceedings of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol last year as more about political theater than accountability, the testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson should change their minds. The one-time top aide to Mark Meadows, then-President Donald J. Trumps chief of staff, dropped bombshell after bombshell during her surprise appearance on Capitol Hill on June 28. Some of the testimony like the revelation that Trumps tantrums included throwing his lunch against the wall was more obnoxious than felonious. But far more troubling is what would seem to be clear evidence of the presidents involvement in a criminal enterprise: According to Hutchinson, Trump knew full well that his supporters were armed and therefore had to recognize that, in dispatching them to the Capitol, he was directing an armed insurrection to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 election. Politics is politics, but crime is crime. Its safe to assume that the U.S. Department of Justice under Attorney General Merrick Garland is naturally reluctant to indict a former president. After Richard M. Nixon resigned from office in disgrace in 1974, then-President Gerald Ford pardoned him for any crimes committed while in office. Ford justified the action as an attempt to heal deep political divisions in the country. And while some may have seen this as a noble self-sacrifice of Fords own political career, that clearly wasnt his expectation. More significantly, it freed Nixon from true accountability despite the overwhelming evidence of his role in the Watergate cover-up, demonstrating to the nation and the world that a U.S. president is above the law. That is a precedent that must not be repeated in 2022. Tuesdays hearing was not a criminal proceeding, of course. There was no defense offered, no cross-examination, no rules of evidence to meet. But what was presented was too compelling to ignore. How could Trump have known that his supporters were armed? He specifically asked that Secret Service not use metal detectors which he assumed had reduced the size of the crowd gathering for his speech at the Ellipse. Take the f-ing (detectors) away, the supporters are not here to hurt me, Trump told his staff, according to Hutchinson. His subsequent speech urging those same supporters to then march on the Capitol resonates a whole lot differently knowing how much firearms were on his mind at that moment as was his desire to personally lead them. We would be the first to admit that our regard for the 45th occupant of the Oval Office was already exceedingly low. His attacks of the late U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings and on Baltimore, his prolific lies, his racism and misogyny, his willful incompetence and corruption, his ignorance and indifference to any facts that dont suit his political convenience should have been disqualifying for such an important office. But, just as Americans should not ignore crimes committed by someone they admire, Trumps failures should not insulate him from criminal indictment. Nor should his continued influence on the Republican Party even as he continues to endorse candidate after candidate across the country. Our democracy doesnt work if our top elected leaders are not held to the same standards of conduct as the least powerful among us. Prosecuting a former president is not an action to be taken lightly, of course. All Americans should take the time to watch Hutchinsons testimony or read the transcripts available online. At least the highlights. She is a compelling witness to a lot of truly repugnant behavior. This is no longer just about the ex-presidents reality-bending tweets or whether he radicalized his supporters. This is about his intent and his state of mind. Its difficult to ignore the obvious that Trump sought to incite a riot with full knowledge of the potential consequences of his actions. This is worse than Watergate. This was an attempt to steer the nation toward a constitutional crisis orchestrated not just by underlings or attorneys but by the president himself. It cant go unpunished. As tensions rise as a result of Russias occupation of Ukraine and Chinas military exercises in the waters and airspace around Taiwan, our very own homeland security is at risk of being overlooked. Alarming data from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) reveal CBP encountered a record 239,416 individuals attempting to enter our country illegally at our southern border during the month of May an increase of 32 percent over CBP encounters in May 2021 and a staggering 930 percent over 2020. This volume alone is overwhelming our homeland security agencies, but the risk of dangerous individuals making their way into our country is also rising. Since October 2021, 50 people designated in the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) Terrorist Screening Database have been arrested while attempting to illegally enter the United States. This exceeds numbers from previous years many times over and is a direct result of the assumption around the world our border is not secure. The Wall Street Journal has reported drug overdoses, due mostly to opioids, exceeded 100,000 to reach an all-time high in 2021. CBP has seized over 1 millon pounds of illegal drugs since President Biden took office, including nearly 8,000 pounds of fentanyl to date in Fiscal Year 2022. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, one pound of fentanyl has the potential to cause 225,000 overdose deaths. The problem is greater than ever before, yet actions taken by the Biden administration to repeal policies such as the Remain in Mexico Policy and Title 42, show an agenda which is out of touch with a majority of Americans. A recent survey conducted by CNN, as well as another by POLITICO and the Harvard School of Public Health, show most Americans disapprove of ending Title 42 at this time. Because I also oppose ending Title 42, I am a cosponsor of the PAUSE Act, legislation to prevent the administration from lifting or weakening Title 42. I am also a cosponsor of a bill to use the Congressional Review Act to stop a rule proposed by President Bidens DHS and Department of Justice (DOJ). The rule would direct those who cross the border illegally and claim asylum to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials, rather than immigration judges, to have their asylum application reviewed. Further, under the rule, these individuals would not be detained while their application is pending. This comes alongside a processing backlog and concerning developments, such as the administrations unprecedented and involuntary replacement of the director of the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) and other top EOIR officials and immigration judges. One of those judges, Matthew OBrien, has said the administration seems to be dealing with the backlog, by simply not pursuing the cases and releasing these people into the interior of the United States. This is unacceptable. Non-enforcement of our nations laws and neglect of our borders are incentivizing an ongoing crisis at our southern border. Since President Biden entered office, nearly 3 million illegal immigrants have been apprehended at our southern border, and caravans of individuals eager to take advantage of loose border security have become commonplace. Our nation was founded by immigrants who sought a better life for themselves and their families. Congress must continue to improve our immigration laws for those who seek to contribute positively to our nation. However, as President Biden fails to protect our southern border, the positive stories of those who immigrate legally will be drowned out by continued alarm about illegal immigration. Suzuki Motor, the Japanese two-wheeler giant has unveiled the 2022 Hayabusa with mild updates in the form of new colour schemes. The legendary superbike recently received an update in the form of all-new third generation model and now gets additional colour options. The famed motorcycle currently gets three paint choices -Thunder Gray Metallic/ Candy Darling Red, Glass Sparkle Black/ Matte Black Metallic No.2 and Brilliant White/Pearl Bigger Blue as standard. The bike manufacturer has now added 18 new colour options, taking the total shades to 21, giving a wide choice to the buyers. While the previous colour options are sold as standard shades, the new ones can be had only as a special order and are called Colors Order Plan. Under the new scheme, the customers can choose a different combination of body colours and wheel colours, allowing the buyers to choose whatever listed colourway as a base paint instead of the black painted wheels in the regular motorcycle. However, these are not free options and the customers will have to pay 55,000 JPY (around Rs 32,000) over the standard price of the Hayabusa in the Japanese market. Also read: This 40-year-old restored HM Ambassador gets modifications worth Rs 8 lakh As for the third-gen Hayabusa, it got multiple electronic aids like six-axis IMU system, ride-by-wire throttle, traction control, anti-lift control, cornering ABS system, wheelie control, quickshifter, hill assist, launch control, ride modes and more. It continues to be powered by 1,340 cc inline four-cylinder liquid-cooled four-stroke DOHC fuel-injected engine. Design wise, the new Suzuki Hayabusa gets full LED headlights and LED taillights, redesigned instrument console with a new TFT display, a tall windscreen, aerodynamic body, among others. Live TV TVS Motorcycles, the homegrown two-wheeler maker is all set to launch its newest offering in the Indian market the TVS Ronin in just a couple of days. Ahead of its launch, images of the TVS Ronin have surfaced online, highlighting the design of the bike. The Instagram post by sss.dzns also reveals other details like the expected prices of the upcoming of the motorcycle. However, whether or not the information is correct can only be confirmed once the product is launched in India. Heres a look at what TVS Ronin is all about: TVS Ronin: Expected Price As per the Instagram handle who leaked the images of the TVS Ronin, the upcoming 125 cc motorcycle is expected to be priced at around Rs 1.49 lakh (ex-showroom). However, given the size of the engine, the information seems not so authentic. Other reports also suggest that the bike will get a 225 cc engine, justifying the price tag. TVS Ronin: Design As per the leaked images, the TVS Ronin gets a Scrambler styled design with elements of cafe racer motorcycle as per. The bike can be seen with round headlight, teardrop-shaped fuel tank, flat side panel and a brown, single-piece seat. At the rear is tubular grab-rail, and tail-light located below the seat. The bike comes with dual-tone paint, blacked-out engine and a large belly pan underneath. Theres a large side slung exhaust, with a silver-coloured tip. While the leaked report says that the TVS Ronin will be powered by a Radeon sourced 125 cc engine, other reports suggest that the bike will get an Apache sourced 225-cc engine at least. Theres also gold-coloured inverted USD fork at the front and monoshock at the back. TVS Ronin: Features As seen in the pics, the bike rides on multi-spoke alloy wheels with dual-purpose tyres. The braking duties are done by disc brakes at the both ends, likely with dual-channel ABS. The bike has a round instrument cluster and it is likely to feature TVS Smart Xonnect Bluetooth connectivity system which will display incoming calls, SMS, email alerts and turn-by-turn navigation. Live TV On July 2, Saturday, hundreds of IndiGo passengers were left stranded across airports in India after multiple flights were delayed. The Indian airline with the highest (On Time Performance) was left struggling to keep its record intact with only 45 percent of flights able to operate on time, within 15 minutes for their scheduled departure. As per reports, non-availability of crew members was cited as the primary reason for the hindrance. Almost 55 percent of IndiGo flights got delayed, resulting the Indian aviation's watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) taking a strong cognizance of the IndiGo's operations. "Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken strong cognizance of IndiGo operations and sought a clarification/explanation behind the massive flight delays nationwide,"; DGCA officials told ANI. As per the Ministry of Civil aviation (MoCA) data, only 45 per cent of IndiGo flights were able to operate on-time performance (OTP) within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time on Saturday. IndiGo responded to over a dozen passengers on Twitter regarding flight delays due to various reasons. "We never wish to disrupt our passengers' travel plans. The delay was due to the late arrival of the incoming aircraft which disrupted the rotation of the aircraft. We hope you will understand that many factors are beyond our control that determines our flight schedule," IndiGo tweeted. @dgcain, Another horrible experience with @IndiGo6E. Our flight from Mumbai(PNR: ZSEV4K)got delayed by 1.5hrs,no clear intimation provided by indigo on the delay. The very first notification on delay of "30mins" (at actual it was 90mins)was shared at 4:45 when all passengers 1/3 pic.twitter.com/zJLdv0l0dc Shaona Dutta (@DuttaShaona) July 2, 2022 In another tweet IndiGo accepted the delays, "We regret the delay. Your flight is expected to depart by 1125 hrs. Our team is trying its best to get you to your destination ASAP. Please hang in there," IndiGo said in another tweet. While IndiGo has not released an official statement on the reason behind the shortage of crew members, reports suggest that the crew members went to the Air India recruitment drive. The phase-2 of Air India's recruitment drive was conducted on Saturday (July 2) and a majority of IndiGo's cabin crew members who took sick leave went for it, the sources in the industry added. When asked about this, Arun Kumar, who heads the aviation regulator DGCA, told PTI, "We are looking into this." According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation's website, 45.2 percent of IndiGo's domestic flights operated on time on Saturday (July 2). In comparison, the on-time performances of Air India, SpiceJet, Vistara, Go First and AirAsia India was 77.1 per cent, 80.4 per cent, 86.3 per cent, 88 per cent and 92.3 per cent, respectively, on Saturday (July 2). IndiGo CEO Ronjoy Dutta had on April 8 told employees through an email that raising salaries is a difficult and thorny issue but the airline will constantly review and adjust wages based on its profitability and the competitive environment. With agencies inputs Live TV An EasyJet flight travelling from London to the Spanish holiday island Menorca was intercepted by a Spanish Air Force fighter jet after a teenage passenger on board made a hoax bomb threat on social media. The Airbus A319 took off from Londons Gatwick Airport (LGW) in the United Kingdom at 1 pm and landed safely at Mahon Menorca Airport (MAH) around 5 pm in Spain on July 3. The aircraft was then immediately escorted to a security area. An EasyJet Airbus A319-100 aircraft (G-EZAO) bound to the island of Menorca (LEMH) was intercepted by Spanish F/A-18 fighter jet on 3rd July due to security concerns. It is being said that a false bomb alarm was received on easyJet flight EZY-8303 from Gatwick (LGW),London. pic.twitter.com/fuORai9ZwV FL360aero (@fl360aero) July 4, 2022 The video footage shows an F-18 fighter jet flying close to the wingtips of the EasyJet A319 aircraft that had 120-150 passengers on board. The fighter jet can be seen making a gesture by waggling its wings indicating the other pilot to follow him. Also read: Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air unveils flight crew uniform featuring sneakers, recycled materials Military planes tend to intercept civilian aircraft only if the aircraft loses contact with the ground air traffic control or if there is a possible bomb threat warning or suspicious object. As soon as the aircraft landed the teenage passenger was arrested and the rest of the passengers were asked to get their baggage checked by sniffer dogs and bomb disposal experts. The incident caused panic and disruption to airport operations which further delayed the aircrafts future schedule. Live TV New Delhi: Photos of Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal giving coffee to employees went viral on social media recently. As per a report, Agrawal was in London last week for a series of business meetings when the incident occurred. While Agrawal served coffee at Twitter's London offices, Ned Segal, the company's chief finance officer, served cookies. Dara Nasar, the managing director of Twitter in the United Kingdom, was also present. Who doesn't admire a CEO who can also make a good cup of coffee? A breakfast to remember! The chance to share breakfast with our awesome CEO @paraga and a group of diverse Tweeps with brilliant backgrounds. (And nobody spilled food on themselves which was the main KPI). #LoveWhereYouWork pic.twitter.com/iOMez6lgQW anna ryan (@tellmestories) July 1, 2022 During Agrawal's visit to the UK, there was also a stand-up comedy show. Read More: GREAT opportunity! Get pension of Rs 2 lakh per month, GRAB this government scheme now Thank you to all the tweeps who made this past week in @TwitterUK and @TwitterDublin so energizing. And thank goodness @DaraNasr is so funny! https://t.co/fhUr9uXnFJ Parag Agrawal (@paraga) July 3, 2022 The meeting takes place as Elon Musk's Twitter deal remains in the spotlight. In May, Agrawal detailed the recent leadership changes on the microblogging site's team and stated that the transaction with Elon Musk will still go through. In a lengthy Twitter conversation, Agrawal stated that a lot had happened in the company in recent weeks and that, while he had not yet spoken publicly about it, he would do so now. Parag Agrawal's lengthy thread came shortly after he fired two top Twitter executives, and Elon Musk announced that the Twitter takeover proposal had been placed on hold. Read More: Anand Mahindra responds to Harsh Goenka's tweet on loving your parents with a pencil and eraser example, internet is all hearts "A lot has happened in the last few weeks. "I've been focused on the company and haven't said much publicly during this time, but I will now," Agrawal said in a tweet, adding, "We announced changes to our leadership team and operations yesterday. Changes impacting people are always difficult. And some have been asking why a "lame-duck" CEO would make these changes if we're going to be acquired anyway. The short answer is very simple." While he expected the $44 billion Twitter transaction with Elon Musk to be completed, he stressed the team needed to be prepared for any situation. New Delhi: Eknath Shinde, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, announced on Monday that the state government will lower the value-added tax (VAT) on fuel and diesel. Shinde informed the Legislative House that a decision to decrease VAT on fuel would be made in the state Cabinet once he won the floor test. Petrol is now priced at Rs 111.35 per litre in Mumbai, while diesel is priced at Rs 97.28 per litre. The city of Mumbai has the highest petrol prices in the country. Read More: At the end of May, the Maharashtra government reduced the state-imposed tax on petrol and diesel by Rs 2.08 per litre and Rs 1.44 per litre, respectively. The action came after the central government announced a tax cut on fuel of Rs 8 per litre and diesel of Rs 6 per litre on May 21. The Union Finance Minister also asked states to follow suit by lowering state charges on car fuels. Read More: However, in April, the Opposition-ruled states rejected Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposal to reduce VAT on fuel as a people-relief move. The opposition-ruled states have previously refused, claiming that it would have a significant detrimental impact on their earnings. Last week, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the government will examine the increased levies charged on oil, diesel, and ATF every two weeks based on world pricing. She said these as "extraordinary times." "and oil prices are uncontrollable on a global scale. "We do not want to impede exports, but rather improve domestic availability." "Sitharaman stated. On the final day of the two-day extraordinary session of the House, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde won the key floor test. The motion of confidence was supported by 164 MLAs in the 288-member House, while it was opposed by 99. Three parliamentarians did not vote, while 21 legislators, including Ashok Chavan and Vijay Wadettiwar of the Congress, were missing during the trust vote. Mumbai (Maharashtra): The new Maharashtra government, which came to power after Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde`s 10-day rebellion brought the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, will face the floor test on Monday, the second day of the special session of the state Legislative Assembly. Earlier on Sunday evening, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde along with his faction of Shiv Sena MLAs held a meeting with Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, BJP MLAs, and other party leaders at a hotel in Mumbai to chalk out a strategy for the floor test. "The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government is set to face a majority test on Monday, the second day of the special session of the legislature. What exactly will be the government's strategy was discussed in the meeting held in the presence of all the MLAs today," sources said. Eknath Shinde, who has been claiming the support of 40 rebel Shiv Sena legislators, said that he expects the government to be successful in the floor test to be held tomorrow like the Speaker`s election held today, sources added. Fadnavis claimed that the Shinde government would prove its majority with 166 votes, adding "The youngest speaker candidate won the speaker election with 164 votes today as 2 MLAs couldn`t come due to health issues. We would prove our majority with 166 votes in the vote of confidence." At present, the BJP has 106 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly and Shinde is leading 39 rebel Shiv Sena legislators and some Independents. After the death of a Shiv Sena MLA recently, the current strength of the Assembly is reduced to 287, thus the majority mark is 144. Also read: Big blow to Uddhav, Eknath Shinde reinstated as Sena legislative party leader Shinde-led camp and the BJP scored a big win on Sunday as BJP`s Rahul Narwekar was elected as the Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly defeating Shiv Sena candidate Rajan Salvi. Interestingly, amid the ongoing battle between two Shiv Sena factions led by Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray, both sides issued separate whips to the party MLAs to vote in favour of their respective candidates during the speaker`s election on Sunday and later accused each other of violating them. Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant, who is in the Uddhav Thackeray camp, said that 39 party MLAs did not obey their whip adding that they have sought their disqualification from the state Assembly. "39 of our MLAs did not obey our whip, and didn`t follow party order, so we have sought their disqualification from new Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has chosen Ajay Choudhari as the leader of the group," Sawant said. However, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has taken on record the letter sent by Bharat Gogawale, who is Chief Whip of the Eknath Shinde-led faction. Gogawale said that 16 MLAs Shiv Sena violated the whip. Narwekar received a total of 164 votes in support and 107 went to the Shiv Sena candidate`s account. During the Speaker elections, 12 members were absent and 3 legislators abstained from the voting. In the latest development, the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Sena has also started the legal process to disqualify 16 MLAs, including Shinde. Newly appointed Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar said in the House today that he has received a letter from Bharatshet Gogawale, a whip of the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena that "16 MLAs have violated their whip and he has sought action". I have noted this, Narwekar said. In his first address on the floor of the Maharashtra Assembly as a Chief Minister on Sunday, Shinde said that the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to let him lead the government despite having more members than his side has "opened the eyes of many".He also said that after the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state, a "BJP-Shiv Sena government" has taken charge which is based on the beliefs of the party founder Balasaheb Thackeray. Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray termed Monday`s floor test as a "morality test" for MLAs. Punjab cabinet expansion: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government is all set for its first cabinet to revamp. The oath-taking ceremony of the new Ministers will be held at Raj Bhawan at 5 pm on Monday, reported ANI. The cabinet expansion comes after bypoll results in various constituencies and a criminal case of one of the key ministers in the Bhagwant Mann cabinet. The names of the new ministers, who will be inducted into the revised Punjab cabinet have not been revealed, yet. However, CM Mann reached Delhi last week to meet Arvind Kejriwal. ANI reported quoting sources that both AAP leaders held talks on the Punjab cabinet expansion. However, on being asked about the closed-door meeting with Kejriwal, Mann, who is often accused of running a remote-control government in the hands of Delhi CM, told ANI "there was no discussion about cabinet expansion in the meeting with Arvind Kejriwal, we will decide on it in Punjab". The announcement of the Punjab cabinet government revamp came hours after the Mann-Kejriwal Delhi meeting. AAP lost Bhagwant Maans bastion constituency Sangrur This cabinet expansion is going to happen at a time when AAP has lost the Sangrur Lok Sabha by-election recently and civic elections are also to be held in Punjab in the coming times. In such a situation, it is believed that in this cabinet expansion, efforts will also be made to harmonize accordingly. Punjab cabinet expansion- What changes are expected According to sources, Dwaba and Majha regions can also be represented in this cabinet expansion, because most of the Ministers in the current cabinet of the Bhagwant Mann government are from the Malwa region. Sources told ANI that a total of 5 to 6 new ministers, including a woman MLA, are likely to take oath on Monday. At present, Dr Baljit Kaur is the only woman minister in the Bhagwant Mann government. Jeevanjot Kaur from Amritsar East and Sarvjit Kaur Manuke from Jagrao are among the names that are surfacing for the new female face. According to sources, the name of Aman Arora, MLA from Sunam, is in the forefront of the names that are being discussed. It is also believed that the portfolios of some ministers can also be changed. Further, the names of Amritsar South MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Fauja Singh Sarari, MLA from Guru Har Sahai, and Samana MLA Chetan Singh Joramajra are also humming around. Presently, there are only 9 ministers in Bhagwant Mann's cabinet owing to the removal of Health Minister Vijay Singla in the corruption case. (With ANI inputs) Before the trust vote of the Eknath Shinde government, the NCP supremo claimed that the Shinde-BJP government will not last for more than six months. Their government will collapse like a house of cards. Now Mamata Banerjee has also extended her support to Sharad Pawar's remarks. Mamata Banerjee has launched a scathing attack on the Shinde BJP government. She took a swipe at the bjp and said, "The BJP has brought down the Uddhav government in Maharashtra through undemocratic means. Their government will not last for a long time." It is to be noted that Mamata Banerjee has a good relationship with Uddhav Thackeray. Uddhav Thackeray was about to join the opposition unity. Mamata went to Mumbai and held several meetings with Uddhav Thackeray. Uddhav Thackeray even called Mamata Banerjee after her victory in the 2021 polls and greeted her. Also Read: 'Entire Nupur Sharma controversy is a conspiracy of...': Mamata Banerjee's BIG claim amid Prophet Row Ahead of Shinde's trust vote, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar took a swipe at him, saying his government will not last for more than six months. The Shinde-BJP government will fall soon. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has extended a kind of support to Sharad Pawar's demand. Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of misusing power. Mamata alleges, "The rebel Shiv Sena MLAs were bought by the BJP with money. BJP in Assam has spread money to keep the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs in their hands." Targeting the BJP, Mamata Banerjee said people will vote to oust the BJP in this election. Those who have raised the issue of family politics, their own family members are in multiple positions. Mamata took a dig at Amit Shah's son for being the BCCI secretary. CBSE 10th Result 2022: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will not announce the Class 10 result today, on June 4. According to media reports CBSE officials have shared that the board would not be releasing the CBSE Class 10 results on July 4. The information, officials added, would be shared in due course of time on cbse.gov.in and cbseresults.nic.in. Once announced, students can check their CBSE results on the board website at cbseresults.nic.in. Though there is no official confirmation on when CBSE 10th, 12th results 2022 will be announced, certain media reports suggest that CBSE Class 10 result can be announced by July 13, while 12th result by July 15. CBSE Results 2022: Official website to check your result cbseresults.nic.in results.gov.in digilocker.gov.in CBSE 10th Result 2022: Mobile apps to download CBSE Term 2 results DigiLocker app UMANG App CBSE 10th Result 2022: Here is how you can check your result - Visit the official websites- cbse.gov.in, cbseresults.nic.in - Click on CBSE 10th result 2022 link - Enter log-in credentials- roll number, date of birth - CBSE 10th result 2022 will appear on the screen - Download Class 10 scorecard, take a print out for further reference. The CBSE term 2 Class 10 exams were held from April 26 and concluded on May 24 and Class 12 exams took place from April 26 till June 15. This year, a total of 1454370 students took the class 12th exam and 2116209 candidates took the class 10th exam conducted by the CBSE. The students need to secure a minimum 33 per cent marks in each paper and in overall to get pass in the CBSE 10th exam 2022. ALSO READ: Last date to apply for TS ICET TODAY CBSE Class 10th, Class 12th Board Results 2022: Ahead of the announcement of CBSE Class 10th and Class 12th Board results 2022, Zee News on Monday (July 4) ran a poll on Boards final result calculation formula this year. In the poll, Zee News asked its audience whether they prefer CBSEs Best of Terms subject-wise result or average of both Terms result Out of 4621 votes polled, 62.9% of people on Twitter voted for Best of terms subject, while 16.7% voted in favour of Best Either Term. 13.1% of people selected 50-50 result criteria and 7.3% of voters went ahead with the average of both Terms results. Here are the poll results: CBSE Board Results 2022: Students demand #BestOfEitherTermsSubjectWise ahead of 10th, 12th results. What's your opinion? Vote now! To know more, read here- https://t.co/yvUjQY7tDG#cbseresult2022 #CBSEResult Zee News English (@ZeeNewsEnglish) July 4, 2022 What is the Best of Either Term? Students also demand that CBSE either gives the highest weightage to internal assessment which will rank students based on their year-long performance. Students have also suggested giving the highest weightage to an internal assessment of as much as 50 per cent and the remaining 50 per cent should be divided among term 1 and term 2. Students also claim that to lessen the blow of the pandemic, students could also be scored on the basis of the best of either term. This means, a common formula can be used where each student can put term 1 or term 2 marks based on their performance. This would also ensure that students who skipped one of the two terms also get similar assessment system. CBSE Class 10th Results 2022: Here's how to check your result - Go to the official website, cbseresults.nic.in. - Click on the CBSE 10th result 2022 window. - Enter board roll number, date of birth, and school number in the space provided. - Click on the Submit button. - CBSE 10th exam result 2022 term 2 will be displayed on the screen. - Students are advised to download the CBSE Class 10 result 2022 and keep it safe for future use. Earlier, various media reports suggested that the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) would release the class 10th, and 12th term-2 results by July 4, however, the sources have informed that the results will be declared by the end of July. As per the latest media reports, board officials have told that the evaluation process is underway and the results will be announced by the end of this month which is July. Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday made it public that the BJP was an active participant in his recent 'uprising' against Shiv Sena leadership. Shinde's remarks in the State Assembly, after he won the floor test in the House, left no one in doubt that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, now the deputy CM, was actively involved in the Shinde-led group's activities. As his group MLAs were camping at a luxury hotel in Guwahati late last month, there were reports that Shinde had held a secret meeting with Fadnavis after reaching Gujarat from Guwahati. The reports claimed that before dawn, Shinde came back to the Guwahati hotel, where he was camping with 40 MLAs who turned against the MVA government in Maharashtra. "Our numbers were less (than BJP's) but PM Narendra Modi blessed us. Modi saheb told me before the swearing-in that he will extend all possible help to me. Amit Shah saheb said he will stand behind us like a rock," Shinde said. "But the biggest kalakar (artist) is this one," Shinde said, pointing to Fadnavis, sitting to his right on the treasury benches. "We used to meet while my group MLAs were asleep and return (to Guwahati) before they woke up," Shinde said. "The one who orchestrated everything is here," Shinde said, pointing to Fadnavis, who was visibly embarrassed to see the not-so-well-kept secret of their parleys come out in the open. "One doesn't know what he will do and when," Shinde said. Putting an end to the over a week-long political turmoil in Maharashtra, Shinde took oath as chief minister of the state on June 30. Fadnavis, after initial reluctance, took an oath as deputy chief minister. A statement by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma has put India in trouble everywhere from inside the country to outside the country. Nupur Sharma's statement has become the root of all unwanted incidents. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already opened up about her. This time again she is all against Nupur Sharma. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while speaking at the India Today Conclave East on Monday, spoke about the arrest of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. She also questioned why Nupur Sharma has not been arrested yet? Taking a dig at bjp, she said, "It's a conspiracy. The entire controversy is a conspiracy of the saffron party. By doing this, they are increasing the divide among the people. An abominable policy, I think it is the bjp's divisive policy." Also Read: 'Won't leave her, UNTILL...', Angry Mamata Banerjee THREATENS Nupur Sharma over Prophet Row Asked if she wanted Nupur Sharma's arrest, Mamata said there was a demand for Nupur's arrest as "you cannot play with fire". She added that she does not believe in divisive politics and said, "We work for Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, all communities." Mamata demands for the arrest of Nupur Sharma, while Kolkata Police has already issued a lookout notice against Nupur Sharma for her controversial remarks about Prophet Mohammed. Kolkata Police has also registered two FIRs in the name of Nupur Sharma so far. Earlier, Sharma was summoned by the Narkeldanga police station and was asked to appear on June 20. The Amherst police station had also called her on June 25. But she had avoided physical appearances on both the summons stating the risk to her life. Following this, the Kolkata Police issued a lookout circular. Meanwhile, two persons have been murdered again in support of Nupur Sharma's statement. One incident took place in Udaipur in Rajasthan. There a tailor was stabbed to death. On the other hand, the same thing has happened in Amravati in Maharashtra. A 54-year-old man was murdered. In both cases, the NIA has taken over the investigation. Hyderabad (Telangana): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda lambasted the KCR-led Telangana government saying the southern state was in a loss of Rs 4.5 lakh crore here on the second day of the BJP national executive meeting on Sunday. The BJP chief said, "People are perturbed by the corruption and injustice of the KCR government. The state is in loss of Rs 4.5 lakh crore under him. People gave us a good response in recent elections held at different levels in the state," stressing that the people of Telangana were fed up with the state government`s malpractices. "I was in charge of elections here in the assembly elections, I have seen the atmosphere of that time and the environment after that. The way people are fed up with the government of KCR and the malpractices of his government and the way they are trying to crush the opposition parties," ANI quoted Nadda as saying on the final day of the BJP`s National Executive Meeting in Hyderabad which began on Saturday. Earlier on Saturday, Nadda lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s leadership in his opening remarks at the party`s national executive and said the government had deftly dealt with various challenges including COVID-19 and the evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine. In an apparent swipe at the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi, the BJP chief said "parivarvad is being defeated by vikasvad" under the Modi government. He said dynastic politics is getting rejected by people due to politics of development. Also read: 'Development will be faster in Telangana': PM bats for double engine govt Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also gave a clarion call to the people of Telangana to uproot the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government and give a chance to the BJP. Amit Shah on Sunday said that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao is not concerned for the unemployed youth and only wants to make his son, KT Rama Rao, the CM. Shah further said that the BJP supported the demand for Telangana and accused the Congress of dividing Andhra Pradesh in a way that caused "everlasting enmity" between two states, adding "KCR doesn`t care about your source of livelihood. He has no concern for the unemployed youth. He just wants to make his son the CM. KCR, the next turn is neither yours nor for your son. The next turn is meant for the BJP." The Union Home Minister said, "Since the onset of agitations for Telangana`s formation, BJP supported the state`s demands. Congress, instead, stood in the way of its formation for years. When they sensed PM Modi`s rise in 2014, they divided Andhra Pradesh in a way that caused everlasting enmity between the two states. This enmity, which was ignited by Congress, was further strengthened when KCR got power in the state," adding that the BJP will fulfil all promises that the TRS failed to keep while asking for a chance for the party to run the state. Piyush Goyal hits out at KCR over dynastic politics Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said that the Telangana government has become a symbol of corruption and said people want a change. "The Telangana government has become a symbol of corruption. It is the members of the same family holding key positions in the government. People want a change," Goyal said in a press conference. Goyal accused the KCR-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi of corruption in the state, adding "Telangana was formed after several years of struggle by the BJP. Lakhs of people became a part of the struggle, hoping to make it the number 1 state of the country, but sadly, the TRS government has dashed the hopes of the people." The two-day National Executive meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) began on Saturday in the presence of the party`s top brass and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP`s initiative came at a time when the state is heading for Assembly polls in 2023 and the BJP is seeing a huge prospect of bringing down the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi government in the state. This two-day meeting of the BJP has seen the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leadership taking potshots at the Modi government especially when the leaders talk about development. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya exuded confidence in coming to power in the upcoming polls. Notably, this executive meeting in Hyderabad took place after a gap of at least two years because of COVID-19. The BJP national executive meeting is to take place every three months since it last took place in November 2021 in the national capital in a hybrid manner with leaders joining both physically as well as through the digital medium. (With ANI Inputs) New Delhi: Four international organisations, along with scholars Noam Chomsky and Rajmohan Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, have condemned the "incarceration" of former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid, PTI reported. Chomsky, a renowned scholar-activist, and Gandhi, a research professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, issued video statements on Saturday condemning the incarceration of Khalid. The organisation that have joined the protests are Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, Dalit Solidarity Forum and India Civil Watch International. They are demanding the immediate release of Khalid, who was arrested on September 13, 2020, in the Delhi riots case and has been in custody since then. Khalid's case, Chomsky said in his recorded statement, "is one of many that shed a grim light on India's system of justice during a period of repression, and often violence, that has been visibly undermining free institutions...As part of the large-scale government effort to dismantle India's honourable tradition of secular democracy". Gandhi highlighted Khalid's scholarly contributions as a doctoral student at the JNU, stating that "in (Khalid), India possesses one of its finest minds, reinforced by a sensitive conscience...This brilliant young son of India has now been silenced for 20 continuous months". He alleged that Khalid's silencing is a "blotch on India's image" before the world. "Every additional day of detention for Umar and for the others wrongfully detained, who number in the thousands, is a fresh blow against democracy in the world, against human dignity and against India's good name," Gandhi said. A court here denied bail to Khalid in March in a case of a larger conspiracy in connection with the February 2020 Delhi riots, saying there were reasonable grounds to believe that the accusations against him were prima facie true. Khalid has been booked under the anti-terror law, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being one of the "masterminds" of the riots, which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. Will Mithun Chakraborty be seen in an active role in Bengal politics? That's the million dollar question now. Mithun Chakraborty arrived in Kolkata this morning. However, he refused to comment before the media at Kolkata airport. However, according to BJP sources, Mithun Chakraborty is scheduled to visit the BJP state office at 5 pm today. He is also scheduled to have a meeting with state president Sukanta Majumdar there. But what's the meeting about? According to sources, the saffron camp will also hold a 'Prabhas' programme in Bengal in 19 Lok Sabha constituencies for public relations. Mithun is likely to take part in a 'Prabhas' programme in one of the Lok Sabha constituencies tomorrow. Mithun Chakraborty was also involved in the campaign that the saffron camp had created in the state in the last assembly elections. He was seen in the political arena of Bengal in support of BJP candidates in a series of campaigning programmes from the road show. But after the assembly poll results, he was not seen in any of the BJP's programmes. But Mithun Chakraborty had appealed in a video message in support of BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul in the recent by-election (Asansol Lok Sabha constituency). So speculation around, is Mithun, who has kept himself hidden from politics for a long time, returning to politics? Also Read: Mithun Chakraborty coming to Kolkata, UPROAR after Bengal BJP State Chief said THIS Mithun Chakraborty is scheduled to visit BJP's state office at 5 pm today. Mithun Chakraborty is also likely to have a meeting with BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar there. Mithun Chakraborty is scheduled to visit one of the Lok Sabha constituencies in the state on Tuesday under the BJP's special public relations programme 'Prabhas' programme. The terror organisations across the border in Pakistan are hatching a new conspiracy. By entering the BJP, gaining access, and doing recce is to make a plot to kill the top leadership, said a BJP Spokesperson. Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested two terrorists of Lashker Toiba identified as Talib Hussain of Rajouri and Faisal Ahmed Dar of Pulwama in Reasi area of Jammu region. According to BJP Spokesperson, Talib Hussain was an active member of BJP and was also in-charge of minority Morcha social media Jammu. The BJP says open online membership is the reason as there is no background check done on these people. BJP also says that Pakistan has a new Modus Operandi to put these terrorists in political party offices. Terror recruits trying to enter political parties, kill top leadership ''With the arrest of Talib Hussain a new issue has come up, the terror organisations across the border in Pakistan are hatching a new conspiracy. By entering the BJP, gaining access, and doing recce is to make a plot to kill the top leadership. The police have busted the module which has come from across the border by those who want to spread terror. Anyone can become a member of the BJP online. I'd say this is a drawback since there is no system to check the criminal record or antecedents of the people who are taking membership online,'' said R. S Pathania, spokesperson BJP. Villagers help J&K police in nabbing 2 wanted terrorists Jammu and Kashmir Police said that these two terrorists were caught by villagers of Tukson Dhok while they were taking shelter in the area. Police also recovered 2AK rifles, 7 Grenades, a Pistol, and a huge quantity of ammunition from their possession. Jammu and Kashmir Police had declared Talib as an absconder and a reward was announced for him ten days ago after a terror module was busted in the same region. Police says that Talib Hussain was in constant touch with LeT terrorist Qasim based in Pakistan and was involved in at least 3 cases of IED blast at Rajouri district besides civilian killings and grenade blasts. ''From the last few days, we were searching for Talib Hussain in the Rajouri area of Jammu Region. We had recovered 5 IEDs from the residence of Talib Hussain. We were constantly looking for Talib Hussain and our searches were going on in the area. Areas in Rajouri and Raesi were searched. During the search operation, he had reached the higher reaches in the area where they were trying to take shelter. We had kept a reward on Talib Hussain. And people saw them moving in the area, which looked suspicious to them as they were carrying arms and bags along. People showed courage and caught them despite these terrorists having arms and ammunition and could have done anything to them," said Mukesh Singh, ADGP Jammu. The government of Jammu and Kashmir has awarded the villagers for their bravery. State has rewarded them with 5 lakh rupees while Jammu and Kashmir Police has given 2 lakh rupees to the villagers for catching the terrorists. The LG of UT of Jammu and Kashmir Shri Manoj Sinha has also applauded the courage of villagers and said that with this kind of determination shown by the villagers, the end days of terrorism is not far. However, the political parties across India are pointing fingers towards BJP, as this is the second incident in recent time where someone like Talib Hussain, an active LeT terrorist was found to be connected with BJP. While Congress has taken strong exception to the presence of dreaded terrorists in the ranks of the BJP and asked the ruling party to explain it to the nation how the dreaded terrorists have been enjoying its patronage by getting important assignments in the party. The PDP Chief has also commented and said that all criminal elements in the society are associated with the BJP. "One of the murderers of Udaipur case whose name is Riyaz was allegedly associated with BJP. His pictures with leaders from BJP are all over the internet. The same way, Talib Hussain has been arrested, he is a LeT militant and was in-charge of BJP's IT Cell. It seems all the criminal elements in the society are associated with the BJP. They get these people to do work which leads to communal tensions. The killing in Udaipur, which was so inhuman, the killer is a worker of BJP. The cow vigilantes who killed the Muslims were garlanded by BJP," said Mehbooba Mufti, Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. The security forces and political parties have started checking background of the members who have recently joined to ensure exclusion of terror elements. Live TV New Delhi: Black balloons were released in the sky, on Monday (July 4) after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's chopper took off from Vijayawada International Airport during his visit to Andhra Pradesh as per an ANI report. An unverified video of the same was also released on the news agency's Twitter handle. #WATCH | A Congress worker released black balloons moments after PM Modi's chopper took off, during his visit to Andhra Pradesh. (Source: unverified) pic.twitter.com/ZYRlAyUcZK ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2022 However, later, Krishna district Superintendent of Police P Joshua informed PTI that there was no security breach. He further explained that the 2 Congress workers released the balloons from a building under construction at Surampalli village, 4.5 km away from the airport where PM Modi's chopper took off. PM Modi took off from the Vijayawada International Airport (VIA) for Bhimavaram on Monday. While the Special Protection Group (SPG) termed this as a security breach, State police denied such reports. However, they said one Congress worker was taken in custody in connection with this case. Three other party workers were arrested for trying to enter the airport. The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee gave a call to organise protests during the PM's visit to the state on Monday, to unveil the statue of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju, in protest against the 'broken promises', including grant of special category status to AP. Some Congress workers climbed a building under construction in a village far away from the VIA at Gannavaram and released black balloons, ostensibly filled with hydrogen. A video clip released by the Congress showed the balloons being released as the Mi-17s took off from Gannavaram and entered the flight path over the village. The balloons were floating high in the air as the two choppers flew past but it could not be established whether they were anywhere close. The Prime Minister's trip ended without incident, much to the relief of everyone but the SPG that is in charge of his security is said to have taken a serious view of it and sought an explanation from the state. The SPG apparently asked the state police what if they were drones and not just balloons. (With agency inputs) Live TV Bhimavaram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (July 4) unveiled a 30-ft bronze statue of legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju on the latter's 125th birth anniversary. Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, former Union Minister and film star K Chiranjeevi and others were present on the occasion. The dignitaries paid floral tributes to Raju on the occasion. In his address after unveiling a 30-ft bronze statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju here, Prime Minister Modi said the legendary freedom fighter's 125th birth anniversary and the centenary of the Rampa Rebellion will be celebrated throughout the year. PM Modi said, "On one side the country is celebrating 75th year of independence and along with that the 125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju and also 100th year of Rampa rebellion are also being celebrated," adding "the freedom struggle is not just the history of a few years, some regions or some people. It is the history of sacrifices from every nook and corner of the country." Paying rich tributes to Alluri Sitarama Raju, the PM said he involved himself in the country's fight for independence early, dedicating himself to Adivasi welfare and the country and was "martyred" at a young age. His life is an inspiration, he said, adding Alluri "was a symbol of India's culture, Adivasi identity and values". He dared the British to stop him, Modi recalled. Modi said no one can stop from making a 'New Bharat' when our youth, tribals, women, Dalit and the downtrodden lead the country, adding "I am fully confident that inspiration from Alluri Sitarama Raju will take the country to infinite heights." "I bow to the great freedom fighters born in Andhra Pradesh. We have not forgotten our freedom fighters, we will not forget and we will move forward by taking inspiration from them," he said and recalled icons from the state including Pingali Venkayya, "who prepared our national flag," and Potti Sriramulu. Dwelling on tribal welfare, the Prime Minister said that for the first time since independence, tribal museums are being established to highlight tribal pride and heritage. Through programmes like Skill India Mission, tribal art was receiving a new identity while Vocal for Local was ensuring income for the community members. The government has changed decades-old laws, that prevented the tribal people from cutting forest produce like bamboo and gave them rights over them, he added. Earlier, Modi unveiled the 15-tonne statue of Alluri, carved out at a cost of Rs 3 crore and installed by the Kshatriya Seva Samiti in the Municipal Park at ASR Nagar in Bhimavaram, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. Modi felicitated Alluri Srirama Raju, Alluri's nephew, and Bodi Dora, son of Alluri's close lieutenant Mallu Dora. Popularly known as "Manyam Veerdu", Sitarama Raju, also referred to by his surname Alluri, was born on July 4, 1897 at Pandrangi village in the then Visakhapatnam district. Alluri Sitarama Raju is remembered for his fight against the British. In order to safeguard the interests of the tribal communities in the Eastern Ghats region, he led the Rampa rebellion, which was launched in 1922. He is referred to as "Manyam Veerudu" (Hero of the Jungles) by the local people. The government has planned a series of initiatives as part of the year-long celebration. The birthplace of Alluri Sitarama Raju at Pandrangi in Vizianagaram district and Chintapalli Police Station (to mark 100 years of Rampa Rebellion - the attack on this police station marked the beginning of Rampa Rebellion) will be restored. The government has also approved the construction of Alluri Dhyana Mandir at Mogallu with a statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju in Dhyana Mudra, depicting the life story of the freedom fighter through mural paintings and an AI-enabled interactive system. Notably, the 15-tonne statue was carved out at a cost of Rs 3 crore and installed by the Kshatriya Seva Samiti in the Municipal Park at ASR Nagar in Bhimavaram, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. (With PTI/ANI Inputs) Ranchi (Jharkhand): National Democratic Alliance`s (NDA) presidential candidate and former Jharkhand governor Draupadi Murmu will visit Ranchi on Monday to meet senior leaders and legislators in the state and seek support for her candidature in the presidential polls. The ruling party in the state, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), has not opened up yet as to whom the party going to support as UPA candidate Yashwant Sinha and the NDA's have spoken to JMM`s executive president and Chief Minister Hemant Soren for support in their favour. It is expected that JMM may announce its stand on Monday. On June 25, a meeting of JMM leaders including all MLAs and MPs was held under the leadership of its supreme Shibu Soren wherein it was decided that the party`s executive president Hemant Soren will meet the Union Home Minister in Delhi and then the party will decide on extending the support for presidential candidates. On June 27, Soren called on Home Minister Amit Shah and the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi but maintained his silence after the meetings. The JMM support in the upcoming Presidential elections would be crucial to watch as its ally UPA has also fielded Yashwant Sinha as a candidate, while the BJP-led NDA candidate Draupadi Murmu hailed from the Santhal community. JMM has been pursuing a tribal political plank and Santhals has been the significant vote bank for the party. JMM supremo Shibu Soren, the party`s president emerged as a Guruji by agitating Mahajani Pratha from Santhal and he spearheaded a separate state movement with the support of Santhals. National Democratic Alliance`s (NDA) presidential candidate Draupadi and joint opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha are the only two contesting candidates for election to the Office of the President after the last date for the withdrawal of candidature ended on Saturday. On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the candidature of Draupadi Murmu and called it historic on the second day of the Bharatiya Janata Party`s (BJP) national executive meeting in Hyderabad. The Prime Minister reportedly spoke very highly about Murmu and her life journey, giving special stress on her humble beginnings and her struggle throughout her life and yet she did not fail to achieve what she stood for. He also spoke about her conduct in public life, emphasizing how Murmu worked constantly for the upliftment of every stratum of society, said ANI report. Who is Draupadi Murmu? Draupadi Murmu, who is the first presidential candidate from Odisha of a major political party or alliance, continues to break barriers and was the first woman governor of Jharkhand. She served as Jharkhand Governor from 2015 to 2021. Born in a poor tribal family in the village of Mayurbhanj on June 20, 1958, Draupadi Murmu completed her studies despite challenging circumstances. She taught at Shri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, Rairangpur. Despite being born in a backward district in Odisha, she strived hard to pursue BA at Ramadevi Women`s College Bhubaneswar. She started her political career as Rairangpur NAC vice-chairman. Murmu was a member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Rairangpur between 2000 and 2004. As a minister, she held portfolios of Transport and Commerce, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. She again served as MLA in the Odisha assembly from 2004 to 2009. Notably, the elections for the President of India will take place on July 18 and the results will be out on July 21. The term of President Ram Nath Kovind concludes on July 24. The voting for the presidential election will be held in Parliament and the premises of state assemblies. The Rajya Sabha Secretary-General will be the returning officer. The president is elected by the members of the electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and elected members of the legislative assemblies of all states including the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The nominated members of either Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha or legislative assemblies of the states are not eligible to be included in the electoral college and therefore, they are not entitled to take part in the voting. Similarly, members of the legislative councils are also not electors for the presidential election. (With ANI/PTI Inputs) The BJP is known for its Hindutva politics. But at the same time, the BJP is also praised for launching various schemes for the welfare of the poor, scheduled castes and tribes. Various policies and schemes of the Modi government at the Centre have benefited Hindus as well as poor Muslim and other minority communities. In this atmosphere, Prime Minister Modi's clear message is that BJP workers should not only reach out to Hindus to promote their party's work. The saffron camp workers will also have to reach out to other minority communities. In the ongoing national executive committee meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed his party colleagues that party workers should step up their efforts to reach out to the marginalised communities instead of being confined to Hindus alone. The BJP has focused on Dalits, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. Through various policies, they have given political space to the marginalised communities. And this has benefited the saffron camp electorally. Incidentally, the BJP recently won the by-elections in Rampur and Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh. Citing examples of victories in these two Muslim-dominated Lok Sabha constituencies, Modi gave a message to party workers that it has to be seen how our policy is helping the minorities because of which they are voting for us. PM Modi said, "Efforts to reach out to marginalised communities should not be limited to Hindus alone." Meanwhile, the opposition has always blamed the BJP for playing communal politics. Besides, the opposition alleged that the BJP is working to consolidate the Hindu votebank by persuading the marginalised communities. While the ruling party claims that it formulates policies in 'Janhit' which is done for the good of all communities. Modi is believed to have given a message to party workers to prove that claim officially this time. Reasi: In an act of bravery, villagers overpowered two most wanted Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday and handed them over to police. The incident is of Tukson Dhok village. According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, the terrorists had reached Tukson Dhok village to take shelter after continuous pressure from Police and Army. They have been identified as Talib Hussain of Rajouri and Faisal Ahmed Dar of Pulwama. Police recovered two AK rifles, seven grenades, a Pistol and a huge quantity of ammunition from their possession. It is pertinent to mention that Rajouri police had very recently recovered a large number of IEDs and had busted a module of LeT in which two terrorists of LeT were arrested and Talib Hussain was declared as an absconder and a reward was announced on him. Police said Talib Hussain was in constant touch with LeT terrorist Qasim based in Pakistan and was involved in at least three cases of IED blasts in Rajouri district besides killings of civilians and grenade blasts. During preliminary questioning, it was revealed that both the terrorists were also in touch with a Pakistani LeT handler Salman who was continuously in touch with them. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha applauded the courage of villagers and announced a reward of Rs 5 Lakhs for the brave villagers who apprehended two LeT terrorists. "I salute the bravery of villagers of Tukson Dhok, Reasi, who apprehended two most-wanted terrorists. Such determination by the common man shows the end of terrorism is not far away. UT Govt to extend Rs 5 Lakh cash reward to villagers for the gallant act against terrorists and terrorism," Sinha said. Earlier on June 30, the Chinar Corps of the Indian Army eliminated two terrorists during Operation `Kataran` in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. Police said that the joint operation `Kataran` was launched on Wednesday and the area was cordoned off. One AK rifle, one pistol and war-like stores were recovered. Earlier on Wednesday, two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were neutralized during an encounter that broke out in Kulgam. The encounter site was very close to the pilgrimage route of the Amarnath yatra. Both the terrorists killed in the encounter were identified and categorized as local terrorists of the proscribed terror outfit LeT. Mumbai: NCP chief Sharad Pawar has predicted that the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra led by Eknath Shinde will most likely fall in the next six months. The veteran Maharashtra politician has also asked his party MLAs and workers to be prepared for mid-term polls. The NCP patron made these remarks while addressing NCP legislators and other leaders of the party on Sunday evening. "The newly-formed government in Maharashtra may fall in the next six months, hence all should be ready for mid-term polls," an NCP leader, who attended the meeting, quoted Pawar as saying. "Pawar said that many rebel legislators who are supporting Shinde are not happy with the current arrangement. Once the ministerial portfolios are distributed, their unrest will come out, which will ultimately result in the collapse of the government," he said. The Maratha strongman also pointed out that the failure of this experiment will lead to several rebel MLAs returning to their original party the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction. If we have merely six months in our hands, NCP legislators should spend more time in their respective assembly constituencies, Pawar said. Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister of Maharashtra on Thursday following the collapse of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government, while senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Shinde's deputy. Around 40 Sena MLAs led by Shinde rebelled against the party leadership, which eventually resulted in the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government on Wednesday. Ahead of the floor test of the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government on Monday, one more Shiv Sena MLA from the Uddhav Thackeray camp joined CM Shinde's faction, taking its tally to 40. The Shiv Sena currently has 55 MLAs in the 288-member state Assembly. Santosh Bangar, the MLA from Kalamnuri in Hingoli district, on Monday morning switched over to the Shinde camp. Earlier, in a jolt to former CM Uddhav Thackeray ahead of the Eknath Shinde-led government's floor test, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar had on Sunday reinstated Shinde as the Shiv Sena legislature party leader, removing Ajay Chaudhary. New Delhi: Every salaried employee would want to accumulate a fund for his or her stable future, so that a good retirement life can be envisioned. There are numerous types of investments accessible for this purpose. The National Income System (NPS) is one of them. NPS Pension: Savings Scheme NPS is a voluntary Pension Scheme of Government of India managed by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). NPS Pension: Great benefits The National Pension System is a defined contribution retirement savings scheme administered and regulated by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). The pension cum investment scheme provides old age security to Indian citizens. It brings an attractive long term saving avenue to effectively plan your retirement through safe and regulated market-based return. NPS Pension: Scheme Details Any individual citizen of India (both resident and Non-resident) in the age group of 18-70 years (as on the date of submission of NPS application) can join NPS. Although, opening multiple NPS accounts for an individual is not allowed under NPS, an Individual can have one account in NPS and another account in Atal Pension Yojna. NPS Pension: Income tax exemption An additional deduction for investment up to Rs 50,000 in NPS (Tier I account) is available exclusively to NPS subscribers under subsection 80CCD (1B). This is over and above the deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh available under section 80C of Income Tax Act 1961. NPS Pension: How to get pension of Rs 2 lakh per month As per a rough NPS calculator estimate, if someone begins depositing Rs 5,000 per month in NPS for at 40 years, he/she will get Rs 1.91 crore. Assuming you start investing at the age of 20, you will receive around Rs 1.91 crore in a lump sum maturity payment and Rs 1.27 crore in annuity value, which will be reinvested in annuities for monthly pension. Therefore, assuming a 6% annual return on an annuity valued at Rs. 1.27 crore, the monthly pension would be Rs. 63,768. The investor will continue to get Rs 63,768 per month from annuity till he/she is alive. Pension Scheme: Monthly pension of Rs 63,768 If you invest the above stated money i.e Rs 5000 per month from the age of 20 years till retirement, you will get a one-time maturity amount of Rs 1.91 crore to Rs 1.27 crore, wherein a 6 percent calculated return of Rs 1.27 crore would stand at Rs 63,768 per month. New Delhi: The Reserve Bank on Monday said it has imposed penalties of about Rs 1 crore each on Kotak Mahindra Bank and IndusInd Bank for deficiencies in regulatory compliance. Besides, the RBI has also imposed penalties on four co-operative banks. Read More: A penalty of Rs 1.05 crore has been imposed on Kotak Mahindra Bank for contravention of certain norms related to 'The Depositor Education and Awareness Fund Scheme, 2014' and for non-compliance with the directions on 'Customer Protection Limiting Liability of Customers in Unauthorised Electronic Banking Transactions', and 'Loans and Advances ? Statutory and Other Restrictions', the banking regulator said. Read More: The RBI said a penalty of Rs 1 crore has been imposed on IndusInd Bank for non-compliance with certain Know Your Customer (KYC) norms. Penalties have also been imposed on Nav Jeevan Co-operative Bank; Balangir District Central Cooperative Bank Limited, Balangir; Dhakuria Cooperative Bank Ltd, Kolkata; and The Palani Co-operative Urban Bank Limited (No.A.331), Palani. The penalty ranges between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh. The RBI, however, said the penalties are based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the banks with their customers. 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: Google Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro features listed on ecommerce website: Details here) Check out the Garena Free Fire Redeem Codes for July 04, 2022 FQX1-FT2Q-S3WS AD2Q-FG8I-H3EI RGY1-TG4F-VBE4 JI56-Y9HI-8UBJ FY87-HYBT-VGFC VXSB-EN4K-56I9 Y8H7-B6V5-C4XS 3EAW-QSD2-CV3G TER5-F43E-SWAS WEYVGQC3CT8Q GCNVA2PDRGRZ J3ZKQ57Z2P2P B3G7A22TWDR7X 3IBBMSL7AK8G 8F3QZKNTLWBZ SARG886AV5GR X99TK56XDJ4X 4ST1ZTBE2RP9 FF7MUY4ME6SC FJK8-SL6W-Q203 9ER8-FG7H-BYU4 JVK9-DS2W-QJ2U Y54E-RF3G-BE4E F6C5-X4SA-3QWE 2DF3-GHRT-UG76 5FD4-SQED-2FV3 B4J5-TIY8-H765 DR8S-F2VB-N4J5 KTIY-8H76-B8V5 CDRS-F5EV-456I FH3R-NF1B-VD8S A52E-Q12Q-6E3D SCX4-VB21-HD85 EY64-5RF3-GB7D GD8H-JEUI-84I7 (Also read: Shocking! Ex-Amazon Web Services engineer hacked data of 10 crore customers) How to Redeem Garena Free Fire codes for today, July 04 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: As the tech and startup sector gets hammered by economic meltdown, more that 22,000 workers in the sector have lost jobs in 2022, along with more than 12,000 in the Indian startup ecosystem.Startups, especially the ones who benefited from a pandemic boom, are feeling the pressure as valuations, particularly at the late stage, have started to dip, according to Crunchbase. Startups now say it is much more difficult to raise new funding in this gloomy environment. (Also Read: After Udaan, BYJUS owned edtech startup WhiteHat Jr lays off 300 employees) Globally, companies like Netflix, financial services company Robinhood and several crypto platforms have tripped their workforce.In the world of crypto that has been battered by the economic headwinds, crypto exchanges and firms including Coinbase, Gemini, crypto.com, Vauld, Bybit, Bitpanda and others announced to downsize their workforce. Elon Musk-run Tesla has cut 10 per cent of its salaried workforce. Pokemon GO game developer Niantic has asked eight per cent of its workforce to leave the company, which is said to be around 85-90 people. (Also Read: GDP: Crisil cuts FY23 growth estimate to 7.3%) As startups in India keep firing their staff to navigate through the 'funding winter', the country may see more than 60,000 job losses in 2022 alone, led by edtech and e-commerce platforms.Nearly 12,000 startup employees have been shown the door to date, let by companies like Ola, Blinkit, BYJU's (White Hat Jr, Toppr), Unacademy, Vedantu, Cars24, Mobile Premier League (MPL), Lido Learning, Mfine, Trell, farEye, Furlanco and more. Industry experts say that at least 50,000 more startup employees are likely to be thrown out this year alone in the name of "restructuring and cost management" while certain startups keep receiving millions in fundings.Even several unicorns have also laid off employees like Ola, Unacademy, Vedantu, Cars24 and Mobile Premier League (MPL). New Delhi: Company representatives earlier affirmed that the Realme GT2 Explorer Master would debut this month. Today, the formal event is given a precise date, it will arrive on July 12 at 2:00 PM Beijing time.According to GSM Arena, the device is anticipated to be the company`s upcoming flagship, and we know it will utilise Qualcomm`s top-tier Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 architecture.Part of the newly divided Master series will be the new Realme phone (previously the Master editions were merely customised versions of the X-series phones). (Also Read: What is 5G? Interesting things about the 5G spectrum) Two mid-rangers made up the lineup the previous year, but this year`s lineup aims higher. The GT2 Explorer Master will have a more powerful chipset than the Realme GT2 Pro, but we won`t know whether it will be a worthwhile investment until the device`s formal introduction. (Also Read: From iPhone 14 to Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, check out the top smartphone launches in 2022) The screen is likely to be 6.7" AMOLED with only 1080p resolution, according to leaked specifications on TENAA, but charging is apparently expanding into the triple digits with two variants: 100W and 150W, as reported by GSM Arena.A triple camera with two 50MP sensors and up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modis reference to Hyderabad during the BJP National Executive meet has triggered speculations about the possible renaming of the city if the BJP wins power in Andhra Pradesh. According to reports, the PM, who was in Hyderabad yesterday, had referred to Telangana capital as Bhagyanagar during his address to the party delegates from across the country. It was in Bhagyanagar that Sardar Patel, the legendary freedom fighter, had coined the term "Ek Bharat", the PM said during his address. "PM Modi said that Hyderabad is Bhagyanagar which is significant for all of us. Sardar Patel kept the foundation of a unified India and now it's BJP's responsibility to carry it further," BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said in Hyderabad quoting the Prime Minister. It may be recalled that the RSS, BJP's ideological fountainhead and several BJP leaders have been demanding to rename Hyderabad to ''Bhagyanagar.'' Later, when asked if Hyderabad's name will be changed to Bhagyanagar, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said, "When the BJP comes into power in the state, the chief minister will decide this along with the cabinet colleagues." Meanwhile, Telangana Minister and Chief Minister KCR's son, KTR, has lashed out at the BJP over the issue. Why dont you change Ahmedabads name to Adanibad first? Who is this Jhumla Jeevi by the way? https://t.co/xD8y6mrfUi July 3, 2022 The BJP's move to hold its crucial national executive in Hyderabad has sent signals that the state is its top priority in its agenda for expansion in territories where it remains relatively weak. Since coming to power at the Centre in 2014, this is only the fourth time the party is holding its key national meet outside Delhi. It had held earlier meets in Odisha in 2017, Kerala in 2016 and Bengaluru in 2015. By Azernews Azerbaijan has proven to be a reliable partner to Europe and managed to increase gas exports in a short period of time in this direction. Against the background of the recent global events and gas crises, Azerbaijan plays an important role in ensuring Europes energy diversification. In turn, Europe also has repeatedly voiced the wish to increase the supplies of Azerbaijani gas via the Southern Gas Corridor. With the completion of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline construction on December 31, 2020, Azerbaijan began commercial gas supplies to Europe via the Southern Gas Corridor. Last year TAP transported 8.1 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe, by late 2022, Azerbaijan plans to increase gas supplies to 9.1 billion cubic meters and to 11 billion cubic meters in 2023. Ayya Lmahamad of Azernews presents an exclusive interview with the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) Managing Director Luca Schieppati on Azerbaijan and Southern Gas Corridor's role in diversifying gas supplies to Europe, Azerbaijani gas export, potential expansion of SGC and the possibility of supplying hydrogen. - As the Russian war in Ukraine has been underway for over 100 days with no end in sight, pessimist predictions are abundant that global economies would deteriorate as sanctions start to bite Russia. Do you think Europe can refuse Russian gas if the Kremlin continues to go ahead with its war? Given such a negative scenario, how would you assess Azerbaijan and the Southern Gas Corridors role in more or less guaranteeing incessant gas supplies to Europe? TAP plays a key role in boosting Europes energy security, supply diversification, as well as decarbonisation objectives. In the future it could play an even greater role in terms of both providing substantial supplies for this market and contributing to lower carbon emissions in line with the EU objectives. As part of the Southern Gas Corridor, TAP is an independent Transmission System Operator, owned by multiple shareholders. With regards to relations between sovereign states, TAP is not in a position to comment. - What is the volume of Azerbaijani gas transported via SGC so far and what are the volumes that are expected to be transported this and next years? Since we started transporting gas on the last day of 2020, TAP has delivered more than 13 bcm to Europe. TAPs initial forward firm long-term capacity, approximately 10 bcm/a, has been allocated to shippers based on long-term gas transportation contracts signed in 2013 for 25 years, which was necessary to underpin the investment. At the same time, capacity corresponding to approximately 5 percent of the initial capacity is available for short-term bookings through auctions in line with the European regulations via the PRISMA capacity booking platform. Lately, TAP has been close to full utilization, with significant short-term bookings to Italy on top of long-term commitments since mid-February. Our expectation for 2022/early 2023 is continued high-capacity utilization, both in the long and the short-terms. In the course of 2021, mainly thanks to the contribution of TAP, Italy began exporting gas to Northern Europe. That said, TAP could double its current capacity in the future. - Is the expansion of SGC foreseen in the future? If yes, what scenarios are on the table? If no, what does it mean, a refusal to increase gas from the Caspian basin? About a month ago, the European Commission published the REPower EU plan to drastically accelerate its clean energy transition and increase Europe's energy independence. In this plan the European Commission announced its intention to intensify cooperation with Azerbaijan in the light of the strategic importance of the Southern Gas Corridor. According to the European Commissions proposal scaling up TAPs capacity would increase the gas supply to the EU and the Western Balkans. TAP could double its current capacity in incremental steps to further support Europes security of energy supplies. Doubling the capacity of TAP is something that has been designed at the project conception phase. More specifically, TAPs current capacity can reach slightly over 20 bcm per year. TAPs expansion capacity is offered to the market through regular market tests in an open, transparent, and non-discriminatory way. Thus, TAP offers the opportunity to any interested party to submit their binding bids for long-term incremental capacity in the infrastructure. The 2021 TAP Market test is currently in progress. TAP, together with SRG and DESFA, held a public consultation on the draft project proposal for the 2021 market test between January 18 and March 18, 2022. Following feedback received during the public consultation and the recent gas market developments, TAP, SRG and DESFA recently announced that they intend to propose a first binding phase in November 2022 and, eventually, a second binding phase in 2023, to complete the allocation of all the offer levels. If market demand is there in the form of firm commitments from shippers, that are sufficient to make the expansion economically feasible, TAP can double its capacity by installing additional compressors to accommodate these volumes. - How would you assess the possibility of supplying hydrogen via SGC? We are fully committed to a sustainable future. Now that the entire industry is focused on hydrogen as a most likely means to eventually achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, TAP has been quick to embrace this notion from the outset. We are currently in the process of assessing the degree to which TAP can technically accommodate transporting a blend of natural gas and hydrogen. In 2021, an Initial Hydrogen Readiness study confirmed that TAP has the potential to transport hydrogen blends in the future. TAP is continuing with its development and working closely with its shareholders, key vendors and the industry, as the investment in the facilities upgrade and percentage to be transported will likely be developed incrementally over time to match the hydrogen market demands and in line with the relevant regulations. TAP is also a participant in the Joint Industry Project H2Pipe for the development of the worlds first guideline for the transport of hydrogen gas in existing and new offshore pipelines, which will not only benefit TAP, but other transnational interconnectors. In fact, we are now testing our pipe materials in an internationally recognised laboratory to ensure that the asset is compliant with the forthcoming hydrogen requirements and opportunities. HONG KONG: A Hong Kong lawmaker, who posed for a group photo with Xi Jinping during the Chinese President`s visit to the former British colony on June 30 has tested positive for COVID-19, media reported. Steve Ho Chun-Yin, who stood one row behind Xi, on Thursday said that he tested negative when he attended the photo session during the celebrations. The lawmaker said that he tested mildly positive on Friday and had to be retested. He did not attend any of the handover anniversary celebration events that day, according to a statement on his official Facebook page. He then tested positive for the virus on Sunday, CNN reported. Xi visited Hong Kong under strict security measures to mark the 25th anniversary of the city`s handover from Britain in his first trip outside mainland China since the outbreak of the pandemic. China has thrown a media shield around Xi`s visit to Hong Kong and barred journalists from leading international media organizations. John Lee was sworn in as the sixth-term chief executive of Hong Kong, in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping, a move meant to signal that Beijing has the former British colony well under its control 25 years after taking over. ALSO READ: Covid-19 fourth wave scare! India reports 16,135 fresh cases, 24 deaths in 24 hours His oath was administered by Xi, who was here to attend the meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong`s return to the "motherland" and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term government of Hong Kong, Xinhua news agency reported. Chinese premier arrived in a city vastly transformed from three years ago, when millions took to the streets in the biggest challenge to Beijing`s rule in decades, reported New York Times (NYT)."Hong Kong`s `true democracy` started after the handover. China has acted `for the good of Hong Kong` and there is `no reason at all to change` One Country, Two Systems," said Xi Jinping. The fact that someone who came into contact with Xi tested positive for the virus will be seen as a blow to the Hong Kong administration, which has spent lot of time and resources preparing for the visit and trying to ensure it stays Covid-free. The border between Hong Kong and mainland China remains largely sealed because of the virus. Meanwhile, Hong Kong on Sunday said that it will distribute around 290,000 sets of COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits as part of a follow-up on the recent detection of the coronavirus in sewage samples.The test kits will be distributed to residents, cleaning workers and property management staff working in the areas with positive sewage testing results showing relatively high viral loads in order to help identify infected persons, reported Xinhua. New Delhi: Top European hotel chains are hiring workers without experience or even a resume as executives admit years of underpaying staff have come back to bite, leaving them unable to meet post-pandemic travel demand. Thousands of workers left the hospitality industry when international travel shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many chose not to return, finding better paid employment elsewhere, leaving hoteliers facing a desperate shortage. Europe`s largest hotelier Accor is running trial initiatives to recruit people who haven`t previously worked in the industry, Chief Executive Sebastien Bazin said in an interview with Reuters at the Qatar Economic Forum last month. Accor, which operates brands like Mercure, ibis and Fairmont in over 110 countries, needs 35,000 workers globally, he said. "We tried in Lyon and Bordeaux ten days ago and this weekend we`re having people interviewed with no resume, no prior job experience and they are hired within 24 hours," Bazin said. In the short term, Accor is filling roles in France with young people and migrants while also limiting services. "It`s students, people coming from North Africa," Bazin said. "And basically closing restaurants for lunch or (opening them) only five days a week. There`s no other solution." The new recruits are given six hours of training and learn on the job, he said. Staff shortages pressing in Spain and Portugal Staff shortages are particularly pressing in Spain and Portugal, where tourism accounted for 13% and 15% of economic output respectively before the pandemic. Hoteliers there are offering higher pay, free accommodation and perks like bonuses and health insurance. "Many employees have decided to move to other sectors, so we are starting an industry from scratch and we have to fight for talent," Gabriel Escarrer, CEO of Spanish hotelier Melia, told reporters in Madrid. To attract staff, his company recently provided accommodation, sometimes in hotel rooms, due to a shortage of rental housing near its resorts. Smaller hoteliers face similar staffing challenges. The operations director of Hotel Mundial, one of Lisbon`s most iconic hotels, said it was currently trying to recruit 59 workers. Without enough staff, he fears some hotels will cut guest numbers and the range of amenities they can provide. "If we cannot recruit, we will have to cut services," he said. "This is regrettable and dramatic for an industry that has had no revenue for the last two years." Across Spain and Portugal, two of Europe`s top tourism destinations, the scenario is echoed in bars, restaurants, and hotels - the bookings they have longed for but at a cost they are struggling to meet. Spain`s catering industry is 200,000 workers short and Portuguese hotels need at least 15,000 more people to meet growing demand, according to national hospitality associations. In Spain, bars and restaurants increased workers` wages by nearly 60% in the first quarter compared to a year earlier, according to official data. But the tourism industry is still the sector that pays employees the least, around 1,150 euros ($1,200) per month. In neighbouring Portugal, salaries for hospitality workers are expected to increase 7% this year, according to a survey by the central bank and the National Institute of Statistics, but the average wage in the sector is 881 euros per month, above the minimum wage of 705 euros. Kyiv: Russia said it had taken full control of the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk on Sunday after capturing the final Ukrainian bastion of Lysychansk, the city where Kyiv said it had withdrawn to save the lives of its troops. The region`s capture, a major Russian war aim, is a political victory for the Kremlin after weeks of grinding advances and shifts the battlefield focus to neighbouring Donetsk region, where Kyiv still controls swathes of territory. Since abandoning an assault on the capital Kyiv, Russia has concentrated its military operation on the industrial Donbas heartland that comprises the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, where Moscow-backed separatist proxies have been fighting Ukraine since 2014. Russia says it is capturing the Luhansk region in order to give it to the self-proclaimed Russian-backed Luhansk People`s Republic whose independence it recognised on the eve of the war. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin that Luhansk had been "liberated", the defence ministry said, after Russia earlier said its forces had captured villages around Lysychansk and encircled the city. Ukraine`s military command said its forces had been forced to retreat from the city. "The continuation of the defence of the city would lead to fatal consequences. In order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders, a decision was made to withdraw," it said in a statement on social media. Ukrainian officials, who say references to "liberating" Ukrainian territory are Russian propaganda, had reported intense artillery barrages on residential areas. In a statement on the Telegram messaging app, Luhansk`s regional governor, Serhiy Haidai, also confirmed Ukraine`s withdrawal after "heavy fighting". "No betrayal here! When you write - surrendered, gave up, abandoned, think first and foremost about the price of advancing towards our victory, about the fighters who defended the city, some at the cost of their own lives ...," Haidai wrote. West of Lysychansk in Donetsk region, at least six people were killed when the Ukrainian city of Sloviansk was hit by powerful shelling from multiple rocket launchers on Sunday, local officials said. COSTLY CAMPAIGN Thousands of civilians have been killed and cities levelled since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, with Kyiv accusing Moscow of deliberately targeting civilians. Moscow denies this. Russia says what it calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine aims to protect Russian speakers from nationalists. Ukraine and its Western allies say this is a baseless pretext for its flagrant aggression that aims to seize territory. While Russia would try to frame its advance in Luhansk as a significant moment in the war, it came at a high cost to Russia`s military, said Neil Melvin of the London-based think tank RUSI. "Ukraine`s position was never that they could defend all of this. What they`ve been trying to do is to slow down the Russian assault and cause maximum damage, while they build up for a counteroffensive," he said. The victory allows Putin to claim some limited success after a grinding and costly assault, but Ukraine can fall back to an easier-to-defend line that allows it to use longer-range Western artillery and other weapons with less risk of Russian forces surrounding and capturing those systems, said Rob Lee of the U.S.-based Foreign Policy Research Institute. "I suspect Russia will make some more gains, but the big question is: it`s symbolically important for Putin, but strategically, this is not disastrous for Ukraine as long as they don`t take heavy casualties in the process," Lee said, adding that the extent of Ukrainian losses was unclear. KHARKIV STRIKES Russia`s defence ministry also said on Sunday it had struck the military infrastructure of Kharkiv, Ukraine`s second largest city in the northeast, where a Reuters reporter said Ukrainian forces had been building fortifications after nightly shelling. Outside a school in Kharkiv, some residents threw debris into a large crater created by an early morning rocket strike while others got help repairing damaged houses. "The wife was lucky that she woke up early in the morning because the roof fell exactly where she had been sleeping," one resident, Oleksii Mihulin, told Reuters. About 70 km (44 miles) from Kharkiv on the Russian side of the border, Russia also reported explosions on Sunday in Belgorod, which it said killed at least three people and destroyed homes. "The sound was so strong that I jumped up, I woke up, got very scared and started screaming," a Belgorod resident told Reuters, adding the blasts occurred around 3 a.m. (0000 GMT). Moscow has accused Kyiv of numerous attacks on Belgorod and other areas bordering Ukraine. Kyiv has never claimed responsibility for any of these incidents. MILITARY BASE HIT Ukraine said its air force had flown some 15 sorties "in virtually all directions of hostilities", destroying equipment and two ammunition depots. In the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian city of Melitopol, Ukrainian forces hit a military logistics base with more than 30 strikes on Sunday, the city`s exiled mayor Ivan Fedorov said. A Russian-installed official confirmed that strikes had hit the city. Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports. Ukraine has repeatedly appealed for an acceleration in weapons supplies from the West, saying its forces are heavily outgunned. Speaking on a visit to Kyiv, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government would provide Ukraine with additional armoured vehicles, as well as tightening sanctions against Russia. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told broadcaster ARD that Germany was discussing with its allies security guarantees for Ukraine after the war, though it was clear these would "not be the same as if someone were a member of NATO". OTTAWA: Beijing has urged Ottawa not to interfere in Hong Kong`s affairs after Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly asserted that the city`s freedom was being suppressed under Chinese authority. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong`s return to Chinese rule, Chinese Embassy in Ottawa in a statement said external forces should not make irresponsible remarks.Hong Kong affairs are purely China`s internal affairs, and no external forces are in the position to make irresponsible remarks. The "deep ties" between Canada and Hong Kong are not an excuse to interfere in Hong Kong affairs," the statement read. We, once again, urge the Canadian side to respect the rule of law, respect China`s sovereignty and unity, and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China`s internal affairs in any form. Otherwise, the Canadian side will only bring disgrace to itself and meet with strong reactions from the Chinese side," the statement added further. ALSO READ: 21 killed as Russian missiles strike residential area in Ukraine's Odesa region On Thursday, Joly in a statement said that Canada had direct ties with Hong Kong, with an estimated 300,000 Canadians living in the city and more than 100 Canadian companies with a presence there. Hong Kong was the first place Canadians fought a land battle in the Second World War. Today, over half a million Hong Kong residents call Canada home and an estimated 300,000 Canadians reside in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is also one of Canada`s most important bilateral trade and investment partners, a fact confirmed by the presence of over 100 notable Canadian companies in the territory. These direct ties and the universal values we share enrich our societies and unite us," she has stated. But Joly said freedom of speech and peaceful expression of alternative views had been suppressed over the past two years with the imposition of national security law in Hong Kong. We call on Hong Kong and Chinese central authorities to act in accordance with international obligations they willingly undertook 25 years ago. The high degree of autonomy provided under the Basic Law and China`s commitment to respect the rule of law and to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms is as essential today for the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong as they were when committed to in 1997. They will continue to be so tomorrow and for the next 25 years and beyond," the Foreign Minister further stated.On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong was handed over to the People`s Republic of China (PRC) from the United Kingdom under the conditions set out in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. The Joint Declaration provides for fundamental rights, a high degree of autonomy and the "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong.25 years later, Hong Kong is no longer the city we once recognised, according to Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC).The draconian National Security Law, implemented on June 30, 2020, has been used to punish dissent, curtail protest and freedom of speech and reduce the city`s autonomy. Since the law`s adoption, there have been at least 183 arrests made and 113 individuals charged, with more than 50 civil society organisations forced to disband and multiple media outlets ceasing to operate. WASHINGTON: The United States is rallying its allies against forced labour as it begins implementing an import ban on goods from China`s Xinjiang region, where it says Beijing is committing genocide of the Uyghur population. US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) on 21 June began enforcing the Uighur Forced Labour Prevention Act, which US President Joe Biden signed into law in December. As per new rules all goods from Xinjiang, where Chinese authorities established detention camps for Uighurs and other Muslim groups, are made with forced labour and barred from import unless it can be proven otherwise. We are rallying our allies and partners to make global supply chains free from the use of forced labour, to speak out against atrocities in Xinjiang, and to join us in calling on the government of the PRC to end atrocities and human rights abuses immediately, US State Secretary Antony Blinken said in a statement, referring to China by its formal name, the People`s Republic of China. Together with our interagency partners, we will continue to engage companies to remind them of US legal obligations, he said Xinjiang has a booming industrial, mining, and agricultural sector. Everything from peppers and walnuts to electrical equipment and polysilicon, a key material for making solar panels, ships to the US from the region.It also accounts for 20 per cent of the world`s cotton and 80 per cent of China`s domestic production. Britains Sheffield Hallam University released a report in mid-June documenting the use of forced labour in Xinjiang to manufacture polyvinyl chloride, a core component in floor tiling. Academics and media organisations have published reports detailing the systematic use of forced labour among Uighurs in what critics describe as internment camps. China, which initially denied the existence of such facilities, later said they were vocational training centres are designed to combat the rise of religious and separatist extremism in the region. A sweeping crackdown in Xinjiang over the past few years has repressed cultural and religious practices and prompted allegations of forced sterilisation and arbitrary imprisonment conditions that some western governments say amount to genocide. Rights groups have urged for years that companies and brands linked to shirts, trousers and other Xinjiang-made goods be held accountable for labour conditions in the region. However, China denies the claims of forced labour as 'big lie concocted by anti-China forces' and has warned of retaliatory measures. However, the ban intensifies pressure on Beijing as the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said earlier in Beijing that "with this so-called law, the United States is trying to create forced unemployment in Xinjiang and to push for the world to decouple with China'. ALSO READ: Chinese attack on Taiwan not imminent: US While Chinese companies and retailers are bracing for chaos as US Customs begins to enforce a ban on imports Xinjiang region. These companies are scrambling to gauge how the new rules could affect their business and supply chains, with Asian clothing suppliers, international retail chains, US solar-panel makers and Chinese floor tile material makers among scores of groups that could see US-bound shipments seized. The Uighur Forced Labour Prevention Act entails that all US-bound imports traced to Xinjiang, from cotton and tomatoes to floor tile and solar panel materials, were made using forced labour and brands them as "high priority" for seizure. More than 900 shipments from the region were seized in the last quarter of 2021 by US authorities under earlier trade restrictions. But trade and business groups said the new legislation`s vague wording threatened to put the bulk of China`s USD 500billion in annual shipments bound for the US at risk.US customs said it would strictly enforce the rules, which threaten to aggravate already tense relations between Washington and Beijing. 'If the act is implemented, it will severely disrupt normal co-operation between China and the US, and global industrial and production chains' said Zhao Lijian, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, the week before the ban. "If the US insists on doing this, China will take robust measures to uphold its own rights and interests as well as its dignity. There are reports of detainees being moved out of Xinjiang to work in other parts of the country, while components produced in the region have been traced to US-bound exports shipped from elsewhere in China. The law could heap more pressure on pandemic-hit China`s supply chains. By Trend Lithuanian companies are free to participate in restoration projects in Azerbaijans Karabakh [liberated from Armenian occupation in 2020], and there are some ongoing discussions, Ambassador of Lithuania to Azerbaijan Egidijus Navikas told Trend. "There might be companies that could be interested, especially considering the fact that Azerbaijan plans to create 'green area' and build smart villages and smart cities in those regions, and the EU countries, including Lithuania, have quite good experience in these spheres," Navikas said. As the ambassador noted, it will not be a very quick process, because the ongoing de-mining work takes time. "Another sphere where we can help is the restoration of cultural heritage in areas around Karabakh, and Lithuanian specialists in this area have been already in touch with Azerbaijani counterparts," he added. Lithuania is especially keen to search for possibilities for cooperation with Azerbaijan in innovative and high-tech sectors (especially in ICT and renewable energy sectors) as well as in agriculture and food industry, Navikas said. By Trend Azerbaijan considers implementing a number of projects to boost the cargo transshipment at the Baku International Sea Trade Port, the Head of Strategic Planning and Development Department at the Port Khudayar Gasanli told Trend. According to him, the demand for routes running through Azerbaijan is significantly growing amidst the recent world events. "Due to the cargo traffic growth along the East-West Corridor (from China to Europe), the Port of Baku and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), are becoming of greater demand. Freight movement from China, Central Asia and the Black Sea basin to the EU countries and back via TITR through Azerbaijans territory, has been updated, which means the possible rise in cargo flow from China to Europe through Azerbaijan," Hasanli said. He added that the Baku International Sea Trade Port, Azerbaijan Railways, Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO), as well as other cargo carriers, are carrying out monitoring activities to develop the infrastructure potential in the near future. Moreover, the first cargo blocks have already passed through the territory of Azerbaijan. The Port has already transported several block trains and delivered goods from China to Europe. According to the head of the department, the current realities suggest the need for much shorter and more sustainable routes. "Our country provides for one of the most sustainable freight transport routes. The present capacity of the Port of Baku constitutes 100,000 TEU containers. Hopefully, the transshipment of containers through the port will reach its peak in the next 2-3 years. In the medium term, its scheduled to establish a special terminal for container handling," Hasanli said. According to him, there has been a downward trend in the transshipment of wagons over the past three years. "However, from January through May 2022, this figure increased compared to the same period of 2021. In the reporting period, the freight flow in the Baku port reached 2.2 million tons, up by nearly 20 percent against the same period of 2021 ( 1.8 million tons)," Hasanli said. The head of the department stressed that the wheeled vehicles (TIR) transshipment ??increased by almost 16 percent, up to 17,800 units. "During this period, the International Sea Trade Port handled 14,300 railcars (an increase of 18.9 percent). The main share of the cargo volume falls on containers, as in previous years. The growth in container transshipment accounted for 22 percent exceeding 21,000 TEU containers. The bulk cargo and mineral fertilizer traffic is also rapidly growing. A total of 606,000 tons of bulk cargos were transshipped in the first five months of 2022, out of which 558,000 tons (over 90 percent), fell on mineral fertilizers. This figure is expected to reach around 1.4 million tons by the end of 2022 (growth of 22.5 percent)," Hasanli stated. The Port plans to commission a mineral fertilizer terminal with an annual capacity of nearly three million tons by the end of 2022 beginning of 2023, said the head of the department. In our assessment, the Ports container transshipment will reach 200,000-250,000 TEU per year, while bulk cargo one million tons per year in the medium term. The Port will expand its infrastructure capacities of cargo traffic in conjunction with the railway, shipping company, and road carriers, Hasanli said. As he noted, Turkiye and Central Asian countries transport a large flow of wheeled vehicles. The goods turnover between them, including Afghanistan, reaches about 120,000 TIR per year. About 20 percent of these cargoes pass through Azerbaijan's territory, and the Port aims to increase this figure up to 50 percent (or nearly 60,000 trucks), Hasanli outlined. The head of the department underscored plans to establish a TIR park on the Baku International Sea Trade Ports territory along with the development of containerization, as well as the construction of terminals for bulk cargo and mineral fertilizer handling. Currently, the transshipment of wheeled vehicles reaches nearly 35,000-40,000 year on year (80 percent of the equipment falls on Turkiye), Hasanli added. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad The eighteenth meeting of the Azerbaijani-Kazakh Joint Intergovernmental Commission on trade and economic cooperation will be held in Nur-Sultan on July 5, Azernews reports, citing the Energy Ministry. A delegation led by Azerbaijan's Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov left for Kazakhstan to participate in the meeting. The participants in the meeting will review the work done since the 17th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission, and discuss cooperation in trade and economic, energy, transport, logistics, industrial and information and communication sectors, agriculture, food security, and other sectors. The co-chairs of the joint intergovernmental commission are Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov and Kazakh Trade and Integration Minister, Deputy Prime Minister Bakhyt Sultanov. Diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan were established on August 30, 1992. The Kazakh embassy in Azerbaijan was opened on January 9, 1993, and the Azerbaijani embassy in Kazakhstan on March 1, 2004. The two countries closely cooperate in various fields of economy. Some 159 companies with the Kazakh capital operate in Azerbaijan in the sphere of industry, construction, trade, agriculture, transport, and services. Azerbaijani companies are also represented in the Kazakh market and Azerbaijan's investments in the Kazakh non-oil sector from 1995 to 2021 amounted to more than $200 million, while Kazakhstan's investments in the Azerbaijani non-oil sector totaled about $100 million. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan amounted to $135.7 million in 2021. RTHK: New phase in war as Putin claims victory in Luhansk Ukrainian forces were taking up new defensive lines in the eastern part of their country on Monday, preparing for a new phase of the war as President Vladimir Putin proclaimed Russia's victory in the months-long battle of Luhansk. Russia captured the city of Lysychansk on Sunday, bringing an end to one of the biggest battles in Europe in generations. For two months, Moscow brought the full might of its ground forces to bear on a small pocket of the front line. The capture completed Russia's conquest of Luhansk province, one of two regions it has demanded Ukraine cede to separatists in the Donbas region. During a brief televised meeting with his defence minister, Putin congratulated Russian forces on "victories in the Luhansk direction". Participants in that combat should "absolutely rest and recover their military preparedness," while other units continue fighting in other areas, he said. The battle is the closest Moscow has come to achieving one of its stated objectives since its forces were defeated trying to capture Kyiv in March. It marks Russia's biggest victory since it captured the southern port of Mariupol in late May. Both sides suffered thousands of dead and wounded, while claiming they inflicted far greater losses on the other side, along a loop of the Siverskyi Donets river that winds through Luhansk and Donetsk. Military experts said the battle could be a turning point in the war, making a big impact on both sides' ability to fight on, even though the strategic value of the ruined cities themselves is limited. "I think it's a tactical victory for Russia but at an enormous cost," said Neil Melvin of the RUSI think tank in London. He compared the battle to the huge fights for meagre territorial gains that characterised World War One. "This has taken 60 days to make very slow progress," he said. "I think the Russians may declare some kind of victory, but the key war battle is still yet to come." Moscow will hope Ukraine's retreat gives Russian forces momentum to push further west into neighbouring Donetsk province, where Ukraine still holds the cities of Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Bakhmut. (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2022-07-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Uzbekistan intends to assist Azerbaijan in the reconstruction of liberated territories, First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan Akramjon Nematov said. He made the remarks at the conference of official analytical centers of the member countries of the Organization of Turkic States held in Shusha, Azernews reports. "Uzbekistan fully supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. We plan to be one of the first countries in the Turkic world to build a modern school in Fuzuli," he said. Nematov also stated that Uzbekistan aims to strengthen cooperation with Azerbaijan in the industrial sector. "We are now deepening industrial cooperation. At the moment, it is planned to implement joint projects for the assembly of both cars and trucks," he said. Zangazur corridor Speaking at the conference, Kazakh Institute of Applied Ethnopolitical Studies Director Talgat Kaliyev emphasized that the launch of the Zangazur corridor is of paramount importance at the moment. He noted that the creation of the corridor will open up tremendous opportunities for the development of the transport sector in the region. "This will have a positive effect for all Central Asian countries and even for China, as it would connect us with Turkey," he said. Air transportation Moreover, Talgar Kaliyev underlined that the countries of the Turkic world need to increase mutual passenger air transportation. "We need to expand air traffic and establish more favorable tariffs for the development of tourism in the Turkic world," he said. He also proposed the formation of personnel exchange programs, in particular, in the media sphere for the integration of the Turkic countries. Investment fund Organization of Turkic States Deputy Secretary-General Gismat Gozalov mentioned that the opening of the investment fund of member countries of the OTS is planned. "We have prepared a document on the concept of cooperation between the Turkic states until 2040, for the development and integration of the member countries of the organization," he said. Meeting of representatives of think tanks of Turkic states Additionally, Chairman of the Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center) Farid Shafiyev stated that another meeting of representatives of think tanks of Turkic states is expected in autumn this year. "The problems and challenges faced by the Turkic countries will be discussed at an extraordinary meeting of think tanks of the Turkic countries today in Shusha," he said. "If the (positive) rate was more than 5%, all those freedoms that were granted would be taken away automatically," the minister stated. "That was one of the conditions for the removal of face masks. But now they (those freedoms) will be taken away immediately; the use of face masks is already mandatory," he added. On June 27, Minister Lopez announced that Peru had already entered a fourth wave of COVID-19. Thus, the government official called on the population to continue getting vaccinated and wearing face masks to prevent its spread. "We have already entered a fourth wave. Peru's positive rate has been more than 5%, which is beyond the acceptable limit, thus suggesting that a fourth wave has begun," Lopez said at that time. "As we know, COVID-19 is present in many provinces and regions across the country, mainly in the capital city (Lima)," he remarked. In this regard, the Cabinet member said that for several weeks there had been an average of 1,800 positive cases per week, and now this rate has jumped to more than 11,000 cases a week. "We are encouraging the population to attend vaccination centers (to get the shots) because this is the only way to prevent them from needing a hospital bed or even an ICU bed," he noted. Moreover, the health sector's head reiterated the need to continue wearing face masks properly in crowded places. Given this situation, the Ministry of Health (Minsa) issued an epidemiological alert due to the increase in COVID-19 cases and warned that the emergence of the new Omicron lineages, BA.4 and BA.5, is thought to be changing the epidemiological dynamics of the infection spread across the country. He said that those infected, whose ages range between 20 and 36 years, live in the districts of Lima Cercado the downtown area of the city as well as Santiago de Surco, Jesus Maria, Pueblo Libre, and San Martin de Porres. The government official remarked that the infected individuals are being monitored by health professionals, who are tracing their contact with relatives and acquaintances. Mr. Lopez mentioned that only one of the infected individuals has been hospitalized due to complications caused by the patient's comorbidity; while the rest of those infected are recovering at home, where they have been isolated. In the face of rising monkeypox cases, the minister reported that Minsa has implemented a preparedness and response plan intended to increase surveillance at ports and airports so as to monitor travelers coming from abroad. Moreover, he affirmed that Minsa has 1,200 tests to confirm or rule out monkeypox in less than 24 hours. In addition, the Cabinet member noted that special areas have been set up in five hospitals across Lima to treat severe cases. His remarks were delivered during a press conference held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Health (Minsa). (END) LIT/RMB Peru's Health Minister Jorge Lopez on Monday reported that 15 monkeypox cases have been confirmed so far, noting that the virus has been detected in individuals residing in 5 districts across Metropolitan Lima.Published: 7/4/2022 By Trend The Azerbaijan Entrepreneurship Development Fund granted a concessional loan to support the development of tourism, Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said on Twitter, Trend reports. According to Jabbarov, the loan in the amount of 400,000 manat ($235,290) was granted to the Uludagh Tourism and Recreation Center located in Ilisu village of Gakh district. Thus, progress is being made to ensure timely and quality care for all insured citizens. "I would like to announce that more than 33 million Peruvians throughout the national territory have at least one health insurance plan to be treated at any public or private health facility," he said. The Head of State noted that, from 28 July 2021 to 3 July 2022, the current administration has managed to enroll 523,936 people residing in the country into the universal health insurance scheme. Mr. Castillo explained that 70% of these people are affiliated to the Comprehensive Health Insurance (SIS) and 25% of them to the Social Health Insurance System (EsSalud). He went on to say that health services for the Armed Forces community represent 2% of the insured population, while Private Healthcare Providers (EPS) represent 3% of the total. Likewise, he underscored that the Executive Branch has ensured the necessary intersectoral coordination and has allocated a budget of more than S/500 million (about US$129.7 million) to guarantee the universal health insurance policy, mainly for the coverage of SIS. His remarks were delivered at a ceremony held at the Government Palace in Lima. (END) MRCA/JCR/RMB The President of the Republic Pedro Castillo on Monday affirmed that more than 33 million Peruvians throughout the national territory have health insurance.Published: 7/4/2022 YEREVAN, JULY 4, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Hambardzum Matevosyan received today the Secretary for the West of the Indian Foreign Ministry Sanjay Verma. The latter is in Armenia to participate in the 8th session of the Armenian-Indian intergovernmental commission on cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, technology, science, education and culture. Indian Ambassador to Armenia Kishan Dan Deval, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Mnatsakan Safaryan and others were also present at the meeting. Welcoming the guests, Deputy Prime Minister Matevosyan highly appreciated the holding of the 8th session of the Intergovernmental Commission in Armenia after a certain pause and emphasized that it is a good opportunity to promote the interstate relations of the two countries in a number of directions, especially in the fields of trade, economy, healthcare and education. During the meeting, among other issues, the parties also discussed the prospects of implementing international transport communication projects in the region. Deputy Prime Minister Matevosyan emphasized that Armenia seeks a more ambitious agenda with its Indian friends, ready to activate the entire Armenian-Indian cooperation at the institutional level and in terms of mutual contacts. Informing that the Armenian Government is making large investments in the direction of infrastructure development, Hambardzum Matevosyan noted that he also expects the active involvement of Indian construction companies in these large-scale tenders. At the end of the meeting, the parties expressed readiness to develop the existing relations between the two countries. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced further military aid to Ukraine in a statement released on Monday, Tass informs. July 4, 2022, 09:48 Australian PM announces $74 mln in military aid to Ukraine STEPANAKERT, JULY 4, ARTSAKHPRESS: "Following President [of Ukraine Vladimir] Zelenskys request for further support, Australia will provide the following new package of assistance to Ukraine: A$99.5 million ($67.8 mln - TASS) in military assistance, including 14 armored personnel carriers, 20 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles and other military equipment supplied by Australias defense industry, and a contribution to NATOs Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package Trust Fund," the statement said. That brings Australias total military assistance to Ukraine to approximately A$388 million ($230.6 mln), the prime minister said. Australia will also allocate A$8.7 million (US$5.9 million) to assist Ukraines Border Guard Service to upgrade border management equipment, improve cyber security and enhance border operations in the field, Albanese said. The country will provide duty free access for Ukrainian imports to Australia and "will intervene at the International Court of Justice in support of Ukraine in its case against Russia," he stated. "My visit to Kiev and recent visits by other world leaders sends a clear message that democratic nations like Australia will stand side-by-side with the Ukrainian people in their time of need," the prime minister said. He said Australia will prohibit imports of Russian gold and impose sanctions on some Russian ministers. Australia by now has introduce sanctions on 828 Russian and Belarusian nationals, including the presidents of the two countries, over the events in Ukraine. It also sanctioned 47 Russian entities, banned exports of weapons and components, raw materials and equipment to produce oil and gas and limited imports of Russian energy, weapons and ammunition. On February 24 Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in response to a request for help by the heads of the Donbass republics. He stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories, but aims to demilitarize and de-Nazify the country. The West retaliated to the Russian decision by imposing sanctions on the country. The Armenian Ministry of Defense denied Azerbaijani accusations on opening fire at the border. July 4, 2022, 10:40 Armenian military denies Azerbaijani accusations on opening fire STEPANAKERT, JULY 4, ARTSAKHPRESS: The statement disseminated by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, according to which on the night of July 3-4 the units of the Armenian Armed Forces opened firefrom firearms of various calibersin the direction of the Azerbaijani positions located in the eastern part of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, does not correspond to 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. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory letter to US President Joe Biden on Independence Day, the PMs Office said. July 4, 2022, 11:05 Armenian PM congratulates US President on Independence Day STEPANAKERT, JULY 4, ARTSAKHPRESS: The letter reads: Dear Mr. President, I warmly congratulate you and the good people of the United States on the US Independence Day. Every year on July 4th, millions of Americans, including many of our American-Armenian compatriots are celebrating the most important day of the United States the Independence Day. Since the declaration of Independence the people and all governments of the United States have consistently moved on the path of establishing and strengthening freedom, human rights, rule of law and democracy. The role of the United States in democracy plays a significant role in the establishment of human rights and rule of law not only in different parts of the world, but also in terms of creating a predictable and peaceful development environment for nations of regions. The friendship and partnership between our countries and peoples are based on common values, mutual trust and friendship. I am happy to record that the cooperation between our governments in strengthening democracy and the commitment of both sides give tangible results. Once again congratulating you on Independence Day, I wish you and the people of the United States welfare and peace. Please, accept, respectful President, the assurances of my highest respect. DUBLIN, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Precision Farming Software Market (2022-2027) by Delivery Model, Application, Service Provider, Geography, Competitive Analysis, and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Research and Markets Logo The Global Precision Farming Software Market is estimated to be USD 2.88 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 9.1 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 25.88%. Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Precision Farming Software 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 Trimble, AG Leader Technology, Farmers Edge, Aururas SRL, Grownetics, Deere & Company, etc. Countries Studied America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas) Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe) Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific) Story continues 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 Precision Farming Software 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 Precision Farming Software 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 Precision Farming Software 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 Need of Real-Time Data Management Through Cloud Computing 4.1.2 Government's Support to Adopt Modern Agricultural Techniques 4.1.3 Strengthening of Intellectual Property Rights Over Agricultural Innovations 4.1.4 Integration of Mobile Technology With Farming Techniques 4.1.5 Increasing Use of Agricultural Software for Maintaining Farm Efficiency 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 High Initial Capital Investment 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Integration of Smartphone With Agriculture Hardware and Software Applications 4.3.2 High Speed Internet Connectivity 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Management of Data for Productive Decision Making 4.4.2 Lack of Standardization in the Precision Farming Industry 4.4.3 Dearth of Technical Personnel 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 Precision Farming Software Market, By Delivery Model 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Local/Web-Based 6.3 Cloud-Based 6.3.1 Software as A Service (SaaS) 6.3.2 Platform as A Service (PaaS) 7 Global Precision Farming Software Market, By Application 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Yield Monitoring 7.3 Field Mapping 7.4 Crop Scouting 7.5 Weather Tracking and Forecasting 7.6 Irrigation Management 7.7 Inventory Management 7.8 Farm Labor Management 7.9 Financial Management 7.10 Others 8 Global Precision Farming Software Market, By Service Provider 8.1 Introduction 8.2 System Integrators 8.3 Managed Services Providers 8.3.1 Farm Operation Services 8.3.2 Data Services 8.3.3 Analytics Services 8.4 Connectivity Services Providers 8.5 Assisted Professional Services Providers 8.5.1 Supply Chain Management Services 8.5.2 Climate Information Services 8.6 Maintenance, Software Upgradation, and Support Services Providers 9 Americas' Precision Farming Software 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 Precision Farming Software 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 Precision Farming Software 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 Precision Farming Software 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 Trimble 14.2 Agjunction 14.3 SST Development Group 14.4 Iteris 14.5 Raven Industries 14.6 AG Leader Technology 14.7 Conservis 14.8 Dickey-John 14.9 Farmers Edge 14.10 Topcon Positioning Systems 14.11 Granular 14.12 Aururas SRL 14.13 Grownetics 14.14 Deere & Company 15 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/vj5rhl Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/outlook-on-the-precision-farming-software-global-market-to-2027---high-speed-internet-connectivity-presents-opportunities-301580169.html SOURCE Research and Markets Voting has begun in Papua New Guinea and will continue until July 22 amid strong security measures to avoid the violence of the 2017 poll which left more than 200 people dead. More than 10,000 police and soldiers have been deployed across the country as voters elect 118 MPs to form a government. The Pangu Party of Prime Minister James Marape and the People's National Congress Party of former prime minister Peter O'Neill, who resigned in 2019 over discontent following a controversial gas deal, are the favourites. On Thursday in the town of Nipa-Kutubu, in the interior of the country, the house of lawmaker Jeffery Komal was burnt on Thursday, the Post Courier newspaper reported. Two rival groups last month threw stones and set fire to the vehicles of the opposing party's candidates in the highlands town of Mount Hagen where 204 people were killed in the previous election. Then, the violence was partially linked to tribal conflicts, exacerbated by the electoral process, according to a report published by the Australian National University on the 2017 elections. The elections could lead to a shift in the make-up of parliament, where all members are men, if people elect some of the 167 female candidates, who represent 5 per cent of the 3625 applicants for a seat for the next five years. Elections in PNG, which gained independence from Australia in 1975, are especially important in the Pacific after the signing of a security pact between China and the Solomon Islands in April. This generated fears in Canberra, Wellington and Washington due to Beijing's push to impose its influence more in the Pacific region. July is the time to kick our summer reading into high gear, and this months Book Report features two titles that are made for that. A Shoe Story and Flying Solo are two novels that each feature a woman looking at a very different future than she imagined. They are at a crossroads in their lives and with the help of their friends, and the possibility of romance that may or may not include reconnecting with former loves, they forge ahead. First up is A Shoe Story, by Jane L. Rosen. Esme is excited to be graduating from college and heading off to her new life interning at an art gallery in New York City and living with Liam, her college boyfriend who also has a job in New York. When tragedy strikes, Esme returns her upstate New York hometown of Honeoye Falls to care for her father, and all her future dreams fade away. She breaks up with Liam, not wanting to hold him back. Seven years later, Esme has the opportunity to dog-sit for a woman in New York City. While its only for a month, Esme looks forward to being able to explore the city she once hoped to call home, and maybe even run into Liam. Esme meets a handsome bartender who rescues her from a creep, and makes friends with Sy, an elderly man she meets at the dog park. She also discovers that the woman who owns the apartment has an extensive collection of beautiful shoes, and finds a note from the woman telling her to help herself (or so she thinks). Each clever chapter title is the name of a pair of shoes from the closet, and gives the reader some idea of what is to come. (Im not a shoe person, but if you are, you will drool over some of these descriptions and titles.) I loved following Esmes adventures in New York City, and made a list of all the fun places I want to visit. (Mercer Kitchen will be my first stop.) Rosen drops the reader right into Greenwich Village, with a side trip to the Hamptons. You'll feel like you are there. A Shoe Story is a perfect summer read, with characters you want to befriend, a fantastic setting and fancy shoes. What could be better? I highly recommend it. Linda Holmes first novel, Evvie Drake Starts Over, was one of my favorite books from summer of 2020, and I was pleased to hear that her second, Flying Solo, published this month. Wildlife journalist Laurie Sassalyn is about to turn 40, has just broken off her engagement shortly before her wedding, and now returns to her small hometown in Maine to clean out the home of her beloved great-aunt Dot after her passing. Dot provided refuge to Laurie as a child when living with her four brothers was too noisy and overwhelming for the young girl, who liked to read books in silence. Dot was unmarried and lived a full life, traveling the world and collecting books, too many souvenirs from her travels, and boxes and boxes of Polaroid photos of friends and family. Laurie hires Matt from a service called Save the Best to provide a bereavement decluttering," which means he will determine what may be valuable to sell and then get rid of the rest. Laurie finds a wooden duck decoy hidden underneath blankets in Dots cedar chest. She feels strangely attached to the duck, and Matt tells her he will see if it could possibly be worth something, though he doubts it. There is a mystery to be solved when the duck is stolen and Laurie, her best friend June, and former high school boyfriend-now-hot-librarian Nick team up to find out what happened and if the duck could be the product of a famous artist. I enjoyed the caper, sort of a grown-up Scooby Doo mystery. Like A Shoe Story," Flying Solo has characters you want to know, and Lauries journey to discover if she wants to live a solo life like Dot is a unique storyline. I liked the small town setting and getting to know the residents. I smiled at the Evvie Drake shoutout as the setting of both books is the town of Calcasset, Maine. I highly recommend Flying Solo" as well. If you read BOOK: A Shoe Story by Jane L. Rosen GRADE: A PUBLISHER: Berkley COST: Trade paperback, $17 LENGTH: 336 pages BOOK: Flying Solo by Linda Holmes GRADE: A PUBLISHER: Ballantine Books COST: Hardcover, $28 LENGTH: 320 pages Summer is the time for reunions, family picnics and general conviviality that our weather allows! It is becoming safer to congregate. Hallelujah! The Port Byron Alumni Banquet was held for the first time in two years. Classes of 1972 (David Waterman), 1971 (Cheryl [Lincoln] Pratt, Cherie [Samson] Harmon, Patricia [Carbino] Flynn, Evrand Blass, Dana Allen) and 1970 (Ramon Seamans, Cathy [Connell] Mucedola, Susan [Namisniak] Barrette, Carolyn Waterman) were honored. George Mills, Charles Scanlon, Joan (Merritt) Scanlon and Josephine Vitale celebrated the 70th anniversary of their graduation. Scholarships were awarded to Madison Cioffa, Ashley Rooker, Allie Conklin, Emila Gislason, Brianna Coleman and Taylor Cuddeback. Hall of Fame honorees Andrea Pilgrim Seamans and Mary Lou Brundage Brown were installed, as were pioneer couple Addie Armstrong and Stephen Gutchess. It has been an honor and a task worth celebrating to be a part of the Conquest Comprehensive Planning Committee. Connecting and reconnecting with neighbors to make our town even better has been stimulating! We will be hosting our second community meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 21. We will have survey results, a draft of our vision statement, maps and charts. We are so rich in resources help us to respect and responsibly protect them! Hope to see many of you. It will be an open house format, so feel free to stop in, stay for a minute or stay a couple of hours there will be a plethora of information. On Thursday, July 7, Countryside United Methodist Church's Community Cupboard will be the recipient of Potters Farm to Fork's Thankful Thursday. Your breakfast, lunch or dinner bill will help families in our area with their basic needs. We are grateful to Potters for its outreach. You probably already know how good the food is, but if not, this is a great day to find out! I had a fantastic time sharing Maud the Erie House Dog with Sennett Senior Citizens. Hopefully, I encouraged many of them to visit our amazing venue! Recent visitor information shows 2,914 visitors as of June 25, with a high of 145 on Sunday, June 26, to spur us on! Worldwide visitors from Switzerland, Germany, Japan and Croatia have enjoyed hearing about the Erie Canal. On Saturday, July 9, I will be reading about Maud at Seymour Library; wont you join us in the Childrens Room? By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Asmar Narimanbayova has joined an art project initiated by the Connecting Pro People (CPP) in France, Azernews reports, citing Trend Life. The organization aims at bringing together people of art and presenting their work to the general public, promoting the cultures of different countries. Famous art and cultural figures took part in the event in Paris. As part of the project, Asmar Narimanbayova showcased five paintings and pottery painted by her. Her vibrant art works inspired by Azerbaijan instantly won the attention of Parisian art enthusiasts. At the same time, the France-Azerbaijan Dialogue Association served the guests with the Azerbaijani traditional sweets. Along with the Azerbaijani artists, the art project brought together artists from France and Algeria. Lithuania and Hungarian musicians pleased the attendees with a concert program. Ola Electric CEO Bhavish Aggarwal showcased the UK facility of the EV maker, which will be the design hub for the brand's upcoming models. Ola Electric has shared the first glimpse of its upcoming new facility in the United Kingdom. The facility, called Ola Futurefoundry, will be Ola Electric's global design studio where it will develop new electric two-wheelers as well as four-wheelers in coming days. The facility, which is located in Coventry, will also act as the EV maker's R&D centre to work on battery cell technology. Ola Electric CEO Bhavish Aggarwal, who is currently in UK, shared the latest updates from the Ola Futurefoundry, saying it is nearing completion to start work. With our UK design team in the studio! Exciting new products coming up soon," wrote Aggarwal on Twitter, while sharing the first glimpse at Ola Electric's global design hub. Ola Electric said it plans to invest 100 million (roughly converted to 750 crore) over five years. The company has already roped in Wayne Burgess, former head of design at Jaguar, as the Vice President of the EV maker's vehicle design team. The facility will also employ around 200 designers and engineers to work on its upcoming products, like the new electric car. The Futurefoundry will supplement and collaborate with Ola Electric's team back in India to deliver new EVs across two-wheeler, four-wheeler and other segments in coming days. Recently, Ola Electric shared the first teaser images of its upcoming electric car. The new EV is likely to be unveiled on August 15, the same day when Ola Electric launched its first product, the S1 Pro electric scooter, in 2021. The teaser video, released by Ola Electric, shows that the new electric four-wheeler will get sleek LED DRLs and its futuristic exterior design. FOLLOW US:Stay Updated with latest content - Subscribe us on FOLLOW US:Stay Updated with latest content - Subscribe us on Aggarwal had earlier mentioned about the company looking to foray into the electric four-wheeler segment. Earlier in May, it was reported that the EV maker is looking for a base to set up its electric four-wheeler and battery cells plant. It will require around 1,000 acres of land for the EV four-wheeler factory, which is almost double that of the FutureFactory where it currently builds S1 Pro electric scooters. First Published Date: Beijing (Gasgoo)- AITO, the premium new energy vehicle brand jointly developed by SERES and HUAWEI, saw its June sales record a new high. Photo credit: AITO In the sixth month of 2022, AITO reported a monthly sales volume of 7,021 units of its current only model on the market, the M5, indicating a 40.25% surge month over month. The brand has witnessed its sales volume climbing continuously since delivery started in March. The respective sales volume of the M5 amounted to 3,045 vehicles, 3,245 vehicles, and 5,006 vehicles in March, April, and May. Aside from Junes sales volume, AITO also disclosed its new monthly order volume for the M5. In the past month, there had been 10,685 new reservations of the model with a large sum of deposits. Notably, as AITO previously announced, it will unveil its second production model, the M7, on July 4th. The model will make its debut at HUAWEIs summer product launch event. The new model is installed with a 1.5T range extension system with a battery-electric range of 150km. The M7 is designed to outperform a one-million-yuan luxury vehicle in comfortable and intelligent experience. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- BYD Company Limited (BYD) saw its monthly auto sales hit another record high of 134,036 units in June 2022, zooming up 162.74% year on year, while also growing 16.61% month on month, the company announced last Sunday. The new vehicles sold last month were all new energy vehicles (NEVs) as BYD discontinued the production of oil-fueled vehicles in March this year. Compared to the same span in 2021, BYD's NEV sales in June soared 224.02%. The blooming growth was entirely ascribed to the 233.44% year-on-year surge in the new energy passenger vehicles (NEPV) sales, which stood at 133,762 units. Nevertheless, the June sales of new energy commercial vehicles fell at a two-digit rate year over year. For the first half of 2022, BYD sold 646,399 vehicles in total, representing a 162.03% year-on-year hike. Its year-to-date NEV sales reached 641,350 units, surging 314.9% from a year earlier. Regarding sales of its main vehicle models, the Han family recorded a sales volume of 25,439 units in June. Notably, the sales of the BYD Han DM rocketed 386% year over year. In addition, the Tang, Song, Qin, and Yuan series saw their monthly sales reach 8,134 units, 32,077 units, 26,623 units, and 19,731 units last month respectively. Quzhujian 05; photo credit: BYD The automaker also sold 7,464 Destroyer 05 (Quzhujian 05) sedans in June, which leapt 63.8% from the previous month. Meanwhile, the sales of the Dolphin all-electric car came in at 10,376 units, jumping 61.4% from a month ago. On June 30, BYD saw the first vehicle produced at its Hefei manufacturing base roll off the production line. The factory's first phase targets an annual car production capacity of 150,000 units, and will produce the BYD Qin PLUS DM-i and the Quzhujian 05 at the initial stage. 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. Dongfeng Nissan close to unveil X-Trail e-POWER According to Marelli, the supplier of Dongfeng Nissan, some of the components on the X-Trail e-POWER (code name P33A) have been mass-produced, indicating that the model is close to being unveiled by the automaker in China. Photo credit: Dongfeng Nissan Shanghai W-Ibeda inks framework agreement with Valeo Siemens Shanghai W-Ibeda High Tech Group announced that it has signed a cooperation framework agreement with Valeo Siemens Shanghai R&D center to provide long-term professional testing services for the center. Beijing Hyundai launches 20th anniversary models Beijing Hyundai launched four commemorative models five trims to celebrate its 20th anniversary, including a new Sonata, Elantra, TUCSON L N Line, and TUCSON L Hybrid. Suzhou introduces Chinas first EV-charging robot State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company put its self-developed charging robot to work in Suzhou. The robot is the first sharing-charging robot dedicated to electric vehicles. The robot itself is also powered by electricity. HUAWEI-backed AITO unveils second model M7, priced at RMB319,800-RMB379,800 On July 4th, AITO, the jointly developed brand of HUAWEI and SERES, introduced its second production model, the M7, at HUAWEIs summer new product launch. Dongfeng Nissan sells 448,806 vehicles in first half of 2022 Dongfeng Nissan witnessed its June retail sales volume reach 91,867 vehicles, resulting in a cumulative sales volume of 448,806 vehicles in the first six months of the year. Tesla deploys over 1,200 supercharging stations by June 2022 on Chinese mainland Tesla has deployed over 1,200 supercharging stations, 8,700 Superchargers, 700 destination charging stations, and 1,800 destination charging piles on the Chinese mainland by the end of June 2022, covering more than 370 cities and regions, Teslas China charging team announced on July 3 via its Twitter-like Weibo account. GAC AION achieves highest-ever monthly deliveries in June 2022 GAC AION, the NEV-dedicated arm of GAC Group, achieved all-time high monthly sales with 24,109 vehicles delivered in June 2022, representing a 182% hike compared to the same span of 2021. GM to set up Premium Import business in Pudong, Shanghai General Motors has inked a Letter of Intent (LoI) with the government of Shanghais Pudong New Area for the automakers intended investment of $100 million to set up Premium Import business in the country. HUAWEI-backed AITO sells 7,021 M5s in June AITO, the premium new energy vehicle brand jointly developed by SERES and HUAWEI, saw its June sales record a new high. Geely-backed Xingji Technology obtains sole control of smartphone maker Meizu On July 4, Hubei Xingji Shidai Technology Co., Ltd. (Xingji Technology), a Geely-backed mobile device company, signed an agreement for the strategic investment in the smartphone maker Zhuhai Meizu Technology Co., Ltd. (Meizu Technology), according to a press release from Xingji Technology. BYD sees H1 2022 sales rocket 162.03% YoY BYD Company Limited (BYD) saw its monthly auto sales hit another record high of 134,036 units in June 2022, zooming up 162.74% year on year, while also growing 16.61% month on month, the company announced last Sunday. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On July 4, Hubei Xingji Shidai Technology Co., Ltd. (Xingji Technology), a Geely-backed mobile device company, signed an agreement for the strategic investment in the smartphone maker Zhuhai Meizu Technology Co., Ltd. (Meizu Technology), according to a press release from Xingji Technology. At the signing ceremony, Xingji Technology announced its formal acquisition of 79.09% stake in Meizhu Technology and the sole control of the phone maker. Photo credit: Xingji Technology After completion of the strategic investment, Meizhu Technology will continue to operate as an independent brand, while Xingji Technology will help Meizu become the worlds first full-ecosystem technology company with full-scenario immersive core technologies that involve multiple terminals, according to Xijing Technologys statement. Founded in 2021, Xingji Technology is dedicated to the R&D of high-end smartphones, XR (extended reality) technologies and products, mobile devices, and wearable smart devices. Its shareholders include Geely Group (Ningbo) Co., Ltd., Geely Holdings chairman Li Shufu, CEO of ECARX Shen Ziyu, and other entities. Meizu was established in 2003 with Huang Xiuzhang and Alibaba-affiliated Tao Bao (China) Software Co., Ltd. as its main shareholders. It was one of the pioneers in Chinas smartphone manufacturing domain. After the transaction, Huang Xiuzhangs equity in the smartphone company will be diluted to 9.79%, while Tao Bao will withdraw from the companys board, according to a document released by Chinas State Administration for Market Regulation on June 13. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Tesla has deployed over 1,200 supercharging stations, 8,700 Superchargers, 700 destination charging stations, and 1,800 destination charging piles on the Chinese mainland by the end of June 2022, covering more than 370 cities and regions, Teslas China charging team announced on July 3 via its Twitter-like Weibo account. According to the data Tesla gave in January this year, the U.S.-based EV manufacturer had deployed over 1,000 supercharging stations and more than 8,000 Superchargers across the Chinese mainland by the end of December 2021. This indicates that there were around 200 supercharging stations and 700 Superchargers newly launched in the first half of 2022. Tesla's supercharging station The aforementioned destination charging stations are mainly located in hotels, resorts, dining halls, shopping malls, and office buildings, the company said. Tesla announced on June 10 its 35,000th Supercharger point was deployed in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei province. The automaker said its Superchargers support a peak charging rate of up to 250kW per car, and can add almost 250km of driving range to an electric car in only 15 minutes. The plug-and-play charging facility can be connected to smartphones, allowing users to check the availability of Superchargers and monitor the charging status in real time through a mobile App. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chinese NEV maker BAIC BJEV produced and sold 1,898 and 3,597 vehicles in June 2022, representing a year-on-year spike of 496.86% and 126.94% respectively, according to the sales results released by its parent company BAIC BluePark New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. ("BAIC BluePark"). For the first half of this year, the automaker saw its cumulative auto outputs soar 181.97% from a year earlier to 6,082 units, while its vehicle sales amounted to 17,010 units, shooting up 144.43% compared to the same span of 2021. ARCFOX S; photo credit: ARCFOX BAIC BluePark held an online conference on June 20 to elucidate its first-quarter 2022 financial performance. Fan Jingtao, deputy general manager of BAIC BluePark, said on spot that both the showroom traffic and order volume of ARCFOX, the company's premium electric vehicle brand, evidently grew in June compared to the previous month. Mr. Fan also revealed that BAIC BluePark was teaming up with HUAWEI to advance the introduction of ARCFOX-branded vehicles to the latters sales channels. As for the sales and service network of ARCFOX brand, the automaker has already deployed over 110 sales stores and aims to lift the number to 186 across China by the end of this year, said Arcfox President Wang Qiufeng. Update: 04-07-2022 | 12:30:02 Some media agencies in Italy highlighted Vietnams economic links with Europe and achievements in ensuring human rights when covering a recent tour of some European countries by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (centre) speaks at the Vietnam - UK high-level forum on economy and trade in London on June 29 In an article about Vietnams trade and investment links with Italy and Europe, the La Citta Futura newspaper said Vietnam is effectively implementing the commitments in the free trade agreements with the EU (EVFTA) and the UK (UKVFTA). So far, key farm produce of Vietnam like peppercorn, cashew nut, vegetables, fruit, tea, and rubber have benefited from preferential tariffs in the EU, which is one of the five largest markets of Vietnams fishery products. La Citta Futura noted Vietnam is a leading partner of Italy in Southeast Asia and also a helpful bridge linking the EU, including Italy, with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Citing the phone talks on April 22 between Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Italian counterpart Mario Draghi, it emphasised the Italian Governments pledge to promote the Italian parliaments ratification of the EU - Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) amid many enterprises of the country wishing to expand operations in the Southeast Asian nation. Meanwhile, the Marx21 daily underlined that with the second candidacy for membership of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), Vietnam is showing its right policies on human rights development that centre on people. It said one of Vietnams internationally recognised achievements is poverty reduction and social security safeguarding. As an HRC member during 2014 - 2016, the country fully and responsibly participated in the councils activities and agenda. Its Government always affirmed efforts to protect and promote human rights and also contributed many initiatives to help deal with global human rights issues. That ASEAN countries unanimously selected Vietnam as the Southeast Asian candidate for an HRC seat in the 2023 - 2025 tenure reflected the blocs consensus and trust in Vietnam in this regard, according to Marx21./. VNA This is an editorial from the Global Times. https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202207/1269678.shtml The US public opinion appeared sour after three major Chinese airlines announced on Friday they will buy a total of 292 planes from Airbus. The order valued at more than $37 billion is said to be one of the largest ever for Airbus. According to Bloomberg, this is China "sending a sign, and it hurts Boeing terribly." Boeing also expressed its "disappointment," complaining that "geopolitical differences" between the US and China were bruising the company's business prospects and urging dialogue between the governments. If Washington thinks that every deal Chinese companies sign with foreign companies has "political consideration" behind it, it can only show how serious Washington's practices of forcibly interfering in economy and trade with politics in recent years are, and they have formed an atmosphere in the American business and public opinion circles who see "every brush and tree as enemy soldiers." In fact, aviation cooperation is among the three main planks of China-Europe economic and trade cooperation. Airbus also has an assembly plant in China. Given the steady and mature cooperation, it is not surprising that they continue to advance cooperation. Some analysts said this mega deal is the result of "long and arduous negotiation" and a collective order by three major airlines could help obtain a good bargain. In addition, the fuel efficiency of the Airbus planes and a weaker euro may also be factors that influence the price. In all, it's a normal business transaction that is hard to find fault with and the result is also equal and mutually beneficial. It is natural for the US side to feel sour after losing the competition to Airbus. Judging from the performance of these two companies in the global market, since 2019, Airbus has been way ahead of Boeing in terms of competing for passenger plane orders and market share. On the one hand, this is partly due to safety concerns as flights operated by Boeing 737 MAX aircraft have still largely not resumed in various countries. On the other, the disruptions in the US supply chain have seriously affected Boeing's delivery capacity: The company had to pause the production of 737 MAX passenger planes in May. Sources said that China Southern Airlines canceled plans to purchase more than 100 aircraft from Boeing earlier this year because of "uncertainty over deliveries." Against this backdrop, instead of analyzing the "motives" of Chinese companies, the US should reflect on its government's behavior. Who can feel rest assured engaging in large-scale trades with a country that talks about "decoupling" frequently, wields the stick of sanctions, and often introduces bills to restrict trade with others out of thin air? Not to mention products like planes that have long life cycles, are made of complex components, and require professional maintenance. Such concerns, in many cases, are not even an act of state. It is about the political risks various business entities would think about before doing business. According to a previous assessment by the American Chamber of Commerce, if the US engages in a comprehensive "decoupling" with China and completely cuts off sales to China in the field of civil aviation, this would cause US output losses ranging from $38 billion to $51 billion and cause the US civil aviation manufacturing industry to shed 167,000 to 225,000 jobs. Boeing also said last year it expected that Chinese airlines will require 8,700 new airplanes in the next 20 years, valued at nearly $1.5 trillion. If the loss of a $37.2 billion order now has made Boeing feel pain, then let some American politicians continue to advocate decoupling from and build a high wall against China. By then, what American companies including Boeing will face will not be short-term but long-term pain. Now, Boeing has complained about "geopolitical differences" affecting its business, but China is not the one to blame. If there is any political factor in this, it can only be said that the US politicization of economic and trade issues has backfired. In 2021, the Biden administration agreed to put to rest a 17-year trade dispute over subsidiaries between Boeing and Airbus, in order to win over European countries to "jointly confront China." Now, after Airbus won orders from Chinese airlines, US public opinion has been flooded with jealousy. This may also remind the Europe of what is behind various "ideals" that the US claims verbally and Washington of the fact that political manipulation cannot triumph over the law of the market after all. As for Boeing, the most important thing to do is not to express "disappointment" with China, but reason with US government and Congress the laws of the market on the basis of enhancing competitiveness of its own product. Of course, Boeing is not the only one that needs to do so. By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova Swedish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Christian Kamill has donated a book to the Azerbaijani National Library, Azernews reports, citing the Embassy of Sweden in Baku. The book "The Linnaeus Apostles: Global Science and Adventure" tells about the journey of Linnaeus and his fellow travelers to different continents and their notes on animals, plants, and customs. Director of the National Library, Professor Karim Tahirov, said that it was no coincidence that the presentation ceremony was held in the Hall of International Cooperation. There are fourteen book corners in the hall dedicated to different countries. Karim Tahirov expressed his hope that the next book corner will be dedicated to Sweden. "The visit of the Swedish ambassador to the National Library will encourage the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the national libraries of the two countries. Also, the books presented by the ambassador to the National Library today will take their rightful place in the National Library's fund. This book is the first one to be included in the Swedish book corner," said Karim Tahirov. The director also expressed his hope that events related to Sweden and meetings with Swedish writers will be held in the library in the future. In his remarks, Christian Kamill noted that the book presentation is one of the series of events dedicated to the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He praised the cooperation between the two countries in various fields. The Swedish ambassador expressed his confidence that the relations would be further strengthened and developed. In conclusion, the Swedish ambassador presented the 8-volume of book which contains the manuscripts and notes of the students of the Swedish traveler and scientist Carl Linnaeus about the nature, culture, history, and ethnography of more than 60 countries. Rep. Liz Cheney released a new ad that features former Republican U.S. senator and Wyoming political linchpin Al Simpson endorsing her in Wyomings heated House race. Cheney is being challenged by Donald Trump-endorsed natural resources lawyer Harriet Hageman among others. This race is by far Cheneys toughest reelection challenge since she first ran for U.S. House in 2016. Join me in voting for Liz Cheney on August 16th, Simpson said at the end of the ad. Cheney recently made national headlines for instructing Wyomings registered Democratic voters how to change their voter registration to Republican to be able to vote for her in the August primary, a practice known as crossover voting. Despite the fact that hard-line conservatives detest crossover voting, it has not been shown to hand victory to more moderate candidates in Wyoming. Still, the 2022 House race is unlike any race the state has seen. There has been a concerted effort from the hard-liner state lawmakers to outlaw crossover voting, but they have not been successful to date. This past legislative session, a bill to outlaw crossover voting died despite endorsements from Trump and the state GOP. Simpson shot down criticism of Cheneys encouragement to Democrats on how to vote for her. That doesnt bother me a whip, thats been on the books in [Wyoming] through the decades, Simpson told NBC. Simpson represented Wyoming in the U.S. Senate for nearly two decades. Before that, he served in Wyomings House from 1965-1977 in the Cody area. He has a legacy of bi-partisan work, including serving as co-chair on a national commission that examined ways to address the national debt. The ad also features former Wyoming Republican Representative and former Corporations Committee co-chairman Pete Illoway. She has supported the military, he said. Shes a great supporter of Warren Air Force Base. After Cheney voted to impeach Trump and continually criticized him, the former president sought a challenger and ended up selecting Hageman who entered the race in September 2021 with Trumps endorsement in tow. Since then, national interest groups and big names have flocked to Wyoming in all sides of the race. Simpson has not been shy about his opposition to Trump, making Cheney a clear choice in this race for him. The former senator called him a spoiled brat who is at the root of a Machiavellian distortion of whatever this country stands for. I voted for him once, Simpson told NBC. Ill never vote for him again thats for goddamn sure. There are signs that Trump will run for president again 2024, making the Cheney-Hageman battle even more important. Many are labeling the race for Wyomings lone House seat a referendum on the former president and an indicator of how strong his grip is on the Republican party. A 6-year-old girl died Monday after falling from a trailer en route to Mandan's Independence Day Parade. The girl, who is from California, was riding on a trailer that was part of a parade entry while it was en route to a parade staging area, Mandan Deputy Police Chief Lori Flaten said in a statement. She fell off the trailer about 9 a.m. on Longspur Trail Southeast and was struck by the tire of the trailer, Flaten said. The girl was taken to a local hospital and later pronounced dead, Flaten said. Her name was not released. The Mandan Police Department continues to investigate the incident. It was not clear which parade entry the girl was riding in. Mandan police did not immediately return a call seeking comment. A representative of the Mandan Progress Organization declined to comment Monday afternoon, referring questions to police. With a police investigation looming in the background, the parade continued. Parade participants did not seem to know about the incident, nor did those attending the parade. The threat of rain didn't deter thousands of fans who attended Mandan's traditional Independence Day Parade and other events over the holiday weekend, despite a delayed start at Art in the Park Sunday morning. Both sides of Main Street and Memorial Highway were packed for the parade, which traveled through the downtown core Monday morning and spilling into the afternoon. One of these paradegoers was Judy Miller of Mandan. She has been attending the parade since it was hosted in Bismarck. Back then, her uncle was in the parade on a few occasions. She hasn't been able to make it every year, but has gone numerous times over the years. "I started going when I was 10, and I'm 75 now," she said. Nowadays, she gets to watch her two granddaughters march in the parade. They both are a part of a marching band featured in the event. Besides the marching band, Miller said that she enjoys the horses and the overall atmosphere. Karl Schroder of Mandan is another attendee who has been going for many years. He has lived in Mandan for about 30 years. "We go just about every year," he said. He also enjoys the horses. After the parade, a Fourth of July tradition for him is "drinking beer and eating good barbecue" in the backyard. Hayley Renner of Mandan has been going to the parade for about eight years. She said that her kids are a big reason that she goes to the event. The atmosphere of the parade is one of her favorite things about the event. "I like just how big it is and how many people come to it," she said. This year's paradegoers were rewarded with a wide variety of goodies. While the parade staple of candy was thrown toward the crowds, so were treats such as beef jerky, ice cream sandwiches, and Popsicles. Some floats sprayed water from a squirt gun or a hose to keep parade-watchers cool. The parade featured a wide variety of firetrucks and police cars, large trucks, buses and tractors -- fit for an event a local bystander jokingly coined "the world's largest machinery parade." Local organizations such as the Mandan High School Braves marching band and Furry Friends Rockin Rescue were featured in the parade. The event also featured floats from local businesses and political campaigns, among others. One such float was from A&B Pizza, which featured pizza dough throwers Leighton Fergel and Kayden Sorge. "When people think of pizza, they always ask 'can they throw (the dough)?' So, that's what we're doing," said Fergel while tossing a silicone replica of pizza dough into the air. This was A&B Pizza's second year being featured in the parade. Courtney Sergel, who also was a participant on the float, said that the parade is a great opportunity to spend time with loved ones in the community. "We like to spend time with our family and the parade is a good way to intertwine that," she said. Another float was the RJR Maintenance and Management float. Float organizer Ben Pace said that RJR has been featured in the parade for 10 years. He said that the event is a way to celebrate the holiday with the community. This year, the RJR float gave out nearly 10,000 Popsicles, 1,000 flowers and fortune cookies that featured hand-selected affirmations. RJR also honored soldiers in a special way. "We have people submit photos of their family members," Pace said, "and we honor them." On the back of the RJR float sat a large poster with the photos of a few dozen soldiers. Pace said that they receive these photos through their email and through social media, and they are a mix of active, retired or deceased service members. This is RJR's second year honoring soldiers in this way. For most businesses, generating leads is the ultimate benefit of creating and maintaining a social media presence. But first things first: In order to make social media an effective lead generation machine, you first need to generate a following. This means fans and followers on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and your other social media accounts. The more fans and followers you have for your social media presence, the better reach you'll have. And better reach means the potential to generate more leads. So at the very core of social media for lead generation, you must take steps to increase your reach. Sure, you could buy your first few hundred followers to get the ball rolling. But the key to a high quality social following is to actually earn your fans and followers. Why? Because purchased followers are either fake or low-quality profiles, so they really serve no purpose except to artificially inflate your follower count. You don't get any meaningful interaction from them. On the other hand, followers you earn are the people who will Like and share your photos, click on the links you share, learn more about you and your business, and maybe even do business with you in the future. To help you get started, here are eight helpful tips for expanding your social media reach. 8 Tips for Getting More Social Media Followers, Fans, and Likes 1) Prioritize the social networks where your fans are likely to be. "Which social media network should I focus on?" This is one of the most commonly asked questions marketers have. We recommend that you create and maintain a presence on the top social networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest), but focus your efforts on the social media networks where your target buyers are spending time. Create profiles for all the top social networks. Have you ever found yourself wanting to tweet to or about a company, only to find they don't have a Twitter account? I have. Not only is it frustrating, but it also kind of seems amateur and unprofessional. It also creates distance between your brand and your customers and potential customers. I like the way JetBlue's manager of customer commitment Laurie Meacham put it: At JetBlue, they're all about the people -- meaning their customers and potential customers -- and being on social media is just a natural extension of that. No matter what size your company is, which industry you work in, or which target market you're going after, people are going to talk -- or going to want to talk -- about you on every social network. So it's important that you at least give folks the option to get in touch with you on their social network of choice, and maintain some sort of presence there. Here are a few resources for getting you started on the five major social networks: Focus on the networks where your target buyers spend time. It takes a lot of time and resources to keep up multiple social media accounts, so you'll want to make sure you're prioritizing the social networks that matter. That means taking the time to research your buyer personas so you can find out where they hang out on social media. (Download our free buyer persona templates here.) This will help you use social media to generate real customers, and delight existing ones. Other ways to find out where your target audience hangs out on social is to: Ask your customers. Run a survey to an anonymous audience. Use share data. See where your competitors' content is getting shared. Do keyword research. Check if your industry is active on the network. Learn about those tips in more detail here. (HubSpot customers: You can connect your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, Google+, Xing, and blogging platform RSS feeds with your HubSpot account. Learn how to integrate these social profiles with HubSpot here.) What about where to focus your social media advertising efforts? Read this blog post to learn the pros and cons of advertising on LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and Facebook. 2) Optimize your social profiles. Whether you already have profiles for your business or you have yet to create them, it's important to think about how you can optimize your social profiles. This includes choosing an easily identifiable username, uploading a recognizable photo (like your company logo), including clear and concise descriptions of your business, and leading people back to your website with a trackable link. There are some nuances depending on the social network, though -- like cover photos Here are a few resources for how to optimize your profiles on different social networks. Facebook: Twitter: LinkedIn: Instagram: Now that social media updates are included in search results, you should also do your best to optimize the content you're actually publishing on those networks, like tweets, Facebook posts, and LinkedIn company status updates. For example, including keywords appropriate for your business could help you get found in search. (Just make sure you're incorporating them in a way that sounds natural.) 3) Promote your social presence everywhere. And by everywhere, we mean everywhere: On various pages of your website, on your blog, on signage in your storefront (if you're a local business), in print advertising, on your business cards, in your email marketing messages. Many social media sites now have official "Follow" buttons you can include on your website and blog. That way, people can start following you with a single click -- without ever having to leave your website or blog. You can create them easily by following the instructions in this guide for creating social media buttons. (Note for HubSpot customers: Many of these buttons come out of the box with HubSpot's Social Media software.) If you want to create "Follow" buttons for a social network that doesn't offer premade ones, or if you'd simply rather create your own custom buttons, you can by following these instructions from the folks at iFabbo. Cross promotion across all your social media accounts is also a great way to let your social followers know where else on social media they can find you. That way, you can get your Twitter followers to become your Facebook fans; to get your Facebook fans to become your Instagram followers; and so on. Depending on your goals, this could mean posting links to your other social accounts in a normal post, paying for sponsored updates pointing people to other social networks, or adding a link to another social site in the bio or description section of a different one. For example, the folks at Cava Mezze Grill are promoting their Instagram account on Facebook by giving their Instagram feed its own tab on their Facebook Page, along with a "View on Instagram" button linking to their page. Check it out: If you have a Snapchat account, Snapcodes are perfect for cross channel promotion on your other social media profiles. Basically, every Snapchat user has a unique Snapcode, which is an image that looks like the Snapchat logo but with a unique pattern of dots. To follow you on Snapchat, all users will have to do to is open the Snapchat app, take a photo of your Snapcode, and tap their screen. Here's an example from HubSpot's Instagram account: It's happening. Follow HubSpotInc on Snapchat to see what we're up to. A photo posted by HubSpot (@hubspot) on Mar 28, 2016 at 10:18am PDT 4) Add social sharing buttons to all your content. Just as you should be promoting your social presence in as many places as possible, you should also be enabling your site visitors and email subscribers to share your content with their personal networks as easily as possible. By evangelizing your audience to share your content, you'll have better potential to reach a broader audience that extends beyond your direct network of fans and followers. (And if those people like the content that their friends are sharing with them, they may be inclined to become direct followers of you, too.) Add social sharing buttons (e.g., "Share on Facebook," "Tweet This," etc.) to all of your content -- on individual blog articles, in email messages, on landing pages for ebook and webinar downloads, within the pages of your ebooks, and so on. Here's an example: And another one: (See what I did there?) You can create these "Share" buttons easily by following the instructions in this guide for creating social media buttons. (Note for HubSpot customers: Many of these buttons come out of the box with HubSpot's Social Media software.) 5) Share useful, valuable content. It's not just enough to promote your presence. You need to make sure your presence is something that's worth following in the first place. Make sure your tweets, Facebook posts, and LinkedIn updates consist of valuable, useful, and engaging content. Avoid product-focused content, and instead, aim for social updates that contain educational content that has the potential to attract more fans and followers. Here are four tips to help you out: Tip #1: Master the 80/20 rule. When in doubt, use the 80/20 rule: 80% of the content you post to social media should be helpful and valuable to your audience, and 20% can be self-promotional. Once you gain a following by tweeting valuable content, you'll have the chance to promote yourself when you need to 20% of the time. You might not need to promote anything now -- and that's okay. Later, you'll be glad you've built up a loyal following that may pay attention when you need to drive traffic to your website (or elsewhere). Tip #2: Post a variety of content. It's super important to post a variety of content to keep your social media channels fresh, interesting, and engaging. Some of the worlds most famous companies use social media variety to keep their social audiences constantly interested. For example, Amazon.com regularly supplements its "core product posts" with competitions, video, multi-media, polls, and promotions -- all of which have contributed to their current Facebook Like figure of 26 million+ and 2.3 million+ followers on Twitter. Tip #3: Post compelling visual content. A lot of it. Visual content is probably the most powerful tool your brand can use to engage your fans on social media because it allows you to express ideas quickly and effectively. It's a valuable tactic to set your brand apart from the vast amount of written content published online every day. Plus, your Fans and followers are 44% more likely to engage with content on social media that contains pictures, so be sure you focus a chunk of your effort creating visual content like designs and photographs for these posts. Read this blog post for helpful tips on making your visual content on social media more compelling. It's chock full of helpful information on how to optimize your image posts for each social network, how often you should be posting visual content to each social network, how to create visual posts for hashtag campaigns, and so on. Tip #4: Delight your followers. Last but certainly not least, use social media not just to inform your followers, but to delight them as well. Delightful posts are often the most memorable and shareable, and they'll help you build a loyal following much more than those sometimes-necessary boring posts will. For example, the folks at Amazon have a lot of stuff they could be posting about on Facebook. And yet, they consistently find space for fun posts like this one: Here's another great one from Innocent Drinks, which has absolutely nothing to do with their brand besides embodying their silly, best-friend-like brand voice: There's a programme called 'Panda Babies' on ITV right now. PANDA. BABIES. innocent drinks (@innocent) January 31, 2016 Check out our list of funny social media posts from famous brands for more ideas on delightful content. 6) Interact with followers and anyone who mentions you. Most social networks are all about making connections and having conversations. Just as you should be regularly sharing educational, insightful content, you should also be monitoring your presence and interacting with your fans and followers. This'll help you build a loyal, engaging following. Ask questions, be engaging, and participate in discussions to create a presence worth following. Be sure to monitor mentions of your username, company name, and any unique hashtags every single day. (You can read about how we do social monitoring at HubSpot here to learn how our social media team finds mentions of HubSpot on social media so they can respond and engage with those people.) Also, take the time to reply when people @-mention you on Twitter or Instagram, or otherwise engage with your brand name. Thank them if they say something nice, answer their questions if they have them, and even respond to the negative comments. The social media team at JetBlue is a brilliant example of engagement on social media -- particularly Twitter, where they found a lot of their customers talking about them. But they receive a whole lot of tweets -- between 2,500-2,600 Twitter mentions every day. Woo boy ... that's a lot of mentions. The team at JetBlue handles that volume by prioritizing which tweets to respond to based on where they feel they can contribute value. "We want our employees to engage smartly, and for the conversations to be organic and natural," Meacham told me. "We look for opportunities to add value and connect with our customers, not just respond to every single mention that comes our way." 7) Find, follow, and build relationships with people in your industry. Social media is a great way to find and follow leaders in your industry, which can include both people and other brands that are creating great content related to your industry (and aren't a direct competitor, obviously). For example, you may want to find and engage with influencers who have an audience that you're targeting. Relationships like those could pay major dividends in the future in a wide variety of ways. You might also find and follow influential bloggers and brands, and retweet or otherwise share their content on your social accounts. Start following some of your own followers -- and the people they're following, too. Where can you find these people? Here are a few places to start. Twitter It's fairly easy to find top influencers for a given topic on Twitter. You can find them by searching for a keyword on Twitter and scrolling through "Top" tweets, which are the tweets containing that keyword that have seen the most engagement. If you search for a keyword on Twitter and toggle to the "Accounts" tab, you'll find a list of Twitter accounts. You'll also notice Twitter gives you suggestions for whom to follow. This list can be found on the right-hand side of your home or personal Twitter feed, and it suggests users based on patterns from your "following" history. They're generated by an algorithm, so you may or may not know the accounts or find them relevant -- but it's worth it to scroll through those suggestions every once in a while. LinkedIn LinkedIn Groups provide great opportunities to find connections with influencers for your business. You don't need to start a group to get the full benefit of LinkedIn Groups. In fact, you should start out by searching for and joining groups that are relevant to your business, and then connecting with group contributors. The trick to making connections on LinkedIn is to avoid cold connections. Make sure you contribute to the group before trying to connect with the individual who placed it. Then, create a personalized LinkedIn invitation that references your discussion. (Download our free LinkedIn invitation template here.) If you want to moderate a LinkedIn group yourself, be sure to read this post written by our social media manager at HubSpot on how she manages LinkedIn groups. Facebook Making brand new connections on Facebook can be a little bit trickier than on Twitter or LinkedIn because it doesn't have the culture of business networking that LinkedIn does, nor does it have the non-reciprocal follow expectations that Twitter does. Plus, reaching out to strangers is less socially acceptable on Facebook than it is on other social networks. As such, we suggest giving your fans and followers content that's worth sharing, in the hopes that they'll share your content and your Page's exposure will grow that way. When it comes to Facebook, a referral from a friend can be far more effective and targeted than any other outreach you do on your own. Read this blog post for more detailed tips for how to find and engage with interesting people online. 8) Hire a dedicated social media manager. There's a whole lot more than goes into optimizing a company's social media strategy than someone can do on as a "side project" -- especially with all the important changes and trends that are cropping up in the social media world all the time. Eventually, you'll need to hire a dedicated social media manager to manage your accounts, keep your profiles current, stay on top of trends, post great content, and do a whole lot of experimenting. But searching for someone to run your social media efforts can be frustrating. While social engagement metrics can be tied back to a business' bottom line, more often than not, social media marketers aren't moving the metrics CEOs care about. This can make it hard to fight for budget or headcount. Turns out, there's a number of important skills that a social media manager must possess other than "driving engagement." The best social media managers are content creators, marketing analysts, news junkies, customer service reps, community managers and facilitators, funnel marketing managers, and project managers. You can download a ready-made job description for the social media manager role here. Building your social media reach will take some time, but if you're committed to the steps above, we guarantee you'll start seeing results. How else do you recommend increasing your social media reach? Editor's Note: This post was originally published in October 2011 and has been updated and for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness. Meet Dr. Tatiana Erukhimova, a professor of Physics at Texas A&M University who is also quickly becoming a TikTok starher latest TikTok has 1.9 million views already! According to her Texas A&M University bio, she received a Ph.D. in Physics from the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1999, and joined the faculty at Texas A&M in 2001. Her bio continues: She organizes annual Physics & Engineering Festivals attended by thousands of visitors. She developed the Physics Show, an interactive presentation involving physics demonstrations and hands-on exhibits, attended by more than 28,000 people since 2007. In 2012, she started the innovative program Discover, Explorer, and Enjoy Physics & Engineering (DEEP), which engages students in hands-on teamwork and outreach activities. She is a co-organizer of the Mitchell Institute Physics Enhancement Program (MIPEP), which includes annual summer boarding schools for physics teachers from Texas high schools. After watching some of her videos on the "official TikTok of #TAMU Physics & Astronomy," it's easy to see why she's had so much success with live interactive physics presentations and workshops for students and teachers. She is absolutely engaging, with her Russian accent, her infectious laugh, her incredibly charming and nerdy sense of humor, and her ABSOLUTE ENTHUSIASM about physics. Watch her demonstrate Bernoulli's principle with levitating balls! Watch her demonstrate atmospheric pressure with a newspaper and a ruler! Or, in her most viewed videoit has 17.8 million views!watch her demonstrate inertia using a potato, a knife, and a hammer! And if you try these experiments at home, please heed her safety warnings"Now, safety issue. When you decide to remove this potato from the knife, don't touch the knife blade with your fingers!" State lawmakers, frustrated with the ongoing presence of a crematory next to a residential neighborhood, passed a law last year giving Amigone Funeral Home the ability to move the facility elsewhere in the Town of Tonawanda. But Amigone hasn't acted. So now the lawmakers want to force Amigone's hand by passing another law. Earlier this year, lawmakers introduced legislation to give Amigone six months to relocate its Sheridan Park Crematory or lose the exemption that has allowed the crematory to remain open. The lawmakers' ticking-clock bill passed in the State Senate but not the Assembly at the end of the 2022 session. So Assemblyman Bill Conrad, D-Town of Tonawanda, plans to reintroduce the bill in January at the start of Albany's new legislative year. The bill he plans to introduce is the latest salvo in the long fight among neighbors who complain about foul-smelling pollutants, their legislative allies and the crematory operators who so far have resisted public pressure to leave. "I know a lot of residents in that area, and they want it gone," Conrad said. "And I do not blame them. They've put up with it for well over most of them since 1990." "We're hoping that the thought of losing their permit might get them to take action," added State Sen. Sean Ryan, D-Buffalo. "Because, certainly, the cooperative effect of allowing them to move has not spurred them to move. Now we're going to switch to forcing them to move or simply stop the crematory business on Sheridan." Amigone's owners, for their part, say the nonprofit crematory functions legally under strict state oversight and within the conditions of its permits. Further, they say, the legislation that lawmakers passed last year has made it harder, not easier, to relocate. "There has never been evidence of any pollutants escaping from the Sheridan Park Crematory that are harmful to human health or the environment," the Amigone family said in a statement issued through their attorney, Robert Knoer. Some neighbors of the crematory which operates out of the same building as the Amigone Funeral Home at 2600 Sheridan Drive, at Parker Boulevard have objected to its presence since it began running 31 years ago. They complain about the smell of the emissions and about gritty particulates landing on their homes and yards. The crematory shut down in 2012 but Amigone installed new pollution controls and it was allowed to resume operations in 2018. It stopped again in September 2020, following the release of a plume of black smoke captured in a photo by Shannon Patch, a Tonawanda Town Board member, as she drove past. Amigone had voluntarily stopped conducting cremations at the site and the state later suspended operations while the Department of Environmental Conservation reviewed Sheridan Park's internal incident report and the corrective measures it imposed. The DEC issued a consent order in January 2021, over local officials' objections, allowing Amigone to resume cremations. Since that time, the agency said it has investigated new complaints from neighbors but didn't find evidence of violations. It also said site inspections and record reviews did not turn up any problems. "DEC will continue its stringent oversight over the Sheridan Park Inc. crematory operations to ensure human health and the environment are fully protected," a spokeswoman emailed. Amigone blamed the 2020 issue on an "operation error" and insisted the crematory's rare releases of "excessive particulate matter" are no different than the emissions from diesel trucks that travel Sheridan Drive. The state no longer allows funeral home crematories. But those that operated prior to the change in law, like Amigone's facility, were exempted. The law also bars the relocation of combination crematories. That's why Ryan and Conrad last year introduced legislation, aimed specifically at Amigone, allowing the company to relocate the crematory while retaining its license though only to an approved site within the town. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the bill into law in October. This law, however, did not require the crematory to move. Conrad said he recognizes cremations have become a popular end-of-life option. For example, 57.5% of Americans who died in 2021 were cremated, according to the Cremation Association of North America. There are just 49 operating crematories in New York, with eight of them in Erie and Niagara counties. That's why Conrad wants the crematory to continue operating, just not at the current location. "We have a demand issue, and we don't have a lot of these facilities right now," Conrad said. Amigone has tried to leave before. In 2012, the company announced its intention to move to 55 Cooper Ave., a largely industrial location near where Grand Island Boulevard meets the I-190. However, residents along Two Mile Creek Road, which runs parallel to Cooper, objected and the company never received the required legislative approvals. Based on recent meetings with Amigone representatives, Ryan and Conrad questioned the sincerity of the company's recent efforts to relocate. "They don't seem to be operating in good faith," Ryan said. "It appears that they want to stay at that location as long as possible. And that's just not acceptable to the community." Amigone said it urged lawmakers not to pass a law that restricted any move to within the town because it was nearing an agreement to move to another site outside Tonawanda. "It remains unclear why that limitation was put into the legislation, which essentially caused the efforts of Sheridan Park to relocate to be halted," the company said. "Sheridan Park has been unable to secure an appropriate alternative location within the town." Another potential issue for Amigone is the state rule that combination crematories can't pass from one operator to another. The provision that allows the Sheridan Park Crematory and similar facilities to remain open "is personal to the person who was operating the crematory when the law was passed," in 1998, and "the protection of that provision does not extend to a new operator," state guidance reads. Anthony P. Amigone Sr. is listed as the licensed manager of Amigone Funeral Home and as president of the nonprofit Sheridan Park Crematory, records show. For generations, the major stock exchanges, banks and investment firms of Manhattan have made New York the worlds undisputed capital of finance. Now, a new wave of cryptocurrency innovators are investing in upstate regions that have long missed out on the tech-driven economy. To ensure that New York remains the financial capital of the world in the crypto age and to support future job growth across the state, we need to do our due diligence and find commonsense policies that promote innovation while mitigating risks. Thats why its vital that Governor Hochul sign the recently passed bill A.9275/S.8343 The New York State Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Study Act. The bill would require the government to set up an inclusive task force that includes environmentalists, the community, the finance industry, regulators and academics to help guide the state on the best policy approach to the digital asset economy. The crypto industry has brought thousands of good-paying jobs to the state, capturing nearly one fifth of the national total of crypto jobs. In this time of economic uncertainty, we must foster further job growth to bring prosperity and opportunity to historically underprivileged communities and upstate regions. A.9275/S.8343 was written in recognition that while crypto is already making huge inroads in our digital society and economy, the technology is still relatively new and deeply misunderstood. Thats why the bill doesnt call for any new regulations or specific policies just yet. Instead, it would create a task force whose mission is to holistically study cryptos impact on our states economy and environment, collect and respect the views of all stakeholders involved and then make policy recommendations that can make our state better for all. By bringing all voices to the table, this approach would enable the crypto industry to continue investing in communities and creating jobs, help close the digital divide, and promote financial and economic inclusion while also helping us reach our shared goals of carbon neutrality and environmental stewardship. This is an important point, because there are a few loud voices who believe that cryptos growth must inevitably come at the expense of our environment. For instance, some lawmakers hope to pass a two-year moratorium on certain crypto mining operations while a narrow study is commissioned to review the impacts of crypto on the environment. But this would only kill crypto jobs in rural communities and drive potential job-creators away. We should absolutely continue studying cryptos impacts, but we should do so without giving hundreds of New York workers pink slips. If New York takes the proper approach to crypto, much as earlier state visionaries did with traditional finance, our state will remain the worlds financial leader, and we would do so in a way thats more equitable, sustainable, and beneficial for all. Assemblyman Clyde Vanel represents District 33 and Kristin Smith is executive director of the Blockchain Association. Jonathan Bernsteins excellent article in the June 19 edition made the point that a nation governed, even poorly, by laws, is superior to one ruled by the passions of individual loyalty and charisma. Government is not a swamp, and bureaucracy does not imply corruption. I worked for a government agency for over 40 years, and saw many new agency heads come and go. Most were intelligent good willed people, some were ignorant, impatient egoist, who put their own agendas above public service. It was the laws, regulations and established practices which thwarted them. It was the experienced dedicated bureaucrats who refused to corrupt the system or fiddle with the numbers who preserved the integrity of the agency. There is such a thing as institutional wisdom, which as Bernstein points out presidents ignore at their peril. If they ignore the mores and precedence of their office they end up surrounded by buffoons or a kooky band of misfits. Many autocrats started out as outsiders promising to restore a mythic version of a nations past, weaponizing social differences and using emotional rather than rational arguments. They seek to accrue power to themselves, claiming they will use it to protect us. They are not to be believed. Our country has many examples to educate us, Huey Long, Joe McCarthy and even FDR had such inclinations. They try to change the rules, capture the courts, demonize the press and their opponents, in order to to enhance their own power. It is the rule of law, the separation of powers, and our traditions and institutional wisdom, and yes even our bureaucracy that guard the integrity and vitality of our democratic system. We should not abandon them, lest we be surrounded by buffoons and misfits. If JFKs classic book, Profile In Courage is reissued it should include a new chapter on Mike Pence and all those who stood up to Donald Trump at the time when the nation needed them. Trump got it wrong when he said Pence could have been historic, Mike Pence was historic, in the best sense of the word. Charles Kucharski Hamburg CALGARY, AB, July 4, 2022 /CNW/ - MEG Energy Corp. (TSX: MEG) ("MEG" or the "Corporation") announces the appointment of Gary Bosgoed to its board of directors and the retirement of Grant Billing. MEG Energy Announces Changes to Board of Directors (CNW Group/MEG Energy Corp.) "We wish to thank Grant for his dedication and significant contributions to MEG and the Board during his three years of service," said Ian D. Bruce, Chair of the Board of Directors. "We wish Grant and his family all the best following his retirement." Mr. Bruce added: "We are pleased to welcome Gary to MEG's Board of Directors. Gary's diverse skills, perspectives and expertise will be of significant benefit to MEG as we execute on our strategic initiatives." Mr. Bosgoed, P.Eng., is the President and CEO of Bosgoed Project Consultants, a project management, management consulting and consulting engineering company headquartered in Edmonton. The company currently manages projects and provides business advisory services across Alberta and Saskatchewan. He is a member of the Peepeekisis First Nation and has worked on over 150 First Nations projects. His experience also includes project delivery of large resource development, pipeline, energy, power and infrastructure projects for global service providers. Mr. Bosgoed's credentials include working as Senior Vice President and General Manager of WorleyParsons Canada in Edmonton leading a team of over 2,600. He has served as Chair of the Alberta Capital Region United Way Campaign and as Director of the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) and the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board. He also lectures on indigenous community engagement at conferences, the ICD and University courses. Mr. Bosgoed currently serves as a Director of Capital Power Corporation, Vice Chair of the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation, and Vice Chair of the University of Regina Board of Governors. About MEG MEG is an energy company focused on sustainable in situ thermal oil production in the southern Athabasca oil region of Alberta, Canada. MEG is actively developing innovative enhanced oil recovery projects that utilize steam-assisted gravity drainage extraction methods to improve the responsible economic recovery of oil and to achieve lower carbon emissions. MEG transports and sells thermal oil (AWB) to customers throughout North America and internationally. MEG's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "MEG" (TSX: MEG). Story continues Learn more at: www.megenergy.com For further information, please contact: Investor Relations T 403.767.0515 E invest@megenergy.com Media Relations T 403.775.1131 E media@megenergy.com SOURCE MEG Energy Corp. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2022/04/c6687.html Prince Charles (AFP via Getty Images) Prince Charles is set to give his blessing to Commonwealth countries that want to sever ties with the Royal family, according to reports. The Prince of Wales, 73, has travelled to Rwanda to speak at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on Friday. In a speech at the Chogm opening ceremony, his first as the Commonwealths future leader, he will say that each members constitutional arrangement is purely a matter for each member country to decide. In 2021 Barbados became the latest Commonwealth nation to break away from the monarchy and become a republic. It followed other Caribbean nations which have dispensed with the Queen as their head of state and turned to a homegrown representative, with Guyana becoming a republic in 1970, Trinidad and Tobago in 1976, and Dominica two years later. In recent years Jamaica has also signalled it wants an elected head of state, with Prime Minister Andrew Holness saying it is a priority for his government. In a speech at the opening ceremony on Friday morning, the Prince of Wales will say: Our Commonwealth family is and will always remain a free association of independent self-governing nations. We meet and talk as equals, sharing our knowledge and experience for the betterment of all citizens of the Commonwealth and, indeed, the wider world. According to the Telegraph, he will add: The Commonwealth contains within it countries that have had constitutional relationships with my family, some that continue to do so, and increasingly those that have had none. I want to say clearly, as I have said before, that each members constitutional arrangement, as republic or monarchy, is purely a matter for each member country to decide. The benefit of long life brings me the experience that arrangements such as these can change, calmly and without rancour. But as I said in Barbados last November, we should never forget the things which do not change: the close and trusted partnership between Commonwealth members; our common values and shared goals; and, perhaps most importantly, the strong and enduring connections between the peoples of the Commonwealth which strengthen us all. Story continues It comes after Boris Johnson urged Prince Charles to keep an open mind about the Rwanda asylum plan ahead of their meeting on Friday. The Prime Minister said he was ready to defend his policy after Charles was reported to have privately criticised it as appalling. The Prime Ministers official spokesman initially said the pair would have a bilateral discussion but subsequently clarified that it will be informal. Asked on Thursday if he will defend the deportation strategy during the meeting, Mr Johnson said: People need to keep an open mind about the policy, the critics need to keep an open mind about the policy. A lot of people can see its obvious merits. So yeah, of course, if I am seeing the Prince tomorrow, I am going to be making that point. Transcript Campus Technology Insider Podcast June 2022 Listen: What Southern New Hampshire University Does to Engage a Remote Workforce 00:08 Rhea Kelly: Hello and welcome to the Campus Technology Insider podcast! I'm Rhea Kelly, editor in chief of Campus Technology, and your host. Southern New Hampshire University is well known for innovation in online learning, so it may surprise you to learn that prior to the pandemic, the institution had less than 100 employees working remotely, and had only just begun building out its remote work policies. Employee culture was largely reliant on working in a face-to-face environment. But in March 2020, the abrupt shift to fully remote work required a new approach to employee engagement. In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Jennifer LaFountain, director of employee experience at SNHU, about how the institution is developing a culture that allows employees to feel connected no matter where they are located. Here's our chat. Hi Jenn, welcome to the podcast! 01:08 Jennifer LaFountain: Hi, thank you for having me. 01:11 Kelly: So I'd love to start by just having you introduce yourself and tell me a little bit about your background and the work you do. 01:18 LaFountain: Yeah, awesome. I have been working with employee experience and customer experience teams for about 15 years. I joined SNHU, Southern New Hampshire University, in December of 2019. I'm currently the director of employee experience at SNHU. And I've always just been kind of a, I would say, like a people-obsessed, people-first person no matter what I was doing. 01:46 Kelly: I know that Southern New Hampshire University is well known for innovation in online learning. So thinking back to the start of the pandemic, I imagine that the sudden shift to remote learning that happened in higher ed really wasn't much of a problem. But how did that pivot impact staff? 02:04 LaFountain: Yeah, believe it or not, and I think folks find this hard to believe, but prior to COVID, at SNHU, we had less than 100 employees working remotely. We had like just begun discovery work on building out our remote work policies. So even though we obviously have a very rich remote learning learner base, it was new for most of our employees. Previously, we had a, we are a company that is well known for its culture, but that culture was really fixated with being on site, particularly in New Hampshire, from an employee perspective. And so the big challenge for us in going remote really was how do we recreate what we had on site from a culture perspective, in a virtual way. I think ultimately, the impact to our staff is, was really positive, it was really easy for us to shift just tactically and operationally to remote work. And then knowing that we had a team dedicated to making sure that there was some equitable version of our culture virtually, I think, really, really helped us out. Ultimately, our employees, like everyone else, want flexibility. And flexibility, especially in the heart of the pandemic, is what we were able to provide. So I think we did a pretty good job from that standpoint. 03:30 Kelly: So building that culture was definitely a challenge with a distributed workforce. Were there other challenges that that remote pivot introduced or just exacerbated? 03:41 LaFountain: Yeah, I think, you know, we are, we are unique in many, many ways. But we are also just like everybody else in a variety of ways. Like, you know, with any quick change there are challenges, and like other organizations, we've continued to face challenges with recruitment and retention and managing the volume of communications. But ultimately, you know, our North Star is meeting the needs of our learners, who are experiencing all of the same obstacles that we are experiencing. So from an empathy perspective, we're in a great position. And the good news for us is, we're used to moving quickly. We innovate in higher education, and so we were able to very quickly innovate from an employee experience perspective, to create and implement a full, robust distributed workforce program, which we call Synergy. And this has opened us up to recruiting from over 15 states that we previously were not recruiting, which has ultimately really allowed us to more deeply connect with our learners, because we have learners everywhere. So now we are, you know, our goal is to have employees everywhere so that our learners see themselves in our staff. The big, big challenges that I think were exacerbated by going remote so quickly were really about change fatigue and change management, which I don't think is a surprise to anybody you know, folks were experiencing all kinds of changes in their personal lives, and then changes in their work lives. And so we really just have focused, my team particular, on creating places and spaces virtually for folks just to connect, just to have that human-centered connection to hopefully ease some of that change fatigue. By Azernews By Orkhan Amashov The circumstances characterising the relations between the five Caspian littoral states, namely Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran, since 1991, have always entailed a palpable degree of complexity regarding the enormous potential for deep cooperation riven by indisputable friction points engendered by the respective nations specific interests. The Sixth Summit of the Heads of State of the Caspian Littoral States, light years away in monumental significance from the previous 2018 Aktau convocation in which the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea was signed, was nevertheless an important occasion. Foreign policy for all the nations would have been undeniably boring had all the actors involved had shared a relatively identical view on all critical subjects, thereafter resolutely and unquestionably moving towards one uniformly perceived objective. However, the likelihood of this was more than unlikely. The legal regime applicable to the Caspian Sea was once the cause of what was described as one of the most intractable international disputes. In 2018, this stumbling block was removed, albeit with some residual aftereffects. It is an undeniable fact of life that Iran, a specific nation with its sui generis propensities and time-honoured traditions of diplomacy, has not ratified the Convention yet. There were some meagre hopes that Moscow would use its diplomatic leverage vis-a-vis its ally Tehran to induce the latter to make a final move. It is generally presumed, in view of its own contemporary exigencies engendered by the present Ukrainian crisis, that the Kremlin might find it more judicious not to use its limited political capital on this subject at this juncture. Today, by their own self-admission, the Caspian nations do not have a conflict amongst themselves, but there are numerous issues as to which common grounds are yet to be found. The divergent interests mostly emanate from the fact that the area constitutes a crossroads of several geopolitical spheres, and issues involving transshipment, extended connectivity and energy loom large. Although only two of the five participant countries, namely Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, are technically Central Asian nations, Bakus Caspian policy is invariably interwoven into its wider interest within the Organisation of Turkic States. It is vital to recalibrate between the two platforms and create a sufficiently fertile environment for the swift implementation of grand projects that require a wider consensus. To this effect, the fundamental redesign of the East-West transportation routes and an incremental increase in the importance of the Trans-Caspian or Middle Corridor remain the elephant in the room. It does not require clairvoyance skills to appreciate that not all the littoral states share the self-enthusiasm for the Southern Route. Russia is yet to come to terms with a gradual diversification of communications routes connecting China with Europe. Nevertheless, the Summits overall purpose should not be circumscribed to the achievement of a general consolidation, but should also be viewed in terms of bilateral relations between the littoral states. In this vein, Bakus relations with Tehran and Ashgabad are worth mentioning. According to the gas swap deal concluded in November, Iran annually delivers 1.5-2 bcm of Turkmen gas to Azerbaijan. Once increased, this volume could even measurably augment Baku's exports to the EU. Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are also actively working on the joint "Dostlug" field, which previously was the source of a prolonged dispute between the two Turkic nations. The combined force of the Turkmen gas with Azerbaijan's export logistics infrastructure, enhanced by the added element of connectivity via the Caspian Sea, could potentially have massive implications for the EU's energy security. There remain many hurdles to overcome to achieve tangible progress in this regard. It behoves a fair-minded observer not given to contrived good-thinking that the Sixth Summit was not rich in surprises and will not go down in the annals of the relations between the Caspian region as a breakthrough. For Azerbaijan, it was a chance to reaffirm its commitment towards multilateral non-aligned diplomacy and the Zangazur corridor project, which was clearly articulated during the summit by President Aliyev. LUSAKA, Zambia (BP) When Ricky Wilson began taking African American pastors on mission trips to Zambia in 2008, he had to dispel a myth. A number of the Africans have shared with us, what they were told (in the past) by the white missionaries, is that African Americans dont care about the spiritual state of Africans in Africa. And we shared with them, a number of the African American pastors articulated that thats not a truism, Wilson told Baptist Press after his latest trip to Zambia. Because of the conflicts and issues that African Americans were dealing with in America, (we) had a lot on our hands during those times. But its not because people did not care, If you notice, the earlier groups told Zambian pastors, we brought all these pastors. That lets you know somebody must care. Wilson took a team of 21 African American pastors and laypersons from five states to Zambia April 22-May 6 for a multifaceted mission outreach through the Zambia Partnership in founded 15 years ago. Wilson is senior pastor of Christian Faith Fellowship in Downingtown, Pa. RELATED: How to Plan a Group Mission Trip A $5,000 George Liele Scholarship, an incentive launched in 2021 by the National African American Fellowship of the Southern Baptist Convention (NAAF) in partnership with the International Mission Board, helped cover expenses. Those taking the trip raised their own fare and other expenses in the two years preceding the trip, which Wilsons said amounted to $165,000. The team held three days of simultaneous revivals at several churches, conducted pastors and womens conferences and training, conducted community cleanup, held a multi-village cookout, and in advance of the trip, sent clothing and books. The partnership has built nine water wells since its founding, including two completed in 2022. Revivals drew standing-room-only crowds. Vacation Bible School drew 500 700 youth daily, and the cookout planned for 300 drew about 1,000, Wilson said. Jerome Coleman, NAAF Eastern regional director and senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Crestmont in Willow Grove, Pa., describes the George Liele Scholarship as a recognition that African Americans have always been on mission. RELATED: 7 Ways Mission Trips Have Helped Me Preach Better Missions for African Americans starts in the community and expands from there. We take seriously Acts 1:8, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, Coleman told Baptist Press. From South Carolina, to Georgia, to Jamaica, Liele embodied what it is to be a witness for Jesus. We are godly proud that Liele has finally been recognized, not only as the first American missionary, but if William Carey is considered the father of the modern missionary movement, then George Liele is the grandfather, since he left America and preached the Gospel in Jamaica 10 years before Carey left England for India. We are overjoyed that, along with Annie Armstrong and Lottie Moon, (Liele) is now on the pantheon of SBC missionaries. Larry Anderson, director of church health and evangelism for the Baptist Resource Network of Pennsylvania/South Jersey (BRN), traveled to Zambia for the first time this year after making other mission trips to Africa. The Zambians he ministered to considered themselves blessed to be able to worship the Lord irrespective of any wealth, Anderson said, with praise and worship lasting 45 minutes before the sermon was preached. It impacted me in a major way, Anderson said, in regard to the appreciation of the Lord and the worship of the Lord that wasnt (based) on materialism. These folks were blessed. They were willing to worship and praise the Lord for hours. And they may have 10 percent of the materialism that we have here in America. Adopting one child is a major undertaking that involves lots of red tape and sleepless nights. So, imagine adopting a family of eight siblings from another country. That's the challenge Hayley and Mike Jones took on when the couple from Thompson's Station, Tennessee, decided to adopt an orphan family from Sierra Leone in West Africa. "We had always talked about adoption even when we were dating and had always known that we wanted to adopt from the continent of Africa," says Hayley. "We always thought we would adopt a little boy." However, on visiting the orphanage in Sierra Leone, the plight of the eight siblings struck a chord. Their father had been killed in a boating accident, and they faced the real possibility of being separated until Mike fell in love with the idea of adopting them. "The weight of eight was just so much. So, just had to really pray and seek God's guidance on it. And he just clearly told me that the eight was what we had to do." The Jones already had two children of their own, so the prospect of adopting eight more would involve a complete change of lifestyle. That included transforming their house from a home for four into a home for twelve! "We felt like Noah building the Ark," says Hayley. "We had people from church come and help us, like build some rooms out in the basement of our house. We re-did our kitchen. We did all of this, just preparing for the children." After three years of traveling to and from Sierra Leone trying to complete the adoption, Mike and Hayley were finally able to welcome the children onto U.S. soil. Watch the video to see how tragedy became a triumph for 8 orphaned siblings. "It was a big adjustment," says Mike. But it all worked out really well. I mean, they're great kids. They bless us, I always tell people, more than we bless them." One way the boys acclimatized to the American way of life was through soccer. It began with the eldest boy, Michael. He'd played in the streets occasionally back in Sierra Leone but had never played organized soccer. Story continues "It was a big adjustment because not knowing the goals of soccer or anything was really hard for me," says Michael. "And then not able to talk to the coaches about how to play the game because of English. Also, I was like, man, my feet are light. And then I put on the cleats; they're so heavy on my feet. So, I told my dad, I was like, "Hey, dad, is there a way I can take off these cleats and just play barefoot?" Michael eventually came to terms with soccer, American style, and became a key player on the team at Grace Christian Academy in Franklin, Tennessee. In fact, he started a Jones soccer dynasty, as the rest of his siblings followed suit to become star players at the school, which recently won a state championship. "Whenever one of our siblings have games, we are always there cheering them on and just bonding together as a family," says Michael. "Because these are times you have to cherish." Michael is now in college, getting his master's degree while still playing and coaching. His siblings have also continued with soccer, notably his brothers Malachi and Levi, who've just joined the soccer program at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. Meanwhile, back at home, it's business as usual for Hayley and Mike. Since they adopted the siblings from Africa, they've had another child of their own, increasing the size of their family to 13! "It's a beautiful mess," says Hayley. "It's full of sacrifice, but at the same time, it's full of blessings." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eight African siblings live the American dream after being adopted Californias Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom marked the July Fourth holiday by unveiling a campaign ad set to air on Fox News in which he speaks about freedom, amid images of skyrocketing fireworks and the Statue of Liberty, with strains of America the Beautiful softly strumming on the guitar. But if you think Newsom is serving up Independence Day platitudes in an effort to attract the support of Fox News audience, then you dont know Newsom. Dean Obeidallah This new 2022 re-election commercial is about just one thing: crushing Floridas Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. And Newsom does it in a way that other Democrats should emulate by highlighting the threat that todays extremist GOP poses to our freedoms. The 54-year-old governor opens the ad declaring, Its Independence Day so lets talk about whats going on in America. He then adds ominously to Fox News viewers in Florida, Freedom is under attack in your state. We then see images of DeSantis shaking the hand of Donald Trump, as the screen fills with quotes from news reports appearing to back up Newsoms claim that Republican leaders are banning books, making it harder to vote, restricting speech in classrooms and even criminalizing women and doctors. And as the visuals turn to picturesque vistas of California beaches and vineyards, the governor declares, I urge all of you living in Florida to join the fight or join us in California, where we still believe in freedom: Freedom of speech, freedom to choose, freedom from hate, and the freedom to love. Newsom closes his appeal with the words, Dont let them take your freedom. Boom! Thats the message Democrats should embrace. Todays Republican party is an extremist movement that is literally coming for our freedoms. DeSantis who many political observers expect will run for president in 2024 is one of the leaders of the GOPs efforts across a number of states to ban everything from academic freedom to reproductive rights. Story continues We saw the extent of this extremism when Roe v. Wade was overturned last week by the conservative majority on the Supreme Court, emboldening various states to usher in draconian abortion restrictions as well as outright abortion bans. One of the most barbaric examples of this extreme new reality came to light on Friday, when it was reported that a 10-year-old girl in Ohio who became pregnant after being raped was not being permitted to have an abortion under that states newly-implemented law that forbade the termination of any pregnancy after six weeks. The child who had missed Ohios cut-off by just three days was compelled to travel to a neighboring state to have the abortion, according to the Indianapolis Star Tribune in Indiana, where the abortion was ultimately performed. In response to this news story, Newsom once again taking the fight to the GOP tweeted, The Republican Party platform: Government mandated pregnancies for 10-year-olds. The most common complaint Ive heard from left-leaning listeners to my SiriusXM show over the past year is that Democratic elected officials are not fighters. Obviously, there are exceptions to that criticism. But in his recent remarks Newsom acknowledged this sentiment, recently telling CNN: The success of the right to define the terms of the debate, the success of the right to dominate the narrative theyre winning in ways that are alarming to me. He added, Youve got to take the fight to them. That explains the California governors fiery words to CNN in which he called DeSantis a bully, a fraud, an authoritarian and a fake conservative, among other things. Newsoms criticism of DeSantis is even more notable given recent reports that some Trump megadonors are now supporting DeSantis for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, following blockbuster revelations that have emerged during the January 6 committee hearings implicating Trumps possible direct involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election and even his alleged actions enabling the violent January 6 attack. Some speculate that Newsom might be eying a run himself in 2024 if President Biden doesnt seek re-election, just as DeSantis is believed to be planning a White House bid. But Newsom has drawn a sharp contrast between himself and the Florida governor, declaring: Were as different as daylight and darkness. To that, my response is, yes and no. Yes, the progressive Newsom is very different from the far-right DeSantis on policy. But they share a common trait in that they both enjoy needling their political rivals. For example, last year DeSantis signed legislation against Covid-19 mandates in Brandon, Florida. Why did he sign the bill in a mid-sized town that is nearly a four-hour drive from the state capital of Tallahassee? As many political observers noted at the time, DeSantis apparently chose the town as a way of trolling Joe Biden given the right-wing taunt of the president, Lets go Brandon. In similar fashion, Newsom joined Trumps social media platform purely with the objective of trolling Trump. Newsom also uses Twitter deftly as a political weapon, as he did this weekend in response to a news report that Texass Attorney General is looking into fining corporations over $100,000 any time they pay for an employee to obtain an out-of-state abortion. In response, Newsom tweeted: California is offering tax breaks to encourage businesses to move OUT of anti-choice, repressive states like Texas and to the real Freedom state of CA. Whether or not he seeks the White House, Newsom is showing Democratic leaders something the base wants to see: How to be an effective and fierce fighter who isnt focused on bipartisanship but instead determined to call out the GOPs extremism. Thats a playbook all Democrats should embrace. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com An area man has been charged with murder in connection with the death of a fellow St. Francois County Jail inmate last year. Authorities allege the man provided methamphetamine to his cellmate, leading to his death. Timothy Lawrence Noll, 33, of Park Hills, was charged on Wednesday with second-degree murder and delivery or possession of a controlled substance at county/private jail/correctional center. According to a probable cause statement, on Aug. 4, 2021, a county jail inmate, 32-year-old Anthony David Caruthers of Bonne Terre, was found deceased in his cell at the St. Francois County Jail. Caruthers had been in custody at the St. Francois County Jail awaiting transfer to the Department of Corrections to serve a life sentence after pleading guilty to the 2016 murder of Farmington businessman Michael VanStavern. After Caruthers was found dead in his cell, a preliminary investigation reportedly revealed illicit drugs had been smuggled into the jail and may have been a factor in the man's death. As part of a Missouri State Highway Patrol investigation, police interviewed a woman suspected to be involved. During the interview, the woman reportedly admitted to assisting Noll in bringing drugs into the jail. The report states the woman admitted to putting drugs inside a Bible that was then delivered to the jail for Noll. She reportedly explained to investigators that she obtained the drugs from Garry Triplett and that the contact should be recorded in a HomeWAV conversation with Noll and Triplett. HomeWAV is a service allowing inmates to communicate with friends and family through phone and video calls. In the interview, the woman reportedly told police she had entered a residence, where Triplett handed her two baggies of drugs, one of which contained pill capsules and the other a "loose, crystal powder." She said she believed the drugs to be heroin and methamphetamine, according to the statement. The report states the woman said she talked to Noll via HomeWAV calls, and he instructed her on how to conceal the drugs in a Bible. The woman allegedly placed the drugs she obtained from Triplett into the Bible, which was later delivered to the jail by another female and delivered to Noll, according to police. Numerous HomeWAV calls were reportedly located that confirmed the woman's statement. The report notes that Noll and Caruthers were cellmates. During the investigation of Caruthers' death, a Bible and a clear plastic bag containing a white powdery substance were located within the cell shared by Noll and Caruthers. Later lab testing confirmed the powder to be methamphetamine. Records show Noll is currently incarcerated at Missouri Eastern Correctional in Pacific, serving an 11-year sentence. He was sentenced in August 2019 to seven years for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute and four years for selling an imitation controlled substance. Previously, the sentences had been suspended, but the judge ordered Noll to serve the two prison terms consecutively after the man violated his probation in both cases. Court filings indicate Noll has at least nine pending criminal cases for offenses including unlawful possession of a firearm, multiple counts of possession of a controlled substance, resisting/interfering with arrest for a felony, resisting arrest/detention by fleeing - creating a substantial risk of injury or death, as well as other felony charges. A search of the man's criminal history revealed he has multiple prior convictions for charges including second-degree assault, possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, and property damage. Triplett is currently in custody without bond at the St. Francois County Detention Center on charges of first-degree drug trafficking, delivery of a controlled substance, and two counts of abuse or neglect of a child. The neglect charges against Triplett, and his wife, were filed last week after a toddler and a 10-year-old child residing in the pair's home allegedly tested positive for drugs, including methamphetamine and fentanyl. Mineral Area College nursing student Paul Vestal of Park Hills has been awarded the Breaking Traditions Daphna Jones Spirit Award from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Vestal will receive a $500 scholarship to Mineral Area College as part of the award package. The Breaking Traditions Awards are awarded annually to outstanding nontraditional career and technical students in the state. DESE considers nontraditional careers to be occupations in fields of work in which one gender comprises less than 25 percent of the individuals employed. The Daphna Jones Spirit Award is presented to a person who exemplifies an unbreakable spirit, has overcome undue hardships, braved harsh obstacles, stood courageously against troubles, and has had the tenacity to surpass all odds. Vestal was nominated by MAC Allied Health Director Angie Erickson, who noted his quiet, humble strength, ability to persevere when faced with adversity, and embodiment of the qualities befitting a nurse compassion, empathy, consideration, communication skills, and confidence. Growing up, nursing was not the career Vestal expected to pursue, but he is appreciative of the journey and those who served as a beacon in each crossroad to bring him to this point. Joining the Marine Corps Infantry at 17, he deployed twice to Afghanistan. His experiences and relationships formed during his serviceespecially the friendship of a fellow Marine who walked beside him during tough times influenced his desire to pursue nursing and inspired him to be a mentor for veterans. Whether its the birth of a first child or the death of a parent, nurses are there to share in the joy and sorrow of the moment, he said. They bridge the gap; they hold the line. Likewise, I find my reasonable service to society is to give back in light of that which has been done for me. Vestal credits his mother as his first role model and as a single, working mother in the 1970s, a nontraditional success story. She passed away when Paul was just ten years old but instilled the knowledge that he could do anything in life. After completing the Associate Degree Nursing program at MAC, Paul plans to work as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse while continuing his education to reach his ultimate goal of becoming a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner for the Veterans Health Administration. A close friend of the family, a woman, said that she looked up to my mother because she was the woman that transcended gender expectations of the time, Vestal said. I will fill my niche with no regard for tradition because when there is so much good to be done in the world, who cares about gender roles? I will be the beacon in the crossroad. As the day on which Congress adopted a document, largely drafted by Thomas Jefferson to justify American independence and set forth fundamental principles, this July 4 marks Americas 246th anniversary. We are just four years away from its anticipated semiquincentennial, or sestercentennial. In early American history, speakers lauded liberty and independence at Fourth of July ceremonies. In 2022, we devote more attention to parades and fireworks, but the day remains special. It is an opportune occasion to convey our love of country and its liberties to our posterity. As I celebrate this July 4, I am eagerly anticipating 2026, partly because I remember the 1976 bicentennial so fondly. My fiance and I were planning our nuptials and had considered marrying on the Fourth of July. Eventually realizing the vast number of celebrations taking place on that day, we chose to wed a week earlier. Returning from our honeymoon to our home in Charlottesville, I resumed my summer job at Highland and delighted in guiding individuals through the home of President James Monroe on July 4. About a week later, Queen Elizabeth II visited Charlottesville and followed with a visit to the White House where Captain and Tennille entertained her with a rendition of Muskrat Love. That same summer, my wife and I toured the nations birthplace in Philadelphia, which displayed a copy of the Magna Carta. The year 1976 also marked a presidential election. Just two years before, the nation witnessed the U.S. president resign in disgrace after a pending impeachment vote. Amid questions whether the country could survive without a parliamentary system, separation of powers proved effective. As Republicans joined Democrats in calling a president to account for abusing his powers, the nation was in a self-congratulatory mood having avoided a constitutional catastrophe. Fast forward to today: a former president continues to challenge the legitimate result of the 2020 presidential election; candidates supporting this challenge continue to gain nominations for public office, and the electoral prospects appear grim for the only two Republicans who remain on the January 6 committee. We need to contemplate whether we will avoid a similar catastrophe before 2026. We can profit from examining ourselves against the document that proclaimed our independence. The Declaration of Independence says that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states. Do we still have this unity of purpose? Do we live up to our motto of E Pluribus Unum, or are we divided into rival tribes of red states and blue states? The Declaration of Independence affirms that all men are created equal. Do we still share this bedrock belief, or do we believe that some people, namely those who agree with us, or share the same income, skin color or ethnicity, are more equal than others? The Declaration of Independence avows that all individuals are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Does our current view of happiness retain the social dimension that it once had, or do we now interpret it simply as the individual pursuit of self-righteousness? The Declaration of Independence declares that just governments are based on the consent of the governed. Are we still willing to turn over the reins of government to political opponents after they win in fair and free elections? The Declaration pledged the lives, fortunes, and sacred honor of those who signed. Are contemporary leaders as interested in risking their political lives or in saving them? In sacrificing their fortunes or enhancing them? In preserving their honor or in craving short-term popularity? Benjamin Franklin reportedly told fellow signers of the Declaration that they would have to hang together, or they would hang separately from English nooses. At a time when Ukrainians are bravely defending their homeland with their blood and treasure, are we as committed to preserving our own free and democratic way of life? If so, then we truly have much to celebrate! J, (ABC-CLIO, November 26, 2018). Americans celebrate their Declaration of Independence today as a shroud of uncertainty cloaks the very principle that gave it birth. The bedrock of our independence in this democratic republic is the right to choose our leaders. That foundation supports everything else, whether it is domestic policy, national security, international relations or individual liberties. If independence forms the American bedrock, the right to vote protects it. We owe our freedom to a philosophy of majority rule. Our freedom rests on the mantra of participatory democracy: The best way to ensure the peoples will is to facilitate a system that encourages as many citizens as possible to cast ballots. If we can do that, then win or lose, we accept the result. At least we used to. At this moment, American independence is under attack like it has never been. The crisis traces to the refusal of former President Donald Trump to accept his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, nearly two years ago. More than 60 court cases shot down Trumps Big Lie that he lost the election due to widespread election fraud. Trump-appointed Attorney General Bill Barr oversaw FBI investigations that did not show election fraud sufficient to change the 2020 presidential outcome. Barr called Trumps allegations BS and told the president so. Trump appointed Jeffrey Rosen Acting Attorney General when Barr resigned. Rosen investigated Trumps laundry list of bogus conspiracy theories and told the president that they were not true. Trump tried to replace Rosen for refusing to participate in the presidents criminal plan to get legislators in swing states that he lost to appoint new electors who would cast electoral votes for Trump instead of Biden. Trump then went directly to state legislators to ask them to convene special sessions to name alternate electors to thwart the will of the people in the swing states. Some tried. Others refused. The President of the United States stooped so low that nearly two months after Election Day, he personally called the head of Georgias elections office and asked him to find more than 11,000 votes that could be cast for Trump so he could overtake Democrat Joe Biden and win the state. That call betrayed American independence so completely and corruptly that it deserves criminal prosecution. Finally, Trump invited an armed mob to Washington Jan. 6, 2021, whipped them into a frenzy by telling them the Big Lie and sent them to the Capitol to overturn the Electoral College vote. Trump spurred the mob on with yet another liethat Vice President Mike Pence had the legal authority to overturn those votes. Although hundreds of Trump supporters assaulted police and broke into the Capitol, some chanting Hang Mike Pence, Trumps attempted coup failed. But the threat to American independence remains as serious on this Fourth of July as it has been at any time since World War II. New voting restrictions predicated on the Big Lie have popped up in the legal codes of many Republican-run states. Virginias Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin fed the Big Lie calling for an audit of the states voting machines during his 2021 campaign. Youngkin got his wish. The risk-limiting audit determined that the chance that Virginias election system produced an inaccurate outcome was 0.00000065117%. Despite overwhelming evidence that there was no fraud, Trumps allies continue to undermine trust in the countrys electoral process. Despite the deadly attack on the Capitol, 147 Republicans in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives voted not to certify the legitimate, legally proven results of the 2020 election. Among them were Rep. Bob Good, who represents the city of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Other Virginia members of Congress who voted against American democracy were Rep. Rob Wittman, Rep. Morgan Griffith and Rep. Ben Cline. None of these men, nor any other candidate for elected office of any party at any level of government, deserve our votes until they renounce Trumps Big Lie about election fraud. Until we, the people restore respect for majority rule and the rule of law, nothing can be self-evident about Americas Declaration of Independence. Only two initiatives appear likely to qualify for a statewide vote Nov. 8 as Oregon's deadline approaches for petitioners to submit signatures. That deadline is Friday. The state Elections Division will have up to 30 days afterward to verify signatures, generally done with sampling. The mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas, have given momentum to advocates of a measure to set new requirements for firearms permits and limit ammunition magazines to 10 rounds each. At the end of May, they had submitted barely 2,500 of the 112,020 signatures required to qualify it for the statewide ballot. One week before the deadline, that total had shot up to around 120,000 and a chief petitioner says the goal is 140,000. The Rev. Dr. W.J. Mark Knutson, pastor of Augustana Lutheran Church in Portland, said a wet spring and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic slowed signature-gathering efforts by 500 volunteers. Then came Buffalo, where 10 Black people were shot dead May 14 in a supermarket, and Uvalde, where 19 children and two teachers died 10 days later at Robb Elementary School. "People were saying they could not sit anymore, so we had 1,000 new volunteers come forward to join the 500," Knutson said in an interview. "A lot were parents with children it was pretty amazing. They are learning about democracy. 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. "The process is as important as the result democratic action by the people. In this nation right now, we need to see democracy at work." In addition to the limit on ammunition magazines, the measure would require people to undergo classroom and live-fire training before they obtain a firearms permit, and complete background checks. (Current law allows a purchaser to obtain a gun even if the check is incomplete after three days; the measure would require the check to be completed.) The other initiative awaiting qualification for the ballot is a proposed constitutional amendment to bar legislators from seeking re-election if they have 10 or more absences that have not been excused by the Senate president or House speaker. Advocates have submitted 183,942 signatures; the requirement for a constitutional amendment is 149,360. Public employee unions led the drive for the measure after walkouts by minority Republicans stymied legislative action in 2019 and 2020. The 2020 walkouts forced the majority Democrats to scuttle proposed climate-change legislation and shut down the short session. (Republican senators walked out for one day in 2021; Republicans in the House were deterred from doing so by a 2021 rule that set a maximum daily fine of $500 for an unexcused absence.) The Oregon Constitution pegs signature requirements to a share of the votes cast for governor in the most recent election. It's 6% for an initiative, which changes state law, and 8% for a constitutional amendment. Voters also will see two constitutional amendments referred by the 2021 Legislature. One would define health care as a right; the other would remove slavery as a punishment for crime. The Lift Every Voice Oregon movement also had another initiative to ban assault weapons. Though technically still alive, Knutson said advocates chose to focus their efforts on the other measure. "That one will save more lives," he said. "The permit (requirement) applies to every gun. People right now can buy guns with no training, no knowledge of how they work and no understanding of what they can do." The limit on magazines, he said, "would take the ammo from assault weapons." Assuming that the measure qualifies for the ballot and voters pass it, he said, advocates will take a version of the assault-weapons ban to the 2023 Legislature. "It will be their opportunity to make a significant change after what the voters just did," Knutson said. if legislators follow through, he added, "Oregon will have passed the most comprehensive gun legislation in the nation at one time. We think that will give hope to other states and Congress." Oregon voters in 2000 approved an initiative to require background checks for purchasers at gun shows. They did so after legislation passed the Senate but stalled in the House; Republican then had majorities in both chambers. While Democrats were in the majority in both chambers, they passed bills to require dealers to conduct background checks for private gun sales (2015), empower judges to keep firearms from people at "extreme risk" of harming themselves or others (2017), close the boyfriend loophole for those convicted of domestic-violence misdemeanors to possess firearms, even when the victims were members of the same household (2018), and require trigger locks and safe storage of firearms (2021). The 2021 law also bars holders of concealed-handgun licenses from bringing firearms into the state Capitol in Salem and the passenger terminal at Portland International Airport. Governing boards can extend such bans to buildings and grounds of public schools, community colleges and universities. By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has left for neighboring Iran for an official visit, Azernews reports, citing the ministry. Bayramov is to meet high-ranking Iranian officials as part of the visit, the ministry said. Jeyhun Bayramov and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian exchanged views on the development of cooperation in economic, trade, transport, humanitarian, and other spheres during the May 14 telephone conversation. The activities of the Iran-Azerbaijan State Commission for Economic, Trade, and Humanitarian Cooperation and the implementation of agreements reached within this framework were praised. The top diplomats underlined that mutual visits gave a positive impetus to the development of relations. Bayramov welcomed the invitation of his counterpart to visit Iran saying that the visit would take place soon. The sides also discussed the regional situation and issues of mutual interest on the international agenda. Your morning rundown of the latest news from overnight and the stories to follow throughout the day. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. The Guinean government said it is a major priority for the state to relaunch operator Guinea Telecom, as a long-term move to reduce the cost of connectivity in the country and spur digital transformation. Mosaique Guinee reported, the government visited Guinea Telecom (formerly Sotelgui) headquarters to take stock of the operators telecoms assets, in preparation for a relaunch. The operator revealed it has 183 sites, 151 of which are LTE capable. Ministry of post, telecommunications and digital economy delegate, and secretary-general Bamba Oliano, said there is potential in the operator and it is a priority for the state to revamp Guinea Telecom. Oliano noted Guinea is one of very few sub-Sahara African countries without a state-owned operator to support connectivity. The operator will be launched with zero debt after it was absorbed by the government. There are plans to make Guinea Telecom a global operator with a diverse product portfolio that not only includes 3G and 4G connectivity, but also TV, internet and fixed lines. Currently, internet service providers rely on Guinea Telecoms infrastructure which highlighted the potential the operator possesses, said Oliano. It will be the national operator that will support government communication, its launch will allow competition in the telephony sector to improve the quality of service. This will reduce the cost of communication and access to the Internet. This is the objective given to Guinea Telecoms. This is why we are considering finding an economic model to launch Guinea Telecom, he said. Sotelgui declared bankruptcy in 2013 after years of mismanagement and was dissolved in 2017 by the government which assumed all debts. Since 2019, the government has been trying to rally investments for a relaunch to compete against MTN and Orange. Operator Ooredoo Group and international communications company BICS have announced a multi-year agreement through which BICS is to manage voice services across the groups operations. This deal will create what the partners describe as an innovative voice business model that will deliver new solutions in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and fraud protection, among other areas. Ooredoo Group says the agreement for voice traffic with BICS, a leading international voice carrier, is the first such partnership of its kind in the region. Effective immediately, the agreement will involve a phased deployment plan for Ooredoo Group operating companies across its global footprint that will be rolled out in Q3 and Q4 of 2022. Ooredoo is headquartered in Qatar but its footprint extends to 11 other countries covering Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Ooredoo Group will work with BICS for voice traffic both in and out of the Groups operating companies. A key element of the first phase of the deployment plan is the creation of a dedicated team of specialists to share insight, expertise, and resources between the two organisations and ensure a firm focus on customer experience. The focus is clearly on voice, with the partners say, high voice quality guaranteed across the full range of BICS destinations across the world (BICS describes itself as one of the largest providers of international communications). However, they add, Ooredoo Group will also enjoy access to the very latest in new technology which will enable augmentation of several elements of the operators business and, in turn, enable further enhancement of the customer experience. BICS solutions range from global voice services, seamless roaming and IoT enablement to global messaging. BICS has more than 120 access points of presence worldwide. The Equiano subsea internet cable has been brought ashore in Namibia just under 18 months after the February 2021 announcement that Paratus Group, together with Telecom Namibia, had been selected to build the cable landing station (CLS) for Equiano. Paratus, a provider of a full-service network spanning the African continent, completed the building of the CLS in September last year. The internal fit including power, cabling cabinets, conduits, raceways, cages and security was completed in January 2022. Once Equiano, a private international cable owned by Google, becomes fully operational in Q4 this year, it is expected to deliver up to 20 times more capacity than was previously available in Namibia. Paratus cites a recent economic impact assessment, conducted by Africa Practice and Genesis Analytics and commissioned by Google, that suggest that Equianos arrival in Namibia is set to increase internet speeds by over 2.5 times; increase internet penetration by 7.5% in the next three years; and act as a catalyst for considerable growth, job creation and sustainability. As the current CEO of Paratus Group, Barney Harmse, explains: Namibia has higher internet connection levels at 40.5% compared with an average of 29% for sub-Saharan African countries but has relied upon the West Africa Cable System (WACS) for its international connectivity until now. He continues: The landing of the Equiano cable will significantly increase Namibias international bandwidth capacity as it is four times greater than WACS. This will not only ensure better stability of connectivity in the country, but also lower latency and higher speeds in global transmission of data. This is another milestone for this ambitious cable project. In April we reported that WIOCC had landed Googles Equiano subsea cable in Lagos, Nigeria. Bimmerle KG has taken over the distribution of La Martiniquaise Scotch whisky brand Label 5 Classic Black whisky in Germany. With high performances in Europe, German distribution comes as a strategic choice for the brand. Nicolai Benz, CEO of sales at Bimmerle said: We are pleased to have found a new, internationally active partner in La Martiniquaise. The cooperation is based on great trust and a joint plan for the future. The blended scotch whisky is distilled, matured and bottled in Scotland and sold internationally in more than 100 countries. President of the European Council Charles Michel made a phone call to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on July 4, Azernews reports, citing Azertac. During the conversation the sides discussed the issues related to the Brussels agenda. Charles Michel emphasized the importance of ensuring stability, peace and security in the South Caucasus for the European Union. He noted that the European Union would continue its efforts towards the normalization of relations, the signing of a peace agreement, the delimitation of borders and the opening of transport and communication lines between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Pointing to the trilateral meetings held at the initiative and with the participation of the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the agreements reached within this framework, President Ilham Aliyev expressed hope that the negotiations towards the normalization of relations and the signing of a peace treaty, delimitation and demarcation of borders, and the opening of transport and communication lines between Armenia and Azerbaijan would yield real results. The head of state underlined the large-scale landmine problem Azerbaijan is facing in the liberated territories and emphasized the importance of Armenian sides clarifying the fate of about 4,000 Azerbaijanis who considered missing since the first Armenia-Azerbaijan war. Molson Coors lines up 3.5 million Madri Excepcional campaign Molson Coors has launched its first ad campaign for the Madri Excepcional lager brand. The 3.5 million push aims to build on the brands on-trade momentum and establish it in the off-trade, the brewer said. The campaign, called Door Roja, includes a 60-second TV ad shot in Madrid, video-on-demand, out-of-home, experiential and social activations. The campaign, which was devised by Havas London, will run for three months. Ryan McLaughlin, marketing controller - premium beers at Molson Coors said: The reaction to Madri Excepcional since launch, from venues, retailers and above all the public, has been, well, exceptional. While less than two years old, its clear it represents a unique, exciting, and sought-after option. This bold campaign backed by significant investment captures the soul of Madrid specifically, not just Spain, enabling the brand to continue to stand out against the sea of largely undifferentiated Mediterranean lagers in the growing world lager category. Madri Excepcional is brewed in the UK. Related articles: The Finnish company provides Trung Hieu with a cement alternative, Geoprime, that supports the transition to green buildings and infrastructure. Juha Pinomaa, Betolars head of Asia says that various industries are discharging billions of tons of harmful industrial by-products such as coal ash, waste, and slag which are eventually discharged into the environment. Geoprime solution is created for the production of durable, sustainable, and low-carbon concrete by utilizing industrial side streams as an alternative for cement. Betolar thus enables the green transition of different industries and makes concrete sustainable building material. With the factory located in the Dong Nai province, Trung Hieu is serving the fast-growing Ho Chi Minh City construction market. The Vietnamese company is a manufacturer of construction blocks and paving stones, with the production capacity of manufacturing 100 million blocks (120,000 tons) per year. Trung Hieu benefits from Betolar's continuous product development, expert services, and data support in the manufacture of the products. It also has the right to use the Geoprime trademark in its products manufactured in accordance with the concept. It is important for us to be able to offer low-carbon concrete as the demand for sustainable concrete products is growing rapidly. We will collaborate with Betolar to move our manufacturing fully to low-carbon concrete products during 2023, says Luyen Nguyen, Trung Hieu CEO. Vietnam is taking an active approach to finding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the usage of agricultural soil for construction material production while responding to the needs of rapid urbanization and population growth. The Vietnamese government is driving a shift from traditional red bricks to cement-based concrete blocks that are produced without heat, aiming to shift 40 - 45 per cent of the total annual production of 26 billion construction bricks to concrete bricks by 2030. Trung Hieu is one of the pioneering companies in Vietnam in the field of production of concrete blocks. The geopolymer technology from Betolar enables manufacturing with up to 80 per cent less CO2 emissions on raw materials and the ability to use local industrial side streams. The agreement is Betolar's first in the Vietnamese market, following deals made in Indonesia. Vietnam is the worlds third-largest cement producer and fourth-largest cement consumer, with 85 million tons consumed annually. We estimate that the Vietnamese market represents a significant commercial opportunity for us in the coming years, as there is a huge potential for cement replacement, says Pinomaa. In its plan in APEC, Betolar will test the attractiveness of the Geoprime market, establishing initial reference customers in three key countries including Vietnam, India, and Indonesia from 2020 to 2023. From 2024, the company will penetrate other key markets. By Anh Minh July 4, 2022 | 02:31 am PT Containers stuck near the Vietnam-China border in Lang Son Province in December 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnam's overland trade with China fell sharply in the first four months of this year as that country tightened Covid-19 safety measures and borders became congested. Vietnamese firms shipped just US$509-million worth of goods to China through the border, a 87 percent dive year-on-year, according to customs data. Imports from China dropped by 52.5 percent to $3.64 billion. Chinas zero-Covid strategy and tightened control of cross-border movement have had the biggest effect on trade, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said. Lack of transport, logistic and cross-border trade infrastructure worsened the situation, it added. Though trading through key border gates in the northern provinces of Lao Cai and Lang Son has resumed, customs clearance has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. At Lang Sons Tan Thanh Border Gate, Vietnams main point for fruit export to China, only 100 vehicles get customs clearance a day, a third of the pre-pandemic level. The ministry has warned that the border congestion could escalate if no measures are taken. China was Vietnams largest partner last year, with bilateral trade reaching $166 billion. Vietnam exported $56 billion worth of goods to China, its second largest import market, last year. Trading through the border accounted for $42 billion, 37 percent of it being Vietnamese exports. Agricultural produce and electronics components are Vietnams top export items to China. Puih Thai (R) reunites with his family on July 3, 2022 after being rescued from Cambodia. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Oanh Border guards in central Vietnam have rescued two men that were tricked and sold to Cambodia to work against their will. Puih Phu, 16, and Puih Thai, 28, were taken back home in La Grai District of Gia Lai Province in the Central Highlands on Sunday. Early this year, they got in touch with Tran Quang Quyet, 21, a native of the regions Kon Tum Province, on Facebook. Quyet offered to help them get decent jobs with high salaries in Cambodia. However, once they arrived in Cambodia, they were forced to do all the hard work while their employers frequently beat them with rods and power cables. They were also threatened to be sold away or killed. Struggling to survive, Puih Thai asked to be sent home. The people who had tricked and sold him to Cambodia requested him to contact his family and pay bail of VND90 million ($3,854). Through his family, border guards in Gia Lai launched a special operation to track down the human trafficking ring, rescuing both Thai and Phu. Border guards have collaborated with police to expand the operation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced last week that Vietnamese and Cambodian authorities have collaborated to repatriate 400 Vietnamese citizens who had been tricked and sold to Cambodia by human traffickers so far this year. In most cases, trafficking rings advertised their services on social media, targeting people of working age but without stable jobs, promising a career with a monthly salary of up to thousands of dollars. The victims were typically smuggled into Cambodia and sent to work at foreign-owned companies. If refusing to work, the Vietnamese workers would be beaten and left to starve, according to police. In other cases, people smuggled to Cambodia included young women forced to work as prostitutes. The victims told police anyone that wants to return to Vietnam must first contact their families and pay bail of around VND80-100 million. ELKO Covid-19 cases in Elko County doubled in June, as the virus continues to kill an average of two people per day statewide. There have been only three Covid-related deaths in Elko County over the past four months. The countys rate of daily confirmed cases increased from three to seven in June, according to the Nevada Health Response website. That number rose to 10 over the holiday weekend, according to data from The New York Times. Elko Countys surge follows a 40% increase in May, after case levels dropped significantly earlier this year in the wake of an omicron subvariant. Health officials believe the latest surges may be from new omicron subvariants. Two Elko County residents were hospitalized with Covid in the past week, with one of them listed in intensive care, the states website says. There were two hospitalizations in Humboldt County, one in Lander County, and none in Eureka or White Pine counties. Statewide, the number of new cases per day was up 43% in June. The average daily case rate at the end of June was 870, compared with 610 at the end of May. The total number of deaths in the state increased from 10,872 at the end of May to 11,039 at the end of June, for an average of two deaths per day. Clark County returned to a high level of transmission three weeks ago, The Nevada Independent reported, prompting the Southern Nevada Health District to strongly recommend people wear masks in public indoor places. Nationwide Covid rates have held fairly steady over the past six weeks, according to New York Times data, although some health experts believe the actual numbers are higher than what is being reported. CENTERVILLE Fireworks appear to be the likely cause for a fire in the foothills above Parrish Lane and 100 South late Sunday night, police said Monday. It led to 89 home evacuations in the area overnight; however, those were lifted just before 6 a.m. as the fire moves away from homes. Some of the streets in the area remain closed due to firefighting activity, according to Centerville police. They added that a pair of planned holiday festivities on Monday the Centerville City 4th of July Parade and Freedom Run are canceled because of the fire. "Fire suppression efforts will continue to impact the parade and 5K run routes into the morning. Additionally, the public safety resources needed to ensure (the) safety of the event are not available," police wrote on social media. The Deuel Creek Fire is estimated at 100 acres, and is 0% contained, according to Utah Fire Info, which is run by state and federal firefighting agencies. Local, state and federal firefighters all helped fight the fire overnight. A Type 3 wildland firefighting team is assigned to the fire Monday, meaning that additional firefighting resources are expected "throughout the day." Centerville Police Lt. Allen Ackerson told KSL-TV that people may not be able to see a lot of smoke if they drive near the fire, but the crews are nowhere near done making sure the fire is completely out. Officials are asking people to avoid the area as firefighters try to contain the blaze. "The fire is far from being out," he said, standing several blocks west of the fire. "It's still burning, you just can't see it from the side we're at right now." Officials caution that residents may be evacuated again and should be ready to vacate "at a moment's notice" just in case there is a shift in the fire pattern. The fire broke out just before midnight by the Deuel Creek Trail, which Ackerson describes as one of the city's "more popular trails" in the foothills. Scores of people posted photos and videos of the fire as it moved its way up the foothills. Flames were fanned by winds amid very dry conditions due to the ongoing severe drought in the area. Eight different agencies were assigned to the fire overnight, which allowed for the evacuations to be lifted within hours. "One of the reasons they were able to knock down the fire so fast is they were able to get so many assets on scene, all the firefighters up on the mountains, so fast," Ackerson said. Though fireworks are suspected, the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. Ackerson said that "natural causes" have been ruled out in the investigation, meaning that it is a human-caused fire. 2022 will go down in history as the year of the Referendum on Democracy. Voters across the country will be deciding if they will elect state and federal politicians, who publicly campaign on giving state officials the power to nullify election results if they do not satisfy the party in power. Nullification, taking away the publics right to choose the winner of elections, is the formula for turning democracy into an autocracy of one-party rule. Such a law has already passed in Georgia. One gubernatorial candidate in Pennsylvania not only believed that his state legislature should have the power to ignore election results, but that he would be able to nullify an election with the stroke of his pen. Ironically, almost all politicians praise the Ukrainians valiant efforts to fight for their democracy against Russias invasion, but many of these same politicians want to undermine democracy here at home. However, democracy is not the only existential issue on the ballot this November. Voters also need to know that when they cast ballots this year, they will also be voting on whether we keep our vibrant entrepreneurial economy. According to national polls, businesses, small and large, are concerned about losing our democracy. They understand that entrepreneurship thrives under our capitalistic economy where a persons investment of time, energy, and money can lead to a future successful business for themselves, their family, and their community. Small business owners want to have a voice in government and know that the business they have built will not be taken away by politicians and their wealthy supporters. When autocratic rulers have a lock on power, the voices of small business owners are not heard, and the ownership of a successful business is always in jeopardy. Russia is example number one. That country has shown us what happens under autocratic rule and why small business owners support democracy. Putin came to power in 1999 and has had total control of the country, as President or Prime Minister, since then. Even before launching its invasion of Ukraine, Russias economy was smaller than Italys. Putins war against private businesses deserves much of the blame. In her 2020 book, Strongmen: From Mussolini to the Present, New York University professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat writes: From 2000 to 2010, the state targeted a shocking one-third of Russian businesses for raids. Many thousands of business owners went into exile, avoiding the fates of over 70,000 others who were jailed between 2002 and 2012 on technicalities or made-up charges of tax evasion and other crimes. By 2018, one in six Russian business owners faced prosecution [] Ben-Ghiat cites the late Russia scholar Karen Dawisha to explain the intent of Putins war on entrepreneurial-capitalism it was to put away the competition. Autocracies are only concerned with power and wealth power for the politicians and wealth for the super-rich who support those politicians. By using the courts, Russias autocracy transferred private businesses to the state or to Putins oligarchs. The heavy-handed assault on entrepreneurship also ensured that the remaining business-owners would be loyal to Putin. No dissenting political discourse would be needed or tolerated. Arizonas small businesses understand the threat to democracy and the consequences of sliding into autocracy. Bob Sommer, co-owner of Changing Hands Bookstores in Tempe and Phoenix, is particularly worried about the governments use of censorship, not only in how it would hurt his business, but also how it controls public opinion. Sommer states: Nothing is as toxic to democracy as censorship. Those who would destroy our democracy and limit our freedoms always start with censorship of journalists, libraries, bookstores, classrooms and, recently, social media. Bookstores like mine will be among the first to go under autocratic rule. Democracy is not only important to me as a business owner but even more so as a citizen who hopes that his children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy life in an informed community of free, kind, and caring people. Sommer and other small business owners are taking action to warn voters about the threat to our democracy and our economy. They have launched the Arizona Business for Democracy collaborative which will use the voice of small business to elevate the issue of protecting democracy to one of concern to voters. This state business collaborative, one of nine being built in targeted states, will educate voters about the position of candidates on free, fair, and secure elections and the underlying need for voting rights to protect democracy. 2022 is the year of the Referendum on Democracy and our Entrepreneurial Economy. Small businesses are fighting to keep both. International tourist arrivals to the capital are estimated at 211,300. (Photo: VNA) In which, international tourist arrivals are estimated at 211,300 and domestic tourists are estimated at 8.4 million. Total revenue from tourists is estimated at 25.2 trillion VND, a more than three-fold increase year on year. The average room occupancy in 1-5 star hotels is estimated at more than 30%, up 6.11% year on year. In June 2022 alone, the occupancy rate is estimated at 42.9%, down 2.3% compared to May but up 17.2% compared to the same period last year. The city has also recognized three destinations: Special national relic Hai Ba Trung Temple; World Cultural Heritage in the center of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Hanoi; and Hoang Long eco-tourism site. In total, there are 24 recognized tourist zones and attractions in the capital. In the context of reopening tourism, the city tourism industry has developed many tourism products to attract visitors, such as: Night tour at Hoa Lo Prison relic, night tour at Thang Long Imperial Citadel; the northern highland market program of the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism; chain of activities at Bao Son Paradise Park; double-decker bus Hanoi City Tour; and walking tour French architecture in the heart of Hanoi. In addition, Hanoi also organizes many events and programs to promote tourism, attracting a large number of tourists, such as: the program Ha Noi Tourism welcomes 2022, Hanoi Tourism Gift Festival 2022, Vietnam International Travel Mart VITM Hanoi 2022, friendship journey in 2022, the opening of Son Tay - Doai Tourism Year and the opening of Son Tay Ancient Citadel walking street./. Photo: VNA Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son holds phone talks with Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Al-Safadi regarding the Aqaba toxic gas explosion. Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Al-Safadi offered condolences to Son and families of the Vietnamese victims, saying Jordanian authorities will do their best to assist the Embassy of Vietnam in citizen protection and handling remains of Vietnamese nationals killed in the accident. On behalf of the Government of Vietnam and the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Son also extended his deepest sympathy to Jordans losses caused by the accident. He thanked the Jordanian foreign ministry and authorities for promptly reporting on the five Vietnamese people killed and for providing medical help for those injured. He asked Jordanian authorities to step up investigation of the cause of the gas explosion and provide instructions on handling the deads remains. According to the Embassy of Vietnam in Arab Saudi and Jordan, a poisonous gas explosion at Jordans southern port of Aqaba on June 27 killed 13 people and injured 251 others. An initial report shows that the accident claimed the lives of five Vietnamese citizens and injured seven others who all are crewmembers of Hong Kong (China)-flagged vessel Forest 6. Needy Vietnamese citizens can contact the Citizen Protection Hotline: (+84) 981.84.84.84 or that of the Vietnamese Embassy in Saudi Arabia: (+966) 583.245.255 for help./. Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long delivers a remark at Meet Vietnam in Nottingham. The July 1 event attracted officials and enterprises from both sides. In her remarks, Lord Mayor of Nottingham Wendy Smith described her city as a dynamic economic hub where many Vietnamese people are residing and studying. Nottingham welcomes all Vietnamese companies and investors, she affirmed, hoping that the economic and trade relations between the two sides will grow further in the coming time. Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long, for his part, said there is plenty of room for the relations between Vietnam and Nottingham to expand. Nottingham is home to a large Vietnamese community, and many Vietnamese students are pursuing education at two major universities here University of Nottingham and Notting Trent University, he said, emphasising that they will act as a bridge to further develop the bilateral partnership. With enthusiastic support from the government of Nottingham for trade and investment between the two sides and exchanges between their localities, the bilateral cooperation will be taken to the next level in the future, Long said. Robert Dixon, Head of Business Growth at Nottingham City Council, pledged that Nottingham City Council will do its utmost to support Vietnamese enterprises doing business and investing in the city. The 2022 Vietnam Goods and Gastronomy Week is underway in Nottingham. On display are wooden furniture and a wide range of food products exported from Vietnam, including coffee, fragrant rice, cashew nut, fresh and dried fruits, canned fruit juices, dried noodles and rice papers./. By Trend Contrary to the norms and principles of international law, Armenia destroyed the material and cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people, Minister of Culture Anar Karimov told reporters, Trend reports. Karimov stressed that Armenia is responsible for destroying Azerbaijani historical and cultural monuments. "At the video meeting held on February 4, 2022 with the participation of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of France Emmanuel Macron, President of the Council of the European Union Charles Michel and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, an agreement was reached to send a UNESCO mission not only to Azerbaijan but also to Armenia," he reminded. "However, due to the non-constructive position of the Armenian side, the visit of this mission hasnt yet taken place. The inaction of UNESCO and the position taken by this organization should be noted," the minister said. "Despite the deliberate destruction of our historical and cultural monuments as a result of the long-term occupation of Azerbaijani lands and the fact that we presented numerous photographic facts about this to UNESCO, this organization actually turned a blind eye to these visual evidences." "No pressure was exerted on Armenia during the occupation. Unfortunately, this indicates the politicization of this organization," Karimov said. The minister noted that the Azerbaijani side has repeatedly raised this issue at the level of UNESCO. "Moreover, the civil society of Azerbaijan, numerous NGOs submitted numerous materials related to the destruction of the cultural heritage of Azerbaijan in the territory of present-day Armenia to the UNESCO Committee," he further said. "We hope that UNESCO will not remain silent about these numerous facts and will send a technical mission. In this issue, the Azerbaijani side, our society, NGOs have a great responsibility," added Karimov. By Azernews By Orkhan Amashov Once Armenia officially agrees to discuss the Karabakh subject exclusively in terms of the rights and security of the Armenian population of the region inside Azerbaijan, denuded of a territorial status component, the Minsk Group will self-destruct or will be dissolved by its creator the OSCE. Consistently persisting that a certain death has occurred may, on occasion, be construed to be evidence to the contrary. This is only loosely, and partially, applicable to Azerbaijans present insistence that the OSCE Minsk Group is de facto dead. The truth is it is dying a long and protracted death, yet its throes are protracted. But within the process, it has already reached the point subsequent to which gradations of its passing away are of no practical import. Prior to the 44-day war, the OSCE Minsk Group had been brain-dead, Azerbaijans victory in 2020 rendered it irrelevant, as it was deprived of its raison d'etre addressing the final status of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast; now, in the aftermath of the inception of the Ukrainian crisis and schism it has engendered between the West and Russia, it cannot perform a group activity, but it is still somewhat alive, at least, de jure. In my pieces about the entity in question over the past few months, I have referred to it as misbegotten, beleaguered, obsolete, archaic, bankrupt, inert, impotent or even clinically dead, but the appellatives have always fallen short of an ultimate verdict tantamount to an irreversible death warrant. In practical terms, the OSCE Minsk Group became an indispensable device in the hands of those who either wanted to eternalise the conflict and ensure its duration in perpetuity or eventually compel Azerbaijan to the fact of the occupation and yield to the territorial loss. President Ilham Aliyevs grim evaluation of the organisations 28-year-old endeavours explains only too well why Baku would not touch with a bargepole any suggestion on its remote involvement in the future peace process. When I asked Paul Goble, former advisor to the US Secretary of State, what should happen for the Minsk Group to be consigned to history, he wisely reminded me that the last meeting of the League of Nations was convened in 1946, long after it ceased to perform any real function. In other words, an international organisation may continue to claim to be in existence long after its practical end. The OSCE Minsk Group and the question of the final status of the former Nagorno-Karabakh have always been interconnected, for the latter was the raison detre of the former. After the Second Karabakh War, Azerbaijan has consistently refused to talk about the territorial status of the region and suggested that the OSCE Minsk Group should redefine its mandate to remain relevant, which it has not. In April, after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrovs admission that the OSCE Minsk Group had been effectively cancelled by the West, namely the US and France, many wondered whether its death was finally final. The feeling back then was that this was a clinical death warrant, if not more. However, in a strictly legal sense, the entity in question was still alive and would continue to be formally in existence until the point of self-dissolution or a coup de grace of some sort. Today, the situation is slightly different, as it is of lesser import whether the OSCE Minsk Group has been de jure abandoned or not. What matters today is the extent to which Yerevan is prepared to move from the thinking along the lines of the territorial status to the security and rights of Armenians inside Azerbaijan. Pashinyan has vacillated on this from December 2021 onwards. Paul Goble, for instance, is of the opinion that what the Armenian Prime Minister says occasionally is welcome, but he does not have a sufficient amount of strength to take practical steps. Todays Azerbaijani-Armenian peace process, both within the Moscow and Brussels formats, does not touch upon the status issue. The interstate normalisation entails two separate realms - the demarcation of the delimitation of the state border and the unblocking of communications. It is possible to achieve some progress in both of these dimensions, whilst leaving the issues related to the Armenian inhabitants of Karabakh aside for the time being. Some commentators believe that, before the 2020 war, the OSCE Minsk Group was in a privileged position to mediate the conflict, but now the whole discourse has been fragmented. Laurence Broers of London-based Conciliation Resources contends that there are three separate tracks, namely (i) the Moscow-mediated process with a heavy focus on security, due to the Russian peacekeepers presence in Karabakh, (ii) the Brussels-led line concentrating on technical-economic matters, and (iii) the OSCE Minsk Group dealing with the old final status issue. The reality is that Baku has masterfully, by virtue of its victory, not just downgraded the status issue in the pegging order but removed it from the contemporary agenda, shifting the whole discussion into the interstate domain. Paul Goble agreed with me on this, but also stated that the question of the status of the Armenian community inside Azerbaijan will resurface from time to time, and whenever this happens, people will think of the OSCE Minsk Group, as it was the only entity prepared to talk about that very issue. As to the comparative merits of the Brussels and Moscow formats, he articulated a very interesting and punchy formula: the participation of the EU is welcome, but is not determinative, whereas the participation of Moscow is inevitable, but will be less determinative. However much Azerbaijan and Armenia may exclusively focus on interstate issues for some time, a peace treaty will require the Armenian recognition of Azerbaijani territorial integrity with Karabakh included and Baku will be expected to guarantee the security and rights of Armenians residing in the region. Failure to achieve progress there could give rise to all sorts of possibilities, including a new stalemate and even a renewed widescale escalation. Economist Impact, part of Economist Group, will present a tracker of reforms in the country at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Lugano on Monday. "Maintaining momentum in Ukraine's ambitious reform programme will be essential to the nation's recovery after the war. With the aim of stimulating and supporting discussion on this matter at the 2022 Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC), Economist Impact presents the Ukraine Reform Tracker," according to the materials distributed on the eve of the launch of the tracker. According to them, Ukraine Reform Tracker analyzes the state of reforms in four key areas: economic reforms, environmental and energy reforms, social reforms and governance reforms (reflecting the key themes of URC 2022). Economist Impact has produced a policy brief for each reform area, with an assessment of: 1) reform progress since 2014; 2) the resilience of reforms in 2022, in particular given the stresses of the ongoing war with Russia; and 3) the outlook for reform, with a focus on the role that reforms will play in facilitating Ukraine's recovery. The actual presentation is scheduled for July 4 within the additional conference of the civil society event "Paving the Way to a Successful and Inclusive Recovery Process of Ukraine." In the disseminated materials, Economist Impact, in particular, notes that the post-war moment will be an opportunity for Ukraine. With both domestic and international audiences committed to Ukraine's recovery and development, there will likely be significant pressure to continue and accelerate the implementation of the reform agenda, the experts said. In the economic sphere, continued business reforms could allow Ukraine to continue deregulating, privatize unprofitable state-owned enterprises where necessary, and improve procurement processes, they said. In addition, the liberalization of agriculture and the expansion of trade infrastructure, while maintaining the stability of the financial sector, will attract foreign investment and encourage domestic entrepreneurship, stimulating faster growth and increasing budget revenues while reducing spending. Despite significant progress in improving the business environment in Ukraine, especially with regard to deregulation, creating the conditions for businesses to thrive will remain the key to improving the situation, Economist Impact believes. "The post-war moment may present an opportunity to complete the difficult land reform by extending the right to purchase agricultural land to legal entities, including foreign ones (although the passing of such a law would only be possible after a referendum). Opening the path for international capital to flow into Ukrainian agriculture will likely boost productivity across the sector, increasing its competitiveness in the EU market. Turning once again into Europe's breadbasket also presents an unparalleled opportunity for the recovery of Ukraine's economy," the document says. According to it, despite the short term impact on the budget, overall production and trade from the destruction or loss of many metallurgical and machine-building plants and mines in eastern Ukraine, in the longer term this provides an opportunity to refocus political efforts and investments in the Ukrainian economy. The experts emphasized that ensuring constant stability and transparency of the financial sector is a prerequisite for the economic recovery of Ukraine. Australia supports our state and the world law and order, provides defense aid, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said at a briefing in Kyiv on Sunday, July 3. According to him, "our defenders highly appreciated the Australian Bushmaster armored personnel carriers and other specific assistance from Australia." "The Prime Minister confirmed an additional package of enhanced assistance. Tomorrow, a conference in Lugano on the restoration of Ukraine starts. The amount of work in the already liberated territories is colossal, and another 2,000 settlements are to be liberated," he said. "We appreciate Australia's willingness to join the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. Thank you for the visit and substantive negotiations," the president said. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Ukraine will be provided with additional military-technical assistance worth $100 million. "Today we are announcing an additional $100 million in military and technical assistance to Ukraine. In total, we have already provided $390 million," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Sunday, July 3, after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "We are also providing an additional 14 armored personnel carriers as well as 20 Bushmaster armored vehicles. Thus, the total number of Bushmaster armored vehicles will be 60," he said. According to the prime minister, Australia will also provide additional military equipment, drones. "In addition, we will provide further assistance to the border troops of Ukraine we will improve their equipment, the level of cyber security and improve control over the border," he said. A cargo ship from Berdiansk, Zaporizhia region, occupied by Russian troops, was detained by Turkish customs officers while entering the Turkish port of Karasu on Friday, Ukrainian Ambassador to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar has said. "Here now stands near the entrance to the port, it is detained by the customs authorities of Turkey. Tomorrow, on Monday, an interdepartmental meeting will be held at which the fate of this ship will be decided. Our request has been submitted, the request of the Prosecutor General's Office, and we hope that the ship will be seized, property will be confiscated in the same way and all those involved in this transaction will be held accountable," Bodnar said on the air of the national telethon on Sunday, July 3. When asked how to deal with other ships by which Russia is trying to take Ukrainian grain out of the occupied territories, the ambassador said there was a "special situation" with the detained ship, since it was the first time it tried to use the temporarily occupied port of Berdiansk and, according to the documents of this port, enter the Turkish port. "Certainly, this is illegal and, frankly, this is a big impudence and an attempt to actually break through such a corridor to exit the occupied ports... in order to use this opportunity and take out our property," he said. According to Bodnar, ships leaving the occupied Crimea leave with documents from Russian ports. On this occasion, the embassy appealed to the Turkish side, investigative actions are underway and it is expected that grain will be analyzed for its origin from the occupied Ukrainian territories in order to completely stop its supplies through the occupied Crimea. Ukraine may become a member of the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) in a year or two after the end of the war with Russia, Head of the permanent delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Yehor Cherniev (from the Servant of the People faction) has said. "Any decision on Ukraine's membership in NATO will be only after the end of the war. It is clear that no NATO country would want to vote now for the membership of a country in which there is a war. This will automatically transfer the war to the entire alliance. Therefore, we need to end the war, we need to win this war, we will need to implement reforms, and I think that the prospect of membership is quite possible: I will not say that in months, but in the coming years after the end of the war. Everything will depend on us, how quickly we will make reforms. I hope it can be at least a year or two. But we do not know when the war will end," Cherniev told Interfax-Ukraine. According to the MP, the war reduced the skepticism of Ukraine's Western partners regarding its entry into the Alliance. "If before the war representatives of some countries told us behind the scenes: 'You are good guys, but we do not see you in NATO yet,' now there is no such skepticism. Just as there is no fear that the decision on Ukraine's membership in NATO will tease Russia, which stopped individual countries from taking such a step," Cherniev said. He said the scheme for Finland and Sweden to join NATO is a good precedent for Ukraine. "We can speak and appeal to this example, on the one hand. On the other hand, we are well aware that we have homework to do. Since the NATO standard, the NATO criterion is not only a military component. There is a fairly wide range of reforms that need to be done to match NATO countries. We have done a lot in recent years. But still, this is not enough," Cherniev said. The politician said Ukraine offers the Alliance to work out a special procedure for it to join NATO. "We spoke honestly with the Alliance that we have already outgrown the MAP format [NATO Membership Action Plan]. And adoption without MAP is probably too early for NATO, so let us find some kind of format in the middle. Maybe it will be a specific list of reforms that should be carried out. With concrete indicators of what needs to be done and when. And so that after the implementation of these reforms, more and more new ones do not arise," Cherniev said. He said Ukraine, annually implementing national programs under the auspices of the Ukraine-NATO Commission, by and large implements the action plan for NATO membership. "We have been implementing annual national programs for 13 years already. They are agreed at the beginning of each year with NATO headquarters, and at the end of each year an assessment is made: what has been done. And we are quite successful in doing so. This is what the MAP actually consists of. When a country receives a MAP, it is used to develop an annual national program. That is, de facto we are fulfilling the MAP. De jure, we need to consolidate this and somehow move on. And how it will be called the MAP or just some kind of list of reforms that we must do is the second question, and we are just now agreeing on this," Cherniev said. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said the Ukrainian army will return to the temporarily occupied territories thanks to tactics and an increase in the supply of modern weapons. "Today, the Russian army once again brutally shelled Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Kharkiv from 'Smerch' rocket artillery systems. In Sloviansk, six people were killed, about 20 were wounded," he said in a traditional video statement on Sunday, July 3. According to him, Russia has enough Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Grads to destroy cities one by one. "They have gathered all their firepower in Donbas and can use tens of thousands of shells every day on one sector of the frontline. We are destroying the potential of the invaders day by day, prudently and powerfully. And, of course, the HIMARS systems [High Mobility Artillery Rocket System] and other weapons we received from partners play an important role in this role," he said. "We protect the lives of our soldiers, our people. And if the command of our army takes people from certain sectors of the front, where the enemy has the greatest advantage, in particular, this applies to Lysychansk, this means that we will return thanks to our tactics, thanks to an increase in the supply of modern weapons," the president believes. "Ukraine gives nothing away, and when someone in Moscow says something about Luhansk region, let them remember their reports and promises before February 24. Let them really appreciate what they have for this time and how much they paid for it," Zelensky said. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said his presence at the G-20 summit in Indonesia in November 2022 depends on the situation in the country and the participation of the Russian president in the summit. "Our participation depends on Russia, whether it will be there. I told the President of Indonesia that we are grateful for the invitation, but we have a security situation," he told reporters on Sunday, July 2, after meeting with the Australian Prime Minister in Kyiv. "I am not sure that the war will end 100% with complete de-occupation, and therefore I cannot imagine my visit there," he said. At the same time, Zelensky said that he was "not sure" that there would be a large number of states if Russia was there. For his part, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he could not yet imagine a boycott of the summit. " If it is the case that Putin attends that meeting, and I'm not sure whether he will or not, he will get the reception he deserves," he said. Pope Francis would like to visit Kyiv and Moscow after his trip to Canada, which is scheduled for the end of July. In an interview with Reuters, Francis said that first of all he would like to visit Moscow in order to serve the "cause of peace" and persuade the Russian leadership to end the war against Ukraine. "I would like to go (to Ukraine), and I wanted to go to Moscow first. We exchanged messages about this because I thought that if the Russian president gave me a small window to serve the cause of peace. The first thing is to go to Russia to try to help in some way, but I would like to go to both capitals," the Pope said. Material and technical assistance from the United States is not delayed in warehouses and is delivered in full to the frontline, MP Yehor Cherniev (from the Servant of the People faction) has said. "After the release of a resonant story on CNN that allegedly American aid does not reach the frontline, I initiated my own, let us say, peculiar investigation, which was supported by the President's Office... None of the U.S. officials with whom I spoke confirmed claims against the Ukrainian side on the use of the assistance provided," Cherniev told Interfax-Ukraine. Cherniev said he talked with the U.S. military representative in charge of logistics in Europe, with several congressmen, with U.S. Charge dAffaires in Ukraine Kristina Kvien, who even asked the Pentagon if there were any questions on this topic to the Ukrainian side "There were no questions." "Moreover, as a result of all this work, USAID stated that all assistance received by Ukraine is used effectively," Cherniev said. The MP said that it is only about the assistance of the U.S. government to the state of Ukraine, and not about volunteering. "It is more correct to call it not humanitarian aid, but logistical aid helmets, body armor, first aid kits, night vision devices, specific equipment military goods," the MP said. According to Cherniev, the investigation completely dispelled the myth about some warehouses in the western regions of Ukraine. "I met with representatives of the Defense Ministry, the border service, customs in Lviv region: I did not find any secret warehouses. Moreover, the concept is such that the humanitarian aid that comes in does not wait in warehouses, because it is dangerous. The sooner aid is transferred, and not only from the United States, to the frontline, the less likely it will be destroyed by the same missile strikes. If it were stored somewhere, it would be nonsense," the MP said. Cherniev said, referring to Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, that there are certain reserves, which are enough for five battalion tactical groups, so that the fighters could be quickly dressed and equipped. He also said that after meeting with commander of the medical troops Tetiana Ostaschenko, after receiving information about the number and distribution by dates, battalions of tactical first aid kits delivered from the United States, there was no doubt that the aid was reaching the addressee. "The last stage of my investigation is a trip to the front line, where I spoke with several brigades. And not only with brigade commanders, but also with platoon commanders and soldiers. Everyone said that they were provided with first-aid kits, body armor, and helmets. As far as I know, they are not sent to the front line, to the first line without proper equipment," the MP said. Answering a question of who controls the process of supply and distribution of humanitarian aid, the MP said: "Our Ukrainian 'controllers.' There is a whole logistics service that is responsible for this. It interacts with our special services, works out routes. There is internal control in the Ministry of Defense. The ministry, as far as I know, according to its head, suggested that the United States and Great Britain appoint their representatives for verification or control. And the UK gave some people who have access to supplies and can control the process. And the United States has not yet given such people. But I think they may appear soon. That is, the ministry is completely open and, if there are any questions about state assistance, it is ready to answer them and provide any information." According to Cherniev, information in the media that supposedly humanitarian aid from the United States does not reach the frontline in full was beneficial to Russia and was aimed at quarreling the two strategic partners. "First of all, it was beneficial for Russia, because its task is to create as many problems as possible for the supply of Western weapons to Ukraine, because they are well aware that this strengthens our position, helps us in the war. And one of the goals is to destroy trust between Ukraine and Western countries, in particular, between Ukraine and the United States, as strategic partners," Cherniev said. Ukraine, Canada discuss strengthening sanctions on Russia, agreed on stances before G20 FMs meeting Foreign Ministers of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and Canada's Melanie Joly discussed strengthening sanctions on Russia and agreed on positions ahead of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting. "I spoke with my Canadian counterpart and friend Melanie Joly who informed me on the outcomes of the NATO summit in Madrid," Kuleba said on Twitter. He said they discussed steps to ramp up sanctions pressure on Russia and coordinated positions ahead of the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to US President Joe Biden, Azernews reports, citing Azertac. Dear Mr. President, It is on the occasion of the 4th of July Independence Day that on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I cordially congratulate you, and through you, the friendly people of the United States of America, and offer my best wishes. For 30 years, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United States of America have shared the ties of friendship and partnership. We have highly appreciated the support by the U.S. for our countrys independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity from day one. The mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries continues successfully in a bilateral and multilateral format. Our years-long engagement in ensuring international security and combating terrorism is gratifying. Among the primary factors of our success are our countries close cooperation on energy matters and enduring involvement and comprehensive support by the U.S. for the large-scale transnational projects we implemented. Today cooperation between Azerbaijan and the U.S. has ascended to the level of strategic partnership in certain critical spheres and enabled our political ties to expand. Cooperation between our countries on energy, security, and combatting international terrorism is exemplary. We believe that at a time when a favorable atmosphere for lasting peace and economic progress has emerged in the South Caucasus, the U.S. could play a critical role in normalizing Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, opening communications, and establishing people-to-people contacts. In the meantime, we understand that the U.S. could make a valuable contribution to the process of preparing a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on five basic principles submitted by us. The landmines planted by Armenia across our liberated territories remain a formidable impediment to our restoration and reconstruction efforts. We commend the assistance extended by the U.S. to our country for the demining works. We also have great hopes for your countrys support in clarifying the fate of nearly 4000 of our fellow citizens who had gone missing in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Dear Mr. President, I am confident that through our joint efforts, the friendly and mutually beneficial cooperative relations that connect Azerbaijan and the United States will continue to advance and expand in line with the interests of our peoples. On this joyful day, I seize this opportunity to wish robust health and success to you and everlasting prosperity to the friendly people of the United States of America. Sincerely, Ilham Aliyev President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku, 4 July 2022 Ukraine may receive MiG-29 fighters and Soviet-made tanks from Slovakia before it receives the ordered new F-16 fighters, the delivery of which is delayed, and during this time the Czech Republic will help Slovakia in protecting the airspace, Prime Minister of Slovakia Eduard Heger said at a meeting with Head of the Czech government Petr Fiala. According to the CT24Czech television channel, Heger said he would not disclose the details of the transfer of equipment to the Ukrainian side. "I do not want to talk about it in detail, because Ukraine and us asked not to specify this equipment," he said. Fiala, in turn, said the Czech Republic can help with the training of Ukrainian soldiers. According to the statement, in June of this year, Slovakia turned to the Czech Republic for help in protecting the airspace until it accepts the ordered F-16 fighters. They should replace the MiG-29s still in operation, but the delivery will be delayed. Fiala assured his Slovak counterpart that the Czech Republic would help the neighboring country. "I think this is a great example of not only defense cooperation, but also trust. We will help Slovakia until it has new aircraft at its disposal. And we are counting on someone to help us again if we have problems," he said, emphasizing that this is in the interests of the Czech Republic. Heger estimated that his country would need the help of Czech fighters for about a year. Both Heger and Fiala said they were surprised by how effectively and for how long Ukraine could defend itself against the Russian invasion. "We have every prerequisite to believe that Ukraine will win this war," the Slovak prime minister said. Ukraine proposes its partners to focus on the imposture of sanctions on Russia in the spheres of energy, finance, and trade, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal has said. "The civilized world must forget about business-as-usual with Russia. The security of the European continent is unreservedly connected with Ukraine. The history of modern Europe is being written in Ukraine today," he said on the Telegram channel following a security dialogue on the sidelines of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano (Switzerland). The PM pointed out three priority directions in which Ukraine proposes its partners to focus their sanction pressure: imposture of sanctions in the spheres of energy, finance, and trade, new personal sanctions against oligarchs, top public officials and top managers of state enterprises, and closure of loopholes which allow Russia to evade restrictions. "Another topical issue is the seizure of frozen Russian assets in order to transfer them for recovery of Ukraine. We hope our partners will pass relevant amendments to the legislation," Shmyhal said. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the Japanese students and lecturers to appreciate peace as it gives the opportunity to study and develop. "We cannot lay down our weapons, because otherwise we will disappear. As a state, as a nation, simply as people. Russia has chosen the path of war, Ukraine is fighting on the path to peace," the head of state said in a video address to the students and lecturers of Tokyo University on Monday. "It's just peace. And this is exactly what Ukraine is defending today. [ ] To this end, we should all find answers to a number of questions. What will our world be like? Will the rule of force or the rule of law dominate it? [ ] Can we use the Japanese experience of railway networks? How to get rid of energy dependence? What can we do for global food security? How to build a safe cyberspace? [ ] How to make people's lives more comfortable?" he said. The president added that the main goal of Ukraine is peace. "Peace that is ordinary to you. Which was ordinary for us too, but everything changed in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and started hostilities in the east of Ukraine," he said. The Ukrainian president said he appreciates the support of Japan, its prime minister and government. To a question about cyber security, Zelensky said that this system is strong enough as it was supported not only by governments, but also by private persons from all over the world. Russia wants to prove with its aggression that "allegedly, it is subject not just to the territory, but to life as such, and that, allegedly, it can decide for everyone whether they will have a life at all. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at a conference on the restoration of the country in Lugano on Monday. According to him, "Russia is destroying the vastness of everything that matters to us and to any free human life." "During the four months of the full-scale invasion in Ukraine, 2,102 educational facilities were destroyed. These are schools, universities , kindergartens ... When the Russian army uses artillery against a kindergarten or drops bombs on a school , it destroys not just walls , not just buildings. This is a deliberate destruction of the educational space in which children are socialized, in which people learn to be people," he said. "Why did Russia fire on hospitals?" the president asked the question, answering it: "This is a manifestation of Russia, which, allegedly, is capable of destroying the very possibility of civilization for Ukraine the basic humanity that exists in every normal country. Russia shows that Ukrainians will not even be able to treat, even give birth to children." According to him, "this is all a conscious tactic of Russia, not just shelling, but the stake is just in the ideological confrontation. The terrorist state hopes that such destruction will prove the alleged failure of the democratic system and the European choice of our people to give people not only a normal, but in general, life." He explained the destruction of residential buildings by the occupiers' desire to "destroy all this space of life in order to kill people's sense of home." "More than 12 million Ukrainians were forced to become displaced due to the war. And how many of them still return home, even if they will, where to return exactly where they lived before? After such a brutal war and such barbaric Russian strikes, it will be very difficult for many people to regain this feeling the feeling of a real home," Zelensky said. "Russia's desire is that such ruins and such losses are supposedly a vision of democracy and Europe. With this aggression, Russia wants to prove that, allegedly, it is subject not just to the territory, but to life as such, and that, allegedly, it can decide for everyone or they will have a life at all," he said. "Therefore, this war is not just ours, not just local somewhere in the east of Europe. This is Russia's attack on everything that is valuable to you and me. Therefore, the restoration of Ukraine is not a local project, not a project of one people, but a common task of the entire democratic world, all countries that can say about themselves we are civilized," the president said. Civilians are dying due to the lack of medicines in occupied Mariupol. There is a shortage of medicines for people with cancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, and thyroid problems in the city, Mariupol City Council reported with a reference to city mayor Vadym Boichenko. People with such diseases are at risk and they cannot wait until the occupants deliver necessary medicines. The lives of those people are in danger, the mayor said. The self-proclaimed Russian occupation authorities in Mariupol have been blocking normal access of the local population to drinking water, sufficient amount of food and medicines for more than two months, the city council said. "Yesterday, a healthy athlete two meters high and weighing 120 kilograms had his two legs amputated. Why? After the stress he had experienced during the military operations, he had an insulin crisis. He has become a person with disability due to the absence of necessary medicines and medical assistance in the city. This is not a rare event. Instead of high-quality treatment with medicines amputation of limbs. 'Quick decisions' which mutilate and kill Mariupol residents," Boichenko said. He called on the international community to assess the humanitarian catastrophe in the city and genocide of its residents. Mariupol mayor stressed that it is necessary to help people in Mariupol. The restoration of Ukraine is not a local project, but a common task of the entire civilized world, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday, speaking via video link at a conference on the restoration of Ukraine in Lugano. "This war is not just ours, not just local somewhere in the east of Europe. This is Russia's attack on everything that is valuable to you and me. Therefore, the restoration of Ukraine is not a local project, not a project of one people, but a common task of the entire democratic world, all countries that can say about themselves we are civilized," he said. Speaking about the restoration, he noted that "of course, it means construction, large-scale construction, of course, it means huge financing and colossal investments. Of course, this means a completely new level of security throughout our country, which will continue to live next to Russia." "But it also means a new technological level. It also means the opportunity for our countries, our companies, our specialists to show why freedom is more powerful than any tyranny," he said. According to him, "back in the spring, we began to offer our partners to join the project of restoring Ukraine. Even then it was obvious that this would be the biggest project of our time: economic, technological, social, and most importantly ideological." Zelensky expressed gratitude to the countries that "positively accepted our proposals to take patronage over regions, cities or industries affected by the war." "In particular, I am grateful to Denmark for its willingness to become the chief during the restoration of the city of Mykolaiv. I am grateful to Britain for its interest in the restoration of Kyiv region. And I also invite all countries of the civilized world, ambitious companies and specialists to join our efforts," he said. In his opinion, "this will create millions of new ties in the democratic world, in Europe, between our countries. Every city, every community, every rebuilt industry will have historical evidence of who helped this. Just imagine it's not just the flags of the partner country at the entrance to the city, but the traditions woven into the new fabric of life in Ukraine and the heritage of all those who worked on restoration." "And, of course, I am grateful to the European Commission for the initiative to create a special European platform for the restoration of Ukraine," he said. Ukrainian defenders of the Azovstal Steel Works, who are staying in Russian captivity, make their statements under pressure, the wife of the commander of the Bears unit of the Azov regiment, Maryna Kravtsova has said. "The statements of our guys in video recordings were made under pressure. We must not respond to these enemy provocations. We must understand that now the enemy speaks through our guys' mouths," she told a press conference hosted by the Ukraine-Ukrinform media center on Monday. Kravtsova also said she knew from "enemy sources" that the fighters of the Bears unit were "kept separately and taken to an unknown destination." "There is information that the case of the Bears unit has been sent to the 'DPR' court and they will be sentenced to the maximum punishment the death penalty," she said and called on the international community to respond. Switzerland to invest in Ukrainian projects to mitigate impact of climate change head of Environmental Protection Ministry Switzerland will invest in public and private projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in various fields of activity of Ukraine: infrastructure, construction, transport, energy. The relevant agreements were reached between Minister of the Environment of Switzerland Simonetta Sommaruga and Minister of Environmental Protection of Ukraine Ruslan Strilets during the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano (Switzerland). "We have made the first practical step for Ukraine to introduce market mechanisms of the climate agreement, create new climate financing channels in Ukraine and incentives for green development for Ukrainian business... I am convinced that the agreement between our governments is a good start for the green post-war reconstruction of Ukraine and the achievement of climate goals under the Paris Agreement," the minister said on Facebook on Monday. Strilets clarified that Ukraine had pledged to provide Switzerland with verified results of reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere in return for the investments received. Israel's policy towards Ukrainian citizens, including the introduction of visas and high bail, has led to Israeli volunteers raising funds so that Ukrainian refugees can avoid deportation. This is stated in the publication Details. On the evening of Friday, July 1, the border control detained him at the airport. Ben-Gurion to two children from the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi and their elderly grandmother. Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs demanded a large deposit - 50 thousand shekels - fearing that the visitors could stay in Israel, and were preparing for their deportation, but Israeli volunteers managed to collect the necessary amount in literally 10 minutes. The children were able to reunite with their mother, who currently lives and works in Israel, - the message reads. According to the publication, the mother of the children came to Israel to work legally for two years, but after the visa expired, she remained in the country, she is protected from deportation by the decision of the Israeli court while the war in Ukraine continues. Of course, she couldn't fly to Ukraine to see her children, they simply wouldn't let her back to Israel afterwards. The family decided to come to my mother for 2-3 months, they had permission to board the plane, obtained from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Israel. But the authorities demanded bail and wanted to deport the children and the old woman back to Romania, from where they flew to Israel, - the publication notes. According to the publication, the non-governmental organization AFI Israel, which launched the "Guild for Refugees" program, helped with the collection of funds. Since the beginning of the aggression, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Israel has demanded a deposit of 10,000 shekels per person from all Israelis who wish to give asylum to refugees from Ukraine. The Ministry of Internal Affairs does not accept bank guarantees - only live money. In this case, the money for the guarantee of the family was collected in 10 minutes. A woman named Inna brought 30,000 in cash to the airport. Another 10,000 was given by the Embassy of Ukraine in Israel, and the last 10,000 was another private donor who wished to remain anonymous, - the article emphasizes. The author of the article also calls on the Israeli authorities to decide their policy regarding refugees from the war in Ukraine, as it is currently very vague, and even those who are allowed to enter receive very little help from the state. If Maksym, Masha and their grandmother were citizens of Russia, the aggressor country, they would have entered Israel without any special obstacles, like ordinary tourists. For this, they would not need additional permits, - he emphasized. The constructive dialogue with the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Israel is aimed at the benefit of Ukrainian refugees, - The Embassy The constructive dialogue of the Ukrainian side with the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Israel, Ayelet Shaked, is aimed primarily at the benefit of Ukrainian refugees arriving in the country. The Embassy of Ukraine announced this on its Facebook page. We have a constructive dialogue with the Minister for Internal Affairs Ayelet Shaked. We expect this cooperation will result in favor for Ukrainians, mainly women and children, who became extremely vulnerable in times of unprovoked bloody war of Russia against Ukraine, - the message reads. The Embassy also expresses its gratitude to the Supreme Court of Justice of Israel for the decision to cancel the restrictions on entry into the country for citizens of Ukraine, as well as to the lawyers who ensure the rights of the Ukrainian side in the case. We are grateful to the Supreme Court of Israel for the expected and encouraging decision regarding the entrance procedures for Ukrainian citizens. We express our deep appreciation to the Tomer Warsha Law Firm which initiated the case and performed high devotion to the rule of law, - the diplomatic mission emphasizes. 17 VN universities in global list with best academic achievements The University Ranking by Academic Performance, a Turkish non-profit organisation URAP, has honoured 17 Vietnamese universities for their outstanding academic performance globally. Top 10 Vietnamese universities in the global list with best academic achievements Among the honoured institutions, Ton Duc Thang University was ranked 427th, Duy Tan University 446th, Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City 1,013rd, and Vietnam National University in Hanoi 1,104th. Notably, Duy Tan and Ton Duc Thang universities were named in the top 500 globally. Last year, Vietnam had 12 universities in the URAPs list. This year, the URAP ranked more than 3,000 good universities in the world. Elsewhere, the US Harvard University came first in the list, followed by Canadas Toronto University, Englands University College London, and the USs Stanford University. The URAP, established in 2009 at the Informatics Institute of Middle East Technical University, measures academic achievements of universities around the world based on the number of articles published in journals, the number of citations in journals, total number of research papers published internationally in the last five years, and international cooperation. By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has stated that Tehran, Baku, and Ankara will soon hold a meeting in a regional format, Azernews reports. Abdollahian made the remark during a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov in Tehran on July 4, the report added. "In the new era, regional formats existing between Iran and Azerbaijan or among Iran and other regional countries should be in the spotlight. Within one of the regional formats, a meeting of the foreign ministers of Iran, Azerbaijan, and Turkiye will soon be held in Tehran, he said. Abdollahian stated that another meeting will be convened in the '3+3' format with the involvement of high-level specialists. The meeting will begin with high-level specialists from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Iran, and Turkey, and will then progress to foreign ministers from the aforementioned nations in Tehran or another Iranian city. According to the Iranian foreign minister, Iran and Azerbaijan emphasize the need for improving relations based on mutual trust and interests. The importance of nations' territorial integrity, including Azerbaijan's, was stressed at the talks today, he added. The minister emphasized the importance of energy and transit in Iran-Azerbaijan economic cooperation. The two nations' power exchange was discussed at today's conference. The final agreement on the power swap will be signed during the visit of Iranian Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian to Azerbaijan, he added. At today's meeting, talks were also conducted on the environmental situation of the Araz River. The reasons polluting the Araz River in Iran and Azerbaijan have been identified, Abdollahian stated. The minister noted that trade turnover between the two nations has increased significantly over recent months. It is intended that both the public and corporate sectors in both nations would give special emphasis to growing trade turnover. Addressing the 13th Petersburg Climate Dialogue on Monday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said that various global crises "place great responsibilities on our shoulders to achieve the goals of the Paris Conference and the outcomes of the Glasgow Climate Conference 2021 (COP26). Although Egypt achieved significant real GDP growth thanks to its economic reform programme, the private sectors potential to push development needs to be unblocked, according to a recent report released by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The report shed light on Egypts major achievements in the past few years under the program, including massive governmental investment, robust domestic consumption and greater export competitiveness, which all boosted the countrys economic performance. The government implemented policies to reduce and reprioritise subsidies and contain the wage bill, while increasing expenditure for new social safety nets, according to the report. On the other hand, the report noted that the private sectors contribution to Egypts growth remains below potential, adding that the countrys second wave of reforms must include procedures that aim to improve the investment climate to unlock the private sector potential. In this respect, the report explained that business related regulations and inefficiencies in a number of public services remain a burden on companies in many areas, particularly licensing. The regulatory framework for state-owned enterprises should aim to promote more competitive, commercial behaviour and to ensure a level legal playing field. The countrys competition authorities would also benefit from a strengthening of their role and capacity. The banking sector is reasonably large and stable, but reforms should aim to deepen and diversify the financial sector more broadly to improve capital markets, access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and financial inclusion for young people and women. Lastly, promoting export orientation, better market integration into value chains (also for imports) and making Egypt more attractive to foreign direct investment (FDI) could fuel technological knock-on effects and upgrades, boosting competitiveness, the report urged. It also stressed that with the demographic challenges of a growing youth population in the country along with women and people in remote and rural areas, empowerment is substantial to attain long-term equitable growth. Egypt takes steps on private sector role Egypt recently launched the States Ownership Policy Document that delineates the state's presence in economic sectors and centres on granting the private sector a greater role to play in the countrys economic activity and raise its share its GDP. The document identifies the sectors from which the state plans to withdraw, decrease, or increase its presence over the coming three years. The government has also announced that it would be holding a three-month societal dialogue on the document. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi had asserted that the state seeks to encourage non-state-run companies to participate further in housing, agricultural, energy, transport, and roads projects. On 13 June, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced the launch of a digital platform for experts and members of the business community to discuss with the government the State Ownership Policy Document. Over the next three years, the private sector's participation in public investments will rise to 65 percent, up from 30 percent currently, PM Madbouly said in a panel discussion with a group of experts and specialists on the document. Madbouly said that this is part of the states plan to maintain a growth of 7 percent or more for the Egyptian economy in the coming period despite global challenges. The EBRD report also touched upon Egypts educational system, which has improved significantly due to fundamental reform and investment. Yet, educational outcomes continue to lag. It will be important to pursue these with a renewed focus on skills mismatches and a stronger role for the private sector in setting curricula to get the right mix of skills for the countrys growth ambitions. In addition, reforms to social safety nets should be complemented by a more inclusive overall approach to growth that focuses on economic opportunities, so that people in remote and rural regions are not left behind, the report explained. Energy sector reform: Egypt role model It also touched upon Egypts energy sector, saying it is a role model that other economic sectors in the country can follow. Sweeping regulatory reforms have enabled the growth of renewable energy sources with strong private-sector participation. This could be a model for other sectors in need of an upgrade, such as waste collection and treatment, water resources and treatment and water-use efficiency. Regulatory reform of some of the biggest emission drivers (transport, buildings and industrial production) could create the right incentives for investment and upgrades to more emissions-efficient technologies, yielding a double dividend of economic growth and productivity growth and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the report explained. On digital transformation, the report called for making digital tools the biggest cross-cutting catalyst for acceleration and progress across Egypts reform agenda. To this end, the report urged the decision maker to boost competition in the telecoms sector to promote infrastructural expansion and upgrades mainly 5G and broadband by moving towards spectrum auctions and moderating the dominance of the state-owned telecom company. In parallel, the report called on the government to take the lead on promoting the rollout and use of digital technologies through e-services as well as supporting enterprises and households, including through digital skills development. Search Keywords: Short link: Turkey said Wednesday it would seek the extradition of 33 alleged Kurdish militants from Sweden and Finland under a deal to secure Ankara's support for the Nordic countries' NATO membership bids. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dropped weeks of resistance to the two countries' NATO ambitions at crunch talks held on the eve of an alliance summit Wednesday focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Erdogan emerged from the meeting declaring victory after securing a 10-point agreement under which the two countries vowed to join Turkey's fight against outlawed Kurdish militants and to quickly extradite suspects. Turkey put the deal to the immediate test by announcing that it would seek the extradition of 12 suspects from Finland and 21 from Sweden. "We will seek the extradition of terrorists from the relevant countries within the framework of the new agreement," Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said in a statement. "We ask them to fulfil their promises." The unnamed suspects were identified as being members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and a group led by a US-based Muslim preacher that Erdogan blames for a failed 2016 coup attempt. The European Union and Washington both recognise the PKK as a terrorist organisation because of the brutal tactics it employed during a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state. But the agreement also stipulates that Sweden and Finland vow to "not provide support" to the YPG -- a PKK offshoot in Syria that played an instrumental role in the US-led alliance against the Islamic State group. Sweden and Finland abandoned decades of military non-alignment in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and asked to join the US-led alliance in May. 'Got what it wanted' Their applications appeared to be headed for swift approval until Erdogan stepped in. The Turkish leader accused Finland and particularly Sweden of providing a haven to Kurdish fighters and financing terror. Erdogan also wanted the two countries to lift embargoes on weapons deliveries they imposed in response to Turkey's 2019 military incursion into Syria. The memorandum appears to address many of Erdogan's concerns. It says Finland and Sweden pledge to "address Turkey's pending deportation or extradition requests of terror suspects expeditiously and thoroughly". "Finland and Sweden confirm that the PKK is a proscribed terrorist organisation," says the agreement. "Finland and Sweden commit to prevent activities of the PKK and all other terrorist organisations and their extensions, as well as activities by individuals... linked to these terrorist organisations." Erdogan's office hailed the agreement as a full victory. "Turkey got what it wanted," his office declared in a statement. Erdogan also secured the promise of a long-sought meeting with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the NATO talks. A US officials told reporters that Biden was "keen" to improve relations with Turkey after a difficult spell caused in part by Turkey's crackdown on human rights. Search Keywords: Short link: Talks between rival Libyan institutions aimed at breaking the deadlock over the rules for long-awaited elections failed to resolve key differences, the United Nations said Thursday. Parliament speaker Aguila Saleh and President of the High Council of State Khaled Al-Mishri met at the UN in Geneva for three days of talks to discuss the draft constitutional framework for elections. But while some progress was made, it was not enough to move forward towards national polls, with the two sides still at odds over who can stand in presidential elections, said the UN's top Libya envoy Stephanie Williams, who facilitated the talks. Presidential and parliamentary elections, originally set for December last year, were meant to cap a UN-led peace process following the end of the last major round of violence in 2020. But the vote never took place due to several contentious candidacies and deep disagreements, over the polls' legal basis, between rival power centres in the east and west of the country. A week of talks earlier this month in Cairo between the Tripoli-based High Council and Saleh's eastern-based House of Representatives (HoR), aimed at agreeing on a constitutional basis for a vote, ended without a breakthrough. Williams said that following the talks in Geneva and Cairo, several points had been agreed. 'Disagreement persists' They included the designation of the headquarters and distribution of seats for both chambers, and the division of responsibilities between the president, prime minister, cabinet and local government. They have also reached consensus on decentralisation, including the number of governorates and their powers; revenue allocation mechanisms for the different levels of government; and increased representation for cultural components, said Williams. "Disagreement persists on the eligibility requirements for the candidates in the first presidential elections," she said in a statement. "While the progress secured during three rounds of consultations in Cairo and this round in Geneva is significant, it remains insufficient as a basis to move forward towards comprehensive national elections." Libya has been split between a Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, and the eastern-based HoR, backed by military leader Khalifa Haftar. According to Libyan media, the spat over presidential candidate eligibility relates to whether dual nationals can stand; Haftar holds US nationality. 'Calm and stability' "I urge the two chambers to overcome the pending disagreement as soon as possible," said Williams, urging "calm and stability". She said the UN would remain available to help reach an agreement to end the country's long transition period. Williams said she would present recommendations on alternative ways forward to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The prospect of elections appears as distant as ever since the HoR, elected in 2014, appointed a rival government to replace that of interim prime minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, arguing that his mandate has expired. After failing to enter Tripoli in an armed stand-off in May, the rival administration has taken up office further east in Sirte. Sirte is the hometown of dictator Moamer Kadhafi, whose overthrow in a NATO-backed revolt in 2011 plunged the country into years of chaos and violence. Recent weeks have seen repeated skirmishes between armed groups in Tripoli, prompting fears of a return to full-scale conflict. Search Keywords: Short link: Turkey has cut access to public broadcasters from Germany and the United States, threatening to stoke new diplomatic tensions during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. An Ankara court banned access to Deutsche Welle and Voice of America on Thursday night, after both failed to apply for local broadcasting licences required by regulations introduced this year. The two argued that a local licence issued by Turkey's RTUK media regulator would infringe on their independence and allow Ankara to censor their content. Rights advocates said Turkey's decision underscores erosion to freedom of expression in the run up to next year's general election, the toughest of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's two-decade rule. It also threatens to spark new tensions in Turkey's relations with two of its most important Western allies and trading partners. The broadcasters went dark hours after a NATO summit at which Erdogan won praise from US President Joe Biden for lifting his objections to Sweden and Finland joining the Western defence alliance. The US State Department criticised the new rules when they first went into force in February, stressing that a "free media is essential to a robust democracy". The new media regulation applies to foreign providers of Turkish audio and video content. On Friday, both news portals were inaccessible in Turkey without the use of VPN technology that hides users' location. Both shared intructions on their social media accounts about using VPN to access their content. Deutsche Welle Director General Peter Limbourg said his agency refused to apply for a Turkish licence because it would harm independent broadcasting. "In our extensive correspondence, as well as in personal conversations with the head of the media monitoring agency, we explained why DW cannot apply for such a licence," Limbourg said in a statement. "For example, licensed media in Turkey is obliged to delete online content that RTUK considers inappropriate. This is unacceptable for an independent media organisation," he added. "DW will take legal action against the now imposed access ban." 'Criminal cases' Press freedom advocates and the opposition are increasingly concerned about the perceived erosion of media freedoms in Turkey, where most news media are in the hands of government-friendly businessmen or controlled by the state. Erol Onderoglu of Reporters Without Borders called the access cut a "problematic decision" aimed at helping Erdogan's ruling party ahead of the election. Ilhan Tasci, a member of the Turkish media regulator representing the main opposition CHP party, said the decision questions whether Turkey was still an "advanced democracy". Turkey, where scores of journalists have been jailed since a failed 2016 coup, is ranked 149th among 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index. At a press conference Thursday after the NATO summit, Erdogan grew visibly upset at suggestions that he was muzzling the press. "In my country at the moment, there are no journalists in prison because of their opinions. There are only criminal cases," Erdogan said. Erdogan's ruling AKP party also wants to pass another law that could see people locked up for three years for spreading "disinformation" -- a bill protested by journalists' organisations. The government said it will debate the bill in October, giving up a previous attempt to rush it through the parliament. Search Keywords: Short link: Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad said on Saturday that Egypt is looking forward to having support of the UK in its agriculture initiative set to be launched during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27). The impacts of global warming on agriculture will be discussed during COP27, along with the means of adapting to them, Fouad said during her meeting with Lord Goldsmith on the fringe of the 2022 UN Oceans Conference in Lisbon. Fouad and Goldsmith discussed many environmental topics as well as the preparations for COP27, slated to be held in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh in November. The activities of COP27 will include a day on nature and biodiversity, the Egyptian minister added. For his part, Goldsmith stressed the importance of last years Glasgow conference and meeting its promises and recommendations. Egypt is set to launch presidential initiatives in the spheres of food, water and energy at COP27, Fouad said in previous remarks. Foud also has noted that Egypt has prepared a concept paper detailing 20 projects on energy and the relationship between water and food as well as mechanisms for providing the needed funding, the minister further noted. In May, Egypt launched the National Strategy for Climate Change 2050 with the aim of addressing the repercussions of climate change in a way that contributes to improving the quality of life for Egyptians, achieving sustainable development, sustainable economic growth and preserving natural resources and ecosystems. Search Keywords: Short link: Libya's rival leaders were under growing street pressure Saturday after protesters stormed parliament as anger exploded over deteriorating living conditions and political deadlock. Libyans, many impoverished after a decade of turmoil and sweltering in the soaring summer heat, have been enduring fuel shortages and power cuts of up to 18 hours a day even as their country sits atop Africa's largest proven oil reserves. Libya has been mired in chaos and repeated rounds of conflict since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed leader Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. Protesters stormed the seat of the House of Representatives in the eastern city of Tobruk on Friday night, ransacking its offices and torching part of the building. In both the main eastern city of Benghazi -- the cradle of the 2011 uprising -- and the capital Tripoli, thousands took to the streets to chants of "We want the lights to work". Some brandished the green flags of the former Kadhafi regime. Calm appeared to have returned to Tobruk on Saturday, though there were calls on social media for more protests in the evening. The UN's top Libya envoy Stephanie Williams said that "riots and acts of vandalism" were "totally unacceptable". "It is absolutely vital that calm is maintained, responsible Libyan leadership demonstrated and restraint exercised by all," she tweeted. UN-mediated talks in Geneva this week aimed at breaking the deadlock between rival Libyan institutions failed to resolve key differences. 'Extremely painful' year Presidential and parliamentary elections, originally set for December last year, were meant to cap a UN-led peace process following the end of the last major round of violence in 2020. But voting never took place due to several contentious candidacies and deep disagreements over the polls' legal basis between the rival power centres in east and west. In Tripoli on Friday, hundreds came out to demand elections, fresh political leadership and an end to the chronic power cuts. The sudden eruption of unrest appeared to be spreading to other areas of the country, with Libyan media showing images of protesters in the oasis city of Sebha, deep in the Sahara desert, torching an official building. A local journalist said protesters in Libya's third city Misrata were blocking roads after setting fire to a municipal building on Friday night. Interim prime minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah leads a Tripoli-based administration while former interior minister Fathi Bashagha draws support from the Tobruk-based House of Representatives and eastern military leader Khalifa Haftar. "For more than a year, the overwhelming majority of diplomatic and mediation efforts around Libya have been monopolised by the idea of elections, which won't happen for at least two years, given the failure of the Geneva negotiations," Libya expert Jalel Harchaoui told AFP. This year "has been extremely painful for Libyans" because the country "imports almost all its food and the Ukraine war has hit consumer prices", Harchaoui said. 'Fragile situation' Libya's energy sector, which during the Kadhafi era financed a generous welfare state, has also fallen victim to political divisions, with a wave of forced closures of oil facilities since April. Supporters of the eastern-based administration have shut off the oil taps as leverage in their efforts to secure a transfer of power to Bashagha, whose attempt to take up office in Tripoli in May ended in a swift withdrawal. Libya's National Oil Corporation has announced losses of more than $3.5 billion from the closures and a drop in gas output, which has a knock-on effect on the power grid. "There is kleptocracy and systematic corruption in the east as in the west, as the fancy cars and villas of the elite constantly remind the public," Harchaoui said, accusing militias from both camps of carrying out "massive" fuel trafficking. Recent weeks have seen repeated skirmishes between armed groups in Tripoli, prompting fears of a return to full-scale conflict. The European Union's envoy to Libya, Jose Sabadell, said Friday's events "confirm people want change through elections". But he urged peaceful protests, adding that "special restraint is necessary given the fragile situation". Search Keywords: Short link: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Sunday that the recent tension in Libya is a sign that a big sector of the Libyan people is dissatisfied with the continuous of the crisis there and the suspensions of the political and electoral track. Hundreds of protesters took to streets in several Libyan cities on Friday against the political class and deteriorating economic conditions. The protests came a day after the leaders of the parliament and another legislative chamber based in Tripoli failed to reach an agreement on elections during UN-mediated talks in Geneva. In a press conference on Sunday with his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg following a meeting in Cairo, Shoukry said Egypt supported the UN mediated Libyan national dialogue, which brought together the country's two rival camps, and the decisions made then, but such decisions are now inapplicable after missing the timeframe agreed upon The timeframe should have been met and respected, Shoukry told reporters during the conference. Libya's presidential elections were due to be held in December 2021, but were adjourned over differences between rival factions on laws governing the elections and the eligibility of presidential candidates. Shoukry also offered assurances that the Libyan Presidential Council and House of Representatives have legitimacy that should be respected. Egypt's top diplomat said Egypt is exerting great efforts to guarantee a solution to the crisis without military action, noting that the Libyan issue is of concern to Egypt due to the neighbourly relations and the binding ties between both countries. Cairo has hosted several rounds of the UN talks as well as the Libyan 5+5 military commission meetings meant to restore the unity of the Libyan military institution, shore up the ceasefire across the country and discusses means of the withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign fighters from Libyan territory. Shoukry emphasized the importance of putting all difference aside and withdrawing all foreign fighters, and reach an inter-Libyan consensus that would lead to legislative and presidential elections soon. Schallenberg agreed with Shoukry saying the latest deterioration in Libya reflect a state of dissatisfaction and disagreement among of the Libyan people, stressing the importance of achieving peace and stability in the oil rich country. Libya has been wrecked by conflict since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and murdered longtime president Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The country has for years been split between rival administrations in the east and west, each supported by different militias and foreign governments. Search Keywords: Short link: The newly formed 19-member board of trustees of Egypt's national dialogue will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, marking the beginning of the dialogue between political forces called for by the president in April. The meeting will be held at 1pm at the headquarters of the National Training Academy (NTA), said Diaa Rashwan, general coordinator of the dialogue and head of the Journalists' Syndicate, in a statement on Sunday. During the meeting, the board will review details and schedule of the dialogue activities, take required decisions on them and disclose them to the public opinion, Rashwan said. This aims to ensure public engagement in the dialogue through various direct and electronic means, Rashwan explained. A press conference for Egyptian and foreign media outlets will be also held following the board's meeting, ensuring the processes transparency and making sure that updates are immediately available to the public, Rashwan noted. He stressed that this right will be guaranteed for the public throughout the events and activities of the dialogue. Rashwan has previously affirmed that the country will hold its first sessions of the national dialogue during the first week of July. In a dialogue with the press on Tuesday, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said the state has launched the national dialogue between all intellectuals, syndicates, and political forces. He added that only one faction is exempted from the dialogue, in reference to the terrorist-designated Muslim Brotherhood group. El-Sisi explained that this faction had rejected his proposal in July 2013 to hold early elections to resolve the crisis after people protested against them and instead, resorted to "warring." If one [chooses] warring then there is no common ground for dialogue and discussion, the president stressed. El-Sisi called for the dialogue during the annual Egyptian Family Iftar banquet on 26 April for all political forces without any exceptions or discrimination." Various political parties and forces have welcomed the step and expressed willingness to join the dialogue. Rashwan has affirmed that no one will be excluded from the presidential call for national dialogue except those who have blood on their hands or carried out terrorism or violence. Late in June, the administration of the national dialogue announced a diverse board of trustees that include parliamentarians, journalists, professors and officials. In remarks to media, Rashwan said the dialogues board of trustees will be in charge of the coordination process of the multi-directional, multi-stage dialogue and will take final decisions on the dialogues preliminary results to be submitted to the president. Rashwan has affirmed that the dialogue will be conducted within a framework of freedom of opinion and discussions by well-informed experts. Invitations have been sent to hundreds of Egyptians inside and outside the country, Rashwan said last month, noting that the dialogue has not been rejected by any of the political forces. Those willing to join the dialogue can submit their requests at the National Youth Conferences website. The dialogues administration is also receiving proposals and inquiries via WhatsApp at 01025521555 - 0109388883. The dialogue comes amid steps taken by the country to advance its human rights situation as part of the National Strategy for Human Rights launched in September. Search Keywords: Short link: The Ministry of Health and Population reported an increase of 6.9 percent in coronavirus infections over the past week, months after a major decline in infection tolls nationwide, according to a statement released by the ministry on Sunday. The ministry, however, said that deaths linked to COVID-19 and hospitalisation rates are still at their lowest point. The ministrys statement, however, did not disclose the number of cases and deaths detected over the past week. Egypt has been witnessing a sharp drop in the numbers of coronavirus infections and deaths, as indicated by the ministrys weekly updates on the pandemic nationwide. According to the ministrys last report on the countrys epidemiological situation, which was released at the end of May, the average daily coronavirus infection and death tolls in Egypt had dropped to single digits. In a statement on Sunday, Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar, spokesperson for the ministry, attributed the rise in infections to the emergence of some sub-variants of the Omicron strain of the virus, which he said were more transmissible, but do not cause severe infections. He also shed light on the citizens laxity in adhering to the precautions, especially in terms of wearing masks in gatherings and enclosed and poorly ventilated areas. Abdel-Ghaffar also sees the waning of COVID-19 vaccine or infection-induced immunity the six-month period after vaccination or infection is one of the causes as well. The spokesperson urged unvaccinated people to receive their inoculation and called on those who were vaccinated six months ago to register for a booster shot. He also called on people with chronic diseases, immune-deficiencies, or the elderly who were inoculated three months ago to register to obtain a booster as well. Egypt has administrated around 86.6 million doses of various types of coronavirus vaccines so far and 4.5 million booster shots. As of December 2021, Egypt started barring unvaccinated citizens seeking to receive public services from entering government institutions. However, the country has eased in recent weeks many of the coronavirus-related restrictions it had imposed since March 2020. This included allowing mosques and shrines nationwide to revert to normal operation hours after two years of being limited, as well as allowing weddings and celebrations at indoor halls in hotels as long as they followed precautionary measures against the coronavirus. In mid-June, Egypt announced the lifting of all COVID-related entry restrictions for all travellers, whether Egyptian nationals or foreigners. The country is also preparing for holding Eid Al-Adha prayers on Saturday 9 July in large mosques and outdoor spaces, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Religious Endowments on Sunday. Search Keywords: Short link: By Trend The Libyan National Army (LNA) sided with protesters. Commanders "follow the peoples movement that expresses lawful requirements in the context of the Libyan crisis," official spokesman of LNA Ahmed Al-Mismari said, Trend reports citing TASS. "The general command declares support of the peoples will and requirements of citizens," the Army said. "Our national duty is to approach the Libyan people with the call not to inflict damage to public and private facilities," LNA said. Armed forces "will live up to their promise for people and will not leave them vulnerable to blackmailing and interference," Al-Mismari added. The United Nations envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, was on a visit to Morocco on Monday but has cancelled a planned trip to the disputed territory itself, the UN said. Staffan de Mistura was "in Rabat to meet with Moroccan officials", spokesman Stephane Dujarric told journalists in New York. "He has decided not to proceed with a visit to Western Sahara during this trip, but looks forward to doing so during his upcoming visits to the region." The Polisario Front that seeks independence for the desert territory said it "deeply deplores that the occupying state of Morocco has once again resorted to obstructionism and delay tactics to prevent" de Mistura's visit. In a statement released in New York, it added that this "demonstrates beyond any doubt that the occupying state has no political will to engage constructively in the UN peace process in Western Sahara". Morocco sees the region as part of its sovereign territory and has offered limited autonomy there, but the Polisario and its main patron Algeria want a referendum on full independence. Rabat made no official mention of the visit, but local media reported that the Swedish-Italian diplomat had arrived in the North African country on Saturday. The UN appointed de Mistura in November after a long hiatus in talks over the Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony with access to vast phosphate resources, rich Atlantic fisheries and a strategic highway into West Africa. The last UN-led peace talks involved top officials from Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the Polisario, but they were frozen after UN envoy Horst Kohler quit the post in May 2019. Dujarric had said at a press conference on Friday that de Mistura was planning to visit the Western Sahara during a trip that would include meetings with "all concerned interlocutors in the region" to examine how to "move forward the dialogue within the context of the relevant Security Council resolutions". No official reason was given for the cancellation, but sources say Moroccan authorities had voiced reservations about such a trip when de Mistura met them in January. The Western Sahara conflict, which had been largely frozen since a 1991 ceasefire, flared again in late 2020 after the Polisario declared the truce null and void. The next month, the administration of then-US president Donald Trump recognised Morocco's sovereignty over the territory in a deal that saw the kingdom mend ties with Israel. Algeria in August last year cut ties with its western neighbour, citing "hostile acts". De Mistura, the UN's former Syria envoy, in January made his first tour in the post, visiting Morocco, Mauritania, Algiers and Tindouf in Algeria to meet the Polisario. Search Keywords: Short link: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry arrived in London on Monday in an official visit to launch the first session of the association council between Egypt and the UK. Under the presidency of Shoukry and the UK's Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Elizabeth Truss, the session will see political consultations and discussions about economic and commercial issues of mutual concern, a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs read. The meeting will be attended by British Minister of State for Trade Policy Penny Mordaunt. The launch of the association council is meant to promote cooperation between the two countries in all fields, Ahmed Hafez, the spokesman of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said. Shoukry will hold a host of bilateral meetings during his visit, Hafez added. Search Keywords: Short link: President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Head of Libyas Presidential Council Mohamed Al-Menfi have affirmed that holding elections is the only way to settle the current situation in the country, Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Rady said in a statement. This is in addition to expelling all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libyan territories to ensure the implementation of a political settlement in the country, the two sides affirmed in a phone call on Monday. The two leaders also agreed that a solution to the Libyan crisis has to stem from the Libyan people themselves. Furthermore, El-Sisi said Egypt will continue to spare no effort to provide all forms of support to Libya so that the country may achieve national reconciliation and end all political quarrels, the statement added. For his part, Al-Menfi hailed the efforts led by El-Sisi to support Libya, especially by contributing to restoring national institutions, unifying the Libyan National Army, and transferring Egyptian development experience to Libya. He also expressed appreciation for Egypts sincere support to Libya as an extension to the brotherly relations binding the two countries together, the statement said. Libya has been embroiled in a series of angry protests over the past few days, with hundreds voicing their frustration with the political class and deteriorating economic conditions. The protests came a day after the leaders of the Libyan Parliament and another legislative chamber based in Tripoli failed to reach an agreement on Thursday regarding holding the elections during UN-mediated talks in Geneva. A week ago, talks were held in Cairo between the Tripoli-based High Council and the eastern-based House of Representatives (HoR) in an attempt to agree on a constitutional basis for a vote, however, they also ended without a breakthrough. The presidential and parliamentary elections, which were originally scheduled for December of last year, were meant to cap a UN-led peace process following the end of the last major round of violence in 2020. However, the elections never took place due to several contentious candidacies and deep disagreements between rival power centres in the east and west of the country over the polls legal basis. In a press conference on Sunday, Egypts Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry said the recent tension in Libya is a sign that a big segment of the Libyan people is dissatisfied with the continuity of the crisis there and the suspensions of the political and electoral track. Furthermore, Shoukry said Egypt supported the UN mediated Libyan national dialogue which brought together the countrys two rival camps and the decisions made then, but such decisions are now inapplicable after delaying past the agreed-upon timeframe. The timeframe should have been met and respected, Shoukry told reporters during the conference. Over the past years, Egypt has worked along with Libyan officials to help find a political settlement to the longstanding crisis in its western neighbour and to restore order in the country by holding elections. Egypt has also hosted a set of meetings to bridge the gap between various Libyan parties and to foster dialogue. In June, Cairo hosted the latest round of talks between the rival eastern and western military powers also known as the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission to unify Libyas Armed Forces and provide an opportunity for the Libyan Constitutional Track Committee to reach a consensus on the Libyan draft constitution. However, political tensions have heightened in Libya since the countrys east based HoR withdrew its confidence in February from the Government of National Unity (GNU) that is headed by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah after it failed to hold the presidential elections. The HoR then formed a new government headed by Fathi Bashagha, a step that Egypt which has repeatedly called for holding Libyan elections on time has welcomed. However, Dbeibah has refused to cede power except to an elected government. Last May, Cairo held intensive talks with Libyan and international parties to prevent possible military escalation in Tripoli after clashes erupted between armed factions when Bashagha entered the capital in an attempt to seat his government. Search Keywords: Short link: Public employees across Egypt will be taking a one-week paid holiday on the occasion of Eid El-Adha from Saturday 9 July to Thursday 14 July as per a decision by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Monday. The decision applies to employees at ministries, government departments, public authorities, local administration units, public sector companies, and public business sector companies, a Cabinet statement read. However, exams for students nationwide will continue according to the schedule set by the relevant authorities. With Friday already being part of the countrys weekend for the public sector, employees will return to work after the Eid holiday starting Saturday. The Ministry of Religious Endowments announced on Sunday allowing the Eid El-Adhas prayers at large mosques and outdoor spaces for men, women, and children. The Eid prayers for the 1443 of the Hijri calendar will be held on early Saturday morning around 5:26am in Greater Cairo with slight differences in time in other governorates. Eid El-Adha is one of the two religious holidays in Islam, which falls on the tenth day of Dhu Al-Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. Eid El-Adha marks the beginning of the annual hajj to Mecca in Saudi Arabia and commemorates Prophet Ibrahims willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian and foreign media representatives are invited to visit the National Training Academy (NTA) in Giza to cover the first meeting of the Board of Trustees of the countrys National Dialogue on Tuesday at 1pm, said Diaa Rashwan, the dialogues general coordinator and head of the Journalists Syndicate, on Monday. The media is welcome to cover the meeting and the presser that will follow without prior invitation letters; however, they are required to bring letters of accreditation from their syndicates or the media outlets they work for. The meeting will be held in building No. 1 of the NTAs headquarters that is located in El-Bostan Street in Gizas Sheikh Zayed, next to Arkan Plaza. This comes in confirmation of the right of public opinion in being informed and [enjoying] immediate and transparent follow-up of the course of the dialogue, Rashwan said. The meeting of the newly formed 19-member Board of Trustees will mark the official beginning of the dialogue between political forces that was called for by the president in April. During the meeting, the board will review details and schedule of the dialogues activities, make some decisions pertaining to them, and disclose the final schedule to the public. This is to ensure public engagement in the dialogue through various direct and electronic means, he explained. Rashwan also stressed that the publics right to immediately and transparently obtain information about the updates of the dialogue will be guaranteed throughout the events and activities of the dialogue. The coordination has previously affirmed that the country will hold its first sessions of the national dialogue in the first week of July. In a press conference on Tuesday, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said the state launched the National Dialogue between all intellectuals, syndicates, and political forces, adding that only one faction is exempted from the dialogue, referring to the terrorist-designated Muslim Brotherhood. Late in June, the administration of the National Dialogue announced a diverse Board of Trustees that includes parliamentarians, journalists, academics, and officials. In remarks to the media, Rashwan said the dialogues board will be in charge of the coordination process of the multi-directional, multi-stage dialogue and will take final decisions on the dialogues preliminary results, which will be submitted to the president. Furthermore, he has affirmed that the dialogue will be conducted within a framework of freedom of opinion and discussions by well-informed experts. Invitations have been sent to hundreds of Egyptians inside and outside the country, Rashwan said last month, noting that the dialogue has not been rejected by any of the political forces. Those willing to join the dialogue can submit their requests at the National Youth Conferences website. The dialogues administration is also receiving proposals and inquiries via WhatsApp at +201025521555 and +20109388883. The National Dialogue comes amid steps taken by the country to advance its human rights as part of the National Strategy for Human Rights that was launched in September. Search Keywords: Short link: U.S. officials have concluded that gunfire from Israeli positions likely killed Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh but that there was ``no reason to believe'' her shooting was intentional, the State Department said Monday. The finding, in a statement from State Department spokesman Ned Price, came after what the U.S. said were inconclusive tests by independent ballistics experts under U.S. oversight of the bullet fragment recovered from Abu Akleh's body. ``Ballistic experts determined the bullet was badly damaged, which prevented a clear conclusion'' as to who fired the shot, Price said in the statement. Abu Akleh, a veteran correspondent and Palestinian-American citizen who was well known throughout the Arab world, was shot and killed while covering an Israeli occupation military raid on May 11 in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian eyewitnesses, including her crew, say Israeli troops killed her and that there were no militants in the immediate vicinity. Reporter reacting (R) as an unidentified man tries to lift the body of the channel's veteran journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh (Akleh) from the ground after she was fatally wounded by gunfire in Jenin in the occupied West Bank on May 11, 2022. AFP Israel says she was killed during a complex battle with Palestinian militants and that only a forensic analysis of the bullet would confirm whether it was fired by an Israeli soldier or a Palestinian militant. It has strongly denied she was deliberately targeted but says an Israeli soldier may have hit her by mistake during an exchange of fire with a militant. Israeli police confront mourners as they carry the casket of slain Al Jazeera veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh during her funeral in east Jerusalem, Friday, May 13, 2022. AP U.S. security officials had examined the results of both Palestinian and Israeli investigations and ``concluded that gunfire from IDF positions was likely responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh,'' Price said. The U.S. ``found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad,'' Price said. Search Keywords: Short link: The trial of 36 migrants accused of "illegally entering" Morocco started Monday but was immediately halted, lawyers said, days after a mass attempt to cross into a Spanish enclave. The hearing came 11 days after at least 23 migrants died during a mass attempt to enter Spain's Melilla enclave on Morocco's northern coast. "We have asked for a postponement to better prepare the case, as other lawyers had joined the defence team," lawyer Khalid Ameza told AFP. The defendants face charges of "illegal entry into Moroccan territory", violence against security forces, forming an "armed mob" and "refusal to comply" with security forces' orders. The next hearing is set for July 12 in the northern Moroccan city of Nador, close to Melilla. Another 29 migrants, including a minor, face a court hearing in Nador on July 13 on charges of "joining a criminal gang to organise and facilitate illegal immigration", Ameza said. The 65 defendants are among around 2,000 irregular migrants who on June 24 stormed Melilla's heavily armed perimeter fence, one of the only land borders between Africa and the European Union. While the authorities say 23 migrants died, rights groups say the number was at least 37. Most come from Sudan and reached Morocco via Libya and Algeria, despite the border between the kingdom and its eastern neighbour being officially closed. The death toll is the heaviest on record in years of similar attempts by migrants seeking better lives in Europe via Spain's enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta. The latest tragedy sparked an international outcry, including unusually harsh criticism from the United Nations. Search Keywords: Short link: Automobile industry officials from Iran, Russia and Turkey are considering joint car design and manufacture after sanctions on Moscow and Tehran put the brakes on production, Iran's state media reported. "There is a great possibility of tripartite cooperation between car manufacturers and suppliers of the three countries," said Mohammadreza Najafi-Manesh, the head of Iran's Auto Parts Manufacturers Association, the official IRNA news agency said. "These three countries can capture a large market for their products," Najafi-Manesh said, arguing that they could target a population of "at least 800 million if neighbouring regions are included". Russia, slapped with sanctions by Western nations after invading Ukraine, was reported to have already asked Iran in May to supply it with key components it could no longer access. As sanctions bite, the proposed cooperation on automobile constriction between the three nations could progress rapidly, Najafi-Manesh said. "This idea can be realised very soon," he said. "Manufacturing all the parts of this car... avoiding currency transfers to provide spare parts, and the existence of export markets are among the advantages of such a project." He added that the idea was first floated by Turkey and that Russia was "interested". Iran has also suffered under stringent economic sanctions, reimposed by the United States in 2018 after Washington unilaterally pulled out of a deal with world powers on Iran's nuclear programme. Western carmakers have ventured into Russia to assemble cars over the past two decades as the country's economy expanded. But since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in February, numerous car makers have stopped sales of their cars or parts to Russia -- including Audi, Honda, Jaguar and Porsche. Makes that have halted Russian production include BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes, Volkswagen and Volvo. Iran and Turkey share a land border, while Russia shares a maritime border with Iran and Turkey across the Black Sea and Caspian Sea respectively. Turkey already exports more than $12 billion worth of automobile spare parts annually, while Iran was ranked the 19th largest automaker in the world in 2021, according to the International Organization of Automobile Manufacturers. Based on OICA data, Iranian automakers produced 894,298 vehicles in 2021, IRNA reported. Search Keywords: Short link: The Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca is an important obligation for Muslims. Pilgrimage is considered to be one of the five pillars of Islam (along with the testimony that God is one and Mohammad is his messenger, five prayers a day, fasting in Ramadan, and paying annual alms or zakah). According to the Quran, every Muslim who is able to travel to Mecca should try to perform the Hajj at least once in his life. The pilgrimage occurs every year on 8-12 Dhu Al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar. Pilgrims and Muslims worldwide celebrate the festival of Eid Al-Adha, meaning the festival of the slaughter, during the Hajj period. The three day festival falls on 10-13 Dhu Al-Hijjah, and will be celebrated this year in Egypt from 4-6 October. The festival commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishamel) when commanded to do so by God. Muslims believe that God intervened at the last minute, providing a sheep for Ibrahim to sacrifice instead. Muslims around the world mark the celebration by slaughtering sheep and other. Believers are required to provide portions of the meat to the poor. In Egypt, those who have performed Hajj are considered to have made a great achievement. In folk culture, the house of pilgrims were traditionally decorated with wall paintings and graffiti depicting Hajj themes such as Ibrahims sacrifice, as a mark of pride showing the owners status as a pilgrim. The paintings, created by local artists, often break social and artistic conventions. Egyptian folk songs also deal with the Hajj, with some focusing on the story of Ismail and Ibrahim and others telling the story of the keswa, the cover for the holy shrine in Mecca known as the Kaaba. The keswa used to be made in Egypt and transported all the way from Cairo to Mecca by camel, in a lavish parade. Ahram Online wishes all its readers a Happy Eid. Search Keywords: Short link: One of the most interesting traditions around the Kaaba has to do with its covering, or keswa. The whole structure is enveloped from the outside by fabric, a tradition that has grown in sophistication as kings and rulers competed to honour Islams most sacred shrine. According to legend, the first man to cover the Kaaba with fabric was Sayyedna Ismail, Our Lord Ismail, who is the same person as the biblical patriarch Ishmael. This account is challenged by some early Arab historians, who believe that the first to dress the Kaaba in cloth was a Yemeni king called Tobbaa Abu Karb. The earliest accounts of the keswa speak of swathes of fabric made of wool and silk and decorated with leather. In time, the art of keswa evolved and masters of weaving and embroidery were hired from distant countries to provide the shrine with a suitable coat. At one point, it was customary to change the keswa twice a year. Qabati, a type of expensive fabric made in Egypt became for centuries the standard material for making the keswa. Sometime in the mid-fourteenth century, in the time of Sultan Ismail Ibn al-Nasir Mohammad Ibn Qalawon, Egypt began sending the keswa annually to Mecca. The cost of this effort was covered by budgetary allocations, called waqf, from the income of several Egyptian villages, including Besus, Sendbis, and Abul Gheit. In the mid-sixteenth century, Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent brought the number of Egyptian villages financing the keswa to ten, an indication of how elaborate the Kaabas coat had become. In his time, the keswa included an outer cover for the Kaaba, interior curtains for the inside, a special door cover on the outside, and coats for several nearby shrines. The fabric was made in Cairo, Tanis, Tuna, and Shata by the best weavers and embroiders of the time. As of 1920, the keswa was manufactured solely in Dar Al-Keswa (House of Keswa) in the Khoronfesh section of Cairo (not far from the famed Khan al-Khalili). A standard keswa in Ottoman times consisted of eight curtains called ahmal, four koroshyat, or decorated panels, a cover for the Kaabas door called al-borqo, a cover for the shrine of Ibrahim, a cover for Bab Al-Tawba (Gate of Repentance), a cover for Bab Al-Manbar Al-Malaki (Gate of the Royal Pulpit), and a purse for holding the key of the Kaaba. The material was made of black, red, green, and yellow silk interwoven with gold and silver threads. Mahmal (bearer) was the name given to the wooden structure designed to carry the keswa, which was traditionally carried on one or more camels. The tradition of sending a mahmal to Mecca from Egypt may have started with the mid-thirteenth century pilgrimage of Egypts Mamluk Queen Shagar al-Dorr to Mecca. The tradition of sending the mahmal continued well into the twentieth century, interrupted only in times of natural disasters and war. An eighteenth century account of the ceremonies associated with the mahmals departure from Egypt goes as follows: Seeing (the mahmal) is such a pleasure for it is beautifully made, with turned wood and all covered with colourful silk interwoven with gold threads. The head of the camel and its neck and the rest of his body are covered in jewels, and the camels body is painted with henna. The leading camel is followed by another camel that is similarly embellished, and the third camel is carrying the honourable keswa, which is wrapped in pieces, each mounted on wooden poles shaped in the form of ladders. In Cairo, the mahmal was paraded in the streets before its departure for Mecca. The parade consisted horse-mounted officers, foot soldiers, and the guards of the mahmal and the caravan servants. A different leader of the mahmal caravan, called the amir al-haj was chosen every year. It was a great honour to lead the mahmal to Mecca and in Ottoman times the post usually went to a top army officer. The ruler, or wali, and the countrys top officials and clerics attended all or part of the parade. In Mecca, the scene of receiving the mahmal was just as impressive. The mahmal caravan was led through the streets to the Egyptian tekeyya (a seclusion house for dervishes) while preparations for a further procession were arranged. The procession that followed was usually led by the Egyptian amir al-haj, a bearer of the money purse, various troops, and a military band. In the following ceremony, boxes of keswa would be delivered to the chief servant of the Kaaba. In the 1930s, Saudi Arabia discontinued celebrations of the mahmal. Cairo abandoned the mahmal ceremony in 1953, but continued sending the keswa till 1963. Since then, the keswa has been made locally in Mecca. The last keswa produced in Egypt cost 50,000 Egyptian pounds, equivalent to 750,000 EGP in todays prices. Search Keywords: Short link: By Trend Turkiye has conducted another successful test-firing of its locally made maritime missile, the countrys Defense Ministry said Saturday, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah. Atmaca successfully hit a target in the Black Sea after being fired from land in a test that marked the first time the anti-ship missile was tested with a mobile guided missile system, a video shared by the Defense Ministry showed. Test activities of the long-range anti-ship missile developed by prominent defense contractor Roketsan were carried out in the northern Sinop province. Atmaca is touted as a high-precision, long-range, surface-to-surface, precision strike anti-ship missile that can be integrated with patrol boats, frigates and corvettes. The Turkish Naval Forces inventory currently has the U.S.-made Harpoon anti-ship missiles. They are expected to be replaced by the Atmaca missiles that boast additional superior features. It boasts a range of more than 200 kilometers (124 miles), posing a threat to targets far outside visual range. It also provides target update, reattack and mission abort capabilities via modern data link. The development of the anti-ship missile began in 2009 and a deal for mass production was signed between the Presidency of Defense Industry (SSB) and prominent defense contractor Roketsan in 2018. Atmaca missiles are expected to be used on corvettes built under Turkiyes National Ship (MILGEM) project, along with other vessels and submarines that currently use Harpoon missiles. The land-based version of the missiles is also expected to be used for littoral security. The missile will be powered by a fully indigenous KTJ-3200 engine, developed by Kale Group. Atmaca is effective against fixed and moving targets thanks to its resistance to countermeasures and its target update, reattack and task cancelation capabilities, as well as an advanced 3D routing system. The missile hovers low above water and can reach its target both on linear and vertical planes. With this feature, the missile can reach a higher altitude when it gets closer to the target and can land on a target ship from directly above. China hosted a series of BRICS events from June 22nd to 24th, including the BRICS Business Forum, the 14th BRICS Summit and the High-level Dialogue on Global Development. Against the drastic changes and complex challenges to world peace and development, the BRICS events are most opportune, which are of great importance for the BRICS and developing countries to jointly uphold international fairness and justice, revitalize global development, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Outstanding significance of the BRICS BRICS is the acronym for an emergingmarket group comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The BRICS countries represent more than 40 percent of the worlds population and over 20 percent of global total economic output. Over the past 16 years since its inception, the BRICS has been bearing the development expectations of emerging markets, acting as mechanism for cooperation among developing countries and platform for South-South cooperation, and has made substantive and solid progress in practical cooperation across the board. Unlike certain countries aiming to split the world, and attempting to expand military alliances to seek absolute security, the BRICS cooperation focuses on injecting new impetus into maintaining world peace and promoting common development, and has demonstrated resilience and vitality by embracing the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, thereby cementing a new international alternative representing the right trend of history. The BRICS resists the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, opposes hegemonism and power politics. It is committed to multilateralism, upholds the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, follows the historical trend of world multi-polarity and greater democracy in international relations, and builds a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation. Expansive consensus and Elevated Cooperation South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended and addressed the 2022 BRICS Business Forum and the 14th BRICS Summit under the theme of Foster High-quality BRICS partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development. President of Algeria, Argentina, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Uzbekistan, Vice President of Brazil, Prime Minister of Cambodia, Ethiopia, Fiji, India, Malaysia and Thailand attended the High-level Dialogue on Global Development focusing on the theme of Foster a Global Development Partnership for the New Era to Jointly Implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi participated via video conference in the high-level dialogue session on global development. As the Egyptian spokesman for the Presidency stated, Egypt previously participated as a guest in the BRICS Summit that was held in China in September 2017. The Chinese president's invitation for Egypt's participation demonstrates the strong bonds based on the comprehensive strategic partnership between Egypt and China across various fields, as well as the close friendship between President El-Sisi and President Xi Jinping. Leaders reached multiple important common understandings on promoting world peace and security, improving the global governance system, deepening BRICS cooperation in economic integration, jointly responding to COVID-19, and doing utmost to reduce the impact of poverty, food and energy crisis. The BRICS activities will deliver over 30 major outcomes this year, which will reach a new height in terms of quantity and quality. It can be preliminarily summarized as "ten highlights": --- Send BRICS' strong message of safeguarding international fairness and justice. Release the Beijing Declaration, express the common position on supporting multilateralism and improving the global governance system, and put forward BRICS proposals for safeguarding world peace. --- Consolidate the BRICS line of defense against the pandemic. Launch the BRICS Vaccine R&D Center and build a comprehensive platform for joint research, development and production that reaches out to developing countries to help build a community of health for all. --- Play BRICS' part to keep the global economy open. Release the Joint Statement on Supporting Multilateral Trading System and WTO Reform of the BRICS countries, put forward the BRICS Initiative on Enhancing Cooperation on Supply Chains, and build BRICS consensus on upholding the multilateral trading system and improving the formulation of international trade rules. --- Highlight BRICS actions to win the fight against corruption. Adopt the BRICS Initiative on Denial of Safe Haven to Corruption, and deepen practical cooperation among BRICS countries on cross-border corruption governance and pursuit of economic and corrupt offenders to build a new global anti-corruption governance system. --- Lay a solid foundation for building a big market for BRICS integration. Sign the Agreement between the Governments of BRICS Countries on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters, and release the BRICS Initiative on Trade and Investment for Sustainable Development, to provide new growth drivers for promoting trade facilitation and achieving economic recovery. --- Inject BRICS impetus into global food security. Reach the first the Strategy on Food Security Cooperation of the BRICS Countries, and establish the Forum on Agricultural and Rural Development, to showcase the five BRICS countries practical actions to stabilize global food production and the positive contributions to global food security governance. --- Tap the potential of BRICS for innovation-driven development. Establish the BRICS network of technology transfer centers, and host the Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development, to contribute to economic transformation, upgrading and high-quality development in the five BRICS countries. --- Expand BRICS cooperation in new domains of frontier science and technology. Establish the BRICS aerospace cooperation mechanism, and promote exchanges and innovation in space science and technology, to set a BRICS model for the peaceful use of outer space and aerospace technology for sustainable development. --- Seize the opportunity of the times for the development of the digital economy. Endorse the BRICS Digital Economy Partnership Framework, and release the BRICS Initiative for Cooperation on Digitalization of Manufacturing, to achieve leapfrog development together. --- Build a future-oriented pool of high-quality technical talents. Establish the BRICS Technical and Vocational Education and Training Cooperation Alliance, and hold the Skills Competition, SDG Solutions Competition, and Women's Innovation Contest, to promote connectivity between the talent, industrial and innovation chains of the five BRICS countries. Chinas contribution Following the summits in Sanya and Xiamen, China hosts the BRICS Summit for the third time. Since China took over the BRICS chairmanship of 2022, thanks to the active support of all sides, China has successfully held over 90 meetings and events at various levels so far this year, and will host over 170 BRICS events in various fields throughout the year, covering political, security, economic, trade, financial, people-to-people, cultural exchanges, sustainable development and public health. In the first half of this year alone, more than 20 ministerial meetings were held, and each of the "BRICS Plus" events attracted the participation of more than 50 non-BRICS countries, expanding the influence of BRICS. In addition, this year China also held the BRICS Political Parties, Think Tanks and Civil Society Organizations Forum, and carried out the joint filming and broadcasting of documentaries, to tell BRICS stories, spread BRICS voices and promote mutual understanding and amity among BRICS countries through rich and colorful cultural exchanges activities. China also focused on strengthening BRICS institutional development, expanding "BRICS Plus" cooperation and establishing broader partnerships. President Xi Jinping, bearing in mind the well-being of the entire humanity, has led the BRICS summits to produce a series of pioneering, leading and institutional outcomes, fully demonstrating the historical responsibility and global vision of a major country's leader and contributing China's new share to world peace and development. President Xi attended the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum and delivered a keynote speech, chaired the 14th BRICS Summit in Beijing and delivered an important speech, pointing out the significance of fostering a more comprehensive, close, practical and inclusive high-quality partnership and jointly embarking on a new journey of BRICS cooperation. President Xi chaired the High-level Dialogue on Global Development in Beijing and delivered important remarks titled Forging High-quality Partnership for a New Era of Global Development. President Xis speeches gave an insightful answer to where the world is headed, the important question of our times. The speeches aim to bring confidence and strength to a volatile and unstable world and are warmly received. Participants said the speeches are rich in content and inspiring, charting the course for deepening practical BRICS cooperation, pointing the way forward for upholding world security and stability, and painting the blueprint for promoting global openness and development. The speeches have also enhanced the world confidence in Chinas economic prospect and set the right direction for businesses to participate in and support BRICS cooperation. Brighter future China proposed the BRICS Plus mechanism during the 2017 BRICS Summit. As the BRICS chair for this year, China actively supports the BRICS in starting the membership expansion process and expanding the BRICS Plus cooperation, to pursue BRICS development with open doors and boost cooperation with open arms. At the summit, all BRICS leaders agreed to move ahead on BRICS Plus cooperation, enhance the representation of the BRICS, advance the BRICS membership expansion process, and promote discussions to clarify the guiding principles, standards, criteria and procedures for this expansion process. Relevant consensus is reflected in the XIV BRICS Summit Beijing Declaration adopted and released at the summit. This fully demonstrates that BRICS cooperation is open and inclusive. China is ready to work with other BRICS members, emerging markets and developing countries to deepen the BRICS strategic partnership, 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. * Li Jie is Counselor at the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China in the Arab Republic of Egypt. Search Keywords: Short link: The Musicians Syndicates Board of Directors is still calling on renowned singer Hany Shaker to withdraw his resignation from the presidency of the syndicate despite his official announcement that his decision is irreversible. In recent days, many musicians have gathered in the syndicates headquarters in Cairo to voice their support for Shaker and dissuade him from leaving his post, according to a statement by the board. Furthermore, members of the syndicates general assembly from various governorates have also requested that an investigation be opened regarding what they described as inappropriate incidents that occurred at last weeks press conference, demanding the suspension of whoever caused the syndicates head to submit his resignation, it added. Shaker, 69, who announced his resignation live on a prime-time talk-show, explained in his official resignation letter that he prefers to choose love, friendship, and respect instead of rivalry and disputes, confirming that his decision is irreversible. The resigning presidents decision came in the wake of the failure of a press conference in which Maharaganat star Hassan Shakoosh was supposed to reclaim his syndicates affiliate-membership. Shakoosk of smash-hit Bent El-Giran attended the conference to apologise for his comments last summer, which were deemed humiliating to percussionists, earning him a suspension from live singing. Consequently, arguments erupted at the conference led by renowned percussionist Said El-Artist, who protested that Shakoosh already reclaimed his membership before the apology and the conference, demanding Shaker resign from his post. Due to several challenges faced by the syndicate, the Egyptian artistic scene is split in terms of opinions on Shakers presidency of the syndicate. Shaker was first elected as the syndicates president in 2015, before winning another term in 2019. Search Keywords: Short link: Almost eight months after the elections in Iraq, the countrys political blocs have failed to form a new government to face up to the crisis in the country, writes Nermeen Al-Mufti in Baghdad The Iraqi people were waiting for steps to be announced by the strong and popular Shia cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr to form a national and reformist government and not a consensual government, Jinan Ali, an activist who participated in the Tishreen (October) protests in Iraq in 2019, told Al-Ahram Weekly. The protests forced changes in the Iraqi elections law and Independent Higher Electoral Commission and obliged the government of former prime minister Adel Abdel-Mahdi to resign in December 2019. One of the demands of the Tishreen protests was to put an end to the policy of muhasasa [power sharing by sectarian quota] or what they call consensual government that has achieved nothing since the first general elections in 2006, Ali said. This policy has led to chaos and corruption and increased the percentage of Iraqis living under the poverty line, she added. Ali is not optimistic that the kind of government the protesters wanted to see will now be formed after the resignation of the Sadrist Bloc, the largest bloc in the Iraqi parliament after last years elections, and the formation of the Save the Nation Alliance with the Siyada (sovereignty) Alliance of Parliamentary Speaker Mohamed Al-Halbousi, a Sunni Muslim, and the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) of Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani. The Coordination Framework (CF) led by former prime minister Nuri Al-Maliki includes all Iraqs Shia political parties and movements except the Sadrist Bloc, and the Sunni Al-Azm Alliance and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) of late Iraqi president Jalal Talbani wants to form a consensual government with it. However, the deadlock began when CF MPs boycotted the presidential election session in the parliament, and there was no quorum for a vote to take place. The MPs said that the Kurds should agree on one candidate for the presidency, occupied by the PUK since 2006 and now insisted on by the KDP. Up to now, the Kurds have still not agreed on a candidate. The Sadrist Blocs 73 MPs resigned to pave the way for the CF to form a government after it became the largest bloc in the parliament after their resignation. Following the resignations, the second-place vote winner from last Octobers elections in each now vacant district took the empty seat in parliament last Thursday and swore the parliamentary oath in an extraordinary session called by the CF. There was a quorum, although Al-Sadr called on all the blocs to stand bravely for the sake of reform and the saving of the nation and not to give in to sectarian pressures, as they are bubbles which will disappear. Yet his Sunni and Kurdish allies attended the session. The CF began meetings with Al-Sadr allies Siyada, the KDP, and independent MPs to negotiate the formation of a new government called the government of services in their statements. I do not expect the CF to be able to form a new government because the demands of the Siyada Alliance of Al-Halbousi and the KPD of Barzani are too hard to be fulfilled, Abdel-Ameer Majar, a political analyst, told the Weekly. The Iraqi street could not accept those demands, and if the CF makes concessions, the people will stand up against them. The people who carried out the Tishreen Revolution and put an end to sectarian power-sharing will not accept it, he said. Many Iraqi politicians have confirmed that there cannot be a successful new government in Iraq without the Sadrist Bloc, among them Ayad Allawi, a former prime minister. He was quoted as saying that proceeding with the formation of a new government without the presence of the Sadrist Bloc that won the elections, proving that it is not looking for positions as much as for the formation of a national government, will only make matters more complicated. Although Muqtada Al-Sadr has withdrawn from the political process, he is still directing the situation in Iraq, said Ahmed Omer, an Iraqi teacher who spoke to the Weekly, adding that Al-Sadrs withdrawal looks like a trap for others. At the end of this there could be early general elections. Samira Auf, a Baghdad housewife, told the Weekly that the political blocs behave as if there were no people suffering from unemployment, high food prices, dust storms, climate change, electricity shortages, shortages of water, and many other problems. They are just looking to their own benefits and agendas, she added. Al-Sadr said in a tweet that his bloc had resigned as a sacrifice for the Iraqi nation. He said this in order to end the political deadlock in the country, because others had stated that his bloc was hindering the formation of a new government, according to Iraqi media reports. But it seems that the deadlock will continue as long as the Kurds do not agree on one candidate for the presidency and the CF does not agree on a candidate for prime minister. The parliament will hold its first session after the Eid by the end of its recess, when another nine new MPs will be sworn in. In the earlier extraordinary session only 64 replacement MPs arrived to swear the oath. A version of this article appears in print in the 30 June, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Shoukry met with Lord Ahmad the British minister for South Asia, North Africa, the UN, and the Commonwealth at the Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office (FCDO) on Monday during his visit to London. During the meeting, the two diplomats asserted that the council will also contribute to enhancing British investments in Egypt and trade exchange between the two countries, in addition to exploring further bilateral cooperation opportunities, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Hafez said. The two ministers also discussed the repercussions of the current global economic crisis and means of cooperation to mitigate its effect. Furthermore, the meeting covered the upcoming International Ministerial Conference on the Freedom of Religion or Belief, which is to be held in London from 5 to 6 July. In this regard, Shoukry asserted Egypts effective participation in the conference, pointing to Egypts achievements and efforts to enhance freedom of belief. Moreover, he highlighted Egypts keenness to uphold the principles of citizenship, equality, and non-discrimination between citizens on any basis. The two sides also reviewed their concerns about the situation of human rights as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest, including the situation in Libya, the statement said. Finally, they reviewed the readiness for Egypts hosting of the UN Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh this November, affirming the need to continue coordination between the Egyptian and British presidencies of the climate conference to ensure the success of the COP27. Egypt has repeatedly highlighted ambitions to build on the outcomes of COP26 held in Glasgow last November and support global efforts in mitigation and adapting to climate change during COP27 by turning climate pledges into actions. Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry and Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon launched an association council between Egypt and the UK that will contribute to boosting cooperation in economic fields. Shoukry met with Lord Ahmad the British minister for South Asia, North Africa, the UN, and the Commonwealth at the Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office (FCDO) on Monday during his visit to London. During the meeting, the two diplomats asserted that the council will also contribute to enhancing British investments in Egypt and trade exchange between the two countries, in addition to exploring further bilateral cooperation opportunities, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Hafez said. The two ministers also discussed the repercussions of the current global economic crisis and means of cooperation to mitigate its effect. Furthermore, the meeting covered the upcoming International Ministerial Conference on the Freedom of Religion or Belief, which is to be held in London from 5 to 6 July. In this regard, Shoukry asserted Egypts effective participation in the conference, pointing to Egypts achievements and efforts to enhance freedom of belief. Moreover, he highlighted Egypts keenness to uphold the principles of citizenship, equality, and non-discrimination between citizens on any basis. The two sides also reviewed their concerns about the situation of human rights as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest, including the situation in Libya, the statement said. Finally, they reviewed the readiness for Egypts hosting of the UN Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh this November, affirming the need to continue coordination between the Egyptian and British presidencies of the climate conference to ensure the success of the COP27. Egypt has repeatedly highlighted ambitions to build on the outcomes of COP26 held in Glasgow last November and support global efforts in mitigation and adapting to climate change during COP27 by turning climate pledges into actions. Search Keywords: Short link: France's parliamentary elections last month resulted in President Emmanuel Macron losing his majority in the national legislature, while parties on the far right and the far left that had protested his government's earlier vaccine and mask rules gained seats. French government spokesperson Olivia Gregoire has said there are no plans to reintroduce national regulations that limit or set conditions for gathering indoors and other activities. "The French people are sick of restrictions," she said Wednesday on channel BFMTV. "We are confident that people will behave responsibly." Virus-related hospitalizations rose quickly in France over the past two weeks, with nearly 1,000 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized per day, according to government data. Infections are also rising across Europe and the United States, but France has an exceptionally high proportion of people in the hospital, according to Our World in Data estimates. From Paris commuters to tourists on the French Riviera, many people seem to welcome the government's light touch, while some worry that required prevention measures may be needed. Tourism is booming again in France -- and so is COVID-19. French officials have invited or recommended people to go back to using face masks but stopped short of renewing restrictions that would scare visitors away or revive antigovernment protests. After the prime minister this week recommended that people resume wearing masks on public transportation, commuter Raphaelle Vertaldi said, "We need to deal with the virus, but we can't stop living because of it." Vertaldi, who was boarding a train in Boussy-Saint-Antoine south of Paris, said she opposed mandatory mask use but would cover her mouth and nose again, if the government requires it. Hassani Mohammed, a postal worker in Paris, didn't wait for the government to decide. He masks up before his daily commute. With his wife recovering from surgery and two children at home, he does not want to risk contracting the coronavirus a third time. "I realized that the pandemic does not belong to the past," Mohammed said. Masks have been contentious in France. Early in the pandemic, the French government suggested masks weren't helpful. It ultimately introduced some of Europe's toughest restrictions, including an indoors and outside mask mandate that lasted more than a year, along with strict lockdowns. A Paris court ruled Tuesday that the French government failed to sufficiently stock up on surgical masks at the start of the pandemic and to prevent the virus from spreading. The administrative court in Paris also ruled that the government was wrong to suggest early on that masks did not protect people from becoming infected. The government lifted most virus rules by April, and foreign tourists have returned by land, sea and air to French Mediterranean beaches, restaurants and bars. In the meantime, French hospitals are struggling with long-running staff and funding shortages. Local officials are contemplating new measures, including an indoor mask mandate in some cities, but nothing that would curb economic activity. French tourism professionals expect a booming summer season despite the virus, with numbers that may even surpass pre-pandemic levels as Americans benefit from the weaker euro and others rediscover foreign travel after more than two years of a more circumscribed existence. On the French Riviera, a slow economic recovery began last summer. But with attendance at gatherings still capped, social distancing rules and travel restrictions in place a year ago, most visitors to the area were French. A tour guide and electric bicycle taxi driver in Nice described her joy at seeing foreign visitors again. During France's repeated lockdowns, she transported essential workers, and took people to hospitals, to care for elderly relatives or for PCR tests. Now, passengers on her bike from the U.S., Australia, Germany, Italy or beyond reach for the hand disinfectant taped to the barrier between the passenger and driver's seats. She said she still diligently disinfects the bike before each ride, "like it's 2020." A retired couple from the U.K. visited France this week on their first trip abroad since pandemic travel restrictions were lifted. They started with a river cruise down the Rhone -- face masks were mandatory on the ship -- and ended with a few days on the Mediterranean. "It's been delightful from start to finish," said Ros Runcie, who was in Nice with her husband, Gordon. "Everyone is so pleased to see you, everyone is really polite and nice to visitors." Sue Baker, who was traveling with her husband, Phil, and the Runcies, observed, "It feels very much like pre-2020." Asked about the possible return of French mask rules, Phil Baker said, "Masks are a bit uncomfortable, especially in the heat." But his wife added, "If it means we can still go on a holiday, we'll put them back on without hesitation." The number of inbound and outbound international travelers in Korea surpassed 1 million last month, the first time it has done so since the coronavirus pandemic began. According to data released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, it stood at 1.28 million in June, up 420 percent on-year. Korea suffered its biggest trade deficit ever in the first six months of this year due to surging raw material and oil prices. According to the Korea Customs Service last Friday, exports increased 15.6 percent on-year in the January-June period to US$350.30 billion, but imports surged 26.2 percent to a record $360.60 billion. This resulted in a deficit of $10.30 billion, the highest for the first half in 66 years. It exceeded even the $9.16 billion deficit in the first half of 1997 before the Asian financial crisis. In the first half of 2008, Korea suffered a $6.4 billion deficit. At this rate, Korea is expected to post the biggest annual trade deficit since the global financial crisis in 2008. The Korea International Trade Association forecast that exports will grow 9.2 percent this year to $703.9 billion, but imports will soar 16.8 percent to $718.5 billion. That would translate into a deficit of $14.7 billion for the whole year. This year was also the first time in 14 years that the country posted three straight months of trade deficits since April. The biggest culprit is a surge in energy prices. Korea's energy import costs increased more than $40 billion to $87.9 billion or 24 percent of total imports in money terms. Korea also suffered two months of deficits in trade with China for the first time in 28 years. Joo Won at Hyundai Research Institute said, "If a trade deficit compounds a fiscal deficit, export-dependent Koreas credit rating could decline." North Korea has blamed the coronavirus pandemic there on contaminated leaflets sent by defectors from South Korea. The official Rodong Sinmun last Friday claimed that North Korea's first outbreak started in the border region of Ipo-ri in Kangwon Province, where local residents and soldiers who tested positive had touched "alien things" "in a mountain in early April. It warned people to keep an eye out for "alien things carried by balloons," such as those sent by South Korean activists on a southerly wind. But even if the allegation was plausible, activist Park Sang-hak here denied his group sent any leaflets in April. The North first admitted the pandemic in May. "We weren't able to fly leaflets in early April because the wind was in the wrong direction," Park said. Unification Ministry spokesman Cha Deok-cheol also took the bait, saying, "There's no possibility of COVID entering the North via contaminated leaflets sent from the South." The virus can survive in the open air for about three hours. South Korean and U.S. special forces have recently conducted joint search and seizure training as part of the U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC). The drill sends a warning message to countries supporting North Korea like China and Russia, which are suspected of abetting smuggling to and from North Korea. According to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, a South Korean UDT/SEAL team and U.S. Special Operations Forces conducted the training on June 30 aimed at interdicting, searching and seizing ships by hostile countries, terrorist groups or pirates. By Trend Irans lead negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani has said that the time and place of a new round of talks are being finalized in consultations with the EU coordinator of the talks Enrique Mora, Trend reports citing Mehr. Ali Bagheri Kani, the top Iranian negotiator made the comments while speaking to reporters on Sunday on the sidelines of the American Human Rights conference in Tehran. Bagheri said that the time and place of the talks on the removal of the US sanctions on Tehran are being finalized in consultations with Enrique Mora, the EU coordinator of the talks. According to the lead Iranian negotiator, "The continuation of the talks is based on an agreement that continues between us and the other side, specifically Mr. Mora." "There is the time and place of the next round of talks in our and Mr. Mora's exchanges of consultations and it is getting finalized." Bagheri Kani-Mora talks were held for two days last Tuesday and Wednesday in the Qatari capital to discuss issues that remained from the Vienna talks. Australian authorities are urging more than 30,000 residents in Sydney and its surrounding neighborhoods to evacuate or prepare to do so as more rain and flash floods are expected. Speaking at a news briefing Monday, the Prime Minister of New South Wales Dominic Perrottet said that 64 evacuation warnings and 71 evacuation orders have been issued in the southeastern Australian state. Residents have been also advised to avoid any non-essential travel, including on public transport as some roads are underwater and others are at risk of being flooded unexpectedly. KYODO NEWS - Jul 4, 2022 - 21:49 | All, World, Japan A Chinese naval ship chased a Russian warship on Monday just outside Japanese territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, the government said, in an apparent attempt to demonstrate to others that Beijing has sovereignty over the Tokyo-controlled islets. A Chinese frigate sailed in the so-called contiguous zone of the uninhabited islets, which Beijing claims and calls Diaoyu, for about six minutes from 7:44 a.m., chasing a Russian frigate after the Russian ship entered the waters, according to the Defense Ministry. The Russian vessel stayed in the waters from 7:05 a.m. to 8:16 a.m. and appears to have done so to avoid a typhoon, a ministry official said. By making it appear as if it were patrolling around its own territory, China was likely trying to demonstrate its territorial claim to the Senkakus, according to the official, who added that the move "unilaterally heightens tensions" and has created a "seriously concerning situation." After the incident, coming amid China's growing maritime assertiveness and increasingly robust China-Russia military ties, Tokyo lodged a protest with Beijing, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara said at a press conference. Japan will "respond firmly but in a calm manner" against similar moves, Kihara said. It was the first time since June 2016 that Chinese and Russian naval vessels had been spotted entering the contiguous zone at around the same time. Japanese Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Shigeo Yamada protested to Chinese Ambassador to Japan Kong Xuanyou by phone, expressing "grave concern" over the incident, the Foreign Ministry said. Through a diplomatic channel, Tokyo also called on Moscow to take an "appropriate response," while expressing its "keen interest" in Russia's recent moves around the Senkakus, according to a ministry source. But Japan stopped short of protesting to Russia given that the country does not lay claims to the Senkakus, as well as that the Russian frigate entered the contiguous zone to avoid the typhoon, the source added. The ministry also said there are no reports of the Chinese and Russian frigates having entered the territorial waters around the islet group. Under international law, ships of any nation, including warships, are understood to have the right to sail through the contiguous waters of a coastal nation unless they threaten the nation's safety. Japan has over the years lodged protests to China over repeated intrusions by Chinese coast guard ships into Japanese waters around the Senkaku Islands. Japan has also been wary of the deepening military cooperation between China and Russia of late, such as a joint flight of bombers of the two nations over the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the Pacific in late May. KYODO NEWS - Jul 4, 2022 - 20:18 | All, Japan South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol told a Japanese business leader Monday that South Korea and Japan must work together to address pending issues that have strained their bilateral ties. "The two countries should make efforts and combine their wisdom to build a future-oriented partnership," Yoon told Masakazu Tokura, the leader of the Japan Business Federation, in their meeting in Seoul. After the meeting, Tokura told reporters that he asked Yoon to hold summit talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to improve bilateral relations. Under the previous administration of South Korean President Moon Jae In, bilateral ties deteriorated over disputes dating back to Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, followed by Tokyo's export curbs against Seoul, which weighed on economic cooperation. Earlier Monday, Tokura met Huh Chang Soo, chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries, and the two business leaders agreed to deepen cooperation to build future-oriented relations. The FKI and the Japanese lobby, also known as Keidanren, reached the agreement during the meeting in Seoul, the first in nearly three years due to the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement, the two advocated an active role by the private sector to improve bilateral ties based on the spirit of a 1998 declaration made by then South Korean President Kim Dae Jung and then Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi. The business leaders also agreed on the importance of normalizing private-sector exchanges by resuming visa exemptions between the two countries that have been limited due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19. As Russia's war against Ukraine has destabilized situations in the Indo-Pacific region and other areas, the statement said it is vital for Seoul and Tokyo -- two countries that share universal values, such as democracy and a market economy -- to maintain and develop bilateral ties, which would contribute to peace and stability in Northeast Asia. South Korean business leaders asked for the support of their Japanese counterparts in Seoul's bid to join the revised Trans-Pacific Partnership, according to Yonhap News Agency. The TPP, or the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership as it is formally known, is an 11-member free trade agreement involving Japan, Australia, Canada, Singapore and other regional economies. Speaking at the meeting, Huh said, "We must upgrade the declaration (by Kim and Obuchi), which looks to the future instead of the past, and emphasizes cooperation in all fields to fit the present." Yoon, who had several encounters with Kishida during their attendance at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit last week, has been showing a strong willingness to improve the bilateral ties frayed over the disputes, namely the issue of "comfort women" procured for Japan's wartime military brothels and compensation demands from South Koreans over wartime labor. The two business organizations have had regular meetings since 1983, while the last meeting was held in Tokyo in 2019. KYODO NEWS - Jul 4, 2022 - 22:46 | All, Japan Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on students at a university in Tokyo to "protect peace" as he spoke Monday of his country's ongoing "fight for the peace of the future." Appearing virtually at an event held at Toyo University's Hakusan campus, Zelenskyy told around 350 students, including Ukrainian exchange students, that "the only time to return peace to the world is now." "It is up to us to decide whether the world will maintain the rule of law or have to deal with the threats of a dictator with nuclear weapons," he said through an interpreter, adding that Russia has "made peace a memory" with its continued aggression since its unilateral annexation of Crimea in 2014. Zelenskyy's roughly seven-minute speech was followed by a question-and-answer session, during which a Ukrainian student asked what she could do to help her home country. "Having students abroad is important as they are defending Ukraine's educational space while they are in Japan," Zelenskyy responded. "I hope you will use your experiences in Japan for the good of our country after the war is over." When asked by a Japanese student about the source of his power, Zelenskyy said that when it comes to making his dream of ending war in Ukraine come true, he has "all the power I need to work hard." "I sincerely hope that in the future you will use only the weapon of communication," he added. Toyo University has signed agreements with three universities in Kyiv to accept students following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The online lecture was held after Zelenskyy expressed a desire to send a message to students in his own words, according to the university. Related coverage: Zelenskyy calls Russia terror state, demands expulsion from U.N. Zelenskyy urges world to forestall wars, citing Ukraine crisis KYODO NEWS - Jul 4, 2022 - 22:10 | All, Japan South Korea said Monday that it held the first meeting of a public-private body it has set up to resolve the wartime labor issues during Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, pledging to work toward a solution to the issue. "The government will listen to opinions of those who were directly involved in the wartime forced labor issue and of various fields while making continuous efforts in seeking a reasonable solution" through the future meetings of the public-private body, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Experts and lawyers of South Korean plaintiffs who won compensation cases against Japanese companies will be requested to give their views on the issue in the meetings, the ministry said. Last month, local media reported that the public-private body would be established to prevent the liquidation of assets of the two Japanese companies that the plaintiffs have seized. Japan has protested against the liquidation as Tokyo sees the issues as settled decades ago. The meeting of the public-private body was held as a first action by the government of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who took office on May 10 and has expressed a strong willingness to improve ties with Japan. Some lawyers of the plaintiffs, who participated in the Monday meeting, said one or two more meetings could be held later this month, adding that it seems the ministry is trying to gather as many opinions as possible by August. "We cannot yet tell whether this would yield fruit or not," one of the lawyers said in a briefing after the meeting. South Korean Supreme Court rulings in 2018 ordered the Japanese companies -- Nippon Steel Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. -- to pay damages to Korean plaintiffs for their forced labor under Japanese colonial rule between 1910 and 1945. The companies did not comply with the compensation orders as they heeded the Japanese government's position that all issues related to the colonial rule were settled "completely and finally" under an agreement signed by Japan and South Korea in 1965. Relations between South Korea and Japan were frayed under the previous administration of President Moon Jae In over the wartime labor issue and that of Korean women forced to work in Japanese wartime military brothels. Related coverage: S. Korea, Japan must work together to address pending issues: Yoon Japan, South Korea leaders briefly chat in person for 1st time Yoon to attend NATO summit, 1st time for S. Korean president How to make art pieces that are creative and tasty? A Ukrainian expat visits a workshop in east China's Anhui Province to learn about the traditional Chinese folk art of sugar painting. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Photo taken with a mobile phone shows people gathering at the site of a passenger bus accident near Sherani district, Balochistan province, Pakistan, on July 3, 2022. At least 19 passengers were killed and 12 others injured when a passenger bus fell into a ravine on Sunday near Sherani district of Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, local media reported. (Str/Xinhua) ISLAMABAD, July 3 (Xinhua) -- At least 19 passengers were killed and 12 others injured when a passenger bus fell into a ravine on Sunday near Sherani district of Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, local media reported. According to the reports, the incident took place near Dana Sar area of the district along the border with northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after the driver lost control due to over-speeding amid rain. The bus fell deep and overturned multiple times in the process, local media said. The victims were shifted to local hospitals, police told local media, adding that more deaths were possible as some of the injured were in critical condition. Over 30 passengers were on the bus which was heading to Balochistan's provincial capital Quetta from the country's capital Islamabad. Photo taken with a mobile phone shows people gathering at the site of a passenger bus accident near Sherani district, Balochistan province, Pakistan, on July 3, 2022. At least 19 passengers were killed and 12 others injured when a passenger bus fell into a ravine on Sunday near Sherani district of Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, local media reported. (Str/Xinhua) Being open-minded instead of sustaining stereotypes is really important, as different cultures should learn from each other, said Toto Guo, a British-Chinese model and influencer. Produced by Xinhua Global Service by Xinhua writers Lin Jianyang, Lyu Qiuping, Liu Hongming and Liu Ying LHASA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- As a train whistled its way into the Xigaze railway station in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, some Tibetan passengers carefully approached the locomotive cab with curious looks. "Where is the train's steering wheel?" "How many drivers are needed to drive such a long train?" Upon hearing their murmurs, train driver Sonam Wangdrak could not help but smile. "When I responded in Tibetan that trains plying on railway do not require a steering wheel and that only one driver was needed to operate, they were surprised to learn I'm also a Tibetan," said Sonam Wangdrak, 35. "At that time, I felt very proud." Sonam Wangdrak is the first Tibetan driver of the bullet train in Tibet. When the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway began operations on June 25, 2021, he drove the first Fuxing bullet train in Tibet from the regional capital Lhasa to Nyingchi City. Sonam Wangdrak's maiden encounter with a train was at the age of 16. He traveled via railway to Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province, to study at the Lanzhou railway machine school, now Institute of Railway Technology of the Lanzhou Jiaotong University. Unable to afford a plane ticket, he spent three days and two nights traveling by different buses from his home in rural Qamdo to Golmud, the nearest railway station located in Qinghai Province back then, to board a train. "The train trip was amazing. It was faster and much more smooth than the bus journey," he recalled. After graduating in 2007, he received training to operate diesel-powered trains on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the first railway line to open in Tibet in 2006. Situated on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as the roof of the world, Tibet has an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters with complicated landforms. The trains Sonam Wangdrak and his colleagues drove traversed through some areas more than 5,000 meters above sea level. "While passing through the highest area, some of us had to turn to oxygen inhalation. I can't imagine how difficult the railway construction might have been back then," he said. Sonam Wangdrak often spotted wild animals such as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and even bears, during the journeys, and he and his coworkers avoided honking the horn so as not to disturb them. After the Qinghai-Tibet Railway began operation, the Lhasa-Xigaze Railway was launched in August 2014. The Lhasa-Nyingchi line, the first electrified railway in Tibet where Fuxing bullet trains run, was put into operation last year. Sonam Wangdrak witnessed tall buildings emerging along the railways on the plateau, with industrial clusters and shopping streets mushrooming near the stations. The Lhasa railway station, where the three lines meet, has seen explosive growth in passenger flow, surging from 2.24 million in 2007 to more than 4 million in 2021. Tsogpa, who has been working at the station since 2006, said people of various ethnic groups in Tibet are eager to embrace new technology and modern modes of transportation. "They prefer trains because the journey is smooth and fast and the ticket fare is cheap," said Tsogpa, who is now office director of the station. In the near future, the Sichuan-Tibet Railway will connect Sonam Wangdrak's hometown with the rest of the country. "I hope my mother can board the train I drive soon," said Sonam Wangdrak, adding that he cannot wait to return home by driving a train. BEIJING, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Most of the capital goods monitored by the government posted lower prices in late June compared with mid-June this year, official data showed Monday. Of the 50 major goods monitored by the government, including seamless steel tubes, gasoline, coal, fertilizer, and some agricultural products mainly used for processing, six saw their prices increase, while 40 posted lower prices, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Hog price went up 11.6 percent during the period to 18.3 yuan (2.73 U.S. dollars) per kg. The reading, released every 10 days, is based on a survey of nearly 2,000 wholesalers and distributors in 31 provincial-level regions. Kuwait Finance House-Bahrain (KFH-Bahrain) will provide financing to clients registered in NGN training programmes by offering them Sharia compliant personal financing up to BD30,000 ($79,570). This will be provided at a special reduced financing rate and an exclusive profit-accruing grace period of up to two years. For this, KFH-Bahrain signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NGN Training Centre, the educational arm of NGN International, a company that specialises in integrated information systems and provides IT consultancy. Unique opportunity The signing ceremony took place at NGNs headquarters in the Bahrain World Trade Centre in the presence of Hamed Mashal, Head of Retail Banking at KFH-Bahrain, and Zainab Assiri, Director of the NGN Training Centre, in addition to several officials from both entities. We would like to thank KFH-Bahrain for providing personal financing to their customers that are listed with us, with low profit rates, an attractive profit-accruing grace period, as well as other features that will provide a unique opportunity for those wishing to enroll in our advanced training courses. The courses include topics such as information and communication technology, digital transformation, cybersecurity, system integration, project implementation and many more. Participants will gain knowledge from the professional teams experience during the course, which will focus on achieving career growth and professional development, commented Assiri. Commenting on the occasion, Mashal said: We are always keen on meeting the needs of our valued customers by providing comprehensive and integrated banking products. Therefore, it gives us great pleasure to provide them with personal financing of up to BD30,000 with a low profit rate and an attractive profit-accruing grace period of two years, as this offer will contribute to overcoming financial difficulties and facilitating the process of joining such prestigious training courses. We look forward to continue strengthening our position within the Islamic banking sector at a local level by joining in on similar partnerships with local and international institutions. Leading technology services Established in 2015 in the Kingdom of Bahrain, NGN Group, focuses on providing leading technology services and solutions, as well as digital transformation consultancy, as it also contributes to increasing clients competitiveness from various institutions in the public and private sectors at a local, regional and international level by enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of their businesses. In addition, the company also assists institutions with developing services and products that are more cost-effective, productive, and assist in discovering new opportunities. The company also helps clients adopt digital transformation solutions by implementing the latest technologies and participating in technical training programmes.--TradeArabia News Service BAGAN, Myanmar, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday exchanged views on the Myanmar issue with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn. Prak Sokhonn, also the special envoy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for Myanmar, briefed Wang on his visit to Myanmar. Wang spoke highly of the positive role Cambodia, the chair of ASEAN for 2022, has played in mediating the Myanmar issue and expounded on China's stance in this regard. Firstly, the Chinese side expects joint efforts by China and ASEAN to push Myanmar in pursuit of political reconciliation within the framework of the constitution and laws, encourages all political parties in the country to prioritize the big picture and the interests of the people to take rational and pragmatic efforts to stabilize the situation and realize peace at an early date. Secondly, China hopes to work together with ASEAN to push Myanmar in restart of democratic transition process and exploration of a path of political development with Myanmar's own characteristics that also suits its national conditions. Thirdly, China expects ASEAN to stick to "the ASEAN way", uphold the basic principles and traditions of non-interference in others' internal affairs and coordination, stay focused and remove distractions, engage in patient coordination, constructively implement the five-point consensus reached by ASEAN leaders, and safeguard ASEAN's overall unity and its leading role. A Yemeni farmer holds a goat in his arms in the Midi District of Hajjah Province, northern Yemen, July 3, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) After months of feeding, shepherding, and taking care of their livestock, the Yemeni farmers discovered that selling their herds ahead of the upcoming Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice, was the biggest challenge in the war-ravaged country. For Yemenis, securing a feast on Eid al-Adha is getting increasingly difficult, if not impossible, given that the majority of the people are living in deep poverty and are only a few steps away from famine. HAJJAH, Yemen, July 4 (Xinhua) -- In Midi, a coastal district in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah, local sheep or cattle farmers are preparing for the upcoming Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice. After months of feeding, shepherding, and taking care of their livestock, the farmers discovered that selling their herds was the biggest challenge in the war-ravaged country. "Our primary source of income during this season is selling the animals. But there aren't many buyers here because of the war. This is a tragedy for us," livestock breeder Abdo Youssef said, adding that civilians are the ones bearing the brunt of the country's protracted war. For Yemenis, securing a feast on Eid al-Adha is getting increasingly difficult, if not impossible, given that the majority of the people are living in deep poverty and are only a few steps away from famine. A Yemeni boy shepherds a flock of goats in the Midi District of Hajjah Province, northern Yemen, July 3, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) Fayed Ali, another farmer in Midi, said he had to sell some of his livestock at lower prices this week because he needed the money to feed his family. "I raised livestock for more than a year and a half, but I had to sell some of them for half the price, or even less, to buy food, medicine, and clothes for my family. I also need to pay off my accumulated debts for months," said Ali. In Midi, one sheep or goat is sold between 170,000 to 200,000 Yemeni riyals (around 170 to 200 U.S. dollars), which is quite expensive given the annual per capita income in Yemeni is about 2,100 U.S. dollars. The livestock farmers, who already have to deal with soaring prices of fodders and a severe fuel shortage, are under additional strains as a result of the shrinking demand brought on by widespread poverty. A Yemeni farmer grazes a flock of goats in the Midi District of Hajjah Province, northern Yemen, July 3, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) Moreover, the civil war and the chaos and division it causes have made it difficult for livestock or grain to circulate in the poor Arab country. "This war stops us from going to the markets in the other cities to sell our livestock. It makes us poorer and deepens our sufferings," Ahmed Saghir, a farmer who owns over 200 sheep and goats, told Xinhua at his farm in Midi. Yemen's civil war erupted in late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa. The war has devastated the country's economy, killed tens of thousands of people, and displaced 4 million people, resulting in what the United Nations has said is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Ahmed Othman, who owns more than 300 goats and sheep, hopes that the ongoing UN-brokered truce between the government and the Houthi group would pave the way for permanent peace. "I hope that the truce could put an end to more than eight years of war, clear the roads between the cities and remove landmines. This is the only way to end our tragedy," he said. A Yemeni farmer locks the door of a goat pen in the Midi District of Hajjah Province, northern Yemen, July 3, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) A Yemeni farmer feeds goats in the Midi District of Hajjah Province, northern Yemen, July 3, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) A Yemeni farmer grazes a flock of goats in the Midi District of Hajjah Province, northern Yemen, July 3, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) COPENHAGEN, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Several people were killed and injured in a shooting attack in a shopping center in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, and one suspect was arrested, said Copenhagen Chief Police Inspector Soren Thomassen at a press conference on Sunday evening. It was at around 17:30 local time that the police received reports of shootings in the Field's shopping center in Amager area of southern Copenhagen, according to Thomassen. The chief inspector said "Several people were killed and injured in the shooting, and a 22-year-old Dane was arrested outside the shopping mall shortly after police arrived." But he did not give a specific number of people killed. Thomassen also said that the police cannot rule out the possibility of a terror attack so far. The police have launched a massive manhunt operation in the whole Zealand region, the southernmost administrative region of Denmark. "There is a massive operation going on. It is not only in Copenhagen, it is the whole of Zealand. We are also in dialogue with the police across the country," said Thomassen at the press briefing. Meantime, the municipality of Copenhagen has activated its emergency response after the incident. "The crisis response team in the Copenhagen municipality has been called in. We are ready to help if the Copenhagen Police requests it," said Sophie Haestorp Andersen, Mayor of Copenhagen. A farmer inspects a prickly pear tree at a farm, in Faqqu'a town, northeast of the West Bank city of Jenin, on June 29, 2022. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua) "About 70 percent of the cactus trees were infected with the cochineal pest, which caused a decline in the production of prickly pears," said a Palestinian official, noting that farmers may have to uproot trees to get rid of the accumulated crisis. by Sanaa Kamal RAMALLAH, July 4 (Xinhua) -- For the second year in a row, Muayyad Abbas, a local farmer from Faqqu'a village northeast of West Bank city Jenin, fears he might lose the prickly pear harvest season due to the cochineal bug outbreak that is killing his produce. The 47-year-old father of three told Xinhua that he used to rely on the profits from selling those cactus fruits that grow on his four-dunam (about 0.99 acres) land, which is his primary income source in summer. In the past, the farmer says, he used to make about 2,500 U.S. dollars each summer after collecting at least six tons of prickly pears, which helps him to keep his family afloat. "This year, unfortunately, I will not be able to reap any profits if I lose the current season as about 80 percent of my trees were infected with the cochineal bugs," the farmer lamented. A farmer (L) and an agricultural expert inspect the prickly pear field at a farm, in Faqqu'a town, northeast of the West Bank city of Jenin, on June 29, 2022. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua) The harvest season of prickly pears every year begins in early July and continues until September in the Palestinian territories. The fruit is widely popular during the summer season with its sweet taste and nutritional benefits. In an attempt to protect his harvest from perishing, Abbas spent about three months caring for the prickly pear trees by spraying natural insecticides such as vinegar and lemon, but all those attempts were unsuccessful. "I am facing a great misfortune because I do not know how to support my family in the coming months," he said. A farmer inspects a prickly pear tree at a farm, in Faqqu'a town, northeast of the West Bank city of Jenin, on June 29, 2022. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua) Abbas' field is among the 5,000-dunam (about 1,235 acres) of land in Palestinian territories that produces 7,500 tons of prickly pears every year, according to Shady Saleh, director of the pest control department in the General Administration of the West Bank Plant Agency. "About 70 percent of the cactus trees were infected with the cochineal pest, which caused a decline in the production of prickly pears," Saleh told Xinhua, noting that farmers may have to uproot trees to get rid of the accumulated crisis. He said now the pest has spread to all areas of the West Bank, and that his ministry may resort to uprooting all cactus trees from the West Bank and planting them again if all attempts to limit the spread of the pest fail. A farmer inspects a prickly pear tree at a farm, in Faqqu'a town, northeast of the West Bank city of Jenin, on June 29, 2022. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua) Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (R) meets with Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, in Harare, Zimbabwe, on July 3, 2022. (Photo by Chen Yaqin/Xinhua) HARARE, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Sunday met with senior Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi, with both sides pledging to step up exchanges and cooperation and advance the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new high. During the meeting in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, Yang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings to the Zimbabwean president. The friendship between China and Zimbabwe has a long history and in recent years, the heads of state of the two countries have met and exchanged letters on many occasions, leading China-Zimbabwe relations to maintain a high level of performance. The two sides have deepened mutual political trust and consolidated cooperation in various fields, said Yang. While noting this year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of inter-party relations between the CPC and ZANU PF, the ruling parties of China and Zimbabwe, respectively, Yang stressed the two parties trust and support each other, laying an important political foundation for the all-weather friendship between China and Zimbabwe. "China appreciates Zimbabwe's important role in promoting China-Africa cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative and stands ready to further strengthen all-dimensional exchanges with Zimbabwe, be it party to party, government to government, military to military and people to people levels, and conduct in-depth exchanges of governance experience with Zimbabwe," said Yang. " China is ready to provide more support for Zimbabwe's economic and social development." Yang said instability, uncertainty and insecurity are prominent in the current international situation. China recently held the High-Level Dialogue on Global Development in the form of BRICS Plus, sending a positive signal of emerging markets and developing countries in promoting global development and solidarity and cooperation. China is ready to fully coordinate its position with Zimbabwe on multilateral affairs, jointly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, and make the global governance system more just and equitable. President Mnangagwa asked Yang to convey his sincere regards to President Xi Jinping, while expressing warm congratulations to the CPC on its 101st anniversary which fell on Friday and wishing the 20th CPC National Congress a complete success. Mnangagwa said the friendship between Zimbabwe and China has become stronger with the passing of time. Zimbabwe always bears in mind China's firm support for its efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and oppose foreign interference and sanctions and remains grateful for China's sincere assistance to Zimbabwe's economic and social development over the years. Zimbabwe firmly upholds the one-China principle and supports the China-proposed Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative. Zimbabwe, President Mnangagwa said, is ready to work with China to further synergize their development strategies, advance high-quality Africa-China cooperation, jointly safeguard genuine multilateralism in the face of international changes, and jointly push bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new level. Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and other officials attended the meeting. On the same day, Yang also met with Zimbabwe's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Frederick Shava. They exchanged views on bilateral relations and issues of common interest. JERUSALEM, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Israel and Poland have agreed to improve their ties, which were stained over Polish legislation to limit Jewish Holocaust restitution claims, an Israeli statement said on Monday. "It was agreed that relations would be restored to their proper course," said a statement released on behalf of Israeli President Isaac Herzog after he held a phone talk with Polish President Andrzej Duda. The two leaders agreed to mutually restore the ambassadors. According to the statement, Herzog, in a joint initiative with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, requested the return of the ambassador of Poland to Israel. "Duda agreed that the Polish ambassador should be appointed soon and announced that the new Israeli ambassador-designate to Poland will present his letters of credence within the next few days," the statement added. The relations between the two countries have deteriorated over a legislation Warsaw introduced in 2021 which was aimed at limiting the ability of Jewish Holocaust survivors to make restitution claims over property seized by the Nazis during World War II. The move marks an attitude shift by newly-appointed caretaker Prime Minister Lapid, who in 2021 as foreign minister denounced the Polish bill as "anti-Semitic and immoral." A girl wearing a face mask with words "EVERY CHILD MATTERS" takes part in a smudging ceremony at a commemoration event during the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Sept. 30, 2021. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) Indigenous Services Canada said in a news release that the next step is to bring the final settlement agreement, valued at 20 billion Canadian dollars (16 billion U.S. dollars), to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal asking for the tribunal's confirmation that the settlement satisfies its orders on compensation. OTTAWA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A final settlement agreement, the largest in Canadian history, has been signed on compensation for the First Nations children and families who suffered because of the discriminatory underfunding of services. Indigenous Services Canada said in a news release that the next step is to bring the final settlement agreement, valued at 20 billion Canadian dollars (16 billion U.S. dollars), to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal asking for the tribunal's confirmation that the settlement satisfies its orders on compensation. The final settlement agreement will then be brought to the Federal Court of Canada for approval. If approved, the process to implement the settlement will begin, the release said. After the agreement is approved by the Federal Court and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, the groups eligible for compensation will include children who were removed from their homes under the First Nations Child and Family Services program between April 1, 1991 and March 31, 2022; children who were impacted by the government's narrow definition of Jordan's Principle between Dec. 12, 2007 and Nov. 2, 2017; children who did not receive or were delayed in receiving an essential public service or product between April 1, 1991 and Dec. 11, 2007; as well as caregiving parents or caregiving grandparents of the children. Since announcing agreements-in-principle in January, the Canadian government, the Assembly of First Nations and counsel representing the plaintiffs in the Moushoom and Trout class actions have worked collaboratively over the past six months to reach this final agreement. LIMA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Twelve new cases of monkeypox have been detected in Peru in recent days, bringing the total number to 15, Health Minister Jorge Lopez said on Monday. The patients, between 20 and 39 years of age, reside in five districts of Metropolitan Lima, Lopez said at a press conference. All patients are in stable condition and are at home under the guidance of health personnel, he said. Lopez added that the Health Ministry is following up with all of the patients' close contacts. The ministry recently issued a health alert in order to strengthen the epidemiological surveillance and investigation system for the disease, as well as to adopt necessary prevention and control measures. The first monkeypox case in the South American country was confirmed on June 26 in a foreigner residing in Lima who had contact with people from other countries. Children holding placards participate in a rally in Glasgow, Scotland, the United Kingdom, Nov. 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Han Yan) By taking climate change considerations into account, the central bank aims to incentivize companies and financial institutions in the euro area to reduce carbon emissions. FRANKFURT, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The European Central Bank (ECB) on Monday announced measures to incorporate climate change into its monetary policy operations. By taking climate change considerations into account, the central bank aims to incentivize companies and financial institutions in the euro area to reduce carbon emissions. "With these decisions, we are turning our commitment to fighting climate change into real action," says ECB President Christine Lagarde. European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde speaks during a press conference at the ECB headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Lu Yang) The ECB promised to prioritize issuers with better climate change performance through the reinvestment of the redemptions of the corporate bonds it bought through its bond-buying programs. Limitations will be put on collateral assets issued by entities with a high carbon footprint. The measures also necessitate climate-related disclosures for companies and debtors that use marketable assets and credit claims as collateral under the framework of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive as of 2026. Regarding risk assessment and management, the ECB pledges to "better include climate-related risks". The ECB fell short of disclosing details of the measures but revealed that it will start publishing climate-related information on corporate bond holdings regularly as of the first quarter of 2023. Photo taken on Oct. 16, 2021 shows a green gas installation in Haarlem, the Netherlands. (Photo by Sylvia Lederer/Xinhua) The ECB initiated an array of bond-buying programs as part of its non-standard monetary policy measures in mid-2014. Although the programs came to an end as of end-June, the ECB will continue to reinvest the maturing securities it bought through the programs. Data from the central bank's official website show that the total holdings under its Asset Purchase Program stood at 3.25 trillion euros (3.38 trillion U.S. dollars) and those under the Public Sector Purchase Program topped 2.58 trillion euros at the end of May. (1 euro = 1.04 U.S. dollars) ADDIS ABABA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese companies are playing a pivotal role in realizing Ethiopia's aspiration of building a digital economy, a senior Ethiopian government official has said. Huria Ali, Ethiopia's State Minister of Innovations and Technology, told Xinhua in a recent interview that Ethiopia and China are enjoying growing cooperation in the digital economy sector as giant Chinese companies are introducing advanced telecom technologies in the East African nation. "Chinese companies are introducing updated technologies to Ethiopia through partnering with local companies and they are helping the nation realize a digital economy," Ali told Xinhua. Recalling that Huawei and Ethio-Telecom recently launched a pre-commercial 5G-services trial in Addis Ababa, Ali said Chinese companies are creating an enabling environment for Ethiopia to realize its digital transformation aspirations. "We have established an amicable relationship with the Chinese companies and work with them in mutual understanding," said the state minister, applauding Chinese companies for their constructive engagements in Ethiopia. She said Chinese companies have helped Ethiopia consider enacting new laws or revising existing laws when necessary to allow them to introduce new technologies to the country. "When we say we will build a digital Ethiopia, It does not mean we will do it by ourselves but with the support of our partners," Ali said, appreciating companies such as Huawei for playing a significant role in building telecom infrastructures in Ethiopia. With over two decades of engagement in Ethiopia's development, Huawei currently created over 300 jobs and benefited over 45 million people with its services and products across the country. Ethiopia is undertaking extensive telecom modernization services with the help of Chinese firms mainly Huawei and ZTE as part of its ambition of realizing digital inclusion and boosting the size of its digital economy, with the provision of reliable, high band-width and high-speed telecom services. In May, Ethiopia's state-owned Ethio-Telecom launched a pre-commercial 5G services trial in the capital Addis Ababa in partnership with Huawei. Ethiopia's first 5G services, which was launched across six mobile stations in Addis Ababa, was said to be part of the Ethiopian government's digital transformation aspirations. Mashreq Bank has signed a strategic partnership with the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education to support its recently launched Nomu Initiative. The multi-sector national youth development project is designed to impact 25,000 Emirati nationals with market-driven, industry-led training and work integrated learning opportunities to improve their employability and support the national priority areas of the UAE. Under the initiative, Emirati youth will benefit from structured work integrated education models where they are given the opportunity to work in an industry related to their field alongside their academic education. The program involves the private sector and universities working together by applying real-world learning, keeping up with technological skills and solving workforce challenges. High-achieving graduates Mashreq and the Foundation will select high-achieving graduates each year from TechUp a pathway project under the Nomu initiative designed to support foundational and practitioner level digital literacy skill development. The students will receive paid internships at Mashreq, with the potential to gain full employment with one of the leading financial institutions in the UAE. Ahmed Abdelaal, Group Chief Executive Officer, Mashreq, said: We are delighted to play our part in empowering the next generation of Emiratis and providing them with the skills to succeed in tomorrows workforce today. For several years we have been practicing an active and dynamic Emiratisation strategy in line with the UAE Governments efforts to raise awareness and encourage more localisation across the financial services industry. This latest partnership with the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education will serve to strengthen that further by creating a pipeline of Emirati youth from the Nomu initiative, who can be integrated into the Mashreq family according to their skills and education level. Equipped talent Nomu is contributing towards the UAE government-led 'Projects of the 50' plan to boost the countrys global competitiveness and supply it with equipped young Emirati talent. It is also helping to advance the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Underlining the significance of the partnership, Dr Sonia Ben Jaafar, CEO of Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation, said: We are excited to welcome Mashreq Bank on board as our first hiring partner under the Nomu initiative. We are dedicated to working with partners who understand and value the contribution Emirati professionals can make as talent that is needed in the private sector. This is part of our commitment to supporting the UAEs future vision of a diverse competitive and skilled workforce. We carefully design our programmes to provide young candidates a rigorous blended learning experience with relevant international qualification training. This partnership with Mashreq is an example of how, together, we are able to nurture and develop the future local leaders of the region. -- TradeArabia News Service TUNIS, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A migrant was found dead and 97 others rescued off the country's coast in a Tunisian Maritime Guard operation, the Ministry of Defense said Monday. Three illegal attempts were foiled by the rescue operation starting late Sunday off the country's southeastern coast, said a ministry statement. The first attempt was foiled off the island of Kerkennah in the southeastern province of Sfax, where naval units recovered the body of an African immigrant and rescued 68 others of various nationalities. Meanwhile, 15 Tunisians aged between 20 and 40 "were rescued from a sinking boat sailing to the Italian coasts," it noted. On the same night, Tunisian maritime guards also rescued 14 immigrants of different nationalities. More than 2,000 Tunisian migrants have managed to reach the Italian coasts in the first five months of this year, according to the latest figures released by the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights. Thousands of migrants attempt to cross the Mediterranean annually as Tunisia is one of the main points of access to Europe through irregular channels. TRIPOLI, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Government of National Unity in Libya on Monday said it has allocated 1 billion Libyan dinars (about 210 million U.S. dollars) over the past two years to maintain the country's power plants. "All the power plants in the country need maintenance. Some plants were not maintained for over 15 years," Mohamed Hamuda, the government spokesman, told a press conference in the capital Tripoli after a cabinet meeting. Some new power plants have not been used yet for "security and technical reasons," he said. Libyans tend to suffer a 14-hour power cut on a daily basis, especially during the summer, amid years of armed conflict and instability in the North African country. KHARTOUM, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council announced on Monday that the country's military will not participate in talks facilitated by the international community to pave the way for the civil groups to form an independent government. In a televised address to the nation, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan also pledged to dissolve the sovereign council after the formation of a new government, noting a supreme council of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces will be established to command the regular forces. A tripartite mechanism of the United Nations, the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development is tasked with facilitating intra-Sudanese dialogue to end the country's political crisis. Sudan has been suffering a political crisis since Al-Burhan, also the general commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, declared a state of emergency on Oct. 25, 2021 and dissolved the Sovereign Council and the government. Since then, the capital Khartoum and other cities have been witnessing continued protests demanding a return to civilian rule. NEW DELHI, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A total of 12 people died and some others were injured when their bus fell into a deep gorge in India's northern hilly state of Himachal Pradesh on Monday, a local government official said. There were reportedly around 20 people on the bus when the accident occurred in Sainj valley of Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district. The death toll may rise as some injured are in critical conditions, said Kullu Deputy Commissioner Ashutosh Garg, adding that rescue work is underway in the hope of finding more injured people inside the bus. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that the accident is "heart-rending", expressing grief over the loss of lives in the mishap. CANBERRA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has announced an end to requirements for international travelers to declare COVID-19 vaccination status. Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil and Health Minister Mark Butler on Sunday announced that, from Wednesday, travelers arriving in Australia will no longer have to complete a Digital Passenger Declaration (DPD) to declare vaccination status. It marks an end to all Australia's international travel restrictions more than two years after they were first introduced in March 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. "As more and more of us travel internationally and we get more confident in managing our risk of COVID, our airports are getting busier," O'Neil said in a statement. "Removing these requirements will not only reduce delays in our airports but will encourage more visitors and skilled workers to choose Australia as a destination." All people flying to Australia will still be required to wear face masks for the duration of the flight. The announcement came when COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise in Australia. On Monday morning, Australia reported more than 25,000 new COVID-19 cases and 25 deaths, 24 in Victoria and one in New South Wales. Butler said "it is pretty clear" that the cases are going to rise in the next couple of months. "It is putting pressure on hospitals with more than 3,000 people in hospital today with COVID. We are still seeing around 300 or more deaths every week with COVID," Butler told reporter on Sunday. "We are not through this virus yet so that's why I continue to reinforce to people to get their third dose of the vaccine." An Afghan security force member stands guard near the site of an attack in Herat province, Afghanistan, July 4, 2022. Unknown armed men targeted a mini-bus of the army corps in Herat city, the capital of western Afghanistan's Herat province, on Monday. One attacker was killed by security forces on the spot, the provincial head of information and culture Naemul Haq Haqani said. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua) HERAT, Afghanistan, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Unknown armed men targeted a mini-bus of the army corps in Herat city, the capital of western Afghanistan's Herat province, on Monday. One attacker was killed by security forces on the spot, the provincial head of information and culture Naemul Haq Haqani said. "No civilian has been hurt in the attack and only the attacker was killed by security forces," Haqani said on social media. Confirming the incident, the provincial police spokesman Mahmoud Shah Rasouli said the attack took place in Police District 4 of Herat city. Afghan security force members stand guard near the site of an attack in Herat province, Afghanistan, July 4, 2022. Unknown armed men targeted a mini-bus of the army corps in Herat city, the capital of western Afghanistan's Herat province, on Monday. One attacker was killed by security forces on the spot, the provincial head of information and culture Naemul Haq Haqani said. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua) Photo taken on July 4, 2022 shows the site of an attack in Herat province, Afghanistan. Unknown armed men targeted a mini-bus of the army corps in Herat city, the capital of western Afghanistan's Herat province, on Monday. One attacker was killed by security forces on the spot, the provincial head of information and culture Naemul Haq Haqani said. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua) Photo taken on July 4, 2022 shows the site of an attack in Herat province, Afghanistan. Unknown armed men targeted a mini-bus of the army corps in Herat city, the capital of western Afghanistan's Herat province, on Monday. One attacker was killed by security forces on the spot, the provincial head of information and culture Naemul Haq Haqani said. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua) MANILA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday that the number of dengue cases recorded from Jan. 1 to June 18 this year was 58 percent higher than the cases recorded in the same period last year. The DOH said 239 people have died from the mosquito-borne disease so far. The Central Luzon region, north of Manila, recorded the highest cases of 6,641, followed by the Central Visayas region in central Philippines with 6,361, and the Zamboanga Peninsula in southern Philippines with 4,787. The health department urged the public to destroy mosquito breeding places to protect themselves. Dengue usually peaks at the start of the rainy season from July to October due to fluctuating weather conditions, flooding, and accumulation of contaminated water. Mosquitos breed in stagnant water like water-filled containers and some plants like bananas. In severe cases, dengue can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting, rashes, breathing problems, hemorrhaging and organ failure. The Philippines declared a "national dengue epidemic" in August 2019 due to an increasing number of people who died from the disease. BEIJING, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments in the Ukraine crisis: Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has informed President Vladimir Putin of the control of Lugansk, the Defense Ministry said Sunday. The region has been "liberated" after Russian troops and the armed forces of Lugansk took full control of Lysychansk, a key city of Lugansk, and its nearby settlements, according to a brief statement by the ministry. Shoigu told Putin that the total area of territories taken over the past day amounted to 182 square km, it added. - - - - An official of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry on Sunday denied reports that Lysychansk has been under the full control of Russian armed forces, the government-run Ukrinform news agency reported. Yuriy Sak, adviser to Defense Minister Olexiy Reznikov, told BBC that the situation in Lysychansk has been "very tense for quite a long time," and Russian troops have been "constantly attacking the city." Even if Russian forces were to seize the entire Lugansk region, the battle for Donbass, which comprises the Lugansk and Donetsk regions, will continue as Ukrainian forces control much of the Donetsk region, Sak said, noting that several other large towns in Donetsk remained under Kiev's control. - - - - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday held a meeting with visiting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss security cooperation, the presidential press service reported. During the talks, Zelensky informed Albanese of the situation on the frontline in Ukraine, while the Australian prime minister announced more military-technical assistance to Ukraine, the report said. - - - - The Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday that Ukraine has launched an attack by Tochka-U ballistic missiles with cluster munitions and Tu-143 Reys unmanned aerial vehicles on the residential areas in the southern cities of Belgorod and Kursk. The Russian air defense has destroyed all the three missiles, the ministry said, adding that fragments of one of the destroyed missiles fell down on a residential building in Belgorod. THE HAGUE, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Dutch farmers blocked around 20 supermarket distribution centers across the country on Monday to protest against the government's nitrogen policy. With their tractors the farmers blocked distribution centers of, in particular, the largest Dutch supermarket chains Albert Heijn and Jumbo in, among other locations, Veghel, Breda, Beilen, Woerden, Nieuwegein, Drachten, Heerenveen, Zwolle, Geldermalsen and Nijkerk. At some centers the blockade lasted only a few hours, at others all day. Delivery services also suffered from the blockades and had to cancel many deliveries. In the supermarkets customers were not yet affected by the blockades, but there are problems with the delivery of new products. The farmers do not agree with the planned nitrogen reduction policy of the government. The consequence of the proposed measures is that farmers may have to close their businesses, to relocate or to make concrete plans to make their business more sustainable. The Dutch Central Food Trade Agency (CBL), the branch organization of supermarkets and food service companies, has called on protesting farmers to immediately lift the blockades of distribution centers. In addition, the CBL appealed to the judiciary and the police to intervene firmly and force to lift blockades. "These blockades are unacceptable," the CBL declared in a statement. "The CBL previously called on the government and farmers to use the dialogue and resolve the conflict. The farmers have a conflict with the government about nitrogen, the members of the CBL are not involved. Blockades of distribution centers hurt the citizens of the Netherlands." "Supermarkets are doing everything they can to keep the stores stocked," the statement continued. "But when such blockages last longer, it can mean that the daily shopping can no longer be done." ACCRA : Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged member states of the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) to take concerted efforts to combat terrorism in West Africa. The call was made on Sunday at the opening remarks of the 61st Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government in Accra, the capital of Ghana. Akufo-Addo is also the Chairman of the regional bloc. "Our region remains the target of indiscriminate and savage terrorist assaults, leading to the killing of numerous innocent lives and the worsening of the humanitarian situation in the targeted nations." Akufo-Addo said. He said that terrorist assaults in West Africa are currently spreading to the coastline states in the subregion and Sahel. In order to eliminate the menace of terrorism and insecurity in West Africa, he asked the subregion to keep carrying out the regional action plan against terrorism and coordinate other relevant actions. Insisting on the subregional bloc to be prepared to go above and beyond to safeguard the stability of the community and the various member states, he said that the threats could only be neutralised via coordinated efforts and the collective commitment to fight the terrorists with a united front. Death toll crosses 100 as floods continues in Bangladesh Czech Republic will lead the EU Council for six months Typhoon: 24 Crew Members Missing In Shipwreck The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has signed a tram design agreement with Systra, one of the world's leading engineering and consulting groups specialised in public transport and mobility solutions, to advance the AlUla tram project, which will connect the governorate to a number of stations, tracks, routes, landmarks and historical heritage sites. The 50-km tram, which will run from AlUla International Airport in the south to Hegra city in the north, is a key project in AlUlas The Journey Through Time masterplan and a main pillar of the citys development programme, which aims to turn AlUla into a global destination for travellers offering heritage, nature, art and culture, in line with Vision 2030. The design agreement announcement coincides with HRH Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans national aspirations and priorities for the research, development and innovation sector in the kingdom over the next two decades. These priorities cover human health, the sustainability of environment and basic needs, leadership in energy and industry and future economics. Through the tram project, the RCU aims to enhance the sustainability of mobility, and reduce crowd and noise. "AlUla has proven that it is at the center of everyones attention, and planning in AlUla affects financial, environmental, and energy sustainability as well," said Amr Al Madani, the CEO of Royal Commission for AlUla. "Thus, the tram will be part of the solution, not only because it will rely on electric power but also because it will reduce the need to use vehicles that are used to reach sites in the desert, which do not provide a pleasant transportation experience and are environmentally harmful," he added. According to RCU, the design of the projects initial phase is expected to be complete in 2023. The tram will serve several routes. Tram carts feature designs inspired by the natural and historical heritage of AlUla, securing the governorates vision of transforming the city into the largest living museum in the world and a global tourism destination, it added.-TradeArabia News Service TEHRAN: Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani announced that the date and place of a fresh round of negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear deal are being finalized, according to the official Islamic Republic News. Bagheri Kani stated on Sunday that "the time and venue of next negotiations are being finalised in the exchanges" between Iran and the European Union, adding that "the conversations in Doha took place within a pre-determined framework." He did not specify whether the next round of negotiations will be held directly between Iran and the US or in the format of Iran and the P4+1 (Britain, China, France, Russia, plus Germany). With the help of EU coordinator Enrique Mora, Iran and the US held covert discussions on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Qatari city of Doha to discuss their disagreements regarding the resurrection of the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Despite the failure of the Doha negotiations to produce results, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian characterised them as "good". Iran and the major world powers agreed to the JCPOA in July 2015, with Iran agreeing to limit its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. However, former US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the pact in May 2018 and reinstituted unilateral sanctions against Iran, which led the latter to renege on some of its pact obligations. The Vienna nuclear negotiations with Iran got underway in April 2021, but they were put on hold in March of this year because to political tensions between Tehran and Washington. Doha to host fresh round of Iranian nuclear talks Nuclear talks to begin in Doha on Tuesday, says Iran Quake-hit Afghanistan gets aid from Pakistan, Iran Dubai: A United Arab Emirates-based digital bank YAP raised $41 million and is planning on expanding into Saudi Arabia with the help of a partnership with a traditional bank in the country, the bank said on Monday. The start-up will partner with AlJazira Bank to offer its consumers business banking services in Saudi Arabia, the Bank said. YAP has so far signed up over 130,000 users to its app, the digital bank said. The start-up was launched in 2021, partnered with Emirati lender RAK Bank and became UAEs first independent digital banking platform. The investors for the said purpose in the Series A round are intended to be closed by YAP by the end of the year. The investors include Saudi Arabias Aljazira Capital, Abu Dawood Group, Astra Group, and Audacia Capital. YAP has also received regulatory approval to launch services in Pakistan and Ghana, and it would soon expand to Egypt, and many Arab nations, a statement released by the officials said. Chief Executive and co-founder Marwan Hachem in an interview said, "We just got the EMI (electronic money institutions) license in Pakistan and PSP (payment service provider) in Ghana, same thing in Saudi Arabia. Together with the bank, we are going to apply to the central bank," Managing Director and co-founder Anas Zidan of YAP said that it has also partnered with Bank AlJazira in Saudi Arabia, where it will soft-launch later this year, and will be going fully live in the first quarter of next year. "That's a very important step for us because we believe Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest markets in the Middle East," Zidan said YAP is planning on launching in Pakistan and Ghana by the end of the year where it is currently monitoring the situation, whereas in Egypt it will be launching the next year. CEO Hachem said YAP would target serving the significant remittance market of Pakistani workers employed in the Gulf who send billions of dollars to home each year. Meta to Cut Hiring Plan by 30% Israels New Technology will help you see Through Walls Maruti Suzuki to Deploy Strong Hybrid Technology TEHRAN: According to a statement released by the local Foreign Ministry on Monday, the US has not participated constructively in the latest round of discussions in Doha intended to revive the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal. According to the statement, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke over the phone about the comments. Though describing the discussions on June 29-30 in Doha as positive, Amir-Abdollahian said that "we need wait and watch how the American side would strive to use the chance of diplomacy." He stated, "We feel that restating prior opinions should not take the place of a political initiative. Iran has consistently put out its views and ideas in the negotiations, said Amir-Abdollahian, adding that Iran is serious about establishing a "good and enduring" accord. Indirect negotiations between Iran and the US, which lasted two days and took place in the capital of Qatar, did not resolve any outstanding issues, despite efforts on a global scale to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the official name for the nuclear accord (JCPOA). Iran agreed to limit its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions when it signed the JCPOA with the world's major nations in July 2015. Iranian negotiator finalises new round of nuclear talks Nuclear talks to begin in Doha on Tuesday, says Iran Doha to host fresh round of Iranian nuclear talks Dhangadhi, July 4 Tension ran high in Mangalsen, the district headquarters of Achham in Sudurpaschim, on Monday afternoon as locals and police clashed. Locals staged protests outside the District Government Attorneys Office and the District Court, accusing the attorneys office of trying to protect the suspects in a murder case. In retaliation, the police lobbed tear gas shells and opened fire in the air, injuring some of the demonstrators. The family members of Binod Shahi (15), a resident of ward 4 of the Panchadewal Binayak municipality, have filed a complaint naming 13 people including Mayor Ambika Chalaune as culprits. Shahi was missing since May 31 when a clash ensued between the cadres of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML over a violent incident that occurred during the local election voting day (May 13). He was found dead five days later. Police have arrested seven persons including Chalaune in connection with the case. Kathmandu, July 4 The government is preparing to extend the ban on the import of 10 specific luxury items imposed in April. Initially, the government had announced the ban would continue until the end of the fiscal year (mid-July). However, the government is thinking of extending this as the countrys economic situation is not sufficiently robust yet, informs Commerce Secretary Ganesh Prasad Pandeya. Speaking in a meeting at the ministry on Sunday, Pandeya said, The ban on the import of luxury items might go longer as our focus is saving the country from the economic crisis first. Pandey said the government was also studying the impact of the ban on the national economy. Here is the list of the items whose import is banned: (Bloomberg) -- Australian data-services firm Link Administration Holdings Ltd. has rejected a reduced takeover offer from Canadas Dye & Durham Ltd. Most Read from Bloomberg The companys board does not believe it is able to recommend the A$4.30 ($2.93) per share offer to its shareholders, which was revised down by the Canadian software firm from a previous bid of A$5.50, Link said in a statement Monday. Link said it will continue to engage with Dye & Durham. Dye & Durham proposed lowering its takeover offer for what is the biggest back-office service provider to Australias booming pension industry by 22% last week, citing the current state of financial markets and the value of both Link and its recently spun out conveyancing unit PEXA Group Ltd. Link shares are down about 13% since the start of June after Australias consumer watchdog raised concerns over the merger. A unit of Link has also been served with a group lawsuit relating to its administration of former star UK stock picker Neil Woodfords collapsed fund. Links decision was made after feedback from stakeholders and a valuation from the deals independent experts that included potential adjustments to that range as a result of the change in market conditions among other factors, the company said. The firm will postpone the scheduled shareholder vote on the deal to a later date, it said. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. ReportLinker The chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy market is expected to grow from US$ 813. 48 million in 2021 to US$ 1,174. 26 million by 2028; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5. 4% from 2021 to 2028. New York, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Drug Class and Distribution Channel" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289894/?utm_source=GNW The report highlights trends prevailing in the market and factors driving the chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy market growth.The market growth is attributed to a rise in demand for cancer drugs and the use of chemotherapy in earlier stages. However, a lack of awareness regarding the symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy limits the market growth. Peripheral neuropathy is indicated by symptoms that result from damage to the peripheral nerves.These nerves carry sensations, and control arm and leg movements as well as bladder and intestine functions. Chemotherapy and other medications used to treat cancer can cause peripheral neuropathy, which is termed as chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Spending on anticancer drugs is one of the most important factors incurring excess costs in healthcare.Both, chemotherapy and targeted therapy significantly improve the chances of survival among cancer patients, along with improving their quality of life. These therapies may result in the complete remission of a tumor.Owing to these benefits, the demand for chemotherapy has surged globally with the rising burden of cancer. A study published recently in Lancet Oncology states that the number of patients requiring chemotherapy will increase by 53% from 980,000 to 15 million worldwide from 2018 to 2040.Advanced cancer treatments further improve patient survival and increase the number of patients requiring long-term outpatient chemotherapy. More exposure to chemotherapy may result in a greater number of CIPN cases, thereby deriving the chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy market growth. Based on drug class, the chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy market is segmented into steroids, anti-seizure, narcotics, and anti-depressants.In 2021, the steroids segment held the largest share of the market. However, the anti-seizure segment is expected to register the highest CAGR from 2021 to 2028.Based on distribution channel, the chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy market is segmented into hospital pharmacies, retail pharmacies, and online pharmacies. The hospital pharmacies segment held the largest market share in 2021. However, the retail pharmacies segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. COVID-19 Impact Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Market The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on oncology services at a global level during 20202021.It disrupted cancer treatment plans as many healthcare providers had to postpone the diagnosis and treatment of cancer cases. Moreover, social restrictions and lockdown measures resulted in the discontinuation of clinical trials.. Further, with the rise in COVID-19 burden, healthcare authorities had to conduct reprofiling of many hospitals and departments, including oncology clinics, for treating a large volume of patients. For Instance, in the Netherlands, cancer registry data show a significant reduction in cancer diagnosis compared to before the outbreak of COVID-19. In the UK, emergency referrals from primary care for people with suspected cancer reduced by 76%, and chemotherapy appointments for cancer patients decreased by 60% compared to the pre-COVID-19 levels. In France, the number of cancer diagnoses decreased by 3550% in April 2020 compared to April 2019. As a result, disruptions in healthcare operations hampered the growth of the chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy market progress in 2020, due to the low number of chemotherapy sessions conducted during this period. Various organic and inorganic strategies are adopted by companies in the chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy market.The organic strategies mainly include product launches and product approvals. Further, inorganic growth strategies witnessed in the market are acquisitions, collaboration, and partnerships.These growth strategies allow the chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy market players to expand their businesses and enhance their geographic presence, thereby contributing to the overall market growth. Further, acquisition and partnership strategies help the market players in strengthening their customer base and expanding their product portfolios. A few of the significant developments by key players in the chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy market are listed below. In April 2021, WEX Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced that two clinical trials on tetrodotoxin (TTX) as a therapeutic agent had been published in a special issue of the Toxins Journal. The cardiac safety study "Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Concentration-QTc Analysis of Tetrodotoxin: A Randomized, Dose Escalation Study in Healthy Adults" was included in the special edition of the Toxins Journal, as was the study "Tetrodotoxin for Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathic Pain: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Dose Finding WEX. In December 2020, Regenacy announced a joint venture with 3E Bioventures for the development of ricolinostat in China, which will be followed by a US-based phase 2 study in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy and other peripheral neuropathies. BC Regenacys lead program will evaluate the efficacy and safety of ricolinostat in patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in China. A few of the major primary and secondary sources referred to while preparing the report on the chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy market are the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289894/?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 ReportLinker Major players in the construction chemicals market are Imperial Brands plc, Arkema S. A. , Dow Chemical Company, Fosroc International Ltd. , Mapei S. p. A, RPM International Inc. , Sika AG, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Ashland Global Specialty Chemicals Inc, Pidilite Industries Ltd, W. New York, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Construction Chemicals Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06290054/?utm_source=GNW R. Grace and Co., CICO Group, Akzo Nobel N.V., and 3M Company. The global construction chemicals market is expected to grow from $39.59 billion in 2021 to $43.02 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6%. The construction chemicals market is expected to grow to $56.59 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 7.1%. The construction chemicals market consists of sales of construction chemicals by entities (organizations, partnerships, sole traders) that are chemical compounds that are utilized in the creation of buildings.Construction chemicals are chemical compositions that are employed with cement, concrete, or other construction components to bind them together during construction. They are essentially used to speed up the process and add more sustainability and strength to the structures. The main types of construction chemicals are concrete admixtures, waterproofing and roofing, repair, flooring, sealants and adhesives, and others.Concrete admixtures are natural or manufactured chemicals or additives added during concrete mixing to enhance specific properties of the fresh or hardened concrete, such as workability, durability, or early and final strength. The different sectors include commercial, industrial, infrastructure, residential, and public spaces. Asia Pacific was the largest region in the construction chemicals market in 2021.Asia pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the construction chemicals market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The construction chemicals market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides construction chemicals market statistics, including construction chemicals industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a construction chemicals market share, detailed construction chemicals market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the construction chemicals industry. This construction chemicals market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry. The increasing demand in construction is significantly contributing to the growth of the construction chemicals market.Construction is the process of building, altering, repairing, remodeling, improving, or demolishing any structures. Construction chemicals help in the elimination of abrasions and the strengthening of bonds, extending the life of buildings.For instance, according to the FMI Corporation, a US-based management consulting company, in comparison to 2021, engineering and construction investment will increase by 5% in 2022. Major countries contributing to this growth are China, India, and the USA. Therefore, the increase in construction is expected to propel the growth of the construction chemicals market moving forward. Strategic partnerships have emerged as a key trend gaining popularity in the construction chemicals market.Major companies operating in the construction chemicals sector are focused on partnerships to strengthen their position. For instance, in January 2021, Nippon Paint, a Japan-based paint manufacturer partnered with Choksey Chemicals, an Indian manufacturer of construction chemicals.Through this partnership, Choksey Chemicals will manufacture and supply waterproofing and sealant grades for Nippon Paint in India. Furthermore, in February 2019, JELU-WERK, a Germany-based manufacturer of products made up of plant fibers partnered with CFI World, a Poland-based manufacturer of construction chemicals. Through this partnership, the companies will work together on the building and innovation of future construction chemicals. In October 2020, Lone Star Funds, a US-based private equity firm acquired BASF Construction Chemicals business for an undisclosed amount.With this acquisition, Lonestar expands its portfolio in the construction chemical business and will strive for the future success of the business. BASF SE is a Germany-based construction chemicals company. The countries covered in the construction chemicals market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06290054/?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 (Bloomberg) -- Sign up for our Middle East newsletter and follow us @middleeast for news on the region. Most Read from Bloomberg Egypts state-run buyer is negotiating privately with traders to purchase wheat, making a rare shift from its usual tender process. The nations General Authority for Supply Commodities is seeking direct offers for wheat on Monday, according to traders who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. The country is seeking supply for September and October and offers should be valid until Tuesday, three of them said. Egypts government has traditionally only bought wheat cargoes via tenders. Just last week, it scooped up 815,000 tons, marking its largest single purchase since at least 2012. However, Bloomberg reported in April that it planned to soon allow buying wheat via direct offers to the supply ministry, seeking to avert supply disruptions from the war in Ukraine. GASC did not immediately answer calls seeking comment. The talks were first reported by Reuters. Egypt is among the worlds largest wheat importers, and its purchases are closely tracked by the market. It has historically sourced much of its grain from Black Sea producers, while it also bulked up on French cargoes in its purchase last week. Benchmark wheat futures in Chicago recently retreated to pre-war levels as Northern Hemisphere harvests accelerate and commodity markets become mired in worries about economic recessions. Read more: Egypt scoops up wheat supplies with supersized tender. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. ReportLinker Diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels rise above standard due to a malfunction in insulin synthesis, which regulates glucose levels. The main source of energy is blood glucose, which is derived from the food people consumes. New York, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Diabetes Care Devices Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Product, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2022 2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289232/?utm_source=GNW Insulin, a pancreatic hormone, keeps blood glucose levels in control. Diabetes is caused by a deficiency in the manufacture of insulin in the body, which makes it unable to control blood glucose levels. Normal blood glucose levels range from 70 to 100 mg/dL, while diabetic patients levels range from 80 to 130 mg/dL. Diabetes care gadgets are used to keep track of a diabetics blood glucose levels. A continuous glucose monitor is a medical gadget that continuously tracks and monitors a diabetic patients blood glucose levels throughout the day. People with diabetes would benefit from this wearable device since it can help them in managing their glucose levels. Ketone monitors, insulin pumps, blood glucose monitors, continuous glucose monitors, smart insulin pens, as well as diabetes management applications are all examples of diabetic monitoring devices. Glucose monitoring devices aid in the maintenance and control of glucose levels, hence enhancing the patients health. According to the American Diabetes Association, the organization is adding a special section on diabetes technology to the Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes for the first time to provide more clarity in the diabetes technology space. The section would focus on insulin delivery along with glucose monitoring with the most popular tools currently in use for this first authoring. This section would be updated in the coming years to incorporate topics like software as a medical device, cost, privacy, technology-enabled diabetes education and support, telemedicine, and other issues that physicians and patients face when using technology in modern diabetes treatment. Abbott and Novo Nordisk formed non-exclusive cooperation in February 2019. This collaboration is intended to improve diabetes digital solutions. The data collected by Novo Nordisk prefilled durable linked pens will be represented in the digitally connected FreeStyle Libre system via the FreeStyle LibreLink mobile app and the LibreView cloud-based system as part of this agreement. Healthcare practitioners can study both glucose and insulin data simultaneously thanks to this technology integration, which could make diabetes management easier. COVID-19 Impact The COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact on the diabetes care devices market. This was due to the fact that people with various health concerns, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, were more likely to contract the virus. Patients with diabetes had a higher mortality rate than the overall population. Diabetes patients require constant insulin administration (through syringes or pens) and care. As a result of the widespread use of insulin pens and constant glucose monitoring devices, the demand for close diabetes monitoring and care was increased. In addition, diabetic patients are more likely to contract COVID-19, which is driving up demand for diabetes devices in both hospital and home care settings. Diabetes devices are in growing demand because they help diabetic people avoid lengthier hospital stays as well as higher mortality rates. Market Growth Factors Rising incidences of diabetes across the world The number of people with diabetes is rapidly increasing all over the world in recent years. It is becoming one of the deadliest diseases in the worldwide population. Diabetes and its consequences were estimated to kill around 4 million people aged 20 to 79 years in 2020. This corresponds to one death every eight seconds. Diabetes is considered to be responsible for 11.3% of all fatalities among adults in this age group worldwide. According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, recent research has found that 22.2 percent to 26.9% of people hospitalized for the serious condition have diabetes. In hospitalized Coronavirus patients, diabetes and high glucose levels are linked to increased health problems, respiratory failure, and fatality. An increasing number of technological enhancements in diabetes care approaches In the modern era, various advanced and next-gen technologies are being introduced all over the world. In the healthcare sector, technology is becoming an essential part of processes, increasing its demand. Moreover, technology is also playing a major role in enhancing the life quality of people. The integration of new and advanced technologies in diabetes care devices is increasing the efficiency and precision of these devices. One of the primary factors driving the diabetes care devices market is the introduction of novel technologies and products in diabetes monitoring treatment devices and systems. Various market players are significantly increasing their investments in bringing several technology-rich diabetes care devices, which is increasing the demand for these products across people. Market Restraining Factors The increased cost of artificial insulin In diabetes treatment, artificial insulin is used in order to help the body to eliminate excess blood glucose levels that the body itself is not capable to eliminate. Artificial insulin is injected into the body of the patient through a computed or a regular syringe. The market shift from relatively low-cost human insulin to more expensive analogs (synthetic insulins) is putting unbearable financial strain on low-income countries. Human insulin is equally effective as analogs in most cases, but analogs are at least 1.5 times more expensive, and in certain cases three times more expensive. Three multinational businesses control more than 90% of the insulin industry, leaving little room for smaller companies to compete in terms of sales. Insulin costs in the world are increasing, compelling diabetics and their families to make difficult decisions. Product Outlook Based on Product, the market is segmented into Insulin Delivery Devices and Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices. In 2021, the insulin delivery devices segment acquired the largest revenue share of the diabetes care devices market. The growth of this segment is attributed to a number of factors, including an increase in the adoption of unhealthy lifestyles and an increase in the prevalence of type 1 as well as type 2 diabetes around the world. Regional Outlook Based on Regions, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East & Africa. In 2021, North America accounted for the largest revenue share of the diabetes care devices market. The rising growth of the regional market is owing to the rising prevalence of diabetes, rising healthcare expenditures, and the increased presence of important insulin syringe manufacturers. In addition, the early adoption of technologies in this region is also a major factor that is estimated to derive the regional market during the forecast period. The major strategies followed by the market participants are Partnerships. Based on the Analysis presented in the Cardinal matrix; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. is the forerunner in the Diabetes Care Devices Market. Companies such as Novo Nordisk A/S, Abbott Laboratories and Sanofi S.A. are some of the key innovators in the Market. The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., DexCom, Inc., Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi S.A., Zealand Pharma A/S, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Bayer AG, Abbott Laboratories, Ypsomed AG, Arkray, Inc. Recent Strategies deployed in Diabetes Care Devices Market Partnerships, Collaborations and Agreement: May-2022: ARKRAY partnered with Rimidi, a leader in the clinical management platform. Under this partnership, the companies aimed to integrate ARKRAYs GLUCOCARD Shine Connex Blood Glucose Monitoring System into the Rimidi Platform to optimize blood glucose data for patients and doctors. In addition, this partnership would also offer a deep insight into patients blood glucose data to doctors, which would derive more informed clinical decisions. Apr-2022: Abbott, partnered with Ypsomed, a leader in developing injection and infusion systems. Through this partnership, the companies aimed to develop and market an integrated automated insulin delivery in order to help in reducing the burden of diabetes management for diabetic patients by offering a product that eliminates the requirement for insulin injection at every particular time period. Apr-2022: Roche Diabetes Care India came into a partnership with Fitterfly Healthtech, a leading Digital Therapeutics company in India. Through this partnership, the companies aimed to launch a 90-day diabetes management program for patients with type 2 diabetes in order to improve therapy adherence and enhance outcomes. Mar-2022: Ypsomed came into a partnership with CamDiab, a personalized medicine, and digital health company. Through this partnership, the companies aimed to roll out CamAPS FX in order to allow diabetic people to manage their automated insulin delivery through a mobile app. Mar-2022: Sanofi signed a five-year agreement with DarioHealth, a digital health company. Following this agreement, Sanofi would ingrate its product on Darios platform. Moreover, Dario would leverage Sanofis sales teams in order to market its prevailing products. Jan-2022: Roche partnered with Glytec, an insulin management software company. Following this partnership, Glytecs Glucommander would be integrated into the newly launched Cobas pulse of Roche to benefit numerous hospital patients and doctors. Oct-2021: Roche teamed up with Zur Rose Group, an e-commerce pharmacy. Under this collaboration, the companies would mutually focus on optimizing the daily therapy management of diabetic patients along with their doctors. Oct-2021: Dexcom partnered with LovedBy, a consultancy and technology company. With this partnership, the companies aimed to bring personalized and contextual educational content to young patients with Type-1 diabetes in order to help them in coping with their condition. Sep-2021: Novo Nordisk came into an agreement with BIOCORP, an innovative medical devices company. Following this agreement, the companies would focus on developing and commercializing a Mallya smart add-on device for the FlexTouch pen of Novo Nordisk. May-2021: Roche entered into an agreement with Eli Lilly and Company, a leader in diabetes care solutions. Following this agreement, the companies would increase their efforts in boosting the optimization of insulin pen therapy management. Arp-2021: Dexcom came into a partnership with Welldoc, a leader in digital health. With this partnership, the companies aimed to incorporate the impact of lifestyle choices with glucose monitoring in order to enhance the health of patients with Type-2 diabetes. Mar-2021: Roche signed a multi-year research collaboration and licensing agreement with SemaThera, a biotech company. With this agreement, the companies aimed to focus on the development of SemaTheras new category of biologicals to cure diabetic retinopathy along with other ischemic retinal diseases. Nov-2020: Ypsomed came into an agreement with Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical company. Following this agreement, the companies aimed to develop an automated insulin delivery system to regulate blood glucose levels in people with diabetes. Moreover, Eli Lilly would commercialize the new automated insulin delivery system across the US as well as the European market. Sep-2020: Sanofi partnered with Health2Sync, a digital health startup. Under this partnership, Health2Sync would offer digital solutions, including patient management software and a mobile app, to 300 hospitals and clinics contracted by Sanofi with the aim to provide digitized and integrated digitized diabetes management. Sep-2020: DexCom entered into a five-year collaboration agreement with the University of Virginia, a public research university. Through this agreement, the companies aimed to accelerate its R&D efforts on CGM-based solutions to advance the automated insulin delivery technology of Dexcom. Jun-2020: Abbott signed an agreement with Tandem Diabetes Care, a medical device manufacturer. Following this agreement, the companies would manufacture and market integrated diabetes solutions with the integration of Tandems innovative insulin delivery systems and the world-leading continuous glucose monitoring technology of Abbott. May-2020: Bayer signed a commercial agreement with WaveForm Technologies, a subsidiary of AgaMatrix. Through this agreement, the companies aimed to offer innovative and advanced glucose monitoring solutions to doctors and patients across China. Apr-2020: Ypsomed came into a partnership with DexCom, a leader in providing CGM systems. Under this partnership, the companies would develop a hybrid closed loop system with the full integration of the therapy management solution of Ypsomed and Dexcoms G6 sensors-derived glucose values. Feb-2020: DexCom signed a global commercialization agreement with Insulet Corporation, a medical device company. Under this agreement, the companies would integrate future and current continuous glucose monitoring systems of Dexcom with Insulets best-in-class tubeless insulin delivery Pod into the Omnipod Horizon System for automated insulin delivery. Feb-2020: DexCom partnered with DreaMed Diabetes, a personalized diabetes management solutions developer. This partnership would allow a seamless CGM data transfer from Dexcom to DreaMed Advisor. Feb-2020: Abbott teamed up with Insulet, a medical device company. Through this collaboration, the companies aimed to integrate the blood glucose sensing technology of Abbott into Insulets Omnipod Horizon automated insulin delivery system in order to deliver automated and customized insulin delivery to diabetic patients. Product Launches and Product Expansions: May-2022: Roche released ACCU-FINE, quality pen needles. This launch aimed to streamline the process of delivering insulin to provide better diabetes management to patients with diabetes. Apr-2022: DexCom rolled out its ONE Continuous Glucose Monitoring in the UK. Through this launch, the company aimed to offer a real-time CGM at more affordable rates. Moreover, the new system would be more accessible to diabetics across the UK. Aug-2021: Zealand Pharma rolled out ZEGALOGUE Injection in the US. With this launch, the company aimed to advance its pipeline programs in distinct therapeutic sectors. In addition, the new product is commercialized in both prefilled syringes and auto-injector forms for the treatment of patients with severe hypoglycemia aged above 6 years. Mar-2021: Roche rolled out the Accu-Chek Instant system, a connected blood glucose monitoring system. The new product would enable and support the integrated Personalised Diabetes Management approach of Roche, a holistic patient-centered therapeutic approach. Acquisitions and Mergers: Dec-2021: Novo Nordisk completed its acquisition of Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company. Through this acquisition, the company aimed to integrate Dicernas ribonucleic acid interference platform into its prevailing research technology platforms to complement its vision of leveraging a wide line of technology platforms applicable all over Novo Nordisks therapeutic focus areas. Approvals and Trials: Feb-2022: Bayer received the EU approval for its Kerendia, a new treatment for adult patients with chronic kidney disease linked with type 2 diabetes. This approval aimed to offer a solution to physicians in order to reduce the risk of cardiovascular incidents while delaying the progression of kidney disease in patients. Aug-2021: Abbott received the US FDA approval for its FreeStyle Libre 2 iOS application, an application for measuring glucose levels to regulate diabetes. Through this approval, the company aimed to offer a cost-effective and accessible glucose monitoring application based on the sensor to allow users to check their glucose levels on their iPhones. May-2021: Zealand Pharma received the FDA approval for its Zegalogue injection. Following this approval, the company would commercialize Zegalogue in order to help diabetic people in recovering from severe hypoglycemia. Scope of the Study Market Segments covered in the Report: By Product Insulin Delivery Devices and Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices By Geography North America o US o Canada o Mexico o Rest of North America Europe o Germany o UK o France o Russia o Spain o Italy o Rest of Europe Asia Pacific o China o Japan o India o South Korea o Singapore o Malaysia o Rest of Asia Pacific LAMEA o Brazil o Argentina o UAE o Saudi Arabia o South Africa o Nigeria o Rest of LAMEA Companies Profiled F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. DexCom, Inc. Novo Nordisk A/S Sanofi S.A. Zealand Pharma A/S B. Braun Melsungen AG Bayer AG Abbott Laboratories Ypsomed AG Arkray, Inc. Unique Offerings Exhaustive coverage Highest number of market tables and figures Subscription based model available Guaranteed best price Assured post sales research support with 10% customization free Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289232/?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 Omans Ministry of Finance (MOF), represented by Partnership for Development (PFD) program, has signed four agreements with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to carry out modernisation projects at the MOD and the Sultans Armed Forces (SAF). Besides economic development, the agreements seek to support national industries, empower small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and provide training and job opportunities, reported Oman News Agency (ONA). The agreements signed by Nasser Khamis Al Jashmi, Secretary General of the MOF and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of PFD program, and executive directors of the companies concerned. The signing ceremony was attended by Mohammed Nasser Al Zaabi, Secretary General of the MOD, officials from the MOF and senior officers from the MOD. The agreements aim to implement four projects, namely the establishment of a maintenance facility for armoured personnel vehicles of the Royal Army of Oman (RAO), an earth observation centre for the National Survey Authority, the transfer of hawk aircraft engine maintenance capabilities to the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), the supply of several specialized aircraft systems for the C130 and F16 Fleets of the RAFO. The projects will be implemented by international PFD Obligors. The maintenance facility (for armoured personnel vehicles) project will be implemented by FNSS, a Turkey-based company. The project will help modernise armoured vehicles and reduce maintenance cost. It will also enhance efficiency and develop the capabilities of local companies. The second project entails the transfer of hawk aircraft engine maintenance capabilities from Rolls-Royce to RAFO. This project will boost the level of competencies, skills, and expertise of the staff and will contribute to reducing engines maintenance costs. The third project (to establish an earth observation centre) will be implemented by INDRA, a Spanish company. This project will enable Oman to establish the first centre specialized in monitoring and analysis of earth images captured from the space. It will also contribute towards training the nationals in this field. The fourth project will be implemented by the US-based company Lockheed Martin. It will provide specialized aircraft systems for the C130 and F16 Fleets for the RAFO. The project will enhance aviation safety and enable more efficient use of tracking systems by using satellite signals. The projects serve future prospects in the field of industry and maintenance, so that the facilities could keep pace with the rapid development in technologies. They will open wider scopes for nationals, generate more jobs and enable small and medium enterprises to play a greater role in the economy. HPQ-Silicon Resources Inc. MONTREAL, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HPQ Silicon Resources Inc. (HPQ or the Company) ( TSX-V: HPQ ) (OTCQX: HPQFF) ( FWB: UGE ), an innovative silicon solutions and technology development company, is pleased to announce the voting results from its annual meeting of shareholders held on June 30, 2022. A total of approximately 26% of the issued and outstanding common shares of HPQ were represented at the meeting. All of the nominees for election as directors of HPQ referred to in its management information circular for the meeting were elected. Votes cast on this matter were as follows: Nominees Votes For % of Votes For Votes Withheld % of Votes Withheld Bernard J. Tourillon 82,696,914 99.61% 327,357 0.39% Noelle Drapeau 82,510,129 99.38% 514,142 0.62% Patrick Levasseur 82,569,144 99.45% 455,127 0.55% Robert Robitaille 82,714,041 99.63% 310,230 0.37% Richard Mimeau 82,521,441 99.39% 502,830 0.61% Peter H. Smith 81,854,500 98.59% 1,169,771 1.41% Daryl Hodges 82,308,745 99.14% 715,526 0.86% Shareholders approved the appointment of KPMG LLP as auditor of HPQ and the directors of HPQ were authorized to fix their remuneration. Shareholders authorized HPQ to change it business classification from a Mining Issuer to an Industrial, Technology or Life Sciences Issuer in accordance with the policies of the TSX-V. Shareholders authorized a change in the name of the Corporation to HPQ Silicon Inc / HPQ Silicium Inc or to such other name the Board of Directors deems appropriate. Shareholders also approved the adoption of a new Long Term Incentive Plan. Final voting results on all matters voted on at the meeting can be found under HPQ profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About HPQ Silicon Resources HPQ Silicon Resources Inc. ( TSX-V: HPQ ) is a Quebec-based innovative silicon solutions company that offers silica (SiO 2 ) and silicon (Si) based solutions, and is developing a unique portfolio of high value-added silicon (Si) products sought after by battery and electric vehicle manufacturers. Story continues Silicon (Si), also known as silicon metal, is one of todays key strategic materials needed for the decarbonization of the economy and the Renewable Energy Revolution (RER). However, silicon does not exist in its pure state and must be extracted from quartz (SiO 2 ) in what has historically been a capital and energy-intensive process. With PyroGenesis Canada Inc. ( TSX: PYR ) ( NASDAQ: PYR ) , HPQ is developing: the PUREVAPTM Quartz Reduction Reactors (QRR), an innovative process (patent granted in the United States and pending in other jurisdictions), which will permit the one-step transformation of quartz (SiO 2 ) into high purity silicon (Si) at reduced costs, energy input, and carbon footprint that will propagate its considerable renewable energy potential. Through its 100% owned subsidiary, HPQ NANO Silicon Powders Inc., the PUREVAPTM Nano Silicon Reactor (NSiR) is a new proprietary process that can use material produced by the QRR as feedstock, to make a wide range of nano/micro spherical powders and nanowires of different sizes. Through its second 100% owned subsidiary, HPQ Silica POLVERE Inc., HPQ is developing a new plasma-based process that allows a direct Quartz to Fumed silica transformation, removing the usage of hazardous chemical in the making of Fumed silica and eliminating the Hydrogen Chloride Gas (HCI) associated with its manufacturing. HPQ is also a technology development company interested in developing hydrogen-based ventures, that could be complementary to the QRR efforts. Currently, HPQ is evaluating two different approaches to reach this goal, those being: Working with Swiss based company EBH 2 Systems SAS as it pertains to their proprietary process to manufacture Green Hydrogen via electrolysis, and Developing our own processes of making hydrogen via hydrolysis of nanosilicon materials made by our PUREVAPTM (NSiR). For more information, please visit HPQ Silicon web site . Disclaimers: The Corporations interest in developing the PUREVAP QRR and any projected capital or operating cost savings associated with its development should not be construed as being related to the establishing the economic viability or technical feasibility of any of the Companys Quartz Projects. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "in the process" and other similar expressions which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company's ongoing filings with the securitys regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This News Release is available on the company's CEO Verified Discussion Forum , a moderated social media platform that enables civilized discussion and Q&A between Management and Shareholders. Source: HPQ Silicon Resources Inc. CONTACT: For further information contact: Bernard J. Tourillon, Chairman, President and CEO Tel +1 (514) 907-1011 Patrick Levasseur, Special Advisor to the CEO Tel: +1 (514) 262-9239 Email: Info@hpqsilicon.com PETALING JAYA, Malaysia, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In a book aptly named "The Book of Wisdom" recently published by the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) of Malaysia, Mr. Lim Boon Siong, CEO of VISTA Eye Specialist was asked for words of wisdom to share with readers, to which he replied "When you like a flower, you just pluck it. But when you love a flower, you water it daily." Unveiling of Entrepuneur Organization Malaysia's Book of Wisdom In short, it's all about Investing in people and building relationships. By investing time in people around yourself, you help them to grow and make a positive change in them. "In the workplace, this means cultivating the right environment to let staff reach their full potential. Instead of handholding staff, take a step back and ask questions, guide them, mentor them and provide a platform for them to grow and excel," Mr. Lim shares. The "Book of Wisdom" collects the real life experience and sharings by 70 of EO Malaysia's Business Leaders, a global organization that supports the foundation of the entrepreneur in their business, family, life and community. EO consists of a group of like-minded individuals who uses the platform to help support each other to succeed via learning, sharing and mentorship to grow, which is the core of its essence. "It is amazing to be part of an organization with so many influential business leaders, yet who are all so humble to share and bring everyone around them up to be better humans," shares Mr. Raymond Chou, the current EO Malaysia President, who adds "It is through EO that I've had the privilege to receive Boon Siong's selfless support and mentorship to help me through my path, to be able to hold the torch now, carry forward his legacy as a Past President and spread the spirit of EO nationwide." Mr Lim brings this same mindset to VISTA, where he has established a very strong corporate culture of learning and sharing - from a buddy system of clinics that work together, to internal staff exchange between branches, focus groups comprised of different experience levels and profession - all for the purpose of connecting, sharing and upskilling. VISTA's ophthalmologists have also been generous in sharing knowledge, through numerous clinical articles published in major Ophthalmic Journals, podium sharings in major International Conferences, and are often visited by worldwide Ophthalmologists as the key choice Center of Excellence for many different Ophthalmic technologies. Story continues "The goal is towards sustainability in people, to build leaders and let them grow and be a better version of themselves, not just pulling them towards their goals. But for this to work, we need to make a conscious decision and investment to impact someone's life while expecting nothing in return," states Mr. Lim with a twinkle in his eye. About VISTA Eye Specialist Founded in 1999, VISTA is one of the leading Eye Specialist Centers with 12 centres across Malaysia. SOURCE VISTA Eye Specialist A little more than 100 years ago, Monday, June 12, 1922, the body of G.W.C. Perry, longtime managing editor of the Gazette, lay in a coffin surrounded by flowers in the parlor room at his residence at 202 Caldwell Street. Well-wishers crowded the room and spilled out the front door onto the sidewalk and overflowed the street in both directions. All morning long a constant stream of friends from every walk of life and every corner of the state passed by the coffin to pay their respects to the much-loved and admired Chillicothian. President Warren G. Harding, owner of the Marion Daily Star, knew Perry well from his newspaper days and rushed a telegram from the White House to the Gazette offices expressing his condolences. A headline from the Chillicothe Gazette about the former managing editor G.W.C. Perry. I am greatly distressed to hear the news of the death of our good friend G.W.C. Perry, the president wrote. Please convey to the family an expression of sincerest condolence for both Mrs. Harding and me. He was a useful citizen and a most loyal friend. WARREN G. HARDING. Harding was unable to travel to Chillicothe to pay his respects, but Ohio Gov. Harry L. Davis and a handful of state officials did and were present in the parlor room that morning. The governor, impressed by the outpouring of love and affection for Perry, issued his own statement. It is granted to but few people to go out of this life leaving behind them as profound a feeling of personal love among those that knew him as is true with Commodore Perry. He was loved and admired by all for his kindly, big-hearted understanding and deep sincerity. George Washington Commodore Perry (everyone called him Commodore) was born on Nov. 19, 1859, in Jackson County, Ohio. He was related to the famous Perry family naval dynasty, including Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the hero of the War of 1812 who famously defeated British naval forces in the Battle of Lake Erie. The naval legends older brother, Commodore Matthew C. Perry, was considered the Father of the Steam Navy, and played a major role in opening Japan to trade with the West. Story continues Unlike his famous seafaring relatives, though, G.W.C. Perry remained landlocked in Ohio his entire life. He was the youngest of 11 children and spent his childhood on the family farm just outside Jackson. Incredibly, when he was only 13 he took the examination to become a teacher and passed. A headline from the Chillicothe Gazette. For the next 18 years, the first 12 in Jackson, and then six in Ross County, Perry taught school, including five years at the Higby school in Franklin Township. He found a home in Ross County. For some reason, in 1892, at the age of 32, Perry abruptly changed careers after he received an offer to join the Gazette as a bookkeeper and collector. He had been a country schoolteacher for nearly two decades and his move to the city caused much comment about his physical appearance. He had two flowing whiskers extending from his temples down below his jaw, one of his best friends remembered, with the chin left bare and a mustache bridging the space between whiskers across the upper lip. It was his signature look in these days. Commodore Perry may have looked like a simple country teacher, but in a few short years he was managing the business affairs of the paper and in 1908 acquired half of the stock of The Gazette Company and acted as managing editor until his death. Although skilled in financial matters and politically savvy, Perry left the writing to others, including his best friend, E.S. Wenis. Mr. Perry was first of all a politician, Wenis recalled years after his friends death, and secondly a newspaper manager, to be used as a medium to forward his political prestige. The Gazette was a Republican newspaper and Perry was rewarded for his political patronage with a series of political jobs. In 1904, for example, he was appointed postmaster of the city. He served in that position for nearly a decade, beginning in 1904, and ending in 1913, after Woodrow Wilsons Democratic Party swept into office and he was ousted. Perry was exceedingly proud of his years as postmaster. Almost immediately, he called in political favors and was awarded $80,000 to construct a new post office building. The building still stands on the corner of Paint and 5th streets, now occupied by The Postmark, Chillicothes premier wedding and event venue. The historic building is also home to Prohibition, a 1920s style cocktail bar. A headline where G.W.C. Perry was appointed as postmaster. Surprisingly, before Perry assumed the postmaster job, residents did not have private mailboxes. Mail carriers knocked on doors and rang doorbells and if no one answered they would try again the next day. Perry appealed to residents to erect private mailboxes at their homes. Carriers can cover much more territory, he argued, if not compelled to wait for an answer to their ring of the doorbell. Although Perry served in several other government jobs in his lifetime and was superintendent of pardons and paroles when he passed, he was especially proud of his time at the post office. During these years, Perry was a sort of Forrest Gump-like character, seemingly at every gathering in Chillicothe, delivering speeches and often acting as master of ceremonies. Although he could play hardball politics, he also had plenty of friends in the other party and apparently had the perfect personality to put people at ease and make them laugh. It is one of the reasons the turnout was so large that morning on Caldwell Street. He was a kind. Perry would have been proud that his political friends, fellow newspaper editors from every section of the state, and countless friends in Chillicothe dropped by his home to pay their respects, but he would have been thrilled by something else. One of the reasons flowers overflowed the parlor room was because of his love of children. Perry was a big supporter of the Welfare House and the children picked flowers themselves and placed them near the casket. The newspaper editor would have especially appreciated the tribute, coming from the kids whose lives were so important to him. The headstone for the G.W.C. Perry in Grandview Cemetery. Equally moving were the roses the newsboys delivered to Caldwell Street. The Gazette recorded what was perhaps the greatest eulogy to Perry. These little mourners, each one whom he knew and was interested in, went to the residence to take a last look at one whom all looked upon as a real friend, ever ready to put his arms about them to protect, to comfort and to help them. One hundred years ago, Chillicothe lost one of its greatest citizens. He is buried in Grandview Cemetery. This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Looking Back: The late G.W.C. Perry was mourned by many New digital platform elevates Manulife insurance advisors' careers and helps meet the region's growing health and retirement needs. ManuAcademy accessible now to more than 60,000 advisors in Vietnam and soon to be available to tens of thousands more in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. HONG KONG, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Manulife has launched ManuAcademy, a new learning platform for its 60,000 insurance advisors in Vietnam and will soon launch the platform in four other markets in Asia. Accessible via a mobile app and website, the latest digital tool makes learning easier, while accelerating the further expansion and digitization of Manulife's agency force. Manulife launches ManuAcademy, a new digital learning platform for its insurance advisors across Asia ManuAcademya mobile-first learning management systemsupports the development of an advisor's career at all stages, from onboarding to learning to match the best insurance solutions to meet a customer's heath, retirement, and protection needs. "Being customer-centric means that we are agency-centric," said Pankaj Banerjee, Chief Distribution Officer, Manulife Asia, and interim CEO, Manulife Hong Kong. "We have launched ManuAcademy as part of our strategic focus to intensify our ambition in Asia and grow and digitize our agency forcea bedrock for our business and for our customers." The new learning platform is underpinned by AI, intelligently delivering tailored information to different advisors wherever they are. It also uses gameplay and rewards to motivate consistent participation and long-term engagement. To support video and social learning, advisors can join small private communities on ManuAcademy to ask questions and get instant feedback, as they learn how to better assess customer needs and help make their lives better every day. "Accelerating the growth of a thriving, digitally-enabled agency force in Asia starts with quality recruitment, then development," said See Sen Mak, Chief Agency Officer, Manulife Asia. "With ManuAcademy, we are supercharging our engagement with agents by putting the right tools, trainings, and technology in their hands to better serve our customers." Story continues ManuAcademy is now available to more than 60,000 insurance advisors in Vietnam. Plans to roll out the platform are underway in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, which will support the learning and development journeys of over 88,000 advisors in those markets. In 2021, Manulife increased its agency force to more than 119,000. Of the total agency count, 71% are women. The number of Manulife agents who are Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) members has also grown from around 3,600 in 2019 to more than 6,000 agents in 2021. About Manulife Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our global wealth and asset management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2021, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 119,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 33 million customers. Our principal operations are in Asiaand Canada, and the United States, where we have served customers for more than 160 years. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong. In the previous 12 months we made CAD$32.7 billion in payments to our customers. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com. Media contact Augustine Kwan Manulife +852 6772 8037 Augustine_Kwan@Manulife.com SOURCE Manulife December will mark the 200th anniversary of First United Methodist Church of Pensacola, the oldest Methodist church in Florida. At the helm of the historic church, however, will be a new reverend. Sitting in the Wesley Wachob Library at First United Methodist Church last week, the Rev. Geoffrey Lentz reminisced about his time growing up in Pensacola, to which he recently returned. "I was born and raised in this church," Lentz said. "And when I was 5 years old, coming to church on a Sunday morning, I told my mother, 'Mama, I love Jesus so much I want to be a preacher like Preacher Henry (Roberts).'" The Rev. Geoffrey Lentz is the new spiritual leader of First United Methodist Church in Pensacola. And that's what he did. Lentz went to the University of West Florida for his undergraduate degree, graduated seminary from Duke Divinity School in 2005 and received his doctorate at Drew College. Even with a love for science and psychology and looking into the mind and brain, the calling to be a pastor never faltered. Lentz was able to come back to Pensacola and serve under the Rev. Henry Roberts for a year. Afterward, he became the associate pastor at First United from 2005 to 2012 under the leadership of the senior pastor, Wesley Wachob. The lessons Lentz learned from both reverends has been instrumental in his journey as a pastor. Roberts taught him how to be in ministry, building a community by forming relationships in the church and city. While Wachob taught him the importance of reading and studying scriptures and how to teach and preach it in a way that saves lives. 'An opportunity to see God': Bay County churches struggle 3 years after Hurricane Michael The Rev. Geoffrey Lentz is preparing to lead First United Methodist Church in Pensacola. Leading from the pulpit of former mentors is not common, and so the opportunity to come be a preacher at his old church and for his community was a blessing, Lentz said. Lentz spent the last decade at First United Methodist Church in Port St. Joe. While there, he witnessed Hurricane Michael in 2018 completely devastate the community, destroying his homes and others, and even his sanctuary. During the traumatic time, he found new strength in his faith and his self-identity, which has helped him become a better leader. Story continues Returning to Pensacola, he wants to bring the same type of leadership to a community undergoing its own trauma. "With the fallout from the (COVID) pandemic and Hurricane Sally, there's still a lot of recovery in our community that needs to occur from Hurricane Sally and in our church plant here," Lentz said. "We have a number of buildings that have yet to be repaired fully, and so I hope to bring that kind of stabilizing healing presence into the midst of the trauma in our community." Lentz wants to bring a new type of energy to the church, which he calls "practicing resurrection," which is a theological way of talking about new life. COVID has been a challenge for all faith communities and resurrection is a way to face these problems and look ahead for the future. After spending the last decade at First United Methodist Church in Port St. Joe, the Rev. Geoffrey Lentz is now ready to lead First United Methodist Church in Pensacola. First United Methodist Church has a history of being an ally for the community, from being anti-segregation during antebellum America and all the way up to the 1920s, to being a strategic point in the community during the Civil Rights Movement. Lentz wants to build off of that history and sees the church as a family table where everyone is invited and welcomed, like a Fourth of July cookout. Lentz looks forward to reaching out to other churches and community members to build the Pensacola community. "It's those kinds of connections that cause us to function and to be whole," Lentz said. "And the more bridges we can build and relationships between churches, and between other ministries and civic organizations, the healthier we'll be as a loving community." This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: First United Methodist Church of Pensacola brings Rev. Geoffrey Lentz jetcityimage / Getty Images Formerly known as food stamps, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the most important anti-hunger initiative in America. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), SNAP provided food security to about 41.5 million people in 2021, with an average benefit of $218.14 per person. Recipients use Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards to receive funds and make purchases, and they can use those cards to buy a whole lot more than just standard groceries. Here's a look at some of the more unusual things that SNAP will pay for. Find: SNAP Benefits Available in Your State in 2022 SNAP Schedule 2022: April Payments Twin Design / Shutterstock.com Energy Drinks -- Some, at Least You can use SNAP funds to buy energy drinks, but only if they meet the USDA's strict standards. If the energy drink has a "nutritional facts" label, it makes the cut, according to New York SNAP EBT. If it has a "supplemental facts" label, it's considered a supplement and cannot be purchased with EBT. That means Red Bull, Rockstar and Starbucks Double Shot make the grade, but 5 Hour Energy, Bang Shot and Tweaker do not. POLL: How Much Do You Expect Your Tax Refund To Be This Year? Feyyaz Alacam / Shutterstock.com Coffee and Tea -- the Kind You Make Yourself You can use SNAP to buy packaged coffee -- not to mention creamer -- and that includes Keurig-style K-cups. You cannot, however, buy coffee that's ready to drink. If you're thinking that you'll make your own coffee at home and just switch to tea when you're out, that won't work either. Tea, too, is limited to packaged and unbrewed because the USDA doesn't allow SNAP funds to be used to buy any hot beverages. CSNafzger / Shutterstock.com Hunting and Fishing Gear -- But You Have to Live Way, Way Out There Even if you live in a rural area and kill what you eat, you can't just swipe your EBT card to pick up a new fiberglass rod at Bass Pro Shops -- but hunting and fishing gear is SNAP-eligible for a very specific and very tiny population. According to the USDA, some residents in the most remote parts of Alaska rely almost exclusively on hunting and fishing to feed their households because of the extreme difficulty involved with buying food at stores. Story continues The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services gives qualifying households special identification cards. They can't buy guns and ammo, but they can buy things such as nets, rods, harpoons, lines and knives. hapabapa / iStock.com Restaurant Meals -- for Certain People in Certain Places You can't use SNAP to pay for dine-in restaurant meals -- unless you qualify for the SNAP Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) and live in a state that participates in it. RMP serves vulnerable populations like the elderly, people experiencing homelessness and the disabled. Participating restaurants must offer meals at "concessional prices" to qualifying diners. While it's not as limited as Alaska's subsistence hunting program, very few states participate in RMP. It's available all over California, Arizona, Michigan, Maryland and Virginia, as well as in select counties in Rhode Island. Good Question: Does KFC Accept SNAP EBT Cards? Kyselova Inna / Shutterstock.com Seeds and Plants The USDA allows SNAP recipients to buy edible plants like basil or food-producing plants like tomato plants with their EBT cards, as well as seeds for growing their own food. The USDA says you can grow $25 worth of produce for every dollar spent on seeds and fertilizer, yet Modern Farmer says this important inclusion is one of the least known parts of the whole SNAP program. You can use your EBT card to get seeds and plants at any SNAP-approved retailer, including farmer's markets. Walmart.com Gift Baskets -- Depending on What's Inside The USDA allows you to spend SNAP funds on gift baskets and similar purchases as long as at least half of what's inside is edible. Even if they contain eligible edibles, nonfood items such as toys, stockings and tins don't count if "the value of the non-food part of the item clearly accounts for more than 50% of the purchase price," according to the USDA. The agency gives the example of a stuffed holiday bear that comes with a small package of chocolate: That won't count. A gift basket containing mostly meat and cheese, however, would be acceptable. Stephanie Botkin / Shutterstock.com Live Lobsters Like tobacco, alcohol, vitamins and medicine, live animals are on the USDA's list of items that you can't buy with SNAP benefits. There are, however, a few rare exceptions, including shellfish, "fish removed from the water" and "animals slaughtered prior to pick-up from the store." That means that, while you can't use your EBT card to buy a puppy from a pet store, you can use SNAP to buy a lobster to bring home to meet its unfortunate fate on your kitchen stovetop. dontree_m / Getty Images/iStockphoto Snacks of All Kinds Most people probably know that SNAP recipients can use their EBT cards to buy household grocery staples such as meat, milk, eggs, vegetables and bread, but what's not as well known is the long list of snacks that are on the USDA's approved list. It includes everything from marshmallows and marzipan to pudding and popsicles. Cakes, pies, doughnuts, muffins, pastries and all sorts of other things cakey and flaky make the list, as do chips, crisps, popcorn and finger food of all stripes. Ice cream, candy, chocolate, custard, scones, churros and much, much more all get a pass from the USDA -- in fact, if a kid can dream of it, chances are good SNAP will pay for it. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Surprising Things You Can Buy With Food Stamps At a hip basement bar in Washingtons Shaw neighborhood on a recent Thursday night, singles from conservative nonprofits, GOP Capitol Hill offices and right-leaning media groups sipped craft cocktails from an open bar under the glow of neon lights, part of an effort to build buzz and a user base for a new dating app created by former Trump White House staffers and backed by tech billionaire Peter Thiel. There is a long list of failed or now-defunct dating apps aimed at conservatives that have popped up in recent years, including Righter, Donald Dater, TrumpSingles, Patrio and Conservatives Only. Co-founders John McEntee, who was a personal aide to former President Trump and then director of the White House presidential personnel office, and Daniel Huff, a Trump appointee in the Department of Housing and Urban Development and also a White House adviser, say The Right Stuff will be different. What were doing has really not been done before. No one has built a high quality, properly funded app with a dedicated team, Huff said in an interview. Its an important underserved market, Huff said. Liberals own the education, media corporations, and we cant let them control our personal relationships. Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal who was also the first outside investor in Facebook, has put around $1.5 million in the dating app, one of many of his investments on the political right. Hes also invested in Rumble, an alternative to YouTube that is popular among conservatives, and this election cycle hes poured millions into supporting Trump-endorsed GOP Senate candidates J.D. Vance in Ohio and Blake Masters in Arizona. Some singles at the Shaw event were optimistic The Right Stuff free from the woke features on other platforms will help them find right-wing love without a barrage of users telling Trump voters, conservatives or unvaccinated people to swipe left. Jordan Lamb, an intern at a conservative nonprofit, said that she and her friends trudge through a dozen or more liberal men before finding even one conservative on popular dating apps. Story continues I know a lot of young conservatives who are feeling very frustrated using dating apps because the apps dont reflect their values, Lamb said. They forced you to have pronouns or BLM tags, or vaccinated/unvaccinated So I think theres definitely a big need for it. But others at the event were skeptical. Some attendees worried whether enough conservative women would sign up for the app, wondered whether people beyond the Beltway would join, and pointed out that some major dating apps already allow users to target conservative matches. Bumble, for example, allows users to filter potential matches based on political views, but that advanced feature requires a subscription. With Thiels backing, The Right Stuff aims for high quality technologically. Southern California-based app developer and creative agency Naked Development is building the app. And unlike other dating apps that were for Trump supporters only or encouraged long-term relationships over one-night stands, The Right Stuff is taking a broader approach. Its for all types of conservatives and all types of dating, Huff said. Right now, the app is only catering to heterosexual relationships its core constituency, as Huff said but it is looking at expanding to same-sex relationships down the road. And despite the existence of other right-wing dating apps, Huff said that there is a vast market for a conservative dating company. Other dating platforms have found success catering to those looking for a partner with certain core values. Numerous businesses cater to Jewish or Christian singles, for instance. Politics has become almost a religion for some people, Huff said. He countered concerns about the app being successful outside D.C. by arguing that those who consider right-wing views a must in a romantic partner can find it harder in other large metropolitan areas, without the conservative social scene that flourishes on Capitol Hill, in think tank circles and elsewhere. You want to be able to find the pool of conservatives. And if youre just relying on people you run into, statistically the chances arent great, Huff said. The app also has an advantage that others did not: Founders and backers with deep connections across the right-wing political ecosystem. Ryann McEnany, sister of former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, has been sliding into conservative womens DMs on social media to recruit them to join the app. She also headed to the conservative Turning Point USAs Young Womens Leadership Summit in Texas last month, a gathering of thousands of young women, to recruit for The Right Stuff. A video promotion for the app played at that conference showed dramatizations of bad dates: A man who didnt want kids due to worries about climate change; a man who didnt pay for the date because he brought the wrong fanny pack; a man who showed up for a date on a bicycle and invited her to sit on the handlebars on the way to their outing. Start going out with normal guys, the promo closed. The developers know that recruiting enough women to the app will be key to its success, which is reflected in its business model. It will use a premium subscription model with a basic free version available for everyone, but a subscription available for men. Women, however, wont have to pay. Obviously, this whole thing doesnt work if you dont have the proper ratios, Huff said. The Right Stuff team also hopes that new features set it apart from competitors. One feature with the working name Posted Date lets users advertise potential dates to encourage in-person interaction. Basically, Oh, I got two tickets to a ballgame, who wants to go? And then, you know, multiple people can say, Hey, Im interested, and then you wind up in picking one, Huff said. Its an idea of getting people out on fun dates, instead of just sitting on the phone, you know, messaging back and forth. Those other platforms are playing catch up. Were going ahead. Were making something even better, Huff said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (Bloomberg) -- Ukraines government has indicated it needs as much as $65 billion this year to meet its funding requirements as it faces continued economic and budgetary disruption from Russias invasion, billions more than its allies have so far been able to pledge. Most Read from Bloomberg The figure, which excludes defense and security spending, is part of a larger blueprint for the nations longer term reconstruction, which is estimated to exceed $750 billion. Japan called on Moscow to explain a presidential decree to transfer rights to the Sakhalin-2 natural gas project to a new Russian company. Russias move to reshuffle ownership of the project may constrict global gas markets even more by pushing Japan to compete with Europe for alternative sources of supply. (See RSAN on the Bloomberg Terminal for the Russian Sanctions Dashboard.) Key Developments Blinken Plans Candid Exchange With Chinas Wang on Ukraine War Biden Receives Plea from WNBA Star Griner on Release From Russia Natural Gas Soars 700%, Becoming Driving Force in New Cold War Ukraine Estimates Immediate Funding Needs of Up to $65 Billion Ukraine War-Bond Auction Flops as Ministry Doesnt Raise Coupons On the Ground With Lysychansk under its control, Russia is switching its focus further west into Donetsk, intensifying shelling of the region, according to Ukrainian officials. Moscows forces also hit residential areas, killing nine civilians and wounding 25 there over the last 24 hours. Russia is attempting to blunt counteroffensives by Kyivs forces in the Kharkiv region in the northeast as well as the Kherson and Mykolayiv regions in the south, the Ukrainian military said. Story continues (All times CET) Blinken Plans Candid Exchange With Chinas Wang (1:55 a.m.) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will have a candid discussion about the war in Ukraine with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during a summit in Bali, Indonesia, thats set to be dominated by the fallout from Russias invasion, a top official said. Weve had a number of communications at senior levels with our Chinese counterparts about what we expect, not just from the Peoples Republic of China but from really all responsible members of the international community regarding Russias brutal invasion of Ukraine, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink told reporters in Washington on Tuesday. This will be another opportunity, I think, to have a candid exchange on that, and to convey our expectations about what we would expect China to do, and not to do, in the context of Ukraine, he added. Blinken Isnt Expected to Meet With Lavrov at G20 (12:40 a.m.) Blinken isnt expected to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during the G20 ministerial gathering in Bali this week, according to State Department spokesman Ned Price. He told reporters that the secretary will be a full and active participant at the gathering in Indonesia despite Russias presence. The US government is committed to a successful meeting, Price said, but it cannot be business as usual with Russia. He predicted that G20 members would express no shortage of condemnation for the actions on the part of the Russian Federation in the Ukraine invasion. Putins War Throws EU Vote on Green Gas Into Doubt (5:00 a.m.) The European Union Parliament vote is set to take place Wednesday, and was supposed to mark the easy passage of a New Years proposal by the European Commission to include gas and nuclear energy in the blocs so-called green taxonomy. But Putins invasion -- and the energy crisis it fanned -- has upended that process. Just last week, Ukraines ambassador to Germany called on lawmakers to reject the Commissions proposal, warning that it would benefit Russia and perpetuate European reliance on its gas supplies. Read more: Putins War Throws Crucial EU Vote on Green Gas Into Doubt Japan Asks Russia for Sakhalin-2 Move Details (3:33 a.m.) Japanese Trade Minister Koichi Hagiuda called on Russia to explain the decree signed by Putin that gave stakeholders, which include Shell and Japanese trading houses Mitsubishi and Mitsui, a month to say whether theyll take a holding in the new firm. Right now, we dont know when that one month period starts, so we are closely investigating Hagiuda told reporters in Tokyo. Mitsubishi Corp. and Mitsui & Co. own a combined 22.5% of the Sakhalin-2 project, and a majority of the gas produced there supplies Japan. Read more: Putin Swoop on Gas Plant Risks Forcing Foreign Partners Out WNBA Star Griner Pleads With Biden for Help (1:52 a.m.) US basketball star Brittney Griner wrote to President Joe Biden and pleaded to bring her and other detained Americans home from Russia, saying shes terrified she might by there forever, the Associated Press reported. A representative for Griner, a two-time Olympic Gold medalist, delivered the letter to the White House, according to the AP. The basketball star, who was taken into custody about a week before Russia launched its invasion, faces a drug smuggling charge in Russia, where she could serve as many as 10 years in prison if convicted. US officials have said the WNBA player is being wrongly detained, a signal they believe Griners case is political, not criminal. Griners wife, Cherelle, has called her a political pawn. Read more: Russia Starts US Basketball Star Griners Trial in Moscow Ukraine Estimates Immediate Funding Needs of Up to $65 Billion (8:51 p.m.) Ukraine has indicated it needs up to $65 billion this year to meet its funding requirements, billions more than its allies have so far been able to pledge. The amount needed immediately includes so called macro-financial stability assistance for emergency budget funding and logistics infrastructure projects. The figure, which excludes defense and security spending, is part of a larger blueprint for the nations longer term reconstruction, which is estimated to exceed $750 billion and was unveiled at a conference in Lugano. Right after the war is over and Ukraine achieves victory, we need to implement thousands of rebuilding projects, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at the conference. Mobile Service Suffers from Bombing, Phishing (7:35 p.m.) Ukraines largest mobile-phone operator, Kyivstar, is struggling to maintain service as its employees are killed or displaced and infrastructure is seized or damaged in the war. Alexander Komarov, the chief executive officer of Kyivstar, a subsidiary of Veon Ltd., said about 10% of the companys network cant function because Russian officials have switched off base stations and captured hardware. Since the invasion, Kyivstar has been subject to a tremendous increase in DDos and an even bigger jump in phishing attacks, Komarov said in a video interview from Lugano. Ukraine Seeks to Block Exports of its Grain by Russia (6:38 p.m.) Ukraine is working with the United Nations and Turkey to make sure that civilized countries dont take its grain illegally exported by Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said during a meeting with Swedens Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson in Kyiv. Unblocking grain exports from Ukraine is difficult and yet possible, Zelenskiy said, adding that he believes UN is ready to lead in making it happen. He said ships need to have security guarantees, except those from Russia, which Ukraine doesnt trust. Ukraine expects to harvest 60 million tons of grain this fall, Zelenskiy said, while there are already 22 million tons blocked by Russia in its ports. We need to export all the grain, he said. Russian Official to Head Occupied Southern Ukrainian Region (4:35 p.m.) A Russian official was appointed to head the government of the occupied southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, the Tass news service reported on Monday. Sergei Eliseev, a senior official from the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, named both Russians and Ukrainians as his deputies, Tass said, citing a statement by Khersons Russian occupation authority. Russia last month filled senior government posts in the breakaway Moscow-backed eastern Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Donetsk. Russias Crude Shipments to Crucial Asian Markets Falter (4:18 p.m.) Russias seaborne crude exports in the seven days to July 1 rebounded from the previous weeks plunge, but shipments to Asia are slipping, even as flows are diverted to the countrys Black Sea terminal to cut the voyage distance to India. Aggregate crude flows from Russian ports were up week-on-week by 23%, recovering most of the volume lost over the previous seven days during a brief halt in shipments from the Baltic port of Primorsk. Still, cargoes bound for Asia a crucial market where China and India have stepped in to prop up Russian exports others have shunned in response to its invasion of Ukraine were down by more than 15% on both a weekly and four-week average basis from the highs seen at the end of May. Read more: Russias Crude Oil Shipments to Crucial Asian Markets Falter Turkey Probes Origin of Grain on Russian Ship (4:08 p.m.) Turkey has begun an investigation into the origin of grain aboard a Russian vessel anchored off its Black Sea port of Karasu after Ukraine said the cargo was stolen, senior Turkish officials told Bloomberg. Kyiv has accused Russia of stealing grain from territories it has occupied since its February 24 invasion. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed on Monday the vessel was Russian but said Moscow was still working to clarify what had happened. The vessel has yet to dock or unload and is waiting off the port as Turkey investigates the origin and trajectory of the shipment, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the case. Turkey is handling the situation with care as it works to arrange four-way talks with the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine to establish a Black Sea corridor to restart Ukrainian food shipments disrupted by the war, one of the officials said. It may host the UN-backed dialogue as early as next week, he added. Read more: Turkey Probes Origin of Grain on Russian Ship Russia Should Pay for Reconstruction, Ukraines Premier Says (3:16 p.m.) Assets seized from the Russian state and oligarchs should make up the bulk of the $750 billion in aid needed to rebuild the country, Prime Minister Shmyhal said. Russia has unleashed this bloody war, they have caused this large-scale destruction -- and they must be held responsible for it, he told delegates at the recovery conference in Lugano. Ukraine lost $100 billion worth of infrastructure during the war, Shmyhal said. He estimated the volume of frozen Russian assets worldwide that could go toward the recovery at between $300 billion and $500 billion. Ukraine Reconstruction Conference Planned After Summer (2:41 p.m.) European leaders are planning an international conference devoted to the rebuilding of Ukraine after the summer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the Lugano conference. Though she didnt cite any aid targets or pledging of financial assistance in her remarks, she addressed the importance of spending any money wisely to bolster investor confidence. European Gas Extends Blistering Rally as Supply Woes Deepen (1:30 p.m.) Natural gas in Europe rose to the highest level in almost four months as planned strikes in Norway threaten to further tighten a market thats already reeling from Russias supply cuts. Benchmark futures, which have more than doubled this year, surged as much as 10% on Monday. About 13% of Norways daily gas exports are at risk amid plans to escalate an impending strike by managers, the nations oil and gas lobby warned over the weekend. European Gas Extends Blistering Rally as Supply Woes Deepen Putin Makes Public Display of Victory in Luhansk Region (1:23 p.m.) The Russian leader congratulated Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu after his forces took control of a Lysychansk. Speaking in televised comments, Putin told Shoigu to give the units involved in the latest offensive time off to rest and to shift responsibility for continuing operations to other forces. Shoigu had reported to Putin on Sunday that Russian forces had taken control of the city, a fiercely contested industrial center that was one of the last major targets outside Moscows control in Luhansk. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Company Logo Dublin, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "USA - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The large broadband market in the US is served by many operators, though a few of these account for the vast majority of subscribers. This is equally true in the DSL and cable broadband sectors. To increase data rates. DSL operators over the years have trialled a range of technologies, including iterations of VDSL as well as G.fast, which can provide data at above 1Gb/s. Similarly, cablecos have largely transitioned their networks to DOCSIS3.1. Some have invested in DOCSIS4.0, specifications for which were worked on by CableLabs in 2020. Operators including Comcast, Charter, and Cox are looking to Full Duplex DOCSIS to enable multi-gigabit symmetrical speeds of up to 10Gb/s further into the future. Coherent optics technology could boost the capacity of HFC networks to 1,000Gb/s and above. However, some of the cablecos are looking to suspend the migration to DOCSIS4.0 in preference for broadband service offerings based on FttP. While Cox has been working on DOCSIS4.0 as a development project, the company in February 2022 also announced a multi-billion-dollar investment over several years to deploy a fibre network capable of providing data at up to 10Gb/s, probably in tandem with rolling out DOCSIS4.0 as a subsidiary but minor offering. In part, the investment in fibre could be seen as a commercial response to similar efforts from AT&T and other competitors. Altice USA in 2021 decided to ditch DOCSIS4.0 in preference for covering two-thirds of its footprint with fibre by the end of 2025. Key Topics Covered: Key statistics Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector Economic considerations and responses Subscribers Infrastructure Regulatory environment Public Safety Network Wireless Local Number Portability (WLNP) Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Privacy-related legislation Spectrum Spectrum swaps and acquisitions Story continues Mobile market Market analysis Mobile statistics Mobile infrastructure Major mobile operators Mobile content and applications Fixed-line broadband market Introduction and statistical overview Policy and regulation framework Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) network Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks Other fixed broadband services Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) Policy and regulation framework Public (ILEC, CLEC and Municipal) FttP networks RBOC FttP roll-out Digital-economy E-services Appendix Historic data Companies Mentioned Alltel Altice USA AT&T CenturyLink Cincinnati Bell Clearwire Comcast Fairpoint Frontier Communications Frontline Google HughesNet Leap Wireless Lumen MetroPCS Communications Qwest SpaceX Sprint Corporation T-Mobile US TracFone US Cellular Verizon ViaSat Windstream For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/l77cay About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. 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 At least two people were killed after unknown gunmen attacked a vehicle being used by the Talibans Defense Ministry in the western Afghan city of Herat, local officials said. Another 20 were wounded in the attacks, a hospital source told RFE/RLs Radio Azadi. The vehicle was carrying employees of the Talibans 207th Al-Farooq military corps. Some local media reported four buses were attacked in different parts of the city but the provincial security officials confirmed only one attack. A Taliban official told RFE/RLs Radio Azadi two men riding an auto rickshaw carried out the attack. He said one of them was killed while the other attacker managed to flee the scene. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. With reporting dpa and Tolonews The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has announced the accomplishment of the first UAE Analog Mission after achieving all its objectives as part of the Sirius-21 programme. The programme commenced on November 4, 2021 and lasted for 8 months to test the effects of isolation on humans psychological and physiological conditions. Analog Astronaut Saleh AlAmeri from MBRSC took part in the mission representing the UAE, with Oleg Blinov, surgeon, Viktoria Kirichenko from the Institute of Medical and Biological Research in Moscow, and Ashley Kowalski and William Brown of NASA. The participation of the UAE in the mission aimed to support scientific communities and research centres locally and internationally, as the outputs of the mission will positively reflect on scientific research efforts, especially since AlAmeri conducted 70 experiments during the missions period, including 5 experiments from four Emirati universities covering the fields of physiology, psychology, and biology. Hamad Obaid AlMansoori, Chairman of MBRSC said: We aim to achieve continuous successes of various UAE initiatives through our upcoming projects. It is worth noting the UAE, analog astronaut Saleh AlAmeri, has contributed new knowledge and key developments to the Emirati space exploration project, thanks to his efforts and perseverance that led to the Analog Mission's success." He also stated that the UAEs participation in this mission, along with 4 other analog astronauts from the Institute of Biomedical Problems in Moscow and NASA, demonstrates the worlds confidence in our national cadres and also reflects the high value that our national initiatives and projects bring to the field of space exploration for the benefit of humanity and the global scientific community. Salem AlMarri, Director General, MBRSC, said: Analog astronaut Saleh AlAmeri has successfully achieved the goals of the first UAE Analog Mission, which he accomplished through effort and perseverance during an 8-month isolation period within the Sirius-21 programme, noting that the positive results achieved through the scientific experiments that took place, will contribute significantly to studying the effects of isolation on human psychology and physiology, in addition to helping prepare for future space exploration missions. AlMarri added: It is my honour to congratulate my fellow Sirius-21 crew members and to dedicate this achievement to the wise leadership of rulers of the United Arab Emirates and to express how very proud I am of the success of the First UAE Analog Mission . The mission involved 240 days of hard work, but to me it represented 240 days of serving my country. I would like to also extend my gratitude and appreciation to my colleague Abdualla AlHammadi for his incredible support during the mission where we achieved all our goals. It was a long mission and we experienced complete isolation, with the cooperation of an international crew of collaborators. That said, it was a very rich task, as 70 scientific experiments were conducted, that required 12 hours a day shifts from seven in the morning until seven in the evening. I was pleased to participate in this exceptional experience due to the presence of a professional and supportive crew in various circumstances. Important experiments Saleh AlAmeris experiments included the fields of physiology, psychology and biology, while the research of the Emirati universities selected for the mission included research from the Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, which focused on the effects of long-duration exposure to environments simulating life in space on changing the state of the heart. The research topic presented by the University of Sharjah highlighted the study of determining the effects of stress caused by isolation on circulatory and musculoskeletal function in crew members during the mission, with measurement of clinical, genomic, transcriptional, and proteomic parameters. The list of research topics submitted for the purpose of the mission included research presented by the American University of Sharjah on relieving psychological stress in periods of isolation and closed environments, while the United Arab Emirates University proposed research on the psychological challenges posed by isolation during human flights to space, centred on the subject of the role of motivational dynamics and intense interval training as a measure to prevent bone density loss and insulin resistance in space. The experiments of the mission AlAmeris experiments, implemented successfully and with high efficiency, included simulating the operation of a space robot and reducing stress in isolation. He also conducted virtual reality experiments, such as launching a vehicle and securing its docking with the International Space Station, in addition to flying over the moon and Mars. The results of his electroencephalogram experiment provided a clear picture of brain functions in isolation. This was done to help scientists gain more insights into the effects of long-term isolation on the brain and changes in its cognitive functions. Other experiments included examining the samples AlAmeri collected with his colleagues during a simulated lunar landing experiment, collating and transporting them to the lunar base, as well as experimenting with the use of the robotic arm, Kandarm 2, to pick up cargo vehicles and transport equipment, among others. Great support Abdullah Al Hammadi, who is part of the reserve team that worked in the ground operations centre, played an important role in the mission by providing support to AlAmeri and the rest of the crew. He focused on the follow-up mission scenario and assisted the crew members as well as following up and reviewing the task schedule, through the operations center, and analysing data during the period of scientific experiments, in order to accurately work out a clear future plan for various scenarios and to communicate and provide psychological support to all crew members. The Sirius-21 mission crew worked in a sealed capsule simulating a spacecraft to understand not just the effects of isolation on human physiology and psychology but also to gain insights on team dynamics during long-duration space exploration missions. The mission facility consisted of independent life support systems adhering to specific and controlled parameters, including ventilation and air conditioning systems, atmospheric purification, gas analysis and support for specific conditions of pressure, temperature, humidity, and gas composition. About the Institute of Medical and Biological Research in Moscow The complex contains unique facilities for conducting research on spaceflights lasting up to more than 500 days. The capsule can also accommodate anywhere from 3 to 10 crew members, while the experiments, systems, crew monitoring and environmental parameters were controlled from the Sirius-21 Experiment Control Centre. TradeArabia News Service Every month, a silent disco is hosted by Discreet Beats at COATI in downtown Colorado Springs and features as many as six DJs each night. Codie Erickson, the founder of Discreet Beats started hosting silent discos a few years ago and continued through the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, shes seeing more people in Colorado Springs show interest. People need to dance and let loose, and music in a universal love language, she said. Parker Seibold Follow Parker Seibold 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 If youve been enraptured by the college town just northwest of Denver Boulder, home of the University of Colorado the rival asks you please to turn your attention farther north. Dolores County Sheriff Don Wilson never expected to use Colorados "red-flag" law when it was passed in 2019. He thought the law made it too easy to take a persons guns away. The statute allows law enforcement officers or private citizens to petition a county court to confiscate firearms temporarily from people who pose an imminent threat to themselves or others. All it is is one persons word against another, said Wilson, whose sparsely populated territory is in southwestern Colorado near the Utah border. Then, in August 2020, a Dove Creek man threatening to kill his neighbors and himself pointed a semi-automatic rifle at a deputy. Wilson petitioned for and was granted an extreme risk protection order to remove the mans weapons, though the sheriff said his mistrust of the red-flag law has not changed. If a gentleman pulls a rifle on my deputy and then comes and threatens to shoot up my courthouse and kill me, kill the judges, and kill the district attorney, Wilson said, Ive got a problem with that person having a gun. The Uvalde, Texas, school shooting prompted a bipartisan gun control agreement in Congress that could provide funding to encourage more states to pass red-flag laws. But in response to conservative objections, the bill Congress passed included funding for crisis intervention to states whether or not they establish red-flag laws. Similar opposition was seen in Colorado, where Dolores County and at least 36 other counties declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries after the red-flag law was introduced. But 2 years later, those declarations appear to have had little effect on whether protection orders based on the law are filed or enforced. Petitions for protection orders have been filed in 20 of the 37 sanctuary counties, often by the very sheriffs who had previously denounced the law, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis of the petitions obtained through county-by-county public records requests. These are sheriffs and law enforcement who were originally saying, We want nothing to do with this law, said Lisa Geller, state affairs adviser for the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. But in practice, they are using it, and this is not something thats unique to Colorado. Law enforcement ended up realizing, Hey, this is the best tool we have to protect ourselves. Nineteen states and Washington, D.C., have implemented some form of red-flag law while, according to the website SanctuaryCounties.com, while more than 62% of U.S. counties are now covered by either state or county Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions. Research shows red-flag laws save lives. Duke University researchers found that for every 10 gun removals, one death is prevented. An analysis from the University of Indianapolis found similar reductions in suicide rates after red-flag laws were passed in Connecticut and Indiana. Another analysis, by researchers with the Injury & Violence Prevention Center at the Colorado School of Public Health, found that in the first year of the Colorado red-flag law, 85% of protection orders granted by judges had been filed by law enforcement. A lot of that is because the law enforcement petitions may have been more complete, said Marian Betz, an epidemiologist and deputy director of the center. They had the information that judges needed to move forward with it. Studies in California, Oregon and Washington also found the majority of petitions are filed by law enforcement. Although Californias red-flag law has been in effect for more than five years, two-thirds of the Californians in a 2020 survey had never heard of it. Betz and her team found the same hurdle in Colorado. I hope there will be some improvement in awareness and education, both for the public and also for law enforcement, she said, making it easier for people to understand how they work and when you might want to get one and how you would do that. In Colorado counties where sheriffs have declined to use the red-flag law, protection orders have been filed by other law enforcement agencies. Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams has been one of the more vocal critics of the law and made national news saying hed rather go to jail than enforce it. Nonetheless, 12 petitions were filed in Weld County, including two by municipal police departments. My stance is still the same, Reams said. Under no circumstances am I going to take someones guns in violation of their constitutional rights. Reams describes the law as shallow and doing nothing to address the mental issues that might contribute to violence. Our goal is to address the person and try to figure out how to get the person the help they need, he said. The process for citizens to file extreme risk protection order petitions can be challenging. Many of those reviewed by KHN showed filers didnt understand the red-flag law, including one petition that was filed in the wrong county. Other petitions filed by citizens were clearly outside the intent of the law. Prisoners in county jails filed petitions against their sheriff jailers, including one who accused the sheriff of slavery. A Larimer County woman falsely claimed she had a child in common with a police officer in a bid to have his guns taken away. But judges rejected all those petitions, bolstering supporters argument that protections against misuse are built into the law. We documented the rare few cases of people misusing the law, but those petitions were not allowed, said Betz. That shows that the system worked. During the debate over the Colorado bill, opponents argued the law would allow vindictive people to take guns away from others for no good reason. Were just really not seeing that, said Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. What we are seeing is that law enforcement has a tool to use in cases where someone is truly a risk to themselves or others and shouldnt have a firearm. Even before the Colorado law was passed in 2019, Alamosa Countys Board of County Commissioners passed a Second Amendment sanctuary resolution reinforcing the countys commitment to the right to bear arms. Afterward, Sheriff Robert Jackson issued a statement in support of the resolution, saying the red-flag bill lacked due process, didnt address mental health concerns, and would put his deputies at increased risk. Since then, Alamosa County judges have granted two petitions under the law, one from the county sheriffs office and one from the Alamosa Police Department. Jackson said his concern was over the ability of private citizens to file for protection orders. Law enforcement, he said, files only after looking into the facts. Judges sometimes arent really good at investigating stuff, he said. Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock, one of the most outspoken proponents of the Colorado law, said his office filed four protective orders in the first year of the law. Most of the time when we have people who have extreme mental health crises, unfortunately, theres an outcome of either suicide or homicide, he said. The four cases that weve done, all four of those individuals are alive today and are productive members of our society and are working toward a healthier life. Spurlock said many sheriffs still refuse to make use of a law thats saved lives. He said he has asked some of them pointed questions about what it means to be a Second Amendment sanctuary, such as whether armed robbers and rapists are entitled to guns. Then they get p---ed at me, Spurlock said. My number of friends is dwindling. Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Punta Rocca summit is seen after parts of the Marmolada glacier collapsed in the Italian Alps amid record temperatures, killing at least six people and injuring several, at Marmolada ridge, Italy, July 4, 2022. REUTERS/Borut Zivulovic Zoho Corp, a leading technology firm, has signed a deal with Saudi-based Falak Investment Hub to digitally empower youth and startups in Saudi Arabia and support them in their digital transformation journey. As per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed, Zoho will provide startups associated with the Falak Investment Hub network wallet credit worth $2500, an initiative by the 'Zoho for Startups' programme. The wallet credit can be used for accessing any of its 50+ products. In addition, members of the Falak Investment Hub will get access to learning resources and training workshops by Zoho's team to help them digitise their business. The MoU was signed by Adwa Al Dakheel, Founder and CEO at Falak Investment Hub and Hyther Nizam, President Middle East and Africa at Zoho Corp. Booming ecosystem With a booming ecosystem, a young and ambitious population, and a rising talent landscape, Saudi Arabia is on the forefront of innovation and startup ecosystems in the Mena - and such ecosystems are worthy of local and global partnerships to elevate benchmarks, cultivate entrepreneurial thinking, and inspire greatness from every existing founder and future founder. As long-term users of Zohos superior tools, were proud to formalise and scale this partnership for the betterment of Saudi Arabias local ecosystem. Falak and Zoho are also jointly conducting a series of bootcamp sessions, which will offer hands-on training on low-code, using the platform Zoho Creator, for university students in Saudi who aspire to test their ideas and hone their entrepreneurship skills. This comes as part of Falaks Future Founders programme. The Falaks Future Founders Programme comes as a part of Falaks initiatives to execute its mission of finding, enabling and growing the next unicorn startups of the Mena region. A five-day collaborative and educational event where students can develop and pitch new startup ideas. It's a series of ideation, design thinking, business modeling, market validation, mentorship and pitching sessions. Bootcamp The first bootcamp took place from June 26 to 30 at the Falak Investment Hub which was attended by students from the Prince Sultan University. More than 30 students joined the first cohort with ambition, dedication, and commitment - and they left the 5th day with more than 50+ cumulative ideas and 7 final MVPs that were ideated and developed in the same 5-day period. Nizam commented: "We will provide an added-value to the developers, startup and the entrepreneurship community in Saudi through our unique business offerings. By coming together with a leading partner such as Falak, we aim to train and enable young talents and budding entrepreneurs with the tools needed to stay ahead of the curve. This partnership is part of Zoho's continued efforts to expand operations in the kingdom and extend its 50+ digital offerings to the business community as well as embed digital literacy skills within the academic curriculum, in line with the nation's digital transformation aspirations." Zoho uniquely offers the most comprehensive unified and centralised platform for users to run their entire business in the cloud, eliminating the need for multiple, asynchronous business management applications that do not seamlessly integrate with one another. Unparalleled user experience This eliminates the problem of data silos, multi-vendor contracts and integration hassles. With a privacy-first approach, Zoho offers its users an unparalleled user experience, ensuring their information is securely stored and is not shared with any third-party software, as Zoho does not follow an ad-revenue model.-- TradeArabia News Service More martyrs' remains to be returned to China from ROK Xinhua) 08:24, July 04, 2022 BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The remains of more Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs killed in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea will be returned to China from the Republic of Korea (ROK) in September, China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs said Sunday. It will be the ninth repatriation of the remains of CPV martyrs following the signing of a handover agreement between the two countries. Between 2014 and 2021, the remains of 825 soldiers were returned to China from the ROK, according to official figures. China and the ROK have agreed that both sides will work with each other to properly handle the handover work and further deepen exchanges in this regard, the ministry said in a statement. Almost 200,000 CPV soldiers were confirmed killed in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, with most buried on the Korean Peninsula. (Web editor: Liang Jun, Bianji) Nissan Motor Corporation has announced changes to its management and operational structures across key verticals in the Middle East, aimed at further boosting its successful operations across the region. Under the new structure, which came into effect on July 1, 2022, a newly created Infiniti Middle East business unit will be integrated into the wider Nissan Middle East network. These changes will help advance the Nissan Next transformation plan to drive profitable growth, and build momentum towards Nissan Ambition 2030, the companys long-term vision. Having already a strong presence and heritage in the region, Nissan seeks to place a strategic focus on Infiniti to further consolidate its leadership position and create a strong governance structure. The changes allow both brands to achieve swifter decision-making processes, deliver best-in-class customer experiences, and offer increased support for their retail network, all while keeping their unique brand identities. The move is further said to create exciting career opportunities for employees from both brands. Delivering innovation As of this week, Thierry Sabbagh, currently President of Nissan Saudi Arabia and Managing Director of Nissan Middle East, will now also be responsible for Infiniti Middle East operations. Commenting on the recent changes, Sabbagh said: As the Middle East continues to be increasingly important to Nissan, we remain focused on delivering innovation that creates excitement, high-quality products that people can trust and unique experiences for our customers. I am pleased to see the integration of the Infiniti brand into our regional operations and look forward to delivering strong business growth by drawing on each brands expertise. Infiniti in the Middle East and Nissan operations in Saudi Arabia are instrumental to our presence in the region and I am confident that senior managers appointed to new roles will excel in their respective positions, paving the way towards an exciting future for us in the region. Greater collaborations In addition to placing Sabbagh at the helm of its Middle Eastern operations, the company announced Andrew McLaughlan to be the new Managing Director of Infiniti Middle East. Furthermore, Adib Takieddine, previously Sales Operations, Vehicle Volume Management & Corporate Planning Director at Nissan Middle East, will assume the role of Managing Director at Nissan Saudi Arabia. Both McLaughlan and Takieddine will report to Sabbagh. With these new appointments, Nissan is set to drive greater collaborations, accelerate business growth, and remain committed to provide a diverse range of innovative mobility solutions that enrich peoples lives.-- TradeArabia News Service Re: Among the largest of the flying squirrels is the Japanese giant flying [ #permalink 2 Kudos 1 Bookmarks Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced that Emma Begley has been appointed Director of Global Communications. She has joined the company on July 1. Begley joins Rolls-Royce from BMW UK where she has been General Manager, Product and Internal Communications since 2019. In this role she has been responsible for external communications for the BMW Group and its products, as well as co-ordinating and delivering internal communications within the National Sales Company. Begley first joined the BMW Group in 2014, working at the companys headquarters in Munich where she was spokesperson for the member of the BMW AG Management Board responsible for Customer, Brands and Sales. Ideally suited Torsten Muller-Otvos, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: I am delighted to welcome Emma Begley to the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Board of Directors. She is ideally suited to her new role at Rolls-Royce. Her exceptional experience and proven track record will be invaluable, particularly as we continue to share the story of our bright, bold electric future. Begley began her career at the BBC before moving to Germany in 2002 to pursue a freelance career as a journalist and translator. She holds an Honours Degree in English and French and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism. She will be based at The Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood. Begley replaces Richard Carter, the companys longest-serving Board Director. Richard has made an exceptional contribution to the global success of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and he departs after a successful 14-year tenure to pursue alternative, further business interests.-- TradeArabia News Service UNC-Chapel Hill has appointed Nancy Messonnier, a former senior official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who outraged President Donald Trump when she publicly raised alarms of the unprecedented health crisis from coronavirus, as the new dean of the Gillings School of Global Public Health. Messonniers leadership and education in health were pivotal in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout despite differences with top White House officials who were downplaying the severity of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020. She had worked with the CDC from 1995 until 2021, when she resigned as director of the National Center of Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. At the forefront of the then-unknown respiratory disease in late 2019, Messonnier was among the first U.S. officials to warn of coronavirus danger. While we realize this is an unprecedented action, this is an unprecedented threat, Messonnier said in January 2020. In February, she said the disruption to everyday life could be severe, which triggered a stock market drop as pandemic fears grew. Messonniers projection also brought her to Trumps attention. He tried to have her fired and, the next day, put Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the White Houses response to the pandemic. Though she had appeared in several White House briefings on the pandemic in 2019 and early 2020, Messonnier was sidelined and she appeared only intermittently. But she remained the head of the CDCs vaccine task force and continued to make the agencys public briefings. In late 2020, she oversaw and implemented the first shipment of authorized vaccines throughout the country. Messonnier eventually resigned from the CDC and joined the Skoll Foundation, a California private foundation that invests in entrepreneurs and inventors to advance pandemic and public health systems. Messonniers appointment at UNC will begin on Sept. 1 and bring to Carolina more than 25 years of experience as a leader in public health, according to a school news release. Messonnier joins the Gillings School during an exciting time of success, the university said in the release. Since 2016, the school has received more than $1 billion in funding, making it the top public school of public health in the country. This funding supports groundbreaking research, education and practice in all 100 North Carolina counties, 47 countries and five continents, the university said in the release. According to UNCs announcement, Messonnier previously led the development of several vaccines, including those to prevent a meningitis epidemic in Africa and to defend against anthrax attacks. She is also dedicated to educating vaccine usage and addressing disparities in vaccination rates. Messonniers expertise aligns with the Gillings Schools public health research, including health equity, vaccine development and chronic diseases, according to the UNC website. RALEIGH Enrollment in North Carolina private schools grew by the largest number in 50 years, while the number of students who are educated at home dropped. New figures released Friday by the state Division of Non-Public Education show private school enrollment rose by 7,970 students in the 2021-22 school year. Its a number not seen since 1971, when 11,764 additional students enrolled in private schools during the fight over public school integration. There are now 115,311 students attending private schools a 7.4% increase from the prior year. The enrollment surge coincides with legislative changes made in recent years that made it easier for families to get taxpayer money to attend private schools. We should be looking to allow taxpaying citizens to get access to tax dollars to access the school of their choice, said Brian Jodice, executive vice president of Parents for Education Freedom in North Carolina. But Heather Koons, a spokeswoman for a group called Public Schools First N.C., said this support for private schools has come at a price. We should be putting our focus on creating high-quality public schools instead of passing things out to private schools that are unaccountable, Koons said. Also Friday, the Division of Non-Public Education released figures showing 160,528 students were home-schooled during the 2021-22 school year. Thats 19,000 students fewer than the prior year. Home schooling had soared by more than 30,000 students in the 2020-21 school year during the COVID-19 pandemic. But Spencer Mason, law and policy director for North Carolinians for Home Education, said this years 10.8% drop in enrollment isnt the result of less interest in homeschooling. He said state staff removed 17,000 long-running schools from their records after a review found parents had not notified the state that they had stopped home schooling. The General Assembly has been on their backs to get more accurate numbers and they are now, Mason said in an interview Friday. With the defunct schools off the books, Mason said he expects enrollment will increase for the coming school year. The new state figures come at a time when traditional public schools have been struggling with declining enrollments. That decline has coincided with how the Republican-led General Assembly lifted the cap on charter schools and started something called the Opportunity Scholarship program to help families pay for private schools. Enrollment in traditional public schools was up 0.8% in the 2021-22 school year compared to the prior year. But enrollment is 4.3% less than what it was in the 2019-20 school year. Unlike the last two years, state lawmakers didnt include in the new budget a hold harmless provision to protect school districts from funding cuts if they have fewer students than projected. North Carolinas 115 school districts educated 76.8% of the states 1.7 million K-12 students this past school year. It was at 86.5% in 2010 before the state expanded school choice options. Enrollment was declining in the states private schools before lawmakers created the Opportunity Scholarship program. But a rise in voucher recipients has occurred at the same time as more students are attending private schools. The Opportunity Scholarship program served 20,372 students in the 2021-22 school year and could see a 28% increase for this fall, according to Rep. Jeffrey Elmore, a Wilkes County Republican. He pointed to the increase to justify GOP lawmakers adding $56 million to the program in the new budget and for expanding who can get a voucher. The program was initially marketed as an effort to help lower-income families get access to more school options. However, the new state budget makes it possible for a family of four earning $100,000 a year to get a voucher. Jodice said the new state budget will help more parents pick the right educational choice for their children. Each voucher is worth more than $6,000 a year. With the widening of the eligibility, youre going to continue to see that shift because more families are finding ways to get their kids into the private school of their choice, he said. But Rep. Rachel Hunt, a Mecklenburg County Democrat, said the money going to vouchers could instead help public schools hire more teachers, social workers, counselors and nurses. We have many, many needs in education in North Carolina, Hunt said during this weeks budget debate. We dont have the money. Except we do have the money. Were just choosing not to spend it that way. A flash flood hit Lewis and Clark County on Sunday evening, pelting the ground with hail and sending a small river of rainwater rising to wheel wells and lapping at doors at businesses in the downtown Helena area. Among the places reporting damage were the YWCA Helena and Lewis & Clark Library. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood had warning for the county until 9:15 p.m. Sunday. Up to 1 inch of rain has fallen, the NWS stated. Flash flooding is already occurring. Matt Ludwig, meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said officials were aware of a chance of severe thunderstorms, but thought it would hit south of Helena. He said it appeared to be a super cell thunderstorm that crossed the Continental Divide. "This is a dangerous and life-threatening situation," weather officials said. Places that saw flash flooding included Helena, East Helena and Spring Meadow Lake State Park. Postings on social media showed a small river flowing down Last Chance Gulch and floodwaters slapping up against the doors of businesses. Ludwig said there were also reports of flooding along Winnie Avenue. Weather service officials warned the heavy rain would impact creeks, streams, urban areas and underpasses. Helena Fire Chief Jon Campbell said he had heard through his team that the 911 center received so many calls that the volume, along with weather, had affected the system. He said there were dozens of calls of trees down and pending welfare and other calls. He said many people were able to resolve the issues themselves. He said there was a report of people trapped on Mount Helena, but they were able to get off the mountain before rescuers arrived. Campbell said there were also several reports of flooding among residents and businesses along the citys downtown. The main house of the YWCA Helena was among the harder-hit places reporting flooding in its basement. Executive Director Jen Gursky said there was one to two inches of standing water in 2,000 square feet of space. She said several mattresses and childrens beds were ruined. I think everything in there is a complete loss, she said. It is also an area with hardwood floors where childrens classes, parenting classes and other classes are held. The basement is a sad place to flood because it is where we keep all of our storage, all of our baby stuff, Gursky said. She said a water restoration company was called out to help with the damage and fans are set up throughout the area. Gursky and Kellie Dold, director of development and marketing for YWCA Helena, made a plea on Facebook for help from the community. We are experiencing some flooding in our basement and were reaching out to you for help, Gursky said. Dold said they would be grateful for any donation to help with the flooding. People can donate at YWCAhelena.org/donate. Patricia Spencer, Lewis & Clark Library spokeswoman, said the library sustained mild water damage and no books were destroyed. She said water came in from Last Chance Gulch on the southeast side of the building. She said the maintenance crew responded quickly. The library has recently undergone $6 million in renovations. Everyones stomach sort of fell when they heard about the flooding, she said. Spencer said the library plans to reopen at noon Tuesday. To support Lewis & Clark Library, visit www.lclibrary.org/233/Support-the-Library. Montana Book Co. at 331 N. Last Chance Gulch posted Sunday on social media that it had survived that "freak flood" just fine. "Cannot say that for everyone," the business said on Twitter. "Backed-up toilets, standing water, flooded basements around downtown. Be patient as folks get things cleaned up." Gov. Greg Gianforte commented on the flood and said on social medial Monday that state employees with General Services Division are assessing the extent of damage to buildings in the Capitol Complex. Ludwig said the storm moved on to northern Meagher County. Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton said he had heard some reports of flooding in Helena, but none in the county outside of town. The weather service urged people to be cautious while driving and encountering flooded roads. "Turn around, don't drown ... Most flood deaths occur in vehicles," weather officials said. The Helena Area Community Foundation, in partnership with the United Way of the Lewis and Clark Area, opened a fund to provide emergency funding to local nonprofits impacted by the flooding. Both HACF and United Way will update websites as local needs are assessed. A nonprofit that has had damage should contact Emily Frazier at emilyf@helenaareacommunityfoundation.org and let her know what supplies are needed in order to share that information with the community. Funds donated to this campaign will be distributed as grants to local nonprofits. If, for any reason, more funding is raised than is needed for flash flood relief, those funds will be retained until another emergency impacts our community. For more information, contact Frazier at emilyf@helenaareacommunityfoundation.org or (406) 459-0928. FILE PHOTO: Leadership New Braunfels Class of 2019 is the program's 27th class to graduate. The Class of 2019 graduated Tuesday afternoon and were recognized over a luncheon reception put on by the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce at T Bar M. A Hickory man drowned in the water off Oak Island and a handful of other swimmers in the area required assistance Sunday, authorities said. A news release from the town of Oak Island said emergency responders were called out for reports of swimmers in distress Sunday afternoon around 2 p.m. First responders 52-year-old Kevin Whitley, of Hickory, had been pulled to shore and bystanders were administering CPR. Emergency medical personnel tried to resuscitate him for over 30 minutes before pronouncing Whitley dead, the news release said. Sundays deadly incident was among more than a half dozen calls for help in the Oak Island and Caswell Beach areas as of late Sunday afternoon, the town said. The town did not confirm that Whitleys death and the other calls were related to the rip currents. The water was unsettled from Tropical Storm Colin and officials upgraded the beach warning system to a red flag Sunday afternoon, indicating a high risk of rip and longshore currents and dangerous surf conditions. The storm formed along the South Carolina coast on Saturday morning and by late Saturday night had weakened into a tropical depression. Beachgoers should stay out of the water, as there is no safe water depth identified on RED flag days, the towns news release said. TV station WECT reports Sundays drowning is the fourth at Oak Island this year. GUEST OPINION: Breach and Attack Simulation is the tool that evaluates the strength of your cybersecurity by simulating attacks against your system. As chief security officer Window Snyder states, One single vulnerability is all an attacker needs. Unless you get targeted by hackers, how can you know whether your system has weaknesses that could be exploited and lead to data leaks and unauthorized use of credentials? One way to put your security to the test is with Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS). How does it uncover flaws in the system, and how can it aid you as you determine the next steps in the strengthening of your cyber defenses? What is Breach and Attack Simulation? Breach and Attack Simulation is a method of testing systems for weaknesses that could lead to major incidents. The attacks are simulated in a safe environment and their purpose is to reveal any flaws in your security. Common weaknesses include weak passwords, cybersecurity tools that dont run correctly, and misconfigured clouds. BAS approaches security as a threat actor and tries to get into the system by using the weak spots in the tools that you use to safeguard the network. Following the simulated attack is a report that separates high-risk threats from low-risk ones and offers actionable advice for IT teams. How does BAS assess your system? It tests the tools you have to protect your most important assets, security tools, people that use the network, and protocols that you have to adhere to as a business. One technique BAS can use to test employees is purple teaming. It tests cybersecurity experts to reveal any biases in their decision-making and teaches them to think like an adversary. However, you can also benefit from testing the employees that arent very tech-savvy. While theyre great at their jobs, one slip-up might unintentionally put the company to risk. For example, BAS might imitate a phishing attack to test whether the malicious email can bypass your email filters and whether your employees will recognize this common attack. If successful, the simulated attack reveals that your business can be breached and that it has major flaws that need patching up. Besides malware and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS), phishing is the most common attack that targets businesses, both large and small. Therefore, testing to reveal if your system can hold its own against them is the starting point. Hackers come up with new methods every day. How can you be prepared for something your system isnt expecting? For the assessment to be thorough, BAS tests the security of your assets for both well-known and new hacking methods that are shown in the MITRE ATT&CK Framework. How does BAS compare to pentesting? An alternative to BAS is the traditional way of assessing if your system is ready for a cyberattack is penetration testing (also known as pentesting). Penetration testing is conducted by cybersecurity experts and companies invest in it once or twice a year. They choose the part of the system which they evaluate could be vulnerable and test it to uncover flaws. The issue is that attack surfaces change within minutes. Although pen testing is thorough, it falls short because it can leave the system with vulnerabilities for months on end. Compared to pen testing, Breach and Attack Simulation tests your system continuously (24/7), automatically, and its much more cost-effective compared to hiring experts. What are the next steps after the report? The forensic report of a simulated attack helps you to put your priorities in order and informs you of the next steps that are going to strengthen your security. IT teams are often inundated with alerts and notifications if the system detects any low-risk or high-risk security issues. Because of their frequency, they tend to discard many of them as false positives and potentially harmful attacks can go under their radar. Instead of being overwhelmed with multiple false positives, the BAS report informs them of the high-risk flaws that are likely to result in an incident. After getting the document, teams consider the suggested actions and fix the flaws by applying the top to bottom approach. They start with the most pressing issues and work their way towards less concerning threats. In case the problems are recurring, its important to get to the root of the issue: Do you have security points for all devices that you use within the company, including remote workers laptops and mobile phones? Does the company culture make teams feel free to report possible cyber breaches or unauthorized access? Is the cause of the vulnerability in the misconfigured cybersecurity tools? Further steps might require additional cybersecurity training for your teams, mitigation of the attack, removing the malware from the system, or adding more tools to cover the attack surface area that hasnt been protected. Training could refer to both your IT experts that make errors while using the tools you have and employees that arent responsible for security but could benefit from knowing the basics. Staying one step ahead of hackers In a nutshell, Breach and Attack Simulation is a tool that attacks the system to discover any vulnerabilities before hackers do. Early discovery of flaws in the system is the key to strong security for any company. The more time hackers have to exploit weaknesses in your system, or be in the network without you noticing makes the aftermath worse for your organization. The tools that businesses use to protect their companies and the people they have to manage the security differ greatly from one company to another. However, most have a similar overall approach to security that includes setting up layered protection of tools that cover all devices and systems and their continual management. Regular cyber hygiene includes scanning for any new weaknesses in the system or the attempted cyber threats, mitigating said problems, and fixing the flaws that have been discovered. Repetition of these steps keeps companies secure and one step ahead of ill-meaning cybercriminals. CHARLESTON Alan and Becky Metzger have been farming together ever since they were married in 1981 and began working full time on their family's fields near Charleston. Sunday evening, the Metzgers stepped onto the Red, White & Blue Days stage together as they were jointly honored as the Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce Farmers of the Year. "I have to thank Becky. She has been alongside me my entire farming career," Alan Metzger said on stage. He added afterwards that, "You rarely see one of us without the other. We truly have been a family farm." Emcee Matt Piescinski, reading the award announcement, noted that both honorees joined the Coles County Young Farmers in their late teens and that they even went to a Young Farmers' meeting on their second date. Two years after marrying, the Metzgers were named the 1983 Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative's young couple of the year. The Metzgers were also jointly honored as Coles County Farm Bureau outstanding members in 2011. Alan Metzger served as president of the Farm Bureau for 15 years and was a board member for 36 years, among many other positions with community groups. Becky Metzger, who volunteers regularly at the local pantry and donates her handmade crafts to fundraising auctions, worked for many years as a secretary at Carl Sandburg Elementary School and as a staff member at Lifetime Eye Care in Charleston. The two of them both have leadership roles within Wesley United Methodist Church and have served as liaisons with the Honor Flight program that takes veterans to see the monuments in Washington, D.C. "We don't do these things to get applause. We do them because it's the right thing to do. That's our mantra," Becky Metzger said after the announcement. Piescinski read that their love of volunteerism is no surprise to anyone that has known their parents. He said Jim and Evelyn Metzger, and John and Nancy Swinford taught them from a young age to be leaders and give back to their communities. The honorees have passed this tradition of service on to their children and grandchildren. The Metzgers were greeted back stage by handshakes and hugs from their friends and extended family. Their grandchildren squealed with excitement when they heard that their grandparents would get to ride in the Fourth of July parade at 1 p.m. Monday. Alan Metzger thanked their support network of family, including his brother, Stan, as well as their landlords, farm workers and suppliers, for taking good care of them. He also thanked the Red, White & Blue Days organizers and the Chamber for the honor, noting that his father was a past recipient of the Farmer of the Year award. "It means a lot to be honored alongside him," Alan Metzger said. Following the announcement of its rebranding, homegrown Kuwaiti luxury retailer, Trafalgar Luxury Group has announced its internal senior leadership reshuffle to lead the revised vision and five strategic ambitions to ensure it is being implemented across the group. Having announced three distinct verticals - Watches and Jewellery; Fashion and Technology - a dedicated team is specific to each vertical to guarantee strategic and operational agility. This is in line with Trafalgar Luxury Groups market expansion plans for fast-paced adaptability in an ever-evolving landscape to guarantee it puts its customers needs at the forefront, said a statement from the Kuwaiti luxury retailer. This conversion also aligns with the groups plans to acquire further unique brands in the near future who share in their vision, it stated. The leadership restructuring comes as a part of the luxury groups '50 years of Trafalgar' this year, with a focus on building its sustainable future and continuing in its journey as a leading luxury retailer within the region. As part of the revamp, Wael Shorbaji, the general manager, has been elevated to the position of Chief Operation Officer. Having been with the group since 1992, Shorbajis new role will be to support the spearheading of store openings across the region. Paul Kupelian, the regional head of retail, will now contribute to the groups strategic growth as the Chief Commercial Officer, while Christiane Al Ansari, who has been a part of Trafalgars core team since 1999, takes on the role of Creative Director. She had played a huge role in elevating the fashion vertical and will continue to pave the way for the luxury retailer's progress. Driving the top-line revenue as the Chief Retail Officer is Nicholas Welch, having wrapped up ten years with Trafalgar Luxury Group previously as the Business Head. The luxury retailers finances will be looked after by Sweta Chipra who brings 22 years of experience in her field and has been with the company for over three years. Leading the Groups employee-focus objectives will be Emad Khemane as Chief Human Resources Officer, previously Regional Human Resources Director at Trafalgar. Having been with the group for more than 15 years, Khemane is best placed to implement the well set-out inclusivity, diversity and developmental practices including employee health, social, and financial well-being at Trafalgar Luxury Group, with a focus on Trafalgar Luxury Group becoming an employer of choice. As a family-owned group, the people are at the centre of what Trafalgar Luxury Group does, with this being the key to their success. The restructuring of the business verticals and the leadership team is just the first step in supporting their expansion goals. Each will lead their divisions in the business to oversee the successful mobilisation of five strategic ambitions: commitment, integrity, excellence, evolution, and sense of belonging. This is in line with Trafalgar Luxury Groups core strategy to redefine luxury for consumers, brands and employees. Alongside the company restructure, the Group continues to be supported by its portfolio of luxury brands, including Chopard, Bvlgari, Apple, TAG Heuer, and Aigner. New partnerships for the group include Furla, Bimba Y Lola, and Richemont Group (Time Vallee). Kuwait will remain a key hub for Trafalgar Luxury Group as its country of origin. At the same time, it will continue to maintain its philosophy and strategic aspirations to grow the company regionally into Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and UAE.-TradeArabia News Service Nearly a week later, police are releasing more details about a bizarre incident at Target, saying for the first time that someone was actually shot during the incident. The incident itself prompted an unusual late night press conference from Police Chief Catrina Thompson where she declined to disclose that the subject of the press conference was indeed the Target assault. That now appears to be the case. Police initially said a man told them that he was approached by three other men inside the store about 8:30 p.m. June 28, and that after they started assaulting him, he pulled a gun and fired one round in a bid to stop the assault. Dontaye Kentrell Wade, 25, who told police he fired the shot, told authorities that the three men continued their assault, took his gun away from him, and ran out of the store. Officers interviewed Wade after he showed up at a local hospital with injuries to his head and face. Wade told officers that he was struck multiple times around the head and face by the men. Wade told police he drove home after the assault, then went to a local hospital to be examined. Police said Wades injuries were considered minor and that he was released from the hospital after getting treatment. Police said on Sunday night that, through interviews, surveillance and social media, the three men involved have been identified as Jay Cameron Carnicom, 28, of Freemont, Ohio; Joshua Alvin Michael Mundy, 29, of Freemont, Ohio; and Jason Doane Chipps 37, of Marion. The three men are associated with a group called DAP (Dads Against Predators) on social media, police said. During the course of the investigation, it has been discovered the three males lured the victim to the Target utilizing a social media app called Meet Up, police said. Once the victim arrived inside the Target, the three males approached the victim and confronted him as to why he was at the Target. Police did not say why Wade was targeted by the three men. Wade has not been charged with any crime. One of the men recorded the interaction when Wade slapped the phone away, which resulted in a physical altercation, police said. During that fight, Wade brandished a handgun and fired once, striking Carnicom in the lower leg, police said. The men then took Wades gun and fled Target on foot before entering a vehicle with Ohio tags. Wade also fled the store but later that same night arrived at a Forsyth County hospital for injuries sustained during the assault. Around 3:13 a.m. on June 29, police received information that led to the recovery of the gun on Sunderland Road. Later that day, about 11 a.m., police were contacted by law enforcement in Ohio confirming Carnicom had arrived at a hospital there. He had a gunshot wound to his leg. He was treated and released. The investigation is still ongoing, police said. Police havent announced any charges in this case. During the press conference the next day, Thompson warned city residents about the challenges that vigilante groups, including groups in the Triad, can create for law enforcement. The intentions of these groups may be honorable, Thompson said at a news conference at the Beaty Public Safety Training Center on Patterson Avenue. Members of these groups dont have the training of law enforcement officers, Thompson said. Their methods of investigation and gathering evidence typically dont meet the requirements of a successful prosecution of these cases, she said. Thompson encouraged citizens groups to contact the Winston-Salem Police Department instead of taking matters into their own hands. Anyone with any information regarding this investigation is asked to call the Winston-Salem Police Department at 336-773-7700 or Crime Stoppers, either at 336-727-2800, or En Espanol 336-728-3904. Construction has started on what will be one of the largest affordable housing projects in Lincoln in recent history. The Annex Group announced Tuesday that it has secured necessary funding and work has begun on Union at Middle Creek, a 192-unit apartment complex on 14 acres at 2643 W. Timberlake Drive, which is near Southwest 27th and West B streets. The complex will have one-, two- and three-bedroom units targeted to people making no more than 60% of Lincoln's median income, which as of 2020 was $33,768 for one person and $48,240 for a family of four. It also will have amenities that include a clubhouse, fitness center, nature trail, a balcony or patio for all units and limited private carport parking. In December, the City Council approved issuing $30 million in housing revenue bonds for the $34.4 million project, which the Annex Group will pay off in large part using federal housing tax credits. While the city acts as a conduit to facilitate the bonds, it does not have any financial liability for them. Union at Middle Creek is the third project to take advantage of the bonds since the city adopted its Coordinated Affordable Housing Action Plan in 2020, and it is by far the largest. The others are Gatehouse Rows, a 98-unit complex at 36th and R streets, and a 94-unit complex at the former Veterans Hospital near 70th and O streets. This is the first project in Nebraska for the Annex Group, which has developed affordable housing projects in other college towns, where company representatives say affordable housing for working residents is often lacking. When developing properties, we first and foremost look at the housing need in the area, Kyle Bach, CEO of the Annex Group, said in a news release. Due to a number of reasons including the prominence of the University of Nebraska that employs a large percentage of the local population, but also puts a strain on the rental market we knew Lincoln was a good fit for more rental housing that is affordable." The company, which is based in Indiana, said it expects the complex to open sometime in early 2024. The past year has been successful but also challenging for Lincoln's two HobbyTown stores. Demand and sales have been strong, but the stores have also had to deal with ongoing supply chain issues that at times have left them without certain products, said local franchisee Dan Schmidt. But Schmidt and his staff have persevered, and their hard work has been noticed. Schmidt and his two stores have been named among this year's America's Retail Champions, an honor Schmidt called "pretty cool." "It's fun to kind of see the hard work we put in getting validated," he said. The National Retail Federation annually honors small retailers who are exceptional champions for retail and the communities they serve. There were 34 named this year, including two from Nebraska. The other honoree was Master's Hand, a candle and gift shop in Tekamah. Owner Susie Robison said she started the business in her kitchen in 2003 and moved to the current location in 2008. "What an honor," she said of being named a retail champion. "I'm humbled and I'm blown away." Rich Otto, vice president of advocacy for the Nebraska Retail Federation, said the fact that Nebraska had two retailers honored out of the 34 "is testament to the innovation, creativity, and plain hard work of Nebraska retailers." "Just surviving COVID was a heavy lift," Otto said. "These two represent many retailers in our state who have come through even stronger than before." Schmidt and Robison both get to go to the National Retail Federation's Retail Advocacy Summit on July 27-28 in Washington, D.C., where the finalists will vie for the ultimate title of America's Retail Champion. Robinson, who's never been to the city, said she's both "excited and terrified." "I'm just a country girl going to the big city, so I hope I don't get lost," she said. Check out the counties with the most college graduates in Nebraska using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. WAVERLY The sun was beating down on Fathers Day afternoon, when five Waverly Boy Scouts saw more than a decade of hard work reflected in a silver badge and a new distinction reserved for a select few: Eagle Scout. The temperature touched triple digits, and a sharp wind blew from the southeast, threatening to knock down the boys Trail to Eagle photo shrines under a pavilion on the Camp Ashland National Guard grounds. But if they had learned anything since joining Scouts as kids, the five young men were nothing if not prepared. The new Eagle Scouts Dominic Delahoyde, Landon Wyman, Jack Michael and brothers Ben Hartman and Zac Hartman have known each other since their Cub Scout days, when the thought of becoming an Eagle Scout was no more than an abstraction. Its estimated that only four of every 100 Cub Scouts earns their Eagle Scout badge. But Wyman says it was his plan from the beginning. As a Cub Scout, I always said I wanted to be an Eagle Scout, he said during his speech at the Eagle Scout Court of Honor Ceremony. To earn the title of Eagle Scout, one must advance through the first six stages of Boy Scouts Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star and Life and earn 21 merit badges, 12 of which are requirements. Those include badges for personal fitness, lifesaving, communications, environmental science, first aid and citizenship in the community, nation and world. From there, a Scout must serve in a leadership role in their troop and complete a service project with the intention of aiding a community or religious group. Michael built a new playset at Bethlehem Covenant Church near Waverly to replace a worn-out wooden set. Delahoyde and the Hartman brothers completed landscaping projects at their churches. And Wyman installed 50 new plant identification signs in the Wayne Park Arboretum to replace others that were damaged. Despite the extensive list of requirements, the five boys said the end goal of reaching the Eagle Scout rank was always in sight. According to former Troop 76 Scoutmaster Jerry Thraen, who gave the Eagle Charge speech at the Honor Ceremony, the boys duty now is to practice what it means to be an Eagle Scout in their daily lives. The Scout Oath and Scout Law should take on new meanings, he said. Becoming an Eagle Scout is a great accomplishment. Living as an Eagle Scout is a great responsibility, Thraen said. An Eagle Scout has five responsibilities, Thraen said: to pursue and live in honor, loyalty, courage, service and vision. Each pillar is represented with a symbol on the Eagle Scout badge. As a leader, you must now blaze your own trail, Thraen said. You must look far into the future. Many people will follow you. Only with vision will you lead them in the right direction. Whether its sunk in yet how the boys scouting experiences will impact their lives, Thraen said the pillars represented on the badge will lead them down the right path. What is important as you move forward, if you stick to the Eagle Charge, youll be successful in everything you do, Thraen said. What makes their ascendance to the highest scout rank more impressive, said Master of Ceremonies Brian Johnson, is that the boys completed their Eagle Scout projects at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which limited their access to supplies and outside help. They had a completely different challenge that they had to (work through) while they were doing this, Johnson said. To commemorate their achievement, Waverly Mayor Bill Gerdes made proclamations for each scout and designated five dates in late June as holidays in Waverly. June 20 was Dominic Delahoyde Day, June 21 was Zac Hartman Day, June 22 was Ben Hartman Day, June 23 was Jack Michael Day and June 24 was Landon Wyman Day. Like a graduation ceremony, the Eagle Scout Court Honor Ceremony signifies the end of a chapter in life and releases young people into the world to apply the skills theyve learned. The five new Eagle Scouts still have their high school graduations ahead of them, but the self-motivation that went into earning their badges will bear more personal significance. Unlike graduating high school or college, you dont have to finish so many classes, Ben Hartman said. Its pretty much all on your own time. You have to work for it until you get it. This is all self-driven, Delahoyde said. In their own speeches, though, the boys had many people to thank for helping them get to this point parents, grandparents, friends, scoutmasters and their fellow scouts. Delahoyde, Michael, Wyman and the Hartman brothers followed the Trail to Eagle together, joining each other for meetings, fundraisers and remote camping trips. Their favorite scouting experience was a consensus a trip to the Boundary Waters canoeing area in Minnesota, where they camped and floated for a week in the wilderness. They embarked on the trip and returned together in one piece. To reach the Eagle Scout rank in the same year was meaningful for them. We can be like, We did this, Zac Hartman said. Its not just me. As the temperatures climbed Monday, hundreds of people took to the steps of the Nebraska State Capitol in protest of the U.S. Supreme Court's overturn of Roe v. Wade last month. After the rally kicked off with chants of "My body, my choice," Penny Greer, a pastor at the United Church of Christ, said the Fourth of July usually is a family-and-friends day spent privately at home. "But we're here publicly because of who we are and what we care for," she said to a cheering crowd that extended across K street. Greer said when the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case came down in 1973, striking down a Texas ban on abortions and finding women had a fundamental right to choose, she knew it would be a "total game-changer." "Abortion is health care," she said. Greer called on rally-goers to organize and fight. A trail of speakers followed, including Robin Richards, a candidate for Legislative District 12 in Omaha, who said the crowd was a beacon of hope to people who have been silenced. She encouraged people to be aware of the bills being introduced in the Legislature and offer testimony to let politicians know what they think. "The courts have turned this into a local-control issue. So let's show them what the locals want," Richards said to yells of support. Lancaster County Commissioner Christa Yoakum said activists need to take action. She told rally-goers to show up at Nebraska's anticipated special session, which Gov. Pete Ricketts said he would likely call to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade were overturned, talk to their state senators and donate time or money to get politicians who support reproductive rights elected. With "The salvation of the state is watchfulness in the citizen" carved in the doorway of the Capitol behind her, Andrea Evans of the Lincoln Women's March read a poem dedicated to her daughters and granddaughters, and all daughters and granddaughters. "We are definitely not your chattel nor your property. Let go of me. Set women free," she said to screams. On the edge of the crowd, a Lincoln woman stood by a stroller with her 6-month-old daughter smiling up at her. "She deserves to have the America that I had for the last 33 years. I worry about her future," said Brittany, who declined to give her last name. It was her third time out protesting. She said she believes that women have rights in this country and that everybody should stand for that. "That's what the real America is," she said. Cautious is the approach that Sen. John McCollister of Omaha chooses as he peers ahead on America's 246th birthday. The independent-minded Republican lawmaker who is completing his final year in the nonpartisan Legislature sees the U.S. Supreme Court "moving to the right" while, although he acknowledges that it's too early to know, former President Donald Trump's star "may be fading." And in the wake of the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol last year by Trump supporters who wanted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, McCollister says the ground may be moving now in a House congressional hearing room, in court proceedings and in a U.S. Department of Justice probe although there is no finish line or final result in sight. McCollister has had a national platform on Twitter since he stepped out front as an early Republican voice challenging Trump during his presidency. His number of @SenMcCollister followers on Twitter suddenly jumped to more than 52,000, giving him an online voice. "The Republican Party used to be pro-choice," McCollister stated in a recent tweet in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that had guaranteed a woman's right to choose to have an abortion. "What we are witnessing today is the result of a TAKEOVER of the party by extremists who want to impose Christian theocracy in America," he wrote. Five days earlier, McCollister tweeted: "If you are a Republican politician who CONTINUES to bury your head in the sand to Donald Trump's criminality, you are complicit. History will not remember you fondly." "Donald Trump is a mob boss," he tweeted on the same day. McCollister, the son of former Republican Rep. John Y. McCollister of Omaha, who served in the House of Representatives from 1971 to 1977, believes the party has strayed from its roots and abandoned many of its fundamental principles since Trump was elected president in 2016. And now, he says, Trump nominees to the Supreme Court have helped turn women into "second-class citizens." A recent series of rulings by the newly reconstructed high court with three justices appointed by Trump have been "kind of shocking," McCollister said during a telephone interview while he was on vacation with family members in New Hampshire. Those decisions have impacted abortion rights, religious liberty and the nation's ability to adequately address environmental concerns, he said. Asked if he has a preference for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, McCollister pointed to Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah as "a man who has political courage, and that's a rare thing" in today's political arena. But the prospect of Romney as the GOP nominee is "not likely," McCollister noted. He was the nominee in 2012, but that was before the party made a sharp turn to Trump in 2016. In any event, McCollister said, he plans to remain a Republican committed to traditional party values and principles, "much to the chagrin of some." McCollister said he leaves the Legislature after eight years with mixed emotions. "It's been a fun ride," he said. "The five RINOS are finally leaving," he suggested with a laugh, referring to a number of departing senators who are Republicans but have acted in a nonpartisan manner as members of the Legislature. RINO is the critical term used by Republican partisans to label those who they describe as Republicans in Name Only. McCollister is positioned now to move on to an elected seat on the Metropolitan Utilities District board of directors in Omaha, a post where he noted that he can be helpful to Lincoln as it begins to look for additional water resources to help secure the city's future growth. A boy was killed when a portion of the roof collapsed into the pool area of a York hotel on Sunday night, authorities said. Crews were called to the Hampton Inn just north of Interstate 80 around 9 p.m. By the time firefighters, medics and local law enforcement arrived, the pool area had been evacuated, however, one victim was found dead at the scene. In a news release issued Monday, the York Police Department said the boy "was trapped inside the pool room beneath debris. This male was determined to be the only trapped person and was found to be deceased. The boy's name has not yet been released. Investigating agencies include the Nebraska State Fire Marshals office. The hotel was evacuated. Approximately 40 guests were relocated to other hotels. Fire department officials were assisted by Moguls Towing and Hitz Towing in stabilizing the collapsed area, the York News-Times reported. On Monday morning, firefighters returned to the scene to assist with the removal of debris. It's unclear what caused the roof to collapse. At 8:55 p.m., the York airport reported partly cloudy skies with a southeast breeze at 12 mph. According to information from the York County Assessor's office, the hotel was built in 2009. It's owned by Benjo, a limited liability corporation that lists a Norfolk address. ASHLAND This vaccination clinic had no tears and no Band-Aids. And in lieu of a lollipop for being a good sport, patients got tender chunks of raw beef. (Or in Diesels case, beef liver.) Six Amur tigers received booster doses of a COVID-19 vaccination designed for animals Friday at the Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park near Ashland. The tigers, which are part of a breeding program, were among a handful of felines both at Omahas Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium and kept behind the scenes at the park to receive the vaccines. Zoo staff acquired 20 doses of an experimental vaccine in a second round of distribution from the Zoetis company, said Dr. Sarah Woodhouse, director of animal health at both the safari park and the zoo. In addition to tigers that live on the safari park property, vaccines also have been given at the zoo to tigers, snow leopards, a bobcat and a black-footed cat. Zoo staff started working with Zoetis in late September to secure doses in the companys second round of vaccine distribution. Part of the reason they waited for a later round of doses, Woodhouse said, was because COVID rates initially werent high in the Omaha metro area. While still experimental, the vaccine has been administered to animals at several U.S. zoos. Those zoos did not report any significant adverse effects. Because its experimental, Woodhouse said, specific permits for each species had to be sought from the USDA for each facility using the vaccines. The Henry Doorly Zoo initially applied for felines and otters. Staff opted to prioritize big cats at the zoo and safari park because of how susceptible felines are to contracting the virus. This past week, a 14-year-old tiger died from complications related to COVID at an Ohio zoo. Staff at the Omaha zoo and safari park had to decide which cats should receive the vaccines. They considered things such as susceptibility, risk of contracting the virus and genetics. The bobcat that lives in the Desert Dome is in the same space as hundreds of visitors each day, bumping him onto the priority list. Tigers at the safari park are genetically valuable, pushing them up on the list. Their genes arent yet represented in the North American tiger population. Meanwhile, the 20 cheetahs that live at the safari park in the breeding program dont interact with people other than their keepers. That kept them from getting a vaccine dose this round. Its important to preserve the tigers. About 100 Amur tigers are held in North American zoos. Only 11 cubs were born in the last year, said Dan Cassidy, vice president of animal management at both the zoo and safari park. The tigers have yet to produce cubs at the safari park, but breeding can be a tricky and time-consuming process. Woodhouse said she is used to prioritizing animal health. But because COVID-19 can be transmitted between humans and animals, she has been after her staff to stay healthy and get vaccinated and boosted. Precautions still are in place behind the scenes, with keepers wearing masks around felines, primates and a handful of other species that are especially susceptible to the virus. Keepers masked up Friday as they entered the gate to the tiger breeding area at the safari park. Vera the tiger waltzed right into her enclosure which is open to her at all times and started rubbing her face along the fence. She made grumbling noises toward her keepers Carol Eager, supervisor of carnivores, and Stacy Selko, senior keeper. Using a prop on the outside of the fence, Selko guided the cat along the enclosure, getting her to sit and lie down. While Selko fed the cat hunks of beef, Woodhouse gave the cats right flank a prod with a practice needle. That gauged whether the cat would spook or flinch. The first prod didnt faze Vera. She sat nicely, eating beef, while Woodhouse stuck her with the real injection. Woodhouse said they use longer needles just in case an animal does flinch. Most of the time, the animals dont even feel the jab. Next door, 330-pound Diesel was a little hesitant. But he sat still long enough to get boosted and snack on some beef liver. It takes a lot of training time to get the animals to approach the fence for medical care. Woodhouse said tigers often are leery of humans. Training the cats to come to the fence, lie down and stand up helps keepers manage the animals health. After Elara received her booster, Selko had the cat flip to her other side, where Selko applied ointment on a small wound near the cats shoulder. After being vaccinated, the tigers went about their days, most of them lounging in the tall grass of their private enclosures. Woodhouse said the zoo would like to receive additional doses to vaccinate its lemurs. The lemur exhibit lets people walk through the same space the animals occupy. Coronavirus cases have been confirmed in gorillas, tigers and lions at zoos; domestic cats and dogs; farmed mink; and at least one wild mink. Recent studies have found COVID-19 antibodies in deer, although wildlife experts have said risk of the animals spreading the disease to humans is low. For a Kenosha veteran of World War II, killed in action in France, it was a long wait to return to his family and his hometown. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency identified the remains of Staff Sgt. Casimir Lobacz of Kenosha on March 2, and representatives from the Fort Knox DPAA recently took part in a special a presentation in memoriam of Lobacz at his nephews home, Ron Witt of Kenosha. U.S. military representatives arrived with a special presentation upon the confirmation they had positively identified Lobacz, who died in combat at age 25, in Metz, France, on Sept. 27, 1944. Casimir Lobacz was born on Jan. 13, 1919, in Kenosha to parents Kazimierz and Kamila Lobacz. Casimir joined the U.S. Army as a member of the 11th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division, was trained and deployed to Europe. His unit was part of the Lorraine Campaign and was advancing through France in September 1944. On Sept. 27, Lobaczs unit of the 5th Infantry Division began an attack on Fort Driant in Metz and he was killed during the first wave of the assaults, according to the DPAA. Due to enemy fire, Lobaczs body could not be recovered after his death. The fort was attacked again a few days later, after which his body could not be found at all. On June 7, 1945, French de-miners discovered the remains of a U.S. soldier near Fort Driant and turned them over to the U.S. Graves Registration Company. However, the Registration Company could not identify the remains, so they buried them as Unknown at the U.S. Military Cemetery in Saint-Avold, France. In June 2021, DPAA investigators retrieved the remains and transferred them to the DPAA laboratory in Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, where they determined the remains to be Lobacz. Lobaczs family During his service in the war, Lobacz wrote letters to his parents almost daily, Witt said. Following the news of their sons death, Lobaczs parents wrote multiple letters to the U.S. Army over the years asking that his body be sent back to the U.S. for burial. However, Lobaczs remains had been buried as Unknown in 1945 and the U.S. Army could not find any other remains or artifacts for comparison for identification during their field investigations in 1947. In letters from the American Graves Registration in response to Kazimierz and Kamila Lobaczs request, their sons body was stated as unrecoverable. Born in Poland, Mrs. Kamila Lobacz did not know a lot of English, so she had her daughter write all her letters, according to Witt. Army officials went back and forth with Mrs. Lobacz via letters and a phone call with an interpreter, informing Mrs. Lobacz that her sons body was not found and most likely, they believed, disposed of by enemy forces. Despite this, Mrs. Lobacz continuously wrote to Army officials asking that they look again for her son, understandably desperate to properly lay her son to rest. In one of her later letters, she wrote, There are so many boys that have been buried here. I would like mine to be buried here. The identification According to a booklet Witt received from the DPAA about the identification process, Lobacz was identified by various DNA tests. Researchers at the Armed Forces DNA Identification Lab tested mitochondrial DNA, which traces the maternal line; Y-chromosome DNA testing, which traces the paternal line; and autosomal DNA testing, which is specific to the individuals remains. Lobaczs remains included a mostly complete skeleton in excellent condition to conduct DNA testing on, the booklet said. AFDIL researchers used the DNA testing to connect the remains to two of Lobaczs maternal nephews. They tested the remains for mtDNA, and compared the sequence they obtained from these specimens to references associated with three service members associated with World War II Lorraine Campaign casualties recorded in the AFDIL Family Reference Database. The DNA sequence was consistent with maternal references associated with only one of the three service members, which was Lobacz. Dental analysis and anthropological analysis were also used to identify Lobacz. Researchers determined the remains to be a single individual, representing a European male that was 23-28 years old at the time of death. Additionally, researchers were able to determine Lobaczs cause of death. Perimortem, which is at or near the time of death, projectile trauma was found. Surprise identification Witt, the most senior of Lobaczs living relatives, said he was surprised when he was notified of his uncles identification. The war ended about 80 years ago, and the fact that they were able to recover all his remains and identify next of kin, it was amazing to us, Witt said. At the same time, Witt said he was saddened by the news. He did not know a lot about his uncle growing up, he said, and never knew the circumstances of his uncles death. I didnt really know a lot about him, except he was the oldest child of my grandparents I didnt know all the details on how he was killed on the first day of the battle, and what the battle was all about, Witt said. It was kind of sad that he was the uncle that I never met. Lobacz received 10 U.S. Army Veteran Medals, which the Army has given to Witt. The medals include a Bronze Star Medal, a Purple Heart Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, a Good Conduct Medal, an American Defense Service Medal, an American Campaign Medal, a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars, a World War II Victory Medal, a First Award Combat Infantryman Badge, an Expert Infantryman Badge and a WWII Honorable Service Lapel Button. Lobacz will receive a military burial at the Arlington National Cemetery next year. His remaining family members will receive a paid trip from the U.S. Military to attend the burial, Witt said. Its amazing, Witt said of his uncles identification. Its a miracle, modern technology. 1. Yes. After what happened in Uvalde, its important to have that level of security. 2. Yes. The district should start a program to recruit and train qualified officers for the job. 3. No. With 50 KISD campuses, the additional cost to taxpayers would be unacceptable. 4. No. It would be too hard to achieve. Just keep the current practice of rotating officers. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say without knowing how such a program would be instituted.. Vote View Results Master Ticktock, otherwise known as executive director Mark Lakowske, oversees the Newbourne Village Renaissance Fair in Chippewa Falls. Its been a labor of love to get the fair running this year. The space where it is held off of 50th Avenue was once home to another annual Renaissance fair that shuttered about a decade ago. This is a brand new festival, a brand new company, he said. There have been other shows on these grounds, but were the first in about 10 years or more. The work that went into prepping the space, which sat dormant all those years, was taxing. Lakowske said in the months leading up to the opening, there have been lots of sleepless nights. It was literally like an archaeological dig. We were digging up cobblestones, we were removing trees and replanting them elsewhere, we were planting things, cleaning up the grounds, he said. You name it, we basically touched every area of this place and re-did it in some way. But the response has been amazing, he said. People are coming out, enjoying themselves and attendance is doubling each weekend. The fair also employs over 100 performers, and more than 50 vendors have set up shop, which is good in a trying economy. About 95% of the items for sale at the fair are handmade, too. Its an amazing time. Fun for everyone, children of all ages young and old, he said. We have a stage hypnosis show, the unicorns have arrived and her majesty the Queen is here. We have a little bit of everything for everyone. Lakowske said families look forward to a day of interaction, fun, food and shopping. Just come have fun and play again, he said. Check your troubles at the door. Erika Nordmeyer and Victor Volney traveled to the fair from Minnesota. They spend a lot of time traveling to Renaissance fairs, they said. We actually have a Facebook group Midwest Festival Companions for like-minded people up here in the Midwest, Nordmeyer said. We literally just go from fair to fair celebrating. Its really great. Anybody is welcome to join us. Nordmeyer and Volney said they were impressed with Newbourne Village. Its new, so they werent sure what to expect. Its actually really wonderful, Nordmeyer said. Considering that they just opened, its so good. I really love to dress up and see, like, all the vendors and cool things that people make. Its my big inspiration here. Volney said he has been going to Renaissance fairs for most of his life and hopes to keep doing so. In Minnesota, my mother and father took me when I was a very young kid, and Ive been going almost every year of my life now, he said. He too enjoys the artisans and craftsmen at these types of events. Theres great skill and talent showcased out here with the vendors, he said. I latch on to that, and obviously seeing people dressed up always influenced me and inspired me as a kid. I tailored my life to be like, Im going to dress up and go to these. The two agree that the main point of this lifestyle is to not just dress up but meet new people, connect and travel the country. They travel as far as Kansas City, Colorado and Texas for some fairs. It just brings folks together, so much closer together, Volney said. As gas and food prices rise in the United States, some families are worried about having to pay for something else in the fall: lunch for their children at school. For at least the last two school years, many parents did not have to worry about preparing or buying their school-aged children lunch. That is because emergency government funding during the early part of the coronavirus pandemic included food aid for children. The aid covered lunch for children during the school year and during the summer for many families. But the free lunch funding is set to end in several states before the start of the next school year. Before the pandemic, Kate Murphy of Vermont and her family did not have enough money to pay for their four children to buy lunch at school. Instead, they purchased lunch foods in large amounts and sent their children to school with food each morning. But when the pandemic hit, the U.S. government made lunch money available to most schools. The support came at a critical time for the Murphy family, because Kates husband had lost his job. Because of the free lunch program, the Murphys had one less financial concern. But now the family may have to worry about lunch again. Murphy said her family earns a bit too much money to qualify for free lunches based on the old programs income rules. Experts say the end of the school lunch aid and other programs that helped families save money means more will have to get help from food banks. Food banks provide meals and food for no cost to families and individuals in need. Vince Hall is a government relations officer for Feeding America, a group of food banks across the U.S. He said many families are now facing a very difficult reality of having to choose between feeding their kids or filling up their gas tanks or purchasing medicine. The U.S. Agriculture Department oversees the school meal program. Cindy Long is an administrator for the departments Food and Nutrition Service. She said that, during the pandemic, the number of children getting free meals increased from 20 million to 30 million. A summer meal program in 2020 gave out 1.3 billion meals and snacks. The total cost was $4.1 billion. That was eight times greater than program costs from a year earlier. President Joe Biden recently signed a bill that should keep summer meal programs running in the same way they did during the first two summers of the pandemic. Some states are using their own money to make the free meals permanent. California and Maine did that last year. Massachusetts and Colorado are working on state proposals that would provide food aid for at least one more school year. Vermont, where the Murphy family lives, said it would use extra money in the education budget to fund food aid for the upcoming year. Our kids have so much to worry about these days, and food shouldnt be one of them, Kate Murphy said. On a recent day at the Albert D. Lawton school in Vermont, students ate pizza and salad with their friends. One student, Ethan Pringle, said it is hard to learn when you feel hungry. Not everybody has the same situation at home, he said. So I think free lunch, it makes it easier for everybody. Im Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story funding n. money that usually comes from an outside source to pay for something qualify v. to have the right to do something income n. the amount of money earned for a job or from investments snack n. a small amount of food usually eaten outside of regular meal times Scientists have developed an artificial photosynthesis process that can grow plants in the dark. The process is designed to provide a new way to produce food as worldwide demand grows. Photosynthesis involves plants taking in energy from the sun to produce life-supporting carbon and oxygen. The process is important to support the growth of many plants. But scientists have estimated that only about 1 percent of energy from the sun is actually captured by plants that produce food. Researchers report in a new study that the artificial photosynthesis method they developed performed up to 18 times more efficiently in growing some foods. And the process can be carried out in complete darkness. Results of the study recently appeared in the publication Nature Food. The research team included members from the University of California Riverside and the University of Delaware. Researchers used an electrolyzer system to turn carbon dioxide, electricity and water into acetate. Acetate is the main compound found in many household products, including vinegar. The electrolyzer process effectively turned 57 percent of carbon molecules in carbon dioxide into acetate, University of Delaware researchers said in a statement. The resulting acetate mixture was then used as food to grow plants in the dark. The researchers experimented with nine different food plants. These included lettuce, rice, peas, tomatoes, pepper and tobacco. The team reported that all these plants were able to take in carbon from the acetate. Experiments were also carried out with algae, yeast and a fungus that produces mushrooms. The study found that, for algae, the process was four times more efficient than growing the material photosynthetically with sunlight. And yeast production was 18 times more efficient than the usual process involving sugar collected from corn. Lettuce produced the best results from artificial photosynthesis out of all the food crops tested. We were able to grow food-producing organisms without any contributions from biological photosynthesis, said the co-writer of the study, Elizabeth Hann. She is a doctoral candidate at UC Riversides Jinkerson Lab. Hann added that the process is much more efficient at turning energy into food than the biological photosynthesis methods, which have taken place for millions of years. The researchers also reported that the process increased energy efficiency, too. When used together with a solar cell to power the electrolyzer, the method required just one-fourth the energy to grow the same amount of food created by sunlight and natural photosynthesis. The scientists said their method could help fight the effects of climate change that are making traditional crop-growing more difficult. Drought, floods and reduced land availability would be less of a threat to global food security if crops for humans and animals grew in less resource-intensive, controlled environments, the researchers noted. Robert Jinkerson is a professor of chemical and environmental engineering at UC Riverside. He said growing foods through artificial photosynthesis could help the world meet its rising demand for food without the expansion of agricultural lands. Using solar energy to power our process could allow for more food or animal feed to be produced on a given area of land, Jinkerson said. The researchers said they plan to continue improving the electrolyzer system to produce a more effective acetate mixture. They also want to explore ways to possibly bioengineer plants that grow completely on acetate. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from UC Riverside, the University of Delaware and Nature Food. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Quiz - New Artificial Photosynthesis Process Can Grow Plants in the Dark Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ____________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story artificial adj. not natural, but made by people efficient adj. working well and not wasting time or energy vinegar n. a sour, acidic liquid that is often used in food preparation fungus n. a kind of plant without leaves that gets its food from other living or delaying things contribution n. something used to help produce or develop something or help make it successful solar adj. relating to or involving the sun drought n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain allow v. to permit Japans Panasonic Corp. and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly say the company selected the state of Kansas as the location for a multibillion-dollar mega-factory to produce electric vehicle batteries for Tesla and other carmakers. The company was lured to Kansas by taxpayer-funded incentives worth $829 million over 10 years. That's the largest package of incentives that the state has offered a private business and it was made possible by a law enacted only five months before. The company says it will invest about $4 billion, and state officials expect the new plant to have about 4,000 workers. Officials believe suppliers and other local businesses will create up to new 4,000 jobs as well. PlayTime Productions, one of Wisconsins only all-children theatre companies, is closing its doors after 43 years of student-centered performances. Twice a year, PlayTime and its cast of around 25 child actors hosted 16 shows in public spaces around the Dane County Area. PlayTime shared productions with about 4,000 children and families at an accessible cost. In a letter sent to alumni, families and friends last week, Artistic/Managing Director Reyane Leach said the pandemic wreaked havoc with the organizations structure, and the operation had taken its final bow. Truthfully, the organization was at a turning point with a growing need for revitalization of staff and adequate, sustainable funding, she said. Unfortunately, the opportunity for transition and training has passed. Many of PlayTimes music and production crew, in addition to those in its production and management positions, have retired, Leach added. While the organization had begun a process to fill those positions, transition efforts were halted in March 2020. Two years later, Leach decided to cease all production at least for now. Im so grateful to have had a 23-year career working with children and families in the arts, she said. I just adored working with children and giving them a worthwhile activity that we could share with other families and children in the audience. Leach first got involved with PlayTime as a spectator, taking her four children to see a 1992 play in the old Mount Horeb Public Library. I was a mom with four kids looking for something to do, she said. It was affordable because it was just $2, but once a year is really all we could afford back in the day. I know from personal experience what it meant to me. The organizations founder, Henrietta Teddy Studt, made PlayTime a traveling organization to benefit people like Leach. Especially in areas just outside of Madison around that time, exposure to the arts could be hard to come by, Leach said. It would be a pretty big deal and pretty expensive to take your family downtown, she said. And there wasnt a lot of theater available except for in the high schools. So virtually no opportunity for kids younger than that. Leachs own son got involved with PlayTime in the spring of 1997. Thats when she said she was able to see its value for performers as well. Just such a gift Actors in third to eighth grade involved with PlayTime learned how to act out an hourlong play with eight to 10 music numbers, hand-written by Studt. Through practicing, students learned skills like reading and memorization. Through traveling, they practiced teamwork and responsibility. Kurt Studt, Teddys son, said his mothers touch in every performance was striking, even after she left the company. Studt wrote a character named Henrietta, her full first name, and included the phrase yes, dear, a distinct phrase of her husbands, in each performance. Teddy Studt died in 2010. My mother had a fun, offbeat sense of humor, Kurt Studt said. We were there when she was writing the scripts and writing the songs ... and later we got to see our children in her plays. It was just such a gift. The family connections didnt stop there. PlayTime even provided the inspiration for Kurt Studts sons name, Kai. Kai was in the Snow Queen, Kurt Studt said. It just so happens that when Kai was born and we were thinking about a name, one of the main reasons we settled on the name Kai is because thats the lead character in the Snow Queen. And he got to play that character. Kai Studt, who just graduated from high school, keeps signed posters from every year he participated in Playtime Productions in his bedroom. The troupe gave him a sense of humor and confidence, he said, adding hes not afraid to make a fool out of himself for a good laugh. I dont remember anything from late elementary school through middle school. I just remember PlayTime, Kai Studt said. If you ask me what I learned in classes one year, I couldnt tell you. But I could tell you what show we did at PlayTime. Park Players Teddy Studt founded PlayTime after a group of children came to her in 1979, wanting to perform a play. The group knew Studt had been an actress, and knocked on her door asking for guidance. After the first play, Studt helped found Park Players, an outdoor childrens summertime production. Soon after, she decided to add a fall and winter play and started Playtime Productions. Seventh-grader Preston Doll participated in the program for two years, until the pandemic put a stop to the program. I learned how to communicate with people, how to public speak, and just social skills, Preston said. It has been a very big part of my life in the past few years. Getting to work with so many people who had never acted, had acted once or who had acted many times was just so exciting. You carry on the life skills you learn there. Acting also helps students develop empathy and communication skills on a deeper level, Leach said. Body language, looking at people and understanding them and learning what its like to be in somebody elses shoes, she said. When you are playing the character of somebody else, you have to think outside yourself. Leach said PlayTime will be remembered not only by the children who participated in it but the greater Madison community. People will miss out on that home town, neighborhood arts experience she said. Theres nothing else like it. As they launch a new legal challenge, environmental groups are panning a federal review that says a planned natural gas power plant in Superior would reduce greenhouse gas emissions despite pumping millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. La Crosse-based Dairyland Power Cooperative and two Minnesota utilities are seeking a loan from the U.S. Department of Agricultures Rural Utilities Service to finance the $700 million Nemadji Trail Energy Center, which they say will help them transition away from coal-fired power. Wisconsin regulator downplays blackout risk, calls for continued use of fossil fuels While pointing out that there is always a risk of blackouts, Nowak said it would take a perfect storm to trigger forced outages. Environmental and consumer groups, along with Native American tribal governments, have challenged the plant in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, and on Thursday the Sierra Club and Clean Wisconsin appealed a Dane County judges ruling that state regulators followed state law in approving construction of the plant, which they call an environmental and economic disaster. Constructing NTEC would saddle Wisconsinites with decades of paying for this plant and set back home-grown renewable development in Northern Wisconsin for years to come, said Elizabeth Ward, director of the Sierra Clubs Wisconsin chapter. In a new draft environmental review, Dairyland said the 625-megawatt plant would produce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to more than 2.7 million tons of carbon dioxide each year. But because the plant would likely displace electricity from less efficient gas and coal plants, the review determined it would actually reduce net carbon emissions in the region by about 964,000 tons per year. Wisconsin coal plants to keep running amid reliability, supply chain concerns Alliant Energy and the WEC Energy Group announced plans Thursday to delay previously announced retirements of three coal-fired power plants amid reliability concerns and supply-chain issues. Stephanie Fitzgerald, staff attorney for Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, said the review fails to look at the lifetime emissions of the plant and contains unrealistic assumptions about coal plants running until 2050 when most utilities are already shutting them down for economic reasons. Katie Nekola, general counsel for Clean Wisconsin said a plant that will produce billions of tons of carbon dioxide over its lifetime cannot be considered a climate change solution. Its too late to use coal emissions as a baseline, Nekola said. Its urgent we do far better than just cut carbon emissions in half with gas plants; we have plenty of clean, low-cost technology that emits no carbon at all, and the ability to conserve far more energy than we do. When burned to generate electricity, natural gas produces only about half as much carbon dioxide per megawatt as coal, but the primary component of that gas is methane, a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. The environmental review did not account for methane released during extraction and transport, saying uncertainty about the source makes it impossible to quantify leaks. Those upstream emissions largely negate any climate benefit, said Morgan Edwards, an assistant professor of public affairs at UW-Madison who studies the impacts of energy use. We need to dramatically reduce our use of fossil fuels across the board to address the scale of the climate crisis, Edwards said. Despite Biden order, solar supply chain problems stall Wisconsin's energy transition Three utility projects with a combined capacity of 574 megawatts have been delayed and face potential cost overruns largely stemming from difficulty securing solar panels and other key parts. The new environmental assessment was prepared in response to requests from environmental groups including the Minnesota environmental center, the Sierra Club and Clean Wisconsin to evaluate the impact the plant would have on the climate. Those groups have also called on the government to deny funding for the plant, saying its incompatible with the Biden administrations stated position on fossil fuels. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has said investments in fossil fuel infrastructure are incompatible with pathways to head off the most disastrous impacts of climate change. Fitzgerald questioned why the Rural Utilities Service has not done a more thorough review known as an Environmental Impact Statement required for projects that will have a significant impact. Clearly a gas plant that emits 2.2 million tons of carbon dioxide every year is a significant impact, Fitzgerald said. If building a big gas plant wont have a significant impact, what will? Dairyland spokesperson Katie Thomson said the utilities have complied with state and federal permitting requirements and extensive environmental reviews since proposing the plant in 2017. Current challenges to the project only serve to compromise progress towards the lower-carbon goals shared by consumers and utilities alike, Thomson said. In addition to grid stability risks and reducing access to renewable energy generation, the unnecessary delays will result in cost increases to the project, negatively impacting regional energy consumers. The plant has been the subject of court challenges in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Sierra Club and Clean Wisconsin on Thursday appealed a May ruling by Circuit Judge Jacob Frost, who rejected arguments that the PSC failed to consider the full environmental impact of the plant. The NTEC project should never have been approved in the first place, and we will continue to fight it, Nekola said. The groups have also challenged the construction permit over perceived bias by former Commissioner Mike Huebsch, one of two commissioners who voted to approve the plant shortly before leaving the PSC in early 2020. Huebsch later applied to lead Dairyland, though he did not get the job. Frost has delayed ruling on the conflict of interest charge pending a state Supreme Court ruling in a similar case involving Huebsch. Last year the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that state utility regulators do not have the authority to consider the environmental impact of a plant built in another state, though the plant faces ongoing regulatory scrutiny as part of Minnesota Powers long-term resource plan. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) More than halfway through a tumultuous primary season, voters have rendered verdicts in a number of contests, many of which featured candidates arguing they best represented a continuation of policies favored by former President Donald Trump. While not on the ballot himself, Trump has played a role in several races, with candidates bearing his endorsement meeting a variety of electoral outcomes. There have also been tumbles by several incumbents, some taken out by Trump-backed challengers and others bested by fellow representatives in faceoffs forced by redistricting. Here's what's happened so far in primary races across the country: FALLEN INCUMBENTS Eight incumbents three Democrats and five Republicans lost their U.S. House seats already this year after being defeated in their primary elections. Four of those losses came in incumbent-on-incumbent races, a result of the once-a-decade redistricting process. But the other four were defeated by insurgent challengers after finding themselves vulnerable as a result of scandal, investigation, irritating progressives or crossing Trump. Seven-term centrist Democratic U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon fell to progressive challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner in his May 17 primary. Schrader had angered many Democrats by opposing some of President Joe Bidens priorities, including a $1.9 trillion coronavirus pandemic relief bill because he didn't support a minimum wage increase. Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina was defeated by state Sen. Chuck Edwards after a whirlwind of scandals that included Cawthorn saying he'd been invited to orgies and had seen opponents of drug addiction use cocaine, getting caught twice with guns at airports and appearing in videos showing him in sexually suggestive poses. MEMBER-ON-MEMBER FACEOFFS Redistricting guaranteed that some U.S. House incumbents would be ousted. The first to fall was Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia, who voted with Democrats in support of Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, betting that West Virginians would reward him for prioritizing such funding in one of the nation's poorest states. Instead, they dumped him for Rep. Alex Mooney, who opposed the infrastructure bill. Mooney won Trump's endorsement the day Biden signed the measure into law. In Georgia, Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath, a gun safety advocate, went district shopping after a GOP-dominated Legislature turned her home area into a Republican stronghold. She defeated fellow Democratic Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux, who said she'd considered McBath like a sister. Two Illinois incumbents lost their seats this past week when Republican Rep. Mary Miller defeated five-term Republican Rep. Rodney Davis, and Democratic Rep. Sean Casten beat one-term Democratic Rep. Marie Newman. Miller won days after she called the Supreme Courts decision overturning Roe v. Wade a historic victory for white life during a rally with Trump. Calling it a mix-up of words," Miller's spokesman told The Associated Press that she had intended to say the decision was a victory for a right to life. TRUMP'S TARGETS Still stinging from his 2020 presidential election loss to Biden, Trump vowed revenge on Republicans who defied him. He zeroed in on Georgia, recruiting challengers to Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who had rebuffed his efforts to overturn his narrow defeat in the state. But he fell short, with Kemp easily turning back former Sen. David Perdue, and Raffensperger defeating Rep. Jody Hice. Trump also directed his rage toward the 10 House Republicans who voted with Democrats to impeach him for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Four decided against seeking reelection. But of those who stayed to fight, Rice became first to lose, a result he acknowledged was possible over a vote he said his conscience forced him to take. Another, Rep. David Valadao of California, finished second in his primary, meaning he advanced to the November general election as one of the top two finishers. Four of the House Republicans still await their primaries. In South Carolina, Trump targeted another GOP incumbent, Rep. Nancy Mace, following her criticism of his role in the Jan. 6 attack and her vote to certify Biden's win. Mace withstood her challenge from Katie Arrington, a Trump-backed opponent. TRUMP: KEEPING SCORE Trump helped lift some U.S. Senate candidates to victory. In Ohio, he backed Hillbilly Elegy" author JD Vance after a furious push by Vance's opponents to win Trump's favor. The endorsement just three weeks before the election propelled Vance to a win. Dr. Mehmet Oz got Trump's seal of approval about five weeks before Pennsylvania's primary, a blow to former hedge fund CEO David McCormick, whose wife, Dina Powell, served in Trumps administration. Oz eked out a slim victory over McCormick after a recount. In North Carolina, Trump endorsed Rep. Ted Budd a year before his primary, elevating the little-known congressman from a 14-candidate field to win the GOP Senate nomination. Trump also waded into statewide races, backing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against primary challenger George P. Bush. Trump was rewarding Paxton for petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 2020 election an effort the state bar termed dishonest" as it sought to punish him for it. Katie Britt nearly won a GOP primary outright to replace her boss, retiring Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, but ended up in a runoff with longtime Rep. Mo Brooks, whom Trump initially supported before pulling his endorsement as Brooks' polling languished. Trump endorsed Britt only after she finished first in the primary. Republican voters in Nebraska rejected Trump's gubernatorial pick, businessman Charles Herbster, who was accused late in the campaign of having groped multiple women, going instead with University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen as their nominee. In a U.S. House race in Georgia, GOP voters picked trucking company owner Mike Collins over Vernon Jones, a Trump-backed Democrat-turned-Republican. Voters handed primary wins to some candidates who supported Trump's assertions that Biden's election victory was illegitimate. Those false claims have been roundly rejected by elections officials, Trump's own attorney general and the courts, including by judges he appointed. Nonetheless, state Sen. Doug Mastriano won Pennsylvania's crowded Republican gubernatorial primary. He has been subpoenaed by the House committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol for his role in a plan to arrange for an alternate slate of electors from Pennsylvania for Trump after the 2020 election. Trump's pick for Nevada secretary of state, former state lawmaker Jim Marchant, won his primary after spending months arguing that there hadnt been a legitimate Nevada election for years and that Trump's victory had been stolen. In Idaho, Trump's insurgent candidate Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin lost her bid to oust Gov. Brad Little. McGeachin had said she would bring integrity to Idahos elections, without citing any inconsistencies. She also said shed push for a 50-state forensic audit of the 2020 election. In Colorado, GOP voters chose Pam Anderson as their nominee for secretary of state over Tina Peters, an indicted county clerk who gained national prominence by promoting conspiracy theories about voting machines. Anderson had pledged to keep politics out of running elections, while Peters was indicted on seven felony counts accusing her of taking part in a deceptive scheme to breach voting system technology. LOOK AHEAD Primary season resumes in earnest in August, with a number of high-profile races still to be decided. Rep. Liz Cheney faces a stiff primary challenge in Wyoming on Aug. 16 after voting to impeach Trump and becoming vice chair of the House committee investigating the Capitol insurrection. Trump has endorsed Harriet Hageman in the race. In Arizona, one of five battleground states Biden flipped, the former president endorsed a slate of loyalists who promote his false election claims. In the governor's race, he backed former TV news anchor Kari Lake over developer Karrin Taylor Robson for the GOP nomination to replace Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who resisted Trumps election year pressure and is barred from another term. In Arizona's U.S. Senate race, Trump supports investor Blake Masters for the GOP nomination to face Democratic incumbent Mark Kelly in November. Masters has said I think Trump won in 2020" and espoused the baseless great replacement conspiracy theory, a racist ideology that says white people and their influence are being replaced by people of color. And in Arizona's secretary of state race, Trump backed state Rep. Mark Finchem, who was photographed outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and worked to overturn Trump's 2020 loss. In Michigan, one of the country's top battleground states, Republicans have faced setbacks in their bid to defeat Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November. Five GOP candidates failed to qualify for the Aug. 2 primary after submitting fake signatures collected by paid petition circulators. Another candidate, Republican Ryan Kelley, was charged last month with misdemeanors related to the Jan. 6 attack. Establishment Republicans are worried about the Aug. 2 GOP primary for U.S. Senate in Missouri, where former Gov. Eric Greitens is trying to make a political comeback, following his resignation four years ago amid investigations into possible campaign finance issues and into whether he blackmailed a woman against speaking about their extramarital affair. Some Republicans fear Greitens would be a weak general election candidate who could cede a safe seat to Democrats. Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP. Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics. The fast-changing coronavirus has kicked off summer in the U.S. with lots of infections but relatively few deaths compared to its prior incarnations. COVID-19 is still killing hundreds of Americans each day, but is not nearly as dangerous as it was last fall and winter. Its going to be a good summer and we deserve this break, said Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. With more Americans shielded from severe illness through vaccination and infection, COVID-19 has transformed for now at least into an unpleasant, inconvenient nuisance for many. It feels cautiously good right now, said Dr. Dan Kaul, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. As the nation marks July Fourth, the average number of daily deaths from COVID-19 in the United States is hovering around 360. Last year, during a similar summer lull, it was around 228 in early July. That remains the lowest threshold in U.S. daily deaths since March 2020, when the virus first began its U.S. spread. U.S. regulators told COVID-19 vaccine makers that any booster shots tweaked for the fall will have to add protection against the newest omicron relatives. The Food and Drug Administration said the original vaccines would be used for anyone still getting their first series of shots. But with immunity waning and the super-contagious omicron family of variants getting better at dodging protection, the FDA decided boosters intended for fall needed an update. Treatments are improving. After being infected with COVID-19 earlier this month, Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to the president and director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, experienced a rebound after taking the antiviral pill Paxlovid and said the drug kept him out of the hospital. Things are not as rosy everywhere in the world. Tourism is booming again in France and so is COVID-19 and hospitalizations. French officials have invited" or recommended people to go back to using face masks. From the Jan. 6 Select Committees hearings to the Supreme Court rolling back the right to reproductive health care, recent events profoundly implicate the freedom that many will celebrate this Independence Day. Opponents of democracy a system that works best when it empowers people to have an equal say in decisions that affect their futures have waged a well-coordinated attack on it. Freedom must be fortified, it must be protected at the ballot box, and it must never be taken for granted. Freedom faces threats on many fronts. On Jan. 6, 2021, the U.S. Capitol was attacked by a violent, racist mob bent on stopping the peaceful transfer of presidential power. It was an attack on a free and fair election. We learned June 28 in chilling sworn testimony that former President Donald Trump not only assembled, inflamed and set loose the mob, but he did it knowing that some in the crowd were carrying semi-automatic AR-15 rifles and Glock handguns. Since the assault, legislatures in 19 states have embraced Trumps election lies to pass 34 restrictive voting laws to make it harder for Americans particularly in Black and Brown communities to have a say in choosing their elected leaders. Meanwhile, racial and partisan gerrymanders have seen politicians cherry-pick their voters. Rather than accurately reflecting population changes and ensuring fair representation, many maps were drawn for partisan political advantage, leaving millions without a voice in their own government. Simultaneously, a Supreme Court supermajority ignored precedent to impose its ideological agenda on the nation while ruling regularly to favor the rights of politicians, corporations and those in power over reproductive rights, the rights of people of color, and everyday people. The courts ruling in Dobbs, overturning Roe v. Wade, allows states to deny women and pregnant women the right to make decisions about their own bodies. Over the last decade, the Supreme Court issued a series of rulings undermining representative democracy gutting the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County and ushering in unlimited special interest money in Citizens United. Despite withering attacks, freedom and democracy are not dead. Americans who still believe in our nation's ideals are galvanized. While some states have passed laws restricting voting, others have expanded voting access. Federally, the House has repeatedly passed bills to strengthen voting protections and set fair national voting standards. These bills, including the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, have been blocked by Republican filibusters in the Senate. Beyond legislation, we must continue to amplify truth and accountability. The Jan. 6 committee is performing an outstanding service for the nation. It has laid bare the months-long, multi-layered criminal conspiracy by Trump and his henchmen to overturn the 2020 election. The scope of what the committee has exposed is breathtaking, and the nation is taking notice. Criminal investigations of those who tried to overturn the election are ramping up. A grand jury in Georgia is weighing evidence against Trump for his efforts to coerce its secretary of state into falsifying election results. Recently, the Justice Department executed search warrants related to attorney John Eastmans plan to put forward false slates of electors to overturn the election, and Jeffrey Clark, the DOJ environmental attorney Trump planned to make acting attorney general because of his willingness to ignore the facts and echo Trumps lies. These investigations of the attempted coup in 2020 come at a time when plans are being laid to try the same thing in 2024. That is why it is imperative that those responsible are held accountable. Our first recourse for solutions is the ballot box. We must hold our elected officials accountable whether they aided Trumps efforts to steal the election, echoed the "big lie" or voted to confirm activist Supreme Court justices. We need new laws to strengthen ethics and recusal standards for the high court. We learned from the Jan. 6 committee that Justice Clarence Thomas wife, Ginni, was knee-deep in Trumps coup attempt. Yet Justice Thomas failed to recuse himself from cases related to the insurrection and was the lone justice who voted to deny handing critical White House records over to the Jan. 6 committee. Now is not the time to sit and watch how these attacks on our freedoms play out. It is time for Americans to stand at the ramparts and cast our ballots to defend our democracy. JACKPOT, Nev. Two people were killed when a Twin Falls man struck a tandem bicycle carrying two adults and pulling two children in a small trailer north of town, police say. Idaho State Police responded to a vehicle vs. bicycle collision at about 8:20 a.m. Monday at milepost 7 on U.S Highway 93, the ISP said in a statement. A 39-year-old-male from Twin Falls was traveling north in a 2013 Infiniti M56. A 41-year-old male and 38-year-old female, both from Ruston, Louisiana, along with 2 children, were also northbound, the statement said. The Infinity struck the bicycle from behind. The woman and a child on the bicycle died at the scene. Next of kin has been notified, ISP said. The driver of the Infinity was not wearing a seatbelt; those riding on the bicycle and in the trailer were wearing helmets. The roadway was blocked for approximately 5.5 hours. ISP was assisted by the Elko County Sheriffs Office, Jackpot Fire Department, Jackpot Ambulance, Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office, Salmon Rural Fire, Magic Valley Paramedics, Bureau of Land Management Law Enforcement, U.S. Forest Service, and Idaho Transportation Department. This crash is under investigation by ISP. Idahos anti-abortion forces have waited a long time for the abortion ruling the U.S. Supreme Court delivered last week. Now they can outlaw abortion in Idaho, more or less absolutely. But thats not nearly the end of the story. Not close. Abortions happen because a woman has made a determined choice, almost never lightly considered, and a few lines in the state code wont be enough to stop them. In places like Poland the numbers of women obtaining abortions dropped only slightly after a sweeping ban was imposed. Clinics providing abortions in Idaho (never numerous) are shutting down, but there are options: travel out of state, communication with out of state health providers, and delivery or travel to obtain pills. Three of Idahos border states - Washington, Oregon and Nevada - are emphatically abortion-legal states. You can expect the next legislature will get busy on this. Im waiting, for example, for the return of legislation (tried before but failed up to now) to declare abortion is murder, and require it be prosecuted as such. But more attention may go to the question of how to effectively enforce the ban, to make it more than just words in a statute. That subject is getting discussion around the country, and you can be sure Idaho legislators are listening. One possibility - President Joe Biden has alluded to it - is a ban on Idaho women who are pregnant traveling to states where abortion is legal (such as the three aforementioned). But that begs the question of enforcement. Do we see checkpoints at the border - maybe on the interstates, to stop pregnant women from leaving the state? Will women be forced to take pregnancy tests at the border? How about the dirt roads leading from Idaho into Oregon and Washington, or the Montana, Utah and Wyoming borders, through which someone could pass to an abortion refuge state? And air travel: How can Idaho monitor not only the commercial airports but also its many landing strips? Passenger buses? Might Idaho charge with criminal offenses some of the medical or other people in other states who provide prescriptions or services (or travel assistance), or information about where theyre available? Might Idaho try to extradite people from those states? (Dont expect much success with that, though it could become a bitter flash point.) Will Idaho try to regulate speech about it? If a person who posts on Facebook about abortion services in Washington or Oregon or Nevada, would that be a criminal offense - or basis for a lawsuit? As one national story suggested, a looming confrontation over whether the First Amendment allows censoring speech about a medical procedure that will become illegal in much of the country National Right to Life Committee, recently proposed model legislation for states that would make it a crime to pass along information by telephone, the internet or any other medium of communication that is used to terminate a pregnancy. What about pills sent through the mail or other delivery services (UPS, FedEx)? Trying to break the security of the US mail would be difficult (at least pending a change in presidential administration), but someone might try. How about the private services, which have promoted themselves as secure? How would they react if state officials started snooping through their packages? How would customers generally react? Will the state start looking into medical records to find anyone who becomes pregnant? One news story discusses a new government database tracking peoples pregnancies in Poland is sparking fears that medical data will be used to prosecute women who obtain abortion care in other countries or by getting abortion pills through the mail, and potentially to target women who have miscarriages. Might that be coming to Idaho? If you think that some or even most of these things may not happen, you could be right. Maybe. But before you dismiss them, pause to reflect on what a careful, moderate group are the members of the Idaho Legislature, which has another regular session coming up in another few months. Egypt has suspended activities at several Red Sea beaches after two women tourists were killed in two separate shark attacks last Friday. The first victim was a 68-year-old Austrian woman. She lost an arm and a leg due to a shark attack yet managed to swim to shore to seek help. She died shortly after she was taken by ambulance for treatment at a hospital. She had been reportedly living in Egypt for the past few years with her Egyptian husband. The incident happened off the coast of Sahl Hasheesh. The second victim, a middle-aged Romanian tourist, was reportedly found dead hours after the first attack. She was found 600 meters away from the first incident. The two attacks are a blow to the North African country which has been trying to revive its tourism industry hard hit by the pandemic. Tourism accounts for around 12 percent of Egypts GDP (Gross domestic product). Dubai-based start-up YAP, which operates a digital banking app, has raised $41 million to fund its expansion in the Middle East, Africa and Pakistan, Zawya reports. The investors include Saudi Arabias Aljazira Capital alongside Abu Dawood Group, Astra Group and Audacia Capital. YAP, established last year, provides a complete view of a consumers spending analytics and ways to transfer money, pay bills and make purchases. It has more than 130,000 users. The funding will be used to support its expansion and growth in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan and Ghana. The fintech company in a statement said it has partnered with Bank AlJazira to launch its consumer and business platforms in Saudi Arabia and received regulatory approval in Pakistan and Ghana to offer similar services. It also plans to launch in Egypt soon, Zawya reports. Women in Sierra Leone could soon have legal abortions. President Julius Maada Bio gave the green light in early July to a bill to legalize abortion. The current law prohibits voluntary termination of pregnancy unless the womans life is in danger. As a result, many women resort quietly to traditional doctors with dangerous practices. It is precisely to guarantee the health and dignity of women that the President of Sierra Leone has agreed to this, while the right to abortion has been challenged in the US. He said he was proud to lead a progressive reform. This decision is welcomed by feminist activists, such as Huldah Imah-Paul: For me, this bill will reduce the number of lives lost because the mortality rate among young girls using traditional doctors was very high. So many mothers cried over the death of their children! Some parents did not even know that their daughters were pregnant. Many of them do not say anything because of the fear and stigma they face in their communities. Sometimes also because their parents are known. So they have abortions and thats where things get complicated. Every country is different and sees things differently. The Spanish ambassador was summoned last Friday by the Malian government after the Spanish Foreign minister said not to exclude a NATO military intervention in Mali, an official source said. We have summoned the Spanish ambassador to the foreign ministry today to lodge a strong protest against these remarks, said Abdoulaye Diop, the Malian foreign minister, in an interview on national television. A NATO intervention in Mali, we do not exclude it. It is not a question of if it represented a threat to our security, we would do it, said Jose Manuel Albares, head of Spanish diplomacy, on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid on Thursday. It is not acceptable, unfriendly, serious because they tend to encourage aggression against an independent and sovereign country, said the head of Malian diplomacy. We have asked the Spanish government for explanations and clarification of this position. We hope that this will come soon enough, Mr Diop added. The minister must remember that the current situation of insecurity and expansion of terrorism in the Sahel is mainly linked to NATOs intervention in Libya, the consequences of which we are still paying, he also stressed. In a tweet published on Saturday, the Spanish embassy in Mali tried to clarify its countrys position: Spain did not ask during the NATO summit or at any other time for an intervention, mission or any other action by the Alliance in Mali, it said. The 61st Summit of ECOWAS ended on Sunday 3 July in Accra, Ghana. The West African organization discussed its retaliatory measures against Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea after the seizure of power by juntas. The ECOWAS heads of state considered that the progress made by Mali in recent weeks justified a partial lifting of sanctions. In particular, Bamako has adopted a new electoral law and announced a return to constitutional order by March 2024. The sanctions included the closure of borders, the freezing of Malian assets and the suspension of trade and financial exchanges. All of this will be allowed to resume. ECOWAS ambassadors who were posted in Bamako and who had been recalled will also be able to return to the Malian capital. However, the financial sanctions targeting the juntas leaders will be maintained. Mali also remains suspended from ECOWAS. The decisions taken this Sunday by the regional organization, with immediate effect, are nevertheless a very important step forward. The President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoko Emballo, is the new current Chairman of ECOWAS. The chairmanship was to be held by a Portuguese-speaking country, according to the texts. The UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, has appealed for calm as street demonstrations spread across Libya in protest over power cuts and the failure to hold national elections. On Friday night, protesters stormed the parliament in the eastern city of Tobruk as anger exploded over deteriorating living conditions and the political deadlock. The secretary general is following with concern the demonstrations that were held in several cities in Libya, including Tripoli, Tobruk and Benghazi, the office of Guterres said in a statement. This weekend, protesters held their biggest rallies in years in the capital, Tripoli, chanting slogans against Libyas feuding political elites, while demonstrators blocked off roads in Benghazi and Misrata and set fire to government buildings in Sebha and Qarabuli. The country is divided between the eastern-based House of Representatives that appointed Fathi Bashagha as prime minister, and the Tripoli-based interim government led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. As part of an earlier agreement, Dbeibah had committed to stand down when the elections were held but then refused to do so, after which Bashaga made a foiled attempt to capture Tripoli. In a bid to avoid civil war and counter destructives attempts by some parties that squandered the countrys public funds, the Beltrees youth movement called for expediting the presidential and legislative elections, urged Presidential Council to dissolve all political bodies and declare a state of emergency. It also called for resolving the electricity crisis, departure of all foreign forces and mercenaries from the country and cancellation of the draft decision seeking to remove subsidies on fuel. We affirm our determination to continue the path of peaceful demonstration until the last breath to achieve our goals, the Beltrees youth movement, which is mostly focused on online activism over living conditions and was behind calls for protests in 2020, said via social media. Credit: CC0 Public Domain An artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm trained to listen to patients pass urine is able to identify abnormal flows and could be a useful and cost-effective means of monitoring and managing urology patients at home. It is presented today at the European Association of Urology annual congress (EAU22), in Amsterdam. The deep learning tool, Audioflow, performed almost as well as a specialist machine used in clinics, and achieves similar results to urology residents in assessing urinary flow. The current study focuses on sound created by urine in a soundproof environment, but the ambition is to create an app so patients can monitor themselves at home. Lower urinary tract symptoms, problems related to the working of the bladder and the urethra, are common and affect an estimated 60% of men and 57% of women. Uroflowmetry is an important tool for the assessment of patients with symptoms, but patients have to urinate into a machine during outpatient visits. They are asked to urinate into a funnel connected to the uroflowmeter which records information about flow. During the COVID-19 pandemic access to clinics has been restricted, and even where patients can attend, the test can take a long time with queues to use a single machine. Dr. Lee Han Jie and colleagues at Singapore General Hospital collaborated with colleagues in the engineering department to develop an algorithm and recruited 534 male participants between December 2017 and July 2019 to train and validate it. Participants used the usual uroflowmetry machine in a soundproofed room, and recorded their urination using a smartphone. Using 220 recordings, the AI learned to estimate flow rate, volume, and time which can indicate when there is an obstruction or if the bladder is not working well. It was trained to listen to and analyse male urinary flow which is different from that of women and would need a separate sample to learn to analyse female urination. Results were compared to a conventional uroflowmetry machine and to a panel of six urology residents who separately graded the dataset. The AI agreed with conventional uroflowmetry for over 80% of recordings, and compared to the specialist urologists and external residents for identification of abnormal flows, it achieved an 84% rate of agreement. Dr. Lee says: "There is a trend towards using machine learning in many fields, because clinicians do not have a lot of time. At the same time, particularly since the pandemic there is a shift towards telemedicine and less hospital-based care. We were keen to develop a way to monitor our patients to see how they are doing between hospital visits." "Our AI can outperform some non-experts and comes close to senior consultants," he continues. "But the real benefit is having the equivalent of a consultant in the bathroom with you, every time you go. We are now working towards the algorithm being able to work when there is background noise in the normal home environment and this will make the true difference for patients." Audioflow will now be rolled out as a smartphone app via primary care physicians so it can be tested in the real world and learn from different datasets in different noise environments. Christian Gratzke, Professor of Urology at University Hospital Freiburg and member of the EAU22 Scientific Congress Committee of Urology says: "Giving patients the ability to measure urinary flow at home is more comfortable for them and reduces time waiting in the clinic. This is a well-executed study with a significant number of patients and represents a promising approach to developing a portable app that can be used at home. I look forward to seeing the real-world results." Explore further Machine learning for predicting the best treatment for vesicoureteral reflux in kids Fluorescence microscopy image of HAV-infected cultured human liver cell. viral RNA targeted by ZCCHC14 appears green, and the viruss protein red. Credit: Maryna Kapustina, UNC School of Medicine The viral replication cycle is crucial for a virus to spread inside the body and cause disease. Focusing on that cycle in the hepatitis A virus (HAV), UNC School of Medicine scientists discovered that replication requires specific interactions between the human protein ZCCHC14 and a group of enzymes called TENT4 poly(A) polymerases. They also found that the oral compound RG7834 stopped replication at a key step, making it impossible for the virus to infect liver cells. These findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are the first to demonstrate an effective drug treatment against HAV in an animal model of the disease. "Our research demonstrates that targeting this protein complex with an orally delivered, small-molecule therapeutic halts viral replication and reverses liver inflammation in a mouse model of hepatitis A, providing proof-of-principle for antiviral therapy and the means to stop the spread of hepatitis A in outbreak settings," said senior author Stanley M. Lemon, MD, professor in the UNC Department of Medicine and UNC Department of Microbiology & Immunology, and member of the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases. Lemon, who in the 1970s and 80s was part of a Walter Reed Army Medical Center research team that developed the first inactivated HAV vaccine administered to humans, said research on HAV tapered off after the vaccine became widely available in the mid-1990s. Cases plummeted in the 2000s as vaccination rates skyrocketed. Researchers turned their attention to hepatitis B and C viruses, both of which are very different from HAV and cause chronic disease. "It's like comparing apples to turnips," Lemon said. "The only similarity is that they all cause inflammation of the liver." HAV is not even part of the same virus family as hepatitis B and C viruses. Hepatitis A outbreaks have been on the rise since 2016, even though the HAV vaccine is very effective. Not everyone gets vaccinated, Lemon pointed out, and HAV can exist for long periods of time in the environmentsuch as on our hands and in food and waterresulting in more than 44,000 cases, 27,000 hospitalizations and 400 deaths in the United States since 2016, according to the CDC. Several outbreaks have occurred over the past several years, including in San Diego in 2017 driven largely by homelessness and illicit drug use, causing severe illness in about 600 people and killing 20. In 2022, there was a small outbreak linked to organic strawberries in multiple states, leading to about a dozen hospitalizations. Another outbreak in 2019 was linked to fresh blackberries. Globally, tens of millions of HAV infections occur each year. Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, jaundice, nausea, and loss of appetite and sense of taste. Once sick, there is no treatment. In 2013, Lemon and colleagues discovered that the hepatitis A virus changes dramatically inside the human liver. The virus hijacks bits of cell membrane as it leaves liver cells, cloaking itself from antibodies that would have otherwise quarantined the virus before it spread widely through the blood stream. This work was published in Nature and provided insight into how much researchers had yet to learn about this virus that was discovered 50 years ago and has likely caused disease dating back to ancient times. A few years ago, researchers found that hepatitis B virus required TENT4A/B for its replication. Meanwhile, Lemon's lab led experiments to search for human proteins that HAV needs in order to replicate, and they found ZCCHC14a particular protein that interacts with zinc and binds to RNA. "This was the tipping point for this current study," Lemon said. "We found ZCCHC14 binds very specifically to a certain part of HAV's RNA, the molecule that contains the virus's genetic information. And as a result of that binding, the virus is able to recruit TENT4 from the human cell." In normal human biology, TENT4 is part of an RNA-modification process during cell growth. Essentially, HAV hijacks TENT4 and uses it to replicate its own genome. This work suggested that stopping TENT4 recruitment could stop viral replication and limit disease. Lemon's lab then tested the compound RG7834, which had previously been shown to actively block Hepatitis B virus by targeting TENT4. In the PNAS paper, the researchers detailed the precise effects of oral RG7834 on HAV in liver and feces and how the virus's ability to cause liver injury is dramatically diminished in mice that had been genetically modified to develop HAV infection and disease. The research suggests the compound was safe at the dose used in this research and the acute timeframe of the study. "This compound is a long way from human use," Lemon said, "But it points the path to an effective way to treat a disease for which we have no treatment at all." The pharmaceutical company Hoffmann-La Roche developed RG7834 for use against chronic hepatitis B infections and tested it in humans in a phase 1 trial, but animal studies suggested it may be too toxic for use over long periods of time. "The treatment for Hepatitis A would be short term," Lemon said, "and, more importantly, our group and others are working on compounds that would hit the same target without toxic effects." This research was a collaboration between the Lemon lab and the lab of Jason Whitmire, professor of genetics at the UNC School of Medicine. Lemon and Whitmire are members of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Explore further Team identifies how hepatitis A virus causes liver injury MONDAY, July 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Death rates for U.S. pregnant women or those who had just delivered jumped sharply during the first year of the pandemic, new research shows. While U.S. death rates increased overall by 16% in 2020, for pregnant and early postpartum women it was officially even higher, at 18%, according to U.S. National Center for Health Statistics data. Yet, that's not the whole picture: Even higher increases were seen among Black and Hispanic women. When comparing maternal death data from 2018 to March 2020, when the pandemic began, to April through December 2020, the researchers found large spikes in maternal death -- about 33% in maternal deaths and about 41% in late maternal deaths. "The increase was really driven by deaths after the start of the pandemic, which are higher than what we see for overall excess mortality in 2020," said study co-author Marie Thoma, an assistant professor of family science at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. She spoke in a university news release. The team also found evidence new disparities, including a 40% increase in already high rates for Black women and a 74% increase among formerly lower rates in Hispanic women. "For the first time in more than a decade, the maternal mortality rate for Hispanic women during the pandemic was higher than that for non-Hispanic white women, a shift that may be related to COVID and deserves greater attention moving forward," said co-author Eugene Declercq, a professor of community health sciences at Boston University's School of Public Health. In fact, COVID was listed as a secondary cause of death in almost 15% of maternal deaths in the last nine months of 2020, the study found. It was a contributing factor in 32% of Hispanic, nearly 13% of Black, and 7% of white women giving birth. Most of the increases were attributed to conditions related to COVID-19, including respiratory or viral infection, or to conditions that were worsened by the virus, including diabetes and heart disease. The authors said delayed prenatal care during the pandemic may have also led to risk factors not being detected. "We need more detailed data on the specific causes of maternal deaths overall and those associated with COVID-19," Thoma said. "Potentially, we could see improvements in 2021 due to the rollout of vaccines, as well as the extension of postpartum care provided for Medicaid recipients as part of the American Rescue Act of 2021 in some states. We're going to continue to examine this." The findings were published June 28 in a research letter in JAMA Network Open. More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on maternal deaths. SOURCE: University of Maryland, news release, June 28, 2022 Even in the summer months many Burke County students are hard at work, especially those in FFA programs at East Burke and Freedom high schools. Both school programs recently attended the FFA State Convention where they brought home awards in food sciences, agronomy, agriculture mechanics, forestry and more. Freedom High School was awarded in the following categories: The Agriculture Mechanics team placed 12th. The team included Nathan Pepka, Ben Brockland, Gavian Campbell and Clay Smith. The Forestry team placed 11th. The team included Gracie Shields, Nathan Pepka, Kelsey Burnette and Connor Cork. Agricultural Tools and Materials finished in the top 30 out of nearly 100 teams. The team included Clay Smith, Jacob Miller, Gavian Campbell. The John Deere Gator Wars team, consisting of Ben Brockland, Gavian Campbell, Clay Smith and Jacob Miller placed first in the state. Gracie Shields received the Old North State FFA Degree. Hannah Houk, Freedom alumni, current North Carolina State University student was recognized for advancing her American Degree application to national judging. The Freedom FFA Chapter also received the Superior National Chapter award for actively implementing the mission and strategies of the National FFA throughout the year. East Burke High School was awarded in the following categories: Dixie Leatherman received the Old North State FFA Degree The Agronomy team placed 19th. The team consisted of Shelby Huffman, Michelle Cook, Sarah Cook and Tucker Dyer. The Food Sciences team placed 44th. The team consisted of Rashell Wright, Melanie Miller, Kaylee Paige and Timmy Young. Its a huge deal to be able to advance to states in the competitions that we were a part of, not just from a competitive perspective but for the opportunity to fulfill the FFA mission of building these student leaders through personal growth and career success, said Dustin Haigler, career and technical education teacher at Freedom. Im proud of the effort put forth by our members in preparations and practice for these competitions, and look forward to the same students using this as a recruiting tool for more members to go back next year East Burke High School students were eager to experience the N.C. FFA Convention and for the majority, this was their first time, said Daniel Sartin, career and technical education teacher at EBHS. Students had the opportunity to compete against others in the state in their Career Development Events, meet other NC FFA members, and learn more about agriculture in North Carolina throughout the week while getting to see some of N.C. States campus and the Raleigh area. Our agricultural education programs are growing and we could not be more proud of these students for representing Burke County Public Schools at the state level, said Superintendent Mike Swan. Congratulations to each student and their teachers for their hard work and dedication to a program they are passionate about. 6 dead, 30 hurt in shooting at Chicago-area July 4 parade HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) A gunman on a rooftop opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago on Monday, killing at least six people, wounding at least 30 and sending hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror, police said. Authorities said a man named as a person of interest in the shooting was taken into police custody Monday evening after an hourslong manhunt in and around Highland Park, an affluent community of about 30,000 on Chicagos north shore. The July 4 shooting was just the latest to shatter the rituals of American life. Schools, churches, grocery stores and now community parades have all become killing grounds in recent months. This time, the bloodshed came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together. It definitely hits a lot harder when its not only your hometown but its also right in front of you, resident Ron Tuazon said as he and a friend returned to the parade route Monday evening to retrieve chairs, blankets and a childs bike that he and his family abandoned when the shooting began. Its commonplace now, Tuazon said of what he called yet another American atrocity. We dont blink anymore. Until laws change, its going to be more of the same. Motive likely not terror-related in brutal Danish shooting COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) A gunman who killed three people when he opened fire in a crowded shopping mall acted alone and apparently selected his victims at random, Danish police said Monday, all but ruling out that the attack was related to terrorism. Authorities filed preliminary charges of murder and attempted murder against a 22-year-old Danish man, who will be held for 24 days in a secure mental health facility while authorities investigate the crime, prosecutor Sren Harbo told reporters. After the custody hearing, defense lawyer Luise Hj said she agreed to have her client undergo a mental exam. She did not comment on the charges. Police have said the man was known to mental health service without elaborating. Police have not identified a motive for Sundays attack inside one of Scandinavias biggest shopping centers. The suspect, carrying a rifle and knife, was quickly arrested, and Copenhagen chief police inspector Sren Thomassen said the man also had access to another gun. He said the firearms were obtained illegally but gave no further details. It was the worst possible nightmare, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Monday, calling the attack "unusually brutal. In rural West, more worries about access to abortion clinics PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) In the central Oregon city of Bend, the sole Planned Parenthood clinic serving the eastern half of the state is bracing for an influx of patients, particularly from neighboring Idaho, where a trigger law banning most abortions is expected to take effect this summer. We've already started hiring, said Joanna Dennis-Cook, the Bend Health Center Manager. Across the U.S. West, many abortion providers serving rural areas were already struggling to meet demand in a vast region where staffing shortages and long travel distances are barriers to reproductive services for women. Oregon alone is larger geographically than the entire United Kingdom. Some facilities serving rural communities in states where abortion remains legal worry those pre-existing challenges could be further compounded by the overturning of Roe v. Wade, as more patients travel from states where the procedure is banned or greatly restricted. Anticipating an abortion ban in Idaho, Oregon lawmakers earlier this year created a $15 million fund to increase access to abortion services. Uneasy US tries to fete a July 4 marred by parade shooting A shooting that left at least six people dead at an Independence Day parade in a Chicago suburb rattled Monday's celebrations across the U.S. and further rocked a country already awash in turmoil over high court rulings on abortion and guns as well as hearings on the Jan. 6 insurrection. The latest mass shooting came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together. It was supposed to be a day for taking off work, flocking to parades, devouring hot dogs and burgers at backyard barbecues and gathering under a canopy of stars and exploding fireworks. On a day that we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we are instead mourning the tragic loss of life and struggling with the terror that was brought upon us, Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering said. The Highland Park parade began around 10 a.m. but was suddenly halted 10 minutes later after shots were fired. Hundreds of parade-goers some visibly bloodied fled the area, leaving behind chairs, baby strollers and blankets. Authorities brought a person of interest into custody Monday evening. As the Highland Park community mourned, fireworks began thundering in neighboring towns and across the country. Pyrotechnics bloomed shortly after nightfall in Boston and New York City, where a kaleidoscope of color exploded over the Hudson River and illuminated skyscrapers. Flight cancellations ease slightly as July 4 weekend ends DALLAS (AP) Travelers flying home from July Fourth getaways faced flight delays Monday, but airlines were canceling fewer flights than in the days leading up to the holiday weekend. Since holiday weekend travel picked up on Thursday, airlines have canceled more than 2,200 U.S. flights, and another 25,000 were delayed. Airports were packed. More than 9 million flyers flocked to U.S. airports between Thursday and Sunday, peaking at 2.49 million, a pandemic-era record, on Friday, according to figures from the Transportation Security Administration. By late Monday afternoon on the East Coast, more than 2,200 U.S. flights had been delayed and more than 200 canceled, according to FlightAware. Griner sends letter to President Biden pleading for his help Brittney Griner has made an appeal to President Joe Biden in a letter passed to the White House through her representatives saying she feared she might never return home and asking that he not forget about me and the other American Detainees. Griner's agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas said the letter was delivered on Monday. Most of the letter's contents to President Biden remain private, though Griner's representatives shared a few lines from the hand-written note. As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, Im terrified I might be here forever, Griner wrote. On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a Vietnam War Veteran," the Phoenix Mercury center added. It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year. The two-time Olympic gold medalist is in the midst of a trial in Russia that began last week after she was arrested on Feb. 17 on charges of possessing cannabis oil while returning to play for her Russian team. The trial will resume Thursday. Sydney floods impact 50,000 around Australia's largest city SYDNEY (AP) Hundreds of homes have been inundated in and around Australias largest city in a flood emergency that was impacting 50,000 people, officials said Tuesday. Emergency response teams made 100 rescues overnight of people trapped in cars on flooded roads or in inundated homes in the Sydney area, State Emergency Service manager Ashley Sullivan said. Days of torrential rain have caused dams to overflow and waterways to break their banks, bringing a fourth flood emergency in 16 months to parts of the city of 5 million people. The New South Wales state government declared a disaster across 23 local government areas overnight, activating federal government financial assistance for flood victims. Evacuation orders and warnings to prepare to abandon homes impacted 50,000 people, up from 32,000 on Monday, New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said. Video shows Akron police kill Black man in hail of gunfire AKRON, Ohio (AP) A Black man was unarmed when Akron police chased him on foot and killed him in a hail of gunfire, but officers believed he had shot at them earlier from a vehicle and feared he was preparing to fire again, authorities said Sunday at a news conference. Akron police released video of the shooting of Jayland Walker, 25, who was killed June 27 in a pursuit that had started with an attempted traffic stop. The mayor called the shooting heartbreaking while asking for patience from the community. It's not clear how many shots were fired by the eight officers involved, but Walker sustained more than 60 wounds. An attorney for Walker's family said officers kept firing even after he was on the ground. Officers attempted to stop Walker's car around 12:30 a.m. for unspecified traffic and equipment violations, but less than a minute into a pursuit, the sound of a shot was heard from the car, and a transportation department camera captured what appeared to be a muzzle flash coming from the vehicle, Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett said. That changed the nature of the case from a routine traffic stop to now a public safety issue," he said. Police body camera videos show what unfolded after the roughly six-minute pursuit. Several shouting officers with guns drawn approach the slowing car on foot, as it rolls up over a curb and onto a sidewalk. A person wearing a ski mask exits the passenger door and runs toward a parking lot. Police chase him for about 10 seconds before officers fire from multiple directions, in a burst of shots that lasts 6 or 7 seconds. US: Israeli fire likely killed reporter; no final conclusion WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. officials said Monday the bullet that killed veteran Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was likely fired from an Israeli position. But they said it was too badly damaged to reach an absolute determination, and that there is no reason to believe she was deliberately targeted. State Department spokesman Ned Price, announcing the results of the probe, said independent, third-party examiners had undertaken an extremely detailed forensic analysis of the bullet that killed her after the Palestinian Authority handed it over to them. The results, announced ahead of President Joe Biden's visit to the region next week, were unlikely to lay the matter to rest. The Palestinians reiterated that Israel was to blame, while Israel said its own investigation would remain open and did not address the U.S. conclusion that its troops were likely responsible. Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian-American correspondent who was well known and respected throughout the Arab world, was shot and killed while covering an Israeli military raid on May 11 in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian eyewitnesses, including her crew, say Israeli troops killed her and that there were no militants in the immediate vicinity or any exchange of fire at the time she was shot. Israel says she was killed during a complex battle with Palestinian militants and that only a forensic analysis of the bullet could confirm whether it was fired by an Israeli soldier or a Palestinian militant. It has strongly denied she was deliberately targeted, but says an Israeli soldier may have hit her by mistake during an exchange of fire with a militant. 'Hell on earth': Ukrainian soldiers describe eastern front BAKHMUT, Ukraine (AP) Torched forests and cities burned to the ground. Colleagues with severed limbs. Bombardments so relentless the only option is to lie in a trench, wait and pray. Ukrainian soldiers returning from the front lines in eastern Ukraines Donbas region where Russia is waging a fierce offensive describe life during what has turned into a grueling war of attrition as apocalyptic. In interviews with The Associated Press, some complained of chaotic organization, desertions and mental health problems caused by relentless shelling. Others spoke of high morale, their colleagues heroism, and a commitment to keep fighting, even as the better-equipped Russians control more of the combat zone. Lt. Volodymyr Nazarenko, 30, second-in-command of the Ukrainian National Guards Svoboda Battalion, was with troops who retreated from Sievierodonetsk under orders from military leaders. During a month-long battle, Russian tanks obliterated any potential defensive positions and turned a city with a prewar population of 101,000 into a burnt-down desert, he said. They shelled us every day. I do not want to lie about it. But these were barrages of ammunition at every building," Nazarenko said. The city was methodically leveled out. Open Access Data Centres (OADC) has appointed Ayotunde Coker as its new CEO. OADC said Cokers leadership would support and accelerate the construction and operation of a pan-African network of Tier III certified data centre facilities and a unique core-to-edge open-access ecosystem. This is a dynamic period for businesses in Africa, with transformation driving rapid expansion of the continents digital infrastructure, Coker said regarding his appointment as CEO. I am excited to be joining OADC, which is set to play a huge role in establishing and growing the pan-African digital infrastructure and cloud ecosystem that will underpin this expansion. Coker said OADC would support cloud operators, content providers, the wholesale community, and major enterprises in extending their global reach and operations. Coker has more than 35 years of international experience in the industry. For the past eight years, he has worked as CEO and managing director of Rack Centre a carrier-neutral Tier III data centre in Lagos, Nigeria. Coker has elected to remain in Lagos, a somewhat central geographical location in Africa and the site of OADCs latest Tier III open-access data centre. I am absolutely delighted to welcome Tunde as CEO of Open Access Data Centres at this critical period in the companys development, WIOCC Group CEO Chris Wood said. Tundes depth and breadth of experience and leadership, together with his stature and contacts in the African data centre industry will, Im sure, be instrumental in ensuring the companys success. South Africas latest networking equipment brand, Reyee, was recently launched by Ruijie Networks. Established in 2000, the company up to this point predominantly focused on enterprise solutions. Ruijie launched the Reyee brand to create a range of devices that focuses on solutions for small to medium homes and businesses. The exceptional difference about these products is that they take advantage of the advanced enterprise feature set from Ruijie. This results in a range of products that not only offers competitive pricing to the SME market, but has management features that are unrivalled at this price point. Reyee WiFi Routers and Mesh Designed for home users, the EW series offers both WiFi 5 and WiFi 6 solutions and can accommodate Fast Ethernet and Gigabit router requirements. All devices are IPv6 compatible and can be configured in minutes. All wireless routers support push-button mesh technology, so users can easily cover dead spots by simply adding more Reyee routers while eliminating the need for more expensive dedicated mesh systems or more complicated repeater setups. Reyee Wireless Access Points The RAP series features high-performance controller-based access points offering a competitive proposition in the market. The wireless line-up offers models from the latest WiFi generations and includes indoor and outdoor solutions. All models support Power over Ethernet (PoE) to simplify the installation and feature attractive self-organising and roaming features. This range can either be managed via the cloud or hardware controller depending on the site requirements. Reyee Switches The ES range of PoE switches provides peace of mind with smart management features such as: Automatic Loop Prevention Remote PoE Rebooting IP Camera Detection They are an ideal companion for Reyees RAP products or CCTV installers looking to have more control over their networks. Management features are accessed using Ruijies free cloud service. Reyee Gateways To complete the Reyee solution, the EG series allows users to control everything under a single umbrella. Their gateway line-up features some truly important networking features such as: WAN Redundancy Traffic Prioritisation VPN Services In addition, these products can run as a wireless controller and support PoE which is great for smaller installations, as separate hardware is not required. Like the rest of the range, all gateways can be managed over the cloud. Ruijie Free Cloud Service One of the stand-out features of the Reyee brand is that they can be managed using their free-for-life cloud service. This service works for all managed Reyee products and is a huge advantage as it keeps management costs to a minimum while providing access to a powerful feature set. This allows users to easily provision network devices to one or multiple sites while providing complete configuration control via the Ruijie Cloud App or via the web. There is a wide range of features over and above project device configuration, such as: Batch Firmware Management Network Reports Roaming Test Guest Portal Users now have more insight into their networks without having to be on-site at zero cost. To use this service, users just need to register an account at cloud.ruijienetworks.com. Those not interested in the cloud can access the benefits of consolidated device management via hardware through any of the gateway products. Where to find Reyee products The Reyee range can be purchased online at scoop.co.za for fast, efficient and safe ordering. You can also reach out to the Scoop Sales team at your closest branch or contact one of Scoops resellers. The South African Police Service (Saps) is buying a fleet of drones to help combat crime in the country, including in rural areas. This was recently revealed in a response from police minister Bheki Cele to a question in Parliament from FF Plus leader Pieter Groenewald. Cele said 166 drones would be acquired and rolled out in three phases across 43 localities. They will be employed by the polices provincial and district operational command centres and Safer City Projects. Specialised satellite drone units will serve several police stations. Rural safety committees at police stations will also use drones in their safety plans. Although the police minister has not publicly announced the plans, The Sunday Times reports that officers are already being trained to operate the drones. Fighting crime in South Africa using drones is not a new idea. Private security company Fidelity has been using fixed-wing and multi-rotor drones to track criminals targeting its customers properties. Fidelity Services Group CEO Wahl Bartmann said the drones had proven successful in remote areas during the early rollout. The company also started using them in residential estates with great success. The drones track criminals using long-range thermal imagery and optical cameras, allowing operators to spot them breaching perimeters or engaging in other illegal activities. They also act as a visual deterrent to would-be burglars and robbers, similar to guard dogs. While the drones monitor criminals movements, tactical ground teams can be activated to apprehend the suspects. Bartmann said drones had also helped identify high-risk routes and hiding places in green belts where vagrants had occupied private land and posed a risk to nearby communities. Eskom recently started using drones to clamp down on suspected sabotage and vandalism of its infrastructure. These units also have infrared cameras to detect saboteurs at night. While the City of Cape Town has also procured six drones for the metros police department, these are still undergoing registration and licensing with the Civil Aviation Authority. However, the city has already employed a fixed-camera CCTV system nicknamed eye in the sky with significant success. The system detected more than 15,000 incidents of crime in the 2020/2021 financial year and has helped the city fight cable theft, drug-related crime, and vehicle thefts. More recently, the system allowed law enforcement to track down and arrest 33 illegal street racers. In Johannesburg, Vumacam has rolled out an extensive network of pole-mounted cameras powered by software that can detect anomalies and match number plates to a database of suspicious or stolen vehicles. Vumacam has helped private security companies and metro police catch criminals and recover stolen vehicles. In June, Vumacam announced a R60 million investment to expand its network into underserved areas like Alexandra and Soweto in support of the Eyes and Ears Initiative (E2). E2 is a joint crime-fighting initiative between the South African Police Service, Business Against Crime South Africa, and the private security industry. Now read: Scientists create algorithm that can predict future crime with high accuracy A university in the Netherlands made a considerable profit off a recovered Bitcoin ransom they paid to restore access to data compromised during a ransomware attack, German news broadcaster Deutsche Welle reports. The Maastricht University suffered the attack in 2019, leaving staff and students cut off from valuable personal data, including academic work. The hackers demanded that the university pay a 200,000 (R3.41 million) ransom in Bitcoin to regain access to the data. According to the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, the university agreed to pay the ransom because the data was at risk of being lost. That would leave some students unable to take exams or complete their academic papers. Following an extensive investigation, Dutch police managed to identify the bank account of a money launderer in Ukraine into which 40,000 of the ransom had been paid. Authorities seized the account and found it contained several cryptocurrencies. They were able to return the portion of the ransom to the university around two years later. Since then, the value of the Bitcoin in the account had increased from 40,000 (R681,875) to 500,000 (R8.52 million) more than double the original ransom the university had paid. Had the total ransom been recovered, the new value would have been 2.5 million (R42.62 million), assuming the same price per Bitcoin at the time. Maastricht Universitys ICT director Michiel Borgers said the additional 300,000 (R5.11 million) would go into a fund to help financially strapped students. Police are still investigating the case in the hopes of identifying the perpetrators behind the attack. Now read: NFT marketplace data leak leaves users vulnerable to phishing scams Paratus Group has announced that it has landed Googles Equiano submarine Internet cable in Swakopmund, Namibia. Equianos Swakopmund landing comes three months after it came ashore in Lagos, Nigeria. Googles Equiano cable connects Europe to Africas western coast via a landing station in Lisbon, Portugal, and has nearly ten times the West Africa Cable Systems (Wacs) capacity at 144 Tbps. The undersea cable will make its final landing in Melkbosstrand, Cape Town and is expected to be fully operational in Q4 2022. Paratus completed building Swakopmunds cable landing station in January this year in partnership with Telecom Namibia. It said access to the Equiano cable means Namibia no longer only has to rely on Wacs for its international Internet connectivity. This cable will become a critical element in meeting Namibias current and future international connectivity demands, as the cable incorporates new technology that enables approximately 20 times more network capacity than the current Wacs cable, Telecom Namibia chief executive Stanley Shanapinda said. Besides the massive leap in capacity, the Equiano cable will also provide redundancy by offering alternative cable connections if other routes are damaged. Liquid Intelligent Technologies secured a fibre pair on Equianos cable in preparation for when it lands in Melkbosstrand before the end of the year. Liquid said Equiano would address the increasing need for Internet capacity to support cloud services throughout Africa. In Taganrog, Russia, the "Forpost" reconnaissance drone crashed and damaged a house. This is reported by the Russian mass media. The UAV fell on a private house, a fire started. There is information that the house burned completely, there is no information about the victims. The reasons for the fall of the drone are also not clear. There is a wreckage of a UAV near the burning house. It seems that this is a "Forpost" reconnaissance drone. Drone wreckage, July 4, Taganrog, Rostov region of the Russian Federation Photo from open sources Drone wreckage, July 4, Taganrog, Rostov region of the Russian Federation Photo from open sources UAV "Forpost" (Searcher) is a family of tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial systems developed by the Israeli concern Israel Aerospace Industries. Since 2012, Russia has started producing UAVs a licensed copy of the Searcher 2. Russian UAV Outpost on the runway of Gomel airport (Belarus) We will remind you that "loud sounds were heard" in the Russian Belgorod the day before . According to available information, air defense was working. According to the local authorities, there are dead and injured. There are also destroyed residential buildings. And two Ukrainian drones were allegedly shot down in Kursk . The Russian authorities claim that this is the Strizh UAV. Read also: "Zaporizhia avenger" from the National Guard shot down an enemy attack aircraft Su-25 (VIDEO) The SSO of Ukraine received foreign combat buggies (VIDEO) Enemy losses on Ukrainian soil amount to almost 38,500 - General Staff of the Armed Forces Russian occupiers' ammunition is detonated in Nova Kakhovka Over the past day, Ukrainian soldiers eliminated another 160 occupiers: data from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Soldiers of the 93rd OMBr defeated the occupying tank and BMP-1 near Izyum (PHOTO) Fighters of the SSO "Azov" together with counter-intelligence of the SBU neutralized the enemy BMP The Meritage Resort and Spa has introduced the Village Bistro, a French-influenced pop-up dining experience with a wine country twist. Inspired by the grandmother of the resorts chef Vincent Lesage, the wine country brasserie serves traditional French dishes in shareable plates, entrees and desserts. Menu highlights include beef Tartar; salade nicoise; French onion soup; white wine mussel and clam steam pots; bouillabaisse; stuffed lamb saddle with crispy panisse, grilled baby leeks, morel mushroom and lamb jus; Parisian gnocchi with spring onion puree and crispy artichokes, spring peas, and pea tendrils. Food and beverage manager Maria Villalpando oversees a wine list with more than 90 wines, including locally sourced selections and traditional French wines served by the glass. The French influence is also evident in the restaurants signature cocktails, including La Vie en Rose (Le Citron Grey Goose, strawberry puree, lemon, sparkling wine); the Parisian Margarita (Tequila Avion, St.-Germain, lime, Grand Marnier) and Bistro Vieux Carre (Chicken Cock bourbon, Martell cognac, Benedictine). The Bistro is in the old Foley tasting room space and has a large outdoor seating area and indoor dining. Open through the end of the year, the bistro is open Friday through Sunday from 5:30 to 10 p.m. For reservations, visit www.opentable.com/r/the-village-bistro-napa. Meritage Resort and Spa, 850 Bordeaux Way, Napa, 888-965-7090 Bui Bistro closed, space becoming Crocante Bui Bistro has closed and a sign on the door of says that after 13 years, the Vietnamese restaurant in downtown Napa is becoming Crocante, with former chef partner Patrick Bui becoming a consulting partner and his business partner taking over operations. The location is 976 Pearl St., Napa. That leaves Napa without a Vietnamese restaurant at least until the Slanted Door opens its promised location in the building in front of the River Terrace Inn that has housed Budo, Cuvee and the Kitchen Collective. There's no word yet on when that will happen. Contimo adding kitchen and seating After years as a pop-up and sharing space, Contimo moved into its own building downtown, and now it is adding a full kitchen. Theyve operated with a professional toaster oven and a sandwich press for seven years. In the coming months, they will be adding indoor seating and beer and wine as well as more groceries and extending their hours. For now, they continue to offer sandwiches, soups, salads, desserts and other food to go or at outside tables. Theyre open Tuesday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Contimo Provisions, 950 Randolph St., Napa, contimonapa.com, 707-782-6424 Clif Bar company sold, but winery and food truck not affected Husband and wife Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford, who founded Clif Bars and remain its majority owners, are selling the snack bar company they founded to Mondelez International Inc. for $2.9 billion. Mondelez, which spun out of Kraft, owns Oreo, Ritz, Triscuit, Toblerone, Cadbury, Sour Patch Kids and Trident. This doesnt directly affect their Clif Family winery, including vineyards on Howell Mountain, its popular tasting room in St. Helena and its Bruschetteria food truck, which has popular themed lunches each Wednesday. 'Pool Bar Menu' at the Kitchen Door The Kitchen Door has released its Pool Bar Menu, which is served from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. daily. It includes Potato Bravas ($8.50), deviled eggs ($10.75), beef carpaccio ($18), classic Buffalo wings ($12.95) , rotisserie chicken wings ($12.95) , duck mousse or burrata with crostini ($15), Korean fried chicken sliders (two for $15), cheeseburger with pickle and fries ($18.95), and French fries with truffle aioli ($9). A selection of wines by the glass and draft beers are $2 off during happy hour. The bar opens at 4:30 p.m. and dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. nightly. Kitchen Door, 1300 First St. (Suite 272), Napa, corner of Clay and Randolph, info@kitchendoornapa.com, 707-226-1560 Friday Night Fries at Charlie Palmer Steak Charlie Palmer Steak features FRY-day in the bar and lounge from 4 to 10 p.m. Each week, they have a special version of Friday Fries. Pair with one of their favorite draft beers for $5 all night. Other specials include $2.50 oysters on Monday, $1.50 CPS Hot Wings on Thursday, and happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. from Thursday through Monday. It serves dinner and drinks daily from 4 to 10 p.m. Charlie Palmer Steak at the Archer Hotel, 1260 First St., Napa Napa Valley Education Foundation Beer Battle & BBQ The Napa Valley Education Foundation presents the 10th annual Napa Valley Beer Battle & BBQ on July 10 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Tre Posti in St. Helena. All-inclusive tickets include live music, barbecue from chef Nash Cognetti of Tre Posti, craft beers, wines, auction, a commemorative beer glass and more. Jealous Zelig will play, and theyll have a silent auction, raffle, games and prizes throughout the day. Admission is $100 at www.nvef.org/bbq. Tre Posti, 641 Main St., St. Helena Kiwanis summer barbecue The Kiwanis Club of Napa's second annual Kiwanis summer barbecue fundraiser will be held at the Elks Club on July 16 from 5 to 6 p.m. This event includes a barbecue dinner with all the fixings plus a complementary bottle of wine for every two tickets purchased. The event will again be held as a drive-through pickup. Ticket purchasers can elect to join an outdoor picnic at the Elks Club or dine at home. Napa's Red Rock BBQ will provide barbecued tri-tip, chicken, ribs and pulled pork. Sides of salad, baked beans and mac and cheese and a homemade dessert are also included. This year, dinners will come in a Kiwanis tote bag you can keep and use for your future shopping trips. Cocktails can also be ordered with your meal, courtesy of Ristorante Allegria. Tickets are $65 at www.silentauctionpro.com. Meet the artisans at Farmstead Gather around a communal table at Farmstead for an evening of Long Meadow Ranch wines paired with a farm-fresh feast prepared over an open fire by chef Stephen Barber and his culinary team on Friday, July 29, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Attending will be Long Meadow Ranch proprietor Laddie Hall, director of winemaking Lisanne Leask, winemaker Stephane Vivier, winemaker Justin Carr and culinary farm manager Jess Arnsteen. Buy tickets at www.longmeadowranch.com. Farmstead, 738 Main St., St. Helena, 707-963-4555 Lets start with the premise that taxation is largely arbitrary. Despite efforts to frame tax policy in moral or at least philosophical terms, what or who is taxed and the form and level of that taxation merely reflect current political priorities. Take, for example, South Lake Tahoe, a small city that sits on Californias border with Nevada. If you live in that city, you pay the nations highest state income taxes. However, if your home is located a few feet to the east, inside Douglas County, Nevada, you pay no state income taxes. That explains why theres a steady rivulet of high-income Californians resettling in Nevada, or at least changing their official addresses. If a couple of pending California ballot measures are approved in November, state taxes on the wealthy will increase even more and Nevada will become an even more popular tax refuge. Californias income taxes became the nations highest through a series of incremental decisions made by legislators or voters and they now provide more than two-thirds of the states general fund revenue. Nevada, on the other hand, makes do without taxing incomes. So which state is correct? Neither. They just happened to take different taxation paths for different reasons. The arbitrary nature of taxation is evident, too, within the California revenue system, particularly in sales taxes. One oddity is that cold food is not subject to taxation but hot food is and the differential can be very difficult to sort out. Some years ago, a movie theater chain asked the state Board of Equalization to shift popcorn from being a taxable hot food to a tax-free cold food. The rationale was that by the time theater patrons returned to their seats with popcorn in hand, it had turned cold. The board agreed. If someone buys computer software, such as Turbo Tax, to file federal and state income tax returns, that purchase is subject to a sales tax. But if a large company obtains a custom computer program to prepare its tax returns, the purchase is free of sales taxes. Why? Because those who sell custom software lobbied the Legislature for an exemption in the 1980s. The Legislature, at the behest of Gov. Gavin Newsom, is on the verge of enacting a new and especially questionable tax anomaly. One budget trailer bill would impose a hefty new tax on the embryonic industry of extracting lithium from the brine of the Salton Sea in the Southern California desert. Lithium is the key ingredient of long-life, rechargeable batteries used in everything from cellphones to electric cars and immense electrical energy storage banks and therefore plays a key role in the states drive to make itself carbon-free. Most lithium is imported from other countries, including China. The Salton Sea, however, is a potentially huge source of the mineral that, if developed, would both contribute to energy independence and create many new jobs in an economically depressed corner of the state. Lithium companies have warned that taxing extraction, $400 to $800 per metric ton, would make California lithium more expensive than imports and discourage investment in the industry, but were ignored. Another trailer bill, however, would give sellers of legal marijuana a hefty cut in taxes, responding to their complaints that taxation makes their product too expensive vis-a-vis pot from illegal growers and sellers. So California politicians may be strangling an industry vital to their vision of a carbon-free future while encouraging in essence, subsidizing an industry that helps people get stoned. Thats about as arbitrary as it can get Editor's note: This is the latest installment in Charlene Peters' Road Trip Chronicles as the former St. Helena resident traveled across the country to a new home in Massachusetts. By the time I arrived in the bucolic setting of Bernville in Berks County, Pennsylvania, Id driven close to 3,000 miles. My cross-country trip from California to Boston was near completion. For this stop, I stayed at a guest barn on a lakefront property. Outside the barns front door, two horses grazed in the green pasture against the backdrop of a small lake surrounded by woods. Yes, nature is the best medicine, but a little help from local practitioners enhanced my efforts. 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. It took 20 minutes into my 90-minute full-body massage at Bell Tower Salon Spa in nearby Wyomissing before my breath slowed to deep, long inhales and exhales a surefire sign that the massage was working to de-stress my body and mind. My detox continued dockside off the lake with my body lying stomach-side down on an SUP (standu-p paddleboard). It was early morning under a sky darkening with the threat of a thunderstorm. My senses were heightened by the concerto of raindrops and circular ripples forming with each drop. I was here for a sound bowl meditation performed by Cheryl Corson, a certified wellness practitioner in the area. Beyond nature, I heard her voice above me as she stood in the water next to my paddleboard. If you put cheap wine in the (meditation sound) bowl, itll make it taste like fine wine, she whispered. I chortled at the concept before a sound bowl was placed on my backside and Corson began tapping the bowl with a wand to create a vibrating sound. This intriguing and magical symphony of healing continued on my upper back until the rain picked up and we were forced to conclude our session and huddle under the rooftop of a dockside outdoor living space. This was when Cheryl reached into her bag and pulled out a kalimba, a wooden soundboard with a single row of steel keys a seven-note diatonic scale, most notably used in traditional Western music. She began to tap on it with her thumbs as if she were a millennial in the act of texting. The tranquil sound was bell-like and deeply relaxing as a complementary modality to clear my path for healing. Deep relaxation calms the central nervous system, which allows us to unwind and sleep well, Cheryl explained. The feeling of calm lasts well past the session itself. In addition to a better sleep that evening, my experience left me feeling more flexible throughout the day than I had felt in years. With senses heightened, dinner at Dans at Green Hills Restaurant in nearby Reading was a palatable pleasure that began with sips of Champagne, a serving of watermelon steak salad, and a pretzel-dusted sweet potato soup. The owner shared a fun fact in that this was one of Joan Rivers favorite places when she visited her nephew here. Before I departed this farm country, I browsed through the larger-than-large Renningers Antique and Farmers Market in Kutztown, and then headed for a wine tasting at Stony Run Winery in Breinigsville, where its glorious view of vineyards leads to a forest. Sips of a 2016 Pinot Noir and a 2018 Brut sparkling impressed, but the winning taste during my visit was a 2016 Reserve Chardonnay. My road trip continued the next morning with a quick stop in downtown Reading to take in the magnificent view of the region from the perch of the Pagoda. This historic landmark of the city was built in 1908 and anchors the mountainside atop the south end of Mount Penn. I bid adieu to Berks County and an hour later checked in at The Rittenhouse Hotel in Philadelphia. Not surprisingly, this was named the No. 1 Best Hotel in Pennsylvania by U.S. News & World Report. I wholeheartedly concurred, as the staff treated me like a VIP from check-in to check-out. Each time I passed the front desk, a cheery attendant would ask how my day was and if they could help me with anything. My spacious room included a vanity/makeup area and a workstation with a view of the park below. Ten minutes from the time I checked in, I was out walking the Benjamin Franklin Parkway where this city of firsts held the nations inaugural Thanksgiving Day parade in 1920, courtesy of Gimbels department store. My mission was to check out the Philadelphia Museum of Art to view the Frank Gehry redo of the interior. What I found were small bronze portraits of Marie de Medici, Queen of France, made by Guillaume Dupre two years after her death in 1642, a painting of Benjamin Franklin, and in the McNeil American Presidential China gallery, the best painting Id ever seen of President George Washington. By dinnertime, I was ravenous and grateful for the quick walk through the park to take an outdoor seat at Parc, right in Rittenhouse Square. My first course was a refreshing sliced tomato tart, followed by a delicious plate of French-inspired lobster Thermidor with a side of frites. It was as if I were back in Paris, with bistro tables set up under a red awning that read bieres pressions. A plethora of restaurants are lined along or in the vicinity of 18th Street, including The Love, where I enjoyed lunch the next day, markedly one of the hottest and most humid days of summer. A frose seemed a refreshing choice to start, and I kept it light with a superb sushi-grade tuna crudo salad with avocado and pieces of seeded rice crisps. While in Philly, my goal was to view the authentic, historic Liberty Bell. What seemed like a 10-mile walk in the intense humidity was actually less than two miles before I arrived at the building in front of Independence Hall. To my surprise, the bell was not on public display, so I stood in the queue for a security check before I walked the long hallway inside this sub-ground-level museum where the Liberty Bell was displayed. Armenia FM to pay official visit to Poland Ameriabank Receives Euromoney Award for Excellence as the Best Bank in Armenia for 2022 Russia Foreign Intelligence Service chief to visit Yerevan Monday Russia MOD announces for first time name of commander of East group of special operations in Ukraine Byblos Bank Armenia introduces the premium World Elite Mastercard More than 1,000 heat-related deaths reported in Spain, Portugal so far in July Man who threatened to kill himself with hand grenade is detained in Armenias Ashtarak city Azerbaijan population exceeds 10mn 629 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia past one week Catholicos of All Armenians travels to US Who gave information about alleged bomb in Armenia First Presidents house? UK parliament to hold confidence vote in government Monday Meteorology official: Armenia heatwave will gradually recede as of Friday World oil prices on the rise State of emergency formally declared in Sri Lanka US hopes oil production will increase after Biden's Middle East visit 792 children born in Artsakh in first half of 2022 Elderly woman killed by alligators after falling into pond in Florida Von der Leyen heads to Azerbaijan hoping to get more natural gas Zelenskyy dismisses security service chief, top prosecutor Armenia political party head resigns UK man, 40, found dead in Italy hotel room No bomb found in Armenia First President's house Mars sued over 'unsafe' Skittles Unknown person reports bomb threat in Armenia's First President house Armenia FM and US Assistant Secretary of State discuss regional security issues Fears of social upheaval growing in Germany Indian authorities announce they made 2 billion vaccines against COVID-19 Israel to increase flights to Asia after Saudi Arabia opens airspace IMF to 'substantially' lower global economic growth forecasts Erdogan expects to hold talks with Putin in Tehran Japan to refuse to set a ceiling on defense spending Negotiations on resumption of Iran nuclear deal coming to end UAE allocates more than $800 million for space program State Department approves $1.5 Billion arms sale Extreme heat wave hits Europe US needs another $3 billion to remove Huawei and ZTE from networks Germany to resume requirement to wear masks in closed public places Air temperature in Armenia to reach 42 degrees Ankara rejects Liz Truss Blinken on meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers in Tbilisi It is in Iraq's interest to continue to insist on rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia G-20 meeting ends without final communique Armenia PM Pashinyan sends congratulatory message to Georgia PM Erdogan and Macron discuss implementation of joint production of air defense systems 2,000-year-old cemetery with giant tombs discovered in Iran Armenias Khachik villagers dont recall any period after 1990s war when Azeris violated ceasefire at such regularity Georgia gets NATO partner status in security operation Mouflons spotted again at Zangezur State Sanctuary of Armenia Crown prince: Saudi Arabia cant increase oil production beyond 13 million barrels per day Scholz: Increased coal, oil use in Germany will be temporary Armenia opposition MP: Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem is in a hurry Vandals desecrate Jewish gravestones in Istanbul Biden: US will not walk away from Middle East More than 30 people die in tribal clashes in Sudan One of most notorious drug lords is arrested in Mexico What did Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs discuss in Tbilisi? Armenia activists stage protest on top of Mount Hatis US, Iraq leaders declare their commitment to strong bilateral partnership between their countries Toivo Klaar: EU supports Armenia, Azerbaijan bilateral decision to hold FMs meeting What did Biden agree upon with Saudi leaders during meeting in Jeddah? Armenia, Azerbaijan foreign ministers Tbilisi meeting concludes European Commission formally proposes ban on Russia gold imports Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs Georgia meeting taking place at Radisson hotel in Tbilisi Armenia ex-President Sargsyan attends Haykyan award ceremony (PHOTOS) Georgia FM comments on Tbilisi meeting of Armenia, Azerbaijan counterparts Heatwave claims 237 lives so far in Spain Armenia military unit medical aid station head died as result of car accident Medical aid station head, 37, dies in hospital after accident in Armenia military unit Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs meeting gets underway in Tbilisi (PHOTOS) Mirzoyan, Garibashvili exchange views on normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations CNN: US, Japan put on show of force amid rising tensions with China, Russia in region G20 finance ministers to not issue final communique due to differences over Ukraine White House: Russian officials visited Iran to inspect drones Ivana Trump dies from accident Armenia Foreign Minister Mirzoyan arrives in Tbilisi Yerevan Mayor appeals to court to prosecute Ishkhan Saghatelyan Israeli fighter jets strike Gaza hours after Biden departed Armenian MOD: Azerbaijani Armed Forces open fire on eastern direction of Armenian-Azerbaijani border Huawei resumes shipments of its gadgets to Russia Previously unknown self-portrait of Van Gogh discovered US, Saudi Arabia agree on stopping Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon Newspaper: Internal troops no longer to be sent to border Newspaper: Internal political intrigues expected in Artsakh Drought reveals ruins of ancient bridge Nero in Rome Biden says he raised issue of Khashoggi's murder in meeting with Saudi Arabia's crown prince Birds falling to the ground in Spain because of heat Opposition says it is preparing declaration recognizing all Pashinyans agreements as null and void Next Resistance Movement rally to be held on 21 July Armenia PM: We have one mission, to ensure safe, prosperous development and independence of Armenia Armenia PM receives US CIA Director William Burns Armenian Security Council secretary meets with CIA director William Burns European Commission to sue Hungary over its law banning homosexual propaganda Armenian patriarch of Jerusalem introduces Armenian history and heritage to Biden Aliyev talks about electricity exports through the Zangezur corridor Rally starts on France Square in Yerevan Azerbaijani president has phone conversation with Turkish counterpart Aliyev again uses threats against Armenia Resistance Movement supporters march through streets of Yerevan Europe surpasses Asia to become biggest consumer of US oil for first time in six years Following all these judicial and investigative actions, it's just terrible what the police have done. The policemen giving testimony wrote 1937-like statement; they will answer for it. Armenian opposition MP Gegham Manukyan told this to reporters. "The police will first of all answer ethically. There is a policeman who testified against dozens of people; lawyers have already talked about it. In each case it is terrible; there is no evidence that this person committed this act," he said. To note, a number of persons who were arrested for participating in the actions of the opposition Resistance Movement have been released from Armavir prison. They are accused of mass riots. Seven people were released Sunday. Artur Ghazinyan, a member of the opposition "Armenia" Faction in the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, has announced that he is giving up his parliamentary seat. His respective statement reads as follows, in particular: "I have decided to lay down my parliamentary mandate. I consider it the most correct and justified decision in the current situation. I don't want to talk about the reasons now; they are solely political and tactical in nature. At this moment, I can only say [that] I can no longer picture my future work with any agenda in this NA, and under these conditions, I cannot retain the status of an MP of the NA; it's not honest at the very least." Turkey and Israel intend to start negotiations in the field of civil aviation for the resumption of direct flights between the countries by Israeli airlines for the first time in 15 years, Cumhuriyet reported. As part of the normalization process started between Turkey and Israel, talks in the field of civil aviation between the two countries are resuming. One of the first items on the agenda of the process is the signing of a new civil aviation agreement between the two countries. In this context, talks on civil aviation between Turkey and Israel will resume from the meeting to be held today. The new civil aviation agreement aims to increase the number and frequency of direct scheduled flights between the two countries, while the most important item on the negotiating agenda will be the security rules Israel requires from Israeli airlines to resume their flights to Turkey. When the Constitutional Court actually recognized that shameful Criminal Code article on "grave insult" as constitutional, after that, it is a serious problem for me to perceive the Constitutional Court because I have not known such a Constitutional Court. Opposition MP Aram Vardevanyanwho is an attorney by professiontold this to reporters Monday during the protest by Armenias opposition Resistance Movement. "This seems like a certain watershed between the Constitutional Court and the Constitution when the Constitutional Court decided to draw such a line. This means that constitutional justice is in a serious crisis [in Armenia]," he said, adding that this crisis will deepen by appointing attorney Seda Safaryanthe governments nomineeas a judge of the Constitutional Court. "For a simple reason because she is not specialized in the field of constitutional justice. In addition, she has a very pronounced [pro-government] political position; this is a detriment to constitutional justice. We are now in a completely different logic; the logic that a person who has never worked as a lawyer, investigator or prosecutor is appointed Prosecutor General. Being appointed from the PM's assistant to Prosecutor General is not good because you turn the prosecutor's office into an envoy of the executive; but that is the reality [in Armenia]," Vardevanyan emphasized. Numerous participants of the opposition Resistance Movement, who were staging a protest outside the office of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Armenia, marched to Martiros Saryan Park in downtown Yerevan. Arriving at the gates of the National Assembly (NA), the participants of the march wrapped the big banner with the image of Gagik Jhangiryannow former acting chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council of Armeniaand Ambassador Andrea WiktorinHead of the EU Delegation to Armenia, and threw it in front of the NA bars. And at Martiros Saryan Park, opposition MP Aram Vardevanyan informed that a march will kick off Tuesday from near the statue of composer Aram Khachaturian. Earlier in the day, the Resistance Movement members held a protest near the NA building, and, subsequently, marched to the office of the EU delegation to Armenia. Probably, within this or the next year, Armenia will manage to establish diplomatic relations with the largest Arab country in the Persian Gulf: Saudi Arabia. Armenian Ambassador to Tunisia and Morocco and former Armenian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Arshak Poladian, stated this Monday at an international conference in Yerevanand devoted to the Arab countries and Armenian communities of the Persian Gulf. He recalled that by the 2000s, Armenia established diplomatic relations with all the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, except for Saudi Arabiaand in connection with the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) issue. According to him, today, however, there are positive signals from Saudi Arabia. "Ever since Armenia's achievement of independence [in 1991], the [Persian Gulf] region has been and is of great importance for Yerevan. It was then that the process of establishing diplomatic relations with the countries of the region began. Armenia intended to establish the first such relations with Oman in 1992, but, unfortunately, that process was stopped after the events of Karvachar [(Kelbajar) district of Nagorno-Karabakh]," the Armenian diplomat emphasized. The ambassador explained that Azerbaijan, under the leadership of Turkey, had raised a great hysteria in the Arab world, and this impacted the process of Armenia establishing diplomatic relations with the countries of the region. "It was necessary to carry out serious work. As a result of, in 1994, it became possible to melt that ice and establish diplomatic relations with Yemen and Kuwait, and laterwith the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain," Arshak Poladian concluded. A new chairman was not elected Monday at the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) of Armenia. SJC member Grigor Bekmezyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am about this. "According to the law, until the new election of the chairman of the SJC, the eldest member of the SJC, Stepan Mikayelyan, will perform the duties of the chairman," said Bekmezyan, adding that the SJC decided to put off the election of the new chairman. According to Grigor Bekmezyan, all the scholar members of the SJC were considered candidates for its chairman. On July 1, SJC acting chairman Gagik Jhangiryan submitted his resignationand due to health problems. On Monday, the SJC issued a statement that Gagik Jhangiryan and Liparit Melikjanyans powers as SJC members are considered terminatedand based on their respective letters of resignation. A few days ago, Melikjanyan was elected by the National Assembly as a judge of the judicial staff investigating civil cases at the Anti-Corruption chamber of the Court of Cassation of Armenia. On June 20, SJC ex-chairman Ruben Vardazaryan publicized an audio recordingof more than a year oldwith the participation of himself and Gagik Jhangiryan, in which Jhangiryan had urged Vardazaryan to voluntarily resign from the post of SJC chairman, guaranteeing that in that case no criminal cases would be launched against him. After this recording was made public, the opposition forces were demanding Gagik Jhangiryans resignation from the Supreme Judicial Council of Armenia. Zimbabwean president meets with senior Chinese diplomat on bilateral cooperation Xinhua) 08:28, July 04, 2022 Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (R) meets with Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, in Harare, Zimbabwe, on July 3, 2022. (Photo by Chen Yaqin/Xinhua) HARARE, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Sunday met with senior Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi, with both sides pledging to step up exchanges and cooperation and advance the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new high. During the meeting in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, Yang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings to the Zimbabwean president. The friendship between China and Zimbabwe has a long history and in recent years, the heads of state of the two countries have met and exchanged letters on many occasions, leading China-Zimbabwe relations to maintain a high level of performance. The two sides have deepened mutual political trust and consolidated cooperation in various fields, said Yang. While noting this year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of inter-party relations between the CPC and ZANU PF, the ruling parties of China and Zimbabwe, respectively, Yang stressed the two parties trust and support each other, laying an important political foundation for the all-weather friendship between China and Zimbabwe. "China appreciates Zimbabwe's important role in promoting China-Africa cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative and stands ready to further strengthen all-dimensional exchanges with Zimbabwe, be it party to party, government to government, military to military and people to people levels, and conduct in-depth exchanges of governance experience with Zimbabwe," said Yang. " China is ready to provide more support for Zimbabwe's economic and social development." Yang said instability, uncertainty and insecurity are prominent in the current international situation. China recently held the High-Level Dialogue on Global Development in the form of BRICS Plus, sending a positive signal of emerging markets and developing countries in promoting global development and solidarity and cooperation. China is ready to fully coordinate its position with Zimbabwe on multilateral affairs, jointly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, and make the global governance system more just and equitable. President Mnangagwa asked Yang to convey his sincere regards to President Xi Jinping, while expressing warm congratulations to the CPC on its 101st anniversary which fell on Friday and wishing the 20th CPC National Congress a complete success. Mnangagwa said the friendship between Zimbabwe and China has become stronger with the passing of time. Zimbabwe always bears in mind China's firm support for its efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and oppose foreign interference and sanctions and remains grateful for China's sincere assistance to Zimbabwe's economic and social development over the years. Zimbabwe firmly upholds the one-China principle and supports the China-proposed Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative. Zimbabwe, President Mnangagwa said, is ready to work with China to further synergize their development strategies, advance high-quality Africa-China cooperation, jointly safeguard genuine multilateralism in the face of international changes, and jointly push bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new level. Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and other officials attended the meeting. On the same day, Yang also met with Zimbabwe's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Frederick Shava. They exchanged views on bilateral relations and issues of common interest. (Web editor: Liang Jun, Bianji) YEREVAN. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia on Monday received Damon Wilson, an American foreign policy expert and president and CEO of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the PM's office informs Armenian News-NEWS.am The premier emphasized that the development and strengthening of democracy is one of the most important priorities of the Armenian government, and noted that democratic reforms are being implemented in a number of domains in the country. In this context, Pashinyan highlighted the assistance of the US and other international partners in the strengthening of democratic institutions in Armenia. Wilson, for his part, noted the NEDs commitment to closely cooperate with various organizations in Armenia toward the development of democracy in the country. The interlocutors exchanged views on the avenues for interaction. Comprehensive deepening and development of the relations with India is one of the foreign policy priorities of Armenia. Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated this during his remarks at the opening ceremonyin Yerevanof the eighth session of the Armenian-Indian intergovernmental commission. In this regard, it is gratifying to see that India with its vital democracy and dynamic economy is making significant achievements in many fields today, which contributes to the promotion of Indias reputation in the world arena. Armenia also highly appreciates the stabilizing activities of India in these tumultuous global times. I must commend that traditional warm relations and mutual support between our peoples, which derive from the depths of the centuries, continuously strengthen, and the interstate ties - expand and deepen. This year is also symbolic for the relations between our two countries; we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and India. It should be noted that although the last session of the Armenian-Indian Intergovernmental Commission was held a long time ago, however, especially recently we have implemented a lot of work for the development of our bilateral relations and cooperation. High-level mutual visits have been held, and there is active cooperation within the framework of international structures, also business forums and meetings have been organized in both countries. Our meeting with Foreign Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar last year in Dushanbe gave a new impetus to our cooperation. Then, in the fall of last year, Foreign Minister Jaishankar made a very important visit to Armenia, and during that visit, an ambitious roadmap for cooperation was elaborated, which we are purposefully implementing. Finally, in April of this year, the Armenian delegation participated in the "Raisina Dialogue'' conference, within the framework of which I also held meetings with the leadership of India. Those meetings provided a good opportunity to continue our dialogue. We highlighted the fact that during our visit in April, we went to India with a rather serious economic agenda, organizing business forums in New Delhi and Mumbai and thus significantly promoting business to business contacts between our countries. I must commend that the volumes of Armenia-India trade turnover have increased dramatically in recent years: thus, in 2021 it was 181 million US dollars compared to about 21 million US dollars in 2016. Indeed, these figures do not reflect the full potential of our bilateral trade and economic cooperation yet, and we expect a drastic increase in trade turnover volumes in the coming years. I think our Indian partners will agree that we have work to do towards the development of our cooperation in the fields of information technology and communication, pharmaceuticals, science, education. I would also like to mention that defense and military-technical fields, agriculture, transport, civil aviation, tourism and healthcare have great potential and are extremely promising for our two countries. The ongoing discussions in these directions will turn into practical agreements and into new opportunities for our governments and businessmen. I would also like to highlight the assistance of the Indian Government for the implementation of development programs in Armenia. Among them, I would like to specifically emphasize the technical assistance provided by India in the field of high and information technologies, particularly, the creation of the education of young professionals and schoolchildren. This support surely contributes to the education of young professionals and schoolchildren in Armenia. We also cooperate effectively in the field of territorial development. In this regard, we welcome the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the Republic of India regarding Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects, which will take place at the end of our session. I would also like to emphasize the humanitarian dimension. It includes both educational and cultural programs. About 2,200 Indian students study in Armenia, mostly in medical professions, and here, we have already discussed opportunities to improve and expand student exchange programs as well. Cultural cooperation is also of great importance for the strengthening of ties between the two friendly peoples. We have a rich cultural heritage in India under state care, for which we are grateful to the Government of India. We are also working on the implementation of Armenian-Indian cultural exchange programs, on presentation of magnificent examples of Indian culture, particularly, replicas of the frescoes of Ajanta caves in Armenia, as well as implementation of joint projects in the field of cinema, the Armenian FM added, in particular. Relations between Tehran and Baku have moved from misunderstanding to interaction, said Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian at a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov in Tehran, Mehr reports. According to him, during the meeting with Bayramov, a number of issues were discussed, including the development of ties and cooperation between Tehran and Baku and the preservation of the territorial integrity of the countries. He said that the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict was also the subject of discussions. Amir-Abdollahian said that from the very beginning of the conflict, Iran declared its readiness to resolve the crisis through dialogue. Highlighting the importance of considering regional formats, the Iranian high-ranking diplomat said that during his trip to Ankara last week, he and the Turkish foreign minister agreed to hold a trilateral meeting of Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkey in Tehran at the level of foreign ministers. Amir-Abdollahian said that the preparation of the Azerbaijani President's visit to Iran was also discussed. Touching upon the issue of energy exchange between Iran and Azerbaijan, Amir-Abdollahyan said that both sides reached some agreements, which will be finalized during the visit of the Iranian Energy Minister to Azerbaijan. Bayramov, in turn, said that the Iranian and Azerbaijani sides had reached agreements on the joint production of cars and tractors. He also added that Azerbaijan is ready to increase the capacity of the North-South corridor and fulfill its obligations to build the Rasht-Astara railway, adding that 'we entrusted the construction of the hospital and the school to Iranian companies.' Referring to the 'Zangezur connection' project - this is the Armenian name the Azerbaijani authorities gave to part of the border area with Armenia after the 2020 war - with Nakhichevan through Iran, the Azerbaijani diplomat said that the construction of the first bridge in this area will begin in the near future and the necessary coordinators will be presented. "We welcome Iran's constructive position regarding participation and cooperation in regional forums, including the 3 + 3 mechanism, and a meeting of the 3 + 3 mechanism will be held in Iran in the near future," Bayramov said. Greece is secretly deploying Israeli weapons systems to counter Turkish UAVs, writes independent columnist and analyst Paul Iddon in an article for Forbes magazine. Turkish production drones are a major problem for Greece, and Athens has recently begun to solve this problem with the help of Israeli know-how. Greece has secretly planted a veritable enemy drone umbrella over islands and other important installations across the country over the past two months, Vassilis Nedos wrote in the Greek daily Kathimerini. The system uses Israeli technology to blind drones and disrupt their flight plans. Essentially, this is a version of the UAV defense system that has characteristics similar to those of the Israeli Drone Dome, but adapted to the specific needs of Greece and the geographical topography of the islands and other border areas, Nedos wrote. Rafael offers its customers customized versions of the system, as was most likely the case for Greece in this case. Greek-Israeli defense ties have recently expanded. In 2021, the two countries signed the largest $1.68 billion defense deal in their history, which included the acquisition of an M-346 trainer aircraft and the establishment of a flight school in Greece. Therefore, it is not surprising that Athens has acquired the Drone Dome and possibly other similar Israeli systems. Greece's current acquisition of 24 generation fighter jets from France, its upgrade of 84 F-16s to the latest Block 72 configuration and possible future acquisition of at least 20 fifth generation F-5s, 35 Lightning II stealth aircraft will provide the Hellenic Air Force with a significant technological advantage over its Turkish rival by the end of this decade. On the other hand, Turkey already has a much larger and more advanced drone fleet. Armenia FM to pay official visit to Poland Ameriabank Receives Euromoney Award for Excellence as the Best Bank in Armenia for 2022 Russia Foreign Intelligence Service chief to visit Yerevan Monday Russia MOD announces for first time name of commander of East group of special operations in Ukraine Byblos Bank Armenia introduces the premium World Elite Mastercard More than 1,000 heat-related deaths reported in Spain, Portugal so far in July Man who threatened to kill himself with hand grenade is detained in Armenias Ashtarak city Azerbaijan population exceeds 10mn 629 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia past one week Catholicos of All Armenians travels to US Who gave information about alleged bomb in Armenia First Presidents house? UK parliament to hold confidence vote in government Monday Meteorology official: Armenia heatwave will gradually recede as of Friday HBO releases first teaser trailer for The Idol series starring Lily Rose Depp, The Weeknd Gareth Bale makes debut at LAFC World oil prices on the rise State of emergency formally declared in Sri Lanka US hopes oil production will increase after Biden's Middle East visit Jennifer Lopez, Ben Afflecks first wedding photos are made public 792 children born in Artsakh in first half of 2022 Lewandowski meets with Barca footballers Elderly woman killed by alligators after falling into pond in Florida Beyonce strongly suggests making her body bigger in Austin Powers movie poster PSG travel to Japan, they will play 3 friendlies Von der Leyen heads to Azerbaijan hoping to get more natural gas Zelenskyy dismisses security service chief, top prosecutor Armenia political party head resigns UK man, 40, found dead in Italy hotel room FTX Road to Miami: Aronian wins No bomb found in Armenia First President's house Mars sued over 'unsafe' Skittles TMZ: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck get married Unknown person reports bomb threat in Armenia's First President house Armenia FM and US Assistant Secretary of State discuss regional security issues Fears of social upheaval growing in Germany Armenia - Andorra (live) Linda Evangelista returns to modeling industry after unsuccessful plastic surgery Indian authorities announce they made 2 billion vaccines against COVID-19 Pogon win in opening round thanks to Bichakhchyan's goal Israel to increase flights to Asia after Saudi Arabia opens airspace IMF to 'substantially' lower global economic growth forecasts Manchester United have newcomer Erdogan expects to hold talks with Putin in Tehran Rapper pardoned by Trump arrested again Japan to refuse to set a ceiling on defense spending Warsaw: Armenian freestyle wrestling team announced Julia Roberts to receive Icon Award for her contribution to culture Media: Nicole Scherzinger getting married Negotiations on resumption of Iran nuclear deal coming to end Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield to play British billionaire Richard Branson UAE allocates more than $800 million for space program Victoria's Secret scandal: Angels forced to wear sexy children's underwear State Department approves $1.5 Billion arms sale Extreme heat wave hits Europe Keanu Reeves to host documentary about Formula 1 US needs another $3 billion to remove Huawei and ZTE from networks 'Elvis' makes $100 million at U.S. box office Germany to resume requirement to wear masks in closed public places Air temperature in Armenia to reach 42 degrees Ankara rejects Liz Truss Blinken on meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers in Tbilisi New scandal: Gwen Stefani accused of cultural appropriation It is in Iraq's interest to continue to insist on rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia G-20 meeting ends without final communique Ricky Martin's lawyer says singer did not have sexual relationship with his nephew Armenia PM Pashinyan sends congratulatory message to Georgia PM Erdogan and Macron discuss implementation of joint production of air defense systems 2,000-year-old cemetery with giant tombs discovered in Iran Inter escape defeat, Mkhitaryan plays 60 minutes (photo, video) Lewandowski to get about 9mn per year at Barca Armenias Khachik villagers dont recall any period after 1990s war when Azeris violated ceasefire at such regularity Georgia gets NATO partner status in security operation Meghan Markle worried about her biography that will be released next week Mouflons spotted again at Zangezur State Sanctuary of Armenia Keanu Reeves wants to play older Batman on big screen Crown prince: Saudi Arabia cant increase oil production beyond 13 million barrels per day Armenia to host International Boxing Association extraordinary congress Scholz: Increased coal, oil use in Germany will be temporary Emily Ratajkowski planning to divorce Sebastian Bear-McClard amid claims of his cheating Armenia opposition MP: Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem is in a hurry Pope Francis has denied reports that he plans to step down in the near future, Reuters reported. Francis also dismissed rumors that he had cancer, joking that the doctors didn't tell me anything about it and gave details for the first time about a knee condition that prevented him from performing some duties. Rumors circulated in the media that a combination of events in late August, including meetings with the world's cardinals to discuss a new constitution for the Vatican, an inauguration ceremony for new cardinals, and a visit to the Italian city of L'Aquila, could herald a resignation. L'Aquila is associated with Pope Celestine V, who left the papacy in 1294. Pope Benedict XVI visited the city four years before he retired in 2013, the first pope to do so in about 600 years. But Francis dismissed the idea. Francis reiterated his oft-stated stance that he might someday retire if failing health prevented him from leading the church. Deputy Prime Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan today received Secretary of the Western Direction of the Indian Foreign Ministry Sanjay Verma. He is in Armenia to participate in the 8th meeting of the Armenian-Indian intergovernmental commission for cooperation in trade, economy, technology, science, education and culture. According to the press service of the government, the meeting was also attended by Indian Ambassador to Armenia Kishan Dan Deval, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan and others. Welcoming the guests, Deputy Prime Minister Matevosyan highly appreciated the holding of the 8th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission in Armenia after a certain break and stressed that this is a good opportunity to stimulate interstate relations between the two countries in a number of areas, especially in the trade, economic, health and educational fields. During the meeting, among other issues, the parties also touched upon the prospects for the implementation of international transport projects in the region. Vice Prime Minister Matevosyan noted that Armenia claims a more ambitious agenda for cooperation with Indian friends. Hambardzum Matevosyan, informing that the Armenian government is investing heavily in the development of infrastructures, noted that he also expects the active participation of Indian construction organizations in these large tenders. At the end of the meeting, the parties expressed their readiness to develop the existing relations between the two countries. Covid cluster emerges in Wuxi City authorities urged residents not to leave Wuxi unless necessary, after reporting 42 new asymptomatic cases on Saturday. Image: Shutterstock Cities in eastern China tightened Covid-19 curbs on Sunday as coronavirus clusters emerge, posing a new threat to China's economic recovery. Wuxi, a manufacturing hub in the Yangtze Delta on the central coast, halted operations at many public venues located underground, including shops and supermarkets. Dine-in services in restaurants were suspended, and the government advised people to work from home. City authorities urged residents not to leave Wuxi unless necessary, after reporting 42 new asymptomatic cases on Saturday. Si county in Anhui province locked down its 760,000 residents and suspended public traffic as it reported 288 cases on Saturday. Anhui accounted for most of China's new infections, reporting 61 symptomatic and 231 asymptomatic cases for Saturday. Mainland China recorded 473 new Covid-19 cases, of which 104 were symptomatic and 369 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Sunday. That compares with 268 new cases a day earlier - 72 symptomatic and 196 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. Yiwu, China's export capital for small commodities, cancelled flights to the capital, Beijing, for an unspecified period, state TV said, citing Covid prevention measures. Yiwu has reported three Covid cases in the past week. Shanghai, China's most populous city and financial hub, reported one positive case outside of quarantine areas in the city from midnight to 5 p.m. on Sunday (1600 GMT on Saturday to 0900 GMT on Sunday), officials told a news press conference. The city lifted a lockdown on June 1 after two months of shutdown that hit output and consumer spending. There were no new deaths, keeping the nation's death toll to 5,226. As of Saturday, mainland China had confirmed 225,851 cases with symptoms. For Saturday, Beijing reported no new local cases, and Shanghai reported two local symptomatic cases, according to local government data. (Reuters) Wang Yi meets foreign ministers in Myanmar China is Myanmar's biggest trading partner, with Beijing investing billions of US dollars in the country's infrastructure. Photo: AP Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his counterparts from Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam during a meeting of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation group on Monday in the Myanmar city of Bagan. The grouping is a Chinese-led initiative that includes the countries of the Mekong Delta. China has built 10 dams along the upper stretch of the Mekong. It is Wangs first visit to Myanmar since the military seized power there last year. China is Myanmar's biggest trading partner, with Beijing investing billions of US dollars in Myanmar's mines, oil and gas pipelines and other infrastructure. On Sunday, Wang met Laos Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith on the sidelines of the meeting, according to Xinhua news agency. China and Laos expressed their willingness to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and actively promote the building of the China-Laos community. Wang said the building of the China-Laos community with a shared future has been making significant progress, with bilateral trade climbing against the odds, and the China-Laos Railway running efficiently, Xinhua reported. The two countries should further strengthen strategic communication, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly face challenges, and safeguard international equity and justice, Wang added. (Xinhua/AP) Hong Kong on Monday reported 1,645 local coronavirus infections, with 600 of the cases reported by schools.The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said it has asked a school in To Kwa Wan to suspend a primary six class after three students and a teacher contracted the virus.The CHP's Chuang Shuk-kwan said two of the students were found to carry the Omicron sub-variants BA.4 or BA.5.Three other schools have also been asked to suspend certain classes after infections emerged.787 patients with Covid are currently staying at public hospitals. The Hospital Authority said 13 of them are critically ill while 15 are in serious condition. There were no new Covid-related deaths.Meanwhile, there were 196 imported infections.______________________________General Covid-19 situation: https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/ Covid-19 testing: https://www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/ Community Clinics for Covid-19 patients: https://bit.ly/3a4BZFE RAT reporting platform: https://www.chp.gov.hk/ratp/ Vaccination programme: https://www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/sen/ Vaccination pass scheme: https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/vaccine-pass.html Hotline for Covid-positive patients: 1836 115 China rejects Nasa claim it will take over the moon Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian says China has always promoted the building of a shared future for humanity in outer space. File photo: AFP Beijing on Monday rejected as an irresponsible smear a warning from the chief of Nasa that China might "take over" the moon as part of a military programme, saying it has always called for the building of a community of nations in outer space. China has stepped up the pace of its space programme in the past decade, with exploration of the moon a focus. China made its first lunar uncrewed landing in 2013. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters China has always promoted the building of a shared future for humanity in outer space and opposed its weaponisation and any arms race in space. Zhao was responding to claims by the US space agency chief, who said China's space programme was a military one. "We must be very concerned that China is landing on the moon and saying: 'It's ours now and you stay out'," Nasa Administrator Bill Nelson told German newspaper Bild in an interview published on Saturday. At a Monday press conference, Zhao said: "This is not the first time that the head of Nasa has ignored the facts and spoken irresponsibly about China." "The US side has constantly constructed a smear campaign against China's normal and reasonable outer space endeavours, and China firmly opposes such irresponsible remarks." Nasa, under its Artemis programme, plans to send a crewed mission to orbit the moon in 2024 and make a crewed landing near the lunar south pole by 2025. China is planning uncrewed missions to the moon's south pole some time this decade. (Reuters) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 4 (ANI/BusinessWire India): To strengthen its capabilities and to further amplify its presence across the globe, IMCD, a global leader in the distribution and formulation of speciality chemicals and ingredients, today announced the opening of its Dhaka office, and Food and Nutrition Application Laboratory. The new facilities will be spread across two storeys - the office will be located on one floor, while the other floor will be dedicated to the Food and Nutrition Application Laboratory. "The Bangladesh market offers enormous opportunities for business in major segments across Food & Nutrition, Coatings and Construction, Pharmaceuticals, Textiles, and Advanced Materials. One of the fastest-growing economies in the world, Bangladesh has an emerging middle-class population with rising income. This opportunity for growth reinforces our commitment towards expanding our operations in this region," said Amit Hirani, Managing Director, IMCD India and IMCD Bangladesh. By expanding its capabilities in Bangladesh, IMCD will offer a steadfast support mechanism, thereby paving the way for substantial growth opportunities for its existing and potential business partners. The state-of-the-art Food and Nutrition Application Laboratory will help in providing insightful application support, enabling food producers to develop complex ingredient formulations and generate on-trend food and beverage solutions. This application laboratory will cater to Bakery, Beverage, Confectionery, Savoury, Dairy and Nutrition segments and will provide innovative concepts and technical solutions for our customers in these categories. "Considering there are a lot of opportunities in the Bangladesh market, we will focus on developing prototypes to inspire our customers with ingredients from our best-in-class supplier partners, thereby optimising the costs with standardised processes. Through our expertise and knowledge, we are committed to providing sound recommendations and solutions to our customers. As we enhance our capabilities, we take immense pride in the technical expertise we possess locally and within the group across all the sectors we operate," continues Hirani. Emmanuel Colette, Business Group Director, Food and Nutrition APAC, IMCD Group, said, "Through this investment and thanks to our IMCD Food & Nutrition expertise, we are extremely pleased to offer all Food players in Bangladesh a unique opportunity to accelerate their growth through differentiation and innovation. We do value a high level of reactivity and a deep understanding of local market expectations as a key success factor for our stakeholders. Being closer to our customers and prospects in Bangladesh is then crucial for IMCD Food & Nutrition and its partners. The extension of our technical capabilities in such a vibrant market comes as another cornerstone in our IMCD successful journey in South Asia." IMCD started its Bangladesh operations in the last quarter of 2020 as a distribution company covering a range of market sectors such as Food & Nutrition, Coatings & Construction, and Advanced Materials. The Food and Nutrition Application Laboratory will be open for customer visits via prior appointments around the year. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI/SRV): Cliffton Valley, one of the leading luxury residential projects in the Queen of Hills, Shimla, has announced the launch of its residential towers - Tower E, Tower F, and Tower G. The announcement of these new towers with a scenic overview of the hills came post a huge demand from property investors and home buyers in search for a reliable property in Himachal Pradesh. Furthermore, homeowners are assured of the quality with award-winning, internationally renowned architect Dr Javier Pioz leading the project. Nature, beautiful scenery, private outdoor space or nearby parks, and additional square footage for remote work are a few criteria homebuyers consider while planning to purchase a property. Apart from this, one important factor that people do consider is Cities that have these kinds of properties and are providing people with a fresh view of nature. One City which tops the chart and ticks most of the boxes in the view of homebuyers looking to opt for Luxury Real Estate properties in Shimla in the Northern State of Himachal Pradesh. A very obvious reason for Shimla to be a perfect bet for people is because of the reason that the City is about 6-7 hours of drive from the National Capital and people look for holiday homes in a city that can be reached in a short duration. In Shimla luxury projects like Cliffton Valley are gaining huge traction among the homebuyers looking to purchase Luxury Real Estate properties in Shimla. This luxurious residential society provides you with everything you have been looking for in order to evade your chaotic life and get fresh air of nature. The project has taken every nitty-gritty into the account and has provided all the modern-day features like earthquake-resistant structures, a secured gated community, lifts in all blocks, and more. All units are surrounded by nature for an active lifestyle and provide all the luxury and comforts. The property is laden with all the highest specifications and has spacious balconies in all apartments, stain-free flooring and finishing, a modular kitchen, modern wardrobes in bedrooms, and a false ceiling in the drawing/dining room. Additionally, the interiors are designed at par with high living standards, meeting your unique lifestyle needs and status symbol. Finally! Some positive good news for people to celebrate as things are getting back to normal after a turbulent period of two years since the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus. With the government lifting the lockdowns, easing the restrictions, and with the markets reopening, the economy is also recovering its lost steam and various sectors are witnessing a surge in the demand for products and services. One sector that has been going strong and has been the least negatively affected sector by the Covid-19 Pandemic is Luxury Real Estate. Luxury Real Estate has been going strong as compared to other sectors and as per several reports and market studies, the segment of Luxury Real Estate would continue to receive a phenomenal push in the present year as well as in the upcoming years. People, specifically, the High Net Worth Individuals (HNI) and the Upper-Middle Class (UMC) are coming forward and are keen on investing in luxury properties. One of the major reasons for this northward surge in the demand for luxury real estate properties is because of the sad feeling of being stuck in an apartment during the lockdown and working from home. Every person needs a break and wants to go out, somewhere far from their daily lifestyle. Another important reason was the up-gradation of people's lifestyles amid the pandemic that has pushed these High Net Worth Individuals to go for homes equipped with better amenities. What draws the attention of homebuyers is that Luxury homes are closer to nature and provide a posh resort-like feel to the residents. According to a recently conducted survey, nearly 46 per cent of the respondents feel luxury homes are a necessity in the prevailing circumstances, especially in a stressful and chaotic lifestyle. Additionally, the homebuyers also understand the plethora of health benefits of residing in spacious and green surroundings and this is the reason why millennials and the upper-middle-class wish to live in accommodations that provide them with an uber-rich ambience. To know more, visit - https://clifftonvalley.com/ This story is provided by SRV. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV) Seoul [South Korea], July 4 (ANI/GPRC): Swati K Thakkar wins the Mrs universe Empathy title at Mrs Universe South Korea, Seoul. It is indeed a proud moment for any Indian to make it big at such an extravagant international event. There was a total number of 110 female models who took part In this event. In her national costume round she firmly represented India's national bird peacock which was a visual treat for Indians around the corner. Having won 8 titles in India, she finally reached to the finals under the guardians of Diva Pageant, Anjana Mascarenhas and Karl Mascarenhas and proved to be one of the best and made India proud by winning the title of Mrs Universe Empathy title. Swati K Thakkar, an Indian model created history by winning the Mrs Universe Northwest Asia 2021 pageant title. Formally, she represented India at Mrs Universe 2021 held in Seoul, South Korea through the Diva Pageant and Guidance of her Mentors and Directors Anjana Mascharenas and Karl Mascharenas. On winning Mrs Universe Empathy title she quoted, " It is a dream come true for any individual who has always dreamt to represent India at such a big platform. I would like to thank my angel parents, family and friends for showing support and always believe me in this journey. I would like to thank God for giving me immense strength to not lose hope and always trust my capabilities. I would always like to thank my fans for such huge support. " She has won awards like Mrs Stylist Icon 2020, Mrs Unimom Beauty Queen 2020, Mrs Glam Icon 2020, Mrs Best International Model 2021, and Mrs Universe North West Asia 2021. Apart from the top beauty pageants, her list of awards leaves no space. With such a strong ambition she is the true inspiration for many young women. NariSamman award, Inspiring story award, Superwomen award, women of substance fashion and beauty icon, India women achiever award and also been awarded as the best beauty icon by top 25 India fame awards. Along with such pageants, she has also contributed a lot to the nation. Swati Thakkar was honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Icon Award as Best Inspiring Personality this year and also honoured with the Nari Shakti Achiever Icon Award 2021 by DadasahebPhalke Icon Award Films. She is also certified by World Book of Records London for Commitment as Corona Warrior and by Shri Dada Saheb Phalke International Award film Fondation as Corona Warrior Award. While talking about her both professional life and entrepreneur life she added, "sometimes it becomes hard to handle both lives at the same but I never compromised on it. With proper scheduling, I easily managed both of my work." Well, this woman is surely be adding more and fill in the bucket of achievements in the coming years and all the fans and followers will definitely be rooting for her. This story is provided by GPRC. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/GPRC) Pune (Maharashtra) [India], July 4 (ANI/NewsVoir): Fidel Softech Limited, a Pune-based LangTech company went public on the NSE SME Exchange on June 10. The IPO was oversubscribed by 102 times and was very well received by the investors. Fidel Softech Ltd works in the areas of Localization and IT Consulting services and in operations since 2004. It helps clients deliver their technology solutions with local language UI/UX. Its localization services include translations as well as localization of software, websites, multi-lingual data creation for training AI engines, transcription and annotation, video subtitling, natural language processing, testing and automation. On the company's recent IPO success, Fidel Softech's CEO, Sunil Kulkarni, thanked all investors, clients, team members, past alumni, supporters and well-wishers. He added, "This was a culmination of our team efforts & support from our clients/partners for over 18+ years. Fidel is the first 'LangTech' company from India to go public. It is also one of the first IT & consulting services SME to go public with a focus since its inception on Japan-India geography. This is the 70th Anniversary year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan & hence very special for us. Localization is globally a 26 billion USD market and India is well poised to contribute to it. Further, by focusing on language-centric technical consulting services & digital financial literacy solutions, Fidel supports the govt vision of bridging the digital divide. By bringing Technology-Languages-Consulting together, Fidel offers a one-stop solution to its clients." Prachi Kulkarni, Managing Director, said that "this is a step to increase the pace of growth, open new markets, attract talent and develop new competencies. She mentioned that this also was a step to further strengthen security, environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG). Fidel is equal opportunity firm and the team has a 50 per cent diversity ratio almost since its inception." Mandar Inamdar (CFO) mentioned that "this fundraise is to scale the growth and that Fidel is equally focussed on social impact. New job opportunities will be created with an emphasis on tier 2 and 3 cities in India to leverage the local language as well as technical skills. Adequate training in technologies & languages including Japanese will also be provided." Sushrut Potdar, Chief Technology Officer, is confident about taking Language Technology expertise to new landscape. He said, "with the proliferation of smartphones, lowering of data packs and growing aspirations, clients are going Glocal (Global +Local) and hence want to deliver products & services in local language UI / UX using innovative technical solutions. We support these client initiatives and ensure state-of-the-art technology, video-audio solutions, data analytics, multi-lingual SEO and support 100+ languages including all Indian languages." Fidel Softech Ltd is the latest company from Pune to go public and the rise and gains in Fidel are attributed to investor optimism and are expected to grow in future. Website: fidelsoftech.com. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) The use of cellular signal jammers, GPS blockers or other signal jamming devices is illegal in India, except specifically permitted by the government, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) said on Monday and warned e-commerce companies against illegal facilitation and sale of such devices. On 1st July, the DoT issued an advisory to the general public on the proper use of wireless jammers and boosters/ repeaters. In the advisory, the Department of Telecom noted that the "use of cellular signal jammer, GPS blocker or other signal jamming device is generally illegal, except specifically permitted by Government of India." Private sector organizations and/ or private individuals cannot procure/ use jammers in India, the DoT said. It has also been stated that it is unlawful to advertise, sell, distribute, import or otherwise market signal jamming devices in India, except as permitted under the guidelines, the Ministry of Communications said in a statement. With regards to signal booster/ repeater it has been stated that it is unlawful to possess, sale, and/ or use mobile signal repeater/ booster by any individual/ entity other than the licensed Telecom Service Providers, it said. The ministry said that the DoT has warned all e-commerce companies from selling or facilitating the sale of wireless jammers on their online platforms. In January this year, the Department of Telecommunications sent a notice to all e-commerce companies warning against the illegal facilitation and sale of wireless jammers on online platforms. "It has come to the notice of the Government authorities that the online e-commerce platforms are facilitating the sale of wireless jammers which are capable of disrupting the authorized telecom and other wireless networks," Ashim Dutta, Dy Wireless Adviser to the Government of India, said in a letter addressed to all e-commerce companies. "It is brought to your notice that generally, the sale of wireless jammers is illegal. Therefore, its facilitation/sale by the online platforms as well as any other offline dealer/seller for general consumption shall be viewed as an illegal activity," Dutta noted in the letter. Jammers may be allowed only under exceptional circumstances only when authorized by the Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India. (ANI) Electricity generation company Tata Power has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of Tamil Nadu to invest approximately Rs 3,000 crore, for setting up a greenfield 4 gigawatts solar cell and 4 gigawatts solar module manufacturing. The plant would be set up in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, an official statement said. The investment in this project is planned to be made over a period of 16 months, and it hopes to contribute towards the emergence of clean energy, while at the same time, creating employment in the state. "The investment in the plant will be made over a period of 16 months and will directly or indirectly create over 2,000 employment opportunities with majority of them being women employees," the statement said. The MoU was signed by Thiru S. Krishnan, Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Industries Department, and Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power in the presence of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu during the Investors' First Port of Call, Investment Conclave 2022. Tata Power also has a manufacturing unit in Bangalore, which has a production capacity of 635 megawatts of modules and 500 megawatts of cells. "India has opportunity to spearhead the usage of clean and green energy solutions to meet its energy requirements. Tata Power Solar's new production facility is being set up with the support and assistance of Tamil Nadu Government, will help to meet the rising demand for clean energy solutions in the country apart from providing huge employment opportunities," said Praveer Sinha, CEO and MD, Tata Power, while signing the MoU. Tata Power is one of India's largest integrated power companies and together with its subsidiaries and jointly controlled entities, has an installed or managed capacity of 13,735 mega watts. (ANI) Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 4 (ANI/NewsVoir): Hyderabad based CARE Hospitals Group an asset of TPG Growth managed Evercare Fund and one of the largest hospital networks in India today announced its entry into Madhya Pradesh region through the acquisition of Indore based CHL Hospitals. Established in 2001, Convenient Hospitals Ltd. (CHL) was the first corporate hospital established in the central region of India and is known for its strong clinical expertise in the fields of Cardiology/Cardiac Surgery, Neuro Sciences, GI, Liver Transplants, Renal Sciences and critical care. CARE Hospitals was instituted in 1997 as a single speciality Cardiac Hospital in Hyderabad with 100 beds & 20 cardiologists. The Group has now evolved as India's leading multi-speciality hospital network with 15 healthcare facilities across 6 states and over 2400 beds offering 30 Clinical specialities. It is the first hospital group in India which has established a strong presence in tier 2 cities in India. Speaking about the acquisition, Jasdeep Singh, Group CEO, CARE Hospitals said, "We welcome CHL Hospitals to the CARE Hospitals network and are excited by the potential to create greater accessibility to high end clinical care to patients with our combined expertise in Central India. As a national chain CARE Hospitals has always been at the forefront of providing quality healthcare to the patient community in tier-2 cities and our hospitals are leading providers in each of these cities. This partnership with CHL consolidates our presence further with a leadership position in a key geography of the country." With a highly talented team of more than 1200 doctors across the network and 6000+ employees the CARE Hospitals group treats millions of patients every year and over the last 25 years has excelled in Cardiac Sciences, Oncology, Neurosciences, Renal Sciences, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement, ENT, Vascular Surgery, Integrated Organ Transplants. The announcement also coincides with CARE Hospitals' momentous milestone of completing 25 years with a strong legacy of clinical excellence with many firsts to its credit including developing India's first indigenous Coronary Stent, being the first Indian hospital to perform Heart Surgery on a Foetus and has done more than 1000 stapedotomy (to treat hearing loss) done by a single surgeon, that became 2nd largest study in the World recognized by Cambridge University. Rajesh Bhargava, Chairman & Managing Director of CHL Hospitals said, "We welcome CARE Hospitals to take the lead in growing CHL Hospitals in Indore and other parts of the state. For the past 21 years the clinical team at CHL across specialties has been delivering exceptional care and has gained multiple recognitions. With the new transition our teams are looking forth to supporting CARE Hospitals in its endeavour to scale up CHL Hospitals in Central India." Vishal Bali, Chairman, CARE Hospitals, added, "India's future growth trajectory and aspiration of a USD 5 trillion economy will be routed through the rise of Tier 2 cities. These cities will also contribute significantly to the rise in healthcare consumption and power the next phase of growth for the healthcare sector. CARE Hospitals through its deep presence in some of the fastest growing tier 2 cities in the country is well poised to play a critical role in advancing patient care in these regions and will continue to consolidate its presence in these markets." CARE Hospitals Group is a multi-specialty healthcare provider operating 15 healthcare facilities serving 7 cities across 6 states in India. The network has its presence in Hyderabad, Raipur, Bhubaneswar, Pune, Vishakapatnam, Nagpur & Indore. A regional leader in South and Central India and counted among the top 5 pan-Indian hospital chains, CARE Hospitals delivers comprehensive care in over 30 clinical specialties, with over 2400 beds. Presently CARE Hospitals operates under the aegis of the Evercare Group, an impact-driven healthcare network extending its services across South Asia and Africa. For more information, please visit www.carehospitals.com. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 4 (ANI/PNN): Sumitomo Chemical India Ltd, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Chemical Corporation, Japan, a leading global crop protection company, has launched 3 unique 9 (3) registered products - Sumi Blue Diamond, Pyclome, and Danitol NXT during the annual director club distributor meet at Kolkata. Tadashi Katayama San and Masanori Uzawa San, Director of Sumitomo Chemical India Ltd from Japan, attended the grand launch ceremony. Sumitomo Chemical India Ltd, a Japanese multinational company with an Indian heart, believes in innovation and technology. The company has a diverse presence in Crop Protection, Grain Fumigation, Rodent Control, Bio-pesticides, Environmental Health, Professional Pest Control products, and Feed Additives for use in India. Katayama san and Uzawa San emphasized the corporate philosophy of Sumitomo Chemical, of creating new value by building on innovation that should benefit society at large. The Company has ensured innovation and technology transfer from Japan to India for the farmers to achieve sustainable agriculture goals. Chetan Shah - Managing Director SCIL, always says that as Sumitomo Chemical India, we are committed to providing an innovative solution to the growers. Shushil Marfatia, Executive Director, and Kunal Mittal, Senior Vice President, thanked the business partners for their continued support and trust in Sumitomo. Dr Suresh Ramachandran, Chief Commercial Officer at SCIL, said - New Launches in Insecticide and Biorational portfolio will give respite to farmers on emerging pest problems in the sown area of paddy cotton and brinjal. It will also strengthen the presence of the company in mentioned crop geographies. Amit Verma, Associate Vice President of Marketing, said that company is working on many innovative projects, such as Drone applications, Digital empowerment which will help us align with the changing world. He also shared that Sumitomo has many products in the pipeline which will be instrumental in sustainable business growth in India. Sumi Blue Diamond, a patented product with a unique formulation, will help leading progressive paddy growers to get better crop growth and higher yield. Sumi Blue Diamond is the first Central Insecticide Board (CIB) approved Plant Growth regulator in the granule segment. PYCLOME is a combination of two unique proven chemistries which have different modes of action and provide better control over the pest spectrum. PYCLOME is registered on Cotton & Brinjal crops. Danitol NXT is a safe and unique EW formulation in the Insecticide segment for Rice growers in India. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]/ New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI/NewsVoir): A mark of protection and epitome of love between siblings, Raksha Bandhan, is the largest festival in the world that celebrates the sibling bond. To add to the festivities of millions of Indians across the globe, this Raksha Bandhan, IGP, one of India's largest multi-category gifting companies, has launched its handcrafted Rakhi collection, which offers 3000+ designs, nearly 1000 more than last year's catalogue. Inspired by the various crafts of India, such as Kundan jewellery work, CZ, filigree, metal cut work, meenakari, semi-precious stone work and oxidized jewellery work, the collection is handcrafted by over 2000 artisan families and treated like a piece of jewellery. Made from premium quality materials like kundan, polki, silver, pearls, semi-precious stones, polished metals, and handwoven threads sourced from all over India, the craftsmanship for every rakhi is very intricate with smooth finishing. This year, the exclusive collection includes traditional rakhis, which are handcrafted by skilled artisans and are 'Jewelleryesque' in look. Trendy designs and motifs theme the contemporary and quirky range; family sets contain rakhi sets for the whole family, such as bhaiya-bhabhi and kids rakhis. The kid's range includes a pop-it series with matching accessories. The other categories launched in the collection are curated hampers, Gifts for brothers and thank you gifts for sisters. "What makes our Rakhi collection stand out is the fact that our team of designers and merchandisers do ground research for more than 6 months on popular trends, design details, colours, materials and a lot more to understand the needs of the customer and curate the expansive collection of handcrafted rakhis," said Tarun Joshi, Founder & CEO, IGP. The collection is exclusively live on the IGP website and app. Every year anticipation runs high in wait for the time-honoured festival of protection, the knots of love among siblings. Keeping in mind the popularity of the festival, the vast collection has something for every sensibility for the traditionalist, spiritualist, youthful and quirky, which, when combined with sweets, chocolates, dry fruits and gifts, make a complete celebratory package that too at a wide range of price points which suits every pocket. Since its conception, the company has delivered over 5 million gifts worldwide. "Adding to celebrations for Indians, by Indians is our mantra, and considering the anticipation around the festival, we have decided to give our Rakhi Collection an early launch to ensure that Indians across the globe can celebrate the sibling bond and families ties with physical gifts at hand," Tarun remarked on the launch of the collection. Besides having the best-in-class gift discovery platform, signature product portfolio, bespoke packaging, zero-tolerance service quality standards, and farm-to-table supply chain, the brand has always been Vocal For Local. Over the years, IGP has provided continued employment to 2000+ artisan families in Rajasthan, even during the pandemic. IGP also provides one of the best-curated collections of festival merchandise, gifts, flowers, cakes, plants, gourmet food and other personalized products for all occasions and festivals. IGP was titled "Best D2C brand 2022 (Gifting)" in the D2C awards 2022 hosted by Franchise India. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) Bangalore (Karnataka) [India] July 4 (ANI/NewsVoir): The Association of People with Disability (APD), has received a grant of Rs 5 crore from the HCL Foundation (HCLF), the CSR arm of HCL Technologies for its approach to Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation. The flagship program of the HCL Foundation, the annual HCL Grant attracts over 8000 applications from NGOs across India. A rigorous, multi-round evaluation resulted in APD winning the award for its unique 'Cot-to-Community' approach to Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation. APD's comprehensive rehabilitation model focuses on the physical, social and psychological rehabilitation of disabled individuals. The 'Cot to Community' project provides comprehensive rehabilitation for socio-economically vulnerable Persons with Spinal Cord Injuries (PwSCI) from rural Karnataka. With a community re-integration and empowerment approach, the project aims to provide over 500 hours of rehabilitation in the span of 3-4 months for each individual while reducing the cost by 300 per cent. With only 7 rehabilitation centres in the country, APD's program provides a critical service in restoring SCI patients into functional independent individuals and positive contributors to society. Currently, India registers 1.5 Million Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) annually, of which around 78 per cent originate in rural geographies, due to a lack of safety measures during livelihood activities. Regarded as an expensive ailment that affects individuals physically, socially, and psychologically, SCI leads to health complications, economic burden, and dependency on others, followed by isolation and premature deaths. With SCI individuals usually falling in the prime working-age group, there is a debilitating impact on the family. On receiving the grant, Dr N S Senthil Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, The Association of People with Disability shared, "With the "Cot to Community" approach, we are able to look at the rehabilitation for those with spinal cord injuries from a 360-degree view. Utilising the collective expertise of our network of stakeholders within the program, we are able to ensure a personalised approach toward each individual and a formulation of a specific rehabilitation plan. We are hoping to cater to people with spinal cord injuries across rural India in the coming years. The recognition by the HCL Grant is an affirmation of the work we are doing at APD. The goal is to continue helping survivors better equip themselves to be functionally independent and productive contributors to society." The grant received will be utilised to expand and scale up the project's outreach for the next three years. APD aims to reach close to 15,000 villages and impact up to 3000 PwSCIs. With 33,000+ stakeholders, the organization reaches out to caregivers, government frontline workers, high-risk individuals and community leaders. The 'Cot to Community' program is supported by St.John's hospital and Baptist hospital, Manipal University and The Indian Spinal Injury Centre for its medical and surgical needs, clinical placement and research and national Injury prevention program respectively. With a robust community-focused approach, the program will be one of the largest health programs targeting PwSCIs in India. Patients from other South Indian states are also admitted to the program. APD is a pioneering non-profit organisation, established in 1959 by the Late N S Hema. APD has impacted over 6 lakh People with Disability from underprivileged communities from remote, rural, and poor socioeconomic backgrounds. Various programs by APD cover 18 out of 21 disabilities stated in the RPWD Act 2016. With a diverse and inclusive team of over 230 members (45 per cent Women and 30 per cent PwD's), APD reaches out to over 60,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries, annually. APD is managed by a professional team of developmental and technical experts overseen by an eminent Board of Governors and Trustees. The Association maintains the highest standards of governance, has been acknowledged by multiple donors and is accredited by independent agencies like the TISS, Credibility Alliance, RCI, and NIPMAN Foundation. To learn more, please visit www.apd-india.org. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) India's merchandise exports rose by 16.8 per cent to $37.9 billion in June 2022, while imports soared by 51.02 per cent to $63.58 leading to a trade deficit of $25.63 billion during the month, as per the government data released on Monday. In the first quarter of the current financial year, India's merchandise export rose to $116.77 billion, recording an increase of 22.22 per cent over $95.54 billion recorded in April -June 2021-22. India's merchandise imports in April-June 2022-23 period stood at $187.02 billion, an increase of 47.31 per cent over $126.96 billion in April-June 2021-22, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. The trade deficit in June 2022 was $25.63 billion, while it stood at $70.25 billion during April-June 2022-23 period. The value of non-petroleum exports in June 2022 was $30.12 billion, registering a positive growth of 5.53 per cent over non-petroleum exports of $28.54 billion in June 2021. The cumulative value of non-petroleum exports in April-June 2022-23 was $92.49 billion, an increase of 11.92 per cent over $82.65 billion in April -June 2021-22. The value of non-petroleum and non-gems and jewellery exports in June 2022 was $26.75 billion, registering a positive growth of 4 per cent over non-petroleum and non-gems and jewellery exports of $25.72 billion in June 2021. The cumulative value of non-petroleum and non-gems and jewellery exports in April-June 2022-23 was $82.43 billion, an increase of 12.19 per cent over the cumulative value of non-petroleum and non-gems and jewellery exports of $73.47 billion in April-June 2021-22. Petroleum products (98.01 per cent), Electronic goods (50.66 per cent) and RMG of all Textiles (44.67 per cent) led the way in a high increase in exports during June 2022. However, exports of engineering goods declined during the month. Reacting to the monthly data EEPC India Chairman Mahesh Desai said, "The slowdown in the world economy emanating largely from the Russia-Ukraine war is seen dampening the global trade. In the wake of the negative spillover of the war, engineering goods export has been affected. This has reflected in the latest monthly trade data with engineering exports declining 1.57 per cent year-on-year in June to $9.14 billion as compared to $9.29 billion in June 2021." "Going forward, the intensity of any further impact would depend on how long the global uncertainties persist. The high volatility in commodity prices, higher logistics cost and geo-political tensions remain key concerns," Desai said. The value of non-petroleum imports was $42.84 billion in June 2022 with a positive growth of 36.36 per cent over non-petroleum imports of $31.42 billion in June 2021. The cumulative value of non-petroleum imports in April -June 2022-23 was $126.95 billion, showing an increase of 32.18 per cent compared to non-oil imports of $96.04 billion in April-June 2021-22. The value of non-oil, non-GJ (gold, silver & Precious metals) imports was $36.7 billion in June 2022 with a positive growth of 31.71 per cent over non-oil and non-GJ imports of $27.87 billion in June 2021. Non-oil, non-GJ (Gold, Silver & Precious Metals) imports in April -June 2022-23 stood at $107.14 billion, recording a positive growth of 32.55 per cent, as compared to non-oil and non-GJ imports of $80.83 billion in April-June 2021-22. (ANI) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday said it has imposed over Rs 1 crore monetary penalty on Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited for non-compliance with certain directions related to customer protection. The RBI imposed the penalty through an order dated June 29, 2022. The amount penalty imposed is Rs 1,05,00,000. The central bank has imposed penalty on Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited for contravention of the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 with regard to 'The Depositor Education and Awareness Fund Scheme, 2014' and for non-compliance with the directions on 'Customer Protection - Limiting Liability of Customers in Unauthorised Electronic Banking Transactions', and 'Loans and Advances - Statutory and Other Restrictions'. "This action is based on the deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers," the RBI said. The Statutory Inspection for Supervisory Evaluation (ISE) of the bank was conducted by the RBI with reference to its financial positions as on March 31, 2018 and March 31, 2019. The examination of the Risk Assessment Reports, Inspection Reports and all related correspondence pertaining to the same, revealed, inter alia, contravention of / non-compliance with the above-mentioned provisions of the Act and the directions issued by RBI, to the extent the bank failed to (i) credit the eligible amount to the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund within the period prescribed, (ii) credit (shadow reversal) the amount involved in the unauthorised electronic transactions to the customers' account within 10 working days from the date of notification by the customer, in certain cases, and (iii) maintain/ apply margin on advances to stock brokers. In furtherance to the same, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for contravention of the provisions of the Act and failure to comply with the directions issued by RBI, as stated therein. After considering the bank's reply to the notice, oral submissions made in the personal hearing, and examination of additional submissions made by the bank, RBI came to the conclusion that the charges of contravention of / non-compliance with the aforesaid provisions of the Act / RBI directions were substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the bank, to the extent of contravention of / non-compliance with such provisions of the Act / RBI directions, the central bank added. (ANI) Peter Brook, a British theatre and cinema director whose illustrious and important career saw him win widespread praise, has passed away. He was 97. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the two-time Tony Award winner, who had long since made France his home, also helmed the 1963 film adaptation of Lord of the Flies in addition to his best stage productions. In a statement released on Sunday, Brook's publisher, Nick Hern Books, noted that he "leaves behind an incredible artistic legacy." According to French media sources, Brook passed away on Saturday in Paris. Brook, who was born in London in 1925, later attended Oxford University to study and, while still a youngster, directed his first production in London, Doctor Faustus. After acting as the Royal Opera House's production director, he went on to become well-known for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, or RSC, which included the Laurence Olivier-starring play Titus Andronicus. He received a Tony Award for best direction in 1966 for his staging of Peter Weiss' Marat/Sade and in 1970 for the staging of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare. Throughout his seven-decade career, Brook also won an Olivier Award, an Emmy, and an International Emmy. The director established the International Center for Theater Research after relocating to Paris in the 1970s. It was for this organisation that he would revitalise the dilapidated Bouffes du Nord theatre in the French capital. In addition to being recognised internationally, he received numerous art awards, most recently the Princess of Asturias in Spain and the Praemium Imperiale in Japan, Italy, and 2019, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Adrian Lester, a British actor who collaborated with Brook on several RSC Hamlet productions, tweeted that Brook was a 'giant in our business. Natasha Parry, an actress, was Brook's wife from 1951 until her death in 2015 due to a stroke. Irina and Simon, their two surviving children, are both directors. (ANI) Taking to his Instagram handle, the 'Aligarh' actor shared the animated poster of his first proper debut movie 'Satya.' Sharing the picture, Bajpyee penned down an emotional note. He wrote, "#24yearsofsatya Mumbai ek aisa shahar jise neend nahin aatee." "The film started with this line and so many things have changed in this industry including so many of ours life and we got a career! Can't thank enough to @rgvzoomin for the belief and faith in us newcomers!!" Bajpayee added. Further extending the celebrations Urmila Matondkar reposted a college of her from 'Satya' movie on her Instagram stories. The film was helmed and produced by Ram Gopal Varma back in 1998. It was edited by Apurva Asrani and was written by Anurag Kashyap and Saurabh shukla. The first Gangster trilogy related to organised crime in India The movie also starred Urmila Matondkar, Shefali Shah, Govind Namdev and Saurabh Shukla and introduced JD Chakravarthy as a small-town boy who arrives in Mumbai and gradually gets trapped into the world of crime. For 53-year-old actor 'Satya' will remain special in his career as he received a National Award as Best Supporting Actor for his amazing performance in the film. Meanwhile, for 53-year-old actor 'Satya' will remain special in his career as he received a National Award as Best Supporting Actor for his amazing performance in the film. With a one-minute cameo in Drohkaal (1994) and a small part as a dacoit in Shekhar Kapur's 'Bandit Queen', Bajpayee got a breakthrough role of criminal Bhiku Mhatre in Ram Gopal Varma's crime film 'Satya' in 1998. (ANI) A poster for a documentary directed by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai has drawn flak on social media for hurting religious sentiments with the depiction of Goddess Kali. The Madurai-born, Toronto-based filmmaker had earlier taken to Twitter to share a poster of her film which depicted a woman dressed in a costume portraying the goddess and smoking. A flag of the LGBT community is seen in the background. The film was part of the "Rhythms of Cananda" segment at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, according to a tweet by the filmmaker. "Super thrilled to share the launch of my recent film - today at @AgaKhanMuseumas part of its 'Rhythms of Canada'. Feeling pumped with my CREW," Leena tweeted. The portrayal of Goddess Kali in the poster did not go down well with a section of social media users who have demanded the poster be withdrawn. Some even demanded strict action against her and the hashtag '#ArrestLeenaManimekal' is trending on Twitter. "Leena Manimekalai a filmmaker portraying Hindu God as cigarettes smokers. She is Insulting Maa Kaali," a Twitterati wrote. Some even demanded strict action against her. Currently, the hashtag '#ArrestLeenaManimekal' is trending on Twitter. "I demand the arrest of leena Manimekalai.We won't tolerate the disrespect of our GODDESS KAALI MAA.We all the way of tamil government this time.@beingarun28@TheDeepak2022#ArrestLeenaManimekalai," a Twitter user wrote. "I'm raising voice for arrest of a anti-hindu filmmaker Leena Manimekalai for portraying Hindu God as cigarette smoker.Hurting Hindu sentiments is not a right given by SC. We are not tolerate any more..!#ArrestLeenaManimekalai," another one tweeted. After receiving flak on social media, Leena has restricted comments on her Instagram. She took to Twitter to post in Tamil: "The film revolves around the events that take place one evening when Kali appears and strolls the streets of Toronto. If you see the picture, don't put the hashtag "arrest Leena manimekalai" but put the hashtag "love you Leena manimekalai"." Several films and shows have in the past got into trouble for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Anurag Basu's 'Ludo' faced Twitterati's ire for purportedly promoting 'Hinduphobic' content in the movie. In 2021, Saif Ali Khan-starrer web series 'Taandav' raked up a row for allegedly creating a possibility of religious tension by portraying Hindu Gods in a bad light. (ANI) Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai has landed in legal trouble after a police complaint was filed against her for hurting religious sentiments through a poster of her documentary 'Kaali'. The poster of the film depicted a woman dressed in a costume portraying the goddess and smoking. A flag of the LGBT community is seen in the background. The portrayal of Goddess Kali in the poster did not go down well with a section of social media users who have demanded the poster be withdrawn. Some even demanded strict action against her and the hashtag '#ArrestLeenaManimekal' is trending on Twitter. A lawyer from Delhi, Vineet Jindal, registered a complaint against Leena over the controversial poster. He has demanded a ban on the objectionable photo and the clip from the documentary. According to him, a woman dressed as Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette, is "hurting the sentiments and beliefs of the Hindu community." Gau Mahasabha member Ajay Gautam has also filed a complaint against Leena. After facing flak over her poster, Leena took to Twitter and defended herself. Urging people to choose 'love over hate' amid the negative feedback, she tweeted, "The film revolves around the events that take place one evening, when Kali appears and strolls the streets of Toronto. If you see the picture, don't put the hashtag "arrest Leena manimekalai" and put the hashtag 'love you Leena manimekalai.' Several films and shows have in the past got into trouble for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Anurag Basu's 'Ludo' faced Twitteratis' ire for purportedly promoting 'Hinduphobic' content in the movie. In 2021, Saif Ali Khan-starrer web series 'Taandav' raked up a row for allegedly creating a possibility of religious tension by portraying Hindu Gods in a bad light. (ANI) According to Deadline, the BTS image seems to have been taken from the eighth 'M:I' movie, 'Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning - Part Two' as McQuarrie did not add any context to the photo. It showed Cruise hanging off the wing of a mid-roll vintage red biplane, similar to the one seen in a pre-recorded message Cruise sent from the South Africa set of the film during CinemaCon in April. Cruise, who is known for constantly pushing the limits in his self-performed stunts, is currently flying high with 'Top Gun: Maverick' which has grossed over USD 1.1B globally, reported Deadline. The actor spent his birthday on Sunday at the British Formula 1 Grand Prix, where he was supporting his pal and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. "He's a great friend of mine. I hope he has a great day," Cruise told a news outlet on the starting grid. From Paramount Pictures and Skydance Media, 'Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning - Part One' is set to release on July 14 next year with Part Two due on June 28, 2024, as per Deadline. (ANI) Designed by celebrity designer Maneka Harisinghani, Malaika opted for a golden shimmery, deep neckline see-through gown with a fish tail end, completing her look with slicked-back hair, nude makeup and red nail paints, looking drop-dead gorgeous, as she posed in front of the shutterbugs. She accessorized her outfit with a plunging neckline and matching rings. Known as the 'Fitness Queen', Malaika was one of the jury members at the gala event along with actor Neha Dhupia and Dino Morea. As it was a see-through gown, her contrasting inner-ware gathered attention from the netizens. Post that her outfit was compared to American Model Kim Kardashian's see-through gown looks. The 'Munni Badnam Hui' dancer donned a dark-coloured inner-wear with her golden shimmery outfit, for which she faced a lot of backlash on social media. "Trying to be Kim Kardashian," a user wrote. Another user wrote, "She could of just wear her bra an underware .outrageous wanna be Kylie an Riann an Beounce lost of decency". Meanwhile, this is not the first time that the 'Housefull' actor is being trolled for her bold outfit. This was Malaika's first event she attended after returning from Paris with her beau actor Arjun Kapoor. (ANI) Militants fired at Firdous Ahmad Bhat in Bijbehara town of Anantnag in the evening, police sources said. "He was shifted to the local hospital for treatment from where he has been referred by attending doctors to army's base hospital in Srinagar," a source said. The area has been cordoned off for searches. --IANS sq/vd ( 83 Words) 2022-07-03-20:00:02 (IANS) One Thousand Year-old Assyrian Graves Desecrated in Mardin, Turkey One thousand year-old Assyrian graves desecrated in Mardin, Turkey. In the Yemisli (Enhil) Neighborhood of Mardin's Midyat district, at least 1000 years old graves belonging to Assyrians were destroyed, the bones of the saints were thrown out of the graves. The tombs of the Assyrians in the Mor Fetrus and Mor Favlus Chapel were destroyed. According to the Syriac church calendar, on June 29, on the Mor Favlus and Mor Fetrus commemoration day, the Assyrians who went to the cemetery in the Mor Fetrus and Mor Favlus Chapel realized that the graves were destroyed and the bones were thrown out. The residents of the neighborhood, who did not know when the attack took place, but noticed on the memorial day, shared the following information with our newspaper: "When we entered the graves of the qadis to light candles and read prayers on the memorial day of Mor Fetrus and Mor Favlus, we were very saddened to see that the barbaric graves were destroyed and the bones of the saints were thrown out. They do not leave our dead alone even in the grave. This brutal behavior is a great insult to our religion and culture. We condemn this barbaric act." The residents of the neighborhood, who saw that the graves were destroyed, reported the incident to the gendarmerie, and a report was kept about the incident. The Assyrians, the residents of the neighborhood, who do not want this incident to remain unsolved and want those who attacked the graves to be found as soon as possible, shared the following information about the cemetery and the Chapel: "The graves of the saints are very old and a small chapel was built on the graves of the saints in 1967." According to the Syriac church calendar, Mor Favlus and Mor Fetrus commemoration day takes place every year on 29 June. The Chapel, which was built in 1967, is said to be built on the tombs of Saints that are at least 1000 years old. Translated from Turkish by Google Translate. We have to stand united against these attacks, Gandhi said in a Facebook post which he wrote to thank the people of his Kerala constituency Wayanad where he was on a three-day visit. "We will fight these governments tooth and nail to ensure their anti-people policies, like the buffer zone issue, do not succeed. "I shall continue to fight for the rights of the people of Wayanad. The Congress party will design approaches and policies to turn people's dreams into reality," he said. Thanking the people of his constituency for their love and support, Gandhi said: "I had wonderful interactions with the people of my constituency, and was blessed to have received the love and adoration of the young and the elderly alike. "This 3-day visit gave me another opportunity to strengthen the connect with my people, understand their needs, their dreams and their aspirations." --IANS avr/vd ( 196 Words) 2022-07-03-22:44:03 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's immediate personal intervention to reduce exorbitant airfares in the post-COVID period in both domestic and international sectors. In a letter to PM Modi, the Kerala Chief Minister said that airfares in both the international and domestic sectors have become exorbitantly high recently, which is pulling the travel industry down and putting Non-Residents to extreme hardship. He further said that the ticket fare hike will affect the Non-Residents along with people and tourism sector of Kerala "Let me bring to your kind attention a very important issue that is pulling the travel industry down and putting non-residents to extreme hardship. Airfares in both the International and Domestic sectors have become exorbitantly high recently. They are very high when compared to the fares that had been prevailing in pre-COVID times," he said. Vijayan said that the non-residents, who are already seriously affected by the impact of the pandemic are again suffering due to the unreasonably high airfares. He also pointed out that this is also affecting Kerala's tourism sector, which is in crisis due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown. "The tourism sector in Kerala is on the threshold of a turnaround and the exorbitant airfares are a serious dampener to the revival of this sector. I request your immediate personal intervention in this matter so as to alleviate the difficulties of non-residents and to help the tourism sector, the revival of which is vital for our economy," Vijayan added. Vijayan, in his letter, also a comparative statement of air fares of pre-Covid fares and the present fares which show a massive hike in key international and domestic sectors for PM Modi's perusal From Cochin to Delhi, the fares jumped from Rs 4,000 to Rs 14,000, from Cochin to Mumbai the fare was Rs 3,000 and the current fare is Rs 10,000, it went up from Rs 2,000 to Rs 7,000 from Cochin to Bangalore and from Cochin to Chennai, it jumped from Rs 7,000 to Rs 2,500. Likewise, in the international sector, the fare from Cochin to Dubai was Rs 12,000 and now it jumped to Rs 20,000. From Cochin to London, it doubled was Rs 50,000 and it increased to Rs 75,000 and from Cohin to Toronto, the fares increased from 65,000 to Rs 1,70,000. (ANI) National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) presidential candidate and former Jharkhand governor Droupadi Murmu will visit Ranchi today. She will meet senior leaders and legislators in the state and seek support for her candidature in the presidential polls. Notably, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the ruling party in the state has not opened up yet as to whom the party going to support. UPA candidate Yashwant Sinha and the NDA's both have spoken to JMM's executive president and Chief Minister Hemant Soren for support in their favour. It is expected that JMM may announce its stand on Monday. On June 25, a meeting of JMM leaders including all MLAs and MPs was held under the leadership of its supreme Shibu Soren wherein it was decided that the party's executive president Hemant Soren will meet the Union Home Minister in Delhi and then the party will decide on extending the support for presidential candidates. On June 27, Soren called on Home Minister Amit Shah and the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi. However, even after the meetings, Soren maintained his silence. It would be interesting to know whom would the JMM support in the upcoming Presidential elections as its ally UPA has fielded Yashwant Sinha as a candidate, while the candidate hailed from the Santhal community Droupadi Murmu has been nominated by the BJP-led ND. JMM has been pursuing a tribal political plank and Santhals have been the significant vote bank for the party. Shibu Soren, the party's president emerged as a Guruji by agitating against Mahajani Pratha from Santhal and he spearheaded a separate state movement with the support of Santhals.National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) presidential candidate Droupadi and joint opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha are the only two contesting candidates for election to the Office of the President after the last date for the withdrawal of candidature ended on Saturday. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded the candidature of the NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu and called it historic on the second day of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) national executive meeting in Hyderabad. Sources said the Prime Minister spoke very highly about Murmu and her life journey.PM gave special stress on her humble beginnings and her struggle throughout her life and yet she did not fail to achieve what she stood for. PM Modi also spoke about her conduct in public life, emphasizing how Murmu worked constantly for the upliftment of every stratum of society. Droupadi Murmu is the first presidential candidate from Odisha of a major political party or alliance. She continues to break barriers and was the first woman governor of Jharkhand. She served as Jharkhand Governor from 2015 to 2021. Born in a poor tribal family in a village of Mayurbhanj, a backward district in Odisha, Droupadi Murmu completed her studies despite challenging circumstances. She taught at Shri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, Rairangpur. Born on June 20, 1958, she pursued BA at Ramadevi Women's College Bhubaneswar.She started her political career as Rairangpur NAC vice-chairman. Droupadi Murmu was a member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Rairangpur between 2000 and 2004.As a minister, she held portfolios of Transport and Commerce, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. She again served as MLA in the Odisha assembly from 2004 to 2009. The elections for the President of India will take place on July 18 and the results will be out on July 21. The term of President Ram Nath Kovind concludes on July 24. The Electoral College for election to the Office of the President consists of the elected Members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected Members of the Legislative Assemblies of all states including Delhi and Puducherry. (ANI) The Uddhav Thackeray-led camp of Shiv Sena on Monday approached the Supreme Court challenging the newly appointed Maharashtra Assembly Speaker''s recognition of the whip of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde group as the whip of Shiv Sena. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Thackeray camp, told a bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and JK Maheswari that the newly appointed Speaker has no jurisdiction to recognize whips nominated by Shinde as Uddhav Thackeray is still the head of Shiv Sena official party. The action is changing the status quo of proceedings before the apex court, he added. "The speaker has no jurisdiction to recognize whips. This is changing the status quo of proceedings before this court. The speaker yesterday at the stroke of midnight elected the whip," Singhvi while mentioning the matter for urgent hearing. The apex court posted the matter for hearing on July 11, along with other pending pleas. On Sunday, the newly elected speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly, Rahul Narvekar, recognized Bharat Gogawale as the new Chief Whip of Shiv Sena and Eknath Shinde as the new Legislative Party leader in the house. The Uddhav Thackeray camp had removed Shinde as Legislative Party leader and appointed Ajay Chaudhary to the post while Sunil Prabhu was appointed Chief Whip. Bharat Gogawale also gave a petition to the assembly speaker for the suspension of 16 MLAs (Thackeray camp) of the party for violation of the whip. On June 29, the top court gave a go-ahead to the floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly on June 30. Refusing to stay the Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari''s direction to the then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to prove his majority support on the floor of the House on June 30, the bench issued notice on Prabhu''s plea against the floor test. On June 27, the top court granted interim relief to Shinde and other rebel MLAs to file their reply to disqualification notices issued to them by Deputy Speaker by July 12, 5.30 pm. Earlier, Deputy Speaker had granted them time to file a reply by June 27, 5.30 pm. The order of the apex court had come while hearing the petitions filed by the Shinde group challenging the disqualification notices issued by the Deputy Speaker to 16 rebel MLAs as well as the appointment of Ajay Choudhary as Shiv Sena Legislature Party leader. (ANI) "On Sunday at 8:42 pm, information was received in PS Pandav Nagar from LBS Hospital, Khichripur regarding admission of one Nikhil Sharma (20), resident of Patparganj Village. His friend admitted him to the hospital after sustaining an injury in a quarrel, and he was declared brought dead," said the police. Initial enquiry revealed that the deceased along with his friend had an altercation with one unknown scooty rider near the wine shop, Samaspur Village. While they were going back to their place after purchasing liquor, this unknown person came along with his associate and soon a scuffle broke out between them outside the gate of the liquor shop. "Both got into a scuffle and the accused stabbed the victim in the chest," said Delhi Police. A case under appropriate sections is being registered and efforts are on to nab the culprits. Meanwhile, the investigation into the case is on. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the new India should be an India of the dreams of fighters who gave their lives for the freedom of the country. PM Modi also called on youths to work toward building New India with new opportunities, growth avenues and dreams. He was addressing the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of Alluri Sitarama Raju in Andhra Pradesh's Bhimavaram. "Our new India should be an India of the dreams of fighters who gave their lives for our freedom. In past eight years, we have worked with full devotion, walking on principles of Alluri Sitarama Raju, we've worked towards the welfare of tribals," he said. The Prime Minister said when the poor, marginalized, women, youth, and all citizens of the country come together, nothing can come in the way of New India. "During India's freedom struggle, the youth played a pivotal role. Today, as we are building a New India, the youth needs to come forward and contribute to this vision," he said. He further said that for the first time after Independence, to create awareness about Adivasi Gaurav and Viraasat the government is building museums to tell the story of the great tribal leaders of India. "For the first time since independence, tribal museums are being set up to showcase the tribal pride and heritage in the country. 'Alluri Sitarama Raju Memorial Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum' is also being built in Lambasingi, Andhra Pradesh," said PM Modi. In his speech, PM Modi also mentioned the names of prominent freedom fighters of Andhra Pradesh like Pingali Venkayya, Kanneganti Hanumanthu, Kandukuri Veeresalingam Pantulu and Potti Sriramulu. He further said that it is the responsibility of everyone in New India to fulfill the dreams of heroes. "Today, it is the responsibility of all of us countrymen to fulfill the dreams of these fighters in Amrit Kaal. Our new India should be the India of their dreams. An India in which poor, farmers, labourers, backward, tribals have equal opportunities," added PM Modi. He also remembered that once, Alluri Sitarama Raju dared the Britishers to stop him. "Alluri Sitarama Raju once said - "Dum Hai Toh Mujhe Rok Lo!" Today, 133 crore citizens are saying to every hurdle in the path of the country's development - "Dum Hai Toh Hamein Rok Lo!" said PM. PM Modi also unveiled the 30-feet tall bronze statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju on the occasion. Born on July 4, 1897, Alluri Sitarama Raju is remembered for his fight against the British, in order to safeguard the interests of the tribal communities in the Eastern Ghats region. He had led the Rampa rebellion, which was launched in 1922. He is referred to as "Manyam Veerudu" (Hero of the Jungles) by the local people. The government has planned a series of initiatives as part of the year-long celebration. The birthplace of Alluri Sitarama Raju at Pandrangi in Vizianagaram district and Chintapalli Police Station (to mark 100 years of Rampa Rebellion - the attack on this police station marked the beginning of Rampa Rebellion) will be restored. The government has also approved the construction of Alluri Dhyana Mandir at Mogallu with a statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju in Dhyana Mudra, depicting the life story of the freedom fighter through mural paintings and an AI-enabled interactive system. Later in the day, will also visit Gandhinagar in Gujarat where he will inaugurate the Digital India Week 2022 in Gandhinagar, whose theme is 'Catalyzing New India's Techade'. (ANI) According to GSM Arena, the device is anticipated to be the company's upcoming flagship, and we know it will utilise Qualcomm's top-tier Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 architecture. Part of the newly divided Master series will be the new Realme phone (previously the Master editions were merely customised versions of the X-series phones). Two mid-rangers made up the lineup the previous year, but this year's lineup aims higher. The GT2 Explorer Master will have a more powerful chipset than the Realme GT2 Pro, but we won't know whether it will be a worthwhile investment until the device's formal introduction. The screen is likely to be 6.7" AMOLED with only 1080p resolution, according to leaked specifications on TENAA, but charging is apparently expanding into the triple digits with two variants: 100W and 150W, as reported by GSM Arena. A triple camera with two 50MP sensors and up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. (ANI) Within days of the Navy opening registrations for the Agnipath recruitment scheme, around 10,000 females have registered themselves for the programme. For the first time ever, the Indian Navy is allowing women to be recruited as sailors in the force who would also be deployed on warships as per operational requirements. "Around 10,000 female candidates had registered themselves till Sunday," government officials told ANI. After the registrations, the Indian Navy would open up the online application process for recruitment starting from July 15 to July 30.The Navy is yet to finalise the final number of women among the 3000 naval 'Agniveers' that it will induct in 2022. The Navy is making arrangements at INS Chilka, the premier basic training establishment for sailors of the Indian Navy, on November 21. The establishment will also have facilities for training the women sailors there. "The Agnipath scheme in the Navy will be gender-neutral. As we speak, 30 women officers are sailing on board frontline warships. We have decided that the time has come to recruit women sailors as well, and in all trades which will include women who will go to sea," Navy officials had stated. Armed forces had been inducting women into the 14-lakh strong military forces since the 1990s but only at officer ranks. This changed in 2019-20 were from the Indian Army began recruiting women in other ranks for the first time. As a result of this, 100 women jawans are presently Corps of Military Police (CMP). The "transformative" Agnipath scheme, announced by Union Minister Rajanath Singh on June 14, in the presence of the three service chiefs provides for the recruitment of into the armed services of youths in the age bracket of 17-and-a-half-years to 21 for only four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years. The Centre later extended the upper age limit to 23 years for recruitment in 2022. The Union Cabinet had also approved Agnipath scheme on June 14 and the youth selected under this scheme will be known as Agniveers. The government had announced that 46,000 Agniveers to be recruited this year. It had said that armed Forces will have "a younger, fitter, diverse profile" to face future challenges. There have been protests against the Agnipath scheme in some states and the government has announced support measures to allay apprehensions. (ANI) The bench of Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad on Tuesday refused to hear the matter and asked the petitioner to approach Supreme Court in this regard. The petitioner Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay sought direction to awarding life imprisonment in related offences relating to black money, benami property, money laundering, disproportionate assets, bribery, profiteering, hoarding, adulteration, black marketing, human-drug trafficking, tax evasion and dishonest misappropriation of property by cheating fraud forgery. The petitioner stated that the court may constitute an expert committee or direct the Law Commission of India to examine the stringent anti-corruption laws of the developed countries, particularly the laws relating to bribery, black money, benami property, disproportionate assets, tax evasion, money laundering, profiteering, hoarding, adulteration, human and drug trafficking, black marketing, dishonest misappropriation of property by cheating fraud forgery, and prepare a comprehensive report within three months. The plea stated that corruption undermines democracy and rule of law, leads to violations of human rights, distorts markets, erodes the quality of life and allows organized crime like separatism terrorism Naxalism radicalism gambling smuggling kidnapping money laundering and extortion and other threats to human security to flourish. It hurts EWS-BPL families excessively by diverting the funds intended for their development, undermines the government's ability to provide basic services, seeds inequality and injustice and discourages foreign aid and investment. It also stated that corruption is a key factor in economic underperformance and the main obstacle to poverty alleviation. The right to life and liberty guaranteed under Article 21 cannot be secured and the golden goals of the Preamble cannot be achieved without curbing corruption. So, the Centre and state must implement stringent anti-corruption laws in order to give a strong message that it is determined to weed out corruption, black money generation, benami transaction and money laundering. The Centre must take steps to reaffirm the rule of law, improve transparency and warn looters that betrayal of public trust will no longer be tolerated, the plea stated (ANI) The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to list on July 6 a petition filed by AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami challenging the Madras High Court order restraining the AIADMK General Council from amending the party bye-laws during its meeting. A vacation bench of headed by Justice Indira Banerjee posts the matter for hearing on July 6, subject to Chief Justice of India's approval for listing the plea. Senior advocate CS Vaidyanathan for Palaniswami (EPS) mentioned the matter for urgent hearing before the apex court saying that the contempt petition alleging violation of the interim order filed by O Panneerselvam (OPS) group is coming up before the Madras High Court today. Vaidyanathan told the bench that the division bench held an extraordinary sitting at midnight at the residence of one of the judges and passed an order an order at 4 am to restrain the General Council from passing any resolutions. "This amounted to judicial interference with the internal functioning of a political party," he added. A single judge of the High Court had earlier refused to restrain the General Council from passing resolutions aimed at amending its by-laws to pave the way for a unitary leadership instead of the dual leadership. It had rejected a batch of applications for an order against passing of any such resolutions and held that it was for the General Council to decide upon its functioning and not for the court to dictate which resolution could be passed and which should not be passed. Panneerselvam camp, however, challenged the single judge order before a division bench which had restrained the General Council from passing any resolution other than the 23 draft that had been approved by the party coordinator Panneerselvam. Then EPS filed an appeal before the top court against division bench order stating that in the General Council meeting held on June 23, majority of members sought for abolition of the dual leadership model and for adopting a unitary leadership structure. Since the passing away of former Chief Minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary J Jayalalithaa, the party has been having a dual leadership with Panneerselvam and Palaniswami leading it as coordinator and joint coordinator respectively. However, recently, disputes arose between both the leaders, with EPS group pressing for unitary leadership In the Supreme Court, Palaniswami contended that the High Court division bench had erroneously interfered with the internal democratic process of the AIADMK, and the General Council, the supreme body of the AIADMK, was prevented from deciding on internal party affairs. The appeal sought an interim stay on the High Court order. (ANI) In a letter to EAM, the Chief Minister said, "This arrest intimidates the fisherfolk of Tamil Nadu and is also likely to create a sense of insecurity and fear in the coastal areas of the State. I, therefore, request you to take up this matter through appropriate diplomatic channels to secure the immediate release of 12 fishermen and their fishing boat." Among the 12 arrested Indian fishermen, 7 are from Tamil Nadu and 5 are from Puducherry. He further pointed out that the fishermen of Tamil Nadu have recently resumed fishing after the annual ban period of 61 days that ended on June 15, 2022. On March 25 this year, the fifth meeting of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group on Fisheries was held through virtual mode. The Joint Working Group discussed all relevant issues in detail including the concerns relating to fishermen and fishing boats which have been on the agenda of bilateral discussions between India and Sri Lanka for many years. The Indian side expressed its readiness to work together with Sri Lanka for joint research to enhance the productivity of the Palk Bay fisheries. The meeting concluded on a positive note, with a commitment toward continued cooperation and dialogue to solve the fishermen-related issues and to hold the next meeting of the Joint Working Group as per schedule. (ANI) Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Ravinder Raina on Monday said the most wanted Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Talib Hussain who was apprehended from Reasi district on Sunday is neither an "active member of the BJP nor a primary member". Speaking to ANI, Raina said, "Talib Hussain is neither an active member of the BJP nor a primary member. There was a letter circular, on the basis of which it is believed that Sheikh Bashir, who is the President of BJP Minority Front of Jammu and Kashmir had appointed Talib Hussain on May 9." He termed the reports fake which claimed that one of the two most-wanted LeT terrorists, who were overpowered by locals and handed over to the police, was in charge of the party's IT cell. The BJP leader further said after that Hussain had circulated a letter himself and resigned from the membership of the party on May 18. "A couple of years ago, Talib Hussain along with with his three colleagues used to come to the BJP office as a media person. He had also interviewed me many times, he used to call himself a reporter for a YouTube channel named 'New Sehar India'," Raina said. "As a journalist, Hussain clicked photos with us many times in the BJP office. Pakistan terror outfit wanted to target the head office of the BJP of Jammu and Kashmir. It has been done through the targeted medium and carried out such incidents," he said. "It is too soon to say more on this matter as the investigation is going on. Not only the BJP, but all the offices of other political parties need to be more alert now, he added. On Sunday, two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were apprehended by villagers in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district and handed them over to the police. Along with Talib Hussain, another LeT apprehend terrorist was identified as Faizal Ahmed Dar. According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, the terrorists had reached Tukson Dhok village to take shelter after continuous pressure from Police and Army. They have been identified as Talib Hussain of Rajouri and Faisal Ahmed Dar of Pulwama. Police said Talib Hussain was in constant touch with LeT terrorist Qasim based in Pakistan and was involved in at least three cases of IED blasts in Rajouri district besides killings of civilians and grenade blasts. Earlier, while appreciating the effort of the villagers, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced a reward of Rs 5 Lakhs for the brave villagers who apprehended the terrorists in the Reasi district. "I salute the bravery of villagers of Tukson Dhok, Reasi, who apprehended two most-wanted terrorists. Such determination by the common man shows the end of terrorism is not far away. UT Govt to extend Rs 5 Lakh cash reward to villagers for the gallant act against terrorists and terrorism," Sinha said. (ANI) Soon after his speech in Bhimavaram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met the family of Pasala Krishna Murthy who was a respected freedom fighter from Andhra Pradesh. PM Modi met 90-year-old Pasala Krishna Bharathi, daughter of the freedom fighter and took blessing from her. He also met her sister and niece. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister spoke on the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of Alluri Sitarama Raju in Andhra Pradesh's Bhimavaram and paid tributes to the freedom fighter. "As the country celebrates Amrit Mahotsav of 75 years of independence, we alongside celebrate the 125th anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju. At the same time, 100 years of 'Rampa Kranti' for the country's independence are also completed. I bow down my head and give a tribute to him," said PM Modi. He said that the 125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju Garu and the 100th anniversary of Rampa Kranti will be celebrated throughout the year. Highlighting that the freedom struggle is not just a history of a few years, areas, or people, PM Modi said India's freedom struggle is the story of sacrifice and tenacity across the country. The Prime Minister said that from the birth of Sitaram Raju Garu to his sacrifice, his life journey is an inspiration to all of us. He dedicated his life to the rights of tribal society, and at the young age of 27, he sacrificed his life for India's Independence. He said that Andhra Pradesh is the land of heroes and patriots. From great freedom fighters to leaders who stood tall against British Raj, the state has immensely contributed to the freedom struggle. "Andhra Pradesh is the land of heroes and patriots. Here there were freedom heroes like Pingali Venkayya, who prepared the flag of the country. This is the land of heroes like Kanneganti Hanumanthu, Kandukuri Veeresalingam Pantulu and Potti Sriramulu," the PM said. He said during India's freedom struggle, the youth played a pivotal role and today, as we are building a New India, the youth needs to come forward and contribute to this vision. "As we celebrate 75 years of Independence, we need to build an India that symbolizes the vision of our great freedom fighters. A country with equal opportunities, rapid growth and a country where 133 crore citizens come together for the vision of a New India. Today, for the first time after Independence, to create awareness about Adivasi Gaurav and Viraasat we are building museums to tell the story of the great tribal leaders of India," he said. PM Modi also unveiled the 30-feet tall bronze statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju on the occasion. Born on July 4, 1897, Alluri Sitarama Raju is remembered for his fight against the British, in order to safeguard the interests of the tribal communities in the Eastern Ghats region. He had led the Rampa rebellion, which was launched in 1922. He is referred to as "Manyam Veerudu" (Hero of the Jungles) by the local people. The government has planned a series of initiatives as part of the year-long celebration. The birthplace of Alluri Sitarama Raju at Pandrangi in Vizianagaram district and Chintapalli Police Station (to mark 100 years of Rampa Rebellion - the attack on this police station marked the beginning of Rampa Rebellion) will be restored. The government has also approved the construction of Alluri Dhyana Mandir at Mogallu with a statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju in Dhyana Mudra, depicting the life story of the freedom fighter through mural paintings and an AI-enabled interactive system. Later in the day, will also visit Gandhinagar in Gujarat where he will inaugurate the Digital India Week 2022 in Gandhinagar, whose theme is 'Catalyzing New India's Techade'. (ANI) Union Minister for Home and Cooperation Amit Shah on Monday said that the cooperative model is the middle path between the two models adopted in the last 100 years by different countries in the world, and it is the mode that succeeds. "In last 100 years, different countries adopted two models - communism and capitalism. But I can say it definitively that the Cooperative model is the middle path, it is a model that succeeds," Shah said while speaking at an event organised to celebrate the 100th International Day of Cooperatives. The Union Home Minister said, "We have done a lot in the last 100 years. Now, we have to move forward with a resolution to do much better in the next 100 years". Noting that there may be several drawbacks, ups and downs, growth, development and many more in the journey of 100 years, however, Shah said he was happy and felt proud of whatever we could do in this movement despite all kinds of odds in the long journey. "We have reached a certain destination. The work of establishing a foundation has been over. And I believe if we could be able to construct a building on this foundation based on principles of Cooperatives, it could give a great economic model not only for India but also for the whole world." "As we are now celebrating 75th year of independence this year. We should take a resolution that cooperatives would be at their peak when India would celebrate 100 years of independence," said the Union Cooperative Minister. The Minister gave the example of IFCO, Amul and KRIBHCO and how they have set their position among 300 successful Cooperative societies across the world, and said "we (government) are ready to do everything for the development and welfare of Cooperatives, you just start working". Mentioning that around 8.5 lakh cooperative societies are run across India and 51 per cent of them are in villages, the Minister also assured that our Cooperative societies will help in taking organic produces of farmers into world market. To keep transparency, the Minister said there will be a database of Cooperatives and that the government will work on its expansion. He also urged people to make Cooperatives 'Atmanirbhar' (self-reliant). Shah was the Chief Guest at the celebrations of the 100th International Day of Cooperatives, jointly organized by the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India and National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI)-- an apex organization of the cooperative movement in India with a focus on cooperative education and training. The theme of 100th International Cooperative Day is "Cooperatives Build a Better World". Considering the importance of Atmanirbhar Bharat in creating a better world, the Ministry of Cooperation and NCUI organised the event with the theme "Cooperatives Build an Atmanirbhar Bharat and Better World." The basic concept and vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat are based on the self-sustainable growth of the Indian economy, and India's cooperative model is aligned with the Government of India's emphasis on building an Atmanirbhar Bharat. The cooperative movement in India is the largest in the world. At present, cooperatives in India with a network of over 8.5 lakh covering 90 percent of the villages, are pivotal institutions for bringing socio-economic development for inclusive growth in both rural and urban areas. AMUL, IFFCO, KRIBHCO, NAFED, etc. are some of the well-known success stories of the cooperative movement in India. In order to give proper impetus to the cooperative sector under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Government had created the Ministry of Cooperation in July 2021. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was given charge of the newly formed Ministry of Cooperation. Since its formation, the ministry is working on drafting a new cooperative policy and schemes and is making continuous progress under the guidance of Shah. There is immense potential for the development and empowerment of farmers, agriculture and rural areas of the country in the cooperative sector. That is why the Union government is empowering the cooperative sector with the mantra of 'Sahakar Se Samriddhi'. Recently the Union Cabinet has taken an important decision to further strengthen the cooperative sector by approving the computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) with the objective of increasing the efficiency of PACS, bringing transparency and accountability in their operations; facilitating PACS to diversify their business and undertake multiple activities and services. This project proposes the computerization of about 63,000 functional PACS over a period of five years with a total budget outlay of Rs. 2,516 crore. The Union Minister for Dairy and Fisheries Parshottam Rupala, the Minister of State for Cooperation BL Verma, and President, ICA-AP Chandra Pal Singh were also among those attending the celebration. The meeting was presided over by President, NCUI Dileep Sanghani. (ANI) Days after the Ministry of Home Affairs directed National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the probe of the brutal killings in Rajasthan's Udaipur and Maharashtra's Amravati, NIA chief Dinkar Gupta on Monday held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his office in the national capital. On June 28, a tailor Kanhaiyalal Kumar was beheaded by two men inside his shop in Udaipur in the broad daylight, while a chemist shop owner Umesh Kolhe was killed by several men in Amravati on June 21. In Amravati killing case, a district court in Amravati sent the key accused and Irfan Sheikh, the mastermind in the murder case to police custody till July 7. The accused, identified as Irfan Sheikh, was arrested by Amravati police in Nagpur on Sunday. The six accused have been identified as Mudassir Ahmad (22); Shah Rukh Pathan (25); Abdul Thoufique (24); Shoaib Khan (22); Atib Rashid (22) and Yusufkan Bahadur Khan (44). Investigators so far believe that the chemist was killed allegedly in retaliation for a social media post supporting BJP's Nupur Sharma who had made controversial comments on the Prophet in a television debate. In the Udaipur case, the assailants identified themselves in the video as Riyaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad. In the video, Riyaz was seen attacking 47-year-old Kanhaiya Lal with a sharp-edged weapon while the other, Ghouse, recorded the crime on his mobile phone. The victim reportedly had recently shared a social media post in support of Nupur Sharma-- former BJP leader who had made controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammad. NIA on Thursday said it suspects the role of a "terror gang and not a terror outfit".The anti-terror agency, however, made it clear that there is a role of a bigger gang behind the brutal killing and that it was not just an act done by only two persons, who were arrested by state police after the incident. (ANI) Former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and National Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar was elected as the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly on Monday after the party leader Jayant Patil proposed his name for the same in the Assembly. Assembly's Principal Secretary informed that Pawar's name for the LoP was proposed by NCP leader Jayant Patil and it was approved by the Assembly. Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde won the crucial floor test in the state Assembly on the last day of the two-day special session of the House. In the 288-member House, 164 MLAs voted in favour of Shinde, while 99 voted against it. Three legislators abstained from voting, while 21 legislators, including Congress's Ashok Chavan and Vijay Wadettiwar, were absent. Notably, Eknath Shinde led a revolt against Shiv Sena leading to the collapse of the 31-month-old Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on June 30. Fadnavis, who was Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 2014-19, had announced at a joint press conference in Mumbai on Thursday that Eknath Shinde will be the new CM. Fadnavis also announced at the press conference that he will not be part of the government. In today's floor test, Shiv Sena MLA from Shetkari Kamgar Paksh of Uddhav Thackeray faction Shyamsundar Shinde also voted in favour of Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde in the trust vote today. He did not join the Shinde faction but voted in their favour. Former ministers Ashok Chavan and Vijay Wadettiwar of Congress were out of the House, hence they could not vote, while Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh also did not come to House for voting. Soon after the Trust Vote ended, Shiv Sena leader and earlier whip Sunil Prabhu raised the issue of the whip but Speaker interrupted him and asked him to sit and said he has already everything on record. The trust vote came a day after BJP's Rahul Narwekar was elected the Assembly Speaker. On Sunday, Narwekar reinstated Shinde as the Shiv Sena's legislative party leader and also recognised the appointment of Gogawale as the chief whip of the Shiv Sena. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party dismissed speculations of Janata Dal (U) leader and Union Steel Minister RCP Singh joining the BJP. This came as pictures of Singh's presence at the BJP national executive meeting went viral on social media. RCP Singh, once a close confidant of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and a Cabinet Minister in the NDA government from the JDU quota, was denied a ticket to Rajya Sabha by his party. Sources said that Singh has not joined the BJP and continues to be with the JDU. They said that he was welcomed as an NDA leader at the airport in Hyderabad where the BJP's national executive meeting concluded on Sunday. BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi took to Twitter to dismiss speculations and said that the JDU leader must have come to Hyderabad in connection with the government program. "This news is completely misleading that RCP Singh had joined the National Executive of BJP. He must have come to Hyderabad in connection with the government program and was welcomed by BJP workers present at the airport," he tweeted. JDU has nominated Khiro Mehto to Rajya Sabha instead of RCP Singh. Singh, who was the only minister from the JD(U) quota in the NDA government, is set to retire from Rajya Sabha on July 7. He will not be able to continue as Union Minister for more than six months once he ceased to be a Member of Parliament. The two-day Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Executive meeting started in Hyderabad on Saturday. The meeting was attended by BJP's top brass including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Ministers of 19 states and other BJP senior leaders at Hyderabad International Convention Centre. (ANI) Arrested Deputy Chief General Manager of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) informed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs used to pressurize him for transfers and change of shifts of DTC staff. On June 29, the CBI arrested a Deputy CGM of DTC, Shakil Ahmed and five others in a bribery case involving an amount of Rs 91,000 for the appointment of two candidates as consultants in the corporation. Following the arrest, the CBI also conducted searches in which cash amounting to Rs 40 lakh (approximately) was recovered from Ahmed's house. On Sunday, all of the arrested accused in the case have been sent to judicial custody. During interrogation, he informed that several AAP MLAs used to put pressure on him to change shifts of drivers and their transfers. Two of their MLAs-- Mukesh Kumar Ahlawat and Sanjeev Jha-- have also written letters to him requesting the transfer of drivers. "We will also investigate if MLAs were pressuring him after taking money from drivers. In interrogation, Shakil informed that MLAs were continuously pressuring him with requests for transfers and shift changes of drivers. We suspect the money was also involved in it," said a senior CBI official. (ANI) Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP A Raja on Sunday called upon the Centre to give "state autonomy" to Tamil Nadu and not push the party to revive the demand of "separate Tamil Nadu". Speaking at a meeting of DMK local body representatives at Namakkal in presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin, Raja said the party is following "Anna way". "We are not speaking here with arrogance saying that we rule in Tamil Nadu. The DMK has abandoned the demand for a separate Tamil Nadu but is now asking for autonomy to be given to the state," he said. "Periyar, father of our philosophy has always sought for a separate Tamil Nadu. Our CM (MK Stalin) is following in the footsteps of Anna (Annadurai). Don't make us choose the Periyar path. I request you to give our state autonomy," he added. He urged the Centre to respect federalism and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to "give state autonomy". DMK leader TKS Elangovan later said Raja, a former union minister, made the remarks out of frustration. "Out of frustration, he made the statement as they're not giving us powers. How do we run the state? They've taken the power of levying taxes by way of GST. We have to decide on our expenditure without knowing the budget," he said. Tamil Nadu BJP vice president Narayanan Thirupathy said Raja's remarks "show split in the party". [{9d29662f-583d-4ec5-8c66-23a63bc09f07:intradmin/FWzicBeacAANEMz.jpg}] "It is a threat to DMK. He spoke this in front of Chief Minister. I think it shows split in the party," Thirupathy said. In his speech to the party's local body representatives, the Chief Minister told the gathering that he will take action like a "dictator" if there are malpractices. He said the message is not only to local body representatives but for all. Various senior leaders of DMK also participated and addressed the gathering. He said local body representatives have lot of responsibility and they should work in a way that there are no complaints. Stalin recalled that he has been a Chennai Mayor and that working as a local body representative was the first step in doing service for people in public life. "Always remember that if you do mistakes people will throw away," he said. Referring to women local body representatives, he said they should act bravely and they should handle the posts, not their husbands. The Chief Minister said he had become chief minister after hard work for 50 years and the party's image should not be tainted. (ANI) New research has outlined how campus food pantries have the potential to reduce students' food insecurity, decrease depressive symptoms and improve perceived health. The findings were published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. "In 2015, we found that 40 per cent of University of California (UC) students were experiencing food insecurity, a finding consistent with other research," states corresponding author Suzanna Martinez, MS, PhD, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. "This prompted the State of California to allocate funding so that by 2018 all UC campuses had a food pantry. Our study was the first to look at the impact these pantries had on changes in student health." The researchers conducted an online survey of 1,855 students at 10 University of California campuses with questions about their general health before and after visits to the food pantry. The results showed that having access to a food pantry directly improved students' perceived health, reduced the number of depressive symptoms they experienced, increased their sleep sufficiency, and boosted food security. Co-author Michael Grandner, PhD, MTR, Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA, adds, "More than half of the students in our group reported being a first-generation student, and nearly half were Pell Grant recipients. It's possible these students were already at a disadvantage when funding their basic needs while at college." "While UC food pantries began as an emergency response to the high prevalence of student food security, this study provides evidence that they play a critical role in helping students meet their basic needs on a regular basis. Long-term solutions to address student food security are needed," Dr. Martinez concluded. (ANI) Refuting "rumours" that Congress was about to pull out of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Maharashtra Congress-in-charge HK Patil on Monday said that the Congress is with MVA and the three-party alliance was intact. "I saw some reports stating Congress likely to pull out of the MVA alliance in Maharashtra. It is false. Congress has neither discussed this nor decided on anything. The rumours are far away from the truth. MVA alliance is stable," HK Patil said. Stating the recent Maharashtra crisis as an "example of BJP's Operation Lotus', the Congress incharge in the state said, "The way BJP has done a new experiment to break the party (Shiv Sena) in Maharashtra is an example of the BJP's 'Operation lotus'." "Congress is with MVA, and the 3-party alliance is intact. Today, we all have voted for the no-confidence motion," he added. A floor test to prove the majority of the new Shinde-led government in Maharashtra took place today, wherein Shinde's position as the state's chief minister and the leader of the Shiv Sena got cemented after 164 votes were polled in his favour, while 99 were polled against the coalition of the BJP-Shinde camp. The Congress incharge in Maharashtra further told ANI that he does not feel that the current government in the state (Shinde-led Shiv Sena) would last long as their restlessness shows the lack of unity amongst the MLAs. "To me, it appears that this govt (Eknath Shinde government) won't last long... This govt won't be able to function... there are many confusions and contradictions. Shiv Sena MLAs are restless... the way they have travelled so much shows that they are not united," he said. Notably, Eknath Shinde led a revolt against Shiv Sena leading to the collapse of the 31-month-old Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on June 30. Fadnavis, who was Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 2014-19, had announced at a joint press conference in Mumbai on Thursday that Eknath Shinde will be the new CM. Fadnavis also announced at the press conference that he will not be part of the government. In today's floor test, Shiv Sena MLA from Shetkari Kamgar Paksh of Uddhav Thackeray faction Shyamsundar Shinde also voted in favour of Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde in the trust vote today. He did not join the Shinde faction but voted in their favour. Former ministers Ashok Chavan and Vijay Wadettiwar of Congress were out of the House, hence they were not able to vote, while Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh also did not come to House for voting. The trust vote came a day after BJP's Rahul Narwekar was elected the Assembly Speaker. On Sunday, Narwekar reinstated Shinde as the Shiv Sena's legislative party leader and also recognised the appointment of Gogawale as the chief whip of the Shiv Sena. (ANI) Noting that the world adopted both the capitalist and communist models and both are extreme models, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said on Monday that the cooperative model is the middle way and best suited for India. "In last 100 years, different countries adopted two models - communism and capitalism. But I can say it definitively that the cooperative model is the middle path, it is a model that succeeds," Shah said at an event organised to celebrate the 100th International Day of Cooperatives. The main theme of the event was 'Building a Self-Reliant India and a Better World through Co-operatives'. He said a strong foundation of the cooperative movement has been laid and "it is now our responsibility and that of the generations to come to build a strong structure on this foundation". He said cooperatives have to keep up with the modern times, by combining technology and professionalism, so that they can progress into the future. It is a day to modernize the cooperative sector, to channelize the spirit of cooperation and contribution among the people, to create equality among communities and to show them the path of co-prosperity, the minister added. Shah said the country is celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and people have to pledge that 2047 will be the year when the cooperative movement will be at its peak in the country. He asserted that unbalanced development has been caused by the prevailing economic model and to make it all-inclusive the cooperative model has to be popularized, which will lead to the creation of a self-reliant India. "More than 12 per cent of the world's population is associated with cooperatives through more than 30 lakh cooperatives. The joint cooperative economy of the world is the fifth-largest economic unit and this is a great achievement," the Home Miniter added. He said that there is a misconception amongst many people that cooperatives have failed but they should look at the global data which shows that cooperatives contribute a lot to the GDP of many countries. The Minister gave the example of IFCO, Amul and KRIBHCO and how they have set their position among 300 successful cooperative societies across the world, and said "we (government) are ready to do everything for the development and welfare of cooperatives, you just start working". Mentioning that around 8.5 lakh cooperative societies are run across India and 51 per cent of them are in villages, the Minister also assured that the country's cooperative societies will help in taking organic produces of farmers into the world market. To keep transparency, the Minister said there will be a database of cooperatives and that the government will work on its expansion. He also urged people to make Cooperatives 'Atmanirbhar' (self-reliant). Shah was the Chief Guest at the celebrations of the 100th International Day of Cooperatives, jointly organized by the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India and National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI)-- an apex organization of the cooperative movement in India with a focus on cooperative education and training. In a move to further strengthen the cooperative sector, the Union Cabinet last week approved the computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). The decision is aimed at increasing the efficiency of PACS, bringing transparency and accountability in their operations; facilitating PACS to diversify their business and undertaking multiple activities and services. This project proposes the computerization of about 63,000 functional PACS over a period of five years with a total budget outlay of Rs 2,516 crore. The Union Minister for Dairy and Fisheries Parshottam Rupala, the Minister of State for Cooperation BL Verma, and President, ICA-AP Chandra Pal Singh were also among those attending the celebration. The meeting was presided over by President, NCUI Dileep Sanghani. (ANI) Amravati Police to present all accused before NIA's Mumbai court on or before July 8. The police on Saturday arrested the mastermind and seventh accused in the brutal killing of Amravati-based shop owner Umesh Kolhe. A district court in Amravati has sent the key accused Irfan Sheikh, the mastermind in the murder case to police custody till July 7. Earlier, six accused who were arrested have been identified as Mudassir Ahmad (22), Shah Rukh Pathan (25), Abdul Thoufique (24), Shoaib Khan (22), Atib Rashid (22) and Yusufkan Bahadur Khan (44). Exactly a week before tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli was hacked to death in Udaipur, Umesh Prahladrao Kolhe, a 54-year-old chemist, was killed in Maharashtra's Amravati district on June 21. Investigators so far believe that Kolhe was killed allegedly in retaliation for a social media post supporting BJP's Nupur Sharma who had made controversial comments on the Prophet in a television debate. The number of arrests may increase after the main accused in the brutal murder of an Amravati-based shop owner Umesh Kolhe is nabbed, said a police official on Sunday. "He (mastermind) was arrested last night. He's being interrogated. They have a helpline group-Rehbar group. Several people connected to them. 7 accused have been arrested so far. The number of arrests may rise after the arrest of the main accused," said Nilima Araj, Police Inspector when asked about the mastermind of the Amravati murder. Union Home Minister Amit Shah directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the probe into the brutal killing of Maharashtra's Amravati-based shop owner Umesh Kolhe on June 21, after he wrote a post in support of Nupur Sharma on Facebook. Home Minister's Office (HMO) made the announcement through its Twitter handle as the matter was similar to the Udaipur case in which a tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli was killed in broad daylight by two men. (ANI) iQOO has confirmed that an iQOO 9T will launch in India by the end of the month. Also, the iQOO 10 Pro appeared on TENAA, showcasing a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. The smartphone is rumoured to be one of the first to feature a Dimensity 9000+ chipset. However, it is noticed that the 10 series might not be the only one to feature Qualcomm's new flagship chipset. As per GSM Arena, iQOO confirmed that the iQOO 9T will be powered by the 8+ Gen 1 chip, which nudges performance up by 10 per cent and significantly increases power efficiency by 30 per cent. The 9T is set to offer maximum performance and a premium gaming experience, similar to its siblings, the company says. For comparison, the iQOO 9 launched in India had a Snapdragon 888+ (and not an 8 Gen 1 like the Chinese model). This will make the iQOO 9T more of an upgrade from the 9 Pro that the 8 Gen 1 had. It's too early to talk about pricing, but let's keep these numbers in mind: the iQOO 9 is currently priced at 43,000 pounds, while the 9 Pro comes for 65,000 pounds, as per GSM Arena. The upcoming iQOO 10 series is expected to launch in China this month, but it's unclear how long it will take to arrive in India. (ANI) The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday arrested a former District Collector of Bengaluru city for accepting a bribe to give an order in favour of the complainant in a case related to the land ownership litigation. As per an order issued by the Karnataka government on Friday, the arrested IAS officer J. Manjunath-who is been facing an ACB probe in a bribery case- was transferred from the post of Bengaluru City Collector to the post of the Director of Integrated Child Development Scheme. The ACB had arrested District Collector Office Manager Mahesh and Court Division Assistant Chetan Kumar alias Chandru on May 21, while they were receiving a bribe of Rs 5 lakh from Azam Pasha, a resident of Begur, to give a favourable order in a case related to the ownership of 38 acres of land in Kudlu village of Anekal taluk. "I had met the Collector to request him to publish the order of the case related to my land and met with Mahesh as per his instructions," Azam Pasha mentioned in his complaint against Mahesh demanding bribe. The complainant had also recorded the details of the conversation with the Collector and Mahesh on his mobile phone and gave them to the investigating agency along with the complaint. Although Mahesh and Chetan Kumar received the bribe money, it was found during the investigation that the file related to the complainant was directed to the Collector. "It was found that the order was not published even three months after the completion of the case investigation," officials noted. Manjunath has been named the third accused in the case after the ACB officials interrogated the IAS officer for the whole day on June 22 and June 30. The said arrest was undertaken by a team led by ACB's Deputy Superintendent of Police K. A Ravishankar at 3 PM today in Karnataka's Yeswanthpur. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shivam Chhabra on Monday filed a police complaint against filmmaker Leena Manimekalai for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Hindus through a poster of her documentary 'Kaali'. For hurting the sentiments of the Hindu society, a complaint was filed with the Delhi Police today against Leena Manimekalai, the producer of the documentary film 'Kaali'. A complaint was filed with Amrutha Guguloth, Deputy Commissioner of Delhi District Police. The complainants demanded punishment against Leena by taking strict action under strict sections of the law, including Section 295A of IPC, Section 79 of IT Act 2000 and Prohibition of Indecent Representation of Women Act, 1986. Notably, the filmmaker made a tweet on June 2 wherein she shared the poster of the documentary film 'Kaali'. The film and its poster that Leena is referring to is the documentary film is of Goddess Maa Kaali, in which the poster of Maa Kaali is shown smoking a cigarette. Apart from this, the LGBT community's pride flag can also be seen in the background. The complainant, BJP's media panellist Shivam Chhabra said that every day in the country, there is systematic work going on to hurt the sentiments of Hindus. "This is embarrassing and infuriating. The poster shared by Leena on Twitter is an insult to Hindu society and our deities," BJP leader said. He said that legal action should be taken against Leena, who has hurt the sentiments of crores of Hindus of the country. A lawyer from Delhi, Vineet Jindal, registered a complaint against Leena over the controversial poster. He has demanded a ban on the objectionable photo and the clip from the documentary. According to him, a woman dressed as Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette, is "hurting the sentiments and beliefs of the Hindu community." After facing flak over her poster, Leena took to Twitter and defended herself. Urging people to choose 'love over hate' amid the negative feedback, she tweeted, "The film revolves around the events that take place one evening, when Kali appears and strolls the streets of Toronto. If you see the picture, don't put the hashtag "arrest Leena manimekalai" and put the hashtag 'love you Leena manimekalai.' Several films and shows have in the past got into trouble for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Anurag Basu's 'Ludo' faced Twitteratis' ire for purportedly promoting 'Hinduphobic' content in the movie. In 2021, Saif Ali Khan-starrer web series 'Taandav' raked up a row for allegedly creating a possibility of religious tension by portraying Hindu Gods in a bad light. (ANI) With the BJP planning to reach out to more sections including Pasmanda Muslims as part of its efforts to expand its electoral base, the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an affiliate of RSS, is also likely to reach out to people to allay any apprehensions and "phobia" among the minority community "created by opposition" parties. Sources said the aim is to reach out to people, especially Muslims, and eradicate any apprehensions. The reach-out is likely to start in August. Shahid Sayeed, spokesperson of Muslim Rashtriya Manch, said they are a "nationalist force" who work round the year to foster peace and harmony among the communities. "We aim for unity in diversity. We are committed to removing the environment of fear and tension in the country. We are with BJP to eradicate phobia created by a few political parties. We will reach to people and make them understand the positive vision of government besides the plans and policies government brought for their benefit," he said. "We condemn the internal and external forces who are trying to create polarisation in the country," he said. The BJP is planning to launch a massive outreach programme after the monsoon session of parliament to expand its political base. During the BJP's national executive meeting in Hyderabad, PM Modi asked party leaders to undertake 'Sneh Yatras' to bridge the differences between the party and people from some deprived sections, especially, the Pasmanda (OBC) Muslims. (ANI) Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday lashed out at the Karnataka government over developments in the Karnataka PSI recruitment scam case. "BJP's brazen corruption and 'sale of jobs' destroyed the dreams of thousands of youth in Karnataka. The Chief Minister, who was then Home Minister, must be sacked for any fair investigation. Why hasn't the PM taken ANY ACTION? Is this the BJP government's "Sab Khaenge, Sabko Khilaenge" moment?" he tweeted today. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Karnataka police have arrested the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Amrit Paul on Monday, July 4, in police sub-inspectors (PSI) recruitment scam. The CID arrested Paul after questioning him four times in the scam, where 40 out of the 545 selected candidates have been taken into custody for obtaining more marks by tampering with the Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) answer sheets. Commenting on the arrest of a senior IPS officer, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the government has given a free hand to the CID and hence, they have taken action based on the evidence. "We are committed to cleansing the entire system through an unbiased and uncompromising probe," Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters today. Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of a function, he said, "the CID has been given a free hand to investigate the PSI recruitment scam. They have taken action based on the evidence. Our government will act against the guilty even if it happens to be top officials." "The earlier governments had not bothered to investigate even when voices were raised against such scams during their regime," Bommai said. In October last year, thousands of candidates appeared for the examination for posts of police sub-inspectors. As many as 545 posts were to be filled, but several officers were accused of a scam in the recruitment process. The Karnataka Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is probing the case, has arrested more than 50 persons, including government officials, agents and aspirants who had made it to the list. (ANI) The fake messages were being circulated on social media about a bank account specially opened to extend assistance to battle casualties and their dependents. "Beware of fake messages being circulated on social media about a bank account specially opened to extend assistance to battle casualties & their dependents, and same will also be used to buy weapons and equipment for the Indian Army," tweeted Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI). Clarifying the issue, the officials mentioned that there are two official accounts being operated for the welfare of Veer Naris, Battle Casualty and their families. "Indian Army operates two accounts for the welfare of Veer Naris, Battle Casualty and their families and these accounts are used solely for the same. Donations/contributions to these are voluntary. For more details see https://indianarmy.nic.in/home," added ADGPI in another tweet. (ANI) Just hours after four Congress workers were arrested for releasing black balloons after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's chopper took off from Gannavaram Airport near Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh, Congress legal cell Chairman Gurunadham Valiboyina asserted that it was party's decision to protest against PM Modi in the southern state and said that protest is a fundamental right. "The Congress party has taken a decision to launch the protest on the PM's visit to Andhra Pradesh. Protest is a fundamental right guaranteed under the constitution of India under Article 21A, so we have got every right to protest there against anybody of whatever position he may have," said Valiboyina. He also highlighted that the Prime Minister defied the demands of giving special category status to the region. "We have been demanding special category status for a long time and expressed the same when congress was on government in parliament also. But contrary to promises made by congress this government is denying the fundamental rights of separate issues and they are dodging the matter for a long time. So Congress decided to protest against the PM," he added. "Some Congress leaders expressed their grief and flow black balloons and black flags in Vijayawada and Rajahmundry. Our party leader Padmasri was holding the balloons in hand and didn't fly them, she was taken into custody in the morning against the rules and fundamental rights," he added. The Congress leader also condemned PM Modi for the unveiling of a statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju. Earlier, four Congress workers were arrested for releasing black balloons after PM Modi's chopper took off from Gannavaram Airport near Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh. Police said there was no security breach on his arrival amid Congress protest and balloons were released five minutes after the Prime Minister's helicopter left and arrests have been made. The Prime Minister reached the airport after launching a year-long 125th birth anniversary celebration of legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju in Bhimavaram in the state. Police officials said that a strict security cordon was laid around the airport.Vijay Pal, DSP, Krishna District said four Congress workers have been arrested in the case and a few more are yet to be arrested. "The four arrested Congress workers will be produced before the court," he said. Police said there was no security breach during PM Modi's arrival at Gannavaram Airport. Balloons were released five minutes after PM's departure from the airport via chopper. In his address to that gathering to mark the year-long 125th birth anniversary celebration of Alluri Sitarama Raju, the Prime Minister said he is feeling privileged at getting an opportunity to salute the land of Andhra Pradesh which has such a rich legacy. He referred to the confluence of major events like Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the 125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju and 100 years of Rampa Rebellion. The Prime Minister bowed to the memory of "Manyam Veerudu" Alluri Sitarama Raju and paid him tributes on behalf of the country. He also expressed happiness at meeting the members of the family of the great freedom fighter. The Prime Minister also paid tributes to the 'Adivasi Parampara' and the freedom fighter that emerged from the tradition of Andhra Pradesh.PM Modi said that today's programme reflects the pledge of making everyone aware of the heroic deeds of the country's freedom fighters. (ANI) "The whole country's environment was disrupted due to a statement by BJP's Nupur Sharma. Had PM and HM appealed for peace in an address to the nation, as Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot repeatedly said, the country wouldn't have been in turmoil," said Baghel. He also jibed at BJP-ruled states and said that there haven't been proceedings in a single state where BJP was in power. "Now target won't be Maharashtra, all ED, CBI, IT offices will become active in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Rajasthan or southern states. In the last 8 years of the Modi government, there haven't been proceedings on a single BJP state. This is a misuse of government agencies," he added. Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel's statements came amid his interaction with locals in Koriya district, Baikunthpur as part of his 'Bhaint Mulakat' campaign. Last month, Sharma allegedly made objectionable remarks against Prophet Muhammad during a television news debate on the Gyanvapi issue. Protests had also erupted in various states including Punjab, Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh over the controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad made by Sharma and Jindal. The BJP leader's remark drew sharp reactions from around the world. (ANI) The Crime Investigation Department has arrested Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Amrit Paul for his alleged involvement in the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) recruitment scam. "CID police have arrested ADGP Amrit Paul in police sub-inspector (PSI) recruitment scam. Some evidence against him was found in the enquiry," Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra told ANI on Monday. He further assured that anyone involved in the scam will not be spared. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai also assured that their government was dedicated to taking action against the persons guilty in the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) recruitment scam, even if the accused belonged to their own "top officials". "We are committed to cleansing the entire system via an unbiased and uncompromising probe. CID has given a free hand to investigate the PSI recruitment scam. They have taken action on the basis of the evidence. Our government will act against the guilty even if it is our top officials," Bommai said on the arrest of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Amrit Paul for his involvement in the PSI scam. The PSI scam case is related to the irregularities in the appointment of police sub-inspectors in the state. MLA and former Minister Priyank Kharge had earlier alleged a huge scam in the PSI recruitment of more than 545 candidates and pointed at the involvement of the governmnet and officials in the matter. Notably, on May 12, Karnataka Minister for Higher Education CN Ashwath Narayan announced that the state government was investigating the PSI scam and had assured that the people involved with it would be exposed. On April 29, the Karnataka government decided to cancel the results of the police sub-inspector (PSI) recruitment exam following allegations of corruption. The government had stated that a fresh exam will be re-conducted and the dates for which will be announced soon. Meanwhile, Jnanendra had informed that the Crime Investigation Team (CID) had arrested the main accused of the PSI scam, BJP leader Divya Hagaragi and four others in the case. Divya, who was absconding in the case, was arrested from Pune. (ANI) People of Kampur area in Assam's Nagaon district are now worried about their future as the floods have left a trail of destruction. The devastating flood hit the Kampur revenue circle in the central Assam district twice this year. Hundreds of families at Gejaipam, Kachua area have now become homeless after the flood washed away their homes, properties etc and there are now taking shelter on roads, and embankments by making temporary sheds. Many school buildings, and religious institutions in the area were also damaged in the deluge. Samsuddin Islam, a local resident of the Gerjaipam area said that the flood waters of Kopili river had breached the embankment of Kopili river at several locations and people of the area are now worried about another flood. "Many people are now staying on the embankment. We are now worried about another flood. The devastating flood destroyed all crops in the area. The people of this area are facing massive problems. We don't know how much damage we will face in near future due to flood," Islam said. Mitil Ahmed, a teacher in the Gerjaipam area said that the entire area was totally submerged by flood waters and people were forced to move to relief camps due to high floods. "All documents, furniture of our school, Anganwadi centre, rice bags of Mid Day Meal were damaged by flood waters. Flood-damaged all crops, and farms in the area. All houses of the villagers were also damaged. I informed them about the flood damage to our concerned authority," Ahmed said. After receding flood waters many villagers have moved to their areas, but they now see only devastation. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), nearly 18.35 lakh people in 26 districts of the state are still affected by the deluge. The death toll in floods and landslides in the state has now touched 179 this year so far. (ANI) After a complaint was made to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over Mahatma Gandhi's picture thrown on the ground, the state chief said in the legislative assembly that a police investigation was underway in the matter. Responding to the submission notice of MLA V. Joy, he said, "The police are investigating the incident in which Gandhi's picture was thrown on the floor on the day when Rahul Gandhi MP's office was attacked in Wayanad." On Friday, visuals emerged of protestors allegedly belonging to the Students' Federation of India (SFI) activists, the student's wing of the ruling CPI(M) entering the office of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad and vandalising it. Several videos went viral on social media which showed those angry SFI protesters entering the office, in a brawl which later turned violent. Kalpetta police registered a case crime no 534/22 and based on the statement of an employee of MP's office, another case was also registered as crime no 535/22. "During the investigation of this case, on 24.6.2022 all the workers who trespassed in the MP's office were expelled from the office around 3.54 pm. After that around 4.04 pm. A police department photographer captured the footage of the scene and the police received a statement that Mahatma Gandhi's photograph was there at that time," he added. He also stressed that the media aired the incident through TV channels and said, "Malayalam channels including Mathrubhumi recorded the video at the same time and aired this through TV channels." He also informed that after SFI students were expelled from the MP's office, Congress workers were present in the office and almost after 25 minutes the photograph was seen lying down on the floor. "Then at 4.29 in the evening, while taking a second photograph, the picture of Mahatma Gandhi was found lying on the floor and the glass was broken inside the MP's office," informed CM. Earlier, the Students Federation of India (SFI) on Sunday decided to dissolve its Wayanad district committee in connection with the vandalism of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's office allegedly by some of its activists. In a Facebook post, the state committee said that in a meeting held in Thrissur during the day a decision was taken to dissolve the Wayanad district committee and form a seven-member ad-hoc committee as an interim measure. The Facebook post further said the action was taken as the Wayanad district committee on June 25 organised a march to the Congress MP's office without the knowledge of the state committee and the protest had turned aggressive in a manner which brought shame upon the entire organisation before the public. Eldos Mathai, presently the district joint secretary of SFI, would be the convener of the seven-member ad-hoc committee, the post said. After visiting his MP office in Kerala's Wayanad, which was vandalised by CPI(M)'s student wing SFI last week, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Friday said the incident was unfortunate but he does not have any hostility or anger over it. Rahul, who reached Wayanad Friday for a three-day tour in the constituency, visited the vandalised office at Kalpetta, headquarters of Wayanad district. "This is my office. But before being my office, this is the office of the people of Wayanad. It is quite unfortunate that the office has been attacked. Violence will never resolve problems. It is not good that they have acted in an irresponsible manner. I don't have any anger or hostility towards them. They are kids and they don't understand the consequences of their act," he said without referring to either SFI or CPI(M). (ANI) The union home ministry has issued instructions to the state government at different times to identify the Bangladeshi infiltrators. The infiltrators are staying in Bargarh, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Bhubaneswar urban police districts, Behera said. Of the 3,740 infiltrators, 1,711 foreign nationals were served deportation notice. However, only 21 Bangladeshi infiltrators have been deported, said the junior home minister. --IANS bbm/skp/ ( 99 Words) 2022-07-04-20:12:03 (IANS) Hanumangarh police station on Monday arrested five persons accused of making a video of the Udaipur beheading and sharing it which went viral on social media and spread panic among the general public. The accused have been identified as Tarsem Puri (26), Mahavir Prasad (35), Rahmat Ali, Iqbal Hussain (36), and Pitambar Lal (21). Hanumangarh Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh said, " on Monday, Tarsem Puri (26) resident of ward number 7 Ratanpura has been arrested by Police Officer Sangaria Emi Chand on the charge of editing photos and videos with illegal weapons on social media." "The accused Mahavir Prasad (35), resident of Ward No. 3 Dabli Vas Maulvi Thana Sadar and Rahmat Ali were arrested after ASI Lalchand of the team formed under the leadership of SHO Sadar Chandrabhan made the photo viral with another person's licensed weapon on social media," he added. "The accused Sirajuddin's son Iqbal Hussain (36), resident of ward number 36 of the police station area, has been arrested for making the video of the Udaipur incident viral on social media on Monday........ Similarly, on Monday, the accused Pitambar Lal (21) resident of Ward No. 16 police station Nohar was arrested by SHO Nohar Ravinder Singh and his team...." Earlier on Saturday, the two main accused in the Udaipur tailor murder case were attacked by an angry mob outside the premises of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Jaipur. Notably, the four accused in the Udaipur murder case, including the prime accused Mohammad Riyaz and Ghouse Mohammad, have been sent to NIA custody till July 12. On June 28, a man was beheaded by two men in Udaipur's Maldas street area. The deceased had shared a social media post in support of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma a few days ago. The two men posted a video boasting about the beheading and threatened PM Modi's life as well. Locals protested after the incident that took place in broad daylight. Shops in the Maldas street area of Udaipur have been closed following the incident. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Monday night were seen leaving the residence of party leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after attending the party core committee meeting. Union Minister Piyush Goyal and CT Ravi were also present during the meeting. Maharashtra BJP leader Girish Mahajan said, "The meeting was regarding the Presidential poll as NDA's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu will come here on July 14... No talks happened on cabinet expansion." Earlier on Thursday, Shinde took oath as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Along with him, Devendra Fadnavis also took an oath as deputy chief minister of the state. Both the leaders were administered the oath of service by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. However, no other cabinet member took oath on that day. Meanwhile, Shinde on Thursday won the crucial floor test in the state Assembly on the last day of the two-day special session of the House. In the 288-member House, 164 MLAs voted for the motion of confidence, while 99 voted against it. Three legislators abstained from voting, while 21 legislators, including Congress's Ashok Chavan and Vijay Wadettiwar, were absent. National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) presidential candidate Droupadi and joint opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha are the only two contesting candidates for election to the Office of the President after the last date for the withdrawal of candidature ended on Saturday. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded the candidature of the NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu and called it historic on the second day of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) national executive meeting in Hyderabad. (ANI) Armed officers were sent to the Field's mall in south Copenhagen, while all roads and the metro line have been closed, the BBC reported. Ambulance and fire crews are at the scene. Police said one suspect had been arrested, but gave no further details. --IANS vd ( 83 Words) 2022-07-03-23:00:01 (IANS) Prominent Tibetan monk Jigme Gyatso, who was frequently jailed for protests against Chinese rule, died at his home in northwestern China's Gansu province in the weekend, a report said. Jigme Gyatso, a monk at the Labrang Monastery also called Jigme Goril, died Saturday at home in the Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, a former student said. "During his imprisonment, he has been subjected to severe beatings due to which he has been admitted in hospital for a long time without any sign of improvement," the former student now living in exile told RFA Tibetan. No cause of death has been given, but sources said he had been in poor health since his release from prison in 2016. "Since May his health took the turn for the worse, and he was taken to a medical facility in Xining, Qinghai province, for a long period but without any success. The Chinese government is trying to block information regarding Gyatso which is why has become extremely difficult to get a recent photo of him," said a source in Tibet, RFA reported. Previously detained in 2006, 2008 and 2010, Gyatso was again taken into custody in 2011 and handed a five-year prison term by the Kanlho People's Intermediate Court on a charge of working "to split the nation". He was released on October 26, 2016, in Lanzhou prison, "but still the Chinese government kept a close watch on him, restricting his movement and his visit to the hospital, depriving him of medications when he needed them," said another source in the region. Gyatso became an instant hero in the Tibetan community after a 2009 video in which he described his brutal treatment in custody was widely circulated on the Internet. --IANS san/pgh ( 301 Words) 2022-07-03-23:08:02 (IANS) Beijing has urged Ottawa not to interfere in Hong Kong's affairs after Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly asserted that the city's freedom was being suppressed under Chinese authority. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule, Chinese Embassy in Ottawa in a statement said external forces should not make "irresponsible remarks". "Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, and no external forces are in the position to make irresponsible remarks. The "deep ties" between Canada and Hong Kong are not an excuse to interfere in Hong Kong affairs," the statement read. "We, once again, urge the Canadian side to respect the rule of law, respect China's sovereignty and unity, and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs in any form. Otherwise, the Canadian side will only bring disgrace to itself and meet with strong reactions from the Chinese side," the statement added further. On Thursday, Joly in a statement said that Canada had direct ties with Hong Kong, with an estimated 300,000 Canadians living in the city and more than 100 Canadian companies with a presence there. "Hong Kong was the first place Canadians fought a land battle in the Second World War. Today, over half a million Hong Kong residents call Canada home and an estimated 300,000 Canadians reside in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is also one of Canada's most important bilateral trade and investment partners, a fact confirmed by the presence of over 100 notable Canadian companies in the territory. These direct ties and the universal values we share enrich our societies and unite us," she has stated. But Joly said freedom of speech and peaceful expression of alternative views had been suppressed over the past two years with the imposition of national security law in Hong Kong. "We call on Hong Kong and Chinese central authorities to act in accordance with international obligations they willingly undertook 25 years ago. The high degree of autonomy provided under the Basic Law and China's commitment to respect the rule of law and to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms is as essential today for the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong as they were when committed to in 1997. They will continue to be so tomorrow and for the next 25 years and beyond," the Foreign Minister further stated. On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong was handed over to the People's Republic of China (PRC) from the United Kingdom under the conditions set out in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. The Joint Declaration provides for fundamental rights, a high degree of autonomy and the "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong. "25 years later, Hong Kong is no longer the city we once recognised," according to Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC). The draconian National Security Law, implemented on June 30, 2020, has been used to punish dissent, curtail protest and freedom of speech and reduce the city's autonomy. Since the law's adoption, there have been at least 183 arrests made and 113 individuals charged, with more than 50 civil society organisations forced to disband and multiple media outlets ceasing to operate. (ANI) A 22-year-old gunman killed three people and injured a similar number of people in a shooting incident at a shopping mall in Denmark's capital, Copenhagen. Later, they were hospitalised. The killer was arrested after the shooting, Copenhagen police inspector Soren Thomassen told reporters, adding that they have not ruled out the possibility that the incident is terror-related. Copenhagen police inspector also said that they still investing in the case, CNN reported. On Sunday, the shooting took place at multiple locations inside the Field, a shopping centre in the Danish capital. According to the publication referring to an eyewitness Joachim Olsen, a former Danish politician and athlete, he was on his way to a gym inside Field's when he saw large groups of people exiting the mall. "It looked like something, I'm sorry to say, like something you would see from a school shooting in the US, people coming out with their hands above their heads," Olsen said. "You have people running out, looking for friends and calling friends and family members who were inside, some speaking to friends who were inside," he said. "Old people with their arms around the necks of people carrying them out, their feet just being dragged across the floor," he added. A spokesman for Rigshospitalet, Denmark's largest hospital said they had taken in several victims from the incident, and also had called extra staff to deal with the emergency case, according to CNN. Danish Prime Minister expressed his grief and sent sympathy to the wounded, their relatives and the bereaved as well as to those who were close to these incidents. "We have all been brutally ripped from the bright summer that had just begun. It is incomprehensible. Heartbreaking. Meaningless. Our beautiful and usually so safe capital was changed in a split second," Frederiksen said as quoted by CNN. In a statement, Denmark's Royal House said, "Our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with the victims, their relatives and all those affected by the tragedy." Earlier, Copenhagen Mayor Sophie H. Andersen called the incident a "terrible report" and said that she doesn't know how many people are injured or dead. "Terrible reports of shooting in Fields. We do not yet know for sure how many were injured or dead, but it is very serious," Andersen said in a tweet. "The emergency preparedness in @Koebenhavner has been called. We are ready to help if @KobenhavnPoliti demands it. We are in close contact," she added. Another Danish politician, lars Gaardhoj informed that the hospitals in the capital region Hovedstaden are on standby in connection with the serious situation in Fields. "The hospitals in @RegionH are on standby in connection with the serious situation in Fields. Help us by contacting only @akutberedskabet if you think it can not wait," he tweeted. (ANI) Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday defended Finance Minister Miftah Ismail's performance and said that his decisions regarding the economy have been endorsed by the whole cabinet. While responding to a question about mounting criticism of Ismail due to the recent fuel hikes in the country, including from within the Pakistan Muslim League-N, Asif said, "Miftah's performance in the last three months and his decisions have been endorsed by the whole cabinet. These are the government's decisions and so we own them." Asif acknowledged the loss of PML-N's political capital and the risk to its popularity was discussed during PML-N meetings, however, he said that the internal criticism against the Finance Minister did not mean an expression of "no confidence", Dawn newspaper reported. He further said that such "open criticism" is part of PML-N culture and that should be welcomed. "I think our Finance Minister, we should support him. He's making decisions with our and the cabinet's approval. He shouldn't be left alone to face the situation," Asif said. Referring to his tweet from a day ago in Ismail's favour, Asif said he had expressed solidarity with the Finance Minister to avoid the impression that he was making decisions in isolation. "Miftah's decisions are the party's decisions. We all went to England to take policy direction ... my tweet is clarifying that if Miftah is being blamed [for fuel hike decisions] then [know that] it is the whole government's decision," Asif said. A day ago, Asif tweeted, "FM Miftah is among the hardest working members of PM's team, accessible to all stakeholders. He is performing v. well under difficult circumstances, with immense criticism from vested interests - including, and unfortunately, from within PMLN. Time to show solidarity with Miftah." Meanwhile, people within the PML-N party were criticising Ismail over the multiple petrol price hike. The finance minister is under pressure since the government announced multiple hikes in petroleum products and the delay in the revival of the International Monetary Fund bailout programme, reported Geo News. "I have support from the federal cabinet and PML-N but there are few party members criticising and opposing me," Miftah said while talking to The Express Tribune, adding that he understands that party leaders were unable to go to their constituencies after the government took some tough decisions to fix economic issues. Expressing his gratitude to party stalwarts, Miftah revealed that he is under immense pressure because of being the face of the ruling alliance's "unpopular decisions", adding that he did not even want to hold the last press conference where he had to announce the increase in petroleum prices once again. "I did not want to go for the last press conference, and I had even refused before being persuaded by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif," Miftah revealed. "I swear it has never happened that I was unable to find suitable words; I kept thinking what words should I be using to start the press conference." Along with this, the news of senior leader Ishaq Dar's return to Pakistan has also added fuel to the fire as many believe that Miftah may be shown the door and asked to hand over the reins of the finance ministry to the senator-elect. The possible changeover, just a few months after the coalition government took office, has left economists and commentators concerned over its possible impact on the economy and the ongoing talks with the IMF. Asked if he will be willing to leave the finance portfolio for Dar, Miftah said that it is not about his willingness or unwillingness as it is the prime minister's discretion to keep him or anyone else as the country's financial czar, reported The Express Tribune. (ANI) China's National Meteorological Center on Monday renewed a blue alert for rainstorms in some parts of the country, media reported. From 2 p.m. Monday to 2 p.m. Tuesday, rainstorms are expected in parts of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Henan, Anhui and Shandong, and heavy downpours up to 180 mm may lash parts of these regions, the centre said. Some of these regions will also experience short-term heavy rainfall with up to over 70 mm of hourly precipitation, accompanied by thunderstorms and gales. The meteorological centre has advised local governments to make appropriate preparations and check the drainage systems in cities, farmland and fishponds, reported Xinhua. It has also called for adopting traffic control measures in road sections affected by heavy downpours, guiding traffic in water-logged streets, and halting outdoor operations in hazardous areas. Earlier on Saturday, eight people were killed after a decorative building structure fell from a height of about 12 meters at 6:28 p.m. in north China's Hebei Province, local authorities said. The incident happened during a rainstorm in Luquan District of Shijiazhuang, the capital city of Hebei. Nine people sheltering from the rain were hit by the fallen structure. One person is currently hospitalized with stable vital signs, according to the district government. Further investigations are underway. Notably, several parts of China are experiencing heavy rainfall and floods. The torrential rainfalls in China have induced floods in several parts of the country including Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality and Qingdao in East China's Shandong Province. As per the forecast, some of these areas can expect rainfall of up to 100-160 millimetres, as well as short-term heavy precipitation with hourly rainfall of 30-70 millimetres. Forecasts also mentioned the thunderstorm winds of magnitude 8-10 as well as hail, which may exceed magnitude 12 in certain areas. The torrential rains and rain-induced floods since May 28 have wreaked havoc in 80 counties of the province. As per the local authorities, in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, more than 3.75 million residents have been affected by floods and heavy rains. A total of 548,000 people were affected due to the heavy rain in China's Jiangxi province last Tuesday, according to the provincial flood control headquarters. According to East China's Jiangxi Province, Direct economic losses from the floods touched 470 million yuan (about 70.4 million US dollars). Multiple low-lying areas in Chongqing are flooded across its 39 districts and counties with maximum rainfall reaching 213.5 m. China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. (ANI) The country reportedly has a history of corruption and election-related killings. Millions of people live here in poverty despite vast mineral and energy riches. For weeks, thousands of people have been dressing up and gathering at campaign rallies, but the country's new government will not be known until August, ABC news reported As per reports, a total of 3,625 people have been nominated to compete for the 118 seats in parliament. Papua New Guinea at present has 111 MPs, but seven new districts were created just weeks before the start of the election period, ABC news has reported. Three candidates are facing exclusion from the election because of criminal convictions, following a Supreme Court ruling on eligibility this year. One candidate was convicted of murder, another of rape and a third of conspiracy to defraud, according to ABC news. The Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai has said that he wants to try to complete voting in two weeks because such a limited time frame has been set before the results legally have to be handed up, on July 29. The final voting schedule was not released until Friday -- just 72 hours ahead of polling starting, and voting in the capital city, Port Moresby, has been pushed back from today until Wednesday. "We are trying our best to do as much as we can, with our available resources and time," Sinai said as quoted by ABC news. Prime Minister James Marape's party is contesting more than 80 seats.(ANI) External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Monday congratulated Rwanda on the country's Liberation Day and expressed confidence about boosting ties between the two nations through cooperation in multiple domains. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, "Congratulate FM Vincent Biruta and the Government and people of Rwanda on their Liberation Day. Confident that our bilateral cooperation will continue to deepen in many domains." The Eastern African country observes Liberation Day on July 4 every year, marking the day when the Rwandan Patriotic Army, the armed wing of the ruling party Rwandan Patriotic Front, captured power and ended the 1994 Rwanda genocide against the Tutsi ethnic group. Bilateral relations between India and Rwanda have been cordial and have grown steadily over the years. In 1999, Rwanda officially opened its Mission in New Delhi and appointed its first resident Ambassador in New Delhi in 2001. Jaishankar, who was on his first visit to Kigali to attend the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), described Rwanda as the most progressive, business-friendly, and socially inclusive society. Speaking at an event in Kigali, he highlighted the strong ties between the two nations at a community reception. "Rwanda, today is the most progressive, one of the most business-friendly, one of the most socially inclusive societies. When we look at Africa, India counts Rwanda as an important friend," he said. He further said that India's relationship with Rwanda has grown over the years, and the existence of several developmental projects in the country reflects the profound friendship between the two countries. Speaking about the Indian diaspora residing in the African nation he not only appreciated their massive contribution to the India-Rwanda relationship but also spoke at length about how they are crucial to keeping the flag of India flying and shaping India's relations with the country. "Good to interact with the Indian community in Kigali. Spoke to them about progress in India. Appreciated their contribution to the India-Rwanda relationship," he said in a tweet. (ANI) Vaccum created by the US after its exit from Vietnam destabilized the region leading up to Khmer Rouge provocations and atrocities in Cambodia and this raises concern if the US' exit from Afghanistan will prompt the Taliban tread in the footsteps of Khmer Rouge. Khmer Rouge was every bit as ideological as the Taliban, with a hatred equally deep toward those they saw as cosmopolitan or corrupted by Western culture, point out analysts. And, like the Taliban who persecute the Hazara minority without mercy, the Khmer Rouge combined their ideological animus toward the West with more traditional racism, often targeting Cambodians whose blood they believed to be polluted by Vietnamese ancestry. The deafening similarities between US foreign policy in Vietnam and in Afghanistan reveals that it was not about the defeat of US military rather the poor state of American politics and diplomacy. Many have drawn parallels between US exit from Vietnam and withdrawal from Afghanistan. With many fault lines in US foreign policy, not much is different in when Saigon (Vietnamese city) fell and when Kabul fell, reported National Interest, a foreign policy think tank. The U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam was not the last chapter for Southeast Asia, just as the re-establishment of the Taliban's emirate will not be the last for South and Central Asia. US Vietnam war destabilized the Vietnam region. The Viet Cong were the South Vietnamese supporters of the communist National Liberation Front in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The overwhelming majority of the Viet Cong were subsequently recruited in the South, but they received weapons, guidance, and reinforcements from North Vietnamese Army soldiers who had infiltrated into South Vietnam. Through an elaborate system of mountain and jungle paths and trails the infiltration of troops and supplies took place in South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos during the Vietnam War. This establishment of supply routes in Cambodia and Laos precipitated a massive American bombing campaign. In March 1969, in an effort to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines, US conducted an extensive bombing campaign in eastern Cambodia. The US dropped bombs on Cambodia. Amid the bombings, from the ashes of rural Cambodia rose Khmer Rouge or Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) regime, which was led by party general secretary Pol Pot. This conflict went on to kill or starve to death more than a million Cambodians from 1975 to 1979. The Khmer Rouge ultimately murdered almost two million Cambodians. Given the opportunity, the Taliban might do similar. (ANI) Pakistan recorded 675 new COVID-19 cases during the last 24 hours, bringing the total tally to 1,538,622, the country's ministry of health said on Monday. A total of 30,403 people have died from the pandemic in Pakistan, including two more deaths recorded on Sunday, showed data released by the ministry. On Sunday, 14,632 tests for COVID-19 were conducted in Pakistan while the positivity rate stood at 4.61 percent. Currently, there are 153 active cases that are in critical condition in the South Asian country. Amid fears of a new wave of coronavirus, experts advocated mask-wearing indoors in cities reporting cases that constitute over 5 per cent positivity, reported Geo News. They also stressed vigilant watch through good surveillance and testing, vaccination with emphasis on boosters and communication about rising risk, especially in urban settings. Pakistan is currently witnessing a new surge in the COVID-19 cases and amid this, the country's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has also tweaked its mask mandates where now the masks are mandatory again for domestic flights with immediate effect. According to a notification from CAA, all concerned quarters must ensure compliance with the new order. The notification added that the other Covid-19 guidelines on domestic air travel remained unchanged. While speaking with Dawn, University of Health Sciences Vice-Chancellor Dr Javed Akram had said the virus was behaving like a "roller coaster". "The country will face similar situations for a few years," Dr Akram said. Akram said that the restrictions must be put back in place to contain the virus. He added that these measures will also help to fight the ongoing energy crisis. He said that people should go for vaccination and those who were already immunized should get booster shots. (ANI) Afghanistan and Pakistan are quibbling again but this time over the identity of an elderly man who was seen in a video throwing himself under a car after being allegedly denied permission to cross the border. A man who was barred from crossing the Torkham border by Pakistani authorities on July 2 was an Afghan national, the Taliban administration's embassy in Pakistan has said. On the other hand, the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul had stated that the man in question was a Pakistani national who also happened to be the father of Pakistani journalist. "An Afghan, who was standing among hundreds of other Afghans and wanted to show his ID card, out of necessity and despair, threw himself under a car and was martyred," Sardar Ahmad Khan Shekib, charge d'affaires of the Taliban administration's embassy in Islamabad said, as per Khaama Press. Torkham border connects Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with Afghanistan's Nangarhar province. In March, Pakistan had allowed Afghan nationals to cross the Torkham border to return to Afghanistan on the basis of their national identity cards. The Taliban embassy shared Sardar Ahmed Shakib's statements on its Twitter page, in which the embassy condemned the situation of Afghans in the Torkham border and urged Pakistani authorities to address the situation. On the other hand, the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul had stated that the man in question was a Pakistani national who also happened to be the father of Pakistani journalist. Reports and videos from earlier that day that were widely circulated showed a man hurling himself under a car, Khaama Press reported. Citing reports the media outlet said that the Pakistani police had demanded payment in cash in order to let him passage; however, the individual was reportedly unable to pay and killed himself as a result. This is another instance of conflicting accounts of the same event, but it does highlight the persistent complaints that Afghans continue to be harassed by Pakistani forces in Torkham and Spin Boldak. (ANI) Pakistani journalist Iftikhar Ahmad Khan was shot dead by unidentified people on Saturday night in Charsadda district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Khan had been associated with the Express Media Group for the last 17 years and worked for Express News TV channel and Urdu language newspaper Daily Express, the Dawn newspaper reported. The first information report (FIR) was registered by his brother Hazrat Bilal who said that Khan had no enmity with anyone. The eyewitnesses have stated that he was shot dead by unknown assailants when Khan was leaving the mosque after offering Isha prayers. He has left behind two widows, four sons and four daughters, the Dawn reported. Khan was buried in Shabqadar town of Charsadda district on Sunday. Several journalists took out a protest rally against his murder. During the rally, his colleagues said that he was a brave and responsible journalist who tried his best to bring the local issues to light. They called for the arrest of his killers within two days and demanded a compensation package for his family. The police have arrested several suspects, and a special investigation committee has been formed by the district police officer Suhail Khalid to look into the murder incident, the Dawn reported citing sources. "We assure the family of Iftikhar Khan that the killers would be arrested and brought to justice soon," Khalid said. The publication mentioned that a demonstration was held outside the press club building in Bannu city by several journalists to protest against Khan's killing. Mohammad Alam Khan, the president of the press club, asked the government to ensure early arrest of Khan's killers. Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) expressed condolences over the killing of Iftikhar Ahmad and demanded security for working journalists, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. Imran Yousafzai, the general secretary of KhUJ, said that the violence against journalists was increasing. Moazzam Jah Ansari, Inspector General of Police, directed the district's police to arrest the criminals involved as soon as possible and ordered them to ensure the safety of the journalists. Pakistan is considered one of the most dangerous places for journalists in the world. In a similar incident, a journalist was shot dead in April in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. At least 10 journalists were murdered and several others threatened, kidnapped, tortured and arrested on trumped-up charges while discharging their professional responsibilities last year alone, Dawn had previously reported citing the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors' (CPNE) Media Freedom Report 2020. (ANI) Baloch leader Maulana Hidayatur Rehman threatened to close Gwadar port on Sunday over the issue of freeing the coast of Balochistan from trawler mafia, particularly the Chinese trawlers. Rehman threatened to close the Gwadar port from July 21 if the demands are not fulfilled by the provincial government- free the coast of Balochistan from trawler mafia, open border points in Gwadar, eliminate drug trafficking and remove unnecessary check-posts, reported Dawn. Hundreds of Chinese fishing trawlers have amassed at the Gwadar port in Pakistan's Balochistan, posing a threat to the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen in the province. Speaking at a press conference recently, Rehman said that the port would be closed as a protest as the government is not fulfilling its promises made in the agreement signed in April this year for ending a month-long sit-in in the port city. He is also provincial general secretary of the Jamaat-i-Islami and had led the Gwadar rights movement. Rehman said Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo came to Gwadar and made promises to rid the coast of Balochistan of the trawler mafia, open crossing points in Gwadar, eliminate drug trafficking, remove security forces' checkposts and trace missing persons, reported Dawn. He criticised the opposition parties in Balochistan, saying that they have not raised their voice for the rights of the people of Balochistan. They did not raise objections even when the agreement for Reko Diq project was signed. Rehman claimed that the law and order situation in Makran and Panjgur is deteriorating and in order to control it, the government must remove Frontier Corps from the province, reported Dawn. At the Gwadar port, which belongs to close ally Pakistan, the Chinese catch fishes, which they then process and sell to international markets, thereby depriving local fishermen of their livelihoods. According to Azadi News, at least 20 lakh people are connected to the fishing business in Gwadar. Their livelihoods depend on day-to-day fishing. Due to interference by the Chinese ships, lakhs of fishermen are on the verge of unemployment and several families will be adversely affected by Chinese trawlers in the port. Due to the situation, the fishermen would become increasingly dependent on the outside forces for their employment and their livelihoods will be destroyed. Hundreds of people in Pakistan's Gwadar had earlier staged a demonstration against illegal fishing by Chinese trawlers. Earlier in July, hundreds of fishermen, political workers and members of civil society staged a protest to cancel the fishing licences of Chinese trawlers to protect the livelihood of the Gwadar fishermen. The National Party and Baloch Student Organisation had called for the protest rally and sit-in in front of the Gwadar Press Club against the Imran Khan government's move. In 2015, China announced the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project in Pakistan worth USD 46 billion, of which Balochistan is an integral part. It would link Pakistan's southern Gwadar port in Balochistan on the Arabian Sea to China's western Xinjiang region. It also includes plans to create road, rail and oil pipeline links to improve connectivity between China and the Middle East. The Balochs opposed China's increasing involvement in the province. The CPEC has not benefited the people of Balochistan while people of other provinces enjoy the fruits of the mega project. This has led to widespread protests as the Chinese are viewed as encroachers who are squeezing out all the wealth from the region. (ANI) India and Australia on Monday agreed to build a stronger partnership in the field of critical minerals which are crucial for clean energy technologies such as batteries, electric vehicles, as well as mobile phones and computers. Australia confirmed that it would commit the Australian Dollar (AUD) 5.8 million to the three-year India-Australia Critical Minerals Investment Partnership. The deal comes following the first meeting between Resources and Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King and her Indian counterpart, the Minister for Coal and Mines, Pralhad Joshi. Australia and India have strengthened cooperation on the development of critical minerals projects and supply chains since the election of the Anthony Albanese Government. "Australia is a trusted supplier of resources and energy to India, and we can build on the success of those established supply chains as Australia's critical minerals sector grows," King said. "Australia has the resources to help India fulfil its ambitions to lower emissions and meet the growing demand for critical minerals to help India's space and defence industries, and the manufacture of solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles," she added. King said that Australia welcomed India's strong interest and support for a bilateral partnership which will help advance critical minerals projects in Australia while diversifying global supply chains. Meanwhile, the Indian minister said that India is among the fastest-growing economies in the world and there is huge scope for collaboration in the mineral sector. Technology transfer, knowledge-sharing and investment in critical minerals like lithium and cobalt are strategic to achieving clean energy ambitions. "We have recently signed an MoU between Khanij Bidesh India Ltd, and the Critical Minerals Facilitation Office (CMFO), Australia, which aims to ensure reliable supplies of Critical and Strategic Minerals to India," he added. Joshi further said that India and Australia are natural partners. Not only are both the nations rich in minerals, but the trade relations have witnessed robust growth in recent years, which can be leveraged for strengthening the economies of both countries. He lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to take the India-Australia relationship to new heights. "The MoU includes joint due diligence in Lithium and Cobalt mineral assets of Australia. Both CMFO and the Indian JV KABIL will jointly fund the due diligence process with an initial total amount of USD 6 million. Once the due diligence is completed and potential projects are identified, we will explore investment opportunities through different methods as envisaged in the MoU," said Joshi. He also focussed on technology transfer, knowledge-sharing and investment in critical minerals like lithium and cobalt are strategic to achieving clean energy ambitions. Australia hosts vast reserves of critical minerals, such as lithium and cobalt, which are crucial for clean energy technologies such as batteries and electric vehicles, as well as mobile phones and computers. Following the talks, both ministers toured the Tianqi Lithium Refinery at Kwinana. Joshi's visit comes as the latest quarterly snapshot of Australia's resources and energy forecasts ongoing strong demand for lithium and other critical minerals on the back of growing global demand for electric vehicles. The June 2022 Resources and Energy Quarterly publication by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, projects the value of Australia's lithium exports will double from USD 4.1 billion in 2021-22 to USD 9.4 billion in 2023-24. Lithium exports were worth only USD 1.1 billion in 2020-21, read King's press release. The deal comes amid growing global demand for electric vehicles and clean energy technology. The Albanese Government has a long-standing commitment to building a stronger relationship with India. The Government has committed to an update of the 2018 India Economic Strategy, an annual India-Australia Economic Dialogue, and developing Indian language capabilities in Australia, added the release. (ANI) President of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Barrister Sultan Mahmood on Sunday claimed that no law can be against the Quran and Sunnah in PoK. According to News International, Mahmood was addressing a delegation of Ulema here. In his speech, he said, "Seerat Conference would be organised soon to re-examine whether there was any law in the PoK that contradicts the Quran and Sunnah." He said, "There is a dire need to keep up the spirit to ensure religious and interfaith harmony." Meanwhile, the living conditions in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have been deteriorating over years. Pakistani media reports said that Gilgit Baltistan has a dwindling population, able-bodied people migrating with their families wherever they get work and poor living conditions. One report alarmingly states that nine per cent of all suicides in Pakistan occur in GB. Gilgit-Baltistan has just two hours of power available. In addition to this, it suffers food shortages and has no control over its hydropower or other resources. Recently, People in Pakistan Occupied Gilgit Baltistan took to the streets against the prolonged load shedding and water scarcity amid scorching heat for the past four days, local media reported. United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) led by Shaukat Ali Kashmiri on Friday staged a protest at the UN human rights head office in Geneva to highlight the atrocities being committed against the people of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). It raised concerns about Pakistan's policy to use religion as a weapon and terrorism as a foreign policy tool while accusing Pakistan was using Kashmir as a launching pad for terrorism and training camps to suppress the secular, democratic and progressive voices of the entire region. It demanded Pakistan change its policies and asked the country to take serious actions against the terrorist organisations and groups. It also demanded Pakistan should dismantle terrorist infrastructure from the Gilgit Baltistan region of PoK while raising concerns about the state of human rights and security situation in the former Princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. UKPNP expressed concerns about growing extremism, violence and intolerance in various parts of the region, urging the controlling authorities to ensure the safety of all citizens and apprehend the culprits. Last week, the PoK government presented a new budget of Rs 163.7 billion for the next fiscal year of 2022-23 in the legislative assembly amid a boycott by the combined opposition.In the budget, the PoK government allocated Rs 28.5 billion for the development and Rs 135.2 billion for recurring expenses PoK Finance Minister Abdul Majid Khan said that the PoK government demanded Rs 40 billion from the Pakistan government for the Annual Development Programme (ADP). However, Islamabad announced to allocate Rs 26.5 billion, though it later raised it to Rs 28.5 billion, including a foreign aid component of Rs 500 million, the Dawn reported. Earlier, the central spokesperson of UKPNP, Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan also highlighted that Pakistan was using PoK as a terror launchpad. Jehadi organizations are being trained in these areas while Pakistan is aiding them in terrorism in the name of fighting terror, he said, adding that the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan proves this fact. He said this during a conference on "Islamism and Human Rights in Pakistan" held in the Flemish Parliament at Leuvenseweg in Brussels. The other attendees condemned Pakistan for the extrajudicial killing of minorities. It was also noted during the conference that Pakistan continued to exploit minorities due to which their population in the country has dipped to three per cent. Notably, soon after British India's division in 1947, the Pakistan army, which largely comprised tribal mercenaries invaded and occupied a part of Jammu & Kashmir. PoK and Gilgit Baltistan remained under their occupation since then. The land, the resources and the people of the region have been overly exploited by Islamabad for many years. While on one side, Pakistan has marginalized these people socially and politically, it has exploited all their resources indiscriminately. Their land and rivers are used to serve the people of Pakistan and not those who have a prerogative over them. (ANI) During the deadly attack claimed by Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKB) which is an affiliate of the terror outfit Islamic State, two people, including a Sikh, lost their lives. Sources reveal that a high-level delegation from the Ministry of Interior (MoI) paid several visits to Gurdwara to express their condolences to the families of the victims. A technical team was also assigned to assess the level of damage caused to the last remaining functioning Sikh Gurdwara in the capital city. It is revealed that the government will spend a sum of 7.5 million Afghani to renovate the building. India also condemned the attack calling it a "barbaric" and a "ghastly attack on humanity" Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on June 20, wrote an open letter to the Sikh community in Afghanistan condemning the bombing of a Gurdwara. His letter began with a "salute" to the courage and strength of the Afghan Sikh community. According to sources, around 25 to 30 people were present inside the gurdwara complex for their morning prayers when the attackers entered the premises. Around 10-15 people managed to escape but the gurdwara's guard, identified as Ahmad, was killed by the assailants. Religious minorities in Afghanistan, including the Sikh community, have been targets of violence in Afghanistan. In October, last year 15 to 20 terrorists entered a Gurdwara in the Kart-e-Parwan District of Kabul and tied up the guards. In March 2020 as well, a deadly attack took place at Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Gurdwara in Kabul's Short Bazaar area in which 27 Sikhs were killed and several were injured. (ANI) PM Deuba recommended the appointment of JSP leader Mrigendra Kumar Singh as the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Mohammad Istiyak Rai as the Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport and Pradip Yadav as the Minister for Forests and Environment on the recommendation of JSP to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari. "President Bhandari appointed, reshuffled and divided the roles of the existing cabinet formed on July 13, 2021, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Deuba in accordance with Article 76 (9) and Article 78 (1) of the Constitution," an official statement said. The new ministers have been sworn in by the President on Monday afternoon, the release from the Office of the President stated. Earlier on Sunday evening, JSP Chairman Upendra Yadav handed over the names of three new ministers to PM Deuba. In the past week, PM Deuba changed four ministers in the cabinet upon the recommendation of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Socialist. Jeevan Ram Shrestha was appointed as Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Leader and Member of Parliament from CPN-Unified Socialist, Metmani Chaudhary was appointed as Minister for Urban Development. Sher Bahadur Kunwar was appointed as Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security while Bhawani Khapung was appointed Minister for Health and Population and Hira KC as State Minister for Health and Population. (ANI) Yacob confirmed on her Facebook post that she was just tested positive for COVID-19 with mild flu-like symptoms, reported Xinhua. "Thankfully, I have been vaccinated and boosted. I hope to recover soon and am sorry to have to miss the events this week," she stated in a Facebook post. Also on Monday evening, Singapore's Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin also said that he was tested positive for COVID-19. "All good things must come to an end. My COVID-free days are over," he wrote in his Facebook post. Local media reported on June 19 that Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had tested positive for COVID-19 while in Germany, Xinhua reported. Singapore reported 6,127 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the total tally to 1,467,234. Of the new cases, 551 cases were detected through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests and 5,576 through ART (antigen rapid test) tests, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Health. Among the PCR cases, 522 were local transmissions and 29 were imported cases. Among the ART cases with mild symptoms and assessed to be of low risk, there were 5,343 local transmissions and 233 imported cases. A total of 582 cases are currently warded in hospitals, with nine of them held in intensive care units. Two new deaths from COVID-19 were reported on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 1,418, the ministry said. (ANI) A group of women activists under the name of 'Kabul School of Critics' staged a protest demanding the Taliban to reopen schools for women without further delay, local media reported. The women protestors said that instead of addressing the status of the people who are in dire need of food, the Taliban is engaged in issuing warnings, killing people and taking revenge. A member of KSC, Ramzia Saeedi said, "Afghan women and girls have been deprived of their basic rights in different periods," adding that the closure of girls' schools above the sixth grade and the exclusion of women from society show that their rights have been dealt with politically. She stressed that the Taliban must not use the education of girls as a political abuse, an Afghanistani radio publication Salam Watandar reported. "The continuation of this situation will put female students in a dark future and harm the development of society," said another protestor Aaey Noor. She asked the Taliban to provide a convincing reason to restrict women's rights in the state, including education and said that it should reopen schools for girls immediately if it fails to give a valid reason. In Herat city, a group of girl artists has started a campaign against the Taliban's restrictions on women. Demanding the Taliban government to ease the restriction on women, they said that they will not allow the voices of women and girls to be silenced. These artists depict the capabilities and challenges of women and girls in their paintings. A local media reported that an Afghan women social worker, Huda Khamosh, who is in exile in Norway said that the Taliban remain an illegitimate ruler. "The statements of loyalty to the Taliban are not acceptable at any gathering without the presence of women. Despite thousands of Ulema announcing their support for their hardline government, the Taliban remain an illegitimate ruler," she said. "After a three-day meeting, the Ulema pledged allegiance to the Taliban and its prominent leader. The meeting failed to address thorny issues such as the right of teenage girls to attend school," she added. This comes after the Taliban debarred women from attending the first-ever 'Loya Jirga' or grand assembly of religious scholars and elders. Around 3,500 religious scholars and elders from across the country were invited to attend the meeting at Loya Jirga. The three-day-long gathering which opened on Thursday and concluded on Saturday was the first nationwide gathering of Islamic clerics in the country held eleven months after the re-establishment of the Taliban in the country. Participants of the jirga were expected to discuss a series of issues including reopening schools for girls from grade 7th to grade 12th, the type of government, the national flag, and the national anthem, but the three days long Jirga concluded without hinting at reopening schools for girls above grade six and women's right to work outside home. Notably, the Taliban made tall promises of equality and inclusive society, during a press conference when they took over control of Afghanistan in August last year. But the plight of Afghan women has continued to be deplorable in the state. Contrary to the Taliban's claims, girls were stopped from going to school beyond a sixth grade on March 23 and a decree against the women's dress code was issued after a month. There are restrictions on movement, education and freedom of expression of women posing a threat to their survival. Not only this, but the Taliban has prevented women from using smartphones, and the Women's Affair Ministry often extort money for providing essential protection. The lack of female healthcare workers has prevented the women from accessing basic medical facilities, and the international donors, who fund 90 per cent of health clinics, are hesitant to send money because of their fear of the funds being misused. Around 80 per cent of women working in the media have lost their jobs, and almost 18 million women in the country are struggling for health, education and social rights. (ANI) Indian High Commission on Monday urged Canadian authorities to withdraw the disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods showcased as part of the 'Under the Tent' project at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto. "We urge the Canadian authorities and the event organizers to withdraw all such provocative material," read Indian High Commission in Canada press release. A poster for a documentary directed by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai has drawn flak on social media for hurting religious sentiments with the depiction of Goddess Kaali. The Madurai-born, Toronto-based filmmaker had earlier taken to Twitter to share a poster of her film which depicted a woman dressed in a costume portraying the Goddess and smoking. A flag of the LGBT community is seen in the background. "Our Consulate General in Toronto has conveyed these concerns to the organizers of the event. We are also informed that several Hindu groups have approached authorities in Canada to take action," added the release. Meanwhile, Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai has landed in legal trouble after a police complaint was filed against her for hurting religious sentiments through a poster of her documentary 'Kaali'. The portrayal of Goddess Kali in the poster did not go down well with a section of social media users who have demanded the poster be withdrawn. Some even demanded strict action against her and the hashtag '#ArrestLeenaManimekal' is trending on Twitter. Activist Rahul Easwar has called it a "hate poster" and stated that "this is spreading hate against Hindu community and defaming our deities." Speaking to ANI regarding the controversy, Easwar said, "Liberty comes along with sensitivity, freedom comes along with responsibility, can we live in the world without being sensitive, respectful and responsible? What happened with the Kali poster is that Leena created a hate poster against Hindu community. She's purposefully demeaning, defaming one of the most revered deities of Hindus, Kaali Maa." (ANI) "It was agreed that relations would be restored to their proper course," said a statement released on behalf of Israeli President Isaac Herzog after he held a phone talk with Polish President Andrzej Duda. The two leaders agreed to mutually restore the ambassadors. According to the statement, Herzog, in a joint initiative with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, requested the return of the ambassador of Poland to Israel. "Duda agreed that the Polish ambassador should be appointed soon and announced that the new Israeli ambassador-designate to Poland will present his letters of credence within the next few days," the statement added. The relations between the two countries have deteriorated over a legislation Warsaw introduced in 2021 which was aimed at limiting the ability of Jewish Holocaust survivors to make restitution claims over property seized by the Nazis during World War II. The move marks an attitude shift by newly-appointed caretaker Prime Minister Lapid, who in 2021 as foreign minister denounced the Polish bill as "anti-Semitic and immoral." (ANI/Xinhua) The Jaffaria community chief Agha Rahat Hussein Al-Hussein on Monday expressed concern over the release of 13 youths who were given life imprisonment under the anti-terrorism act for a scuffle with security rangers in 2005. Anjuman-e-Imamiya also protested over the issue as the current Gilgit-Baltistan government had promised their release in two months but so far no action has been taken in this regard, reported local media. Women and Children from the Jaffaria community continued protests for the sixth day and Shia leaders have warned that if this issue was not resolved and 13 men were not released there would be protests everywhere. The Khalid Khurshid Government should take this matter seriously as normal public and businesses will be severely hit if protests continues further, reported the local media. Further talks about Gilgit-Baltistan's constitutional status and rights were demanded by Jamat-e-Islami Pakistan vice president and Milli Yakjehti Council Sec-Gen Liaquat Baloch. He said that the party in Gilgit-Baltistan will continue the struggle for constitutional status along with the rights of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistani authorities have finalised a law (26th Constitutional Amendment Bill), to award provisional provincial status to strategically located Gilgit-Baltistan. Gilgit-Baltistan is an autonomous region now and after the bill is passed, it will become the 5th province of the country. Currently, Pakistan has four provinces namely Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh. Presently, it has been ruled mostly by executive orders. Until 2009, the region was simply called Northern Areas. It got its present name only with the Gilgit-Baltistan (Empowerment and Self-Governance) Order, 2009, which replaced the Northern Areas Legislative Council with the Legislative Assembly. Gilgit-Baltistan is the northernmost territory administered by Pakistan. It is Pakistan's only territorial frontier, and thus a land route, with China. The Gilgit-Baltistan region is at the centre of the USD 65 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Infrastructure development plan. The CPEC has made the region vital for both countries. The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan with China's Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of China's ambitious multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Protests against land deal with China in Gilgit-Baltistan is the focal point. Protests are going on (July 1) in Hussainabad, Hunza valley, Gilgit-Baltistan against the Pakistan Government's decision for leasing out over 640 acres land of Hussainabad area to a Chinese Company without taking the people of Gilgit-Baltistan in confidence, reported local media. Pakistan's Government is leasing GB land to China to ease its mounting debt burden. The protestors included prominent local leaders of GB like Baba Jan (Awami Workers Party Chairman). During the protest slogan "Hum Leke Rahenge Azadi" was also raised against the Pakistan Government by protesters, reported local media. Chairman of Karakoram National Movement, Mumtaz Nagri also expressed fear that the isolated and neglected, Gilgit Baltistan could become a future battleground for the world powers to compete, reported Al Arabiya Post. The northern-most part of Kashmir borders China and Nagri expressed fear that Pakistan may cede GB to China. Nagri is arousing people and has asked them "not to be scared of ISI and be prepared to go to jail," Pakistani media reports have said. Pakistan ceding GB that it illegally occupies would be a boon for China's South Asian expansion. It has made use of territory in the region that Pakistan ceded earlier and would like GB since the Karakorum is right on the trail of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Any such move could earn Pakistan hefty lease money that could help tide over its current economic woes. (ANI) Visa applications to travel abroad from Nepal has increased significantly due to ease in travel restrictions as the pandemic continues to debilitate. As per the statistics from Visa Facilitation Services Global (VFS-Global), travel trends have increased by 600 per cent by the end of May 2022 in comparison with data till the end of May the year 2021. "If we compare the visa processing applications that of the year 2019 vs May 2022 it has increased by about 130 per cent. Volumes in 2021 were significantly less as many international borders were closed with pandemic-induced travel restrictions. However, riding on the high pent-up demand volumes in the first half of 2022 have more than doubled as compared to pre-pandemic levels," Elizabeth Samuel, the Deputy Regional Head North and East India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Israel at VFS told ANI. As per the Visa Facilitation Services, students selected Australia, Canada, Japan and the UK as their major destinations to fly to. "The upsurge in the student visa application also contributed significantly to the overall rise in visa application volumes in 2022," Samuel added. With ease in travel restrictions, students vying for abroad studies have also been applying for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Education Ministry. "Around 12,000 to 15,000 students obtain NOC monthly," chief of NOC section Education Under-Secretary Hari Prasad Niraula said. As per the records, 102,873 individuals got the NOC in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year that ended in mid-June for different countries. The number stood at 30,473 between April 14 and June 19," the official added. Till mid of June, the positivity rate of the Himalayan nation stood at 0.68 per cent with no records of critical cases. On mid of June, the number of active cases in Nepal was recorded at 97 while it spiked by three times to 280 within 15 days' time duration. Covid has been mutating or shape-shifting. Amongst the sub-variants of Omicron, the latest ones experts are concerned about - BA.4 and BA.5 are very closely related to the Omicron variant behind last winter's wave. Currently, there are 333 active cases in the country as 20 infected patients recovered in the past 24 hours. No person died due to coronavirus in the past 24 hours. The COVID-19 death toll in the country stands at 11,952 to date. (ANI) China unveils action plan to further digitalize consumer goods industry Xinhua) 08:28, July 04, 2022 Photo taken on Dec. 17, 2021 shows the automated production line in the digital factory of Xio Lift in Linping District, Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi) BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities have released an action plan to facilitate the digitalization of the consumer goods industry as the country moves to boost the integration of the digital and real economies, and create and meet consumer demand. China aims to achieve notable improvement in the integration and application of digital technologies in the consumer goods industry by 2025, according to the plan jointly released by five government departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The further integration and application of digital technologies would help improve the supply of consumer goods, expand industrial chains, enhance the industry's added value, and encourage enterprises to strengthen digital innovation in research and development and in their core competitiveness, the ministry said. The proportions of consumer goods companies that have digitalized their management and operations, been equipped with digital tools for research, development and design, and introduced e-commerce to their businesses should all exceed 80 percent by 2025, according to the plan. China also aims to foster 200 demonstration factories for smart manufacturing in sectors such as textiles and apparel, home appliances, consumer electronics, food and medicine during the plan period. It also aims to cultivate 50 demonstration cities that will achieve remarkable digitalization progress, product variety, quality and branding. The plan specified 10 tasks to enhance product variety and quality and create brands, such as developing "internet-plus-consumer products" that improve people's well-being, promoting personalized and flexible production to reshape product development and production modes, and accelerating the establishment of a quality tracking system. (Web editor: Liang Jun, Bianji) "I can't tell the exact number or the plan, but I can say that I talked about it with officials from the Pentagon," Brink said after her visit to Washington. The United States is working to provide Kyiv with more aid designed to strengthen Ukraine's positions on the frontline, the ambassador said. On June 15, the U.S. embassy in Ukraine said on Twitter that the U.S. government had provided 4.6 billion US dollars worth of defence aid for Kyiv amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. According to the embassy, the United States sent to Ukraine 26,500 Javelin and other anti-armour systems, 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems, 108 howitzers, and 75,000 sets of body armour and helmets. On June 23, Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said his country received High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) from the United States. (ANI/Xinhua) Tehran [Iran], July 4 (ANI/Xinhua): Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Monday slammed as "irresponsible" the move by the United States and the E3 group of France, Britain and Germany to propose the anti-Tehran resolution to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) while the nuclear talks were underway to reach an agreement. Making the remarks in a meeting with the new Swiss ambassador to Tehran Nadine Olivieri Lozano, Raisi said the move was also "in violation of the spirit of negotiation and agreement and indicative of the four countries' contradictory behaviour," according to the Iranian presidency's website. He stressed that the United States should decide to remain committed to the requirements of the negotiation and agreement. Raisi noted that the United States and the three European countries are suffering from a miscalculation toward Tehran, expressing hope that Switzerland's new ambassador would reflect Iran's realities to other states so that they realize that despite all the hostilities, the Islamic republic has continued its progress and that the hegemonic policies have had reverse impacts on it. In June, the IAEA's Board of Governors passed an anti-Iran resolution proposed by the United States, Britain, France and Germany following the agency's reports that Tehran had not provided "technically credible explanations" for uranium particles at three undeclared sites. Iranian officials, however, have insisted that the country did not carry out any clandestine or unrecorded nuclear activities. In the wake of the adoption of the IAEA resolution, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran announced its decision to take a number of measures, including turning off the IAEA's surveillance cameras at its sites. Iran signed the 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 sanctions on the country. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the JCPOA in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its commitments under the pact. The talks on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal began in April 2021 in Vienna but were suspended in March this year because of political differences between Tehran and Washington. After a three-month pause, the talks resumed on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Qatari capital Doha, but it failed to result in any agreement to settle the remaining differences. (ANI/Xinhua) The family of a former military officer of the Afghan Defense Ministry, Layiq Saifi said that he is still incommunicado, 24 days after the Taliban detained him. According to the sources, the Taliban arrested the ex-officer Layiq from the Khairkhana area of Kabul around 24 days ago and transferred him to an unknown location, local media reported. The arrest of Liyaq is yet another case amid other allegations that the Taliban are detaining former military officials who were serving in earlier Afghan governments. Reports have claimed that the Taliban have been involved in alleged killings and disappearances of former members who served in the Afghan security forces. Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, reports have shown the expanding restrictions on the rights of Afghans and issues concerning the continuing presence of terrorist organizations in the country. Moreover, the Taliban, in Herat, have ordered gyms not to allow men to exercise with teenagers under 18 at the same time, giving a reason that "they will be provoked". According to sources, the Taliban have also banned playing music and posting photos of athletes in clubs, local media reported. The order is the latest in the Taliban's crackdown on free expression. The detention of journalists and media workers is yet another example of the Taliban's atrocities on free expression. A report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) stated that "The Taliban is still seeking to restrict the media in Afghanistan and restrictions such as censorship, detention of journalists, and pre-release monitoring of international media news programs continue." Since the Taliban took over, more than 300 media outlets stopped activity and nearly seventy per cent of journalists lost their jobs, reported Tolo News. With the consistent arbitrary arrests of journalists by the Taliban, the media in Afghanistan faces ever-increasing restrictions. Around 80 per cent of women working in the media have lost their jobs. The Taliban made tall promises of equality and inclusive society, during a press conference when they took over control of Afghanistan in August last year. Due to the displacement of Afghans back to the country by the Taliban, up to 500,000 families in Afghanistan are on the verge of homelessness, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) stated. The Afghans have been displaced from the Afghan soil due to decades of war, political instability and subsequent economic meltdown that gripped the country since the Taliban took control in August last year. As a result, several of them settled in enclaves outside of bigger towns that over time developed into informal settlements, reported Khaama Press. More than 653,000 Afghan refugees have returned or been deported to Afghanistan mainly from neighbouring countries since August 2021, according to official figures from the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation. Although the fighting in the country has ended, Afghanistan's situation has been deteriorating as serious human rights violations continue unabated. (ANI) The guard was identified as Deepak Singh, a 32-year-old who shot himself while guarding the premises of the Indian Embassy. The suicide was committed using the INSAS rifle, an official from the Indian Mission in Kathmandu confirmed speaking to ANI, seeking anonymity. As per the official, the incident occurred at around 9 AM (NST). The body of the deceased has been sent to Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj in Nepal for postmortem. A committee has been formed to investigate the reason behind the incident after the Embassy authorities informed the Nepal Police about the shooting incident. (ANI) Multiple people were shot along July 4th parade route in north suburban Highland Park Monday morning in Illinois. Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago, erupted in panic when shots were fired about 10 minutes after the parade kicked off, according to media reports. As per US media, an active shooter has been spotted in Highland Park. A video on Twitter was shot by one of the bystanders. At least 25 shots were fired at an Illinois Fourth of July parade; a reporter saw five people bloodied. "As parade-goers fled the parade route in Highland Park, they left behind chairs, baby strollers and blankets," tweeted Shannon Watts, Founder of "Moms Demand Action". The shooter was reported to still be active just after 11 am (local time), US media reported. Sources said the person could be shooting from atop a high building. The parade route was near Central Avenue and Second Street. The parade was stopped about 10 minutes after it kicked off at 10 a.m. when shots were fired, striking an unknown number of parade-goers and sending hundreds of people running for safety. A Chicago Sun-Times reporter saw blankets covering three bloodied bodies and five other people wounded and bloodied near the parade's reviewing stand. Several witnesses said they heard multiple shots fired. One witness said he counted more than 20 shots. Some of the injured were taken to Highland Park hospital for treatment. Police were telling people, "Everybody disperse, please. It is not safe to be here." As they fled the parade route, parade-goers left behind chairs, baby strollers and blankets as they sought cover, not knowing just what happened. Police were patrolling the area with rifles. The parade had a heavy presence of police and fire vehicles. The city of Highland Park provided very little information on the incident in a Facebook post just before 10:45 am, only saying the city's Fourth Fest had been cancelled. Illinois State Police were on the scene, as well. They called the incident an "active shoot situation" just before 11:25 am. Earlier, Illinois witnessed a series of shooting incidents in which at least 37 people were injured and 7 killed in gun shootings, local media reported. This is a new string of horrific shootings that took place in the United States where the latest is the killing of a 30-year-old man who was shot dead on Saturday morning (local time) in Chicago, Illinois. The shooting incident took place in the 9000 block of Escanaba at about 12:19 a.m. when the victim was shot in the head by an unknown person, police said. The victim was taken to an area hospital however he was pronounced dead. No one was in custody as of Saturday afternoon. With increasing incidents of gun violence in the United States, President Joe Biden had said that the US needs to ban assault weapons for the sake of protecting children and families or raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21. Furthermore, on June 22, a group of US lawmakers reached a much-awaited deal on a bipartisan gun safety bill after recent mass shooting incidents in Uvalde, Buffalo and Texas, that struck a nerve in the country. The new bill aims to take firearms away from dangerous people and provide billions of dollars in new mental health funding. The bill does not ban assault-style rifles or significantly expand background-check requirements for gun purchases, but it gives states more resources to take guns away from dangerous individuals. (ANI) A US delegation led by South Carolina Representative JA Moore visited Shyamala Gopalan Educational Foundation (SGEF) office in Hyderabad and Palvancha on Friday. SC Representative praised India's efforts to combat COVID-19 under the Modi government. Moore said it is heartening to see India's giant strides in developing the COVID-19 vaccine. "India is home to many vaccines that are being developed indigenously or manufactured in collaboration, and the credit for this victory over pandemic goes to Narendra Modi and his government," he added. Moore spoke about the society's education, healthcare, sustainability, and social service initiatives and appreciated the Foundation's climate change programmes, TREE FOR LIFE and NO TO PLASTIC. Introducing JA Moore, the representatives of society told that, as a staunch supporter and personal family friend of Vice President Kamala Harris, he endorsed her 2020 candidacy along with US President Joe Biden. JA Moore said, "That's why I joined Shyamala Gopalan's advisory board." The Foundation was created to honour Shyamala Gopalan, an Indian-American mother who influenced her daughter Kamala Harris' life. The team praised N Suresh Reddy for taking on the mission and for the Foundation's influential work, especially Sri World School, which aspires to revolutionise the education sector by providing never-before-seen educational and infrastructure standards as one of the world's most distinctive educational Projects. "I will share my findings with Vice President's office soon after reaching the US," JA Moore said. Later in interaction with the SGEF team, Moore promised that his crew and he would support the society's excellent mission. He's working with the foundation to create a World Summit on Education Series to share educational solutions, programmes, and innovation. Representatives, senators, and other U.S. leaders will attend the formal ground-breaking in November 2022. The US delegation expressed their happiness over their visit to India, saying, "A nation with a kaleidoscopic variety and rich cultural heritage, we will cherish these memories forever and we will make sure this tour is a new beginning and leap towards a genuine educational collaboration between India and the US." Moore said that in New Delhi, the delegation visited met educational and entrepreneurial leaders and in Mumbai also, the delegation attended seminars and met with millennial leaders. The US delegation paid grand tributes to Dr Shyamala Gopalan. Many eminent people from both states participated in the program. Team US felicitated the great astrologer Guruji M.N Ramana Rao and expressed their happiness over meeting him. (ANI) Pakistan is importing around 3,000 tonnes of coal from Afghanistan each day, a media report said on Monday amid the ongoing energy crisis confronting the Shehbaz Sharif government. The increased imports help thermal power plants to generate low-cost electricity in cash-strapped Pakistan, as coal imports from Afghanistan are relatively cheaper compared to other sources. This demand is expected to jump to 20,000 tonnes after the beginning of a coal operation from Kundian in Mianwali district and Sibi in Balochistan, TOLOnews reported. The Afghan news agency said Pakistan is using Afghan coal for power plants in various cities. The Taliban-led Afghan Ministry of Petroleum and Mines said there is no official contract with the Pakistan government or any Pakistani organization regarding the export of Afghanistan's coal. "We don't have any contract with any foreign country or any foreign company about coal. Of course, we have our sales to the private sector and companies and traders," said Islmatullah Burhan, a spokesperson for the ministry. Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the import of super-critical quality coal from Afghanistan in Pakistani rupee instead of dollars to help generate low-cost electricity in the country. He also gave orders to the relevant authorities to create an efficient system in this regard. The Taliban in response increased the price of coal by 30 per cent after Shehbaz Sharif approved importing coal from Afghanistan. According to the Taliban, the purpose of increasing the price of coal is to increase the amount of tax and generate revenue for the country which is already in economic turmoil due to the drying up of international aid. It is noteworthy that the Taliban-led government collects 30 per cent of customs duty on coal exports. Experts believe that selling Afghanistan coal for Pakistani rupees affects the Afghan economy. "The sale of the coal with Pakistani rupees to Pakistan is an illogical economic movement, I think. This belongs to Pakistan and will benefit Pakistan, but the Afghan government should not do such a thing," said Sayed Masoud, an economist. Afghanistan's total mineral resources are estimated to be potentially worth over USD 1 trillion, including gold, precious stones, coal, oil and gas, lithium, and rare-earth minerals, according to Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). Due to the current lack of data on the mining sector and the vagueness of Taliban sources of revenue, it is hard to estimate the Taliban's income from mining. Licit output and revenue from Afghanistan's extractives sector were already low and have further declined since the Taliban's takeover due to lack of expertise among the Taliban and the current liquidity crisis. (ANI) US President Joe Biden expressed shock over "senseless gun violence" reported in the state of Illinois during the July 4 event on Monday. As many as six people were killed and 24 were hospitalized in a shooting at the US Independence parade route in north suburban Highland Park in Illinois. Dozens of others were injured and sent to hospitals, with 12 of them in serious condition. "Jill and I are shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day. As always, we are grateful for the first responders and law enforcement on the scene," Biden said in a statement. "I also surged Federal law enforcement to assist in the urgent search for the shooter, who remains at large at this time. Members of the community should follow guidance from leadership on the ground, and I will monitor closely as we learn more about those whose lives have been lost and pray for those who are in the hospital with grievous injuries," he added. A gunman, who had apparently fired from a concealed spot on a rooftop, sent hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror. The suspect remained on the loose hours later as authorities scoured the area, The Hill reported. The Independence Day parade shooting was just the latest in the line of incidents reported in schools, churches, grocery stores and now community parades in recent months. A statement posted on the website of the City of Highland Park advised all individuals to avoid the downtown area and shelter in place, saying the gunman is still at large. Media reports said a firearm has been recovered at the scene. Law enforcement agencies are searching for the suspect. Highland Park is an affluent neighbourhood 43 kilometres north of Chicago. The US Senate last month night passed a bipartisan bill to address gun violence in the United States, the first major piece of federal gun reform in almost 30 years. Later Biden signed into law a bipartisan gun safety bill in order to prevent the access of firearms to dangerous people and to invest in new mental health across the country. "I recently signed the first major bipartisan gun reform legislation in almost thirty years into law, which includes actions that will save lives. But there is much more work to do, and I'm not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence," he said. (ANI) The Senate House Committee probing ex-President Donald Trump's alleged involvement in the Capitol Hills riots of January 6, 2021 or the "Insurrection", could mark out multiple criminal referrals, including that of the former President, the panel's vice-chair, Republican Liz Cheney, said in an interview broadcast on Sunday. "We'll make a decision as a committee about it," the Wyoming Republican told ABC News when asked about the prospect of referring Trump for prosecution and saying "yes" when asked whether a referral of Trump was possible. "The Justice Department doesn't have to wait for the committee to make a criminal referral, and there could be more than one criminal referral," Cheney said. The January 6 committee has been split on the issue of criminal referrals, even as members are in wide agreement that Trump committed a crime when he pushed conspiracies about the 2020 Presidential elections. Cheney said it is probable that the panel would take a stance on whether Trump should be prosecuted. "We may well as a committee have a view on that," she said, adding, "If you just think about it from the perspective of what kind of man knows that a mob is armed and sends the mob to attack the Capitol and forth incites that mob when his own vice-president is under threat?" The US is 'confronting a domestic threat' in Donald Trump, Cheney said. Her remarks came on the back of explosive testimony heard by the panel from a former top aide in White House, Cassidy Hutchinson, who recalled being told of Trump's anger when informed by his Secret Service detail he couldn't accompany protesters to the Capitol on January 6, according to CNN TV News network. Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, the other Republican serving on the January 6 committee besides Cheney, told CNN that Cassidy's testimony had "been inspiring for a lot of people", and that more witnesses have come forward since her explosive revelations last week. "There will be way more information," he said. On the "State of the Union", Kinzinger said he didn't want to "get into who or any of those details" about potential new witnesses, but noted that "everyday we get new people who come forward" to the committee. In her testimony, Hutchinson said she was told by former White House deputy chief of staff Tony Ornato that Trump tried to grab the steering wheel of the car and lunged at Secret Service agent Bobby Engel on January 6 when he was told they were going back to the West Wing and not to the Capitol. Since then, Hutchinson's sworn testimony has been questioned by some Trump allies, not speaking under oath. But two Secret Service sources told CNN that stories had circulated about the incident -- including details that are similar to how Hutchinson described it to the January 6 committee. The Secret Service has said the agents involved in the described incident, some of whom were already interviewed by the panel, will be made available to testify again under oath. When asked if Ornato would testify before the committee, Kinzinger responded that "there's information I can't say yet". "But certainly, we could say that Cassidy Hutchinson has testified under oath. We find her credible and anybody that wants to disparage her... now that was a firsthand account... they should also come and testify under oath." "What she said is what she heard. At no point did she say she was in the Beast with the President and saw this happen," Kinzinger pointed out, noting that no one has come forward to dispute the fact that Trump wanted to go to the Capitol on January 6. Key points from the Jan 6 insurrection hearings "It's very chilling, and I think certainly we will continue to present to the American people what we've found," Cheney recalled. She said the committee had evidence corroborating Trump's fury at being told he couldn't go to the Capitol on January 6. "The committee has significant evidence on a whole range of issues, including the President's intense anger," she said, adding, "You will continue to see in coming days and weeks additional detail about the President's activities and behaviour on that day." What the criminal referral could look like? California Democrat Adam Schiff, who also serves on the January 6 panel, told CBS on Sunday that he believes there is evidence that Trump "engaged in multiple violations of the law and that should be investigated". Cheney, who has experienced significant blowback from fellow Republicans for her denunciations of Trump and her role leading the investigation into the January 6 riots, insisted the proceedings are not meant to politically disqualify Trump from running for President again. Instead, the hearing is meant to give the American people an account of what happened that day, even as she acknowledged there wasn't a "single thing" she's learned that made her less concerned about Trump returning to the White House. "A man as dangerous as Donald Trump can absolutely never be anywhere near the Oval Office ever again," she had said. CNN had previously reported that Trump is anxiously mulling when, exactly, he should announce a 2024 presidential run -- a decision that has become even more pressing as he tries to reclaim control of his image following the spate of damaging revelations by the January 6 committee. Cheney, fighting for political survival, seeks crossover support from Wyoming Democrats. Cheney, who is facing an uphill climb in her bid for reelection in Wyoming, said the Republican Party would not survive if Trump is selected as the GOP presidential nominee in 2024. While she refused to rule out a presidential bid of her own, she said her focus is currently elsewhere. "I haven't made a decision about that yet, and I'm obviously very focused on my reelection, I'm very focused on the January 6 committee, I'm very focused on my obligations to do the job I have now. And I'll make a decision about '24 down the road," she said. Schiff predicts how the next hearing could play Schiff said on Sunday the committee's next hearing will focus on connections between the Trump White House and various organisations that were present at Trump's January 6 rally in Washington ahead of the attack on the Capitol. "Our very next hearing will be focused on the efforts to assemble that mob on the mall," the California Democrat said, adding, "Who was participating, who was financing it, how it was organised, including the participation of these White nationalist groups like the 'Proud Boys', the 'Three Percenters' and others." The select committee has not announced a date for future hearings, and Schiff did not offer any further information on dates or potential witnesses. The Congressman said this on Sunday during an appearance on CBS News' 'Face the Nation', setting the stage for the second month of the panel's summer hearing slate. "And so, we'll be presenting the information we have. We haven't answered all the questions that we have. We continue our investigation into precisely the issue you're describing," he said, adding the panel held six hearings last month, and more are expected after Independence Day in July. Who are the 'Proud Boys' at the centre of the Capitol Hill riots? The Proud Boys describe themselves as a "pro-Western fraternal organisation for men who refuse to apologise for creating the modern world". The Oath Keepers is a loosely organised group largely composed of former law enforcement and military personnel, according to the Justice Department. Prosecutors have hit members of both groups with seditious conspiracy and other charges for their actions surrounding the Capitol riots. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), chairman of the January 6 committee, had indicated in June that investigators have evidence to show the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers were in contact with members of Trump's inner circle. --IANS arm/ ( 1319 Words) 2022-07-04-22:06:02 (IANS) A Scandinavian Airlines plane. Shutterstock Scandinavian Airlines pilots have gone on strike after pay negotiations failed. The walkout will affect about half the airline's flights and 30,000 passengers a day, SAS said. The decision to strike was labeled "devastating" and "reckless" by the CEO, Anko van der Werff. Scandinavian Airlines pilots have gone on strike, forcing the European carrier to cancel hundreds of flights and disrupting travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers. SAS and its pilots had been in talks over pay and working conditions since June 9 and the pilots' union warned of a strike if a deal was not reached. However, negotiations reached a stalemate and 1,000 pilots in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden have walked off the job, forcing the airline to cancel about half its flights, the company said. About 30,000 passengers a day will be affected. "We deeply regret that our customers are affected by this strike, leading to delays and canceled flights," SAS said. "We know all our passengers have been longing for this summer holiday and have booked travels for themselves and their loved ones. SAS employees are working hard to help our customers that have been affected by this unfortunate situation." The airline's chief executive, Anko van der Werff, called the move "reckless behavior" and "devastating for SAS." "We are ready to resume mediation as soon as possible and we will do our utmost to reach an agreement that is viable to secure the long-term competitiveness and financial sustainability of the company," he said. "We presume that the SAS Scandinavia pilots' unions realize what is at stake and choose to continue the work to find an agreement." Some 174 SAS flights, or 52% of its schedule, have been canceled, according to FlightAware data. The airline said any flights operated by SAS Link, SAS Connect, and any "external partners" will not be affected. For affected customers who cannot be moved to a flight with another airline can request a refund or move their trip to a later date. SAS said rebooking on a different flight was "highly limited" due to limited availability. Story continues SAS is the first major airline to face strike action since the pandemic as carriers focus on recovering after years of financial struggles, Reuters reported. Scandinavian has embarked on a $3 billion restructuring plan, according to Bloomberg, and the strike is another setback. In 2019, SAS pilots walked out over failed pay negotiations, leading to nearly 700 flights being canceled. SAS' pilot strike comes as the industry continues to battle booming demand and pilot shortages. In the US, hundreds of Delta Air Lines pilots picketed outside hub airports on Thursday. Meanwhile, European low-cost carrier easyJet saw its chief operating officer resign on Monday over mass flight cancellations and delays this summer. Read the original article on Business Insider zimmytws / Getty Images/iStockphoto Social Security is an essential safety net for many Americans. Even if you haven't saved enough for retirement, you can still count on Social Security benefits in retirement. Read More: 5 Best Southern Cities To Retire on a Budget of $1,500 a Month Related: 15 Worst States To Live on Just a Social Security Check However, with an average monthly benefit of just over $1,600, America's most expensive cities are far out of reach without another source of income. If you do have to rely on your Social Security benefits alone -- and still want to make the most of your golden years -- you'll need to live somewhere affordable that won't compromise your quality of life. That's why GOBankingRates compiled a list of the 20 best cities to live off of just Social Security. The study factored in the cost of living, livability and median rent and -- after comparing the 177 largest cities in the U.S. -- combined the scores to determine where you really can get by on just your Social Security benefit. Read on to find out which cities made the list. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto 20. Evansville, Indiana Cost of Living Score: 78.5 Livability Score: 58 Average Rent: $786.75 Evansville is one of three Indiana cities identified in the study as a good place to live just on Social Security. Its relatively low livability score and rent of more than $780 per month prevented it from moving up on the list. Poll: Do You Think You Will Be Able To Retire at Age 65? DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com 19. Hattiesburg, Mississippi Cost of Living Score: 82.7 Livability Score: 62 Average Rent: $798.25 Hattiesburg's cost of living indicates that you can expect to spend almost 18% less on your basic expenses than you would in the rest of the country, on average. Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto 18. Wichita, Kansas Cost of Living Score: 82.1 Livability Score: 60 Average Rent: $719 If you're younger and looking to avoid living off your Social Security check alone when you reach retirement, one of the best ways is to start saving early. However, even if it's too late to build the sort of nest egg you would like, a city like Wichita -- which combines modest rent with a low cost of living -- should help you make the most of your Social Security benefits. Story continues ReDunnLev / Getty Images/iStockphoto 17. South Bend, Indiana Cost of Living Score: 68.4 Livability Score: 57 Average Rent: $754.50 In South Bend, you'll pay nearly 30% less in your cost of living expenses than the rest of the United States, which means your Social Security check can go a lot further here. Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock.com 16. Beaumont, Texas Cost of Living Score: 78.3 Livability Score: 63 Average Rent: $786.25 Beaumont's livability score is higher than many other cities on this list, which might account for its slightly higher rent, too. However, you're still paying more than 20% less in cost of living than other cities in the U.S. CRobertson / Getty Images 15. Greenville, North Carolina Cost of Living Score: 84.1 Livability Score: 75 Average Rent: $792 The average rent cost in Roanoke is the fourth-highest on the list, but its lower cost of living and high livability rates make it desirable for retirees. If you wanted supplement your Social Security earnings, Roanoke is a good place to do it. Another GOBankingRates study showed it's one of the top 20 cities for remote workers. peeterv / Getty Images 14. Topeka, Kansas Cost of Living Score: 79 Livability Score: 61 Average Rent: $708 With an affordable rent, a decent livability score, and a cost of living score that means you'll pay less than the national average, this midwestern city is positioned to be a great place to live on only a Social Security check. Shutterstock.com 13. Williston, North Dakota Cost of Living Score: 97.8 Livability Score: 72 Average Rent: $749.50 Williston is one of three cities on this list in North Dakota. At $749.50, rent in Williston is on the higher side of cities on this list, but it's still less expensive to live here than elsewhere. SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images 12. Shreveport, Louisiana Cost of Living Score: 77.5 Livability Score: 65 Average Rent: $772 The Southern city of Shreveport, Louisiana is one of two cities based on the state. While this one is a little high on the rent, keeping it lower on the list, you're paying about 22% less in cost of living here, making your check stretch. shuttersv / Shutterstock.com 11. Fayetteville, Arkansas Cost of Living Score: 92.9 Livability Score: 72 Average Rent: $770 Fayetteville is another solid Southern city to call home if you're living on a fixed income. With a high livability score, and moderate rent, anyone on Social Security should be able to make a good life here. Ron_Thomas / iStock.com 10. Toledo, Ohio Cost of Living Score: 72.7 Livability Score: 62 Average Rent: $710.50 Toledo's cost of living indicates that you can expect to spend more than 25% less on your basic expenses than you would in the rest of the country, on average. What's more, Toledo is one of the cities where your money stretches the furthest, according to a separate GOBankingRates study. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images 9. Lubbock, Texas Cost of Living Score: 79.9 Livability Score: 68 Average Rent: $746.50 Lubbock is one of four Texas cities identified in the study as a good place to live just on Social Security. With a decent livability score and cost of living score, even rent of more than $740 per month can't keep this from being a great place to live on a fixed income. Shutterstock.com 8. Davenport, Iowa Cost of Living Score: 81.7 Livability Score: 69 Average Rent: $731.25 It costs about 19% less to live in Davenport than the average American city. Its relatively high (for this list) average rent of $731.25 per month and its livability score of just 69, pull it down from the top spot on the list. Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto 7. Akron, Ohio Cost of Living Score: 69.5 Livability Score: 62 Average Rent: $679.50 The city of Akron has a lot to offer, not only in a low cost of living, that is more than 30% less than the rest of the country, a decent rent under $700 per month, but lots of natural and cultural attractions. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto 6. Odessa, Texas Cost of Living Score: 88 Livability Score: 63 Average Rent: $510.50 The primary appeal of Odessa to retirees is the low cost of rent. At $510.50 per month, it's the cheapest in the study - and by a wide margin. A low cost of living makes up for it's relatively low livability score, as well. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images 5. Fargo, North Dakota Cost of Living Score: 91.9 Livability Score: 76 Average Rent: $782 Despite one of the higher average monthly rents on this list, Fargo is one of the best cities to live in on a fixed income, according to another GOBankingRates study. That should appeal to those relying on Social Security. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images 4. Grand Forks, North Dakota Cost of Living Score: 88.2 Livability Score: 74 Average Rent: $682 Grand Forks is the northernmost city on the list, and one of three in North Dakota. At $682, rent in Grand Forks is at the midpoint, but it's still 11% less expensive to live here than elsewhere. ChrisBoswell / Getty Images/iStockphoto 3. Fort Wayne, Indiana Cost of Living Score: 78.9 Livability Score: 75 Average Rent: $792.75 Fort Wayne is a little pricier than many of the other cities on this list, but it still is among one of the best cities in the nation to retire on a Social Security check, found a separate GOBankingRates study. travelview / Shutterstock.com 2. Lake Charles, Louisiana Cost of Living Score: 83.4 Livability Score: 70 Average Rent: $608 For retirees interested in living near the water, with all of the recreational opportunities that brings - think fishing! - there's good news: Lake Charles has the third-lowest rent cost of the cities considered in this study. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto 1. McAllen, Texas Cost of Living Score: 78.6 Livability Score: 81 Average Rent: $592.75 McAllen Texas holds the number one spot on this list for retiring on a Social Security check because it has a high livability score, the second lowest rent on this list and a cost of living score that's still nearly 12% lower than the rest of the U.S. More From GOBankingRates Jordan Rosenfeld and Joel Anderson contributed to the reporting for this article. Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the best places to live on only a Social Security check based on the (1) average monthly benefit for retired workers, $1,619.67, sourced from Social Security Administration; (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 best. Factor (4) was weighted double in final calculations. All data was collected and is up to date as of May 23, 2022. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 20 Best Places To Live on Only a Social Security Check TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Inmates from one of Honduras' powerful street gangs have killed six of their own inside a prison in northwest Honduras, authorities said Monday. Prison guards found the bodies of six inmates from the Barrio 18 gang piled in a hallway during a routine inspection early Monday in the prison in Ilama. We have six people who have died in that penitentiary, National Police Deputy Commissioner Marlon Lagos said to local media. We are investigating and doing an inspection and also interviewing the coordinators of the different modules to determine the motive. Lagos said he did not know how the inmates were killed, but that forensic specialists were working the scene. At least 90 members of the Barrio 18 gang are held inside the prison for a variety of crimes ranging from drug trafficking to extortion and murder. More than 150 million is thought to be owed to UK householders in unclaimed council tax rebates. (Getty) Some 860,000 households are owed council tax refunds worth a total of 150m, an investigation by Money Saving Expert has revealed. Unclaimed rebates most commonly arise when a householder has moved out of the area but had already paid their council tax bill upfront. If the account is not closed by the holder, or they did not pay by direct debit, the council may struggle to find them and the account will have been closed in credit. A freedom of information request by Money Saving Expert, which gathered data from 364 local authorities across England, Scotland and Wales, found that 38 UK councils each owe more than 1m. Rebates are also issued if a home is re-banded to a lower band and tax has already been paid at the higher rate. Gareth Shaw, deputy editor at MoneySavingExpert.com, said: "While many councils do make an effort to track down those who have cash lying unclaimed, they are still staggeringly sitting on 150m worth of overpayments. Rishi Sunak in February announced a 150 rebate for all households in bands A-D as part of a plan to ease the UK's cost of living crisis. (Getty) "You're less likely to have overpaid if you use direct debit, but it's not impossible, so if you've moved home it's worth checking if you might be due especially if you changed local authority area and paid by cash, cheque or standing order instead. Each council has its own way of processing claims, but some have an easy online form. "But don't just call on the off chance you might be due do a little bit of digging so you don't clog up councils' switchboards for those who need essential and urgent support. "Check your previous statements and bills to see if council tax you paid upfront covers a period after you moved and if you closed your account in credit." Here's how you can find out if you are owed a council tax refund. More than 860,000 are owed council tax refunds. (Getty) Claiming back council tax The best way to check if you're due a rebate, and the procedure of claiming it, varies from council to council. You can call, email or live chat with your council to ask if you're due a refund. The Department for Levelling Up told Yahoo News UK it recommends anyone who thinks they may be entitled to a refund contact their local council. Find your local council's contact details on Gov.uk. Story continues Read More From Yahoo News UK: How bad are the UK's petrol prices compared to the EU? Fuel protests: Which motorways and roads are disrupted today? Downing Street denies 'untrue' Diane Abbott claim that Boris Johnson 'likes assaulting women' Some councils may offer an online council tax refund form to complete. When filling in the form you will need to provide evidence that you have overpaid, and many require you to have your old council tax reference number. If your council does not have an online form you will need to call or email them to request an investigation into your closed account. Nine new assistant professors will join Berkeley Haas this fall. File photo From UC-Berkeley Haas School of Business: Nine new assistant professors have joined the Haas School of Business faculty this year, with cutting-edge research interests that range from illicit supply chains to unequal social hierarchies; from financial crises to the incentives that shape innovation; and from health care management to decentralized finance to marketing and the demand for firearms. The nine tenure-track hires are the result of a concerted effort by Dean Ann E. Harrison and other Haas leaders to expand and diversify the faculty. We are thrilled to welcome this wonderful, diverse new group of academic superstars to Berkeley Haas, says Dean Ann E. Harrison. We clearly are bringing the best to Haas, increasing the depth and breadth of our world-renowned faculty, and reinforcing our place among the worlds best business schools. Read more AND CLICK HERE TO READ POETS&QUANTS COVERAGE OF NEW & INCOMING PROFESSORS AT ALL THE TOP U.S. B-SCHOOLS IN FALL 2021 Michigan Ross alum pledges $1.5M to support the B-schools state-of-the-art electronic business and financial center From the University of Michigan Ross School of Business: As the Tozzi Electronic Business and Financial Center approaches its 20th anniversary, namesake donor John R. Tozzi, MBA 67, has promised an additional $1.5 million to support the center and its growth for years to come. Since its establishment in 2002, the Tozzi Center has offered valuable resources for students and faculty and houses one of the largest academic trading floors in the U.S. The center is equipped with the most advanced financial research tools, including Bloomberg and FactSet, which enables users to observe and analyze real-time financial market data, research companies, and track industry news. The Tozzi Center is used as a classroom for courses covering topics such as financial analysis, valuation, and portfolio management, while also providing a platform for action-based learning at Michigan Ross. To augment their coursework, students can test trading strategies in mock cases with trading simulation software. In addition, the center hosts meetings and events for student investment clubs and the Maize and Blue Fund, an investment fund managed by BBA and MBA students. Story continues Read more Rotman professor Ajay Agrawal named to the Order of Canada From the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management: Ajay Agrawal, a professor at the University of Torontos Rotman School of Management was named today as a member of the Order of Canada, one of Canadas highest honours. He was recognized for his contributions as a scholar, mentor, and entrepreneur to enhance Canadas productivity, competitiveness, and prosperity through innovation and entrepreneurship including his initiatives as the founder of the Creative Destruction Lab at the Rotman School and co-founder of Next Canada. Jamie Anderson, BCom76, was also named a member of the Order for his leadership in Canadas investment banking sector, and for his far-reaching volunteer service in youth education and mental health. He is a member of the Rotman Deans Advisory Board and is currently a Senior Advisor at RBC Capital Markets. Prior to this role, he was Head of Corporate Strategy and Development of RBC, and Deputy Chair at RBC Capital Markets. He serves as Chair of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Foundation Board of Directors and as a member of the CAMH Board of Trustees. He chairs the boards of the Charter for Business and Outward Bound Global and is past chair of the Loran Scholars Foundationthese charitable organizations offer opportunities to aboriginal youth, inner-city youth, young offenders, northern & rural youth, young people with disabilities, and young people of character who hold leadership promise. Agrawal and Anderson were two of 85 appointments to the Order, announced by Mary Simon, the Governor General of Canada, on Wednesday including leaders in film, music, science, politics, business, academics, sport and culture. Read more AND CLICK HERE TO READ POETS&QUANTS STORY ABOUT AJAY AGRAWAL AND THE CREATIVE DESTRUCTION LAB OF TORONTO ROTMAN DONT MISS ANOTHER TOP U.S. B-SCHOOL GOES STEM The post 9 New Profs To Greet MBA Students This Fall At UC-Berkeley appeared first on Poets&Quants. Police in riot gear shot tear gas into marching protesters in Akron, Ohio, Sunday night, hours after the release of body camera video showing the shooting death of unarmed Black man Jayland Walker. Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan announced a curfew Monday, closing off downtown from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. until further notice. Mostly peaceful protesters chanting Justice for Jayland and we are done dying took to the streets Sunday, with some reports of windows being smashed and a fire being set in a dumpster, according to WKYC. A spokesperson for the Akron Police Department did not immediately return a request for comment from the Daily News Monday about why the tear gas was deployed. As I stated yesterday, I fully support our residents right to peacefully assemble. What we have been calling for since the beginning, and what the Walker family and many community leaders and faith leaders have also urged, is peace, Horrigan said in a statement. However, as night fell and others began to join, the protests became no longer peaceful. There was significant property damage done to downtown Akron. Small businesses up and down Main St. have had their windows broken. We cannot and will not tolerate the destruction of property or violence. The Fourth of July fireworks have also been canceled. Walker, 25, was fatally shot by eight police officers in the early hours of June 27 after fleeing a traffic stop, according to police. Body camera footage released Sunday in short clips and still shots began during a car chase as officers pursued Walker, who then jumped out of his car wearing a ski mask and fled on foot. Police claim that a shot was fired from Walkers car during the initial pursuit, but a lawyer for the victims family has questioned that narrative, arguing that there are no signs from inside the car that a gun went off. Officers, believing Walker posed a deadly threat to them, fired dozens of times, first with Tasers and then guns, according to the initial report and Police Chief Steve Mylett Sunday. Story continues Mylett refused to confirm how many times Walker was shot, but admitted that his body had at least 60 bullet holes, which likely include both entrance and exit wounds. Officials also confirmed Sunday that while a gun was found in Walkers car, he was unarmed when police shot him. Walker was handcuffed and on his back with gunshots to the face, stomach and upper legs, according to a report obtained by the Akron Beacon Journal. By Tom Balmforth KYIV (Reuters) - Though Russia can claim a prize with its capture of Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region, it is far from Moscow's ambitious early war aims and does not deal Kyiv a decisive military blow. The Russian assault will now switch its focus to the rest of the Donbas industrial heartland, but Kyiv will find it easier to defend fortified positions in Donetsk region and the battles that will shape the war's course still lie ahead, military analysts said. "I think it's a tactical victory for Russia but at an enormous cost within the context of redefined military goals," said Neil Melvin, a London-based RUSI think tank analyst. Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated his troops on Monday for "liberating" Luhansk region, promising medals for heroism and saying that soldiers should get some rest. Three Russian cosmonauts sent a celebratory message from space. It is a milestone for a war machine that abandoned an assault on Kyiv in the conflict's early weeks to focus on capturing the Donbas, made up of Luhansk and Donetsk - swathes of which Kyiv still controls. Russia says it wants to wrest the Donbas from Ukraine on behalf of Moscow-backed separatists in two self-proclaimed people's republics whose independence it recognised on the eve of the war. The Battle for the Donbas began around mid-April and it has taken since then for Russia to drive Ukraine from just Luhansk, a large chunk of which was already held by Moscow-backed separatist proxies before the Feb. 24 invasion. "This (the capture of Luhansk) is a redefined objective and a very small objective in a way. And Russia has put its full military force into achieving this goal and still it has taken nearly 60 days," Melvin said. Russia's initial war aims went far beyond the Donbas and capturing Luhansk region, and likely included a change of government or at least altering ex-Soviet Ukraine's westward orientation, said Rob Lee of the U.S.-based Foreign Policy Research Institute. They also included "de-militarising" Ukraine. Story continues "Clearly Russia had more ambitious aims at the beginning of the war," he said. 'IT HURTS A LOT' Russia has switched its battlefield tactics, using long-range shelling to force Ukrainian forces from positions before sending in ground forces, making slow, grinding progress reminiscent of World War One, analyst say. "This isn't a way to build momentum; they're taking relatively small amount of territory each day and in the context of modern warfare, this is very slow progress. The Russians are burning through their advanced equipment and personnel, so they are paying a price for this," said Melvin. Ukraine's governor of Luhansk region told Reuters its capture after Ukraine withdrew from Lysychansk city was a "painful" loss, but that it had saved soldiers from being completely surrounded and pounded by artillery. "In terms of the military, it is bad to leave positions, but there is nothing critical. We need to win the war, not the battle for Lysychansk," Governor Sergiy Gaidai said. He predicted Donetsk region's city of Sloviansk and town of Bakhmut would be the targets of Russia's next offensive. He urged foreign powers to step up heavy weapons supplies, saying the West had "understood too late" the situation in Ukraine. The invasion has killed thousands, displaced millions and flattened cities, particularly in Russian-speaking areas in the east and southeast of Ukraine. Kyiv and the West say Russia is waging an unprovoked war of aggression and accuse Moscow of war crimes. Moscow denies that and calls its actions a special military operation to degrade Ukraine's military, root out dangerous nationalists in power and protect Russian speakers from Ukraine. KEY BATTLE YET TO COME Lee said it had been hard for Ukraine to hold positions in Lysychansk and the city of Sievierodonetsk, another frontline stronghold that fell on June 25, both of which lay on Ukrainian-held land that jutted into Russian-held territory. Kyiv was unable to send heavy artillery and air defences to cover its troops there because they would have been exposed, a disadvantage it will not have if a new defensive line takes shape near Sloviansk and nearby Kramatorsk, he said. "That kind of line should be easier for Ukraine to defend with long range artillery and long range air defence systems, so they can use that to provide cover so they get the Ukrainian troops fighting there because they're not in this deep salient," he said. He predicted Russia might make more small gains in the east in the meantime. Russia, which annexed the peninsula of Crimea in 2014, captured swathes of southern Ukraine, claiming control of the strategically important Kherson region that looks out onto the Black Sea and where Ukraine says it plans a counter-offensive. The key battle of the war is still yet to come and Ukraine likely sees its counter-offensive in Kherson as of greater strategic importance than the fight for the Donbas, said Melvin. "The Battle in Donbas is not going to be the strategic battle for Ukraine; that battle is likely to take place in the south," he said. With the business potentially at an important milestone, we thought we'd take a closer look at Resolute Mining Limited's (ASX:RSG) future prospects. Resolute Mining Limited engages in mining, exploration, development, operation, and production of gold properties in Africa, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The AU$243m market-cap company announced a latest loss of US$319m on 31 December 2021 for its most recent financial year result. The most pressing concern for investors is Resolute Mining's path to profitability when will it breakeven? Below we will provide a high-level summary of the industry analysts expectations for the company. View our latest analysis for Resolute Mining Resolute Mining is bordering on breakeven, according to the 3 Australian Metals and Mining analysts. They expect the company to post a final loss in 2021, before turning a profit of US$125k in 2022. So, the company is predicted to breakeven approximately a year from now or less! At what rate will the company have to grow in order to realise the consensus estimates forecasting breakeven in under 12 months? Using a line of best fit, we calculated an average annual growth rate of 97%, which signals high confidence from analysts. If this rate turns out to be too aggressive, the company may become profitable much later than analysts predict. We're not going to go through company-specific developments for Resolute Mining given that this is a high-level summary, but, keep in mind that by and large metals and mining companies, depending on the stage of operation and metals mined, have irregular periods of cash flow. So, a high growth rate is not out of the ordinary, particularly when a company is in a period of investment. One thing we would like to bring into light with Resolute Mining is its relatively high level of debt. Typically, debt shouldnt exceed 40% of your equity, which in Resolute Mining's case is 74%. Note that a higher debt obligation increases the risk in investing in the loss-making company. Story continues Next Steps: This article is not intended to be a comprehensive analysis on Resolute Mining, so if you are interested in understanding the company at a deeper level, take a look at Resolute Mining's company page on Simply Wall St. We've also compiled a list of key factors you should further examine: Valuation: What is Resolute Mining worth today? Has the future growth potential already been factored into the price? The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether Resolute Mining is currently mispriced by the market. Management Team: An experienced management team on the helm increases our confidence in the business take a look at who sits on Resolute Minings board and the CEOs background. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. A man accused of fatally shooting an Asian driver in an apparent road rage incident just outside Philadelphia has been charged with first-degree murder. King Hua, 54, was fatally shot at a red light on State Road near Meetinghouse Lane in Springfield Township at around 8:40 a.m. last Wednesday, according to reports. A dark SUV used the shoulder to pull ahead of Huas vehicle, said Springfield Township Police Chief Joseph Daly. A male passenger then got out and fired two shots through Huas windshield. After the shooting, Huas car, a white Toyota, reportedly rolled forward and struck a van while his wife was still inside. The suspects vehicle then fled the scene. Authorities believe the gunman shot Hua because the latter was driving too slowly. More from NextShark: SF DA Boudin says police refused to help in boba shop bust, so he was forced to rent U-Haul A man lost his life today over traveling in his car too slow in rush-hour traffic, Daly told reporters. Its just not acceptable. On Thursday, 22-year-old Saddiq Washington was arrested in connection to the incident. The Darby resident was charged with first-degree murder and related counts. Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said Washingtons mother was driving the vehicle. As of Thursday, her involvement was still at issue. More from NextShark: Bay Area heiress acquitted of killing ex-lover says she is a victim of anti-Asian hate Today Springfield Township Police announced the arrest of 22 year old Saddiq Washington of Darby for the murder of King Hua. Investigators say he admitted to shooting Mr. Hua Wednesday morning on State Road for driving too slow.https://t.co/8G8HWF3y5D pic.twitter.com/eeH4HIqSo4 Johnny Archer (@JohnnyNBC10) July 1, 2022 More from NextShark: 79-year-old woman identified as person of interest after threatening to shoot Cambodians in Philadelphia Witness Jackie Washco reported hearing two loud pops and a car crash. She claims to have seen Huas wife in the aftermath of the shooting. Story continues I go to check the door and a womans screaming to me, Washco recalled. Shes like Help! Somebody help. Call 911. My husbands dead. So I called 911. Hua was reportedly rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later died. His daughter said he worked as a nail technician and immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam more than 20 years ago. More from NextShark: Man who pepper-sprayed group of Asian men for speaking Cantonese in Brooklyn arrested Featured Image via 6abc Philadelphia Lismore was badly hit by flooding earlier this year On 27 February, Karl Sprogis and his wife Jill spent most of the night anxiously monitoring flood height data from Australia's Bureau of Meteorology. Their town, Lismore, was caught in the catastrophic floods that submerged southern Queensland and northern New South Wales in February and March. Those floods have become the most costly in the nation's history, according to the Insurance Council of Australia. The latest flooding to hit Australia came at the weekend when Sydney was hit with torrential rain. Thousands were told to evacuate their homes and roads were cut by deep water. Back in February, perched on a hill the Sprogis family home was safe, but the couple were worried about their downtown physiotherapy business. It was purposely located on the second floor but even that was not enough. From the water-height charts they could tell the office was going to be inundated, but it was too late to save anything, the authorities had already issued an evacuation order. Karl Sprogis thought his second floor office might escape the flooding "We could have put things up higher at that time, had we known, but we didn't," says Mr Sprogis, who had been at his practice the night before. "I even left my new laptop on the office desk, thinking, well, [the water has] never been in here before so it won't come in." By the following day, his practice was 1.8m underwater, files, records and equipment all damaged or lost. The Sprogis physiotherapy practice was badly damaged Meanwhile in New South Wales in Gibberagee, children's book author Candy Lawrence watched as 2,000 copies of her books were sucked into the deluge. Ms Lawrence had been carefully watching government flood warnings and gathering supplies, anticipating that nearby roads would be cut off, as often happened when the area flooded. But, like Mr Sprogis, she was not expecting water to sweep through her property and that of her neighbours, some of whom had to scramble onto their roof to escape the fast-rising floodwaters. "I feel like the world is pretty much ending, so why bother educating children?," she says, referencing her destroyed book collection and the terrifying new weather patterns. Story continues Water swept through the home of Candy Lawrence Like thousands of others caught in the disaster, Mr Sprogis and Ms Lawrence would have liked more warning. So why wasn't there a better system, which could alert them in real-time if their properties were in danger? Juliette Murphy, a water resources engineer specialising in hydrology and flooding asked this question after watching her friend's house in Brisbane flood over the roof peak in 2011. The question came up again after she moved to Calgary, Canada, and witnessed a similarly devastating flood in 2013. Ms Murphy knew that during the Brisbane and Calgary floods, hydrology forecasts had predicted where rivers would peak at certain bridges, but she realised it wasn't enough. "If you aren't a hydraulic engineer [who is able] to translate that flood height into an impact to properties - your personal property, your car - it can be very challenging," she says. Ms Murphy also notes that static flood maps - including those that chart one-in-100-year floods - are also expensive, and can take days, or weeks, to produce. This makes them more suited to development planning and infrastructure design applications, rather than emergency planning and management. "I was thinking, there has to be something more," says Ms Murphy. FloodMapp co-founders Ryan Prosser and Juliette Murphy She began dedicating her evenings and weekends to looking for a solution, which eventually led her to co-found FloodMapp with web developer, Ryan Prosser. With a significant research and development investment, FloodMapp was launched in 2018. FloodMapp's technology can rapidly forecast water levels to map floods before they happen. It does this by ingesting huge amounts of historical data (including things like rainfall and ground saturation levels) and uses artificial intelligence to accurately model the way water will behave. More technology of business: The software also uses information about land features and river systems to work out how a flood will affect different areas. The company claims its models can run 100,000 times faster than traditional techniques. An added benefit is that the resulting models can refresh hourly using real-time river sensor data and rainfall forecasts. The technology is not available to individuals, instead it is being integrated into services offered by government agencies in Australia and the US, to better understand floods before, during and after they happen. Researchers at the University of Melbourne's Department of Infrastructure Engineering are taking a similar approach, understanding that speed is key for emergency planning. Making flood warnings more specific is part of the challenge Like Ms Murphy, flood modeller turned researcher, Dr Wenyan Wu, is looking at ways to simulate flood levels over time, at speed, using machine learning techniques. Importantly, this is being done Dr Wu says without compromising accuracy and without costing the earth. The availability of accurate real-time data that can be interpreted at a property-specific level is a huge part of the challenge, but being able to disseminate meaningful data to the public is also key. As Dr Wu says, "If people's collective comprehension [of flood risk] doesn't improve, you will not actually improve the situation." Even the concept of a one-in-100-year flood is widely misunderstood. (It means a flood event has a one in 100 chance of happening in any given year, as opposed to there only being one major flood every 100 years.) That's where companies like the Australian-based Early Warning Network (EWN) come in. EWN sends opt-in SMS (text messages), email, landline and app push alerts to residents and businesses in at-risk areas, typically via insurers, councils and other government agencies who have signed up to their services. Flood alerts are primarily based on data collected and distributed by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology. Michael Bath says people can "tune-out" repetitive flood warnings However, as operations manager Michael Bath explains, EWN has a 24/7 team of human severe weather forecasters (all of whom have an understanding of threats from their experience as storm chasers). This team assess the warnings, eliminate duplication, and send geo-targeted alerts, using custom-made software. This ensures people receive clear and localised information. "If you've ever had automated warnings from weather agencies before, [you'll know] they can be very repetitive," says Mr Bath. "If you automatically send that to residents, they just get really annoyed with it and tune out." Mr Bath, Dr Wu and Ms Murphy all agree that ultimately governments need to adopt these systems and technologies, and make planning decisions about whether future development should be permitted on floodplains and whether buy-back schemes are warranted in high-risk areas. However, in many cases, moving entire communities or renovating properties at scale using flood-resistant materials is not practical in the immediate future, given these measures require significant funding and political will. "We need something today, right now, because we are living on floodplains, and emergency warnings and alerts fill a critical role to improve safety, to save lives and prevent damage," says Ms Murphy. "We have to work together to build a safer future." Boris Johnson has come under growing pressure over his handling of allegations against Chris Pincher. (PA) Downing Street has denied an unfounded claim by Labour MP Diane Abbott that Boris Johnson "likes assaulting women". The Conservative Party has been embroiled in a row over how it has handled allegations of sexual assault following the resignation of Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip last week. In a statement on Thursday, Pincher said he had embarrassed myself and other people after having had far too much to drink the night before. The Sun reported that he stood down after allegedly groping two male guests at the Carlton Club a Tory Party private members club in Londons Piccadilly. Despite widespread anger, Pincher has refused to stand down as an MP. The prime minister only bowed to pressure on Friday to remove the Conservative whip from his ally meaning he is now sitting in the Commons as an independent after an official investigation was launched. Read more: Tory whip suspended from Chris Pincher after formal investigation launched Diane Abbott made an unsubstantiated comment that Boris Johnson 'likes assaulting women'. (PA) The controversy has piled pressure on an already embattled Johnson, amid questions about the handling of the allegations and the wisdom of the initial decision to promote Pincher to a role as deputy chief whip. There have been reports Johnson was aware of allegations against Pincher prior to the appointment, but he did do anyway. He was aware that there had been reports and speculations over the years... But there was no specific allegation, there was no formal complaint at that time," the prime minister's spokesperson said. Former No 10 adviser Dominic Cummings alleged that Johnson had referred to the MP as Pincher by name, pincher by nature long before appointing him in February. A spokesperson for the PM did not deny claim, but instead said: Im simply not going to comment on content of what was or wasnt said in private conversations. Watch: No 10 assures minister PM was unaware of Pincher allegations Speaking to BBC Radio 4 on Sunday, the Labour MP Diane Abbott said a man sexually assaulting a woman "might be treated differently" from Pincher allegedly groping two men. Story continues The former shadow home secretary then made an unsubstantiated comment which has since been deleted from the playback of the programme. She said: "But that's because Boris Johnson has been rumoured to be the one who likes assaulting women. So it's sheer hypocrisy from him." A Downing Street spokesperson said in response to the claim: I mean obviously that claim is untrue. "Im not going to get into engaging on political points beyond that I think the BBC have already taken some action on that." Chris Pincher has been suspended from the party following accusations he groped two men. (Parliament) Pincher had already quit the whips office in 2017 after a complaint that he had made an unwanted pass at former Olympic rower and Conservative candidate Alex Story. Story, who was a young Tory activist at the time, alleged that year that the MP untucked the back of his shirt, massaged his neck and whispered: Youll go far in the Tory Party." Pincher has said he is seeking professional medical support and hopes to return to represent his constituents as soon as possible. The Mail on Sunday alleged that he threatened to report a parliamentary researcher to her boss after she tried to stop his lecherous advances to a young man at a Conservative Party conference. The Sunday Times claimed that he made unwanted passes at two Conservative MPs in 2017 and 2018 after his first resignation as a whip. The Labour Party is continuing to press Downing Street over the handling of the issue. Shadow minister Baroness Jenny Chapman told BBC Breakfast on Monday: We want to know who knew what and when and why those decisions were made the way they were. I dont think anybody in Westminster believes that Boris Johnson did not know about the allegations about Pincher. The PM's spokesperson acknowledged on Monday he was aware of media reports and of allegations that were either resolved or did not progress to a formal complaint, when Pincher was appointed to the whip's office in February. A Tory MP told the Independent he was groped on two occasions by Pincher, first in December 2021 and again last month. Pincher has denied those allegations. Bill Bailey has reflected on a disastrous comedy gig he did in New Zealand. The comedian, who is performing at the Royal Opera House in London next month, told the story in a new Q&A, in which he was asked: Can you remember a gig so bad, its now funny? I was doing a show in New Zealand years ago and I used to do a song about racial harmony called Hats Off to the Zebras, he told The Guardian. It was about black and white living together in harmony, and a sendup of Ebony and Ivory [by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder]. He continued: My wife said to me, Do that song, theyll love it. The gig was going great, then I did this song and the gig crashed and burned because I didnt realise the whole evening was about breaching the racial divide. It was white New Zealanders and the MAori community. It was like I turned up there and gave two fingers up to the whole thing. Bailey is at the Royal Opera House, London, 11-14 August. Bill Bailey (Shutterstock) In August, Bailey is taking on a 100-mile walk along a section of the South West Coast Path to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. He is doing the walk to mark the one-year anniversary of comedian Sean Locks death from cancer. In March, Bailey talked about how much he misses his friend Lock, saying the comic knew him inside-out. 2020 saw Black voters and candidates alike turn out in droves. From Sen. Raphael Warnocks (D) successful campaign in Georgia to Jaime Harrisons unsuccessful Senate campaign in South Carolina, it seemed Black voters and candidates were lining up on the left. But while the Democratic Party tends to have a lock on Black voters, that bloc is not a monolith. And Black Republicans are confident their ranks will continue growing ahead of the midterms and the 2024 presidential election. So many Black Americans have been raised in a conservative way, said Paris Dennard, national spokesperson and director of Black media affairs for the Republican National Committee. When you think about Black conservatism, that is being a strong family. Thats having a lot of faith, being able to work hard and have a strong and safe community. This year, Black voters support for Republican candidates rose to 27 percent, up from 12 percent in November, according to a March Wall Street Journal poll. Meanwhile, Dennard said, the RNC tracked more than 160 Black Republicans who filed to run for office; of them, 120 are still running. There were more than 80 who filed to run in the House of Representatives. Theres no doubt that come November, the road to retiring [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi is going to be paved with new Black Republicans coming to Congress, Dennard said. While the RNC remains neutral in primaries, Dennard mentioned there were several where Black Republicans are running that the RNC has been keeping an eye on over the past year, even in blue states such as Illinois and New York. One of those candidates was Illinois Republican hopeful Jimmy Lee Tillman. While he only pulled in 5 percent of votes in the June 28 primary, Tillman said he thinks the future is bright for Black Republicans. Being a Black Republican, Tillman said, is a badge of honor. The Republican Party was the party that fought to free slaves, he said. The gains that Black Americans have gotten in this country have always been under a Republican administration, no matter how you might feel about that Republican president. Story continues Under former President Regan, Tillman said, Black Americans saw Martin Luther King Jr. Day become a federal holiday. Meanwhile, former President George W. Bush appointed Colin Powell to be secretary of State and former President George H.W. Bush nominated Clarence Thomas as the second Black Supreme Court justice. Tillman, an academy fellow at the Heritage Foundation and a firm supporter of former President Trump, ran on an America First platform against six other Republican candidates. Two were Black. But Tillman said he wants to see more Black candidates running in the future. A lot of Blacks who are concerned about whats going on in their county board, whats going on in their school boards, whats going on in townships should take up that mantle, he said. And thats exactly what the RNC is focused on too local elections. The success of candidates like Albany City Commissioner Jalen Johnson, Mike Reichenbach of the South Carolina State Senate and Harriet Holman of South Carolinas Dorchester City Council have the RNC confident in the partys ability to build a strong Black coalition. I think we have a tremendous opportunity when you look at some of these new leaders that are emerging, said Dennard. The Black conservative movement is helping the entire conservative movement and the Republican Party. But Black conservatism and Black Republicanism are not the same, said Tasha Philpot, professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin. Like Dennard, Philpot said there is a big part of Black conservatism that is based on faith. But theres also no denying the racial tensions that impact U.S. politics and everyday life, she argues. In many ways, Philpot said, the Republican Party is seen as more racially conservative and downright hostile toward African Americans than the Democratic Party something that worsened during the Trump administration. That hostility often means Black conservatism is not translated into GOP support at the ballot box. And having Black candidates like Tillman doesnt really change that, either. Thats partly because Black Republican candidates, Philpot said, tend to embrace deracialized or colorblind platforms and they often reject the idea of systemic racism. Typically in this day and age, Black Republicans are considered race traitors, Philpot said, especially the Herschel Walkers, the Tim Scotts, the ones that espouse the same type of racist rhetoric that the rest of the GOP expresses: anti-critical race theory and that we should just ignore the history of the United States because it makes people feel uncomfortable. Those types of candidates tend to repel African Americans, because the vast majority of African Americans feel that systemic racism and see it unfolding on television, on the news and in their everyday lives. Both Dennard and Tillman vehemently reject the idea the Republican Party is racist, though Tillman acknowledged words like those of Illinois Rep. Mary Miller (R), who praised Adolf Hitler, as unacceptable. Tillman remains confident the party is seeing a demographic shift, with more Black conservatives ready to hit the polls if Republicans can send the right message. The only issue? The party may not be ready for that. Political parties arent altruistic organizations, Philpot said. Theyre there to gain electoral control. And when it comes to the Republican Party, the last few years, especially, have seen an effort to suppress minority votes. Philpot said that while Democrats need the Black vote in order to win in battleground states like Pennsylvania, its been more efficient for [Republicans] to change laws to suppress Black voting. Theres no real incentive for [Republicans] to attract Black voters, she said. The way that politics is playing out in this time and space, it would be to their detriment to deviate from that message of us versus them, Black versus white. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The body of a missing boater was found in Lake County on Monday following a weekend boating accident. On Saturday, around 3:25 p.m., the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to a call of a possible boating accident on Lake Yale in Eustis. FWC and the Lake County Sheriffs Office were able to locate and rescue one victim. According to the victim, another occupant was still missing after the crash. Read: Troopers: Motorcyclist dies along John Young Pkwy, bike missing from crash site Law enforcement continued to search for the victim using sonar, fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. On Monday, at 7 a.m., the body of Nicholas Kenley was found on Lake Yale. Read: City of Orlando apologizes after posting controversial Fourth of July statement This incident remains under investigation. Read: Body of missing boater recovered in St. Cloud identified Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) is encouraging Americans to join him in giving up added sugar throughout the summer. I have been running now for almost seven months straight, but my weight has been going up and down because you cant outrun a bag of Oreos, you cant outrun a late night pint of vegan ice cream, he said in a video posted to Twitter on Sunday. And so I am challenging myself and I want to challenge you to have you want to join me on this experiment, Booker said. Life is too short not to try new things. I want to see what it does to my body and I know what its going to do to the scale, he added. On the signup page for his challenge, Booker argues that the U.S. is getting poorer by using tax dollars to make sugary and processed foods cheaper than healthier options, noting that unhealthy foods lead to higher health care costs. Stunningly, so many of the foods we eat every day are full of added and ultra-processed sugar, including ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, pasta sauces, drinks, breakfast cereals, breads, chips, dips and so so much more, it says. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. STORY: The Brazilian LGBT+ community took to the streets after two years of holding virtual events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rally started with a protest outside Brazilian Congress and was marked by loud music, rainbow flags, and dancing people. "We are here in the centre of Brazil's executive power to reaffirm our rights. We go to the street, and we will not go back to the closet," drag queen Mary Gambiarra told Reuters. ATLANTA (AP) Atlanta Braves outfielder Eddie Rosario was been activated from the injured list and started in left field against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night. The Braves also activated left-handed reliever Tyler Matzek from the injured list. Braves manager Brian Snitker said Rosario's left-handed bat will add balance to a lineup that has been too heavily slanted with right-handed hitters. Switch-hitting second baseman Ozzie Albies is expected to be out until at least mid-August after suffering a fractured left foot on June 14. We're so right-handed dominant, Snitker said. It's nice to have another left-handed bat. The Braves will have a surplus of outfielders when Adam Duvall returns after being hit by a pitch on his left hand on Saturday. Snitker said Duvall is still going to be a couple days before he can swing. When healthy, Duvall and Rosario could share time in left field with rookie Michael Harris II in center field and Ronald Acuna Jr. in right field. Marcell Ozuna, primarily a designated hitter, also has started in left field. Guillermo Heredia is another option. We'll keep everybody fresh and we'll see, Snitker said. If we get a hot bat, I'm going to ride it. To clear spots for Rosario and Matzek, first baseman Mike Ford was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett and right-hander Silvino Bracho was designated for assignment. Rosario was placed on the injured list on April 25 due to blurred vision and a swollen right retina. He had a procedure to repair the condition. He hit only .068 in 44 at-bats before landing on the injured list after hitting a combined .259 with 14 homers with Cleveland and Atlanta in 2021. Matzek was placed on the injured list on May 17 with left shoulder inflammation. He was expected to serve in a set-up role and had a 5.06 ERA in 13 games while struggling with his control before being placed on the injured list. Ford was claimed off waivers from Seattle on June 10 and was recalled from Gwinnett on June 20. He had no hits in four at-bats in Atlanta. Story continues Bracho, who pitched for Arizona from 2015-20, logged one scoreless inning in his only appearance with Atlanta after being acquired from Boston for cash considerations on Friday. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Brenda Edwards is a panellist on Loose Women. (ITV) Brenda Edwards has shared a health update after she was hospitalised following an accident. Last week, the Loose Women presenter slipped on the pavement and broke her fibula forcing her to pull out of a scheduled performance of the musical Chicago. Edwards discussed the freak injury on the 4 July episode of Loose Women. She said: "It was very quick and and over very quickly." Read more: Loose Women's Brenda Edwards remains 'triggered' by son Jamal's tragic death Revealing her leg was still in a cast, she elaborated on how she broke the bone: "I was on tour and we went out for a lovely Chinese meal and I slipped, fell and broke my fibula." Brenda Edwards meets Prince Charles. (Getty Images) Despite the injury, Edwards also said she was determined to get back on the stage and reprise her role as Mama Morton in the acclaimed musical: "Even if they have got to wheel me on, I'm going to try my best. We're talking about it and we'll see." Edwards had stepped in to replace Gemma Collins in the musical. Edwards played the character in the West End musical in 2007, and confirmed her return in May by tweeting: Mamas back. The 53-year-old performer's son Jamal died suddenly in February, the cause of which was later ruled to be arrhythmia an abnormality of the heart's rhythm from taking recreational drugs. Jamal Edwards founded SB.TV and also directed music videos for Ed Sheeran and was an ambassador for the Prince's Trust. Jamal Edwards attends Kiehl's PRIDE party. (Getty Images for Kiehls) After his death, Prince Charles released a statement saying: "Thinking of the family of Jamal Edwards today. His work in music but also as an ambassador for a new generation, including his work for The Prince's Trust, were an inspiration to so many." Brenda Edwards recently opened up to Lorraine Kelly about coping with her son's death. She said: "It just made me really proud to hear that and how many young people Jamal helped. It keeps me going." She also formed the charity, Jamal Edwards Self Belief Trust, which will be used to combat homelessness, support people with mental health issues and provide young people with "essential life skills". Watch below: Jamal Edwards died of heart attack after taking recreational drugs says Brenda Edwards. MOSCOW (Reuters) - British citizen Aiden Aslin, sentenced to death by a court in the Russian-backed breakaway Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine, submitted an appeal on Monday, the Russian Interfax agency reported on Monday. "A cassation appeal against the verdict was filed today," the lawyer representing him, Pavel Kosovan, told Interfax. Aslin was sentenced to death last month together with fellow Briton Shaun Pinner and Moroccan Brahim Saadoun for "mercenary activities" because they had been captured while fighting as foreigners for Ukraine's army against Russian and Russian-backed forces in Ukraine. TASS news agency reported on Friday the breakaway region's supreme court had received appeals from lawyers for Saadoun and Pinner but that Aslin had yet to submit an appeal. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Angus MacSwan) BTSs label BigHit Music has enlisted fans to help fight personal attacks and defamation against the band. Over the weekend, the South Korean record label released a note on social media saying that it had recently filed additional criminal complaints against postings with personal attacks and defamation against BTS. This move comes after BTS announced that Jung Kook, j-Hope, Jin, V, Jimin, RM, and Suga will be focusing more on solo projects at this time. BigHit Music has disclosed an example of one post that contains insults against [BTS] using dozens of different IP addresses on the South Korean internet forum DC Inside, according to Billboard. We have been monitoring these types of malicious postings and filed criminal complaints against the poster for all the postings with malicious comments, the company said. The label added that it is adamant about taking action against all malicious and delusional content and has initiated legal proceedings against a few postings. South Korean boy band BTS arrives for the 64th Annual Grammy Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on 3 April 2022 (AFP via Getty) The complaint we have filed includes platforms not mentioned in this notice and we would also like to inform you that we cannot reveal every detail of the content of the complaint to ensure a proper investigation, BigHit Music wrote. The label described this action as an update on its activities to protect BTS. Our company regularly initiates legal proceedings against perpetrators of malicious activities related to BTS, including defamation, personal attacks, sexual harassment, the spread of groundless information, and ill-intentioned criticism, the label said. The company said there would be no settlement or leniency against anyone found to have defamed or attacked the group online. BigHit music urged BTS fans, also known as the Army, to keep reporting cases of abuse against the band. Officers came to the rescue of an elderly man whose wheelchair malfunctioned Monday afternoon in Harvard Square. Cambridge Police say the man was non-verbal and unable to communicate with security personnel in the area after his wheelchair broke down. Security guards from Harvard Square called police to assist and officers arrived on scene shortly thereafter. The mans wheelchair had some sort of electronic malfunction and officers tried resetting it multiple times. When that didnt work, the Cambridge officers called in emergency contacts and ordered the man a handicapped-accessible Uber. After the Uber arrived, the officers pushed the broken wheelchair into the van and helped the man safely inside so he could get home. It was a job well done for all the officers involved. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW KANO, Nigeria (Reuters) -A Nigerian Catholic priest was abducted from his rectory in the town of Zambina in the northern state of Kaduna in the early hours of Monday, the local Catholic diocese said on Monday. It said parishioners went to look for Father Emmanuel Silas after waiting in vain for him to conduct the morning mass. It is not clear who carried out the abduction. Armed gangs are rife across Nigeria's northwest where they rob or kidnap for ransom, and violence has been increasing, where thinly stretched security forces often fail to stop the attacks. The latest kidnap comes after gunmen last week abducted four Chinese workers with some local employees and killed an unknown number of people at a mine in Niger state in northwestern Nigeria. (Reporting by Hamza IbrahimWriting by Chijioke OhuochaEditing by James Macharia Chege) According to a report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index Restaurant Study 2021-2022, Chick-fil-A is ranked among the top restaurants for the eighth straight year. Chick-fil-A leads the industry and all restaurants with an ACSI score of 83 and the ACSI said the restaurant maintains its stranglehold on the fast food industry. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] During the pandemic, many restaurants had to adjust and switch to mobile and electronic ways of doing business. Forrest Morgeson, assistant professor of marketing at Michigan State University and director of research emeritus at the ACSI, said this resulted in a steep decline in the fast-food industry. TRENDING STORIES: Despite the decline, Chick-fil-A still pushed through to the top. The restaurant was followed by Jimmy Johns, Dominos KFC, Chipotle, Panera Bread, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Arbys, Five Guys, Papa Johns, Burger King, Little Caesars, Panda Express, Subway, Dairy Queen, Dunkin, Sonic, Wendys, Jack in the Box, Taco Bell, Popeyes, and McDonalds in last place in the study. Amid the pandemic, restaurants needed to quickly up their game in the mobile arena. With fewer resources, smaller chains and independent restaurants are offering apps that arent making the grade per customers, said Morgeson. In contrast, positive shifts in both mobile app quality and reliability for several larger chains appear to reflect major app updates for these bigger industry players. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: The city of Orlando incensed conservatives after it released a statement questioning whether or not it was appropriate to celebrate the Fourth of July at a time when so much "division, hate and unrest" permeates American society. The statement was made in a 1 July email newsletter promoting the city's annual "Fireworks at the Fountain" event, according to NBC News. A lot of people probably dont want to celebrate our nation right now, and we cant blame them. When there is so much division, hate and unrest, why on earth would you want to have a party celebrating any of it?" the statement said. The email infuriated some local residents and conservative politicians. A local police union also complained about the "disrespectful" and "inflammatory" message. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's press secretary, Christina Pushaw, took to Twitter to complain that the city did not parrot patriotic platitudes. "Yikes. City of Orlando, is this your official position on our country and on the 4th of July?" she asked, alongside a screenshot of the city's statement. The conservative backlash against the city exercising its freedom of speech prompted officials to issue an apology on social media. The City of Orlando sincerely regrets the negative impact our words have had on some in our community, the statement said. We understand these words offended some of our residents, which was not our intent. We value the freedoms we have in this country and are thankful to the men and women who have fought and continue to fight for those. We take pride in celebrating the 4th of July to express our gratitude to those men and women and honor the country we live in. The city's message was celebrated by some supporters, many citing the recent overturning of Roe v Wade as a reason for mourning during a time traditionally set aside to celebrate the nation's independence. "You said what a lot of us are thinking and expressing to those around us," a Facebook user said on the city's apology post. "Not only should you not apologize, you should be applauded for raising what so many of us are feeling." Despite conservative protests, polls suggest the city is correct in its assessment of the general mood in the US. A Fox News poll released last week found that only 39 per cent of Americans are "proud" of the US, down 12 points from June 2017. The citys criticism was tragically reflected on the Fourth of July when a mass shooter killed at least five people and injured another 19 in a mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois. Orlandos big fireworks display will shoot off at Lake Eola Park on Monday. Its one of the most anticipated events for the Fourth of July holiday. The city is apologizing after it made a post online questioning why people would want to celebrate our country. The post struck a chord with many in the city, from taxpayers to elected officials. Its clear that many people are upset with the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe. v. Wade. READ: Fourth of July event guide: 9 places to watch fireworks this evening The city of Orlando took notice by posting on Facebook. Some found the post funny while others didnt. The city issued an apology for the post. READ: City of Orlando releases apology after controversial Fourth of July statement There is an abortion rights protest scheduled to happen in front of city hall at 10 a.m. The Fourth of July celebration at Lake Eola starts at 4 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. READ: Fourth of July 2022: 10 sparkling good deals to enjoy during the fireworks The fireworks show starts at 9:15 p.m. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. The Daily Beast Gary Miller/GettyThere has never been, nor will there ever be, anyone like GWAR, the metal outfit hailing from Richmond, Virginia, who dress up as space barbarians, act out all manner of onstage obscenity, and spew their audiences with fake blood, semen, and other sticky bodily fluids. For the past four decades, GWAR has carved out a wholly unique niche in the music industry, serving as a nexus point for those who love horror movies, science fiction, fantasy, comic books, superheroes, Dungeons & Calhoun County's on-demand transportation service, BCGo, will continue for at least another year, thanks to funding from the Michigan Department of Transportation. Battle Creek Transit announced Friday it has received $300,000 in continuation funding from MDOT to operate BCGo. The service, launched March 8, 2021, was initially funded as a 12-month pilot program through a $395,505 grant from the MDOT. The intent was to demonstrate the effectiveness of on-demand, county-wide public transportation, according to local officials. The latest MDOT funding will extend BCGo service through at least late spring/early summer of 2023, officials said. Beyond that, Battle Creek's transit team and local leaders throughout the county will continue discussions about the next steps to "continue providing critical public transportation services." This extension gives us the ability to focus on the data weve already collected, and really develop a transportation model that works for Calhoun County, Battle Creek Transits Mobility Manager Kristy Grestini said in a press release announcing the extension. BCGo has already proven to be successful in our community, but this additional funding gives us the opportunity to build on what we have already been providing, and really demonstrate what a county-wide micro-transit system could do for our community in the future. BCGo allows users to book trips straight from their phones using a mobile app. It's a shared-ride service, so the app will match multiple passengers headed in the same direction, maximizing ridership to limit unloaded miles. Since its launch in 2021, more than 2,500 users have created accounts with BCGo, and the service has received more than 45,000 trip requests. BCGo has provided about 9,800 passenger trips since its inception with only two minivans serving 718 square miles at reduced passenger capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kellogg Co. announced in June a $150,000 investment in BCGo to purchase two new vehicles, bringing the fleet to four. The new minivans are expected to arrive by the end of 2022, officials said. Story continues BCGo service is available from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call Battle Creek Transit at 269-966-3474 or visit bcgomi.com/. Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-501-5661. Follow him on Twitter: G_SteeleBC This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: On-demand transit service in Battle Creek will continue for another year The external fund manager backed by Berkshire Hathaway's Charlie Munger, Li Lu, makes no bones about it when he says 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital.' It's only natural to consider a company's balance sheet when you examine how risky it is, since debt is often involved when a business collapses. As with many other companies Jersey Electricity plc (LON:JEL) makes use of debt. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt? What Risk Does Debt Bring? Debt and other liabilities become risky for a business when it cannot easily fulfill those obligations, either with free cash flow or by raising capital at an attractive price. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. However, a more frequent (but still costly) occurrence is where a company must issue shares at bargain-basement prices, permanently diluting shareholders, just to shore up its balance sheet. Of course, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together. Check out our latest analysis for Jersey Electricity How Much Debt Does Jersey Electricity Carry? The chart below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Jersey Electricity had UK30.2m in debt in March 2022; about the same as the year before. However, it does have UK43.1m in cash offsetting this, leading to net cash of UK12.9m. How Strong Is Jersey Electricity's Balance Sheet? The latest balance sheet data shows that Jersey Electricity had liabilities of UK22.9m due within a year, and liabilities of UK90.1m falling due after that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of UK43.1m as well as receivables valued at UK23.4m due within 12 months. So its liabilities total UK46.6m more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables. Story continues This deficit isn't so bad because Jersey Electricity is worth UK162.4m, and thus could probably raise enough capital to shore up its balance sheet, if the need arose. But we definitely want to keep our eyes open to indications that its debt is bringing too much risk. While it does have liabilities worth noting, Jersey Electricity also has more cash than debt, so we're pretty confident it can manage its debt safely. In fact Jersey Electricity's saving grace is its low debt levels, because its EBIT has tanked 32% in the last twelve months. Falling earnings (if the trend continues) could eventually make even modest debt quite risky. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Jersey Electricity can strengthen its balance sheet over time. So if you're focused on the future you can check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts. Finally, while the tax-man may adore accounting profits, lenders only accept cold hard cash. While Jersey Electricity has net cash on its balance sheet, it's still worth taking a look at its ability to convert earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, to help us understand how quickly it is building (or eroding) that cash balance. Over the last three years, Jersey Electricity recorded free cash flow worth a fulsome 95% of its EBIT, which is stronger than we'd usually expect. That positions it well to pay down debt if desirable to do so. Summing up While Jersey Electricity does have more liabilities than liquid assets, it also has net cash of UK12.9m. And it impressed us with free cash flow of UK13m, being 95% of its EBIT. So we are not troubled with Jersey Electricity's debt use. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. To that end, you should be aware of the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Jersey Electricity . If, after all that, you're more interested in a fast growing company with a rock-solid balance sheet, then check out our list of net cash growth stocks without delay. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Jeremy Allen White, Lionel Boyce and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in The Bear' (FX) Theres a cliche about what it takes to be a rockstar chef. It combines Anthony Bourdains aesthetic arms tattooed, with a puckish sparkle in his eye with Gordon Ramsays propensity for swearing at people. Restaurant kitchens are as scorching and vicious as the machismo it takes to thrive in one. To be the best, youve got to bleed, bruise, sweat and scream for it. You have to live to cook. For most of its electrifying first season, The Bear a show from Christopher Storer (a producer on 2018s coming-of-age indie-hit Eighth Grade and Ramy Youssefs celebrated comedy Ramy ) about a ramshackle mom-and-pop Italian beef sandwich shop nearly invisible among the skyscrapers of Chicagos River North neighbourhood leans into that stereotype. The kitchen staffs yelling is so loud and nasty and incessant, I found myself hitting pause just to give my adrenal glands a break. But in the FX series penultimate 20-minute episode, Review, the ticking time bomb of the lunch rush bubbles over into actual violence. Shot in one long, roving take, the episode explodes the myth of the tortured, erratic genius and the kitchen hierarchy that props up his ego. The genius in question is Carmen Carmy Berzatto, a gifted cook at New York Citys Noma who returns home when he inherits The Beef of Chicagoland following his beloved brother Mikeys suicide. Its not going well for Carmy, played on the relentless edge of a nervous breakdown by Jeremy Allen White (from the US remake of Shameless). The regulars whove worked the shop since forever resist regime change, and hes locked in a power struggle with Mikeys hot-head best friend, Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who played Desi from Girls). Plus, Mikey the always charismatic Jon Bernthal was better with ingredients than he was with numbers. Carmy owes their sharky uncle (Oliver Platt) $300k (257k) for covering his big bros debts. Every urgent moment of every episode is a fight for the sandwich joints survival. The villains are the meat wholesalers, the health inspectors and the industrial mixer that wont stop breaking down. Hope arrives in the form of Sydney (Ayo Edebiri, Dickinson), a culinary school grad who prefers making real meals for real people to working the line in the citys grander kitchens. (At one job she held for eight months, she was never allowed to do more than zest lemon.) Syds as impatient to revolutionise The Beef as Carmy is to just make the place solvent. Story continues In Review, the urgency isnt just a fact of the narrative, but the viewers uncomfortable reality. The one-take episode is set inside the tight quarters of The Beefs shabby kitchen, starting on the day Sydney implements an online ordering system. Its also the day the chefs are bickering over a five-star review in the Chicago Telegraph. It should be good news for the struggling shop, but when the critic reserves his most effusive praise for one of Sydneys fancy new entrees a risotto a peeved Carmy finds himself siding with the old guard. All hell breaks loose when the pace of to-go orders overwhelms a kitchen staff used to dealing with one customer at a time. Most episodes of The Bear are about how the kitchen is self-destructing, but this one implicates the viewer, too. How often do we think about the human beings on the other side of our UberEats delivery? Not just the human beings, but all of the steps from prep work that starts at 10am to clean-up that ends half a day later that go into making a single sandwich. The Beef is a messy, frantic place, but in Review you start to understand how vulnerable it makes a person to work in a space so small. When Carmy starts screaming mostly at Syd but eventually everybody theres nowhere to hide. Boiling Point, the 2021 restaurant drama starring Stephen Graham as a swearing, stressy London chef, was similarly filmed in a single take. But here the cinematography is even more claustrophobic. The camera never steps outside the stainless-steel prison of the kitchen. For a cook at The Beef, the deli counter is the limit of the universe. Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Ayo Edebiri in The Bear (FX) The staff are used to alerting each other to their own presence, screaming corner! every time they go around a bend and behind! whenever they need to pass. But in real-time, the collisions feel more imminent. The knives are sharper. A petty argument between Syd and Richie over whos prepping the giardiniera ends with Syd accidentally stabbing Richie, or maybe Richie accidentally walking into Syds long chefs knife. Even the first aid kid is on the staff side of the counter. Drawing blood is no reason to leave your post. Scars are part of the recipe. This isnt just any 20 minutes in the life of The Beef but 20 minutes with everyone at their hubristic worst. Carmy screams at Syd until she finally hangs up her apron and walks out. In an especially cruel move, he destroys the donuts a tentative pastry chef has been working to perfect all season. Carmys not a misunderstood genius but a bad guy. He was mistreated in the kitchens he worked in, and now hes recreating that bedlam in his brothers old sandwich shop. Before Review, there was a general impression that making food had to be like this: scrappy, mean and exhausting. But something about a chef as talented as Carmy trying to punch a little machine thats spitting out to-go orders exposes the whole arrangement as ridiculous and untenable. Just unplug it, dude. The Bear doesnt mimic intensity; it creates it. If the episode lasted a minute longer, Id turn my apron in, too. The federal government wants to ban so-called junk fees that are slipped into the paperwork when you buy a car. Channel 2 Consumer Investigator Justin Gray first reported on the fees in the spring. They can add up to thousands of extra dollars, and in Georgia, consumers who are tricked into paying these junk fees have had little legal recourse because they signed the paperwork. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Now, a new rule from the Federal Trade Commission would better protect you at the dealership. The reason we stepped into this case is because car buying is a long and complicated process with extensive paperwork, and dishonest dealers take advantage of that, Dan Dwyer with the FTC said. Back in April, Channel 2 Investigates showed you how 80-year-old Edward Moore paid nearly $10,000 more for his Mercedes than he thought he agreed to at Grand Motors in Marietta. TRENDING STORIES: The final sale included expensive add-ons, like a $4,500 paint protection plan. What would I need it for? Moore said. A paint job wouldnt cost that much. Who would ever want a $4,500 paint protection plan on a $19,000 car? [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] In Moores case, he got his money back after Channel 2 Action News stepped in. In the proposed new FTC rule, the agency plans to ban worthless fees at the dealer and require that dealers clearly notify customers about extra charges both verbally and in writing. They would also need to provide customers the cost without the add-ons. People may be handed a long contract after hours at the dealership thats different than what they negotiated, and that makes it hard to spot charges, Dwyer said. The proposed changes are open for public comment before the FTC has a vote on the final language. By spelling out what is and is not allowed, the rule gives the FTC more power to take action against car dealers who violate the new rule. Federal Election 2021 In Canada A general view of the Canadian national flag as seen in Edmonton on the eve of the 2021 federal election. On Sunday, September 19, 2021, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Credit - NurPhoto via Getty ImagesArtur Widak/NurPhoto This is a festive period for Muslims around the world. One Eid, or Muslim celebration, has just passed, and another is coming up in July. Ive left strings of starry lights in the tall windows of our family room, where they can be seen twinkling from the street in our neighborhood outside of Toronto. Theres a shadowbox-like window by the front door, where Id hung a colorful garland of star ornaments at the start of Ramadan in April. I wasnt always willing to mark my family publicly as Muslim. In fact, we were three years in to becoming Canadian when I first realized that I could put up lights for our celebrations without any of the trepidation Id felt in my hometown in Pennsylvania. There is a huge contrast between being Muslim in Canada and being Muslim in America today and it has a lot to do with Canadas decision to tell the truth about its history, while America buries its own. We left America in 2017, eight months into Donald Trumps term in office. That was not a coincidence. There was something malignant about the leap from ordinary, private Islamophobia to a state sponsored anti-Muslim agenda that made leaving feel urgent, for me and for my husband, but especially for our children. We worried for their physical safety, but also for the sense of themselves they were developing at four and six years old. Recent studies and surveys by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) tell us our concerns were justified. ISPU has been a boon to American Muslims, who had previously lacked good data about themselves, helping us see more clearly how were faring. In 2020, half of all Muslim parents reported having a school aged child who experienced bullying related to their religious identity in the previous year. In almost a third of those cases, the perpetrator was a teacher or school official. In 2021, Muslims reported experiencing institutional discrimination at levels much higher than other religious groups, for example 25% of Muslims vs. 5% among those of other religious affiliations reported religious discrimination while receiving health care. At the airport, those figures are 44% for Muslims contrasted with 5% of the general public, applying for jobs, its 33% for Muslims and 8% for the general public. Its increasingly clear that the appropriate comparison for the rate at which American Muslims are experiencing discrimination is not with other religious groups, but other racialized groups. It is also increasingly clear that anti-Muslim attitudes in America are durable, as attitudes towards other racialized groups have also been. Story continues All of the myriad ways in which American Muslims experience anti-Muslim bias, threats, and discrimination appear to be having serious impacts on our mental health. A study published in JAMA Psychiatry in 2021 found that American Muslims are now twice as likely to have attempted suicide than Americans of other religious affiliations. It attributes this spike to religious discrimination and a reluctance among American Muslims to seek mental health treatment. I first noticed the uptick in these trends after 9/11 and then again in 2015, when my kindergarten-aged daughter was told not to say she was Muslim at school. The teacher who told her this was Muslim herself, the only other Muslim at the school in any capacity. While it was likely the instruction was meant to be protective, it was nonetheless worrying. Unwilling to navigate a landscape in which it was dangerous for my six-year-old to be openly Muslim at school and seeing that this sentiment was increasingly normative in our nations culture, we began to plan our departure. Its not that Canada is utopian for Muslims. Even non-Canadians likely remember the Quebec City mosque shooting of 2017, in which 6 men were killed and 5 others injured by a 27-year-old named Alexandre Bissonnette. The number of anti-Muslim hate crimes in Quebec tripled that year. There was another mosque shooting just last week in Toronto. In 2019, Quebec passed Bill 21, banning certain public workers from wearing visibly religious symbols, widely understood as an attempt to prevent Muslim women in such positions from wearing hijab, though also affecting those who wear turbans, for example, or kippas. Nor is Canada utopian for other racialized groups. Recent surveys and reports all suggest that Black and Indigenous Canadians continue to experience widespread discrimination in jobs, education, and social services, health disparities, and disproportionate rates of incarceration and violence. Like America, Canada has a legacy of Black enslavement and Indigenous genocide, as well as a long history of residential schools and police brutality. Like America, Canada interned ethnically Japanese people during World War II. When I was a child visiting cousins in Toronto, the epithet Paki, for South Asians, was ubiquitous. These aspects of Canadian history have driven modern racist attitudes and continuing disparities in wealth, land ownership, and political power. So why move our children here? Why not make our stand where we have a large, layered community of friends and family? There is a specific element of Canadian governance that made us hopeful that our American dreams might be better realized in Canada. If you go to Canadas Department of Justice website today, youll find this remarkable statement: The Government recognizes that Indigenous self-government and laws are critical to Canadas future, and that Indigenous perspectives and rights must be incorporated in all aspects of this relationship. In doing so, we will continue the process of decolonization and hasten the end of its legacy wherever it remains in our laws and policies. The Canadian governments acknowledgement of itself as a colonial project that must be actively undone is a dramatic contrast to political discourse in America today. Americans rarely acknowledge the essential thefts of land and labor from Native and Black people that have made America possible. Certainly, Americas government has never articulated an intention to decolonize. Americans are taught that their country has already had its revolution, freeing its people from colonial domination. Years ago, in preschool, my children brought home a flyer about how to make an apology. The first step, the flyer said, is to acknowledge wrongdoing. With its history of slavery and colonial genocide, Americans yet find this step so controversial that, today, we cannot even agree to teach our own history in public schools. In the years since my family moved to Canada, we find that while imperfect, this nations fundamental intention towards justice does, in fact, make it a better place for our children to live. Their elementary school curriculum, for example, includes a discussion of what it means to be a settler on land that was promised to First Nations peoples in treaties. It challenges our children to reckon with what human rights for all of us, newcomers from many waves of immigration, descendants of those trafficked in slavery, and Indigenous peoples, might look like. The children know whose traditional land they live and study on. They think about where the descendants of those people are, and what debt they might owe to them. In the process they are developing the capacity to navigate competing interests, diverse identities, and unfamiliar traditions. They are building the tools for a better future through honest study of their nations past. They recognize that this model secures space for them, too. Recently, their teachers applied the same principles to create a meditation space in the gym for fasting children to use over lunch during Ramadan. I dont fully understand why Canada has chosen to confront its colonial legacy while America continues to minimize and deny its own. I continue to hope that America will eventually unite around a plain telling of its own history in choosing a path forward. It is, after all, the only path that is wide enough for us all. STORY: Location: Berlin Germany is returning more than 1,100 'Benin Bronzes' to Nigeria one of the largest ever repatriations of historic artifacts The priceless sculptures were looted by Europeans in the 19th century They ended up in museums around Europe and the U.S. [Annalena Baerbock, German Foreign Minister] "Today we have reason to celebrate because we have reached a historic agreement: The Benin Bronzes are returning home. This is the story of European colonialism. We should not forget that Germany played an active role in this chapter of history. Today, more than 120 years later, we state clearly: the Head of a King belongs to the people of Nigeria." The first two bronzes will be taken back personally by Nigeria's foreign and culture ministers [Zubairu Dada, Nigerian Foreign Minister] "I am delighted to be part of this auspicious event, which in my opinion will go down as one of the most important days in the celebration of African cultural heritage as epitomised by this historic declaration that our two countries are about to sign." Germany will help finance a museum in Benin City to house the repatriated bronzes Business schools revolve around preparing the next generation of business leaders to meet whatever challenges arise, even unprecedented ones. "If you ask me what's going to change the world in the next 75 years, it's going to be our collective response to climate change," Columbia Business School Dean Costis Maglaras told Yahoo Finance Editor-in-Chief Andy Serwer on an episode of Influencers (video above). "And it's going to change the energy sector, of course, transportation, food, agriculture, manufacturing, supply chains. Every aspect of our lives is going to be transformed every industry, every business, etc." Institutions from governments and banks to consumer-facing companies have started to pivot toward decarbonizing global economies. However, business schools have been criticized for being slow to respond. That's beginning to change as the top business schools tack on sustainability modules to their curriculum. Two of the offshore wind turbines which have been constructed off the coast of Virginia Beach, Va. are seen on June 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File) It's also leading to the establishment of new schools altogether. In July 2020, Columbia University unveiled the Columbia Climate School, the university's first new school in 25 years. And in May, Stanford University announced that billionaire and venture capitalist John Doerr donated $1.1 billion to establish the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, which focuses on technological and political solutions to the climate crisis. Maglaras wants to take Columbia's existing business school in a similar direction, and he highlighted that students are eager to tackle this issue. "It used to be that there were only 50 students interested in that area, like even half a decade ago," Maglaras said. "Right now, you know, there are hundreds. So we're building up curriculum in the area of climate finance and asset pricing and risk [and] in the area of climate strategy." Climate is 'going to be pervasive' A key feature of many climate programs and schools, including the Climate Change and Business Program already offered by Columbia Business School, is interdisciplinarity. Story continues That is partly due to how omnipresent the challenge is. For educators like Maglaras, preparing students for the many scenarios in which they may encounter climate-related issues in their future jobs means leaving no part of the business environment unexamined. Students and activists occupied the Low Memorial Library at Columbia University on October 2019 in New York, to urge staff and alumni to take concrete action to address the impending climate crisis. (Photo by Karla Ann Cote/NurPhoto via Getty Images) "I think a lot of work will have to do with how do you transition to net zero if you're a company, if you're a state, if you're a country," Maglaras said. "And so, we're working on strategy courses, we're working on consumer behavior, which is important about how you and I think about this issue and change our own decisions and actions. And then analytics, manufacturing, supply chains." It also involves some degree of hands-on learning and engineering expertise, according to Maglaras, who comes from a background in electrical engineering. In addition to the business school's clean tech course, Maglaras is co-teaching a class with the dean of the engineering school on breakthrough technologies. Columbia Business School has already produced climate-conscious business leaders: Ethan Brown, the founder of plant-based meat company Beyond Meat, is one notable graduate of the school. "I actually think that this education will not just be pertinent to the person that starts Beyond Meat, or the next one," Maglaras said. "It will be pertinent to pretty much every single one of our graduates because either they will be investing in these companies or helping transition helping companies transition, or they will work for these companies. So I think it's going to be pervasive the same way technology and being trained to thrive in the digital future is itself pervasive to our students." Watch the full interview above. Grace is an assistant editor for Yahoo Finance. Read the latest news on the climate crisis from Yahoo Finance Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Flipboard, and LinkedIn Gavin Newsom lays into the Supreme Court at a press conference on 24 June, 2022 (State of California via Twitter) California governor Gavin Newsom is looking to tweak a potential future presidential rival with an ad calling for Floridians to move to the Golden State. The 30-second television advertisement will air starting Monday in Florida, and takes aim at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis culture war-fuelled policies that have made him a darling among Republican activists. "Freedom, its under attack in your state. Republican leaders, theyre banning books, making it harder to vote, restricting speech in classrooms, even criminalizing women and doctors," says Mr Newsom in a voiceover narration accompanying images of Mr DeSantis and former president Donald Trump. He continues: "I urge all of you living in Florida to join the fight. Or join us in California, where we still believe in freedom freedom of speech, freedom to choose, freedom from hate and the freedom to love. The new advertisement is an indication that Mr Newsom, a former lieutenant governor and San Francisco mayor, is looking to raise his national profile after successfully defeating a GOP-led recall effort in October. Mr DeSantis is also considered to be a future presential contender, and is widely reported to be mulling a 2024 campaign. Police search an area after gunfire erupted at a Fourth of July parade route in the wealthy Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Illinois, July 4, 2022 in a still image from video. ABC affiliate WLS/ABC7 via REUTERS A gunman opened fire onto a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois from a nearby rooftop, police said. Six people were killed in the shooting, and 24 have been hospitalized. Local police officials and the FBI said they are still searching for the shooter. A gunman opened fire from a rooftop onto a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, on Monday morning, police said. After the shooting that killed six people and sent another 31 to the hospital, multiple witnesses told local news broadcaster WGN that they saw the shooter on the rooftop of a nearby business. Local police officials confirmed those reports at a press conference Monday afternoon. "It does appear that he was shooting from a roof. The roof that he was shooting from I don't have that information right now," Chris Covelli, the public information officer for the Lake County Sheriff's Office, told reporters. Police said the suspected shooter has not yet been identified or detained, though a rifle was recovered from the scene. Authorities described the suspect as a white man between 18 and 20 years old with long dark hair, a small build, and wearing a white or blue t-shirt. Portable chairs are left behind after gunfire erupted at a Fourth of July parade route in the wealthy Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Illinois, July 4, 2022. Max Herman/Reuters "We would still consider him to be armed and dangerous," Covelli said, encouraging everyone in town to stay indoors. The FBI is helping to investigate and search for the suspect, police. The bureau requested that anybody with video of the area contact them to share the footage by contacting investigators at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Read the original article on Insider As Floridians hit the water this Fourth of July, the health department warns of toxic blue-green algae spotted in area lakes and waterways. Health officials put out a warning for Clay Countys Doctors Lake last week. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] If theres any green stuff in there, Im not gonna get in, Lorie Carley said. The health department issued the warning for the northwest side of the lake last week. Carley reportedly also saw it on the southeast side. As the boat was doing its thing, it was spitting up green water. And so I said to myself, Im not getting in it, she said. The health department says people and pets should be cautious. Avoid drinking the water, swimming or wading in it and using water skis. Read: FWC cracking down on BUI this Fourth of July According to the health department, the algae is a type of bacteria commonly found in Floridas freshwater. Sunny days and warm, still water contribute to algal blooms, the health department said. For Carley, playing it safe is key. I would listen to the warnings, you know, you dont wanna get sick, she said. If youre exposed to high levels of blue-green algae, it can give you diarrhea, nausea or cause you to vomit. It can cause skin, eye, or throat irritation and even allergic reactions and difficulty breathing. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. The Daily Beast Kelly Wilkinson/USA Today Network via ReutersFour people are dead and several injured after a man with a rifle walked into a food court at Greenwood Park Mall in Indiana and began shooting, local authorities said Sunday evening.One of the dead is the suspected shooter, according to Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers. The gunman, an adult male, has not been identified. Police said he had been carrying a long rifle and several ammunition magazines.This tragedy hits at the core of our community, the mayo As Akron police released body-camera footage Sunday of the fatal shooting of Black motorist Jayland Walker showing multiple police officers discharging a hail of bullets, policing experts say the video produces more questions than answers early on. Officers shot and killed Walker, 25, on Monday as he fled police who were pursuing him for a traffic violation and an equipment violation, according to authorities. Video showed officers unsuccessfully attempting to stop Walker using Tasers as he fled his car, before discharging a flurry of rounds, killing him. The footage released by police Sunday includes a narrated video of the events leading up to the shooting, as well as body-camera footage of the police pursuit of Walker and the fatal gunfire. Walker's body was blurred in the video at the request of his family, according to police. At a news conference Sunday, Police Chief Steve Mylett said the medical examiner determined about 60 wounds on Walker's body. It was not yet clear how many shots were fired by the eight officers who were involved in the shooting. Walker was pronounced dead at the scene and his death from multiple gunshot wounds was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner. Javon Williams, 13, is comforted by the Rev. Jaland Finney, left, as he speaks at a rally after watching a police bodycam video of Jayland Walker. Lynnette Williams, center, reacts after Javon's impassioned speech. USA TODAY spoke to two criminal justice and policing experts who say the videos on their own ultimately do not provide full clarity on key moments in the shooting, including what led police to switch from Taser use to deadly force and what led to the volume of gunfire by police at Walker, who was unarmed when he was shot, according to Mylett. Video doesn't show what caused officers to fire weapons, expert says Released bodycam footage showed officers in pursuit of a silver Buick at 12:30 a.m. Monday for a traffic and equipment violation. While pursuing Walker in their cruiser, officers reported a gunshot coming from the door of Walker's car. The officers pursued Walker as he refused to stop before he finally fled from the passenger side door of the moving vehicle wearing a ski mask, the video shows. Multiple officers can be heard yelling at Walker before using Tasers, then firing a rapid series of rounds. Story continues The videos released helped to provide context to the shooting, including the high volume of shots fired, how the pursuit unfolded and the attempted use of Tasers by police before deadly force, according to Keith Taylor, adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. 'DIFFICULT TO WATCH, AND SHOCKING': Akron police release 'heartbreaking' footage of Jayland Walker being shot up to 60 times DEPUTING GONE WILD? Federal task forces give state and local cops ridiculously broad immunity, Nick Sibilla writes for USA TODAY Opinion But the footage doesn't directly show what caused officers to begin firing their weapons, Taylor said. "My understanding is that he took a pose which appeared to show him getting ready to shoot at police officers and that was the cause of their use of lethal force," he said. "I didn't see that. And I'm sure that's going to be critical in this investigation." This still image from a police bodycam, which shows Jayland Walker wearing a ski mask and running out of his car, was presented during a press conference Sunday at the Firestone Community Center in Akron. Photos from the scene showed a gun on the front seat of Walker's car, and Mylett said video and audio appeared to show the flash of a gun and a gunshot from Walker's car during the vehicle chase. Walker was unarmed as he fled his car and ran from police, according to Mylett. A bill signed by Gov. Mike DeWine this year allows Ohio residents over age 21 to conceal firearms they are legally allowed to own without training or permits. The bill also removes the legal requirement for gun owners to tell police they are armed when stopped. "Ohio allows anybody to carry guns around, no questions asked," Lawlor said. "That's a recent policy Gov. DeWine just signed, no permit necessary. And when that happens, it's more likely stuff like this will happen." The video may not be clear enough to determine whether Walker posed a risk to others, including police, during the pursuit, according to Mike Lawlor, associate criminal justice professor at the University of New Haven. "The question about whether anyone gets charged with a crime is: Did they reasonably believe someone's life is in danger at that point?" Lawlor said. 'Started out as pure equipment violation' Police departments have various procedures around what constitutes an authorization for a high-speed chase, and the speed at which Walker was driving from police could've posed a risk to others, according to Taylor. "The driver actually driving away at a high speed created a public safety condition, because that driver could possibly run through a red light and kill somebody who's walking across the street or driving through an intersection," Taylor said. Lawlor said most police departments have strict policies related to the initiation of high-speed chases, which often require the potential risk to others to be weighed alongside the nature of the crime for which the person is being pursued. "So if this started out as pure equipment violation, which usually means like a defective tail light or there's not a light on the license plate, that would never justify a pursuit in almost any part of the country," he said. The video also raises questions about the reason behind the volume of shots fired at Walker by Akron police. Eight officers were directly involved in the shooting, and all have been placed on paid administrative leave, according to Mylett, in line with Akron police's policy following involvement in the use of deadly force. Five more officers were on the scene but not involved in the shooting. USA TODAY OPINION: Jayland Walker left his gun in the car. Then Akron police shot him 60 times. 'HE WAS OUTGUNNED, OUTMANNED': Akron leaders condemn shooting of Jayland Walker Multiple officers simultaneously perceiving Walker as a deadly threat could have led to the high number of shots fired, according to Taylor. "I'm not certain that they had enough time to plan any kind of tactical approach to the situation," Taylor said. "And I think all of them must have felt that there was an immediate threat to their lives." The volume of shots fired may also be more closely tied to the number of officers involved than to their shooting response, Lawlor said. "The training is if you believe that the force is justified, then you continue to shoot at center mass until the threat is gone," he said. "They're basically going to empty out their weapons." Both Lawlor and Taylor recognized the important role the transparency of the Akron Police Department has in determining the full sequence of events. An Akron city ordinance passed last year requires police videos in cases involving the use of deadly force be posted online within seven days for the public to view. Akron police released body-camera footage from the scene of Walker's killing on Sunday, six days after the shooting. Contributing: John Bacon and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY; Akron Beacon Journal; The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jayland Walker bodycam footage: Policing experts have more questions Attorney Bobby DiCello holds up a photograph of Jayland Walker at conference at St. Ashworth Temple in Akron, Ohio. Jeff Lange/USA Today Network via REUTERS Jayland Walker, a 25-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by police in Akron, Ohio, last week. Walker was mourning the death of his fiancee at the time, his family's lawyer told the Associated Press. A gold ring was later found in Walker's car, though it's unclear who it belonged to, the lawyer said. Jayland Walker was mourning the death of his fiancee when he was shot and killed by police, a lawyer for his family told The Associated Press. Walker, a 25-year-old Black man, was shot by officers in Akron, Ohio, on June 27 after officers attempted a traffic stop, the police said. Footage of the shooting, shared by officials on Sunday, showed Walker fleeing his car on foot as police pursued him. In the footage, Walker is seen running to a nearby parking lot, where officers pull out their guns and shoot him multiple times. Walked was unarmed at the time, though officers believed he fired a handgun from his car earlier. His family does not know why he fled from police, one of their attorneys, Bobby DiCello, told the AP. He said that Walker was grieving the recent death of his fiancee. "He was sad, but he was getting through it," DiCello said. Officials later found a handgun, a loaded magazine, and a gold ring on Walker's car seat. It is unclear who the ring belonged to, DiCello said. The eight officers involved in the shooting were put on administrative leave, the AP reported, citing the police. Read the original article on Insider US police have released video of a chase in Akron, Ohio, which ended in a black man being shot dead, hit more than 60 times by pursuing officers. Police say they believe Jayland Walker, 25, opened fire first and officers feared for their lives during the night-time traffic stop on 27 June. Mr Walker was not armed when he ran away from his car but police say a pistol was later found inside it. Akron's mayor urged local people to show patience as protests began. "The video is heart-breaking, it's hard to take in," Daniel Horrigan said after the footage was released on Sunday. State Attorney General Dave Yost promised a "complete, fair and expert investigation" by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation while Akron police are holding a separate internal investigation into whether officers violated departmental rules or policies. The eight officers involved in the shooting, seven of whom are white and one of whom is black, have been put on paid administrative leave. A lawyer for Mr Walker's family said officers had kept firing even after he was on the ground. Derrick Johnson, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, described Mr Walker's death as "murder. Point blank". Police released images of a handgun on a car seat Jayland Walker's car was stopped on Monday 27 June at 00:30 for a routine traffic inspection. A shot was heard from the car and a traffic camera captured what appeared to be a muzzle flash, Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett said, quoted by the Associated Press news agency. Police body cameras show a person in a ski mask getting out of the car and running towards a car park, chased by officers for about 10 seconds before they open fire. One officer tried first to use a stun gun but that was unsuccessful, police say. Police Chief Mylett said one still photo seemed to show Mr Walker "going down to his waist area" and another appeared to show him turning toward an officer. A third picture image "captures a forward motion of his arm", he said. Story continues As well as the pistol found with a loaded magazine on a seat in the car, a bullet casing matching the weapon was found nearby, police say. Demonstrators marched peacefully through Akron and gathered in front of the city justice centre after the video was released. Family lawyer Bobby DiCello said police had fired on Mr Walker even when he was on the ground and had handcuffed him before trying to provide first aid. Mr Walker's family said in a statement to CBS News: "Anger is fine. Anger is understandable. Violence is not. Let's uphold the dignity of Jayland's life as we peacefully demand justice for him." President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden released a statement on Monday in response to the deadly Fourth of July parade shooting that took place in Highland Park, Illinois. Jill and I are shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day, Biden said in a press release from the White House. As always, we are grateful for the first responders and law enforcement on the scene. Biden said he has spoken with Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker (D) and Highland Park Mayor Nancy R. Rotering and offered full support of the Federal government to their communities. I also surged Federal law enforcement to assist in the urgent search for the shooter, who remains at large at this time, the president said in the release. Biden urged the community to follow guidelines from leadership and said he would pray for those who are in the hospital with grievous injuries. He also spoke on the new bipartisan gun legislation that aims to curb gun violence in America. I recently signed the first major bipartisan gun reform legislation in almost thirty years into law, which includes actions that will save lives, Biden said. But there is much more work to do, and Im not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence. Six people were killed and multiple others were injured when a gunman fired shots from a roof in the downtown area of Highland Park, which is about 25 miles north of Chicago. Residents are being encouraged by law enforcement to shelter in place as the shooter is currently still at large. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... John Kirby, the National Security Councils coordinator for strategic communications, speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House on June 23, 2022. (Photo: Drew Angerer via Getty Images) John Kirby, the National Security Councils coordinator for strategic communications, speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House on June 23, 2022. (Photo: Drew Angerer via Getty Images) John Kirby, the National Security Councils coordinator for strategic communications at the White House, said Sunday the U.S. will continue to support Ukraine, but will not pressure the country to negotiate an end to the war with Russia. When asked if it is time for President Joe Biden to push the two sides to the table as the war drags on, Kirby told Fox News Sunday the U.S. is committed to helping Ukraine fight Russias invasion. Its time for the United States to continue to support Ukraine, and thats what were doing, Kirby said. Kirby said the goal is to help Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his country prevail in the war so they are in a strong position to negotiate when that time comes. Kirby added Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no interest in peace talks, pointing to the latest airstrikes in Kyiv. While G7 leaders were meeting in Europe on June 26, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russian airstrikes hit at least two residential buildings, killing at least one person, according to The Associated Press. Last week, Russia reportedly struck a shopping mall in Kremenchuk, Ukraine killing at least 20 people, while Russian missiles in Odesa killed at least 19 people Friday. President Zelenskyy, he gets to determine how victory is decided and when and on what terms, Kirby said. And [what] were going to do is continue to make sure that can succeed on the battlefield so that he can succeed at the table. But even President Zelenskyy will tell you that the time is not now for those discussions. The former Pentagon spokesman noted U.S. alone has spent over $7 billion to support the Ukrainians since the beginning of the war in February. We dont want to see Ukraine defeated by Russia and thats why we are continuing to rush aid and assistance, Kirby said. Story continues Meanwhile, on Monday Russia scored a victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk after Ukrainians withdrew their forces from the area on Sunday, according to The Associated Press. Russias focus will now almost certainly switch to capturing Donetsk Oblast, a large portion of which remain under the control of Ukrainian forces, tweeted the British Ministry of Defense. (3/8) The city was the last remaining major population centre in Luhansk Oblast under Ukrainian control. Russias focus will now almost certainly switch to capturing Donetsk Oblast, a large portion of which remain under the control of Ukrainian forces. Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) July 4, 2022 This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... Julia Roberts shared a mere glimpse into her decades-long marriage to Danny Moder with an Instagram snap honoring their 20-year wedding anniversary on the Fourth of July. The 54-year-old Academy Award-winning actress posted a charming photo of the couple wrapped up in a sweet embrace with the caption, "TWENTY." She added a few hashtags to the shot where Moders hand lovingly wrapped around her neck and showed off his wedding ring, including "cant stop smiling" and "cant stop kissing." Julias bright red hair was tied back with loose tendrils cascading down her back as she leaned in for the intimate moment with her partner. Julia Roberts and Danny Moder celebrated 20 years of wedded bliss on Independence Day. The couple attended CORE Gala to Benefit 10 Years of Life-Saving Work Across Haiti Around the World in 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Kevin Mazur WHY JULY 4TH IS GOOD LUCK FOR HOLLYWOOD MARRIAGES! Her niece, Emma Roberts, the daughter of acting legend Eric Roberts, couldnt help but throw a few heart-eyed emojis on the post, which received dozens of likes from adoring fans. Roberts and Moder first met on the set of the 2001 film "The Mexican," in which she starred alongside Brad Pitt. Moder served as a cinematographer. The "Pretty Woman" star was previously married to country crooner Lyle Lovett from 1993-95. Love was certainly in the air as they tied the knot shortly after Moder finalized his divorce from Vera Steimberg. The couple married on her ranch in Taos, New Mexico in 2002. Roberts and Moder first met on the set of the 2001 film "The Mexican," where she starred alongside Brad Pitt. Moder served as a cinematographer. The couple attended the 3rd annual Sean Penn & Friends HELP HAITI HOME Gala in 2014. Kevin Mazur JULIA ROBERTS PAYS TRIBUTE TO HUSBAND DANIEL MODER ON WEDDING DAY WITH RARE INSTAGRAM PIC Roberts and Moder have 17-year-old twins, Hazel and Phinnaeus "Finn," in addition to son Henry, 14. She discussed their big anniversary earlier this year while chatting on SiriusXMs "The Jess Cagle Show" as she declared: "This year, this summer. Twenty years kissin' Danny Moder." When asked how she was planning to celebrate, she simply responded: "More kissing." The "Steel Magnolias" actress told the New York Times earlier this year that she's strayed from her legendary rom-com status quo, and considers herself a "homemaker" after raising her children out of the spotlight. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Story continues She's but more weight on projects and won't choose just any film, which is why it comes as a bit of a surprise that she's returning to the silver screen to star alongside George Clooney in "Ticket to Paradise" later this year. She's returning to the silver screen to star alongside George Clooney in Ticket to Paradise later this year. Roberts and Clooney attended the 'Money Monster' premiere during the 69th annual Cannes Film Festival in May 2016 Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage "It can't be 20 years, can it? Here's the thing: If I'd thought something was good enough, I would have done it," Roberts admitted. "But I also had three kids in the last 18 years. That raises the bar even more because then it's not only Is this material good? It's also the math equation of my husband's work schedule and the kids' school schedule and summer vacation. It's not just, 'Oh, I think I want to do this.'" Roberts clarified that her choice to pursue different creative outlets "wasnt by design, so much as not finding something that I was interested in. I was surprised how quickly the years seemed to go by." "People sometimes misconstrue the amount of time thats gone by that I havent done a romantic comedy as my not wanting to do one," she added. "If I had read something that I thought was that Notting Hill level of writing or My Best Friends Wedding level of madcap fun, I would do it." Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) asked the states Supreme Court on Sunday to reinstate an abortion ban that briefly went into effect following the overturning of Roe v. Wade but was later blocked by a lower court. A judge on Thursday had temporarily blocked the implementation of two state laws, which would effectively ban abortion unless necessary to save the womans life, following a challenge from abortion-rights groups arguing that Kentuckys state constitution protected abortion rights. An appeals court judge later denied a request from Cameron to reinstate the ban. We are exhausting every possible avenue to have Kentuckys Human Life Protection Act and Heartbeat Law reinstated, Cameron said in a statement. There is no more important issue than protecting life, and we are urging the states highest court to consider our request for emergency relief. Camerons filings with Kentuckys Supreme Court argue there is no right to abortion in the states constitution and that without an emergency ruling from it, unborn children will suffer immediate and irreparable harm. Samuel Crankshaw spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, which represents one of the abortion providers in the suit praised the appeals court ruling that affirmed blocking the laws immediate implementation. Were glad to see the Court of Appeals agrees the lower court has taken proper emergency action to protect abortion access, Crankshaw said in a statement. This win is temporary, but we wont back down in the fight to defend Kentuckians most basic rights from extremist politicians like Daniel Cameron. Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, another plaintiff in the suit, did not immediately return a request for comment. The U.S. Supreme Court last month upheld a 15-week abortion ban in Mississippi, overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey decisions that established and protected a constitutional right to abortion. Story continues Kentucky and other states had passed so-called trigger laws that automatically went into effect upon the courts ruling. With officials now beginning to enforce those laws in states across the country, abortion activists have filed a flurry of lawsuits seeking to stop the newly implemented restrictions. The strike-down of federal abortion rights has fueled intense anger for many, with liberals hoping the ruling will galvanize voters to support Democrats. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Telegraph Dustin Johnson held off a final-day charge from fellow American Bryson DeChambeau to claim the spoils and secure his first win of the season, emerging triumphant from a dramatic final round as the worlds best went toe-to-toe on the grandest course of all. As we know, this is not what happened at the 150th Open Championship. This is what happened at the LIV Golf Open Championship. Madonna has claimed that police threatened to arrest her on multiple occasions during her Blond Ambition tour. The singers 1990 concert tour followed the release of her album Like a Prayer and sparked controversy due to its use of religious Catholic imagery. It was branded one of the most satanic shows in the history of humanity by Pope John Paul II, with one show being cancelled in Italy. On Sunday night (3 July), Madonna posted a Gif taken from a live performance of her 1984 hit Like a Virgin to her Instagram Stories. Police threatened to arrest me three times as I travelled around the world performing Like a Virgin during the Blonde Ambition tour, she wrote. The Vatican cancelled all my shows in Rome! See how I paved the road for you b****es?? One concert in Rome went ahead on 10 July 1990 despite protests from Pope John Paul II, urging the public not to attend. Madonnas post (Madonna/Instagram) In May this year, Madonna extended an olive branch to Pope Francis, asking her to meet him after she was condemned for blasphemous behaviour. Hello @Pontifex Francis Im a good Catholic. I Swear! I mean I dont Swear! she wrote on Twitter. Its been a few decades since my last confession. Would it be possible to meet up one day to discuss some important matters? Ive been excommunicated three times. It doesnt seem fair. Sincerely Madonna. ASHWAUBENON - Over 300 people rallied for abortion rights Sunday evening on Oneida Street across from Lambeau Field with a simple message. Our message is: We are here. We are the majority. We will not stop disturbing the peace and making it known that we are the majority until we are listened to, until we are truly and genuinely heard, until our democracy becomes a true democracy, said 23-year-old Adrianna Pokela of Green Bay. The rally was organized by Women's Rights Green Bay, a group led by Pokela and her friend and co-organizer Abbey White, in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Polls continue to show that a majority of Wisconsinites support abortion rights. A new Marquette Law School Poll survey this month found that 58% of Wisconsin voters think abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 35% think it should be illegal in all or most cases. The rally follows the court's decision to strike down Roe v. Wade, a 1973 ruling that state regulation of abortion was a violation of a woman's right to privacy and therefore unconstitutional. In effect, it made abortion legal nationwide in the first trimester, with some regulation allowed gradually into the second and third trimesters. Following the court's decision on June 24, Wisconsin doctors immediately stopped providing abortions due to legal uncertainties regarding whether an 1849 state law is back in effect. The law bans doctors from performing abortions except when saving the life of the mother. Those in Wisconsin seeking abortions can still do so legally in Illinois and Minnesota. Protests following Roe overturned: Hundreds take to the streets of downtown Green Bay in support of abortion rights Abortion in Wisconsin: With abortion stopped in Wisconsin, Midwest states where it's legal say they can be an access 'beacon' but need support for influx of demand For Pokela, advocating for abortion rights is personal. Story continues She had an abortion when she was in an abusive relationship, a decision that saved her life, she said. Without an abortion, she said her abusive partner would have ended her life, or she would have considered it herself. With her experience in mind, Pokela said she expects the statistics of suicide and domestic murder to go up significantly because of the ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade. A study published in 2021 found that pregnant women in the United States die by homicide more often than they die of pregnancy-related causes, and theyre frequently killed by a partner. Now, Pokela is using this concern and her past experience to fuel her present fight for reproductive rights. She led chants throughout the three hours of Sunday's rally from 5 to 8 p.m. and also a march around the block at about 6:30 p.m. People of all ages and backgrounds from across Green Bay and northeast Wisconsin came out to join her. Perla Rodriguez and Jaquan Harris, both longtime Green Bay residents, came to the rally with their 9-month-old son and 2-year-old daughter. The couple emphasized several difficult scenarios in which they think a woman should have a choice in whether to bring a child into the world. Some examples include when the woman, or young girl, is a victim of rape, doesn't have sufficient resources to raise a kid, or is not mentally prepared to have a child. Looking to the future, the couple said they will continue to protest and vote in upcoming elections. "People have to stick together. This is about women, but its not only their fight. This is our fight, and we have to stand up to the corrupt government that I feel doesnt care about us," said Harris. Emily Tracey, a 30-year-old member of the LGBTQ+ community and longtime Green Bay resident, said she is sick of the government deciding what people do with their bodies and lives. She also said she is afraid of what rights could be taken away next, including her right to get married one day. "There are so many other foundational rights that the federal government has given us, and people dont understand that giving it to the states is whats going to cause more limitations, more restrictions to our rights," Tracey said. Adrianna Pokela leads protesters in a chant against the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade on Sunday, July 3, 2022, at the intersection of Lombardi Avenue and South Oneida Street in Ashwaubenon, Wis. She added that she will not stop until she's turned as many heads and opened as many minds as she can. Judy and Steve Menard, both retirees from Shawano and longtime protesters, came to the rally to show support for others asserting their right to a safe abortion, including their three daughters. "We've already lost majority rule in this country," said Steve, a former lawyer. "And that's just going to get worse as long as they keep repressing people's right to vote." He added that ensuring voting rights is a crucial next step in restoring majority rule. According to Pokela, working toward voter registration and educating people on the voting process and politics in general is exactly what she and White intend to do. "We're trying to take big steps in educating in a more simple sense, so that everybody and anybody can understand what's going on," Pokela said. "And I think that will help significantly in encouraging people to vote." Contact Kelly Smits at (920) 431-3632 or ksmits@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kellymsmits. This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Protest draws hundreds in support of abortion rights in Green Bay Jul. 4MASSENA The 2021-22 school year has just ended, but Massena Central School District officials are already focusing on next year and beyond. Superintendent Patrick H. Brady presented board of education members with the latest information on the district's strategic plan, which covers 2022 to 2025. Mr. Brady said the district's strategic planning team met May 10, and building-level committees met between May 10 and 12 to plan with a representative of the district's consultant, Prism Decision Systems LLC, Binghamton. The superintendent said the district has a rolling three-year plan that focuses on several metrics. Those include graduation, student achievement on Regents exams and state assessments for grades three through eight, dropout rates and increasing the number of students who receive an advanced Regents diploma and the Seal of Biliteracy. The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school, school district, or state in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. "You can see in the plan there's a lot of metrics that we're trying to aspire to," Mr. Brady said. He said focus areas include providing a safe, effective learning environment for students and staff and implementing the district-wide Comprehensive Improvement Plan to increase graduation rates, reduce dropout rates and improve student attendance. The focus also includes providing resources to meet the mental health, trauma and social-emotional needs of students and staff; fostering a positive school environment that values diversity and awareness and celebrates success; and trying to use student data to evaluate and improve the district's Academic Intervention Services program. "You can see a mixture of academic and social-emotional goals there. Those goals will be taken to the building levels and they'll be made into action plans to improve in those areas, and they're working on those," Mr. Brady said. They will also be used when administrators hold a retreat this summer. "We'll put these plans into goals and bring them back to the next board meeting in August for your review. That's a work in progress," he said. A 21-year-old man from Miami got sentenced to 25 years in prison this week for attacking an Uber driver in Gainesville last year, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. Additionally, Jonquayvias Davon Givens-Moore was sentenced to five years of supervised release following his quarter century behind bars. The South Floridian carried out his most recent crimes in late August 2021, about three months after leaving prison for other lawbreaking, said Jason R. Coody, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Florida, in the release. Givens-Moore requested a ride through the Uber app, but midway to his pre-set destination, he asked the driver to drop him off at an apartment complex instead, authorities said. When the driver stopped, Givens-Moore pulled out a Glock .40 caliber pistol and pointed it at the drivers face. He climbed into the front passenger seat and threatened to kill the driver if she didnt surrender the car. When the driver resisted and begged him not to steal her car, he hit her with the gun and pushed her out. Givens-Moore then fled from the apartment complex in the drivers car, striking other vehicles on his way out. Witnesses at the apartment complex called 911 and reported the incident. Soon after, a deputy from the Alachua County Sheriffs Office spotted the stolen car. As the deputy did so, Givens-Moore accelerated at one point traveling as fast as 110 mph and entered I-75 southbound traffic, with multiple deputies chasing him. Givens-Moore attempted to leave I-75 at the Micanopy exit, but lost control on the shoulder of the exit ramp. Alachua deputies arrested him. In March, Givens-Moore pleaded guilty to carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The horrific beating and armed carjacking perpetrated by this recently released felon is beyond the pale and he is unquestionably deserving of the imposed sentence, said U.S. Attorney Coody. The Alachua County Sheriffs Office worked with the FBI Jacksonville Division to prosecute Givens-Moore, who has committed multiple other felonies in the past, including grand thefts of cars and burglary. Jared Waltrip aka Bentley James of Lansing is cheered on by the crowd while helping with trivia questions on Saturday, June 11, 2022, during a drag show at the main stage of the Motor City Pride Festival at Detroit's Hart Plaza. Residents and lawmakers have introduced bills and ballot initiatives to ensure LGBTQ Michiganders full protection from discrimination. Yet all have fallen short. The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1976 considers race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, height, weight, familial or marital status as protected classes from discrimination. Concurrently, those are protected classes in the state's ethnic intimidation laws. The act does not ban discrimination based on sexual orientation. But a state Supreme Court case could change that. Michigan's Supreme Court is weighing arguments on whether two businesses a Sturgis event hall and an Upper Peninsula electrolysis shop violated state discrimination laws when they, respectively, refused to host a gay marriage and to provide hair removal service to a woman who sought the treatment as part of her transition. Rouch World Event Center said gay marriage is against the owner's religious beliefs; the Michigan Department of Civil Rights argued denying the wedding violated state nondiscrimination laws. Those siding with Rouch argue there's no legal basis for the court to determine the law bans discrimination against gay marriage, and any ruling otherwise would amount to judicial activism usurping the authority of the Legislature. Justices held oral arguments on March 2 in the case that could decide whether the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act bans discrimination based on sexual orientation. Stacy Sellek, public information manager at the Michigan Supreme Court Clerks Office, said the court has until the end of the 2021-22 court session on July 31 to issue an opinion. Lawsuit at the Focus: Rouch World Event Center focus of Michigan Supreme Court gay rights appeal While many Michigan residents are hopeful the court will uphold MDCR's decision, a higher court can always change the ruling as the nation saw on June 24 in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. It overturned Roe v. Wade and left abortion rights to states. Story continues In his concurrent opinion, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas indicated interest in revisiting laws around contraception, marriage equality and sex by same sex couples. "That to me is an indication of what we've always known: The battle for civil rights for everyone is about control and ownership of bodies for personal lives," Emily Dievendorf, who's nonbinary, said of the Dobbs decision. "Controlling our abilities to love each other, express ourselves, hold jobs to have access to support our families, is our basic rights as humans." Dievendorf is running in the Democratic primary for the 77th State House district. Jon Horford and Logan Byrne are also running for that primary. But supporters of the businesses that denied service argue the court has to rule against MDCR because Michigan's law is vague. The Michigan Catholic Conference and others have said the state must protect religious freedom while recognizing lawmakers have had the chance to add sexual orientation as a protected class in state law. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer cannot add protections via executive order, so how can LGBTQ people in Michigan gain rights? Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel speaks during the 2022 Michigan Pride Rally in Lansing on June 26, 2022. How have legislative action, ballot questions fared? A number of lawmakers have attempted to add LGBTQ rights via ballot initiatives, but have failed. Fair Michigan considered a ballot proposal in 2016, but then paused its effort after there was disagreement in how to secure equality. In 2021, Fair and Equal Michigan failed to reach the required number of signatures to put the issue to voters. Michigan Pride: 'It shouldnt be difficult to be yourself': Hundreds gather for Pride Rally at Michigan Capitol "It's a tough pill to swallow to know that I'm fourth constitutional officer in the state, I'm the top law enforcement official in the state, and I can walk into a coffee shop and still have somebody refuse to serve me," said Nessel, who was involved in the 2016 effort before being elected attorney general in 2018. "Or I can go into a doctor's office and have somebody refuse to treat one of my kids." Nessel said there's a probability someone could bring a case to challenge opinions in alignment with Justice Thomas' interests and overturn other civil rights issues. Michigan Senate tries takes up @JeremyAllenMoss resolution recognizing June as Pride month. Sen. @SenAricNesbitt tries to refer the resolution to Gov Ops committee (where measures go to languish). Democrats object, note that the Senate passed the resolution last year. Dave Boucher (@Dave_Boucher1) June 14, 2022 State Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, and, Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, D-Livonia, introduced bills in their respective chambers to amend Elliott-Larsen Act. Moss' bill was referred to the Government Operations Committee, while the House referred Pohutsky's to the Judiciary Committee. Moss also tried to pass a routine Senate resolution recognizing June as Pride month. His Republican colleagues pushed back against the measure, which was referred to the Senate Committee on Government Operations on June 14. Pohutsky said her bill has bipartisan support and has gained momentum over time, but House leadership has not moved it out of committee. "There are ramifications to the LGBTQ not being called a protected class," she said. "MDCR has an administrative rule to protect the community and since it's not statue, it can be changed with administrations." Such legislation would allow Lansing police to investigate a recent burning of a Pride flag on Lansing's east side as ethnic intimidation. Public Information Director Jordan Gulkis said Wednesday police are still looking for a suspect, but would not discuss what charges police may be pursuing. The state's Ethnic Intimidation Act doesn't include acts committed against those in the LGBTQ community. People head to the Michigan State Capitol building before the 2022 Michigan Pride Rally on June 26, 2022. Awaiting a ruling Nessel joined the Rouch World v. Michigan Department of Civil Rights state Supreme Court lawsuit, defending MDCR. She declined to speak directly about the case, but said continual inactions to codify LGBTQ rights and protections in the state civil rights act drives people away from Michigan. She's awaiting the Rouch World decision as she said it could be the best option to getting the civil rights act amended. She's not optimistic any of the bills will advance until there's a sweeping Democratic leadership in both chambers of the legislature and the governor's office. "Otherwise,... we'll continue to hear the Republicans talk about LGBTQ people as groomers, as people who are dangerous, as people who are pedophiles and all that other nonsense that is so harmful to the community," Nessel said. "I feel like we've regressed 40 years in just the last six months." That rhetoric is dangerous, she added. "But we have to change the laws so that they are they specifically include these various classes," Nessel said. "Otherwise you're always one court decision away from everything being thrown out, and having to start all over again in no protection at all." Support local journalism and get unlimited digital access! Subscribe for only $1 for six months! Detroit Free Press reporter Dave Boucher contributed. Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at (517) 267-1344 or knurse@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @KrystalRNurse. This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan's highest court will soon rule on LGBTQ civil rights protections Authorities say a 22-year-old woman is wanted in connection with a shooting that wounded two people Saturday night. The Sumter Police Department said Sunday that Kamaree Jichole Coulette, of Sumter, is wanted for attempted murder. Police said the shooting happened about 11:30 p.m. at a gathering at Eastwood Park off of Boulevard Road. Coulette and a 21-year-old woman were arguing when Coulette pulled a gun and shot the 21-year old, police said. A 29-year-old man was hit by a stray bullet, police said. Coulette drove away from the scene. Anyone with information about the shooting or Coulettes whereabouts can call the Sumter Police Department at 803-436-2700 or leave an anonymous tip with Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC. Chinese-Canadian businessman Xiao Jianhua will be put on trial in Beijing more than five years after he was reported missing from a hotel in Hong Kong, said officials in Ottawa. The trial of the 50-year-old billionaire, who was allegedly forcibly taken to China in January 2017, will commence on Monday, government agency Global Affairs Canada said late on Sunday, according to a report in Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail. Officials in the Canadian consular body are monitoring this case closely, providing consular services to his family and continue to press for consular access, spokesperson Patricia Skinner told the newspaper. No other information on the case will be released due to privacy reasons, the government statement added. Mr Xiao is the founder of investment company Tomorrow Group and was reported missing in 2017 after an increase in prosecutions of Chinese tycoons accused of bribery and other misconduct in a widespread anti-corruption crackdown. Officials in China have never stated whether Mr Xiao was held in detention or disclosed the possible charges against him. One official working with the countrys securities regulator had said in February 2017 that Chinese people in foreign countries who were accused of misconduct would be captured and returned, without elaborating further. Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Monday said he was not aware of the situation. The Chinese-born businessmans wealth was estimated to be $6bn before he became untraceable, said the Hurun report, which tracks Chinas wealthy personalities. Shortly after he had gone missing, Hong Kong police investigating the mans disappearance said he had crossed the border onto the mainland. An advertisement in Ming Pao, a Chinese language newspaper in Hong Kong, had refuted the allegation that he was taken against his will. The Wall Street Journal had reported last month, quoting people familiar with the matter, that Mr Xiaos trial was imminent. Story continues The tycoons elder brother Xiao Xinhua said their family was awaiting an acceptable conclusion from the Chinese authorities. After five years of quietly waiting, our family is still, based on my brothers strict instructions, putting faith in the Chinese government and Chinese law, Mr Xiao said, adding that the case was very complicated and full of drama, the report stated. The businessman could face charges of illegally collecting deposits, something earlier used by Chinese authorities against individuals accused of selling real estate or raising funds for investment from regular people under false pretences or without proper licence, said the report. If found guilty, Mr Xiao could face a sentence of five years or more in prison, The Globe and Mail reported. The case comes at a time when Chinese president Xi Jinping has increasingly exerted his control over Hong Kong, steadily compromising the autonomy the territory was promised after it was returned to China by Britain in 1997. The Communist party rolled out a harsh national security law in Hong Kong in 2020 after months of protests over a planned law relating to the extradition of criminal suspects to the mainland. In Memphis, more children are prosecuted in adult court than in the rest of the state combined. Nearly all of them are Black. On the Fourth of July, our nation celebrates the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But for too many, that promise is not only broken, it is weaponized by prosecutors who criminalize poverty and race. More than a half century after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed in Memphis, the city remains a cradle of profound injustice. Black Memphians are disproportionately targeted for harsh criminal enforcement and punishment. Prosecutors break the rules to rack up convictions, prison terms, and even death sentences. Hear more Tennessee Voices: Get the weekly opinion newsletter for insightful and thought provoking columns. Rosalyn 'Bird' Holmes could have spent decades in prison I visited Memphis in April with colleagues from Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the organization founded to carry out my late fathers dreams of a better world. Through our partners at the Memphis Community Bail Fund, the local chapter of Black Lives Matter, and Just City, we met with residents who had been unjustly targeted by local prosecutors. Among them: Rosalyn Bird Holmes, a Black woman, charged as an adult at only 16 in a robbery committed by two boys while she sat in the backseat of a car. Her bail was set impossibly high $60,000 and she was sent to solitary confinement for more than 40 days, prevented from attending school. Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights paid her bail and secured her release, but even then, while no one accused Bird of the robbery or taking any money, she still potentially faced decades in prison. She eventually won her case, but it took two years. And the terror of being locked away in a cage as a child will remain with her forever. Sign up for Black Tennessee Voices newsletter: Read compelling columns by Black writers from across Tennessee. Pamela Moses was misled by officials and DA Weirich's office knew it We also met Pamela Moses, a Black woman sentenced to six years in prison for simply registering to vote. Story continues Mayoral candidate Pamela Moses, center, attends a May Day gathering outside of city hall in downtown Memphis on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Officials had told Moses incorrectly that she could vote despite a previous felony conviction; she followed their advice in good faith. Yet Memphis elected prosecutor, Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich, aggressively pursued a voter fraud conviction. A court later overturned Moses conviction; Weirich and her office had violated the Constitution by failing to disclose emails showing Moses had been misled by a county official. Still, Moses spent nearly three months in prison because of that officials mistake. Several times during our conversation, we had to pause the pain of her experience remained raw. On the surface, Holmes and Bird have little in common except for three damning factors in the eyes of Memphis prosecutors: they are poor, Black, and call Memphis home. But they also share remarkable courage and resilience. These women could have been broken by the system, but they bravely shared their pain to prevent it from happening to others. Sign up for Latino Tennessee Voices newsletter: Read compelling stories for and with the Latino community in Tennessee. A Racial Equity Audit of DA's office is a good step, but DOJ must intervene too A group of local lawyers and community leaders are working to ensure the womens experiences arent repeated. The advocates this year demanded a Racial Equity Audit of Weirichs office to identify, and hopefully correct, the systemic practices that lead to racist outcomes. Pamela Moses appeared with supporters and her legal team outside of Shelby County's criminal justice center on March 11, 2022. Moses was previously sentenced to six years in prison for voter fraud, until a judge ordered a new trial and issued a bond. Race discrimination in our legal system from how Black people are prosecuted and punished more harshly, to how Black crime victims are dismissed and disregarded is a crisis that can no longer be ignored, the group wrote. While the audit is a sound idea, this is not simply a local matter. When law enforcement is driven by discrimination and prosecutors disregard the Constitution, the U.S. Department of Justice and its Civil Rights Division must intervene. The DOJ has the power to investigate local prosecutors. In 2020, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and a coalition of civil rights groups urged the DOJ to investigate state and local prosecutors in Georgia after white men chased down and murdered Ahmaud Arbery, but prosecutors initially failed to bring charges. Kerry Kennedy In Memphis and Shelby County, such intervention is long overdue. Bird Holmes is not the only Black child whose life Weirich has threatened. From 2018 to 2020, 98% of the 217 Shelby County children transferred to adult court were Black. It has been four years since a federal monitor tasked with oversight of the countys juvenile justice system described Weirichs tactics as toxic for African-American youth, and the racial disparities have only worsened since then. Similarly, shirking constitutional obligations to fairly present evidence such as in Pamela Moses case has been a hallmark of Weirichs career: A Harvard Law School study examining the first five years of her tenure uncovered more than a dozen cases of misconduct and found Weirich led the state in findings of misconduct and the number of cases reversed because of it. This sort of repeated discrimination and misconduct is precisely why DOJ enforcement is essential. Memphis system of injustice has gone unchecked for too long, and the Civil Rights Division has the power, and the duty, to force change. Kerry Kennedy is a human rights lawyer and president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Restore promise of freedom and justice for Black Memphis citizens WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) A satellite the size of a microwave oven successfully broke free from its orbit around Earth on Monday and is headed toward the moon, the latest step in NASA's plan to land astronauts on the lunar surface again. It's been an unusual journey already for the Capstone satellite. It was launched six days ago from New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula by the company Rocket Lab in one of their small Electron rockets. It will take another four months for the satellite to reach the moon, as it cruises along using minimal energy. Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck told The Associated Press it was hard to put his excitement into words. It's probably going to take a while to sink in. It's been a project that has taken us two, two-and-a-half years and is just incredibly, incredibly difficult to execute, he said. So to see it all come together tonight and see that spacecraft on its way to the moon, it's just absolutely epic. Beck said the relatively low cost of the mission NASA put it at $32.7 million marked the beginning of a new era for space exploration. For some tens of millions of dollars, there is now a rocket and a spacecraft that can take you to the moon, to asteroids, to Venus, to Mars, Beck said. Its an insane capability thats never existed before. If the rest of the mission is successful, the Capstone satellite will send back vital information for months as the first to take a new orbit around the moon called a near-rectilinear halo orbit: a stretched-out egg shape with one end of the orbit passing close to the moon and the other far from it. Eventually, NASA plans to put a space station called Gateway into the orbital path, from which astronauts can descend to the moons surface as part of its Artemis program. Beck said the advantage of the new orbit is that it minimizes fuel use and allows the satellite or a space station to stay in constant contact with Earth. The Electron rocket that launched June 28 from New Zealand was carrying a second spacecraft called Photon, which separated after nine minutes. The satellite was carried for six days in Photon, with the spacecraft's engines firing periodically to raise its orbit farther and farther from Earth. Story continues A final engine burst Monday allowed Photon to break from Earth's gravitational pull and send the satellite on its way. The plan now is for the 25-kilogram (55-pound) satellite to far overshoot the moon before falling back into the new lunar orbit Nov. 13. The satellite will use tiny amounts of fuel to make a few planned trajectory course corrections along the way. Beck said they would decide over the coming days what to do with Photon, which had completed its tasks and still had a bit of fuel left in the tank. Theres a number of really cool missions that we can actually do with it," Beck said. For the mission, NASA teamed up with two commercial companies: California-based Rocket Lab and Colorado-based Advanced Space, which owns and operates the Capstone satellite. ___ Find more AP Science coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/science Nassau County Commissioner Aaron Bell stepped down from his position as commission chairman after he was arrested for DUI nearly two weeks ago (Fernandina Beach Police report details DUI arrest of Nassau County Commissioner Aaron Bell Action News Jax). Bell acknowledged the investigation for the first time publicly during a commission meeting last week. As Im sure youre all aware, last week I was accused of operating my personal vehicle while under the influence, Bell said. Effective immediately, I am abstaining from any furth action as chairman. Vice-Chair Jeff Gray was voted to replace Bell as chairman in a 5 to 0 vote. Commissioner Klynt Farmer was voted in unanimously as vice-chair. According to a police report, officers said Bell was weaving in and out of his lane on June 21st. He told officers he had just dropped off his daughter at a church function. Fernandina Beach Police said he refused to take a breath test and was arrested for DUI. Police also released body camera video of the arrest (Can you get me home?: Police release video of Nassau County commissioner DUI arrest Action News Jax). [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. By Essi Lehto and Anne Kauranen HELSINKI (Reuters) - For foreign companies still working out what to do with their stranded Russian assets, President Vladimir Putin's seizure of a major oil and gas project is a powerful warning: Move fast or else. Companies have been wrestling with how to exit in ways that limit the financial impact, do not put employees at risk and, in some cases, offer the opportunity to return in future. Finnish coffee boss Rolf Ladau was one of the early movers. When Western governments started slapping sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in late February, the CEO of Paulig realised the coffee roasting business there was no longer viable. Coffee wasn't on sanctions lists, but it was almost impossible to get beans into Russia as freight companies stopped shipping to and from the country. Paying in roubles was getting harder. Two weeks into the conflict, Ladau decided Paulig would leave, and two months later it did what usually takes as long as a year - find a suitable buyer and seal a deal. In May, Paulig sold its Russian business to private Indian investor Vikas Soi. More than a thousand Western companies have joined a corporate exodus from Russia - unprecedented in its scale and speed - as they scramble to comply with sanctions and amid threats of retaliation from the Kremlin. But Paulig is one of a relatively small number that have sold assets or handed over the keys to local managers. A Reuters tally shows fewer than 40, including McDonald's, Societe Generale and Renault, have announced deals. Interviews with half a dozen executives at companies who have divested assets show the complexity and uncertainty of selling at speed and hefty discounts - and why it may be taking many so long. The obstacles are huge: confusion has swirled over what the Kremlin would allow foreign companies to do; staff are nervous after government threats of retaliation; sanctions have limited the pool of buyers and there is little time to check them out; sales prices have been steeply discounted; and negotiations are being done virtually because fears of reprisals make it too risky to visit Russia in person. Story continues With Moscow preparing a new law that is expected to come into force soon allowing it to take control of the local businesses of Western companies that decide to leave, the stakes are getting higher. "If you haven't started the process already or if you still have doubts about it, then it's going to get harder," Ladau told Reuters, speaking before Putin's swoop on the Sakhalin oil and gas project. "Russia has no interest in letting foreign companies out of the market easily." NO BLUEPRINT Many Western firms have run into problems trying to leave. Burger King halted corporate support for its Russia outlets in March, but the fast-food chain's roughly 800 restaurants are still open. Lawyers say part of the problem is the complexity of its joint venture-style franchise agreement. UniCredit has disposed of some assets via swaps but has had to widen the search for potential buyers to countries such as India, Turkey and China. Four months in, there's little sign companies have found a blueprint for extricating themselves. Renault sold its share of a lucrative joint venture to the Russian state for a rouble; McDonald's handed over 800 branches to a Siberian businessman for a symbolic sum; both have agreed buyback clauses. SocGen sold its Rosbank unit to Interros Capital, a firm linked to Russian oligarch Vladimir Potanin. Many have given the keys to local managers. Almost all have booked hefty writedowns totalling tens of billions of dollars. Ladau decided against a buyback clause. "The moral-ethical issues are so serious that we have no room to return to Russia," he said. Experts say it will be tough for new owners in an increasingly isolated Russia without access to Western goods. The cost of everything from food to energy is soaring and the economy has plunged into recession. Still, the departures have provided an unexpected windfall to firms and entrepreneurs in Russia and countries outside of sanctions, as they snap up prized assets for a bargain. NO BANKERS One aspect of the exodus highlights its unusual nature: the absence of bankers who would normally play a key role in deals. Sources say banks have steered clear due to concerns about breaking sanctions. Instead, companies are relying on lawyers in Russia and international consultants with knowledge of the country to find and vet suitors - making sure they are legitimate, not on sanctions lists and have the financial credentials. Privately-owned Finnish food company Fazer signed a deal as early as April, selling its Russian bakery business to Moscow-based rival Kolomenskij Bakery and Confectionery Holding. The speed belies the complications. At first, Russia threatened to ban exits of listed foreign companies. When the company asked for clarification, its local legal advisers said it could have been a mistake. The rules could change at any time. "So everyone was in a terrible hurry," said Sebastian Jagerhorn, head of legal affairs and compliance. Lara Saulo, who runs the bakery business, said even advisers in Russia gave conflicting advice along the way. Putin's swoop on Sakhalin on Thursday was clearer. "Soon they'll retaliate, not just with gas, but in other ways," said a senior executive whose company is struggling to get out. (Reporting by Essi Lehto and Anne Kauranen in Helsinki; Additional reporting by Valentina Za in Milan; Writing by Josephine Mason; Editing by Mark Potter) By Chris Gallagher WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was likely to have been killed by gunfire from Israeli positions but it was probably unintentional, the U.S. State Department said on Monday. Independent investigators could not reach a definitive conclusion about the origin of the bullet that struck her, it said. Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American, was killed on May 11 during an Israeli raid in the town of Jenin in the occupied West Bank under circumstances that remain bitterly disputed. Palestinian officials criticised the report and maintained she had been deliberately targeted. Israel denies this. One of the most recognizable faces reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Abu Akleh's death triggered outrage across the world, particularly after police beat mourners at her funeral in Jerusalem. The U.S. Security Coordinator (USSC), after summarizing investigations by both the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Palestinian Authority, concluded that gunfire from Israeli positions was likely to have been responsible for her death, the State Department said. "The USSC found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad," the State Department said in a statement. In forensic analysis by third-party examiners overseen by the USSC, ballistic experts determined the bullet was badly damaged, which prevented a clear conclusion as to its origin, the State Department said. The report did nothing to calm tensions between the two sides ahead of a visit by U.S. President Joe Biden next week. Palestinian general prosecutor Akram al-Khatib said the U.S. conclusion that the bullet was badly damaged was incorrect and said Abu Akleh had been deliberately targeted. "The American statement that they found no reasons to indicate the targeting was deliberate is unacceptable," Khatib said. The Palestinians would continue to pursue legal action against Israel at the International Criminal Court, he said. Story continues "Israel was responsible for killing her and it has to be held accountable," Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said in a statement. Israel has denied that any of its soldiers killed Abu Akleh intentionally and claimed she may have been hit by errant army fire or by a bullet from one of the Palestinian gunmen it says were clashing with its forces at the scene. Last month, the United Nations human rights office said information it had been able to gather from the incident suggested Abu Akleh had been killed by fire from the Israeli military and not from Palestinians. It said she had been standing with other reporters and was clearly identifiable as a journalist from her helmet and blue flak jacket marked with a press badge when she was shot and killed by a single bullet. A colleague was wounded in the incident by another bullet. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said Israel regretted Abu Akleh's death but said an Israeli military investigation had concluded there was no intent to harm her and he gave full backing to the Israeli Defense Forces. The Israeli military said it would continue to investigate the incident and a decision on whether to launch any criminal charges would be made after the operational examination. Defence Minister Benny Gantz said Israeli forces had responded to heavy fire from gunmen in the city, which houses a crowded refugee camp that has seen regular clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops. "The first to bear responsibility in such events, are the terrorists who operate from within population centers," he said in a statement. That version of events has been rejected by Palestinians who say there were no armed fighters in the area where Abu Akleh was killed. "The truth is that the Israeli military killed Shireen according to policies that view all Palestinians - civilian, press or otherwise - as legitimate targets," her family said in a statement. (Reporting by Chris Gallagher; additional reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah and James Mackenzie in JerusalemEditing by Chizu Nomiyama, Lisa Shumaker and Angus MacSwan) A look at the shareholders of Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A) can tell us which group is most powerful. Generally speaking, as a company grows, institutions will increase their ownership. Conversely, insiders often decrease their ownership over time. Companies that have been privatized tend to have low insider ownership. Agilent Technologies is a pretty big company. It has a market capitalization of US$36b. Normally institutions would own a significant portion of a company this size. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it seems that institutional investors have bought into the company. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about Agilent Technologies. See our latest analysis for Agilent Technologies What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Agilent Technologies? Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing. We can see that Agilent Technologies does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Agilent Technologies' earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters. Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. Agilent Technologies is not owned by hedge funds. The company's largest shareholder is BlackRock, Inc., with ownership of 10%. The Vanguard Group, Inc. is the second largest shareholder owning 8.2% of common stock, and T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. holds about 5.5% of the company stock. Story continues After doing some more digging, we found that the top 21 have the combined ownership of 50% in the company, suggesting that no single shareholder has significant control over the company. Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future. Insider Ownership Of Agilent Technologies While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it. Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group. Our most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of Agilent Technologies, Inc.. As it is a large company, we'd only expect insiders to own a small percentage of it. But it's worth noting that they own US$97m worth of shares. In this sort of situation, it can be more interesting to see if those insiders have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership With a 10% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Agilent Technologies. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run. Next Steps: I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. To that end, you should be aware of the 1 warning sign we've spotted with Agilent Technologies . But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Patriot Front members march in Boston White supremacists marched through Boston's city center and fought with a Black man yesterday, triggering a civil rights investigation into the group's presence. A little after noon, police became aware of the extremist group's presence. A white nationalist group, Patriot Front, had assembled members for a march through downtown Boston, according to the Boston Herald. A rental truck unloaded several shields and flags near a transit station in Haymarket at about 12:30 p.m. The banners included U.S. flags flown upside down, 13 stars in a circle for the original 13 colonies, and right-wing extremist symbols. Videos posted to social media show Patriot Front members marching with several flags that also featured Mussolini's symbol for the National Fascist Party. "If you truly wish for safety, you will have it. But you can take nothing else with you," an unmasked group member said through a bullhorn when the marchers stopped in front of the Boston Public Library among shouts from onlookers, the Herald reports. "Not your home, not your family, not your liberty. There you will be alone with your safety in a rot[ting] world." At about 1:25 p.m., Boston Police received a report of an adult Black man being injured during a confrontation with Patriot Front members. As the man walked down Dartmouth Street, he said a group of Patriot Front members pushed him, according to Boston Police Department chief spokesman Sgt. Detective John Boyle. Online photos show a fight between one Black man and the group. After being knocked to the ground, the man was taken to Tufts Medical Center with cuts to his head, eyebrow, and right ring finger. No arrests have yet been made in connection with the incident. However, there is a civil rights investigation underway. Mayor Michelle Wu, a Democrat, responded to the incident with a tweet "To the white supremacists who ran through downtown today: When we march, we don't hide our faces. Your hate is as cowardly as it is disgusting, and it goes against all that Boston stands for." Story continues "The disgusting, hateful actions and words of white supremacist groups are not welcome in this city. Especially in a moment when so many of our rights are under attack, we will not normalize intimidation by bigots," Wu said in a later statement, according to CBS News. "This weekend, as we remember Boston's legacy as the cradle of liberty, we celebrate the continued fight to expand those liberties for all and ensure that Boston will be a city for everyone." The marchers wore matching khaki pants, navy or dark-colored polo shirts, bandanas or similar coverings over their lower faces, sunglasses, and ball caps typical for extremist group members. The crowd marched down Commonwealth Avenue before turning toward Dartmouth Street toward Boylston and stopping at the Boston Public Library area at 1:14 p.m., according to a Herald photographer at the scene. Patriot Front is classified as white nationalists or white supremacists by the Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Defamation League. Police in Idaho arrested 31 Patriot Front members last month in a U-Haul loaded with shields on their way to Coeur d'Alene's Pride in the Park. According to a new report by clean energy nonprofit Generation180, the amount of solar installed at K-12 schools in Pennsylvania almost doubled from 2020-2022, with Pittsburghs Woodland Hills School District listed as one of its success stories. I think schools being part of the shift to clean energy is really important because not only is it an opportunity to have an impact on the environment, but it also impacts the students, it impacts taxpayers, because theres significant cost savings associated with it, Shannon Crooker, the Pennsylvania director for Generation 180, said. Sign up here for The 74s daily newsletter. Donate here to support The 74's independent journalism. Only 2% of schools in the state, which is a total of 108, produce their own solar power. According to Crooker and Gen180, there are several ways schools can begin to produce their own solar power with no upfront costs. The report found that 66% of solar projects for schools were financed by third parties, and 61% of Pennsylvania schools with solar are eligible for the Title I program, which provides federal financial assistance to schools with low-income students. Gen180 said it can also provide assistance to those interested in beginning their own journey to producing solar energy. If they havent already started talking to a developer, were more than open to meeting with them and sharing other stories, Crooker said. As well, we have the clean energy Leaders Network, which they can come and reach out to any of the superintendents, our facility managers who may have already gone through this process. Gen180 said Pittsburgh schools could also financially benefit from producing their own solar power. Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission announced that it would be adjusting its prices for electricity on June 1, with some users seeing a sharp increase in energy costs, ranging between 6% to 45% depending on their electric utility. Story continues I think right now, its kind of crucial timing, because electricity prices are going up yet again, like theyve gone up significantly in the last couple of years, Crooker said. And now theyre set to increase again. In addition to financial rewards, Gen180 also lists positive health and environmental benefits. Their report found that the amount of clean electricity schools generate yearly would offset greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking 5,000 gas-powered vehicles off the road. In 2019, the Woodland Hills School District became the first in the state to pass a school board resolution on climate change, and in September 2021, the district released a climate action plan in which they hope to have zero carbon emissions by the year 2050. We believe supporting the teaching of climate change in schools and facilitating youth activism are important ways to combat climate change on a community level, Katie Green, a student at Woodland Hills High School and a member of the schools Climate Action Team, says in the report, especially since policies put in place today will impact us the most in the future. Education news and commentary, delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 newsletter. Subscribe Ladimir Garcia is a reporter for Pittsburgh City Paper, where this story first appeared. Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John Micek for questions: info@penncapital-star.com. Follow Pennsylvania Capital-Star on Facebook and Twitter. A police officer in Highland Park, Ill., after a gunman fired on a Fourth of July parade in the Chicago suburb. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) At least six people died and 24 others were wounded in a shooting at a Fourth of July parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, and officers were searching for the shooter, who likely fired on the festivities from a rooftop, police said Monday. Highland Park Police Cmdr. Chris ONeill urged people to shelter in place as authorities searched for the gunman. This morning ... our community was terrorized by an act of violence that has shaken us to our core, Mayor Nancy Rotering said at the news conference. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims at this devastating time. On a day that we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we are instead mourning the tragic loss of life and struggling with the terror that was brought upon us. Police in Highland Park after the shooting. (Jim Vondruska / Getty Images) Police search downtown Highland Park. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere / Chicago Sun-Times) Police search for the Highland Park gunman. (Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press) Blood on a street in Highland Park. (Lynn Sweet / Chicago Sun-Times) Empty chairs are seen on a street after the shooting. (Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press) Police search for the gunman. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere / Chicago Sun-Times) Police in downtown Highland Park. (Jim Vondruska / Getty Images) Belongings left behind after the parade shooting. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere / Chicago Sun-Times) People retrieve their belongings after the shooting. (Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press) This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Witnesses have spoken of pure terror after a fatal shooting at a Danish shopping centre (AP) Witnesses have described throwing themselves behind shop counters and crowding into cramped hiding spaces in fear for their lives after a gunman opened fire in a busy shopping centre in Copenhagen. Three people were killed and threes others critically wounded in the attack at Fields shopping centre in Denmarks capital on Sunday evening, for which a motive is not yet known. Shoppers were pictured fleeing from the mall, which is one of the largest of its kind in Scandinavia, while those remaining inside were told by police to stay put as vast numbers of armed police worked to secure the area. A 22-year-old Danish man has been arrested in connection with the attack and inspector Soren Thomassen told a press conference that, while investigations are ongoing, the perpetrator is believed to have been acting alone. Danish tabloid BT published unverified video footage it said was shot by a witness to the attack, Mahdi Al-wazni, showing a man with a large rifle walking through the mall and swinging it around his shoulders. He seemed very aggressive and shouted different things, Al-wazni told BT, later telling broadcaster TV2 that the man appeared to be carrying a hunting rifle, adding: He spoke to me and said it [the rifle] isnt real as I was filming him. He seemed very proud of what he was doing. An eyewitness, Rikke Levandovski, told the same broadcaster that people first thought it was a thief, adding: Then I suddenly hear shots and threw myself behind the counter inside the store. She said the attacker was just shooting into the crowd, not up in ceiling or into the floor. A woman named Emilie Jeppesen told the Jyllands-Posten newspaper: You didnt know what was happening. Suddenly there was just chaos everywhere. Police officers and rescuers are seen in front of the mall (Olafur Steinar Gestsson/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images) Others described running from the sound of gunfire and desperately searching for safety. My friend and I ... suddenly we hear shots. I hear about ten shots and then run as fast as we can into a toilet. We squeeze into this tiny toilet where we are around 11 people, a woman who gave her name as Isabella told DR, Denmarks public broadcaster. Story continues Joachim Olsen, a former Danish politician who was going to a gym inside the shopping centre when he saw large groups of people running from the mall, told CNN: It looked like something, I'm sorry to say, you would see from a school shooting in the US, people coming out with their hands above their heads. You have people running out, looking for friends and calling friends and family members who were inside, some speaking to friends who were inside, Mr Olsen said. Old people with their arms around the necks of people carrying them out, their feet just being dragged across the floor. He added: At one point we were rushed away. The police came and said run, run, run, they're still shooting in there. Laurits Hermansen was in a clothing store at the shopping centre with his family when he heard three-four bangs, he told Danish broadcaster DR. Really loud bangs. It sounded like the shots were being fired just next to the store, he said. Police have not specified exactly how many people were killed and injured in the attack. A spokesperson at the capitals main hospital, Rigshospitalet, told Reuters it had received a small group of patients for treatment, adding that extra staff, including surgeons and nurses, had been called in to help. It is pure terror. This is awful, said Hans Christian Stoltz, a 53-year-old IT consultant, who was bringing his daughters to see Harry Styles perform at a concert less than a mile from the mall, a show which was cancelled with thousands of fans already inside the venue. You might wonder how a person can do this to another human being, but its beyond anything thats possible, Mr Stoltz said of the shooting. Styles said he was "heartbroken along with the people of Copenhagen. "I'm devastated for the victims, their families, and everyone hurting, he tweeted. Additional reporting by agencies The red wolf born at Roger Williams Park Zoo in May could some day roam the wild, part of a decades-long effort to restore the species, which once populated a large swath of the country from Texas to New York but was declared extinct in 1980. If the pup is released and survives in the wild, she will have beaten great odds. The restoration effort has hit a lot of obstacles in recent years. Zookeepers across the country are breeding the wolves in captivity, and some are being released to wildlife refuges in North Carolina, but their work has produced just an estimated 20 to 23 red wolves currently surviving in the wild. 'Historic birth': Roger Williams Park Zoo 'hope for survival' of this endangered species The red wolf pup born in May at Roger Williams Park Zoo has emerged from the den and sometimes explores the pen, as seen here with its father, Diego. The wild red wolf population in North Carolina reached a peak of 120 animals in 2012, but the numbers plummeted over the past decade, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Some in the wild have been struck by cars; others have been shot by people who thought they were coyotes, according to Amy Roberts, director of animal programs at the Providence zoo. Hope for the endangered red wolf Hope for the species lies in places like the Roger Williams Park Zoo, which is breeding the wolves as part of the federal recovery program. Some 250 red wolves are now living in captivity, like the small family at Roger Williams, a mother, father and their pup, Saluda, whose gender and name was revealed by the zoo on Wednesday. "They're behaving the way you'd want wolves to behave," Roberts said of the family about six weeks after the pup's birth. As is common, the father, Diego, 7, stayed away from Saluda and her mom, Brave, 6, for about a month, according to Roberts. Diego spent much of his time "patrolling" the family's territory, protecting the den site, she said. "The mom is learning to be a good mom," Roberts said. North Carolina: First red wolf pups found in wild after 4 years offer hope for species on the brink Story continues Saluda, the red wolf pup born at Roger Williams Park Zoo, had her first routine medical exam this week and associate veterinarian Dr. Jessica Lovstad gave her a "clean bill of health," the zoo said on social media. Reintroducing red wolves to the wild Raising animals that may some day return to the wild is tricky. Zookeepers don't want them to lose their wild instincts, and they minimize human contact. With a lot of captive animals, zoos use food as a motivator and a reward, but they don't want captive wolves to associate humans with food, Roberts said. "We try to keep them as wild as possible," she said. Contact has been so limited that zoo workers still didn't know the gender of the pup as of mid-June, according to Roberts. In a "PUPDATE!" on social media Wednesday, the zoo said, "Our red wolf pup has a name - meet Saluda! Our pup recently received her first routine medical exam. Associate veterinarian Dr. Jessica Lovstad gave Saluda a clean bill of health! These wellness assessments are a major part of the Zoos preventative health program." Whether the pup is released to the wild relies on several factors, including the young wolf's genetics and its behavior, Roberts said. Can she retain or develop enough of her wild instincts to survive outside a zoo? Wildlife rescue: Orphaned coyote pup mistaken for dog becomes foster brother of rescued RI pup Reintroducing red wolves to the wild began in 1987 with the release of wolves into the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern North Carolina. "It is the first time a large carnivore had been declared extinct in the wild and then reintroduced in the United States," according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "It set the stage for several subsequent reintroduction efforts that were modeled after the Red Wolf Recovery Program," including gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park. 150th birthday: Roger Williams Park Zoo celebrates its anniversary with time capsule burial A red wolf crosses a field in North Carolina. But the effort has faced criticism. The program has run into opposition from land owners worried about the wolves' impact on their animals and possible threat to humans. Wolf supporters have complained that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hasn't been aggressive enough in trying to restore the population and have filed lawsuits, according to published reports. "I think we need to do a better job educating the public," Roberts said. "There certainly has been some controversy and drama." Initially, there was progress in reestablishing the wolves. Between 1987 and 1994, more than 60 adult red wolves were released into the wildlife refuges. "By the mid-1990s, red wolves in the wild maintained territories, formed packs, and successfully bred," the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in a program update on its website. "By 2011, this reintroduction effort culminated in a known population (e.g. radio-collared) of 89 red wolves and in 2012 an estimated population as high as 120 red wolves within the five-county NC NEP area." Killing red wolves is illegal "After peaking, the population declined dramatically," the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said. "Human-caused mortality (e.g., gunshots, vehicle strikes) has been the leading cause of this decline. Hybridization with coyotes, which is exacerbated by human-caused mortality, particularly in breeding pairs, and low red wolf population numbers also played a key role in this decline." Killing red wolves is illegal "without first demonstrating that the red wolf is a threat to human safety or the safety of livestock or pets," but that hasn't stopped them from getting shot. Sometimes they are mistaken for coyotes. Sometimes they're perceived as a threat. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife report about four adult wolves released into the refuge in the spring of 2021 is grim. One was found dead by the side of a rural road on June 3; two others were found dead on June 27, all the apparent victims of vehicle strikes. "On October 3, 2021, the lone surviving red wolf released from captivity this spring, a male, was shot and killed on private land in the general area where he had established a territory over the last several months," U.S. Fish and Wildlife said. "The red wolf was killed by a private landowner who indicated the wolf was in the general vicinity of the landowners chicken coop." The news was better about four red wolf pups put into the refuge May 1, 2021, so they could be fostered by a wild, adult female red wolf. "She immediately adopted and raised them as her own," the Red Wolf Recovery Program said on its Facebook page. U.S. Fish and Wildlife captured two of the fostered wolves earlier this year and put orange collars on them. Protecting red wolves from cars and guns To protect the wolves from cars and also keep them from being mistaken for coyotes, program operators are adding orange reflective material to their GPS collars. They're also putting electronic message boards along roads where the wolves are known to roam. U.S. Fish and Wildlife also confirmed in April that a litter of six pups was born to a pair of previously released adult wolves, according to the Facebook page. It was the first litter born in the wild since 2018. The agency planned to release 10 wolves this year, and the Facebook page shows video of a family of five being released in April, most tentatively moving into the wild. It also released a male and female pair in February, but one of them was found dead a month later. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says it's "committed to seeing red wolf numbers increased within" the North Carolina release area, but acknowledges "there is much work to be done." "We are looking at past successes and challenges and we intend to continue proven wildlife management techniques that have demonstrated success, while implementing innovative approaches to address existing threats to red wolves and enhance the probability of successful translocations," the agency said in an email. "We recognize that we cannot recover the red wolf alone and are increasing our focus on collaboration and community and partner engagement to recover this species," the agency continued. "As part of this revitalization, we are working to provide support to landowners and stakeholders by increasing engagement, communication, and transparency in all our actions." What happened to the Saluda's tail? The pup born at Roger Williams Park Zoo has started leaving the den site, and some fortunate zoo visitors have caught glimpses of the young wolf. Some have noticed she doesn't have a tail, and they've wondered about it. "We believe the mother accidentally damaged the pups tail as she moved the pup during the first 24 hours," the zoo wrote recently on social media. "This is the first time 'Brave' has successfully raised a pup and she is still an inexperienced mother. Wolves and dogs use their tails to communicate in their social interactions, but we believe the pup can adapt to overcome this disability by using other visual and vocal behavior in pack situations." Restoring red wolves to the wild is important in helping balance the ecosystem, says Roberts of the zoo. "They were once a part of the landscape," she said, "and there's a reason for that." jperry@providencejournal.com (401) 277-7614 On Twitter: @jgregoryperry Be the first to know. Sign up for our breaking news alerts This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Red Wolf born at Providence Zoo would face long odds in the wild Some tech experts say that the metaverse, where avatars of people walk around, is the future of the internet There is a well-known saying when buying property that the three most important things to consider are "location, location, location". Well, it now appears that this mantra also applies in the virtual universe that some are hailing as the future of the internet, the so-called metaverse. Still very much in its infancy, this is the immersive, online space where cartoon-like 3D representations of ourselves, known as avatars, can walk around, and talk and interact with others. You typically access it by wearing a set of virtual reality (VR) goggles connected to your computer. Most early users of the metaverse access it by wearing virtual reality goggles The company formerly known as Facebook is so convinced that the metaverse is the future of the internet that last year it changed its name to Meta. Meta and its boss Mark Zuckerberg think that eventually many of us will work, play - and shop - in the metaverse. Or at least our avatars will. While for many people this all sounds fanciful, a growing number of companies are buying up space in the metaverse so that they can set up shop there. These firms include the likes of Adidas, Burberry, Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Samsung, Louis Vuitton, and even banks HSBC and JP Morgan. The question for such businesses, though, is what location do they pick? There are now some 50 or so different providers of worlds within the metaverse, with the most popular ones including The Sandbox, Decentraland, Voxels, and Somnium Space, plus Meta's own Horizon Worlds. Retailers and other investors are having to gamble on which of these will go on to become the dominant force in the metaverse, gaining the most visits from our avatars. And which other worlds may fade away into obscurity. Further, within the winning ecosystems, firms have to try to pick what will be the most popular areas. Canadian entrepreneur Andrew Kiguel is betting on Decentraland. Last year he spent $2.4m (2m) worth of cryptocurrency (you have to use a crypto to make a purchase in the metaverse) buying up a chunk of space in Decentraland's dedicated area for fashion retail. Story continues Mr Kiguel, who is the boss of cryptocurrency investment website Tokens.com, says he has already held a fashion show, and plans to rent out his space to fashion firms. The idea for such retailers is that your avatar can pop into a metaverse clothing shop and buy items to be sent to you in the real world. Or alternatively, you could treat your avatar to a new item of computerised clothing. While Mr Kiguel backs Decentraland he cautions that not all metaverse worlds will succeed. "It reminds me of the early days of social media. Similar to social media... the metaverse space will have some large winners and many niche metaverses that succeed," he says. Andrew Kiguel is aiming to rent out his space on Decentraland to top retail brands Hong Kong businessman Adrian Cheng has decided to buy in The Sandbox. The boss of property and retail group K11, he recently purchased an area in that metaverse world for an undisclosed sum. "We've invested in a lot of start-ups, and would like to create a pavilion so entrepreneurs can showcase their real-life success stories," he says. Yat Sui is co-founder of Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands, the owner of The Sandbox. He says that "what makes a [metaverse world] location powerful is its network effect". By this he means how busy it is, and how busy it can become. "The value of something increases the more people use it," says Mr Sui. Adrian Cheng is planning to create a metaverse showcase for entrepreneurs But how much does it cost to buy an area in the metaverse, and what do you get for that? At The Sandbox, each plot, called a "land", is equivalent to 96m x 96m long and wide, and with a height of 128m. And you can buy just one, or many grouped together, to form an "estate". The prices vary considerably depending on whether or not they are in a popular area. The current average price for one Sandbox land is around $2,300, but late last year someone was reported to have spent $450,000 for an estate next to rap star Snoop Dogg's Sandbox mansion. While the size of the plot was not revealed, the cost of each land was said to be significantly inflated. Meanwhile, one report earlier this year said that total retail sales across the metaverse topped $500m in 2021. Metaverse users can make their avatars handsome or attractive Scott Galloway, a professor of marketing at New York University's Leonard N Stern School of Business, warns that the metaverse is already a bit of a gold rush, and there may be financial casualties. "What we are seeing now is a speculative bubble around virtual real estate and other metaverse assets," he says. "When speculative economics emerge in a space, they tend to take it over and drive valuation and interest until the bubble bursts." Samsung now has a presence in the metaverse world Decentraland This caution is echoed by Prof Robert Stone, chair of interactive multimedia systems at the University of Birmingham in the UK. "Firms can really only be confident about the location of their purchase - and that location's future value to the activities they intend to pursue, and the clients they intend to attract - if they perform adequate research in the first place," he says. "Buying virtual real estate 'on spec', or based solely on the over-hyped marketing ploys of online vendors, is a sure-fire route to disappointment and wasted budgets. There are con artists out there, and, as the market is largely deregulated, mistakes can be costly." Metaverse shopping districts may tempt many of us in the future Prof Stone also questions how long most people will be prepared to wear VR goggles for. "How long will VR tech wearers be able to stay in the metaverse at any one visit?" he says. "Will the health and safety issues associated with VR wearables, which are unlikely to be solved for a long time, actually damage the metaverse's reputation?" New Tech Economy New Tech Economy is a series exploring how technological innovation is set to shape the new emerging economic landscape. Katie Witkin, a director of marketing at Everyrealm, a company that invests in the metaverse, is unsurprisingly far more optimistic. "The metaverse is a space where [retailers] can create experiences, and build, and be creative, and you don't have the confines of physics," she says. Prof Galloway adds that the winning metaverses will end up packed with much that companies offer us in the real world. "They will build entertaining experiences, they will build outrage and division, they will build useful tools - the same things capitalists build in every marketplace." MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry on Monday called strikes on Syria that have been blamed on Israel unacceptable, and demanded an unconditional cessation of the attacks. Syria on Saturday accused Israel of launching an "air aggression" from the Mediterranean west of Lebanon's second city Tripoli, with several missiles targeting an area to the south of Tartus. The Israeli military declined to comment on the strikes, which would be the first since Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid took office as the head of Israel's interim government ahead of a Nov. 1 election. "We strongly condemn such irresponsible actions that violate the sovereignty of Syria and the basic norms of international law, and we demand their unconditional cessation," the Russian foreign ministry said in comments about the July 2 strikes. The Syrian ministry of defence said the strikes injured two civilians and caused some material damage. (Reporting by Reuters; editing by Barbara Lewis) VALENTYNA ROMANENKO - MONDAY 4 JULY 2022, 10:28 According to the Ukrainian Defence Ministry's Chief Intelligence Directorate, the Kremlin is not going to limit its aspirations to Donbas and is planning the complete annihilation of Ukraine. Source: Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry's Chief Intelligence Directorate, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine Details: Commenting on international partners' intelligence data, Budanov said that the Chief Intelligence Directorate is guided by its own information, and that Russia's goal is the complete destruction of Ukraine's statehood. Quote from Budanov: "Once again I would like to reiterate that we were the ones who were the first to say what would happen and how it would happen. So I can tell you irrefutably that Russia's plans are the total annihilation of Ukraine, the absolute total annihilation. And [as for] any insinuations about whether Donbas might be enough for them, please don't even ask me questions like that. We will not trade territory." Background: On 3 July, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that after heavy fighting, the Ukrainian Defence Forces had withdrawn from their positions and lines in Lysychansk, Luhansk Oblast. On 4 July, British intelligence reported that Russian troops would almost certainly switch to capturing Donetsk Oblast now that Lysychansk has been seized. By Stanis Bujakera and Clement Uwiringiyimana KINSHASA/KIGALI (Reuters) -Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi will meet his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame for talks in Angola this week, officials said on Monday. There were no details on what they would discuss, but the neighbours have been at diplomatic loggerheads since a surge of attacks in eastern Congo by the M23 rebel group - which Kinshasa accuses Kigali of backing. Rwanda denies supporting the rebels and has, in turn, accused Congo of fighting alongside insurgents - a face-off that has raised fears of fresh conflict in the region. The meeting is likely to take place on Tuesday or Wednesday in Angola's capital Luanda, according to the officials - two of them from Congo and one Rwanda - who did not wish to be named. Earlier on Monday, Kagame said he did not mind Rwanda being excluded from a regional military force set up in April to fight rebels in east Congo, removing a potential stumbling block to the initiative. Congo had welcomed the plan but said it would not accept the involvement of Rwanda. "I have no problem with that. We are not begging anyone that we participate in the force," Kagame told Rwanda's state broadcaster in a wide-ranging interview. "If anybody's coming from anywhere, excluding Rwanda, but will provide the solution that we're all looking for, why would I have a problem," Kagame said. At the end of March, the M23 started waging its most sustained offensive in Congo's eastern borderlands since capturing vast swathes of territory in 2012-2013. Rwanda accuses Congo's army of firing into Rwandan territory and fighting alongside the FDLR - an armed group run by ethnic Hutus who fled Rwanda after taking part in the 1994 genocide. Recent attempts to stop the violence militarily have proven unsuccessful, and in some cases backfired, security analysts and human rights groups say. Despite billions of dollars spent on one of the United Nations' largest peacekeeping forces, more than 120 rebel groups continue to operate across large swathes of east Congo almost two decades after the official end of the central African country's civil wars. (Reporting by Stanis Bujakera in Kinshasa and Clement Uwiringiyimana in Kigali Writing by Estelle Shirbon and Hereward HollandEditing by James Macharia Chege and Andrew Heavens) Multilevel back porches are lined up one after another near the 5700 block of North Ashland Avenue on June 30, 2022, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) My only childhood memory of coming or going via our apartments front door was on the day of my bar mitzvah. Wearing my first suit, I was flanked by my parents and kid brother as we went to synagogue. There might have been other occasions, such as going to a family gathering. But our closest relatives were near at hand. Advertisement Aunt Goldie lived just across the back porch. Aunt Esthers apartment was a floor above ours, accessible by the stairs that connected our back porch with hers. It was the route of choice for me and my brother and our cousins: Goldies son, and Esthers son and daughter. Hallways and lobbies were for adults. They were wallpapered and lit with wall sconces chosen to attract tenants. Back porches were a Chicago childs playground, though they looked like the bare stage of an avant-garde theater group. Advertisement They were painted in battleship gray, a drab hue without a smidgen of gloss. An exposed light bulb, never more than 40 watts, was screwed into a porcelain socket. The only props were a metal garbage can or two and a broom the janitor used to clean up after carrying out the trash. But to a child, they spoke of knights and valor. A cousins imagination could turn the broom into a sword. I could protect myself with a garbage can cover for a shield, and thereby an Albany Park back porch became a medieval battlefield where the fates of kingdoms were determined. Children play near the back porch stairs of their apartment building in Chicago in April 1968. (Robert Mackay / Chicago Tribune) Sometimes our play echoed the news. In the 1940s, sea battles were deciding World War II. The gray of Chicagos back porches mimicked the paint job of Americas battleships and aircraft carriers. Protecting our apartment building from enemy attack, Goldies son Mickey and I flew balsa-wood and tissue-paper airplanes off our back porch. The height kept them airborne longer than if theyd been launched from street level. I was the admiral of our fleet. Mickey, being my junior, was second in command. When the twisted rubber band that powered our model airplanes went slack, he had to descend two flights of stairs to retrieve them. Casseroles and cake plates were also carried across those back porches and up or down the stairs connecting them. Aunt Esther was famed for her chili, as Aunt Goldie was for her cheesecake and my mother for her chopped liver. A family dinner in one of their dining rooms often included dishes from the other kitchens. One weekend, my father and Goldies husband, Uncle Bill, carried a ladder up to the third-floor porch and hauled themselves up through a trapdoor to the buildings roof. Starting at the far end, they unrolled a spindle of copper wire, dropped it through the trap door, and ran it down the stairs to our back porch. It was the antenna for a crystal radio that sat atop the garbage can. A simple receiver that Id built, it needed every foot of that wire to produce a faint signal heard through an earphone. What are you getting? Mickey asked. Advertisement I think its a war communique, I replied. I couldnt be sure because what I heard wasnt words, but a series of dots and dashes. Id only learned enough Morse code to know that if they stood for the letters SOS, wed have to grab our model airplanes and abandon our imaginary ship. Back porches not only brought me encoded sounds of a larger world but a peek into its myriad verities. Long stretches of Chicagos L were built not along streets, but over alleys. That brought its passenger eye level with second- and third-floor back porches. A Brown Line "L" train gives passengers an eye-level view of second- and third-story back porches in Chicago on June 30, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) As an L train rolled along, its windows momentarily framed little human vignettes, each giving way to the next like the panels of a comic strip. Once I saw a disconsolate-looking man hunched over a porch railing puffing on a cigarette. To this day, my minds eye sees the woman who was regarding him through the porchs window. Were they separated by an argument? I wondered. Is each waiting for the other to offer a truce? Advertisement As the L rumbled through the neighborhoods, back porches bore witness to the various rungs of Chicagos social ladder. Away from the citys center, an expensive racing bicycle might peep out from under a protective tarpaulin. Closer to the Loop, a bike could lack the back wheel that powered it. Perhaps a prudent owner brought it inside. Maybe thieving hands had carried it off. Recently the citys stock of back porches is being depleted, or so it seems to me. In gentrifying neighborhoods they are replaced by decks a word I never heard when living under Aunt Esther and alongside Aunt Goldie. A deck is made of wood but instead of the grain being hidden by paint, its highlighted by coats of golden varnish. Gone is the garbage can that gave its predecessor a gritty look. Its replaced by shrubs and hanging plants that make a deck seem a peaceful oasis amid the turmoil of a big city. A multilevel back porch peeks out from the trees near the 2300 block of North Lincoln Avenue on June 30, 2022, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) Am I reconciled to the back porchs demise? Not really. But if the wisdom of old age means anything, it is the recognition that change is inevitable. And that few get to realize their youthful ambitions. One of mine was to fly my tissue-paper airplane where the Wright brothers flew the first full-scale aircraft. The opportunity occurred on a trip to North Carolina a few years ago. At Kitty Hawk, I wound the rubber band of my plane as tight as possible and launched it right into a sudden gust of wind. Knocked back, it crashed feet 10 behind me. Crushed, I went back to our car and sat in stony silence. Then a memory lifted my spirits: It was of a long-ago afternoon on a Chicago back porch where Mickey and I launched the model airplanes that kept our parents apartments out of an enemys destructive hands. If you doubt that, go take a look. The building still stands at 4341 N. Sacramento Ave. Sign up to receive the Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter at chicagotribune.com/newsletters for more photos and stories from the Tribunes archives. Advertisement Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Ron Grossman and Marianne Mather at rgrossman@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com. Simona Halep celebrates winning against Paula Badosa (Zac Goodwin/PA) (PA Wire) Former champion Simona Halep dismantled fourth seed Paula Badosa to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals with a statement win. The Romanian, back at SW19 and on Centre Court for the first time since her title triumph in 2019, steamrollered a nervous looking Badosa 6-1 6-2 in just 59 minutes. Spaniard Badosa had beaten another former winner, Petra Kvitova, in round three but found Halep too hot to handle. Halep motored through the first set in just 23 minutes and there was no let-up in the second as the 30-year-old who did not play at SW19 last year due to injury took her Wimbledon winning streak to 11 matches. Simona Halep was back on Centre Court after a three-year absence (Zac Goodwin/PA) (PA Wire) I think I played a great match, shes a great player but I enjoyed a lot being back on Centre Court, said Halep. Im really pleased with the way I have played this tournament so far, day by day its getting better and Im looking forward to the next one and giving my best again. Halep joined the parade of former champions on Sunday to celebrate Centre Courts centenary. She added: I missed a lot playing here for three years, its very special to be back. 6-1 in just 23 minutes. Simona Halep is enjoying being back on Centre Court#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/DwdEAzjn4J Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 4, 2022 I was here yesterday with the other champions, and I was more nervous yesterday than today. Halep, seeded 16, will meet American 20th seed Amanda Anisimova after she ended the fairytale run of Harmony Tan who beat Serena Williams in the first round 6-2 6-3. Moscow-born Elena Rybakina is also through after beating Petra Martic of Croatia 7-5 6-3. Rybakina, 23, is able to compete at Wimbledon despite the ban on Russian players as she switched allegiance to Kazakhstan in 2018. Story continues Elena Rybakina is through to the last eight (Adam Davy/PA) (PA Wire) The 17th seed has yet to drop a set this fortnight and said: Im really happy that all these matches, I managed to win in two sets. Im enjoying my time here now because I didnt have much expectation. I didnt have good preparation. I didnt start the grass season well in two other tournaments but I knew that the surface suits my game very good and in the end Im just trying to enjoy every match I play. Rybakina will play unseeded Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, who beat Iga Swiateks conqueror Alize Cornet of France 4-6 6-4 6-3. A gunman armed with a high-powered rifle shot dead at least six people at a parade to mark US Independence Day in a wealthy Chicago suburb on Monday -- the latest in a series of shocking mass shootings on a holiday meant to celebrate all things American. Police launched a manhunt in the city of Highland Park for the gunman, who was still on the loose, while authorities rushed to cancel July 4 celebrations there and in the nearby town of Evanston. Along the parade route, abandoned chairs and other belongings could be seen scattered after panicked spectators fled for their lives. "Everyone thought it was fireworks," one parade-goer, identified only as Zoe, told CNN. "My dad thought it was part of the show, and I'm like, 'Dad, no... something is wrong.' And I grabbed him. And I looked back at him, and then it was just a sea of panic, and people just falling and falling." As they ran, she said that some 20 feet behind her, "I saw a girl shot and killed... saw her die." Zoe said they first hid behind a dumpster before police pulled them into the basement of a sporting goods store with some other people, several of whom were injured, including a man who appeared to have been shot in the ear and a girl who was shot in the leg. When they were finally able to leave, she told CNN, the parade route resembled "a battle zone. And it's disgusting." Commander Chris O'Neill of the city's police said the shooting began around 10:14 am, as the parade was "approximately three-quarters of the way through." "It sounds like spectators were targeted... So, very random, very intentional and very sad," he said. He said two dozen people had been hospitalized and six confirmed dead, adding that "several" of them had died at the scene, which was "very large." The suspected shooter has been described as a white male aged 18-20 with longer black hair, and was using a "high-powered rifle," O'Neill said. He said that "firearm evidence" had been located on a nearby rooftop, adding: "All indications is he was discreet, he was very difficult to see." Story continues "All individuals are still urged to shelter in place at this time," he said. Nancy Rotering -- the mayor of Highland Park, a wealthy suburb north of Chicago in the Midwestern state of Illinois -- gave the same toll and condemned the holiday violence. "On a day that we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we're instead mourning the tragic loss of life and struggling with the terror that was brought upon us," she said. - 'Enough is enough' - Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the state police and the local sheriff's office, are assisting with the response. Highland Park announced that all July 4 festivities had been canceled as a result of the violence, as did nearby Evanston. "While there is no known threat to Evanston residents, the shooter is still at large; therefore, cancelations are taking place in an abundance of caution," the city said. US Representative Brad Schneider, who was at the parade, said on Twitter that "a shooter struck in Highland Park during the Independence Day parade." "Hearing of loss of life and others injured. My condolences to the family and loved ones; my prayers for the injured and for my community," he wrote, adding: "Enough is enough!" The shooting is part of a wave of gun violence plaguing the United States, where approximately 40,000 deaths a year are caused by firearms, including suicides, according to the Gun Violence Archive website. The debate over gun control -- a deeply divisive issue in the country -- was reignited by two massacres in May that saw 10 Black supermarket shoppers gunned down in upstate New York and 21 people, mostly young children, slain at an elementary school in Texas. Congress passed the first significant bill on gun safety in decades in the wake of those killings. President Joe Biden signed it into law in late June, saying that while it falls short of what is really needed, it will still save lives. But a day earlier, proponents of tougher firearms laws suffered a setback when the US Supreme Court ruled that Americans have a fundamental right to carry a handgun in public, a landmark decision with far-reaching implications for states and cities across the country trying to rein in gun violence. bur-st/to STORY: The 18-year-old who was traveling with five friends spent the night in jail and is pending a court hearing, said a spokesman for Spain's Civil Guard police. Footage of the incident showed an F18 jet flying close to the distinctive orange wingtips of the commercial airline's A-319 aircraft which typically carries between 120 and 150 passengers. The fighter jet is seen waggling its wings, a gesture known in aviation as indicating the other pilot should follow him, while worried passengers can be heard discussing what is happening, with one woman asking: "Why is it doing that, is it just showing off?" Military planes usually intercept civilian aircraft when ground air traffic control lose contact with them or there is a perceived threat to the aircraft or passengers either because of a bomb warning, suspicious object or feared terrorist activity. EasyJet flight EZY8303, which left London Gatwick airport at 1 p.m., landed safely at Menorca airport in the Balearic Islands around half an hour late, just before 5 p.m., and was escorted to a security area. There, the teenager was arrested and over a period of two hours passengers were disembarked one by one and asked to identify their luggage for checks by sniffer dogs and bomb disposal experts, the Guardia Civil said. Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in St. Augustine on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. A few days ago, I made yet another visit to Castillo de San Marcos. I have led teachers, graduate students, U.S. and foreign dignitaries, reporters and videographers across the dry moat and into the 350-year-old castle. This time I was with two girls, ages 8 and 11. Each sort of visitor asks different questions, but usually not with the enthusiasm and candor of the two girls. They have been here many times with me and have their own plan of attack at the Castillo. The "dungeon" in the northeast corner under the tall watchtower is our first stop. I don't recall any diplomats or other officials stooping way down to fit through the very low opening in what was actually once an old storeroom for gunpowder. Today, the light in the "dungeon" is on all the time, but years ago the Castillo staff would turn out the light and provide a scary experience of total darkness in a small damp windowless room. More from historian Susan Parker Next we had to check out the large San Carlos watchtower on the northeastern bastion. Then off the girls ran to the cannon on the gun deck. Their interest was more in the decorative dolphins on the barrels than on the weapons themselves, and they quickly ran off to another watchtower. I stood looking at the cannon and recalled reading so many reports of how the persons living beyond St. Augustine moved into the city and "under the protection of the guns of the Castillo" during times of attacks. I pondered that the cannon at the fortress today were not the ones in place to defend the Castillo and this city during attacks centuries ago. As St. Augustine and the Florida colony were transferred back and forth between nations, the departing regime removed its own cannon. At times the outgoing nation and the incoming nation disagreed about the fate of the artillery what pieces were to stay and which ones would leave. Story continues When Spain transferred its East Florida colony to the United States in 1821, U.S. and Spanish representatives disagreed over the fate of Spanish artillery and archives. U.S. commissioner Robert Butler told Spanish Gov. Jose Coppinger that the treaty of transfer signed by Spain and the United States provided for the surrender of government archives, fortifications and all the cannon and artillery pieces in East Florida. Coppinger replied "no." After offers and counteroffers, Butler and Coppinger compromised that the Spanish would leave the artillery mounted at Castillo de San Marcos and at Fort Matanzas, "if the United States transported the remaining unemplaced, tubes, field pieces and gunboat cannon." Butler accepted the idea. How do we know about the details of the sparring between Butler and Coppinger over the artillery? We can read their communications because U.S. officials seized the Spanish archives from Coppinger's home office. Thus, the papers remained in the United States rather than being sent to Havana, Cuba. Almost 40 years earlier, the transfer of Florida involved Spain's turning over its colony to Great Britain. British troops arrived in St. Augustine in the middle of July 1763 while the city's Spanish residents and artillery awaited ships to take them to Havana. The sloop Industry (or Industrias in the Spanish documents) under Capt. Daniel Lawrence carried Spanish artillery away from our city. The ship then reversed its role and brought British cannon here. On Dec. 24, 1763, 58 residents left behind their St. Augustine homes and sailed for Havana on Industrias. Guns from the Castillo sailed on the ship as well. Susan Parker Five months later, in May 1764, Capt. Lawrence and Industry approached St. Augustine bringing British cannon to the city. The Industry wrecked as it approached St. Augustine. The cannon sunk to the ocean floor, never reaching the gun deck of Castillo de San Marcos. I did not tell the girls that part of the story as we stood in the hot and bright sun with the chatter of other visitors surrounding us. But I shall. You can read about the wreck of Industry at the St. Augustine Lighthouse website. Susan R. Parker holds a doctorate in colonial history. This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: St. Augustine, Florida history: The cannon at Castillo de San Marcos Ukrainian platoon commander Mariia rests in a trench in the Donetsk region in the east. (Efrem Lukatsky / Associated Press) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, one day after Ukrainian forces withdrew from their last remaining bulwark of resistance in the province. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in a televised meeting Monday that Russian forces had taken control of Luhansk, which together with the neighboring Donetsk province makes up Ukraine's Donbas industrial heartland. Shoigu told Putin that the operation was completed Sunday after Russian troops overran the city of Lysychansk, the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in Luhansk. Putin, in turn, said that the military units that took part in active hostilities and achieved success, victory in Luhansk should rest, increase their combat capabilities. Putins declaration came as Russian forces tried to press their offensive deeper into eastern Ukraine after the Ukrainian military confirmed that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk on Sunday. Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai said Monday that Ukrainian forces had retreated from the city to avoid being surrounded. There was a risk of Lysychansk encirclement, Haidai told the Associated Press, adding that Ukrainian troops could have held on for a few more weeks but would have potentially paid too high a price. We managed to do centralized withdrawal and evacuate all injured, Haidai said. We took back all the equipment, so from this point withdrawal was organized well. The Ukrainian army's general staff said Russian forces were now focusing their efforts on pushing toward the line of Siversk, Fedorivka and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, about half of which is controlled by Russia. The Russian army has also intensified its shelling of the key Ukrainian strongholds of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, deeper in Donetsk. On Sunday, six people, including a 9-year-old girl, were killed in the Russian shelling of Sloviansk and 19 more people were wounded, according to local authorities. Kramatorsk also came under fire Sunday. Story continues An intelligence briefing Monday from the British Defense Ministry supported the Ukrainian military's assessment, noting that Russian forces will now almost certainly switch to capturing Donetsk. The briefing said the conflict in the Donbas has been grinding and attritional, and is unlikely to change in the coming weeks. Although the Russian army has a massive advantage in firepower, military analysts say that it doesn't have any significant superiority in the number of troops. That means Moscow lacks resources for quick land gains and can advance only slowly, relying on heavy artillery and rocket barrages to soften Ukrainian defenses. Putin has made capturing the entire Donbas a key goal in his war in Ukraine, now in its fifth month. Moscow-backed separatists in the Donbas have battled Ukrainian forces since 2014 when they declared independence from Kyiv after the Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. Russia formally recognized the self-proclaimed republics days before its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the withdrawal, but vowed that Ukrainian forces will fight their way back. If the command of our army withdraws people from certain points of the front where the enemy has the greatest fire superiority, in particular this applies to Lysychansk, it means only one thing: We will return thanks to our tactics, thanks to the increase in the supply of modern weapons, Zelensky said. Since failing to take Kyiv and other areas in Ukraine's northeast early in the war, Russia has focused on the Donbas, unleashing fierce shelling and engaging in house-to-house combat that devastated cities in the region. Russia's invasion has also devastated Ukraine's agricultural sector, disrupting supply chains of seed and fertilizer needed by Ukrainian farmers and blocking the export of grain, a key source of revenue for the country. Zelensky called for immediate economic aid to help the country rebuild even as fighting continues. The restoration of Ukraine is not only about what needs to be done later after our victory, but also about what needs to be done right now. And we must do this together with our partners, with the entire democratic world, he said. A significant part of the economy has been destroyed by hostilities and Russian strikes. Thousands of enterprises do not work. And this means a high need for jobs, to provide social benefits, despite the decrease in tax revenues, Zelensky said. In its Monday intelligence report, Britain's Defense Ministry pointed to the Russian blockade of the key Ukrainian port of Odesa, which has severely restricted grain exports. They predicted that Ukraine's agricultural exports would reach only 35% of the 2021 total this year as a result. As Moscow pushed its offensive across Ukraine's east, areas in western Russia came under attack Sunday in a revival of sporadic apparent Ukrainian strikes across the border. The governor of the Belgorod region in western Russia said fragments of an intercepted Ukrainian missile killed four people Sunday. In the Russian city of Kursk, two Ukrainian drones were shot down, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Jul. 3As Texans make plans to celebrate the Fourth of July with picnics, grilling, camping and fireworks, Texas A&M Forest Service asks everyone to be careful with any outdoor activity that may cause a spark. Approximately 90% of wildfires are caused by humans and their activities, and Independence Day is one of the top days for reported wildfires. With current drought conditions across most of the state, the public is encouraged to help protect Texas by preventing wildfires. "Even though we will see temporary relief from the high temperatures, Texas is still in a drought and may have conditions that support wildfires as we head into the July 4th holiday," said Bruce Woods, Mitigation and Prevention Department Head. "We encourage everyone to be cautious with fireworks and any outdoor activity that may cause a spark this weekend." Gulf moisture and a reprieve from triple digit temperatures will reduce the potential for significant wildfires that may impact communities. However, there is still a chance that wildfire ignitions may occur, and state and local fire officials advise everyone to be careful with activities outdoors. "Take caution with your celebrations while you grill and enjoy fireworks with your family and friends," said Karen Stafford, Prevention Program Coordinator. "Remember to do your part, and don't let a wildfire start." The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a public firework show conducted by professionals. If you are going to set off your own fireworks, please follow these safety tips: Before you celebrate, always check with local government officials for any burn bans or other restrictions. Be sure to comply with all restrictions. Read and follow all warnings and instruction labels on fireworks. Use fireworks only under close adult supervision and in safe areas away from structures, dry grass and brush. Keep a hose, bucket of water and wet towels nearby in case of a malfunction or fire. Story continues Dispose of used fireworks in a bucket of water. Never ignite fireworks in a container, especially a glass or metal container. To help prevent wildfires, follow these additional tips: Avoid parking and idling in tall, dry grass. Catalytic converters can get hot enough to ignite the grass under a vehicle. Ensure chains and other metal parts aren't dragging from your vehiclethey throw sparks. Avoid placing your grill near flammable vegetation or materials, never leave your grill unattended, and ensure coals are completely extinguished when you are done. Burn bans and fireworks restrictions are determined by county government. Texas A&M Forest Service does not take a position on the use of fireworks, nor does the agency determine, set or lift restrictions. Rescuers used thermal drones Monday to search for possible survivors trapped under ice after an avalanche set off by the collapse of the largest glacier in the Italian Alps killed at least six people and injured eight others. Authorities said they did not know how many climbers were hit when the glacier gave way Sunday on Marmolada, the highest mountain in the Italian Dolomites. "We found bodies torn apart, in a shapeless tide of ice and debris stretching over 1,000 metres (3,280 feet)," Gino Comelli from the Alpine Rescue Service told the Corriere della Sera daily Monday. The disaster struck one day after a record-high temperature of 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) was recorded at the glacier's summit. Emergency services spokeswoman Michela Canova told AFP an "avalanche of snow, ice and rock" hit an access path at a time when there were several roped parties, "some of whom were swept away". The total number of climbers involved was "not yet known", she said. Helicopters and sniffer dogs were called off as night fell and amid fears the glacier may still be unstable. But rescuers used drones equipped with thermal cameras to continue the search overnight and early Monday, Canazei mayor Giovanni Bernard told AFP. "It is difficult for the rescuers in a dangerous situation", he said. Images of the avalanche filmed from a refuge close by show snow and rock hurtling down the mountain's slopes. "It's a miracle we're alive," Stefano Dal Moro, an engineer who was hiking with his Israeli partner told Corriere della Sera. "There was a dull noise, then that sea of ice came down. It's useless to run, you can only pray that it doesn't come your way. "We crouched down and hugged each other tightly as the ice passed". Bodies dug out of the ice and rock were taken to the village of Canazei. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi was expected to visit Canazei later Monday. Massimo Frezzotti, a science professor at Roma Tre University, told AFP the collapse was caused by unusually warm weather linked to global warming, with precipitation down 40 to 50 percent during a dry winter. Story continues "The current conditions of the glacier correspond to mid-August, not early July," he said. The Trento public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation to determine the causes of the tragedy. bur-ide/jv 50,000 Runners laced up their running shoes for the 53rd Annual AJC Peachtree Road Race this 4th of July. The runners were excited for Mondays race. Its just wonderful, everyone is so friendly its such a great place to be, said Amy Wade, a runner. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] After finishing a 10k run in the thick humidity, many people like Tara Harris, whos returning for her 6th year, are just thankful to cross the finish line. I was just happy I didnt walk or pass out its really hot out here today, said Harris. Every year to me is brutal. Its July 4th, the heat of the summer in Georgia so every year its really hot. . People also came to participate from other states. Nigel McGregor flew in from New York City and he walked Channel 2s Kristen Holloway through his preps for race day. I hydrated on the plane all the way through the whole entire flight, got here did a shake out run, got adjusted to the humidity here and it worked out well, said McGregor. TRENDING STORIES: And we all know the uphill climb in the last stretch was brutal, but first time runner Katie Sharron said she strategized and saved energy. I saved up and when I came time for cardiac hill it was hard but I felt really good on it, said Sharron. Speaking of feeling good, Daniel Romanchuk said this is his 5th win the wheelchair division at the Peachtree Road Race. Im not to great at down hills so I kinda fell back a little bit and just waited for the climbs and once we hit the climbs it was just an all out sprint, said Romanchuk. Each participant was part of the huge party in Piedmont Park to celebrate the victory run. Almost everyone said that crossing the finish line and enjoying time with family and friends this holiday was the best part. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Sunday marked three years since the murder of Amanda Dabrowski, who was stabbed to death in the middle of a crowded Worcester restaurant. Her alleged killer: Carlos Asencio, a man she met at work and briefly dated. Asencio is set to go to trial later this year; meanwhile, Dabrowskis family is still waiting for justice. 25 Investigates: The Murder of Amanda Dabrowski The family has pushed for changes to Massachusetts laws on workplace protections for domestic violence victims. The legislation has been filed since 2020 and continues to stall in the State House. Today marks 3 years since the murder of Amanda Dabrowski. She did everything she could to protect herself. Her murder, inside a crowded #Worcester restaurant, underscores the challenges facing victims of domestic violence. https://t.co/SDflqquOXH Kerry Kavanaugh (@KerryKavanaugh) July 4, 2022 Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Police pronounced both men dead at the scene (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Two people were killed in New York state at the weekend in what police have said was a road rage incident. State police said the incident took place on Saturday morning on the I-84 highway in Kent, a town of about 12,900 people in Putnam County. The two drivers were travelling westbound on the highway when they both stopped their vehicles and argued in the right lane. They were killed when a third car hit them, New York State Police said. They were identified as 38-year-old Mark Hall of Holmes and 22-year-old Fabian Tirado of Wappinger, and were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the third car was taken to the hospital in nearby Danbury with minor injuries. An investigation is ongoing. The restoration project of St. Andrew's Church is one of the winners This year, 30 heritage preservation projects from 18 European countries competed for awards in five categories. The St. Andrew's Church restoration project in Kyiv was one of the winners in the Conservation& Adaptive Reuse category. Read also: Ukrainian brand Faina Gallery wins award at prestigious Design Miami/Basel exhibition This comprehensive and well documented restoration has returned a monument with significant cultural and spiritual value to the people of Ukraine, says the project dossier. The church now functions as a museum and hosts church services, scientific and educational events and chamber music concerts. In addition, the list of winners in the Citizen Engagement and Awareness Raising category included another Ukrainian project - World Vyshyvanka Day. Read also: Ukrainian borscht included in UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage What began as a small student mob is now an annual holiday celebrated internationally that helps preserve the iconic Ukrainian embroidered shirt (vyshyvanka) as an important element of the heritage of the Ukrainian people, states the project. The winning projects will be presented with their awards on Sept. 26 in Prague at the European Heritage Awards. KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine needs $750 billion for a three-stage recovery plan in the wake of Russia's invasion, its prime minister said on Monday. Denys Shmygal also told the Ukraine Recovery Conference hosted by Switzerland that there had been over $100 billion of direct damage to Ukrainian infrastructure from Russia's invasion. "Today, the direct infrastructure losses of Ukraine stand at over $100 billion," he said. "Who will pay for the renewal plan, which is already being valued at $750 billion?" Shmygal added that the Ukrainian government believed that a key source of funding for the recovery plan should be assets confiscated from Russian oligarchs. He said Ukraine's recovery plan had three phases: A first focused on fixing things that matter for people's daily lives like water supply which is ongoing, a "fast recovery" component that will be launched as soon as fighting ends including temporary housing, hospital and school projects, and one that aims to transform the country over the longer term. (Reporting by Max Hunder; Writing by Alexander Winning; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel) STORY: Swiss President Ignazo Cassis welcomed them at the conference venue, Villa Ciani, a 19th century-mansion located on the shore of Lake Lugano. The conference will address the priorities, methods and principles of reconstruction, as well as what form reconstruction may take in the areas of infrastructure, the economy, the environment and social issues. It will also consist of a pledging element. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is set to address the participants later in the day. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The UK government has accused Belarus of 'supporting' Russia's war in Ukraine. Photo: Reuters/Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin The UK government plans to introduce additional economic, trade and transport sanctions on Belarus over its support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The new package, announced on Monday, will take effect from Tuesday, will include import and export bans on products worth around 60m ($73m), the foreign office has said. The embargo will block exports of oil refining goods, advanced technology components such as those used in quantum computing and luxury goods, including British artwork and designer handbags. It will also bar imports of Belarusian iron and steel into the country. Britain will also ban more Belarusian firms from issuing debt and securities in London. In a statement on Monday, the government accused the "Lukashenko regime" of continuing to "actively facilitate" Russian president Vladimir Putins "illegal invasion". "The Belarus regime has actively facilitated Putins invasion, letting Russia use its territory to pincer Ukraine launching troops and missiles from their border and flying Russian jets through their airspace," it added. "Lukashenko has also openly supported the Kremlins narrative, claiming that Kyiv was 'provoking Russia' in order to justify Putins bloody invasion." Read more: Oil prices: G7 mulls Russian oil price cap and gold import ban The latest government measures come after it already raised import tariffs on a range of goods from Belarus by 35% and sanctioned Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko and senior government officials. The UK along with its Western allies, have been imposing sanctions against Russian elites, banks and strategic industries since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in February. Moscow has previously said that it is conducting a "special military operation" in Ukraine. Watch: Russia claims control of Luhansk region of Donbas By Tom Balmforth and Max Hunder KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday his armed forces were undeterred in their efforts to "break" Moscow's will to pursue a nearly five-month war, while Russia's Vladimir Putin hailed his military's victory in the grueling battle of Luhansk. Russia captured the city of Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine on Sunday, bringing an end to one of the biggest battles in Europe in generations and completing its conquest of Luhansk province, one of two regions it has demanded Ukraine cede to separatists in the Donbas region. With the war entering its next phase, Ukrainian forces took up new defensive lines in the eastern part of the country. "There have been no significant changes on the battlefield in the past 24 hours," Zelenskiy said in a nightly video message. "The Armed Forces of Ukraine respond, push back and destroy the offensive potential of the occupiers day after day. We need to break them. It is a difficult task. It requires time and superhuman efforts. But we have no alternative." Earlier in the day, Putin congratulated Russian forces on "victories in the Luhansk direction". Participants in that combat should "absolutely rest and recover their military preparedness," while units in other areas keep fighting, the Russian president said in a brief televised meeting with his defence minister. The battle for Luhansk is the closest Moscow has come to achieving one of its stated objectives since its forces were defeated trying to capture Kyiv in March. It marks Russia's biggest victory since it captured the southern port of Mariupol in late May. Both sides suffered thousands of dead and wounded, while claiming they inflicted far greater losses on the other side, along a loop of the Siverskyi Donets river that winds through Luhansk and Donetsk. Relentless Russian bombardment razed to a wasteland Lysychansk, neighbouring Sievierodonetsk and surrounding towns, many of which had heavy industrial plants that defenders used as fortified bunkers. Russia had repeatedly tried and failed to surround the Ukrainians, eventually opting to blast them out with artillery. Story continues Military experts said the battle could be a turning point in the war, making a big impact on both sides' ability to fight on, even though the strategic value of the ruined cities themselves is limited. "I think it's a tactical victory for Russia but at an enormous cost," said Neil Melvin of the RUSI think tank in London. He compared the battle to the huge fights for meagre territorial gains that characterized World War One. "This has taken 60 days to make very slow progress," he said. "I think the Russians may declare some kind of victory, but the key war battle is still yet to come." Moscow will hope Ukraine's retreat gives Russian forces momentum to push further west into neighbouring Donetsk province, where Ukraine still holds the cities of Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Bakhmut. 'IT HURTS A LOT' Ukraine could have withdrawn from Luhansk weeks ago but chose to keep fighting to exhaust the invasion force. It hopes the ferocious battle will leave the Russians too depleted to hold gains elsewhere. Serhiy Gaidai, the Ukrainian governor of Luhansk, acknowledged his entire province was now effectively in Russian hands, but told Reuters: "We need to win the war, not the battle for Lysychansk ... It hurts a lot, but it's not losing the war." Gaidai said Ukrainian forces that retreated from Lysychansk were now holding the line between Bakhmut and Sloviansk, preparing to fend off a further Russian advance. The mayor of Sloviansk said heavy shelling on Sunday had killed at least six people, including a 10-year-old girl. Russia's Tass news agency quoted military officials in the Donetsk Peoples' Republic as saying three civilians died and 27 were injured in what they said was shelling by Ukrainian forces. Reuters could not verify the battlefield accounts. Rob Lee, of the U.S.-based Foreign Policy Research Institute, said the new Ukrainian defensive line should be easier to defend than the pocket in Luhansk province that was given up. "It's something that Putin can show as a sign of success," he said. "But overall, this doesn't mean Ukraine will have to concede or give in any time soon." Russia has said its "special military operation" in Ukraine is meant to demilitarise its southern neighbour and protect Russian speakers from what it calls nationalists. Ukraine and its Western allies say this is a baseless pretext for flagrant aggression that aims to seize territory. Zelenskiy said "colossal" funding would be needed to rebuild Ukraine's shattered infrastructure. Speaking at a conference in the Swiss city of Lugano, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said the cost could reach $750 billion and rich Russians should help pay the bill. COUNTER-ATTACK Melvin, the RUSI expert, said the decisive battle for Ukraine was likely to take place not in the east, where Russia is mounting its main assault, but in the south, where Ukraine has begun a counter-offensive to recapture territory. "This is where we see the Ukrainians are making progress around Kherson. There are counter-attacks beginning there and I think it's most likely that we'll see the momentum swing to Ukraine as it tries to then mount a large-scale counter-offensive to push the Russians back," he said. Ukraine's hopes for a sustained counter-attack rest in part on receiving additional weapons from the West, including rockets that can neutralise Russia's huge firepower advantage by striking deep behind the front line. Last week, Ukraine scored its own major victory, driving Russian forces off Snake Island, a desolate but strategic outcrop in the Black Sea that Moscow captured on the war's first day but could no longer defend from Ukrainian strikes. Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said the best way to end the war was to increase support to Ukraine and ramp up pressure on Russia. "We are open to further sanctions" on Russia, Andersson said at a news conference alongside Zelenskiy earlier on Monday, adding that Moscow should not be allowed to make gains from its invasion. Sweden, along with its neighbour Finland, recently applied for membership in NATO. Andersson said it could take a year before her country is a full member of the alliance. (Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Additional reporting by Oleksandr Kozhukhar; Writing by Michael Perry, Peter Graff and Paul Simao; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore, Alison Williams and David Gregorio) Ukrainian officials including President Volodymyr Zelensky wished the U.S. a happy Independence Day on Monday as the nation fights for its own independence against the ongoing Russian invasion. I appreciate the leadership assistance of the United States in Ukraines defending of common values freedom, democracy and independence, Zelensky tweeted, wishing Americans and President Biden a happy July 4th. Happy Independence Day to the people of and @POTUS! I wish the friendly people of peace and prosperity. I appreciate the leadership assistance of the United States in Ukraine's defending of common values Freedom, Democracy and Independence. (@ZelenskyyUa) July 4, 2022 The U.S. has made supporting Ukraine a cornerstone of its foreign policy since Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24. Washington has committed $6.9 billion in security assistance since Russias invasion began, uniting Western nations against the move and bringing tensions with Moscow to a boiling point not seen since the Cold War. Happy 4th or July to all our American friends and thanks for standing with us in the darkest hour. Together, we will prevail, the Ukraine governments official Twitter account said. The Ukrainian military orchestra on Monday released a video of the group performing the U.S. national anthem, sung in English, in honor of the holiday. Dear American friends, we appreciate all the support we receive from the United States, and today we sincerely wish you happy Independence Day, an unnamed uniformed military official said in the video following the groups performance. The gesture was one of many from the Ukrainian military. On behalf of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and on my own behalf, I convey my heartfelt wishes to the American people on the anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of Ukraines armed forces, wrote in a Facebook post. Story continues I wish you every success in your future endeavors, prosperity, much happiness and robust health, he continued. The general staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also marked July 4 in a post. Happy 4th or July to all our American friends and thanks for standing with us in the darkest hour, the Ukrainian governments official account tweeted on Monday. Together, we will prevail. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO MONDAY, 4 JULY 2022, 19:05 The Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled Russian offensive operations on the Kramatorsk and Bakhmut fronts. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 18:00 on 4 July Quote: "On the Kramatorsk front, the aggressor fired on the areas around Bilohorivka and Verkhnokamianske, using tanks and tubed artillery, and conducted an airstrike near Tetianivka. Ukrainian troops have successfully repelled [Russian] assault operations in the village of Bilohorivka. The occupiers have retreated. On the Bakhmut front, the enemy fired on the areas around Spirne, Berestove, and Vershyna using tubed artillery. Enemy aircraft conducted an airstrike near Vershyna. Ukrainian defenders forced the enemy to retreat after an [unsuccessful] offensive in the direction of the Vuhlehirska Thermal Power Plant and a failed attempt to conduct reconnaissance-in-force in the direction of the outskirts of Berestove." Details: On the Kharkiv front, Russian occupation forces continued to use artillery to fire on the city of Kharkiv and on the towns and villages to the north, northeast and east of Kharkiv. Russian aircraft conducted airstrikes near Petrivka. Ukrainian troops have decisively repelled a Russian attempt to conduct an assault operation in the direction of Sosnivka and have pushed the Russians back. Russian forces conducted remote mining of the Ukrainian territory in the vicinity of Cherkaski Tyshky in an attempt to disrupt the logistics and supply systems of Ukrainian Defence Forces. Counter-battery fighting continues in this area. On the Sloviansk front, Russia continues to attempt to improve the tactical positions of its troops. Russian forces fired artillery on the areas around dolyna, Dibrivne, Bohorodychne, Mazanivka, Sukha Balka, Krasnopillia, Virnopillia, and Velyka Komyshuvakha, and conducted airstrikes near Dibrivne and Bohorodychne. Russian occupying forces are conducting assault operations in the direction of Mazanivka; the assault has so far been partially successful. Story continues On the Donetsk front, Russian occupation forces are focusing their efforts on exerting fire damage on units of Ukrainian troops. They conducted aerial reconnaissance using Orlan-10 UAVs near Pavlohrad and Pokrovsk. The situation has not changed significantly on the Volyn and Polissia fronts, where units of the Belarusian Armed Forces continued to reinforce their defence positions near the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. On the Sivershchyna front, Russian forces fired on the areas around Vasylkivske, Bilopillia, and Atynske in Sumy Oblast. On the Avdiivka, Kurakhove, Novopavlivka, Zaporizhzhia and Pivdennyi Buh fronts, Russia used tanks, mortars, as well as tubed and rocket artillery in order to relentlessly fire on Ukrainian troops along the entire contact line. On the Pivdennyi Buh front, Russian aircraft conducted an airstrike in the area around Ternivka. Three Russian high-precision missile carriers (with a total array of up to 20 Kalibr naval-based cruise missiles) are on standby in the waters of the Black Sea. World Insights: Xi's speech hailed for drawing blueprint for Hong Kong's brighter future Xinhua) 08:31, July 04, 2022 Photo taken on June 30, 2022 shows a barque-shaped installation marking the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland in Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Li Gang) BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday made an address at the meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The speech by Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has elaborated the significance of adhering to the "one country, two systems" principle, and drawn a blueprint for a brighter future of Hong Kong, experts and professionals worldwide have said. Aerial panoramic photo taken on Sept. 12, 2020 shows the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in south China. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) A BETTER CHANCE AT DEVELOPMENT "Since its return, Hong Kong, amid China's monumental reform and opening-up efforts, has been breaking new ground, functioning as an important bridge between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world. As a result, it has made irreplaceable contributions to our country's economic miracle marked by long-term, stable, and rapid growth," Xi said in his speech at the meeting. Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club, said "China has, along with Asian nations, the best potential growth -- 30 percent of world growth comes from China." As part of China, Hong Kong has a very important role to play, Perry said, noting that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area "will be the leading region in China." Pui Jeng Leong, a media veteran in Brunei, said that he was impressed by Xi's speech at the celebration, adding that over the years, he has found that Hong Kong people are getting better at speaking Mandarin, and their recognition of the motherland is growing stronger. Backed by the large mainland market and linked to international capital, Hong Kong's political, economic, social and business environment has further improved, laying a solid foundation for the city's future development, he said. The Chinese president noted in his speech that "Be it the global financial crisis, the COVID-19 epidemic, or social unrest, none of them have stopped Hong Kong from marching forward." Selcuk Colakoglu, director of the Turkish Center for Asia-Pacific Studies, said despite all the challenges, Hong Kong's social vitality and average life expectancy now rank among the highest in the world, and "Hong Kong's status as an international financial, trade and shipping center has been consolidated and enhanced." For Cavince Adhere, a Kenya-based international relations scholar, political stability is the foundation of progress. He said that by adopting the Hong Kong National Security Law and improving the city's electoral system, Hong Kong's stability has been further guaranteed. This provides a strong platform for the city's greater integration with the rest of China, thus a better chance for Hong Kong's sustainable growth, said Adhere. China's national flags and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) flags fly along the Lee Tung Avenue in Hong Kong, south China, June 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Gang) LONG-TERM ADHERENCE TO "ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS" Stressing that "one country, two systems" "serves the fundamental interests of not only Hong Kong and Macao, but also the whole country and the nation," Xi said in his speech that "There is no reason for us to change such a good policy, and we must adhere to it in the long run." Echoing Xi's words, Masood Khalid, former Pakistani ambassador to China, said Hong Kong's economic achievement and the fact that it is becoming comprehensively integrated with both the Chinese mainland and the international market are a testament to the success of the implementation of "one country, two systems." Citing the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as examples, the former ambassador said that the central government of China has carried out a series of infrastructure projects for Hong Kong, from which the people of Hong Kong have benefited. Referring to "one country, two systems" as "a policy without precedent," Robert Lawrence Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation, said President Xi has demonstrated the central government's "ringing endorsement" for "one country, two systems." Xi has made it clear that Hong Kong will continue to make "contributions to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and that Hong Kong's future is bright," said Kuhn. Photo taken on June 25, 2022 shows a light show in Tsim Sha Tsui, south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) A BRIGHTER FUTURE "I can confidently say I have witnessed the development of Hong Kong's business sector," said Dewan Saiful Alam Masud, president of the Bangladesh Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong, told Xinhua. President Xi's speech offered both encouragement and reassurance to Hong Kong, he noted. "With the valuable support from the central government, I am certain that valuable opportunities for Hong Kong people and businesses will emerge, hence allowing Hong Kong to make positive strides towards emerging as an even stronger and more appealing business hub," Masud said. "I'm optimistic about the future of Hong Kong," said Andrey Karneev, head of the School of Asian Studies at Russia's Higher School of Economics. While retaining its speciality, Karneev said, Hong Kong will gradually discover new spheres of development, and could become a global art or design hub. Sharing Karneev's point of view, Yaroslav Lissovolik, program director of Russian think tank Valdai Discussion Club, described Hong Kong's development over the past 25 years as "very successful." "Hong Kong has not only developed into a global financial center, but also a center attracting international talent," Lissovolik added. (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun) Dont let their name fool you. Soft and Dumb are neither soft nor dumb. Just listen to their newest music, including never wanna, which propels this Chicago via Urbana duo (comprised of Elena Buenrostro and Travis Newgren) to gritty, guttural musical depths. The track is the lead single from their self-titled debut album, out Sept. 2 on Bandcamp. Soft and Dumb formed when Buenrostro and Newgren were students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Newgren, a Jefferson Park native, was deeply enmeshed in Urbanas DIY scene as a student before Buenrostro arrived. It was there, Buenrostro said, that she finally began to feel confident enough to perform music in front of others. Growing up with a bassist father, Buenrostro previously wrote music privately in her childhood bedroom after teaching herself how to play guitar and the ukulele through the internet. Newgren, who plays the drums, is also a self-taught musician. Advertisement Travis was the person who encouraged me to start performing because I have pretty bad social anxiety, performance anxiety, she said. He was a very, very encouraging person because I dont particularly feel accepted in a lot of music spaces. Buenrostro cited spaces like music stores when eyes are on you or performance spaces where people are expecting you to trip up as compounding places that added to her anxiety. It was definitely a process of being open and trusting. For some reason, my fear is like, Oh, youre literally going to tell me that Im stupid. And whatever I make is wrong, admitted Buenrostro. Now, however, she is allowing herself to take up space in those environments that may have terrified her in the past. Advertisement I was kind of in a circuit of DIY kids and bands, and its a lot of boys and bands and whatever. But after seeing her playing guitar, I was like, This is amazing. But you need to be in front of people, you need to be showing this, Newgren recalled. And it took a lot of encouragement, but Im just super happy now that its something that I think were both a lot more comfortable with. The band next plays in Chicago at Sleeping Village on July 21. Travis Newgren and Elena Buenrostro of the Chicago band Soft and Dumb. (Ryan Kuk photo / HANDOUT) Soft and Dumb officially launched as a musical duo in December 2019. Their first live show took place on March 7, 2020, mere days before many of the COVID-19 lockdowns began to go into effect around the country. That time of isolation allowed the two to find the magic in their sound, refining their earlier attempts at music-making and turning it into something heavy, yet mesmerizing. Last month, the group released their new single, never wanna, a shoegaze-y wonder enveloped in thick and layered guitars and Buenrostros piercing, dreamy vocals. Work on the song began more than a year ago and it was temporarily put on the back burner. As they started to work on new material, Buenrostro suggested revisiting the track, officially making it a soft and dumb song. The track, which begins slow and steady, revs up into a propulsive head-turner, revealing more may lie beneath the bands surface. Its a really slow song, obviously, began Buenrostro. [But] theres a part which was honestly influenced by him because hes like, When you get people dancing, its all about thinking how can we get the audience moving? How can we think about how the audience is going to experience a song? Upon first listen, what makes the song so compelling is not just its crunching guitars or its elusive melodies, but its element of surprise. Audiences will find the track compelling and evocative. The song, Buenrostro said, reflects a new songwriting process for the duo. Their last release, titled Out of Bed, was largely produced on the computer. For this track, as well as the rest of the songs on their upcoming self-titled album, much of the work began with their instruments. Buenrostro typically starts by crafting a few guitar parts and a small vocal melody. Then, she brings them to Newgren, and the two work out the song structure and add drum rhythms in Buenrostros practice basement. Its more personal, I think, Buenrostro said about their creation process. I would even say conversational, like the same thing of how our relationship is with DIY and with the audience, its kind of a similar thing, Newgren added. It can be trickier because just as people, its hard for us, its hard to converse with some people sometimes, you know? Its like, you need to maintain relationships. So when it clicks, it really, really clicks. Advertisement Soft and Dumb, with Cola and Friko, at 8 p.m. July 21 at Sleeping Village, 3734 W. Belmont Ave.; tickets $15-$17 (ages 21+) at sleeping-village.com Britt Julious is a freelance critic. David and Victoria Beckham arrive at the Brasserie of Light at Selfridges (PA) Victoria Beckham celebrated her 23rd wedding anniversary on Monday poking fun at the critics along the way. The former Spice Girl posted a picture of her with husband David on Instagram, writing: They say he isnt funny, they say I never smile, they said it wouldnt last, Today we celebrate 23 years being married. David you are my everything, I love you so much. It came as she opened up to Vogue Australia on her fears for her daughter, 10-year-old Harper, in an age of body shaming on social media. She told the magazine: Harper isnt on social media, so we dont have to worry about that just yet. But seeing how cruel people can be, yes it really does [concern me]. Shes at that age where her body is going to start changing, but its about making sure we communicate a lot as a family and she surrounds herself with nice friends. But it is quite terrifying, I cant lie. It comes after her eldest son Brooklyn married Nicola Peltz in a romantic ceremony. The 27-year-old actress and socialite admitted her husband has felt a lot of pressure over pleasing people with his career choices in the past. Speaking to Tatler during a recent cover interview, Peltz said her husband has since been able to find inspiration through his love of being in the kitchen and she said he is in heaven working as a chef. He felt a lot of pressure to please people with his career and he didnt love it, she told the publication. Beckham, who has recently revealed a love of cooking for other people, has shifted his career path several times in recent years. However, Peltz is confident her husbands favourite place is surrounded by food. You can tell that when Brooklyns in the kitchen hes in heaven, Peltz added. The actor also revealed it was her idea to start filming his cooking skills. She said: Ever since the pandemic, all hes wanted to talk about is being in the kitchen, so I just started filming him one day. I said, This is what you love. Its 4 July, but the USA has a lot more to be ashamed of than to celebrate. Rather than parades, hot dogs and fireworks, lets take the past few weeks alone as a snapshot of what the land of the free really symbolises in 2022: turmoil over abortion, civil rights, gun control and insurrection. Does the US deserve a birthday party? Not from where Im standing from across the pond (and dont get me wrong: Britain wouldnt warrant streamers and confetti either, not after the likes of Partygate, Tory sleaze, Brexit and the shocking, inhumane treatment of refugees) but if you were to ask me what immediately springs to mind when I think of the US at the moment, its the heinous overturning of Roe v Wade and the continued oppression of women. Just last night, I was transfixed with horror while watching the hashtag #shes10 trend on Twitter, as people reacted to news that a 10-year-old rape victim was forced to travel to a neighbouring state after being denied an abortion in Ohio. As I tucked my own 10-year-old daughter into bed in London, I thanked our lucky stars that neither she, nor I, was born in the US. What do parents like me tell children about the country on 4 July? I find it hard to imagine anyone can possibly speak from a place of pride you cant teach your kids to be tolerant when theyre seeing women stripped of their bodily autonomy before their very eyes, when little girls the same age as them are being reduced to nothing more than living wombs. The parents who are fighting this grevious loss of rights; who are protesting in the streets against guns and for abortion rights and are even being arrested for it are the only ones setting a good example for their kids. I cant imagine theyre celebrating Independence Day. It strikes me that theres not much to be proud of. Because you cant give thanks for so-called independence and modernism in a world which is anything but; where entire communities are in danger of being suffocated by the slow squeeze of conservativism. You cant dress up oppression and blame the consititution. You can only sit back and watch in horror. Story continues And thats exactly what is happening: the world is shaking its head at whats happening in the US today at whats happening to the so-called land of the free, which is anything but. Why would we pay tribute to independence when America is shackled? We know because its glaringly obvious that the LGBT+ community is very likely next on the USs right-wing hit list, with Justice Clarence Thomas, who sits on the Supreme Court, already suggesting that overturning Roe v Wade could upend other 14th Amendment protections for other civil rights including landmark cases involving same-sex marriages, gay sex, and contraception. Weve already seen attempts in Texas to label medical care for transgender youth as child abuse. We can cast our minds back just a few weeks to other atrocities such as the horrific school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in which 19 young children and two children died. Before that was the Buffalo shooting, in which 10 Black people were murdered. The shooting suspect, 18-year-old Payton Gendron, left a chilling handwritten note for his family saying massacre was for the future of the white race. To keep up to speed with all the latest opinions and comment sign up to our free weekly Voices Dispatches newsletter by clicking here Its July. Only halfway through the year and already there have been 250 mass shootings in the United States in 2022. That means, at the time of writing, there hasnt been a single week this year without a mass shooting (defined by an incident in which four or more people are injured or killed). Yet just this week, the Supreme Court struck down a New York law that limits those who can carry concealed weapons. Say what? Then theres the January 6 insurrection and the subsequent hearings in court which has the world gripped in grim fascination; with former US president Donald Trump accused of actively luring thousands of his supporters to the US Capitol not to mention the fact that the world is standing on the brink of global recession. Those of us on the outside arent the only ones ashamed of what the US has become as Bette Midler (and its hard to find a greater national treasure than she) tweeted: 4th of July has been cancelled due to a shortage of Independence. Sincerely, Women. She even has this in her Twitter bio: We love our guns more than we love our children. Not much 4 July pride there, is there? I think many of us are feeling conflicted about celebrating 4th of July right now, obstacle race champion and attorney Amelia Boone tweeted as the week gave way to the long holiday weekend. I think many of us are feeling conflicted about celebrating 4th of July right now. Perhaps Im delusional, but the way Im viewing it is part of patriotism is fighting for change. If you have the privilege to fight, take action. Opting out is easy. Im not giving up on the US. Amelia Boone (@ameliaboone) July 1, 2022 Too right. Happy 246th birthday, America. Dont mind us if we dont get you a cake. Abortion-rights advocates gather outside a the Kansas Statehouse to protest the Supreme Court's ruling on abortion Friday, June 24, 2022, in Topeka, Kan AP Photo/Charlie Riedel Some politicians say rich women will maintain access to abortions, even in states where they're banned. But where abortion is restricted, even wealth won't be able to protect patients from emergencies. One in 50 pregnancies is ectopic and requires abortion to save the life of the mother, regardless of finances. As five states implement near-total abortion bans following the fall of Roe v. Wade, politicians and abortion advocates argue the bans disproportionately impact low-income women and suggest wealthy people will be able to skirt restrictions with ease. "If an extremist Supreme Court overturns Roe, wealthy women will still get safe abortions by traveling to another state or country," Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren tweeted in May. "But women of color, those with lower-incomes, and victims of abuse will suffer the most. Congress must eliminate the filibuster and protect Roe." While abortion will be easier to access for those with the funds to travel across state lines or ship medication across the country, even the rich will not be protected against medical emergencies that require abortion and are being limited in states like Missouri and Arkansas. The statutory language in the Missouri abortion ban, for example, is "incredibly narrow," Lisa Larson-Bunnell, a Kansas City area health care regulatory attorney, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and has doctors worried that they won't be legally able to intervene in a medical emergency requiring an abortion until a pregnant woman is close to certain death. "This is a really serious issue," Larson-Bunnell told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "This is something that physicians and attorneys all throughout the state are trying to wrap their minds around." Ectopic pregnancies, which occur when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, are a leading cause of maternal mortality in the first trimester. Nearly 2% of pregnancies or 1 in 50 are ectopic, according to statistics published by American Family Physician and in virtually all cases, the embryo will not survive past the first trimester. Such pregnancies are emergencies that require an abortion to save the life of the mother and delaying treatment may result in sepsis or other internal infection and death. Story continues Similarly, placental abruptions are a time-sensitive medical emergency wherein the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus before birth. To avoid extensive bleeding, kidney failure, and possible death, medical treatment sometimes including abortion must be administered immediately. Regardless of the wealth of a patient or their ability to finance an out-of-state trip for an abortion, such medical emergencies will impact women across the country. And, as physicians are required to navigate the legal logistics of determining whether a patient meets the criteria for a medical exemption, the lives of their patients are at significant risk. "It's very frightening and confusing for physicians and the whole team that cares for patients to know, what can we do, what is OK and what's not OK?" Dr. Lisa Harris, an ob-gyn and professor at the University of Michigan, told NPR. "How imminent must death be? There are many conditions that people have that when they become pregnant, they're OK in early pregnancy, but as pregnancy progresses, it puts enormous stress on all of the body's organ systems the heart, the lungs, the kidneys. So they may be fine right now there's no life-threatening emergency now but three or four or five months from now, they may have life-threatening consequences." Read the original article on Business Insider Nancy Stearns speaks during a protest over New Yorks abortion ban in the 1970s (Shes Beautiful When Shes Angry by Mary Dore and Music Box Films) No one ever thought to listen to what women had to say. As cases were argued in courts across the country, the fight for legal abortion was always heard from the perspective of the male doctors in the room and their right to practice medicine. The women forced to go through an unwanted or unsafe pregnancy were never even part of the conversation. That all changed in 1970 when attorney Nancy Stearns brought a legal case in New York that finally gave women impacted by abortion restrictions a voice in the courts for the first time. It had never been done before, Ms Stearns tells The Independent. Up until our case, abortion laws had always been challenged and the courts had formulated their opinions in the context of the criminal prosecution of doctors or the people referring women for procedures. It was always seen through the eyes of the doctor and the impact on women was barely even discussed. We wanted to bring women into the court to say this law impacts me and this law impacts other women. So we devoted the case just to the impact on women. And so, in the case of Abramowicz v Lefkowitz, Ms Stearns and her fellow attorney and activist Florynce Kennedy brought the first legal challenge to abortion laws in American history where women were the plaintiffs. For the first time, the legal challenge was based on a womans right to abortion and not a doctors right to practice medicine. And for the first time, women had a voice in the fight for abortion access in the US courts. The lawyers didnt want to just give one woman a voice either. We wanted to get as many women as we could to come in and say this is hurting me. That either Ive had to get an illegal abortion in the past or I had to go through a whole pregnancy and give my child up for adoption or I lost my job because of being pregnant: all those things that restrict women, she says. Protesters rally for abortion rights in the streets of New York in 1970 (Getty Images) It was a strategy borrowed from the civil rights movement with Ms Stearns having worked at the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee the student-led arm of the civil rights movement founded by John Lewis before she went to law school. Story continues And there were a couple of reasons for doing this, explains Ms Stearns. One so that no woman would carry the fight for all women just on her shoulders. And two so that women together could say to the court theres lots of us out here already impacted by restrictive abortion laws and we will be affected again. In total, more than 300 women joined the same case challenging a New York law that banned abortion with the only exception being when the mothers life was at risk. In January of 1970, many of those women packed into a courtroom in Manhattan and shared their personal stories in testimony unlike anything ever before heard in a court of law. Silenced again But, five decades on, the voices of women are being ignored by the courts once more. On 24 June, the US Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to abortion and pushed abortion access back in time to the early 1970s. In ruling on the case of Dobbs v Jackson Womens Health Organization, the six conservative justices sided with a Mississippi law that outlaws abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy. In the decision, they also overturned Roe v Wade the landmark decision which ruled that Americans had a constitutional right to abortion and which came just three years after Ms Stearns brought the legal challenge in New York. Now, the power over whether a woman can make decisions about her own body lies with the lawmakers in individual states, with around 36 million women estimated to soon be living in places where they no longer have access to the medical procedure. Despite the Supreme Courts decision to shatter 50 years of precedent around abortion access, Ms Stearns insists that women will not be silenced by the ruling. Pro-choice protesters gather at Washington Square Park in Manhattan on 24 June 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Women are not going to be silenced, says Ms Stearns. Now that they have a voice women will not stop fighting. She adds: But many women are going to be harmed and some are going to die [because of the Supreme Courts decision]. While it was Roe v Wade that led to women across America having the fundamental right to abortion access, Ms Stearns case in New York actually came first. And as well as being the first case to challenge abortion laws on behalf of women it was also fought on a never-before-seen argument that access to legal abortion is fundamental to womens equality. Equal protection challenge In Abramowicz v Lefkowitz, the attorneys were challenging restrictive abortion laws based on a womens constitutional right to equal protection and liberty. But the case wound up never reaching the Supreme Court. In April 1970 just three months after the crowd of female plaintiffs flocked to the Manhattan court New York lawmakers legalised abortion in the state up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. With abortion now legal, the case was no longer relevant and was dismissed. Ms Stearns then turned her attention to the fight for abortion in other states including Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Jersey, using the legal challenge of a womans constitutional right to equality and the activist-style strategy of bringing multiple women on board as plaintiffs as a prototype for the cases. In Connecticut, more than 800 women joined the case of Abele v Markle, challenging the states abortion law which only allowed the procedure when the life of the mother was in danger. The attorney also took on the case of Shirley Wheeler who was the first woman in the US to be convicted for having an abortion in Florida in 1971. It was at the same time that Abele v Markle was making its way through the courts that the Supreme Court heard the case of Roe v Wade. In that case, the attorneys challenged the abortion ban in the state of Texas in a different way. For one, the case was based on one individual woman Norma McCorvey, an unmarried 22-year-old woman who had fallen pregnant with her third child and was known under the pseudonym Jane Roe. But perhaps more significantly the abortion ban was challenged on the constitutional right to privacy through the 14th amendment. We were arguing equal protection and the right to liberty which you also get through the 14th amendment, says Ms Stearns of her cases. But we argued a lot of different rights. We also argued [under the eighth amendment] that it was a cruel and unusual punishment to make women go through nine months of pregnancy that they didnt want to. Protestors at a mass demonstration against New Yorks abortion ban in March 1970 (Getty Images) They also argued that banning abortion was unconstituional under the first amendment which says that church and state must be separate and which prohibits the federal government from making any law respecting an establishment of religion. That argument was that forcing women to carry a pregnancy was based on a religious belief that a foetus is a human being from conception. Roe was also partly argued on liberty and Justice Samuel Alitos majority opinion on Dobbs v Jackson focused heavily on ruling that the right to abortion does not fall within that constitutional right. Ms Stearns explains that the right to privacy and the right to liberty are tied closely together and, that back when Roe passed, it was perhaps an easier argument than focusing on the right to equal protection. An easier argument Roe came just years after the case of Griswold v Connecticut, where the Supreme Court ruled that married couples were free to buy and use contraception under the right to privacy. By contrast, no case had ever been won under equal protection based on discrimination on the grounds of sex. In fact, one year after Roe passed, the Supreme Court ruled that discrimination against a woman because she was pregnant was not protected by the right to equal protection on the basis of gender in Geduldig v Aiello. The equal protection argument was a hard argument to make to judges at the time because they couldnt understand that reproductive life is central to a womans life and that if they dont have control over it they will never be equal in society, says Ms Stearns. They couldnt understand that because at that time all the justices in the Supreme Court were men and almost all the judges in the lower courts were also men. So none of the courts got it. However, questions have been raised around whether the US could be in a different position on abortion rights now if the precedent-setting case had been argued differently. When asked if she thinks the right to abortion access would have still been overturned if it was her case and the equal protection argument that landed on the desk of the Supreme Court first, Ms Stearns says she do[es]nt have the answer . The reason I dont know is because Roe was partially privacy and partially liberty, she says. And if these judges dont believe there is liberty they could also say that on equal protection too. Norma McCorvey, aka Jane Roe, leaving the Supreme Court with attorney Gloria Allred in 1989 (1989 AP) A sad place to be But what she is almost certain of is that there is no point in trying to challenge abortion bans in the Supreme Court based on the right to equality now. Not in this court, she says. The court just dismissed the rights of half the population because of their own personal beliefs. What underlies this is [the justices] religious beliefs and its not so important to [the justices] that womens rights are harmed. They dont see this as womens rights. She adds: And thats a very sad place to be. But thats where we are unfortunately. The Supreme Court has now become a group of people ruling on their own personal views and religious beliefs rather than ruling on the law, she says something that is a direct violation of the oaths they took when they became judges. It runs counter to being a judge, she says. Judges arent supposed to be making decisions based on their personal morals and views. She adds: Youve got judges who I think have religious beliefs that the foetus is a human being from conception and theyre not going to budge. She points to the dissent from Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan which questioned the majoritys reasoning in last months ruling. The Court reverses course today for one reason and one reason only: because the composition of this Court has changed. Stare decisis, this Court has often said, contributes to the actual and perceived integrity of the judicial process by ensuring that decisions are founded in the law rather than in the proclivities of individuals. Today, the proclivities of individuals rule. The Court departs from its obligation to faithfully and impartially apply the law. We dissent, it reads. Echoing the dissent, Ms Stearns says that the Supreme Court is now a political institution that depends on the personal opinions of the people on it. And as long as the court make-up stays as it is, Ms Stearns isnt sure how lawyers will be able to successfully challenge abortion bans before the Supreme Court today. Pro-choice demonstrators outside the Supreme Court after Roe v Wade was overturned (Julia Saqui/The Independent) Im not sure Id see a point to it as long as these judges are controlling it, she says. Though she doubts it would make any difference to a Supreme Court ruling, she says that raising the religion argument in the court would at least expose to the American people that the justices are ruling on their personal beliefs rather than the law they took an oath to apply. If the religion argument was raised now in the Supreme Court theyd say its about morals not religion but I think its worth confronting these people with it, she says. Basically say this is a religious question and I know youre not going to admit it but Im putting it before you. She adds: This is now a political issue and a political court. This is a political fight and we need to figure out how to fight it. Damaged residential buildings are seen in Lysychansk, Ukraine. Luhansk region military administration via AP Russia on Sunday said it seized the last city under Ukrainian control in Luhansk region in the Donbas. Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine withdrew from Lysychansk, but vowed to return with more weapons. "Ukraine does not give anything up," he said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his troops would return with more weapons to fight Russia in the eastern city of Lysychansk, which Russia took this weekend. Zelenskyy said in a Sunday night address that "we will return thanks to our tactics, thanks to the increase in the supply of modern weapons." "Ukraine does not give anything up." Russia announced on Sunday that it had taken the city, which means it has now every city in the eastern Donbas region of Luhansk. The Ukrainian armed forces confirmed the withdrawal the same day. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian troops withdrew from Lysychansk because they were moving away from areas where Russia has the most the greatest weapon supply. But he said Ukrainian troops would be able to go back and fight there with more weapons. He did not specify what weapons would be used or where they came from, but Ukraine has received weapons from Western partners like the US and EU, which have arrived periodically. Ukraine has repeatedly thanked those countries, but at points said that some of their losses could be prevented if those weapons had arrived earlier, or if more were given. The UK's Ministry of Defence said on Monday that Russia's taking the Luhansk region now means it will likely focus on taking the other eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. Those two regions make up the Donbas area, where Russia has positioned itself after failing to take the whole country quickly in its invasion. Fighting between Ukraine and Russia has been taking place there for years as Russia-backed forces occupied it, leading to thousands of deaths. Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials have repeatedly vowed to retake areas that Russia has seized, to rebuild what has been destroyed in the invasion and to not give up any land to Russia. Read the original article on Business Insider A couple of weeks ago, two kabuki films were released for streaming of Netflix: the newly written play "Akadousuzunosuke" (recorded in August 2021 at the Honda Theatre in Tokyo), and the accompanying documentary "Sing, Dance, Act: Kabuki featuring Toma Ikuta". The production includes the popular actor Toma Ikuta, without previous kabuki experience, and his childhood friend, the established kabuki actor Onoe Matsuya II. Is this just the first of many kabuki to appear on Netflix and other streaming platforms? Let's hope so! World champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi of Japan have set their sights on becoming the world No. 1 for the first time after capturing the Malaysian Open mens doubles title in style. Yesterday, the world No. 2 came out on top against world No. 7 Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto of Indonesia when they pulled off a sensational 24-22, 16-21, 21-9 win in 65 minutes. They had also beaten Fajar-Rian in the final of the Thailand Open in May but then, the Indonesians were forced to concede a walkover due to an injury to the former. With their second title this year, Hoki-Kobayashi have inched closer to the current world No. 1 Marcus Fernaldi-Kevin Sanjaya of Indonesia who have been hampered by injuries and poor form and have not won any titles this year. The duo had pulled out of the home tournament at the eleventh hour, citing an injury to Marcus. A Japanese couple has asked a family court to let them register their marriage under separate surnames in Japan as they did in the United States. Movie director Soda Kazuhiro and his wife movie producer Kashiwagi Kiyoko filed the request on Monday at the Tokyo Family Court. They tried to register their marriage at Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward in June. But municipal authorities rejected their application, citing the Civil Code that requires couples to share a surname. They tied the knot in New York State in 1997. Soda and Kashiwagi filed a lawsuit against the government four years ago, requesting that their marriage be legally recognized in Japan. The Tokyo District Court ruled last year that the marriage is valid in Japan. But it dismissed the issue of whether it could be registered. The court said family court was the appropriate place to handle the issue of the registration system. Sarpy County doesnt plan to follow Douglas Countys push to install security cameras outside ballot drop boxes. Election Commissioner Emily A. Ethington told the Papillion Times in an email that all six Sarpy County drop boxes are located in high-traffic areas and that many are already in the range of private security cameras. We also check our drop boxes every weekday during election time to ensure even greater ballot security, Ethington said. We have not had any issues with security or ballots being damaged while in a ballot drop box. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners approved spending $130,000 in federal pandemic recovery funds for video surveillance of voting drop boxes at its June 21 meeting. The funding covers the cost of a camera system for five years. Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse said he hopes to have the surveillance system installed at the countys 13 drop boxes in time for the November general election. I want to stress we havent had any problems, Kruse told the board. But in the event theres a natural disaster, or an accident, or somebody is reporting an issue, it will just make the process a lot cleaner, a lot quicker to determine whats going on. And we just feel like its always better to be proactive than reactive. Civic Nebraska, a nonprofit that advocates for voting rights, said through a spokesperson that its not aware of any ballots being damaged or destroyed in a drop box in Nebraska. The good news is that Nebraska drop boxes and the vote-by-mail system as a whole are extremely secure, communications director Steve Smith said in an email. Video surveillance of ballots can be a good-faith tool to deter ballot tampering, but its only one part of the security and safety equation. Civic Nebraska has advocated for uniform security standards for drop boxes. Smith said that robust record-keeping followed up by investigations of any deviations make voting by mail or drop box one of the safest and most secure ways to cast a ballot. WASHINGTON U.S. officials have concluded that the bullet that killed veteran Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was likely fired from an Israeli position. But they say it is too badly damaged to reach an absolute determination, and that there is no reason to believe she was deliberately targeted. State Department spokesman Ned Price, announcing the results of the probe, said independent, third-party examiners had undertaken an extremely detailed forensic analysis of the bullet that killed her after the Palestinian Authority handed it over to them. Advertisement Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian-American correspondent who was well known throughout the Arab world, was shot and killed while covering an Israeli military raid on May 11 in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian eyewitnesses, including her crew, say Israeli troops killed her and that there were no militants in the immediate vicinity. Israel says she was killed during a complex battle with Palestinian militants and that only a forensic analysis of the bullet would confirm whether it was fired by an Israeli soldier or a Palestinian militant. It has strongly denied she was deliberately targeted, but says an Israeli soldier may have hit her by mistake during an exchange of fire with a militant. Advertisement U.S. security officials examined the results of separate Palestinian and Israeli investigations and concluded that gunfire from IDF positions was likely responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh, Price said in a statement. The U.S. found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Price said. Yellow tape marks bullet holes on a tree and a portrait and flowers create a makeshift memorial on o May 19, 2022, at the site where Palestinian-American Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed in the West Bank city of Jenin. (Majdi Mohammed/AP) The Israeli military presented the findings as part of its own investigation in a statement that was likely to anger the Palestinian Authority, which had adamantly rejected any Israeli role in the probe and refused to share the bullet with Israeli authorities. The PA handed the bullet over to U.S. officials over the weekend while insisting it was still opposed to any cooperation with Israel. The Israeli military said that while the bullet remained in the custody of U.S. officials throughout the process, it was examined by Israeli experts in a forensic laboratory in Israel. Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi, the army chief of staff, ordered the investigation be continued using all available means, the military said in a statement. It said any decision on whether to launch criminal investigation would only be made after the operational investigation is completed. Defense Minister Benny Gantz issued a similar statement, saying unfortunately, it is not possible to determine the source of the shooting and as such, the investigation will continue. His statement did not include any details about who analyzed the bullet. U.S. officials said a third-party expert, neither Israeli nor Palestinian, examined the fragment as part of the U.S. review, and that it remained in U.S. possession throughout the review. Advertisement The Palestinian Authority and Al Jazeera accused Israeli forces of deliberately targeting Abu Akleh within hours of her death. Ahmad Majdalani, a senior Palestinian official, reiterated that Israel was to blame for her death and said the American announcement was tantamount to an evasion from determining Israels responsibility. There was no immediate comment from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. An Associated Press reconstruction of her killing lent support to accounts by Palestinian eyewitnesses, including her crew, that she was killed by Israeli forces. Subsequent investigations by CNN, the New York Times and the Washington Post reached similar conclusions. Krauss reported from Ottawa, Ontario. Associated Press reporter Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem contributed to this report. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Libyas east-based strongman Khalifa Haftar and one of Libyas Prime Ministers Abdul Hamid Dbeibah have expressed their support for the ongoing large-scale demonstrations calling for elections and better living condition in the oil-rich North African country. Haftars Libyan National Army (LNA) said in a statement it declares its full support for the popular will and for the demands of the citizens. The LNA also called on the protesters to demonstrate peacefully, and urged them not to vandalize public and private facilities. It also affirmed that it will take the necessary measures to preserve the independence of the Libyan will if any party attempted to unilaterally abuse it for the benefit of any foreign entity. In a separate reaction, Dbeibah who heads the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) also threw his support behind the protest, according to Libya Observer. On Twitter the former businessman turned politician said he joins the voices of those protesters demanding the holding of elections and departure of all current political bodies, including his government. He took aim at the House of Representatives (HoR), the internationally recognized Libyan legislature. He blamed the parliament of hindering the holding of elections. Protesters Friday stormed the HoR headquarters in Tobruk as part of nation-wide demonstration calling on the current various state bodies to step down and urging for the holding of elections. The HoR in February sacked Dbeibah arguing that his mandate came to an end on Dec. 24, the date of failed elections. The HoR chose Fati Bashagha, a former Interior Minister to replace Dbeibah. Dbeibah has refused to resign and vowed to surrender power only to an elected administration. King Mohammed VI of Morocco has vowed to strengthen dialogue, consultation and coordination with the United States cooperation and to contribute to preserving peace, security and stability in the world. In a message of congratulations to President Joe Biden on the occasion of the United States Independence Day, the King reiterated Moroccos unshakable resolve to strengthen dialogue, consultation and coordination with the United States in international forums, regarding all matters of common concern. In this way, we would serve our countries shared interests and contribute to preserving peace, security and stability in the world, the Sovereign pointed out. The King also hailed the time-honored relations between Morocco and the United States of America, which are, he said, grounded in close friendship, mutual esteem and active solidarity. I very much look forward to continuing to work with you to strengthen our ties and promote our strategic partnership, thus fulfilling our ambitions as well as the aspirations of our peoples, the Sovereign stated further in his message. Singaporean Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan on Monday commended Morocco for the serious and credible efforts it makes in the framework of the autonomy plan to resolve the Sahara issue. The Singaporean ministers statement came during a joint press briefing with his Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita, after their talks in Rabat. The head of Singaporean diplomacy welcomed the serious and credible efforts made by Morocco, under its autonomy plan, to resolve the conflict around the Moroccan Sahara and to guarantee peace and security in the region. We adhere to the principles of the United Nations and UN resolutions on the Moroccan Sahara issue, including Resolution 2602, he said, welcoming in this context, the efforts of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General for the Moroccan Sahara, Staffan de Mistura. The Singaporean official called on all parties concerned to work for keeping peace, in full transparency, to end this conflict that has lasted too long. Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting in a summit in Accra on Sunday lifted the trade and financial sanctions imposed on Mali since January. The summit decided to lift all economic and financial sanctions from today but maintains individual sanctions and the suspension of Mali from ECOWAS bodies until the return to constitutional order, said at a press conference Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, outgoing President of the Commission of the regional organization. The West African organization discussed at its 61st Summit its retaliatory measures against Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea after the seizure of power in these countries by juntas. The ECOWAS leaders considered that the progress made by Mali in recent weeks justified a partial lifting of sanctions. In particular, Bamako has adopted a new electoral law and announced a return to constitutional order by March 2024. The sanctions included the closure of borders, the freezing of Malian assets and the suspension of trade and financial exchanges. All of this will be allowed to resume with immediate effect. ECOWAS ambassadors to Bamako who had been recalled will also be able to return to the Malian capital. Although the financial sanctions targeting the juntas leaders will be maintained and the country will remain suspended from ECOWAS bodies, the decisions taken Sunday are deemed a very important step forward. West Africa has seen a succession of coups by colonels and lieutenant-colonels in less than two years: those of 2020 and 2021 in Bamako, the September 5, 2021 putsch in Conakry, the January 24, 2022 putsch in Ouagadougou. Head of the Spanish Government Pedro Sanchez has pleaded for more solidarity with Morocco on the part of Spain and Europe to face up illegal immigration, while hailing the efforts made by the North African country to fight illegal immigration mafias. Some people sometimes seem to think that countries like Morocco do not suffer from illegal immigration. Spain and Europe must show solidarity with Morocco in the fight against illegal immigration networks, said Pedro Sanchez, in an interview with Spanish daily El Pais, published Monday. It is necessary to recognize the effort made by Morocco, which is also under pressure from irregular migration, Sanchez insisted, adding that the real culprits of the violent assault carried out last week by sub-Saharan migrants against metal fence separating the cities of Nador and Melilia, are the mafias. What happened at the fence [] was a violent attack carried out by armed migrants, he recalled, calling for an exercise of empathy with Spanish security forces and Moroccan public forces, who suffered a violent attack that left hundreds of law enforcement officials injured. Sanchez who underlined that his country has always defended regular and orderly migration, described collaboration between Spain and Morocco in the management of migration flows as very close. The cooperative relationship between the two governments is frankly positive, he highlighted. The latest assault attempt against the metal fence in the province of Nador was marked by the use of unprecedented violence by candidates for illegal immigration against law enforcement agents, who acted with professionalism and respect for laws and regulations. COSMETA COSMETA, a human resource startup running on a blockchain launched in 2021, has announced plans to provide HR services in blockchain and the metaverse. Moreover, the company is gearing up to launch several products, including a second-generation CRI WALLET app, an IDO, and a payment feature. Middletown, DE, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- COSMETA claims to be the first-ever HR blockchain company. While it operates from Delaware, USA, the enterprise collaborates with the world's largest community of Korean-American students. Thats thanks to its connections with over 100 university Korean student unions in the United States. Currently, COSMETA is providing HR services in partnership with large and medium-sized companies in the US. The company launched in 2021 and seeks to establish the COSMETA INTERNATIONAL group in Malta to provide users with stable blockchain services. Additionally, it plans to offer HR services in the metaverse, and numerous other blockchain-based products, including an NFT marketplace, an NFT exchange, games, and a decentralized crypto exchange. One of the key COSMETA elements is the companys proof-of-stake (PoS) token, Crypto International (CRI), running on the Ethereum blockchain. CRI will be at the center of a restriction-free ecosystem COSMETA is building to provide users with a rich suite of products, including staking. Moreover, CRI token holders will have the right to participate in the ecosystem's development. Upcoming COSMETA Releases The COSMETA team announced it will release a second-generation wallet in August, which should bring in more users. The wallet is based on the Manitou system, which will allow CRI users to create groups for mutual help. Also, it enables users with significant contributions to CRI to access higher rewards. The new feature will include a survey, enabling respondents to receive token airdrops. Users can also receive crypto rewards for uploading their resumes to the platform. Story continues Another important event in COSMETAs roadmap is the projects ILO/IDO phase on Unicrypt, which should occur this July. This event will help provide liquidity to the token's DEX operations. Also, the team added that it will soon start a whitelist campaign for an upcoming lottery. Lastly, by the end of 2023, COSMETA expects to implement a payment feature within its ecosystem. And by 2025, the project should have its fully-functioning HR Metaverse. About COSMETA Global HR Blockchain Group COSMETA has spurred from the largest community of Korean-American students in the United States. It claims to be the first company to bring human resource services to blockchain and the metaverse. According to the team, the company runs on internal funds and resources. Its self-sufficiency means it does not fear the risk of owing capital to external financiers. It also explains why the team did not require investors or venture capitalists to kick-start the project or do future business. Furthermore, the company has successfully passed audits and KYC procedures on Solidproof.io. Besides developing its ecosystem, COSMETA is increasing its list of partnerships and ties with prestigious organizations. One of the most recent additions is OCTA, the industry-leading Korean trade association. For more information about COSMETA, please follow the links below: Website | Twitter | Telegram | Medium| Instagram| LinkedIn CONTACT: Hyeonjun Na COSMETA INC support -at- cosmeta.us Visiongain Reports Ltd Global Laser Weapon Systems Market Forecast 2021-2031: - Market Breakdown by Product, (Laser Designator, LIDAR, 3D Laser Scanning, Laser Range Finder, Ring Laser Gyro, Laser Altimeter) Market Breakdown by Technology (Fiber Laser, Solid-State Laser, Chemical Laser, CO2 Laser, Semiconductor Laser) Market Breakdown by Application (Aerospace, Homeland Security, Other Application) Plus analysis of leading regional/national markets and Profiles of Leading Laser Weapon Systems Markets Companies PLUS EXCLUSIVE COVID-19 Recovery Scenarios. Are you curious to know Why Laser Weapon Systems Markets is growing and how it could benefit you? Visiongain has recently published an exclusive report on Global Laser Weapon Systems Market. The lead expert at the consultancy firm says: 'The global laser weapon systems market is estimated to be valued at US$3.41 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach a market value of US$6.5 billion by 2031'. The overall market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period 2021-2031. Download Exclusive Sample of Report @ https://www.visiongain.com/report/laser-weapon-systems-market-2021/#download_sampe_div Rising Partnerships and Tie-ups to Bring Innovation in the Laser Weapon Systems Market With advancements in technology awareness regarding usage of Next-Gen weapons and systems in modern warfare is increasing among armed forces of major countries. Governments and defense agencies of both developed and developing countries are emphasizing more on identifying major producers of advanced weapons and systems so as to sign a long-term agreement with them to modernize existing troops and systems. For instance, recently, Thales group entered into tie up with US army headquarter to develop variants of combat family weapons including non-lethal and high-energy laser weapons . How the Laser Weapon Systems Market report helps you? In summary, our 400+ page report provides you with the following knowledge: Story continues Revenue forecasts to 2031 for Laser Weapon Systems Markets Market, forecasted at a global and regional level discover the industrys prospects, finding the most lucrative places for investments and revenues. Revenue forecasts to 2031 for 5 regional and 14 key national markets See forecasts for the Laser Weapon Systems Market in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World. Also forecasted is the market in the US, Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, China, India, and Japan, among other prominent economies. Prospects for established firms and those seeking to enter the market including company profiles for 15 of the major companies involved in the Laser Weapon Systems Market. Get Detailed TOC @ https://www.visiongain.com/report/laser-weapon-systems-market-2021/#download_sampe_div Leading companies and the potential for market growth BAE Systems Plc Raytheon Technologies Corp Lockheed Martin Corporation Northrop Grumman Corporation Elbit Systems Ltd. Thales SA Leidos Holdings, Inc. L3Harris Technologies, Inc., The Boeing Company RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. Rheinmetall AG Airbus SE, formerly Airbus Group SE General Dynamics Corporation General Atomics Leonardo Spa Find quantitative and qualitative analyses with independent predictions. Receive information that only our report contains, staying informed with this invaluable business intelligence Information found nowhere else With our newly report title, you are less likely to fall behind in knowledge or miss out on opportunities. See how our work could benefit your research, analyses, and decisions. Visiongain's study is for everybody needing commercial analyses for the Laser Weapon Systems Market and leading companies . You will find data, trends and predictions. Find more research reports on the Military Weapons Market , please click on the following links: Do you have any custom requirements we can help you with? Any need for a specific country, geo region, market segment or specific company information? Contact us today, we can discuss your needs and see how we can help: dev.visavadia@visiongain.com About Visiongain Visiongain is one of the fastest growing and most innovative, independent, market intelligence around, the company publishes hundreds of market research reports which it adds to its extensive portfolio each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis across 18 industries worldwide. The reports cover a 10-year forecast, are hundreds of pages long, with in depth market analysis and valuable competitive intelligence data. Visiongain works across a range of vertical markets, which currently can influence one another, these markets include automotive, aviation, chemicals, cyber, defense, energy, food & drink, materials, packaging, pharmaceutical and utilities sectors. Our customized and syndicated market research reports mean that you can have a bespoke piece of market intelligence customized to your very own business needs. Contact: Dev Visavadia PR at Visiongain Reports Limited Tel: + 44 0207 336 6100 Email: dev.visavadia@visiongain.com Queen Elizabeth's job description has been rewritten. A new version of the monarch's "official duties" have been rewritten following her Platinum Jubilee, reducing the list of obligations she "must fulfil" and placing greater emphasis on the support of the wider royal family. According to the Sovereign Grant report - which is signed of by Keeper of the Privy Purse Sir Michael Stevens - the queen's role still includes two key elements, Head of State and Head of Nation. The "formal constitutional concept" of Head of State previously had a 13-point list of duties the queen "must" undertake, including the State Opening of Parliament, paying and receiving state visits, and the appointment of the Prime Minister. However, the new version offers a more loose definition, simply noting the queen's role "encompasses a range of parliamentary and diplomatic duties" and noting only that she "receives" other visiting heads of state. The symbolic role of Head of Nation is carried out "where appropriate or necessary" and focuses on her inspiring "unity and national identity" and "continuity and stability", recognising the "achievement and success" of others and ensuring "support of service" from volunteers to the emergency services and the military. The changes come amid the ongoing mobility problems the 96-year-old queen - who quit overseas visits in 2015 - has been experiencing in recent months, which have seen The "Queen's programme" of engagements has been swapped for a more general "visits in royal programmes". The documents also note: "The Queen is greatly assisted by other members of the Royal family who undertake official duties on behalf of Her Majesty." A royal source told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper that it was not a "drastic" change, but a small update. A palace source emphasised on Saturday night that it was not a "drastic" change, but a small update. Earlier this year, Prince Charles and his son Prince William attended the State Opening of Parliament on her behalf, with the Prince of Wales frequently undertaking overseas engagements on her behalf. General Hospital Days of Our Lives The Young and the Restless The Bold and the Beautiful This Week in Soaps history... July 3rd-7th, 2017 This week on the US Daytime Soaps...CBS soaps haven't uploaded their weekly promos yet. :-(CBS soaps haven't uploaded their weekly promos yet. :-(As the evidence piled up, Hope had no choice but to arrest J.J. for Deimos' murder.Chad and Gabi were shocked to walk in and see Abe marrying Dario and Abigail.Nicole lied to Brady about what had happened between her and Eric at the Martin house. Later, Eric told Brady the truth. Nicole witnessed the kind and giving side of Eric.Sonny remembered that he'd had a fight with Deimos. Steve made Roman a job offer. Tripp's plan to frame Kayla caused trouble for her at work. Tripp started to have second thoughts about his plan.Hope was shocked when Rafe asked her to marry him but later said yes.Hope and Julie tried to give Claire advice about Theo. Marlena helped Lani and J.J. recall the night of Deimos' murder. Gabi and Chad tried to forget about the night at the Martin house and get on with their lives.Sonny told the police that he had murdered Deimos.Andre and Kate formed a strange bond.Summer panicked when Clark's sister, Janet, arrived in town, asking about her brother. Brady had it out with Summer. Brady told Maggie that Summer had played them for fools. Brady told Summer to pack her bags and leave town.Caroline warned Victor to change his ways or lose the love of his family. Nicole found Deimos alive and well at Chloe's house. Deimos agreed to return to Salem to clear Nicole's name. Kate worried that Deimos was back in town. Deimos and Nicole made plans to confront Kate.J.J. and Chad searched for Abigail. Chad found a disturbing note from Abigail.Aiden and Hope could not shake the memories of their past.Shawn and Belle made plans for the future. A drunken Philip kissed Belle.Rafe learned that Aiden had visited Andre in jail, using another name.Ned and Olivia were married despite a few mishaps along the way.Curtis invited Jordan out for a drink to celebrate Liesl Obrecht's arrest, but they ended up at his place and made love. Stella collapsed from a stroke as she blasted Curtis for dating Jordan.Valentin reached out to Nina to warn her that the WSB intended to make him disappear. Nina called Anna for help, and Anna assured her that nothing would happen to Valentin. A WSB agent collected Valentin from jail. Sparks flew between Andre and Anna after they shared a kiss.Josslyn was disappointed when Jax explained that she couldn't move to Australia because he was stuck in Abu Dhabi on business for six months. Josslyn defied her mother by sneaking out to meet Oscar on the bridge.Sam talked to a doctor who suggested that she might have postpartum depression, but Sam misled Jason by blaming her troubles on an iron deficiency. Sam kept seeing an apparition of Sonny, who taunted her about Sonny's hold on Jason. Sam had a vivid fantasy of stabbing Sonny to death. Sonny told Jason about his plans to leave the mob.Neil and Devon hosted the first annual Hamilton-Winters Fourth of July celebration. Mariah became wary of Devon's jealousy of Hilary and Jordan's relationship. Mariah guided Tessa and Noah back to one another after they'd had a misunderstanding. Tessa told Nick about Nikki's MS flare-up. Nikki returned to town and insisted on going through with the charity concert. Hilary sensed that Jordan and Chelsea shared more of a history than they were letting on. Nick and Scott butted heads.Victoria settled the lawsuit with Juliet under the condition that Juliet sign a nondisclosure agreement. Victoria fired Cane for his lies. Juliet confided to Hilary that she wanted Cane to be part of her baby's life. Cane demanded that Juliet take a paternity test. Lily searched Cane's phone for correspondence with Juliet but found no evidence of sexual harassment. Jordan comforted Lily. Hilary speculated to Jordan that Lily was looking to have revenge sex to get even with Cane.Mattie and Reed learned about the connection between their parents.Dr. Harris deluded himself into thinking that Chloe was his dead daughter, Maggie, and alluded to doing something to ensure Kevin wouldn't return. Kevin got out of his car moments before it exploded. Kevin overpowered Dr. Harris and fled with Chloe.Kevin returned to Genoa City alone to fetch Bella, and he told Michael and Esther that he was moving to Oregon to start over. Before Kevin took off, Bella innocently revealed to Chelsea that they were going to see her mommy.THE WEEK OF JULY 2nd-6th, 2007Kay broke it off with Fox after using magic, owing to the demon elf's advice, to find out the truth. Consequently, she realized that Miguel was telling the truth all along.The blackmailer made a deal with a very possessed Sheridan. She was to kill Theresa while the blackmailer brought Pretty Crane to town in order to expose Fancy. The demon elf cashed in on Kay's magic to possess Gwen and Jared, since Kay could not control her magic, per Tabitha's warning.Jared beat Ethan to a pulp while Gwen went in pursuit of killing Theresa. Theresa was busy worrying about what Ethan and Jared would find out if they got the truth from the blackmailer. At the same time, she was running for her life because she thought someone was after her. Rebecca had a lead on the late J.T.'s flash drive and was following up on it.Sam placed an APB on Spike and told his officers to shoot him if he went near Jessica because he didn't deserve the protection of the law.While Chad wanted to pursue custody of Miles, Whitney was determined to keep him out of her and the children's lives. Source 1 and Source 2 A shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park a suburb of Chicago is the latest incidence involving gun violence to stun the United States. Authorities say at least six people died and 24 were injured on Monday when a gunman apparently opened fire on parade-goers from a rooftop using a rifle. Advertisement The most deadly incident since May happened when a gunman killed 19 children and two adults at a school in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24. And on May 14, a racist attack led to the deaths of 10 African Americans at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. Vestavia Hills, Alabama At least two people died and another was hospitalized on June 16 after a shooting at St. Stephens Episcopal Church in a Birmingham suburb. Police said a suspect is in custody. Advertisement Duncanville, Texas Police shot and killed a man who fired gunshots June 13 at a Dallas-area gymnasium where at least 150 children were attending a day camp. Chattanooga, Tennessee Three people died and 14 people were injured in a shooting June 5 in front of a restaurant. Three people have been arrested. Philadelphia Three people died and 11 others were injured June 4 on a busy block in Philadelphia during a melee that began with a fistfight and was followed by random gunfire. Two men are in custody in two of the deaths; other people have also been arrested in connection with the melee. Dayton, Ohio A jail inmate being treated at a hospital shot and killed a security guard June 1, pointed the weapon at others and killed himself in a parking lot. Tulsa, Oklahoma A gunman killed his surgeon and three other people at a medical office June 1. The gunman killed himself as police arrived. Uvalde, Texas An 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School on May 24 in the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade. More than 15 other people were wounded. Law enforcement killed the attacker. Chicago A shooting killed two people and injured seven others on May 19 just blocks from the Magnificent Mile shopping district. Two men have been charged. [ [Dont miss] Are Chicagos gun laws the strictest in the United States? Not anymore. ] Laguna Woods, California One person was killed and five others injured May 15 after a man opened fire on Taiwanese parishioners in Southern California. Authorities have said the gunman was motivated by hatred for Taiwan. He has been charged with murder and other counts. Advertisement Buffalo, New York A white gunman opened fire May 14 at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood, killing 10 people and injuring others. He has been charged with federal hate crimes that could carry the death penalty if he is convicted. It was flawed. Fuck Johnny Depp Reply Thread Link i really really hope shes able to but i have no faith in the american legal system Reply Thread Link Same :( Reply Parent Thread Link Good. Let that fucker burn. Reply Thread Link Good luck to her. She's got shooters out here. Reply Thread Link what does that mean? like, people rooting for her? Reply Parent Thread Link No like ppl who actually boast on Twitter how theyd shoot her if they ever saw her. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link GET HIM GIRL! Reply Thread Link I feel like the only way it's overturned is if a different judge makes this decision, but idk how the court system works. I also read it could result in a new trial, which I wouldn't expect to go any better than the first. Reply Thread Link It'll go to the appellate court to be reviewed, it won't be the same judge. Given that appeal grounds can sometimes be based on judges - conflicts of interest, incorrect rulings - appeals don't get heard by the trial judge edit: And I'm now reading comments that suggest otherwise, which... floors me that any judge should get to mark their own homework but then my legal training is British not VA. Edited at 2022-07-04 08:53 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link My understanding is that this is not the same as an appeal, and it will be reviewed by the same judge from the trial. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This is a motion regarding the verdict after not settling (related to the jury) and can be decided on by the same judge. It extends her appeal time frame too (which will be dealt with by 3 other judges). If not accepted, it's a first step of the appeal (which is on procedural grounds of the court/judge). The juror problem (which people assume is juror 9, the one that has shown most bias towards JD) does point towards procedure issues. Reply Parent Thread Link I hope shes successful in court. However, it isnt going to change most peoples gross opinions or make them not treat violent assaults like Funtime happy celeb gossip. Reply Thread Link Most people who are making gross opinions don't even enjoy happy celeb gossip. I think this is why they are making those opinions. If they would dig deeper into the celeb gossip universe, they'd realise they were wrong, but they probably think celeb gossip is beneath them. They just wanted to jump on the #mentoo side, makes me sick. Reply Parent Thread Link All the more power to Amber! Reply Thread Link Best of luck girl. I hope you get to release the blade on the guillotine in the end. Reply Thread Link For legal purposes this is figurative. As if Monty Hall was inhabiting my body for a minute when I typed that. Reply Parent Thread Link you're not homicidal, you've just got a dark sense of humor! Reply Parent Thread Link i heard that joke was in monty python! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Ah, I see youre a fan of hunter s. thompson! Reply Parent Thread Link thirteenarrows My message to Amber is that of love and support. Big s/o towho's been such a champ during this whole thing. Your hard work hasn't been forgotten. Thank you! Reply Thread Link tysm! covering the trial for so long, as well as how upsetting the result was, kind of took it out of me so i haven't been in amber-related posts lately and i figured people would have just forgotten about those posts by now lmao, so i rly appreciate this <3 Reply Parent Thread Link nobody has forgotten these posts, believe you me. comment/post of the year 100% in the bag. thank you for everything <3 hope you can rest a little now. Reply Parent Thread Link I promise you we haven't forgotten I can't even begin to imagine how taxing it must've been on you too. And I can't blame you for taking a step back from the whole thing, esp. the aftermath. Prioritizing your own mental health is the best thing you could do in this situation tbh. Sending you a virtual and lots of your way. Once again, thank you. Reply Parent Thread Link Absolutely have not forgotten. Thank you for your work and I hope you can rest and renew. Reply Parent Thread Link I just wish the best for Amber Reply Thread Link I pray something will come of it, but considering the judge who heard the case is now weighing on this appeal (and she was trash) Im thinking probably not. Wed have to wait on appeal unless the juror 15 stuff was truly insane. Reply Thread Link How is she allowed to be part of the appeal ffs???? Reply Parent Thread Link i believe this is a request for dismissal, not the actual appeal. this motion is reviewed by the judge who oversaw the case because it argues the verdict. she can still appeal which will go to the appellate court Reply Parent Thread Expand Link She isn't. Elaine presented these motions as part of the same trial. There is no appeal yet. Reply Parent Thread Link The Kingdom is still maintaining close ties with Russia despite its continued aggression in Ukraine. The worlds largest crude oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, continues to keep close ties with Russia while the top oil consumer, the United States, pleads with major producersincluding the Kingdomto boost supply to the market and help ease consumers pain at the pump. While the U.S. and its Western allies are sanctioning Moscow and banning oil imports from Russia, U.S. President Joe Biden is also turning to Saudi Arabia to ask it to pump more oil as Americans pay on average $5 a gallon for gasoline. The Saudis prefer to keep close ties with Russia in oil policy as the OPEC+ pact and the control over a large portion of global oil supply has benefited both OPEC+ leadersthe Kingdom and Russiaover the past half a decade. Saudi Arabia, however, could use a little thaw in Saudi-U.S. relations under President Biden, who is no longer talking about the worlds top crude exporter as a pariah state. The Saudis are carefully maneuvering to keep Russia as an ally in the OPEC+ group and possibly improve relations with the United States. President Bidendesperate to see relief for American drivers ahead of the midterm electionshas made a U-turn on Saudi Arabia and is expected this month to visit the Kingdom, which he said on the campaign trail would be treated as a pariah state during his presidency. But U.S. gasoline prices at $5 a gallon and the loss of part of the Russian supply have made President Biden reconsider and meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Related: Europes Power Prices Surge As Market Fears Worsening Supply Crunch Saudi Arabia has publicly reiterated its warm ties with Russia on several occasions since Putin invaded Ukraine, and considers keeping Russia in the OPEC+ alliance an important part of its oil policy. With Russia leading a dozen non-OPEC producers in the pact, Saudi Arabia has more sway over global oil markets with the larger OPEC+ group than with OPEC alone. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have discussed their countries cooperation in the OPEC+ oil production pact in a few telephone conversations since February, and have vowed to continue their cooperation. Last month, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that Russia could continue its participation in the OPEC+ agreement even after it officially expires at the end of this year. Novak was speaking after a meeting in St Petersburg with Saudi Arabias Energy Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, who made a surprise appearance at a Russian economic forum. During that meeting, the Saudi minister said that Saudi-Russian relations were as warm as the weather in Riyadh. Two weeks before that meeting, Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Riyadh and met with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. The two ministers said that the OPEC+ alliance is solid, with the level of cooperation within it strong. The recent OPEC+ decision to accelerate the production increase and roll back all cuts in August, a month earlier than initially planned, was pushed by Saudi Arabia amid U.S. pressure. But the Kingdom had to check with Russia first before proposing the redistribution of the September increase in July and August, sources with knowledge of the behind-the-scenes diplomacy told Reuters this week. Related: Oil Prices Rebound As Crude Supply Tightens Both the Saudis and Russia benefit from the OPEC+ deal, so Riyadh wants to keep Russia on board, the sources say. The Saudis are enjoying high prices while the Russians need guaranteed support from OPEC+ in the current circumstances, a source familiar with Russian thinking told Reuters. No one is interested in a market collapse, added the source. After the production cuts are completely rolled back next month, a more difficult decision for OPEC+ looms: what to do next as Russia is more than 1 million bpd behind target and could lose more supply as the EU embargo on its oil begins at the end of this year. Neither is OPEC+ as a group anywhere close to reaching its target production, nor has Saudi Arabia much spare capacity left to boost production further, as the U.S. and other major consumers want. Per the OPEC+ deal, the Saudi target (as well as Russias) is at 11.004 million bpd for August. The Kingdom has rarely reached this level, and not for a sustained period of time. So, its not certain that the Saudis have the ability to pump 11 million bpd or more on a sustainable basis. Its even less certain that the Kingdom can quickly tapif it wanted tointo the 12.2 million bpd production capacity it claims it has. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also forced investors and companies to think more about energy security. Investor sentiment is back in the favor of oil and gas production as prices continue to climb higher. Last year proved to be a watershed moment for oil and gas companies in the global transition to clean energy, with Big Oil facing a series of boardroom and courtroom battles against hardline climate activists. The world's largest publicly-traded oil company, Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM), lost three board seats to Engine No. 1, an activist hedge fund, in a stunning proxy campaign. Engine No. 1 demanded that Exxon needs to cut fossil fuel production for the company to position itself for long-term success. "What we're saying is, plan for a world where maybe the world doesn't need your barrels," Engine No.1 leader Charlie Penner told the Financial Times. Engine No. 1 enjoyed a stunning victory thanks to support from BlackRock Inc. (NYSE:BLK), Vanguard, and State Street who all voted against Exxon's leadership. Next was its close peer, Chevron Corp.(NYSE:CVX), with no less than 61% of Chevron shareholders voting to further cut emissions at the company's annual investor meeting a week ago and rebuffing the company's board which had urged shareholders to reject it. Finally, a Dutch court ordered Royal Dutch Shell (LON:SHEL) to cut its greenhouse gas emissions harder and faster than it had previously planned. Never mind the fact that Shell already had pledged to cut GHG emissions by 20% by 2030 and to net-zero by 2050. The court in The Hague determined that wasn't good enough and demanded a 45% cut by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. The past two years have been especially challenging for Shell shareholders after the company announced a major dividend cut with the quarterly dividend falling to 16 cents from 47 cents, the first dividend cut since WW11. Meanwhile, the company's debt had ballooned massively from $1bn in 2005 to $73bn in 2020. Luckily for these oil and gas supermajors, investor sentiment has once again shifted in their favor. Encouraged by last year's victories, including rules that made it easier to put public policy-related questions on proxy ballots, an analysis by the Conference Board of data supplied by Esgauge has revealed that climate activists have filed 389 environmental and social proposals with member companies of the Russell 3000 index so far this year. However, the share of support for environmental proposals has dropped from 37% in 2021 to 33% this year, reflecting a growing aversion by asset managers to tying managers' hands when it comes to climate-related issues. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also forced investors and companies to think more about energy security. Extreme demands Ironically, it's none other than the world's largest asset manager, BlackRock Inc., that set the tone earlier this year when it warned that it would be voting against shareholder resolutions on climate that it considered to be too extreme or prescriptive. Over the past few years, BlackRock has been at the forefront of encouraging oil and gas divestments, with CEO Larry Fink calling for corporate climate disclosures while also proclaiming that companies must have a purpose beyond profit. Back in 2019, BlackRock declared its intention to increase its ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investments more than tenfold from $90 billion to a trillion dollars in the space of a decade. With $9.6 trillion of investments under its watch, BlackRock can certainly throw its weight around. Indeed, in 2020, the firm voted against 69 companies and 64 company directors for climate-related reasons while placing another 191 companies on watch. Other money managers are following suit: "It's the board's role to oversee and direct corporate strategy. As long-term shareholders, we need to be as pragmatic and consistent as possible," Ben Colton, head of stewardship at State Street Global Advisors, has told the Financial Times. According to the Conference Board analysis, proposals asking management to report on several environment-related options have been receiving significantly higher backing than those that have sought to restrict management behavior. The report reveals that seven resolutions asking for reports on plastic pollution garnered an average of 45% support; on the contrary, the ten demands that banks and insurers stop financing new fossil fuel development received average support of just 10%. Last month, Exxon recorded a major victory after its shareholders supported the company's energy transition strategy at the annual general meeting. Only 28% of the participants backed a resolution filed by the Follow This activist group urging faster action to battle climate change; a proposal calling for a report on low carbon business planning received just 10.5% support, while a report on plastic production garnered a 37% favorable vote. Following in the footsteps of its larger peer, in June, Chevron shareholders voted against a resolution asking the company to adopt greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, indicating support for the steps the company already has taken to address climate change. Just 33% of shareholders voted in favor of the proposal, according to preliminary figures disclosed by the company, a sharp turnaround from last year when 61% of shareholders voted to support a similar proposal. It appears that ESG and climate activism are now taking a backseat amid the global energy crisis, meaning the legacy businesses of fossil fuel companies remain safe--at least for now. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The $15.7 billion (15 billion euro) that Germany has extended as a credit line for gas purchases this summer may not be enough to help Europes biggest economy reach adequate levels of gas storage by the winter, according to the head of the German federal network agency, Bundesnetzagentur. If Russian gas to Germany stops flowing after the end of Nord Streams regular two-week maintenance beginning on July 11, the country would see gas shortages through the autumn, the winter, and next spring, the agencys president Klaus Muller told WirtschaftsWoche magazine in an interview published on Monday. If Germany wants to avoid a massive shortage, it must start conserving gas immediately, not only in the winter, Muller added. The money the government has set for gas purchases to fill storage to 80-90% by the winter may not be enough because of rising natural gas prices in Europe, he added. Europes biggest economywhich is also the biggest customer of Russian gasis struggling to secure gas supply after Moscow drastically cut deliveries to Germany via Nord Stream in the middle of June. Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany was importing 40 percent of its natural gas from Russia. Since Russia reduced supply to Germany and other major consumers in Europe, gas providers and buyers in Germany have been struggling with surging prices of non-Russian gas, which is severely burdening company finances. Case in point: German energy giant Uniper, one of the largest customers of Russias Gazprom, said last week it had initiated talks with the German government on possible measures to stabilize its finances amid low Russian gas deliveries and soaring gas prices, including possible guarantees, credit a facility, or equity investment. Last month, Germany triggered the second phase of its three-phase gas emergency plan as it braces up for the possibility of a complete halt of gas supplies from Russia via the Nord Stream pipeline. Germany is racing to implement emergency measures before July 11, when the regular maintenance of Nord Stream will stop all supply via the pipeline for at least two weeks. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: For many years now, Saudi Arabia has been wildly exaggerating every metric connected to its oil business, from how much crude it can produce to its level of reserves and everything in between, as analyzed in depth in my first book on the oil sector in 2015 and the latest one in 2021. Why does it lie so much and so often about these figures? Because without the power it has in the world directly associated with its crude oil production, spare capacity, and reserves it has no real power at all, so enormously exaggerating each of these figures is geared towards puffing itself up in terms of its geopolitical importance. The problem Saudi Arabia has right now, however, is that the U.S. and all other developed market countries whose economies are suffering under the weight of ongoing high oil prices are pressuring Riyadh to deliver on these claims, in order to bring these oil prices down. If Saudi Arabia had not been lying all these years about the amount of oil it can produce then it will not have a problem, but it has been, so it does. To the figures themselves, then, and firstly, Saudi Arabias crude oil reserves figures. At the beginning of 1989, Saudi Arabia claimed proven oil reserves of 170 billion barrels, but only a year later, and without the discovery of any major new oil fields, the official reserves estimate had somehow increased by 51.2 percent, to 257 billion barrels. Shortly thereafter, it increased again to just over 266 billion barrels, a level that persisted until a slight increase in 2017 to just over 268 billion barrels. On the other side of the supply-demand equation, from 1973 to the end of last week, Saudi Arabia pumped an average of 8.192 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil. Therefore, taking 1989 as a starting point (with 170 billion of crude oil reserves officially claimed in that year), in the subsequent 32 years Saudi Arabia has physically pumped and removed forever from its oil fields, a total of 95,682,560,000 barrels of crude oil. Over the same period, there has been no significant discovery of major new oil fields. Despite this, Saudi Arabias crude oil reserves have not gone down, but rather have actually gone up. This is a mathematical impossibility. Secondly, Saudi Arabias spare capacity figures, which are a function of Riyadh not just lying about the numbers outright but also engaging in semantic trickery involving the use of various oil market terms interchangeably, despite their not meaning the same thing at all. To be clear here: the official Energy Information Administration (EIA) definition is very specific about what constitutes spare capacity in the global oil markets, and it is as follows, directly quoted from the EIA rules: Spare capacity is production that can be brought online within 30 days and sustained for at least 90 days. That is it; that is what spare capacity is, no more and no less. However, Saudi Arabia includes within its own use of the term spare capacity every drop of crude oil that it can get hold of: including oil supplies in storage, supplies that can be withheld from contracts and re-directed into those stored supplies, and any oil that it can buy through brokers in the spot market and then sell on as its own. Exactly this semantic trickery was used to cover up the actual supply shortfalls in the aftermath of the September 2019 attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis on Saudis Khurais and Abqaiq facilities and later attacks. In reality, as written in the 2015 book: The country has often stated that it has a spare capacity of between 2-2.5 million barrels per day (mbpd), with the capability to ramp up its production to about 12.5 mbpd in the event of unexpected disruptions elsewhere. However, it is very unlikely that it could pump at these levels for a sustained period of time, and this idea has been supported by comments from Gulf officials at OPEC, which stated in the midst of Iraqi supply fears that Saudi Arabia could ramp up output by another 1-1.3 mbpd in a best-case scenario. Officials also mentioned that production of 11.5 mbpd is untested and could only be maintained for a very short period and that, in any event, higher production would be very difficult and would require producing heavy crudes. Nothing meaningful has changed since then. Related: Oil Markets Could Face A Doomsday Scenario This Week And thirdly, the ludicrously-inflated production figures that Saudi Arabia has been bandying around for years and which appear to be from the Hans Christian Andersen School of Oil Economics. As highlighted above and back in the 2015 book, despite all the flim-flam and general nonsense from the Saudis about being able to produce 11 million bpd or 12 million with ease, and plans to increase this to 13 million bpd, Saudi Arabia has actually produced from 1973 to the end of last week, an average of 8.192 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil; that is it. Moreover, as analyzed as long ago as the 2015 book, it has only ever in the history of the world, up to and including the end of last week managed to produce 11 million bpd and sustain it for a month on two occasions. Even when Saudi was at almost existential points in its recent history such as the all or nothing 2014-2016 Oil Price War it instigated to destroy or disable the then-nascent U.S. shale oil sector, or when former U.S. President Donald Trump threatened withdrawal of military support for it if it did not increase oil production Saudi still could not increase oil production above just 10.5 million bpd for long. It is consequently of no surprise whatsoever that OPEC+ last week decided not to increase its production over and above what had previously been agreed - because it simply cannot do so. Perhaps this was why neither the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MbZ), agreed to take telephone calls from U.S. President, Joe Biden, after all: not because they were seeking to marginalize him (although that is more than likely true as well) but because they could offer him nothing and have been caught out in a lie. This latter inference can be taken from subsequent remarks relayed to the world last week by the French President, Emmanuel Macron that he had a call with MbZ: He told me two things. Im at a maximum, maximum [oil production capacity], this is what he claims, said the French President. And then he said [the] Saudis can increase by [only] 150 [thousand barrels per day], maybe a little bit more, but they dont have huge capacities before six months time, Macron concluded. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Canada will not financially support two proposed LNG export projects, although it will help with the negotiations with the prospective buyers in Germany, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson told the Globe and Mail in an interview. Demand for LNG has soared this year as EU members seek to reduce their energy dependence on Russia. After becoming the largest buyer of U.S. LNG, the EU seems to be looking for diversification options over the longer term. Reuters reported at the end of last month that Germany was in talks with Canada about liquefied natural gas exports from Canadas east coast, following debates in the Canadian federal government from earlier this year about how it could speed up the development of two proposed LNG export terminals. Our view is the private sector should be putting up the money for these projects, and it should be done on a commercial basis, Wilkinson told the Globe and Mail. Were certainly willing to assist in the conversations with our friends in Germany who are looking for these kinds of supplies to ensure that there are long-term arrangements, contractual arrangements that provide certainty for the private sector. Currently, there is one LNG export terminal under construction in CanadaShell-led LNG Canada in Kitimat, British Columbia, which is scheduled to start exporting in three years. Because of the size of the investment typically needed for LNG export facilities, total reliance on private funding means that the developers behind the two proposed projectsPieridae Energy and Repsolwill probably insist on sealing long-term supply deals with their European buyers. Yet long-term contracts for any form of fossil fuel imports go against the Brussels grain with regard to climate and emission reduction commitments, and this might complicate matters for Canadian LNG export hopes. Both proposed projects are at a very early stage of development, with Pieridae Energy recently saying it was going to carry out a feasibility study on its Goldboro LNG project after it shelved it last year. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: G7 leaders have been discussing the prospect of reviving the Iran nuclear talks, a French presidency official said last week and, given continuing high oil prices and an enduring tight supply profile, talk has turned again to the potential for new barrels to start coming into the global oil market from Iran. After all, the argument runs, there was a deal in place the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, or colloquially the nuclear deal) that functioned from when it was implemented in January 2016 to when the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from it in May 2018. Up until recently, the argument runs, it looked very likely that a new iteration of the JCPOA would be agreed upon by the two key sides in the negotiations the U.S. and Iran and that new Iranian barrels would soon flood the market, bringing oil prices sharply down and alleviating the economic suffering of all developed countries that are net importers of oil and gas. This is all true but the deal, as far as the U.S. is concerned right now, is not a live issue, according to a source very close to Irans Petroleum Ministry that exclusively spoke to Oilprice.com last week. To correct a few false numbers being bandied around in several non-oil-focused magazines and newspapers recently: if a new JCPOA was agreed upon tomorrow, then it would not just be a case of 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of additional oil coming back into the market very quickly but a lot more than that. In broad terms, Iran remains a great oil and gas power and, despite its already huge oil and gas reserves, its full potential has yet to be fully realized. It has a conservatively estimated 157 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves, nearly 10 percent of the worlds total and 13 percent of those held by OPEC. As great as its oil reserves are, its gas reserves are even greater, with Iran having estimated proven natural gas reserves of 1,193 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), second only to Russia - 17 percent of the worlds total and more than one-third of OPECs. Additionally, Iran has a high success rate of natural gas exploration, in terms of wildcat drilling, which is estimated at around 75-80 percent, compared to the world average success rate of 30-35 percent. Specifically, as highlighted by Oilprice.com most recently at the beginning of 2022, Iranian crude oil and condensate production could bounce back very quickly after a new iteration of the nuclear deal has been signed and Irans Petroleum Ministry orders the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) to ramp up production. According to a senior analyst at global energy markets intelligence company Kpler, spoken to exclusively by Oilprice.com at the time, in this scenario Iran could see an 80 percent recovery of full production within six months and a 100 percent recovery within 12 months. [As at the beginning of Q4 2021] Iranian crude oil production capacity stood at 3.9 to 4.0 million barrels per day [bpd] according to the NIOC with current output holding near 2.4 million, of which 1.7-1.8 million is consumed in domestic refineries, and close to 1 million barrels per day of condensate and natural gas liquids are also being produced at present, primarily from the South Pars gas field, although total condensate and NGL production capacity stands at around 1 3 million barrels per day, said the Kpler analyst. Ultimately, we believe Iranian production could technically jump by 1.7 million bpd including 200,000 bpd of condensate and LPG/ethane, in a 6 to 9 month period from when sanctions are lifted and an immediate impact of a 5-10 percent fall in the oil price would be likely, the analyst concluded. So, what is the hold-up right now to just rubber-stamping a new version of the JCPOA, that had been ninety-five percent agreed on, according to highly-placed sources in Tehran and Washington spoken to by Oilprice.com just a few months ago? The answer is a technical point relating to the status of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that might seem arcane and bureaucratic to many but in reality has extraordinarily deep and broad ramifications for Irans entire political, economic, military, and social structure, and the U.S. knows this. The point in question is that the U.S. still refuses to remove the IRGCs designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), which was placed on it in 2019 during former U.S. President Donald Trumps term in office. For Tehran, not only does the IRGC function as the guardian of the spirit of its 1979 Islamic Revolution but it is also the principal mechanism through which Iran can spread its own particular brand of Islamic faith across the world through whatever means it deems necessary. These means include the bankrolling and logistical and materiel support by Iran of multiple military proxies across the globe, many of which are deemed as terrorist organizations by the U.S. and its allies. These activities require funding - almost always ultimately converted into US dollars or gold - and for this reason, the IRGC has been allowed access to every layer of Irans business and financial networks to the point where now it is inextricably ingrained throughout the entire fabric of Irans economy, as analyzed in-depth in my new book on the global oil markets. Related: Europes Power Prices Surge As Market Fears Worsening Supply Crunch According to sources in Washington and London, current estimates are that the IRGC has placed top commanders at the heart of more than 200 Iranian companies and even back at the beginning of 2016 around the same time as Implementation Day of the first JCPOA - Emanuele Ottolenghi, a senior fellow with the foundation for Defense of Democracies testified before a sub-committee of the U.S.s House Committee on Foreign Affairs that the IRGC had significant ownership shares in 27 companies that are publicly traded on the TSE. This constituted a minimum of 22 percent of its total value, at the time US$15.8 billion between them. According to Ottolenghi in 2016, the IRGC was active in the Iranian oil, gas, petrochemical, automotive, transportation, telecommunications, construction, and metals and mining sectors, among others. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control, in September 2012, described the NIOC itself as an agent or affiliate of the IRGC and therefore subject to sanctions under Iran Threat Reduction Act. Therefore, by officially designating the IRGC as an FTO, together with many of its affiliate organizations of varying sorts, the U.S. sought to hit at the very source of the IRGCs power and, by extension, Irans ability to project its influence across the globe. This U.S. strategy has, at varying stages, been successful in these objectives. However, as the schism between Washington and its allies, and Russia and China and their allies, becomes wider and more public particularly after Russias invasion of Ukraine in February - then the willingness of Russia and China to openly flout the U.S.s wish to keep economic pressure on Iran has increased dramatically. What the U.S. has cleverly done in terms of its stance on agreeing to any new version of the JCPOA is link its removal of the FTO designation for the IRGC to a broader concept that ties this into Irans ability and willingness to sign up to the rules and regulations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and then to becoming a fully-regulated and constantly-monitored FATF member. With its 40 active criteria and mechanisms in place to prevent money laundering (an activity that is vital to the IRGCs activities across the world) and nine criteria and mechanisms in place to do the same for the financing of terrorism and related activities (again, a core of the IRGCs role in promoting Irans brand of Islam around the globe), the FATF has swingeing powers to wield against individuals, companies, or countries who transgress any of its standards and is extremely aggressive in using them by degrees, depending on whether the sanctioned entity is on its grey or black list. There had been some indecision in the White House on whether to just drop this FTO designation on the IRGC in name, whilst in reality continuing to monitor it and deal with it as a de facto FTO, according to a senior energy source close to the administration in Washington, but this idea has now been dropped. The view right now in the Oval Office is that it is done talking to Iran about this [a new version of the JCPOA] unless it [Iran] offers up something tangible, serious, and wide-reaching in terms of the IRGC and all of its affiliates, and is serious about committing to the FATF, and that the U.S. is allowed to monitor properly all the time, and if that means no deal ever then thats fine, the source concluded. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Despite saying that his upcoming visit is not about oil, Biden does acknowledge that he would like for the Gulf States to ramp up production It's not about the oil. This is what President Biden has said about its upcoming visit to the Middle East and, more specifically, Saudi Arabia. He even said, as reported by Politico, that he was not going to ask the Saudis for more oil. And yet it seems that few believe this. "No, I'm not going to ask them [to increase oil production]," the U.S. President said last week on his visit with the King and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. "All the Gulf states are meeting. I've indicated to them that I thought they should be increasing oil production generically, not to the Saudi Arabia in particular. I hope we see them in their own interests concluding that makes sense to do," he also said. This is where Biden is quite wrong. It is not in the Gulf oil kingdoms' interest to pump more. Most of them do not have any spare capacity, and the couple that do may have seriously overestimated that spare capacity. And this includes Saudi Arabia. The issue of actual spare capacity came into the spotlight also last week when Reuters recorded France's Emmanuel Macron telling Biden that the UAE was pumping near its maximum and Saudi Arabia could only add about 150,000 bpd to its production in short order. "And then he [Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan] said (the) Saudis can increase by 150 [thousand barrels per day]. Maybe a little bit more, but they don't have huge huge capacities before six months' time," the French President said, per the Reuters video footage. According to estimates by the International Energy Agency, Saudi Arabia has a short-order capacity of 1.2 million barrels dailythe amount that can be added to current production in less than 90 days. The longer-term spare capacity, the IEA has estimated, stands at 2.1 million bpd. And the Kingdom's sustainable production capacity is 12.2 million bpd, again per IEA estimates. The problem with estimates is that they often tend to rely on insufficient information, including information supplied by the country with the spare capacity. But there is, in fact, no hard, verifiable data on Saudi Arabia's or any other OPEC member's spare production capacity. No OPEC member is obliged to report its spare capacity, and there is no way for the figures that they do report as spare capacity to be verified. Per OPEC's latest Monthly Oil Market Report, Saudi Arabia pumped 10.424 million bpd in June. That was 60,000 bpd higher than the average for May, and the Kingdom has pledged to boost production a lot more sharply this month and in August. But it might not be able to do it. Reuters' John Kemp noted in an analysis on the topic that Saudi Arabia has only ever reached a production level of 12 million bpd once, in April 2020. As for production sustained over a three-month period, the maximum demonstrated rate was 10.8 million bpd, pumped between October and December 2018, according to data from the Joint Organisations Data Initiative. It gets even worse over a longer period. Per the data quoted by Kemp, Saudi Arabia's maximum demonstrated output over a period of 12 months has been 10.5 million bpd. So, on the one hand, Saudi Arabia is quite unlikely to have the resources needed to boost production in any meaningful way that would have an impact on international prices in the immediate term. But it also probably does not want to. Related: Goldman Sachs: Upside Risk In Oil Is Tremendously High The thing about spare capacity in oil production is that it can be tapped in case of an emergency. But there is no oil emergency right now, not according to Riyadh. In fact, so far, Saudi Arabia, in the face of its energy minister and brother to the Crown Prince, Abdulaziz bin Salman, has claimed that the oil market is relatively balanced, but years of underinvestment in new production have now combined with sanctions to reduce supply. The other thing about spare capacity in oil production is that once tapped, it stops being spare, if we are talking about more than a month or two. The less spare capacity, the less flexibility a producer would have when an actual emergency arises. Saudi Aramco last year revealed plans to boost its production capacity to 13 million barrels daily. The expansion is scheduled to take until 2027, according to chief executive Amin Nasser. In other words, boosting the country's maximum sustained oil production capacity by 1 million bpd will take eight years. This does not mean there is nothing Saudi Arabia can do to boost production, according to Reuters' Kemp. According to him, it could restart old wells that have been closed to "rest the fields" and maintain pressure, or they can drill new wells in producing fields. Yet, while it could do these things, whatever its spare capacity actually is, the bigger question is whether Saudi Arabia would want to do these things. After all, it was just last month that Prince Abdulaziz said that the relations between Saudi Arabia and Russia were as warm as the weather in Riyadh. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Gazprom is proposing to extend the rubles-for-gas scheme to liquified natural gas (LNG), a senior executive said on Monday, days after Russia moved to take full control over the Sakhalin-2 LNG project. The proposal for demanding payments in rubles for LNG came from Kiril Polous, who is in charge of Gazproms long-term development programs, during a parliament energy committee meeting, Russian news agency Interfax reported today. Last week, a decree from Russian President Vladimir Putin said that a newly set up state Russian company would take over the rights and obligations of Sakhalin Energy Investment Co., the joint venture running the Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project. This could mean a forced exit from the project for Shell and Japans Mitsui and Mitsubishi, which are minority shareholders in Sakhalin Energy Investment Co. Shell already said it would leave the project a few months ago and has since then been looking for buyers for its stake in Sakhalin-2. According to some analysts, the exit of the Western and Asian partners will eventually lead to tighter LNG supply due to the lack of expertise and parts. At the same time, selling the gas would become harder because of the states control of the project, Saul Kavonic from Credit Suisse told Reuters. Russia already runs the ruble-for-gas payment system for the natural gas it sends to Europe via pipeline. Gazprom has already stopped supplying gas to countries and companies refusing to bow to the rubles demandPoland, Bulgaria, Finland, as well as customers in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany. Many European companies have set up accounts in rubles at Gazprombank to comply with Putins demand. Nevertheless, Gazprom slashed pipeline supply to Germany and Italy in the middle of June, claiming technical reasons and saying Western sanctions prevent a gas turbine being repaired in Canada from returning to Russia in time. Italys Prime Minister Mario Draghi dismissed this explanation, describing the Russian reasons for the reduced flows as lies. With low supply from Russia and Nord Stream up for a two-week maintenance this month, Europe scrambles to fill gas storage in time for the winter. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Germany's trade union head sounded the alarm bells on Monday, telling local media that Russian natural gas supply cuts could lead to widespread industrial collapse. "Entire industries are in danger of collapsing permanently because of the gas bottlenecks: aluminum, glass, the chemical industry," German Federation of Trade Unions head Yasmin Fahimi told reporters. "Such a collapse would have massive consequences for the entire economy and jobs in Germany," he added, as reported by Business Insider. The dire warning comes ahead of another planned cut in Russian gas supplies later this month. Planned maintenance on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline will see cuts in Russian gas supplies to Germany for a period of 11 days. However, German energy officials have warned that Russia could leverage this planned maintenance to cut gas supplies to Germany fully. That fear has prompted Germany's top officials to plead with consumers to cut down on usage. Klaus Muller, the head of the Federal Network Agency, told media over the weekend that the planned Nord Stream 1 maintenance could end up being a longer period of "political maintenance", DW reported. Earlier in June, Russian state-run Gazprom cut flows to Germany through Nord Stream 1 by 60 percent, blaming the cuts on Western sanctions that made it impossible to import turbines. Nord Stream 1 sees Russian gas pumped through Ukraine to Germany. Two weeks ago, Germany's BDI industry association drastically reduced its 2022 economic growth forecast from 3.5% to 1.5%, warning that a cut-off of Russian gas would mean recession, Reuters reported. On Monday, Germany recorded its first monthly trade deficit (for May) in 30 years on shrinking demand for exports and rising costs of imports amid worsening economic predictions. According to Bloomberg, the first monthly trade deficit amounted to a gap of 1 billion euros. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: POKROVSK, Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, one day after Ukrainian forces withdrew from their last remaining bulwark of resistance in the province. Russias Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in a televised meeting Monday that Russian forces had taken control of Luhansk, which together with the neighboring Donetsk province makes up Ukraines industrial heartland of Donbas. Advertisement Shoigu told Putin that the operation was completed on Sunday after Russian troops overran the city of Lysychansk, the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in Luhansk. Putin, in turn, said that the military units that took part in active hostilities and achieved success, victory in Luhansk, should rest, increase their combat capabilities. Advertisement Putins declaration came as Russian forces tried to press their offensive deeper into eastern Ukraine after the Ukrainian military confirmed that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk on Sunday. Luhansk governor Serhii Haidai said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had retreated from the city to avoid being surrounded. Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu's report during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, July 4, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev/AP) There was a risk of Lysychansk encirclement, Haidai told the Associated Press, adding that Ukrainian troops could have held on for a few more weeks but would have potentially paid too high a price. We managed to do centralized withdrawal and evacuate all injured, Haidai said. We took back all the equipment, so from this point withdrawal was organized well. The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian forces were now focusing their efforts on pushing toward the line of Siversk, Fedorivka and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, about half of which is controlled by Russia. The Russian army has also intensified its shelling of the key Ukrainian strongholds of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, deeper in Donetsk. On Sunday, six people, including a 9-year-old girl, were killed in the Russian shelling of Sloviansk and another 19 people were wounded, according to local authorities. Kramatorsk also came under fire on Sunday. An intelligence briefing Monday from the British Defense Ministry supported the Ukrainian militarys assessment, noting that Russian forces will now almost certainly switch to capturing Donetsk. The briefing said the conflict in Donbas has been grinding and attritional, and is unlikely to change in the coming weeks. While the Russian army has a massive advantage in firepower, military analysts say that it doesnt have any significant superiority in the number of troops. That means Moscow lacks resources for quick land gains and can only advance slowly, relying on heavy artillery and rocket barrages to soften Ukrainian defenses. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made capturing the entire Donbas a key goal in his war in Ukraine, now in its fifth month. Moscow-backed separatists in Donbas have battled Ukrainian forces since 2014 when they declared independence from Kyiv after the Russian annexation of Ukraines Crimea. Russia formally recognized the self-proclaimed republics days before its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged the withdrawal, but vowed that Ukrainian forces will fight their way back. If the command of our army withdraws people from certain points of the front where the enemy has the greatest fire superiority, in particular this applies to Lysychansk, it means only one thing: We will return thanks to our tactics, thanks to the increase in the supply of modern weapons, Zelenskyy said. Since failing to take Kyiv and other areas in Ukraines northeast early in the war, Russia has focused on Donbas, unleashing fierce shelling and engaging in house-to-house combat that devastated cities in the region. Russias invasion has also devastated Ukraines agricultural sector, disrupting supply chains of seed and fertilizer needed by Ukrainian farmers and blocking the export of grain, a key source of revenue for the country. In its Monday intelligence report, Britains defense ministry pointed to the Russian blockade of the key Ukrainian port of Odesa, which has severely restricted grain exports. They predicted that Ukraines agricultural exports would reach only 35% of the 2021 total this year as a result. As Moscow pushed its offensive across Ukraines east, areas in western Russia came under attack Sunday in a revival of sporadic apparent Ukrainian strikes across the border. The governor of the Belgorod region in Western Russia said fragments of an intercepted Ukrainian missile killed four people Sunday. In the Russian city of Kursk, two Ukrainian drones were shot down, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Advertisement In other developments: Ukrainian soldiers returning from the front lines in eastern Ukraines Donbas region where Russia is waging a fierce offensive describe life during what has turned into a grueling war of attrition as apocalyptic. Two Russian airplanes departed Bulgaria on Sunday with scores of Russian diplomatic staff and their families amid a mass expulsion that has sent tensions soaring between the historically close nations, a Russian diplomat said. Associated Press journalists Inna Varenytsia, Maria Grazia Murru and Oleksandr Stashevskyi contributed to this report from Kyiv. Germany is considering amending its energy security law to allow the government to take stakes in struggling energy firms or impose levies on consumers, Reuters reported on Monday, citing three sources. The government is discussing amendments that could be put for Parliament discussion as early as this week, according to Reuters sources. These amendments would allow the German government to bail out energy firms or to impose a levy on consumers and thus pass on soaring energy costs and ease the burden on energy firms, the sources say. Since Russia slashed supply to Germany and other major consumers in Europe, gas providers and buyers in Germany have been struggling with surging prices of non-Russian gas, which is severely burdening the companies finances. For example, energy giant Uniper, one of the largest customers of Russias Gazprom, said this week it had initiated talks with the German government on possible measures to stabilize its finances amid low Russian gas deliveries and soaring gas prices. Uniper entered into discussions with the German government on possible stabilization measures for which a number of instruments could be considered, such as guarantees and collateral, increasing the current not yet drawn KfW credit facility, and equity investments, the company said in a statement. Related: Goldman Sachs: Upside Risk In Oil Is Tremendously High Weeks before that, Germany saved a former Gazprom unit it had expropriated in April with a multi-billion-euro loan to ensure the security of supply. Gazprom Germania GmbH was the German unit of Gazprom until a few months ago before the German government placed Gazprom Germania under the trusteeship of the German energy regulator to ensure the security of supply after Russia invaded Ukraine. Germany is looking to impose a levy on the gas bills for all consumers as it seeks to help ailing gas suppliers, who are struggling with surging prices for non-Russian gas after Moscow slashed deliveries, Reuters reported last week, citing a proposal of the German government it had seen. The potential levy on gas bills could be voted in Parliament this week, industry sources told Reuters. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Norways authorities have approved applications from operators to boost production from several gas fields, the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy said on Monday, expecting record gas sales via pipelines to Europe this year. The ministry heeded applications from operators on the shelf and allowed higher gas production from the Troll, Gina Krog, Duva, Oseberg, Asgard, and Mikkel fields. The Energy Ministry has also granted a production permit for the Nova gas field, which is expected to start up in the near future. The permits for higher gas production mean that Norway is on track to export record volumes of gas through its pipeline system this year, the ministry said. Norways decision to allow higher gas production and record gas exports comes as its partners, the EU and the UK, scramble for gas supply ahead of the winter, which could be one of rationing for some industries and even households if Russian pipeline gas supply to Europe stops. Norways gas fields supply 20-25 percent of the gas demand in the EU and the UK, according to the Norwegian ministry. The most important thing Norway can do in todays challenging energy situation for Europe and the world is to facilitate companies operating on the Norwegian Continental Shelf to keep the current high production, Petroleum and Energy Minister Terje Aasland said in a statement today. Companies are constantly assessing opportunities for delivering more gas and oil from their Norwegian fields. The higher production permits will contribute to the record-high gas sales we expect through our gas pipeline system this year, Aasland added. Gas prices in Europe have returned to rally in recent weeks after Russia slashed gas deliveries in the middle of June to major customers in Europe, including Germany and Italy. Germany has already activated stage two of a three-phase emergency protocol concerning gas supply, as Europes biggest economy and the whole of Europe are racing to fill gas storage capacities ahead of the winter. By Josh Owens for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Netherlands said on Monday that large energy consumers would need to cut back on their usage beginning at the start of next year, Reuters has reported. The restrictions are coming as part of the governments desire to scale back CO2 emissions as well as reduce its reliance on Russian energy products. Under the new rule, large energy consumers will be forced to invest in all possible energy savings measures, provided the investment can be recouped within a five-year span. The government will fund regulations to aid in the enforcement of such a plan. The government said the measures would save 19 petajoules of gas and 7 petajoules of electricity per year within the first 7 years. This is the equivalent of 4 million barrels of crude. According to the government, any amount of energy that they dont use, wont need to be produced. The specific measures that need to be undertaken, designed to target those companies that use 50,000 Kwh of electricity annually or 25,000 cubic meters of gas, are now in the works. The new rule is announced not even two weeks after the Netherlands said it would lift its current restrictions on coal-fired power plants, activating its early warning phase of its energy crisis plan. The Netherlands total coal-fired power capacity was 3.31 GW in 2020, and until the restrictions were lifted, this was set to fall to 3.18 GW by 2025, with eyes on a complete phase-out by 2030. The Dutch government advised all of its citizens to use less gas in late March. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, the Netherlands imported 15% of all its natural gas from Russia, and while it has found some alternate sources of LNG, analysts say it could still face a shortage this winter. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Operations at the biggest oil refinery in Venezuela have stopped following a blackout that was caused by an electrical fault, Reuters has reported, noting that the Amuay facility has a capacity to process 645,000 bpd. "Blackout in the Amuay refinery. An electrical problem. Total blackout. In Amuay, the distilling and catalytic plants might be affected, which is currently producing about 80% of the country's gasoline," an unnamed source told Reuters. Unless the problem is fixed quickly, it could become quite grave as Amuay is the only refinery at the Paraguana complex that produces gasoline, and Venezuela has been in the grips of regular gasoline shortages because of U.S. sanctions for years now. Last month, PDVSA suspended gasoline production at the second-largest refinery in the country, Cardon, because of an outage at its naphtha reformer unit, per a Reuters report citing multiple sources. Like Amuay, the Cardon refinery is part of the Paraguana complex. The Amuay facility was also shut down temporarily last year after a fire erupted in one of its gasoline production units. Venezuela's PDVSA has a refining capacity of 1.3 million bpd, but utilization rates have been falling for several years because of U.S. sanctions as well as technical problems caused by mismanagement, including lack of investment and lack of maintenance. Venezuela has emerged as one source of fresh oil supply amid sanctions on Russian crude but it has proven harder than probably expected in Washington to mend fences with the Maduro government. U.S. officials have visited Venezuela at least two times this year, the most recent one focusing on negotiations for the release of several U.S. citizens held in Venezuela, according to U.S. sources. The underlying reason, however, is securing crude oil amid the global shortage caused by the imbalance between demand and supply that started amid the pandemic and only got worse after Western sanctions against Russia took effect. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Republican primaries this year have revealed a new political strategy for numerous candidates. They're running on a platform that denies President Donald Trumps loss in 2020. And as some of those same candidates lose their own primaries, theyre insisting without evidence that their races were rigged, too. The primary losers have a role model in Trump himself. After he lost the Iowa caucuses in 2016, Trump baselessly claimed fraud and demanded an investigation. When he was elected president later that year, he claimed that fraud was the reason Democrat Hillary Clinton won more votes than he did. Trump set up a commission to try to prove that. That commission was disbanded when it failed to produce any evidence. Omahas transit authority is shifting to become a regional entity, and its inviting communities in Sarpy County and elsewhere in the metro to join if they want. The move reflects the importance of interconnectedness and with working across jurisdictional lines on public transportation. The board overseeing Omahas Metro transit voted Thursday, June 23, to convert from the Transit Authority of the City of Omaha into a Regional Metropolitan Transit Authority of Omaha, taking advantage of a change in state statute approved by lawmakers in 2019. The change takes effect Aug. 1. Were taking on the challenge to provide for the people in the community and connect them to the places that matter, board member Daniel Lawse said in a news release. Lauren Cencic, Metros CEO, said the conversion open the door for Metro to bring its public transportation services beyond Omahas city limits although it wont extend beyond the state line into the Iowa communities in the metro such as Council Bluffs or Carter Lake. Metro currently provides contracted services in Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista, Ralston and Council Bluffs. Those cities except Council Bluffs now have the opportunity to join the regional transit authority, although Metros service area will remain the same for now. Cencic said the change acknowledges that our region goes beyond downtown Omaha, which is a vital step in creating a more connected, prosperous region. The move also provides flexibility for Metros funding, allowing it to levy up to 10 cents per $100 in taxable valuation within its jurisdiction. As part of that, Metro will shift to having an elected board, likely starting in 2024. Bellevue Mayor Rusty Hike said the change to a regional focus is welcome news, even if there is not an immediate push for Bellevue to sign up to join the authority. Obviously, joining or spending any money to bring it to Bellevue would be a council decision, Hike said in an email. Overall it is a pretty new concept and we are working through the possibilities as a city. Hike said Bellevues been developing a revised plan for the Fort Crook Road corridor, which has included work with Metro and the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency. The Fort Crook corridor has ample traffic lanes and wide rights of way to make this a very attractive project for Bellevue, Hike said. The corridors potential includes spurring infill projects, repurposing projects and new construction, he said, which could add density to the area and raise the tax base that supports the entire city government. A mass transit option would obviously be a huge asset to attract developers and accomplish this goal, Hike said. Should Metro bring mass transit to 24th and Q Streets, Hike said Bellevue would like to see it continue down Railroad Avenue then follow Fort Crook Road south to Offutt Air Force Base. I think this would be a huge benefit for the overall regional plan as well by making potential westerly connections at Harrison Street, Chandler Road, Cornhusker Road, Highway 370 and Capehart Road, Hike said. Metro had already been a part of multiple regional initiatives, such as MAPAs Heartland 2050 plan. Those planning efforts have stressed the importance of transportation. For example, MAPA found that expanding regional transit could add up to 8,000 new jobs and create an economic impact of $1.8 billion in business revenue for the region by 2050. Those conversations and those efforts have really emphasized and reiterated the need to think about how people move throughout the whole region, and not just within a city, Cencic said. This is an opportunity for us to continue to make improvements on some of those big ideas that have been shared for years. The new superintendent of the Millard Public Schools says that in a time of political division, school districts need to be open about what theyre doing and why. John Schwartz, whose first day on the job was Friday, said trust comes from transparency. Obviously, were living through a time where theres more political divide than I think Ive experienced in my adult life, Schwartz, 42, told The World-Herald. I think transparency is key, having good systems and processes in order to make important decisions. He said Millard, for example, has a transparent process for developing curriculum and adopting instructional materials. Theres opportunities for our stakeholders to give input, to be involved and to see what it is we do, and we invite that, he said. Millard school board members on Feb. 10 unanimously selected Schwartz to replace Jim Sutfin, who retired June 30. Sutfin had been superintendent since 2014. Schwartz was formerly superintendent of the Norris Public Schools, which is located 12 miles south of Lincoln and has nearly 2,500 students. Millard has 24,000 students, 35 schools and nearly 3,000 staff members. Schwartz has experience in larger metro-area districts. He was assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in Papillion La Vista from 2015 to 2019, when the Norris school board tapped him as superintendent. He has worked in several districts, among them the Bellevue Public Schools, as a high school principal, director of secondary education and social studies teacher. Schwartz said schools are a nexus for communities, and people have different beliefs on a lot of different issues and topics. He said its important that schools try and show respect and dignity to those that may have differing opinions. Certainly, in my prior school district we had to navigate some of those issues, like other schools across Nebraska and across the country, he said. The Norris Public Schools experienced the challenge that many districts did the last couple of years as it wrestled with differing opinions on mask policies, critical race theory and other hot-button issues. Residents tried unsuccessfully to recall five Norris school board members over a district mask mandate. In May, a Hickman, Nebraska, man sued the district alleging officials violated his constitutional rights by banning him from school grounds in August 2021 over his criticism of the mask policy. In his complaint, the man says he missed out on his daughters first grade year. The case file contains a letter from the Norris assistant superintendent saying the ban was because of the mans increasingly hostile and threatening messages to district staff. Schwartz said disagreement doesnt have to result in loss of decorum. We want parents to be involved, he said. They are absolutely the most critical partner we have, and were in this together with them in order to serve and meet the needs of their child. He said districts have to keep the focus on kids and on growing and improving as an organization, in spite of the distractions. Millard will start a strategic planning process in August, he said. Strategic planning has been one of the pillars that our district has used to operate for nearly 30 years now, he said. District officials will bring together a diverse stakeholder group to identify and establish the missions, beliefs and parameters of the district, he said. Theyll figure out strengths, weaknesses and needs, he said. Well set objectives. Well identify strategies to target, Schwartz said. Millards facing some of the same issues as other districts one being figuring out how to attract and retain high-quality staff, he said. He said the district expanded its programs that give younger students a chance to be exposed to education careers. Theres going to need to be some statewide systemic solutions that we all tackle together in order to meet that need, he said. He said district officials have done a good job planning for the fall. It appears that average class sizes in Millard schools wont increase above what theyve been historically, he said. Another challenge will be to meet changing mental and behavioral health needs among students, he said. Schwartz and his family are moving to Millard this month. His two sons will attend district schools. He said hell be forever grateful for Sutfins assistance with the transition. As of Friday, more than 1,000 people had signed an online petition to name a Millard school for Sutfin. Millard school board member Mike Kennedy posted the petition. Kennedy proposes renaming the districts Central Middle School, 12801 L St., because the school played a significant role in his life: Sutfin was a student, teacher, assistant principal and principal there. Officials searched the Missouri River Sunday afternoon for a woman who jumped from the Bob Kerrey Bridge. According to a statement from the Omaha Police Department, officers were called to assist firefighters with a river rescue shortly after 12:15 p.m. Police said that the woman left her shoes, car keys and cell phone on a bench before jumping into the river near the middle of the bridge. According to police, a witness saw the woman surface in the water and then go back under. She had not been found as of 4 p.m. Multiple agencies participated in the search. The Omaha Fire Department, Council Bluffs Fire Department and Douglas County Sheriff's Office conducted boat searches. A Nebraska Game and Parks boat searched the river north of Nebraska City. A description of the woman was not immediately available. She has not yet been identified. A boy was killed when a portion of a hotel roof collapsed into the buildings pool area Sunday night in York, authorities said. Crews were called to the Hampton Inn just north of Interstate 80 around 9 p.m. By the time firefighters, medics and local law enforcement arrived, the pool area had been evacuated, but one victim was found dead at the scene. In a press release issued Monday, the York Police Department said the boy was trapped inside the pool room beneath debris. This male was determined to be the only trapped person and was found to be deceased. The boys name has not been released. Investigating agencies include the Nebraska State Fire Marshals Office. The hotel was evacuated. About 40 guests were relocated to other hotels. Moguls Towing and Hitz Towing assisted firefighters in stabilizing the collapsed area, the York News-Times reported. On Monday morning, firefighters returned to the scene to assist with the removal of debris. Its unclear what caused the roof to collapse. At 8:55 p.m., the York Municipal Airport reported partly cloudy skies and a southeast breeze at 12 mph. According to information from the York County Assessors Office, the hotel was built in 2009. Its owned by Benjo, a limited liability corporation that lists a Norfolk address. On an idyllic summer morning, from a rooftop high above the Highland Park Independence Day parade, a gunman aimed down at the floats and lawn chairs and strollers and opened fire. The high school marching bands members sprinted for their lives, still carrying their flutes and saxophones. Bystanders scooped up young children and fled. In all, six people were killed. Some two dozen others were injured, either by rifle fire or in the stampede away from the scene. The victims ranged in age from 8 to 85. Advertisement Robert Bobby Crimo III (City of Highland Park Police Department) It was the Fourth of July, and the North Shore suburb of Highland Park became the latest American community to be terrorized by a mass shooting. For hours after the attack, officers searched building by building near the parade route, which was littered with belongings abandoned in the chaos: A double stroller. Balloons. Bikes. Pacifiers. Sandals. A hat printed with stars and stripes. Advertisement On Monday evening, after an hourslong search, authorities arrested a person of interest: 22-year-old Robert Bobby Crimo III. North Chicago police spotted him and gave chase; he was ultimately arrested without incident in Lake Forest, according to the Highland Park police chief. Crimo was taken back to Highland Park as the investigation continued. Police recovered a rifle from the crime scene, and federal authorities are performing a trace to try to determine its origin. [ Highland Park parade shooting: What to know ] [ Highland Park shooting: In painful, chilling detail, witnesses recount deadly mass shooting at Fourth of July parade ] Authorities had not released the names of those killed as of Monday evening. Howard Prager was playing his tuba aboard a float with six other musicians from the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band, entertaining the crowd with freilach a joyous type of Jewish music. With the American flag still flying outside his home for Independence Day, Howard Prager stands with his sousaphone on Monday, July 4, 2022 in Vernon Hills. Prager plays with a local klezmer band that was on a float near the shooting in Highland Park. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) The piano player was the first to notice everyone scatter. Prager thought at first they had spotted a celebrity and were racing over. The band kept playing. Then he saw the faces of the people running: panic and scared mode. I am shellshocked by the whole thing, he said. I dont know what was in (the shooters) mind that he was so hateful that would cause this type of carnage. [ Highland Park was at the center of gun-control debate long before Mondays shooting; just days ago city honored Uvalde victims ] Hospital leaders said Monday that 26 people were rushed to Highland Park Hospital, all but one of whom had suffered gunshot wounds. Advertisement Four or five of the patients were children, said Brigham Temple, medical director of emergency preparedness at NorthShore University HealthSystem. While most were treated and discharged, others were taken to other local hospitals, including a child who was transported by helicopter to Comer Childrens Hospital at the University of Chicago. Theres been a lot of different events that have happened in the United States, and this obviously now has hit very close to home, Temple said. It is a little surreal to have to take care of an event such as this but all of us have gone through extensive training. Among those shot and injured were a Northwest Side elementary school teacher and her husband, according to a Twitter statement from the Chicago Teachers Union. An online fundraiser for the family said the teachers father and brother-in-law were also shot, and were undergoing surgery. In response to the gun violence, many northern suburbs canceled their planned Fourth of July celebrations due to safety concerns or out of respect for the victims. Metra halted inbound and outbound train movement near Highland Park due to the shooting. And for hours, the parade route remained eerily quiet. Highland Park is an affluent suburb nearly 30 miles north of downtown Chicago. In 1998, Vanity Fair magazine said the largely white and Jewish community has the feel of a gated community without the actual gates. Michael Jordan made his home there for a time when he was with the Bulls. Advertisement Chairs, bicycles and strollers are left behind at the scene of a mass shooting on the Fourth of July parade route on July 4, 2022, along Central Avenue in Highland Park. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Some witnesses worried that the community may have been targeted because of its significant Jewish population. The northern suburbs have seen a rash of anti-Semitic sentiment in recent months, including on Holocaust Remembrance Day in April, when someone left anti-Semitic flyers in driveways in Highland Park. Crimo appears to perform under the name Awake the Rapper. Videos connected to that name online, some of which feature Crimos face, include eerie and violent imagery, including drawings of a person with a long gun and animations of injured people. Police on Monday evening shut off access to the streets near what was believed to be Crimos home. An armored police vehicle drove down his street, and officers gathered, chatting on the nearby street corner, though the home was out of sight from the police perimeter. Police guarded the perimeter with rifles. Reporters and neighbors gathered nearby, and a helicopter hovered overhead. [ Highland Park shooting: Man arrested apparently posted series of videos; investigators turn to source of rifle ] Speaking outside a Highland Park fire station late Monday afternoon, Gov. J.B. Pritzker decried the shooting, saying he spoke with President Joe Biden about it earlier. They both agree on one thing, Pritzker said: This madness must stop. If youre angry today, Im here to tell you, be angry. Im furious. Im furious that yet more innocent lives were taken by gun violence. Im furious that their loved ones are forever broken by what took place today. Im furious that children and their families have been traumatized, Pritzker said, flanked by several elected officials including U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth. While we celebrate the Fourth of July just once a year, mass shootings have become our weekly yes, weekly American tradition. People are met by fire department members at the scene of a mass shooting in Highland Park during the suburb's Fourth of July parade on July 4, 2022. (Rob Dicker/for the Chicago Tribune) Pritzker noted how some might feel like today is not the day to talk about gun control or gun rights, but then he said, There is no better day and no better time than right here and right now. Advertisement It is devastating that a celebration of America was ripped apart by our uniquely American plague, said Pritzker. A day dedicated to freedom has put into stark relief the one freedom we as a nation refuse to uphold the freedom of our fellow citizens to live without the daily fear of gun violence. In a Facebook post from Skokie, where Darren Bailey was scheduled to march with supporters in a Fourth of July parade until it was canceled, the Republican governor nominee joined with backers as he took a moment for prayer for the families of victims after declaring, Lets move on and lets celebrate. [ Liam Hendriks calls out gun laws after Highland Park shootings. The access to the weaponry ... totally needs to change, Chicago White Sox closer says. ] Bailey is an ardent gun rights supporter who opposes firearm regulations and supports the elimination of the states firearm owners identification card registry. In his prayer, he called on God to heal the mental illness that is creating these problems. So lets pray for justice to prevail and then lets move on and lets celebrate, celebrate the independence of this nation. We know the mission. We have got to get corruption and evil out of our government and we have to elect men and women of honor and of courage to get this country and this state back on track, he said in a poor-quality video. Bless us and protect us as we go about our day celebrating, he said in his prayer. (Chicago Tribune Handout) Hours after the video was released, his campaign issued a statement that aimed to quell criticism by stating the video was posted when Bailey and his campaign knew few details about the shooting. Advertisement I am heartbroken by todays tragic events and the pain and loss felt by so many. My intent was to pray for the victims and those affected by todays tragedy and for the shooter to be caught and prosecuted without further loss. I apologize if in any way we diminished the pain being felt across our state today. I hope we can all come together in prayer and action to address rampant crime and mental health issues to make sure these horrific tragedies dont happen again, the statement said. Biden on Monday afternoon said he offered Pritzker the full support of the federal government. Advertisement He also said he was shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day. He then touted his recent signing of the first major bipartisan gun reform legislation in almost 30 years into law, which includes actions that will save lives. But there is much more work to do, and Im not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence. [ Timeline: List of recent high-profile shootings in the US ] Vice President Kamala Harris, who is slated to be in Chicago on Tuesday, echoed the sentiment. We are thankful to law enforcement and the first responders who arrived at the scene today and undoubtedly saved lives, she said in a statement. Todays shooting is an unmistakable reminder that more should be done to address gun violence in our country. More than ten hours after the carnage, dazed residents lingered around Central Avenue in Highland Park. Claudia Rinehart, who lives in nearby Lake Bluff, gazed in disbelief at a colorfully decorated abandoned bike, hundreds of empty lawn chairs and an American flag flying in the distance. Advertisement What caught me as I look this way was the American flag as the backdrop of Main Street USA, Rinehart said. This is as mainstream as you get. To think between here and that flag, such horror happened, it takes your breath away. Normally, full of commerce and visitors, downtown Highland Park was occupied mostly by emergency vehicles late Monday, blocking traffic on Central from Green Bay Road to St. Johns Avenue. In a moment, everything is just littered, Rineharts husband, Keith Einwiller, said. People ran out of their shoes. Rinehart said that with so many shootings around the country, shed remarked to her husband before that one one day its going to happen in our backyard, and today it did. Amy Bazelon has attended Highland Parks Fourth of July parade since her childhood. She has warm memories of riding along in her grandfathers novelty cars as part of the celebration in years past. On Monday morning, as the shots began, Bazelon took off running with her granddaughter in her arms. Advertisement I dont think you ever know, unless youre in it, how you will respond, Bazelon said. People were frozen and couldnt move, people were running, people were helping, people were not helping. She said she quickly lost track of her other family members, but that everyone found each other shortly afterward and was unharmed. We have a sense of security, which were no longer entitled to, but neither is anybody in any community, Bazelon said. Were not special. Were not protected. Near St. Johns Avenue, some people were unable to retrieve the cars they abandoned during the carnage because police still had much of Central Avenue closed off. One group, which explained to an officer that they were trying to retrieve medicine from a car, was told they would have to return later. Ashley Koziol, who said she grew up in Libertyville and has lived in Highland Park for several years, was thankful she slept in on Monday. Otherwise, she said, she would likely have been walking around the area when the shooting began. Koziol said safety was one reason she chose to move to Highland Park. Advertisement I can go on walks late at night and I feel safe, Koziol said. I dont have a fear at all. But, unfortunately, I cant see that anymore. Youre not safe anywhere, she added. Just because it seems like a safe place, unfortunately, that doesnt stop anybody. Democratic U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, whose district includes Highland Park, said he was at the parade with his campaign team when the shooting started. Hearing of loss of life and others injured. My condolences to the family and loved ones; my prayers for the injured and for my community; and my commitment to do everything I can to make our children, our towns, our nation safer, Schneider tweeted. Enough is enough! Highland Park was the setting of a large gathering in support of gun control on June 11. The March for Our Lives rally was one of hundreds that took place across the country with the goal of pushing legislators to take bipartisan action on the matter. Advertisement And less than a decade ago, Highland Park found itself at the center of the national gun-control debate, when a local pediatrician unsuccessfully challenged the towns ban on assault weapons in a case that made its way to some of the nations highest courts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. > Advertisement ACCRA, Ghana (AP) West African leaders attending a regional summit agreed Sunday to lift sanctions on two neighbors led by military governments that are now promising a return to democratic rule. The summit of the Economic Community of West African States resolved to lift all economic and financial sanctions imposed on Mali and Burkina Faso, although those countries will remain suspended from the regional bloc, said Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, an Ivorian politician who has been serving as president of the ECOWAS Commission. Guinea, the third country under sanctions, received no reprieve because it did not submit an acceptable roadmap toward elections, he said. He said the suspension of all three nations from ECOWAS would remain in force until they hold elections. In lifting the sanctions on Mali and Burkina Faso, leaders at the summit in Ghana's capital, Accra, accepted transition plans presented by military authorities in those countries. Mali's junta proposed scheduling a presidential election by March 2024. Burkina Faso proposed a 24-month transition leading to polls. ECOWAS sanctioned Mali severely in January by shutting down most commerce with the country, along with its land and air borders with other countries in the bloc. The measures have crippled Malis economy, raising humanitarian concerns amid widespread suffering. The wave of military coups began in August 2020, when Col. Assimi Goita and other soldiers overthrew Malis democratically elected president. Nine months later, he carried out a second coup, dismissing the countrys civilian transitional leader and assuming the presidency himself. Mutinous soldiers deposed Guineas president in September 2021, and Burkina Faso leader Roch Marc Christian Kabore was ousted in a January coup. Burkina Faso authorities said Saturday that Kabore, who has been under house arrest, is now a free man. The political upheaval came as many observers started to think that military power grabs were a thing of the past in West Africa, an increasingly restive region that also faces growing danger from Islamic extremist fighters. Some leaders who spoke at Accra's one-day summit urged action as armed groups expand their footprint in the region. These terrorist attacks are now not only focusing on the Sahel, but also expanding to the coastal states in our region, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo. "It is imperative for us to continue to implement our regional action plan against terrorism and to coordinate our various security initiatives. In the first half of 2022, the region recorded a total of 3,500 deaths from 1,600 extremist attacks targeting countries including Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria, according to Brou. In Burkina Faso, where attacks blamed on Islamic extremist fighters are soaring, gunmen killed at least 55 people in the country's northern Seno province last month. This story has been corrected to show that Guinea remains under economic sanctions imposed by the ECOWAS bloc. NEW YORK (AP) A federal judge has granted bail to a prominent Buffalo developer and other businessmen serving prison time for a bid-rigging scheme related to former Gov. Andrew Cuomos Buffalo Billion economic redevelopment program. U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni signed an order Friday allowing developer Louis Ciminelli and three others to be released after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal of their wire fraud convictions. The justices are expected to take up the case during their next term, which begins in October. The high court also agreed to hear the related case of Joseph Percoco, a former Cuomo aide convicted in 2018 of accepting more than $300,000 from companies that wanted to gain influence with the Cuomo administration. It was not immediately clear whether Percoco also would be released on bail. Among the issues in the case is whether private citizens with official connections may be convicted of honest-services fraud. Ciminelli was convicted in a pay-to-play conspiracy in which his firm won a development job worth a half billion dollars. Prosecutors called the scheme an enormous fraud and said it involved state-funded contracts worth more than $850 million being steered to favored developers. Also granted bail on Friday were developers Steven Aiello and Joe Gerardi, executives at Syracuse-based COR Development, and Alain Kaloyeros, formerly the president of the State University of New Yorks Polytechnic Institute. Prosecutors said Kaloyeros arranged for Ciminelli and his company LPCiminelli to win a development job in Buffalo worth a half billion dollars. Cuomo was not charged or accused of wrongdoing, but the criminal proceedings tarnished a program the former governor had made a centerpiece of his efforts to lift the upstate economy. DECATUR In a state full of Abraham Lincoln sites, it can be easy to overlook one just 10 miles west of Decatur. But the area along the Sangamon River that is now Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial played a pivotal role in Lincolns historic journey. The 162-acre park, located at about 4 miles south of U.S. 36 on Lincoln Trail Memorial Highway, is where Lincoln got his start in Illinois. This is the site where the Lincoln family had their first home in Illinois, explained Melody Arnold, chairperson of the Friends of Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park. They moved to the Decatur area in 1830 in March. They came out here and built a small log house. Lincoln, age 21 at the time, lived in that cabin with his father, stepmother, stepbrother, stepsisters and their husbands. It was a difficult time for the Lincolns, said James Farris, historical research and development committee chairperson for the friends group. They came down with the Illinois shakes, what we would call malaria, then faced a harsh winter, which became known as the Winter of the Deep Snow, said Farris. With crops covered in a layer of ice and drifted snow, the family faced starvation. Crossing the Sangamon River to ask a neighbor for spare food, Lincoln broke through the ice and his feet were frozen when he reached the neighbors. By the time everything thawed, Lincolns father, Thomas, had had enough and headed back east, settling in Coles County, he said. But 22-year-old Abe was ready to strike out on his own. The Sangamon River is often called Lincolns River because when they came to Illinois, they settled on the Sangamon. Then of course he did take a couple of flatboats down the Sangamon River to the Illinois and on down to New Orleans and he ended up staying in New Salem, which also is on the Sangamon River, Arnold related while standing along the river bank. Arnold said, I think my favorite spot is here along the river. Stairs lead from the pavilion area down to the river, where hikers can follow a trail. The friends group also created an upland trail that goes from the pavilion area through the woods to the Whitley Pioneer Cemetery and a restored prairie that is filled with colorful wildflowers from late spring through summer. The upland trail has a wood chip surface, a couple of benches and signs on the trees identifying the species. The cemetery, which dates back to 1859, still contains some original gravestones. Beyond the cemetery at the end of the park road are various memorials. The cabin, unfortunately, is long gone. According to an information sign at the site, the cabin was dismantled in 1865 by John and Dennis Hanks, with each log numbered, and it was exhibited around the country. Supposedly it was lost while crossing the Atlantic Ocean after being sold to a group from England. Although the cabin is gone, an impressive American Basswood tree, believed to be 300 to 400 years old, still survives at the site. The tree, also known as an American Linden, would have been 100 to 200 years old when the Lincoln family settled here. Did Abraham Lincoln actually see the tree? an information sign asks. There is no way of knowing for sure, but it is quite possible that he did." Farris said Lincoln worked a variety of jobs to prepare him for the world outside of subsistence farming into which he was born. I dont think he really knew what he wanted to do. I dont think he knew he wanted to be a lawyer or politician or president of the United States. Those things evolved as Lincoln himself evolved, said Farris. He came here as a man of 21. He moved to Washington as a man of 56. LEROY Seven brothers from LeRoy spent part of their Fourth of July receiving handmade tokens of recognition and thanks for their military service, decades after the fact. The Schaefer brothers Joseph, Thomas, Dan, Raymond, Timothy, Steve and Lyle all served in the Navy between 1962 to 1977. There was only one year in this time period where a Schaefer was not in uniform. On Monday, they were honored by the LeRoy Freedom Quilters, a local chapter for the national Quilts of Valor organization. The organization also presented a quilt to William Warren, who served from 1944 to 1969 and in three wars. The organization's goal is to "wrap every veteran in a quilt," Franklin said. Any veteran who has been "touched by war" is eligible. Warren's quilt also represented a milestone, symbolizing the 300,000th quilt awarded by the national organization, which started in 2003. The Leroy Freedom Quilters was founded in 2015 with funds from The Wall That Heals, Franklin said. She said they make between 18 and 25 quilts a year. Franklin said Warren has always stayed humble. "He'd never attest to being a bigshot," she said, "even though he retired as a lieutenant colonel." Dan Schaefer served in the Navy from 1964-1967 during the Vietnam War. "I haven't quite had it sink in, yet," he said Monday, "but it is nice to see other people honor (our service). Because, when I came back from Vietnam, they didn't." He had planned to attend the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. But they turned him away, he said, "because I needed eyeglasses." He wasn't deterred. "I said, 'You promised to train me, so you're going to train me.' And so I enlisted," he said. Monday was probably the first time in five years that the brothers had been together, Dan Schaefer said. "It's just exciting we got recognized after so long," said Lyle Schaefer. He served from 1973-1977 as part of the U.S. Naval Construction Battalions, better known as the Navy Seabees. Even though his brothers were all Navy men, Lyle Schaefer had no plans to follow. "I got caught by the recruiter right here in this town down at the bowling alley," he said. He told the recruiter he was not fit for the Navy because "I get seasick on Dawson Lake." He said the recruiter told him "We'll give you a landlubber certificate,'" and enlisted Lyle as a Seabee, meaning he would handle exclusively land-based construction work. Ultimately, he traveled to Sicily, Okiunawa and Puerto Rico. Franklin said Leroy Freedom Quilters is holding another public award ceremony on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, in the LeRoy Replex, 304 E. Washington St. FOURTH OF JULY IS NOT THE HOLIDAY The holiday on the Fourth of July is NOT the holiday, but rather the date that we celebrate Independence Day. Let all Americans recognize and celebrate the freedoms and rights secured and gifted to us by those who served this country in the Revolutionary War, and those who have followed who have maintained those freedoms for us. Veterans, have a great Independence Day weekend! Be proud that you have helped maintain our freedoms by continuing that long line of Americans who have been willing to put their lives at risk so our way of life can be that "shining light on the hill" that stands as an inspiration for the rest of the world to which to aspire. MILITARY FUNERAL RITES FOR NATIONAL GUARD Q: I served six years in the Illinois National Guard and was given an honorable discharge. In the past few years, I have attended several funerals where military rites were accorded. I never served in the federal military. Am I eligible for military rites of any kind when I pass? A: Yes! The rendering of military funeral honors for United States Armed Forces veterans is a tribute that our veterans and their families justly deserve. Section 578 of the National Defense Authorization Act requires the Department of Defense to provide, upon request, military funeral honors for eligible veterans. Any person (active duty, National Guard or Reserve) who has completed at least one enlistment or other obligated military service and received an honorable discharge is eligible for military funeral honors. These honors may not be furnished for any individual convicted of a capital offense under federal or state law for which the person was sentenced to death or life without parole. The National Guard is designated a primary provider of military funeral honors and will provide a flag-folding team, presentation of the folded flag to next of kin, and "Taps." Military rites should be coordinated with the funeral home, and they will normally acquire the casket flag for draping the casket. The National Guard Honor Guard details conduct their part of military honors at over 150,000 funerals for veterans each year. DID YOU KNOW? Military funeral honors often include a three-volley rifle salute as part of the ceremony. What is the significance of three rounds or volleys? This is a tradition that dates to the European dynastic wars, which were fought between 1688 and 1748. The volleys were shots fired on the battlefield during a battle to signal a request and acceptance from the two sides to pause the fighting, intended to allow time for both sides to remove the bodies of their fallen soldiers from the battlefield. The two sides would cease hostilities until the firing of another three volleys, meaning the dead had been properly cared for and each side was ready to resume the battle. The three rounds of bullets fired at a military funeral rites ceremony represent the three volleys fired and the three words duty, honor and country. VA SIMPLIFIES LOG-IN PROCEDURES FOR MOST PLATFORMS Q: I am an older veteran, and I can use the computer to browse and use email. However, I have a terrible time managing the many usernames and passwords I have to access many websites. This is especially true with the many websites I use for access to VA benefit information. Can the VA do anything to reduce the frustration concerning access to VA information? A: VA has adopted Login.gov for a unified veteran sign-in experience that provides seamless experiences across multiple government platforms. Veterans can now use the same login and password to access a growing list of federal government digital platforms including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Personnel Management and Small Business Administration to deliver a secure and streamlined identity verification experience. Currently, veterans can log in to VA.gov, My HealtheVet and VAs flagship Health and Benefits mobile app using Login.gov. Visit Login.gov to learn more about the new sign-in process. It is not too much of a stretch to say that the U.S. Supreme Court acted like a subsidiary of Koch Industries when it stripped the Environmental Protection Agency of its ability to broadly regulate greenhouse gases. Last weeks decision, with inescapable implications for the entire field of government regulation, is the long-sought dividend for the billions of dollars in dark and disclosed campaign money that the nations oligarchs the Kochs and many others have invested in owning the government and controlling the courts for a half century. Knowingly or not, the Federalist Society and the anti-abortion movement fronted for them. Its probably no accident of timing that the court majority saved the EPAs emasculation for the last day of its term, after its radical repudiation of reproductive rights seized the nations attention. There is only so much that people can absorb at one time. The irony of the justices forcing fetuses to be carried to term in a world it has made less healthy for them seems to escape them. The oligarchs whose wishes it fulfilled do not care much about abortion, but they welcomed the cover that issue provided for their long-term campaign to insulate their profits from government regulation. A court disposed to take the nation back not simply to the 20th century but to the 19th as it did in overturning Roe v. Wade would also look favorably on returning to the age of the robber barons. As bad as those two decisions are, it may get worse. The court accepted for next term an appeal from North Carolina Republican legislators who argue that no state courts can interfere with how legislatures deal with the election of U.S. senators and representatives. That would allow unrestrained partisan gerrymandering regardless of what state constitutions say. The so-called independent legislature theory is based on a reading of the original Constitution that ignores the 14th amendment, which guarantees each citizen equal protection of the laws. Accepting the North Carolina appeal means at least four justices are sympathetic. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh said it is an important issue that the court should decide eventually. Many legal experts think its just crackpot theory. The court itself has told federal courts to keep their hands off gerrymandering, except perhaps in racial cases, so state courts and constitutions are the only remaining bulwark between the people and an oligarchy. Circumstances change faster than Congress can keep up, even when its technically capable. Moreover, Washington abounds with lobbyists whose primary missions are to prevent congressional action. Its always easier to kill bills than to pass them. Thats what makes the defeat so stunning for the EPA, for the air we breathe, and for the dwindling prospects of controlling global warming before its too late. Every other major area of regulation is now in peril as well. To paraphrase Kagan, there are few things more frightening than Supreme Court justices so drunk with the power they misuse. South Florida Sun-Sentinel An exhibition is underway at the Xinjiang Art Museum to mark the 101st anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and embrace the upcoming 20th National Congress of the CPC. A total of 110 excellent works created by 80 painters are on display, showing the great achievements of different ethnic groups living in Xinjiang, and eulogizing the cultural remains, martyrs, role models and common workers in Xinjiang. The exhibition, which began on July 1, will last for two months. Science and Maths Quiz finalists from Apam Methodist C, Greater Grace Christian Mission, Kokofu D/A Basic, and Abrekum D/A all in the Central Region have toured some facilities in Accra. The tour which was organized by the Member of Parliament for Gomoa West constituency, Richard Gyan-Mensah in collaboration with the district education directorate, was to help students familiarise themselves with the application of science and technology in national development. The first institution they visited was Parliament and then the University of Ghana. They also visited the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission. Speaking to the media during the tour, Richard Gyan-Mensah said, "the plan was to take the finalist on tour to some science facilities in the country". According to the MP, "the tour will help the students gain first-hand experience and encourage them in their future endeavors". "I believe this will give them exposure and also build their confidence level, he added. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations has invited the leadership of teacher unions to a meeting over their demands for the payment of cost of living allowance (COLA) to members. It said only the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) had responded to attend, with the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Coalition of Concerned Teachers-Ghana (CCT-GH) and the Teacher and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) yet to respond. It said once the other unions were ready for the meeting, it would be held, adding that the government was not insensitive to the plight of teachers and workers in general. Forum A Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Bright Wireko-Brobbey, said this at the GNAT Investment Forum in Accra last Wednesday. Taking their turns to address the event on the theme: Ghanas workers pensions: Challenges and solution for growth in the next decade, both the President of GNAT, Rev. Isaac Owusu, and the General Secretary, Thomas Tanko Musah, said the association was not reneging on its June 30, 2022 deadline for the payment of the COLA. They said the current economic challenges had brought untold hardship to many teachers and workers in general, hence the need for the COLA to cushion them under the situation. In response, Mr Wireko-Brobbey said the ministry had received letters from GNAT, NAGRAT, CCT-GH, and TEWU that things were hard, thus the need for COLA. Renege We did not renege on that. Our minister asked me to invite them so that we exhaust the matters, he said, adding that two weeks down the line, we have not been able to get your leaderships. GNAT was ready but NAGRAT and CCT-GH, we were told, were out on some meeting somewhere and we are still waiting for their signal to meet them and have a discussion. We are considering looking at a review of the single spine which has been practised for over a decade to see whether it is still relevant or we need to tweak it, he said. In a presentation, the Director-General of SSNIT, Dr John Ofori-Tenkorang, said the trusts pension payments exceeded contributions invested at 91-day treasury bill rate compounded quarterly. Evidence The empirical evidence showed that people who have been on SSNIT pension for 12 years were getting almost twice the value they could have got elsewhere, and it gets better the longer you live. Why is that so because your contributions have stopped and every additional months that you are living SSNIT is paying more so you can see that SSNIT outlay just keeps on increasing and increasing the longer you live, he explained. For people who had been on pension for 25 years, he said (85-year olds) looking at all that they accumulated individually, on the average they were getting about 17 times the best they could have got if they had invested their contributions every month in treasury bills and compounding them. Unemployment A lecturer in Finance of the University of Ghana Business School, Professor Godfred A. Bokpin, said the unemployment rate in Ghana had almost tripled in a little over more than a decade. According to him, more than 1.55 million people or 13.4 per cent of the country's economically active population "are out of work." Presenting a paper on Ghanas Workers Pension: An Economic Management Response, he said, among other things, that creating jobs in the economy was good for SSNIT. In his opening remarks, Rev. Owusu said the forum was of great importance to teachers across the country, especially under the current challenging economic situation. For his part, Mr Musah said the issue of pension had been of great concern to teachers, especially when they went on retirement. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Fifty-four-year-old Asana Forson, whose son has been battling with mental health difficulties for the past three years, has been struggling to get a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine for her son for months. Fearing that her son was vulnerable to catching the virus due his condition, she did not hesitate to get her son inoculated when the Government rolled out a mass vaccination programme for the public last year. Sixteen months down the line, efforts to get the second dose have been futile, she says. After the first shot, we were told to come back in three months for the second shot. I have visited the Centre more than five times and anytime I go there, I am told there are no vaccines, she said. My son normally suffers from fever, and I give him medicines. I really need to get the second shot because I do not want anything to happen to him, Asana added. Every week, Asana visits the Accra Psychiatric Hospital (the largest mental health facility in the capital) to procure medication for her son. The Facility caters for an average of 80 persons with mental health disorders daily and houses 290 in-patients. The Hospital says it has so far vaccinated all inpatients in addition to its staff, but currently, it does not have a vaccination centre dedicated to persons with mental health disorders. We do not have a vaccination centre at the facility. However, for all the two national vaccinations that took place, Accra Psychiatric Hospital was selected as a site, it said in response to a written enquiry about whether or not the Hospital had a vaccination centre. The Ghana News Agency gathered that the situation was not different at the Pantang Hospital and the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital where inpatients and staff of the hospitals had been inoculated. According to sources, outpatients who were interested in getting the jabs were referred to nearby health facilities accessed by the public. However, in separate interactions with some persons who had come to the Accra Psychiatric Hospital to seek care for their relatives, they expressed concern about being stigmatised when they visit health facilities accessed by the general public. That situation, they said, had accounted for their lack of interest in getting the jabs for their relatives. I will prefer if there was a vaccination centre here so we can access it directly instead of visiting a facility where we will not feel accepted, a mother, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. The Government in the beginning of the year embarked on a massive vaccination campaign with the aim of vaccinating 20 million Ghanaians part of measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The mass vaccination campaign targets vulnerable groups such as healthcare workers, security personnel, students, commercial drivers, and government workers, and persons living with disabilities. With the country said to be experiencing a fifth wave of the coronavirus, the vulnerability of persons with mental health disorders to contracting the virus appear to have intensified, in the wake of the widespread disregard to the COVID-19 preventing protocols, including wearing of nose masks. As of June 20, 2022, Ghanas active cases has risen to 1,255 the highest in months. Unlike mental health facilities who have vaccinated their inmates, thousands of mentally ill persons on the streets have been cut off from the countrys vaccination programme as there is no plan in place to target that group. The last random rapid assessment carried out by the Mental Health Authority (MHA) about six years ago, found about 15,000 mentally ill persons on streets across the country. According to the Alliance for Mental Health and Development, a national network of CSOs, NGOs, and CBOs engaged in mental health advocacy in Ghana, persons with mental illness are among the worst affected by the pandemic, and among the most vulnerable to contract COVID-19 because of their poor income and health status. The BasicNeeds Ghana, a non-governmental organisation, has been advocating for the inclusion of persons with mental health disorders in the Governments COVID-19 relief package and vaccination programme. The Organisation says accessibility of vaccines by persons with mental illness has been a challenge particularly at the community level. Mr Peter Yaro Badimak, Executive Director, BasicNeeds Ghana, said the population also lacked guidance and education on the vaccines, and called for more sensitisation to reduce hesitancy. There was so much rush for the vaccines and so the able-bodied people out-muscled persons with psychosocial conditions who because of their peculiar situation were so weak and not able to come out. Now that the vaccine is said to be widely available in healthcare facilities, we should bring it closer to the people especially at the community level, he said. When contacted, the MHA said currently, it had no plan or programme in place to specifically target persons with mental health disorders for COVID-19 vaccination. I do not think so far, we have identified anything that makes them (persons with mental illness) specifically disadvantaged. As much as possible, we want to remove stigma, so, we dont want any differentials that might stigmatise anybody, Professor Akwasi Osei, Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, said. The Ghana Health Service said its attention had been drawn to the need to have a special dispensation for persons with mental health illness to enhance their accessibility of the vaccines and had made efforts to address the situation. Dr Kwame Amponsa-Achiano, the Programme Manager for the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), GHS, said the District Health Directorate within the Korle Klottey Municipality, where the Accra Psychiatric Hospital is sited, had been directed to make provisions for that population. If there is need to establish a vaccination centre at the mental hospital, that can be done, but it hasnt come to our attention, he said. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 10 per cent of the population of Ghana (30.8 million) has one form of mental disorder or the other. Access to quality healthcare (physical and mental health) is a fundamental human right as enshrined in WHOs Constitution, adopted by member countries. The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition, the preamble of the Constitution reads. In September 2015, mental health was included in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The WHO recognises mental health as key to achieving social inclusion and equity, universal health coverage, access to justice and human rights, and sustainable economic development. The negligence of persons with mental health disorders in national COVID-19 vaccination plans has become a global phenomenon. A survey conducted by the Psychiatric Section of the European Union of Medical Specialists (EUMS) and published in Lancet Journal in February last year found out that people with severe mental illness are not being prioritised for vaccination. Out of 20 European countries surveyed for a study, only the Netherlands, Britain, Germany, and Denmark were found to recognise severe mental illness as a high-risk medical condition and to have made specific provisions for vaccinating patients. The EUMS recommended that there should be an explicit inclusion of both inpatients and outpatients with severe mental illness in priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination, meaningful patient and family organisational participation in developing vaccination plans, and engagement of peer workers in providing vaccination education to patients. In September last year, Indias Supreme Court ordered states in India to make Covid-19 vaccinations available to everyone detained in a mental health facility and to the staff. The Court expressed concern about what it described as human rights violations in mental health facilities and directed states to submit a progress report to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment explaining the steps they have taken, including the number of people vaccinated within one month. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo joined mourners at the Christ Presbyterian Church at Akropong to bid farewell to the late Mrs Emily Akuffo, former First Lady of Ghana. The President was accompanied by Mrs Frema Osei Opare, Chief of Staff; Mr Seth Acheampong, the Eastern Regional Minister and other Ministers of State and Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, Chief of Defence Staff. Former President Dramani Mahama, leading members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC); Mrs Bola Obasanjo, former First Lady of Nigeria who represented her husband former President Olusegun Obasanjo, were among the high profiled dignitaries who attended the funeral to bid farewell to the widow of his late friend and former Head of State General FWK Akuffo. The late former First Lady, a teacher by profession, who became First Lady from July 1, 1978, to June 4, 1979, was born in 1934. After the death of her husband, she spent the ensuing years at Akropong, her hometown. Reverend George O Kwapong, former Akuapem Presbytery Chairman of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana in a sermon reminded all to pay attention to some three facts of death to guide them in life. Death is blind, death is deaf and death is bulky. When death appears no one can lift it because it is heavy and cant be done away with, he said. Rev. Kwapong, therefore admonished all to always make the right decision no matter their status, political affiliation and religious background to stay in the right path. Tributes penned down by President Akufo-Addo and former President Olusegun Obasanjo described her as a woman of virtue who stood firmly behind her husband and, "became a father and mother in one for their children after the painful demise of her husband." In a tribute, the four children of the former lady praised their mother for being their strength and pillar when they lost their father some 43 years ago. The casket containing the mortal remains of the late former first lady was draped with the national colours red, yellow and green. She was interred at a private destination. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Sri Lanka has less than a days worth of fuel left, the energy minister says, with public transport grinding to a halt as the countrys economic crisis deepens. Power and energy minister Kanchana Wijesekera on Sunday said petrol reserves were about 4,000 tonnes, just below one days worth of consumption, as queues snaked through the main city of Colombo for kilometres. The cash-strapped nation on Sunday extended school closures because there is not enough fuel for teachers and parents to get children to classrooms, with most pumping stations being without fuel for days. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Al Jazeera last week the petrol shortage will last until July 22 when the next oil shipment is expected. He said a gas deal has been secured which will ensure supplies for the next four months. It [fuel shortage] is a big setback to the economy and has caused lot of hardship to people. When we came in, the shortage of dollars actually contributed to this situation. We have been taking steps since then especially to get gas which will be available in the next few days, diesel and furnace oil as well, he said. The issue has been petrol and that will take a bit of time. We are hoping to get shipment of petrol by July 22 but I have asked the [concerned] minister to try to get the shipment earlier. Read Full Story .... Aljazeera >>> : Source: Aljazeera Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, has sounded a serious word of caution to personnel deployed to ensure sanitation compliance across the region. The minister, speaking at a brief ceremony in Accra to deploy some 898 men and women as part of the Operation Clean Your Frontage initiative, warned that reports of abuse and extortion during the discharge of their duties would not be taken lightly. Anybody who even makes an attempt to collect somebodys tomatoes, you are gone If you make an attempt to extort from somebody, even one cedi, you are gone, he stated at the ceremony held on Monday. While emphasising the essence of the initiative, the minister further cautioned members of the task force to desist from engaging in acts that can undermine their objectives. Discharge your duties professionally as you have been trained by the military. You are not to brutalise the people. You are supposed to engage them, he stated. The task force is expected to fight against the indiscriminate disposal of waste across the national capital and other parts of the region. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Municipal Chief Executive for New Juaben South Isaac Appaw Gyasi on Thursday led a joint security operation team to storm brothels in Koforidua. The joint Security team made up of Police, Military, Immigration, Fire Service, National Investigation Bureau (NIB) stormed Little Ben brothel, Bula spot Pub and brothel, Rumors and Kofcity pub known for commercial sex activities. The fact-finding exercise was to give the security team insight into the illicit activities in the facilities. The MCE for New Juaben South Isaac Appaw-Gyasi who is the chairman of the Municipal Security Council(MUSEC) ordered the owners of the facilities to report themselves to MUSEC today Friday, June 30, 2022, with Operation permit and other documents if any. Meanwhile, some suspects were caught red-handed at Rumour facility preparing large quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian herm for their clients. They were immediately arrested and detained at the Central Police station to be processed to Court. The action of the security follows Starr News investigation which uncovered young female Nigerians including minors are being trafficked to Koforidua, Eastern Regional capital -Ghana for sexual exploitation through the conspiracy of some Ghanaians and Nigerians under the pretext of securing decent and well-paying jobs for them in Ghana however forced into prostitution upon arrival. The Bula Spot and Little Ben area are two major notorious brothels being used by the traffickers to house their victims in Koforidua. Meanwhile, a delegation from the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana have been in Koforidua to meet the Eastern Regional Police Command and the leadership of the Nigeria Association in the region on the matter. The team met the good Samaritan, Ibrahim Amevor, who rescued one of the sex traffickers who was impregnated, infected with HIV and thrown out of the brothel. The victim who is suffering from psychosis delivered in April 30, 2022. The Nigeria High Commission has initiated processes to facilitate her repatriation. Source: starrfm Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A toddler who bathes in milk and honey and sucks on a 1,000 solid gold dummy is thought to be Britain's most pampered tot. Kasey Akram says she to loves to spoil her one-year-old son Jareem. The self-described full-time mum, who is on benefits, has splashed out thousands on her child and says she can't stop. Some of Jareems most extravagant possessions include a 750 Versace chain, a 925 diamond encrusted bracelet and even a 1,000 solid gold dummy. Kasey, 32, from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, said: As soon as I had my little boy, my obsession changed from how I looked to focusing on my son. Read Full Story .... mirror >>> : 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 Despite recent calls for his sacking from different quarters, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta enjoys the full support of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; according to Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah. The calls have become even louder since July 1 when the government announced that it was seeking to start formal engagements with the International Monetary Fund, IMF, amid an economic downturn. Former President John Dramani Mahama is among one of the most vocal advocates for Ofori-Atta's sack citing principally the mismanagement of the economy. Appearing on Joy News' The Probe programme on July 3, 2022, Oppong-Nkrumah disclosed that Ofori-Atta enjoyed the full support of the President to continue in his role. If you look at the work that our Finance Minister has led us to do in the first part before these pandemics hit us, it will not support that argument that because he was initially of the view that we can do this domestically, he should be fired. I dont think so, he said. He stressed that despite the Minister's strong views on going to the IMF, he was subject to the decisions of the collective i.e. cabinet and ultimately the President whose decision it was to approach the global lender. IMF team expected in town July 6th Meanwhile a team from the IMF is expected to come to town on Wednesday, July 6 to start engagements with the government on a programme. The team will meet officials of the Finance Ministry, government's Economic Management Team and the Presidency. After their one-week stay, it is expected that details of the bailout programme and attendant conditionalities will be communicated. The visiting team will be augmented with staff here at the local office of the Fund in their engagements. President Akufo-Addo on July 1 ordered Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to begin formal engagements with the IMF. In a statement signed by Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the engagement will be to invite the Fund to support an economic program put together by government. The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has authorised Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to commence formal engagements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), inviting the Fund to Support an economic program put together by the Government of Ghana, the statement said. Among other things, the government says the IMF support will provide balance of payment support as part of a broader effort to quicken Ghanas build back in the face of challenges induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, and recently, the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Governments decision to return to the IMF has sent shock waves as it had hitherto ruled out a possible return to the Fund. In the face of growing economic hardships, several critics including the opposition National Democratic Congress and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) had implored the government to seek an IMF bailout. But in several instances, the government insisted against going to the IMF while touting several homegrown policies including E-levy as remedy to the current situation. The Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta, in January 2022 described an IMF bailout as disastrous to Ghana. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghanaians in the UK in a statement condemned the riot between Arise Ghana demonstrators and the police last week. "Fellow citizens and non-citizens, it has become very necessary for us as concerned youths in the United Kingdom to express our concerns on the recent happenings by the NDC group during their demonstration activities on the 28th and 29th of June 2022 in Accra Ghana." "We in no uncertain terms condemn the irresponsible and barbaric conduct by the NDC group that went on the said demonstration. Though our constitution makes provisions for the expression of grievances through demonstrations, violence is definitely not an option. A responsible and civilised form of demonstration to address concerns is what is expected from responsible and well-meaning citizens." their statement read below is the full statement Your browser does not support iframes. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The remains of more Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs killed in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea will be returned to China from the Republic of Korea (ROK) in September, China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs said Sunday. It will be the ninth repatriation of the remains of CPV martyrs following the signing of a handover agreement between the two countries. Between 2014 and 2021, the remains of 825 soldiers were returned to China from the ROK, according to official figures. China and the ROK have agreed that both sides will work with each other to properly handle the handover work and further deepen exchanges in this regard, the ministry said in a statement. Almost 200,000 CPV soldiers were confirmed killed in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, with most buried on the Korean Peninsula. It has emerged that Ghana is not the only country seeking support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and that half of the worlds countries have approached the Fund for emergency loans to deal with the financial crisis sparked by the global coronavirus pandemic. IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, reportedly told a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in April that more than 100 countries had asked for emergency assistance. A report by CNN indicated that Kristalina said the IMF was ready to use its full toolbox and $1 trillion firepower of lending capacity to help countries weather the economic storm. The report quoted the IMF boss as saying that as of March, 2022, 10 countries had received emergency funding, and that half of the remaining countries were billed to receive their requested financial lifelines by the end of April this year. On Friday, the government announced it had opened talks with the IMF to provide balance of payment support to Ghana as part of a broader effort to quicken the countrys build back in the face of challenges induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and, recently, the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who disclosed this in a statement, said President Akufo-Addo had authorised Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to commence formal engagements with the IMF to come and support economic programmes put together by the government. This follows a telephone conversation between the President and the IMF Managing Director, Miss Kristalina Georgieva, conveying Ghanas decision to engage with the Fund, the minister said. According to the statement, at a meeting on June 30, 2022, the cabinet indicated its support for the decision. The engagement with the IMF will seek to provide balance of payment support as part of a broader effort to quicken Ghanas build back in the face of challenges induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and, recently, the Russia-Ukraine crisis, he explained. Later on Sunday, the minister explained during a TV interview that the economic challenge is not domestically induced, but rather an externally induced crisis. The country has been negatively impacted by the twin effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. This situation has been exacerbated by the adverse implication of global supply chain disruptions causing our economy to be in distress, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah added. According to him, the government has seen the need to tap into the cheapest and easily available option for mitigating the crisis, which is the IMF, to respond appropriately to it. The minister noted that domestic measures to contain the impact of the Ukraine war on the countrys fiscals had not yet yielded the desired results, and assured Ghanaians that the decision is in the best interest of the nation. He said the NPP government had already proven its track record of putting Ghana first always and would do everything to make sure the country is not short changed in the negotiations with the IMF. Pyrrhic Victory Last Friday, the NDC hit the rooftop, claiming they have succeeded in getting the NPP government to go to the IMF, adding that the decision was long overdue. But a leading member of the NPP, Gabby Otchere-Darko, has fired back, saying the opposition party and its 2020 leader should better think again. If John Mahama and the NDC feel NPP going to the IMF now is what will deliver the NDC win in 2024, then they better think again. It rather takes pressure off this government to focus on things that will impact positively on the economy over the next 15 months, he tweeted in response. IMF Lending Meanwhile, the IMF says it assists countries hit by crises by providing them financial support to create breathing room as they implement adjustment policies to restore economic stability and growth. According to the Fund, it also provides precautionary financing to help prevent and insure against crises. The IMFs lending toolkit is continuously refined to meet countries changing needs. The causes of crises are varied and complex, and can be domestic, external, or both. IMF Resident Representative to Ghana, Dr. Touna Mama, has confirmed that authorities have requested the Funds support to Ghanas economic programme, adding IMF stands ready to assist the country to restore stability in the macroeconomics front. We can confirm that the authorities have been in touch to request Funds support to #Ghanas own economic programme. The #IMF stands ready to assist #Ghana to restore macroeconomics stability; safeguard debt sustainability; promote inclusive and sustainable growth; and face the impact of the war in #Ukraine and the lingering pandemic. We are looking forward to meeting with the authorities in the coming weeks to start the initial discussions, he tweeted after the official announcement by the government. By Ernest Kofi Adu Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Rachel Nana Adwoa Appoh, the former National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central in the Central Region has urged the Nana Akufo-Addo-led government to apologise to John Dramani Mahama. According to her, the apology is the most needful thing to do especially when Ghana has crawled back to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout. The former Gender Minister believes Ghana's return to the International body vindicates former President Mahama in respect of the plethora of attacks he suffered from the NPP when in office. The government on July 1st, 2022, announced its plan to engage the IMF to assist in forestalling the economic crisis, a move which has attracted mixed reactions from the public. Many critics say they saw it coming and an earlier acknowledgement of the advice would have saved the country a lot of trouble. Earlier, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta and the other handlers of the national purse had claimed that Ghanas economy was on the right path, ruling out the possibility of returning to the IMF for any programme to salvage the economy. However, in the face of the dramatic U-turn, the former Gomoa Central Legislature believes the NPP brags too much. In a Facebook post, Hon Appoh wrote: You see your own words have eventually come round to hit you guys. You talk and brag too much, that's your problem as a Government. Humble yourself and apologize to Prez. Mahama because he is indeed a visionary leader. You people used all manner of terrible words to criticize his Government while you people had not experienced what it takes to lead a country. The level of shame and disgrace is too much to bare after all the IMF bragging I guess. You see your smoothness level Npp Government??? You think Governance is easy?? Posterity is indeed judging Prez. Mahama God have mercy on Ghana. Long live Ghana Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has justified President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's resort to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for financial support. The Minister says the Akufo-Addo government's run to the IMF has no similarity with the previous John Mahama government's chase after the international financial institution. In an interview with host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme Monday morning, Hon. Oppong Nkrumah explained that their kind of going to the IMF is for a "balance of payment" to shore up the economy unlike the erstwhile Mahama administration. He stated that the former President John Mahama and his government went to the IMF because they had messed up the economy but President Nana Akufo-Addo is going for a bailout due to external factors; referring to the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine/Russia war among others. "...when the country was handed over to former President Mahama, there was no external global crisis. It was his own domestic management but at the end, he said to us that they have chewed the meat to the bone, so they are going to the Fund for bailout. This is his words, not mine. What tended up happening is that when they went for the bailout and we came into power, from 2017 to 2019, we saw how the Ghanaian economy performed. Today, our economic state has called for us to also go for bailout but it's a different scenario. It's not our internal domestic management that is the cause but the external issues and external pressures that have necessitated our decision to go for this facility", he said. The Minister expounds on the government's IMF bailout below: IMF Bailout Although the assertion for the nation going to the IMF for support has been vehemently opposed, particularly when Nana Addo, in his campaign to become President of the Republic, vowed never to drag the country to the IMF, Ghana is now running back to the IMF. Ghana has formally requested the International Monetary Fund to support its economic program due to the challenges confronting the citizenry. It follows a telephone conversation between President Akufo-Addo and IMF Managing Director Kristalian Georgieva conveyed the nation's decision to apply for the support fund. A statement issued in Accra on Friday 1st July, 2022 and signed by Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said "the engagement with the IMF will seek to provide a balance of payment support as part of a broader effort to quicken Ghana's build back in the face of challenges induced by the Covid-19 pandemic and recently, the Russia-Ukraine crises". Ghana is a member of the IMF and recently received 1 billion dollars for its Covid-19 response program. The government expects the IMF support to boost the funding sources needed to execute its economic program. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong has categorically stated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will lose the 2024 general elections if they go for IMF bailout. According to the 2024 Presidential hopeful, if the NPP goes to the IMF, it is just like handing over power to the NDC without a contest. He added that the NPP particularly himself made all sorts of noise against the NDC and John Mahama government when they went to the IMF that because NDC mismanaged the economy the reason why they always go to the IMF for bailout. The Assin Central MP reiterated further that those who will take the NPP to the IMF cannot be the same people or faces that will lead the party to break the eight. He made the statement during a National Constituency Officers Welfare meeting in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital under the theme Uniting Our Front to Break the Eight. Somebody texted me not to say anything about IMF, me I shouldnt say anything about the IMF? I will say it !! What are we going to say again. Going to IMF is just like handing over power to NDC without a contest straight away, because of the noise we made and I chew my own words back when I said the NDC went to the IMF because of the mismanagement of the economy so if NPP is going to IMF what am I going to say? So breaking the eight is going to be tough. You cannot use the face of those who took us to IMF to break the eight, it wont work, my message to you is very simple, you can read my lip, and am not scared of anybody in the party, I will tell you the gospel truth, those who take you to IMF this same face cannot break the eight, In Latin, they say Vebon sepiantus satisfies a word to the wise is enough. Im very sad today when I saw the publication that we will be going to the IMF. However, the MP advised the NPP party members to sell the party and let others know what they got from joining the party so that others are encouraged to also join the party. On the other hand, Jeffrey Edward Osei who is the Coordinating Secretary of the National Constituency Officers Welfare Association elaborated on the essence of the meeting held for the constituency Officers after the partys Constituency re-organizational face that it will help the officers to know themselves, and read what the partys vision is going into the next general election. He stated that after the Constituency elections there were some frictions within the constituencies hence the need to bring together those who won and those who didnt to unite and work together for a common goal. He added that despite the current challenges facing the country which he believes is a global phenomenon, the party has managed the economy well than the NDCs hence the need for Ghanaians to trust in the NPP that they will turn things around and put the country towards the right path. Source: Daniel Bampoe/Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The government of Ghana on the admission that the nation is currently in an economic crisis has commenced negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for a possible bailout. The fallout from the announcement has seen several Ghanaians question the basis for some of governments expenditures including some public projects such as the National Cathedral. Appearing on the Monday, July 4, 2022, edition of Citi FMs Breakfast Daily program, the host, Bernard Avle sought to question why the government has decided to commit public funds towards the National Cathedral project at a time when the nation is in economic crisis. How do you justify the amount we spent on the Cathedral at the time we did? he questioned. In a seeming evasive manner, the minister declined to provide an answer to the question on the basis that he has yet to receive a briefing on matters surrounding the National Cathedral expenditure. This whole cathedral matter I think has generated a lot of public brouhaha. I have honestly asked for a full brief to understand why we paid what at what point in time. So as I sit before you this morning, I dont have a full brief to speak to that matter. Our understanding initially is that it was supposed to be put together by the churches and private sector with some seed support from the state. I dont have a full brief of the details on how that has gone so I am not going to go into that, the minister noted. Government is said to have so far expanded some GHC200 million towards the construction of the National Cathedral. Among various concerns, some persons have questioned the decision to spend state resources on the project considering the current economic state. The government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Information, on Friday, June 1, 2022, announced a decision to seek a bailout from the IMF to mitigate current economic challenges facing the country. Following the announcement, the government has been under intense criticism over its earlier posture against a possible bailout. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Songstress Gyakie has downplayed assertions that female artistes in Ghanas music industry dont see eye to eye due to a lack of unity among them. In an interview on Y 97.9 FM, she said it is not that there is a lack of unity among the female acts. Theres unity among us, in as much as it is not as tight as it as the guys, but theres no feud that I know of, because whenever we get to meet up at an event everyone is lively and down to speak with each other and I sometimes get messages from my seniors in the industry as well as my colleagues as well, she said. I am actually going to do a lot of collaborations with artistes, especially with the female artistes in the Ghanaian industry, she added. Gyakie was in Takoradi for a media tour promoting her new single Something. She also graced the SRC fun fair of Ahantaman Girls and blessed patrons and students with an awesome performance. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video " " Fireworks are seen from the East River on the South Brooklyn route of a New York City ferry on July 4, 2017, in Manhattan. Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images Grab your oversized American flag-themed T-shirt and a fistful of sparklers and get ready to celebrate the Fourth of July! To get you excited about America's birthday, we've assembled a list of fascinating and little-known facts about Independence Day, starting with this doozy: Advertisement 1. July Fourth Should Really Be July Second One of the most enduring myths and misconceptions about Independence Day is that the Declaration of Independence was approved and signed on July 4, 1776. In fact, the Second Continental Congress voted to approve the resolution to legally separate from Great Britain on July 2, two days earlier. The approved Declaration of Independence was first printed on July 4, so that's the date on the document. The final "engrossed" Declaration of Independence wasn't finished for weeks, and the delegates didn't sign it until Aug. 2, 1776. Even then, not all delegates were in attendance, so some signed later. But what about that famous John Trumbull painting of all the delegates signing the Declaration of Independence on July 4? That patriotic scene, printed on the back of the $2 bill, took place on June 28, 1776, when the Founding Fathers presented the first rough draft of the document to the Second Continental Congress. " " John Turnbull's "Signing of the Declaration" painting shows Thomas Jefferson and the drafting committee presenting the document to John Hancock. This was actually on June 28, 1776. Culture Club/Getty Images John Adams was so excited about the revolutionary events of July 2, 1776, that the very next day he wrote his wife Abigail that their "Day of Deliverance" from Britain "ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more." Miffed by the switch to July 4, Adams would reportedly turn down Fourth of July party invitations. Advertisement 2. Fireworks Flew at the First Fourth Americans wasted no time in celebrating the first Independence Day on July 4, 1777, even though the Revolutionary War wouldn't be won until 1783. Taking a cue from John Adams' call for "Bonfires and Illuminations," a wartime Congress adjourned in Philadelphia to light up the night with fireworks. Similar pyrotechnic celebrations were held in Boston. According to the Philadelphia Evening Post, "The evening was closed with the ring of bells, and at night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks (which began and concluded with thirteen rockets) on the Commons, and the city was beautifully illuminated... Everything was conducted with the greatest order and decorum, and the face of joy and gladness was universal." In addition to the rockets, which would have been relatively crude in the 18th century, there were also raised platforms with fizzing fireworks that displayed patriotic images like the profile of George Washington. Advertisement 3. And Plenty of Gunfire, Too In addition to fireworks, military cannons and live gunfire were a big part of early Fourth of July festivities. It's important to remember that the United States was at war with Great Britain on and off until 1815, when America finally won the War of 1812. Fourth of July celebrations would have served as military morale-boosters for wearied soldiers and citizens. Ear-splitting cannon blasts and artillery salutes during Fourth of July continued into the mid-19th century, when leftover weaponry fell into disrepair and concern for public safety won the day, leaving only the fireworks. Advertisement 4. The Stars & Stripes Were There for the First Fourth of July On June 14, 1777, less than a month before the very first Independence Day celebration, the Continental Congress passed a resolution creating America's first official flag: "Resolved, that the Flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation." Did Betsy Ross sew the very first American flag under orders from George Washington? Probably not. But since the new flag was at least in circulation by June 1777, then it would likely have made an appearance at those first July 4 festivities in Philadelphia and Boston. " " Local residents watch a marching band pass by July 4, 2014, in the Independence Day parade in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images There have been 27 different official versions of the U.S. flag since that first one in 1777 due to the addition of stars for each new state. Not coincidentally, the current 50-star flag debuted on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became a state in 1959. Advertisement 5. Massachusetts Was First to Recognize July 4 as a Holiday Nearly 90 years before the Fourth of July would be recognized as a federal holiday, the Massachusetts legislature called for an official state celebration in 1781 to recognize "the anniversary of the independence of the United States of America." It wasn't until 1870 that the U.S. Congress voted to make the Fourth of July a federal holiday. And even then, it wasn't made a paid holiday for all federal employees until 1941. Advertisement 6. Three U.S. Presidents Have Died on July 4 Incredibly, both Thomas Jefferson and his fellow Founding Father John Adams died on the very same day: July 4, 1826. Even more insane, that year was the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson died in Virginia and Adams passed in Massachusetts, but the close friends weren't far from each other's minds in their final hours. Ironically, rumored to be among Adams' last words were "Thomas Jefferson survives." In 1831, just five years later, James Monroe became the third U.S. president to die on the Fourth of July. A mourning nation saw the hand of God in the timing of the deaths. The New York Evening Post wrote: "Three of the four presidents who have left the scene of their usefulness and glory expired on the anniversary of the national birthday, a day which of all others, had it been permitted them to choose [they] would probably had selected for the termination of their careers." Advertisement 7. President Zachary Taylor Died After a July Fourth Party Although he didn't expire on the Fourth of July itself, President Zachary Taylor died on July 9, 1850, after contracting cholera from eating tainted fruit during Independence Day celebrations. Summer in Washington, D.C. is famously hot and muggy. After a long day of festivities in the nation's capital, Taylor walked home all the way from the Washington Monument. Arriving at the White House, Taylor reportedly drank buckets of ice water followed by heaps of cherries and other fresh fruits with iced milk. Almost immediately, Taylor was beset with severe stomach pain and diarrhea that lasted for five days, until he couldn't keep down any fluids. Food-borne cholera is believed to have been the culprit. Before his death, he called for his wife and told her not to weep. "I have always done my duty, I am ready to die," said Taylor. "My only regret is for the friends I leave behind me." Advertisement 8. Just One President Was Born on the Fourth of July Calvin Coolidge is the only U.S. president who was born on the Fourth of July. Born on July 4, 1872, in tiny Plymouth Notch, Vermont, Coolidge was serving as vice president when President Warren G. Harding died suddenly on Aug. 3, 1923. Two other famous contributors to American culture were born on that day too. Stephen Foster, known as the "father of American music," was born on July 4, 1826, the same day that Thomas Jefferson and John Adams keeled over on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Foster is famous for American folk classics like "Oh! Susanna" and "Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)." Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of "The Scarlet Letter," was born on July 4, 1804, in Salem, Massachusetts, where his great-great-grandfather played a sinister role in the town's infamous witch trials. More recently, Malia Obama was born on July 4, 1998. Advertisement 9. NYC Has America's Biggest Fourth of July Fireworks Display Of the more than 14,000 public fireworks spectacles that blow up every year on Independence Day, the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Show is believed to be the biggest. The Macy's show, which has been blasting off over New York City's East River since 1976, includes more than 48,000 individual shells and costs the clothing retailer an estimated $6 million. Other impressive facts about the Macy's fireworks extravaganza: The show lasts 25 minutes, firing off approximately 1,900 shells per minute. It takes crew members 12 days to set up, including 25 miles (40 kilometers) of cabling. The musical score is decided first and determines the design of the pyrotechnics. Advertisement 10. There Are Lots of July Fourth Fireworks Injuries The Fourth of July is a busy day in America's emergency rooms as people get reckless with home fireworks displays. In 2021 alone, there were 11,500 fireworks-related injuries treated in U.S. hospitals with nine known fatalities, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Of those fireworks injuries, 74 percent (8,500) occurred during the month around July 4th (between June 18 and July 18, 2021). Men were more likely than women to suffer a fireworks-related injury (58 percent to 42 percent) while kids younger than 15 accounted for 20 percent of all injuries. Almost all the injuries were burns of varying degrees of seriousness, most frequently to the hands and fingers and also to the head, face and ears. Advertisement 11. Sousa Was the "March King" of July Fourth The great American composer John Philip Sousa wrote 135 marches in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of his greatest hits were among the first to be recorded and mass-produced as phonograph records, making Sousa's military band one of the world's first bona fide recording stars. Since Fourth of July patriotism has always been tied up with military pride, Sousa's marches were the de facto soundtrack of July 4 parades and celebrations. His best-loved marches include "The Washington Post" (1889), "Semper Fidelis" (1888), which has become the official march of the U.S. Marines, and the incomparable "The Stars and Stripes Forever" (1896). Despite its stirring military melody, "The Stars and Stripes Forever" wasn't composed on a battlefield or while reviewing uniformed ranks of Marines. Instead, Sousa wrote it entirely in his head on Christmas Day while on a return sea journey from a vacation in Europe. Sousa's longtime friend and manager had died suddenly, and he was rushing home to an unsure future. "As the vessel (the Teutonic) steamed out of the harbor I was pacing on the deck, absorbed in thoughts of my manager's death and the many duties and decisions which awaited me in New York," wrote Sousa in his autobiography. "Suddenly, I began to sense a rhythmic beat of a band playing within my brain. Throughout the whole tense voyage, that imaginary band continued to unfold the same themes, echoing and re-echoing the most distinct melody. I did not transfer a note of that music to paper while I was on the steamer, but when we reached shore, I set down the measures that my brain-band had been playing for me, and not a note of it has ever changed." "The Stars and Stripes Forever" became the official march of the United States in 1987. Advertisement 12. Sousa Also Inspired a Contemporary Patriotic Anthem YouTube data shows that Lee Greenwood's patriotic 1984 song "God Bless the U.S.A." gets nearly 25 times more views on July 4th than any other day of the year. According to Greenwood, part of his inspiration to write the song came from none other than Sousa. Greenwood was out to write an anthem dedicated to the military veterans he met at his concerts. "The Sousa marches were in the back of my head," Greenwood told NPR. "I did a lot of those as drum major for my high school marching band. And I wanted some pomp and circumstance." The song was a mild success on the country charts when it was first released in 1984, but it really started to gain traction during the Gulf War of the early 1990s, when it was played during troop homecomings and parades. The song soared to new heights of patriotic popularity after the September 11 attacks in 2001 and has cemented itself as a Fourth of July staple. Advertisement 13. Here Comes the Horribles Parade As one of the cradles of American democracy, New England has been celebrating the Fourth of July in its unique way for more than two centuries. For a long time, salmon was the traditional July 4 dish since wild Atlantic salmon were in abundance during the mid-summer months. Then there was the tradition of the July 4 bonfire, in which wood casks were piled high on July 3 and set aflame on midnight to usher in a new "year of liberty." While those New England traditions have faded in popularity, the oddest one is going strong the Horribles Parade. The first Horribles Parade was held on July 4, 1851, in Lowell, Massachusetts. It was intended to be a comical send-up of a stuffy military organization called the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts or the "Ancient and Honorables." The satirical "Antique and Horribles" parade grew into a friendly contest to see who could dress in the most outlandish costumes and poke the most fun at local and national figures. The Horribles tradition continues in small New England towns like Beverly Farms, Massachusetts, where citizens amuse each other every Fourth of July with mildly insulting and non-P.C. floats ripped from the year's most controversial headlines. Advertisement 14. The Olympics of Competitive Eating Joey Chestnut is not a conventional athlete, but he is the undisputed champion of Major League Eating (an organization that hosts professional eating competitions) and a 14-time winner of Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, held every Fourth of July in Coney Island, New York. The Hot Dog Eating Contest is the crown jewel of the competitive eating circuit and is broadcast live on ESPN to millions of queasy viewers. In 2018, Chestnut set the world record for most hot dogs eaten when he gobbled down 76 frankfurters (and buns!) in 10 minutes. According to legend, the contest dates back to 1916, when a group of recent U.S. immigrants settled a bet about who was the most patriotic by seeing who could eat the most hot dogs at Nathan's original Coney Island store. The contest results weren't officially recorded until 1972. Now That's Tasty If Chestnut is the undisputed king of competitive eating, then his muse, the hot dog, is America's undisputed favorite food of the Fourth of July. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans of all ages consume 150 million hot dogs on Independence Day alone, enough to stretch from D.C. to L.A. more than five times. Advertisement Originally Published: Jul 1, 2019 " " Richard R. Nagy Perhaps the trickiest part of modifying any gadget is changing it without breaking it or making it impossible to use. Ideally, the artist will know how each gadget works before beginning modifications. For most projects, the artist doesn't try to change the performance or function of the original device. Instead, he or she changes the gadget's appearance to look like an invention from the 19th century. Let's look at modifying a computer keyboard as an example. To turn a modern computer keyboard into a steampunk creation, artists take inspiration from the design of old typewriters like the Underwood 5. Each artist has his or her own process, but in general, a keyboard modification requires these steps. Advertisement First, the artist purchases old typewriter keys, making sure the back of each key is smooth. If necessary, the artist saws or sands down any excess metal on the back of the keys. The artist removes the computer keyboard from its plastic frame. Each and every key cap has got to go. The key cap includes the key face (the part of the key you can see) and an under-cap that snaps into the keyboard frame. Steampunk artist Jake von Slatt recommends using an IBM Model M keyboard because the under-caps are flat, which makes it easier to attach the new key faces later. " " Jake von Slatt applies old typewriter key faces to the keycap in a moderncomputer keyboard. Image courtesy Jake von Slatt Next, the artist removes the key face from each key cap, making sure the top of the key cap is a flat surface. The artist then snaps the key cap back into place on the keyboard. After taking measurements of the keyboard's components, the artist designs the new steampunk frame. The keyboard's layout won't change, but its appearance can undergo a drastic transformation. The new frame's design includes a faceplate. Most companies design modern keyboards so that the keys are flush against each other. Changing the style of the key faces means that the user will see more of the keyboard's surface. A faceplate masks the plastic parts and circuitry that otherwise would be visible. The artist builds the frame and faceplate using appropriate materials like copper, steel, wood or brass. Once the faceplate is in place, the artist can glue the old typewriter keys onto the appropriate key cap. Artists usually must create customized key faces for certain keys that have no typewriter analogue. " " The finished product: Jake von Slatt's fully steampunked computer keyboard. Image courtesy Jake von Slatt Last, the artist assembles the frame around the keyboard. After many hours of meticulous work, he or she has created a new steampunk keyboard, just like the Victorians never had. Of course, keyboards are just one example of gadget modification. Other devices might have more or fewer steps, but the principle is the same: Change the object's outward appearance so it looks like it could exist in a steampunk universe. Artists have created steampunk computer monitors, computer mice, electric guitars, mp3 players and watches. How much for that keyboard? Richard "Datamancer" Nagy charges between $800 and $1,000 for his keyboards. He determines the price based upon the materials his clients want (brushed aluminum is less expensive than antiqued copper, for example) and the amount of time it takes to produce a finished piece. Nagy estimates that each keyboard takes a couple of months to build from start to finish [source: Richard Nagy]. " " Members of the public and of Australia's Stolen Generation applaud after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered a formal apology to the Aboriginal people. Mark Baker/AFP/ Getty Images The organizations and foster families who took in Aboriginal children believed that they were being benevolent. Defenders of Australia's actions claim that some children were saved from terrible and impoverished home lives [source: Times Online]. Others, however, point to the grieving birth families and numerous abuses inflicted upon the adopted children (sexual and mental abuse, identity crises and other persisting psychological problems) as clear evidence that the government failed these children miserably [source: Culture Wars]. It wasn't until 1995 that a national investigation was launched, culminating in the release of the "Bringing Them Home" report by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission in 1997. The report detailed more than 50 recommendations as to how the Australian government could help remedy the pain caused by the removal of Aboriginal children from their homes. The report delineated that the four most critical steps were restitution, rehabilitation of the wronged parties, compensation and a guarantee against future violations [source: Amnesty International]. Advertisement Australian Prime Minister John Howard refused to make a formal apology, citing his fear that it would open the Australian government to lawsuits and demands for financial compensation. The issue went largely ignored until the election of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who made a formal apology to the Aboriginal people on Feb. 13, 2008. The nationally broadcast apology, while long overdue, has helped to begin the healing process [source: Amnesty International]. Financial compensation to wronged individuals has yet to be delivered. Although Tasmania has established a reparations fund, no other state has -- what's more, Rudd has rejected outright the establishment of a national fund [source: The Independent]. The Australian government has refused reparations on the grounds that the children were removed from their families with their best interests in mind [source: ENIAR]. To date, only one member of the Stolen Generation has been compensated for the trauma inflicted on him. Bruce Trevorrow, who was taken to the hospital on Christmas Day in 1957 for stomach pains when he was just 13 months old, was falsely listed by the hospital as having no parents and suffering from neglect and malnourishment. Bruce was sent to live with a white foster family and never seen again by his father, who died eight years later. He wasn't reunited with his mother until he was 10 years old, after suffering through a childhood filled with self-doubt and discrimination at school. In 1998, Trevorrow filed a lawsuit against the South Australian government, alleging that his alcoholism, depression and loss of cultural identity were caused by his deceitful upbringing. While many other Aborigines can make the same case, what helped Trevorrow succeed in his lawsuit was the paper trail left by the Aboriginal Control Board and his mother, who attempted numerous times to find out how her son was faring in the hospital. In addition, his legal counsel was able to compare Trevorrow with his three biological siblings who weren't taken from their family. They've lived successful lives, compared to his existence fraught with addiction and identity issues. In 2007, nearly 50 years after being taken from his family, Trevorrow was awarded A$525,000 (equivalent to $447,000 U.S. dollars) in compensation for his suffering [source: BBC News]. Several organizations, including Reconciliation Australia and the Australian Human Rights Commission, are currently in place to advocate for the indigenous people of Australia. The purpose of these groups is to protect the rights of the Aborigines and other groups, ensure nothing like this widespread removal program happens again and fight for the ongoing reparations process. Eight people were killed after a decorative building structure fell from a height of about 12 meters at 6:28 p.m. Saturday in north China's Hebei Province, local authorities said Sunday. The incident happened during a rainstorm in Luquan District of Shijiazhuang, capital city of Hebei. Nine people sheltering from the rain were hit by the fallen structure. One person is currently hospitalized with stable vital signs, according to the district government. Further investigations are underway. The evidence suggests the first lice to jump from birds to mammals colonized Afrotheria, a group that includes hyraxes (pictured), elephants, elephant shrews and aardvarks. Credit: Jos van Adrichem According to a new study, the first louse to take up residence on a mammalian host likely started out as a parasite of birds. That host-jumping event tens of millions of years ago began the long association between mammals and lice, setting the stage for their coevolution and offering more opportunities for the lice to spread to other mammals. Reported in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, the study compared the genomes and family trees of lice and their mammalian hosts. The effort revealed that the two trees share a lot of parallel branches and twigs. Those branching pointswhere one group of mammals began diverging into new formsoften were echoed in the genomes of the lice that parasitized those mammals, the researchers reported. "In this paper, we use data from genome sequencing to show that a major newly recognized group of mammalian lice, including lice of humans, originated on the common ancestor of Afrotheria, a group of mammals primarily of African distribution that includes elephants, hyraxes and elephant shrews, among others," said Kevin P. Johnson, a principal research scientist and ornithologist at the Illinois Natural History Survey who led the study with Jorge Dona, a Marie Curie postdoctoral researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Granada, Spain. "These lice then went on to colonize other major groups of mammals through the process of host switching." The seal louse, Echinopthirius_horridus. Credit: Stephany Virrueta Herrera The INHS is a division of the Prairie Research Institute at the U. of I. Lice fall into two groups based on their eating habits. Chewing lice munch on skin or secretions, while sucking lice pierce the skin to consume the blood of their hosts, Johnson said. Both types feed on mammals, but sucking lice are exclusive to mammals. Recent genomic studies revealed that sucking lice are closely related to two groups of chewing lice that also feed on mammals, and "each of the major groups within this newly identified lineage occurs on at least one member of Afrotheria," the researchers wrote. Afrotheria is an ancient lineage of mammals that includes elephants, elephant shrews, hyraxes, golden moles, aardvarks and others. That research suggested that members of Afrotheria were the original mammalian hosts of lice. Johnson and Dona expanded the genomic sampling of mammalian louse genomes to include more lice associated with Afrotheria and compared the evolutionary history of the mammals and their lice. Specifically, they included lice from elephant shrews and hyraxes. A bird louse of the genus Rhopaloceras. Credit: Stephany Virrueta Herrera Their analysis indicated that the lice of elephants, hyraxes and elephant shrews were the most ancient in the group of chewing and sucking lice that fed on mammals. "This shows that these mammalian lice started out in this weird group of African mammals and switched to other mammals after that," Johnson said. Host switching from birds to mammals was very rare, Johnson said. The team found evidence that this occurred only a few timesto Madagascan lemurs, South American rodents and some marsupials, for example. But once lice learned how to feed on mammals, they could more easily jump from one mammal species to another, and likely had more opportunities to do so. And as certain mammalian groups became separatedfor example, geographicallythey diverged and so did their lice, the analysis found. Haematomyzus elephantis, the elephant louse. Credit: Stephany Virrueta Herrera While more work must be done to track the evolutionary history of lice and their hosts, Johnson said lice probably date back 90 million to 100 million years and likely first parasitized dinosaurs or birds. "And then, after dinosaurs went extinct roughly 65 million years ago and birds and mammals really diversified, the lice also started to jump to new hosts and diversify," he said. The paper is titled "Phylogenomics reveal the origin of mammal lice out of Afrotheria." Explore further Widespread use of chemicals to combat aquatic lice in fish farms has led to resistance in other areas More information: Kevin Johnson, Phylogenomics reveals the origin of mammal lice out of Afrotheria, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41559-022-01803-1 Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution Kevin Johnson, Phylogenomics reveals the origin of mammal lice out of Afrotheria,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01803-1 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Since September, the Perseverance rover has been picking along an ancient river delta on Mars, its robotic arms reaching out with whirling steel drill bits to core rocks, scoop soil and suck small amounts of the red planet's atmosphere into titanium tubes. The plan, under NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, calls for a sci-fi symphony of technology that includes launching another vehicle to Mars to bring the unsterilized samples back to Earth, drop land the samples in Utah, and shuttle them to a yet-to-be built secure facility by 2033. There scientists will start testing for signs of ancient microbial life from about 35 samples weighing in total about one pound. The goal is also understanding the planet's geology and climate, as well as preparing for people to one day step foot on the red planet. But the plan gave some members of the public who attended an open hearing on the plan a bit of intragalatic agita, especially in light of the recent pandemic. That includes a retired Federal Aviation Administration engineer from South Jersey who wonders what problems an unsterilized microbe from Mars might present. NASA's Mars Sample Return Mission. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA is conducting its Mars Sample Return Mission with the European Space Agency and calls it one of the most meaningful missions it has undertaken. "We also believe this to be the next logical step in our quest to eventually land humans on the surface of Mars," Thomas Zurbuchen, an astrophysicist and head of science at NASA, said during a virtual public presentation in May. The samples collected from the ancient river delta Jezero "are thought to be the best opportunity to reveal the early evolution of Mars, including the potential" for life, Zurbuchen said. Read: NASA explains the mission to bring samples of Mars soil, rock and atmosphere back to Earth 'Low likelihood of risk' Some members of the public have wondered about the remote possibility that something in those samples could be alive or present a biohazard. They also wonder whether China, which has announced a similar project, and private companies will have as rigorous safeguards as NASA. Elon Musk has been enthusiastic about plans by his company Space X to explore Mars, though there is no time frame. Public comments on NASA's initial presentation are now closed, but a draft of an environmental impact statement on the mission is expected in the fall with another chance for the public to weigh in., The environmental impact statement will examine implications for both Earth and Mars regarding "recovery efforts with respect to natural, biological and cultural resources" and "impacts to the human and natural environment associated with loss of containment of Mars sample materials." 'Even if the risk is minimal' Some people are nervous because NASA can't say with 100% certainty it won't bring back something alive or dangerous. Some of the 170 commenters in May identified themselves as scientists, doctors, or professionals. Others remained anonymous. One commenter wrote that any samples should be "studied off-world and remotely due to the risk of planetary contamination. Even if the risk is minimal, nothing above a 0% chance should be brought back to Earth." Another wrote that "NASA should NOT bring samples back from Mars until we know more about how said samples will impact our safety on this planet. Test first for possible bacteria that will adversely affect our health." Thomas Dehel, of Gloucester Township, Camden County, was one of the scores of commenters. Retired from the Federal Aviation Administration, Dehel has a master's degree in electrical engineering as well as a law degree. Though not affiliated with the mission, he is a Mars aficionado and operates a website devoted to the mission. He wants NASA to proceed, but he, too, has concerns. "We won't know if it's sterile or not," Dehel said. "That's my biggest point. We should know if we bring something back to Earth whether it's sterile or not, to do some sort of crude test up front to see if there's any kind of biological life." NASA counters that sterilizing samples first could destroy valuable information, such as biosignatures of past life. Others ask why the samples can't be brought to the International Space Station first and examined. NASA says the space station, which is set to be decommissioned in 2031, does not have the sophisticated equipment needed for testing. Dehel is curious why NASA put notices announcing the May hearings in only two newspapers, one in Florida and one in Utah. The agency says those newspapers are in two key areas where the mission will take placeliftoff and landing. Regardless, Dehel said the public was largely unaware, leading to low turnout in two public virtual presentations in May. Dehel and others cite the work of Gilbert Levin, a scientist who worked as a principal investigator for a life detection experiment during NASA's Viking mission to Mars in 1976. Levin was also named as an investigator for the Mars Sample Return Mission but died in 2021 at age 97. Levin long maintained that tests were positive for life after Viking landers injected a nutrient solution containing radioactive carbon-14 into the Mars surface. The belief was that any living organism would emit the isotope as part of the digestion. Levin said that did occur in two locations, 4,000 miles apart. Dehel wonders about the chance of bringing back a pathogen humans aren't prepared to defend. NASA, however, countered that Levin found "a substance mimicking life, but not life." Indeed, scientists say there are other explanations for Levin's results given that they know much more now about the chemical and mineral composition of Martian soil. 'Remnants of past life' Mars has a thin layer of atmosphere composed mostly of carbon dioxide and is viewed as hostile to life. But it was much different in the past when it's believed water flowed on its surface and a thicker atmosphere would have kept the surface warmer than the current average temperature of -81 degrees, with dips to -220 degrees. Nathan Yee, a Rutgers professor who teaches a course in astrobiology and who has worked with NASA, agrees that's it's unlikely anything is alive at or near the surface where Perseverance is collecting its samples. Yee said intense UV radiation bombards Mars. UV radiation kills microbes by breaking apart their DNA. Indeed, UV sterilizers are used on Earth to kill bacteria in aquariums and drinking water. You can buy portable UV sanitizers for home use. And unlike Earth, Mars lacks magnetic fields capable of deflecting solar winds that also carry particles with dangerous amounts of radiation. Overall, Yee said it would be very hard for life to survive those conditions. And NASA contends meteorites from Mars have landed on Earth "without any adverse effects to our biosphere." Lee said that even if microbes were found alive, it's doubtful they would pose a threat. "There has to be a long, long time of evolution for microbes to learn how to interact and attach onto animal cells, enter animal cells, and use the machinery of an animal cell to replicate," Yee said. "That's a very complex choreographed dance." However, Yee said it's possible samples could contain "remnants of past life." He also said recent data suggest that the deep subsurface of Mars contains liquid water and might harbor life. More intriguing, Yee asks: What will NASA do in the slim chance it does find life in a sample? Explore further NASA explains the mission to bring samples of Mars soil, rock and atmosphere back to Earth (c)2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This illustration shows a concept for multiple robots that would team up to ferry to Earth samples collected from the Mars surface by NASA's Mars Perseverance rover. Credit: NASA/ESA/JPL-Caltech NASA's Mars Sample Return Mission aims to bring 30 samples of rock, soil and atmosphere now being collected by the Perseverance rover back to Earth sometime in the early 2030s. The goal is to look for signs of past life and also to find out more about the Red Planet before humans visit it. The Philadelphia Inquirer reached out to NASA's Jet Propulsion laboratory with questions derived from comments members of the public posed after a presentation in May by NASA about the mission. Mars Sample Return scientists Michael Meyer and Lindsay Hays responded. Why can't samples be sterilized before returning to Earth? A significant portion of the science would be lost if the samples were sterilized. An example would be destruction of organic compounds that may be potential biosignatures, which is one of the major reasons for returning samples. NASA's Mars Sample Return Mission. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Why can't the work be done on the space station or out of Earth's atmosphere? The major driver for returning samples is to make Martian material available to the best instruments in laboratories around the world. Because of the challenges of instrumentation in space, including mass, power and volume, any spacecraft instrumentation represents a compromise in capability. Furthermore, space is a challenging environment for manipulating samples, precluding some key measurement capabilities, such as extraction, which would decrease the science value of the samples. Are you able to perform some type of test up front to make sure the samples are safe before returning them to Earth? If there was a test, i.e., a tricorder, we would do it. That being said, even the best of tests gives us good, but ultimately insufficient, data to alter our containment protocol; a series of tests must be done to demonstrate safety. Note that we are treating the samples with the utmost careas if they were not safeuntil we can prove that they are. Read: NASA says its plan to bring Mars samples back to Earth is safe, but some people are worried Mars certainly seems inhospitable, but has NASA assigned a probability that the samples could contain some sort of life/microbe? Mars has been shown to be inhospitable, and that has changed our view of the potential of forward contamination (how likely is it that we would contaminate Mars). And yes, in our mind, the extreme environment of Mars does decrease the odds that there is life on the surface of Mars. The fact that Mars meteorites are landing on Earth all the time does suggest that we have little to worry about. However, we don't know for sure and so will take all precautions and keep Mars material contained until we show that they are safe. This wouldn't be undertaken until the 2030s, and a biosafe facility would be built for it, correct? Yes, a facility will be built to contain the samples and to distribute subsets of the samples that are determined to be safe, either by sterilizing the sample subset or by using the cumulative results of measurements to conclude the samples are safe. Explore further Lockheed Martin wins NASA contract to bring Mars samples back to Earth (c) 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. GLENS FALLS Glens Falls is the smallest city in the U.S. that supports a full symphony, Mayor Bill Collins said at Crandall Park on Sunday. Collins was speaking to thousands of attendees at the Summer Pops Concert, an annual event presented by the Glens Falls Symphony. In its 22 years of existence, the concert has been a community favorite that brings families of all different walks of life to celebrate the nations independence. I also want to thank the children who are here, Collins said. New to this years event was the Youth Arts Experience, a slew of art activities for children, made possible by a collaboration between the communitys leading arts organizations: World Awareness Childrens Museum, The Chapman Museum, The Hyde Collection, Crandall Public Library, the Wood Theater and Ticonderogas We Are Instrumental. After the mayors speech, the symphony kicked off with the patriotic Star-Spangled Banner to an attentive audience, followed by an equally patriotic set list that included American Salute by Morton Gould, Hands Across the Sea by John Philip Sousa, West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein and more. This years theme is about all the amazing work that our community has done, especially in the past two years, to lift each other up. We will be recognizing some hometown heroes, and giving recognition to service clubs like the Glens Falls Rotary Club, which has been serving our community for 100 years, said Jennifer Brink, executive director of the Glens Falls Symphony. Headed by Maestro Charles Peltz, the orchestra is comprised of professional musicians from all over the Northeast. Upright bass player and orchestra member Ray Bohn has been performing at the pops concert with the orchestra since 2012, and is still impressed by the immense support from the community. You might think this isnt the biggest area, but you have around five to six thousand people who attend, so you still get that old-school small-town community but a really big event, Bohn said. A recurring theme of Sundays event was supporting the children. Dave Lebel of the Rotary Club of Glens Falls had a table set up with childrens books alongside Bill Osborn of the Ben Osborn Memorial Fund. We want kids to read. The only way to do that is to make books as available as possible, Osborn said. The two organizations have partnered to distribute around 18,000 books a year throughout the community. I was told when I started this that it wouldnt fly, Osborn said. Osborn has since been successful in creating different book-sharing stations throughout the area. Now, Osborn has help from the Rotary Club in servicing and replenishing the various book stations. We have 23 people doing what one 78-year-old guy used to do, said Lebel, who is also the co-chair for the Bens Book Station. The stations are based on an honor system; people may borrow a book and bring it back. Lebel said that if it becomes a family favorite, they can still keep it and the memorial fund would replace it. There are six book stations in Glens Falls alone. There are others in Brant Lake, Chestertown, Fort Ann, Granville, Hudson Falls and other places. A sense of patriotism can also be celebrated in other ways: classic American-made cars were lined up along the edge of Crandall Park near Glen Street. An array of vintage cars ranging from the 1920s to the 1970s were on display near the entrance of the park. Queensbury town Supervisor John Strough, who is part of the Coopers Cave Auto Enthusiasts Club, was at the event with his 1929 Model A Ford. Stroughs tan model of car is a product of American competition leading up to the close of the 1920s. During the decade, Ford was looking to create a car that could compete with Buick and others after Fords previous Model T was surpassed by other brands. Strough said it was a long and drawn-out debate between Henry Ford and the companys board as to what that car would look like. The Model A turned out to be Fords second most successful car after the Model T. SOMERS POINT The waters were rough at times, but boat racing made a triumphant splash in South Jersey over the Fourth of July weekend. The Jersey Shore Boat Racing club had its first race of its 2022 season Sunday. Scores of spectators lined the bay at John F. Kennedy Park to watch what they felt was the staple motor sport of the Jersey Shore. The club said it was the first time boat racing had been held in Somers Point since 2009. Club President Nick Megee said boat racing in the area has waned over the years. He said he and the club were trying to revive the activity and bring in new fans and boaters to the greatest local show on water. He said he was impressed by the turnout for the circuits first race. Were trying to do this our own way, Megee said Friday before the races. Boaters and spectators began arriving about 10 a.m. Sunday. The competition got underway about 12:30 p.m. There were 14 boats racing at JFK Park on Sunday, including 10 Garvey boats, three Jersey skiffs and one ski boat. They raced in four heats around a set course in the bay, with emergency medical services and other first responders on hand in case of an accident. The first round awarded racers single points in the series, while the second round awarded double points and the third was an unscored exhibition. Upper renews license for Deauville Inn, but some neighbors arent happy UPPER TOWNSHIP The Township Committee renewed the liquor license for the Deauville Inn on Many boaters in the race were veterans of the sport. Jason Speck, 48, of Barnegat Township, captained a Garvey boat called The Assassin on Sunday. Having been introduced to the sport while watching it with his father and brother when he was young, Speck said he bought his first boat when he was in his 30s and has been racing for about 12 years. As a member of the Jersey Shore Boat Racing club, he said he was excited to promote the sport. Were trying to bring it back, Speck said. I think were doing a good job. Cesare Simonelli, 76, said he had been racing for about 40 years and has been working as a skiff builder since 1989. He said he owns a shop by Asbury Park and, even after decades, was excited to come to the race Sunday with his Jersey skiff the S&S Express. It gets me out of the shop, Simonelli said. But its fun. I get a kick out of it. The decades have not worn down Simonellis competitive spirit. After his first-round race, the skiff builder bitterly reported that he had come in second in his heat. Cape May dedicates beach to lifeguard who died last summer CAPE MAY City officials and the Beach Patrol remembered lifeguard Norman V. Inferrera III Rick Wainwright, while not racing Sunday, brought his Garvey boat, the Radical Red, to be used by other boaters at the race. The 57-year-old from Tuckerton said he remembered watching races in Barnegat Bay on the shoulders of his grandfather around the Fourth of July. He said he was 21 when he first got a boat and began racing. And Ive been pretty much racing ever since, Wainwright said. Other racers were newcomers. Zack Schenk, 27, of Waretown, was heading the Nautical Nightmare on Sunday and said he has been racing for one year. He said he grew up around it and wanted to keep the sport alive. And look at the crowd it brings, Schenk said. Definitely a decent turnout for the first race of the year. The crowd, spanning the length of the beach, was a mix of people who grew up watching boat races and those who were being exposed to the sport for the first time. Nelson Taylor, of Whiting in Manchester Township, very much belonged to the former group. He said he has been watching these races for about 50 years, since the 1970s, and marveled at the speed of the sport. Morris County man indicted in Barnegat Bay boat death A Morris County man was indicted in the boating death of another Morris County man that occu Those (boats) really fly, they really do, Taylor said. Its an art, it really is. Taylor said he was impressed by the size of the competition Sunday. Its nice to see it coming back, Taylor said. Its the most boats Ive seen out here in a long time. Jim Cannone and his partner, Cheryl Quick, of Egg Harbor Township, said they were fans of all kinds of racing, and wanted to come out to watch the races on the water. This is definitely right up our alley, Quick said. Christian DelCollo, 38, of Somers Point, runs Battlewagon Boats, a boat manufacturing company, and was watching the races Sunday. He credited the city for its work in bringing the event to JFK Park, describing it as an ideal location for boat racing. Man with stolen motorcycle tried fleeing officers in Mullica River, police say MULLICA TOWNSHIP A mans escape from police failed when he tired himself out trying to swi Its going to thump through your chest, youll feel it, DelCollo said. Itll feel like your soul is dancing. Jim Osler, another Somers Point resident, came with his family to watch the race. Osler said he had heard about the competition Sunday on Facebook and figured it would be a fun event for the holiday weekend. We didnt expect it to be legit racing, Osler said. This is actually pretty cool. Im glad we came. Osler said he was rooting for Bad Clam, saying he liked the name. Rich Kraus said his son, Stephen Kraus, was co-piloting the Bad Clam on Sunday. Although it was Stephens first race, Rich was glad to report he had finished first in his heat in his first-round race. The Bad Clam did not run in the second round, owing to a dead battery, but they planned to head back out in the third. Hes always been around it when he was a kid, Rich Klaus said of his son. Weve been going to these things for years. Swimmer who died in triathlon identified LOWER TOWNSHIP The man who died while participating in the Escape the Cape triathlon on Ju Aiden Schmutz, 18, of New Gretna in Bass River Township, was the co-driver of Wainwrights Radical Red. The teenage driver said he had been waiting for years to become old enough to ride and was excited to finally have the opportunity. He was riding with his father, Joe Schmutz, who got involved in the sport in 2004 but had been on hiatus for about 12 years. The Radical Red took on some damage and did not race in the second round, joining several other boats that did not make it out of the day unscathed. Nevertheless, Wainwright and the Schmutzes said they were confident it would be back on the water. Kevin Wulffen, 44, said he has been racing for 20 years and has been interested in the sport since he watched boaters as a child in Barnegat Bay. He, along with his co-driver Steve Traut, was captaining the Lethal Weapon SK-87, the only ski boat out on the waterway Sunday. Looking around at all the young racers, he said he was optimistic about the future of racing at the Jersey Shore. We need it to make the sport thrive and go, Wulffen said. Megee said he was grateful for the fans who came to the race and was optimistic about the future. Were just looking to grow on that, Megee said. The next scheduled race in the Jersey Shore Boat Racing series is at Parkertown in Little Egg Harbor Township on July 17. CHICAGO - To get an idea of how Chicago-area Catholics are processing the end of Roe v. Wade, consider two statements issued just after the ruling. The first came from Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, who praised the U.S. Supreme Courts June 24 decision that found abortion is not a constitutionally protected right. Echoing the church hierarchy, he said it offers the chance for a national conversation on protecting human life in the womb and promoting dignity at all stages of life. The second came from the Rev. Michael Pfleger, a priest who leads St. Sabina Catholic Parish on Chicagos South Side. The Supreme Court has made it clear of their future direction, he tweeted. Biden needs to expand the court NOW. Some commenters took that as an endorsement of abortion rights and a betrayal of Catholic teaching You are a heretic, one wrote but in an interview, Pfleger, an activist who has clashed with the Chicago Archdiocese numerous times, said his views are more complicated than that. He said that while he is against abortion, he believes the court is on a slippery slope that will endanger a host of human and civil rights. He also said he regards other societal ills, such as poverty, racism and gun violence, as forms of abortion in their own right. Until (the justices) can address all the abortions taking place, they need to step back, he said. The landmark decision has shaken all corners of American life, but it has particular resonance among Catholics. Four of the five justices who voted to reverse Roe v. Wade are Catholic, and the fifth, Neil Gorsuch, was raised in the faith. (Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who dissented from the decision, is also Catholic.) Justices like Clarence Thomas and Amy Coney Barrett have said religion does not influence their legal analysis, but that hasnt stopped some from venting their anger at Catholicism in the wake of the courts decision. State Sen. Sarah Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, posted an image on her Facebook page showing a figure in papal garments holding a gun to the head of a pregnant Statue of Liberty. Though she soon took it down and apologized, the Archdiocese of Chicago called the meme hate speech. The embrace of anti-Catholic tropes at this moment is just as objectionable as the embrace of caricatures of other faiths which have stained our national history and continue to do so today, it said in a statement. An elected official should know better than to publish an image that could incite violence against a group of people on the basis of their religious belonging. Others, conversely, praised the justices for what they saw as a divinely inspired decision. (It) was courageous, faithful Catholics that delivered the end of Roe, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who got his start in the Chicago suburbs, tweeted after the decision. Spirit-filled Christians should be thankful for such clear moral teaching and bold action. Rank-and-file Catholics have long held convoluted views on abortion. Church catechism calls the procedure a moral evil, and polling from the Pew Research Center has found that a majority of Catholics say it is wrong. But the same proportion wants it to remain legal. Meanwhile, about 1 in 4 Americans who receive abortions are Catholic, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that advocates for abortion access. Jamie Manson of Catholics for Choice, a Washington-based organization that formed in the wake of the Roe decision in 1973, said those who back abortion rights are still marginalized in the church, even though her group argues that pro-abortion rights views are bolstered by Catholic teachings on the individual conscience and social justice. Since the Supreme Court ruling, she said, her organization has seen a surge of interest in its webpage and social media. She said the decision has forced Catholics to confront the issue of abortion in a new and more urgent way. Abortion has been in the closet of Catholics minds but now you cant look away from it, she said. Catholic groups that oppose abortion also feel momentum. WeDignify, a Champaign-based organization that puts on the annual March for Life Chicago, is planning a July 9 rally in the city to mark the Supreme Courts decision and show opposition to what it calls Illinois extreme abortion laws. Anna Kinskey, the groups associate director, said she detects a newfound sense of optimism in the movement. We do see a lot of young people who are energized, she said. Many people never thought Roe v. Wade would be overturned in our lifetime. Theres a lot of excitement and a lot of joy that theres a path forward to protect life through our elected officials. Loyola University Chicago presents a microcosm of the post-Roe atmosphere for Catholics. The school has one student organization that opposes abortion and another one not recognized by the administration that provides information about abortion and makes referrals to clinics that perform the procedure. Junior Grace Shallal, co-president of Loyola for Life, said her group has faced hostility on campus. Once, she said, after they set out an information table that included figurines showing fetal development, a student cursed them and said she wanted to eat a figurine for breakfast. She said relations became even more fraught after the leak of the Supreme Courts draft decision in May. She was only half-surprised to face such vitriol at a Catholic university, given its location in a deep blue city, and said she doesnt expect things to improve in the fall. It will probably be the same way we left it, if not worse, she said. Senior Payton Winterhof, Shallals counterpart at Students for Reproductive Justice, said she has focused on fundraising for emergency contraception and other birth control (the group doesnt pay for abortions but directs students to funds that offer financial assistance for the procedure). The groups founder, Lauren Morrissey, went on to help form an umbrella organization called the Student Coalition for Reproductive Justice that covers 10 Catholic schools, including the University of Notre Dame. None of the schools have disciplined students for their work, she said, which she took as a sign that administrators tacitly understand the groups are providing an essential service. The majority of Catholics are already with us, she said. Now its about empowering students at Catholic universities to be loud and proud about their support of reproductive justice. A few weeks back, bull rider Jestyn Woodward competed in the South Dakota High School Rodeo Finals in Ft. Pierre, and by virtue of a posting the top ride in the finals short-go, earned a spot on Team South Dakota and a trip to the National High School Finals rodeo in mid-July. On Sunday night, the Custer High School grad turned in another clutch performance, this time with big money on the line, and by doing so likely earned some traveling money for the High School National Finals by posting the first qualified ride of the 103 Black Hills Roundup Rodeo in Belle Fourche. Woodward drew a spinner in Burch Rodeos Wolf Trap, who spun out of the chute and promptly circled left into Woodward hand. From there, the Custer senior made the ride look professionally easy from that point forward, staying in the middle en route to completing the 82-point ride. All I knew was that bull had never been ridden before and he was supposed to really buck, Woodward said. There were a couple of times that I thought he was going to jerk me down on his head, but he felt pretty good. When I entered the Black Hills Roundup, I told myself I wasn't going to enter unless I though I could win. I knew the bull that I had was going to give me an opportunity to win the rodeo, and I just had to do my job and let everything fall into place. Well said. And well done. Between Woodward and the top money come Monday evening, the number two man in PRCA world standings, Josh Frost, who has a scheduled appearance in Mondays fourth and final Roundup Rodeo performance. For the second consecutive night, a womens ranch bronc event kicked off Sundays Tough Enough to Wear Pink night before a capacity crowd at the Black Hills Roundup Rodeo in Belle Fourche. Womens bronc riding, a mainstay of the Roundup Rodeo back in the day, returned to Belle Fourche in 2021 after an absence of nearly 80 years. In a field featuring 2021 Wyoming cowgirl Keeley Belanger, she made the most of the second night opportunity, putting together an 80-point ride to capture the 2022 Roundup womens ranch bronc title. Timed event competitors had a good day on Sunday as well. In the morning slack, the team roping duo of Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira (multiple NFR appearances between them and 2022 world standing leaders) established a Roundup Arena record (3.6 seconds) to win the second round, and in the evening performance, Kolton Schmidt (Barrhead, Alabama) and James Davison (Stephenville, Texas) added a 5.4-second effort to a first-round 4.9-second run to move to the lead in average (10.3 on two head). The morning tie-down roping slack also produced an event-leading time, as Westyn Hughes (Caldwell, Texas), a two-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier who finished third in 2021 world standings, moved to the top of the leaderboard with a 9.3-second run. In the evening perf, another Texas tie-down specialist, Ryan Thibodeaux (Stephenville Texas, the rodeo roping capital of the world), looped and bound his calf in 9.9 seconds to grab a share of fourth place overall. The numbers posted previously by steer wrestling and barrel racing competitors will take top-notch efforts to surpass, and those were lacking on Sunday. The 3.9-second bull dogging run by Buffalo, South Dakotas Kody Woodward will take some quick work on the ground. Woodwards mark stood up on Sunday night, though challenged by Badlands Circuit standout Reed Kraeger, as the Waco, Nebraska man tipped his steer in 4.2 seconds to move into the third spot overall. And the 16.97-second barrel racing run by reigning world champion Jordan Briggs will take some fancy doing as well. The Sunday night ladies were unable to crack the leaderboard, the top time of the night a 17.49-second effort by Oklahoma cowgirl Ceri Ward. Though unable to match the 2.6-second mark shared by three competitors in earlier breakaway roping performances, a couple of notable efforts ensured nonetheless. Louisiana cowgirl Josie Connor (12th ranked overall in WPRCA world standings and the leader among rookie competitors) looped her calf in 3.1 seconds, and Brighton Baughman has the quickest run of the rodeo, a 1.7-second effort, though the Texas cowgirl barely broke the barrier. Though Sundays saddle bronc field lacked most of the big names in the event, a number of bronc riders familiar to South Dakota rodeo fans were on hand to challenge the 87.5-point rides fashioned by fellow South Dakotans Cole Elshere and Jacob Kammerer in Saturdays second performance. The South Dakota bronc riders failed to make a mark on the leaderboard, though a Nebraska six-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, Cort Scheer (Elsmere), rode Burch Rodeos Bubble Bath to 84.5-points and a fourth place appearance on the leaderboard. The 103rd Black Hills Roundup Rodeo concludes on Monday with a 3 p.m. matinee performance. Russian antimonopoly watchdog warns Google over terms on app developers MOSCOW, July 4 (RAPSI) The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has issued a warning to Google's Russian subsidiary, suspecting the company of abuse of dominance in connection with its allegedly adverse contractual terms applied to app developers using Googles app store for distribution. The service has found the rules related to the distribution of paid apps through Google Play require developers to use only the companys payment system exclusively. If developers violate those rules, the sanction may be up to the removal of an app, FAS noted in its statement. Google LLC must comply with the warning within one month. Otherwise, the regulator reserves the right to bring an action for alleged antimonopoly law breach, the statement reads. In May, the branch filed for bankruptcy as it had been fined several times and its bank account had been seized by Russian authorities. Announcing its plans Google LLC stated it can no longer pay staff, suppliers, vendors and meet other financial obligations. Appeal of Moroccan sentenced to death reaches Supreme Court of DPR Context British man Pinner appeals death sentence in Supreme Court of DPR MOSCOW, July 4 (RAPSI) The Supreme Court of the Donetsk Peoples Republic has received a cassation appeal filed by the citizen of Morocco Brahim Saadun against his death sentence, according to a statement published on the highest instances website. In early June, the judicial panel of the Supreme Courts Appeals Chamber of the self-proclaimed republic considered a criminal case against Saadun and two British men Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin. All the men were found guilty of mercenary activities, violent coup, committing a crime by a group of people in conspiracy and training with the aim to conduct terrorist activity. On the totality of the committed crimes, they were sentenced to death. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, upsetting decades of precedent and ending all federal protections on abortion. The reverse was like a bombshell, causing an uproar in American society, reigniting the social mobilization between Pro-Choice and Pro-life organizations, and drawing attention back to the Roe v. Wade debate of half a century ago. One of the primary reasons why Roe v. Wade is so controversial is that the decision is precarious in its reasoning, as the case chose a unique route based not on the history, tradition, and precedent of abortion law but directly on the right to privacy. As Justice Alito argued, the Roe v. Wade decision does not pay enough attention to constitutional text, history, tradition, and precedent nor provides sufficient analysis. The U.S. Supreme Court's decision has also reminded many of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who had expressed her concern that the case would one day be overturned. Justice Ginsburg was stunned by the lack of caution in the Roe v. Wade ruling of 1973 that legalized abortion. Though she indeed approved of the outcome, she was troubled that the focus of Roe was on the right to privacy rather than women's rights. As she rhetorically asked at a 2013 University of Chicago lecture, "Roe isn't really about woman's choice, is it?" Reform, as she preferred, should have come through state legislatures, where it was slowly starting to appear. Justice Alito and others are criticizing not the privacy of the decision per se; they deny the American constitutional tradition of respect for the choice of abortion. This retrial of Roe v. Wade is to determine whether the right to abortion can be read out of the U.S. Constitution's text, history, and tradition. This particular issue is rooted in the American judicial tradition, not a general theoretical discussion. In other words, this decision is a critique of methodology, not a dispute of opinion. However, the choice to overturn Roe fifty years later is as controversial as the 1973 case. Just as many scholars argued, the impact of the Roe v. Wade has been far beyond abortion to promote social change in many areas, including sexual orientation, occupation, social class, gender, race, disability, and other dimensions of discrimination. Even right-leaning groups invoked Roe's right to choose, but with a different plan: to attack government interference in consumer protection, social welfare, racial justice, and other aspects of American life. The landmark reversal raises a moral question. While the call to overturn the case has been going on for decades, did Americans miss the best timing to change this jurisprudence? Does the change outweigh the social consequences of not changing it at all? Chen Zhihao is a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Political Science and Public Administration, East China University of Political Science and Law. Song Lijue is an associate professor with the School of Foreign Studies, East China University of Political Science and Law. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn. Petersburg police have arrested a man in relation to a shooting in the 100 block of Perry Street on Saturday afternoon. After arriving to the 100 block of Perry Street at around 12:15 p.m. Saturday, Petersburg police found Toni Knight, 19, with a gunshot wound. She was pronounced deceased, according to police. An unidentified female juvenile was also found at the scene with injuries. She was treated at a hospital and released. Police also found 19-year-old Delvin Mitchell at the scene with a gunshot wound. He was transferred to a hospital and then was charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The investigation is ongoing. Chesterfield County police have arrested a man in connection with an attempted robbery that occurred in the parking lot of Target at 2530 Weir Road on Sunday morning. At around 9:10 a.m. Sunday, according to Chesterfield police, a man approached a woman in the parking lot and demanded money and then assaulted her. The man fled on foot. Hours later, while conducting a patrol at a nearby shopping center, an officer encountered a male matching the description of the attempted robbery suspect, according to police. Police arrested Thomas M. Bartlett, 43, of Shacklefords. He was charged with attempted robbery, malicious wounding and abduction, according to police. Bartlett is being held without bond at the Chesterfield Jail. Dozens of candidates became American citizens during a naturalization ceremony at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture on Monday morning. In celebration of the Fourth of July, the 46 candidates, representing more than 25 countries, took the Oath of Allegiance in the museums newly built Commonwealth Hall. I am so pleased and proud to be the first to say officially, Congratulations my fellow Americans, said Roger L. Gregory, the chief judge of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, after the candidates recited the oath. Today, you are officially woven into this nations tapestry of liberty and freedom. That road to freedom and liberty has been long and difficult for some. In fact, full achievement of these ideals and principles remains a noble aspiration that we must continue to journey upon. Therefore your citizenship comes with both rights and responsibility, Gregory said during his remarks. Gregory quoted Thomas Jefferson, John Ruskin (English philosopher), James Madison, Jon Meacham (author), Robert F. Kennedy, Bryan Stevenson (lawyer and founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative) and Thomas Carlyle (Scottish philosopher) in his remarks. As new citizens, you possess the spirit of conviction and purpose that our nation was blessed to entice you to take this step to be citizens. And now we embrace you as being our fellow citizens. I urge you to do well, and do good, Gregory said at the end of his remarks. During the personal reflection portion of the ceremony, Haroon Dawlatzaada recalled working for the U.S. military in Afghanistan where he would carry cash from one base to another. Having a very dangerous job, Dawlatzaada applied for a Special Immigrant Visa. He came to the U.S. in 2017. I want to have a bright future for myself and for my generation, Dawlatzaada said Monday. Afghanistan has been at war for about 40 years. I dont want my next generation or myself to be in that situation where there was always booby traps and always suicide bomb attacks. Sorangel Herrera of Colombia led her fellow candidates in the Pledge of Allegiance during the ceremony. The candidates represented Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Jordan, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Venezuela and Vietnam. In his remarks Monday, Jamie O. Bosket, president and CEO of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, thanked U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for their partnership and extended appreciation to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Yesenia Alvarado has lived in the U.S. for the past 22 years. On Monday, she joined the rest of her family in becoming an American citizen. For a long time, Alvarado did not want to become a citizen because, Im Mexican and I feel so proud to be Mexican. But then my family became American citizens and they were always asking why I dont have a blue passport because my passport is green. So I did it for them. Alvarado shed tears as God Bless America was sung at the end of the ceremony. She said she was thinking about the rest of her family back in Mexico. The Rt. Rev. Peter James Lee, who served for 25 years as the 12th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, died in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Saturday, according to the diocese. He was 84. Lee presided over the diocese from 1984 to 2009. In a 2009 interview with the Virginia Episcopalian, a publication of the diocese, Lee told journalist Alberta Lindsey that he was proud of the dioceses prep schools, its conference centers and its camps, including one that helps children with disabilities thrive. He also cited the Triangle of Hope, which underscores ties between the Diocese of Virginia, the Diocese of Liverpool and now the Diocese of Kumasi, Ghana. The diocese says the Triangle of Hope promotes reconciliation and healing from the three dioceses shared history in the slave trade. Lee said in the story that the biggest disappointment in his tenure involved 11 breakaway Virginia churches. The congregations left the Episcopal church in a dispute that began in 2003 with their objection to the ordination of a gay bishop in the Northeast. Lee had backed the election of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire. Im very saddened that they didnt think they could remain in a diocese with people with whom they disagree, Lee told Lindsey, who retired in 2007 after 43 years with the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Richmond News Leader. He added that the arc of the church bends toward including all people in the life of the church. The diocese prevailed in a legal dispute in 2012 with seven of the breakaway churches. Courts ruled that seceding churches buildings and land were the property of the diocese. Lee, originally from Mississippi, had an eclectic career long before he became the 12th bishop of the diocese. Lindsey reported that Lee had been an Army intelligence officer, and a newspaper reporter and copy editor including a stint at The Times-Dispatch. He enrolled in Duke University School of Law but left in his first year and headed to Virginia Theological Seminary, graduating in 1967. He was ordained a deacon that year and a priest in 1968. He was assistant rector of St. Johns Lafayette Square in Washington from 1968 to 1970 and was rector of the Chapel of the Cross in Chapel Hill from 1971 to 1984, the year he was elected Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Virginia. Lee told Lindsey that at 46, he was the youngest of six nominees when he was elected bishop. According to the diocese, Lee ordained more than 200 people to the priesthood; helped to strengthen the Church Schools in the Diocese of Virginia; and oversaw major capital improvements to the two diocesan conference centers, Roslyn in Richmond and Shrine Mont in Orkney Springs. He also established a program to give financial assistance to diocesan youth to make mission trips. In the 2009 interview, Lee said his travels gave him the chance to meet Bishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela and that he was once presented to Queen Elizabeth II. Lee told Lindsey that when Doug Wilder served as governor of Virginia in the early 1990s, Wilder hosted a dinner for Tutu and Lee was invited. I was the only white male at the table, Lee recalled. It was wonderful. He is survived by his wife, Kristina Knapp Lee, daughter Stewart, son James and several grandchildren. Funeral details are still being planned. Manchester is one of the hottest neighborhoods in the city of Richmond along with Scotts Addition, Jackson Ward, Monroe Ward, the Diamond District and part of Virginia Commonwealth University. These communities are a part of the citys heat islands, where the temperatures are warmer than the majority of their surrounding areas. According to mapping data, large swaths of South Side and the East End are hotter than other areas in the city. Many factors contribute to the locations of Richmonds heat islands, but on hot summer afternoons, one is most noticeable a lack of trees for shade. It was extremely noticeable during the warmer months that we did not have street trees, and theres a major lack of canopy coverage, said Sheri Shannon, a former Manchester resident. Even over things like the bus stop covers. Urban heat island effect Outside of the Science Museum of Virginia on a sweltering June afternoon, a construction crew was working on turning the former surface parking lot into a 6-acre public green space called The Green. The $7.5 million project, which is expected to be completed in 2024, will offer a park-like space for recreation such as walking, relaxing and gathering. In November, the museum opened its new $14 million parking deck to the public. The four-level structure has 400 spaces, 25% more than was previously available in the surface lots adjacent to Broad Street. The conversion of the large parking lot to a parking garage was the Science Museums effort to depave the grounds in an effort to reduce heat in the area. In a room on the first floor of the museum, SMV scientist Jeremy Hoffman said human landscapes, like pavement, asphalt and parking lots, have low albedo, wherein they absorb more of the suns energy during the day and re-emit it back into the air during the afternoon and into the evening. This elevates or increases the temperature in those places that are more paved over than in those places that have more natural nature-based landscapes, Hoffman said. This contributes to what is known as the urban heat island effect, he said, where cities almost always have higher temperatures than the outlying rural areas. Within Richmond, certain neighborhoods are also significantly hotter than others. The effects of heat islands become more noticeable during the summer months as Virginia continues to experience record-breaking extreme heat. The solution to heat islands is a natural fix: trees. In Richmond, the areas with the highest concentration of impervious surfaces pavement, asphalt and parking lots often have the hottest afternoon temperatures. These areas often have the least amount of tree coverage in the city as well, Hoffman said, referring to neighborhoods like Jackson Ward and Manchester. Richmonds hottest neighborhoods also tend to house more Black residents. There is a clear history of maintaining greenness and environmental amenities in particular areas of the city at the expense of others, Hoffman said. This goes not only back to but includes very clearly in time in history redlining, where entire neighborhoods were basically locked into the way that they either looked at that time or it was set into motion that these neighborhoods were going to have differing levels of investment and future development. Heat and tree inequality In the 1930s, the government-sponsored Home Owners Loan Corporation was given authority to evaluate residential areas for their mortgage security. It soon became evident that the HOLC was disproportionately giving areas with a higher concentration of African American residents lower ratings many of those communities received a D for hazardous conditions. As a result, there were less opportunities for residents in those areas to access mortgage financing and become homeowners. These neighborhoods were also passed up on opportunities for growth and development. Those areas were and remain high in their number of African American residents and continue to harbor the effects of redlining practices today specifically, they are hotter and have less tree coverage. When you say to people its hotter in some parts of the city, its like Oh okay, but when you have the scientific data that we went out and collected, it showed a 16-degree difference within less than a mile, said Jennifer Guild, manager of communications and curiosity at the Science Museum. Thats really impactful to have that data to be able to show people. In one of the nations largest heat-mapping projects, more than a dozen Virginia colleges and universities organized teams of volunteers in July 2021 to measure temperatures across the state. Richmonds team, led by University of Richmond professor of biology and geography and the environment Todd Lookingbill, was part of a statewide project called Heat Watch. The statewide project expanded on a previous project by Lookingbill and his students back in 2017 in partnership with the Science Museum. Based on the mapping data, Scotts Addition, the Diamond District, Jackson Ward, Monroe Ward, Manchester and a section of VCUs campus are the hottest neighborhoods in the city. In four of the five neighborhoods primarily located in the center of the city or toward the east the percentage of tree canopy coverage is below 2%. In three of the neighborhoods, the amount of impervious surfaces covers more than 80% of the area. The majority of the citys tree canopy cover is located in the West End, where the percentage of coverage in one neighborhood reaches over 70% and the average afternoon temperatures are cooler. In addition to being cooler and having more trees, the median household income in West End neighborhoods are significantly higher than that of certain neighborhoods in the East End and parts of South Side. People living in low-income areas are more vulnerable to extreme heat. Whether its because of a lack of air conditioning or fewer cooling stations, like libraries and community centers, where people can cool down, it can put people at risk. When we have these extreme events, they can lead to heat exhaustion and people get sick and can die from that, Lookingbill said. And so thats really a problem. Theres areas of extreme heat with areas of lower income where you may be less likely to have opportunities to escape the heat, and then it becomes really dangerous. Communities at risk On a recent Sunday, families and friends gathered outside of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on picnic blankets and patio tables. It was over 90 degrees. Bobby Scott, a third-year medical student at VCU, sat at a table under a tree near the far side of the museums green space. It was cooler under there. Right now, were under a big beautiful tree that provides a lot of shade, he said, but there are a lot of neighborhoods that have a lot more pavement, asphalt and less green space. During his first week at medical school, Scott learned about the difference in the average life expectancy between Gilpin Court 63 and Westover Hills 83. Around the same time, he was taught about the Medical College of Virginias role in grave robbing at Black cemeteries for cadavers in anatomy labs. Learning about the historical picture of Richmonds health care system and todays health outcomes in different parts of the city made Scott interested in understanding the gap and addressing them. There are a lot of gaps in Richmonds health care system already, like the life expectancy, he said, and heat only exacerbates whats already there. Were interested in understanding these gaps in the social infrastructure, economic factors and the social determinants of health, Scott said, but then also incorporating a bigger scope, including these environmental impacts and how climate change sort of fits in and contributes to that because really thats what it comes down to. Scott, 28, is a student member of Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action, a network of clinician leaders advocating for climate change solutions. Hes also the co-founder and co-president of VCUs chapter of Medical Students for a Sustainable Future, a national organization that recognizes climate change as the 21st centurys biggest health threat and engages in ways to address it. Heat works as an additional stressor on the body similar to that of a virus, Scott said in an analogy. Like COVID-19, some people who are exposed to it may turn out okay, but others who have different health conditions are more vulnerable, he said. If you have a history of any sort of heart disease or cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease or respiratory conditions like COPD or asthma, theres a lot of research associating temperatures with exacerbating those conditions, Scott said. Neighborhoods with more heat are, in turn, more likely to have chronic diseases, he said. Determining the consequences of extreme heat in certain neighborhoods depends on heat vulnerability and heat exposure. A young construction worker with no previous health conditions and low vulnerability could still suffer the effects of heat because of prolonged exposure. In these neighborhoods that we know are urban heat islands ... we have populations that are more vulnerable and we know that theyre being exposed more often, Scott said. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests using trees and vegetation to reduce heat islands, but the uneven distribution of Richmonds trees puts many residents at risk of negative health outcomes. In a few areas, including the Diamond District and Carytown, the percentage of tree canopy coverage is less than 1%. But Scott said its bigger than just planting trees. Theres not one solution to any of this its not just going to plant more trees, he said. It really is building trust in the communities that are being impacted. And lets see if we can work together to figure out what solutions may work but, ultimately, it needs to fit the individuals in that community and whats going to work for that area. Planting seeds The city itself has made attempts at understanding Richmonds history and improving environmental justice. In addition to a plan for five new green spaces in South Side totaling 36 acres, RVAgreen2050, the regions equity-centered sustainability initiative, is facilitating climate action and climate resilience. Within the initiative, the citys Office of Sustainability has prioritized racial equity and environmental justice, recognizing that, Richmonds history whether measured in centuries, decades, years, months, weeks or days is fraught with racism. Part of the initiative will identify neighborhoods in need of green space based on the citys Climate Equity Index. Moreover, Reforest Richmond, a collaborative campaign within the city, is also aiming to help increase Richmonds urban tree canopy to 60% by 2037, according to the Richmond 300 Master Plan. I think there are a few examples that we should celebrate, Hoffman said. But then also, no city is doing everything that they can. In the meantime, Hoffman and many organizations working directly with residents, including Groundwork RVA, have attempted to increase tree cover canopy and offset the harmful effects of heat islands in Richmond. Hoffman and Groundwork RVA, a nonprofit that engages public school youth to transform city spaces into public green spaces, created Throwing Shade in RVA in 2018. The program taught students about urban heat islands and gave them the opportunity to engage in community based greening strategies. Since then, the partnership has continued to build on the data collected from the program. Shannon is the co-founder of Southside ReLeaf, a community-based organization created in 2019 that is committed to environmental justice by improving the quality of life for South Side residents. Aside from giving away trees with hopes of reaching a goal of 750 total by the end of the year Shannon said at the heart of environmental justice is making policy changes. Were advocating for these changes and were advocating for the improvement of everyones quality of life, she said. Until we start to make progress and right the wrongs, then that responsibility will fall onto the residents. An Alexandria man is facing charges after a customer at City Dogs restaurant on West Main Street was shot to death on Sunday night. At around 10:26 p.m., Richmond police were called to City Dogs for a report of random gunfire. They responded and found Kyle Stoner, 36, of Richmond with an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Virginia State Police, meanwhile, placed 24-year-old Derrick Adjei under arrest after a car chase on Sunday. At around 11 p.m., a Virginia State Police trooper observed a Toyota 4Runner traveling north on Interstate 95 at 101 mph in a posted 70 mph zone. The trooper activated his emergency lights and sirens to initiate a traffic stop near the 127 mile marker in Spotsylvania County. The Toyota refused to stop and, instead, accelerated and sped away from the trooper. A pursuit was initiated and continued north through Stafford County and into Prince William County, with the Toyota passing vehicles on the shoulder and traveling in excess of 100 mph. Once it entered Prince William, the Toyota exited I-95 at Exit 161 in Lorton and headed north on Route 1. When the Toyota tried to turn onto Sacramento Drive, the driver lost control and the SUV ran off the road, struck a utility pole and then a tree. The driver, Adjei, was taken into custody. He was transported to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries sustained in the crash. Adjei was then transported to Rappahannock Regional Jail. A firearm was recovered from the Toyota. State police charged Adjei with one felony count of eluding police and with reckless driving. Further investigation resulted in the state police making contact with the Richmond Police Department concerning that agencys ongoing homicide investigation. Richmond detectives charged Adjei with malicious wounding. Other charges are pending. City Dogs at 1309 W. Main St. posted on Facebook that the shooting happened on its patio. We are deeply saddened by the heinous crime that happened on the patio of City Dogs last evening. Kyle Stoner was a long time regular and friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of our patrons and employees who witnessed this tragic, violent event. We love you guys and truly appreciate your bravery, the post reads. The state medical examiner will determine the cause and manner of death. Flash Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday exchanged views on the Myanmar issue with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn. Prak Sokhonn, also the special envoy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for Myanmar, briefed Wang on his visit to Myanmar. Wang spoke highly of the positive role Cambodia, the chair of ASEAN for 2022, has played in mediating the Myanmar issue and expounded on China's stance in this regard. Firstly, the Chinese side expects joint efforts by China and ASEAN to push Myanmar in pursuit of political reconciliation within the framework of the constitution and laws, encourages all political parties in the country to prioritize the big picture and the interests of the people to take rational and pragmatic efforts to stabilize the situation and realize peace at an early date. Secondly, China hopes to work together with ASEAN to push Myanmar in restart of democratic transition process and exploration of a path of political development with Myanmar's own characteristics that also suits its national conditions. Thirdly, China expects ASEAN to stick to "the ASEAN way", uphold the basic principles and traditions of non-interference in others' internal affairs and coordination, stay focused and remove distractions, engage in patient coordination, constructively implement the five-point consensus reached by ASEAN leaders, and safeguard ASEAN's overall unity and its leading role. HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. Police say a gunman on a rooftop opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago, killing at least six people, wounding at least 30 and sending hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror. Authorities said 21-year-old Robert E. Crimo III was named as a person of interest in the shooting and was taken into police custody Monday evening after an hourslong manhunt. The July 4 shooting was just the latest to shatter the rituals of American life. Schools, churches, grocery stores and now community parades have all become killing grounds in recent months. This time, the bloodshed came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together. The shooting occurred at a spot on the parade route where many residents had staked out prime viewing points early in the day for the annual celebration. Dozens of fired bullets sent hundreds of parade-goers some visibly bloodied fleeing. They left a trail of abandoned items that showed everyday life suddenly, violently disrupted: A half-eaten bag of potato chips; a box of chocolate cookies spilled onto the grass; a childs Chicago Cubs cap. Theres no safe place, said Highland Park resident Barbara Harte, 73, who had stayed away from the parade fearing a mass shooting, but later ventured from her home. Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli said at a news conference several of the deceased victims died at the scene and one was taken to a hospital and died there. Police have not released details about the victims or wounded. A downtown Vinton music store that was severely damaged in a fire early Saturday has been torn down. The Roanoke County Fire Marshals Office is investigating the cause of the fire, which resulted in $500,000 in damage to the music store. Three cats died in the fire, which affected several buildings, some of which featured residential apartments. No residents were injured, but eight were displaced and are being assisted by the American Red Cross. The total damage estimate for all affected buildings is $1.5 million, said Brian Clingenpeel, Roanoke County Fire and Rescue Department community outreach coordinator, in an email on Sunday. Shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday, Roanoke County Fire and Rescue Department crews responded to a commercial structure fire at the intersection of East Lee Avenue and South Pollard Street. The fire originated at DR Music at 101 E. Lee Ave. The buildings roof collapsed, and crews were concerned the rest of the building would fall, too. It had to be demolished for safety reasons, Clingenpeel said. Downtown streets were closed as crews remained on scene, and the demolition occurred late Saturday afternoon. The town of Vinton said in a Facebook post at about 8:55 p.m. that several downtown streets would be blocked to allow for continued clean-up activities. The town of Vinton expressed both gratitude and condolences in a second Facebook post at 11:15 p.m. Saturday. Were incredibly thankful for our first responders, public works crews, police officers, fire marshals office, building commissioners office, local utility workers, demo contractors employees, area business owners, and our citizens who responded today when tragedy struck our town, the post said. We are grateful that no injuries were sustained by the responders or occupants in the affected buildings. We are sad to learn that several pets were lost and offer our condolences to the owners of the pets. Economic development director Jill Loope has announced that her 23rd year of working for Roanoke County will be her last. Loope, who joined the county as public information officer in 2000, was promoted from acting to full-time director of the economic development officer in 2013. She plans to retire July 1, 2023. Loope helped the department achieve its status through her leadership. She is a skilled facilitator and collaborator who has generated thousands of jobs and over $1 billion in capital investment, a statement from the county said. Loope, a graduate of Radford University, got her start in the field more than 30 years ago with economic development director positions in Radford and Caroline County, Virginia. Its been an honor to serve the people of Roanoke County, said Loope. I have enjoyed working with our business partners, and seeing the positive growth and development thats occurred in our community and region over the past two decades. During her time with Roanoke County, Loope has served on numerous boards and organizations, including the Western Virginia Workforce Board, the Western Virginia Regional Industrial Facilities Authority, the Virginias First Regional Industrial Facilities Authority and the Virginia Manufacturing Development Commission, among others. Roanoke County said it will immediately begin a nationwide search for a successor. Loope will assist with the transition to a new director while also serving in a new role to enhance the tourism division in the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department, the county said. " " People are more powerful than you'd think -- especially when they're using their best moves on the dance floor. See more renewing the grid pictures. amana productions inc./ Getty Images Have you ever wondered how powerful you are? Not the power of fame, fortune or knowledge but rather how much power is in your body. On average, a human consumes about 3,300 watt-hours of energy every day but has the potential to produce more than 3 times that amount -- up to 11,000 watt-hours of power -- from normal bodily functions such as motion and the production of body heat. Walking, for example, produces 163 watts of power, while sprinting generates more than 1,600 watts [source: SPACE.com]. What if this wattage could be turned into usable energy? Renewing the Grid Image Gallery Advertisement The wattage a body generates is potential energy, and only a small percentage of it can be captured. NASA's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) estimates that a single footstep could provide 1 to 2 watts [source: SPACE.com]. Turn a single footstep into 84,162,203 steps and a group of people could generate enough power to launch a space shuttle [source: Christian Science Monitor]. The idea of harnessing the power of people isn't just a concept being explored by engineers, scientists and "The Matrix," it's also an experiment making its way into green design. A small number of dance clubs around the world are starting a dance revolution outside of Xbox and Nintendo. Sustainable Dance Club in Rotterdam, Holland, and Surya in London, among others, have embraced eco-friendly philosophies that manifest in everything from the renewable and recycled materials of their decor to their commitment to building environmental awareness in young patrons. An ordinary dance club -- house music thumping three nights a week -- uses 150 times more energy than a household of four people each year [source: Popular Mechanics]. To minimize their consumption, eco-friendly dance clubs green themselves by providing amenities such as organic wines and beer, waterless urinals and toilets that flush with recycled water (including, yes, clubgoers' sweat). Some even get their power from solar, wind and dance energy. Dance energy? Special dance floors, known as piezoelectric floors, turn the power from clubbers' feet into electricity used to power the club. Could we solve the energy crisis by harnessing the energy of clubgoers with piezoelectric flooring? " " A Sudanese refugee in the Iridimi camp stands by a craggy tree. The dearth of firewood at camp drives women and girls into the bush to find fuel. AP Photo /Ben Curtis In one Darfur refugee camp in Chad, thousands of women have learned a whole new way to cook. Instead of relying on the usual wood-fueled fires, families are eating meals cooked by sunlight. Solar cooking could be saving their lives. More than 17,000 people live in the Iridimi refugee camp in western Chad. Chad lies just to the east of Sudan, next to the Darfur region, where civil war has forced millions of people from their homes. Back in 2003, all hell broke loose in Darfur when government forces cracked down on Darfur rebels seeking social change to improve the lives of black African Sudanese. What followed was an extraordinarily violent conflict, with government forces and Arab Janjaweed militias fighting non-Arab rebels and slaughtering civilians. As of 2008, at least 200,000 people have been killed, and 2.5 million people are displaced [source: Polgreen]. Hundreds of thousands of them are living in temporary camps in Chad. Advertisement In the Iridimi camp, as with many other camps, the occupants are mostly women and children, as a large number of Darfur men have been killed. The women are tasked with caring for their own families and for orphans, and that means feeding everyone in their care with supplies distributed by aid organizations. Each month, the World Food Program gives each family a month's worth of food and firewood. The food typically lasts the month. The firewood doesn't. According to people actively involved in the workings of the Iridimi camp, the firewood lasts less than a week. Women and girls have to collect more wood so they can prepare meals, but there is hardly any vegetation in the camp. As time goes on, they have to venture farther and farther from the camp to find firewood. This leaves them exposed to violence. Women and girls are routinely raped, beaten and murdered by not only the Janjaweed but also by Chad locals afraid the Darfur refugees are going to use up all of their scarce resources. In 2006, the nonprofits Jewish Watch International, KoZon Foundation and Solar Cookers International successfully launched a program to bring solar cookers to Darfur refugees, beginning with the Iridimi camp. The idea is to help keep women and girls a little bit safer from violence by reducing their need for firewood. In this article, we'll find out what solar cooking is about and what sorts of benefits it brings to the refugees. As it turns out, it does even more than increase security. FLORENCE, S.C. About a dozen people took to the streets in downtown Florence on Monday to protest the U.S. Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade and let states decide if abortions will be legal or illegal. Ive always tried to fight for equal rights for everybody and once I started hearing about Roe vs. Wade I knew South Carolina would be one of the first ones to overturn that law, march co-organizer Hannah Abbuhl said. My friend, Micayla, started talking and she had the idea the Fourth of July would be the perfect time for a protest. We organized it, got a few people together and are out here trying to make something happen. The protesters, carrying poster board signs, gathered in the Cheves Street parking deck and marched to the corner of Irby and Palmetto streets as they shouted out call-and-response phrases the entire way. Once at the intersection, they marched around the intersection on crosswalks, chanting the whole way. I was thinking about it really hard. Everybody was talking about boycotting the Fourth. Dont buy anything. Dont spend your money and keep it for small businesses, Micayla Revell, co-organizer, said. I thought, lets take that and stretch it further, while were not spending our money lets tell the people how mad we are. Theyre taking choices away from the people who need it. Its so much bigger. I think as a mother you really start to think about it, you really never know what can happen to your child, she said as she gently shepherded her child along with the other protesters. This is the second such protest the first took place at Five Points with fewer protesters. Motorists passing through the intersection, with a few exceptions, honked and waved in support. One squatted truck, absent mufflers, accelerated loudly past the protesters. Revell said she was ill and couldnt make it to the first protest. Im very passionate about it, Ive been screaming about it on social media every day. I want to tell as many people as I can, she said. Im talking to the world when Im talking on social media. I wanted to talk top the people I live around every single day. We all deserve the right to healthcare or abortion if thats what we choose of feel is necessary, Abbuhl said. The marchers planned to protest for four hours with speeches along the way. The two organizers didnt indicate if there would be additional protests. "What the end of Roe v. Wade will mean for people on probation and parole" | Main | New podcast for all sentencing fans (and especially defense attorneys) NBC News has this lengthy new piece under the headline "Thousands of federal inmates still await early release under Trump-era First Step Act." Here are excerpts: Thousands of nonviolent federal prisoners eligible for early release under a promising Trump-era law remain locked up nearly four years later because of inadequate implementation, confusion and bureaucratic delays, prisoner advocacy groups, affected inmates and former federal prison officials say. Even the Biden administrations attempt to provide clarity to the First Step Act by identifying qualified inmates and then transferring them to home confinement or another form of supervised release appears to be falling short, according to prisoner advocates familiar with the law. The Department of Justice was tasked with carrying out the law through the federal Bureau of Prisons, but the bureau director, Michael Carvajal, a Trump administration holdover, announced his retirement in January amid criticism of a crisis-filled tenure marked by agency scandals. No replacement for Carvajal has been named, and criminal justice advocates contend that for the bureau to allow even one person to be incarcerated beyond what is permitted under the First Step Act exposes ongoing failures. It shouldnt be this complicated and it shouldnt take this long, said Kevin Ring, president of the nonprofit advocacy group Families Against Mandatory Minimums, or FAMM. Here we are, four years later, and its maddening. The Justice Department published a final rule in January that implements an integral feature of the law in which inmates can earn so-called time credits, which are obtained through participation in prison and work programs and calculated as part of the process of getting out early. The problem, advocates say: They are identifying inmates whose time credits arent getting applied, and in some cases, the inmates arent getting released as early as they should be.... Data provided by the Bureau of Prisons shows that as of June 18, more than 8,600 inmates have had their sentences recalculated and are slated for release with the application of their time credits. But its unclear how many qualified inmates are entitled to have been released early but remain incarcerated. In a response, bureau officials said, We have no data which suggests inmates had their release dates delayed. But with the bureaus own data identifying about 66,600 inmates who are eligible to earn time credits, some industry experts disagree. We estimate that there are thousands of inmates who will not receive the full benefit days off of their federal prison sentence of the First Step Act simply because the agency is uncertain how to calculate these benefits, said Walter Pavlo, president of the consulting firm Prisonology LLC.... Pavlo said the Bureau of Prisons never had the mechanisms in place to adequately track inmates participation and he is concerned the agency is not facilitating the timely calculation and application of time credits in accordance with the final rule, forcing inmates to serve custodial terms longer than required. In the cases hes reviewed, he said he has seen inmates in prison from six months up to a year who could have had either an earlier release or time in pre-release custody. The biggest problem is nobody on the front lines seems to understand the new rule, Pavlo said. There needs to be a task force on this now. Will Oklahoma carry out over two dozen executions over the next couple years? | Main | Another account of continuing struggles with FIRST STEP Act implementation The title of this post is the title of this notable briefing authored by Wanda Bertram and Wendy Sawyer of the Prison Policy Initiative giving attention to how the Supreme Court's Dobbs's ruling will impact the large number of women on probation or parole. Here is how it gets started: With several states preparing to criminalize abortion now that Roe v. Wade is over, and some states talking about criminalizing traveling out of state to get an abortion, its worth remembering that for many people on probation and parole, traveling out of state for abortion care is already next to impossible. On any given day in the U.S., 666,413 women are on probation (a community-based alternative to incarceration) or parole (the part of a prison sentence that someone serves in the community). In many jurisdictions for instance, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Idaho, Texas, and the federal system, as well as some juvenile probation systems its common for people on probation and parole to face restrictions on where they can travel, whether they can move to another county or state, and with whom they can associate (including, potentially, people who assist in coordinating abortion access, where such help is criminalized). All of these restrictions will make it harder for people under supervision to get abortion care. In the last few days, many news outlets have reported on how people in prison can be blocked from seeking an abortion, especially in states where abortion is already illegal. (Ironically, as weve discussed before, prisons deny people quality pregnancy care even as they deny abortion access.) The end of Roe v. Wade will create new barriers to abortion care for incarcerated people, since it will likely trigger But an even greater number of people on probation and parole stand to be affected: About 231,000 women are in prison or jail on any given day, but several times as many women are on probation and parole, the result of gendered differences in offense types: women are more likely than men to be serving sentences for lower-level property and drug crimes In the thirteen states with abortion ban trigger laws on the way, more than 200,000 women are under probation and parole supervision, which will make it difficult or impossible for many of them to travel out of state for an abortion, or potentially even talk to people coordinating abortion care, given the typical restrictions of probation and parole.